Upon returning to the castle, the griffin was settled into a spacious, pre-prepared beast pen. It was lined with thick layers of hay, with fresh water placed nearby. Leylo looked at the unconscious griffin and rubbed his chin.
"Moonlight, it's your turn this time."
Leylo habitually looked toward Moonlight. Moonlight tilted its head at the unconscious giant in the net and then back at Leylo, appearing somewhat eager to try. It hopped over to the griffin's head and symbolically flicked its tiny paw.
Bonk...
A soft sound, like a light tap. The griffin remained unresponsive, still deep in its coma.
"..." Leylo was somewhat helpless. It seemed this "Bonk-Bonk" physical subjugation method was ineffective against an unconscious target.
"Never mind," Leylo shook his head. "Save it first." He turned to the nearby attendant and ordered, "Get Karl over here; ensure its life is preserved." A living, potentially tamable Tier 3 Storm Griffin was worth far more than a carcass.
Karl arrived quickly to treat the griffin. While he was tending to the wounds, Thor walked in. Compared to before, his posture was straighter and his gaze sharper. Though still faint, he radiated the unmistakable aura of a formal knight.
"My Lord!" Thor knelt on one knee, his voice loud and excited. "I have successfully activated my Knight Seed and advanced to a formal knight!"
"Good! Thor, you truly did not disappoint me!" Leylo personally stepped forward to help him up and patted his shoulder. Sensing the newfound power, Leylo was very satisfied. Blackstone had gained another young knight—one with a solid foundation and great potential.
"Thank you for your cultivation, My Lord!" Thor's face flushed with excitement.
"You earned it," Leylo smiled. "I have seen your hard work and talent. As the first apprentice from the training camp to break through to formal knight, I shall give you a reward." He paused, turning his eyes toward the beast pen with a hint of a smile. "Of the two Ironclad Rhino calves captured last time, one still hasn't contracted with a knight. I shall grant it to you!"
Thor's eyes widened instantly, and his breathing became rapid. An Ironclad Rhino! A Tier 3 magical beast. For a newly promoted knight, this was undoubtedly the partner of his dreams!
"My Lord... this... this is too precious!" Thor was somewhat incoherent, overwhelmed by the massive surprise.
Leylo chuckled. "Go on, take my warrant and head to the pens to choose the uncontracted Ironclad Rhino calf. I hope to see the day you two fight side by side."
The next morning, the first rays of sunlight pierced through the windows of the beast pen, spilling across the hay-covered floor. Karl had been busy all night and was now carefully checking the recovery of the Storm Griffin. Through emergency treatment and the infusion of precious potions, this powerful Tier 3 beast had finally been pulled back from the brink of death. Its heavy breathing had stabilized, and though still weak, the spark of life was now firm.
Suddenly, the griffin's eyelids flickered and snapped open. It was a pair of eyes filled with wildness and vigilance. It struggled to lift its head, but the movement tugged at the wounds on its belly, causing it to let out a low, pained shriek. The unnatural twist of its wing reminded it of last night's brutal battle and its current predicament. It looked around at the unfamiliar surroundings, full of hostility and wariness. Had it not been bound by the large net and severely injured, it likely would have attacked already.
Leylo stood outside the pen, looking at the griffin that still tried to hold its head high despite its injuries and restraints. He felt a sense of admiration; this unyielding posture was the hallmark of a powerful magical beast. Moonlight trotted at Leylo's heels, curiously sizing up this creature many times its size. Its round eyes darted about, seemingly assessing the hardness of the griffin's skull.
"Karl, what is the situation?" Leylo asked.
"My Lord, its life is saved," Karl replied respectfully. "The injuries are severe, especially to the wing and abdomen; it will take a long time to recover. However, it is currently very vigilant and aggressive."
Leylo nodded and turned his gaze to the griffin in the net. The griffin stared back at him intensely, letting out a threatening low growl from its throat.
"Moonlight, it's up to you," Leylo called out softly.
Moonlight understood. It took light, quick steps, hopped onto the fence of the pen, and then leaped down, landing accurately in the empty space next to the griffin's head. This action made the already tense griffin even more agitated, but bound as it was, it could only glare at the "little cat" with murderous eyes.
Moonlight tilted its head, seemingly studying the griffin's expression. Then, it raised its fluffy little front paw. Karl and several attendants held their breath; they knew Moonlight was extraordinary—it had tamed over twenty Pegasi last time. Facing a conscious Storm Griffin known for its ferocity, they wondered if another miracle would occur.
Bonk!
A soft sound as Moonlight's paw lightly tapped the griffin's forehead. However, the Storm Griffin's reaction was entirely different. It suddenly jerked its head up and let out an angry roar! Though the sound was weak due to its condition, the pride from the depths of its soul and the fury of being provoked by an "ant" were crystal clear. Fire burned in its eyes as it stared at Moonlight, as if wishing to devour it alive.
"..." Leylo rubbed his chin. It seemed this trick wasn't very effective against a conscious and proud fellow. Had a Tier 3 beast exceeded Moonlight's taming range?
Moonlight also seemed stunned, surprised that this "big guy" was giving it no face. It tilted its head and raised its paw again.
Bonk! This time, it was harder.
"Roar!" The Storm Griffin was completely enraged. It struggled violently, making the net creak under the strain, and several wounds began to bleed again. It shrieked frantically at Moonlight, its voice sharp and piercing, filled with violence.
A hint of displeasure flashed in Moonlight's pale-gold eyes. As a noble Silver Dragon, even in a disguised form, being provoked like this by a mere griffin made it very unhappy.
"It seems Moonlight's physical subjugation has hit a bottleneck," Leylo thought to himself. This Storm Griffin's willpower far exceeded that of the previous Kodo beasts.
Moonlight seemed to lose patience. It turned to look at Leylo, let out a soft "Meow," and waved its little paw at him. Leylo was slightly startled but immediately understood. It seemed the fellow was going to get serious and didn't want to be watched.
"Karl, all of you step out first," Leylo ordered. Karl didn't dare say more and quickly led the attendants out of the pen. Seeing that Leylo had no intention of leaving, Moonlight turned its head and let out an impatient "Awoo!" growl. Leylo retreated sheepishly.
When Leylo and the others returned, they saw Moonlight flicking its tail and licking its paws as if nothing had happened. It walked with elegant steps to the now completely submissive Storm Griffin and symbolically patted its head with a paw. This time, the griffin offered no resistance; instead, it obediently lowered its proud head and let out a fawning low whimper.
Awoo... Moonlight chirped in satisfaction. It was done!
"Karl!" Leylo called out. Karl ran in and gasped at the sight. The Storm Griffin, which had been so ferocious minutes ago, was now... this well-behaved?
"Keep a close eye on it for the next few days and heal it," Leylo said. He bent down to pick up Moonlight and rubbed its little head. "Hard work this time."
Moonlight squinted its eyes comfortably, purring loudly. It rubbed its head against Leylo's palm and then held up both paws.
"Ten roast geese?" Leylo scratched its forehead. "I'll build you a mountain of roast geese."