Nim sat on his chair—a chair made from the body of a beast, crafted from wood. He had always found this fascinating, even thrilling. *How interesting it is to sit on a chair carved from a monster's corpse while listening to the teacher's lecture.
He was ready to learn from his father and his instructors every day. But his father had left twelve days ago and still hadn't returned. Nim didn't find this particularly worrying—after all, it wasn't an unusually long time for someone tasked with patrolling the city's outskirts, slaying beasts.
"Young ones!"The old teacher Ozni's voice cut through Nim's thoughts.
Ozni was a gruesome sight—his face scarred, one eye missing, and his left hand severed at the wrist. Yet, despite his harsh appearance, people said he was kind-hearted. The other teachers claimed he was strict only for his students' sake. He didn't want any of them to end up like him.
"I have a test for you," Ozni announced. "Since you've absorbed nearly thirty World Essence Stones and are nearing full saturation—close to opening a gateway to your inner world—your mission will be to hunt a beast in the area surrounding the city. You may form teams of four or more. The smaller the team, the greater the reward. Risk and reward go hand in hand."
"The prize could be up to twenty World Essence Stones. Your target is a Frost Moose—a Rank one beast, which means it's slightly above your current level. Since none of you are officially 'Bound' yet—though you're semi-Bound—this mission won't be too difficult. But it won't be easy, either."
"You can either kill it and harvest its heart and other body parts to enhance your affinity with ice, strengthening your talent and future potential… or you can attempt to subdue it and make it your loyal companion. That's all I have for you. Think carefully about your allies, your rivals, and the tools at your disposal."
"In the next lesson, I'll teach you the basics of utilizing World Essence Stones. For now, return to your homes, prepare yourselves, and steel your minds for what's to come."
Nim exhaled. The teacher seems unusually serious about this.His father had once told him, "If Ozni ever gets stern with the students and starts giving them warnings, it means the end of the year is near."
---
**Jenna… Lester…
Jenna was sixteen, her chestnut hair cascading messily over her shoulders. Her pale, freckled face and sharp nose gave her a striking charm, enough to stir anyone's heart. She was slender, standing at around 160 cm, with an upright posture.
Lester, secretly nicknamed *"The Bull,"was seventeen. His jet-black hair framed a perpetually flushed face—no one could tell if it was from anger or the cold. Despite his intimidating build—muscular like a bull, with strength to match—he was well-liked.
They were Nim's closest friends and the best candidates for his team. Lester's abilities leaned toward raw physical power, as the teachers and the Council of Elders had noted. Jenna, on the other hand, had an innate authority over earth, stone, and clay. However, their full potential remained untapped since they weren't officially "Bound" yet, and their ranks and growth capabilities hadn't been determined.
---
"So, what do you say? Join my team," Nim said. "We don't clash in terms of hunting or rewards. And if you come with me, I'll share a little secret—one you'll find out eventually, but it'll be more useful now."
Jenna smirked. "Fine. But what's my compensation for enduring your nonsense throughout this whole ordeal?"**
Nim grinned. "Three World Essence Stones."
"Wow, you're feeling generous today,"she remarked.
Nim turned to Lester. "What about you, Bull? No one else will tolerate your temper like I do. Come with me, and I'll let you feast on Frost Moose meat with me.
Lester crossed his arms. "Just that? She's getting three Stones. Give me at least two, and I won't lose my temper during the hunt."
Nim gave him a strange look. "Since when did you start haggling like a girl?
Lester's eye twitched. Without another word, he swung a heavy fist, slamming Nim into the wall with a loud THUD.
"Agh… Damn it!"Nim groaned, rubbing his face. "I demand compensation, you brute! Or I'm reporting you!"
Lester glared at him, his voice trembling with a mix of fury and fear. "One… one World Essence Stone. That's it."
Nim smirked and gave a slight nod.