[Name: Ashe]
[Race: Graveworm]
[Bloodline: Dragon]
[Title: The Weakest Beast]
[Talent: Dragonborn]
[Talent Rank: Divine]
[Soul Rank: Tier 1]
[Affinities: Shadow (Given by Host)]
[Abilities: Ash Collection, Shadow Storage, Shadow Invincibility, Shadow]
'Having a system is the final boss of convenience,' Noa realized upon browsing through the panel, searching for useful information.
There were some things he hadn't expected.
The Graveworm being a divine beast was one of them.
For a creature this small, flimsy, and seemingly useless, the talent rank was out of this world.
Either dragon bloodline did the job.
Perhaps Noa and his talent played the role.
Or maybe both of these factors worked together to shape Graveworm into the entity it was.
Then there was the talent itself.
[Talent: Dragonborn]
[Description:]
[By feeding on the ashes of dead dragons, the Graveworm can evolve step by step into a true dragon. Only when the sufficient essence is devoured will its true bloodline awaken.]
'Good,' Noa thought, satisfied by the system's explanation.
He didn't stop with talent.
Everything else just existed there, except the abilities he was quick to skim through.
[Abilities:]
[Ash Collection]
[Description:]
[Each ritual for advancement needs stored ashes. She can collect, store, and use them for evolution.]
[Shadow Storage]
[Description:]
[Stores additional shadow mana within her body. The stored energy can be added to your reserve and used freely when needed.]
[Shadow Invincibility]
[Description:]
[Can briefly merge her presence with the nearby shadow and act like an invincible support.]
[Shadow]
[Description:]
[Strengthens your innate shadow affinity by letting you weave shadows like never before.]
Noa was holding his breath this entire time.
Every word he read felt like magic itself, promising him something so amazing and captivating that he couldn't wait to fully experience it.
The knowledge of how to use these weird abilities flowed into his head.
'Shadow Storage can be used as inventory,' he lamented, a thin smile forming on his lips. Noa liked how the supposedly useless creature turned out to be somewhat useful at the very least.
But that was only from the system's perspective.
The knowledge that filled his head didn't just stop at teaching him how to use his skills.
There was way more than that.
Even more important and valuable in his opinion.
His brain…
It overworked for a moment as the waves of information were slowly and steadily digested.
The knowledge was ancient.
It felt like a divine treasure—the most potent and scary thing in the world.
They taught him more about the beasts than any other book or teacher ever could. The rituals they had to go through. The best and most potent essences for every one of them.
How to train them.
How to create a perfect environment for them to grow and even evolve.
Noa knew more than he should.
This abundant amount of knowledge came from ancient times, when dragons ruled over the world and every beast obeyed their command.
It brought information that people these days weren't aware of.
They had long since lost it, putting Noa at an immense advantage over everyone else.
'I may not have a head start, but I have something far more important,' he thought, and pinched the worm, observing her dull yet curious eyes.
"Your name is Ashe, huh? Just like hers," Noa muttered.
The Graveworm couldn't speak.
Not yet.
However, Noa knew for sure that after one or two advancements, she would gain vocal cords, evolve her intelligence along with her strength, and start speaking.
Still, there was a lot he had to gain before that. A lot to learn and achieve, as this moment was only the beginning of his journey.
And the whispers didn't stop.
They just went on, eyes not leaving his back until the ceremony master called for others to conduct their rituals.
Only then did Noa search for his parents.
He knew they would be devastated, disappointed, or maybe… even angry at him.
They bought an expensive egg for him—something they had paid a huge sum for and risked the already struggling barony.
They even started negotiating with his enrollment in the academy.
This was another huge investment they made for him.
But he—
Even with a rare beast egg. Even with magic and physical training, he could only awaken the weakest beast in existence.
What's more, he had wasted the talent he had been bestowed with.
Both Elara and Kaelor had been happy to hear that not only did he sense mana, but his recovery speed was also extraordinary.
And that wasn't all.
Noa was also gifted as a warrior.
His monstrous talent allowed him to learn and practise with ultimate efficiency.
He had even unlocked the First Threshold for both of these paths, and no matter which one he took, he should have been destined for greatness.
So much so that Kaelor made sure that the word wouldn't go out from the people who knew about it.
But now—
All of their hopes crumbled in an instant.
Noa didn't really want to look at them. The shame and guilt were that strong.
But so was the determination his heart was burning with.
He was confident that even with this rough road, he could still reach tier 9 or maybe go even beyond that.
Yet he had to show that.
He had to prove that, not by words, but by his actions.
So he glanced at them with resolve, forcing his eyes not to falter, but to assure them he hadn't given up.
Finding them wasn't hard.
They had been sitting on a special VIP seat in a glassed room, watching him with emotions he hadn't expected to see.
'What's that?' Noa questioned, clutching his chest.
His heart ached from the pain because of the face his new parents made.
There wasn't a single hint of anger or disappointment in their expression. No coldness like other nobles showed when their heirs didn't live up to their expectations.
Only sadness.
It was so obvious that even Noa noticed immediately.
Just sorrow, raw and unhidden, was exuded by them like they didn't even think to blame him.
Meanwhile—
The ceremony master yelled eagerly, "Obsidian Cat!"
Someone had bonded with an Epic-ranked beast.