Beast Taming: Starting From Zero - Chapter 769: Steel Iron Dragon

Chapter 769: Steel Iron Dragon

As the commentator’s voice fell, thunderous cheers erupted from the crowd.

Qiao Sang sat in the contestants’ area and glanced toward the VIP section.

With her excellent eyesight, it only took her a sweep of two rows to easily spot the Vice Principal sitting among them.

“You should head backstage to prepare now.” Pirite’s voice suddenly sounded.

Tonight’s match was a one-on-one battle, and the opponent had already been announced long ago, so there was no need to wait for the system to finalize the lineup.

Just as he finished speaking, Qiao Sang spotted a familiar staff member walking toward her.

“I’ll be heading off then.” She said, standing up.

Pirite gave a slight nod.

Qiao Sang followed the staff member toward the backstage area.

At around the same time, Apollon Novitsky also left his seat.

Pirite tilted his head slightly and cast a deep glance at Apollon’s retreating figure.

Qiao Sang probably wouldn’t win tonight’s match as easily as she had in the past few days.

But that was fine. This was exactly what he wanted to see…

—

Yulianton University.

Class 1 of the Freshman Beast master Department was brightly lit.

Evenings at Yulianton University included optional lessons, but students were free to choose whether to self-study in the library, classrooms, or dedicated training arenas.

Of course, skipping entirely was also acceptable, everything was up to the individual.

But for all the students in one class to gather in a single classroom, excluding Qiao Sang, this was the first time it had happened since the semester began.

A massive virtual screen occupied nearly an entire wall.

It was broadcasting the live coverage of the Beast Tamer Star Tournament finals.

Everyone was buzzing with excitement, speculating which two pet beasts Qiao Sang would send into battle tonight.

“I think it’ll be Fire Qilu and Ice Aipalu.”

“Same, it’s the finals today, so she’s bound to send out her two strongest beasts.”

“But Ghost Ring King isn’t weak either, it’s a dual-attribute General-level pet with Ghost and Psychic types.”

“I’ve watched her previous matches, Ghost Ring King is strong, but it mostly relies on Shadow Control. Its offensive power seems lacking. If it goes up against Apollon’s Steel Iron Dragon, it’ll probably struggle. Flame Chilu and Ice Aipalu are better suited for a proper fight.”

“Yeah, and Ghost Ring King is still too fragile. The earlier matches were easy wins mostly because it wasn’t targeted much. Apollon’s offense will definitely hit it this time.” The blond-haired boy analyzed seriously, clearly worried for Qiao Sang.

“Who cares if it’s Apollon or Apollo, Qiao Sang’s definitely gonna win.” Said the spiky-haired boy.

The blond boy didn’t argue, he just went silent in agreement, as if he’d never been a fan of Apollon to begin with.

—

26Th District.

In a small alley at the bottom tier of a city, a thin-faced teenager walked into a noodle shop and called out: “Boss, one egg noodle bowl please.”

He found a seat and sat down, eyes fixed on the color TV above.

Soon, the boss brought the bowl over and placed it in front of him. Then, following the boy’s gaze, he smiled and said, “You’ve been coming around this time lately, don’t tell me it’s just to watch the tournament?”

Tim gave a little “mm” and admitted a bit sheepishly, “The channel’s locked at my house. It requires a subscription.”

It wasn’t that he couldn’t afford the fee, it’s just that the Beast Tamer Star Tournament only lasted a few days. Subscribing wasn’t worth it. This way, he could fill his stomach and catch the match too.

This noodle shop wasn’t far from his home, and he visited often anyway. He just switched up the timing today.

“So? Got a favorite star in the match?” The boss asked, not heading back immediately.

Business wasn’t great, so when a customer came in, he welcomed the chance to chat.

Tim’s eyes sparkled as he looked at the screen.

“Qiao Sang. She’s my idol. But I don’t think of her as a star.”

Isn’t the Beast Tamer Star Tournament only open to celebrities?… The boss, who didn’t really follow current news, was confused.

Just as he was about to ask more, another customer walked in: “Boss, one beef noodle, no scallions.”

“Got it!” With a new order, the boss immediately forgot what he wanted to ask and headed into the kitchen.

The match is about to begin… Tim stared at the slender figure walking onto the field, unable to look away.

After parting ways with his life-saving benefactor last time, he thought he’d never get the chance to see her again. Who would’ve thought he’d see her so soon, on national television, no less, and in such a grand event.

Th𝐢ʂ ₡hȺp†𝑒r 𝑖𝕤 p𝘰𝐬τ℮𝒅 b𝕪 𝗞𝘪𝙩ҽ𝑛ℴ𝘷ꬲ𝕝

Tim’s eyes were full of admiration and longing.

He kind of wanted to go back out into the world again…

—

3Rd District.

Theo Film Base.

Makeup Room.

Sylvia sat on the couch holding her phone, watching the live broadcast of the match.

“What are you watching?” A stylishly dressed woman suddenly sat down beside her, leaned over, and peeked at her screen.

“The Beast Tamer Star Tournament?” The woman raised an eyebrow.

“You thinking of joining?”

Sylvia glanced at her.

“Do you think I could?”

“Why not?” The woman laughed.

“I heard your movie’s premiering early. If it becomes a hit, who knows?”

Keep dreaming… Sylvia turned back to her phone, not bothering to respond.

The woman was about to say something else when a voice came from the phone: “And now entering the field are the two finalists who have fought their way here, Apollon and Qiao Sang!”

Qiao Sang? The woman blinked at the name, looked at the screen, and suddenly remembered.

“You’re watching for Qiao Sang, aren’t you?”

She had heard about Sylvia’s upcoming movie. It wasn’t supposed to be released this soon, but due to the buzz surrounding a ghost-type pet beast featured in a cameo, the premiere got moved up.

The beast’s Beast master, as it turned out, was none other than Qiao Sang, the current focus of the tournament.

Sylvia gave a quiet “Mm”, a complicated expression on her face: “She’s amazing… I can’t not pay attention to her…”

The last time they met, all her beasts were only at the High-level stage. And now, in such a short span, they’d evolved to General-level. She held her own against Beast masters in their thirties and had advanced to the finals. Every part of it felt unbelievable to Sylvia.

“Her talent really is monstrous… but it’s a shame she’s up against Apollon.” The woman said, watching the screen where a tall figure appeared.

Though she hadn’t followed all the matches, she favored the already-famous Apollon.

Four-time champion of the Pet Beast Arena Tournament, that wasn’t a title just anyone could earn.

—

1St District.

Outdoor Beastmaster Stadium.

VIP Section.

When Qiao Sang entered, Liu Yao didn’t shout or scream like the other fans, but he still waved his cheering stick enthusiastically.

Sky Bat fluttered beside him, also waving a cheering stick.

Do your best… Liu Yao silently cheered as he looked at the girl walking onto the field.

Then, a mechanical voice echoed across the arena: “3, 2, 1. Battle Start!”

—

On the Field.

Qiao Sang and Apollon rapidly formed seals with their hands.

Their hand speed was so fast that the average person couldn’t keep up.

Two orange-yellow star arrays lit up almost simultaneously.

Even faster than yesterday… Pirite’s eyes lit up from the contestants’ area.

Moments later, two powerful auras burst onto the field.

Dragon-type, Steel-type dual-attribute General-level pet beast, Steel Iron Dragon…

Qiao Sang looked at the towering opponent, nearly seven meters tall, standing upright on two legs, its body entirely made of metal, marked with curved black lines, and different-colored metals forming its hands, lower abdomen, and feet, and her heart tightened.

But more than that, she felt excited.

“Yap!”

Yabao felt the same.

With a cannon-like tuft of hair shooting skyward, he stared at his opponent, blood boiling for the first time in a long while.

Steel Iron Dragon didn’t hesitate. With a stomp, a powerful white shockwave burst outward, centered around it and rapidly collapsing the terrain toward Yabao’s position.

Sensing danger, Yabao vanished instantly, reappearing high in the air.

A split second later, a massive crater, over a hundred meters wide, formed where he had just been.

Yabao disappeared again, then reappeared behind the Steel Iron Dragon, baring sharp fangs.

Blazing fire surged over his teeth.

Simultaneously, a giant, fire-shaped head of Fire Qilu formed from fire behind him.

Boom!

With a thunderous impact, Yabao bit down hard on Steel Iron Dragon’s head.

Flames erupted, and heatwaves blasted across the field.

“Fire Qilu’s Fire Fang landed on Steel Iron Dragon!” The commentator shouted.

Fire Qilu, a dual-type Fire and Psychic pet beast, was strong in both power and mobility, with teleportation for surprise attacks. Steel Iron Dragon, while possessing light-metal resistance, still struggled against Psychic-type abilities.

Apollon, mentally reviewing all of Qiao Sang’s previous battles, noted Fire Qilu’s signature strategy, teleporting close and striking with Fire Fang. He immediately issued an order: “Attack!”

Steel Dragon didn’t scream in pain like most beasts. Instead, it grabbed Yabao’s tail with one claw.

“Steel Iron Dragon caught Fire Qilu’s tail! Is it immune to pain?!” The commentator shouted excitedly.

The audience roared, especially Apollon’s fans.

Of course, Steel Iron Dragon felt pain, but it was still tolerable.

While it gripped Yabao’s tail in one claw, the other paw opened. A solid ball of white energy formed above it.

It’s not resisting? Apollon was puzzled. Most furry beasts are sensitive about their tails…

Just then, Qiao Sang’s voice rang out: “Explode!”

Steel Iron Dragon slammed the energy ball into Yabao’s stomach.

At the same time, a golden-red energy sphere shot from Yabao’s throat, already prepared in advance, still latched onto Steel Iron Dragon’s head.

BOOM!

Like a high-explosive blast, the fireball detonated at point-blank range. Shockwaves tore through half the arena, blasting the ground apart.

“Yap!”

“Tiiiron!”

Yabao and Steel Iron Dragon both screamed as they were blown away, one upward, one backward.

It landed the hit… Qiao Sang frowned.

Fire Fang was a mid-tier skill, even at peak mastery, she wasn’t confident it would do much against a Steel Iron Dragon.

That’s why she’d planned this: Fire Fang + point-blank Exploding Bomb combo. She was sure even a Steel Iron Dragon would suffer.

She hadn’t expected the opponent to seize the same moment to counterattack.

“Both Steel Iron Dragon and Fire Qilu are down!” The commentator shouted with excitement.

“WHOA!”

The crowd erupted.

This kind of intense, high-impact showdown was exactly what the fans lived for.

If I strike before Fire Qilu recovers… it’s a chance…

The moment Steel Iron Dragon finished tumbling, Apollon barked, “Cannon!”

Though still reeling from pain, Steel Iron Dragon immediately obeyed. Its body glowed white, then the light condensed into a straight beam targeting the falling Yabao.

That’s some insane defense. Even after taking a Exploding Bomb point-blank, it recovered fast enough to launch Cannon Lightbeam…

Qiao Sang blinked, then nodded in respect.

“Steel Iron Dragon’s up! It’s using Cannon Lightbeam!” The commentator narrated.

Cannon Lightbeam, an advanced Steel-type skill, concentrates light into a powerful blast that can also reduce the opponent’s defense.

“Dodge!” Qiao Sang shouted calmly.

Yabao wasn’t as durable, but he could still teleport away with enough presence of mind.

The white beam zipped upward at breakneck speed, just as it was about to hit-

Yabao vanished, reappearing a hundred meters away on the ground.

“YAP!”

Excited, Yabao tilted his head back and gave a triumphant shout.

Suddenly, hundreds of identical Fire Qilus appeared!

On the ground, in the air, midair, filling the entire field!

Apollon’s expression shifted dramatically.

Forget the attack, just the visual impact of hundreds of Fire Qilus was terrifying enough.

All of them opened their mouths, hundreds of rotating fireballs formed.

The crimson glow lit up the whole arena.

!!! The crowd stared wide-eyed, heartbeats racing, holding their breath.

“Metal Sound!” Apollon didn’t hesitate.

The massive wave of fire rushed toward Steel Iron Dragon.

“TIIIIIRON!!”

Facing the fiery barrage, Steel Iron Dragon didn’t flinch. It opened its mouth and unleashed a shrill, piercing screech.

Soundwaves rippled across the arena.

All the Fire Qilu clones disappeared.

So did the hundreds of spinning fireballs.

The searing red light faded, and silence returned, as if none of it had happened at all.