Tamer of Cosmic Beasts

"It all started with the spirits. We Primordial Beasts came into existence from their power. Did the wise Turtle tell you about that?"

Akash nodded and answered.

"Yes, Ancestor Turtle told me that the spirits sacrificed themselves and gave their powers to the cosmoses. Ancestor also told me that there were 20 spirits, representing 20 laws."

The sparrow smirked.

"Indeed, that Turtle is wise."

Akash replied with just a simple smile.

"Don't be a fool thinking that I praised him because he told you the truth, it's the exact opposite reason why I praised him."

Akash raised a brow in a perturbed way.

"Did Ancestor Turtle lied to me?"

Sparrow closed her hazel eyes and returned his question back at him.

"Did he? ... What do you think? I believe you are an intelligent one as well otherwise that wise Turtle would have killed you the moment you entered that space rift instead of choosing you as our successor."

Akash couldn't think of an answer.

"I... don't know," he replied

Even though he was a highly informed individual, he obviously couldn't claim to know nor understand matters such as this, matters that are clearly beyond his comprehension.

The Sparrow didn't say anything either, she was silently looking at Akash Tagar.

After a moment of silence, Akash spoke.

"I don't know much about the deep mystery of the origin of everything but there is one thing I am sure of"

"Oh, and what's that?"

Sparrow inquired in a cordial manner.

Akash looked at the Sparrow with determined eyes

"It's that The Ancestor Turtle would never lie to me or even if he did, then there would be a significant reason behind it."

Sparrow's eyes widened.

"You shouldn't trust everyone easily."

"I have never trusted anyone without a reason and for Ancestor Turtle, he gave me a second chance to right my wrongs and avenge my brethren. That's more than enough reason to trust him, I owe him my life."

The Sparrow laughed loudly, her laughter echoing through the colourful cloudy sky.

"Undeniably, wise Turtle is a righteous beast amongst all the Primordial Beasts, but then what he told you was a half-truth or to be more precise, a theory."

"A theory?"

"Yes, all we know is that there are beings more powerful than us and we call them Spirits. As for there being 20 of them, that's only our speculation, trying to relate them to the 20 laws.

Why were only 11 primordial beasts were made? Why not more than that or less? Why are the cosmoses expanding even though planets and galaxies are getting destroyed by wars and disputes? Instead of shrinking, it's doing the opposite. Who or what is behind the machinations of these mysterious forces?

Why we, the Primordial Beasts, were given the power to devour each other's chaos dwelling and cosmoses?"

Akash's mind was bombed with numerous questions.

The Sparrow narrowed her eyes and continued.

"There is only one possibility."

In response, Akash narrowed his eyes as well and asked.

"What possibility, Ancestor?"

Sparrow continued.

"Do you know what the source of a tamer's cosmic powers is?"

"I believe it's their dwelling core, Ancestor."

"Correct, what would happen if one's dwelling expands?"

"Their cosmic powers will grow."

Sparrow stepped forward and came closer, she lowered her head and whispered in Akash Tagar's ear.

"Then, what if we are all living in a dwelling of a very powerful entity."

"WHAT!"

Akash cried out in shock, he was looking at The Sparrow flabbergasted. He was not ready to hear that. He couldn't digest that and retorted.

"That's not possible, dwellings are just containers of cosmic power, they only look similar to the real world. I can't accept your theory, Ancestor. A dwelling equal to the size of an entire cosmos is a feat beyond our possibility. And yet, you are saying there exists an entity whose dwelling encompasses just 1 but 11 whole cosmoses with countless lives living inside them?

First of all, according to ancient scrolls left by the legends, no one can live inside someone's dwelling except the contracted beasts."

The sparrow was looking at Akash as a mother would at her child taking their first steps.

The Sparrow was internally happy that Akash already knew about all the possible knowledge he could get. She thought to herself.

"It is a blessing that he is a capable and intelligent person, not just a muscle-headed buffoon swinging his sword around day and night."

The Sparrow replied.

"To what extent can the dwelling of a 1st Star realm tamer grow into, according to your ancient scrolls?"

Akash replied immediately.

"I read that it's identical to the size of a small garden."

The Sparrow smiled.

"Very good, now... what is your cultivation realm?"

"I am at 1st moon of the 1st Star re..."

Akash stopped before completing his sentences as he felt cold sweat run down his forehead. His eyes widened as he looked at the Sparrow.

He thought.

"In the scrolls, there was only one reported person in the entire cosmos whose dwelling was as big as a village, when he was at the 1st Star realm, and he was assassinated by his rivals because of that.

But my dwelling is already similar to the size of a planet that defies the scrolls and our accumulated knowledge across generations.

This would mean there's a fair chance of what Ancestor Sparrow is saying, to be true."

He looked at the Sparrow with awe.

"I believe you, Ancestor."

Sparrow spoke again.

"You saw an entire galaxy in that cat's Chaos Dwelling or Proud Chaos Dwelling, as he calls it.

That means a dwelling is not bound by the limits of size, it can expand from a village to a planet, a planet to a galaxy and from a galaxy to a cosmos.

Additionally, when you absorbed his dwelling core gem, did you feel like your dwelling was filled with any sort of life?"

Akash replied.

"Yes, I felt as if there were ferocious beasts inside of my dwelling."

"That means your dwelling now contains life of its own which disproves your claim, that only contracted beasts can live inside of a dwelling."

"But... it was just a feeling. I didn't see or hear them."

The Sparrow sighed.

"Alright, close your eyes and sit in a lotus position. Focus on your consciousness and enter your Chaos Dwelling."

Akash did as he was instructed. He entered his dwelling for the first time, where he was amazed by the beauty of his inner world as he was standing beside a mountain.

He landed on the ground and started to walk as he looked around. Everything looked so real without a hint of an illusion. He started to believe that a dwelling wasn't just a container, but rather a real world.

He walked and walked, seeking to find any hint of a life form, until he suddenly heard a voice from the back

"Who are you?"

Akash flinched and looked behind.

There was a naked beast woman, she was holding a wooden stick, pointing it towards Akash.

Akash kept looking at her without saying a word.

"Hey... I asked you a question, who are you? What are you doing in the beast valley?"

Akash raised his bow and looked left and right.

"Oh! So, this is the beast valley, I've come here to destroy it."

"What! Are you with the orcs?"

The beast woman retorted and blew a loud deep whistle.

~ FWEEEEK ~

Akash stood there, waiting for her reinforcements.

Soon after, hundreds of beastmen and beastwomen gathered and surrounded him. With stones and wooden sticks.

Akash was startled, he looked at the beast woman, who was around 25 years old.

"I will leave in peace if you answer me one thing."

The beast woman didn't hesitate at all and nodded silently.

"How long have you been living here?"

Akash asked.

The beast woman tightened her grip on the stick and retorted with a question of her own.

"What does it have to do with you?"

Akash sighed.

"Didn't I just tell you to answer me, and I would leave? Don't make me repeat myself."

"We are not your slaves, go to hell!"

Akash looked to his left, where a huge mountain hill was and made a fist as he stomped his foot through the ground. Using this foothold, he rotated his whole body through his leg, hips, waist, back and shoulders as he built up this centrifugal force before unleashing it all into a deafening punch on the hill.

~ BOOM ~

A large explosion erupted as the huge hill turned into smithereens.

"I will ask one last time, how long have you been living here?"

All the beast-people were speechless, they were terrified now.

Akash was also surprised to see his new powers. The amount of power he used was equivalent to someone who had reached the 4th Star realm.

"Please forgive us, I beg your pardon on her behalf."

An old man came out from the crowded beast-people and knelt in front of Akash.

"It's okay, just answer my question."

"Mighty Lord, we have been living here for generations. I am the tribe chieftain of the 13th generation."

Akash narrowed his eyes. 13 generations… Didn't my dwelling evolve only a few hours ago?

"I think I should go back to ask Ancestor Sparrow."

The old beastman spoke again.

"Oh mighty Lord, please save us from the orcs. They are humiliating our people, their king has captured all the virgin girls of our tribe.

They are too powerful. We cannot defeat them. Please, help them!"

Akash looked at them and smirked.

"Haha, seems like this really is a real-world, interesting.

Alright, take me there!"