Yor sat quietly on the roof, feeling the evening wind brush against his skin. His thoughts were heavy, but his eyes stayed calm. Suddenly, his gaze shifted to the glowing mark on his right hand—the same spot the strange creature had touched before disappearing.
That small creature, no taller than three feet, had just come out of the ancient egg. Its body was like a lion's, and its skin had a similar color. Though it looked adorable, the moment it touched Yor's hand, it vanished without a trace. In its place, the glowing symbol appeared.
Yor stared at the mark in confusion. "Where did the monster go…?"
The soft, light blue glow didn't fade. He turned to Pice, who was still kneeling.
"Pice," Yor said. "Get up. Tell me what's going on. Why are you bowing?"
Pice slowly stood, eyes filled with seriousness. "Our ancestors left behind a prophecy. They said that one day, this egg would hatch when a true descendant of the legendary Yin bloodline appears. The newborn would vanish upon contact, and the chosen one's body would emit a blue light."
He paused, voice quieter now. "We were told to protect this egg for generations. And when the chosen one comes, we must help him reach the peak. My ancestor also said that we must pass on our special skill to him."
Yor remained silent. Not because of the prophecy or Pice's words, but because the creature had completely disappeared. Yet the mark remained on his hand, glowing gently.
He sighed. "Pice, let's talk tomorrow. I'm really sleepy."
Without waiting for a reply, Yor walked inside and went to bed. Pice, still overwhelmed with excitement, also fell asleep shortly after.
That night, Yor had a dream.
In the dream, he saw a tall man, around seven feet, standing exactly like the figure in the painting from earlier. The man radiated power. Yor tried to call out to him—but the moment he did, a strange reaction happened.
The mark on Yor's hand glowed again, and suddenly, the same monster that had vanished reappeared from the mark. It stood by his side, powerful and calm.
The man in the dream also had a similar mark on his hand, and his own monster stood like a guardian. Both the man and the creature carried an overwhelming aura.
The dream faded.
Morning came.
Yor sat down with Pice and asked, "How much do you know about my ancestor?"
Pice took a deep breath. "My ancestor was close friends with yours. He told us stories about the legendary Yin—a man so powerful that even monsters feared him. He was called the king. No one dared to challenge him."
"He was a rare type of tamer. Normally, tamers can only control monsters. But your ancestor could summon them from his own body. Only his bloodline had that power."
Pice pointed toward the painting. "He could even use monster powers through his body, though it wasn't recommended."
Pice continued, "I thought the monster you tamed just went to sleep. Hatching from the egg must have drained its energy. It probably absorbed some of your mana to rest. But because your mana is unique, it won't harm you."
Yor nodded slowly.
"You've already been practicing mana. Now sit and meditate," Pice said. "You should be able to see your mana flow."
Yor obeyed and sat cross-legged.
He meditated for hours, his focus sharp. Pice had never seen someone meditate without breaking focus even once.
Night fell.
Yor's mind entered a new state—the mind realm.
This realm was something only those with a special kind of awakening could access. Normally, it took psychic abilities. But Yin bloodline… was different.
Inside the mind realm, Yor saw it.
The small creature—the monster from before—was awake, playing like a happy child. But its body had changed. Its color had shifted. Now, it glowed with a mix of white, blue, and purple energy.
It had absorbed Yor's purple mana, which was highly dangerous to most beings. Yet the monster was unaffected.
Maybe it was now tied to Yor's soul.
It floated inside a circular space, surrounded by swirling lights of white, blue, and purple.
Yor watched it quietly.
"This must be its evolution," he thought. "It will take time."
With a calm expression, he gave the monster a name: Elovking.
His first monster.
He felt strangely happy.
It was already past midnight when Yor opened his eyes. Pice had gone to sleep.
Yor realized he hadn't practiced swordsmanship today.
He walked over and picked up his cursed sword—Pok.
But something was missing.
The monster core inside the hilt… was gone.
He had already been through so many surprises that he didn't react much. But when he swung the sword once, he felt something different.
His speed had increased.
His strikes were stronger.
"Is it because of the monster taming?" he wondered.
He didn't yet know that Pok had evolved—reaching Level 5. Its power, attack speed, and all attributes had multiplied. More than that, it had developed consciousness.
And it had gained a new ability:
It could fly on its own for a short time.
But Yor didn't know that yet.
He just stared at the glowing mark on his hand… quietly.
The night felt deeper than usual.
And the bond between him and Elovking had only just begun.
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