The First Legendary Beast Master

Picking a table was also a test, Karl decided.

There were cliques seated all over the room, and a few spaces that were clearly reserved for someone else who hadn't arrived yet. If he picked those, it would offend whoever usually sat there.

But anywhere else he sat would be aligning himself with one of the cliques, or going the loner route and sitting in the corner, between the garbage bins and the kitchen entrance.

Why was there even a table there, anyhow? Some sort of bullying issue?

Then he spotted the perfect table.

They didn't all have System Interfaces that he could see, but Karl identified a number of Dragon God Clerics, a few Beastkin and Dragon species warriors, and what looked like a berserker woman in a fur bikini that would make Ophelia laugh.

A pale imitation of a Bear Totem Berserker.

They also had plenty of space left at the table, and they didn't panic when he turned in their direction.

"Do you mind?" He asked the most powerful at the table, A Divine Fire Dragon warrior.

"Not at all. Come and sit, I will introduce you to the others, Avatar."

A few of the other tables looked disappointed but understanding. If Karl was an Avatar of one of the Dragon Gods, it only made sense that he went to them first.

"What God's Avatar were you in the Mortal World?" A Wrath Demon man asked as Karl passed by his table.

"The World Dragon. I gained the status around Totem Rank, and kept it through my advancements."

That surprised more than a few of the Immortals. But it explained a fair bit about his fighting style. That massive dragon form wasn't just his innate form, it was enlarged by his status as Avatar of the World Dragon.

It was actually more to do with Thor's influence and his Epic Grade innate physique, but Karl's dragon form was huge even without using Behemoth.

The Divine Fire Dragon gestured to himself. "I am Jin, head of the Clan's security force training.

That is Alisha, don't mind her sense of fashion. She's part Fire Elemental, and radiates too much heat to be comfortable in full clothing. Or so she says.

Then, there is Brother Chin, the White Dragon, and Argoth, the Werewolf. Chin does most of our healing for group outings, and Argoth is our main tank when we're working in a team.

The Clan doesn't split us up by Ranks because trials in the Immortal Realms usually have areas of different difficulties, as well as internal restrictions. So, if you want to maximize your chances of success, you need to bring seniors and juniors together.

It's a bit ironic, considering how poorly Immortals work together."

Dana smiled. "I'm willing to wager that those outings with generous seniors are actually a rather significant cause of death for new Immortals."

Jin chuckled grimly. "Not just new ones. The Dragon Clerics are a pretty honest bunch, by local standards. But even then, watch your back outside.

And your front. Everything in this world is deadly if you let your guard down, especially in a trial where resources are at stake.

The New Home Merchant Clan is mostly foundlings. Immortals who were run out of their home Sect, Mortals who just awakened, and such. The sort that will smile in your face, then stab you in the back to steal an opportunity."

He was looking across the room, clearly meaning someone in particular who had offended him.

Dana nodded. "I get it now. On the surface, everyone is an ally. Part of the same Clan, on the same team. But when nobody is looking, most won't hesitate to kill and steal for the slightest chance of getting ahead."

"Not as naive as you seemed. That is the way of the Immortal Realms. Also, you're both restraining your aura. Don't do that here. There is no need, and it's a sign of weakness and submission.

Nyan does it, but that's more of a kink on her part. Has anyone mentioned that the System in the world she came from did strange things to their minds? Or perhaps it only summoned insane people to start with?

Either way, her and The Moron are both oddballs."

Nyan just shrugged and accepted her dinner from the servants, who placed all four plates in under a second, then seemed to vanish into the background.

"Does he not have a name?" Karl asked.

"Yes, but we don't use it. It only makes him seem dumber."

That was an accomplishment if his nickname was already that bad.

Nyan giggled as she looked over at him. They had come from the same world, so she could see his name with her System Interface. It was obviously bad, worse than Pretty Kitty, or she wouldn't be laughing at him.

"What's with the trash can table?" Dana asked, unable to restrain her curiosity any longer.

"Oh, that's the reserved table for the last place on the Spirit Rankings. It encourages them to get better, or something." Jin replied, waving dismissively.

"The bottom of the rankings don't last long. The others usually offer them 'opportunities' to get stronger, and they do something suicidally stupid." Alisha elaborated.

"So, that's how it is. Alright. I thought it was just some bullying thing, like school children."

The Berserker laughed, and pulled Dana into a side armed hug that made her instantly begin to sweat from the heat.

"You're funny. No, we're not quite that immature."

Just as she said that, a young immortal who looked like a teen girl, but who was likely a juvenile dragon, strutted in with her hips swaying in exaggerated fashion, and slapped a drink out of the hand of one of the demons at what Dana could only call the nerds table.

"Well, most of us are not quite that immature. Did I mention that the Clan has a grade school for the Trueborn children?"

Dana sighed as Cara cackled with laughter in her mind. The Chaos Badger was living for this opportunity. Old Immortals, desperate social climbers, and teenage dragon angst all in one place?

Only Opal could write a plot with more twists than that.

[I will ready the clones. This is going to make an excellent daytime drama.] Opal agreed.