Chương 15: Game Changer

Eratz had already fought in several matches by now: 1v1, 2v2, and 3v3, each time, he dominated the battlefield.

In one fight, as his teammates got defeated, Eratz summoned 5 Vulpans at once, turning around the tables. When he faced people knowing their fears, he called upon his insectoid creatures, triggering a phobia in them.

The crowd loved him, every time he stepped onto the battlefield, cheers erupted. Everyone admired his skills, and cunny demeanor.

The only common point was that he never attacked directly the beast master, only the beasts.

"Man, that's his 12th win today, let's just team up with him for the last games..." a teenage boy whispered to his friend as they watched Eratz take down another opponent with ease.

Another common point of Eratz's beasts were the focus on their speed. Their attacks were surgical and happened in the blink of an eye.

Nearby, Ryder watched with an envious gleam in his eyes. His hands gripped the metal rail in front of him as he watched Eratz.

"I have to fight him," he muttered.

"Don't even think about it, You're not allowed to fight today, Ryder, and neither should this Eratz be. It's not even fair for him to be here... You've got to be kidding me, he's a pro, toying with amateurs for sport."

Ryder chuckled and shook his head. "Pro? Nah, he's not signed with any agency. He's a freelancer. Just like me, sorta."

Zara's brows raised, and she blinked, her stance shifting.

"Wait, what? He's not with any agency?"

Ryder nodded.

"Yep, no contracts or anything. He's just... here, fighting for fun."

Zara leaned back slightly, crossing her arms with a raised eyebrow as she watched Eratz interact with the other beast tamers.

She had seen countless matches and what she had just witnessed was clearly a professional-level beast tamer .

The speed, precision, and sheer control Eratz had displayed in his matches were that of an experienced beast masters.

She turned her gaze to Ryder, who was still grinning ear to ear. Zara couldn't help but smirk slightly at Ryder's enthusiasm.

"You're telling me he's not signed with an agency?" she asked, her tone skeptical.

Ryder nodded quickly, his excitement bubbling over.

"Yeah, I told you! He's not contracted or anything. He's… kind of a freelancer, I guess."

Zara frowned, shaking her head.

"That doesn't make any sense. Someone with that skills? He's got to be a pro."

Ryder chuckled.

"I know, right? But trust me, he's not. Eratz told me himself, he's just starting out. Can you believe that? He never participate to any official match."

Zara blinked, her mind reeling.

"Wait… what?"

She studied Eratz again, watching as he casually spoke with some of the other beast tamers. For a moment, her brain refused to process it.

A beginner? No way, she had seen hundreds, maybe thousands of rookies, and none of them had ever shown that kind of control over so many different beasts at once, and his physical abilities were an anomaly in themselves, it was just impossible.

"You're serious? He's really just a beginner?"

Ryder nodded eagerly, leaning forward. "Yeah, it's crazy, right? He's only been at this for a short while. But he's something else."

Zara's arms slowly unfolded as she took in Ryder's words, and her skepticism began to waver. She looked at Eratz again, narrowing her eyes, trying to make sense of it.

Her heart skipped a beat as the realization hit her like a thunderbolt.

"... He really is a beginner."

Her emotions shifted rapidly, first denial, then confusion, and finally, a surge of excitement. A prodigy. An absolute phenom. And he wasn't tied to anyone, not to any agency or arena. He was a free agent.

A grin slowly spread across her face, her eyes lighting up with pure joy at the opportunity in front of her. She had stumbled upon a diamond in the rough.

"Ryder…" Zara said, her voice trembling with a mixture of shock and awe. "He's the friend you mentioned, right? You know him, right??"

"You can say that, yeah. He's nice with everyone."

"... Listen, if you help me here, dinner is on me, for a week, ok? I need to talk to him now!"

As the afternoon sun began to sink lower in the sky, casting a warm golden glow over the arena, Eratz was preparing to head home, but before he could take more than a few steps, he heard familiar voices calling out to him.

"Eratz! Wait up!" Ryder's excited voice echoed through the air, followed closely by the sound of rapid footsteps.

He turned around just in time to see Ryder and Zara hurrying toward him. Ryder's grin was as wide as ever, his energy infectious.

"Dude, that was amazing today! You get stronger every time it's crazy!"

"Thanks, man. I didn't see you fight today, don't t tell me you're not in the mood." Eratz smiled.

But then, he felt a burning presence next to him. Zara's eyes pierced Eratz like a hawk zeroing in on its prey.

"... Hello?"

"Hello! I'm so glad to talk to a phenom like you! You did a number on everyone!" Zara said, her voice filled with enthusiasm. "I've got something important to discuss with you."

Eratz blinked, sensing the intensity behind her words. He raised an eyebrow.

"Oh? What's that?"

Zara took a step forward, her eyes practically glowing with excitement now.

"You're not just some ordinary beast tamer. You've got something special, something that I've rarely seen, and trust me, I've been doing this for a long time."

Eratz nodded slowly.

"I appreciate the compliment, but…"

The woman wasn't having it. Her grin widened as she shook her head.

"No, no, you don't get it yet, do you? You're not just talented, you've got the potential to be one of the best!"

Eratz felt a slight twinge of doubt creeping in. He was used to handling praise, but the woman's sudden enthusiasm was catching him off guard.

He glanced at Ryder, who was practically bouncing on his toes with excitement, and then back at her, who looked like she was trying to contain herself from jumping on him.

"Look, I'm flattered, but what exactly are you getting at? Who are you exactly?"

Zara let out a breath, her hands gesturing as she tried to explain.

"Oh, forgot to introduce myself. I'm Zara Quinn, a beast master trainer. I scout talent for professional arenas, and I've seen some of the top beast masters out there. I know talent when I see it. And you... you're a phenom."

Eratz's eyes widened slightly. He hadn't been expecting that specific situation.

Zara realized that she finally had his full attention, she calmed down for a bit.

"What I'm saying is, I want to scout you. I work for an agency but I'm also part of an arena in town, and we're holding selections in a few days for new recruits. You definitely need to be there."

Eratz's initial calm demeanor started to waver, his curiosity quickly turning into amazement as he realized.

"Wait… You want me to join your selections?"

Zara's grin only grew wider, her excitement palpable.

"Yes! I'm telling you, you've got something special. I've never seen a beginner with such control, power, and natural instinct. It would be insane to let this opportunity slip by, you have to accept!"

Ryder chimed in, adding his fuel.

"Dude, this is your chance! I told you, you're amazing! You have to do it!"

Eratz felt his heart race as the realization set in. This was the moment he'd been waiting for. All the hard work, the hard training in the forest, the struggles and determination, it had all led him to this.

A part of him still couldn't believe it. He'd come here just to gain some experience, to test his abilities in front of a crowd, and now a professional beast master trainer was offering him the opportunity of a lifetime. Nothing happened by hazard, and now he started to firmly believe it.

"I… I don't even know what to say," Eratz stammered, his mind racing as he processed Zara's words. "I never expected anything like this so soon."

It wasn't that he couldn't believe it, but everything he did was for reaching this unique opportunity, so much that his brain refused to believe that the miracle had finally happened. For him, it was like heaven, and he had just learned that it had come to him.Zara laughed, her voice bright with enthusiasm.

"Well, believe it. This is your shot, Eratz. And if you're serious about this, about becoming one of the best, then you need to take it." She held him her professional card. "The selections are in three days, be sure to contact me before so I give you all the details."

Eratz looked at the card Zara handed him, the weight of the moment hitting him fully now. This was the chance he had dreamed of, the chance to prove himself on a grander stage.

He felt a rush of excitement and gratitude, realizing that everything he had been working toward was finally within reach.

"I'll be there," Eratz said, his voice firm.

Zara gave him a knowing smile.

"Good. I'll be expecting great things from you."

Ryder and Zara walked away, leaving Eratz to process what had just happened, he stood there for a moment, staring at the card in his hand.

This was it, the beginning of a new chapter in his life, and he wasn't going to let it pass by.

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