The Spiritborn Stag lowered its glowing antlers, mana crackling through the air like lightning. Its silver eyes locked onto Kazuki Ren, and in that instant, time seemed to slow.
[Final Trial Boss: Spiritborn Stag – F+ Rank]
Ability: Spirit Charge – Condensed elemental burst capable of shattering low-tier defense barriers.
Secondary Trait: Spirit Step – Enhanced teleport dash
Estimated Threat Level: Moderate-High (Final Trial Boss)
[Survival Time Remaining: 0:59]
Ren's instincts screamed. "Nyx, evasive formation, now!"
[Shared Instinct Sync: Online]
[Soul Link Boost: Reflex bonus +10% | Threat Detection Active]
The stag vanished, reappearing a blink later directly in front of them.
BOOM!
The impact shattered the forest floor. Dirt and roots erupted like a geyser. Ren was flung backward, crashing into a tree. Pain exploded through his spine.
[Host HP: 54%]
[Status: Bruised, Winded]
Across the clearing, Nyx growled, wounded but on his feet. He limped toward the stag, shadow flames licking off his claws.
The beast turned to him, snorting streams of light.
Ren staggered up. "No… you're not doing this alone."
His pendant flared, and the System pulsed.
[EMERGENCY SYSTEM OPTION UNLOCKED]
Name: Prototype Fusion State
Condition: Requires Soul Resonance ≥ 60%
Duration: 30 Seconds
Effect: Temporarily synchronize body and energy signature with contracted beast.
[Initiate Prototype Fusion with Nyx?]
Y/N
Ren's hand trembled, but his voice was firm.
"Yes."
[Fusion Initiated…]
A brilliant aura enveloped him and Nyx. Their forms blurred, Ren's body cloaked in a translucent outline of Nyx's beast form. His limbs felt lighter, his eyes sharper, his heartbeat synced with another's.
His hands shimmered with ghostly claws. His vision gained faint blue trails. His skin glowed faintly with rune marks matching Nyx's own.
[Fusion Status: 100%]
[Fusion Skill Unlocked: Voidstep Slash]
[Passive Boosts: Speed +40%, Strength +30%, Reflexes +50%]
The Spiritborn Stag reacted too late.
Ren dashed forward, a streak of blue lightning.
With one smooth motion, he slashed across the stag's flank, shadow flames leaving deep gouges. The beast cried out, twisting in pain. It tried to teleport, but Ren was already there.
Voidstep Slash!
A flash of speed, a twist mid-air, and Ren spun past the stag's side, striking its front leg and shoulder in a crisscross motion that destabilized its balance. The beast fell to one knee.
[Critical Hit x2!]
[Boss Health: 37% Remaining]
But the stag wasn't finished. It reared, horn charged with radiant light. The ground shook as it prepared its final skill.
[Spirit Pulse Incoming. Estimated Output: Fatal.]
Ren focused. His vision narrowed.
"…Time to finish this."
He took a breath, and charged forward again, not dodging, but weaving through the energy. Just before impact, he leapt, twisting midair.
Last Strike: Voidstep Fang.
He plunged his clawed hand into the beast's glowing eye, releasing all remaining energy in a burst of light and shadow.
BOOOOOOM!!
The explosion shook the entire grove.
Light faded.
Silence fell.
The stag collapsed, its glowing form dissolving into dust and scattered particles of silver.
[Trial Boss Defeated!]
[Trial Complete: Survival Time – FULL]
[Performance Rating: A]
[Rewards Granted:]
Beast Tamer's Ring (Repaired)
Spirit Codex Upgrade
Evolution Crystal x2
Fusion Skill Unlocked (Prototype)
Title Gained: "Beastbond Survivor"
[Kazuki Ren – Level Up → Level 4]
[Nyx – Loyalty: 100 | Evolution Available!]
Ren gasped, collapsing beside Nyx. Their fusion faded. He was just himself again, but something was different. Deeper.
Nyx whined softly and crawled to his side. Ren reached over and scratched behind his ear.
"You good, partner?"
The wolf-dragon cub nudged his face in response.
Then a golden panel shimmered before him.
[Congratulations, Candidate. You have passed the Trial of Awakening.]
[The path of a true Beast Sovereign opens to you.]
[Your name is now etched in the Beast Codex.]
Ren stared at the empty sky above, a half-smile on his bruised lips.
"I'm just getting started."
The grove shimmered with residual energy as the trial ground stabilized. The scent of scorched wood and cracked stone lingered in the air. All around him, the once-chaotic battleground now pulsed with quiet power.
Ren sat cross-legged, catching his breath, while Nyx lay beside him, exhausted, but very much alive.
[Trial Complete. Rewards Deposited.]
[Temporary Access Granted: Evolution Pool – Beginner Tier]
[Eligible Beast Detected: Nyx – Voidtail Cub]
Evolution Path Available: 2
Would you like to proceed with evolution?
Ren blinked.
"You ready?" he asked aloud.
Nyx growled softly, then nodded once. Even the young beast seemed to sense what was coming.
[Beginning Evolution Process…]
Blue glyphs bloomed in a perfect circle around Nyx, layered like petals of energy-infused runes. Light surged, shadows thickened, and Nyx's body began to float as a cocoon of spectral mist enveloped him.
[Analyzing bloodline…]
[Suppressed Gene Signature Detected: Primordial Alpha-Class Hybrid]
Unlock condition: 1x Evolution Crystal [✓]
Beast Loyalty ≥ 70 [✓]
Optional enhancement: Infuse Beast Tamer's Ring (Repaired)?
[Infuse = Permanent bond boost, path stability, +1 passive trait]
Infuse Ring? Y/N
Ren hesitated for only a breath.
"…Infuse."
The ring, gold and obsidian, recently restored by the trial, disintegrated into golden dust and spiraled into the cocoon. Nyx howled inside, a piercing note that sent a shiver across the entire grove.
[Fusion Accepted.]
[Passive Trait Unlocked: Shadowborn Loyalty – This beast cannot be stolen, corrupted, or turned against you.]
The cocoon cracked.
A new aura surged outward, dense, regal, wild.
From the mist emerged a larger, sleeker Nyx, his fur darker, his limbs longer, and a faint blue crown-shaped mark glowing between his eyes. His tail now split into two shadowy trails, and his claws shimmered faintly with ghostfire.
[Evolution Complete: Nyx – Voidfang Alpha]
Rank: E-
Bloodline: Alpha Hybrid – Partial Unlock
Trait: Shadowborn Loyalty (Unique)
Skill: Phantom Pounce (New)
Stat Increase: +Overall 25%]
Ren stared, breath caught.
"You… you evolved," he whispered, a grin forming. "You look like a king."
Nyx padded forward, head held high, but his eyes softened as he bumped against Ren's chest. Ren patted his snout, and the bond between them pulsed.
Then, another notification chimed.
[Beast Codex Rank Increased.]
[New Option Unlocked: Access to Local Tamer Registry – Low-Tier]
[Invitation Received: Starroot Beast Tamer Academy – Outer Candidate Trial]
Location: Starroot Valley
Rank Requirement: Level 4+
Time Limit: 72 Hours
Ren's eyes narrowed.
"Academy?" he muttered. "A training ground for beast tamers?"
It made sense. His system was pushing him along a path. First survive. Then evolve. Now… join others.
He stood, brushing off his cloak.
"Let's move, Nyx. If we're going to become Sovereigns, we'll need to see what this world's best has to offer, and beat it."
Nyx growled in agreement, his twin tails whipping with energy as he stepped beside Ren. The two of them walked toward the distant glimmering forest path, toward their next challenge.
Unaware that eyes were already watching them from the shadows.
Far above, on a floating shard of land suspended in the clouds, a hooded figure whispered:
"So… another one has awakened the code."
End of Chapter 3