Bastion had set aside dungeon diving in favor of expanding his knowledge of smithing and its many derivatives. So far, he had completed the basic classes, covering weapons, armor, trinkets, magic smithing, and more. But he quickly realized there were countless paths he had yet to explore.
One such path was architecture and construction, a field where smithing played a crucial role. An architect could not afford to ignore metallurgy when designing durable structures. While some chose to build exclusively with stone, wood, thatch, or even bone, metal remained the premier material and was therefore a vital part of the smithing curriculum.
Smithing also overlapped with woodworking, particularly for crafting items like bows, arrows, staves, and spears.
Then there were the more obscure disciplines. Runesmiths, for example, forged metal while embedding runes into their work, creating a more scientific and methodical form of enchanting.
Elementalsmiths specialized in infusing gear with elemental forces such as fire, ice, or lightning. This craft combined techniques from both magical smithing and rune forging.
Meanwhile, Metalscribing concentrated on inscribing ancient scripts and intricate circuits into metal, producing enchantments through written form. Bastion had already experimented with this method during his work on golem creation, and he recognized it as a distinct discipline of its own.
Bastion was determined to master every method, so he dedicated an entire semester to the forge. Seraphina watched with a nostalgic smile as he moved from one smithing project to the next without pause.
"It feels like the Bastion I remember from the game," Seraphina said, stars in her eyes as she flirted with him.
She realized she was fangirling over him again, but it couldn't be helped. This was the Bastion she was most familiar with, a boring knight in shining armor who worked with unwavering focus.
"Tell me you're too busy to talk to me," Seraphina said in a sultry tone as she sat on his lap, her arms wrapped around his neck, drawing curious glances from nearby students in the cafeteria.
"I'm sorry, Seraphina. I really am too busy," Bastion replied, his voice genuinely apologetic.
"That's right. Talk dirty to me," she purred with a satisfied grin.
Lilia arrived at their table, gave Seraphina a confused look, and asked, "What's wrong with her? Is it that time of the month, or is she just in heat?"
"She's been like this ever since I started focusing on smithing the whole semester."
"Maybe you should just sleep with her and get it out of her system."
"I have been, but it hasn't made a difference."
Ever since the poisoned banquet incident, Seraphina had been spending more time with Bastion's group. With no need to run all over the school completing side quests and missions she recognized from the game, she was finally free to relax and stay close.
She often spent nights with Bastion and occasionally with Elyra, further deepening their sexual relationship. Since then, she had become far less shy about public displays of affection, behaving openly like a maiden in love.
It wasn't considered strange, though. All the students were adults, and nobles were especially known for being even more shameless in that regard.
"So, how are your elemental classes going?" Bastion asked Lilia while gently running his hand along Seraphina's inner thigh to keep her occupied.
"Great! I learned a lot about ice manipulation. I also found out I'd make an excellent torturer in the Advanced Water Mastery class."
"That's terrifying."
"Tell me about it."
Water was a fluid element, best known for being easier to manipulate than the others. It readily took the shape a sorcerer desired, making it ideal for binding or trapping opponents. Drowning, in particular, was a common application. And with Lilia's healing attribute ensuring her victims never died, it was no surprise that torture had become her specialty.
"So, what classes are you taking now?" Lilia asked.
"Basic Summoning, Taming, and Animal Rearing," Bastion replied, while Seraphina slid her hand under his shirt to feel his abs.
"I thought you were against keeping tamed beasts?"
"I'm not against it. I just think it's more effort than it's worth. Still, learning the basics is important. You never know when the knowledge might come in handy."
Bastion was currently preparing to take three beast-related courses alongside a few advanced smithing classes. The beast courses included Basic Summoning, Taming, and Animal Rearing, each designed to teach foundational knowledge about magical creatures, their behavior, and how to form bonds with them.
The purpose was to broaden his understanding of creature-based systems, not necessarily to build a permanent beast companion roster.
He wanted to learn how summoned and tamed creatures interacted with different types of equipment, how to forge specialized gear for them, and how to counter them in battle. It was knowledge that could prove useful whether he was crafting armor for a gryphon, designing restraints for a wild elemental beast, or fighting alongside a summoner on the battlefield.
Even if he never kept a beast of his own, Bastion saw the value in mastering the tools and tactics that came with the field.
Seraphina's hand suddenly slipped from under his shirt to inside his pants, where she firmly grabbed onto little Bastion.
With a sigh, Bastion stood up and scooped her into his arms, nodding to Lilia as she finished her meal.
"I'm going to have to calm her down again. I'll see you around, Lilia," he said.
"Have fun!" she called after him with a teasing smile.
After spending an hour tending to Seraphina's needs, Bastion made his way to the Beast Warren, where all three of his beast-related classes would be held back to back.
In Summoning class, they began with a list of the most reliable summoning lines commonly used by experienced summoners.
A summoning line referred to a lineage or category of summoned beings that had proven dependable over thousands of years. These entities were known to consistently respond to summoning rituals and maintain stable contracts, unlike more temperamental beings that might ignore a summoner's call.
The most reliable lines included powerful creatures that had surpassed Rank 5 and offered consistent summoning services. These legendary beings included dragons, gryphons, phoenixes, krakens, unicorns, pegasi, angels, devils, and others. However, they often required a strong affinity from the summoner and imposed strict conditions before forming a contract.
Next were the moderately powerful but highly reputable lines, such as wolves, tigers, lions, sharks, dolphins, raptors, ravens, rats, and similar creatures. These were considered the bread and butter of most summoners due to their balance of utility, reliability, and low affinity requirements. They were useful in a wide range of situations and generally more cooperative than their higher-ranked counterparts.
Lastly, there were the least reliable summoning lines, which included slimes, jellyfish, certain plants, and even demons. Surprisingly, demons were included on the list of summonable entities.
Not all demons were as destructive or invasive as the Demon Lord from the Kingdom of Brilliance. Many were intelligent beings simply seeking beneficial contractual relationships, though their chaotic nature made them unpredictable in comparison to more established summoning lines.
Bastion's next class was Taming, which focused on how the Tame skill functioned.
Tame was a form of mental magic that allowed the caster to imprint their intent onto a weaker or willing creature. In controlled tests, this even included humans, though the effect was negligible and amounted to little more than a conversation.
With less intelligent beasts, however, the skill enabled them to grasp the idea of a contract. The tamer would offer something of value such as power, safety, food, or comfort in exchange for the beast's loyalty and cooperation. The nature of the offer depended entirely on what the tamer projected during the taming process.
The more skilled and capable the tamer, the more likely it was that beasts would choose to accept the bond.
Although the Tame skill resembled mind control, it included a key difference. The creature's free will remained intact, and the bond was formed through mutual benefit rather than domination.
The class also introduced the basics of beast empowerment. This involved improving a beast's strength and rank through proper combat experience, a balanced diet, and rare natural treasures essential to their growth.
For example, a Blaze Wolf could only grow stronger by consuming the charred remains of Rank 1 creatures it had hunted and killed on its own. This process was not only a matter of biological necessity but also tied to the creature's pride and instinct.
With the right conditions, nutrition, and care, a Blaze Wolf could gradually increase in rank and might even undergo a complete evolution. Such a transformation could alter its size, appearance, and abilities depending on its genetic potential.
Finally, in Animal Rearing, the professor delivered his lecture with theatrical intensity.
"These are not your pets. They are not your friends or your children. They are beasts. Never forget that."
He paced the front of the class, voice rising with conviction.
"Unlike taming, which is built on a contractual bond, animal rearing is governed purely by instinct and hierarchy. It is a constant, never-ending battle for dominance. They will test you. They will prod at the boundaries of your relationship, searching for any sign of weakness."
His eyes swept across the students.
"If you miss even the slightest act of defiance, they will escalate. They will challenge your position as Alpha. Make no mistake, their instincts demand constant improvement, and they will test you in ways you would never expect. Slip up once, and they will be emboldened to undermine your authority or steal members of your herd. At worst, they may resort to violence."
He stopped walking and glared.
"Always remain vigilant. Always stay on guard. Do not hesitate to assert your dominance. If necessary, beat them. Draw blood. Remind them who leads. They are not your pets, your partners, or your children. They are wild beasts, and given the chance, they will go for your throat."
He went on to explain the various animals most commonly recommended for rearing, particularly those valued for their produce. The system was similar to how livestock worked on Earth, though with several key differences. Many of these creatures possessed elemental affinities, special abilities, or slight alterations in species that made them unique.
One example was the cacao cow, a prized creature known for producing sweet chocolate milk. Its diet included grass, salt, sweet fruits, and cacao pods. The milk it produced was considered one of the most luxurious and expensive goods in the entire kingdom.
Bastion found himself genuinely enjoying his new classes, unaware that beyond the peaceful routine, something dark had already begun to stir.
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