Building A Bond

Under the middle-aged man's guidance, Hadrian approached the place where that particular Mirage Owl is.

Since the middle-aged man, Hughes has been here for a long time, the beasts bred here are already familiar with him.

That Mirage Owl was no exception. So when it was called by Hughes, it flew over with no fanfare.

It came down on a nearby tree just a few feet away from where Hadrian is standing.

It peered its eyes down curiously on the middle-aged man and Hadrian.

The caretaker seems to be calling for me. Could it be... that human specifically wants to form a contract with me? Is it my chance? The Mirage Owl can't help but think.

And when thinking about this. The Mirage Owl undergoes a series of complicated emotions from excitement, hopefulness, and nervousness.

The Mirage Owl's intelligence is no less than that of a 10-year-old child.

Forming a contract with a human beast tamer is an opportunity for beasts. It means they can grow smoothly and strongly.

So every beast here wants to have a contract with humans, especially those talented ones. The particular Mirage Owl is no exception.

But as time passes by, the Mirage Owl knows he is different from his kin. His circumstances are different which is why no humans have contracted it yet.

Fortunately, it doesn't have resentment against humans like those ferocious beasts. It is because it is nurtured by humans and also because of its kin.

In the eyes of it's kind of the same age as it, it was the leader. After all, it learns a spirit attribute skill and has high intelligence.

The more intelligent they are, the higher their understanding is. They also have the highest possibility to comprehend skills and will be the fastest to improve the proficiency of their skills.

So in the eyes of Mirage Owl younglings, it was unique and profound. That's why this particular Mirage Owl doesn't lose hope.

It believes that one day a human will also take notice of its uniqueness and form a contract with it.

And now it came true! It didn't wait in vain for years!

A human will contract it now!

Thinking of this, the Mirage Owl looks at Hadrian with hopeful gazes.

Seeing this, Hadrian can't help but let out a little chuckle.

This owl was intelligent and interesting!

"Little guy, I know you can understand what I'm saying. I hope you can form a contract with me." He said with a kind smile while handing out his arms to the little owl.

There is also a glowing halo on its arms, the energy from the beast space.

The owl understood it and it was like a bolt as he landed immediately on Hadrian's arms.

The halo spread onto the owl and the glow flickers for a while before it shimmers down.

In Hadrian's mind, he felt there was another consciousness.

The same goes for the owl, a presence was lingering on its mind.

It was a sign. The contract was successfully formed!

Testing the waters, Hadrian spoke to another consciousness on his mind.

"Hello, little guy. From now on, we're partners."

The owl was startled before it nodded as if he understood. The contract between it and the human was now formed!

"Hoot!~ (Of course, master.)" The owl answered in what Hadrian perceives as a young man in the adolescent stage. The owl didn't know what to call the human in front of it, but since it is its beast master, it was not wrong to call the human in front of it it's master.

"Not the master. You can just call me, Hades." Hadrian said while brushing his hand to the feathers of the Mirage Owl.

The owl just nodded while enjoying the petting of the human in front.

"Speaking of it, I should give you a name..." Hadrian's thoughts trail off.

"Let's call you Deimos, not only does it mean moon. But it also means the personification of dread. One day like your name, you will be strong enough that when those who hear your name will feel terror!" Hadrian said firmly said in the mind of the Mirage Owl.

Hearing this, the owl looks at him with determination and replies.

"Hoot!~ (I will not disappoint you, master!)"

What follows after that was a long consensus.

The middle-aged man was also happy that someone contracted that particular owl.

Before leaving, Hadrian bought some necessities. Including the foods, energy crystals, and training materials for Deimos.

Hadrian's heart was bleeding! So was his wallet!

Just about 500,000 Spherium gone in one day!

Such a life of a beast tamer. Sigh.

When Hadrian left, he put Deimos in the beast-taming space.

What he didn't know, was that in his beast-taming, a sudden shocking change in Deimos was occurring.

Before he goes home, Hadrian also bought some food for himself. After all, it's nighttime already. He hadn't had dinner yet.

When he got to his apartment, he immediately settle everything.

He put the bowl he bought for Deimos and put the foods that the owl needed.

Moon-glaze leaves. A basic light-type resource for every light-type beast. It comes from the tree in the breeding yard of Nightfall Breeding Center.

And the Sparkling drink is a water-type resource that increases the potential of the beast and its body.

He also put the food he brought for himself on a plate. He settled all of it on the table.

And when he was done, he summoned Deimos.

And he can't help but fell into a daze.

After all, it was just a few hours ago when he put Deimos in the beast-taming space.

The Mirage Owl's body seemed to glaze. Although it still retains its brown feathers combined with white, the yellow smears are nowhere to be seen.

Its whole body is now bronze and white, giving it a fierce feeling. Hadrian deduce that maybe it was genetic defects that are now stabilizing.

Moreover, its rank increased.

One had to know that Ascended Ranks are divided. Novice, Knight, Elite, Veteran, Commander, Imperial, General, and Grand-Marshal.

There is also the highest rank that no beast master has achieved yet but some old magical beasts have already attained, Emperor Rank.

But in this rank division, there are also five tiers. Like Deimos, when he just contracted it, the owl was only on Novice Rank Tier II.

But now only a few hours have passed and Deimos is now Novice Rank Tier III and on the verge of increasing to Tier IV.

Hadrian understood what happened immediately. It was connected to his talent. Back then, he tested whether he can accelerate his mana oasis.

It seems that his talent has also affected his beast-taming space that's why the speed of enrichment is double that of the same level. Not to mention his talent is space and time attributes.

Researchers discovered back then that talents affect the beast-taming space so it also affects the contracted beast. For example a Fire Strengthening talent, because of it his beast has a fire attribute and the beast will be influenced.

That's why some beast tamers like to contract beasts that have the same attribute as them. And found it hard to contract beasts that have opposing attributes of them.

And they can't complete their beast team to have all-round attributes.

Hadrian felt lucky that his talent for space and time power. Because it accelerates the growth and accumulation of his beasts.

Perhaps in the future, because of being exposed to space and time power, his future beast may even evolve into a space or time attribute.

But Hadrian felt it was wishful thinking.

Shaking his head, he immediately petted Deimos that appeared beside him.

"Good for you little guy. Now here, let's eat!"

The room was filled with occasional laughs from the young man and a twittering sound from an owl.

Time passes by, and Hadrian cleans up their messes at the kitchen table and fixed everything.

He was now sitting on a sofa in the living room. And Deimos is beside him, playing with a book— Heavenly Beasts Journey— a book about ancient beasts and their journey that has been archeologically discovered in the secret realm of this world. Hadrian handed it to the owl for deliberated purposes.

Because of the skill telepathy of the owl and its constant interactions with humans at the breeding center, it didn't take much time for it to understand the book.

Hadrian picks up a remote on a table and opens the television. He picked a channel and leans on the chair to relax.

It just now sinks into Hadrian, that so much has happened to him. Although there's still a concept that maybe he was still dreaming and he will wake up back on Earth again, dextrose and lying in a white bed.

It still took a while for Hadrian that this is now his life. This is now his reality. This is what he is living now.

For a while, the occasional hoots of an owl and murmur of a man accompanied by a soft hush of television and flipping sounds of books, sounded in the living room.

When Hadrian felt he was sleepy enough he stood up and turns off the television.

He turns his head to the owl who was still busily immersed in the book that he gave earlier.

"I'm going to sleep now Deimos. How about you?" He asked to the insomniac owl.

The owl lifted his eyes to Hadrian and waved his wings like a human waving its hand.

"Hoot!~ (Master, let me just finish this story of Elusive Nightingale. It's a few chapters left!)" The owl replied to him telepathically.

Hadrian nodded as he smiled inward. Because he felt that his goal has been achieved.

Elusive Nightingale was an ancient beast in a secret realm. Its fossils and data have been archeologically discovered. And it was believed that the Elusive Nightingale uses the power of stars and moon to provide protection, bless and heal people.

"Okay, as long as you sleep and don't stay up until midnight." Hadrian felt like a parent setting up a curfew for his child as he replied back to the little owl.

"Hoot!~ (Okay, master.)" The owl shot back as it continued to immerse itself in the book.

Hadrian turned around as he headed to the room.

It didn't take a long time, Hadrian sank fully into his bed and fell into a deep sleep.

—

In a small reclusive apartment.

A bird whose size of a football, flew up and wave its feathers and tap at a switch. The lights of the room dim

Only the moonlight peering from the window illuminates the living room and the silhouette of an owl.

It flew up again to another room. Beside the body of a young man, the owl lay in its way.

Before closing its eyes, a resolute expression flickered on it. With only one thought lingering.

I'm going to be the strongest owl that controls the power of the moon!