The morning sun hadn't fully risen over Graymere, but Kael Vire was already awake. Not because he wanted to, mind you. He was awake because Fluffmire Salamander had decided that the middle of his face was a perfect place to land a mud-filled yawn.
"Really?" Kael groaned, rubbing his eyes. "You're going to do this every morning?"
Fluffmire squirmed, leaving a trail of slime across Kael's blanket. It let out a high-pitched squeak, as if laughing. Kael winced. The first day of his "training regime" was off to a charming start.
[System Notice: Training Schedule Recommended.]
[Kael Vire – Beginner Survival Mode Active.]
[Fluffmire Salamander – Adaptive Learning Suggested.]
Kael sighed. "Alright, fine. Let's see what you've got today."
He grabbed the small satchel by the door. It contained a few scraps of leftover bread, some water, and his notes from the ceremony yesterday. Nothing fancy—just the essentials.
Fluffmire hopped onto his shoulder, balancing with an ungainly wobble. "Don't even think about scratching your neck," Kael muttered. "I've had enough mud for a lifetime."
Kael's first destination was the old training field behind Graymere Academy—a wide patch of dirt, some scattered logs, and a practice dummy or two. It wasn't much, but it was enough to begin.
He dropped to the ground and crouched beside Fluffmire. "Okay, first things first. We need a plan."
[System Notice: Training Plan Required.]
[Suggested Focus: Mobility, Combat Basics, Beast Synchronization.]
Kael scratched his head. "Right… mobility, combat, synchronization. Got it. Sounds… terrible."
Fluffmire squeaked again, drooling slightly. Kael glared. "That's motivation, right? Encouraging me to succeed?"
[System Notice: Positive Reinforcement – Not Detected.]
Kael groaned. "Great. You're worse than I am at this."
Lesson One: Movement
Kael decided to start simple. Movement first. If Fluffmire couldn't even follow his commands, he would be completely useless in a fight.
"Fluffmire, move forward."
The Fluffmire twitched, slid one muddy leg forward, then rolled onto its back again. Kael facepalmed.
[System Notice: Command Ineffective.]
[Suggestion: Apply Suppression and Positive Motivation.]
Kael muttered, "Suppression, right. Fine. Let's do this."
He focused, pushing his own energy outward—not in a scary way, not in a fireball way, just… a gentle ripple that connected with Fluffmire. Slowly, painstakingly, Fluffmire righted itself.
It stumbled forward. One step. Then another. Then a third.
Kael's eyes widened. "Yes! That's… something! Keep going!"
The Fluffmire squeaked in what Kael assumed was a mix of fear and excitement. "Don't die!" he yelled. "I need you alive if I'm going to survive this!"
By the end of the first hour, Fluffmire had managed to crawl about ten feet, not much by anyone else's standards, but a monumental step for Kael.
[System Notice: Training Progress – 2%. Potential Growth Unknown.]
Kael wiped the sweat from his forehead. "Two percent… fantastic. We're basically gods."
Fluffmire responded by flopping over again. Kael groaned. "I hate you sometimes."
Lesson Two: Combat Basics
Next up: combat. Kael eyed one of the wooden practice dummies. "Alright, buddy. Time to fight. You're going to learn how to hit things without falling on your face."
[System Notice: Combat Mode Engaged.]
[Fluffmire Salamander – Ability Check: Low.]
Kael muttered under his breath. "You're telling me everything about you is terrible. Fantastic."
He swung a stick experimentally at the dummy. Fluffmire squirmed beside him, trying to mimic the motion. The creature's tiny claws barely scratched the dummy.
Kael groaned. "Yes, that's… exactly what I feared."
But he didn't give up. He had seen what others could do with their beasts: fire, claws, wings, flying, stomping, roaring—Kael would never get that. But maybe… maybe there was something in Fluffmire that no one else had.
He focused again, sending a ripple of energy through the bond they had established. Slowly, Fluffmire's movements became more coordinated. The claw swipes connected with the dummy. They weren't strong. They weren't fast. But they landed.
Kael grinned. "See that? Progress! Take note, world. This is only the beginning."
Lesson Three: Synchronization
By midday, Kael was exhausted. Sweat soaked through his shirt. Mud streaked across his face. And Fluffmire… well, it was… muddy. Very muddy.
Kael collapsed onto the ground. "Synchronization… huh. Let's see what this is all about."
[System Notice: Bond Synchronization Initiated.]
[Fluffmire Salamander – Awareness Increasing.]
Kael hesitated. The synchronization process required focus, patience, and energy. And Kael had none of those left. But he pushed forward, imagining Fluffmire's thoughts, trying to connect with its instincts.
The salamander twitched, then suddenly leapt onto his shoulder, balancing perfectly. It squeaked, and Kael felt—somehow—that it was proud.
He laughed, leaning back. "Okay… that's… actually something. Not much, but… something."
[System Notice: Bond Strength – Level 1.]
[Kael Vire – Emotional Bond: Moderate.]
[Fluffmire Salamander – Adaptive Learning: Active.]
Kael let out a sigh of relief. "We're alive. We're breathing. And… we're not useless. Yet."
Late afternoon brought an unexpected visitor. One of Kael's classmates, a smug boy named Joren, strolled onto the field with his B-tier eagle perched on his arm.
"Kael," Joren called, a cruel smirk on his face. "Still holding that… blob? Thought you'd have died of embarrassment by now."
Kael clenched his fists. "Go away, Joren. Nobody asked you to come ruin my day."
Joren laughed. "Oh, I'll stay. I just want to watch the weakling fail."
Kael narrowed his eyes. "Fine. You watch. But when I prove you wrong, I want your apology in writing. Big, fancy letters. Got it?"
[System Notice: Rival Detected – Joren.]
[Potential Conflict: High.]
Kael ignored the system's calm, robotic tone. He had more pressing matters: survival, growth, and Fluffmire.
The battle began. Joren's eagle swooped, claws extended, aiming to push Kael off balance. Kael shouted commands at Fluffmire.
The salamander responded. Slowly. Clumsily. But it blocked the eagle's attack with a squelchy leap, leaving both Kael and Joren shocked.
Kael grinned. "Yes! You see that?! That's teamwork!"
Joren's smirk faltered. "Lucky…" he muttered.
Kael ignored him. Luck had nothing to do with it. This was only the beginning.
As the sun dipped behind the mountains, Kael sat on a log, Fluffmire curled against his chest. Mud, sweat, and exhaustion covered both of them. But Kael felt… something.
[System Notice: Daily Training Complete.]
[Kael Vire – Potential Detected: Rising.]
[Fluffmire Salamander – Adaptive Evolution: Possible.]
Kael smiled. "Tomorrow, we do better. The next day, stronger. And the day after… maybe we finally scare someone. Or survive long enough to get to dragons."
Fluffmire squeaked. Kael laughed, the sound echoing across the empty field.
The town of Graymere might have laughed at him today. His classmates might have mocked him. But Kael knew one thing:
Every weak beginning hid a strong future. And Kael Vire was just getting started.