The apocalypse came, and the world's resources dried up overnight.
Then the battle arenas descended from the sky, and anyone could bond a beastman to secure their own survival.
In my past life I fought undefeated with my ice wolf at my side. Until one two-person arena match.
The ice wolf who had always obeyed me carried me straight into the enemy's killing blow.
"I'm sorry, Hilda. This match has to go to Cassie. But don't worry, I'll die right alongside you."
Only in that moment did I understand. My beastman had belonged to my sister all along.
He would even drag me to my death just so she could take the arena prize for herself.
Back at the moment of bonding, I threw him away without a second thought.
1
"Mom, Dad, look, I pulled a top-tier beastman!"
"A Vermilion Phoenix. Cassie, you're amazing. Looks like our family's going to produce the strongest beast tamer around."
I heard that familiar exchange, and my eyes snapped open.
The scene in front of me was our house. My sister, Cassandra Sullivan, was gleefully showing off the Vermilion Phoenix she'd just summoned.
It hit me all at once. This was the time right after the battle arenas first appeared.
Last life, the apocalypse came out of nowhere and the world's resources dried up. A massive arena dropped from the sky, and only by fighting in arena matches could you earn the resource rewards to survive.
Everyone could also bond a beastman partner as a fighting ally. The things humans fought on the arena were monsters from the otherworld, and the only way to have a chance of winning was to fight alongside your beastman.
I lifted my arm and looked at my wristband. It hadn't bonded any beastman partner yet.
Cassandra couldn't wait to bond her Vermilion Phoenix, then held up her own wristband toward me like she was showing it off.
"Oh, I got so caught up in being happy, we haven't even seen what Hilda bonded yet!"
Cassandra acted like she'd only just remembered me and walked over to my side, putting on a show of concern.
"Huh? Why haven't you started pulling for a beastman yet? Are you scared you won't get a strong one? It's fine, your sister already pulled the top-tier Vermilion Phoenix, so it doesn't matter even if you get a low-tier one."
Inwardly I scoffed. The Vermilion Phoenix was top-tier, sure, but hers was a support-type beastman with no real strength on the arena at all.
I ignored her and raised my wristband, with no intention of pulling.
Seeing that I didn't mean to, Cassandra was quick to tap the refresh for me.
"Don't get all discouraged over this. Your sister will pull for you."
A flash of gold lit up the wristband, and a snow-white wolf with pure white ice crystals shimmering across his body appeared.
At the sight of that familiar snow wolf, my first instinct was to scrap him.
But unfortunately, each person only got one refresh.
"Wow, you pulled a top-tier beast king on the first try? Hilda, you're so lucky."
Cassandra said it, but I knew it didn't sit well with her.
Her Vermilion Phoenix had only come out after she used up Mom and Dad's refreshes too. Three pulls in total just to land that pretty-looking vase of a beastman, and I'd pulled something stronger than her Vermilion Phoenix in a single try. Of course it stung.
"How is that just luck? You're the one who tapped it out for her. When it comes down to it, you're the lucky one, the good-luck charm of this family!"
"That's right. Cassie pulled two top-tier beastmen in one go. She really is the pride of our family."
I watched my parents heap on the praise and felt nothing. From the time we were small, this was how the two of them had always been. Whatever Cassandra did got praised, and no matter how well I did, they'd pick a bone out of an egg.
