Team 7 had barely recovered from the chaos of the Shattered Bastion when the next announcement came through the loudspeakers of the Trial Pavilion:
> [ FINAL ELIMINATION TRIAL BEGINS IN 48 HOURS ]
[ TEAMS MAY REST, TRAIN, OR REFORM ]
[ INDIVIDUAL RANKINGS AVAILABLE ON REQUEST ]
Everyone else dispersed to strategize, rest, or gloat. But Kiyanotoka sat quietly beneath an old spiritwood tree near the training grounds, Thamuz curled up beside him like an oversized cat radiating heat.
The Fire Dragon purred, the scales on his back flickering with golden-red light.
Kiyanotoka placed a hand on the creature's head.
> "You're not just my weapon. You're my partner. That deserves more than a title."
He remembered how the system had prompted the option to rename a beast—though it never forced it. But doing so, he had learned, deepened their link. It was a spiritual contract of acknowledgment.
And now... it was time for the others.
---
🐦 Naming the Storm Roc
The Roc landed beside him in a gust of wind and lightning. Regal, precise, and always composed. It tilted its head as if already anticipating the ceremony.
> "You need a name that fits your clarity," Kiyanotoka said. "You always fly high. Always watching."
He smiled.
> "I'll call you Zephyrion."
A shimmer passed through the Roc's feathers, and the bond between them pulsed in his chest.
> [ SPIRIT BEAST RENAMED: STORM ROC → ZEPHYRION ] [ SYNCHRONIZATION INCREASED: 35% → 41% ]
Zephyrion spread his wings with a quiet, proud cry.
---
🐇 Naming the Sylph-Hare
The Sylph-Hare blinked into existence on his shoulder, munching on a berry it had somehow stolen from Jin's supplies.
> "You're a menace."
> "Mwehh," the hare said proudly.
> "But also… the heart of the team. Always jumping to save someone, always smiling."
Kiyanotoka thought for a second, then nodded.
> "Your name is Whiskerflip."
The hare made a squeaky noise of approval and did a flip just to honor the name.
> [ SPIRIT BEAST RENAMED: SYLPH-HARE → WHISKERFLIP ] [ SYNCHRONIZATION INCREASED: 41% → 47% ]
---
🔷 Internal Growth
The act of naming wasn't just symbolic. Kiyanotoka could feel it—his control during battle had improved. Timing was smoother. Emotional feedback from the beasts grew stronger.
And as he sat with them, he thought back to how far he'd come.
A weak boy with no beast.
Now he had three.
And they were evolving.
---
🧘♂️ Flame Core Training
That night, Kiyanotoka returned to the private cultivation chamber provided to all semi-finalists.
He took his position in the center, focusing on his breath. The iron band still clamped around his wrist burned with passive resistance—part of his training gear.
> Inhale. Draw from the inner core.
The flame within his dantian glowed brighter. This was body cultivation—a path separate from his beasts, but one that could bolster both his resilience and physical potential.
> Exhale. Focus on pulse clarity.
The flame throbbed in rhythm with his heartbeat, and he felt a faint ripple in the air around him.
> [ BODY LEVEL UP: LEVEL 2 → LEVEL 3 – FLAME CORE ADEPT ]
> [ NEW TRAIT UNLOCKED: "Fire Vein Conductance" – Slight heat resistance, increased pain threshold ]
> [ EFFICIENCY MAINTAINED: 99% ]
---
👥 Elsewhere: Enemies Stir
Across the compound, another team stared at a screen showing Team 7's performance.
> "That Kiyanotoka... he's masking something."
> "He acts like an underdog, but no rookie adapts this quickly."
> "His beasts evolve too smoothly. Almost like they're syncing with a core directive."
A girl with silver irises, dressed in black ceremonial robes, narrowed her eyes.
> "Watch him closely during the finals. We'll expose whatever trick he's hiding."
---
😂 Lighter Moments
Back in Team 7's quarters, Jin was trying to name his new companion: a low-rank shadow lizard.
> "I'm thinking... Shadowdeath. Or maybe Doomtail."
> "You're naming a C-rank reptile Doomtail?" Kale said, half-asleep.
> "Respect the drip."
Kiyanotoka chuckled. It was moments like these that made it bearable.
> "Name it something with meaning, Jin. You'll see what I mean."
> "Alright. Then… Kazoo."
> "That is worse."
> "Too late. Bond's already locked in."
---
🏁 The Eve of the Finals
As the sun dipped below the spirit horizon, Kiyanotoka stood on the balcony. Below him, the colosseum where the final trial would begin slowly filled with mist and arcane light.
Zephyrion perched silently on a ledge. Thamuz coiled protectively around a small flame crystal. Whiskerflip dozed atop Kiyanotoka's head.
> Tomorrow, everything changes.
> No more hiding.
> No more fear.
He opened his hand, feeling both the pulse of his core—and the quiet whispers of the hidden system only he could access.
And for once, it didn't feel like a cheat.
It felt like purpose.
---
📊 Kiyanotoka Ash – Full Stats (Updated)
👤 Name: Kiyanotoka Ash
🌐 Class: Spiritual Beast Master (Hidden Body Cultivator)
📈 Body Level: Level 3 – Flame Core Adept
🔥 Traits:
Core Flame Pulse (Short burst every 30 seconds)
Pulse Guard (1 fatal strike negation/day – cooldown: 24h)
Iron Breath Band Training (Passive resistance growth)
Fire Vein Conductance (Slight heat resistance, pain tolerance boost)
Tri-Layered Coordination
Efficiency: 99%
Weakness: Vulnerable to illusion-induced doubt, emotional repression, quietly competes with himself
---
🐉 Spirit Beasts:
1. Thamuz – Fire Dragon (Juvenile)
Rank: S
Skills: Refined Fire Arc, Heat Surge
Mood: Fiercely protective
Evolution: ~63%
2. Zephyrion – Storm Roc
Rank: A
Skills: Wing Charge, Thunder Dive
Mood: Focused, noble
Evolution: ~50%
3. Whiskerflip – Sylph-Hare
Rank: B
Skills: Shadow Step, Spatial Skip
Mood: Joyfully chaotic
Evolution: ~72%
---
🧬 Beast Synchronization:
Current Sync: 47%
Next Bonus at 50%: True Bonded Command (???)
---
🌍 Trial Progress:
Trial Zone 2: Shattered Bastion – Completed
Next: Final Elimination Trial
---
End of Chapter 24