"Everyone, do you think he's coming back alive?"
"Doubt it. Probably just gonna be an empty shell."
"Scary... is the principal really that ruthless?"
"Alex so screwed."
Speech finally ended.
Everyone left.
Bob scratched his head.
"He always been kinda weird, but today... you don't think he actually caught some freaky disease, right?"
Storm Training Room.
"Alright, spill. What the hell was that?"
Principal adjusted his wig.
Let out a long sigh.
Dropped onto the leather sofa.
"I got cancer."
Alex's face stayed flat.
"Hm?"
Principal raised an eyebrow.
Looked Alex up and down.
Then kicked him right in the ass.
"Still lying? That's ten extra laps!"
"Oww!" Alex grabbed his butt. "I never even said what kind!"
"What kind?"
"Love cancer."
"..."
Principal went silent.
Shook his head.
"Let's get back on track. Beast Contract Oath taught day one. You're second-year now. Tomorrow you awaken your beast. How the hell you forget this stuff?"
Alex shook his head.
"Right now I don't even know what a contract beast is."
Past life he was cramming English, math, physics.
Plus total slacker back then.
Only thing he had going was being hot, smooth with girls, damn good at getting kept by women.
Then boom—transmigrate here, suddenly this whole Beast Taming Academy.
Principal took a deep breath.
"Maybe you really did smack your head. Fine, I won't push it. Tomorrow's your awakening. Get some rest tonight."
Alex's eyes lit up.
Wait, he actually got away with it?
"Thanks, Principal! I'll totally remember this lesson! And do it again next time—"
"Yeah yeah, get outta here."
Principal rubbed his scalp.
Already thinking which shop sold the best hair-growth potion.
Only after Alex left did his brow furrow.
"Wait... what did he just say?"
Computer Lab.
Alex walked out the training room.
Students swarmed him immediately.
Second they saw him, gasps everywhere.
"It's Sleep-Talk Bro! He's alive!"
"No missing limbs either? Principal went soft on him?"
"Tch, attention-whoring clown. Lucky bastard."
Alex ignored them.
Asked where the computer lab was.
Got the answer.
Bolted straight there.
He needed to figure out this world first.
After all, if he wanted to flirt with girls and live a kept-man dream, he had to know what women here were into.
He already transmigrated—time to go all out.
Ladies, I'm coming for you.
Shoved the door open.
Teacher looked up.
Frowned.
"Student, lab's closed after school."
"I got cancer."
Alex looked proud as hell.
Teacher froze.
"Oh... uh, then go ahead. You can even sleep here if you want."
Grabbed his stuff and practically ran out.
Glanced back three times.
Alex sat down.
Booted the computer.
Just about to start typing—
Some plain-looking dude walked over.
"Alex! So this is where you went! What're you doing, watching hot girls?"
Alex glanced at his face.
Memories kicked in.
Bob—dreams of being a chef.
Pretty weird for this beast-taming world.
"Bob, it's still 2025, right?"
Bob's eyes went wide.
"What're you even saying? It's Awakening Year 1038."
Alex let out a breath.
Clicked on the site.
Headlines slapped him in the face.
"Best game in the world! League of Beast Masters—new season drops!"
"New realm discovered! Monsters are mostly lightning-type! Rank 8 Beast Tamers and up only!"
"Shocking! Famous Beast Taming University principal has 108 lovers—8 of them are MEN!"
"Blazing Flame High gets SS-rank Contract Beast! Heaven-Swallowing Python! Student already scored offers from top universities!"
Alex kept scrolling.
Information flooding his brain.
Half an hour later, Bob was slurping down noodles.
Alex finally had a basic grip on this world.
This planet used to be just like Earth about a thousand years ago.
Then one day, dimensional portals started popping up everywhere.
Spitting out all kinds of monsters.
People also started awakening new powers—bonding with beasts, becoming Beast Tamers, fighting back.
But there was a catch: everyone awakens their first Contract Beast at 17, second year of high school.
That first beast decides everything.
A-rank or higher? Future's golden.
Weak-ass chicken, dog, or pig? Can't enter portals, can't hunt monsters, can't level up.
Beast Tamer's dream dies right there—stuck doing normal-people jobs.
Because of this, Beast Tamers are top-tier in society.
They can even have multiple wives.
"Multiple wives..."
Alex read it out loud.
Then burst out laughing.
"Hahaha! This world was literally made for me!"
Bob sighed.
"Don't get ahead of yourself. You need to be at least Rank 8 for that kind of treatment. We're not even Rank 9 yet."
Alex covered his face.
Grinned.
"You're thinking too small. Rank 8? That's nothing."
"One day I'll hit Rank 1... no, BEYOND Rank 1! Supreme-level Beast Tamer! Hahahaha!"
Bob shook his head.
"Yep. Brain definitely broken."
Alex grabbed his shoulders.
"Tomorrow, awakening ceremony, right?!"
Bob nodded.
"Yeah, but seriously, don't get too hyped. Awakening a good beast is super hard. School this size might get five A-ranks tops..."
"And we got hundreds of students... I really don't think we're those geniuses..."
Alex grinned wide.
"No ambition! If you don't believe in yourself, why would fate give a damn about you?"
"I, Alex, am destined to become Beast King!"
The next day.
Awakening Hall.
The principal stood at the front, holding a crystal orb the size of a basketball.
The thing glowed faintly.
"Students! The moment that decides your entire life... has arrived!"
Dead silence.
"First up—Rex!"
The Golden guy swaggered up.
Arms waving around all cocky.
A grin plastered on his face.
Gasps rippled through the crowd.
"Rex is so hot! No wonder he's young master of a big family!"
"Look at those muscles... his Contract Beast gotta be insane too, right?"
"Rex! Can I get your number?"
Alex rolled his eyes.
"Tch, he's not even as good-looking as me."
That drew a bunch of shocked stares.
Rex had serious pull at this school—barely anyone talked back to him.
A few girls opened their mouths to snap at Alex.
But the second they got a good look at his face, they shut right up.
"...Okay yeah, he's actually pretty hot."
Alex smirked.
This body inherited his past life looks perfectly.
Rex placed his hand on the crystal orb.
Green swirl lit up inside.
Girls screamed again.
"Green! That's A-rank! I knew Rex was the best!"
"Ahhh, Rex! I'm free tonight! Wanna come over?!"
"Get lost! If you wanna date him, get in line!"
Girls started throwing hands.
Rex just smiled all smug.
Waved at them.
Then tossed out business cards that got snatched up like concert tickets.
Few seconds later, a massive bird—looked like a golden eagle—came flying out of a portal.
Screeched.
Circled a couple times.
Then landed on Rex's shoulder.
Principal nodded.
"Not bad. A-rank Gale Golden Eagle. Killer speed and attack power. Bright future ahead of you."
Rex walked down.
Cheers everywhere.
Handing out numbers left and right.
Girls went absolutely feral.
Alex watched.
His hands clenched into fists on his lap.
Why?!
It's just an A-rank!
So what?!
There are still three whole ranks above that!
Bob tugged his sleeve.
"Keep it down, man. Their reaction makes sense. Hooking up with a future Beast Tamer basically means you're set for life."
Alex stared hard at the crystal orb.
"Hmph! Just wait till I awaken SS... or SSS... or even that legendary X-rank! Let's see what their faces look like then!"
Bob opened his mouth but decided not to say anything.
Ceremony kept going.
B-rank [Ironclad Rhino]!
C-rank [Spark Raccoon]!
B-rank [Wind Shadow Wolf]!
D-rank [Rock Shell Turtle]!
A-rank [Violet Lightning Python]!!
One by one, students went up.
Some left grinning.
Some left blank-faced.
Some left crying.
Then Principal stopped.
Looked down at his list.
Paused.
Looked up.
Smiled.
Not a nice smile.
"Next up..."
Silence stretched.
"...Alex."