Man’s Best Friend
Throughout their visit to the market, Edrick and Wenxiong saw many different kinds of creatures. Though few of them were exceptionally powerful or rare, the ancestor still praised many, and even cited uses for the less popular ones... But in the end, nothing caught the scion’s attention.
Bufalleaus, Screaming Great Lizards, Sickle Cougars, Fly-Eye Observers, Mud Alligators, Galsablian Wild Dogs, Crusher Rats, Crawling Birds, Tangled Octopuses… They were all very interesting. Some were even tempting for a variety of reasons, but ultimately, it was a beast being sold by a rookie beast catcher that sparked interest.
At a glance, the beast was nothing special. It was a large canine with long and fluffy dark fur. The fur was exceptionally dark, making the creature resemble a shadow as it stayed still whilst caged and muzzled.
It had triangular ears that stood at attention at all times, even as it was seemingly lying down lazily. Its eyes were nearly completely red–The sort of red Edrick would have expected a monster to have in horror movies from his old world.
The dog-like creature wasn’t a giant, but it was definitely imposingly large nonetheless… The fur helped a lot in making it look even larger than it really was as well. There was no need to guess the specifics, however. The seller displayed the details of the beast for all to see.
This impressive dog was two meters and fifty centimeters long, one meter tall at the shoulder, and weighed two hundred kilograms. To put it simply, it was an impressively big fellow.
Its face was a mix between a wolf and a bear, and although currently caged, its eyes were filled with awareness. The beast was ready to pounce at the first sign of an opportunity to escape.
Edrick quite liked that dog.
“Looks like you’ve got an eye for it, Young Master” the vendor smiled with his crooked, yellowed teeth.
“This here is a most rare find! I was extremely lucky to be able to capture this one… What you see is a healthy, soon-to-be adult, Jevodian Bearhound! Also sometimes called a Terror-Hound for its infamy as a man-eater”
The seller rubbed his dry palms together.
However, before he could continue, Wenxiong spoke up.
“Indeed, an impressive specimen in perfect condition… But Jevodian Bearhounds are reputed for being nearly impossible to tame, even for great masters of beast taming… Although it is quite an attractive offer in theory, it's more likely that we would be the ones to do you a favour by taking it off your arms” Wenxiong didn’t even say anything accusatory or otherwise threatening, but the vendor already looked like a threat of generational slaughter had been made against him.
“Heheh… I am certain that distinguished members of the Elt–Such as yourselves–Would have the means to tame even this stubborn beast… And anyway, my price is quite low. As you’ve said, it is a difficult creature to sell, and I am frankly afraid of removing its muzzle to feed it…” spoke the seller. He had indeed gotten extremely lucky to catch it in the first place.
He had stumbled upon the creature after it had ingested mushrooms that had placed it into a deep slumber and effectively made it harmless for an extended period of time.
Terror-Hounds were rare and elusive most of the time. They were not known to form packs, and were instead famed for their brutal and insidious hunting tactics against sapients… Many Jevodian Bearhounds had become famous for slaughtering hundreds of people before being caught and slain.
It was to the point that a sizable number of cultures that had any form of contact with this beast claimed them to be evil spirits, the remnants of heinous murderers, or even devil beasts.
But the upsides if one were able to tame one were enormous. Advantages that the seller did not hesitate to talk at length about.
“They are exceptionally and naturally elusive despite their great size! If they are caught, it is because entire forests are turned upside down, or because they were lured into a trap. Otherwise, a Terror-Hound that does not want to be found is highly unlikely to be discovered!”
“Of course, thanks to their impressive build, they are very powerful as well! Their bite can easily crush bones and dismember their prey! I even heard that they could eat tortoises alongside their shells without problem”
“Furthermore, they are brutal but efficient–They innately know how to fearmonger and cause mass hysteria amongst people by killing in certain ways. They are even known to leave eyewitnesses, seemingly with the sole purpose of having terrified and confused people give inaccurate descriptions. Thus, making things safer in the long run, as people do not know what they are up against!”
Edrick glanced at Wenxiong, and the ancestor nodded his head. The seller was telling the truth.
“...Lastly, I have heard that the handful of people who were able to tame a Jevodian Bearhound discovered that once the beast recognised someone as its master, they would begin to grow in strength alongside the one they saw as their ‘leader’, even developing skills and abilities based on the person they follow… For a noble-blooded cultivator, this guarantees that the Bearhound will be exceptional!”
Anoteros rubbed his chin in thought.
“How much do you sell it for?”
The vendor’s eyes shone, but he restrained his greed lest he be reminded of who he was dealing with.
“One thousand Copper Leyens” he said, a modest price even with the downsides of the beast. However, it was an enormous sum for the rookie, nonetheless. Besides, he couldn’t afford to keep it anyway, so even at half this price, he would be willing to give it up.
Edrick shrugged. This was a pitiful amount for him.
“Do let me see the beast from closer first”
The vendor glanced at the hound, and it glanced back at him. That thing wanted to tear him apart specifically. Indeed, they also knew how to hold grudges.
“Don’t worry, I’ll keep it restrained…” Wenxiong didn’t do anything in particular, but the Jevodian Bearhound was quick to settle down.
Reassured by the presence of an expert, the seller felt more comfortable opening the cage for the noble scion.
Edrick squatted in front of the dog.
This one was a male, and even restrained by Wenxiong, its eyes held strong defiance.
Anoteros would probably not be able to tame it under normal circumstances... But he might just have a way to ensure that the beast would submit to him.
The young noble focused the power of his bloodline, exerting the force of his authority as a beast lord through his intent. He directed it all at the Bearhound as he placed one hand atop the creature’s head.
It resisted, but under the pressure of both Edrick and Wenxiong, it couldn’t do much as a pet crest was put upon it.
And once it was in place, the deal was sealed.
“Your name will be Ansbach from now on”