Chapter 29: Lyra’s Request
Draco Von Ashblade [Awakened] EXP: 43/100
Title: None
Talent: Dragon Lord (SSS-Rank)
Strength: 14(+3) / Agility: 21 (+3) / Constitution: 14 / Mana: 51
Beastmaster Manual: Uncommon-Rank [4/4 EXP]
Skills: Stone Heart(Uncommon, Lvl.1)
Stat points: 1
With his daily cultivation and mission complete, Draco couldn’t help but sigh in relief. The uncommon-rank manual had provided its full four experience points for the day, bringing him steadily closer to his first level milestone.
The sky had already darkened outside his small house, and exhaustion was finally catching up with him. Between the intense gate expedition, Zephyr’s evolution, and completing a small batch of twenty shampoo bottles, it had been an incredibly productive but draining day.
[Master, you look tired. Should we rest now?] Zephyr observed the look on Draco’s face.
Standing up from his work station, Draco stretched his aching muscles before yawning deeply. "I’ll finish the rest tomorrow morning. We’ve accomplished enough for one day."
...
The next day arrived. Draco made his way to the academy for his Summoner’s class.
"Alright class, today we have some important guests," Instructor Hartwell announced with obvious enthusiasm. "Meet your seniors from the second year. This is Stacy, and this is Marco. They are both experienced summoners and today they’re here to share their experiences with their own beasts."
She gestured toward the two older students standing beside her desk. "They’re also here to answer any questions you might have about the challenges you are facing as you develop your partnerships."
Marco was a tall, lanky young man with sandy brown hair and calm, patient eyes. Perched on his broad shoulder was a turtle about the size of a dinner plate.
Stacy, in contrast, was a petite girl with short black hair and an intense, focused expression. Near her feet, a spider the size of a small cat. Its dark, hairy legs and multiple eyes made several students visibly uncomfortable.
[Master, that spider looks scary! But also kind of interesting...] Zephyr whispered from his position inside Draco’s jacket.
Marco stepped forward first, his turtle companion moving slightly to maintain balance on his shoulder.
"When I first contracted Fortress here," he began, gently patting his turtle’s shell, "I thought I’d made a terrible mistake. Everyone else had powerful, or fast beasts that could dart around the battlefield. Meanwhile, Fortress moved so slowly that grass literally grew faster."
A few students chuckled at the comparison, though they listened attentively.
"I kept trying to force him to be something he wasn’t, faster, more aggressive, more like what I thought was a ’proper’ combat beast. It was frustrating for both of us." Marco’s expression grew more serious.
"The breakthrough came when I stopped fighting his nature and started working with it."
He demonstrated by activating a skill. Suddenly, his turtle’s shell expanded slightly and took on an even more metallic appearance. "Instead of speed, we focused on becoming an immovable defensive wall. Fortress can now create protective barriers not just for me, but for my team. His shell can deflect attacks that would shatter most armors."
A student near the front raised her hand. "But how do you handle fast enemies that just run circles around you?"
Marco grinned. "That’s where strategy comes in. We learned to control battlefield positioning and force enemies to come to us. Fortress can create earth barriers that funnel opponents into narrow spaces where speed doesn’t matter as much."
Stacy stepped forward next, her spider companion moving with her.
"I faced the opposite problem," she said, her voice carrying a slight edge. "Everyone was terrified of Weaver here, including me initially." She glanced down at her spider with obvious affection. "People kept telling me spiders were ’creepy’ or ’unsuitable’ for a lady."
As Stacey finished stating the problem she encountered and how she solved it, Marco nodded in agreement.
"The key lesson for all of you is this: don’t try to make your beast into something it’s not. Find its natural strengths and build your entire combat style around maximizing those advantages."
A student near the back called out, "But what if your beast seems weak compared to others? Like, what if you have something small that doesn’t look impressive?"
Marco and Stacy exchanged glances before Marco answered. "Some of the most dangerous beastmasters I know have partners that look completely harmless. A student in our year has a butterfly that can create hallucinogenic dust clouds."
"Never judge a beast by its appearance," Stacy added firmly. "The bond between master and beast, plus creative use of abilities, matters far more than raw power or impressive looks."
Draco found himself paying closer attention to this advice, thinking about how perfectly it applied to his partnership with Zephyr.
Instructor Hartwell stepped forward. "Any more questions for our guests?"
The discussion continued for another twenty minutes, with students asking about everything from daily care routines to advanced combat techniques. Both seniors provided practical, experienced answers that made the challenges of beastmastery seem more manageable.
As the class concluded, Draco reflected on how much the advice resonated with his own journey. He and Zephyr had already learned to work with their natural strengths rather than against them, but hearing it confirmed by successful older students was reassuring.
We’re on the right path. Now we just need to keep growing stronger together.
As they prepared to head out of the Summoner’s class, Lyra turned towards Draco with a somewhat hesitant expression. Aurelius sat calmly beside her, his intelligent brown eyes observing the interaction with interest.
"Are you free later this afternoon, after classes end?" Lyra asked, her straightforward nature evident even when she seemed uncertain about something.
Draco thought for a moment, mentally reviewing his schedule. He had planned to work on more shampoo production, but nothing that couldn’t be postponed. "I am free. Do you need something?"
Instead of elaborating, Lyra simply said, "We’ll talk later," before gathering her materials and leaving the classroom.
Draco shrugged off the mysterious invitation and headed to his next class, curious but not overly concerned about what Lyra might want to discuss.
[Master, that girl seems nervous about something. Her dog was wagging his tail though, so it’s probably not bad news!] Zephyr observed from his concealed position.
Walking into E-Class felt dramatically different than it had just weeks ago. The atmosphere had undergone a complete transformation since news of his awakening had spread throughout the academy.
The same students who had once whispered cruel jokes and made snide comments now maintained respectful silence when he entered. Their eyes still followed him, but the expressions had changed from mockery to wariness.
Most notably, Malfoy Grim had gone completely silent, as if someone had stolen his tongue. The pale boy who had once delighted in making cutting remarks about Draco’s talentless status, now avoided eye contact entirely and focused intently on his textbooks whenever Draco was nearby.
Draco settled into his usual back corner seat, completely ignoring the students around him. They were nothing but passerby to him.
Instructor Thorne entered the classroom. She was a middle-aged woman with graying hair pulled back in a practical bun, wearing the simple robes that marked her as one of the academy’s regular instructors.
Unlike the prestigious Miss Ember, who had once substituted for this class under special circumstances, Instructor Thorne was the standard E-Class educator.
"Today we’ll be discussing mutated beasts," Instructor Thorne announced, pulling down a chart that showed various creature classifications. "This is a topic that every awakener must understand, as it represents one of the most significant dangers you’ll face in your careers."
She pointed to a section of the chart showing normal beast classifications alongside corrupted, more powerful variants.
"Mutated beasts are incredibly dangerous because they introduce a crucial element of uncertainty to gate exploration," she continued, her tone growing more serious. "A creature that should be common-rank might undergo mutation and reach elite-rank power levels."
Several students moved uncomfortably in their seats as they realised how dangerous gate explorations can be.
"For example," Instructor Thorne explained, "you might enter what appears to be a standard common-rank gate, expecting to face predictable threats. However, if that gate contains a mutated beast that has evolved beyond its normal strength, the entire danger level changes dramatically."
She moved her pointer to show examples of documented mutations.
"What should have been a routine expedition suddenly becomes a life-threatening encounter."
Like the elite fox I fought, Draco thought grimly.
"This means that gate classifications aren’t absolute guarantees," Instructor Thorne continued. "A common gate with a mutated boss could effectively become more than a simple elite-ranked threat without any change to the outer gate." The worry on students’ faces became increasingly apparent as they processed this information.
Noticing their growing anxiety, Instructor Thorne raised her hand in a calming gesture. "However, I want to emphasize that such mutations are incredibly rare. The academy estimates that fewer than one percent of gates contain significantly mutated beasts."
She smiled reassuringly at her students. "You shouldn’t let this knowledge paralyze you with fear. Proper preparation, teamwork, and following established safety protocols will protect you in the vast majority of situations you’ll encounter."
Still, that one percent can be the difference between life and death, Draco reflected, remembering his recent close call with the elite fox.
Instructor Thorne continued her lecture, detailing more things about the gates.
The afternoon slowly approached its end, and with it signaled the conclusion of classes for the day.
Students began streaming out of the main building, chatting about assignments and making plans for their free time.
As Draco stepped outside the main building, he spotted Lyra waiting for him near the academy’s main gate.
Her auburn hair shone under the sunlight as it fluttered gently in the breeze, and she held her leather school bag casually in her hands.
Aurelius lay relaxed on the ground beside her, his golden fur gleaming as he enjoyed the warmth of the sun.
The retriever’s tail gave a lazy wag when he noticed Draco approaching, and his intelligent brown eyes seemed to assess Draco with the same direct honesty his master was known for.
Lyra looked up as Draco approached.
"Right on time," she said with a slight smile. "I wasn’t sure if you’d remember with everything else going on."