Sang-hoon closed the door to his room and leaned against it, still holding the letter.
The invitation to the director's tower at midnight seemed odd, but the seal was authentic.
Maybe it was a summoning to address the incident on the field, or perhaps a warning about some rule he had inadvertently broken.
Deep down, something felt off, but he decided to go anyway.
The small dragon with shimmering scales, lifted his head from the pillow and watched him curiously.
Sang-hoon sighed, stroking the creature's head before sitting on his bed.
"Well, we've got a problem now... and this is just the beginning," he muttered.
His gaze returned to the air in front of him, where the system he had learned to partially access hovered.
He focused, trying to summon the status window.
The response was slow, as if the system was processing his request deliberately.
Small blue sparks began to flicker in the air, and a soft sound filled the room.
Finally, a translucent screen appeared before his eyes:
[Status Window]
Name: Elyska Grayson (Sang-hoon)
Class: Tamer (Beginner)
Title: "Player"
Level: 1
Skills: None unlocked
Beast Affinity: Low
Physical Resistance: Low
Weapon Affinity: None
Spiritual Energy: High
"So that's it?" he muttered, frowning.
It was discouraging to see that he had no skills or anything remarkable, except for spiritual energy, which seemed to be a rare trait.
His dragon moved closer, touching the screen with his paw, and a small notification sound chimed. A new tab appeared:
[Linked Beast]
Name: Kaelith
Type: Shadow Dragon
Level: 1
Tamer affinity: Low
Sang-hoon's eyebrows furrowed as he read the name aloud. "Kaelith... That's your name?"
The dragon tilted his head and chirped softly, as if confirming the discovery. Sang-hoon chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Figured the system would know your name before I did. Kaelith... It suits you."
The connection between them felt slightly stronger now, as though understanding the dragon's name bridged a small gap.
Accessing his inventory as fast as he did with his status window, Sang-hoon saw the 'Gift' that had been stored by the system.
[Minor Harmonization Necklace]
Description: A beginner's artifact gifted to tamers. Enhances the bond with a linked beast, improving communication and synchronization during training and battle.
Effect: Slightly increases Affinity with the linked beast.
Sang-hoon smiled. "So this thing actually helps us connect better?" He placed a hand on Kaelith's head. "Guess we'll need all the help we can get."
He equipped the necklace, feeling a faint warmth spread across his chest. Kaelith nudged his hand, letting out a contented hum as their bond deepened.
At the appointed hour, Sang-hoon made his way through the campus gardens, heading toward the tower.
The moonlight stretched the shadows, creating an almost oppressive atmosphere.
As he passed a secluded path lined with tall hedges, he heard footsteps behind him.
Before he could turn, a strong hand gripped his shoulder.
"Where do you think you're going, Elyska?"
Sang-hoon spun around to see Arden VanHan, flanked by his three henchmen, all wearing smug expressions.
"This... isn't about the director, is it?" Sang-hoon asked, his heartbeat quickening.
"Not at all," Arden replied, his tone casual.
"The letter was just a... way of getting you out of that room. You've been drawing too much attention, and it's not fair to those of us who actually deserve to be here."
"I didn't do anything to you," Sang-hoon said, trying to keep his voice steady.
"That's exactly the problem," Arden sneered.
"You're stumbling through the academy, no skills, no merit... and yet you somehow bonded with a dragon? It's insulting. Not to mention that a nobody like you is in the Gold Class."
The henchmen closed in, forcing Sang-hoon to step back.
Kaelith let out a low growl, placing himself in front of Sang-hoon, but even though he was a dragon, his small size didn't intimidate the students at all.
"Calm down, Elyska," Arden continued.
"We're not going to hurt you. That would violate the rules, and I value my place here. But we'll make sure you understand that you don't belong here."
The three henchmen surrounded Sang-hoon, jeering and shoving him lightly.
Arden took a few menacing steps toward Kaelith, who cowered slightly but refused to back away completely.
"This is pathetic," Arden mocked. "Even your beast doesn't have the guts to stand up to you. I was expecting more from you both after the incident with the Eagle Serpent."
Sang-hoon clenched his fists, anger bubbling inside him.
He tried commanding Kaelith mentally, but the dragon hesitated, reflecting their mutual inexperience.
After a few minutes of tension, Arden raised his hand, signaling the others to stop.
"That's enough. Just remember, Elyska: no matter what you do, you'll never be strong enough to stay here."
With that, the group walked away, leaving Sang-hoon alone in the gardens.
He looked at Kaelith, who gazed back with determined eyes.
Back in his room, Sang-hoon sat on his bed, still feeling the adrenaline from the encounter. Kaelith curled up beside him, letting out a low, almost comforting sound.
"They were right about one thing," Sang-hoon said, finally breaking the silence. "I'm not strong enough. But that doesn't mean it'll stay that way."
He looked at the status and inventory windows again, studying every detail. For the first time, he felt like he was beginning to understand how the system worked in real life.
"I need to work harder," he continued, speaking more to himself than to Kaelith. "If I don't learn to fight, if I don't improve, I'll end up expelled—or worse."
Kaelith raised his head, letting out a noise that sounded like agreement.
Sang-hoon grabbed a piece of paper and began scribbling plans.
He needed to train not just himself but also Kaelith. And he needed to understand how the bond between them worked, something that seemed to be the key to any future success.
The night passed slowly, but for the first time, Sang-hoon felt like he was taking his first real step in the right direction.