The air in the assembly hall crackled with tension. Students clustered in tight groups, whispering eagerly, eyes drawn to the center dais where the judge's voice had just announced the teams for the upcoming phase. Aren Valen stood among his newly assigned teammates—Aric Sunflare, Liora Frostwind, Dorian Thorne, and Lyra Stormcloud—the five of them forming an unlikely but powerful unit.
The hall echoed with murmurs.
"Valen's team has four ranked students. Did you see that?"
"And that quiet girl with the falcon... she's dangerous."
"Still, Valen's beast is unknown. Can he really keep up?"
Aren tried to tune them out. His hand rested gently on Sharu, who sat coiled around his feet like a silver shadow. The small beast looked bored, but his blue eyes flicked across the crowd with the calculated disinterest of a predator in hiding.
"Guess we're in this together," Aric said with a grin, breaking the silence among their team. "No pressure, right?"
Liora folded her arms. "Pressure is irrelevant. Our performance will speak for itself."
Dorian snorted. "Sure, Ice Queen. Just don't get in my way and we'll be fine."
"Don't give me a reason to," she replied coolly.
Aren shot Lyra a glance. "You okay with this team?"
She gave a small nod, eyes hidden beneath her dark bangs. "As long as we all want to win."
From behind them, the judge's voice boomed again. "The team phase begins in three days. Until then, you are free to strategize, train, and familiarize yourselves with your teammates. You will face challenges that test more than strength. Coordination, resolve, and unity will decide your survival."
Survival.
The word lingered too long.
Aren felt Sharu tense slightly. "What is it?" he whispered.
"This place smells of manipulation."
Aren blinked. Had he imagined the voice? It was faint—more of a feeling pressed into his mind—but it came from Sharu. The beast didn't speak aloud, not yet. But this… this was different.
He kept it to himself.
—
The team gathered later in a training chamber—a wide arena marked with runes to absorb energy. Beasts were allowed here, and each student summoned theirs.
The Fire Salamander emerged from Aric's side with a flick of sparks and smoke, its body glowing like molten rock. The Ice Wolf padded next to Liora, its breath leaving a faint frost. Dorian's Shockwave Lion cracked the floor as it landed, energy pulsing in waves from its paws. Lyra's Shadow Falcon barely made a sound—just a gust of air and vanishing feathers.
And then there was Sharu.
He padded into view with quiet elegance. Small. Silver. Unassuming.
Dorian raised an eyebrow. "That's the beast that survived the forest?"
"He looks... nice," Aric offered, trying to stay positive.
Sharu sat down with an audible sigh and stared at the lion with utter disdain.
Lyra knelt near Sharu. "He watches. Not like prey. Like a judge."
Aren blinked. "You see that too?"
"We all feel it," Liora said. "That thing isn't normal. But if it fights beside us, I don't care what it is."
"I agree," Aric said. "As long as we work together."
"Fine," Dorian said reluctantly. "But if it slows us down—"
Sharu yawned. A clear, deliberate insult.
—
Over the next two days, the team trained relentlessly. They practiced formations, timing, and how to combine their beasts' abilities.
Liora and Aric formed a devastating ice-fire combination—his Salamander heating the battlefield, her Wolf freezing the edges to trap enemies.
Dorian broke defenses with shockwaves, creating openings for others.
Lyra used her Falcon for stealth and aerial vision, calling out movements before they happened.
And Aren...
He learned how to fight alongside Sharu. The little beast was precise and fluid, dodging attacks with near-predictive awareness and striking with sharp, glowing claws only when necessary. He didn't use flashy abilities. Not yet. But he moved like someone who'd seen war.
"Sharu's instincts are unreal," Aric said after a session. "It's like he knows what's coming before it happens."
"He does," Aren said quietly.
Sharu looked at him with a glint of approval. Just once.
—
The night before the first challenge, the academy grounds were quiet. Aren stood alone on a balcony overlooking the moonlit training fields. He heard a step behind him.
Lina.
She'd snuck in earlier with permission from their parents to see how things were going.
"I heard you made top ten," she said brightly. "And got a team!"
"Yeah," Aren smiled. "It's going well. Kind of."
She looked around. "Where's your grumpy furball?"
He gestured. Sharu was curled in a patch of moonlight, seemingly asleep.
Lina tiptoed over and tried to poke his fur.
One glowing eye opened.
She froze.
Then, Sharu nudged her hand.
"You like me, huh?" she said, giggling. "Don't worry. I'm your favorite, right?"
Sharu gave the tiniest nod.
Aren shook his head in disbelief. "He doesn't even do that for me."
Lina grinned. "Maybe you're not as charming."
—
The morning came too quickly.
All teams were summoned to the Grand Arena—an enormous coliseum with changing terrain zones and barrier wards. Judges stood above on a platform, including the lead instructor, Master Ryven.
"Students!" Ryven called. "The first round is over. You've proven yourselves in one-on-one combat. But the true strength lies in unity."
A long pause.
"Tomorrow, the first team challenges begin. You will be tested on coordination, strategy, and raw power. The results from these matches will determine who qualifies for the Final Arc of the tournament."
He raised a hand.
"But today—today, we announce the top ten students from the solo rounds."
The arena hushed.
"Top Ten Students," Ryven announced, voice like thunder:
"1. Lance Vermilion – Gryphon Knight
2. Velia Rune – Crystalline Fox
3. Kael Rin – Shadow Serpent
4. Liora Frostwind – Ice Wolf
5. Dorian Thorne – Shockwave Lion
6. Aric Sunflare – Fire Salamander
7. Lyra Stormcloud – Shadow Falcon
8. Aren Valen – ???
9. Selis Moonhart – Mirror Drake
10. Fenric Dale – Iron Golem"
Gasps. Whispers.
"Valen made top ten?"
"With that beast?"
"Who is Selis? And what's a M
irror Drake?"
Aren felt the eyes. He met them with quiet resolve.
Ryven continued, "Prepare yourselves. Tomorrow, you fight not for glory—but for survival."