John opened his eyes and summoned Alfred.
As if sensing a predator's gaze, Alfred looked upward.
The cat blinked once and closed its eyes back.
'Yeah, I know. That cat is powerful, but we don't need to worry.'
'Anyway, lay down and relax. I want to research.'
Alfred laid down, his head resting on its front paws while John also rested his head against Alfred's fluffy neck-back part and closed his eyes.
He had yet to sleep fully as he had only rested for three hours on the dragon's back, so he planned to sleep if he got drowsy while researching.
'Let's start.'
John focused into Alfred's source space.
'Buddy, help me a bit. I want to observe everything of you.'
'Woof!'
'This is so awesome… such an eccentric spiritual physique with those patterns connected to dots and all eventually converging at the soul… in that soul crystal.'
'I need to create something like that in my source space too.'
'This spiritual physique must be connected to Alfred's physical body in some way… it's literally derived from its fundamental genetic structure… wait, is that its genome expanded into a spiritual physique structure?!'
'That means I need to observe myself deep within and create it using the soul energy…'
'…'
'Chuthulos, you there?'
[Sup?]
'I need your help a bit. You see…' John told Chuthulos about the ruling sects, Monster Geno Arts, and the potential trouble and solution.
[Alright, let me teach you a bit of consciousness control and form an Inner Eye using your consciousness. That way, you can observe your own body deeply and work using it.]
'Great.'
After learning from Chuthulos for an hour while practicing, John managed to see his genome code with Inner Eye. Now, he just had to learn how to expand the genome code into a spirit physique.
'Oh boy, this is going to be tough…'
John had already spent over an hour and he was getting sleepy, so he soon began snoring.
Alfred was also sleeping since John had told him it was safe here and there wasn't any worry of getting attacked.
The Monsters inside the Monster Paradise also played a lot and were tired, so they also fell asleep, except for the Draconite Bloodlight Worm, who was playing with the ball alone.
But an hour later, the worm fell asleep right on the field.
…
"What?" Azelis frowned. "Impossible. John will be my first apprentice and that's final."
In the Hall Master's palace at the top of the mountain, Azelis looked at three people, who were fellow Hall Executives like her—Emperor-rank Tamers.
"You just had to recruit someone if there was anyone good enough. Who told you to get a personal apprentice for yourself?" A bald middle-aged man wearing a black robe snorted.
"Executive Jason, do I need permission for that?" Azelis narrowed her eyes, her voice flat. "I don't think so."
"You are the youngest of seven executives and your prowess is recognized, Azelis. But that doesn't mean you should make arbiter decisions like this quickly," said the blue-haired woman with a wry smile.
Azelis shook her head and curtly replied, "Senior Yasmin, I am perfectly capable of making a sound decision for myself."
"I don't think so, Azelis. You messed up by picking a nobody instead of the one from the suggestions," the third one spoke, a man in his thirties with a red beard and hair. "Apprentices need to hold the reputation of their teachers as well as the organization. They must be chosen carefully."
"Executive Tavros, my apprentice is perfectly capable of doing both," Azelis snorted. "Seriously, in the end, it's up to me to decide."
"Hall Master had already suggested to make Rakin Lockham your apprentice and the whole sect was also expecting that. He is also the best Silver-rank of our sect and is only not breaking through because of the upcoming important event," Executive Jason narrowed his eyes. "Not to mention that the Lockham family has quite the large business of Spirit Items across not just Heavenrend Region, but also Nexus City."
"They were expecting Rakin to be made your first apprentice, but now, you are just slapping them and the Hall Master in the face."
Azelis opened her mouth to reply, but suddenly everyone looked to the north, standing in a row and straightening their backs.
At the hall's end on a mattress, a middle-aged man with shoulder-length white hair appeared, sitting on the empty Hall Master's fancy sofa chair.
His right cheek rested on his hand as he leaned back and smiled. "Who is slapping who?"
"Greetings, Hall Master."
Varek Lightshade, the current Hall Master of Ouroboros Sect and one of the five Sovereign-rank Tamers of Heavenrend Region.
The other four naturally being the heads of the other four sects.
"Azelis, how was the survival event you attended?" Varek asked, a faint smile lingering on his face without fading.
"I found an exceptional young man," Azelis said as she cupped her fist. "And I've decided to make him my first apprentice."
Varek raised his eyebrows. "That's surprising. For you to be impressed this much, he has to be capable."
"Indeed, he is."
The other three executives remained silent.
"If he is, then he must also prove himself further. I assume he is at most Silver-rank with not much impressive Monsters right now. Well then…" Varek paused briefly before he continued with a chuckle. "Let's have him participate in Nexus City's upcoming tournament."
Hearing him, the faces of the other three executives glowed to different degrees while Azelis blinked, her brows creasing slightly.
"That is indeed a perfect suggestion," Executive Tavros said with a smile. "Rakin Lockham is also participating in that tournament."
"And if the apprentice you chose is indeed as talented and filled with potential as you said, then eighty days should be enough for him to reach the peak of Silver-rank and train his Monsters to be on par with other elite Silver-rank Tamers," Executive Jason chimed in.
'This is unfair!' Azelis wanted to shout.
"Worry not," Varek said. "I am not telling your apprentice to win the tournament. Asking a new Tamer to do that within just eighty days is too much. However, as long as he satisfies me and shows better potential than Rakin Lockham in front of everyone, then it should shut everyone's mouth."
Varek smiled. "What do you say, Azelis?"
Azelis clenched her fists, her eyes blazing as she nodded.
"Understood. He will prove himself."
"Good. Get him to finish the procedures and guide him however you want. I'm looking forward to his progress."