I Became A Starter Beast

Aster used his knife to slice open the torso of the now dead imp. He then plunged his hand inside the flesh crevice and felt around the demon's heart. His eyes widened and his lips curved into a grin as he pulled out his bloody hand.

“I found a shard.” 

Aster opened his palm and showed Eliza a murky-colored, piece of crystal.

“You're too lucky!” she complained before she slapped the carcass she was working with. “This last one had nothing inside... So unlucky!”

'Yeah, you are.' Twy, who stood near the door, snickered as he watched the two get their hands dirty.

Seeing them carve their enemies' corpses until only unprofitable parts were left, had already desensitized him. He was only trying to vent his anger on the poor girl.

'In the future, I need to keep my guard up whenever Aster makes plans.' Twy narrowed his eyes towards the young man, who was cutting off the imp's wings—his claws couldn't help but scratch the mossy floor.

'I don't want to experience something as dangerous as that one again!'

While the kitten resolved that he would never get used to that way, his partner wrapped up the loots.

Aster then moved closer towards him, casting a shadow over Twy.

'What do you want?' the kitten glared, his anger still in a blaze.

The young man met his companion's fiery eyes and whispered, “Was the previous attack another new move of yours?”

Twy didn't want to answer, but he didn't last long under Aster's eyes. He irritatedly raised his right paw, but shortly lowered it. 

'It's not a new move though... It's more of a combination of quick attack and scratch.' with that thought he raised his left paw.

“You're thoughts are too complicated. I'm not good enough to understand all your nuances.” Aster shook his head and changed his question instead, “Do you have enough mana reserved?”

The young man watched as Twy closed his eyes rather than raising any of his front paws. Yet, after he opened them Aster immediately noticed the change in his partner's emotion.

Twy's anger was doused and now he was grinning like mad. 'I thought I would be left with a quarter of mana after the Burst Cut, but there's still 2/3 left!'

“What's wrong?” the young man asked in concern.

The kitten shook his small head before he raised his right mitten in reply.

“I see.” 

Aster turned his head back towards where the bloody Eliza was cutting a piece of goblin's guts with a smile. 

“Then pretend that you're weak after losing too much of your mana.”

The moment Twy heard that his tail suddenly stopped from swaying. He gazed at Aster's profile and couldn't help but quip, 'What, you're gonna scam someone again?'

“Understood?” Aster's eyes snapped back towards the kitten. 

Sensing his seriousness Twy raised his right paw. 

'The more money you have the happier I am. So, why not?' 

The kitten slumped against the moist ground. His whiskers and tail also followed like plants that wilted due to the lack of energy.

Once he saw his companion start his act, Aster walked back to help Eliza pack the rest of their loot.

Twy watched them chatting like normal and his lips were pulled to the side.

'Heh.'

•••

“Are you sure Twy's okay?” Eliza asked in concern as she looked at the kitten, who was listlessly lying down on Aster's shoulder.

“Yeah, he's just experiencing a light mana deficiency after using that move of his. Don't worry about him.” Aster explained as he took hold of the door's handle, before looking at Eliza next to him. 

“Ready?”

The girl moved her caring gaze away from Twy and looked at Aster with eyes filled with determination. 

“I'm ready!”

The moment he heard that Aster pushed the door wide open in one go and entered inside. Eliza followed him, not a second late, with her fists raised.

However, no demons ambushed them instead they found themselves in a dark room. The only light was coming from behind them and it barely lit up a spiral stairs just enough for them to know its presence.

Aster sheathed his sword and pulled his phone out of his pocket. He turned on its flashlight before walking towards the staircase. 

He raised his shield before climbing the first step. “Watch the top.”

”Okay.” Eliza replied. Her eyes immediately darted upwards.

As the two climb up the stairs while on tenterhooks, Twy has his eyes closed and a satisfied smile on his lips. He's enjoying this 'weak' moment of his.

A few minutes later the group finally arrived at the top of the spiral stairs without suffering from any attacks.

Torches hanging from the old walls, reaching far beyond their eyes could see, and a strong smell of iron welcomed the three.

The scene in front of him gave Aster an idea of their current location.

“Where inside the walls?” Eliza thought out loud as her eyes wandered around the place.

The young man turned off the flashlight on his phone before putting it back in his pocket. He then unsheathed his sword. “Most likely.” 

Aster then turned his head to look at the right path. His eyes narrowed before he pointed to the distance.  

“I saw something. Let's go over there.”

“Okay!” Eliza didn't question him and once again followed the young man's back.

It didn't take too long before they were in front of another door. This time there's no guardian to beat up so that they could pass. 

Like how he did on the door down below, Aster roughly pushed it open. 

'Tsk, another stairs!' Twy who peeked a little closed his eyes back again after seeing a helical staircase.

Without any choice, the two humans started climbing up again. They're using the same formation, but this time Aster's steps were much slower 

This was because he knew that their enemies might appear in their way and would see them first.

However, his cautiousness ended up like a restaurant's leftovers as before they went up without any resistance.

“Where did the demons go? We didn't meet any at all...” Eliza shook her fist in frustration.

Aster paid no mind to her complaint. His eyes gaze beyond the archway and the corridor connecting it, staying on the large double doors.

It was oozing off a malevolent aura like the gigantic doors in the main hall—only that it was much weaker.

Eliza who didn't get a single quip from Aster looked at him with pouted lips, before she followed his gaze. Her eyes then widened as she shouted, “Boss room!”

Before Aster could even stop her she already charged forward.

Twy, who was resting, suddenly opened his eyes, his ears twitched before he turned to look at the wall next to the archway.

He was about to notify his partner when he saw the young woman stopped in her tracks. Her head then turned to the right—looking for something they couldn't see.

Aster who also noticed Eliza's strangeness was about to follow after her when suddenly a rough voice rang out from beyond the corridor.

“Looks like there are a lot of challengers this day.”