“Shh,” said the voice, firm but calm. “Be quiet, and I’ll explain everything. Now, first, stretch your palm out and stay calm. Whatever you do, don’t panic.”

Courage hesitated, his mind racing with questions. What’s going on? Who is this? What’s happening to me? But, desperate for answers and feeling a strange compulsion to trust the voice, he took a steadying breath and complied. Slowly, he stretched his palm outward, the cool air brushing against his fingers.

As soon as he did, a peculiar tingling sensation spread across his scalp. It started faintly, like a soft tickle, but quickly grew into something unmistakably odd—like tiny legs crawling across his head. Courage’s body tensed, his instincts screaming at him to brush it off. Before he could react, however, whatever it was suddenly leapt from his head.

He felt the thing land squarely in his open palm, its weight so light it was almost imperceptible. Courage squinted into the darkness, trying to see what it was, but the bus was too dim, the shadows too thick.

Then, without warning, the thing in his palm began to glow. A soft, teal-colored light emanated from it, faint yet bright enough to illuminate his hand.

Courage’s breath hitched as the creature revealed itself. It was a bizarre little bug, no larger than a fingernail. Its segmented body shimmered faintly in the teal glow, and its legs twitched slightly as it moved. Most striking, however, was its resemblance to a flea—or at least something close to one. Its small, compact frame and strong hind legs were unmistakable.

For a long moment, Courage could do nothing but stare, his eyes wide in disbelief. What… what is this thing?

And then, to his utter astonishment, the flea-like creature spoke, its tiny mandibles moving in perfect synchronization with the voice he’d been hearing all along.

“Well, long time no see, kid,” it said, its tone casual, as if this were a perfectly normal occurrence.

Courage blinked rapidly, his mouth falling open in shock. He stared at the glowing bug in his palm, his thoughts a jumble of confusion and disbelief. He wanted to speak, to say something, but the words wouldn’t come.

The voice chuckled lightly, seemingly amused by his reaction.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Courage managed to stammer, “Y-You’re the one talking? A flea?!”

The creature gave what sounded like a sigh. “A flea? Really? Is that the best you can do? I mean, come on, give me some credit here.”

Courage’s jaw worked up and down, but no sound came out. His wide-open mouth and stunned expression seemed to amuse the bug even more.

“Oh, come on,” the creature said with mock exasperation. “Close your mouth before you start catching flies—or worse.”

Hearing the flea's mocking response, Courage was at the peak of his curiosity. Without wasting any more time, he started whispering to the flea, hitting it with a barrage of questions like, "What do you mean by 'long time no see'? Did we meet before? What exactly are you? How can you speak? And most importantly, why do you sound so familiar?"

Hearing Courage's many questions, the flea gave a long sigh. However, it seemed understanding of Courage's circumstances and urged him to slow down, promising to explain everything one step at a time.

First, the flea explained what it meant by "long time no see" by reminding Courage of the voice of his father, the one he heard in his head three years ago during his father’s final moments. It revealed that it had, in fact, been the flea delivering those final words.

This revelation sent Courage into silent shock. The memory of that tragic day resurfaced vividly, pulling him into a heavy mood. Recalling that specific moment, he realized it had been real all along—not a figment of his young mind’s imagination. He’d always harbored doubts about that strange, unexplained moment, but now it made sense.

Before he could delve deeper into his shock, the flea continued explaining, reminding Courage of the family inheritance his father had promised him.

“Your father did promise you an inheritance, right? Well, rejoice! Now is the time you receive it—well, the first portion of it,” the flea said.

Even though this was meant to clarify things, Courage found himself growing more curious and confused with every word.

The flea continued, “As you know, Courage, you descend from a long line of proud beast tamers—though, to be fair, I mostly mean poor bastards who lived lives of strife and then met tragic ends. But hey, a line of beast tamers nonetheless.”

Hearing the flea describe his family’s plight so sarcastically, Courage didn’t know whether to laugh or to cry.

And after that, the flea started a long explanation, saying, “As I am sure you already know, your family has been fighting their curse for who knows how many generations. With each generation that passes, they’ve worked to pass on their experience and wisdom, as well as some other things, to the next in line, all in the hope of giving them a better chance than the one before.

“At one point during that process, I was created by one of your ancestors for the purpose of better storing and passing on that knowledge. From that moment on, I became a trusted companion for your family for many, many generations—teaching and guiding them, but also learning and growing alongside them until it was time for me to move on to the next.”

Although Courage understood so far, he couldn’t help but say, “Okay, but that still doesn’t explain what you are.”

The flea replied, annoyed, “I’ll get there, I’ll get there. As I said before, I was created by one of your ancestors. And if you couldn’t figure it out yet, I am a spirit beast—kinda.”

Courage, skeptical of the half-hearted response, said, “A spirit beast, you say? I’ve never heard of any beast like you, especially one that can talk.”

The flea replied, “I was bred using your family’s special technique, so it’s natural you wouldn’t find anything like me.”

Courage pressed again, “Special technique? And what technique is this that can teach a flea to talk?”

The flea, starting to grow impatient, interrupted, “Listen, I know a talking bug might be a hard fact to accept, but this is your reality now, so roll with it. And now, if you would stop interrupting me, I still have a lot of things to explain!”

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“Okay, okay,” replied Courage.

“Ahem, ahem,” the flea cleared its throat dramatically before continuing. “Now, as I was saying, I was created to assist your family, and that’s why I’m with you. Since my previous owner—your father—had reached the end of his rope back on that day, so he used the last of his power to imbue me with his remaining spirit energy. This was to help sustain me without him, as well as to transfer a portion of his consciousness into me, allowing me to add his knowledge and experience to your inheritance, along with some important instructions.

“And I know you’re probably wondering: if I’ve been with you for so long, why didn’t I reveal myself until now? The answer to that is simple. I was instructed by your father to remain hidden by your side until you awakened and confirmed that you were planning to walk the path of a beast tamer. Another reason is that I simply couldn’t communicate with you, even if I wanted to—not until you developed a sense for spirit energy.”

“And that marks the end of my explanation. Any questions?” the flea asked.

“Well, you mentioned something about a technique as well as the existence of another portion of the inheritance. What are they?”

“Oh, that. Sorry, Courage, but I can’t tell you about those just yet.”

“Why not?”

“Without any ability to protect yourself, that knowledge may be more of a liability than an advantage. So, we need to keep you in the dark about it until the time is right.”

“And when is that?”

“Well, after you get a beast and get into an academy, should the time be right.”

“Okay, then why do you sound like and speak like my dad?”

“Well, you see, in the process of taking a piece of someone’s consciousness to inherit their knowledge, I also unintentionally inherit some of their traits and personality.”

“Okay, finally, you said you have some instructions. Can you tell me about those, or not?”

“Those I can. You see, one of my instructions is to help you acquire the rest of your inheritance. Your father left you something unique—something that no one else in your family ever had—which makes it very important. I wish I could tell you more about it, but remember what I previously said. Also, even if I told you, getting that inheritance is still a very far-off goal for you currently.”

“Then what else are you here to do?”

“To help you, of course, starting with the first task at hand: getting a spirit beast. So, listen, Courage. I have two things to instruct you. First, make sure that whatever you choose is an insect.”

“An insect? I mean, I know I should pick a creature I have an affinity with, but shouldn’t I choose something better if I have the option to?”

“No. It is crucial that you choose an insect if you want the help of your family inheritance, for it contains a technique that can only be used on insects. I wish I could say more, but I can’t. So please, just remember that.”

“Okay, then what is the second instruction?”

“It’s to make sure that whatever you pick is a vigor-type creature, if possible.”

“A vigor type? Isn’t that one of the worst types? Why would I pick that?”

“Well, it’s complicated. As you’ve heard from those kids previously, this year you have a better chance of being accepted into an academy than ever before. But keep in mind that just being accepted doesn’t mean you’re in the clear just yet.

“You see, nurturing beast tamers is a very time- and cost-consuming process. Even though this year it’s mandated to raise new tamers in large numbers, no core city or garrison can afford to waste effort and resources on every wannabe beast tamer. So, in such cases, all academies ensure that the first year of the training program is an evaluation period. This determines who’s worth investing in and who’s not.so If you don’t score the bare minimum required in your first-year evaluation, you’ll be axed from the program.

“And that’s something you can’t afford, Courage, because the initial investment from these academies is crucial for someone like you, who has no useful background and a very bad aptitude.”

"Ok, but what does picking a vigor type creature have to do with anything?" asked Courage.

The flea replied, "In the first-year evaluation, the grading system is comprised of many elements, but one main thing you’re going to be tested on constantly is combat strength. So, in whatever academy you go to, you better expect to fight_a lot. If you manage to win consistently, that will raise your evaluation score.

"Picking a vigor-type beast is crucial. Although vigor type doesn’t have much prospect as you grow as a Beast Tamer, it has many advantages in the early stages. Beasts in this world come in all sorts of types, like fire, water, dark, and light and such. But There are also unique types like space, psychic, and vigor.

"Vigor is tied to physical strength and using spirit energy to enhance the body. Vigor-type beasts usually have far more physical strength than other beasts of the same level."

"And that is the vigor type's greatest shortcoming," the flea continued. "Since it's all related to physical strength, it doesn’t scale well as you progress. Because As you get stronger and start taking on more powerful challenges, vigor types start falling behind because simple physical strength can’t keep up with or compete against other supernatural elements."

" "Also," the flea continued, "as you keep growing, your beasts’ physical strength will naturally grow with them, making vigor types kind of redundant. But as I said before, vigor types have many advantages early on. One of the biggest is their effectiveness in the early stages. Starting out, no early-stage beast of any other type has access to any powerful or unique skills, which means you can still beat any of them with just raw strength, giving you a clear combat advantage.

"Another advantage is development. Vigor-type skills are the simplest, which allows you to learn more and better skills faster compared to other types in the early stages. And since vigor is so unpopular, resources relevant to it are bound to be much cheaper than anything else, making it cost-efficient and cost-effective for someone like you."

Courage gave an understanding nod, though his expression remained hesitant. "What you’re saying makes sense, but still... vigor type."

The flea sighed, a sound surprisingly heavy for its small frame. "Sigh... Courage, I get it. Having your first beast be of an unpopular type might not sound appealing. After all, who wouldn’t want a beast that can command fire and wind, shake the earth, or move rivers? But you have to understand—succeeding in the first-year evaluation is our top priority right now. Fumbling these first steps as a Beast Tamer could set you years behind everyone else.

"Trust me, I’ve been a companion to Beast Tamers in your family for generations, and I speak from experience. Vigor type is your best option right now. But don’t worry—once we’re in the clear, we’ll work on nurturing a beast with better long-term prospects. "

"Okay, I'll work on following your instructions," Courage finally relented.

Hearing this, the flea replied with a sharp tone, "Good. Make sure you do, because I won’t be there to help you."

Courage frowned, puzzled. "What do you mean?"

The flea sighed, as though preparing for a lengthy explanation. "Courage, we’re heading into a core city—a place protected by powerful and mystical methods left behind by its founder. so Don’t think that a spirit beast like myself can just waltz in there without being detected. Also Core cities are gathering places for the most skilled tamers in their region. If someone were to find out a rookie is hiding a high-level spirit beast, what do you think would happen? It could draw unnecessary—and possibly dangerous—attention from all sorts of people for all sorts of reasons. And since you’re too weak to defend yourself, this is a risk we absolutely have to avoid."

"Then what are you going to do? Wait outside the city or something?"

"There’s no need for that," the flea answered. "I have a method that will allow me to stay by your side and remain undetected. But there’s a problem. This method requires me to enter a dormant state. While dormant, I won’t be able to think, communicate with you, or help you in any way."

Courage nodded thoughtfully. "Okay, assuming I get what we need, how do I wake you up later on?"

"It’s simple. While I’m in the dormant state, just give me a bit of fresh blood, and I’ll awaken automatically."

"Got it," Courage said.

"And remember," the flea added, "once you’ve got what we need, make sure to awaken me only after you’re enrolled in an academy and have left the core city. It’s only when we’re far away from so many skilled tamers that it will be safe for us to interact without being detected."

"I’ll make sure of that," Courage promised, then hesitated. "But before you go... one last question."

"What is it?" the flea asked.

"My siblings. Shouldn’t I tell them about all this... about you?"

The flea’s tone softened. "Courage, I understand that you care about your siblings, but right now, your focus should be on yourself. You’re stepping into a dangerous world, and the fewer people who know about me, the safer you’ll be. Sharing this secret, even with those you trust, could put you—and them—at risk. So, for now, keep this between us."

"Besides," the flea added, "I’m sure your siblings won’t have any problem succeeding in the first stages with their overwhelming aptitude and talents. They’re naturals, Courage. If I were you, I’d worry about myself instead. Focus on your own path and ensure you don’t fall behind."

"Okay, I understand," said Courage.

"Great! Then without further ado..."

"Wait."

The flea sighed. "What is it now?"

"I don’t have your name yet," Courage said.

"Name? Bah, I’ve been called by many names over the years. None of them really stuck, so feel free to call me whatever you want."

"Oh," Courage replied. He paused, deep in thought. The flea’s voice reminded him so much of his father’s—strong yet gruff, with a strange sense of familiarity. Feeling a pang of longing for his father, he hesitated before saying, "Then... can I call you Dan?"

The flea stammered, caught off guard. "Erm... that’s..."

But when he saw the faint longing in Courage’s eyes, he softened. "You know what... yeah, why not? You can call me Dan."

Hearing this, a small smile broke across Courage’s face, and a light returned to his eyes. "Well, pleasure to finally meet you, Dan. I’ll be looking forward to working with you," he said, his voice full of hope.

Dan chuckled. "Heh, likewise, kid. Likewise."

Finally, after finishing their conversation and giving a few last pieces of advice, Dan wished Courage good luck. With a soft humming sound and a faint glow, Dan’s small flea-like body transformed into a jade-like stone, resting gently on the ground.

Courage picked it up, marveling at the transformation. "Just like Dan described," he murmured, recalling the explanation of the dormant state.

Remembering the rest of Dan’s instructions, Courage pressed the stone against his palm. It sank into his flesh effortlessly and disappeared as though it had never been there. The method to safely keep the stone within his body worked perfectly, just as Dan had said.

For a few moments, Courage stared at his palm in amazement, feeling the faint presence of the stone inside him. A sense of reassurance filled him. Now, he wasn’t alone—he had a companion and a plan to guide him forward.

Leaning his head back, Courage exhaled slowly. "Tomorrow," he thought, "is the day the first course of my journey will be decided." With that, he closed his eyes, letting the hope and determination settle in his heart as he prepared to face whatever challenges awaited him.