STRIKER: Independent Beast Tamer

Special Base (4th Zone)

Jeremy Night took his time making the decision. He was sure that he had a slim chance of getting hired. If they wanted to look at his Lifeline Beast, he could not show them.

If they wanted information about his Lifeline Beast, he could not tell them the truth. Lord Martha had warned him about it.

The Human Alliance might not be as united as it seemed, so he didn’t want to put himself in a difficult situation.

It was better to focus on achieving a breakthrough first. Even if not today, he would definitely enter the top three zones someday.

He then said, ”Elder, I have decided. I still have time compared to the senior members. I want to become a Tier-4 Beast Tamer first.”

”Sigh!”

Hearing that, Elder Sandra let out a sigh, but she still appreciated Jeremy Night’s decision. Seeing that the young man had clarity, she decided to give permission.

Though she had a backup plan in mind, she didn’t tell Jeremy Night.

”Alright, you can take one week off starting from tomorrow. It’s best for you to leave on tonight’s special flight,” Elder Sandra said.

Hearing that, Jeremy Night felt a huge weight lift off his shoulders.

”Thanks, Elder. I appreciate the help,” Jeremy Night said.

”Don’t mention it. You can go now,” she said.

Hearing that, Jeremy Night stood up from his seat. He nodded to her, then exchanged nods with Elder John before leaving.

Once he had left, Elder Sandra turned towards John and asked, ”What do you think?”

”After he came back from the mission, I noticed his aura. It has really changed. I think he needs a little more of a push. The special practice chamber in the Beast Taming Association should help him,” John shared his honest thoughts.

Elder Sandra heard him. She had thought the same.

”I think the representatives could visit at any time. The young man might miss the chance, so we should have the backup plan ready,” Elder Sandra said.

John was taken aback. Now he understood why she had called the meeting. The representatives were really coming; there was not going to be any further delay.

”Shall I go to the 3rd Zone?” John asked.

”If you go to the 3rd Zone now, it would raise a lot of eyebrows. The representatives might find out, and I don’t want unnecessary controversy. We can discuss the backup plan once recruitment is over,” Sandra replied.

”No one will raise any questions if someone recommends the Beast Tamer in a personal capacity,” she added.

Hearing that, John nodded his head. They then shifted to other topics, and the meeting ended 20 minutes later.

John returned to his office, while Elder Sandra had other meetings with elders related to the missions and the leaderboard rankings.

Meanwhile,

Jeremy Night was back in his room, getting ready. He hadn’t expected the meeting to end in his favor. He had thought Elder Sandra might not allow him to take another week-long break.

But she had. He thought it must be due to the fact that he had slain Tier-6 beasts and set a record. Furthermore, he had done it through an official mission and submitted the materials afterward.

It served as proof. No one had any reason to raise questions, and even the elders would remain silent hereafter.

He had achieved something not even the second-year students were able to do, so he didn’t think any problems would arise during his absence.

He collected his thoughts and focused on the task at hand.

20 minutes later,

He left his room and headed towards the administration building. On the way, he came across other members. Some of them exclaimed upon seeing him; the news had already spread.

Most of them were first- and second-year members. They were wondering how Jeremy Night was able to do it. They wanted to believe it was just a rumor, but the elders behind the mission desk had confirmed it.

Jeremy Night had personally slain three Tier-6 Mutated Stone Foxes using his blade. The members were now looking at him in a new light.

They didn’t know the exact details, but there were Beast Tamers with S-Grade Talents among the first- and second-year members.

They suspected Jeremy Night’s blade skills were exceptionally high, and that they had actually helped him slay the beasts.

If they obtained information on Jeremy Night’s blade skills, they would know the truth. Unfortunately, no one had any way to confirm the facts.

Meanwhile, Jeremy Night reached the administration building and stepped inside. He looked around and found a few elders behind the counter.

He walked up to them. The elders once again saw Jeremy Night and were surprised, wondering whether the young man had come to select another mission.

The whole base was shocked by his record. Even the leaderboard rankings had changed; Jeremy Night’s rank had entered the top 40.

Yet they had never seen the young man come back to check his leaderboard ranking. It really puzzled them.

As Jeremy approached them, he noticed an elder looking towards the leaderboard rankings. His eyes flickered with understanding, he hadn’t even checked his live ranking yet.

He changed direction and walked up to the leaderboard. Arriving in front of the live digital board, he saw the top 50 names flashing on the screen.

He glanced at the names one by one before his gaze paused on the 43rd position. His name was right there.

[Leader Board Rank: 43rd Position, Jeremy Night.]

His mouth curved into an arc, but he was also aware of the fact that his rank would drop from the top 50 within a week.

After taking a moment to look at his rank once more, he headed back towards the counter. The elders looked at each other.

They understood that Jeremy Night was likely checking his ranking for the first time after the mission. They wondered whether he had simply slept the whole day.

Jeremy once again noticed that Elder Smith was not here, and he hadn’t seen Elder Leah in a while either.