The jungle path to Luminaris shimmered with dawn's light, the Monster Dominion's roars a distant chorus. Zane Aldric gripped his S-rank Frost Scepter, its icy glow pulsing in sync with Skoll's *Frost Aura*. The level 11 Adolescent Fenrir prowled beside him, his blue eyes sharp, tail flicking with predatory focus. Zane's Hell-tier clear in the national College Entrance Examinations had made him the nation's top scorer, securing his place at Aetherion Academy. The crimson claw rune's threat—*"Tamer, your trials end at Aetherion"*—and the System's quest to confront the non-human observer at the academy loomed large. Rhea Solis and Dren Varkus's fury, Lia's cryptic warnings, and the observer's tampering with the System's dungeons fueled Zane's drive. His secret interface, invisible to all, was his edge, and now it had evolved.
As Zane trekked to regroup with Mira and Toren, the System flared, its blue panel surging with power: *[NATIONAL EXAMINATIONS CLEARED. SYSTEM UPGRADE: VERSION 2.0 UNLOCKED. NEW FEATURES: SYSTEM SHOP, CLASS ADVANCEMENT PROTOCOL.]* Zane's gamer instincts kicked into overdrive. A shop? Class upgrades? The panel detailed the changes:
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**[System Upgrade: Version 2.0]**
- **System Shop**: Purchase artifacts and mythical beast equipment using System Favor. Items begin in initial form, growing stronger through use, kills, or mana infusion.
- **Class Advancement Protocol**: Every class can advance every 50 levels, deepening mastery and unlocking advanced skills without altering rank (e.g., SSS-rank remains SSS-rank). Success requires passing a trial; failure caps the user at their current level unless a rare dungeon treasure bypasses the trial. All individuals have access to this protocol, explaining why the world's strongest, the level 199 Iron Sovereign, is stalled—unable to pass his trial or find a treasure.
- **Current System Favor**: 6,000 (Earned from trials, dungeons, exams).
**[Status Panel]**
**Zane Aldric**
- **Class**: Mythic Beast Tamer (SSS-rank, Base Stage)
- **Level**: 11
- **Skills**: Beast Command (+60% reaction speed), Tamer's Insight (+45% weakness detection), Wild Call (Beast attack speed +25%), Frost Lance (Range +28 meters, 8-second cooldown), Beast Sense (Detection range +40 meters, 30-second cooldown), Ice Barrage (3 spears, 18-meter spread, 12-second cooldown), Cryo Bind (7-second duration), Frost Nova (Slows 35%, 8-meter radius), Glacial Surge (Ice wave, 12-meter range, knockback, 25-second cooldown)
- **Talents**: Frostfang Pact (Ice damage +15%, cold resistance +15%), Wild Synergy (Beast ability potency +10% with allies)
- **Beast**: Skoll (Adolescent Fenrir, Level 11)
- **Abilities**: Ice Bite (Freeze chance +75%), Frost Aura (Enemy speed reduction +32%), Glacial Howl (Stuns 10-meter radius, 13.5-second duration, 10-second cooldown)
- **Evolution Progress**: 40/50 kills, 41/100 mana crystals
- **Equipment**: Frost Scepter (S-rank, +30 attack, +15% ice skill potency, +10% mana regeneration), Amulet of the Wild (B-rank, +10% beast ability potency, +5% mana regeneration), Vine Cloak (C-rank, +10 agility, +5% nature resistance), Shadow Cloak (A-rank, +15 agility, +10% stealth), Frost Gauntlets (B-rank, +15 attack, +10% ice skill potency), Ice Crown (A-rank, +10% ice skill potency, +10 mana regeneration)
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Zane's grin widened as he opened the System Shop, a glowing catalog unfolding in his vision, listing items in their nascent forms with growth potential:
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**[System Shop]**
- **Artifacts**:
- *Rune of Binding* (Initial: C-rank, +5% beast control, evolves with mana infusion, 1,000 Favor)
- *Mana Lens* (Initial: B-rank, +10% skill accuracy, evolves with kills, 2,500 Favor)
- *Eclipse Shard* (Initial: A-rank, +15% dark resistance, evolves with dungeon clears, 5,000 Favor)
- **Mythical Beast Equipment**:
- *Frostfang Collar* (Initial: C-rank, +5% beast ice damage, evolves with kills, 1,500 Favor, Skoll-compatible)
- *Serpent Scale Saddle* (Initial: B-rank, +10% beast agility, evolves with mana crystals, 3,000 Favor, Jörmungandr-compatible)
- *Drakebone Harness* (Initial: A-rank, +15% beast defense, evolves with boss kills, 6,000 Favor, dragon-compatible)
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Zane's 6,000 Favor burned a hole in his pocket. The *Frostfang Collar* was perfect for Skoll, boosting his ice attacks and growing with kills—ideal for his evolution at 50 kills. The *Drakebone Harness* tempted him for a future dragon, but Jörmungandr at level 20 was closer. He purchased the *Frostfang Collar* (1,500 Favor) and *Rune of Binding* (1,000 Favor), leaving 3,500 Favor. The collar snapped onto Skoll, its icy links glowing, instantly boosting his *Ice Bite* potency. The rune fused into Zane's scepter, enhancing *Beast Command* precision. Both were C-rank but would evolve, a gamer's dream of scaling gear.
"Nice haul, buddy," Zane said, ruffling Skoll's fur. The Fenrir yipped, his new collar shimmering. The class advancement protocol intrigued Zane. At level 50, his *Mythic Beast Tamer* could evolve, deepening his bond with beasts and unlocking skills. Failure meant stagnation, like the Iron Sovereign—Dren's father—stuck at level 199, unable to pass his trial or find a treasure. Zane vowed to succeed, his SSS-rank class a ticket to godhood.
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In Luminaris, Zane met Mira and Toren at the *Iron Fang* tavern, its rune-lit interior buzzing with exam gossip. Mira's B-rank Alchemist satchel clinked with new vials, her level 9 *Catalyst Surge* ready. Toren's A-rank Shield Warden shield gleamed, his *Iron Bastion* unyielding. Both had cleared Difficult-tier exams, qualifying for Aetherion but trailing Zane's score. The System confirmed their classes could also advance at level 50, a universal rule explaining the world's power ceiling.
"You're national top dog, wolf boy," Mira said, sipping ale. "Rhea's spitting fire. Heard she's training her dragon to counter your ice."
Toren leaned in, his shield propped nearby. "Dren's worse. His dad's pushing him to beat you at Aetherion. And Lia—she's been asking about the observer. You sure about this anomaly chase?"
Zane nodded, the observer's mark cold in his pocket. "It's tied to the System. I can't ignore it." He shared the shop's basics, keeping the interface's secrecy. "Got Skoll a collar. It'll grow with him."
Skoll, under the table, gnawed a bone, his *Frostfang Collar* boosting his aura. The System pinged: *[AETHERION QUEST ACTIVE: CONFRONT ANOMALY AT ACADEMY.]* A marker pointed north, to Aetherion's grounds. But Zane needed to grind—Skoll's evolution was 10 kills away, and level 15 would prep him for academy dungeons.
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The next day, Zane's team hit the *Starfall Crater*, a Normal-tier dungeon near Luminaris to farm kills and crystals. The System flagged: *[STARFALL CRATER: NORMAL TIER. ENEMIES: LEVEL 8–10. BOSS: LEVEL 11 METEOR WOLF. WEAKNESS: ICE, WATER.]*
The crater's glowing rocks pulsed with heat. *Beast Sense* spotted level 8 **Ash Sprites*—fiery orbs with claws. *Tamer's Insight* marked their cores. Skoll's *Glacial Howl* stunned them, the *Frostfang Collar* boosting his *Ice Bite* to shatter two. Zane's *Frost Nova* slowed the rest, and *Glacial Surge* knocked them back, amplified by *Rune of Binding*. Mira's *Potion Barrage* doused them with *Frost Tincture*, and Toren's *Shield Surge* let him bash one with *Shield Bash*. The System logged: *[4 KILLS. SKOLL: 44/50 KILLS. 1 MANA CRYSTAL.]*
Level 9 **Flame Hounds* lunged, but Skoll's *Frost Aura* slowed them, and Zane's *Cryo Bind* chained one. Mira's *Alchemical Flash* blinded another, and Toren's *Guardian's Roar* taunted. Zane's *Ice Barrage* and Skoll's *Ice Bite* finished them, dropping two crystals: *[47/50 KILLS, 44/100 MANA CRYSTALS.]*
The *Meteor Wolf* roared, its fur molten, eyes glowing. *Tamer's Insight* marked its legs. Skoll's *Glacial Howl* stunned it, and Zane's *Glacial Surge* knocked it down. Mira's *Shadow Veil* potion hid them, and Toren's *Iron Wall* reflected a fiery claw. Zane's *Frost Lance* pierced a leg, and Skoll's *Ice Bite* froze its jaw. The wolf fell, yielding three crystals. The System chimed: *[METEOR WOLF DEFEATED. LEVEL UP: ZANE, LEVEL 12. SKOLL, LEVEL 12. MIRA, LEVEL 10. TOREN, LEVEL 10. REWARDS: 3 MANA CRYSTALS, B-RANK STARFALL RING. SKOLL: 48/50 KILLS, 47/100 MANA CRYSTALS.]*
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**[Status Panel]**
**Zane Aldric**
- **Class**: Mythic Beast Tamer (SSS-rank, Base Stage)
- **Level**: 12
- **Skills**: Beast Command (+65% reaction speed), Tamer's Insight (+50% weakness detection), Wild Call (Attack speed +28%), Frost Lance (Range +30 meters), Beast Sense (Detection range +45 meters), Ice Barrage (Spear spread +20 meters), Cryo Bind (8-second duration), Frost Nova (Slows 40%), Glacial Surge (Range +15 meters), Beast Rally (New: Boosts beast defense +20% for 20 seconds, 30-second cooldown)
- **Talents**: Frostfang Pact, Wild Synergy
- **Beast**: Skoll (Adolescent Fenrir, Level 12)
- **Abilities**: Ice Bite (Freeze chance +80%), Frost Aura (Enemy speed reduction +35%), Glacial Howl (Stun duration +4 seconds)
- **Evolution Progress**: 48/50 kills, 47/100 mana crystals
- **Equipment**: Frost Scepter, Amulet of the Wild, Vine Cloak, Shadow Cloak, Frost Gauntlets, Ice Crown, Starfall Ring (B-rank, +10% fire resistance, +5% mana regeneration), Frostfang Collar (C-rank, +5% ice damage, evolving), Rune of Binding (C-rank, +5% beast control, evolving)
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Zane equipped the Starfall Ring, its warmth countering Skoll's chill. Skoll's evolution was close, and Aetherion's gates beckoned. But as they left the crater, *Beast Sense* flared—a cloaked figure in the jungle, their glove bearing the observer's rune. They vanished, but the ground pulsed, a crimson rune forming: a serpent's eye, its slit pupil splitting into two, whispering: "*Tamer, Aetherion is our arena.*"
Skoll howled, his *Frostfang Collar* glowing. Zane tightened his grip on the scepter, the System's shop and advancement protocol his new weapons. The observer was ready. So was he.
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