When not in use or needing to recover, magical beasts can retreat into a crystallized form known as their Essence Core.

The Essence Core is the physical embodiment of the bond between the beast and its tamer. Each core takes the form of a uniquely shaped and colored crystal, reflecting the beast’s type, element, and personality.

Robert held up a shimmering blue crystal and hurled it into the air.

"Aquarion, take form!"

In an instant, his second beast appeared—a small Kraken with long, writhing tentacles. Its dark blue skin glistened, and droplets of water sprayed into the air with each smooth, sinuous motion.

Despite its distinctive appearance and origin, Aquarion was classified as a defense-type beast. Its grade was only Elite, falling short of Robert’s desire for a truly devastating offensive force.

"Aquarion, it’s time to fight!" Robert commanded.

As Aquarion emerged, its body became surrounded by a fierce vortex of water.

Torrential Barrier activated, forming a swirling wall of water that encased and protected it.

“Noctis, keep attacking!” Kyro commanded.

Noctis growled. This is getting interesting. I like it.

Standing protectively in front of Kyro, Noctis leaped into the air.

Its shadowy aura intensified as it conjured multiple Phantom Blaze orbs, which it hurled directly at Aquarion.

But the moment the fiery orbs collided with the Torrential Barrier, they hissed and fizzled out, extinguished by the relentless whirl of water.

Robert smirked. “Do you really think fire can defeat water? Aquarion, use Aqua Whip!”

Aquarion’s tentacles lashed out, each strike wielding high-pressure water that tore through the ground beneath them.

The attack narrowly missed Noctis, leaving deep gouges in the earth.

Noctis, however, moved with remarkable agility, dodging the blows with an almost effortless grace.

“Kyro, be careful!” Erynn called from the sidelines. “Aquarion’s abilities can neutralize Noctis’s fire!”

Kyro nodded.

If fire is the problem, then shadows will be the solution!

“Noctis, activate Shadow Mirage!”

Obeying instantly, Noctis unleashed a wave of shadowy energy across the arena.

Within moments, multiple shadowy clones of Noctis materialized, darting in all directions around the battlefield.

[Shadow Mirage: Unleashes a wave of shadow energy, creating multiple shadowy clones that move unpredictably across the battlefield.]

Aquarion, though still protected by its swirling Torrential Barrier, began to hesitate.

Its tentacles lashed out at the illusions, but the clones vanished with each strike, leaving Aquarion increasingly disoriented as it struggled to locate the real Noctis.

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“Now, use Infernal Strike!” Kyro commanded.

[Infernal Strike: A swift, precision attack that bypasses defenses, delivering a powerful strike that triggers a devastating explosion on impact.]

Noctis leaped high into the air, its movement swift and unpredictable.

In a split second, it found a weak point in Aquarion’s Torrential Barrier, slipping through the swirling water defenses with remarkable precision.

With a blazing surge of energy, Noctis delivered a direct strike to Aquarion’s body.

The impact triggered a powerful explosion, sending Aquarion skidding backward as its watery shield began to waver and collapse.

“Hold on, Aquarion!” Robert shouted.

But the relentless pressure of Noctis’s attacks drained Aquarion’s energy quickly.

Finally, with one final, devastating blow, Noctis sent Aquarion flying.

The Kraken crashed to the ground, its tentacles sprawled limply, unable to continue the fight.

The crowd stood in stunned silence, their eyes wide with disbelief.

For the first time, they had witnessed Kyro unleash such a commanding performance.

Robert, visibly shaken, staggered toward his fallen beast, his steps heavy with the weight of defeat.

Everyone watching remained frozen for a moment.

"Return and rest, Aquarion!"

The beast dissolved back into its Essence Core.

"Robert, do you think it’s possible that Kyro cheated?"

"Shut up!" Robert snapped.

Without another glance at Kyro, he stood up, his frustration evident, and stormed off, followed closely by his friends. None of them spared a backward look.

The crowd whispered among themselves.

“I didn’t expect it to end like this.”

“Is that cat really that strong? I mean, did Kyro truly get it from Eterna Forest? I’m dying to know what grade it is.”

“Do you think Kyro will pass the next exam?”

“With a beast that powerful? I’ve never seen anything like it before. I wouldn’t bet against him.”

Meanwhile, Noctis’s body slowly shrank back to its smaller form.

The intimidating aura surrounding it and Kyro faded away as Noctis sat down and casually began licking its paw, as if nothing had happened.

Erynn, who had been standing behind Kyro, stepped forward.

“Kyro, that was incredible,” she said. “You have to tell me about the beast.”

After the battle, Kyro and Erynn sat on a bench in the academy’s garden, the late afternoon sun casting long shadows around them.

Noctis rested peacefully between them, calm and content as Kyro gently ran his fingers through its fur. Despite the fiery patterns on its sleek coat, Kyro felt no searing heat.

As the light began to fade, Kyro shared the information about Noctis’s grade with Erynn.

"I had a feeling, but even so, hearing it confirmed is incredible. Kyro, you’ve got a beast with a higher grade than mine now."

“Yeah, but none of this would’ve happened without you,” Kyro said sincerely.

“Well, of course,” Erynn replied. “You owe me for this.”

“So, you want me to repay you?”

Erynn nodded. “I’ll save this card for later. If I ever need something, you’d better be ready to pay up. Got it?”

“Of course. Just tell me what it is.”

"I think Noctis has a lot of potential. What if we test its abilities more?" Erynn suggested.

"That’s a good idea, but I’d rather not have too many people watching," Kyro replied.

Erynn considered this for a moment, then stood up. "Follow me. I know just the place."

She led him down a narrow path tucked behind a line of towering trees at the edge of the academy grounds. Soon they reached a secluded clearing deep in the forest.

The clearing was vast, with large boulders scattered across the grassy floor and tall trees forming a protective circle around the space, like natural walls.

"This is it," Erynn said, motioning toward the open expanse. "I come here often when I want to train my beast. Not many people know about this place… and now you do."

Kyro scanned the clearing, taking in its size and isolation. "So, this is your secret training spot? It’s even bigger than I expected."

"Of course. If you want to test Noctis’s abilities, this is the perfect place to do it safely."

Noctis, still in its smaller form, sat calmly near Kyro’s feet, its fiery-red streaked fur gleaming faintly. It licked its paws lazily, utterly unbothered by the world around it.

"Alright, Noctis," Kyro said, crouching slightly as his gaze softened with resolve. "Let’s see just how powerful you really are."