Supreme BeastTamer: I Can Copy and Upgrade Skills 10x!

"Handover all the tokens!" That person demanded. "If not, I'll be forced to use force."

The voice was filled with arrogance and pride, but if one paid attention closely, they'd notice the slight trembling. It was as if the owner of the voice was forcing themselves to appear dominant but failing miserably.

Of course, Nyx was anything but panicked. She was calm and composed, looking at the newcomer with disinterest in her eyes, as if this person wasn't even worth her time, something that greatly irritated the other person. Anger filled their eyes, they gritted their teeth and shouted in a deeper voice.

"Didn't you hear me! I said hand over all your tokens this moment." He summoned his golden-encrusted sword and pointed it threateningly at Nyx. The sword was encased in golden light, and the golden light seemed to pulse from the blade to their body, forming a sort of protective armor.

This person was none other than Prince Ainsworth, the fought Prince of the Vermilion Kingdom. His polished golden armor gleamed under the glare of the sunlight, and those blue eyes were filled with coldness as he glared at his opponent. It felt as if she had killed someone close to him, but this was far from the truth!

The reason for this unfathomable anger was what had happened five years ago—it was still vivid, as if it had merely happened yesterday.

Ainsworth clenched his armored fist. Just looking at the arrogance and indifferent expression on her beautiful face, which, although beautiful, was very infuriating, made his blood boil.

"I didn't expect to run into you," Nyx said after a while. The characteristic indifference was very much palpable, with a hint of disgust in her voice. She recalled his actions against those commoners and only became even more disdainful.

"Me neither." Ainsworth scoffed, his lips curling into a smirk that didn't reach his eyes as he said in a firm, confident voice: "But it seems fate itself wants me to rewrite the past."

"Hmpff, you lost once, what made you think you stand a chance?" In a whirlwind of sparks, a long sword, which seemed to be made purely out of white radiant energy, appeared in the paladin's grasp. Then she added: "Just as you improved over the years, I also did the same."

The words struck harder than they should have. Ainsworth's jaw tightened. Because of the humiliation he had faced that day, his father had never looked at him with that loving gaze. It was disappointment.

Wanting to prove himself once again, Ainsworth had stayed indoors, training with the best Awakened the kingdom could offer, exploring dungeons, putting himself in life-and-death situations, and everything led to this moment.

"Such a shame, I'll destroy that beautiful face of yours!" Ainsworth growled with a fierce roar as he stepped forward. That first step was like a thunderclap, and it sent his body shooting forward, appearing like a golden streak of lightning.

BANG!

Truly, his movement was lightning-fast, befitting someone who had trained under the best in the kingdom. It was terrific, blowing dust and blades of grass apart, and the leaves of the trees shook fiercely.

However, just as he had improved, Nyx had also sharpened herself, perfecting her techniques. She had trained for days without rest. She had fought against hundreds of beasts in the dimension, even when her stamina was dangerously low. She put her life in harm's way, and all of this was for one single reason: to become as strong as she could!

Training was like a second nature to her!

"The only thing that will be bruised here today is your ego." Activating [Holy Speed], Nyx scoffed with arrogance, which seemed to make Ainsworth's blood bubble as her body moved on its own.

Within a moment, the gap between them was covered, and the swords of the two—one radiant white, the other golden in color—flashed in the air before clashing violently in the middle of the clearing.

CLANG!

The impact of their swords sent vibrations up their arms, and because of the fierce clash of the conflicting energies, shockwaves rippled outward, causing the ground to crack and the surrounding trees to sway violently.

Most of the examinees, who had regained a bit of their HP and stamina, were seriously contemplating taking advantage of the situation to reclaim their tokens. However, they were met with the powerful shockwave, which sent their bodies flying backward, suffering additional damage.

Realizing that they couldn't even get close to the two, the examinees wisely decided to flee the scene.

"You've improved," Nyx said in a calm voice as each exerted power in their weapon to overwhelm the other, white and golden sparks shooting out in the middle. With a smile tugging at the corner of her lips, she said sweetly: "But you still lack control."

"Shut up! I learned from the best in the Capital, while you learned in that backwater region, you've got nothing to teach me!" Ainsworth barked in anger as he pulled back and went in again. His strikes grew more aggressive. He swung in rapid succession, sparks flying each time their swords met.

'He's angry. Good.' Nyx had learned long ago that an opponent blinded by rage was easier to defeat. She had experienced this firsthand in her fight against Wendy. Her mother had also told her the same. All she had to do was poke the proud, arrogant prince to achieve this.

In this angry state, he became reckless and seemed to have forgotten everything he had learned during the past years.

CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!

Ainsworth panted heavily as he struck and struck, his usual refined fighting style gone, and now he fought more like a berserker—a terrible one at that.

Nyx blocked his next overhead swing and sidestepped again, forcing him to stumble forward.

"Stop running!" Ainsworth yelled, his face flushed with frustration.

Nyx spun on her heel, her sword flashing through the air with precision. The flat of her blade struck his side, and he gasped, stumbling to his knees. Ainsworth's eyes were wide as he stared down at the blood slowly pooling on the ground.

"That's your problem, Ainsworth," Nyx said, circling him. "You fight to prove something, not to win."

Ainsworth's eyes blazed as his gaze shot upward again. "Don't talk to me like you're better than I am!"

Nyx stopped, her expression turning serious. "I don't think I'm better, Your Highness." She smiled. "I know I am."

In another part of the Level Four Dimension, Serena, lying atop the branch of a tree that was the size of a castle tower, narrowed her eyes with an extremely focused expression, as if she were tracking something invisible in the distance.

Her bow was held firmly in her hands, and on the strings was a single arrow whose head pulsed with a faint milky energy.

Her target? It was none other than the Dragonoid, Zara.

"One strike, that's all I need!" She declared and...