The tension in the air felt like it could snap at any moment. Just as the silence seemed endless, Director Aethel surprised everyone with a loud belly laugh that boomed through the hall.
The unexpected sound momentarily stunned the crowd, easing the tension.
With a smile, Aethel strode towards Alister. His large, unmatched figure looked smaller next to the huge Drake in front of him. He extended a hand towards Alister, his voice surprisingly warm.
"Let's all calm down now, shall we? There seems to be a misunderstanding."
"What's your name, young man?"
Alister, slightly confused by the sudden shift in atmosphere, hesitated for a moment before reaching out and grasping the Director's hand.
"I... I'm Alister."
Aethel's smile widened. "Ah, Alister," he yelled, his voice filled with amusement. "So you're the one Magister told me about. I should have anticipated something like this."
Alister's eyes widened in surprise. "You know Headmaster Magister? But... how?"
The Director chuckled, a touch of nostalgia in his voice.
"Don't be so surprised, young man. Believe it or not, Magister and I attended the same academy many years ago. We were… friends, close buds."
Alister was surprised. Friends? Headmaster Magister, the stoic and seemingly ancient leader of the Fourth Academy, friends with this battle-hardened warrior? It was hard to picture, to say the least.
"But... Principal Magister appears… much older than you are," Alister stammered, voicing the question that was on his mind.
Aethel's smile softened. "Ah, that's the nature of those blessed – or perhaps cursed – with physical enhancement talents."
He explained, "Aging slows, our bodies resist deterioration for far longer than the average human. It's more common than you might think."
Aethel's smile softened as he explained the mysteries of physical enhancement talents.
"Now," he said, "I must commend you on your… impressive companion. What have you chosen to name this magnificent creature?"
Alister straightened slightly.
"Cinder," he replied, a touch of pride creeping into his voice.
Aethel stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Cinder, an apt name. Powerful and evocative. Of course, with such a creature, registration is mandatory. We need to ensure the safety of the city and understand its capabilities."
"Yes, of course," Alister replied.
Aethel clapped his hands once, attracting the attention of the crowd.
"Aurora!" he yelled. "Aren't you responsible for handling monster registrations in this sector?"
Aurora flinched at the Director's booming voice. Her head snapped up, and her eyes widened as she saw the colossal Drake looming behind Alister.
"Y-yes, Director!"
Aethel chuckled, a look of amusement in his eyes.
"Excellent. It seems we have a new registration on our hands. Please, make sure you gather all the necessary details from Mr. Alister here about his… Cinder."
Aurora's face suddenly turned pale. She began pushing her way through the crowd, and as she approached Alister, her voice could barely be heard.
"I-I'll get Cinder registered right away, sir!"
Alister simply nodded calmly, but he felt proud of how things played out. He had a giant Drake as a summon, and even the Union Director seemed to respect him, at least a little.
As Aurora scurried away, her clipboard clutched tightly in her hand, a hush fell over the room.
Everyone's eyes were fixed on Alister and Cinder, the former a young man thrust into the spotlight, the latter a massive embodiment of raw power.
Union officials, regaining their composure, began barking orders.
"Disperse! This area is off-limits until further notice!"
Among the throng, whispers and speculations flew like sparks.
"Did you see that? A real drake!"
"He must be a prodigy! What guild do you think he'll join now?"
"Any guild!"
"With a creature like that by his side, they'd welcome him with open arms! I wouldn't be surprised if there's a bidding war between the guild masters themselves!"
While the crowd buzzed with speculation, Aurora, holo-pad in hand, interviewed Alister for the registration process.
"Alright, Mr. Alister," she began, "for registration purposes, I need some details about your… companion."
"Uh, right," Alister stammered, still slightly overwhelmed by the turn of events. "Her name is Cinder, and as for her species…" He paused, glancing back at the colossal Drake. "I believe she's a Black Crimson Drake."
Aurora tapped furiously on her holo-pad. "Black Crimson Drake, got it."
"And she is obviously in the giant class, so I'll also put that down."
"Are you aware of her grade, or is that something I will have to measure?"
Her words made Alister's thoughts race. 'I remember someone saying she had to be S-rank due to her aura, but when I summoned her, the Overlord system said she was A-rank.'
'But now the talent window is saying something entirely different.' Alister shifted his gaze towards the blue talent window with its notification.
---
「Name: Cinder
Species: Black Crimson Drake
Class: Giant
Rank: S
Gender: Female
Total Combat Power: Unassessable (Due to limitations in standard assessment methods)
Bound To: Alister (Master)
Stats:
HP: Immense (???)
MP: High (???)
ATK: Devastating (???)
DEF: Impenetrable (???)
M.ATK: Potent (???)
M.DEF: High (???)
SPD: Impressive (???)
Skills:
Draconic Might: (Passive) Cinder's immense size and power naturally bolster her physical attack power and defense.
Incinerate: Unleashes a torrent of searing flames that can incinerate entire swathes of enemies. (Range: Long, Area of Effect: Large)
Crushing Claw: Delivers a bone-shattering swipe with a massive claw, capable of tearing through most forms of defense. (Target: Single, Damage: High)
Sonic Boom: With a powerful beat of her wings, Cinder creates a devastating shockwave that can knock down structures and disorient enemies. (Range: Medium, Area of Effect: Medium)
(???) - ??? (Two or more skill slots are currently unidentified)
Note: The system ran into an error because the monster in question doesn't fall under the possible summon category.」
---
'A monster that doesn't fall under the summon category? There was a summon category?'
'Doesn't sound like something I was taught back at the academy. Must be related to something the talent window system controls or knows about.'
'Seems I'll have to just go with the flow and say she is an S-rank then.'
Alister then said, "Cinder's an S-rank monster."
A look of surprise crossed Aurora's face, her pen hovering over her notepad.
"An S-rank? Are you sure, Mr. Alister? That's…"
Alister cut her off. "Yes, I'm sure. It's important to be accurate in the registration, wouldn't you agree?"
"U-understood," Aurora stuttered as she began inputting the information into her holo-pad.
…
Kai let out a dramatic sigh. "Alright, alright, that settles it. We're already late. Let's get moving."
He grabbed Yanzi's arm, clearly eager to leave the chaotic scene. But Yanzi, her eyes gleaming with a mischievous glint, muttered something only she could hear.
"This is my chance."
Kai didn't hear what she said properly, leaned down, and asked, "What was that, Yanzi?"
Before he could get a reply, Yanzi surprised him by breaking free of his grasp and striding purposefully towards Alister.
"Yanzi! Where are you going?" Kai yelled, his voice filled with confusion.
His outburst drew Alister's attention. He turned, his gaze landing on Yanzi as she approached him with a smug smile plastered on her face.
Walking up to him, she stopped, swirled her hair, and then smiled as she said,
"Oh, Alister."
"You caused quite a stir, didn't you? All this… power, this magnificent creature. You must be doing all this for a reason, right? And I just know what that reason is."
"You want me back, don't you?"