I Became A Starter Beast

“I'm home.” 

Aster shouted as soon as he opened the door to their apartment.

He went towards the living room, and the first thing that caught his attention was not his sister but her Silverwinged Sparrow beast companion, Silvinna.

“Squack! Squack!” 

Silvinna's beady eyes reflected the black and white kitten, Twilight, perched on Aster's shoulder, her silver feathers ruffled in the air as she kept making distress cries, like she's facing her biggest enemy so far.

Even though Twilight was weaker than her in terms of power, the genes passed down from her ancestors remembered the terror and wisdom of being prey. 

In addition, she lacked experience in battle as her partner doesn't really like to fight.

That's why it's not the birds fault when Twilight first thought after meeting her was:

'What a noisy, cowardly bird.'

That thought, however, was almost overturned—Silvinna's race is not just for show; Silverwinged Sparrows are known for their bravery, and that value shines the brightest when they're in danger—she instinctively focused her mana on the tips of her wings. 

The sparrow was about to attack, yet the two didn't even notice it; thankfully, Aria, who heard the commotion, finally showed up.

“Silvi calm down!”

The mana that the sparrow was gathering immediately dissipated once she heard her. Silvi then landed on Aria's shoulder; she calmed down a little, but her beady eyes still locked into Twilight.

Aria rubbed the head of her companion with her fingers before turning her eyes towards Aster. “Welcome home, brother!” her lips were adorned with a wide smile, showing her pearly white teeth, but it vanished when she pouted her lips.

“What took you so long?”

“The beast grant, buying this one, and—” Aster was ready to explain more of his concise answer to satisfy her curiosity, but the moment Aria's eyes landed on top of his shoulder, he lost her.

“Waaahh! So cute!” 

Aria automatically whipped out her phone from her apron and started bombarding Twilight with pictures.

“What's this cutie's name, brother?” she asked after getting a satisfactory number of pictures.

“Twilight.” Aster looked at the kitten when he said that, and his eyes turned murky in confusion.

'Why did you suddenly get disappointed?'

Twilight's golden eyes met his, and the only reply he got was utter dissatisfaction.

Aster sighed, because the connection between them just started and was still weak. The only thing he could feel from Twilight was his emotions—it was the same the other way around.

'Of course, who wouldn't be disappointed when I was thinking of a big sister waiting for me home, but what I found was a little sister instead? I'm not a lolicon!'

Twilight is the kind of man who is particular about his fetishes.

“Don't you think his name is kind of long? What about calling him Twy instead?" Aria suggested.

“Enough about that, here.” Aster didn't answer but instead showed her a well-decorated pastry box. “Let's have dinner; I'm hungry.”

The box of sweets captivated the girl's eyes. “Okay!” she nodded before hurriedly going back to the kitchen.

••• 

Sitting on a not-too-soft couch, I was lazily observing their apartment while the two of them prepared the table.

An apartment with two rooms—a kitchen, living room, bathroom, and balcony—was much bigger than what I previously rented.

Another addition to my list of disappointments was that I was not bought by a young master instead.

However, looking at that boy, Aster, I could see his ambition. It's like looking at my previous junior, who I thought was stupid for building his own company.

'Well, he failed, but I'm not sure about this one yet.'

Rags to Riches is one of the good subgenres that I liked.

A sudden, enticing smell tickled my nose. My lazy eye snapped wide open, and I saw his sister bring the food to the table.

'I'm hungry.' I could feel my stomach's cry that it's time for a meal.

I stood up and stretched my body, accidentally scratching the cushion in the process, before hopping down and walking towards the table.

On my way there, that annoying bird squacked a couple of times, but I didn't mind it and instead jumped on the table close to Aster.

“That's bad manners, Twy! Get down.”

She tried to coerce me into jumping down, so I turned to look at my partner and conveyed to him my hunger.

“It's alright, Aria; he's hungry—he can share a table with us.”

'Good job, young man.'

“What about his utensils?” 

“You can use a small bowl.”

Aria sighed before she turned her eyes towards me, then smiled teasingly.

“But, before that, you must first wash your paws!”

I noticed that, like his brother, she also has a set of confident purple eyes.

'But, ojou-chan, you're too naïve.'

A quick hop—dash—hop, and I arrived at the sink. After turning the faucet on, I started to clean my front paws. I could see her shocked face while I was doing so.

However, I was stuck thinking about how to use their liquid soap; thankfully, Aria doesn't know how to hold grudges yet and decided to help me clean up.

Then she carried me—I gave her permission—from the sink back to the table.

After serving herself, her brother, and me, I was about to start the feast, but both of them suddenly put their hands together and closed their eyes.

""Thank you for the feast, Mother Inaiah.”"

They then opened their eyes and held their utensils—they started eating.

'Similar to 'Itadakimasu'.'

I did not dwell on that passing thought and instead also started feasting in my own way, and while I was enjoying my meal, I could hear the two of them having a conversation.

“Twy looks smart, but brother, I thought you were going to buy a Shadow Caracal?”

Aster first swallowed the food in his mouth before he answered her, “There's nothing left, so I bought him instead.” 

I glared at him, but after feeling that he didn't mean it in a bad way, I turned my head back inside the bowl.

“But, didn't you say it would complement your fighting style? What now?” Aria worriedly asked.

“Now? Well, some changes might happen, but it wouldn't be bad.”

He confidently replied, and I knew where it was coming from—he's confident in me.

On our way here, he briefed me about the ranks of humans and beasts. 

There are seven tiers: Tier I is the realm of the common, Tier V is the realm of heroes, and Tier VII is the realm of gods.

'Aster is currently on Tier I 2 star, weak.'

As for the beast ranks, they followed the same seven levels, but it's clear to me that they put more thought into them—Common, Adept, Elite, Champion, Mythic, Divine; for the last rank, Aster said that people are still debating over its name, but it is likewise the same with humans's Tier VII. 

'Also, there's a talent limit; it tells how high you can soar.'

He excitedly blabbered things on our way here, and if he was not talking about something as interesting as the power level of this world, then I would probably let it enter and exit from one ear to another.

Aria, still a little worried, asked him again, “Are you sure it's really going to be okay?” 

“Yeah, it's going to be all good.” 

Aster smiled confidently as he looked at me.

'—and Twilight, your talent limit is Mythic. Your a hybrid between the feline beast with powers of light and darkness—a Yin-Yang Cat.' —is what he told me on the train.

When I was lazing back there in my cage, I was also searching for my cheat, but except for the ability to understand this world's common language, I found nothing.

That is, until now.

'You can become strong on your own, but I can make you stronger.'

Right, this guy's my golden finger.

•••