This Beast-Tamer is a Little Strange

The arena buzzed with an electric tension as the final match approached, the air thick with anticipation.

As the most anticipated match, theirs was arranged to be the finale of the entire tournament. The crowd was on the edge of their seats, eyes fixed on the colossal stage where the last two competitors would soon face off. The temperature had dropped with the setting sun, but the wind did little to cool down the excited crowd.

The Dark Moon team stood at one end of the arena, their dark and silver uniforms giving them a militaristic and cold presence.

On the opposite side, the representatives from First Celestial Academy—radiating an aura of unshakable confidence and nobility—stood poised and ready in their uniforms of red, white, and gold.

Both sides seemed determined to go in an increasing order of strength, with Dark Moon sending Edward, and the opponent sending a girl in her fourth-year with bronze skin and hair so dark it appeared blue under the setting sun.

Edward summoned his contracts, all of whom were slightly larger and more muscular than their wild counterparts due to the extensive training that they regularly undergo.

All of Edward's contracts were of the metal attribute, but only looking at their muscular physiques Kain was reminded of the "fighting-type" attribute from a certain video game back on earth that unfortunately does not exist in this world.

The first was a dual metal and lightning attribute hulking bear-like creature with thick, matted fur that crackled with electrical energy. Its claws were oversized and sharp, capable of rending rock.

The bear's presence was imposing, with glowing blue veins running through its body that pulsated like lightning during storms. Unlike most spiritual creatures in this tournament who were essentially "naked" since enchanted equipment was banned on spiritual creatures, the bear had on a thick metal armor and carried a massive double-headed hammer that both crackled with electricity. Since the metal and weapon were a product of its own metal attribute, they were naturally not banned. Like most members of its species it preferred to create a hammer as its weapon of choice, hence the species name Stormhammer Bear.

The second contract was a colossal, bull-like creature, an Onyx Bison, with skin resembling polished onyx, hard as stone but flexible. Its massive horns curved upward like a curved mountain, and its hooves left deep impressions in the stage when it charged.

The third and final blue-attribute contract was a large, muscular gorilla-like creature with silver fur. Its arms were disproportionately long and powerful, capable of flexibly wielding the spear in its hand, its preferred weapon, with ease. The Stonefist Gorilla's agility belied its massive size, as it was a fast, flexible, and efficient close-combat fighter.

Edward's final 2 contracts were both green-grade: one a deep grey rhinoceros-like creature, Steelhorn Juggernaut; the other a burly warthog, called the Ironspike Warhog. Chapter Enjoy:

Meanwhile, the opponent's contracts were all water-attribute spiritual creatures. She was also equipped with a full set of armor and a spear. Unlike most beast-tamers, she readily participated in battle herself. Similar the Soren, her contract boosted her own combat abilities rather than those of her contracts, giving her the ability to turn her body into a mist-like form to avoid being injured when attacked.

As the bottom-ranked individuals for both of their teams, they had long had the details of their contracts and gifts exposed, therefore this match up and also the strategies each side will use could be predicted to an extent.

Based on the slight twitch of his contracts, and the more visible flinching in the opponents' contracts, Kain could tell that Edward had used his gift. However, considering that the opponents were mentally prepared this time, and the opposing beast-tamer had equipment that seemed to nullify the effects of his gift on her, the results were not nearly as miraculous as in the fight against Starfire College.

Moreover, neither the opponent nor her contracts looked like pampered individuals unable to withstand pain. They quickly shook off their distraction due to the gift. However, the gift's effects did seem to be present and have a slightly stronger impact on the opponents than his own contracts who were used to it, therefore Edward kept his gift activated.

The first clash came as the Stormhammer Bear charged, its massive paws sending shockwaves through the stage. It was met by the opposing River Leviathan, a serpentine water creature with smooth, cyan scales that shimmered under the arena lights. With a deft twist, the Leviathan slid through the air, its massive body coiling in midair to slam into the bear with a force that sent it stumbling back. The water-attribute creature's tail whipped forward, sending a gush of pure water that drenched the bear's armor, dampening its electrical abilities.

The bear, unfazed, shook off the attack, and with a roar, swung its hammer in a wide arc. The River Leviathan reacted in the blink of an eye, darting to the side with incredible agility. The force of the swing gouged the stage beneath them, sending shards of rock flying into the air. The Leviathan's tail whipped toward the bear's exposed side, delivering a powerful force that hit the bear squarely in the ribs.

The Stormhammer Bear staggered but didn't fall and moved to retaliate. The Leviathan was fast, but not fast enough, the minor influence of Edward's gift may have also played a role in its dulled reaction speed. The bear's next swing of its hammer landed with a deafening crash, forcing the water serpent to spiral out of the way. The sheer force of the blow sent a shockwave of energy pulsing through the arena, and a gust of wind that blew all the way to the audience seats.

Time moved forward, the battle stretching on. The Stormhammer Bear and the River Leviathan were locked in a brutal exchange of injuries, each trying to outmaneuver the other. The audience could feel the tension in the air—each strike, each counter, a game of nerves and sheer power. But as the battle wore on, it became clear that the Leviathan's endurance was being stretched thin. The water creature could not outlast the bear's sheer resilience.

Edward had secured victory on one side of the arena, and this would inevitably tip the scales for all other ongoing battles on the field.