Beast Taming: Starting From Zero

“I don't have any specific event in mind; I'll just see where there’s a need and fill in.” Qiao Sang said casually.

“What about you? Which one are you interested in?”

Jin Feifan, while not a poor student, was one of the few special admissions in the class, so it was almost certain she would be a candidate for the sports day.

“I’d like to compete in the shuttlecock kicking event.” Jin Feifan said shyly.

“That’s an easy event, and since your pet beast is the little Ball Pofu, you’re all set.” Qiao Sang chuckled.

In the shuttlecock kicking event, pet beasts aren’t allowed to use any skills, but they can use their heads, feet, and body parts, excluding their upper limbs, to kick the shuttlecock.

For grass-type pet beasts, their vine whips are considered part of their bodies, so they’re allowed to use them as well.

Generally, grass-type pet beasts have a high chance of winning this event.

The first class of the day was with their homeroom teacher.

The uniforms were distributed one by one.

As Qiao Sang looked at the uniform in her hands, she couldn’t help but feel a sense of awe.

In the world of pet beast trainers, if nothing else, things definitely moved efficiently.

In her previous life, when freshmen started school and reported their sizes, it usually took up to half a month before they’d receive their uniforms. Here, it took less than five days.

During class, Li Yi sped up the lecture, going at double speed, and everyone listened with ease.

Everyone except Qiao Sang.

Qiao Sang was scribbling notes furiously, wishing she had two extra hands.

Even though her memory had improved significantly, in a class filled with top students, hard work was a must!

After the lesson was over, there was still a lot of time left before the next class.

Li Yi clapped his hands and said, “For the remaining time, let’s continue yesterday’s topic. The school sports day will be held on September 29th, marking your first sports day here.”

“Although our class is recognized as the top in the entire grade academically, I hope our students will excel in all areas, academics, athletics, and arts. I’m confident our class can achieve outstanding results in the sports day too!”

As he spoke, the teacher seemed to be addressing the whole class, but it was clear to everyone that his speech, repeated from yesterday, was directed at Qiao Sang.

Qiao Sang didn’t react; she was still engrossed in reviewing her notes.

Noticing this, Li Yi continued, “Class, to show my support, I make this solemn promise: If we take first place, our PE teacher will absolutely never fall sick again!”

The class burst into laughter.

Jin Feifan muttered softly, “Do all homeroom teachers say this? My middle school homeroom teacher said the same thing, but our PE teacher was always weak and frequently absent. I hardly ever saw him in my entire third year.”

Qiao Sang looked up.

“Did your class take first place in the sports day back then?”

Jin Feifan paused for a moment.

“We came in fourth.”

“Then you can’t really blame your middle school teacher.” Qiao Sang joked.

Jin Feifan: ...

Soon, the selection of participants began.

“For the first event, the 400-meter hurdle sprint, does anyone want to participate?” Li Yi asked as he glanced around.

The hurdle sprint is an event where pet beasts and trainers work together. Pet beasts wear a sensing device on their heads, while trainers at the starting line wear a visual device.

There aren’t actual hurdles on the track; they appear virtually through the trainer’s visual device.

When the pet beast approaches a virtual hurdle, the trainer has to jump in place, which the sensing device relays to the pet beast.

At this point, the pet beast has to jump as well because the hurdle will suddenly appear from the ground.

The event tests the pet beast’s speed, reaction time, and the level of rapport and trust between the pet beast and trainer, which can be quite challenging for freshmen who have just become trainers.

Despite the difficulty, many students eagerly volunteered.

After all, these were the students of the prestigious Beast Training High School’s elite class.

The sign-ups went smoothly, and fifteen minutes later, Li Yi looked at the roster and coughed lightly.

“Everyone, quiet down. We still have three events with no volunteers: brick-breaking by hand, the swimming relay, and aerial rings. Anyone interested?”

Almost everyone glanced at Qiao Sang.

“Qiao Sang, aren’t you signing up?” A classmate in the front turned and asked her softly.

Qiao Sang twitched the corner of her mouth.

“These events don’t seem suitable for me.”

She had planned to fill in wherever there was a need, but who would have thought that these three would be the ones left?

Brick-breaking is basically a contest for combat-type pet beasts, with participants almost exclusively from the combat specialty; other types would just end up as cannon fodder.

The swimming relay is an event completed by water-type pet beasts and their trainers.

While she had already reserved a Water Luriana as her third pet beast, she hadn’t formed a contract with it yet, and she couldn’t guarantee she’d open the third page of her Beast Codex before the sports day.

As for aerial rings, it’s tailored for flying-type pet beasts. It doesn’t require a flying-type beast, but they certainly have an advantage.

In this event, pet beasts try to grab floating rings in the air. The one who hooks the ring onto the target below first wins.

Rings are continuously added, and remaining pet beasts keep competing in order of ranking.

Wind machines generate interference, and while contestants can’t use skills to attack opponents, they can use skills on the rings.

Psychic powers and teleportation are not allowed.

How is this even playable?

Qiao Sang felt like the rules were specifically set to hinder psychic-type pet beasts.

All in all, it’s a grueling event that tests a pet beast’s ability to handle wind direction and strength.

Both Yabao and Little Treasure could participate, but the restrictions on attacking opponents and using teleportation made it impossible to compete against the flying-type pet beasts with an aerial advantage.

Just as Qiao Sang was shaking her head in frustration, Li Yi finally couldn’t hold back.

“Qiao Sang, are you not going to participate in a single event?”

Qiao Sang shook her head.

“These events don’t suit my pet beasts.”

“But I think your Flame Hound and Treasure-Seeking Ghost are quite suitable for the aerial rings.” Li Yi said with a grin.

That was just blatant nonsense.

Qiao Sang replied, “I think Yu Zhao is more suited than I am.”

The Yu Zhao she mentioned was the boy who had been chasing the Fat Dove on the first day of school.

Caught off guard, Yu Zhao jumped up and quickly refused, “Not me! I’m not cut out for this!”

He had no intention of joining any sports event! Studying alone took up all his time, he didn’t have the energy to spend on extra training!

“Qiao Sang, as a member of our class…” Li Yi started to make an emotional plea, but his words were interrupted by the sudden appearance of a pet beast.

“Xun Xun!”

Little Treasure appeared, pointing excitedly at one of the events listed on the board.

Everyone followed its gaze.

Qiao Sang twitched her mouth.

“Are you sure?”

“Xun!” Little Treasure nodded earnestly.

After a few seconds of silence, Qiao Sang turned to the teacher.

“I’ll participate.”

Li Yi’s face lit up with surprise.

“Excellent! The aerial rings may be dominated by flying-type beasts, but I believe in your abilities.”

Qiao Sang paused.

“Actually, I’m not signing up for the aerial rings. I’m signing up for brick-breaking by hand.”

Li Yi: ???

“Xun~”