Spirit Taming

Chapter 185: Fan

Maria walked with Clark to their battle. Isa had left to speak with her family so that they could devise a plan. She would then go to her own battle. The odd part was that Isa seemed to have considered this already.

"I think Isa has been worrying about you for some time." Clark had a feeling that the moment that Isa and Maria became friends, that Isa had begun to worry about a moment like this.

"I know she does. She's the first friend that I have been able to hang out with. She helped me with a lot. It's not the same as you and I being friends. Isa is another girl…she's my best friend now." Maria felt weird admitting this. However, she saw that Clark understood perfectly.

"Then how would you feel about her being your sister? You are already getting close and Trust me, I caught on that you two have been training together without me." Clark had seen the way the pair moved. It was a clear sign that they had been training in tandem to get to know one another's moves.

"I knew you would catch on…" Maria had believed Isa that they could hide their attempt to catch up to Clark. " We have been working on footwork so it's pretty obvious." Maria turned a little red. It was embarrassing to admit so much while they were talking about such important things.

"Let's have our second battles. I know that these might be tougher. You and I have battles at the same time so we should be in different arenas. Just do your best and we can chat more after." Clark watched as Maria headed the opposite way as him. Ella was caught up studying things while they fought because she did not have a battle for the day.

Since Clark was going to be facing a potentially tougher opponent, he was ready to call Crim out sooner. However, when he saw the boy on the arena stage, he knew that he would not need Crim again.

"You're Clark right!? I knew you were that Clark. The one that can fight and make beast growth plans? I heard that you went to Star city as a first year too! How is it? What was it like?

Can you help my green snake grow? What beast plans do you have for your dragon? Can-"

"You can speak with your fellow student later. If you keep the battle held up because of your constant questions we will be here until the sun goes dark." The referee was a little jaded since he had to deal with such a high energy first year. Clark partially agreed with him.

"Sorry, it's just, well, you know who this is, right? He's the genius Clark that has been talked about constantly. Wait, hey, I can forfeit if you give me advice on my beast's growth. Does that sound good? You can be sure that you go forward with all your energy." The overexcited opponent had turned in to a potential client Clark didn't take this deal he knew that Isa would have his life.

"I would already win even without taking your deal. Your green snake is extremely weak defensively. It has agility and that's all. If you were in a jungle you would have a ten percent higher chance of winning." Clark's analysis of the situation made the student and referee silent. It was a quick conclusion but very accurate.

'Green Snake- uncommon

The green snake is a smaller serpent beast that lives in areas with heavy foliage. They will blend in to hide while waiting for prey. When they spot their prey they use their extreme agility to attack and inject poison.

The greatest weakness that the green snake has is the weak scales that protect its body. It is unable to strengthen them without consuming a unique material, green poison wood vines. If it is able to consume them for a month straight while training its defense and agility it can grow in to a rare variant; greenwood serpent.'

Get a pen and paper out. I will give you the materials to consume and the time it will take. I will not build the defensive and agility training unless you come with payment to the lab for my business to make a profit." Clark watched the student struggle to get a notepad and pen. He had already waved his green snake away so that it could rest. The referee was stunned.

"So you have forfeited the match. Well, that makes it easier." The referee went to take a break. He still had almost an hour before the next match. He would not let the time go to waste.

In just a few moments, Clark had lectured him about the vines that his snake needed to consume as a material. He also stressed the importance of training while this month was ongoing. Before Clark could escape, the student had even asked for an autograph.

"I guess there are people that will go after anyone to be a fan. I'm not that popular…" Clark saw a few people pointing him out. Since the rumors had spread about Star city, the merchants, and how Clark had become a genius with two mentors, they had begun to look out for him. "I will need fame though."

The idea that he could achieve his goal without some fame was foolish. He needed connections and the people that would blindly praise his actions, those were the people that raised up evil but could also spur his change. His justice.

With a slight jog, Clark managed to make it to the arena that Maria was fighting in. He was just in time to see a large black dog jumping to pounce on Maria. Unfortunately for the black dog, Maria had an arrow notched on her bow.

The single arrow lodged in to the black dog's hip. It squealed in pain as the pounce it had attempted fell apart. Instead, it was struggling on the ground without the ability to properly walk because of the arrow.

The girl that was the tamer of the black dog had a chain leash in her hand. It was clearly to keep the black dog in check when they were out and about. It could also be used as an attack method though. Hence why Maria fired an arrow at her without any hesitation.

The referee let it all happen. The same place that the black dog was hit also matched where the girl facing Maria was hit. Both were stopped from moving easily and if they did move they would damage their permanent ability to walk. It was a precision shooting skill that made Maria powerful with the bow.

"Due to the potentially deadly nature of the injuries, the winner is Maria-"

"Thank you. I will be leaving then." Maria cut the referee off before he managed to say what her last name would be. It was easier for her to leave than hear it. "Clark?" She had not expected that Clark was right there watching.

"My opponent forfeited the matter because he liked the gossip. Even asked for an autograph. It was an odd situation. But your match was much better than mine was to watch." Clark knew that Maria was much more skilled with the bow. Everyone that saw her was sure to have a powerful image in their minds.

"I was just trying to win fast so I could watch your match." Maria wasn't sure what to say. She could see the honesty in how impressed Clarke was about her skills under pressure of attack. "She also taunted me a little. She wants to impress my family… She didn't succeed." The cold seriousness that Maria exuded was exactly the attitude she needed to face these people. There would be no mercy.

"Since Our matches were done so quickly, that means that Isa should be heading to her match now. Want to go and watch? She should have the little crystal golem on the stage now." Clark's suggestion went over well since Maria didn't want to spend any more time somewhere where the Cain family members were watching her. They had come just to intimidate her.

Clark had made sure to memorize who had what arena so that he could go and watch. He didn't believe that Isa would lose or need him, however, he wanted to keep an eye on what kinds of beasts were being used. What kinds of people were showing up to battle against them?

As a group, there was a lot of potentials that they had. All four of them were smart in their own rite with unique beasts. Not to mention that they were already showing off their strengths. That Was why Clark knew that some students that did not like this would appear. Maria was already dealing with it.

Clark had been lucky to get mostly ignored which meant that someone else with tougher beasts would handle him. The real worry was that someone would target Isa. she had a more unique beast set up than others.