THUD!

Kyro jolted awake, startled as a book smacked against his head.

Groggy and disoriented, he blinked a few times, his vision clearing as he scanned his surroundings. Gradually, the scene came into focus—the lively hum of students chatting and laughing filled the air, the unmistakable chaos of a typical high school hallway before the next class.

Kyro pushed himself up slightly, still trying to piece together what had just happened.

The place, the faces, the atmosphere—it all felt familiar, as if he’d stepped into a memory brought to life.

But wait… what just happened? How was he suddenly back to being 18 years old? What the heck?! What on earth was going on?!

Panicking slightly, he scanned his hands, desperately trying to piece together any shred of information lingering in his mind. Yet, as he sat there, something even stranger caught his attention—something that didn’t quite fit.

Almost every student in the classroom had… a pet? No, not just any pets. These animals were weird. Not exactly weird, but they had peculiar features that set them far apart from anything normal.

Like seriously, how in the world was there a cat with yellow fur that could shoot out electricity?!

“Wait,” Kyro muttered under his breath. “Since when does the school allow students to bring pets to class?”

“No, that’s not an ordinary pet. That’s… a magical beast?!”

“What kind of world is this?”

Suddenly, fragments of memory started to resurface. No, this wasn’t an ordinary high school. It was… the Magical Beast Academy?!

Slowly but surely, Kyro understood one undeniable truth: everything here was nothing like his world.

His memories were a jumbled storm, a chaotic blend of two distinct lives: the experiences of the Kyro who belonged to this world and his own 25 years in an entirely different reality.

He had been pulled into a parallel world. Same body, same name—but a different age, and an entirely different life.

As fragments of his original world flooded back, the pieces began to align. He remembered the accident clearly: helping an elderly woman cross the street, only to be struck by a truck.

The vivid moment played out in his mind, and then… nothing. Until he woke up here, in this strange, unfamiliar place.

A boy sauntered up to his desk. Kyro’s fragmented memories offered a name: Robert.

Robert, slightly overweight, slammed his hand down on Kyro’s desk with a thud.

“Hey, trash! What’s with the sudden nerve to lift your head?” Robert sneered. “Trying to figure out who threw the book at you? What are you gonna do if it was me, huh?”

“What’s wrong? Why so quiet? I knew it! You’re too much of a coward to do anything about it!” Robert said.

“What an idiot. He still has the nerve to show up at school. I don’t even get why he bothers coming when it’s clear he’s the only one falling behind. No way he’ll pass the next exams,” the other said.

“Exactly! He should just accept it. He’s definitely getting expelled! Hahaha.”

The jeers kept coming, but Kyro sat still, unfazed.

His head throbbed, a clash of memories from two lives fighting for space in his mind. Frustration bubbled to the surface.

“Ah, damn it!” he suddenly shouted.

Robert caught the mutter and immediately bristled.

“What did you just say, you idiot?!” he barked.

Kyro turned to him with an unbothered gaze. “I wasn’t talking to you.”

“Look at this pathetic loser. Thinks he can talk back now? Who the hell do you think you are?”

Without waiting for an answer, Robert swiped his arm across Kyro’s desk, sending books, papers, and pens scattering to the floor with a loud clatter.

He leaned in closer. “What?! Are you looking for a fight? Do you want to die or something?”

Kyro instinctively leaned back in his chair as Robert loomed over him.

Then, as if a floodgate burst open, his memories of the original body’s life came rushing into his mind.

Everything suddenly started to make sense.

In this world, everyone had a beast—a creature bound to them through a contract. These beasts weren’t just companions; they were tools for battle, symbols of strength and status.

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And hold on… they collected beasts and fought with them?

What?!

His mind reeled. Was this some kind of fantasy RPG come to life? He couldn’t help but grin slightly at the thought.

Did that mean he could tame a dragon someday? Ride it into battle and use it to burn down entire cities?

What a wild, fascinating world this was!

But as his fragmented memories continued to settle, one harsh truth cut through the excitement: the original Kyro, the one who belonged to this world, had no beast. None at all!

Damn it!

In a world where power and status were tied to these creatures, being without one made him a complete outcast. It was obvious now why the other students bullied him.

“Robert, come on! Stop messing around and teach that idiot a lesson already!”

“Yeah, show him he doesn’t belong here!”

Before Kyro could respond, a large crow swooped through the open classroom window. Its black wings sliced through the air as it hurtled toward him with terrifying speed.

His instincts took over, and he threw himself to the side just in time to dodge the sharp dive. The wind from its wings brushed past his face.

Damn it!

The crow circled overhead, before gliding down to land gracefully on the near Robert.

The crow was no ordinary bird, its glossy black feathers shimmering like polished obsidian.

But this creature wasn’t just intimidating in appearance. This crow possessed a deadly screech, a sound so powerful it could incapacitate its target, leaving them deaf or unconscious.

Even worse, Robert had complete control over who the screech would affect.

The last time Robert had unleashed the crow on him, its screech had almost burst his eardrums.

He’d barely escaped serious injury thanks to someone stepping in at the last moment.

But now? There was no one standing in the way.

“Loser!” Robert sneered. “What’s the matter? Hoping you can run away? Not a chance. You’re done for.”

He raised his hand, a clear signal to his crow.

The bird’s beak opened slightly, preparing to unleash its deafening screech.

The room seemed to hold its breath in anticipation.

But before the crow could act, a blur of white shot across Kyro’s field of vision.

A white rabbit leaped gracefully onto the desk in front of him, placing itself between Kyro and the crow.

“Stop this fighting in the classroom!”

The sharp command rang through the classroom, breaking the silence and startling everyone.

All eyes turned toward the doorway, where a figure stood. The rabbit’s owner.

The figure who had just entered the classroom was a striking young woman with long, blonde hair that flowed gracefully down her back, tied neatly with soft bangs framing her delicate face.

Her slender neck was visible above the crisp academy uniform—a well-fitted blazer paired with a pleated mini skirt in muted gray tones.

Her name was Erynn, a student a year ahead of their class.

Erynn wasn’t just any student; she was one of the school’s top performers. On top of her academic achievements, she possessed a magical beast of the Unique Grade—a rank so rare that only a handful of people ever managed to contract one.

The ranking system for beasts is as follows: Common, Rare, Elite, Epic, Unique, Legendary, and Mythic.

And to top it all off, Kyro’s scattered memories revealed an even more surprising detail: Erynn had been his childhood friend!

This guy had a childhood friend this stunning? What a lucky bastard!

Yet as their lives took different paths, the original Kyro had foolishly distanced himself from her.

With Erynn’s growing reputation and his own lack of accomplishments, he had decided to avoid her, thinking it was for the best.

What a stupid move, original Kyro!

He’d convinced himself it was to protect her reputation, to keep her from being dragged down by association with someone like him.

But honestly? What had he been thinking? He could’ve leaned into that privilege, taken advantage of it even! Instead, he threw away the one connection that might have changed everything.

Idiot!

Erynn’s extraordinary potential was undeniable, and the school frequently relied on her achievements to enhance its prestige. She was a shining emblem of excellence—the kind of student every academy aspired to claim as their own.

Her ethereal, goddess-like beauty only amplified her impressive reputation. Among the male students, she was a figure of admiration, while many of the female students couldn’t help but envy her.

“Erynn? What’s she doing here?”

“Oh man, seeing her up close is something else. She’s on a whole different level.”

“She was born with every advantage. Not only does she have insane power, but she’s also drop-dead gorgeous!”

“I heard she just got permission to enter Eterna Forest.”

“What?! A student can get access to that place?”

“Yeah. I heard she’s allowed to bring one partner with her into Eterna Forest.”

Eterna Forest was no ordinary woodland. It existed as a dimensional realm teeming with magical beasts of extraordinary Grades—Epic, Unique, and even Legendary one.

Simply gaining access to it required immense privilege or accomplishment, and successfully contracting a beast from within was a feat so rare that only a handful had ever managed it.

“What are you all doing? Bullying the weak?” Erynn said.

Robert’s attention immediately shifted to her. “Hey, Erynn! Did you come here just to see me?”

Erynn stepped further into the room. “I don’t think we’re close enough for that to be the reason,” she replied.

Without giving him a chance to retort, she turned her attention to Kyro.

“Why do you always stay silent whenever people pick on you? It’s frustrating to watch.”

Kyro met her eyes and gave a faint smile. “I just don’t want to make things worse.”

“Tch! What a loser,” Robert scoffed. “Just admit it. You’re too scared and too weak to fight back!”

Erynn didn’t even spare him a glance. Instead, she kept her focus on Kyro.

“Kyro, don’t you still have one more chance to try contracting a beast?”

Kyro gave a small nod. “Yeah, I do.”

“Good,” Erynn said. “Come with me. You’re getting one today, no matter what.”

Without waiting for his response, she grabbed his hand and started pulling him toward the door.

The entire room froze. All eyes turned to them, wide with disbelief.

What the heck just happened?!!!