Chapter 5: The Hidden System Awakens
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The next day began like any other day. The early morning mist covered the academy grounds as Zephyr made his way to Infirmary Wing Two, the scroll from the rookery hidden safely beneath the folds of his cloak. Each step he took was heavier than the last. Not from the exhaustion, but from the lingering weight of last night.
He had not dared to open the scroll yet. He hadn't even dared to dream what the hooded figure's words meant, "Your blood remembers what the world has forgotten."
Inside the infirmary, the day passed in a blur of work with the beasts. He applied salves to wounded beast paws, fed sedated beasts, and measured fever temperatures of molting creatures. Wren watched him closely, but said little. Only the occasional nod of approval or small corrections.
Yet all day, Zephyr felt something..A heat inside his chest. A faint pulse beneath his skin. As if something was waiting for his response.
By evening, the world grew quieter. The caretakers retired to their dorms. The instructors gathered for their nightly reports. The low sun bled across the courtyard like molten gold, casting long shadows across the academy's worn stones.
Zephyr sat alone in his narrow room, the scroll was laid out on his bed. For a long time… he simply stared at it.
The seal on the scroll was different now. The ouroboros dragon symbol, which was previously a faint imprint of wax, had begun to glow.Soft golden tendrils of light pulsed from it, like veins of living fire.
His hands trembled slightly as he touched the scroll. The wax crumbled away at his touch.
The parchment unfurled on its own, revealing a series of ancient runes etched in ink that shimmered like starlight. The letters were foreign yet familiar, as if written into his very blood.
A deep vibration filled the room. And then… A voice spoke directly into his mind.
[Ding! Initializing System... Trying to verify the bloodline. Bloodline Authentication: Verified.
Welcome, Zephyr Valorian.
You have been chosen by the Lost Tamer's Legacy.
Activating the Bound Beast System…]
Zephyr gasped, clutching his chest. "What's going on?" His entire body lit from within. Like veins of molten gold searing through him. He fell to his knees as power, ancient and raw, surged into his bones, his blood, his soul.
A vision flashed before his eyes. Dragons soaring over shattered cities. Tamers in armor forged from living mana. Beasts the size of mountains bowing before a single boy with silver eyes.
And then, silence. The scroll disintegrated into dust. The glowing screen appeared before him, ethereal and clean.
[Ding! Bound Beast System successfully Initialized. You are now a System-Linked Tamer. Through this system, you may strengthen yourself and your bonded beasts beyond natural limits. Tasks, quests, evolution options, and hidden bloodline powers will be unlocked as you grow. Good luck!]
Zephyr collapsed backward onto the bed, gasping. For a moment, he simply lay there, staring at the ceiling,his heart was thundering.
Then the system spoke again.
[First-Time Bonus Unlocked: Beginner's Insight.
Would you like to review the current world Rank Structure?]
He swallowed thickly. "Yes." he was so confused that he didn't question anything.
[World Beast Tamer Rank Structure]
SSS-Rank: God-tier. Tamers capable of commanding world-shattering beasts. Only a handful exist across the world.
SS-Rank: Mythical-tier. Can command multiple Sovereign-class beasts. Rare and often noble-only.
S-Rank: Supreme-tier. Respected in any kingdom. Can tame ultra-rare creatures and create new taming legacies.
AAA-Rank: Legendary-tier. Skilled enough to participate in regional tournaments. Top military and guild members.
AA-Rank: Epic-tier. Strong combat tamers in cities and military corps.
A-Rank: Advance-tier. Skilled tamers with strong specialized affinities.
B-Rank: Intermediate-tier. Experienced tamers. Common among middle-class guilds.
C-Rank: Novice-tier. Basic combat tamers with a singular beast specialization.
D-Rank: Beginner-tier. Can handle simple beasts. Minor city guild members.
E-Rank: Trainee-tier. Still learning basic bonding and beast control.
F-Rank: Awakening-tier. Most citizens. Weak beast affinity, often mocked and forgotten.
Zephyr stared at the information, his pulse racing. He was a F-rank. The bottom. But now he had something that no one else at Lowmoor Academy had. Or the entire world had.
A system. A chance to become a god level beast tamer. The screen flickered again.
[Host Status Display Available.
Opening Status Window...
Status Window:
Name: Zephyr Valorian
Age: 15
Rank: F (Awakened)
System: Bound Beast System [Activated]
Affinity: Draconic Soul Resonance (Locked)
Current Skill: Beast Feed Cultivation (F-Rank)
Bloodline: Fragmented Dragon Tamer Lineage (Sealed, 3%)
Bonded Beast: None (yet).
Tame beast limit: ???
Base Attributes:
Strength: 8
Agility: 9
Endurance: 10
Mana Capacity: 6
Beast Affinity: 15
Intelligence: 11
Luck: 5
Max attributes limit: 100 ]
He frowned. "Fragmented Dragon Tamer Lineage? Sealed? Only three percent unlocked?" Before he could ponder further, another notification appeared.
[Ding! System notifications-
New Objective: Find your first True Beast Bond.
Reward: Bloodline Purity Upgrade + 1% Unlock.]
His heart slammed against his ribs. It was the beginning of his legendary journey.
All of it.
The pieces that had never fit, the weak awakening, the dormant strength, the whispers from the past. They were aligning now, one by one.
He had a system. He had a path. And though the world still saw him as a lowly beast feeder… They had no idea what he would become.
Not yet. But soon they will know. Very soon…