The blood rune shot forward and struck Erin's forehead. Instantly, her body was overwhelmed by an unbearable burning sensation.
Her head spun, and her thoughts felt as if they were being seized and overwritten by someone else.
Not long after, golden light appeared in two places beneath Kaine's and Erin's feet. The beast taming ritual had begun.
[Taming Process Initiated]
[Suppressing Target Will]
[Overwriting Energy Core]
[Establishing Master–Servant Contract]
[Taming Progress: 30%]
Kaine stared at the panel. The power of his Beast Master talent was suppressing Erin's will, rewriting her core energy, and beginning to forge a Master and Servant contract.
The taming percentage continued to rise. The higher the number, the more violent the surge of mana produced by the ritual.
A strong gust of wind burst outward. Golden light flared blindingly from Kaine's room. People outside saw the phenomenon, and speculation spread instantly.
Jax, Illard, and Nora felt a mysterious tremor. Illard panicked and rushed out of the house, fearing an earthquake. Jax followed. Nora, however, ran upstairs to call for Kaine.
"Kaine! There's a tremor. We have to leave now!"
Kaine heard her voice, but he could not stop the taming process.
If it failed, Erin could break free and retaliate in fury, which would likely mean his death.
"I'll follow after!" Kaine shouted firmly.
[Taming Progress: 60%]
Erin's scream echoed sharply through the room, a piercing cry that hurt the ears.
Not only Kaine, but everyone outside Jax's house heard it.
Nora stood frozen in front of Kaine's room. Goosebumps rose along her skin as the scream continued. It was not coming from downstairs. It was coming from Kaine's room itself.
"Kaine! What is that sound?!"
Kaine ignored her. The taming process was almost complete. Finishing it mattered more than answering Nora.
In front of him, Erin looked at Kaine with a flushed face. Tears streamed down past her nose and cheeks. The fox woman begged repeatedly for mercy.
She promised she would never kill or threaten him again, as long as he did not make her his beast.
Kaine continued. He refused to be deceived a second time by her tears.
[Taming Progress: 90%]
When the percentage surpassed eighty five percent, the golden light dimmed. The pain wracking Erin's body and mind began to subside.
Kaine felt relief. The contract between Master and Servant seemed inevitable now.
[Taming Progress: 100%]
[Initiating Master–Servant Contract Binding]
Erin collapsed to a seated position, head lowered. A golden orb emerged from her forehead and floated before Kaine.
From the knowledge inherited from the old man's power, Kaine understood what to do. He needed to mix his blood with the golden orb, which represented Erin's beast soul.
He bit his fingertip until it bled and pressed his blood against the orb. It did not react violently. It simply changed color from gold to crimson.
Moments later, the crimson orb shot back into Erin's body. Instantly, another panel appeared before Kaine.
[Taming Successful]
[Name: Erin]
[Race: Kitsune || Bloodline Rank: Noble Rank || Evolution Path: 1/3]
[Level: 15]
[Condition: Injured || Core Stability: 20% || Mental Resistance: Low]
[Affinity: Illusion and Flame]
[Master: Kaine]
The magic rune beneath Erin's feet vanished. The golden light faded. A red pattern appeared on Erin's forehead, marking her as a conquered Servant.
A matching red pattern appeared on the back of Kaine's hand. He remembered its meaning. The mark of a Beast Master.
"You… are a Beast Master?"
Kaine turned toward Erin. "It seems so."
"You tamed me?! You treat me like some kind of pet?!"
Erin lunged forward, claws extended toward Kaine's face, her expression filled with rage and hatred.
Kaine raised his right hand. The red Beast Master mark glowed as he spoke a spell.
"Absolute Command activated!"
"Stop, Erin!" Kaine ordered sharply.
The command froze Erin in place. Her body locked stiff, completely beyond her control.
Kaine smiled. She could no longer attack him.
But at that very moment, Kaine suddenly collapsed.
He fell to his knees and vomited blood. His body weakened instantly. His face turned pale. His vision blurred.
What… is happening?
Moments later, Kaine fell unconscious. His eyes closed as his strength drained completely.
Erin was freed from Absolute Command the instant Kaine lost consciousness.
"This is my chance!"
She slashed her fox claws forward, but her hand collided with an invisible magic barrier. The force threw her backward into the bedroom door.
[Warning!]
[Servants are forbidden from killing their Master under any circumstances!]
A red panel appeared before Erin. Her fists clenched in frustration. She realized she was truly bound as Kaine's Servant.
"Damn it! If I want to be free, there are only two ways. Someone else kills him, or he cancels the Master–Servant contract himself," Erin muttered, wiping blood from her lip.
"This is infuriating!"
She forced herself to calm down. She needed to think about how to coexist with Kaine.
Perhaps one day, when his goal was achieved, he would release her.
"This is so irritating. I have no choice but to follow him!"
As Erin stepped closer to Kaine, the bedroom door was suddenly smashed open. Nora and Jax burst inside, both stunned to see a fox spirit woman in Kaine's room.
"A Fox Spirit?!" Nora gasped.
Erin narrowed her eyes and swung her arm, sending a blue fireball forward.
BLAST!
An explosion erupted. Jax and Nora were thrown backward, injured but not fatally.
Erin realized humans had already discovered her presence. Staying any longer would only put her in greater danger.
She wrapped Kaine's body with her tail, then leapt out the window and climbed onto the rooftop.
From below, people saw the shattered window and the blue flames consuming Kaine's room. Shock spread rapidly.
"THAT'S A FOX SPIRIT!"
"Catch her! She's worth more than a level 2 monster!"
Hunters raised their weapons and rushed after Erin, who carried Kaine.
Jax and Nora stumbled outside. They stared at the blue flames burning Kaine's room.
Both were injured, though not critically. Minor burns. They looked up at the fox spirit fleeing with Kaine.
"She… kidnapped Kaine? What is going on here?" Jax asked.
Erin glanced back repeatedly, firing blue fireballs toward the pursuing hunters.
BLAST!
Explosions injured several of them. The attacks did not scare them away. Instead, they grew more determined.
Erin left Jaxi District with Kaine in her grasp. The hunters continued chasing.
She did not know where to go. Her only option was to return to the Hanging Tree Red Land.
That place was familiar territory. While Kaine recovered, Erin would fend off the hunters as best she could.
She looked down at the unconscious Kaine with irritation.
"I am truly unlucky to have met you, human!"