As the little boy approached the garden, he heard the shouting of the servants and the cook at the door.
"Kae! Kae! Where are you?" they were yelling.
He told Solric to walk toward them, and he did.
When the maids and cook saw Kae riding a one-meter-tall tiger, they immediately took a defensive stance. But the cook had only a shovel in hand, and the servants had only their fists. How useful could that be?
Just then, there was a rustling sound from the tree, though neither the little boy nor the others noticed it.
While the child tried to explain himself, the servants listened in shock.
"Don't you think he'll be powerful?" said an old woman, looking at the white-haired boy in the tree.
A man, appearing to be in his fifties, standing next to her, replied:
"Looks like he will be... But is it enough for my granddaughter?"
The middle-aged man behind the old woman grinned and said:
"The young master's powers are visible to the naked eye. What child tames a beast and goes hunting at five months old?"
The old man gave the middle-aged man a sharp look that told him to be silent. He obeyed immediately and began listening to the old woman.
"I'm sure my grandson will be strong," she said with a soft chuckle.
"Because his grandmother is me."
The old man sighed and looked at the woman.
"Fine... I approve the engagement. I trust your grandson won't hurt mine."
The old woman had traveled to the capital to play matchmaker and asked the king to betroth his grandchild to hers. The king wanted to see her grandson first and was convinced as soon as he did.
"My grandson is so handsome, isn't he? Just like his grandmother," the woman said proudly.
The old man smiled internally.
"He's a handsome boy, but I can't say the same for his grandmother."
The old woman shot him a glare and cut the branch the king was holding onto. But the king swiftly leapt to another branch.
"I'm joking," said the old man.
The woman jumped down from the tree and landed in the middle of the garden.
She flipped her hair, turned around, and began walking.
"Stupid king…" she muttered while waving at him, then entered the house.
Moments later, a powerful wind blew from behind the trees.
The old man leapt into the air and landed on the back of a massive, house-sized red dragon.
With a single flap of its wings, the dragon disappeared into the clouds.
Meanwhile, the old woman was in the house, stroking her grandson's hair and watching the birds she had brought with her.
She glanced at the white-haired child and spoke:
"You're going to cause us a lot of trouble, aren't you?"
After letting out a loud laugh, she walked toward her room.
As she passed the tiger, she gave it a look that said, "You'd better behave."
The tiger, intimidated, curled up beside the little boy.
After petting its fur for a while, the child got up and climbed onto the tiger's back, asking it to take him to his room.
The tiger obeyed, and they entered the room together.
The tiger began speaking to the boy:
"We're going to make another deal."
The child asked curiously, "What kind of deal?"
The tiger explained that speaking out loud was no longer safe, and to communicate telepathically, he needed to awaken the boy's mana.
"How do I do that?" the boy asked.
The tiger began instructing him on how to awaken his mana, wincing from the pain of bumping into the doorframes as they entered.
The child sat on his bed, crossed his legs, closed his eyes, and followed the tiger's instructions exactly.
Suddenly, white lights began to rise from his body.
His hair lifted into the air, his forehead fully exposed, and he felt a power awaken inside him.
"I'm strong," said the boy.
At that moment, a voice echoed in his mind:
---
Congratulations! Mana Awakened.
Name: Kaelion Velastra
Race: Human
Mana: ∞ (Unlocked)
Visible Mana: 500
Points Gained: 900
Level: 5
---
When Kae heard the voice, he smiled and gave the tiger a confident look.
At the same moment, the old woman sensed the faint mana above the house and smiled.
"A child full of secrets," she said.
The tiger explained how to use telepathy.
The child listened carefully, then stood up to try it.
He touched the tiger's head with his small hands, closed his eyes, and concentrated.
The tiger murmured magical words, and suddenly, the boy sent a message into his mind:
"Did it work?"
The tiger stepped back in shock and muttered:
"How is this possible?"
Then, another voice echoed in the boy's mind:
---
Congratulations! Telepathy Unlocked.
Name: Kaelion Velastra
Race: Human
Mana: ∞ (Unlocked)
Visible Mana: 450/500
Points Gained: 900
Level: 5
---
"What's wrong? Didn't it work?" asked the child.
"No, it's not that…" the tiger replied.
"How can you cast magic without chanting?"
"I don't know. I just wanted to use telepathy, and it happened," the boy said.
The tiger realized the child wasn't ordinary.
His courage, and now his ability to cast wordless magic, set him apart.
Still, he didn't dwell on it.
After chatting a bit more, the child decided to call the tiger Solric, and Solric agreed to call him Kae.
The boy lay down on the bed and asked Solric to sleep beside him.
That night, they fell asleep together, promising to go hunting again in the morning.
---
Years passed…
Kae had turned six.
He could speak properly and knew a lot about the world around him.
This world was called Myhtic—home to dragons, fairies, dinosaurs, elves, mermaids, and many more beings.
Creatures here had rank classifications:
F, E, D, C, B, A, S, SS, SSS
As Kae learned all this, he grew excited.
Standing in front of the mirror, he spoke to himself:
"Still as handsome as ever."
He climbed onto Solric's back.
Everyone in the house had grown used to his narcissistic remarks.
As he came down the stairs, his grandmother immediately rushed over and pinched his cheeks.
"Grandma, that hurts!" he said.
"Then don't be so handsome," she replied.
Kae laughed and flipped his hair.
"What can I say? It's in the genes!"
His grandmother burst into laughter.
"You sure talk smooth for a kid."
Just then, the woman called out:
"Kae!"
"Yes, Grandma Sheila?"
"We have guests today."
Kae wasn't surprised about visitors.
"Alright, Grandma," he said and went into the forest with Solric.
He could now use the wind element, and could hunt birds.
After completing his daily goals, familiar voices echoed in his head:
---
Name: Kaelion Velastra
Race: Human
Mana: ∞ (Unlocked)
Visible Mana: 3000
Points Gained: 5,892,481
Level: 30
---
Kae looked at his points, stunned.
"I wonder what I can buy with all this?" he thought.
At that moment, another voice spoke:
I would like to recommend an item for you from the shop.
Kae sat down and responded:
"What do you suggest?"
Spirit Staff
(Ability to fight, speak, make contracts with, and learn powers of spirits…)
Kae declined the offer, knowing he could learn all that from Zar'Vael.
"Anything else?"
Elemental Sword
(Can be imbued with all elements using aura: wind, water, fire, earth...)
Kae liked the sound of that.
He chose the sword.
A colorful light flashed before his eyes.
A rainbow-colored sword appeared, along with a golden necklace.
The necklace is a gift for your first order.
Kae smiled, put on the necklace, and as he touched the sword, it turned white.
The voice continued:
The sword's power will grow with its master's power.
Kae practiced with the sword for a while and was pleased.
He climbed onto Solric's back and headed home.
Just then, two golems appeared in their path.
---
Warning! Enemy detected.
Species: Golem
Threat Level: D
---
Kae immediately jumped off Solric.
Through telepathy, he told Solric he'd take one golem and Solric the other.
Solric agreed and pounced on his target.
Kae created a wind blade and hurled it at the golem.
It staggered but didn't fall.
The golem charged.
Kae leapt into the air, soared meters high, and came down on the golem.
He channeled aura into his sword and decapitated it in one blow.
The golem collapsed.
Solric had finished his golem and was watching Kae.
He ran over and nuzzled him.
Just then, a girl stepped out from behind the trees, clapping.
Kae looked at her curly hair and hazel eyes.
He couldn't tell if they were green or blue.
"I wouldn't expect less from my fiancé," she said.
Kae blinked in surprise.
"Fiancé?"
"You didn't know?"
Kae tried to seem indifferent, but his eyes lingered on her.
"No, I didn't."
She extended her hand.
"I'm Claire."
Kae reached out too.
"I'm Kaelion," he said, flashing his best smile.
When she saw it, Claire blushed, quickly withdrew her hand, and turned away.
"My grandfather and your grandmother are waiting," she said.
At that moment, Kae remembered the guests his grandmother mentioned.
"Oh, right…" he murmured and walked after the girl toward the house.