C19 [night Raid!]!

Rimid was brimming with confidence.

Symas was nothing more than a kid fresh from a summoning ceremony, and even with a breeder certificate, that hardly qualified him as a beast tamer in battle.

The battle pet he had called forth was surely below one-star level. For an elite beast tamer like Rimid, taking down such a greenhorn would be child's play.

Among the Twelve Crows of Littlewell, his stealth assassination technique was unrivaled.

"Allochroic Bubble Bug!"

"Remex Spiritual Plant!"

The Allochroic Bubble Bug, an elite battle pet, possessed the ability to blend into its surroundings with its camouflage. Such elite battle pets were exceedingly rare; in Littlewell, only three people had them, including Rimid. The other two were affiliated with the Beast Tamer Association and a prominent Littlewell family.

In its natural state, the bug resembled a palm-sized glob of sticky bubbles. At its master's command, it would burst forth from the pocket.

In an instant, it expanded from palm-size to nearly two meters, enveloping Rimid within its belly.

To an onlooker,

It would appear as if Rimid was encapsulated by a thin bubble, his form vanishing from the corridor as if by magic, his presence completely shielded.

Symas, too, had a Remex Spiritual Plant, a support-type battle pet not uncommon in Littlewell.

The plant, resembling a white ginseng, peeked out from his pocket, instantly lightening Rimid's body. He felt weightless, his speed and stealth maximized.

"Now's the time to strike."

With a cold smirk, Rimid scaled the roof with the agility of a mystical monkey, reaching the top in mere moments.

Perched atop the railings of the building, several stories high, was the Gale Eagle, its feathers a vibrant green.

With keen eyes, it surveyed the expanse of Valengor Residence, occasionally preening its feathers with a careful beak.

Rimid approached the eagle, soundless as a shadow, stopping just a breath away.

He lifted his right hand, and in the center of his palm, a glint of cold light materialized. Abruptly, a short knife, about six or seven inches long, appeared.

The knife's body was jet-black, with only the edge revealing a gleaming white sharpness.

"Shua!"

With a swift motion, Rimid's gaze zeroed in on the head of the Gale Hawk before him, and he brought his blade down in a decisive chop.

Just half a step away.

The Gale Hawk sensed impending doom, but as it registered the threat, a glint of cold steel flashed by, and its head was severed.

The rest of its body was firmly grasped in Rimid's left hand.

The elite seven-star Gale Hawk met its end in an instant.

Not even a cry of distress escaped.

In a direct confrontation, Rimid would stand no chance against the Gale Hawk without a battle bird pet of his own.

But assassination was Rimid's specialty.

Next.

Rimid's attention turned to the tracking iron ring on the Gale Hawk's leg. He didn't touch it; instead, he tossed the bird's carcass aside.

The allochroic bubble bug enveloped him once more as he made a beeline for Symas's residence on the sixth floor.

Rimid was uncertain. He didn't know if Corey from the Beast Tamer Association would detect the demise of the Gale Hawk.

But the tracking iron ring was intact, and he had dispatched the hawk in a blink.

The City Guards on patrol were hundreds of meters away, giving him ample time to make his escape.

Meanwhile, Symas in his sixth-floor room had just emerged from the Void Territory.

For some reason, he felt restless. The newly formed image of the Ancient Fire God in his mind's eye began to waver.

"There's trouble," he murmured.

The flickering of the Fire God's Catalog was undoubtedly a sign of danger.

Without delay.

Symas extinguished all the lights in his home and concealed himself in a corner. Without a second thought, he retrieved the sound transmission snail given to him by Corey.

Danger or not, it was wise to have someone check the area.

"Mr. Lowe, come quickly. Someone is after my life!"

With that.

Symas stowed the sound transmission snail with a calm demeanor. If he didn't stress the urgency, Mr. Lowe might not respond with due haste.

He had just finished speaking when...

Rimid, on the sixth floor, felt his phone buzz with a notification. Corey had just left the Beast Tamer Association.

"Hmm?"

"Have I been spotted? Could there be other battle pets guarding Symas nearby?"

He was mere steps away.

First, he'd eliminate him, then make his escape.

With that decision firmly in mind, Rimid eyed the room number a short distance ahead and charged towards Symas's door.

"Acidic Mud Worm!"

From his sleeve, a green worm the size of an apple emerged, its mouth gaping open to spray a jet of corrosive acid that ate through the protective iron door, dissolving the security barrier as quickly as ice melts in the sun.

"Heh."

Rimid smirked at the extensively damaged door.

To him, Symas was nothing more than a fledgling, easily dealt with. Without a second thought, he approached the door.

But inside the room's darkness, a sudden, dazzling flare of light erupted. A fiery orb, as large as an adult's head, burst forth with blinding intensity.

Right at the door.

As the flames illuminated the room, Rimid caught sight of the fire-spewing creature—a dragon pet covered in fiery scales, its youthful head adorned with the beginnings of two dragon horns.

"Is this Symas's dragon pet? Or did Corey send it for protection?"

"Since when did Littlewell have such a dragon pet?"

Surprised, Rimid's thoughts raced, but he had no time to ponder. He summoned the acidic bug to shield him.

Otherwise, he'd be done for.

The sturdy green mud worm, nearly three to four inches thick, positioned itself in front of Rimid. Its menacing maw was agape, but before it could unleash its acid, the fireball engulfed it.

The two were too close for comfort.

Sensing the disturbance outside, Symas had opted for offense over defense. Unsure of the intruder's power, he had summoned his Charmander to guard the door, ready to incinerate any unwelcome visitor.

The agonized shrieks of the worm echoed through the fiery tumult.

The fireball retained about half its strength as it splashed onto Rimid, setting his elite-level leather coat ablaze in an instant. Even his hair caught fire.

"Damn it."

"Is that really a fire-type dragon pet?"

"Bubble Worm."

Without waiting for Rimid's command, the allochroic bubble bug concealed in his pocket leaped out. It spat a stream of water from its gooey body, dousing the flames.

"Again."

Inside the room, at Symas' behest, the Charmander unleashed another fireball, the size of an adult's head, its power rivaling that of a general black iron three or four-star fire-type.

Without a counter to the flames at such proximity, Rimid stood no chance of closing in.

In that moment, Rimid's eyes blazed with murderous intent. Symas was more formidable than he'd anticipated. The dragon pet didn't appear to be from the Beast Tamer Association. Given its modest fireball strength, if it truly belonged to Symas, the Dark Order would certainly have to bump up the bounty on this kid by several notches.

Failing to eliminate him now meant he'd become a major threat later. Rimid had to act within ten breaths; otherwise, once the elder Corey arrived, escape would be impossible.

Rimid swiftly retrieved a bright red vial from his windbreaker and downed its contents. Instantly, his presence intensified, black hair sprouting along his limbs and face. Within moments, he transformed, his head taking on a lupine shape, dense wolf fur covering his exposed skin.

He had become a werewolf.

"Animalization potion!"

"Damn, he's even carrying that."

Symas, directing the Charmander, swore under his breath.