I am Just an Average Tamer

Just as Kai was about to finally close his eyes—

Flick!

A vivid mental image flashed through his mind—distorted shadows flickering beyond the trees, glowing red eyes, and a hulking figure slithering across the edge of the cliff near their cave.

He rubbed his eyes with the heel of his palm and let out a low, drawn-out groan.

"Ah… fuck."

Just as these words escaped his lips.

GRRRRRRRR!

A guttural growl echoed from outside the cave, deep and thunderous, making the rocks tremble slightly beneath their feet.

Corrin jolted upright from his half-snoozing state, his eyes snapping open.

"Wha—what the hell was that?!"

Kai was already on his feet, grabbing his twin daggers and glancing toward the cave entrance.

His gaze sharpened like a predator's.

"Something's here."

Another growl—louder, closer—rattled the silence.

Thud… Thud… THUD!

The ground beneath their feet trembled slightly.

The temperature inside seemed to dip, despite the warmth outside.

Corrin slid next to Kai, both of them now staring at the mouth of the cave.

"Can't we catch a break for one night?" Corrin muttered, eyes scanning the entrance.

Grrrr!

Another low snarl, now unmistakably just outside the entrance.

'Vael,' Kai commanded mentally. 'Circle it from behind. Don't engage until I give the signal.'

And then it appeared.

A beast of unnatural size lumbered into the moonlit opening within the cave's deeper stretch.

Thick, charcoal-black fur covered its hulking form.

Its crimson eyes glowed like twin embers in the dark.

A saber-toothed Gorilla

Corrin's breath hitched. His eyes widened in disbelief.

"What the hell is something like that doing here?" he whispered, backing up half a step.

"Isn't this way too much for a trial beast…?"

Kai didn't reply.

His gaze locked onto the creature—watchful, calculating.

Then his brows furrowed.

There—around its neck.

A rune-etched iron collar shimmered faintly.

"Its power's suppressed," Kai muttered under his breath, cold and sharp.

"But still…" Corrin followed his gaze, stepping into a combat stance.

"That thing's at Peak-Great Core…"

Kai didn't need to confirm it.

He gave a small nod.

"Vex."

With a flick of his fingers, the space behind him rippled.

"Grrr."

And his Phantom Lynx emerged from his soul space.

"Stromeon."

Crackling lightning followed the name as his Thunder drakelet came to his side.

Both beasts tensed as their gazes locked onto the monstrous guardian.

Saber-tooth Gorilla's head tilted.

The collar around its neck pulsed once with a blue hue… and the beast growled—deep and gurgling.

It stepped forward.

Once.

Twice.

Then—

RAAAAAAGHHHHH!

It released a roar so deafening, the cave ceiling shook and dust rained down in a thin curtain.

Kai exhaled softly, eyes narrowing.

"Get ready."

Then—

The Saber-tooth Gorilla charged.

----

SLAM!

Professor Halvar smacked his thick palm against the desk, eyes gleaming with anticipation.

"Heck yeah! Now that's what I'm talking about! Go on, brats—show us some damn warrior spirit!"

The massive screen now showing Kai and Corrin zoomed out slightly, capturing the full scope of their impending confrontation against the monstrous, saber-toothed gorilla.

Professor Gellad raised a brow, his lips curling into a smirk.

"Huh? Didn't you say earlier that you hate sneaky bastards? He's one of them." He jabbed a finger toward Kai's image.

"Tch," Halvar snorted, folding his arms.

"Still better than those pointy-eared fools who don't even know why they're in the damn trial."

Before Gellad could throw back another jab, Professor Maelora cut in with a tired sigh.

"You're going overboard, Professor Halvar."

Halvar just grunted and returned his attention to the screen, though the faint twitch at the corner of his lips betrayed his mood.

It wasn't really that Halvar hated elves or other races.

It's just his friend was an Elf.

Yes. Halvar and Gellad had been best friends since the day they joined the academy.

Even now, they worked side by side as professors—bickering, mocking, teasing each other like battle-hardened veterans sharing drinks.

What kind of best friends didn't fight like enemies?

From the side, the younger, more reserved Professor Idrin adjusted his thin-rimmed spectacles.

His eyes narrowed slightly as he studied the beast on the screen.

"I know its power's sealed… but is it really wise to throw something like that at a bunch of fresh applicants?"

"Oh, don't worry, it's harmless," came a chiming voice—light and laced with mischief.

Professor Lysenna chuckled softly as she leaned back in her chair, crossing one leg over the other.

Her golden-blonde hair spilled over her shoulders as her crimson eyes sparkled with amusement.

She rested her arms behind her head with all the confidence of someone watching a good show.

"Well, mostly harmless," she added under her breath.

Idrin's lips twitched into a frown as he turned to Maelora.

"Professor… why did you even let her put that thing in the trial?"

Maelora groaned and waved a hand.

"Believe me, it wasn't me. The principal approved her little 'suggestion'."

"Aha~ don't be like that," Lysenna sang as her grin widened."It's a hundred percent safe."

She turned her gaze back to the screen, eyes lighting up.

"Let's go, babies! Show these uptight fossils the real might of beast tamers."

Hissss!

A slender, purple-scaled serpent coiled tightly around Lysenna's neck stirred, its tongue flicking toward the screen.

"You're having fun too, right Sylvy?" she cooed.

Hiss!

"Thought so."

The snake curled in closer, almost smug, as its master giggled and settled into her seat.

Idrin sighed again, lips thin, but said nothing more.

He adjusted his glasses one last time and returned his attention to the screen.

----

With a guttural grunt, the beast slammed its knuckles into the stone ground.

Dust exploded outward.

RAAAAAAGHHHHH!

It let out a deafening roar that made the cave tremble—like thunder rolling from the belly of the mountain.

And then it charged.

"Scatter!" Kai barked, voice sharp.

They did.

[<Ghost Steps activated!>]

Kai vanished into the shadows with, reappearing behind a jagged outcrop.

Corrin leapt to the side, rolling midair and skidding against the stone wall, then pushed off again.

The gorilla ignored them both, lunging straight for Stromeon.

Stromeon's throat swelled.

[<Thunder Roar!>]

A surge of crackling energy burst from the drakelet's mouth.

Lightning splitting the air, screaming toward the beast.

The gorilla didn't dodge.

It barreled through the bolt, gritting its fanged teeth, its body spasming from the shock but not halting for a second.

With a thunderous step, it leapt—and slammed both fists down where Stromeon stood.

Boom!

Stone cracked.

The floor caved slightly from the force.

But Stromeon had rolled back just in time, tail smacking the beast's wrist to disrupt its momentum. It snarled, twisting mid-swing with unnatural agility, and threw a wide backhand, but—

[<Shadow Ball!>]

From the side, Vex leapt midair, firing a dark, concentrated orb straight at the beast's temple.

And—

It struck there.

The gorilla staggered.

Only slightly.

Its eyes burned red now.

It turned toward Vex.

"Shit," Kai whispered. "Corrin, right side!"

"Already there!"

Corrin sprang off a ledge, blade in reverse grip. He spun midair, slashing at the beast's side.

Sparks burst from the impact as his crescent blade bit into fur and skin—but barely left a mark.

The gorilla caught his retreating leg mid-spin.

"Ah—!"

With a snarl, it hurled him like a ragdoll.

Thud!

Corrin smashed against a cave wall with a grunt, coughing as dust and fragments rained down.

He rolled to his feet, one hand clutching his ribs.

"Goddamn… thing's like a fortress."

Kai didn't answer, he was already moving.

[<Stealth activated!>]

He moved through shadows like smoke.

As the gorilla roared and turned, he appeared behind it and launched two poisoned senbon—aimed for the exposed muscle behind its knee.

Thnk! Thnk!

The beast howled and dropped to one knee for a split second—but that was enough.

"Now!"

[<Groundbreaker Slam!>]

Stromeon leapt, crackling energy coiling around its limbs.

It slammed down with a boom—shockwaves rippled from the impact, and the gorilla was sent skidding back, stone cracking beneath it.

[<Phantom Slash!>]

Vex flickered.

Her form vanishing and reappearing mid-lunge. A trail of ghostly afterimages followed as her claws slashed at the beast's torso.

Thin red lines marked its fur.

Not deep—but marks nonetheless.

The gorilla roared and flailed, knocking Vex back with a backhand.

Blood flew from the lynx's side, but she flipped midair and landed on all fours, panting, tail twitching.

The collar around the gorilla's neck glowed again—brighter now.

Corrin's eyes widened. "It's adapting."

"Of course it is," Kai hissed, eyes narrowed.

Just then, the gorilla charged again, but not recklessly.

Its movements were sharper now, more precise.

It swung low and feinted left—Corrin ducked, but it twisted and slammed a fist into the ground.

Boom!

The shockwave knocked Corrin off his feet.

[<Ghost Steps activated!>]

Kai dashed in, his twin daggers slicing toward the beast's back.

But the gorilla spun, catching one dagger with its palm.

It squeezed.

Crack!

The dagger's hilt snapped clean off.

Kai's eyes widened—then narrowed.

[<Warding Veil activated!>]

Mist swirled around him like a cloak, and just as the gorilla's other hand came crashing down, it passed harmlessly through where Kai had been.

As he reappeared behind it, blade in reverse grip, and slashed at the back of its thigh.

A clean hit.

But the wound was shallow. Too shallow.

Still, blood flowed now. A thin trickle down its leg.

Kai leapt back, chest rising and falling.

His arm throbbed from the earlier parry.

Corrin limped beside him, holding his side.

Vex and Stromeon flanked them, both breathing heavily.