Chapter 1 - The Weakest Awakening
The morning sun cast long golden rays over Drakeheart City, where thousands of sixteen-year-olds gathered before the towering gates of the Imperial Beast Awakening Academy.
Excitement, anxiety, and ambition filled the air.
Today was the day every young citizen dreamed of.
The day they would awaken their Beast Core.
Some would awaken majestic dragons.
Some would contract powerful wolves or phoenixes.
Others would leave with nothing more than a common beast, forever destined to live ordinary lives.
Among the crowd stood a young man dressed in a worn grey academy uniform.
His name was Kai Dragonbane.
His dark hair was unkempt, and his amber eyes calmly observed the sea of hopeful students around him. Unlike the others, he showed little excitement.
For Kai, hope had become a dangerous luxury.
Three years ago, his parents—renowned Beast Tamers—had disappeared during an expedition into the forbidden Abyssal Wildlands.
No bodies were ever recovered.
No explanation was ever given.
Only debt remained.
Since then, Kai had survived by working after school, repairing Beast Equipment and delivering supplies to tamers. While other students trained with expensive Beast Crystals, Kai could only study old books borrowed from the public library.
Yet he refused to give up.
He had made himself one promise.
"If my parents are still alive... I'll become strong enough to find them."
A thunderous bell echoed across the academy grounds.
Dong!
Dong!
Dong!
The massive crowd instantly fell silent.
Upon the marble stage stood an elderly man wearing silver robes embroidered with golden dragons.
His presence alone made the air feel heavier.
He was Headmaster Aldric Stormclaw, an Imperial Beast Master whose contracted beast was said to be a Mythic Sky Dragon.
"Welcome," his deep voice echoed across the plaza.
"Today, your fate begins."
"No amount of wealth can purchase talent."
"No family name can replace courage."
"The Beast Core chooses only those whose hearts resonate with the will of the world."
The students listened in breathless silence.
Behind the Headmaster stood a towering crystal nearly five metres tall.
It shimmered with countless colours, as if stars had been trapped inside.
The World Awakening Crystal.
One by one, students were called forward.
"Rowan Ashford."
A handsome boy confidently placed his hand upon the crystal.
Brilliant blue light erupted.
A majestic Storm Eagle appeared above him, spreading wings of crackling lightning.
"Rare Grade!"
The crowd burst into cheers.
The instructors nodded with approval.
"Excellent."
The next student stepped forward.
A crimson wolf emerged.
"Elite Grade!"
Applause.
Another awakened a Stone Bear.
Another a Crystal Serpent.
Another even contracted a young Frost Griffin.
Each powerful awakening drew gasps of admiration.
Kai quietly watched from the back of the line.
I don't need the strongest beast...
Just give me one that will fight beside me.
Hours passed.
Finally...
"Kai Dragonbane."
The whispers began immediately.
"Dragonbane?"
"Wasn't his father a famous Beast Master?"
"What a shame..."
Kai ignored them and walked toward the crystal.
His heartbeat echoed in his ears.
He stretched out his hand.
The instant his fingers touched the crystal—
Everything disappeared.
Darkness.
Silence.
Then...
A faint heartbeat.
Thump.
Thump.
Thump.
Kai found himself standing within an endless black void.
Countless glowing silhouettes surrounded him.
Dragons.
Phoenixes.
Titans.
Leviathans.
Each radiated unimaginable power.
Before Kai could approach them—
Every single one turned away.
One by one, the majestic beasts vanished into the darkness.
The empty void became silent once again.
Kai clenched his fists.
"So... even here, I'm rejected."
Just as despair began to settle in his heart—
He heard a tiny sneeze.
"...Achoo."
Blinking in confusion, Kai looked down.
Hidden behind a cracked stone was a creature no larger than a kitten.
Its silver-grey fur was dirty.
Its oversized ears drooped sadly.
One of its tiny paws was injured.
Its bright golden eyes looked at Kai with fear... and loneliness.
No overwhelming aura.
No divine bloodline.
No legendary presence.
Just a weak, starving little fox.
The creature slowly limped toward him.
Then, with surprising courage, it gently nudged Kai's hand.
A warm light spread through the darkness.
Outside the awakening hall, the giant crystal suddenly stopped glowing.
An awkward silence filled the plaza.
"...That's it?"
The spectators stared.
Instead of a dragon...
Instead of a wolf...
Instead of any recognised combat beast...
A tiny, scruffy fox sat on Kai's shoulder, yawning sleepily.
An instructor quickly consulted an ancient bestiary.
His expression became strange.
"...Unidentified."
Another instructor frowned.
"No recorded bloodline."
A third sighed.
"Mana output almost nonexistent."
Finally, the Headmaster spoke.
"Lowest measurable aptitude."
"Common Grade."
Laughter erupted across the academy.
"So the son of heroes awakened a stray fox?"
"I've seen stronger house cats!"
"What terrible luck."
Kai lowered his head.
The little fox trembled, sensing the ridicule directed at them both.
For a moment, Kai considered releasing the contract.
A weak beast would only make his already difficult life harder.
But then...
The fox looked into his eyes.
There was no pride.
No arrogance.
Only trust.
Kai smiled faintly and gently stroked its head.
"It doesn't matter what they say."
"We'll become strong together."
The fox let out a tiny, determined bark.
At that exact moment—
Far beneath the academy...
Deep inside forgotten ruins sealed for thousands of years...
A weathered black tome resting upon a stone altar suddenly opened by itself.
Its first page glowed with ancient golden words.
"The First Beast Sovereign has found a successor."
The sleeping world had begun to awaken.