Gill continued, "I believe you are the prophesied god of Heavenly Convergence and Absolute resonance. The fated one. My name is Gill. A Crystalline."
Jiyu whispered to Jenn, "Jennnn…this guy is absolutely bonkersss…let's sneak away silently.."
Jenn asked Gill, "Have you been stalking my tribe?"
Gill nodded, "I have. They are interesting indeed. The only humans in the world who can tame beasts naturally, as every other human has to use an artifact."
Kenny asked, "What's Heavenly Convergence?"
Jiyu tilted his head, "You seriously never heard of it?"
"U-Until now."
Jenn explained, "Heavenly Convergence is when a master borrows a fragment of power from their familiar, allowing them to perform tasks or spells that they wouldn't be able to manage alone. This process is safe and controlled, requiring mutual consent and harmony. The power borrowed could range from enhanced strength or speed to elemental magic, depending on the familiar's nature. This method is preferred for its safety and reliability, as it does not strain the familiar unduly nor risks the master's well-being. And Absolute Resonance…This is a more potent and dangerous technique. Absolute Resonance requires the master and familiar to merge their essences temporarily, combining their strengths and abilities into a single formidable entity. The result is a tremendous amplification of power, but it carries risks. The intense blending of essences can lead to lasting side effects, such as temporary loss of individual powers or severe magical exhaustion. The efficiency of this technique depends heavily on the compatibility and mutual understanding between the master and the familiar."
Gill extended on Jenn's explaination, "And then there's Honored Divergence: Unlike the converging paths of power in Heavenly Convergence and Absolute Resonance, Honored Divergence is the art of skillfully dividing the master's and the familiar's abilities to operate independently yet harmoniously towards a single goal. This technique allows them to cover more ground or manage multiple tasks simultaneously while maintaining a psychic link that helps synchronize their actions and strategies. For instance, a master might engage in battle directly, while the familiar undertakes a rescue or retrieval mission. This method is highly valued in strategic combat and large-scale operations where multi-tasking is crucial. It highlights the strength and autonomy of both master and familiar, honoring their individual capabilities while still upholding their bond. All humans have these three things, but the rank of the familiar and level of mana of the master plays a part. I study. Hard."
Jiyu chimed in, "In the mystical lands of Kanaan, magic and might weave together an intricate bond between beings and their familiaries. This bond is classified into various ranks, each denoting the strength, potential, and resonance between a master and their familiar. These ranks ascend from E, the lowest, to the peerless tiers of SS and SSS, where the creatures' abilities become legendary and their sync with their masters reaches profound levels—."
Gill interrupted, "—What are you doing?"
"What? I saw you two were lore dumping so I decided to jump on. I won't be a side character!"
"Silence. You already are, anyway—."
Jenn stepped in, saying to Gill, "Jiyu is not a side character."
Gill kneeled, "Apologies, young Jenn. The pup is your best friend."
Jiyu snarled, "I'm a Wolfhound! S rank!"
"Impressive."
"Oh. Thanks."
Jenn asked Gill, "This man named Kenny works for me now. Do you want to work for me? In exchange, I'll pay you. And I need to know everything you know about my tribe. Maybe I could find something.."
"Yes. As I do want to suggest that I want to study under you, since you are a divine entity. I've been studying your tribe for years. I find them...fascinating. I want to study the way a divine entity of convergence and resonance moves, acts, talks..even sleeps."
Jiyu asked, "That's creepy. How do we know your legit?"
Gill tossed a book af Jiyu, saying, "That's the way of the tribe, ancient excerpts of the Kijan tribe."
"What the-?!"
Gill tossed more books, saying, "That's the Tribe Shamans of the West, my favorite."
"WHERE ARE YOU PULLING THE BOOKS FROM?!" Jiyu said dodging books left to right.
"Here, you want more?"
Kenny watched everyone, thinking, 'Was this a mistake? Will I make money with this bunch?'
Jenn commented with a grin, "Guess we're a team then! Welcome, both of you. Kenny, "
Jenn grabbed Kenny and Gill's hands, and shook them fast, smiling at the same time.
Kenny grinned, thinking, 'To think just a mere kid has been running a beast taming pet shop for this long…and to be doing well, and seems so innocent. I was like him at his age, but never went anywhere. I wasn't taken seriously.'
Gill asked Kenny, "So. What do you do? What's your role?"
Kenny nervously answered, "Oh! I'm uh, Jenn's business partner."
"Hm. Okay."
"Okay?"
"Mhm."
"So..what you gonna do? I-If you don't mind me asking."
"Be his guard, his apprentice. What more could I ask for?"
Jiyu said, "The only one that's gonna be guarding Jenn is me. And even without me, he can definitely handle himself."
"Come on now, get on. Time to see what this beauty can really do." Jenn announced with an unrestrained grin. Kenny, swallowing his fears, nodded shakily and climbed onto the Griffith behind Jenn. Beside them, Jiyu hopped aboard with the agility of a seasoned adventurer, his tails fluttering excitedly.
"Someone hold me." Kenny asked.
Gill climbed on top, saying, "You won't fall."
Jiyu asked Jenn silently, "You're gonna do it, aren't you?"
Jenn replied, "Yep."
"This is gonna be damn good."
With a majestic beat of its wings, the Griffith soared into the sky, leaving the confines of the menagerie far below. Kenny's initial scream was lost in the rush of the wind, his fingers gripping so tightly around Jenn the fabric of Jenn's vest might have torn.
Jenn, reveling in the flight, commanded the Griffith to dip and dive through the clouds. Each sudden swoop and sharp turn elicited another shriek from Kenny, his pitch rising comically high—so much so that even the Griffith seemed to let out a chuckling squawk, joining in the camaraderie of the moment.
Kenny squealed, "Are you making him do this?!"
"Yep! It's Your initiation." Jenn laughed heartily, urging the creature into a playful barrel roll. Kenny, pale as the moon above, could barely manage a response, his words swallowed by the wind and his voice a mere squeal of alarm.
Below them, the landscape of the Cairn Kingdom stretched out—a tapestry of bustling markets and tranquil rivers winding through lush, verdant fields. The faint outline of the docks started to come into view as they began their descent, the hustle and bustle of the evening trade flowing like the currents of the rivers themselves.
The Griffith landed gracefully near the docks, where the scent of salt and fish wafted strong. Recovering his land legs, Kenny stumbled off, kissing the solid ground fervently, while Jenn and Jiyu dismounted with chuckles still escaping their lips.
"Yes..land.." He cried.
Gill and Jiyu walked past him, saying, "Rookie."
Jenn sauntered over to a nearby ship, its sails billowing gently in the night breeze, ready to cast off. With a casual flick of his wrist, Jenn tossed a bag of coins to the ship's captain, a burly man with a beard as wild as the sea.
"A ride for us and our friend here, Captain!" Jenn announced, gesturing grandly toward Kenny, who was still regaining his composure.
"Alright. Get on."
The crew of the ship, a motley assortment ranging from seasoned sailors with weather-beaten faces to young deckhands eager for adventure, welcomed them aboard. As the ship creaked to life, making its way out of the harbor, the lights from the dock shimmered like stars on the water, mirroring the real constellations that began to pepper the night sky.
"Man today is beautiful isn't it?" One crew member noted.
"Hell yeah. Nothing beats going out in the sea."
The docks of the Kalhalla Kingdom were a notable hub of commerce and interaction. Ships from distant lands brought goods and tales, weaving a rich network of narratives, ensuring The kingdom itself thrived on such exchanges, its people adept in the arts of trade and diplomacy. Their city sparkled with life, the winding streets brimming with traders from across the realms, each corner a burst of sights, sounds, and smells welcoming the weary and the curious alike.
As the ship sailed off, the laughter and camaraderie on board mixed with the salty sea breezes, carrying Jenn, Jiyu, Gill, Kenny, and their magnificent Griffith toward new horizons and untold adventures.
As the ship continued its voyage under the starlit sky, Jenn and Jiyu found themselves mildly entertained by an escalating quarrel among the crew members. The origin of their heated debate was a curious creature perched casually atop the mast—a dove with intricately branching horns like miniature tree limbs, its body marked with glowing red runes, and eyes that shimmered with a fiery intensity. This mythic familiar, known as a "GlowHorn Dove," was of B-rank: strong enough to be respected, yet not so powerful as to unnerve those familiar with its peculiarties.
"Oi! That feathered fiend ate my share of the salted pork!" bellowed an irate deckhand, pointing an accusing finger at the GlowHorn Dove, which merely cocked its head, looking unbothered.
"It's not just any bird, Markum—it's enchanted!" countered another sailor, trying to snatch a fragment of peace from the emerging chaos. "Probably thought your food glowed with magic, the poor thing!"
"And how in the hell am I supposed to eat 'magic' at dinner, huh? It's the principle, Finnley! If we start letting familiars dip into our meals, what's next? Giving my boots away as chew toys for mer-dogs? Familiars already basically rule the world, they're not taking over my boat."
The amusing scene was suddenly shattered by a tremendous roar from the sea. A colossal Leviathan, adorned in an array of vibrant hues—striking blues and greens that glowed even under the sky watchful gaze—burst from the water's surface. It was an "Abyssal Specter," a beast of S-rank renown, known for its fearsome power and mesmerizing beauty. The creature's scales sparkled like wet jewels as it screeched, a sound that vibrated through bone and marrow, causing the ship to rock violently.
Instantly, the crew's petty disputes were forgotten as panic set in. Kenny, previously engrossed in the crestfallen view of his dinner being debated over, now clutched the mast, his face the very portrait of terror.
"An S rank beast!"
"We're all getting eaten!"
"Not good! Not good at all!" shouted one sailor, scrambling to secure ropes and sails against the thrashing of the sea stirred up by the leviathan's mighty fins. "I'm jumping off! Fuck this!"
Jiyu said to him calmly, "Ya know it's more dangerous to jump off then to stay on here right?"
"Forgive me!" The sailor jumped off, but Jiyu caught him with his tail.
Through it all, Jenn and Jiyu remained undisturbed, continuing their small meal with an almost surreal calmness. Even as saltwater sprayed over the deck and the cries of the frenzied crew filled the air, their serenity was unshaken.
Finally, unable to understand Jenn's composure, a crew member, hair plastered to his face and eyes wide with disbelief, shouted over the chaos, "HOW ARE YOU SO CALM?!"
Jenn, popping another piece of dried fish into his mouth and nudging a calm Jiyu beside him, merely smiled and shouted back with cheerful equanimity, "Haha, it's not that bad."
"Not THAT BAD?!"
Gill prepared his scythe, saying, "I shall slay the beast, Jenn!"
Jenn said to him, "No need. Let me handle it."
"Divine entity Jenn…"
The Leviathan roared, making the water and boat shake, and it bit its jaws towards Jenn. Jenn vanished on the spot, only to reappear above the beast, with a grin of excitement. His hand glowed as a crest of a beast formed in his palm, and he touched the top of the beast's head. The light caused a shockwave to shoot out, making the water and boat THOOM with a vicious shake, making sailors fall over.
Kenny was about to fall over, saying, "Help! Help! Help! Hel—"
Jiyu was holding him with his tail the whole time, giving Kenny a straight face, "Chill, man."
"I've rnever been around so much violence!"
"If this is what you call violence, then you need to go outside more."
The crew mates, leaning against each other, soaked in water, said to Jenn and his group:
"Thank you!"
"You saved our hides, mates."
"And we just bought this boat."
"We owe you one."
Jiyu snickered, "Yeah, we'll each take 50 gold—."
Jenn chuckled, "He's joking."
After their miraculous encounter with the Abyssal Specter at sea, Jenn, Kenny, Gill, and Jiyu made landfall, embarking on the next leg of their journey through the dense, verdant trails that led to the thriving realm of Cairn. The mystic landscapes of the coastal territories gradually transitioned into bustling trade routes, where merchants from distant lands bartered exotic goods with local craftsmen.
Along one of the bustling paths, they walked past a regiment of Kalhalla knights, their armor gleaming under the sun. Arrayed in imposing ranks, their presence commanded respect and awe. Among them was the Princess of Kalhalla, Aria. Her stature was unassuming but her aura undeniably royal—short black hair framed her face, touching her shoulders with carefully trimmed bangs. A distinct lined scar crossed her nose, adding a touch of fierce nobility to her visage, and her dark blue eyes scanned her surroundings with sharp attentiveness.
When Jenn's gaze met hers, his heart skipped unexpectedly. Here was a princess not just by title but by bearing. Love struck him fast and hard, drawn in by her defiant elegance.
'She's beautiful…'
As he mustered the courage to approach her, with a shy smile playing at his lips, she cut him off with a single word, "What are you looking at?," before continuing on her way without a second glance.