Chapter 18 – Rimefield Academy & the Eyes of the Elite
Rimefield Academy wasn't a school—it was a battlefield in disguise.
High stone walls loomed in the distance as the scout led Elric's group through winding forest paths. Floating towers shimmered behind the veil of protective barriers, and massive flying beasts circled above the academy like sentinels.
"This place looks like a dungeon mated with a palace," Elric whispered.
"It is," Ayleen said flatly. "Welcome to your next trial."
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Entrance Evaluation: Ranked Test Site No. 3
> System Alert – Area: Rimefield Entry Evaluation Grounds
Challenge: Survive until the bell tolls.
Timer: 12 minutes
Enemy Rank: LV 8–10
Reward: Level-Up Bonus + Shop Expansion + Rare Loot Chance
The gate slammed shut behind them.
Lysa cursed. Felix raised his daggers. Elric grinned.
"System, got anything spicy?"
> "Shadow Ember calibrated. New synergy detected: [Pack Skill: Coordinated Howl]. Bonus: +10% damage for every bonded beast nearby."
Fangster growled low. The hatchling leapt off Elric's shoulder and hissed.
The mist thickened—then shadows moved. Giant feral beasts surged forward, eyes glowing red.
---
Combat Begins
"Let's show them what a village boy can do," Elric smirked.
> [Shadow Ember – Dual Cast]
Target: LV9 – Spiked Timberfang
Effect: Burn, Blind, Core Weakening (Chance)
The black fire ignited mid-air, spiraling like twin blades into the Timberfang's chest. It howled, staggered—and Fangster slammed into its flank with a satisfying crack.
Felix darted behind it, daggers flashing, while Lysa threw spirit chains that locked down the rear attackers.
The hatchling's eyes glowed violet.
> "New Skill Detected: Shadow Flare."
The hatchling releases a pulse of dark light, silencing enemy skills for 3 seconds.
The battlefield blinked dark. Enemy skills fizzled. Elric's team took them apart like a well-oiled machine.
---
12 Minutes Later…
The bell tolled. The gates creaked open.
Dozens of academy staff stood outside, watching.
One girl in particular leaned against a pillar—elegant robes, long black hair, and a bored expression. Her aura screamed I'm important and I know it.
Ayleen walked up to her. "Lady Iris, they passed."
"I saw." The girl's gaze rested on Elric's hatchling. "That's a Black Grade… How did a jungle runt bond one of those?"
Elric gave a lazy grin. "Talent, charm, good looks. You pick."
She didn't laugh. "Interesting. Try not to die."
"I'll try anything once."
---
System Update
> Exp Gained: 220
Level Up! – LV 7
SP Gained: +700
New Skill Unlocked: Shepherd's Thread II
Effect: Boosts ally link range and coordination. New option: Multi-thread control (Max 2 bonded beasts).
Shop Expanded!
Pet Gear: Beginner Beast Armor – 300 SP
Item: Bond Awakening Scroll – 1200 SP
Forbidden Tag: Unknown Collar Variant detected…
---
New Characters Introduced
Lady Iris – Rimefield's elite prodigy, cold and curious
Instructor Tenlan – Beast Taming Examiner
Scout Ayleen – Continues to monitor Elric
Shadowflame Hatchling – Developing sentience? Shows signs of in
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Chapter 19 – Dorms, Duels, and the Voice Beneath
Rimefield Academy wasn't built for the average student.
No, it was built for monsters.
And Elric? He was still pretending to be a sheep while sharpening his fangs.
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West Dormitory, Sector Three – Room 12
The room was barely big enough for a bed, a desk, and one egotistical village boy with a burning desire to look cool.
Elric threw himself onto the bed, arms wide. "Luxury. At last. System, play me a lullaby."
> "I am not your bard. But noted: ego is healthy today."
"Also, your pet licked the pillow."
He sat up. His hatchling was curled on the windowsill, tail twitching as it stared at the night sky. Its scales had darkened slightly. And... was that a second horn budding from its head?
"Hey, what are you?" Elric whispered. "And why do I feel like you're watching more than learning?"
The hatchling tilted its head. Then—just for a second—Elric heard something.
A voice.
Not the System. Not his thoughts.
> "Protector. Found. Feeding…"
He stood, heart racing. "System, what the hell was that?"
> "Unknown entity within bonded core. Caution advised. May be evolving."
Elric blinked. Then grinned. "Heh. Awesome."
---
The Next Morning – Orientation Arena
Hundreds of new students stood in ranked formations. Beasts paced beside them. A massive coliseum-like structure held them all.
A booming voice echoed:
> "Welcome to Rimefield Academy. Here, you will rise—or fall. One rule: strength determines respect."
A young man stepped into the center. Handsome, sharp-eyed, surrounded by two shadow wolves and a flying elemental owl.
"I'm Zein, top first-year. I'll be your senior. Anyone think they can take my place… step forward."
No one moved.
Until Elric yawned.
Loudly.
Everyone stared.
"You challenging me, jungle boy?" Zein said, amused.
Elric scratched his head. "Nah, I just have a very noisy yawn. But if you're offering free XP, I might take it."
A few chuckles. A few gasps. Zein's eyes narrowed.
"You're on. Duel at dusk."
---
System Update – Duel Scheduled
> Opponent: Zein – LV 12
Beast Rank: Mid-Class
Reward: +1000 EXP, Duel Chest, Fame, Shop Unlock
Risk: Injury, Reputation Loss, Possible Slave Tag (Wagered Item)
"Warning: Opponent exceeds your level by 5+."
Activate Perception Skill? Y/N
Elric grinned. "Y. Let's see what my System friend has in store."
> New Passive Skill: Beast Perception I
Effect: Allows real-time analysis of beasts within 5 levels of MC. Can view HP, weaknesses, and core traits.
---
Character Expansion – Allies and Enemies
Zein – Top first-year, elite background, power-hungry and proud. Might have ties to a darker organization.
Iris – Still watching Elric like a bored goddess watching ants.
Lysa & Felix – Assigned to Elric's class. Their bond grows.
Tenlan – Instructor interested in Elric's growth. Hints he knows about System-class wielders.
---
Bond Evolution Progress
> Shadowflame Hatchling: Mutation Detected
Possible Evolution Paths:
Abyss Serpent (Legendary)
Skyflame Drake (Rare)
??? (Mythic - Unknown Requirements)
Here's Chapter 20 – where the academy witnesses something it wasn't prepared for: the duel of a so-called "village boy" who fights with a grin, a beast, a System, and a plan.
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Chapter 20 – The Duel at Dusk
The sky above Rimefield burned orange as the arena filled. First-years flooded the seats. Instructors stood watchfully. Even a few seniors had shown up.
All because Zein, top of the class, had challenged a loudmouth village boy.
Elric stood in the dueling circle, arms crossed, cloak fluttering lightly behind him. His beast sat beside him, tail flicking lazily, but the embers in its throat betrayed its growing power.
"Final offer," Zein called, arms outstretched. "Bow out. Save yourself the humiliation. Or I make you crawl by the end."
Elric yawned. "Sorry, didn't hear you over the sound of my own indifference."
> Duel Initiated
Zein (LV 12) vs Elric (LV 6)
Rules: No fatal blows. No external interference. Beasts allowed.
Wager: Zein's Duel Chest vs Elric's empty gold pouch + 1 Slave Collar (Shop Grade: Basic)
---
System Prompt – Activate Battle Mode?
> "Activating Battle Mode."
"Adrenaline synced. Focus enhanced. Combat instinct boosted by +10%."
"Loot tracking enabled."
Elric's smirk faded into something sharper. "Alright, buddy," he said to his hatchling, "let's earn our dinner."
---
Round 1 – Speed vs Fire
Zein struck first. His shadow wolves split into flanking positions. The owl dove with wind blades flying from its wings.
But Elric didn't dodge.
He whispered, "Blaze Pulse."
The hatchling opened its maw. A jet of black-blue fire roared out—not wide, but focused like a spear.
The owl screamed as its wing caught flame. The crowd gasped.
> Critical Hit. Weakness Exploited.
+150 EXP
Loot: Lesser Wind Gem, Beast Feather (Elemental Quality)
Zein's eyes narrowed. "That… wasn't beginner-tier fire."
Elric shrugged. "We're in school, aren't we? Just doing homework."
---
Round 2 – Shadows Strike
Both wolves lunged from either side.
Elric's System blinked.
> New Skill Unlocked: [Reactive Step]
Type: Movement
Effect: Instantly shift position within a 2-meter range. 5-second cooldown.
With a whisper, Elric vanished between them. The wolves collided mid-air.
His dagger—freshly enchanted with the Lesser Wind Gem—found the throat of one. The other whipped around—
—and met the hatchling's claws.
> +220 EXP gained
Beast Core (Shadow Wolf – Cracked) added to inventory
+1 System Point
New Title: "Beast Slayer – Initiate"
---
Final Round – The Collar
Zein backed up, blood on his lip, panting.
"I underestimated you…"
Elric's eyes glowed faintly with System sync.
"System," he said. "Use Slave Collar – Target: Zein's injured owl."
> Processing… Success Rate: 36%... 68%... 91% (Weakened state confirmed)
Initiating collar transfer.
A flash of silver. A small ring of energy latched onto the fallen owl. It thrashed, then—still.
> Beast Bound: Whispering Owl (LV 6 – Injured)
Note: Will require healing and loyalty missions.
EXP gained. Duel Chest unlocked.
---
The Crowd? Silent. Then—chaos.
"You… you enslaved my beast?" Zein roared.
Elric flicked his collar. "Didn't you read the rules? Everything's fair… when you're shameless."
---
Rewards Gained:
EXP: +600 (Level Up!)
Level 7 Reached
New Skill: [Beast Scan I] – See traits, weaknesses, and core potential of enemy beasts.
New Item: Duel Chest – Contains 1 Rare Weapon, 1000 gold, and 1 Beast Egg (Unhatched)
---
Aftermath:
Zein was carried off by healers, swearing vengeance.
Elric walked away with an injured owl, two beasts, a new title, and enough System Points to upgrade his shop.
Even the instructors whispered now.
And someone far above… watching from a floating crystal chamber, smiled.
"Interesting," said the voice. "Very interesting."
---
Here's Chapter 21 — the calm after the storm, where Elric's beast egg stirs, the Whispering Owl opens one eye, and the System unveils a new path: Beast Trials.
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Chapter 21 – Whisper, Hatch, Trial
The academy grounds still buzzed with rumors. Zein, the untouchable, was defeated by a first-year village boy. And not just defeated—embarrassed.
Elric, meanwhile, sat in the quiet grove behind the dorms, legs crossed, his hatchling curled beside him, and a faintly glowing egg in his lap.
It pulsed with a rhythm that matched his heartbeat.
> Beast Egg – Rank: Rare (Wind Attribute)
Status: Near Hatching
Synchronization: 42%
Required: Beast Bond (Basic) + Stable Energy Core + Protective Aura Nearby
Estimated Hatch Time: 00:08:34…
The System chimed softly beside him like a curious older brother.
> System Notification:
Would you like to name your new beast in advance?
Naming boosts first bond chance by +15%
"Elric," came a voice.
He turned to see Lira, the quiet, sharp-eyed girl from the dorm next door. She sat beside him without asking.
"That owl. Is it… yours now?"
He nodded slowly. "Technically. She's injured. But she's got fire in her eyes."
"Like you," she said with a smirk.
Elric coughed, a little too smug. "Well, I am pretty irresistible."
She rolled her eyes but didn't leave.
---
Meanwhile…
The Whispering Owl stirred.
Its feathers twitched. One wing trembled. Then—
> Slave Collar Sync: 37%
Loyalty Test Phase 1 unlocked.
Mission: Heal the beast. Feed it. Learn its name.
"System, can't I just force the loyalty?"
> Technically yes.
But you're not that kind of Shepherd, are you?
Elric paused. Then gave the owl a small piece of dried beast meat from his satchel. The owl blinked once, accepted it, and leaned weakly into his hand.
> +1 Loyalty Point. Whispering Owl condition improving.
Lira watched, strangely soft-eyed. "You care for your beasts like friends."
"I don't lead with chains. I lead with food and threats," he said with a wink.
---
00:00:02… 00:00:01…
The egg cracked.
With a soft chirp and a final pulse of light, the shell split. A small, emerald-feathered chick with tiny storm wisps around its wings looked up at Elric—and sneezed a lightning spark.
> Beast Hatched – Stormlet Chick
Rank: Rare (Storm/Lightning)
Trait: "Skybreaker Potential"
Bond Strength: 64%
Passive Skill: [Static Guard] – All allies near the beast gain minor lightning resistance.
The System hummed.
> New Beast Bonded. You have 3 active beast companions.
Beast Limit reached for current level. Upgrade needed at Level 10.
---
System Notification – New Feature Unlocked: Beast Trials
> Now accessible due to unique beast bonding traits.
Beast Trials are world fragments that test a beast's will, growth, and bond with the Shepherd.
Survive to evolve. Fail… and the beast is lost forever.
"System," Elric whispered. "You serious?"
> Always.
Stormlet Chick qualifies for first trial.
Would you like to send it… now?
Elric looked at the tiny, chirping ball of fluff.
"No. Not yet."
> Wise.
Not all strength is in rushing forward.
---
Back in the Academy…
Rumors had begun to shift.
"He's not just strong," someone said in the cafeteria.
"He's got three beasts already."
"He has a System that talks back."
"Did you hear he beat a senior last year in a staring contest? And the senior fainted!"
"...okay, that last one's fake," someone muttered.
Elric's name was spreading.
Not as a noble. Not as royalty.
But as the village boy with a beast that burns, an owl that haunts, and a chick that might one day summon storms.
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Got it! Here's a peaceful, warm, and character-rich Chapter 22 — a rare calm moment with Elric and friends, giving the world time to breathe and relationships space to grow.
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Chapter 22 – Bread, Breeze, and Bonding
It was the first truly quiet morning Elric had in weeks.
No beast eggs pulsing with strange energy.
No duels.
No System alarms screaming "Hostile Detected."
Just the wind, the warmth of the rising sun, and the scent of fresh bread.
Yes—bread.
"Who… made this?" Elric asked, eyes wide as he stared at the golden-crusted loaf on the wooden table of Dorm Room B-13.
"I did," Lira said, arms folded smugly. "I have many talents."
"I thought you only baked with sarcasm."
She smirked. "That too."
At the edge of the room, the Whispering Owl slept peacefully, wings tucked, its wounds healing at an unnatural speed thanks to Elric's new [Healing Bond Thread] passive skill.
The Stormlet Chick?
Perched proudly on Elric's head.
Static occasionally zapped his ear.
He didn't complain.
---
System Notification
> You are experiencing Calm Bonding Bonus.
+2 Passive EXP
+1 Affection with all nearby bonded beasts
+5 Mental Clarity
Rare Moment Detected: "Peaceful Morning."
> You've earned a hidden achievement:
[Morning Shepherd] – Sometimes the strongest leaders start with breakfast.
Reward: Beast Affinity +1, Cooking Skill (Locked: Requires Kitchen Access)
---
The New Group
Elric's circle had started to form—naturally, messily, and hilariously.
Lira: Sarcastic, sharper than a dagger, and hiding more than she showed.
Glen: The beastless musclehead who kept following Elric around claiming, "One day, I'll punch a dragon!"
Rue: Quiet girl with alchemy obsession and zero sense of social cues.
Elric: The shameless village-born Shepherd with a god-given System and way too many beast problems.
They weren't a squad.
Not yet.
But maybe something better—friends.
---
Later that Day
They sat on the edge of the academy's upper wall, feet dangling, watching students train below.
"This feels fake sometimes," Glen muttered. "Like… we're not meant to be here."
"We aren't," Lira replied. "That's what makes us interesting."
Elric grinned. "I'm pretty sure I am meant to be here. Did I mention I hatched a lightning bird from an egg I looted off a bandit beast-nest?"
"Yes," Rue said blankly. "Seven times. You told it again in the bread line this morning."
"And the stable," Glen added.
Elric leaned back, arms behind his head. "Just making sure everyone remembers."
---
The Whisper
Just before sunset, as Elric prepared to return to the dorms, the Whispering Owl's eyes opened again. It turned toward him—and something clicked.
> Bond Strength increased.
Beast Trait Unlocked: [Soul Echo]
This beast can sense emotional shifts in others and respond with its own aura.
You are no longer just a tamer.
You're becoming a Shepherd.
Elric blinked. "System… did you just—"
> Nope. You're imagining things.
Also, congrats. You unlocked another passive.
*[Soothing Aura] – Your presence calms lesser beasts and increases healing speed when you are at peace.
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End of Chapter 22
A chapter of rest. But not without meaning.
Elric now has a circle of friends.
His beasts are slowly evolving.
His System is growing warmer—less robotic, more like a sarcastic older brother.
---