âFive-star Silver rank?â
An unfamiliar term suddenly popped out of Hashâs mouth, catching Giles and Rexâs attention.
However, Hash had no intention of staying on this topic.
âYour name is Giles, right? I can verify with my spiritual perception that your strength is not at the Gold rank yet.â
After putting Gilesâ right hand down, Hash pointed at the spirit beast tattoo on Gilesâ right arm.
âOf course, if you want to prove to me that you have the strength of an Epic-rank Beast Tamer, then let out the spirit beasts that helped you win the championship at the Beast-taming Gym Tournament.â
âIf there is one Epic-rank spirit beast or three or more Gold-rank spirit beasts, I can consider preserving your identity as the Acting Gym Leader.â
Rex could not help but feel anxious when he saw that Hash, who had been languidly dealing with everything the past few days, suddenly became serious.
âGiles, after you won the Beast-taming Gym Tournament, didnât the Beast Tamer Association give you an Epic-rank Beast Tamer badge? Why donât you show that badge to Her Excellency Hash?â
After Alice, the Gym Leader of Starlux Gym, temporarily left Starlux Gym for some reason, Beast Tamer Giles, who was in charge of Starlux Gym, had become the so-called âActing Gym Leaderâ.
However, in reality, Gilesâ identity as the âActing Gym Leaderâ was not recognized by the Beast Tamer Association. Furthermore, he had not taken the initiative to look for the Beast Tamer Association to report the situation.
Therefore, if one really wanted to look into it, Gilesâ act of accepting the challenges of other Beast Tamers on behalf of Alice and granting the challenger the Gym badge, was a complete violation.
Although Rex was not very clear about the Beast Tamer Associationâs criteria for selecting the Gym Leader of the Beast-taming Gyms, after asking the other gym leaders, he learned that the Beast Tamer Associationâs minimum requirement for a Gym Leader was that they had to be at least Gold-rank and had three spirit beasts that were beyond that rank.
This was also the main reason Rex had invited Hash to Starlux Gym today.
As Giles was his benefactor who helped him to avenge his grandson, Bart, Rex had always wanted to find a chance to repay Gilesâ kindness.
After learning that Giles already had several Gold-rank spirit beasts and had won the championship of the Florida Beast-taming Gym Tournament, Rex began to think of ways to find an opportunity to validate Giles as the âActing Gym Leader.â
Not long ago, Rex, who had learned that the Elite Beast Tamer, Hash, was coming, had decided to seize this opportunity and thought of a brilliant solution.
That was to get the Elite Beast Tamer, Hash, who had a certain amount of authority in the Beast Tamer Association, to come to Starlux Gym and help to acknowledge Giles as the âActing Gym Leaderâ of Starlux Gym.
This way, regardless of whether Giles had violated the rules previously, he would be spared some punishment because of his identity being recognized.
Furthermore, Giles had already obtained the approval of the Beast Tamer Association during the Beast-taming Gym Tournament.
Not only did he have the badge of an Epic-rank Beast Tamer, but he also had a few Gold-rank spirit beasts.
Hence, Rex was not worried at all about whether Giles could pass the evaluation.
However, the moment Hash arrived at Starlux Gym and saw Giles, she immediately said that Giles was not even at the Gold rank, which made Rexâs heart clench.
Although with his abilities, he could also sense that Giles was not an Epic-rank Beast Tamer, Giles did have an Epic-rank badge from the Beast Tamer Association after all.
Therefore, when he heard that Hash had asked Giles to release the few spirit beasts that had participated in the Florida Beast-taming Gym Tournament, Rex hurriedly asked Giles to take out the certified Epic-rank badge from the Beast Tamer Association.
If Giles did not pass Hashâs evaluation today and let Hash know that there was an âacting Gym Leaderâ like him whose strength was not even at the Gold rank, then Rex would become a sinner who repays kindness with ingratitude!
However, to his surprise, Giles only shook his head after hearing Hashâs request.
âYour Excellency Hash, as you said, I indeed donât have the strength of a Gold-rank Beast Tamer now.â
After Giles finished speaking, from the space on his arm, he released a bird-type spirit beast that Hash and Rex had never seen before.
âAmong the spirit beasts that have contracted with me, the strongest one is this Silver-rank Metal-feathered Eagle.â
As the Little Golden Eagle was still in an incomplete state of evolution, Giles did not call it âLittle Golden Eagleâ when he introduced it to Hash and Rex.
However, the Metal-feathered Eagle did not have any objections to the new name that it had temporarily obtained. Instead, it affectionately rubbed its head against Gilesâ right hand.
Giles smiled when he saw this. With a faint smile, he raised his right hand and stroked the Metal-feathered Eagleâs head.
However, when Giles talked about the few spirit beasts which Hash asked him about just now, Gilesâ expression darkened.
âAs for my spirit beasts that participated in the Florida Beast-taming Gym Tournament, they are still recuperating elsewhere.â
âIf thatâs the case, then youâre not qualified to be the Acting Gym Leader.â
After hearing Gilesâ explanation, Hash, the elite Beast Tamer, also made her judgment solemnly.
âMr Rex, when we return to the Beast Tamer Associationâs Brach, weâll report the situation at Starlux Gym to the higher-ups.â
âUntil the headquarters of the Beast Tamer Association issues a notice, Starlux Gym will temporarily close until Gym Leader Alice returns.â
âDuring this period, Giles is only responsible for opening and managing the training grounds of Starlux Gym. He will lend the training ground to other Beast Tamers.â
âBy the way, I still have to check when I get back. I want to see if Starlux Gym has committed any violation by accepting challenges from other Beast Tamers during the time that Alice was gone.â
âGiles, Iâll remind you once here. If youâve given any Beast Tamer the Starlux Gymâs badge during this period of time, you had better tell me yourself.â
âOtherwise, if I find out that youâve been violating the rules during this period of time, the Beast Tamer Association will punish you even more severely.â
Rex, who was standing aside, looked at Giles guiltily when he heard that Hash, whom he had brought along, was about to punish his benefactor, Giles.
He had originally wanted to get Hash to help him acknowledge Giles as the âActing Gym Leaderâ. This way, he could repay Gilesâ favor.
However, to his surprise, after seeing Giles, Hash did not acknowledge that Giles had the strength of an Epic-rank Beast Tamer.
Furthermore, Gilesâ spirit beasts that were originally Gold-rank and above were actually all not by Gilesâ side.
However, Giles didnât look flustered at all when facing the verdict that Hash had made.
Or rather, he had already realized this morning what mistakes he had made.
Therefore, when he heard from Hash that the Beast Tamer Association might punish him, he felt much more relieved.
âYour Excellency Hash, when I was managing Starlux Gym after Gym Leader Alice left, there were indeed situations where I was challenged by Beast Tamers, and it wasnât just once.â
To Rexâs surprise, Giles frankly admitted that he had violated the rules.
âAlthough I donât know how the Beast Tamer Association will punish me when the time comes, I would like to thank you first for helping Starlux Gym deal with the dispute at the Beast Tamer Association this morning.â
Giles said as he bowed his head to Hash and thanked her, âThank you for your help this morning.â