*****
[+0.5 EXP]
The glowing XP notification blinked into view, then dissolved into nothing as the small black puppy trotted over, clutching the scorched rat in its jaws.
Another message slid into Rheo's mind:
[EXP:30/25000]
Like something straight out of a game—this poor puppy still needed 24,970 more XP to evolve to the next level.
Proud of its kill, the puppy dropped the body at the boy's feet. He smiled faintly and patted it.
It was adorable, no doubt. But that cuteness masked something far more valuable. Even for an Iron grade, electric-type monsters weren't cheap.
Still… what a waste.
Even if they fed it with an entire cow every single day, it would take years for this little monster to reach the next grade. Without a Monster Gene Formula, evolution was a distant dream.
Rheo glanced at the Electric-tailed Puppy one last time before turning to leave—when suddenly, a strange sensation spread across his entire body.
His muscles shook and spasmed. It wasn't just strange—Rheo felt like he had grabbed a live wire.
Passersby on the sidewalk recoiled, their mouths agape, as sparks of blue electricity danced wildly across his convulsing frame.
Rheo's body trembled uncontrollably, the sudden jolt sending shockwaves of pain through every nerve. An unpleasant sensation rippled all over his body.
And at the same time, amidst the crackling and static, a strange voice resounded in his mind.
'Me hungry, Me hungry.'
The words echoed with primitive, childlike desperation, yet they pulsed with something far darker beneath the surface.
Rheo felt his head spinning, vision tilting as if the ground beneath him had briefly shifted.
He staggered, struggling to stay upright, trying desperately to get the hang of what was going on with his body.
But before he could even realize what had caused this strange reaction, a swift silvery figure suddenly dived down at the Electric-tailed Puppy.
The form was clearly visible now—a blur of flashing feathers and grace—but the puppy's reaction was far too slow to protect its kill.
Like a thief in the night, the silvery figure, which revealed itself to be a silver-feathered bird, snatched the scorched rat right from the puppy's mouth with swift, precise talons.
The Electric-tailed Puppy let out a high-pitched whine, raising its snout toward the sky in protest, clearly annoyed by the shameless rat thief. Its frustration was obvious.
The silvery bird responded with a light and weak crackling of electricity that danced all over its sleek form, arcing faintly between its feathers.
Hovering several feet above the ground with effortless poise, it flipped the scorched rat skillfully into its beak, opening the black beak and clutching the scorched prey tightly between them.
Rheo clutched at his head as a light headache surged through his temples, the lingering electricity in his body leaving a bitter sting behind.
A grimace twisted his face, and he slowly glanced up at the figure above.
'Raizen… is this Raizen?'
"Raizen!" Rheo shouted, calling the name with both confusion and hope.
The bird turned to him, its gaze steady, its posture unshaken. But its eyes… there was something strange about them. It was a look no pet should ever give its master.
The bird gazed at Rheo with a rejecting expression, distant, and cold.
Rheo was forced to look away, scratching his hair with mild frustration.
The strands were tangled, frizzy, and scorched in places from the electricity still crawling faintly beneath his skin.
Then, in a sudden swoop, the monster bird descended and hovered right in front of Rheo.
It jiggled the scorched dead rat slightly in its beak, as though offering it, or perhaps proudly showing off—like it was expecting praise for its swift theft.
'Well, you didn't kill it, you snatched it' Rheo gave the scorched rat a long gaze, then he finally reached out his hand at the hovering bird.
The Thunderbird perched on it, Rheo smiled lightly, Raizen had really come back to him.
But the smile faded away as he remembered how he reacted to it during the contract ceremony.
'Pal, I really deserved to be zapped'
Suddenly, the monster information appeared in Rheo's mind!
[Monster: Steel-feather Thunder Falcon]
[Level: 3]
[Grade: Iron (Tier-4)]
[Type: Electric, Earth]
[EXP: 50/10000]
Rheo realized Raizen's tier had increased—from Tier Two to Tier Four—and he knew clearly that it was because of the contract. The bond had awakened something deep within the thunderbird. It had unlocked its lightning power, now accessible in Tier Four.
A smile curled up his lips, slow and satisfied.
Rheo clenched his right fist, the emotion swelling in his chest, and thrust it upward at the sky, half-expecting a bolt of lightning to shoot out dramatically. But… nothing happened. Only the sky looked back, wide and cloudless. He blinked cluelessly.
Raizen, perched silently on his left arm until now, suddenly took flight. Its powerful wings lifted it effortlessly as it soared upward.
Rheo grinned weakly, With such a length of wingspan, there was no way Raizen could fly freely inside the house again. It reached a point midair and tucked in its wings, the scorched rat still clutched tightly in its beak, as if preparing for a performance.
Then, in a graceful and sudden motion, it flared open its wings, sending a gust of air rushing downward that blew across Rheo's face and ruffled his clothes.
Upon spreading its wings wide, arcs of electricity began to dance across them—faint, flickering bolts weaving through the feathers. The metallic luster of its wings shimmered, catching the sunlight and making the bird appear both regal and fierce.
However, these arcs of electricity were weak, fizzling in and out of view, like the first sparks from a dying battery.
Then, a window slipped into Rheo's field of vision.
[Status: Hungry, Weak, Showy]
I get it, I get it, but first, you have to fill up your empty stomach, Rheo tried to communicate with the bird with his mind.
In response, Raizen's voice echoed in his mind again—high-pitched, raw, and repetitive
'Me hungry, but what about my electric? What about my electric?'
The bird monster was repeating the last sentence again and again as if it were the only thing it knew how to say.
Its voice looped in Rheo's head, and despite the seriousness of the moment, Rheo couldn't help but feel slightly embarrassed.
When two people could read each other's minds, there was no way to avoid awkwardness now and then.
However, realizing that Raizen was just a pet—and with relatively low intelligence at that—there wasn't anything to be embarrassed about.
As he was thinking this, another notification popped up before him.
[Stats: STR 10 | AGI 15 | END 10 | INT 8]
[Skill: Lightning Dive]
Although it seemed Raizen couldn't shoot lightning beams—at least not yet—perhaps the "Lightning Dive" skill meant it could dive at lightning speed, turning its entire body into a bolt of focused force.
Even so, the stats were already impressive. All the stats were nearly double that of the Electric-tailed Puppy, even though the Puppy monster was a level higher than Raizen. The difference was undeniable. It seemed this was the power of higher tier and dual types.
Without a doubt, in a one-on-one battle, Raizen would defeat the Electric-tailed Puppy with ease—perhaps even without breaking a sweat.
With that thought, a sense of accomplishment welled up inside Rheo.
He smiled again, deeper this time. He. truly felt lucky to have a monster with dual attributes in his possession.
Raizen, who was still hovering midair, noticed his master's sudden brightened face. For a moment, it wore a completely confused expression and blinked twice, head tilting slightly as if trying to figure out what had changed.
But then, as though finally deciding to heed Rheo's advice, it gave a soft, satisfied hum. It slowly turned and flew away, humming faintly, the meal still clutched tightly within its beak.