Looking inside his body, the first thing Arya noticed was the changed placement of his Seed Stones' energy pools. Originally positioned elsewhere, they had now shifted—one resting directly above his heart and the other at the left side of his chest.

Between them, an empty orb-like structure had formed, large and perfectly round. However, he couldn't see anything within it. Confused, he decided to stop his inspection and ask the beast what he was supposed to be looking for—until a voice echoed within him:

"Look at the orb at the center closely."

Without hesitation, Arya refocused on the empty orb.

As soon as he did, those same blood-red eyes from before began to materialize. This time, he was prepared and didn't flinch. Slowly, as he continued to concentrate, the full form of the beast started emerging.

A long snout. A ferocious, bestial face. The body of a colossal, bear-like creature with piercing red eyes and two backward-curving horns, positioned just far enough apart that a small stone could fit between them. Unlike a dragon, which Arya had always imagined, this creature's body was covered in rock-like scales. It stood on two legs, its razor-sharp claws looking capable of tearing mountains apart.

Arya swallowed. If a beast like this appeared before me in reality, I might die just from its presence alone.

A deep, rumbling voice echoed from within the orb:

"You're staring at my body that intensely… Did you like it so much that you're speechless?"

Arya blinked, then asked, "Is this your true form?"

"Yes! Impressive, isn't it?" the beast responded proudly.

Instead of answering, Arya continued, "Then why do you always stay in that smaller form? Can you change your appearance at will?"

"If I could, don't you think I would have already taken human form? This is my natural state. What you saw before was a temporary transformation—a battle form our race takes when we fight or get enraged, which happens quite often."

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Arya narrowed his eyes. This creature… it resembles the beast I saw on the second cave gate.

"Yes," the beast confirmed, "that was one of my kind. Though we share the same race, we each have our unique traits."

Arya pondered for a moment, then asked, "What exactly is this connection between us? And how do you know about my dual elements? I don't recall ever revealing them to you."

"Ah… the connection. It's a spiritual bond that links us. Check your inner body again—you'll find my spiritual mark there."

Though the beast was still speaking in a slow, stuttering manner, Arya wasn't in a hurry. He closed his eyes and inspected his inner body's energy flow.

As he looked deeper, he found something new—a distinct spiritual mark imprinted within him.

Opening his eyes, he asked, "Is this what you mean by 'spiritual connection'?"

"Yes. You humans call it Spirit Possession, right? But for us, it's called Spirit Sharing—a bond where the stronger partner can borrow the other's power. However, we Spirit Beasts don't just share our essence with anyone. It only happens with our true soul mate, the one we will share our entire life with. For younglings of our race, we share our spirits with our parents for protection."

The beast paused before continuing, "Even though our bond was formed by accident, it benefits me as well, so I have no complaints."

Arya frowned. "But what about my choice in all this? If the stronger one controls the body, doesn't that mean you'll be taking over mine?"

The beast let out a low chuckle. "Not exactly. Even if I wanted to, your body is so weak that if I used even one percent of my power, you'd explode like a crushed watermelon."

Arya instinctively tensed at that description.

"And besides," the beast added, "have you ever wondered why you're still alive? A creature as strong as me should've completely overwhelmed your body during the possession process."

That statement struck Arya. He recalled what he had recently learned about Spirit Possession from a merchant at the Commerce Guild:

● At Level 21, a cultivator could form a Spirit Possession with Rank 1-2 beasts, which had a white aura.

● At Level 40, they could bond with Rank 3-4 beasts, which had a pink aura, equivalent to Uncommon-rank Seed Stones.

● At Level 60, they could attempt to form a contract with Rank 5-6 beasts, identified by their red aura.

Even a Rank 1 beast had strength equivalent to a Level 30 human cultivator. That meant possessing a Spirit Beast was already a huge advantage for any Weapon Master.

Then what rank is this guy…?

Arya's eyes darkened. At the very least, he has to be a Rank 5 or Rank 6 beast, meaning I should've died instantly. So how am I still alive?

Fixing his gaze back on the beast's image, he asked, "How?"

The beast sighed. "When you were unconscious, your body was on the verge of collapse due to my overwhelming power. To prevent you from dying, I sealed nearly all of my strength. Because of this, the bond was successfully formed, and you survived. However, as a result, I can only exert a power level that your body can handle."

Arya suddenly remembered the mental pressure he had been feeling—even in his dreams.

"That pressure… so it was from you?"

"Yes. But don't worry. My power will gradually return as your cultivation increases. Right now, I feel like I'm being squished inside a tiny box because of the seal. If you grow stronger faster, I'll finally be able to breathe properly."

The beast's voice, though still stuttering, carried frustration.

Arya sighed. "So this means… you'll be staying with me all the time? Inside my body?"

"Who said I have to stay inside? I can move outside as well, but only within a limited range. However, as you grow stronger, that range will expand, and I'll gain more freedom. Eventually, you'll also be able to fully activate our Spirit Possession bond."

Arya took a deep breath. This was unexpected, but at the very least, it seemed he had gained a powerful ally—one that could change his fate entirely.