Chapter 552 — Fusion, Water Gun, Stat Points!

"Living in the Environmental Protection District, of all places..." After arriving, Fan Ba had not expected this at all, for this district was neither a residential zone for great clans nor a leased zone for outside powers; the vast majority of its facilities were managed by the Environmental Protection Association...

"And this district is..." Fan Ba came to the luxurious secret-realm villa area and paused slightly.

The map showed that this was the high-ranking residential zone of the Environmental Protection Association.

Normally it was housing allotted to purification masters of two stars and above within the Association.

However it thought about it, this place did not seem to suit Eleven... Physical purification?

Carrying its doubts, it ventured deeper. As it approached, Buggy and the other beasts had already sensed the Purple-Skinned Hole-Dweller, and Buggy came straight out to greet it.

"Welcome, welcome, Purple-Skinned Hole-Dweller, you're here." Buggy chattered as it teleported over.

"I am not called Purple-Skinned Hole-Dweller. I am Fan Ba—Star-Refining Race · Fan Ba." Fan Ba repeated once more. Damn it—if it could beat that Iron-Eating Beast, it would absolutely teach this bug a lesson.

"All right, Star-Refining Race Hole-Dweller, come quickly—we've prepared a grand feast for you, all our favorites."

"?..." Fan Ba fell into deep thought, then stepped inside and said: "There's a purpose to my visit this time as well. I want to fight it once more. This time... could you let me see its full strength?"

"Even if I lose miserably, I want to see just how wide the gap between us is."

Buggy nodded, thinking it was no big problem—full strength, huh...

Next, led by Buggy, Fan Ba came into the villa grounds. By then Eleven had come out as well, following at Shi Jin's side to welcome the guest.

"Ying ying ying!!" Eleven waved a hand—a friend from afar, skill-steal!

"Star-Refining Race Fan Ba, I have long heard your name. Welcome," Shi Cen said.

"Uh." Seeing the human standing beside Eleven, the skin around Fan Ba's eyes quivered slightly.

This person...

"I am Eleven's beast tamer. I have already heard about its running off to compete in the Myriad Races Ranking War, and I thank you for battling Eleven. Its appraisal of you is extremely high," Shi Yan said.

Fan Ba fell silent, rather astonished, yet also feeling it was only natural... So the Iron-Eating Beast Eleven did have a contractor after all.

Eleven was already this strong on its own—how much stronger would it become with a beast tamer's support?

Fan Ba could not imagine it.

"So you have a beast tamer too," Fan Ba said.

"Awoo!! (Everything this king is today, I owe to my beast tamer's nurturing.)" Eleven declared proudly.

Fan Ba: ???

What are you so proud of? Shouldn't your own effort be the thing worth boasting about?

"Jii!! (He's my beast tamer too.)" Buggy also announced its status.

This time, Fan Ba finally understood why a super powerhouse of the Iron-Eating Beast Race would be together with a bug—the two of them had been contracted by the same human...

So then, to be contracted alongside the Iron-Eating Beast Eleven, just what sort of being was this bug? It looked at Buggy, remembering only that it had earlier given it a strange medicinal liquid and could teleport in an instant.

"Anyway, welcome," Shi Li said.

"Thank you..." Fan Ba said after a moment's thought.

"Shi Jin, Fan Ba wants to fight Eleven one more time—it wants to see Eleven's full power!!!"

Shi Yan said: "No problem, since it is a guest's request... However, by the rules of the Apotheosis War, its full power is exerted with my support. Would you like to try, Quasi-God Fan Ba?"

"It seems Quasi-God Fan Ba is full of interest. No problem, then—after we finish eating, we shall have a friendly spar."

Fan Ba opened its mouth to speak but stopped, feeling that something was off somewhere—it... had not said a single thing yet!

………………

Next, Shi Jin, Eleven, and Buggy together treated Fan Ba to food made by Ginseng Baby. As for the other pets, they went on with their own business and did not show themselves.

Shi Jin and the others were quite generous. Even Fan Ba, who came from a great clan, ate very well and enjoyed the meal immensely. Fan Ba, who had originally thought there was something wrong, something off about Shi Jin and the others, suddenly felt that it seemed to have misjudged them.

Until... the two sides began their friendly exchange.

The vice president's residential district naturally had its own combat arena. Since it was prepared for purifiers of two stars and above, it was basically built to god-level standards, sturdier even than the battle facilities of the Myriad Races Ranking War, so they could fight without holding back.

Rumble————

Boom————!!!

"Aaaah——————" Star-Refining Race's Fan Ba let out a heaven-shaking scream.

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[Skill name]: Star-Refining

[Description]: The ability to refine non-living stars and forge them into weapons and equipment.

Once refinement succeeds, one can wield star weapons at will.

Note: The success rate of refining star weapons depends on skill proficiency, the star's intensity, and the compatibility between the refiner's attributes and the star's attributes.