As Kris was pondering about the next stage, A system panel appeared before him.
[Congratulations, host! You have triggered a secret mission.]
[You have successfully registered the information of 108/100 Data Beasts .]
[Please press "Accept" to receive your reward.]
Kris blinked in confusion, staring at the message.
"I can get a reward just by scanning?" He shook his head in disbelief.
"Genesis, what do you mean by 'rewards'? I didn't know you could give those."
[You haven't explored the system much, host.]
[There are hidden missions embedded within me.]
[By acquiring the information of so many Data Beasts, you've provided valuable information that will assist me in helping you more effectively in the future.]
The system's voice sounded almost amused.
[And, host, you've barely used me.]
Kris scratched the back of his head, sheepishly. "I thought you were just for checking out other people's Data Beasts."
[I can do far more than that, host.]
Kris nodded, still wrapping his head around it. "What's the reward, then?"
[Press 'Accept' to receive it.]
He hesitated. "Is it physical? I don't want something to just appear in front of me it might raise a lot of questions."
[Negative, host. The reward won't show up in front of you. You have an inventory system.]
"An inventory system?" Kris muttered, feeling like this was straight out of a game.
"Alright then, I'll accept."
He pressed the "Accept" button, and a notification immediately popped up.
[You have received your reward. Check your inventory.]
"Show me my inventory," Kris instructed.
A grid-like panel appeared before him, displaying three items and several blank spaces. His eyes widened as he scanned the items.
"10x Divine Beast Potion, 1x Data Beast Evolution Potion, and... 1x Gold Key?" Kris read aloud in his mind, more curious than ever.
"What are these supposed to be?"
Before he could fully process, another set of information began hovering over each item, explaining their uses.
[Divine Beast Potion: Crafted from the blood of an ancient Data Beasts that roamed the planet before the ages of man, mixed with extinct medicinal herbs. The potion enhances the power of Data Beasts, allowing them to rank up faster when they soak in it. However, excessive use can cause the beast to go berserk.]
[Data Beast Evolution Potion: A powerful elixir that forces a Data Beast to evolve into its next form. Use with caution, as the evolution process may require additional preparation depending on the beast. no guaranteed specific transformation]
[Gold Key: A rare item that helps Silver potential Data Beasts unlock their hidden potential, pushing them into Gold rank.]
Kris's eyes widened as he took in the information.
"Wow, this stuff is amazing! Isn't this a bit overpowered?" He chuckled to himself, feeling excitement build.
"I'm definitely going to use all of them!"
His thoughts raced as he imagined the possibilities.
"When can I get my next reward, Genesis?"
[Since you've unlocked the hidden mission function, host, you now have access to daily, weekly, and monthly missions.]
A new panel appeared, listing the missions.
[Daily Mission: Finish the stages for the first round of the examinations. (Reward depends on progress.)]
[Weekly Mission: Rank up Pyro Cub. (Reward depends on progress.)]
[Monthly Mission: Obtain a second Data Beast. (Rewards depend on the Data Beast obtained.)]
Kris scanned through the list. "Okay, I'm sure I can handle the daily mission, but the weekly and monthly ones might be tricky..."
He looked down at Pyro Cub, it also stared back at him, who tilted its head in curiosity, sensing its master's gaze.
A soft smile crept across Kris's face. "I trust Pyro Cub's ability. I'm sure we can rank up within the week!" He clenched his fist in determination, resolved to meet the challenge.
Kris closed the system panel and took a deep breath, trying to steady his thoughts. He glanced around at the other students.
The lights beneath their feet varied in color. Some glowed red, signaling the lowest scores, while others shone orange or yellow, indicating moderate performance.
Kris looked down at his own feet and saw a bright green glow, meaning he had achieved the highest score.
"Hopefully, I can keep this up," Kris muttered under his breath.
A sudden bark to his left caught his attention.
He turned and saw Belle's Data Beast, wagging its tail happily at him. The creature looked like a small husky, but its fur was a lighter shade of blue, almost like the surface of a calm lake.
It seemed fond of Kris, trotting over to him with its tongue lolling out in friendly excitement.
Pyro Cub, ever protective of its master, noticed the Tide Hound's approach and initially ignored it.
But as the Tide Hound continued to annoy Kris by nudging him, Pyro Cub hissed in warning, its fiery mane flickering. The message was clear: back off.
"It's okay, Pyro," Kris said, calming his Data Beast with a gentle pat. "He is Harmless."
Kris, curious about the puppy in front of him, decided to take a closer look.
"Genesis, pull up Belle's Data Beast information," he commanded, his eyes focused on the wagging creature.
A system panel appeared in front of him, displaying the Data Beast information.
[Tide Hound] Juvenile
Rank: 1
Element: Water
Potential: Silver
Abilities:
Tail Splash
Type: Elemental Attack
Effect: Moderate water-based damage
Description: Tide Hound strikes with its water-infused tail, soaking and damaging the target.
Bite
Type: Physical Attack
Effect: Low physical damage with a chance to cause bleeding
Description: Tide Hound lunges forward, biting its target with sharp teeth, leaving deep cuts.
Water Cannon
Type: Elemental Attack
Effect: High water-based damage, chance to knock back the enemy
Description: A concentrated blast of water is fired from the Tide Hound's mouth, dealing heavy damage and pushing enemies back.
Tidal Surge
Type: Elemental Attack / Area of Effect (AoE)
Effect: Moderate water damage to multiple enemies, chance to stun
Description: Tide Hound creates a small tidal wave that crashes into enemies, stunning them and dealing area damage.
Evolution Status: Can evolve into Flood Hound at Rank 4 with special conditions.
Additional Notes:
Weaknesses: Electric-type and Ice-type attacks.
Strengths: Strong against Fire-type and Ground-type creatures.
Special Evolution: [LOCKED]
Kris crouched down and patted the Tide Hound's head. "You're a Tide Hound, huh? You seem like a good boy. Belle must have taken care of you nicely."
The Tide Hound closed its eyes, savoring the warmth of Kris's pats. It listened intently as Kris praised it, and in response, it licked Kris's face affectionately. Then, the hound did a spin and sat down, tail wagging eagerly, clearly trying to impress him.
"I mean to say, you are a good boy," Kris smiled, feeling a wave of nostalgia. The Tide Hound reminded him of the dogs from his past life. During his time in the Marine Corps, he had worked alongside a dedicated canine companion that assisted in various roles, including patrol, explosive detection, and search-and-rescue missions.
'I hope that dog manage to escape somewhere after the final mission, I always feel sorry for them'
Meanwhile, Belle, lost in her daydream about a future with Kris, suddenly snapped out of her thoughts when she realized her Tide Hound had wandered away.
She turned to see the hound by Kris's side, licking his face and wagging its tail vigorously.
"Tidy! What are you doing over there? Don't go to that shameless person!" Belle called out, her tone a mix of concern and irritation.
In her mind, she couldn't help but think, 'I haven't even kissed Kris's cheek yet, and you did it before me?'
Kris chuckled at Belle's reaction. "Looks like your Tide Hound just wanted some attention,"
he said, trying to diffuse the tension with a friendly smile. He continued to stroke Tidy's soft fur, enjoying the softness.
Belle crossed her arms, her cheeks slightly flushed as she watched the scene unfold. "You can't just go around letting other animals lick your face!" she protested, though her voice lacked true conviction.
A part of Belle was pleased to see how friendly Tidy was with Kris, even if it sparked a twinge of jealousy.
"It's okay, I don't mind," Kris said, glancing at Belle with a reassuring smile.
I mind! You have to let me kiss you first, hmph! Belle retorted in her mind, a pout forming on her lips as she watched Tidy bask in Kris's attention.
Tidy, seemingly sensing Belle's unease, let out a soft whine and looked between Kris and her, as if trying to mediate the situation.
"Okay, okay, Tidy, come here," Belle relented.
She then stroked the tidy's head and warned him,
"Don't ever go to that shameless person again."
She leaned down to whisper, just loud enough for Tidy to hear, "You traitor! Every night I would share my dreams about Kris, and you even kissed him before me! I won't feed you your favorite snacks later, hmph!"
Kris, watching the exchange sighed at Belle's personality towards him. The Pyro Cub, jump unto his shoulder comfortably, mirrored his sigh, as if sympathizing with its master.
"Pyro, you're still the cutest," Kris said, turning his head toward his Data Beast with a fond smile.
Pyro responded with a soft purr and snuggled closer against Kris, basking in the affection.
Just then, Teacher Issa's voice rang out, cutting through the playful atmosphere. "The first stage is done. As you can see below your feet, that is your result. No matter how much you protest, that's your final score."
Kris glanced down, noting the glowing light that indicated his performance. He felt a surge of satisfaction seeing the green glow at his feet.
"For your Aura Points report, it will be reflected after the stages are done. I may call on Sir Ahmed for the next stage,"
Teacher Issa's floating platform slowly went back to the stage.