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

Nathan's footsteps echoed in his room as he paced back and forth, anxiety crossing his features. Today was the day of the tournament, and the stars Nox and Wendy were nowhere to be found. He had even tried contacting Eve through her communication crystal; she had assured him that they would be there, saying they had some matters to take care of.

A soft knock resounded on Nathan's door, jolting him out of his thoughts. Opening the door, he found Hans outside, looking at him with a serious expression.

"What is it?" Nathan asked.

"The other towns have started moving toward the arena. We're the only ones left," Hans said in a gruff tone, his arms crossed as he studied Nathan's expression.

Nathan clenched his jaw. "Do we have any word from Wendy?" he asked, trying to sound calm, though his heart was racing.

Though the other kids also showed great potential, without a doubt, the three stars of Cromwell Barony were Nox, Nyx, and Wendy. It was what had given the people of the Cromwell Barony hope for winning this tournament. Sure, Nyx was a prodigy in her own right, but could she carry the entire town by herself?

For them to have a fighting chance, they needed all three stars. Hans shook his head in response to Nathan's question. "No, but she insists she'll make it in time."

"Exactly the same thing Eve said." Nathan muttered a curse under his breath. He knew his grandson very well and knew how much he loved the barony. Nox was not the type to abandon them, knowing what was at stake. His absence made Nathan seriously ponder if he was alright—or was whatever he was dealing with just that important?

"I guess we'll have to move without them for now." Nathan ran a hand over his bald head, sighing in frustration. "Tell the others to prepare. We need to make our way to the arena."

Hans nodded and turned to leave but paused and said, "Nathan, calm down. Sooner or later, little Nox and Wendy will show up."

Nathan displayed a tight smile that didn't reach his eyes. "Yeah, I know." But as the door clicked shut, he wasn't sure if he believed his own words.

With one last glance at the empty communication crystal on his desk, Nathan took a series of deep breaths. He really hoped Nox and Wendy would show up, just as Hans had said.

As he stepped out to their carriage, the others quickly came up to Nathan, bombarding him with several questions.

"Grandpa, where is Nox?" Serena was the first to ask.

"Yeah, it's just a few hours until the tournament starts," Rab said with a worried look.

Although they were all participating in the tournament, they knew very well that winning greatly depended on Nox and Wendy. After all, the two were first and second in the mock tournament.

Even Nyx's indifferent expression faltered slightly. 'Stupid. Why is he taking so long? He'd better have a good reason for this.'

Nearby, even the citizens of the Cromwell Barony had started whispering among themselves when they noticed Nox was missing.

"Where is Nox? This isn't like him," one of the older men murmured, his brow furrowed in worry.

"Maybe he's injured?" a young woman whispered to her friend. "He's always pushing himself too hard."

"Without Nox and Wendy, we're done for," someone else muttered darkly. "Nyx is talented, sure, but she can't carry the whole barony on her shoulders."

The collective murmurs were affecting Nathan negatively. The team needed to be in the right mindset before the fight started, or it would impact them badly—they wouldn't be able to focus well. At that moment, Nathan raised his hand to calm the growing panic among the group.

"I know you're all worried," he began, his voice steady despite his own nerves. "Nox and Wendy are handling something important, but they'll be here. I know they'll be here. For now, we focus on what we can control."

Though she wasn't participating in the fight, Serena still felt nervous because the outcome of this tournament would determine the lives of everyone in the barony. In the last few years, everyone had been enjoying the benefits brought by the resources from the dimension.

However, if they failed to secure the top place in this tournament, half of that luxury would go to the already-wealthy Armstrong Duchy.

"But what if they don't make it? What if something happened to them?" Serena frowned, her fingers nervously fidgeting with the hem of her sleeve.

Before Nathan could respond to Serena, someone else chimed in, "But without them… can we really—"

"Stop." Seeing the rain of questions, Nathan had no choice but to interrupt them in an aggressive tone. "We're not giving up just because things aren't going according to plan. You've all trained for this. Nox and Wendy may be our strongest, but they're not the only ones capable of leading us to victory."

As he said this, his gaze swept over the group, lingering longer on Nyx. He could tell his granddaughter had improved by leaps and bounds after her performance in the royal capital. Maybe—just maybe—she could actually carry the team.

Hans, standing off to the side, nodded in agreement. "Nathan's right. All of you are here because you've earned your place. You're not just riding on their coattails."

The tension in the air seemed to ease as the group dispersed, heading toward their carriages. Nathan watched them go, the tightness in his chest not fully disappearing. He could only hope that Nox and Wendy would arrive before it was too late. He had heard that the other duchy had been training as hard as they had.

No matter how much he tried to convince himself, there was virtually no way Nyx could carry the team alone.

Soon, the carriage arrived at the arena, which was already bustling with people. Seeing how packed the place was, Nathan became even more anxious.

...Time was running out.