Chapter 13 — From Beginner to Buried

After all, according to the basic Iron-Eating Beast husbandry manual that came with the Iron Bamboo Breeding Base, an ordinary Iron-Eating Beast — even with a beast master's help, ample supplements, and plenty of training time — would need at least a month of hard practice to bring Hardening up to proficient level.

As for Iron-Eating Beasts without resources, a year of free-range living might not even get their Hardening to proficient level; after all, apart from using it to eat, they rarely used the ability at all.

"With this, Eleven's fighting strength... has probably doubled."

"It must be stunned silly."

Shi Jin looked at the little Iron-Eating Beast expectantly, waiting for its gaze of adoration.

"Well? Still in a hurry to train?"

"Now you know how good I am."

Eleven was undeniably thrilled that its ability had improved, but at Shi Jin's question it immediately grew confused.

Iron-Eating Beast: (*+﹏+*)~

Th-this this... why had its Hardening improved so much when it had done nothing at all?

What on earth had its beast master done...

This was not scientific. Proficiency gained this way left it deeply uneasy — deeply unsettled.

Shi Jin: ???

Then should I take it back?

That was most of my stamina, you know.

Iron-Eating Beast: d(ŐдŐ๑)!

Don't!

"Awoo—"

Eleven shook its head violently. Don't take it back, don't take it back — it sat just fine right here.

This proficiency did not fit its belief that effort equals reward — but it could buy a ticket after the fact.

To punish itself for getting something for nothing today, it would train at high intensity for twenty-four hours straight, and not sleep tonight!

"..." Now it was Shi Jin who was truly dumbfounded.

This Iron-Eating Beast had overturned Shi Jin's understanding of self-discipline.

Never had he seen such a self-disciplined beast — buying an effort ticket after cheating was really something else.

"If the authors of the novels I followed in my last life had half your self-discipline, I wouldn't have run out of things to read." Shi Jin's stomach hurt.

Moderation, I beg you! Twenty-four hours of high-intensity training — at this rate you won't go from novice to proficient, you'll go from novice to the grave!