I let out a slow breath, my mind still replaying Rhyzar’s words over and over.

Wake up.

I had to wake up; I didn’t win, Bobo did.

He did all the fighting, all the effort—and I?

I clenched my fists.

He was right. Every single word of it.

I had failed. Not in winning the battle, but in being the master.

I wasn’t supposed to be a spectator, to cheer. I was supposed to lead.

I turned to Bobo. He was sitting beside me, breathing heavily, his golden fur matted with sweat and dust. His tail twitched, his bright eyes flickering with exhaustion.

I did that to him.

Because I wasn’t doing my part.

I took a deep breath. No. Not again.

I looked up at Rhyzar. “I want to do it again.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Again?”

I nodded, standing. “Let me try one more match.”

Rhyzar studied me for a long moment. Then he smirked. “Good.”

I turned to Bobo. He looked up at me, head tilting.

I placed my hand on his head. “We’re not done.”

His ears twitched. Then—his tail swayed.

Even exhausted, he wanted to fight.

But first—we needed to recover.

I placed a hand over my grimoire, feeling the familiar pulse of mana surge through me.

“Vital Surge,” I whispered.

A warm, golden glow spread from my fingers, washing over Bobo’s body. His ragged breathing evened out, the tension in his limbs relaxing. His muscles restored. His fatigue erased.

In seconds, he was back at his peak.

Then I gave him a nutritious snack—a mix of dry Emberpeach slices and crushed Ironcrack Walnuts.

Bobo huffed, punching his fists together, bouncing on his feet. His energy was back.

I met his gaze.

This time—we do it right.

I turned to Rhyzar. “We’re ready.”

He smirked. “Then go request another battle.”

This time—

I wasn’t just going to watch.

This time—

I was going to lead.

---

We stepped back into the battle request station. The air inside was thick with the scent of metal, sweat, and mana—eager fighters coming and going, seeking challengers, settling scores, or just testing their limits.

This time, I was different.

I wasn’t nervous. I wasn’t second-guessing.

I was ready.

Rhyzar leaned against the counter, arms crossed, as I submitted the request. The attendant barely glanced at me before shaking her head.

“We don’t have any beginners left at this hour. Would you like to take on someone more experienced?”

I nodded. “Is my opponent mid-tier?”

Again, she answered without looking, “Sure.”

“Then no problem.”

“Go wait. We’ll call you when we’ve got someone for you.”

I said my thanks, and then I walked away.

The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

I didn’t have to wait for too long.

Rhyzar’s armband lit up, and after a small conversation, he looked at me. “You got one,” he said.

That was fast.

“Who?” I asked.

He smirked. “One of the regulars. Mid-tier common rank.” He flicked his gaze over to the waiting area. “You’ll know him when you see him.”

I turned.

And there he was.

A teenager, probably sixteen or seventeen, sat on one of the benches, lazily spinning a small silver coin between his fingers. His hair was dark, his eyes sharp—experienced.

He wasn’t just here to play around.

His beast sat beside him.

At first, it looked like just a large feline—a sleek, black panther-like creature. But then I saw the glow.

Faint streaks of crimson pulsed through its fur, like veins of molten lava running just beneath the surface.

And its eyes?

They burned.

Literally.

A faint, simmering red glow flickered in its pupils.

A fire-type beast.

This… was going to be different.

The teenager flicked his coin one last time before catching it midair, standing up. He stretched, rolling his shoulders before locking eyes with me.

“You’re the new kid who just won a match, right?” His voice was casual, uninterested.

I nodded.

He smirked. “Alright. Let’s see if you’re really that good.”

His beast growled lowly, molten lines pulsing brighter along its body.

This wasn’t just a physical opponent.

This was a whole new battlefield.

And this time—I was ready to fight back.

---

The arena was a wide, reinforced pit, designed to handle the raw power of summoned beasts. The walls shimmered faintly with protective enchantments, safeguarding spectators from stray attacks. The scent of burned stone and dust lingered in the air—this was a place of real battle.

The teenager—our opponent—walked with easy confidence, hands tucked in his pockets as he entered the ring. He wasn’t cocky, but he wasn’t hesitant either. He knew what he was doing.

“Name’s Dain Calder.” His voice was smooth, relaxed. “Been coming here for a while now. You’re new, right?”

I nodded. “Akul Raiven.”

After I introduced myself, I saw his eyes flicker with recognition.

I could only assume it was the effect of my last name. But he didn’t comment.

Instead, he turned slightly and gestured toward his beast.

“This here is Ignis. A Blazefang Panther.”

The creature let out a low, rumbling growl, the molten veins along its sleek body pulsing in response. With every breath, faint embers flickered from its nostrils, its tail leaving a faint, burning trail against the stone.

Fire. Fast, lethal, and unpredictable.

I met his gaze.

“This is Bobo. A Golden Body Monkey.”

Bobo stood tall, his golden fur gleaming under the overhead lights, eyes sharp, body tense with anticipation.

Dain raised an eyebrow. “Not a bad species. He’s a pure physical type, right?” He smirked slightly. “Let’s see if he’s fast enough.”

I returned the smirk. “Let’s see if yours can keep up.”

The referee stepped forward, raising his arm.

“BEGIN.”

The moment the signal dropped, Bobo vanished.

No hesitation. No testing the waters.

He was gone.

A golden blur streaked across the battlefield, moving faster than most eyes could track. His feet barely touched the ground before he redirected, bouncing off as light as a feather, circling the Blazefang Panther like a storm.

Dain didn’t panic.

“Ignis. Flame Wreath.”

The panther’s molten veins flared.

The air around it warped, rippling like a mirage, before a ring of fire exploded outward in every direction.

Bobo dodged in an instant—but not entirely.

A flicker of flame licked against his fur.

I barely had time to get my mind into the battle before I had to activate Vital Surge.

The moment the skill touched him, the damage faded. His skin regenerated at an unnatural rate, the burned patch gone before he even landed.

Dain’s eyes sharpened. “Regeneration? Interesting.”

Bobo landed on all fours and snarled.

My turn.

I activated Adrenaline Flow.

Adrenaline Flow temporarily enhances strength and reflexes, making reactions faster. It triggers hyper-awareness, making time feel slower and increasing reaction speed. It boosts muscle efficiency for short bursts of power and speed, and reduces fatigue and pain perception, allowing for prolonged exertion.

Bobo’s muscles tensed. His heartbeat spiked.

Then—he moved.

Bobo struck like a thunderclap.

One second, he was a blur—the next, he was in Ignis’ blind spot.

His claws raked across the panther’s flank.

A sharp crack echoed as the impact sent Ignis skidding across the battlefield, paws burning into the ground as it struggled to recover.

But Bobo didn’t stop.

He was already attacking again.

I activated Neural Acceleration.

Bobo’s mind sharpened—calculations forming in an instant. It gave Bobo the ability to read his opponent and adapt to the battle in a flash.

He wasn’t just reacting anymore—he was predicting.

Another strike. Another dodge.

Another hit. Another opening.

Bobo’s Primal Surge was already starting to kick in. His speed, his strength—all increasing, multiplying the longer he fought.

Combined with Adrenaline Flow, it gave Bobo the strength and speed to fight any mid-tier beast in his rank.

Dain’s smirk finally faded.

“Ignis—Scorched Earth!”

The Blazefang Panther let out a howl.

The ground beneath it cracked, glowing red-hot.

Suddenly, the whole arena was on fire.

A searing wave of heat rushed outward, filling the space. The temperature soared in an instant, making the air feel suffocating.

Bobo faltered.

Not from fear—from the heat.

The battlefield had changed. The stone beneath him was too hot to stand on for long. Every movement cost more energy.

Dain exhaled, regaining his composure.

“Thought you’d have me beat fast, huh?” He rolled his shoulders. “Ignis loves a long fight. And fire only burns hotter over time.”

He wasn’t wrong.

I clenched my fists.

This wasn’t over.

Not even close.

I activated Harmonic Link.

Bobo—stay focused. Keep moving.

I felt him respond through the bond. His body burned from the heat, but his mind was clear.

We weren’t retreating.

We were adapting.

I activated Alpha Pheromones.

For a fraction of a second, Ignis hesitated.

It wasn’t much. But it was enough.

Bobo struck.

His claws dug into the panther’s shoulder, dragging it into a roll before flipping off and landing a few meters away.

Dain’s eyes widened.

The Blazefang Panther’s shoulder was clearly bleeding. That attack from Bobo was no joke.

“You—”

I didn’t let him finish.

Adrenaline Flow. Vital Surge. Neural Acceleration.

Every ability I had—I pushed it.

Bobo became untouchable.

He was running everywhere, flipping off as burning pillars of flames burst up in his path, maneuvering like an acrobat and striking Ignis at every turn.

The Blazefang Panther struggled.

For the first time, it couldn’t keep up.

Then—

I saw the opening.

Dain saw it too.

The moment Bobo attacked…

He tensed, jaw clenched.

Then—

He smirked.