He hopped on the bed and took a long stretch, his bones snapping into place. Then, he pulled up the status screen to continue from where he stopped.
╔═════════════════════════╗
Tamer: Clyde [Unranked]
Bonded Beast(s): 0 (Locked)
Rank: N/A
Codex Integrity: 94% [Error Detected]
Reverse bonding Detected: 1
Beast Type: Dragon
1. Beast Records
2. Bond Tracker
3. Tamer Stats
4. Skill Grimoire
5. Growth Gauge
6. Hidden Pages (Locked)
HP: 500/500
Stamina: 210/210
Beast Handling: E
Combat Skill: E+
Willpower: D+
Next Rank Up: 0/500 Beast Points
(Beast Points earned by subduing, defeating, or taming beasts)
— Soul Core —
Current Rank: Awakened
Next Rank: Attainer
Soul Core Link: Beast Core
— Soul Core Progression —
Awakener – Level 1
Attainer – Level 150
Souless – Level 305
Hunter – Level 450
Former – Level 650
Tamer – Level 800
Lord – Level 999
╚═════════════════════════╝
As he scrolled through the status screen, he was amazed by all the information displayed on it. It didn't feel real even though it was right in front of him.
'Wow, I still can't believe I actually awakened my core'
Then came a voice inside his head, low enough for him to hear yet commanding. It held the kind of authority that could make a king tremble at the sound.
[You seem to have woken up but haven't informed me, or are you avoiding me?]
He rose to his feet immediately out of panic and glanced around the room for any signs of movement, but it was clear that no one was in the room with him.
He moved back to the bed and sat on the edge. With his mind, he decided to respond back.
'What's this? How are you able to communicate through the mind?' He asked.
[You humans really don't know the extent of our powers do you?] The dragon chuckled, slightly amused by his question.
'But I'm serious about my question. It shouldn't be possible. It should only be possible if you're closer to me but speaking through a wide range? I haven't quite heard of it'
[That's not for you to understand humans. Focus on the task I have given you. How do you feel? A bit stronger?]
He flexed his arms and knees, even standing up to jump a bit to check his body, and everything felt totally normal.
'No, everything feels the same. Why did you ask, though?' He responded, sitting back down on the bed.
[Hmm, I see. So you haven't received any notifications yet?]
'Well, if you're talking about the status screen, then yes, I have'
[I'm not referring to that, I'm talking about a skill set. Did you receive a new set of skills?]
'No, I don't think I did,' he answered, pulling up the system screen to check properly.
'I definitely didn't receive any skills,' he assured after checking properly.
[You checked your Beast Records and Tamer Stats?] It asked properly this time, hoping for a better response.
'Ohh, lemme check those'
He tapped on the Tamer Stats, and it appeared the same as his profile status. So he went back and tapped on the Beast Records, and it opened a new tab where he saw exactly what the dragon was referring to.
╔═════════════════════════╗
— Soul Core —
Current Rank: Awakened
Next Rank: Attainer
Soul Core Link: Beast Core
— Beast Information —
Beast Type: Type 5
Beast Kind: Mireling
[Beast Core Absorbed!]
Beast Core: Mireling
— Passive Skills —
1. Amphibious Breath – Hold breath for extended periods and move easily underwater.
2. Bog Sense – Heightened awareness in wet, marshy, or swamp terrain.
3. Sticky Grip – Increased grip on hands/feet, aiding climbing & weapon handling in slippery conditions.
— Active Skills —
1. Mire Spit – Launch a sticky sludge glob, slowing enemy movement.
2. Swamp Step – Move faster through mud/water without sinking.
— Stat Bonuses —
+ Minor Endurance in humid/wet environments
+ Slight resistance to poisons and toxins
╚════════════════════════╝
He stared at the status screen a bit confused before he realised what the status page meant.
'This is a skill associated with a creature called a Mireling, one question, though....what the hell is a Mireling?, and what's its ability doing in my Beast Codex?' He raised an eyebrow while staring at the status screen like the dragon was there.
[You did ask me what you would gain in return from the contract, and here you have it. With this, you won't be weak anymore. You can level up until you impress me enough to lend you my powers]
'So these abilities aren't associated with you then?, what creature do they belong to?' He asked again.
[That question is not for me to answer, do your research, and discover it yourself. I have a task for you. Use the ability within a week to see if you're compatible and try to discover anything unusual you can find while you're at it]
'Anything unusual like what?'
[Nothing specific, just anything out of the ordinary]
'Hmm, that's a weird way to put it. So I'm just supposed to be looking for anything unusual? That doesn't make any sense.'
[Anything you find unusual, just inform me. I have done my part, and now do yours diligently. Train however you must to master the ability. Seek out a school if you are too slow on your own, but do not waste time. Compatibility is not optional.]
'So I must get stronger within this week, how strong exactly?'
[Anything stronger than your current state. You will grow stronger every day, without fail, if you wish to remain of use to me. Falter, and you will be dead before you even realize it.]
[I will be expecting a positive response by next week and keep me informed of any unusual movements]
'Understood,' he responded as the transmission ended, and his mind was finally his again.
He waited for a while, waiting for any other words from the dragon, but his mind had gone quite, with no other words forming inside his head. He released a sigh of relief.
He laid back down on the bed, staring at the ceiling with his hands behind his head.
'So I wasn't dreaming after all, I did really see a dragon, and worse, I'm in a slave contract with it. How could things end up this bad?'
'I wonder if Jonathan can tell me everything I need to know about this soul core of a thing and about what the hell a Mireling is. Hope it's not associated with that weird frog-like creature I saw last night!'
He rose to his feet and moved out of the room, his next task was to meet Jonathan for him to explain a lot of things to him, especially things about the particular creature he had been given its powers.