The sun had barely crested the horizon when Kael Ashborne found himself standing in the middle of the training courtyard, surrounded by dozens of other first-year tamers. The courtyard wasn't just wide—it was massive, a combination of natural rock, small forests, and artificial obstacles designed for beasts of every shape and size. Somewhere in the distance, a professor's horn blew sharply, cutting through the morning air.
"First exercise: Survival Trial," the voice announced. Calm. Cruel. Just like the System.
Kael's stomach twisted. Survival Trial. He remembered the last part of yesterday's lecture:
"F-Rank beasts are rare chances to unlock hidden evolutionary paths. Most will fail. Those who survive… may break the System."
Kael glanced at his summon, still a wobbly gray lump on the stone floor.
"Well, buddy," he whispered, crouching down, "time to see if the System made a mistake."
The blob blinked. A small gurgle escaped it, like it was laughing at him—or maybe mocking the universe.
Kael narrowed his eyes. "Then we're both laughing last, aren't we?"
From across the courtyard, Kael noticed a figure that immediately caught the attention of everyone around her. Tall, graceful, with midnight hair shimmering like scales and eyes that reflected pure confidence. Her beast hovered beside her—a blue, ethereal creature with wings of water and light.
That had to be Luna Dravaryn.
She looked at Kael's blob with one eyebrow raised.
"You're… going first?" she asked. Her tone was polite, almost bored, but the faint smirk on her lips betrayed amusement.
Kael's cheeks burned. Bored? Amused? Both? He opened his mouth, ready to say something biting… but a sudden growl from the System console interrupted him.
["Trial begins in three… two… one…"]
A blast of wind, heavy and metallic, swept through the courtyard. Targets, dummies, and obstacles sprung to life, powered by the System itself. Some were mechanical beasts, some were illusions, some were small elemental traps designed to test both tamer and summon.
Kael felt his heart hammer. He looked down at his blob. It wobbled nervously, stretching like elastic, trying to form something resembling legs—or maybe eyes. Either way, Kael gritted his teeth.
"Survive," he growled. "Do not die. That's the only rule."
Almost immediately, chaos erupted.
Rowen Greycliff's wolf-beast barreled past, knocking over a stack of wooden dummies. Sparks flew, and someone screamed.
Iris Thorn, a fiery-haired girl with a salamander-like creature on her shoulder, accidentally ignited one of the bushes, which caused her own beast to yelp and leap into the air. The crowd laughed.
Kael tried to focus. He took a step forward. The blob wobbled behind him, dragging half a foot behind like a gray slug with attitude.
"Focus, focus, FOCUS!" Kael shouted.
Then the first mechanical target lunged—a sharp, clawed construct with glowing eyes. Every other tamer's beast leaped into action. The wolf tore it in half. The salamander shot flames. Even Luna's water-winged beast swept it aside gracefully.
Kael's blob? It… rolled forward. That's it. Rolled. Slowly. Awkwardly. Half the crowd doubled over laughing.
"Is that… moving?" someone whispered.
"It's pathetic!" another shouted.
Kael's fists clenched so tightly his nails dug into his palms. He wanted to scream, punch someone, and also cry—all at the same time.
"It's… strategic!" he shouted.
"Yeah… sure," Cassian muttered from across the field, "strategy doesn't usually involve looking like a puddle of goo."
The mechanical target lunged directly at Kael. He braced for impact. Everyone assumed the blob would be crushed instantly.
But then something strange happened. The blob, in a panic, squished under the claw, then… expanded.
It oozed upward, forming a rough shield-like shape. The metal claw barely made a dent before bouncing off. A faint shimmer surrounded it.
Kael blinked. "What the hell…?"
["Fascinating,"] the System voice intoned. ["F-Rank anomaly detected. Survival potential increasing."]
The crowd went silent. Even Cassian's smirk faltered slightly.
Kael's hands trembled, a mix of fear and awe. "You… can survive? You… actually… survive?"
The blob gurgled. Whether it was a response or just drool was unclear. Kael didn't care. It was moving. It was fighting. It was alive.
From the corner of his eye, Kael noticed a pale girl, tall, with jet-black hair and a calm, unnerving expression. A spider-like creature crawled along her shoulder, eight legs moving with unnerving precision.
"Interesting," she whispered to herself, eyes scanning Kael's blob. "Most F-Rank attempts would have been dead in seconds… yet it endures. Adaptability… raw. Very promising."
Kael didn't notice her staring at him, but Luna did. She tilted her head.
"That tamer…" Luna murmured, "he might be worse than I expected… or more dangerous."
Kael froze, barely understanding the words, but a small spark of pride hit him. Dangerous? I'll take that.
The rest of the trial descended into chaos. Mechanical beasts attacked in waves. Some students were knocked down, their beasts tangled, scorched, or otherwise humiliated. Kael ducked behind a small rock. The blob squished beside him, wobbling dangerously.
Cassian's griffin swept through the field, tearing apart dummies like they were paper, and then looked down at Kael.
"You're… still alive," Cassian said flatly.
Kael gritted his teeth. "Barely."
A small flame trap appeared directly in front of Kael. He panicked. The blob shrieked—or something approximating a shriek—and stretched upward. The gray mass absorbed the flames, puffing smoke.
"Yes! That's it!" Kael shouted. "You can do it! Survive, you stupid—"
The blob suddenly tripped over itself and tumbled forward, rolling through the remaining flames. When it stopped, it was slightly charred, wobbly, and somehow… victorious.
The crowd gasped. A few students even clapped—partly in disbelief, partly in confusion.
"System… what… how?" someone whispered.
Kael's grin was wild, messy, and full of anger, excitement, and something dangerously close to joy. "That's my summon. Don't touch it. Don't underestimate it. Not now. Not ever."
A soft glow appeared over Kael's head as the System logged the blob's survival.
[ "F-Rank beast has survived first wave. Survival potential +2. Hidden evolution path unlocked: ???."]
Kael's heart skipped. Hidden evolution path? That's… something no one else has, isn't it?
He glanced at Luna. She was watching him now, eyes wide—but not with pity. Interest. Curiosity. Maybe even respect.
Kael smiled—just a little.
"Yeah," he muttered, "watch this. Just… watch this."
By the end of the first trial, the courtyard was a mess. Flames, water, smoke, and a few crushed dummies littered the ground. Kael's blob was battered, covered in smudge-gray soot, and somehow still moving. The System console flashed next to him:
KAEL ASHBORNE – F-Rank Beast Survived Wave 1. Hidden Potential Detected.
Cassian's expression had shifted from amusement to suspicion. Luna gave a small, approving nod. And Nyx? She disappeared before Kael could even process her presence, leaving only a whisper behind.
"Interesting. Very interesting…"
Kael dropped to his knees, exhausted, his fists digging into the dirt. His blob plopped beside him, wobbling contentedly.
"We survived," Kael muttered, laughing despite himself. "Barely… but we survived."
And somewhere deep in his chest, a spark ignited. Not rage. Not despair. Something new.
"This… this is just the beginning."