The slums of Luminaris faded behind Zane Aldric as he slipped through the city's neon-lit streets, the Amulet of the Wild pulsing against his chest. Skoll, his level 7 Adolescent Fenrir, prowled at his side, his *Frost Aura* casting a faint chill that made passersby shiver. The rune-etched mark from the black-market stall weighed heavy in his pocket, its cryptic pulse tied to the System's warning: *[ANOMALY PRESENCE CONFIRMED. OBSERVER'S INTENT: UNKNOWN.]* That crimson eye in the sky last night, unseen by all but the System's hidden gaze, had shaken Zane. His old life as a gamer on a quiet Earth taught him to chase every clue, and this observer—non-human, according to the System—was a boss he couldn't ignore. But the Luminaris Trials, the city-wide qualifier for the College Entrance Examinations, were two weeks away, and Zane needed to grind. The trials were his ticket to Aetherion Academy, and he aimed to be the top scorer in the country.
Mira and Toren kept pace, their level 7 gear gleaming under the city's runes. Mira's alchemy satchel clinked with new vials, her *Catalyst Surge* Talent ready to amplify them. Toren's rune shield glowed, his *Iron Bastion* Talent a rock-solid defense. The System's interface, invisible to everyone but its user, flared in Zane's vision with their updated stats:
---
**[Status Panel]**
**Zane Aldric**
- **Class**: Mythic Beast Tamer (SSS-rank)
- **Level**: 7
- **Skills**: Beast Command (+40% reaction speed and precision), Tamer's Insight (Weakness detection +25%), Wild Call (Beast attack speed +15%, 30-second duration, 1-minute cooldown), Frost Lance (Range +18 meters, 8-second cooldown), Beast Sense (Detects hidden enemies within 20 meters, 30-second cooldown)
- **Talents**: Frostfang Pact (Ice damage +15%, cold resistance +15%), Wild Synergy (Beast ability potency +10% with allies)
- **Beast**: Skoll (Adolescent Fenrir, Level 7)
- **Abilities**: Ice Bite (Freeze chance +55%), Frost Aura (Enemy speed reduction +22%), Glacial Howl (Stuns enemies in a 10-meter radius, 12-second duration, 10-second cooldown)
- **Evolution Progress**: 14/50 kills, 13/100 mana crystals
- **Equipment**: Ice Spear (B-rank, +20 attack, +10% ice damage), Amulet of the Wild (B-rank, +10% beast ability potency, +5% mana regeneration)
**Mira Veyne**
- **Class**: Alchemist (B-rank)
- **Level**: 7
- **Skills**: Potion Craft (Recipes: Acid Bomb, Flame Vial, Light Salve, Healing Salve, Frost Tincture, Smoke Vial), Explosive Toss (+30% accuracy), Quick Brew (Crafting time -25%), Salve Burst (AOE healing +12%), Alchemical Flash (Blinds enemies, 5-meter radius, 15-second cooldown)
- **Talent**: Catalyst Surge (Potion potency +20%, crafting time -10%)
- **Equipment**: Alchemy Satchel (C-rank, +10 storage)
**Toren Kade**
- **Class**: Shield Warden (A-rank)
- **Level**: 7
- **Skills**: Shield Bash (Knockback distance +25%), Fortified Stance (Stability +35%), Rallying Stand (Ally defense +15%), Iron Wall (Damage reflection +12%), Guardian's Roar (Taunts enemies, 10-meter radius, 20-second cooldown)
- **Talent**: Iron Bastion (Defense +25%, damage reduction +15%)
- **Equipment**: Rune Shield (B-rank, +20 defense, +10% physical resistance)
---
Zane dismissed the panel, its data a secret only he could see—a gamer's cheat code in a world blind to the System's interface. "We need to hit level 10 before the trials," he said, his voice low as they reached Luminaris High's training grounds. "The College Entrance Examinations are solo dungeons, and I'm aiming for top scorer."
Mira raised an eyebrow, adjusting her satchel. "Top scorer in the *country*? Bold, wolf boy. Those dungeons scale from Newbie to Abyss—most first-years don't survive past Normal."
Toren nodded, his shield slung over his back. "She's right. The trials are tough, but the national exams? They're brutal. Each dungeon's got six difficulty tiers—Newbie, Easy, Normal, Difficult, Hell, Abyss. You clear one, you qualify for Aetherion, but top scorer needs a Hell or Abyss clear. At level 7, we're not ready."
Zane grinned, scratching Skoll's ears. The Fenrir's *Glacial Howl* could stun entire rooms, and his *Beast Sense* had sniffed out that slum ambush. "Then we train. The System's pointing us to the Forgotten Spire—a level 15 dungeon. Risky, but the rewards are huge. A-rank artifact, 1,000 System Favor. We hit that, we're set for the trials."
Mira groaned. "You're gonna get us killed chasing that observer thing."
"Maybe," Zane said, his gamer's instincts flaring. "But I'm not waiting for it to find us first."
---
The training grounds were a sprawl of rune-marked fields, where students sparred under Professor Korran's watchful eye. The S-rank Battle Mage barked orders, his staff crackling with mana. Zane's team had booked a private session, and they wasted no time. Zane tested *Frost Lance*, launching ice spears that shattered training dummies, Skoll's *Wild Synergy*-boosted *Ice Bite* freezing the debris. Mira's *Alchemical Flash* blinded targets, her *Frost Tincture* slowing them for Toren's *Guardian's Roar* to taunt. Toren's *Iron Wall* reflected dummy attacks, his *Rallying Stand* boosting their defense. The System rewarded their synergy: *[TRAINING COMPLETED. 5/50 KILLS FOR SKOLL.]*
As they rested, Korran approached, his grizzled face stern. "Aldric, your class is a wildcard, but the trials don't care about SSS-rank. The national exams are solo—your team won't be there. Each dungeon's randomized, scaling from Newbie to Abyss. Clear Normal, you pass. Clear Hell or Abyss, you're a legend. You aiming that high?"
Zane met his gaze, Skoll growling softly. "Hell, at least. Top scorer's my goal."
Korran snorted. "Cocky. But you've got the spark. Train hard, or you'll be a dead prodigy." He walked off, leaving Zane with a mix of pride and pressure.
Mira smirked, tossing a Smoke Vial that puffed harmlessly. "Top scorer, huh? Rhea's gonna love that."
Zane's jaw tightened. Rhea Solis, the S-rank Dragon Rider, and Dren Varkus, the A-rank Storm Lancer, were still licking their wounds from the arena loss. They'd be in the trials, gunning for him. And Lia, the S-rank Shadow Dancer, was a ghost—her warnings about "big eyes" and the observer haunting him. The Forgotten Spire was his next move, but he needed to prep.
---
That afternoon, Zane led his team to the city's edge, where the Monster Dominion's jungle loomed. A low-level dungeon, the *Ironroot Grove*, was their target—a Newbie-tier rift to grind kills and crystals before tackling the Spire. The System flagged it: *[IRONROOT GROVE: NEWBIE TIER. ENEMIES: LEVEL 3–5. BOSS: LEVEL 7 IRONROOT TREANT.]*
The grove's entrance was a tangle of glowing roots, the air thick with sap and beast cries. Zane's *Beast Sense* pinged, detecting no ambushes. "Mira, lead with Smoke Vial to disorient. Toren, tank the front. Skoll and I flank."
They plunged in, the grove a maze of twisted trees. Level 4 **Iron Vipers** slithered from the roots, their scales glinting. Zane's *Tamer's Insight* highlighted their underbellies as weak points. Skoll's *Glacial Howl* stunned three vipers, his *Ice Bite* freezing their tails. Mira's *Smoke Vial* clouded the air, her *Alchemical Flash* blinding the rest. Toren's *Guardian's Roar* taunted, his *Iron Wall* reflecting bites. Zane's *Frost Lance* pierced a viper's underbelly, the *Wild Synergy* Talent boosting its damage. The System logged: *[5 KILLS. SKOLL: 19/50 KILLS. 1 MANA CRYSTAL.]*
The treant boss loomed, its bark iron-hard, roots lashing like whips. Zane's *Tamer's Insight* marked its core as a weak point. "Mira, Acid Bomb the core! Toren, taunt and hold!" Skoll's *Glacial Howl* stunned the treant, and Mira's *Catalyst Surge*-boosted acid melted its bark. Toren's *Rallying Stand* kept them safe, and Zane's *Frost Lance* shattered the core, felling the beast. The System chimed: *[IRONROOT TREANT DEFEATED. LEVEL UP: ZANE, LEVEL 8. SKOLL, LEVEL 8. MIRA, LEVEL 8. TOREN, LEVEL 8. REWARDS: 3 MANA CRYSTALS, C-RANK VINE CLOAK.]*
---
**[Status Panel]**
**Zane Aldric**
- **Class**: Mythic Beast Tamer (SSS-rank)
- **Level**: 8
- **Skills**: Beast Command (+45% reaction speed), Tamer's Insight (+30% weakness detection), Wild Call (Attack speed +18%), Frost Lance (Range +20 meters), Beast Sense (Detection range +25 meters), Ice Barrage (New: Fires 3 ice spears, 10-meter spread, 12-second cooldown)
- **Talents**: Frostfang Pact, Wild Synergy
- **Beast**: Skoll (Adolescent Fenrir, Level 8)
- **Abilities**: Ice Bite (Freeze chance +60%), Frost Aura (Enemy speed reduction +25%), Glacial Howl (Stun duration +2.5 seconds)
- **Evolution Progress**: 20/50 kills, 17/100 mana crystals
- **Equipment**: Ice Spear, Amulet of the Wild, Vine Cloak (C-rank, +10 agility, +5% nature resistance)
**Mira Veyne**
- **Class**: Alchemist (B-rank)
- **Level**: 8
- **Skills**: Potion Craft (New recipe: Vine Tangle), Explosive Toss (+35% accuracy), Quick Brew (-30% crafting time), Salve Burst (AOE healing +15%), Alchemical Flash (Blind radius +6 meters), Potion Barrage (New: Throws 2 potions simultaneously, 20-second cooldown)
- **Talent**: Catalyst Surge
**Toren Kade**
- **Class**: Shield Warden (A-rank)
- **Level**: 8
- **Skills**: Shield Bash (Knockback distance +30%), Fortified Stance (Stability +40%), Rallying Stand (Ally defense +18%), Iron Wall (Damage reflection +15%), Guardian's Roar (Taunt range +12 meters), Shield Surge (New: Boosts movement speed by 20% while guarding, 15-second duration)
- **Talent**: Iron Bastion
---
Zane donned the Vine Cloak, its green fibers boosting his agility. The 17 mana crystals were a solid haul, but Skoll's evolution was still far off. The Forgotten Spire loomed, but the trials were closer. The College Entrance Examinations required solo dungeon clears, and Zane needed Hell or Abyss tier to claim top scorer. At level 8, he was strong, but not enough.
Back at Luminaris High, Professor Korran called them to his office. "Trials are in two weeks," he said, his staff glowing. "You'll face a solo dungeon, randomized from Newbie to Abyss. Top scorers clear Hell or higher, but no first-year's hit Abyss in a decade. Aldric, your class is a beast—literally—but solo means no Mira, no Toren. Plan accordingly."
Zane nodded, Skoll at his feet. "I'm ready."
Korran's eyes narrowed. "Rhea and Dren are too. And someone else—Lia's been asking about you. Watch her."
---
That night, Zane trained in the school's arena, Skoll's *Ice Barrage* shredding dummies, his *Beast Sense* catching every movement. The trials were his focus, but the observer's mark burned in his pocket. The System pinged: *[FORGOTTEN SPIRE QUEST UPDATED: PREPARE FOR LEVEL 15 DUNGEON. ANOMALY SOURCE CLOSER THAN EXPECTED.]*
Zane froze, Skoll growling. A shadow moved in the arena's stands—Lia, her violet eyes glinting. "You're close, Aldric," she said, her *Phantom Step* fading her into darkness. "But the observer's closer."
As she vanished, the ground trembled, and a rune flared in the sand—a crimson eye, pulsing like a heartbeat, then gone. Skoll howled, and Zane's spear tightened in his grip. The trials were coming, but the observer was already here.