Lumo Sparkwhistle gasped as her eyes flew open.
She was still in the forest.
Cold earth pressed against her back, damp with moss and fallen leaves. The roaring had stopped. The trembling in the ground was gone. Above her, pale moonlight filtered through the branches, painting silver lines across the night.
And standing before her—
Fenrir.
The colossal wolf loomed like a living mountain of fur and muscle. His silver-gray coat shimmered faintly, as if woven from moonlight itself. Eyes older than time stared down at her—deep, intelligent, and terrifyingly calm.
Lumo tried to scream.
Nothing came out.
Her body refused to move, pinned not by force, but by something far heavier—presence.
[System Notification]
Taming King System — Initialization Complete
Host: Lumo Sparkwhistle
Status: Stable
The glowing blue text hovered in the air before her, translucent yet unmistakably real.
"I… I'm dreaming," Lumo whispered.
Fenrir lowered his massive head until his breath brushed her face—warm, steady, alive. Slowly, he sat down, curling his tail around his paws like a disciplined guardian rather than a savage beast.
Then, a voice echoed again—but this time, it did not feel mechanical.
It felt ancient.
"You have been chosen."
The words formed directly inside her mind.
Lumo clutched her chest as warmth spread from her forehead, where Fenrir had touched her. She felt something unlock—like chains breaking deep within her soul.
Images flooded her thoughts.
Beasts bowing.
Kings kneeling.
Battlefields littered with fallen monsters—and her standing at the center, unafraid.
[System Update]
Unique Trait Acquired: King's Mark (Dormant)
Effect: Absolute compatibility with legendary and mythical beasts
Warning: Trait will attract hostile entities
"Hostile… entities?" Lumo muttered.
As if answering her fear, Fenrir's ears twitched. He turned his head sharply toward the deeper forest, lips curling back to reveal gleaming fangs.
A low growl rumbled from his chest.
The trees ahead began to sway though there was no wind.
Red eyes blinked open in the darkness—one pair… then two… then dozens.
Lumo's heart pounded.
"Fenrir…" she whispered, unsure why she said his name, unsure how she even knew it.
The great wolf stood instantly, placing himself between her and the forest. His fur bristled, and power rolled off him like a storm about to break.
"Do not fear," Fenrir's voice echoed in her mind once more.
"A king does not flee. A king commands."
The system flared to life again.
[System Prompt]
First Command Available
Target: Fenrir (Mythical Beast — Sealed State)
Lumo swallowed hard, legs shaking as she forced herself to stand.
She looked at the darkness.
She looked at the wolf.
And for the first time in her life, she did not run.
"Protect me," she said—softly, but with resolve.
Fenrir's eyes burned bright silver.
He threw back his head and howled.
The sound shattered the night, sending shockwaves through the forest. Trees bent. Creatures screamed. The red eyes vanished one by one, swallowed by fear.
[System Confirmation]
Command Accepted
Bond Level: Established
The path of the Taming King has begun.
Lumo exhaled, realizing only now that she had crossed a line she could never return from.
Somewhere far away, unseen powers stirred.
And the world had just noticed her name.