Outside the cave, within the rain's veil, stood a pitch-black panther.

The black panther cautiously took a step towards the entrance of the cave. Seeing Nicole dividing the roasted fish in half and even gesturing for it to come in, it confidently walked into the depths of the cave.

This was the first time in Nicole's life that she encountered such an affectionate wild beast.

This black panther did not belong to any species recorded in the Border Forest, at least not listed in the Beast Encyclopedia published by the Beast Tamer Guild. Its fur was darker and more pure than the Nightblade Panther with deep blue stripes. Its body was even larger than that of the Moonlit Tiger, and its slender tail swayed like that of a canine.

"Where did you come from, anyway?" Nicole looked at it, her face full of questions.

The black panther gave her a gentle glance with its purple eyes, then buried its head and savored the roasted fish with relish.

"Who cares?"

As long as she could tame this wild beast, it didn't matter what species it was. So, without hesitation, Nicole pushed all her doubts aside and took out the "Soul Gem" used to tame wild beasts from her backpack.

***

The next day, the market of Echowater Town welcomed another lively morning.

The aroma of freshly baked bread wafted through the bustling crowd. Traders enthusiastically called out their wares, and amidst the lively atmosphere, a spirited voice joined in as well.

"Good morning, Uncle Michael!" Nicole dashed past the entrance of the bakery, not forgetting to greet the shop owner.

"Good morning, Nicole. Today..." Before he could finish his sentence, there was a sudden exclamation, "Ahhhh!"

A black panther darted lightning-fast past him, narrowly avoiding a collision. Its sudden appearance drew the attention of the crowd.

"Is this your pet?"

"Yeah!" Nicole nodded happily, beckoning the black panther to follow her, and then she ran briskly ahead.

The black panther glanced back at Michael, as if to make sure it hadn't harmed him, before chasing after Nicole. As it passed by a big yellow dog sunbathing in front of a butcher shop, the dog immediately stood up and barked provocatively. However, as soon as the black panther turned its head to look at the dog, the yellow dog promptly closed its mouth, whimpering and scurrying inside the shop with its tail between its legs.

As they sped through the crowd, Nicole and panther caught the attention of almost everyone at the market. Some were curious, others looked on with fear, and a few even offered congratulations as Nicole passed by.

Nicole politely acknowledged the well-wishes of others while keeping up the pace of their run, unable to slow down.

She had finally succeeded. She couldn't wait to tell the two people closest to her.

She couldn't stop, couldn't slow down, feeling a surge of energy throughout her body. Yesterday's gloom had dissipated, replaced by the warm morning sunlight that filled her heart. Each breath she took seemed to carry a sweet scent. As she got closer to home, her heart raced faster and faster.

Just as the church spire came into view, Nicole couldn't hold back her excitement and shouted, "Rivern, I'm back! I'm back! Look at what I've brought with me!"

Rivern stood at the entrance of the church, as if he had been waiting there for a long time. When he saw Nicole running towards him, he greeted her with a gentle smile, "Welcome back, Nicole."

Nicole came up to Rivern, panting heavily as she stopped. She placed her hands on her knees, gasping for breath, "I... I did it, I... I..."

Rivern bent down and gently brushed Nicole's wind-blown hair, smiling approvingly, "Congratulations. You're amazing, Nicole."

Nicole laughed happily and embraced Rivern without hesitation. Rivern was a bit surprised and lost his balance. They both fell to the ground and looked at each other, laughing heartily. They didn't notice the sharp and hostile gaze of the black panther nearby.

If looks could kill, Rivern would probably be riddled with a thousand wounds by now.

Nicole got up from the ground and introduced her pet to Rivern, saying, "This is Kuro. From now on, he's part of our family too."

Rivern stood up and carefully examined the black panther.

It was entirely pitch-black, with no hint of any other colored fur, making it look like a shadow in the form of a panther. Its slender and agile body showed no signs of weakness but rather a perfect balance of strength and grace. However, those deep purple eyes stared directly at Rivern, sending a shiver down his spine.

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Clearly, the big cat harbored no affection for him.

"Hello, Kuro. I'm Rivern, the priest here," Rivern greeted with a friendly smile, hoping to mend the dislike, but it only seemed to intensify Kuro's hostility.

Kuro took a small step back, glaring fiercely at Rivern. Then, he let out a low growl, baring his sharp teeth.

Nicole quickly intervened, "No, Kuro! You can't behave like that!" Afterward, she gave the black panther a light tap on the head as a form of reprimand.

Punished for the first time, Kuro seemed somewhat displeased, but had no choice but to obey its master's command and suppress its previous hostility. It turned its head, walking past Rivern while giving him a challenging glare, before confidently strolling into the church as if it were a regular visitor.

"It seems I am not very well-liked," Rivern said somewhat awkwardly, scratching his head. Then he asked, "By the way, where did you find it? Is it a subspecies of the Nightblade Panther?"

"Well... I'm not too sure," Nicole replied hesitantly.

"Taming an unknown species? Nicole, you're truly amazing," Rivern said, impressed.

Nicole smiled awkwardly. Only she knew that, in fact, the "Soul Gem" didn't seem to work, and she hadn't gained the "Contract Mark" to control the beast. However, for some reason, this black panther always seemed willing to obey her every command.

"Perhaps it's fate?" Nicole could only think of this as the only explanation.

Rivern looked at Kuro, who had crouched down in front of the statue of the Goddess of Light, and couldn't believe his eyes.

In this moment, the black panther gazed up at the compassionate face of the Goddess of Light, Hekarian. Sunlight streamed through the colorful stained glass windows of the church, casting a kaleidoscope of colors onto Kuro's body, the first time it had been touched by anything other than black. It arched its slender tail slightly, forming a shape like a lively question mark.

Rivern couldn't help but murmur, "Is it really... its first time in the human world?"

Nicole didn't catch it clearly, "What did you say?"

"I said, Father Ron is still waiting inside. Go show him your first pet."

Nicole nodded cheerfully and dashed toward the side door that led to the garden. "Father! I'm back!"

***

Within a week, Kuro's adaptability proved to be even more astonishing than Nicole had imagined. It was hard to believe that just a week ago, it was a wild beast living in the jungle.

Nowadays, besides being Nicole's loyal companion and bodyguard, Kuro had become a star in the Echowater Town. The children of the town flocked to the church to catch a glimpse of this magnificent creature. Kuro was especially friendly with kids, playfully frolicking with them. It even allowed five-year-old Peter to ride on its back, enduring the occasional ear-pulling without uttering a single complaint.

During this time, Kuro was more than willing to assist the elderly Father Ron. Whenever he gave a command, Kuro would promptly fetch various items he recognized, such as glasses, pipes, or even missing smelly socks.

As for Rivern, Kuro would make a 100% effort to avoid leaving Nicole alone with him in a room. If such a situation arose, Kuro would promptly insert itself between the two, fixating its gaze on Rivern without wavering until he felt uncomfortable and voluntarily withdrew.

At night, Kuro insisted on sleeping in the same room as Nicole. It would stand guard by her bedside until she fell asleep, only then closing its eyes. However, on several occasions, Nicole woke up from her slumber to find the large cat lying beside her. It had offered its own body as a pillow, using its warm fur to blend their body temperatures together, providing a comforting and soothing presence.

They became inseparable, always acting as one.

They slept together, had breakfast together, went out together, and even showered together.

On the tenth day since Kuro arrived in Echowater, Nicole felt that Kuro had already adapted well to being around humans. So, she decided to set off for the Beast Tamer Guild in Northsail to undergo the final test.

In order for Kuro to receive the official pet collar from the Beast Tamer Guild, Nicole needed to become a certified beast tamer. Until then, Kuro could only wear a makeshift collar that Nicole had crafted, similar to the ones worn by the hunting dogs in town, which did not do justice to Kuro's intelligence and versatility.

Nicole sat on the ground, rubbing Kuro's large head, her gaze fixated on the makeshift collar around Kuro's neck.

"Sorry, Kuro, for now, you have to wear this kind of collar," Nicole said with a hint of apology.

Kuro crouched on the ground, looking at her, unsure if it understood the girl's apology.

"But, I promise you, you'll soon have a better collar," Nicole reassured, patting her chest, "It's a special guild-made collar. It will have enchanted gemstones that enhance your abilities based on your traits. Each collar is custom-made, you know. Aren't you looking forward to it?"

Kuro tilted his head, slowly blinked his purple eyes, and gazed quietly at her.

"By the way, before that," Nicole suddenly seemed to remember something. She took a pendant from her own neck and handed it to Kuro, saying, "You can use this for now."

She held the pendant in front of Kuro, her hand open, showing it to Kuro.

The carved ornament was in the shape of a fishbone. It appeared to be made of some unidentified mineral, meticulously polished. It was only about the size of two finger joints, displaying a milky-white hue that shimmered with iridescent colors when illuminated by light.

"Isn't it beautiful?" Nicole asked with a smile, then continued, "I was told that I was found with this pendant around my neck when I was discovered."

As she spoke, a trace of sadness flickered in her eyes. "Who left this for me? Was it my mom and dad? Why did they leave this for me, and why did they leave me?"

Kuro suddenly approached and gently licked Nicole's cheek, as if trying to comfort her.

The natural barbs on the black panther's tongue made Nicole feel a slight sting and itch, but its gentle touch effortlessly swept away the gloom from her face.

The natural barbs on the black panther's tongue made Nicole feel a slight sting and itch, but its gentle touch effortlessly swept away the gloom from her face.

Nicole smiled, and her smile was so serene.

She hugged Kuro tightly and whispered softly in its ear, "But I don't blame them. Father said that this pendant is filled with love and carries some magical power. Although no one knows what happened fifteen years ago, I believe they must have loved me. Because, for some reason, whenever I hold it in my hand, my heart feels so warm."

Nicole let go of Kuro and took the fishbone-shaped pendant off the chain. She carefully threaded it onto Kuro's collar, securing it in place.

"So, could you hold onto this love for me for now? From today on, until forever, we will always be together."

Kuro remained focused, gazing at her. In the deep purple hues of his eyes, reflected Nicole's radiant smile. That smile seemed to be Kuro's entire world.

"Well, it's time to prepare for our journey!"