Tamer of Cosmic Beasts

Chapter 17: 1st Evolution

Akash was looking at the gate as he was walking towards it. The gate was big and designed as if some beast had torn a part of it away with its claw.

Akash Tagar entered the gate, wherein another forest revealed itself. However, after getting a closer look, it seemed more of a garden than a forest.

There was a path in front of Akash, one made of a white material resembling marble, whereas the path's sides were decorated by numerous flowers with eye-catching colours.

It was wide enough for a 50-meter big beast to walk comfortably through.

The pathway was leading to a den. An enormous den emitting the same light the gate was emitting.

White light permeated by shades of black all over it.

Akash was looking here and there, observing the area when he suddenly heard a voice.

"Come inside, lad!"

It was the 2nd time Akash got scared to his core by a voice alone, this one was different than that of Ancestor Turtle's but in terms of power, it was the same.

As Akash entered the den, he smelt a violent metallic scent. As he kept moving forward, the scent was getting thicker and thicker.

He thought it belonged to a ferocious beast. While Akash was still lost in thought, he heard a terrifying growl.

He immediately stopped and the growl ceased as well following which a thunderous voice came.

"Don't test my patience, kid, hurry up!"

Akash gulped and tried to step forward without uttering a word, but his legs couldn't move. He tried to move repeatedly, however, his limbs were frozen by an instinctual, primal fear.

That mysterious presence had shaken Akash inside and out. He could feel that this being was as strong as the Ancestor Turtle yet there were two things different about it.

One was that this beast had a stronger killing intent than the Turtle which made its bloodlust very apparent while the other was that his intentions were unknown.

The odour's intensity grew as he approached. The most appropriate words Akash could think of to describe it was salty, acidic, ferocious and carnal. Akash couldn't withstand this overwhelming odour and puked.

"Pathetic."

The beast commented on Akash's sorry sight. It used the power of psychic law and carried him in deeper.

The light was growing as well as the stench.

Akash closed his eyes because of the blinding light, when he opened them again, he saw a gigantic stone stadium.

It was big enough for 10,000 people and beasts to fight each other. Akash was looking in awe when he heard the growl again, forcing him to come back to his senses. The stench came back as well, although he couldn't pay any mind to it because of the growling beast.

Akash didn't spend any time turning around after which he saw a beast resting on a stone made settee.

It had the arms and torso of a man and head of a sabretooth tiger whereas its lower body was that of a tiger with black stripes. Its muscles were bulky while its teeth were large and sharp, especially the two big fangs.

The bones were bulging along the length of its body and neck, and its long tail's tip was split into two. The beast's tremendous strength was overbearingly apparent.

Akash stood still in fear that even a single movement could kill him.

The beast spoke dominantly without any intention of hiding its powers.

"You are our successor chosen by Ancestor Turtle, your first evolution will be done by me."

Akash was startled by the beast's statement as well as its overwhelming power that intimidated him. Unlike Ancestor Turtle, it didn't even attempt to hide it for Akash's sake.

Akash bowed respectfully and asked.

"May I ask your name, O' strong master?"

The beast stood on its four tiger legs, its size beyond comprehension.

"I'm the same as Turtle, a Primordial Beast. Other beasts call me the Proud Sabretooth, but you can call me Ancestor Tiger, as you do with Turtle."

Looking at the tiger, Akash recalled Turtle telling him that there could be no more than one Primordial Beast in one cosmos and these legs looked the same as Ancestor Turtle's.

Akash tried another question respectfully.

"Ancestor, are you from one of the three primordial beasts whose cosmoses were destroyed?"

This question gave unpleasant memories to the tiger and it released an ever stronger killing intent. Akash couldn't even breathe and started to choke under this crushing pressure.

Tiger looked at Akash and drew back its killing intent. If he had held it for a few seconds longer, Akash would've lost his life.

"More like stolen than destroyed, but in a way, yes. I'm one of them."

Akash wanted to ask some more but he remained silent due to obvious reasons.

"I'm in your care, Ancestor Tiger.".

The Tiger remained expressionless but deep inside, Akash felt as if the Ancestor Tiger was hurt and its pride had been shattered.

Tiger ordered after few seconds of silence.

"Take off your clothes."

Akash didn't hesitate in taking off his clothes including his inners and looked at Ancestor Tiger.

"Are you committed to our mission? I will soon destroy your star dwelling and pull out every drop of blood from your pores. It will be excruciating but you will evolve into a Primordial Beast."

Akash was so shocked that even his jaw dropped slightly.

"Me... into a Primordial Beast..."

"Yes, are you committed?"

Akash didn't hesitate and replied.

"Yes, Ancestor, I am fully committed to the mission."

The Tiger didn't say anything further and lifted its index finger.

Akash was immediately thrown into the sky at which point Tiger pointed his finger towards Akash and declared.

"BLOOD FEAST!"

All the pores of Akash's body started to bleed, his heart started to pump faster and louder. He didn't feel any pain, but he was losing consciousness.

Soon, the healthy Akash Tagar was reduced to nothing but skin and bones.

The tiger murmured something, and the huge arena split in two where a huge pond was visible.

The vile, awful stench that Akash smelled earlier was coming from this pond. The liquid in the pond was dense and white in color with thin black lines.

Now that the pond was open, its intensity grew exponentially but Akash couldn't even react.

A normal person would die from losing 2 to 4 litres of blood, but a tamer could live without blood because they also had star dwellings. They could live without the former but not the latter, once their dwelling is destroyed, they will either die or remain disabled for the rest of their lives no matter what.

Tiger threw Akash into that pond and spoke.

"This is my blood, absorb it and replace your own blood with it. I will come to check on you when you've absorbed this entire pond, don't leave a single drop of it behind. It's more precious than a mythic grade weapon.".

Akash could hear what he was saying but was unable to reply because of his dizziness.

He drowned deeper and deeper into the pond until he hit the bottom.

The tiger's blood started to enter Akash's pores. That was when he felt tremendous pain, the blood was crushing his bones, tearing his flesh and muscles.

Instead of losing consciousness in pain, he was still awake during the whole process and was forced to bear the pain. He was continuously squirming and wriggling in pain inside the pond, but no one was going to take him out.

~ 9 months later ~

Ancestor Tiger was standing beside the pond. The pond which was filled with blood was now empty and at its centre stood a naked fairy man.

He had long golden hair, his 2-meter-tall body was bulky as if he had spent years training it, every inch bulging with muscles.

Akash Tagar was unrecognizable from his previous self, even Ancestor Tiger was amazed by his new appearance.

*beep*

[ The King has absorbed the blood of Owner Proud Saber and will inherit his inborn skill, "Blood Feast". ]

Akash Tagar looked at the screen and spoke

"Hey, System, long time no see."

Akash then looked at Tiger and jumped out of the pond. He was amazed by the new power of his body, every single facet of his physical body had evolved beyond normal standards.

Akash bowed towards the tiger and expressed his gratitude.

"Thank you, Ancestor."

Tiger looked at Akash and smiled for the first time.

"I'm giving you 4 gifts and all of them are precious, even to other Primordial Beasts, especially my inborn skill 'Blood Feast'. It will allow you to feast on any beast's or tamer's blood, allowing you to absorb their physical abilities just as you did with my own. No other Primordial Beast has such a skill."

Akash looked at Tiger in surprise and asked with an excited look.

"What are the other three gifts, Ancestor?"

The Tiger folded his arms and replied proudly.

"The second gift is my precious blood, which is the richest in martial law, even if someone is 4 realms higher than you, he can't beat you in physical strength.

The third is a Mythic Weapon made from my own black claws.

And the 4th... is my chaos dwelling."

Akash lost his excitement after hearing the 4th gift.

"Ancestor, what are you talking about? How can you live without your dwelling?"

Tiger replied indifferently.

"I'm not planning to live anymore, lad.

I've lost everything just because of my pride. I was used to waging wars, all I want now is to pass on all of my hopes including vengeance to my successor and rest in peace."

Akash lowered his head and cupped his hands.

"As you wish. Ancestor, I will not disappoint you."

Ancestor Tiger nodded and threw a gem towards Akash.

"This is my chaos dwelling, eat it and your star dwelling will be changed into a chaos dwelling"

The Tiger started to slowly dissolve into ash from his feet but then suddenly, he remembered something, and its face turned back to Akash.

"One more thing."

Akash nodded with his hands still cupped.

Tiger continued with an angry growl.

"Promise me, that you will give that Red Bone Lion a painful death."

Akash looked at Tiger with determined eyes and said.

"I will, Ancestor. Rest assured."

Tiger smiled and vanished into thin air.