Jimmy asked through their bond, "Did you learn new moves?" Peeko puffed up proudly and nodded without hesitation.
"Let's practice them," Jimmy said.
Peeko nodded again but instead of starting, he suddenly zipped high into the air, spinning in tight circles as if to show off.
"Peeko, come down. Let's practice your new moves," Jimmy repeated, voice firm but amused.
With a playful cry, Peeko swooped down and landed hard, talons digging into the dirt. The ground trembled with a muted rumble as fine cracks spiderwebbed outward in a short radius, no more than two meters.
From each fracture, radiant peacock feathers erupted upward. The outer edges shimmered in emerald and sapphire, while the inner quills pulsed gold, forming a neat, fan-like ring around Peeko. Their arrangement looked like a miniature royal crest, and the glow faded just before reaching knee height.
"Good," Jimmy said with a small nod, impressed despite himself.
Peeko gave a quick "Dumta!" of approval and immediately prepared the next move.
His body shimmered and split into two perfect copies.
Jimmy tilted his head. "That's Mirage, not Clone. They're different."
Peeko ignored the lecture and the two copies began running circles around him in dizzying loops.
It didn't take a min to know what Peeko was up to, so he wanted Jimmy to guess which one was real.
Jimmy already knew, but he decided to humour him. He reached into his pouch and pulled out a small snack.
Both Peeko stopped mid-run, eyes locked on the food, then dashed toward him in unison.
Jimmy smirked and quickly slipped it away.
Next trick — he reached out and tapped one Peeko on the wing. Both squeaked, "No, no!" in perfect chorus and bolted to opposite sides again, tails twitching like they were trying to hide their guilt.
Jimmy pretended to be confused, rubbing his chin as if deeply considering which one was real. "Hmm… maybe I should keep the treat until the real Peeko shows himself…" Suddenly they came near him, to grab that food again but this time jimmy grabbed him correctly. jimmy said "no more tricks." Peeko shouted "dumta tat ata... How did you know?"
Jimmy shook his head in faint amusement. "Any more moves to show?"
Peeko's feathers bristled in excitement. He shot into the sky, his body glinting under the sun.
A concentrated sphere of golden light bloomed at his beak, barely the size of a fist at first, but flaring with compressed heat.
In a sharp cry, he released it upward — a Solar Blaze.
The burst expanded in a spiralling plume of gold and orange, streaked with faint red veins, climbing only about 7 meters before dissipating into a rain of warm sparks.
"Solar Blaze…" Jimmy muttered under his breath, recognizing the technique instantly.
As the glow faded, Peeko descended, his body humming with residual heat.
Before landing, he began channelling another skill.
"Solar Core Resonance," Jimmy noted. Then, with a faint smirk, "absorbing the sun's energy? A new combo style, I got it."
....................................................
Jimmy tilted his head. "Do you have something stored from the sun?"
Peeko puffed up proudly and nodded. In less than a minute, his body pulsed with heat, recharging every ounce of energy he lost.
"Good," Jimmy said, folding his arms. "Now, your task—practice all your attacks."
Peeko's eyes narrowed. "Food."
Both Jimmy and Luna turned their heads toward him in perfect unison, their stares sharp enough to pin him in place. Under that twin gaze, Peeko's confident posture wilted. His eyes darted left and right, and then, ever so slowly, he started bouncing sideways like nothing had happened.
"Practice," Jimmy reminded, glancing at the clock. "I have to go to school."
Peeko gave a reluctant nod and trotted to the far corner of the yard. His gaze slid to Luna. "Wanna fight?"
Luna's voice was calm, almost bored. "Practice first. Then we'll match." Peeko blinked, tilting his head. "I am not weak anymore."
Luna didn't answer. She simply turned her back—
Psshh!
A sudden burst of water slammed against Peeko's face, soaking him from crest to talon. He froze, blinking in pure shock. "dumta dumta... What… what does that mean?"
Luna replied smoothly. "ON... Slow"
Peeko clenched his beak, shaking off the water. "I'll definitely defeat you one day."
"I will wait" she said with a faint smile and started to remember something.
.................................
The day after Peeko was born.
Luna's voice was quiet but edged with curiosity. "Will he become stronger than me?"
Jimmy leaned back, thinking for a moment.
"Well… it's true. Even if I made all the Whisps at the same level, with the same attack power, he would still have an edge. One day, he'll surpass you. But…"
Luna narrowed her eyes. "But…?"
"His attack process is unknown. His evolution path is unknown. And the biggest thing—there's no data on him in the data sphere. Only his name stored. I can't predict all the types of moves he can have. Training him will take observation."
Jimmy said, 'don't worry, let's train harder. And make sure he doesn't slack. So, we can become a full-fledged team. There's… one more thing."
Luna asked 'On...'
"That far edge of the field—I can't see it clearly," Jimmy admitted. "I don't know how I'm even seeing at all without eyes. I should probably ask a teacher… but most of them are greedy for money. I saw one selling student data to outsiders. That's why I've never updated my own panel information."
He paused, his voice dropping. "Also… there's something I can use that others can't. My Talent, I don't know why but I can use it from the moment I awaken."
Jimmy again said. "Something… off?"
Some pause.
"My fate started to change after I became a Whisp Master," Jimmy said. "Haven't you noticed? The white feather turning black… winning lottery money… things falling into place too easily. It's strange."
Luna flicked her tail. "On..on.. I'm going to practice."
Jimmy nodded. "Hm. But still… getting things too easily is a problem." He shook the thought away. "Anyway—let's check my sense range."
Luna was already practicing her moves, Jimmy gestured toward the field. "Luna, go some distance."
She padded away, stopping about ten hands further.
"Mark it with your hood," Jimmy called.
When she returned, he gripped her hood tightly. "Hold still."
He quickly pulled out a tape measure, stretching it toward the marked spot.
"Hundred… twenty meters," he murmured.
.....................................
Jimmy did the same morning test again and grinned at the result.
"Two hundred and ten meters," he muttered. "Range increased… just as I thought."
Peeko waddled over, eyes curious. "What is this?"
" We are counting how much food you need to eat." Jimmy asked casually.
Peeko's eyes lit up like a giant neon sign for a buffet. "Dum dum tatata—"
"After school," Jimmy cut in.
Peeko laughed, hopping away toward his practice spot. "Glutton dummy."
Jimmy watched him go but suddenly he felt something didn't feel right. He was trying to remember what it was when a ringtone chimed. Bruno came trotting over, Jimmy's phone balanced neatly in his mouth.
Right. The phone. He hadn't checked it in two days.
One glance and Jimmy's eyes widened—messages flooded the screen. Congratulations, cheers, tags on his social account. His follower count had spiked. Some were even talking about his "eye-opening moment."
Jimmy typed a quick reply: Sorry, I've been busy lately, so I didn't check your messages.
Almost instantly, a response popped up:
We know you can't speak, but I always believed you could type. Thank God I was right. I thought maybe you didn't even know how to use a keyboard. You're really slow, huh? Always training your Whisps? Come get some air.
Before he could reply, another notification came—this time from his teacher.
Today 10:45: my class starts. I'm early today. I'll teach you the basics—how to mix, arrange, and get proper proportions. Bring a thick notebook. And of course, do your handwork at home before coming.
And then the comment section exploded again—
"Another day for my creativity."
"Jimmy, why'd you message so soon? Class isn't starting yet!"
"It's your fault for spamming him with messages!"
Jimmy sighed, slipped the phone away, and bolted. Bath, breakfast, done—in fifteen minutes flat. Twenty-five minutes to spare.
"Luna, leave one clone here. Peeko, you too—use Mirage. Not the same thing, but practice makes perfect. I've got to get to school."
.....................................................
Jimmy called both of them back, then stepped outside, heading toward the school.
"I'm losing control over my clone," Peeko admitted, his voice carrying a hint of frustration.
Jimmy patted his head with a faint smirk. "You glutton. I knew it would happen. Sleep now."
When Jimmy finally reached the classroom, a small group of students was already standing inside the classroom.
"Join them," the teacher said flatly, not even looking up from her desk.
Jimmy took his place among them.
"Next time, even if you're five seconds late, you're out of my class," she continued coldly. "You'll stand here through the whole period—and you'd better answer my questions. Fail, and I'll make you see hell. And you—" her gaze lingered on Jimmy's blindfold, "—don't think being the winner makes you special."
.She then bring some fruits on the table. She said "let's start it."
"These fruits are—wait, wait. We have our latecomers. If they can name them all, they can go sit. Condition is: know every single name. Well, you can pray that those are before you, they should not got those names." She paused, then pointed at him. "You—come here. Write them down."
Jimmy walked to the table without a word, picking up the pen. Jimmy had written ten fruits, yet the teacher glanced at the paper and said coldly, "No. This one's wrong." "Time's up. Next," she snapped. "Write each fruit name twenty times and submit it to me. Understand?"
"Go stand."
Another boy stepped forward. Some gave six names, some eight, but none all correct.
And so, they all stood there—lined up like clowns—while the lesson went on.
..................................
"Alright," she said, her tone silky but sharp enough to cut through the giggles, "these fruits are the backbone of every Nexus Whisp's diet in their early stage. Colour, shape, texture—everything matters. And yes…" Her lips curled faintly as she caught a boy openly staring, "…so does paying attention to the right thing, not the wrong one."
Meanwhile, the teacher strolled along the aisle, hips shifting in a rhythm that had several boys twisting in their seats.
"Proportion of mixture," she continued, voice smooth as honey. "One part Bluevine pulp to three parts Starfruit extract for aquatic types. Add a drop too much and you'll upset their inner balance—just like you would if you poured too much sugar into your own system."
Her eyes flicked toward a boy who was practically drooling. "And you… clearly have enough sugar already."
A ripple of laughter passed through the standing line of latecomers. She stopped by the counter, picking up a ripe flame berry, holding it between her fingertips.
"This one… bright red, heart-shaped, and just as temperamental as it looks. Mishandle it, and it will burst — staining your hands for days. A bit like temptation, boys. Handle with care."
The lesson rolled on for another hour. She named fruits of every hue and contour, explaining their textures, ripening stages, and how they could be mixed. By the time they moved into the lab, the boys were either red-faced from embarrassment or from failing their earlier tasks.
..............................
The lab's glass-topped tables gleamed under the warm lights.
"Pair up," she instructed, rolling her sleeves higher, the movement baring smooth skin and the faint scent of her perfume drifting through the air. Boys scrambled to claim a spot near her workstation.
She started at the first table, leaning low to adjust a burner, the angle sending one of the boys stammering through his sentence. At the next, she rested her palm on a student's shoulder as she corrected his mixture, her nails tracing lightly.
When she reached Jimmy, she set a small tray of ingredients on his counter and spoke without crouching or leaning into his space.
"Your base is correct. Add three drops of the citrus extract before you heat it," she said, her tone even. But as she turned to leave, her hand lingered on the rim of his glass beaker, her fingers trailing just enough for him to notice.
Across the room, another boy fumbled his pipette, spilling liquid across the table. She was there in seconds, leaning over to blot the mess, her hair falling forward to brush his cheek. "Careful," she murmured, straightening with a slow roll of her shoulders.
It was the same pattern, step close, speak low, let the space between her and the boys hum with unspoken tension. By the time the mixtures began to thicken in their flasks, most of them were working half-blind, too busy stealing glances to measure properly.
Jimmy kept his eyes on his work, his beaker steaming gently as he adjusted the flame. Jimmy asked Peeko "I am making food for you. So, don't worry, I will make food from now on."
.................................
"Class dismissed? Oh, not quite," she said, leaning lightly against the front desk. "Since some of you were… otherwise occupied today, I'll make sure your hands and minds are too busy to wander."
She tapped the board with a long pointer, revealing a set of complex diagrams of fruit cross-sections, chemical composition charts, and Whisp metabolic cycles, all layered over each other like an impossible puzzle.
"Your homework," she began, her tone soft enough to lull, "is to prepare a complete feed plan for three different Whisp types: aquatic, avian, and subterranean. You will source the correct fruit, calculate nutrient ratios for both hatchling and adolescent stages, and explain your choices in detail."
The boys groaned in chorus. She smiled wider."Oh, and… you'll present it orally, one by one, next to next day. I expect you to keep your eyes on me—and not for the reasons you tried today."
A few chuckles broke out, but no one dared push back. She gathered her papers, the faint swish of her coat marking the end of the session."Dismissed. And gentlemen… if you're going to fantasize, at least make it about passing the next lab exam."
Total 3 hours of tiring class, 15 min sitting and jimmy started to come back but got stop by a sudden person in front of the gate.