Returning to our tent, I gazed upon Serena's character screen and sighed inward. So many questions, and nobody to answer them.

Serena - Level 31

Title: Companion

Strength: 30

Speed: 32

Mind: 29

Magic: 25

Chi: 32

Endurance: 52

Free points: 30

Class: Cultivator

Job: Teacher

Cultivation rank: Aura-early

Cultivation Skills:

Guiding: early

Honing: medium

Reinforcement: medium

Lightening: early

Amplification: early

Healing: early

Stabilization: none

Concealment: none

Reverberation: none

Tamed Beasts: none

Her Mind has already outmatched my own meager 28. But the new Cultivation Skills, even not practiced...

Concealment was likely something resembling Lisa's similar ability, but Reverberation? Was it a vibration or sound-based Skill? What did it do?

Not only that, but her new Aura was tangible and pushing against my mind like a forcefield. I should work on the Aura as well.

'Serena my love, how did you learn those Skills?' I Sent to her Mind.

'No idea. I was trying to fight off the Goliath...and failed. His grip was too strong.' Serena answered via Lisa's mental echo, which copied her surface thoughts and relayed them back to me.

Mystic purred and pushed himself between us. Then the cat held out a claw, and made it glow with Magic.

'It's an attack Skill, Mystic says.' Lisa spoke in my mind, and ruffled Mystic fluffy fur as a reward.

Then the cat withdrew the claw and made his paw glow in a slightly different hue. Was my cat trying to teach us to use Chi?

I copied the cat and held my hand out, and then Mystic high-fived me gently, somehow making my skin react and reject contact with a pulse of Chi.

In my own screen, the Deflection Skill ticked for the first time, reaching early ranks as any other Skill when first used.

Turning his paw towards Serena, he did the same thing, making the Deflection Skill appear on her screen as by miracle.

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Then the whole cat glowed brightly, and he pushed his paw into my chest, and exploded all my inner organs.

Reverberation appeared on my screen after I revived, if still at none. Was Mystic was grand-master of the feline kind?

Or maybe I was simply lacking understanding. Much likely that.

'A Tamed Monster is bound to your soul, just like a Companion. As for the rest, I'm pretty sure Mystic is sapient, in a strange and alien way.' Lisa explained after stealing some thoughts from the violet cat.

I hugged the cat as thanks, and ignored his growls. Yes, I was just killed in a gruesome manner, but my best cat only wanted to show me the way.

"You're the best cat, Mystic! Thank you!" Serena yelled happy.

The cat growled louder and followed up with an Aura pulse that had every girl faint and me fall on my back with the cat on top, only to arrive in a different place.

A meadow in the middle of a giant forest, with trees taller than skyscrapers all around. Mystic sat on a carved tree stump that almost resembled a throne.

"Mystic, is this your inner world?" I asked in surprise, only for the cat to snort softly.

Of course it was. I didn't have my Palace yet, nor did I create a giant forest to lord over from a wooden throne.

So, my cat had Chi as well. Not only that, but Mystic was far stronger too.

Again the cat held a claw up, and made it glow, but this time I understood. He was Honing the claw to a deadly degree, no wonder he could slice the Goliath limbs so easily.

Nodding at my wide eyes, the cat then stepped on air and ran around the meadow, not exactly flying but more like running on invisible plates. Exactly like Lisa did when fighting the Goliath and stepping on energy steps to reach 7 meters high.

Of course, I tried to copy my cat as well, only to fall face first into the grass. Zero damage though, so at least there was that.

Appearing in front of me, Mystic sighed and pawed at the air, making a faint violet glow appear.

I rose to my feet and stepped on the now-visible step and jumped, finding myself in mid-air with no support or steps to step on. At least this time I managed to land on my feet, saving my face from another mouthful of grass.

Was this was saving face meant?

Mystic snorted and waved a paw, sending me back to my tent in the outside world.

I guess I learned a lot of things today.

Nodding gratefully at my feline teacher, I ran off towards the Cave Labyrinth on the 17th Floor and the Hellhound Boss at the end. Mystic has just earned his dose of Cerberus Blood, and I wanted to test my new Skills in combat.

"....Dragonslayer!" the Academy guards exclaimed as I passed by them with a violet cat running in mid-air at my side.

What a show off, the damned cat!

Ignoring the nearly harmless Hellhounds and leaving them for the cat to play with, I arrived at the end of the Cave Labyrinth while grinning like mad.

And then a giant dog head burst through the wall and electrocuted me with his nasty Lightning Bolt.

So I died. I swear I heard a cat laugh while I respwaned.

"It's not that funny..." I grumbled out loud, while summoning my Black Ghosts. Three of them this time, for three spell-casting heads.

I would have the last laugh today. The Cerberos might be 6 levels higher than me, and had three heads and magic spells, but I had infinite lives. I would bet on myself every time.