The silence was heavy.

Too heavy.

All around me, eyes locked onto me, whispering voices bleeding into the background like an unrelenting buzz.

I could feel it.

This wasn’t just amazement—it was danger.

And before I could even process what to do—

Anya moved first.

With the sharp authority of someone who had years of leadership experience, she clapped her hands, voice firm but composed.

"Alright, everyone—back to work."

The murmuring halted.

The staff instinctively straightened, snapping back into their tasks with trained precision. A few lingering customers hesitated, their curiosity still burning, but a single sharp glance from Anya sent them turning away—pretending they hadn’t just witnessed something shocking.

Then, smoothly, she turned to my mother.

"Follow me," she said, voice low but urgent.

I didn’t argue.

Neither did my mother.

She reached for Lina, who was still watching me with wide, fascinated eyes, and gently pulled her close.

"Chia, Kiro," my mother added, casting them a look. "Come with us."

And just like that—

We were moving.

The air inside the back chamber was noticeably tighter.

The moment the door shut behind us, Anya let out a slow exhale.

She turned to me.

"Akul."

I straightened.

She wasn’t angry—not exactly.

She wasn’t about to scold me like a child.

But there was something serious in her gaze.

Something calculating.

Then, calmly, she spoke.

"Tell me," she said, folding her arms. "What exactly were you thinking just now?"

I hesitated. "I just—"

"—wanted to test your abilities?" she finished for me.

I nodded.

Anya sighed, rubbing her temple.

"Look, kid," she said, voice even. "You’re young. You just awakened. You’re excited. I get it."

"But what you just did?"

She met my eyes.

"That was reckless."

I frowned. "I didn’t—"

"Akul," she interrupted smoothly. "I’m not saying what you did was wrong. I’m saying how you did it was dangerous."

I swallowed.

Anya leaned against the wall, tilting her head slightly.

"Let me rephrase," she said. "What do you think happens when an unknown, powerful ability is revealed in public?"

I didn’t answer.

"You attract attention," she continued. "And attention? It’s a double-edged sword."

My jaw clenched.

"I didn’t think it would be that big of a deal," I admitted.

Anya exhaled, shaking her head slightly.

"Akul."

Her voice softened.

"I know you’re smart. And I know you’re strong. But if you’re going to survive in this world, you need to start thinking ahead."

I stayed quiet.

Then, beside me, Mother sighed.

"This was my fault, too," she said, rubbing her forehead. "I should have realized he would be eager to experiment... He's still young."

Anya gave her a look, but shook her head. "No. This was his decision."

She glanced back at me.

"Just be careful next time," she murmured. "You don’t want the wrong people watching."

A tense silence followed.

Then, smoothly, she changed topics.

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"Now," she said. "Let’s analyze that monkey of yours properly."

Anya gestured to one of the attendants, who quickly brought forward a crystal tablet—a high-quality beast analysis device used in advanced summoning centers.

"Place your monkey on the table," she instructed.

I did as told.

The golden body monkey blinked up at me, then at the unfamiliar surface beneath him, before shifting slightly in curiosity.

Anya activated the device.

A soft hum filled the air.

Then—

A holographic display shimmered into existence.

━━━ ◇ ━━━

Species: Golden Body Monkey (Juvenile)

Age: 4 months

State: Prime Condition

Growth Rate: Off The Charts

Physical Attributes: 240% Above Species Average

Muscle Density: 320% Above Species Average

Bone Strength: 290% Above Species Average

Speed Potential: 280% Above Species Average

━━━ ◇ ━━━

The room fell silent.

Chia’s jaw dropped.

Kiro just stared.

Even my mother looked visibly stunned.

Anya?

Her expression barely changed—but I saw it.

The flicker of genuine shock in her gaze.

"...These are not normal numbers," she murmured, running a finger along the tablet’s surface.

I swallowed. "Is that bad?"

Anya let out a dry chuckle. "Bad? No. But this isn’t normal."

She tapped the screen, flipping through the readings.

"This is the strongest recorded golden body monkey at its age range I’ve ever seen," she said. "Its physical attributes are beyond what should be biologically possible for such a young creature. Its development has basically surpassed the juvenile stage, even though it is still in its infant stage."

I nodded slowly.

I already knew that.

But hearing it confirmed was still surreal.

Then—Anya’s eyes narrowed slightly.

"Let’s go deeper."

She grabbed a small needle-like tool from the desk.

"This will extract a small blood sample," she explained. "A full analysis takes more time, but we’ll get a more detailed reading."

I hesitated.

The monkey twitched slightly.

But I placed a reassuring hand on its back.

"It’s fine," I murmured.

The monkey relaxed, watching curiously as Anya made a tiny prick on its arm.

A drop of blood touched the tablet’s scanning surface.

The device hummed again.

Then—

━━━ ◇ ━━━

Species: Golden Body Monkey (Juvenile)

Bloodline Purity: 91%

Latent Evolutionary Potential: High

Genetic Defects: None

Health Status: Optimal

Potential Rating: ★★★★★ (Near Perfection)

━━━ ◇ ━━━

The room went still.

Chia whispered, "Five stars…"

Kiro’s brows shot up.

Anya just stared at the numbers for a long moment.

Then, finally—she set the device down.

"Akul," she said, carefully choosing her words. "I don’t want to pressure you… but I need to see it again."

I hesitated. "Again?"

She nodded.

"You trust me, don’t you?"

My mother, who had been silent until now, spoke up immediately.

"I absolutely trust you, Anya."

Her words were firm, unwavering.

I turned to her.

She met my eyes.

"If my mother trusts you," I said slowly, "then so do I."

Anya’s expression softened.

"Then let’s test it again. But this time, let’s do it properly."

She turned to the attendant, who quickly retrieved a small glass vial filled with a rich, swirling golden liquid.

"This is a Growth enhancement Concoction," she explained. "It’s a highly concentrated elixir designed to stimulate and enhance beast development. It works best in infants and juveniles."

I studied the vial.

"This elixir was designed to help high-ranked summoners develop their newly contracted beasts faster and in a safer manner."

"You want me to use my skill… but this time, with the concoction?"

Anya nodded. "Exactly."

"The effects would usually last a month, but the results could be around a whole year of development."

I took a breath.

Then—I summoned my grimoire.

The air hummed with energy as the dark tome materialized before me, its golden runes flickering softly.

The monkey tilted its head, staring at it curiously.

I reached for the Adaptive Growth Factor skill.

A warm, pulsing energy surged through my palm.

Unlike last time—this time, I controlled it.

A soft golden aura bloomed around the monkey, wrapping its small frame in a subtle glow.

At the same time—I poured the concoction into a small dish.

The monkey sniffed the air.

Then, without hesitation, it began drinking.

The moment the liquid entered its system—

The changes began.

At first, the effects seemed subtle.

But the longer we watched…

The more we realized—this wasn’t ordinary growth.

The monkey’s teeth, once a normal white, now carried a faint golden sheen—as if infused with a metallic brilliance.

Its claws, formerly a dull brown, darkened into an almost obsidian black.

The muscles beneath its golden fur became more defined, its posture shifting ever so slightly—more upright, more poised.

But the most noticeable change—

A faint, royal-like marking began to appear on its forehead, forming a thin, elegant, crescent-like emblem that curled into a ring at the edges.

A mark of distinction.

A symbol of something more.

Anya, seeing the visible changes, didn’t waste a second.

"Run the scan again."

The assistant moved quickly, activating the crystal tablet once more.

We could see the number changing in real time.

As I kept the skill going, I felt the mana drain from my Grimoire. After a few moments, I felt the urge to stop. I believed my artifact had run out of mana—or was close to it.

The holographic display flickered—

Then revealed the final results.

━━━ ◇ ━━━

Species: Golden Body Monkey (Juvenile)

Age: 4 months

State: Peak Condition

Growth Rate: outstanding

Bloodline Purity: 100% (Flawless)

Genetic Defects: 0% (None detected)

Physical Potential: Exceptionally High

Magical potential: basic— low

Latent Evolutionary Potential: Locked Until Maturity

━━━ ◇ ━━━

The room fell silent.

"One hundred percent…" Anya murmured, staring at the screen.

I swallowed.

"So… what does that mean?"

Anya looked at me.

"It means," she said, voice slower, measured, "that your monkey has reached its absolute peak of its bloodline. There are no flaws, no weaknesses—no wasted potential."

Her fingers tapped the screen.

"And this…" she pointed to the 'Latent Evolutionary Potential: Locked Until Maturity' section.

"This means that it won’t evolve until it naturally matures."

I frowned. "So it’s still… a golden body monkey?"

She nodded.

"But it’s the best possible version of one. The pinnacle of its bloodline. There will never be another one as perfect as this."

I glanced at my companion, who was now stretching its limbs, testing its refined body.

The difference was clear.

It didn’t just look different.

It felt different.

Stronger. Sharper. More… complete.

Anya leaned back, still processing.

Then, suddenly, she let out a breathless chuckle.

"Akul," she said, shaking her head. "I have to ask…"

She met my eyes.

"Do you have… more skills?"

I stiffened.

A flicker of amusement crossed her features.

"Because what you just did? That alone is ridiculous. If you tell me you have more, I might actually start believing your awakening was heaven-defying."

I forced a neutral expression.

…If you only knew.

But I didn’t say that out loud.

Instead, I played it safe.

I nodded.

"I have a few more."

Anya exhaled, as if she expected that answer but still wasn’t ready for it.

"Alright," she muttered. "Go on, then. Surprise me."

I kept it simple.

"I can accelerate recovery, but it’s not instant healing," I explained. "It just speeds up natural regeneration."

Anya nodded, taking that in.

"And?"

I hesitated, but then decided this one was safe to reveal.

"I can… increase learning ability."

She blinked.

Then her expression visibly shifted.

"…You’re telling me," she said slowly, "that you can make your beast learn faster?"

I nodded.

She stared at me for a long second.

Then—she laughed.

"Alright," she said, shaking her head. "That’s it. I give up. Your awakening… is just completely unfair."

She sighed, rubbing her forehead.

"Not only do you have a beast at 100% bloodline purity, but you also have the ability to make it heal faster and learn faster."

I just shrugged.

Anya let out another short laugh.

"Akul," she said, shaking her head. "I don’t know if I should be impressed… or afraid."

I just smiled.

But deep down…

I knew.

This was only the beginning.

And there were some things I still wasn’t ready to reveal.

My eyes.