Kyro crouched down, his hand gently patting Noctis’s head.

“Let’s see your true strength.”

He pointed toward a boulder standing in the center of the clearing. “Noctis, use your power to destroy that rock.”

Noctis rose. As it stepped forward, the fiery streaks in its fur began to burn more brightly, casting flickering shadows on the ground.

From beneath its paws, dark shadows crept outward, gradually wrapping around its body like living tendrils. Suddenly, orange fireballs laced with swirling, black shadows materialized, orbiting around Noctis.

With a swift, Noctis launched the fireballs toward the boulder.

The first orb struck, detonating on impact in a deafening explosion. The massive rock shattered instantly, fragments scattering in every direction.

The dark energy surrounding the fireball scorched the earth, leaving behind blackened, smoking marks.

Erynn gasped. “That… that’s the same shadow fireball attack you used against Robert’s crow. It’s incredible!”

Kyro gave a faint smile. “Yeah, I only saw it in action earlier myself—Noctis’s Phantom Blaze. It seems Noctis is far stronger than I imagined.”

“What about defensive strategy? Let’s see how smart Noctis is in a tough situation.”

She released Lunar, a small white rabbit known for its incredible speed. Lunar darted toward Noctis at lightning speed, ready to strike.

Noctis growled softly, and the shadows beneath its paws began to spread outward.

In an instant, multiple clones of Noctis appeared throughout the clearing, each one moving in perfect sync.

Lunar hesitated, her eyes darting between the illusions. She lunged at one, but as her attack connected, the clone dissolved into dark mist.

The other illusions continued to shift and weave, drawing Lunar further away from the real Noctis.

Erynn watched intently. “Shadow Mirage,” she murmured. “That’s an extraordinary ability. The shadow clones are so convincing—it’s nearly impossible to tell the real one apart from the fakes.”

Erynn then instructed Lunar to attack with a wind slash.

Lunar leapt gracefully into the air, unleashing a sharp wave of wind that streaked toward Noctis.

Noctis snorted softly, and its fiery fur flared brightly.

In an instant, a circular shield of fire materialized around its body, flickering with intense heat.

The wind slash struck the fiery barrier, but it evaporated on contact, leaving Noctis untouched.

“A fire shield?! It can even counter wind-based attacks. Noctis is incredibly well-rounded, Kyro.”

[Flame Barrier: A circular shield of fire that incinerates incoming attacks on contact.]

She paused, shook her head. “This really underscores its Legendary status. It’s not just about raw offensive power—it has impressive defensive capabilities too.”

Next, Kyro pointed to another large boulder at the edge of the clearing. “Now, let’s test your speed. Noctis, move there!”

Noctis gave a small hop, and flames suddenly ignited beneath its paws.

In an instant, it vanished, leaving behind a faint trail of fire where it had stood. A moment later, it reappeared atop the boulder Kyro had indicated.

“Teleportation?!” Erynn exclaimed, her eyes widening.

“Yes, it’s called Infernal Blink,” Kyro replied. “But I think it’s only for short distances.”

The author's content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

[Infernal Blink: A short-range teleportation skill that leaves a fiery trail at the starting point.]

Erynn shook her head. “It’s not ‘only’—it’s extraordinary! Noctis can actually move that quickly?”

“It seems this fire isn’t just for offense,” she added, crossing her arms thoughtfully. “It gives Noctis incredible mobility as well. That’s going to be invaluable in battle.”

“You’re right,” Kyro said.

Kyro and Erynn made their way back to the dormitories, satisfied after testing Noctis’s abilities.

Lunar and Noctis ran playfully around Kyro and Erynn.

Erynn chuckled. “Look at them! They’re already getting along so well—it’s adorable!”

Kyro smiled as he watched the two beasts.

“Kyro, Noctis is incredible. With a Legendary-grade beast, I’m sure you’re going to make rapid progress from now on,” Erynn said.

“You think so?”

“Of course. Until now, no student has ever had a Legendary-grade beast. You’re the first.”

She continued, “Besides, even just one Legendary beast is enough to cover all the remaining slots. Noctis has all the power you’d need.”

“Maybe, but I still want to fill my other two slots,” Kyro replied. “Would it be okay if I used your special access again sometime? I wouldn’t mind trying for another Legendary beast.”

Erynn smirked and nudged him. “Getting greedy, are you?”

The next morning, the atmosphere in Kyro’s class buzzed with its usual liveliness. However, after his decisive victory over Robert’s beast, there was a noticeable shift in the dynamics.

Robert no longer dared to bully him openly.

As the students chattered and laughed, a sudden knock at the classroom door cut through the noise, drawing everyone's attention.

All eyes turned toward the door as a woman stepped into the room—Mira, Thalior’s assistant. Her appearances were rare, and when she showed up in person, it almost always signaled something significant.

Mira strode to the front of the class, her smile revealing nothing of the reason for her visit. Her gaze swept across the room before settling on Kyro, who sat near the back.

“Kyro,” she called. “Mr. Thalior has requested to see you in his office. Please follow me.”

Without much reaction, Kyro stood and casually followed Mira out of the classroom.

The classroom erupted into a flurry of noise as the students speculated about why Mr. Thalior had summoned Kyro.

“What do you think Mr. Thalior wants with Kyro?”

“What else? It’s obviously about yesterday’s battle.”

“Yeah, maybe Mr. Thalior watched it himself and got interested in him.”

“With the inter-academy competition coming up soon, do you think Mr. Thalior is personally considering Kyro to represent the school?”

The chatter was suddenly cut short when one student elbowed his friend, signaling him to stop talking.

Standing nearby was Robert, the very classmate Kyro had defeated the day before.

But instead of saying anything, Robert abruptly turned and left the classroom. On his way out, he kicked a chair in frustration, sending it skidding across the floor.

***

“Have a seat,” Thalior greeted Kyro.

Despite his stern reputation, he was known for his genuine care for the students.

Kyro sat on the sofa across from Thalior’s desk, and Thalior took a seat opposite him.

“Kyro, I saw everything that happened yesterday,” Thalior began.

Kyro nodded. “Yes, sir. I’ve finally obtained my beast.”

“That’s good, Kyro,” Thalior said, leaning forward slightly. “From what I observed, your beast possesses powers unlike any other students’. Shadow and fire abilities, am I correct?”

“Yes, sir. My beast has the shadow and fire elements.”

“So, tell me, Kyro,” Thalior began. “What grade does your beast have?”

Kyro hesitated for a moment, caught off guard by the directness of the question.

The extraordinary status of his beast wasn’t something he could casually share. Yet the man before him wasn’t just anyone—this was Thalior, the headmaster of the academy.

If Kyro wanted to advance more easily and gain the support of someone as influential as Thalior, revealing the truth seemed like the right move.

“It’s Legendary-grade, sir,” Kyro replied.

Thalior’s eyes widened in disbelief, and even Mira, usually composed, let out a gasp.

“What?! How did you manage to get that?”

Kyro pulled out a black crystal streaked with fiery patterns and placed it gently on the floor.

“Noctis, awaken!”

The crystal flared with a warm, fiery glow before transforming into a small, sleek black cat. Noctis appeared,

Meow…

Mira’s face lit up with admiration. “Kyro, that’s such an adorable cat! Can I pet it?” she asked, smiling warmly.

Kyro opened his mouth to respond, but before he could, Mira reached out toward Noctis.

Almost immediately, Noctis’s fire aura activated, small flames dancing along its fur in a clear warning. Startled, Mira gasped and quickly pulled her hand back.

“Ah!” she exclaimed. “Well, I guess it doesn’t take kindly to strangers!”

Thankfully, no harm seemed to have been done, though Kyro was relieved the situation hadn’t escalated. Even so, a curiosity gnawed at him—what exactly was the reason Mr. Thalior had called him here?