Beast Taming: Starting From Zero Chapter 5: The Beast Mastery Codex

Sixty seconds passed.

Though her expression remained composed, her mother’s voice carried a hint more volume than usual as she announced, “I need to use the restroom.”

“Take a left up ahead, then a right at the end of the hall,” the staff member directed.

Her mother gave a nod and began walking toward the right.

“Ma’am, it’s actually to your left,” the staff member corrected gently.

For a brief second, her mother’s back went rigid before she pivoted left, acting as though the mistake never happened.

Watching this, Qiao Sang struggled to suppress a grin, keeping her amusement hidden.

She shifted her focus back toward the Fire Fang Dogs.

Qiao Sang observed that these creatures were incredibly energetic and restless; not a single Fire Fang Dog was sitting still or acting peaceful.

It was no wonder that novice Beast Masters typically gravitated toward pets like the Fat Dove...

Unable to restrain her curiosity, Qiao Sang asked, “Are there any Fire Fang Dogs here with a calmer personality?”

The employee answered tactfully, “In truth, our facility houses many other types of pets.”

The implication was immediately clear to Qiao Sang.

Even though she was technically a novice Beast Master, her soul was that of an adult. She didn’t believe a high-spirited pet would overwhelm her as easily as it might a typical fifteen-year-old.

Since that was the case, she decided to pick whichever Fire Fang Dog appealed to her most.

“May I see that one?”

Qiao Sang pointed out a Fire Fang Dog that was repeatedly slamming itself into a tree. It wasn't acting out of mindless aggression; there was a clear, focused power behind every strike.

She had a hunch the dog wasn't targeting the tree, but rather using it to test its own limits.

After all, what kind of fool would bash their head against wood without a goal in mind?

“Certainly,” the staff member replied.

She lifted a metal whistle from her neck and blew a sharp, high-pitched note.

Instantly, the Fire Fang Dogs halted their chaos. Every head turned toward her, and the destruction ceased.

A few of them tilted their heads in curiosity.

“Yah?”

With the chaotic flames finally dying down, the staff member stepped into the enclosure and scooped up the specific Fire Fang Dog Qiao Sang had indicated.

“Yah?”

The Fire Fang Dog blinked in confusion, its ears—which resembled flickering flames—twitching slightly.

The creature was set down right in front of Qiao Sang.

It was a small canine-type pet boasting fiery red fur marked with black stripes, topped with a distinct tuft of orange hair on its head.

Standing roughly 60 cm tall, this Fire Fang Dog was noticeably smaller than its peers.

A fresh bruise was visible from its recent collision with the tree, and its dark pupils held a watery sheen that would make anyone want to offer it comfort.

Compared to the rowdy temperament of the others, this one looked quite pathetic.

Qiao Sang’s imagination immediately ran wild. She pictured a weak Fire Fang Dog being bullied and deprived of food, leading to its small stature, and its desperate attempts to grow stronger through solitary, grueling training.

That tree-slamming was likely a desperate attempt to master a special skill.

Perhaps it was training for Flame Impact.

“This one is the youngest we have,” the staff member noted. “It’s barely a month old.”

That was actually a plus. Many Beast Masters preferred raising pets from the egg stage to foster a deep bond and mutual understanding.

Qiao Sang had briefly considered buying an egg, but she had quickly discarded the idea.

She still had to attend school, and carrying an egg to class would be both a distraction and a safety risk.

Leaving it alone at home while her mother worked was also out of the question.

Qiao Sang knelt down and softly petted the Fire Fang Dog’s head. The creature squinted happily, its red tail beginning to wag of its own accord.

It seemed remarkably well-behaved.

Feeling the soft texture of its fur, Qiao Sang felt her satisfaction growing.

She met the dog's eyes and asked with a smile, “Would you like to come with me?”

The staff member’s expression turned slightly peculiar. In reality, this Fire Fang Dog had a terrible temper.

It used its status as the youngest to stir up trouble and constantly picked fights with the others.

The older Fire Fang Dogs, seeing it was just a newborn without any flame skills or developed claws, simply humored it. They would often play along and pretend to lose. This had only made the pup more arrogant, convinced it was invincible.

As a seasoned receptionist, she knew exactly what the customer was looking for.

This girl wanted a Fire Fang Dog that was easy to manage.

But there truly weren't any "well-behaved" Fire Fang Dogs in the building.

She weighed the commission from this sale against her son’s school tuition. In the end, she chose to remain silent.

The Fire Fang Dog understood the question perfectly.

It was more than ready to leave this place.

“Yah!”

The Fire Fang Dog gave a solemn nod and offered a chubby paw.

Taken aback for a moment, Qiao Sang reached out and shook it.

The interaction was going much easier than she had anticipated...

And so, a pact was formed between the girl and the beast.

...

The bond between a human and an extraordinary creature is forged through the Beast Mastery Codex.

The Beast Mastery Codex serves as the bridge that links the two souls. Usually, both parties must enter the agreement willingly for the contract to take hold.

However, one can also force a contract after defeating a creature until it is defenseless.

That path is fraught with danger; without a foundation of intimacy, the pet may refuse to obey—a problem only high-level Beast Masters can bypass.

If a Beast Master’s brain domain is sufficiently developed and their Beast Mastery Codex is powerful enough, the contract cannot be severed even if the pet rebels.

Qiao Sang began the process by tapping into her brain domain.

The Beast Mastery Codex sat silently within her mind. Despite its grand name, it currently looked as thin as an envelope, containing a single blank page.

According to her studies, a newly awakened Beast Mastery Codex is white and holds only one page for a contract.

When the brain domain reaches 10% development, the Codex turns gray, and the capacity increases to two pages.

Recalling the hand gestures from her textbooks, Qiao Sang formed a seal.

Within her brain domain, the Beast Mastery Codex hummed to life, slowly turning to its solitary page.

A soft white light began to coalesce above the Fire Fang Dog, manifesting as a small, circular star array.

A Beast Master’s rank can be easily identified by the color of the light produced during a contract or summoning.

Just like the Codex itself, the color of the star array signifies the current level of the Master.

Of course, this is merely a baseline. Even if one's Beast Mastery Codex evolves, they cannot pass the official Beast Master Alliance examinations without a pet of equivalent power.

The glow of the star array descended upon the Fire Fang Dog. It looked up at the light with curiosity, offering no resistance.