Chapter 10: Weapon and Pet
Leo checked his assets.
Five silver and three bronze coins.
Good… I can definitely afford some decent gear.
At least, that's what he thought before he stepped into the shop.
The banner above the entrance read proudly, 'Hilt's Smithy'. And judging from the steady flow of customers coming in and going out, it seemed the shop had a good reputation.
But the moment he saw the prices, his eyes widened.
One silver… for a freaking sword! That too of white quality?!
In this world, equipment, artifacts, and treasures were categorized by colour ranks:
White - ★
Green - ★★
Blue - ★★★
Purple - ★★★★
Yellow - ★★★★★
Orange - ★★★★★★
Red - ★★★★★★★
Gold - ★★★★★★★★
Black Gold - ★★★★★★★★★
Black - ★★★★★★★★★★
White was for the lowest and Black for the highest. Each rank was further divided into tiers: Low, Intermediate, Advanced and Peak (Low, Mid, High and Peak), with each colour representing its corresponding stars and overall strength.
Anything above white quality was infused with mana, meaning only people with soul rank could properly wield them. Without it, even if someone with no soul rank could hold such a weapon, they wouldn't be able to bring out the weapon's full potential.
Then Leo noticed the sign.
Fixed Price…
His lips twitched, and he placed the sword back in its place ceremoniously as if he were handling a treasure and began searching for something cheaper.
When he finally stepped out of the shop, he held a serrated knife in his hand. It had a sturdy wooden handle that seemed to fit perfectly in his hand, almost as if it had been made for him.
Forty bronze…
The thought came to his mind again and again as he stared at the sky above with a blank expression as if questioning his life choices.
The knife was still only of white quality. Anything with higher quality started at a minimum of ten silver coins.
Should I just use Lily's kitchen knife? That barely costs fifty copper…
He glanced at the blade in his hand again. Its faint gleam sparked something within him
No… a weapon is an extension of oneself. It needs to be a proper thing.
And I should be grateful that at least I got something I am familiar with from my previous life.
He then made a few professional empty slashes in the air, feeling the knife.
Hmmm… the power behind it seems lacking. Is it due to this weak body? Well… I will manage.
As he walked, he spotted a tavern ahead, and suddenly his stomach grumbled with hunger.
Then he remembered his beast.
Closing his eyes, he tried to sense it. The creature seemed to be resting within his summoning space.
He tried reaching it mentally, and to his surprise, streaks of violet light gathered before him. A moment later, the cub materialized.
Well, that was easy.
It looked just as it had before—frail and undernourished. He could even spot slight bumps of its ribs beneath its skin.
Leo squatted and went to pick it up. The cub tried to step back but stumbled; it was too weak to even run back.
He gently caught it by holding its nape, then lifted it to his eye level.
Leo observed carefully; up close, he could see the faint light behind its eyes and its instinct to fight back if it felt threatened.
"Chill, dude. I am not going to eat you."
He said as he shifted it carefully, letting it rest on his left hand with the support of his chest, giving it a proper place to sit.
The cub flinched slightly at the word eat, but soon relaxed as Leo gently scratched behind its ears.
[Chain Bond (40% –> 45%)]
Leo blinked.
"The affection percentage increased just by stroking its ear?"
"Were you being treated this badly before…?"
He sighed softly, continuing to stroke it.
"Well, now that you are with me, you don't need to worry about anything, little one. I am not a bad guy."
A faint smile formed on his lips.
"And there is even a lovely lady you will meet soon, a very lovely one."
"Wait… is it a boy or a girl? The system doesn't say anything…" he muttered, thinking for a while but finding nothing in particular.
"Ahh! Name." His eyes lit up as he suddenly recalled the empty name slot.
"Looks like I will need to give it a name that's gender-neutral. Let's see… a black obsidian fur… shadow… those tenacious eyes which refuse to yield… hmmm… an elusive shadow with a piercing gaze…"
Then it clicked.
"Shyra," he said with quiet confidence, as if proud of himself.
"Yes… from now on you will be Shyra… Do you like it?"
Leo looked at the cub, which stared back at him with its wide, violet eyes, as if carefully studying him.
The moment it heard Leo calling it 'Shyra', it nodded furiously, clearly pleased with the name.
Beast - Obsidian Panther Cub
Name - Shyra
[Chain Bond (45% –> 70%)]
"Wha—?! The favorability increased this much! Just from a name? Looks like I need to be careful when I name my future beasts…" Leo let out a nervous chuckle.
Naming had never been his strong suit. This time, it seemed like pure luck that the cub had liked it.
"Yeah… I will definitely need Lily's help in the future, hehe," he added with a soft chuckle.
What Leo didn't realize was that receiving a name was a profound, life-changing moment for a beast. It influenced their path towards growth in a subtle way and even played a major role in determining their gender!
Beasts weren't born with a fixed gender. They developed one over time as they grew, something that was greatly influenced by their environmental factors and their behavioural patterns.
By then, Leo had already entered the tavern. He ordered cooked fish for Shyra, knowing well that cats liked fish, and ordered some steak for himself.
For one, he could finally afford some good food.
When the food arrived, Shyra was practically drooling over the fish but didn't touch it.
Leo noticed it and just gave a warm smile.
"Go on, everything's for you. We can order more if you want."
He said and pushed the plate closer to it.
That was all the encouragement it needed.
Shyra didn't wait anymore and started devouring the fish as if it hadn't eaten in days.
Leo ended up ordering two more plates, both of which vanished just as quickly.
[Chain Bond (70% –> 75% –> 79% –> 82%)]
This is good; its favorability is increasing, and it's already above 80%.
For a beast Master, favorability was a crucial factor, especially while the bond was still at the Chain Bond stage.
In a Chain Bond stage, if the favorability dropped below 40%, the beast might start ignoring some of its master's orders. And when it dropped below 30%, it would act on its own. And under 20%, there was a high chance that it might even harm its master or run away—though that was only possible if the beast was stronger than the Beast Master himself. Otherwise, it may remain obedient just because of fear, even with low favorability.
This was fairly common among higher-ranked beasts or when the beast had been tamed in a weakened state.
On the other hand, higher favorability brought stronger trust. Above 60%, the beast trusted you. Above 70%, it would follow commands without question. Above 80%, it enjoyed being around you and would actively protect you from harm. And finally, when beyond 90%, it might even be able to understand your thoughts even without a need for them to be spoken out.
Technically, increasing favorability in the Chain Bond was usually difficult.
But for Leo… things were a lot easier.
After all, he carried a gift from a Beast God.