I am Just an Average Tamer

The sun hung high in the sky. Light filtering through the branches of the thick trees.

"What's that?" Elina asked, pointing toward a cluster of glowing, purple-spotted mushrooms nestled beneath a twisted tree.

Vex, her—ahem Kai's little companion, perched on her shoulder, tilting her head curiously too.

"Hey." Kai immediately stepped over, grabbed her wrist, and tugged her back.

"Stay away from those," he said, his voice sharp.

Elina blinked, startled.

"They're poisonous," Kai added, giving her a pointed look. "I already told you—don't touch anything out here."

Elina lowered her head slightly, nodding. "S-Sorry."

Kai sighed and let go of her.

Then they continued moving.

They'd been walking through the forest all day.

With no wagons running between nearby towns, travel on foot was their only option.

As the recent beast waves had made travel too dangerous.

Merchants had been avoiding the routes now.

But Lina…

Despite the circumstances she'd insisted on going.

Kai glanced sideways at her. She hadn't said much all day. Just kept walking—focused, quiet, eyes forward.

As the sun dipped low, the trees casted long shadows, and the sky painted in purple and orange hue.

"That's enough for today," Kai finally said, stretching his arms.

From his storage bracelet, he pulled out the pieces of makeshift tent and got to work—driving stakes.

Lina came beside him. "You want help?"

"No. I've got it," Kai muttered, threading rope through loops.

Elina sat nearby, feeding Vex a few crumbs and humming a soft tune under her breath.

Once the tent was up, Kai dusted off his hands and turned to the others.

"Vael," he called.

A faint shimmer flickered as a Windsight Falcon emerged from the glowing magic circle beside him.

Kai gave a quick nod toward the girls.

"Stay with them. I'll get something to eat."

Vael let out a low, echoing caw, then flew up to perch near Elina.

Vex stood up and curled in Elina's lap too.

With that, Kai disappeared into the woods.

-----

A couple of hours later, the three of them sat around a small campfire.

Flames crackled as thin curls of smoke rose into the night air, blending into the starlit sky above.

On flat stones, pieces of cooked meat sizzled slightly—wild forest hare, roasted with some bitterroot herbs Kai had gathered nearby.

They munched quietly.

Elina leaned against a log; patting Vex as she ate.

Lina, legs crossed, poked the fire with a stick.

Kai finished first, brushing crumbs from his fingers.

"Alright. You two get some rest," he said, standing up and stretching his back.

Lina yawned. "Finally."

Elina nodded, rubbing her eyes, and together they slipped into the tent.

Vex purred once, then followed them inside, vanishing inside the tent.

Kai turned toward the trees.

Vael now sat high on a nearby branch, eyes glowing faintly as they scanned the dark forest.

Silent. Watchful.

Then he sent a mental image, of what's happening ahead.

"All right. Time for a quick clean-up," Kai muttered, dusting his hands off.

And just like that—

Whoosh!

He vanished.

A blur, passing through the forest path.

Then, in an instant, he appeared deep within the forest, his boots landing silently on the high tree branch, under a moonlit clearing.

He stood straight, crossing his arms, eyes glowing softly, as—

[<Falcon's sight activated!>]

And ahead of him—

Chaos.

A merchant's wagon stood trapped between broken trees, its wheels stuck in thick mud.

Swarming around it were small, twisted figures—wide eyes, green skin, jagged teeth, crude weapons, screeching.

Goblins.

They were the size of human children but far more vicious, eyes gleaming under the moonlight like animals drunk on blood.

Dozens at first glance.

Hundreds… as Kai narrowed his eyes and saw the ones circling from the trees, hidden just beyond the firelight.

The guards around the wagon were fighting bravely—blades clashing, grunts echoing, arrows flying from half-broken bows.

But it wasn't enough.

Night had robbed them of clear vision.

And the goblins?

They thrived in it.

One by one, the guards were getting overwhelmed.

Clawed, stabbed, dragged into the dark screaming.

Kai narrowed his eyes, his expression tightening.

More than half of the guards had already been dropped dead—bodies piled up in butchered form—torn, slashed.

Crimson blood staining the soil.

And the rest?

Barely standing.

Breathing heavy.

Some of the goblins ignored the guards completely now and charged past—

Toward the lone figure standing before the wagon.

A middle-aged man. Broad-shouldered, but not a fighter.

His clothes, though tattered, were rich—fine fabric, golden embroidery.

Definitely a merchant.

And the spear in his hands?

Way too big for him.

He swung it wide, clumsy and desperate.

One goblin took it to the chest—dropped dead instantly.

The others hissed, stepping back warily.

Kai's eyes narrowed.

The man wasn't trying to hold ground for his survival.

No.

He was defending something.

Kai shifted his stance slightly and focused, activating his falcon's sight.

Through the flickering firelight, beyond the cracks in the wagon's structure—

He saw her.

A young girl, no older than sixteen.

Blue hair, messy and tangled. Hazel-brown eyes wide with fear, her cheeks soaked in tears.

She clung tightly to a woman with long blue hair and sharp, sky-blue eyes—probably her mother.

The woman held her close, shielding her body as best she could.

Kai rolled his shoulders.

Crack!

Cracked his neck.

A familiar blue panel popped in front of him.

[<Aww, our little boy gonna play hero now?>]

But he ignored it.

A sly smirk tugged at the lips.

"Let's get this over with," he muttered, "It's not good to make our clients wait."

Then—

He jumped.

Boots left the branch.

Wind rushed past his face as he dropped like a shadow falling from the stars.

(Yo guys, what's up, hope you guys are doing well. sorry I couldn't upload yesterday, since I wasn't feeling well and couldn't write. And if you guys are wondering about why am I not exploring the beast taming further and about the world building, I'll all do it in next arc, which ofcourse is academy arc. so, hope you guys will enjoy this chapter too, bye. )