["Here's what happened: about a day ago, I received a mysterious black card. As soon as I held it, words started appearing in front of my eyes, and a voice echoed in my ear. It said I could use this card to contract and capture an animal as my pet, allowing me to become a beastmaster.
At first, I thought it was like some anime adventure. But things weren't that simple. After I completed the initial mission assigned by the card, I was teleported to a dangerous place full of wild beasts—and I barely made it out alive!
My pet was seriously hurt protecting me. The local vet couldn't help and said there was no hope. What should I do? I feel like we're connected somehow, and if my pet dies, something terrible will happen to me…"]
Alongside the text, the poster had attached a photo of his injured pet. It was a large cat, its body almost petrified, with its eyes closed and one leg missing. The injuries were grotesque, with strange grayish blood oozing from deep gashes.
Lily's expression grew serious. "Let's keep reading."
"Yeah," Jason agreed, still staring at his phone.
"This injury doesn't look normal. I'm pretty sure it's Photoshopped," Lily huffed. "This person… I think they might be one of those extreme types who hurt animals."
"It does look like some cheap, fake story for attention. Way too far-fetched," Jason nodded in agreement. But his eyes lingered on the screen, intrigued despite himself.
On the surface, the post seemed like it could be the work of an attention-seeker. However, Jason had always been sensitive to supernatural stories—especially those that seemed fake at first glance.
He closed his eyes, trying to shake away an old memory of a dream where his city was overrun by monsters.
The truth was, Jason harbored a secret: he could hear the voices of animals. For two years now, he'd had the ability to communicate with animals telepathically, an ability he'd honed over time. He could predict the weather and dominate at the Seaside Haven Bug Battle Tournament, all thanks to this strange power.
And along with this gift came unsettling dreams. Almost nightly, Jason dreamed of his city invaded by monstrous creatures, each dream ending with his own untimely death.
Jason had seen doctors about it, but nothing had been found. Still, he knew there was something unusual about him. And because of this, he felt a strange connection to supernatural stories, hoping they might reveal more about his own powers.
Most of the time, the stories were debunked as mere rumors. This time was likely the same. And yet…
The waiter arrived, breaking his thoughts. "Let's eat," Jason suggested, putting down his phone.
"Sure," Lily nodded.
The picture from the post was disturbing, but it hadn't fazed Lily at all. As someone from a family of veterinarians, she was used to seeing animals in all conditions.
As they ate, Jason turned to her. "Are you taking all your pets with you to River City?"
"Of course," Lily replied. "I've got to post regular updates, or my followers will miss me."
Lily was a pet blogger, though she only shared photos of her pets online without showing her own face. However, Jason was skeptical of her calling herself a "cute pet" blogger. After all, her pets included snakes, spiders, scorpions, and centipedes—not exactly what one would call "cute."
"Looks like you'll need to rent your own place," Jason shrugged, imagining Lily's "cute pets" in a dorm. No way any roommates would let her keep scorpions, centipedes, and snakes in their shared space.
"I'll be fine," Lily replied, unfazed. "Just hurry up and pass your exams so you can join me."
Jason chuckled. "Even if I could share an apartment with you, I'd still be scared of those pets."
They laughed, continuing to chat while the rain cleared. Once they were finished, Lily left to meet her best friend, and Jason stayed behind to pack up the leftovers. She'd come to check on him, knowing that her family still cared deeply about him.
Jason soon walked out of the restaurant, feeling the fresh, damp air and gazing at the rainbow stretching across the sky. High school felt so mundane, and he couldn't wait to get to college and pursue something more interesting.
But just then, he froze.
Looking down, Jason found a black card in his hand. It had the feel of plastic, like a playing card, and he had no idea how it had appeared there. It definitely wasn't from the restaurant or a random advertisement—he hadn't seen it a moment ago.
Then, strange text started to appear before his eyes, accompanied by a soft voice, distorting his surroundings in a surreal blur.
[Congratulations! You've qualified as a Beastmaster…]
[The Contract Card has appeared…]
Novice Mission: [Use the Contract Card to capture an animal as your pet and become a beastmaster!]
Tip 1: [Beastmaster: One who contracts, trains, and commands animal companions to work and fight.]
Tip 2: [Contract Card: A tool that strengthens the user's mental power, allowing them to capture and house pet beasts in a safe space.]
Tip 3: [Contract cards cannot be used on humans.]
Tip 4: [The success of a capture depends on the user's mental power and the quality of the Contract Card. Do not attempt to capture animals beyond your ability, or the card may break, and the pet may turn against you.]
Tip 5:…
"What…is this?" Jason muttered, frozen on the street. He held the black Contract Card, feeling the strange flow of energy around him. This wasn't like hearing animal voices—this was something entirely different.
Jason took a deep breath, glancing back at the post Lily had shown him and remembering the poster's desperate words.
They matched perfectly.
Could it be true?