'A level-up system?' His heart raced, and many novels he had read throughout his life on Earth flashed through his mind.
The variety of systems in those fantasy novels, which were so similar to the world he had arrived in, made him fantasize every night about one day obtaining something like that... and the wait, although it had taken a long time, was finally over.
Only this system was strange.
[Leveling up is exclusive to your Summoned Beasts.]
[Please choose the beast that will be bound to your Soul through the Connection Crystal.]
A leveling system that was not for him, but for his beasts. He didn't know how to feel about it, but... this was exciting, somehow.
He had never read a novel in which the system did not directly affect the person it had chosen, but rather affected something about him, like a beast. But that, in itself, sounded exciting.
He had been in this world for a year; he knew that people here didn't have anything to do with "levels", he knew that everything in this world was done through evolution, both of beasts and Beast Masters, so seeing all that with levels... sounded exciting.
His fanciful thoughts were interrupted by the constant flashing of one of the system windows.
[Please choose the beast that will be bound to your Soul through the Connection Crystal.]
Another thing that woke him up was the director's call.
"Young Edward, please come and see your talent," he said in a louder tone of voice, repeating himself for the third time.
Edward then realized that he had been standing there for quite some time. The people around him were already talking nonsense, while the other two were expelled for failing to awaken their summoned beasts.
"Oh, yes." He nodded and decided to leave the choice that the system insisted he make for another time.
He walked quickly and excitedly to the Mother Stone.
'Will I become a great talent thanks to the system? Could I achieve Rank S and Level 5?' Although he tried to hide his excitement, it was impossible. His long-awaited wish had come true, so it was normal to be so excited.
His hand glowed over the Mother Stone, making him feel something strange inside. His body and his four beasts were monitored from head to toe.
They calmed down and stopped dancing around him, finally entering a state of rest for a few seconds, until the information was written on the rock.
[Fire Caterpillar:
Talent Rank: E.
Evolution Capacity: Level 1.]
.
[Wind Caterpillar:
Talent Rank: E.
Evolution Capacity: Level 1.]
…
The four caterpillars came out exactly the same, same levels, same rank...
They were caterpillars. They weren't anything else. The evolution capacity of caterpillars would always be the same, and the talent rank, when you are bound to four Caterpillars, you cannot ask for anything beyond a Rank E.
This made Edward frown, and his excitement visibly waned.
'Why? Doesn't it count to the system?' he wondered.
He suddenly began to feel sick. What was he supposed to do with something so low-level?
But... he realized that, at least, his situation was several times better than before. At the very least, he wouldn't have to graduate next month; he could still stay at the Provincial Academy.
Maybe he wasn't talented and would remain among the lower ranks, but he would be given high salaries just for belonging to the academy.
He might not be talented, but he had a very special system that told him he could evolve his beasts by leveling them up.
'Low talent...'
'So what? I have a system.' He glanced at the system messages and gritted his teeth. 'I know you won't let me down.'
Maybe it was just hope, as always.
The director, standing to one side, sighed. 'It's normal; caterpillars are caterpillars, no matter if there are four of them.
"He really awakened all his beasts from the lowest level..."
"Such a pitiful Multiple Beast Master..."
"Haha, unfortunate is an understatement. What kind of shitty talent does this guy have? He really awakened four beasts, and all four of them are the lowest level?" Robert couldn't help but mock him from behind, even putting a hand to his head to cover the embarrassment he felt.
Some gloated over such low talent, especially those who had failed to awaken. It was a way to feel good about themselves.
But those who hadn't passed yet felt pressured. They were nervous and had neither the time nor the desire to mock anyone.
They could be the next objects of ridicule...
"Young Edward, please come back. The rest will be explained to you later," said the director, silencing the room once again.
Edward simply nodded and walked to his place, away from those who had failed. Although he did not approach the other two who had awakened, he stood next to William.
"Are you going to fulfill my dream, old friend? It looks like now I'll be the only one getting mocked by these guys," William said regretfully.
"Wait for my good news," was all Edward replied.
Not because he didn't want to talk, but because he was busy with his system.
"Sigh. Always so few words." William sighed and looked away.
Although Edward wasn't looking at those who were still trying, he was watching his system, which was processing what he had instructed it to do.
Among the four beasts he had, he made a quick decision to attach the Fire Caterpillar to his Connection Crystal, because it was the easiest one to evolve, according to what he had read in the system.
It mentioned that he would gain more experience points for the type of beast chosen to level up by killing beasts related to it. In other words, if he killed fire beasts while trying to level up his Fire Caterpillar, he would gain more experience points for it.
Why not choose the others?
The reason is simple. Beasts with water attributes are usually found near places with a lot of water, and those places, such as seas or oceans, are very far from Linnava, so they are of no use to him.
Earth beasts, although there are many in Linnava, are not that numerous because the deserts are a bit far away.
Wind beasts would be a good idea; there are many dungeons of that attribute nearby, but there is a problem.
The Cursed Lands that reach Linnava are usually fire-based, so the number of fire beasts in the vicinity is greater.
That's why fire was his best option for leveling up. Another important point is that each Caterpillar provides specific improvements.
The Earth Caterpillar gave him general resistance and affinity to Earth Magic.
The Water Caterpillar is almost the same, but with water, and it also grants intelligence.
The wind Caterpillar is the same, resistance to wind magic, affinity to it, and a little strength.
Fire grants Strength and Resistance to fire, as well as affinity to the element.
In a country where fire is the main element, resistance to it is essential for everything. So he first needs to increase that resistance and affinity, as that would allow him to learn powerful spells, available later on.
With all that decided, the system began to connect his Connection Crystal to the beast... From now on, only by leveling up his Fire Caterpillar could he evolve.