The auditorium thrummed with restless energy, a thousand teenagers packed into Luminaris High's cavernous hall. The air was thick with anticipation, sweat, and the faint hum of the System's holographic interface. Golden runes pulsed above the stage, a cosmic arbiter woven into the fabric of this monstrous Earth, promising destinies that could forge heroes or break dreams. Zane Aldric slouched in the back row, tugging at the frayed cuffs of his jacket, his pulse hammering like a war drum. He wasn't just another kid in this world of claws and chaos. He was a reincarnated soul, a gamer from an Earth where dragons were fiction, levels were for video games, and myths were just stories whispered in books. At sixteen, today was his Awakening Ceremony, the moment the System would assign his class. Would it be a dead-end Life Class like Farmer, as his cousin Elia had been saddled with? Or something worth betting his life on?
The auditorium's walls, etched with runes that glowed faintly under the skylights, loomed over the students like silent judges. Luminaris High was no ordinary school—it was a fortress, one of the last bastions in the city-state of Luminaris, a gleaming metropolis carved from the ruins of the Great Expansion. Four centuries ago, the Earth had swelled to twenty times its original size, its continents fracturing into wilds overrun by mythical beasts. Humanity clung to fortified city-states, while the Monster Dominion—75% of the planet—teemed with creatures born of nightmares: hydras, chimeras, and worse. The Will of the Earth, a sentient force at the planet's core, had birthed the System to give humans a fighting chance, assigning classes at sixteen to shape them into warriors, crafters, or providers. Today, Zane would learn his place in that merciless order.
The System's voice cut through the chatter, cold and mechanical, reverberating in every skull: "Zane Aldric, approach the Altar of Awakening."
He stood, brushing off the weight of a thousand stares. His classmates whispered, some with pity, others with scorn. Zane wasn't from one of the noble families, the elite who bred prodigies like thoroughbreds. His parents were low-rank Life Class workers—his mother a C-rank Tailor, his father a D-rank Blacksmith. No one expected much from him. As he wove through the rows, Rhea Solis, the golden-haired prodigy with a smirk sharp enough to cut steel, leaned forward in the front row. Her family ruled half of Luminaris's trade guilds, and her confidence screamed future S-rank. Dren Varkus, son of the Iron Sovereign himself, sat beside her, his broad frame and storm-gray eyes sizing Zane up like prey. Dren was a Varkus, heir to the strongest man alive, and his presence alone made the air heavier.
Zane's boots echoed on the polished obsidian floor as he approached the altar, a slab of black stone veined with glowing crystal that pulsed like a heartbeat. His hand hovered over it, calloused from years of helping his father at the forge. Memories of his old life flooded in—late-night gaming sessions, poring over Norse and Greek myths, strategizing in RPGs where every choice mattered. That world was gone, but its lessons weren't. *Come on*, he thought, clenching his jaw. *Give me something I can work with. Something to break this world's rules.*
He pressed his palm to the crystal. The altar flared, a pulse of blinding light rippling through the hall. Gasps erupted, chairs scraping as students leaned forward. The System's runes rearranged in the air, blazing with an intensity that made even the teachers flinch. The headmaster, a wiry B-rank Enchanter named Professor Veyra, dropped her clipboard. The holographic display burned brighter, its golden letters shifting into a configuration no one had seen before.
*[SSS-RANK CLASS AWARDED: BEAST TAMER. PRIMARY TALENT: FROSTFANG PACT. SUMMONING AVAILABLE: ONE BEAST.]*
The hall froze. SSS-rank? The whispers died, replaced by a stunned silence that felt like the calm before a storm. Zane's heart skipped. He'd heard of S-rank classes—Arcane Knights, Dragon Riders, Void Assassins—legends who carved their names into history. SS-rank was rarer, whispered about in tales of heroes like the Iron Sovereign, a level 199 Titan Warlord. But SSS? That was myth, a rank no one in four centuries had claimed. Rhea's smirk vanished, her green eyes wide with something dangerously close to envy. Dren's fists clenched, his storm-gray gaze narrowing. The crowd erupted into chaos, shouts of disbelief and awe drowning out the System's echo.
Zane barely noticed, his eyes locked on the altar as a rift tore open in the air beside him. A gust of icy wind swept through, chilling his skin and ruffling his dark hair. The rift shimmered, a jagged tear in reality, and a creature stumbled out. It was a wolf pup, no bigger than a housecat, its fur shimmering like frost under moonlight. Its blue eyes glinted with primal intelligence, and it let out a high-pitched yip, nudging Zane's leg with a cold nose. The crowd gasped again, some students climbing onto chairs for a better look. Zane knelt, his hand trembling as he reached for the pup. Its name hit him like a memory from his old world's myths: *Skoll*. Not just any wolf. Kin to Fenrir, the world-devouring beast of Norse legend.
The System wasn't playing fair. Good. Neither would he.
---
Professor Veyra recovered first, her voice sharp as she waved for silence. "Enough! Return to your seats!" The students obeyed, though their eyes stayed glued to Zane and the pup now circling his legs, its tiny claws clicking on the floor. Veyra approached, her enchanted spectacles glinting as she studied the holographic display. "SSS-rank… Beast Tamer," she muttered, almost to herself. "This is unprecedented. Aldric, do you understand what this means?"
Zane stood, Skoll pressed against his ankle. He forced a casual shrug, though his mind raced. "Means I've got a pet, right?" The crowd tittered, but Veyra's glare silenced them.
"This is no mere pet," she said, her tone clipped. "The System has granted you a class beyond anything in recorded history. The Beast Tamer… if the myths are true, you can command creatures of legend. But power like that comes with scrutiny. And danger."
Zane nodded, his gamer instincts kicking in. In his old life, he'd min-maxed builds, exploited game mechanics, and turned underdog characters into gods. This System was just a bigger game, and ejected. The rules were different, but the strategy was the same: find the edges, push the limits, win. Skoll yipped again, as if agreeing, and Zane scratched its ears, feeling a strange warmth in his chest. The pup's icy fur tingled against his fingers, and he sensed a connection, like a thread tying their souls. *Frostfang Pact*, the System had called his Talent. He didn't know what it did yet, but the name alone sent a thrill down his spine.
The ceremony continued, students called one by one to the altar. Zane returned to his seat, Skoll trotting at his heels. The pup drew stares, its presence a magnet for attention. A girl with braided hair and a freckled face—Mira, a friend from his neighborhood—slid into the seat beside him. She was a year older, already a B-rank Alchemist, and her hazel eyes sparkled with mischief.
"Zane, what the *hell*?" she whispered, glancing at Skoll. "A wolf? And SSS-rank? You're gonna be insufferable now, aren't you?"
He grinned, the tension in his chest easing. "Me? Never. But this guy might be." Skoll hopped onto his lap, curling up with a contented huff.
Mira snorted. "You're in deep now. Look at Rhea—she's plotting your murder already."
Across the aisle, Rhea Solis stared at him, her expression unreadable but her posture rigid. The System called her next, and she strode to the altar with the grace of a queen. The crystal flared, and the System's voice echoed: *[S-RANK CLASS AWARDED: DRAGON RIDER. PRIMARY TALENT: DRACONIC BOND.]*
The crowd roared. S-rank was elite, a guarantee of fame and power. Rhea smirked again, but her eyes flicked to Zane, a challenge in their green depths. A small rift opened, and a draconic creature the size of a hawk fluttered out, its scales glinting ruby-red. A baby dragon. Zane's stomach tightened. Dragon Rider was no joke—Rhea would be a force to reckon with.
The ceremony dragged on, classes ranging from F-rank Farmers to A-rank Storm Lancers. Dren Varkus was last, his Awakening a formality—everyone knew the Varkus family bred warriors. The System confirmed it: *[A-RANK CLASS AWARDED: STORM LANCER. PRIMARY TALENT: THUNDERSTRIKE.]* A spear of crackling lightning materialized in his hand, and he thrust it skyward, drawing cheers. Zane watched, his mind calculating. A-rank was high, but not unbeatable. Not with Skoll and an SSS-rank class.
---
After the ceremony, the students spilled into the courtyard, a sprawling plaza ringed by rune-carved walls. Skoll bounded after Zane, nipping at his boots playfully. Mira kept pace, her alchemy satchel bouncing at her hip. "So, what's the plan, wolf boy?" she asked. "Gonna tame a whole pack and take over the city?"
Zane chuckled, but his eyes scanned the crowd. Rhea and Dren stood with a group of nobles, their gazes locked on him. "First, I figure out what this guy can do." He knelt to scratch Skoll's ears, the pup's tail wagging like a metronome. "Then… I don't know. Survive?"
Mira laughed. "Good luck with that. You're a walking target now."
She wasn't wrong. The courtyard buzzed with whispers, students stealing glances at Skoll. A boy with a D-rank Archer class approached, his bow slung over his shoulder. "Hey, Aldric," he said, nervous. "That's a Fenrir, right? Like, *the* Fenrir?"
"Not quite," Zane said, standing. "He's young. But yeah, he's special."
The boy backed off, wide-eyed. Zane felt the weight of attention, a mix of awe and jealousy. The System's interface pinged in his mind, a blue window appearing in his vision:
*[BEAST TAMER LEVEL 1: SKOLL. STATUS: YOUNG FENRIR. ABILITIES: ICE BITE, FROST AURA. EVOLUTION REQUIREMENTS: 10 KILLS, 100 MANA CRYSTALS.]*
Zane blinked. The interface was like a game HUD, but real. Kills made sense—monsters were everywhere outside the city walls. Mana crystals, though? Those were rare, dropped by high-level beasts or found in dungeons. He'd need to hunt, and soon.
"Zane!" A familiar voice cut through the noise. Toren, a burly A-rank Shield Warden, jogged over, his shield strapped to his back like a turtle shell. "Dude, SSS-rank? You're insane!" He dropped to one knee, grinning at Skoll. "And this guy's adorable. Can I pet him?"
Skoll growled, baring tiny fangs. Zane laughed. "Maybe later. He's still figuring me out."
Toren stood, his brown eyes serious. "You know what this means, right? The nobles are gonna come for you. Rhea's already talking about 'testing' you in the training arena."
Zane's jaw tightened. The arena was a proving ground, where students could challenge each other under the System's supervision. No deaths, but plenty of humiliation. "Let her try," he said, his voice steady. Inside, though, he felt the pressure. An SSS-rank class was a crown, but it was also a target.
---
The rest of the day passed in a blur of classes—System Mechanics, Monster Lore, Combat Basics. Zane kept Skoll close, the pup curled up under his desk, drawing curious looks from teachers and students alike. Professor Korran, a grizzled S-rank Battle Mage, paused his lecture on dungeon formations to stare at Skoll. "Aldric," he said gruffly, "keep that beast under control. Fenrir blood's not a toy."
"Yes, sir," Zane replied, but his mind was elsewhere, piecing together strategies. Skoll's Ice Bite could freeze small enemies, and Frost Aura might slow groups. But evolution was the key—turning Skoll into a true Fenrir would take time and resources. He needed to hit the wilds, maybe a low-level dungeon. The thought sent a thrill through him, like loading a new game with infinite possibilities.
After school, Zane, Mira, and Toren headed to the city's edge, where the rune-walls met the Monster Dominion. The wilds stretched beyond, a jungle of towering trees and glowing vines, alive with the roars of unseen beasts. Skoll's ears perked up, his nose twitching. Zane crouched, meeting the pup's blue eyes. "You ready to hunt, buddy?"
Skoll yipped, a burst of icy mist puffing from his jaws. Mira raised an eyebrow. "You're not seriously going out there now, are you?"
"Just a scout," Zane said, standing. "Need to test what he can do."
Toren frowned. "The wilds are no joke, man. Even low-level goblins can swarm you."
Zane grinned, his old gamer instincts flaring. "Then I'll swarm them back."
---
They slipped through a gate, the guards giving Zane a wary nod. The jungle was humid, the air thick with the scent of moss and blood. The System pinged again, marking nearby threats: *[LEVEL 3 GOBLIN PACK, 200 METERS NORTH. THREAT: LOW.]* Zane's hand rested on Skoll's head, the pup vibrating with excitement. "Stay close," he whispered.
They crept forward, Mira's potions clinking in her satchel, Toren's shield raised. The goblins appeared—five of them, scrawny and green, wielding crude spears. Zane sent a mental command to Skoll, the Frostfang Pact creating a seamless link. *Attack.*
Skoll lunged, a blur of frost. His Ice Bite clamped onto a goblin's arm, freezing it solid. The creature screamed as the arm shattered, and Skoll's Frost Aura slowed the others, their movements sluggish. Mira tossed a potion, a burst of acid melting a goblin's spear. Toren charged, his shield bashing another into a tree. Zane drew a dagger—his only weapon for now—and finished the last goblin with a quick slash.
The System chimed: *[5 KILLS. SKOLL: 5/10 KILLS FOR EVOLUTION.]*
Zane panted, adrenaline surging. Skoll bounded back, tail wagging, a faint glow pulsing in his fur. "Good boy," Zane said, kneeling. The pup licked his face, icy tongue stinging his cheek. Mira and Toren exchanged looks.
"You're trouble," Mira said, grinning. "And I'm here for it."
---
Back at the city, Zane sat on his bed in the cramped apartment he shared with his parents. Skoll curled up beside him, snoring softly. The day's events replayed in his mind—the altar, the SSS-rank, Rhea's glare, the goblin fight. His old life felt like a dream, but its lessons were sharp: every system had exploits, every game had a path to victory. The Beast Tamer class was his ticket to rewrite this world's rules.
His interface pinged: *[NEW QUEST: SURVIVE THE LUMINARIS TRIALS. REWARD: ACCESS TO AETHERION ACADEMY.]*
The trials were months away, a city-wide test to qualify for the global College Entrance Trials. Zane's eyes drifted to Skoll, the pup's chest rising and falling. Fenrir's kin. The first of many. Every twenty levels, he'd tame another beast—Jörmungandr, Cerberus, maybe a Chimera. Each with evolutions, Talents, power. The Iron Sovereign was level 199, but level 200 was godhood. Zane's lips curled into a smile.
"Let's break this game," he whispered.
Skoll's ear twitched, as if he agreed.