The morning sun shone brightly through the trees as Kaito sat cross-legged in his room, his fingers hovering over the system interface. The Starlight Fox lay peacefully at his side, its soft blue eyes half-closed, radiating a faint ethereal glow as it rested.
Kaito had just finished reviewing the results of his last battle. The fox had grown stronger, its abilities sharpened, and it had earned several skill points and stat points from their victory over the wild boar. Now, it was time to allocate those points, and Kaito was careful as he planned his next steps.
He opened the System Panel and navigated to the stat and skill point allocation menus. A surge of excitement filled him as he prepared to unlock more of his partner's potential.
Kaito Yamada - Level 10
HP: 1000/1000
Mana: 500/500
Endurance: 14
Agility: 14
Intelligence: 16
Strength: 15
Stat Points: 200
Kaito's Stat Points were now at 200, and it was time to allocate them carefully. After some thought, he distributed them across his core stats to increase his overall effectiveness as a tamer:
Strength: 15 → 45 (+30)
Intelligence: 16 → 56 (+40)
Agility: 14 → 34 (+20)
Endurance: 14 → 26 (+12)
He felt the changes immediately, the increased strength coursing through his muscles, and a sharper focus settling in his mind. His agility was better, his endurance was higher, and his magical capacity had grown significantly. With these upgrades, he would be more versatile in battle and better equipped to help his partner grow stronger.
Starlight Fox - Level 6
Skill Points: 100
Now it was the Starlight Fox's turn. The fox had gained 100 skill points, and Kaito was eager to see how much stronger it could get. After reviewing its abilities, he decided to allocate the fox's skill points to further enhance its combat skills:
Space Wrap (Passive): Level 1 → Level 10 (Maximum level) – Enhanced range and faster activation time, enabling the fox to blink across vast distances almost instantaneously, catching even fast opponents off guard.
Starlight Cloak (Active): Level 1 → Level 10 (Maximum level) – Increased invisibility and stealth duration, allowing the fox to become completely undetectable for longer periods of time, even in the midst of powerful enemies.
Cosmic Strike (Active): Level 1 → Level 10 (Maximum level) – The fox's ability to unleash concentrated cosmic energy from its paws had reached its peak, now dealing tremendous damage with shorter charge times and more explosive force.
Kaito confirmed the upgrades, feeling the weight of the changes. The Starlight Fox was now even more powerful, its movements smoother, its attacks sharper. The bond between them deepened with each upgrade, and Kaito could sense that the fox was eager to see its new abilities in action.
With their stat and skill upgrades complete, Kaito felt the rush of power course through him. The air around them felt charged, crackling with the energy of their newfound strength. Together, they were ready for whatever came next.
The two of them made their way deeper into the forest, Taro leading the way with his usual confidence, a few paces ahead of Kaito. The training grounds were vast, filled with a variety of low to mid-level beasts, perfect for tamers looking to test their skills. Kaito kept his focus on his partner, noting how the little fox seemed to pick up on the energy in the air. Its glowing fur pulsed faintly as it adjusted to the surroundings.
"You're getting better at this, huh?" Taro called back, glancing over his shoulder. "I've been watching. You and the fox have something special. But that doesn't mean I'm going to go easy on you." His words were playful, but Kaito could tell there was an underlying challenge in his voice.
"You never do," Kaito shot back, feeling a grin tug at the corner of his lips.
As they ventured further, Kaito could feel the Mana in the air thickening. It wasn't long before they encountered their first challenge.
A small, silver-scaled serpent appeared from behind a tree, its bright yellow eyes locking onto Kaito and Taro with a menacing glare. Its body coiled around itself, ready to strike. The serpent was a Bronze-ranked beast, but its venomous bite was nothing to underestimate.
Taro wasted no time. "Let's go, Saladin!" he called, and in a flash, a large, muscular eagle materialized beside him. Its wings were sharp, its feathers tinged with gold, and its eyes glowed with a fierce intelligence. Saladin was Taro's main partner, and it had been with him since his first year at the academy.
With a sharp cry, the eagle lunged toward the serpent, diving in for an attack. Taro had honed Saladin's agility, and the bird moved like a streak of lightning. It swooped toward the serpent's head, aiming to strike with its talons.
Kaito wasn't about to be outdone. "Starlight Fox, let's do this!" he called out, his voice full of determination.
The fox leapt from his shoulder, landing with a soft thud on the ground. It immediately activated its Starlight Cloak, vanishing from sight and leaving only a shimmer of starlight in its place. Kaito's heart raced as he watched, feeling a surge of pride in his partner's ability to adapt.
The serpent hissed, searching the area for its elusive prey. But the Starlight Fox was quick, its Space Wrap already in action. It blinked across the battlefield, moving faster than the serpent could track, and in the blink of an eye, it appeared behind the creature.
"Now, Cosmic Strike!" Kaito commanded.
The fox's eyes gleamed, and a burst of condensed cosmic energy shot from its paw, slamming into the serpent's side. The impact was instantaneous, and the serpent was sent spiraling into the air, its scales glittering like shards of glass in the sunlight.
Taro, watching in surprise, shook his head. "Not bad," he said, impressed. "But let's see if your fox can keep up with Saladin."
The eagle, after having dodged the serpent's retaliatory strike, began to circle above. Taro's voice rang out: "Saladin, Tempest Dive!"
Saladin let out a sharp cry as its wings generated a powerful gust of wind. The eagle dove down, picking up speed as it aimed for the serpent's vulnerable underbelly. The combination of wind pressure and sheer force from the eagle's talons left the serpent no room to escape. It recoiled in pain, but the fight wasn't over.
Kaito's eyes narrowed. The serpent, though wounded, was still a threat. It reared up, hissing furiously, preparing for a last-ditch strike.
"Starlight Fox, finish it!" Kaito shouted.
The fox's body flickered in and out of sight as it dashed toward the serpent, its Starlight Cloak shrouding it from view. Just as the serpent lunged, snapping its fangs toward where the fox had been, the fox appeared behind it once again. Cosmic Strike hit the serpent square in the back, sending the creature crashing into the ground with a thundering thud.
The serpent writhed for a moment, then collapsed, defeated.
"Victory goes to the fox!" Kaito said, his voice filled with excitement.
Taro stood there, his expression a mix of admiration and mild surprise. "Alright, alright," he said with a laugh. "I'll admit it, your fox is impressive. Not bad at all."
Kaito couldn't help but grin. "We make a good team," he said, his eyes flicking to the Starlight Fox, who was already wagging its tail in satisfaction.
Before Taro could respond, another rustle from the bushes interrupted their celebration. This time, however, the beast that emerged was larger—much larger.
A massive Silver Rank Thorn Beast—its thorn-covered body spiked with razor-sharp protrusions—emerged from the underbrush. The creature's eyes glowed red, and it snarled as it stalked toward them.
Kaito and Taro both stood at attention.
"This one's not like the others," Kaito said, his voice serious.
Taro grinned. "Looks like it's time to put our skills to the real test."
Without another word, both tamers readied their monsters. Kaito's heart raced, but with his newfound confidence and his partner's power, he was ready.
The battle was about to get much more intense.