The streets of Luminaris buzzed with dusk's energy, neon runes flickering along the city's towering walls. Zane Aldric leaned against a lamppost, his breath visible in the cool evening air, Skoll curled at his feet like a frosty shadow. The Young Fenrir pup's icy fur shimmered under the streetlights, drawing curious glances from passersby—merchants hauling mana-infused wares, low-rank adventurers nursing wounds from the wilds. Zane's mind still spun from the Awakening Ceremony hours ago. SSS-rank Beast Tamer. A class no one had ever seen. The weight of it pressed on him, not as a burden but as a spark, like booting up a game with infinite potential. His old life as a gamer on a quiet Earth felt distant, but its instincts burned bright: find the mechanics, exploit the edges, win.
Skoll yipped, nudging Zane's boot, blue eyes glinting with impatience. "Alright, buddy," Zane murmured, scratching the pup's ears. The System's interface flickered in his vision, a blue window only he could see: *[SKOLL: YOUNG FENRIR. 5/10 KILLS FOR EVOLUTION. 0/100 MANA CRYSTALS.]* Their brief skirmish with the goblins earlier had been a taste, a glimpse of what Skoll could do—*Ice Bite* snapping bones, *Frost Aura* slowing enemies. But evolution was the real prize, turning this pint-sized wolf into something legendary. Mana crystals were the bottleneck, rare drops from stronger monsters or dungeons. Zane needed to hunt, and he needed to do it *now*.
Mira's voice cut through his thoughts. "You're brooding again, wolf boy." She strolled up, her alchemy satchel slung over her shoulder, potions clinking softly. Her freckled face split into a grin, but her hazel eyes held a wary edge. "Toren's grabbing his gear. You sure about this? The wilds at night aren't a tutorial level."
Zane smirked, his gamer's confidence flaring. "No tutorial, no problem. Skoll's itching to fight, and I need to see what this class can really do."
Toren jogged over, his A-rank Shield Warden bulk dwarfing them both. His shield, etched with defensive runes, gleamed on his back. "You're nuts, Zane," he said, but his brown eyes sparkled with excitement. "Goblins are one thing. Nighttime wilds? Could be dire wolves, maybe even a low-level chimera if we're unlucky."
"Or lucky," Zane countered, standing. Skoll bounced to his feet, tail wagging like a metronome. "We stick to the outer wilds, hit a low-level spawn, grab some crystals. In and out."
Mira raised an eyebrow. "Famous last words."
---
The trio slipped through Luminaris's western gate, the guards giving Zane's pup a wary glance. Beyond the rune-carved walls, the Monster Dominion loomed—a jungle of twisted trees, their branches glowing with bioluminescent vines. The air thrummed with distant roars, the ground vibrating faintly underfoot. The System pinged: *[LEVEL 5 DIRE WOLF PACK DETECTED, 300 METERS SOUTHWEST. THREAT: MODERATE. RECOMMENDED LEVEL: 3+]*.
"Dire wolves," Zane said, his voice low. "Perfect. Skoll's at 5 kills. Five more, and he's halfway to evolving."
Mira adjusted her satchel, pulling out a vial of glowing green liquid. "Acid bomb. Should soften them up. You sure your pup can handle this?"
Zane knelt, meeting Skoll's eyes. The pup's icy aura pulsed, a faint chill radiating from his fur. "He's ready. Right, buddy?" Skoll yipped, baring tiny fangs. The connection between them—the *Frostfang Pact*—hummed in Zane's mind, like a controller syncing with a game. He could sense Skoll's instincts, his hunger for the hunt. It wasn't just a pet. It was an extension of himself.
Toren raised his shield. "Let's move. Stay sharp."
They crept through the jungle, the System guiding them with faint markers only Zane could see. The trees parted into a clearing, where six dire wolves prowled—each the size of a pony, their gray fur matted with scars, eyes glowing red in the twilight. The System updated: *[DIRE WOLF PACK: LEVEL 5. WEAKNESS: ICE, FIRE. RESISTANCE: PHYSICAL.]* Zane's lips curled. Skoll's *Ice Bite* was perfect for this.
"Plan?" Mira whispered, crouching behind a glowing fern.
Zane's gamer brain kicked into overdrive, analyzing the terrain. The clearing was open, with a stream cutting through—perfect for bottlenecking. "Mira, hit the back ones with your acid bomb. Toren, draw their aggro to the stream. Skoll and I will flank from the left, focus the alpha."
Toren nodded, banging his shield to activate his Talent, *Iron Bastion*, which boosted his defense. "On it."
Mira smirked. "Bossy already. SSS-rank's going to your head."
Zane ignored her, sending a mental command to Skoll: *Flank left. Wait for my signal.* The pup darted into the shadows, silent as frost. Zane gripped his dagger, its basic steel no match for his class, but it'd do for now. He needed a real weapon soon—maybe a spear or a bow to complement Skoll's range.
Toren charged, his shield glowing as he roared, drawing the wolves' attention. The alpha, a massive beast with a scarred muzzle, snarled and lunged. Mira hurled her acid bomb, the vial shattering in a burst of sizzling green mist. Two wolves howled, their fur melting, the System logging their weakened status. Toren slammed his shield into the alpha, forcing it toward the stream, where the water slowed its pack.
"Now, Skoll!" Zane shouted.
The pup exploded from the shadows, a streak of icy light. His *Ice Bite* clamped onto the alpha's hind leg, freezing it solid. The wolf roared, thrashing, but Skoll's *Frost Aura* spread, slowing the pack's movements. Zane darted in, slashing his dagger across a smaller wolf's flank. It yelped, blood mixing with frost, and Skoll finished it with a snap of his jaws. The System chimed: *[KILL CONFIRMED. SKOLL: 6/10 KILLS.]*
Mira tossed another potion, this one exploding in flames, scattering the pack. Toren held the alpha at bay, his shield absorbing claw swipes that sparked like lightning. Zane and Skoll worked in sync, the pup's aura slowing a second wolf as Zane stabbed its throat. *[7/10 KILLS.]* The rhythm felt like a game—Zane calling shots, Skoll executing with feral precision. His old life's strategies were paying off.
The alpha broke free, lunging at Toren. Its jaws clamped onto his shield, denting the runes. Toren grunted, his knees buckling. "Zane, now!"
Zane sent a new command: *Ice Bite, neck!* Skoll leaped, his tiny form defying gravity, and sank his fangs into the alpha's throat. Ice spread, crackling, and the wolf's roar choked off. Zane plunged his dagger into its eye, twisting. The beast collapsed, its body shimmering as a small blue crystal dropped—a mana crystal. *[8/10 KILLS. 1/100 MANA CRYSTALS.]*
The remaining wolves fled, their howls fading into the jungle. Zane panted, adrenaline singing in his veins. Skoll bounded back, tail wagging, a faint glow pulsing in his fur. Mira wiped sweat from her brow. "Not bad, wolf boy. You're a natural."
Toren lowered his shield, grinning. "That was insane. Your pup's a monster."
Zane knelt, picking up the mana crystal. It pulsed with energy, warm despite its icy hue. "One down, ninety-nine to go," he said, tucking it into his pocket. Skoll nudged his hand, demanding pets. Zane obliged, feeling that soul-deep connection again. "Good boy."
---
Back in Luminaris, the trio sat in a dimly lit tavern, the *Iron Fang*, a haunt for low-rank adventurers. The air smelled of ale and roasted meat, and the walls were plastered with bounty posters for monsters in the wilds. Zane sipped a watered-down juice, Skoll curled under the table, gnawing on a bone the barkeep had tossed him. The mana crystal sat on the table, catching the candlelight.
Mira leaned forward, her voice low. "You know what's coming, right? The arena. Rhea's been talking all day. She wants to 'test' you."
Zane's jaw tightened. The training arena was a System-regulated space where students could spar, no deaths allowed, but injuries and egos took a beating. "Let her try. Dragon Rider's tough, but Skoll's tougher."
Toren chuckled. "You're cocky for a level 1. Dren's in on it too. A-rank Storm Lancer, and he's got his dad's training. Watch your back."
Zane nodded, his mind racing. Rhea's baby dragon and Dren's lightning spear were no joke, but his SSS-rank class was a wildcard. The System pinged, updating his status: *[LEVEL UP: LEVEL 2. NEW SKILL UNLOCKED: BEAST COMMAND. ENHANCES CONTROL OVER TAMED BEASTS.]*
He grinned. *Beast Command* meant tighter synergy with Skoll, maybe even combo attacks. He needed to train, test Skoll's limits, and hunt more crystals. The Luminaris Trials were months away, a city-wide gauntlet to qualify for the College Entrance Trials. If he wanted to stand out, he had to push harder than anyone.
A shadow fell over the table. Zane looked up to see a girl with dark hair and a sleek black outfit, her movements silent as a ghost. Lia, a classmate rumored to be an S-rank Shadow Dancer. Her violet eyes flicked to Skoll, then Zane. "Aldric," she said, her voice soft but sharp. "You're making waves. Too many."
Zane raised an eyebrow. "Problem?"
"Not yet," Lia said, leaning closer. "But you're not the only one with secrets. Watch the shadows. Not everyone wants you to shine." She vanished into the crowd before he could respond, her Talent—*Phantom Step*—leaving no trace.
Mira whistled. "Creepy. Think she's with Rhea?"
"Doubt it," Zane said, but unease settled in his gut. Lia was a wildcard, and her warning felt like a puzzle piece he didn't yet understand. He glanced at Skoll, the pup's eyes glowing faintly. "We're just getting started, aren't we?"
Skoll yipped, a burst of icy mist puffing from his jaws.
---
That night, Zane lay in his cramped apartment, the city's hum filtering through the window. Skoll sprawled across his chest, snoring softly, his warmth a contrast to his icy fur. Zane's mind churned with plans. The dire wolf fight was a warm-up. Skoll needed two more kills and ninety-nine more crystals to evolve. The wilds were dangerous, but dungeons were the real prize—rifts packed with monsters and loot. He'd heard of a low-level dungeon nearby, the *Crimson Hollow*, a maze of caves crawling with level 5–10 beasts. Perfect for grinding.
The System pinged: *[NEW QUEST: CLEAR CRIMSON HOLLOW. REWARD: 5 MANA CRYSTALS, RARE EQUIPMENT. RECOMMENDED LEVEL: 5.]*
Zane's lips curled. Level 5 was a stretch, but he'd beaten tougher odds in games. With Skoll, Mira, and Toren, he could pull it off. The Luminaris Trials loomed, and beyond them, Aetherion Academy—a place where legends were forged. Rhea and Dren would be there, and maybe Lia too. He needed to be ready.
He closed his eyes, Skoll's steady breathing lulling him. His old life had taught him one thing: every system had a flaw, every game a path to victory. The Beast Tamer class was his cheat code, and Skoll was just the beginning. Jörmungandr, Cerberus, maybe even a dragon of his own—every twenty levels, a new beast, a new Talent. The Iron Sovereign was level 199, but 200 was godhood. Zane would climb that ladder, one monster at a time.
"Let's break this world," he whispered.
Skoll's ear twitched, as if he heard the promise.