Leon stood outside his house, the morning sun casting a golden hue over the farmlands. His Phantom Stalker crouched beside him, its body flickering between solid and ethereal, waiting. Observing.
Taming a beast was only the first step. True mastery came with understanding.
Leon had no system notifications to guide him. No convenient skill descriptions. His knowledge came from experience—twenty years of playing Devia. He had studied Beast Tamers inside and out, even if he had never played the class himself.
And he knew one thing for certain.
A beast was only as strong as its tamer.
Leon tightened the straps on his forearm guards. Strength in Devia wasn't just about levels—it was about synergy. A weak tamer with a strong beast was just a liability. A true Beast Tamer fought alongside their monsters.
Which meant training. A lot of it.
Leon glanced at the Phantom Stalker. "Let's see what you can do."
The creature tilted its head, unblinking.
Then—he moved.
Without warning, Leon lunged, feinting an attack. The Phantom Stalker reacted instantly, vanishing into the shadows.
Leon smirked. Fast.
His eyes flickered across the training field, tracking every disturbance in the grass. The Stalker was an ambush predator—relying on speed and stealth over brute force. He needed to learn its attack patterns, its instincts.
A flicker—just a sliver of movement behind him.
Leon spun, dodging just as the Stalker pounced.
Its claws scraped past his shoulder, barely missing.
Leon landed in a crouch, grinning. "Not bad."
The Phantom Stalker growled low, its glowing eyes narrowing.
Leon cracked his knuckles.
"Again."
---
Honing the Bond
By the time the sun reached its peak, Leon was drenched in sweat, his muscles burning from exertion. The Phantom Stalker was breathing heavily as well, its form flickering more erratically.
Good.
Leon had pushed it to its limits. And in doing so, he had learned.
The Stalker relied on short bursts of speed—perfect for ambushes but not for drawn-out fights. Its claws were sharp but lacked penetration against armor. And while its ability to phase in and out of sight was useful, it required stamina.
This was valuable information.
Leon exhaled, steadying his breathing. He reached into his small pouch, pulling out a dried meat ration. It wasn't ideal, but he didn't have proper beast food yet.
He tossed it toward the Phantom Stalker.
The creature hesitated.
Leon simply waited.
A tamed beast wasn't like a summoned pet—it still had free will. Trust wasn't forced. It was built.
The Stalker sniffed the food once before grabbing it between its fangs.
Leon smirked. That's a start.
---
The Chief's Proposition
Later that evening, as Leon wiped the sweat from his brow, a familiar figure approached—Elric.
The village chief leaned against the wooden fence, arms crossed. "You've been busy."
Leon glanced at him. "I have to be."
Elric nodded. "Good. Then maybe you'll be interested in something."
Leon raised an eyebrow.
The chief pulled out a small, weathered scroll and tossed it toward him. Leon caught it, unraveling it carefully.
His eyes narrowed.
A request for aid. Signed by a noble house.
"They sent this a few days ago," Elric explained. "A minor lord from the western territories—land trouble, bandits, something about beasts acting up."
Leon's grip tightened slightly.
A noble house requesting help from a small village like this? That meant either desperation… or something else entirely.
"What's the catch?" Leon asked.
Elric smirked. "They're not expecting a Beast Tamer."
Silence hung between them.
Then, Leon chuckled. "That makes it more interesting."
Elric nodded. "I thought you'd say that."
Leon rolled the scroll up, his mind already working.
A noble's request. Unusual beast activity.
Coincidence? Maybe. But something told him otherwise.
"How far is this territory?" Leon asked.
"Two days' travel west."
Leon glanced at the Phantom Stalker, who was still watching him closely. Then back at the scroll.
A noble house. Beasts out of control. A chance to test his skills in a real fight.
His decision was made.
He smirked. "Then I'll be leaving at first light."
---