I am Just an Average Tamer

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.

The gorilla was barely bleeding.

Kai stared at it, jaw tight.

His eyes swept across the cavern—high walls, jagged spikes, scattered ledges. There were options.

But they needed time.

And space.

"Corrin," Kai said, voice low. "I've got an idea. But I'll need ten seconds."

Corrin coughed, spitting blood. "You've got five."

"Fine."

[<Ghost Steps activated!>]

Kai's smirk faded as he slipped into the shadows. He ducked behind a jagged outcrop of stone as the saber-tooth gorilla let out another thundering roar.

Corrin stood his ground.

Blood dripped down his temple.

His ribs screamed with every breath, but his grip on the crescent blade tightened.

"Oi," he muttered, glancing at the beast. "I'm still here, you overgrown mutt."

The gorilla's glowing red eyes snapped toward him.

And charged.

Corrin inhaled sharply.

His stance widened, blade tilted slightly.

The moment the beast closed in, he twisted his body and slid under the beast's swipe, the wind of it grazing his back like a falling tree.

He came up behind it, slashing across its hamstring. His blade carved deeper this time—but still not enough to cripple.

The beast snarled and spun, its huge elbow crashing toward Corrin's chest—

"Now." Kai's voice echoed through the shadows.

[<Thunder Clap!>]

Boom!

Stromeon dove from the ceiling, electricity coursing around its body like living veins.

It slammed down on the gorilla's shoulder—lightning exploding outward. The beast roared, its upper body twitching violently.

Kai moved.

He emerged from behind the rocks, both hands flicking forward.

And.

Ten senbons appeared between his fingers, glowing with a pale green color, probably—paralysis poison, heavy dose.

Whiis! Whiis! Whiis!

They struck this time, embedding into the beast's upper thigh and side. Not deep enough to wound—but deep enough to work.

The gorilla stumbled.

Just for a breath.

Vex appeared on its back in a blur of dark light, claws wreathed in dark energy.

It slashed down.

Three quick arcs across the upper spine, deep enough to spill more blood.

The beast howled.

And then—

It snapped.

The runes on its collar pulsed violently, and with a distorted crack, a faint shatter spread across the surface.

Not full destruction, but enough that the suppression weakened.

Its aura exploded.

Kai froze mid-step. His breath caught in his throat.

"Oh no."

The gorilla turned toward Vex and grabbed her mid-slash, its palm closing around the lynx's torso like a vice.

"No—!"

With a furious roar, it hurled Vex against the cavern wall.

Stone shattered. Vex crumpled to the ground, unmoving.

Kai's chest tightened, his hands trembling. "VEX!"

But the beast didn't wait.

It leapt—not at Kai, but at Corrin, who was still recovering from the last clash.

Its fist reared back, fangs glinting under the flickering glow of the runes.

Corrin raised his blade in both hands, bracing for the blow.

Boom!

He blocked the punch, but his arms buckled instantly, knees driving into the stone, and his back slammed against a pillar behind him.

The sheer impact crushed the column, stone crumbling as Corrin tumbled forward, coughing blood.

Kai gritted his teeth and—

[<Beast merging activated!>]

A deep pulse ran through his core.

Wind shimmered. Darkness coiled.

From within, the presence of Vex stirred—injured but conscious, and fused with Kai's form.

Shadows rippled across his body.

His skin darkened. His pupils narrowed into feline slits.

Twin daggers shimmered into his hands, their edges outlined in faint ghost-light.

Everything felt sharper. Faster. His heartbeat steadied.

"Now you've done it," Kai whispered.

He blurred forward.

This time, the gorilla's fist met empty air.

Kai flickered to its flank, leaving behind a phantom trace. His dagger sank into the creature's waist, dragging across it in a hard arc.

Shadow energy pulsed from the edge, amplifying the gash.

The beast roared and swung backhandedly.

Kai ducked, slashed again, then disappeared.

[<Ghost Steps activated!>]

He remained one step ahead, flickering across the battlefield like smoke in the wind.

Then he appeared behind the beast's knee, dagger slicing the same tendon he'd hit earlier.

Blood burst in a black arc.

The gorilla fell to one knee.

And then Kai made his move.

"Stromeon, now!"

[<Thunder Roar!>]

The drakelet opened its maw and let loose a focused blast of lightning directly into the beast's open wound.

RAAAGH!

It screamed—a guttural, rage-filled sound. The paralysis took deeper root now. Its limbs twitched unnaturally, struggling to obey.

Kai didn't let up.

He sprinted up the beast's arm and drove both daggers into its shoulder.

Its roar was cut off by pain.

And then it grabbed him.

Faster than Kai expected.

A massive hand wrapped around his waist, yanking him mid-strike.

"Argh!"

Bones strained.

He barely had time to activate Warding Veil before the gorilla hurled him across the cavern like a broken arrow.

Kai slammed against a boulder and tumbled hard.

His mind spun, vision blurred.

Blood filled his mouth.

'Shit.'

He groaned and tried to get up, but his left shoulder had dislocated from the impact. Pain flared across his side.

His merged state was slipping, Vex's energy retreating in panic.

Corrin stood shakily, using his sword to keep upright. His left arm hung uselessly, and one eye was nearly swollen shut.

"Still breathing, pal…?" he called out, coughing.

Kai laughed hoarsely. "Barely."

The gorilla stomped toward them now.

Its body was lacerated, burnt, pierced.

But not much to cause serious issues.

Its fangs were bared, steam rising from its wounds.

It looked angry now. Not entertained. Not amused.

Dead serious.

They weren't opponents anymore.

They were threats. Annoying pests that needed to be removed.

Kai wiped the blood from his lips and pushed himself to his knees.

"We seriously need a miracle now," Corrin muttered.

----

"Hahaha! That's it, go and kick that overgrown bastard's ass!" Professor Lysenna howled with laughter, slapping her thighs in pure amusement. "Show 'em who rules the damn world, brat!"

"To think that boy could pull off Beast Merging at this age… Fascinating," Professor Halvar murmured, leaning forward, clearly intrigued now.

"The hell with being young," Professor Gellad muttered, arms folded, eyes narrowed on the screen.

"Being able to use Beast Merging at all is something else entirely. Just who is this kid?"

He turned to Professor Maelora, his tone sharp. "Do you know anything about him?"

She blinked, then shrugged.

"Not a clue. He's just a commoner. No known family, no backing."

Professor Kalden chuckled, brushing back his silver-streaked hair.

"Looks like we struck gold, eh? Bet those Royal Academy snobs gonna burn with jealousy."

With that, every eye in the room locked onto Kai's screen. The rest of the participants were completely ignored.

"That's it," Lysenna declared, eyes glinting, fist clenched, voice low and hungry. "He's mine. Don't even think about poaching him, you fossils."

Gellad raised a brow. "Oh, I absolutely object."

"Same here," Kalden added.

"Make that three," Halvar added, raising a hand with a lazy smirk.

Lysenna's smile froze. Her voice dropping. "What… did you say?"

Gellad smirked.

"We all know who you are, Lysenna. He's not just some flashy talent. This one's a hidden gem, and we're not handing him over just so you can hoard him. He deserves to be nurtured properly."

She growled, eyes narrowing. ""You saying I'm not capable? You think any of you are better than me?"

"Well—" Gellad started, but Professor Maelora cut in smoothly.

"As much as it pains me to admit it… I have to agree with Lysenna," She let out a long sigh.

"Like it or not, Lysenna's our best bet. She's the only one who understands Beast Merging aside from the principal. If anyone can guide the boy, it's her."

Gellad clicked his tongue in frustration. Kalden and Halvar shared similar looks—resentful, but accepting.

Lysenna grinned like a cat who just won a game of chess. She leaned forward, resting her chin on her knuckles. "Jealous?"

Gellad scoffed. "Why would I be?"

"Oh, don't be shy now," she teased, poking his chest. "Admit it—just say you're jealous. Come on, beg a little. Big sis might just give you a lesson~"

He batted her hand away with an annoyed grunt and turned his gaze back to the screen.

Lysenna leaned back with a satisfied hum, idly stroking the small serpent coiled around her shoulder.

Its purple-scaled head flicked out a tongue, mirroring its master's smugness.