Everyone Tames Beasts, So Why Are You Taming Goddesses? - Chapter 26

Li Xu clutched his injured leg as he stood up and said, “I trust you, Captain, but could you at least heal my leg?”

Su Yu waved him off. “Go, go. My Alia doesn’t heal other men. Go find a healer-type Beastmaster instead!”

Li Xu groaned in frustration. “Wow, what happened to team spirit?!”

Su Yu said sternly, “Li, I really need to criticize you here. It’s just a minor injury, and you’re whining about it? You’re making us guys look bad. Look at Wei Gang—not a single complaint!”

Li Xu looked at Wei Gang, who patted him on the shoulder and said, “Brother Li, that’s because I didn’t have any expectations in the first place.”

“Pfft!” Liu Xuan, An Zhishui, and the others couldn’t help but laugh.

Su Yu’s words lifted the group’s morale considerably.

Most of the personal match slots for first-year students were dominated by S-rank students, and the school’s draw procedures usually tried to avoid completely unfair matchups.

—

In the arena, as the final match concluded, the draw process for the next round began.

Su Yu watched the screen in the lounge. Despite already knowing who his opponent would be, he was curious about how the draw would be presented publicly.

On the screen:

“The first two rounds of the preliminaries have concluded. Tomorrow, eight students will be selected to represent Magic City University in the freshman stage of the Nine-School Alliance Tournament.”

“Now, let’s see the draw results. The first match tomorrow is…”

“Su Yu vs. Li Mu!”

The crowd erupted into a frenzy, and the live stream chat exploded with comments:

“Holy crap! I thought Magic City University would adjust the draw to avoid internal clashes. They’re going head-to-head right away?!”

“The most fair and direct matchup.”

“Potential List Rank 3 vs. Rank 9. Glad I managed to get tickets for tomorrow!”

“Who’s going to win? Can we get some expert analysis from Beastmasters?”

—

In the broadcast director’s room, the host announced, “We’re fortunate to have invited an expert from the Pet Beast Association, Nirvana Realm Beastmaster Mr. Lu Yun.”

“Mr. Lu, what’s your take on this matchup?”

Lu Yun replied confidently, “While many might think this will be a fierce contest, I believe Li Mu will easily defeat Su Yu tomorrow.”

The chat filled with reactions:

“BS! Su Yu is at least top-8 material, if not higher!”

“Easily? I mean, sure, Li Mu is ranked third on the Potential List, but Alia was the strongest last year!”

“Damn it, as much as I can’t forgive Su Yu for stealing Alia, there’s no way she’ll lose!”

Noticing the flood of comments, Lu Yun explained, “Let’s not cloud this with emotional bias. Beastmaster battles come down to rank, sequence, and compatibility.”

“Li Mu and Su Yu are at the same rank, and both have high-tier sequence pet beasts. The key to victory lies in compatibility.”

“It’s clear that based on previous appearances, Su Yu’s abilities rely on using ‘blood’ as a medium, requiring a certain amount of space to maneuver. Li Mu’s talent, on the other hand, is specifically designed to counter this with his control-based abilities. In terms of compatibility, Li Mu holds a significant advantage.”

“Furthermore, Li Mu comes from a prestigious family. It’s highly likely he’ll have a second pet beast. Who do you think has the upper hand now?”

“No matter how strong Alia was last year, she lost her rank. The past is the past. Don’t cling to outdated glory.”

Lu Yun’s analysis swayed many viewers. Alia’s limited public appearances and the lack of detailed records left much of her perceived strength tied to her reputation as the “genius campus belle.”

“Reasonable and straight to the point.”

“The betting odds reflect this perfectly! Li Mu’s odds are 1.4, while Su Yu’s have shot up to 4.7!”

The clash between two top-ranked geniuses, combined with expert commentary, ignited a fresh wave of online debate.

—

In the broadcast room, after the live feed ended, the host casually asked Lu Yun, “Hey, Old Lu, is Li Mu’s advantage really that big? I’m thinking about placing a bet.”

The two were friends, and with the cameras off, they spoke freely.

Lu Yun smirked. “Come on, don’t fall for the hype. In my opinion, it’s a 50-50 matchup at best. I was just stirring the pot to raise the odds. If you’re going to bet, bet on Su Yu!”

“Buy some for me too. The association keeps a close eye on our activity.”

The host’s jaw dropped.

No wonder he’s an expert!

—

Elsewhere, in the Combat Department’s lounge, Lei He lay curled up in a hospital bed, trembling uncontrollably as he recovered from his injuries.

Li Mu and a few others stood by his side.

“Old Lei, I’ll avenge you tomorrow,” Li Mu said quietly.

Lei He’s eyes were filled with fear.

It wasn’t just fear of Su Yu—it was fear for his future as a Beastmaster.

The Thunderbird had pierced his own body.

Though Lei He knew it was due to Su Yu’s ability, the betrayal he felt from his trusted companion, the one he had fought alongside, had shattered his sense of security.

This unseen damage had nearly broken him as a Beastmaster.

Lei He trembled as he pleaded, “Old Li… you have to win.”

“And be careful of Alia. She can control the blood inside people. The Peculiar Puppet won’t fully protect you from her.”

With desperation in his eyes, Lei He looked to Li Mu for hope.

Li Mu gripped Lei He’s hand firmly. “Trust me, brother. I’ll win.”

To prepare for the vampire, Li Mu had arranged to contract a second high-tier sequence pet beast that evening. He was also expecting a special Ghost-Grade weapon designed specifically to counter vampires.

He had to defeat Su Yu—for his friend’s morale and in response to his professor’s request.

Though Li Mu didn’t fully understand the grudge between Wang Yue and Su Yu.

—

In an underground chamber somewhere in Magic City.

Ishikawa Hideji fumed, “Fool! Mr. Wang, can your family even live up to what you promised? Alia and Su Yu are gaining more attention by the day. What if they climb to the top spot on the Potential List and gain the full protection of the Nine Divisions and Magic City’s governor?”

“I’m seriously beginning to doubt your sincerity!”

Wang Yue was visibly stressed. He had been trying to suppress Su Yu to weaken his influence and strength before Su Yu entered the demonic lairs.

On Magic City’s surface, Wang Yue and his associates from the Sakura Nation wouldn’t dare openly harm a Beastmaster of Great Xia.

The fact that Lei He failed to stop Su Yu and ended up humiliated only made things worse.

Wang Yue replied firmly, “Mr. Ishikawa, please trust in our sincerity!”

“Tomorrow, I’ve arranged for Li Mu to fight him. He will ensure Su Yu doesn’t make it to the Nine-School Alliance Tournament!”

“And regardless of who protects Su Yu, he will inevitably be sent to fight in the demonic lairs.”

Unlike other nations, in Great Xia, it is the bravest who take the battlefield.

Ishikawa Hideji’s frown eased. “Fine. I’ll trust you one more time. Let’s hope our first collaboration proves fruitful.”

“I assure you, there will be plenty of such collaborations in the future.”

Wang Yue smiled. “Very well. I look forward to it.”

—

After watching the draw announcement, Su Yu left the lounge. Liu Xuan accompanied the injured teammates to find healing Beastmasters, while Su Yu went to meet his family, who had come to watch the matches.

—

After waiting for about half an hour,

Su Qifan, Ning Shuting, and Su Yu’s younger sister, Su Wanrong, finally emerged from the crowd outside the arena.

Upon spotting Su Yu, Su Wanrong bounced over excitedly and threw herself into his arms. “Big brother! You’re amazing! That guy didn’t stand a chance against you!”

Nearby, Alia, wearing a baseball cap to avoid drawing attention, frowned slightly.

Even though she knew this was Su Yu’s younger sister,

She couldn’t help but feel a slight pang of jealousy. Is this what those books called “being jealous”?

Nibbling on her thumb, she realized that ever since Su Yu had introduced her to the variety of human flavors, she was becoming more attuned to sensations and feelings.

Su Yu gently pushed Su Wanrong away. “Alright, alright, you’re already eighteen. Stop acting like a little kid.”

Su Qifan and Ning Shuting approached, smiling warmly.

Both parents were filled with pride and concern as they looked at Su Yu.

As parents of an exceptional Beastmaster, they were naturally proud. But knowing that their young son had already mastered the art of killing meant his time on the battlefield wasn’t far off.

Su Wanrong pouted. “Big brother, I’m not a kid anymore! I want to become a Beastmaster just like you!”

Su Yu immediately shut her down. “Don’t even think about it. Absolutely not!”