"Alright, guys. I have some specific beasts for you to bind to your new 'Beast Rider' slots. If you don't know, 'Beast Rider' is considered a 'special profession,' as it doesn't follow the same rules as other professions or special taming routes."
"Instead of picking one beast every three ranks, you pick one beast as a mount at [Copper] and it will stay with you until the end of the road. However, this beast will be vastly strengthened beyond any tamer's beast..."
"Sebastian, this [Archaic] [Nine-Tusked Berserk War Mammoth is for you."
"Minata, I know I said [Myth] earlier, but this [Archaic] [Nine Gemstones Carpet Llama] is yours. It should have affinity with your [Oracle] profession."
"Maya, to complement your new [Pyromancer] profession, I'm giving you the [Darkflame Hellfire Shadowember Elemental]. With three different dual-type element sets, it is both one of the most powerful darkness and flame elementals that we know of, and the only [Archaic] beast to be on the list for both."
"Laila, this [Spatial Leviathan] is yours."
"Maya, Sebastian; previously, I brought the idea forth for dual [Myth] fire/ice elemental butterflies. I'd like Maya to work on cultivating them; in turn, Laila can use the Water/Lightning Myth-rank butterflies I've prepared for her."
"One of my skills is [Telepathy]. By the time the Chrono Cup rolls around, I plan to have upgraded it to allow for complete battlefield mastery, regardless of the outcome."
"As such, our first effort should be for each and every one of us to reach the [Gold] Level with our [Beast Tamer Soul Stars]. The feedback we get from our higher-ranked beasts should allow us to move much faster, much sooner."
"I'm currently writing up some cultivation plans for the lot of you. So please, whatever you do, DO NOT EVOLVE, learn skills, or do anything to change the plans I'm laying out."
"I need to borrow Laila for a bit- see you guys tonight?"
"....."
His slack-jawed friends gave no response. To rectify this, Il Ji walked behind Sebastian and Minata and gifted them a heavy slap on the back.
Wrapping his arms around their shoulders, Il Ji intoned, "I'll see you three tonight to celebrate. Before then, I need to have a private moment with Laila."
"Ye gat t…." Sebastian muttered incoherently.
"Alright, thanks!" Il Ji boomed appreciatively. Picking up his sister, he swung her around and carried her inside.
"Il Ji! Let go of me! I'm big now; I have a beast."
Orio was off tending his beasts. He set her down. "Little sister, you know I've always wanted the best for you, right?"
"Of course, Il Ji."
"And you know that I have sometimes forced you to do the hard things, but only ever for your benefit?"
"Yess…"
"The reason I've taught you to work hard is twofold. The first is your future. The second is the way you hold yourself. If you refuse to work hard, even if you are given a giant opportunity you'll slowly fall backwards."
"I know." She mumbled slowly.
"I've come across such an opportunity for you. You will have to leave me for a time, and I won't see you much over the next couple of months- but I can also assure you that we'll be back together soon."
She tied him up in a fierce hug. "You're not leaving me, right? Big brother?"
"Never! Laila, even if I was chained to the ground itself I'd find a way to meet with you again. You're my sister. That's the way it is."
A few sniffles later, she finally quietened down.
"So, what is it?" She asked, wiping her face.
"I'm going to impart some abiities to you, and then you'll take some tests. If you pass all of them, there's a chance that you'll become a personal disciple of one of the 12 rulers."
"Which one?"
"A leader in this federation that I have personally looked at deeply and verified that she is able to become your teacher. I cannot give you her name- yet- but I'm sure she'll treat you in a similar fashion to the way that I, your brother, already do."
"Okay."
"All right!" He placed his hand on her head and shook it gently. "Let's go find Orio."
Walking outside, he noticed that the three were still stunned. He tried waving his hands in front of their faces, but it was to no avail.
With a quirk in his step, he picked up his [MX-9] and walked towards the towering beasts alongside his sister.