Three Days Later – Starroot Academy, Inner Recovery Wing
Ren sat upright for the first time since the emergency encounter.
Bandages wrapped across his ribs, his left arm was still stiff, and his mind throbbed from the strain of the forced Codex unlock. But despite the bruises, his eyes were clear.
And sharper.
Across the room, Nyx lay stretched out on a moonlit rune-slab, breathing steadily. His fur shimmered with black-and-silver streaks, and faint glyphs pulsed beneath his skin.
[Beast Status: Recovering – Vital Sync: 72%]
Trait Growth Detected: "Specter Prowl" (Unlocked at next evolution)
Bond Stability: Unshaken
Soullink Tier: Intermediate (Rank 2)
Ren exhaled slowly. "So we lived."
A soft chime echoed in the air.
[System Notice: Class Advancement Challenge Pending]
Due to your accelerated performance and emergency event survival, Starroot Academy mandates an immediate Class Evaluation.
Challenge: Bronze Rank Combat Exam
Opponent: Instructor-Ranked Beast Tamer
Setting: Controlled Arena
Time: 4 Hours
Refusal = Delayed Promotion + Penalty Access Lock
"…They don't want to wait, huh."
He pushed himself to his feet.
Time to fight again.
Starroot Arena – Inner Sector Dome
The training hall was shaped like a coliseum made of floating plates and glowing lines. Arcane monitors hovered in the air, broadcasting the duel across the academy.
Waiting at the far side was a tall woman with red hair braided down her back. Her robes were half-military, half-monk. She radiated calm strength.
[Opponent Identified: Instructor Zhen of the Fourth Ring]
Rank: C
Beast: Jadefang Wyrm (Serpent / Spirit)
Combat Style: Precision Binding + Aura Flow Redirection
"I read your report," she said calmly. "Void-type, fusion-link, soul-layer compatibility. You're quite the anomaly."
Ren stepped forward, calm.
"You going easy on me because I'm new?"
Zhen smiled. "No. Because you're dangerous."
She clapped once.
A serpent coiled into view, translucent jade scales glinting with inner light. Its eyes were like gemstones, and its tail glowed with runes.
[Beast: Jadefang Wyrm – Rank: C]
Skills: Aura Bind, Wyrm Spiral, Serene Coil
Passive: Mind Dampening – -10% Skill Execution Accuracy
[System Alert: Type Disadvantage]
Suggestion: Maintain distance. Avoid prolonged engagement. Use illusions and strike from blind angles.
Ren tapped his temple. "Nyx, stay fluid. No set pattern."
Nyx responded with a low snarl, tails flickering like dark fire.
Zhen made the first move.
"Serene Coil!"
The wyrm shot forward in a hypnotic spiral, glowing runes forming rings in the air. The arena distorted, vision blurred at the edges.
[WARNING: Mind Dampening Field Activated]
Effect: Decreased Perception & Delay in Command Input
Ren narrowed his eyes.
"Not good."
Nyx hesitated for half a breath, then blinked into a zig-zag pattern, using Voidstep to appear just outside the spiral.
Zhen didn't flinch.
"Wyrm Spiral, disrupt the ground!"
The beast slammed its tail, arcs of aura spread across the tiles, cracking the floor and forcing Nyx to leap.
Ren took a risk.
"Shadow Veil, double layer."
[Skill Activated: Shadow Veil – Advanced Clone Mode]
Success Rate: 93%
Three Nyxes appeared across the arena, each identical, each moving in different directions.
The instructor's eyes narrowed. "All illusions die the same."
She closed her eyes.
"Bind."
The wyrm's mouth opened, and jade chains shot from between its fangs.
The first two clones vanished instantly.
But the third, the real Nyx, dropped straight down and slashed upward, catching the wyrm under its glowing eye.
SLASH!
[Direct Hit – Wyrm Staggered – Scale Fracture]
[Opponent Defense Dropped: -12%]
[Time Advantage: 5 seconds]
Ren didn't waste it.
"Phantom Pounce! Redirect at joint! Break its anchor!"
Nyx surged forward, kicking off the shattered tiles and leapt with jaws wide, biting into the soft point beneath the wyrm's head where the binding runes pulsed.
CRACK!
The jade serpent hissed and coiled defensively, backing away.
Zhen raised a hand. "That's enough."
The field dissolved.
The duel was over.
[Evaluation Complete]
Combat Rank Increase: Bronze Rank → Intermediate Tier
Skill Proficiency: Above Average
Reward: System Upgrade Core + Faction Observer Invitation
New Title: Rogue Fang – Tamer Outside Bounds
System Note: You are now visible to the hidden factions of Starroot.
Later – Nightfall Over Starroot
Ren stood atop the cliff garden overlooking the Beast Dome.
He reached into his inventory and pulled out the System Upgrade Core, letting it pulse in his hand.
[Use Core to unlock Codex Tier II?]
Includes: – Fusion Tree Preview
– Trait Branching (Beast Mutation Options)
– Locked Slot Unlock: 2nd Contract Candidate
→ Y/N?
Before he could answer, a voice spoke behind him.
"You survived the Cerberant. And you passed Instructor Zhen's challenge."
Ren turned slowly.
It was the masked figure again. Closer this time. Standing in plain view under the moonlight.
This time, though…
There were two of them.
Twin masked figures. One taller. One smaller. Both cloaked in gray-blue armor trimmed in black.
"You're not a pawn of this system," said the taller one. "But you've inherited something… older."
The smaller one extended a hand.
[System Alert: Legacy Beacon Detected – Offer Pending]
Accept Initiation into: The Outer Sovereigns – Beastlords Beyond Realms
Condition: Complete the upcoming Beast Trial – "Echoes of the Voidgate"
Ren's fingers twitched over the Upgrade Core.
Beneath him, Nyx let out a soft, questioning growl.
"I guess we're not done evolving."
He turned toward the masked pair and smirked.
"Fine. Show me your trial."
Location: Starroot Academy – Outer Sanctum Cliffside, beneath the Lunar Cavern
The ground trembled slightly as the twin masked figures pressed their palms against a dormant beast rune etched into the cliff wall. The symbol lit up, black and violet lines pulsing outward in a spiral of energy.
A low hum echoed through the air. The very space warped.
[System Alert: Hidden Trial Gate Detected]
Name: Echoes of the Voidgate
Trial Type: Dimensional Core Stability
Tier: Codex-Locked (Accessible only to Bearers of Sovereign Fragments)
Danger Rating: S-
Required Condition: Beast-Tamer Synchronization ≥ 60%
Reward: Sovereign Legacy Fragment + Codex Tree Upgrade
Time Limit: 1 hour real-time
Ren took a deep breath, fingers tightening around the System Upgrade Core he had yet to activate.
Beside him, Nyx growled lowly, the air around his paws flickering like mist.
"Once you enter," the taller masked figure said, "you'll face echoes, fragments of beasts that once served the Eternal Sovereign. They are not real… but they remember."
The shorter figure added, "If your bond fractures during the trial… your beast could permanently degrade."
Ren met their gaze evenly. "If I'm going to claim this legacy… I don't get to hesitate."
Without waiting, he stepped forward.
[Trial Initiation Confirmed. Sync Lock Engaged.]
Loading Trial Environment: VOIDGATE SUB-REALM – ECHO LAYER 1
Standby...
Trial Realm: Echo Layer 1 – Realm of Hollow Howls
The world spun.
When Ren's vision returned, he stood inside a crater-like plain of ash and violet mist. The sky was a swirling hole of nothing. Ruins jutted out of the ground like bones. And in the center floated a fractured monolith covered in beast sigils, bleeding black light.
Nyx materialized beside him, his form slightly distorted, as if the space disliked his existence.
[Warning: Realm Pressure Detected – Stat Suppression Active]
Shadow-Type Resistance: -12%
Reaction Speed: -8%
Before Ren could process further, a sound pierced the air.
A long, low howl.
Then five shadows rose from the dust.
[Trial Echoes Manifested]
– Phantom Lupin (x3) – Shadow Beasts, Rank D
– Boneveil Stalker (x1) – Spirit-Hunter Class, Rank C
– Trial Warden: Void Fang Alpha – Echo Variant – Rank B (Leader)
Ren's heart skipped.
He was staring at a beast that looked… identical to Nyx. But older. Scarred. And broken in strange, mirrored places.
[Caution: Echo Variant – Memory-Based AI Construct]
Behavior: Aggressive
Goal: Break Tamer-Beast Sync
Defeat Required for Completion.
"Nyx," Ren whispered. "That's… you. Isn't it?"
Nyx snarled, not in fear, but in fury.
"Then let's prove we're not just his shadows."
The battle began.
Combat Phase: Initiated
The Phantom Lupins moved first, blitzing across the crater with clawed paws and void claws. They were fast, but not precise.
"Phantom Pounce, wide arc! Use real bodies as bait!"
Nyx vanished and struck left, then right, then mid-air, cracking two of the beasts with back-to-back slashes.
The third lunged at Ren.
Too fast.
CRACK!
Ren raised his bracer at the last second, catching the blow, but the force flung him backward.
[HP: 46 → 33]
[Bleed Debuff – Minor]
Timer Remaining: 53:20
Then the Boneveil Stalker emerged behind Nyx, whispering curses in a tongue Ren didn't understand.
[Enemy Skill Detected: Hauntbind – Severs Sync Threads]
Status: Imminent Beast-Tamer Separation Risk
"NO."
Ren grabbed the Upgrade Core from his inventory.
"Activate! Override system lock!"
[System Upgrade Core Used!]
Codex Tier II Unlocked
Trait Branch Access: GRANTED
Sync Anchor Protocol: Reinforced
New Skill Available: Bond Lock – Last Link Hold
Effect: Prevents severance of Beast-Tamer bond for 10 seconds
Time slowed.
The Boneveil Stalker lunged with a whispering claw
but Ren stood, hand on his mark, shouting:
"BOND LOCK, NOW!"
Light flared from his palm, a spiraling seal binding Nyx to him.
The Boneveil's strike passed through harmlessly.
[Bond Severance Prevented]
Sync: 63% → 70%
Echo Hostility Decreased: -5%
Passive Stat Bonus Gained: "Soul-Tethered"
Then came the Echo Nyx.
It moved like a god of shadows, crossing the field in blinks of pure speed. Its claws slashed the air with wind-pressure, its tails split into spears of void.
It struck the real Nyx, and for a moment, they mirrored each other in the air.
But Ren could see it now.
The Echo moved alone. With power, but no bond.
His Nyx moved like breath.
Like instinct and memory, fused.
"Shadowstep Chain, Counter in Pattern V."
"Voidfang Strike, interrupt his rhythm!"
"Follow-through: Tail Spiral Rend!"
[Command Chain Execution: 3x Combo Triggered]
Execution Efficiency: 94%
[Hit Confirmed – Echo Beast Core Fractured]
[Trial Echo: Destroyed]
The false Nyx shattered into shards of void.
And the Realm began to collapse.
[Trial Complete!]
– Codex Tree Branch 1 Unlocked: "Specter Bloodline Access"
– Evolution Slot Updated
– Sovereign Legacy Fragment Obtained (1/3)
– Passive Unlocked: Nyx – "Ghostblood Survivor"
– Reward: Special Beast Egg (???)
Return to Reality – Outer Sanctum
The Trial Gate collapsed behind them as Ren and Nyx reappeared beneath the cliff.
Steam rose from their bodies. Energy crackled around Ren's fingertips.
He checked his System Panel.
[Codex: Beast Code – Eternal Sovereign Lineage]
Rank: Tier II (Fragmented)
Bonded Beast(s):
– Nyx (Voidfang)
Class: Shadow/Wild Soul
Evolution Path (Active): Specter-Type Bloodline
Status: Eligible for Mutation Upgrade
Ren smiled faintly.
"We're just getting started."
But above them, unseen in the sky
A new pair of eyes opened.
And watched.
End of Chapter 7