The Luminaris Trials arena was a coliseum of chaos, its rune-etched stands packed with thousands—students, nobles, even scouts from Aetherion Academy. The air crackled with mana, the System's invisible presence humming as it prepared to spawn solo dungeons for each participant. Zane Aldric stood at the arena's edge, his B-rank Ice Spear gleaming, the Amulet of the Wild pulsing against his chest. Skoll, his level 8 Adolescent Fenrir, growled softly, his *Frost Aura* chilling the sand. At level 8, Zane's *Mythic Beast Tamer* class was a force, but the trials were his first real test. The College Entrance Examinations loomed a month away, where solo dungeons scaled from Newbie to Abyss, and Zane aimed to be the top scorer in the country. Today's trials were the qualifier—clear a solo dungeon, prove his worth, and secure a shot at Aetherion.
The crimson eye rune from two nights ago, etched in the training arena's sand, still haunted him. The System's warning—*[ANOMALY SOURCE CLOSER THAN EXPECTED]*—had followed his every move since the slums, where he'd claimed the observer's mark. Its pulse in his pocket felt like a countdown, but the System's interface, visible only to him, was his ace. No one could see his stats, quests, or the *Forgotten Spire* mission urging him to chase a level 15 dungeon. For now, he pushed it aside. Rhea Solis, Dren Varkus, and the elusive Lia were in the trials, and he'd need every edge to outshine them.
The System's voice boomed, audible to all but showing no panels: "*LUMINARIS TRIALS BEGIN. EACH PARTICIPANT WILL ENTER A SOLO DUNGEON, RANDOMIZED FROM NEWBIE TO DIFFICULT TIER. CLEAR TO QUALIFY FOR NATIONAL EXAMINATIONS. BEGIN!*"
The crowd roared. Zane glanced at Mira and Toren in the stands, their level 8 gear shining. Mira's *Catalyst Surge* potions and Toren's *Iron Bastion* shield had carried them through Ironroot Grove, but today, Zane was alone. His status panel flared, a secret only he could see:
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**[Status Panel]**
**Zane Aldric**
- **Class**: Mythic Beast Tamer (SSS-rank)
- **Level**: 8
- **Skills**: Beast Command (+45% reaction speed and precision), Tamer's Insight (+30% weakness detection), Wild Call (Beast attack speed +18%, 30-second duration, 1-minute cooldown), Frost Lance (Range +20 meters, 8-second cooldown), Beast Sense (Detection range +25 meters, 30-second cooldown), Ice Barrage (Fires 3 ice spears, 10-meter spread, 12-second cooldown)
- **Talents**: Frostfang Pact (Ice damage +15%, cold resistance +15%), Wild Synergy (Beast ability potency +10% with allies)
- **Beast**: Skoll (Adolescent Fenrir, Level 8)
- **Abilities**: Ice Bite (Freeze chance +60%), Frost Aura (Enemy speed reduction +25%), Glacial Howl (Stuns enemies in a 10-meter radius, 12-second duration, 10-second cooldown)
- **Evolution Progress**: 20/50 kills, 17/100 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), Vine Cloak (C-rank, +10 agility, +5% nature resistance)
---
Zane dismissed the panel, his gamer's mind sharp. The trials' dungeons were randomized, but *Tamer's Insight* could spot weaknesses, and Skoll's *Glacial Howl* could lock down mobs. A rift opened before him, its edges pulsing blue—his dungeon. He glanced at Skoll, the Fenrir's eyes blazing. "Ready, buddy?" Skoll yipped, tail flicking. Zane stepped through, spear in hand.
The dungeon materialized—a *Normal-tier Bone Crypt*, a maze of skeletal ruins lit by ghostly flames. The System flagged: *[BONE CRYPT: NORMAL TIER. ENEMIES: LEVEL 6–8. BOSS: LEVEL 9 BONE WRAITH. WEAKNESS: ICE, LIGHT. RESISTANCE: PHYSICAL, DARK.]* Zane grinned. Skoll's ice was perfect, and his *Frost Lance* and *Ice Barrage* would shred. The crypt's air was cold, bones crunching underfoot. *Beast Sense* pinged, detecting three level 6 **Skeletal Hounds** around a corner.
Zane crouched, sending a *Beast Command*: *Skoll, flank left, Ice Bite.* The Fenrir darted into the shadows, silent. Zane activated *Tamer's Insight*, a glow marking the hounds' spines as weak points. He whispered, "Now!" Skoll's *Glacial Howl* roared, stunning the hounds for 12 seconds. Zane's *Ice Barrage* fired, three ice spears shattering their spines, bones exploding. Skoll's *Ice Bite* froze a hound's skull, crushing it. The System logged: *[3 KILLS. SKOLL: 23/50 KILLS.]*
The crypt deepened, its halls crawling with level 7 **Bone Knights**. Zane's *Beast Sense* kept him ahead, dodging ambushes. He used *Wild Call* to boost Skoll's speed, the Fenrir's *Frost Aura* slowing knights as Zane's *Frost Lance* pierced their ribs. A level 8 **Wraith Hound* lunged, its claws dark-charged, but Zane's *Vine Cloak* boosted his dodge, and Skoll's *Glacial Howl* stunned it. A critical *Ice Barrage* finished it, dropping a mana crystal: *[18/100 MANA CRYSTALS. SKOLL: 25/50 KILLS.]*
The boss chamber loomed, a skeletal throne where the *Bone Wraith* floated, its scythe glowing black. The System warned: *[LEVEL 9 BONE WRAITH. IMMUNE: PHYSICAL. WEAKNESS: ICE.]* Zane's spear was useless, but his skills weren't. He activated *Wild Call*, Skoll's speed spiking, and sent: *Glacial Howl, now!* The Fenrir's howl stunned the wraith, its scythe freezing mid-swing. Zane's *Ice Barrage* slammed its core, ice spreading, amplified by *Frostfang Pact* and the Amulet of the Wild. Skoll's *Ice Bite* cracked the core, and a final *Frost Lance* shattered it. The wraith dissolved, leaving a glowing orb.
The System chimed: *[BONE CRYPT CLEARED: NORMAL TIER. LEVEL UP: ZANE, LEVEL 9. SKOLL, LEVEL 9. REWARDS: 3 MANA CRYSTALS, B-RANK FROST GAUNTLETS. SKOLL: 26/50 KILLS, 21/100 MANA CRYSTALS.]*
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**[Status Panel]**
**Zane Aldric**
- **Class**: Mythic Beast Tamer (SSS-rank)
- **Level**: 9
- **Skills**: Beast Command (+50% reaction speed), Tamer's Insight (+35% weakness detection), Wild Call (Attack speed +20%), Frost Lance (Range +22 meters), Beast Sense (Detection range +30 meters), Ice Barrage (Spear spread +12 meters), Cryo Bind (New: Traps enemies in ice chains, 5-second duration, 15-second cooldown)
- **Talents**: Frostfang Pact, Wild Synergy
- **Beast**: Skoll (Adolescent Fenrir, Level 9)
- **Abilities**: Ice Bite (Freeze chance +65%), Frost Aura (Enemy speed reduction +28%), Glacial Howl (Stun duration +2.5 seconds)
- **Evolution Progress**: 26/50 kills, 21/100 mana crystals
- **Equipment**: Ice Spear, Amulet of the Wild, Vine Cloak, Frost Gauntlets (B-rank, +15 attack, +10% ice skill potency)
---
Zane equipped the Frost Gauntlets, their icy plates boosting his skills. The dungeon's orb pulsed—a *System Beacon*, granting 1,000 System Favor. His total Favor hit 1,500, its purpose still unclear but valuable. He exited the rift, the arena's cheers deafening. The System announced: *[ZANE ALDRIC: NORMAL TIER CLEARED. SCORE: 92/100. CURRENT RANK: 1ST IN LUMINARIS.]*
Rhea stormed past, her dragon Ember snarling, her Easy-tier clear scoring 85. Dren followed, his Difficult-tier clear at 90, his glare venomous. Lia, cloaked in shadows, had cleared Normal at 88, her violet eyes unreadable. Zane's lead was slim, but it stung the nobles.
Mira and Toren rushed him, Mira grinning. "Top spot, wolf boy! You're making enemies."
Toren clapped his shoulder. "Normal tier's solid, but the national exams are Hell or Abyss for top scorer. You ready?"
Zane scratched Skoll's ears, the Fenrir's *Frost Aura* flaring. "Getting there. The Spire's next."
That night, at the *Iron Fang* tavern, Zane studied the observer's mark. The System pinged: *[FORGOTTEN SPIRE QUEST ACTIVE. LEVEL 15 DUNGEON. ANOMALY SOURCE DETECTED.]* A new marker appeared, deep in the Monster Dominion. But as he stood, *Beast Sense* flared—a cloaked figure outside, rune glowing on their glove. They vanished, but the tavern's floorboards creaked, revealing a hidden rune—this time, a claw, etched in blood, pulsing with a whisper only Zane heard: "*Tamer, you are seen.*"