Noah's body burned.
Not the kind of burn that came from exhaustion after training too hard. Not even the pain of an injury, a broken bone, or a deep cut. This was something far beyond that. It felt like his entire being was being dismantled, each cell torn apart and rebuilt with something new. Something far more powerful than what had been there before. His skin tingled, his muscles twitched violently, and his bones felt as though they were shifting, reshaping into something stronger, sharper and different.
He barely had time to process it before the world around him vanished.
Everything faded into darkness.
The cold forest floor beneath him disappeared, the towering trees and the sound of distant howls, all were gone. He wasn't in the Trial Grounds anymore. He wasn't anywhere. It was as if he had been thrown into a vast empty void, an abyss where nothing existed except for one other presence.
The Shadow Panther that stood in front of him, its sleek black fur shimmering with an eerie glow. Its piercing golden eyes locked onto his. But this wasn't the same wounded, desperate beast that had been on the brink of death moments ago.
This version of the Shadow Panther was taller, stronger, primal and its body no longer a physical form but something more. Its fur shifted like living smoke, blending into the darkness around them. It looked like a being born from the very essence of the shadows.
A deep, unnatural rumble echoed in the abyss.
Then, the voice returned.
Ding!
[Fusion in Progress…]
'Fusion? with the Shadow Panther? That's not."
Noah barely had time to register the words before a sharp, searing pain tore through his skull.
A sudden flood of memories, ones that weren't his crashed into his mind like a tidal wave.
'A silver moon shining over the jungle. The silent prowl of a predator stalking its prey.
The electric thrill of the chase .
The anticipation before the final strike.
The raw, instinctual urge to kill.'
A sudden, terrifying realization struck him. "These thoughts… they aren't mine." His heart pounded wildly as flashes of memories, hunting, stalking, killing filled his mind.
Noah gasped, his entire body seizing up. These weren't just thoughts, they were memories, possibly the Shadow Panther's memories.
His heart pounded wildly and too fast. He could feel the beast's hunger, its cunning, its primal need to hunt and survive. Its instincts coiled around his own, weaving into his very essence, fusing with his mind and body.
Then there were changes in his body, his breathing turned sharp, almost inhuman, his fingernails darkened, stretching slightly, not quite claws, but close. His muscles tensed, each fiber coiling with newfound.
His senses exploded outward 'I can hear… everything.' right now he could hear everything, the rustling leaves miles away, the skittering of insects beneath the dirt, the slow and steady heartbeat of the Beast Bear which was still lurking in the clearing.
And his vision was enhanced... He blinked, and the shadows took form, the darkness was no longer empty. Every shadow had depth. They weren't just pockets of blackness, but shapes and movements. He could see through the dark, sensing every living thing within its grasp.
'The dark isn't just dark anymore… I can see inside it.'
He wasn't just fusing with the Shadow Panther, he was actually becoming it. Slowly obtaining every element it had.
Then, just as suddenly as it had started, the pain vanished.
Thud!
Noah's body hit the ground with a dull thud, his breath ragged, his entire form thrumming with raw energy.
The pain was gone, his injuries had healed and his once sluggish reflexes were gone, they were replaced with something impossibly sharp and impossibly fast.
ROOOOAAARRR!
Before he could even sit up, the Beast Bear, still very much alive and very much angry let out a deafening roar and charged.
Noah barely had time to think, one moment, he was on the ground and the next, his body moved on its own. He vanished in a flicker of black mist and a blur of motion. Then he was suddenly standing behind the bear, completely unharmed.
Ding!
[New Ability Unlocked: Shadow Step – Short-range teleportation through darkness.]
'Short-range teleportation through darkness?' He flexed his fingers, feeling the energy hum beneath his skin.
A slow grin spread across his lips.
'wait… did I just…?'
Noah's eyes widened, he hadn't dodged, he had teleported.
The Beast Bear stumbled forward, confused, its head whipping around in search of its prey.
Noah felt a slow, uncontrollable grin spread across his face. 'So this was what true power felt like.'
The bear roared again, more cautious this time, before lunging forward, massive claws swiping at the air.
This time, Noah didn't even flinch. He could see it, the small shifts in the bear's movements, the way its weight shifted just before attacking. He could predict every strike before it even happened.
It wasn't magic anymore it was instinct.
The beast swung again, and Noah dodged without even thinking, his body moving like liquid shadow. Then he saw the opening, just beneath its ribs, where the fur was thinner, where its massive heart beat just beneath the surface.
Dark energy flickered between his fingers. Before he even realized what he was doing, he lunged forward. His claws slashed through the air, slicing through muscle and flesh like a blade through silk.
A wet splat filled the clearing then,
Roar!
The Beast Bear let out a final, deep guttural roar then it collapsed and the light in its eyes faded
A rush of heat filled Noah's body as glowing blue text appeared before his vision.
[You have defeated a Tier 2 Beast: Beast Bear.}
[Absorbing Beast Essence…]
The warmth spread deeper, sinking into his muscles, his bones, his mind.
"I can sense everything. Every movement. Every weakness. It's like…" His eyes flickered. "I was born to hunt."
[Congratulations! New Passive Ability Acquired: Predator's Instinct.]
This allows the user to sense the weaknesses and emotions of nearby creatures.
Noah took a deep, steady breath, his fingers curling into fists as the power settled inside him, it wasn't just power but it was evolution.
The forest around him was silent. A few moments ago, he had been prey and now, he was the hunter.
A faint rustling caught his attention. The Shadow Panther stood a few feet away, watching him with its glowing golden eyes. Despite the battle, despite its wounds, it still held itself with quiet strength.
For a long moment, neither of them moved, then, the Shadow Panther stepped forward.
Noah frowned. "You should go," he muttered, his voice lower than usual. "I don't want to force a contract on you."
But the panther didn't leave instead it took another step forward, lowering its head slightly.
"You… you're choosing me?" Noah could barely believe it. After everything, after all his failures right now a beast was willingly accepting him. He smirked. "Well… the Academy is going to love this."
As if the system had been waiting for his disbelief, it confirmed:
[Shadow Panther has voluntarily accepted a Beast Contract.
Noah's breath caught. "Wait… are you saying you…"
Before he could finish, a golden light erupted from the panther's body, surrounding them both in a warm glow.
Ding!
[Taming Successful!]
Something clicked inside Noah's chest, it wasn't like the fusion or an overwhelming flood of power forcing itself into his body. It was acceptance. A bond forged through respect and submission. Not like a master and servant, a tamer and beast but equals.
A slow smirk tugged at Noah's lips, the Academy and Kane had wanted him dead but Instead, he had evolved.
His hands clenched into fists, determination burning through him as he turned toward the distant Academy gates.