Chapter 3: A Deal With a Mouse"Hey, you there! It looks like you need some help!"
Being a rank 2 Fierce Beast, it had enough intelligence to understand the general gist of what the strange human wanted. Once it noticed the human"s cultivation though, it squeaked at the human with shock.
A human with a mere cultivation of 2nd Body Fortification wanted to help it? It shook its head as it seemed to have lost all hope.
"If you are willing to become my contract beast, I will help you!"
The mouse squeaked mockingly and almost took a paw to its face. It seemed to be inviting him to try.
Van took a deep breath and triggered his inner strength. This caused his strength to instantly rise from 40 to 300 pounds.
His bones started cracking as he got ready to leap at the panther. The Mouse gaped as it saw this weak human suddenly transform and was rewarded with a scratch from the panther.
Van jumped forward and threw a punch at the Panther crushing it into the ground and killing it instantly.
Van stood up triumphantly before the fatigue from using his inner strength caused him to collapse.
The Mouse strangely had a code of honor and decided to uphold the human"s request of a beast contract.
Van smiled meekly and grasped for his bag. He took out a plain looking piece of parchment and laid it down next to him.
The Mouse bit its paw and rubbed some of its blood upon the parchment. Van pulled out a sleek black knife and cut his finger doing likewise.
The parchment lit up and disappeared into golden lights that floated towards both Mouse and Human.
The Mouse and Van both peacefully accepted the lights, ending the ritual.
With a contract beast, Van felt new strength flow into his veins as his inner strength was nourished by this strange power.
"Strange, I"ve never heard of any effects like this when you contract a beast."
Van picked himself up and slung his bag over his shoulder. He looked at his new contract beast.
"I better get back before Ghan starts worrying again."
He walked back, with a mouse on his shoulder, to the circular door and gently pushed it open.
When he got to the bed, he set down his pack and laid down.
"So that"s where you"ve been going!"
Van jumped with surprise as Ghan and his aunty came out from closet.
Van groaned for he had taken too long and had had his secret revealed.
"Who"s that little friend of yours?"
He had completely forgotten about the mouse in the face of his dilemma and noticed that it was now nibbling on the sausage that he had saved for later.
"A rank 2 Fierce Beast?!"
Ghan and his aunty jumped up in shock.
"How did you get it to accept a beast contract?"
Van sheepishly scratched his head.
"I may have used by inner strength to help save it."
Ghan shook his head. What was he going to do with this young master of his.
Van"s stomach started to growl. He hadn"t had lunch in a few hours. The Mouse squeaked as well. Despite its small size, it had a large appet.i.te.
The small group headed downstairs and had a simple meal of rank 1 Fierce Beast meat grilled in low-grade spiritual herbs picked from the nearby mountainside.
The mouse was given its own portion to the request of Van. This was answered with Ghan"s disapproving expression.
The Mouse looked gloatingly at Ghan and wagged its tail in a taunting way.
Ghan slammed a fist on the table directing the Qi impact at the mouse"s bowl, causing it to fly into its face. Bits and pieces of meat flew everywhere and left a furious mouse covered in grease.
Ghan roared with laughter.
"That"s what you get you ungrateful mouse!"
Steam could be seen rising from the mouse.
"Ghan, calm down. This is Van"s contract beast. We must treat him with respect."
The Mouse squeaked in agreement and licked itself until every spot of grease was gone.
It then proceeded to climb on its benefactor, Van"s aunt.
As it made it to the shoulder, it proceeded to accidentally fall into the cleavage below.
"Oh, my!"
When Van has made the contract, he had established a mental connection with it.
"You perverted mouse."
Van shook his head.
It replied with joyful squeaking.
His aunt gently fished the mouse from her cleavage and placed it on the table.
The mouse, having accomplished its objective, returned to its position on Van"s shoulder.
"It"s getting late, I wish you both a good sleep."
His aunt smiled and left while Ghan grumbled something profane about the mouse.
"Tomorrow is going to be a long day."
Van sighed and laid on the bed. The mouse laid on his forehead and let out a Beast"s equivalent of a yawn.