MTLNOVEL Chapter 652: Crown Beast
"Crown Beasts?" The Ant Queen looked at Nox in confusion.
It was the first time she was hearing this term. Did it have something to do with royalty or something along those lines?
"Yes, Crown Beasts." Nox nodded confidently. "It's a special position among my beast army."
"A special position? Like a second in command?" Her compound eyes widened slowly as she realized the weight of the position her master was bestowing upon her.
"I..." she stuttered. Due to her connection with her master, she could sense that his pets had increased tremendously. There were now dragons—both physical and spiritual—even an orc, and possibly others.
Was she capable of controlling so many powerful creatures? The dragons… they were stronger than her. She was certain she would be defeated in a one-on-one fight with any of them.
To her, it wasn't right for a subordinate to be stronger than the master. As a monarch, she wanted respect—but not the kind handed to her on a silver platter.
Rather, the kind she earned through her own hard work.
She shuffled her feet, her long antennae curling inward.
"I'm sorry, Master… I don't think I can live up to that yet. These dragons… they're so powerful. I would need to defeat them to earn their respect, wouldn't I?"
Her voice faltered, and she clasped her claws tightly in front of her chest. "I… I still need more time."
Nox watched her closely, a faint smirk playing at the corner of his lips. 'It's rare to see her this nervous… but it's good. She's growing. She wants to earn it, not be handed power.'
"Very well then." He nodded. "Take as long as you need. I believe no one is as worthy as you for this position."
"I'm more than honored, Master." She bowed her head slightly.
There was a moment of silence, the atmosphere growing slightly awkward before Nox cleared his throat and spoke again.
"Still, I want to reward you with something right now."
The Ant Queen's eyes shone with eagerness.
"Don't get too excited." Nox chuckled. "Let me see if I can find something useful for you."
He opened the beast shop tab.
When Nox accessed the beast shop tab, a transparent blue screen floated before him, flickering with lines of beast gear, potions, skills, and other items.
He scrolled through it, navigating toward the weapon section.
Shop points could be acquired by killing monsters or any sentient being. Each kill, regardless of power gap or level, rewarded one shop point.
Nox had accumulated a total of 25,000 shop points. The 20,000 came from his missions, and the extra 5,000 were from enemies he had slain single-handedly.
As he scanned through the options, Nox came across several tempting weapons.
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[Venomfang Halberd – 8,000 SP]
An elegant halberd with a serrated edge. It passively secretes deadly venom capable of paralyzing most beasts within seconds. Grants the wielder extended reach and sweeping attack patterns.
[Crimson Jaw Gauntlets – 6,500 SP]
Close-combat gauntlets forged from the crushed fangs of crimson-scaled dragons. Each strike applies a stacking bleeding effect that can rapidly weaken even the toughest opponents.
[Queen's Thorn Spear – 7,000 SP]
A majestic spear crafted specifically for beast monarchs. Its core is laced with dominance runes that amplify the user's control over lower-tier beasts within a 50-meter radius. When planted into the ground, it grants nearby allied beasts a temporary boost in strength and defense.
[Carapace Crusher Mace – 4,000 SP]
A brutal weapon capable of shattering the toughest exoskeletons. Delivers concussive force with each blow and excels at breaking defensive lines.
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Nox rubbed his chin thoughtfully as he hovered over the Queen's Thorn Spear.
'This one feels right for her...' he thought. 'She's not just a fighter. She leads. Even if she's not ready for the Crown Beast title yet, this weapon will help her grow into it.'
He tapped the purchase button.
[Queen's Thorn Spear purchased – 7,000 SP deducted.]
Remaining Shop Points: 18,000 SP.
In a flash of light, the spear materialized in his hand. Its long shaft was wrapped in black vine patterns, and at its tip, a silver, thorned blade shimmered with faint green runes.
Nox held it out toward the Ant Queen. "Take this."
She accepted it carefully, almost reverently. Her mandibles quivered slightly as she felt the weight and power within the spear.
"It's called the Queen's Thorn Spear. When you plant it on the battlefield, it will strengthen your army. It's a weapon of leadership."
Her compound eyes flickered as she gently ran her hand along the shaft. "It… feels natural in my hands."
"That's because it's yours." Nox smiled. "I didn't pick it randomly. It suits you."
Her gaze lifted, burning with newfound resolve. "Thank you, Master. I… I will wield it well."
"Good." Nox crossed his arms. "But remember, the spear can amplify your command, but it won't substitute for real growth. When you think you're ready, come find me again."
"I will." The Ant Queen bowed deeply, determination radiating from her body. She wasn't going to rush. She would evolve at her own pace and one day stand proudly among the dragons and the other beasts.
As Nox turned to leave, the beast shop tab still lingered before him.
'Maybe I should start looking for weapons for the others too...' He smirked, already scrolling through a new list of gear, but then he suddenly had a mischievous plan.
Instead of handing out weapons and skills freely, what if he made them work for it? That way, he could trigger a sense of competition among his pets.
To be honest, a few weren't doing anything—just lazing around in the taming space.
Thinking about them, Nox decided to peek into the taming space. Because this was his personal domain, he was akin to a god here, able to see everything from a bird's-eye perspective.
As he entered his taming space, the world shifted around him, turning translucent for a second before snapping into focus.
When he transferred his consciousness into the taming space, what greeted him was pure unfiltered chaos.