Ren stood alone on a skybridge suspended between two floating towers of Starroot Academy.
Above him, light shone through a massive crystal sun, and far below, silver rivers twisted through the clouds like living veins of mana. Beast tamers passed in groups, whispers trailing behind them.
"That's the guy who beat Riku…"
"His beast was like nothing I've seen."
"Void-type? Spirit-linked fusion? What is he?"
Ren ignored the chatter. His mind was focused.
[System Alert: Faction Invitation Pending]
You have earned the right to choose one of three Legacy Paths within Starroot Academy.
Time Remaining: 43:17:08
Choose wisely. Each faction shapes your future in power, cultivation method, and reputation.
[Option 1: Wyrmfang Combat Hall]
Path Type: Pure Offensive / Physical Bond Mastery
Focus: Beast-body training, frontline fusion combat
Bonus: Strength +10%, Fusion Mode Extension +15s
Hidden Reward: Trial of Bloodscale Fang
[Option 2: Moonveil Codex Division]
Path Type: Beast Theory / Bloodline Cultivation
Focus: Beast evolution, advanced codex decoding, rare gene awakening
Bonus: Evolution Cost Reduction, Unlock Hidden Traits
Hidden Reward: Ethereal Beast Tome (Fragmented)
[Option 3: Rogue Path – Independent Course]
Path Type: Free Progression / Wild Contracting
Focus: Multiple beast bonds, hybrid system building
Bonus: +1 Contract Slot, Custom Skill Merging
Hidden Reward: Unknown Legacy (???)
Ren tapped the options, reviewing each carefully.
Wyrmfang promised power, but felt too narrow.
Moonveil aligned with evolution theory, and Nyx was evolving fast. That tempted him.
But the Rogue Path…
It didn't offer guarantees. Just freedom. Unknown power. Danger, and potential beyond structure.
He glanced at Nyx, who stood beside him, tails flickering in and out of shadow.
"What do you think?" Ren asked softly.
Nyx tilted his head.
Then turned toward the sky.
Silent.
Waiting.
Ren smiled faintly. "Yeah. I thought so."
[Selection Confirmed: Rogue Path – Independent Course]
[System Adjusting…]
Codex Evolution Tree: Unlocked
Custom Beast Merge Core – Prototype Mode: Installed
Tamer Rank Progression Changed: Rogue Tier
Passive Bonus: +1 Beast Slot (Currently Locked)
Fusion Skill Editor: Available After Next Battle
Hidden Reward: ??? (To be revealed…)
[Codex Entry: "Those who walk the Rogue Path choose not survival—but sovereignty."]
Ren's eyes narrowed. "Then I choose to dominate both."
Elsewhere – Moonveil Observation Tower
A robed figure watched Ren's decision through a crystalline scrying pool. Their fingers tapped the table once.
"So he rejected structure for chaos," the figure muttered.
Another voice echoed in the chamber. Female. Sharp. "Typical for those who carry fragments of the old codes."
The figure's eyes glowed faintly violet.
"Then we watch. And we prepare."
Later That Night – Starroot Academy, Outer Sector
Ren sat alone on the edge of a beaststone field, feeding Nyx a dark crystal from the Trial Vault.
The evolved Voidfang Alpha devoured it like candy, his aura expanding slightly with each bite.
[Beast Sync Updated: 66%]
Passive Trait Discovered: "Shadow Hunger" – Absorbs ambient dark-elemental energy to restore stamina.
Suddenly, the wind shifted.
Nyx growled.
Ren stood.
A masked figure stood beyond the trees. Cloaked in silver and gold, their presence was neither student nor staff.
[System Alert: Unknown Presence Detected – Identity: REDACTED]
Potential Threat Level: High
Aura Signature: Not from this realm
"You made quite a name for yourself, Kazuki Ren," the figure said calmly. "But you walk a path you don't understand."
Ren didn't blink. "And you're here to warn me?"
"To test you."
The figure raised their hand.
A beast emerged beside them, six-legged, draped in flame and wind. Its eyes glowed with otherworldly light.
[Emergency Encounter – Initiating Battle]
Opponent: ??? – Unknown Rogue Tamer
Beast: Ashwind Cerberant – Rank: ???
System Sync Lock Active.
Survive for 3 Minutes
System Evolution Key Fragment: Rewarded on Success
Ren's jaw tightened.
He turned to Nyx.
"No rest for us, huh?"
The beast growled.
They stepped forward.
Together.
And the battle began beneath a moonless sky.
Shraaahhh...
The beast that emerged from the mist didn't roar, it exhaled, like a dying god breathing smoke through shattered lungs.
Its six legs clicked against the stone, a mixture of bone and ash-fused metal. Fire and wind coiled around its spines. Three heads. Six eyes. And not one of them looked alive.
[Beast Detected: Ashwind Cerberant – Rank: Unknown]
Attributes: Flame / Wind / Undead Hybrid
Known Skills: Ember Rift, Spectral Lunge, Cyclone Pulse
Status: Hostile
Estimated Combat Power: EX Rank (Unmeasurable)
Ren's breath hitched. Even Nyx flinched, fur rising along his spine.
But the System offered no way out.
[Emergency Trial: Survival Mode Initiated]
Objective: Survive for 180 seconds
Bonus Reward: Evolution Key Fragment
Penalty for Failure: Beast Link Instability (Risk of Sync Loss)
Ren's mind snapped into focus.
"Don't engage directly. Nyx, run shadow loops. Focus on evasion, not damage!"
Nyx didn't hesitate. He blinked into the darkness, circling wide and vanishing between flickers of fog.
The Ashwind Cerberant growled, one of its heads twisting unnaturally toward Ren, while another tracked Nyx by scent. The third
Boom!
unleashed a blast of windfire, turning the ground behind Ren into molten rock.
[Attack Logged: Cyclone Pulse – Area Rupture]
Effect: Knockback + Burn (Tier 3)
Cooldown: 12 seconds
Ren barely rolled aside, heat licking at his skin.
[Time Remaining: 174 seconds]
He gritted his teeth. "System, give me danger arcs. Real-time prediction overlay!"
[Tactical Interface Overlay – Enabled]
Predictive Pathing: ACTIVE
Risk Zones: Marked in red
On the battlefield, translucent red arcs blinked into view, danger zones traced with paths of projected movement.
One second, the Cerberant lunged.
The next, Nyx dashed through its blind spot, only for the beast's second head to intercept.
[Warning: Dual Tracking Active – Beast has asynchronous targeting]
Nyx was fast, but not fast enough to dodge two minds at once.
Unless
"Trigger Shadow Howl! Focus pulse! Now!"
[Skill Activated: Shadow Howl – Sonic Disruption Field]
A blast of void-sound tore through the fog. The spectral energy howled back like a chorus of wolves, echoing in distorted patterns.
The Cerberant staggered slightly, its rear legs locked in place as its undead nerve structure struggled to adapt.
[Debuff Success: -15% Reaction Speed (4s)]
[Beast Status: Distracted – Opportunity Window: 3.2 seconds]
[Time Remaining: 160 seconds]
Ren clenched his fists. "We don't have to win, we just have to survive."
Then the masked figure watching from the tree line raised a single hand.
"Interesting adaptation. Let's raise the stakes."
[Phase Shift Initiated – Beast enters Overload Mode for 30 seconds]
Status: Power Amplified x2
Warning: Arena Unstable
The Cerberant's body burned brighter. Wind screeched. Flames spiraled like a mini-storm.
And then
Everything exploded.
The beast vanished from the ground, reappeared midair, and slammed down in a radius explosion.
BOOM!
Nyx barely escaped the impact zone, claws scraping molten stone.
Ren flew backward, hitting the arena wall. Blood filled his mouth.
[HP: 84 → 46]
Minor Fracture Detected – Healing unavailable during emergency event
His vision blurred.
Nyx limped, panting hard, one leg dragging behind.
[Time Remaining: 122 seconds]
Too long.
Ren's thoughts raced.
No skills could overpower this monster. But maybe 'just maybe' they could outplay it.
He focused. Hard.
"System, open Codex Editor. Force-initiate Prototype Merge Core."
[WARNING: Prototype Mode unstable]
Beast Sync exceeds safe limits.
Mental Strain Predicted: 71%
Proceed?
→ Y/N
"…Y."
[Confirmed. Merging Partial Traits: Shadowstep + Phantom Claw → New Skill Unlocked]
Shadow Veil: Phase Mirage Clone (One Use)
Effect: Create an afterimage clone to absorb one attack. Cooldown: 10 minutes.
Ren groaned as code symbols shimmered in his vision.
"Nyx! Shadow Veil, use it to bait the firehead!"
Nyx growled, then moved like ink in water, splitting into two.
The real Nyx vanished behind a crumbled column.
The clone 'almost identical' stood exposed in plain sight.
The Cerberant took the bait.
CRASH.
Fire breath engulfed the clone.
Nothing.
[Skill Success – Redirected Critical Attack]
Time Remaining: 68 seconds
Ren forced himself upright.
"Keep dancing," he muttered. "Just a little longer."
Outside the Arena – Observation Platform
Sela and Vayne stood side-by-side, staring down at the battle.
"That's no academy beast," Vayne muttered. "That's a Soulburn-class rogue summon. Illegal."
Sela didn't blink. "This isn't a test. It's a message."
"From who?"
"I don't know."
Back in the Field
The beast reared up for one final lunge.
Its body began to unravel, unstable, burning out from its overload phase.
Ren couldn't move anymore.
But Nyx 'bloody, limping, but unbroken' stood between him and death.
The Cerberant struck
right as the sky flared.
DING!
[Time Limit Reached – Trial Complete]
Beast Terminated: Dissolving Summon
Reward: Evolution Key Fragment (1/5)
Beast Instability: Avoided
Bond Level: Deepened
Hidden Stat Gained: Soul Resilience +3
Codex Insight: Partial Unlock – Fragment "Eternal Code" (Alpha 01)
The beast collapsed into embers, its form burning away like ash in a storm.
The masked figure turned and disappeared, no sound, no warning.
Just gone.
Minutes Later – Infirmary Quarters, Starroot Core
Ren lay on a stone bed, bandaged and barely conscious.
Nyx lay beside him, curled up in sleep. The room was quiet.
Until a message pinged inside Ren's mind.
[Codex Fragment Alpha 01 Unlocked]
Title Revealed: "Bearer of the Eternal Sovereign Code"
Your path is no longer bound to this world alone.
Ren's eyes opened, barely.
"…What the hell did I just survive?"
End of Chapter 6