Spirit Taming

Chapter 93: Maria's New Style

"That seems a lot like the growth of Lit. a middle point in growth before…" Maria had fallen in to a loop of thoughts. She wondered just how many beasts could be trained in this way or if this was because they were the elite class that stood out.

"I promise, this is unusual. I think having two beasts that showed up with a middle evolution or growth is abnormal. Most beasts have a straight path to becoming their adult forms." Clark knew this from what he saw the system analyze. Many beasts could get stronger but not grow in to a different form.

"I see, I'm glad then. Lit and I will be the best ones." The attitude that Maria had with Lit was something that Clark could appreciate. It was so positive that one would never tell what kind of hardships they had been through. For someone with such a kind heart to be born from a brutal family was a mystery of fate.

"That was a good battle. Ralph, you have improved beyond what I saw in your first battle. Miranda, you need to learn movement techniques if you wish to hide behind that shield. Go and meet with a healer to have that bruise looked at." Professor Wright would hand out the in depth evaluations later after she had compiled them from the polder students watching.

"I want to have Jeff and Maria fight." Professor Wright continued on down her list. She knew that having Maria come against an opponent could be rough since she had a healing type pet. Glow sting jellyfish were known as supporting pets without much strength. It was a wonder that Maria was in the elite class. However, the exams do not lie. She was there for a reason."

"I have to beat a supporter? Easy grade for me and my sand wolf." Jeff was a fairly muscular boy who had been right in the middle. This was in the sense of money and family standing. His family was not rich nor were they poor. Through a lucky turn, he awakened a rare spirit beast that uses earth and wind together. It fit him perfectly.

'

'Sand wolf- rare

The sand wolf is a major predator in the deserts. They will hunt in packs trying to take down larger prey. They are very arrogant due to their wind boosted speed and ability to conjure up sandstorms to blind opponents. They are weak bodied for an earth type monster. Due to their typing, they will often enjoy being in dry windswept areas. The best materials…'

Clark had not seen the sand wolf clearly before. He thought that the yellow and tan fur it had was perfect to help it to hide in the desert. If this was in the wilderness, it would have a camouflage advantage over Lit who stood out in most places.

"Let's finish this quickly. I want to see that Clark kid fight. I need to take that top spot so I can show off to my parents." Jeff had his own goals which was fine. But Clark heard him talking with too much arrogance. It made him want to go up to the arena and beat him down.

"Lit, just like we practiced last night. Don't change form but stay stuck to me as close as possible." Maria had Lit wrap her tentacles around her arms. They were in the perfect position to heal Maria and also help Maria cat her daggers in poison.

The students saw this and wondered what was going on. However, Professor Wright began to grasp the situation. She noticed the larger size and length of the tentacles. This made her question if Lit was actually a glow sting jellyfish or more.

"Begin!"

Maira didn't hesitate. She charged forward much to the surprise of Jeff. he had thought that he would be attacking first and did not order his sand wolf to do anything. Instead, they were frozen in surprise.

Taking advantage, Maria used a dagger to slash at the sand world. She barely scratched it on the side but that was fine. She knew the potency of Lit's poison and how it would slowly numb the sand wolf. "Bite her and stop her movements!" Jeff didn't want to fight himself. He felt that it would be a waste of his energy since this should be a guaranteed win.

The sand wolf tried to bite down on Maria's arm. Yet, when its jaws snapped shut it found that Maria had bent out of the way and slashed its side again. The entire class was silent. They had never seen movements that were so smooth and elegant. Clark even felt he had begun to watch a dance as Maria dodged bite after bite.

"You're slowing down!" Maria slashed again causing more damage to the sand wolf. By now the poison had numbed its entire right side making it move slower.

"Fine! Make it storm!" Jeff shouted out and watched the sand wolf inhale. In a large howl, the sand around its fur spread in to a mass of blinding sand. "Now bite on and take her down!" The annoyance that the battle was still going on was clear in Jeff's voice.

Maria found herself blinded by the sand. She didn't have any defense for this and before she knew it her arm was trapped in the sand wolf's maw. "Give up or I have my sand wolf bite you again!" Jeff felt that this was the end. As his sand wolf hid away in the sand storm it created in the arena, Maria was dripping blood from her arm.

"Lit, heal me. We are going after Jeff this time." No one heard Maria's mental order. But Lit knew the plan and when they began to rush Jeff just started to laugh at her. "You can't beat me. You only have one arm…?"

With a swift slash, Maria cut Jeff across the chest. He had never pulled a weapon. He had never expected to get cut. He had never thought that Maria was anything other than some support type beast tamer with a healing pet. "Don't worry. That won't hurt long.

My Lit's poison numbs the area it touches." The sandstorm died down revealing a limping and numb sand wolf.

"Victory goes to Maria! Very good use of support skills and clear training. That was a very wise battle plan you used as a trump card. I expect great things." Professor Wright loved having her assumptions proved false. She watched a student she had underestimated take a large victory.

"Jeff. that was sad and pathetic. You were arrogant and didn't even plan to fight yourself. You will have a separate evaluation after you return from the infirmary to decide if you will remain within this elite class. I hope you learned a lesson here." Professor Wright spoke to Jeff with a harsh tone. However, this was the best way to get through to some people.

"You look like you trained for that a lot. I didn't think you would have Lit cover your body like that. It was a good idea." Clark had not ejected Maria to come up with that strategy and had to be honest. He would have been thrown off by it as well.

"I learned it because I saw you using skills in weird ways. You fought hand to hand against Ralph in your first battle. So, I thought of a way to fight hand and hand with my opponent even though my body is weaker than theirs." Maria was brimming with happiness at winning her first match. This was exactly how she wanted it to go.