The sun had barely risen over Graymere, painting the sky with pale streaks of orange and gold, but Kael Vire was already awake. Once again, Fluffmire had decided that his face made a suitable pillow—or, in its case, a mud-stained trampoline.
Kael groaned, brushing mud off his cheek. "You know, I think every day you find a new way to make me regret my life choices."
Fluffmire squeaked in agreement—or amusement, Kael couldn't tell which.
[System Notice: Morning Training – Recommended.]
[Kael Vire – Fatigue Level: Moderate.]
[Fluffmire Salamander – Hunger Level: Low.]
Kael grunted. "Great. The System says we need training, and it knows I'd rather die than deal with mud before breakfast."
But the System didn't care about his emotional state. It simply displayed:
[Daily Growth Potential Detected: 3% – Focus on Combat & Adaptation.]
Kael sighed. "3%? That's… barely enough to get off the floor."
By the time Kael and Fluffmire arrived at the training field, a few other students were already there, flaunting their B-tier and C-tier beasts. Joren and his eagle were back, looking smug as ever.
Kael gritted his teeth. "Not today, Joren. You're not ruining my progress before breakfast."
He crouched beside Fluffmire. "Okay, buddy. Let's see if we can actually move faster than yesterday."
[System Notice: Movement Training – Level 2 Recommended.]
[Fluffmire Salamander – Adaptive Learning: Moderate.]
Kael focused, trying to synchronize more fully with Fluffmire's movements. Slowly, its small legs began to coordinate better. It still stumbled occasionally, but each stumble was smaller than the last. Kael could feel a faint pulse of energy linking them—a tiny spark of connection.
"Good, good!" Kael whispered. "See that? That's teamwork! That's… survival! Maybe one day we'll even fly."
Fluffmire squeaked, looking doubtful. Kael ignored it. Optimism was required, even if absurd.
As Kael trained, something unusual happened. Fluffmire paused mid-step, tilting its head at an angle that made Kael frown.
"What is it? Are you seeing something?"
[System Notice: Environmental Scan Detected.]
[Potential Threat Nearby: Low.]
Kael squinted into the distance. Nothing. Just the rolling hills and a few scattered trees.
Fluffmire let out a tiny hiss and suddenly leapt forward—not in clumsy motion, but with purpose. Kael blinked. "Wait… what—?"
The small salamander landed on a patch of dirt and—without warning—raised a tiny claw, slapping the ground. A ripple of mud shot forward like a miniature wave, striking a practice dummy and knocking it over.
Kael's jaw dropped. "Did you just… knock that over?!"
[System Notice: Fluffmire Salamander – Ability Detected: Mud Manipulation.]
[Potential Growth: Higher than Expected.]
Kael's eyes widened. "Wait a second… I might actually have something here."
By mid-morning, Kael had a plan. He wanted to push Fluffmire harder than ever before.
"Okay, Fluffmire. Let's try something new."
[System Notice: Combat Training – Moderate.]
[Kael Vire – Energy Reserve: Low.]
Kael focused his energy again, sending ripples through their bond. Fluffmire responded immediately, its little body tensing and eyes narrowing.
Kael pointed at the practice dummy. "Knock it over."
The salamander crouched, then shot forward with speed Kael hadn't seen before. Its claw hit the dummy—then another, and another. Mud flew everywhere. Kael laughed, almost falling over himself in excitement.
[System Notice: Training Success – 15%. Potential Growth – High.]
"15%! We just jumped from 2% to 15%! And we didn't even explode anything… yet!" Kael said, grinning like an idiot. Fluffmire squeaked, mud dripping down its tiny face.
From the corner of his eye, Kael noticed Joren staring, open-mouthed. "What?!" he hissed. "He's not… lucky, right?"
The System didn't respond. Kael didn't care. He was too busy marveling at the first spark of real potential he had ever seen in his "useless" Fluffmire.
By noon, Kael realized something crucial: Fluffmire's strength wasn't in brute force. It wasn't speed, it wasn't claws, and it certainly wasn't size. It was adaptation.
Every time Kael gave a command, Fluffmire learned. Every misstep became a lesson. Every failure became a stepping stone. And slowly, painfully, Kael began to understand that the beast's worth wasn't in what it was now, but in what it could become.
[System Notice: Potential Unlocked – Phase 1.]
[Fluffmire Salamander – Adaptive Learning: Active.]
Kael rubbed his temple. "I've been looking at this all wrong. Strength isn't always obvious. Sometimes… it's hidden. And sometimes the weakest… is just underestimated."
Fluffmire squeaked as if agreeing. Kael laughed. "Yeah, yeah, I know. You're muddy, smelly, and possibly insane. But you're my insane."
Just as Kael was reveling in this small victory, a shadow fell across the training field. Joren, predictably, returned, now accompanied by a second student with a fox-like beast that sparkled in the sunlight.
"Kael," Joren sneered, "did you finally teach your blob to wobble without falling on its face?"
Kael grit his teeth. "You'll see soon enough, Joren. Soon enough."
[System Notice: Rival Engagement – High Probability.]
Kael adjusted his stance. Fluffmire mirrored him, small but determined.
"Let's go," Kael muttered, "we're not here to embarrass ourselves—well, not completely."
The other students laughed, expecting another disaster. But Kael didn't flinch. He had seen the first spark of Fluffmire's true potential, and now he knew: he would no longer be the weakling everyone mocked.
Kael focused all his energy on Fluffmire. He felt the bond between them tighten—a thread of life, a thread of magic. Slowly, the small salamander began to glow faintly, mud dripping off its back like molten liquid.
"Kael… it's working!" he whispered.
[System Notice: Adaptive Evolution Initiated.]
[Fluffmire Salamander – Ability Enhancement: Active.]
Fluffmire hissed, tiny sparks of energy flickering across its claws. The practice dummy was obliterated in one swipe, and mud flew like waves across the training field. Kael stumbled back, blinking in shock.
[System Notice: Growth Potential – Very High.]
[Kael Vire – Bond Strength: Increasing Rapidly.]
Joren's jaw dropped. The smug confidence vanished. "What… how?"
Kael grinned. "That's the first spark, Joren. And we're just getting started."
As the sun dipped low over Graymere, Kael sat on a hill, Fluffmire curled against him. Both were exhausted, muddy, and slightly scorched from the glowing sparks.
Kael's thoughts raced. I may be the weakest. I may start with mud and failure. But every day… every single day… I can grow. I can adapt. I can survive. And one day… one day… dragons won't just notice me—they'll follow me.
Fluffmire squeaked, nudging him gently. Kael smiled, lifting the little salamander in his hands. "Don't worry. Tomorrow, we go further. We'll push harder. And maybe, just maybe… someone will finally start to take the weakest seriously."
Somewhere in the distance, the wind carried a faint rumble—not quite a roar, but a tremor that made Kael pause. He frowned, curiosity sparking in his chest.
[System Notice: Unknown Energy Detected – Faint.]
[Kael Vire – Alert Level: Moderate.]
Kael laughed, brushing off the unease. "Probably just the mountains settling. Or… maybe it's the dragons noticing us already. Either way… we're alive. And that's all that matters today."
He didn't know it yet, but the first spark of true growth had been lit. And in the world of beasts and dragons, sparks could become infernos.