The Beastlord’s Second Chance
Ethan Cross was a legend, a walking nightmare for his enemies, and a self-proclaimed genius of beast taming. By the end of his deeply exhausting career, he’d tamed creatures so powerful that kings avoided making eye contact with him out of fear of being accidentally mauled. His crowning achievement? Defeating the World Devourer, a cosmic garbage disposal capable of eating planets, magic, and your will to live. He sealed it away, saved the world, and heroically died in the process.
Or so he thought.
Instead of eternal rest or even a pat on the back from the gods, Ethan wakes up in his old, eighteen-year-old body. No wealth, no legendary beasts, and no dignity. Just a moth-eaten shirt, a pair of pants that could sand wood, and Scruff. A pigeon masquerading as a Wind Falcon with the coordination of a drunk squirrel.
Turns out, starting over is worse the second time around. The world still revolves around beast taming: kingdoms are built on creature power, social hierarchies are determined by the strength of your companions, and everyone pretends they know what they’re doing. Ethan knows better. He lived through this circus once, and he’s determined to rewrite the script this time.
The plan is to gather the most powerful beasts early, stop the rise of future disasters, and definitely avoid the whole “die heroically while saving everyone” thing. The problem? Valeria Drake, an insufferable prodigy with a Dire Wolf and a superiority complex, is still around to ruin his day. Oh, and the World Devourer might not be as sealed as he thought.
Armed with an unhealthy amount of sarcasm, and the overwhelming desire to avoid his past mistakes, Ethan is ready to claw his way back to the top. Maybe. Assuming he doesn’t trip over his own hubris or get mauled by something embarrassing like a feral raccoon.
Because the world isn’t going to save itself, and this time, Ethan would really like some applause when he’s done, or simply at least a decent pair of pants.
