Southgate
Southgate is a large border city located in the southern part of the Terran Federation. It is surrounded by at least ten miniature secret realms, and a suppressed medium-sized secret realm of great strategic importance lies nearby.
The city's location is perilous, and although its resources are plentiful, danger is ever-present. Every year, tens of thousands of people lose their lives due to attacks from wild beasts of various sizes.
At noon, a young man of around seventeen or eighteen was walking down the street. From time to time, he passed heavily armed mercenaries. Ethan glanced at them with a mix of emotions and finally let out a faint sigh.
He was a transmigator
This world was unlike the one he came from—it lacked elements like magic or high-tech weaponry. Instead, it had only one defining profession: Beast Tamer.
Roughly 1,000 years ago, humanity had been advancing at an extraordinary pace in science and technology. But one day, void cracks appeared without warning, and supernatural creatures invaded the human world.
These creatures possessed powers beyond imagination—flames, storms, and earthquakes were theirs to command.
Humanity was forced to retreat. Technological weapons were only marginally effective, and the survival of the human race was at risk.
Until one fateful day, scientists uncovered how extraordinary powers worked. They discovered that humans could absorb and utilize these powers, and they created dimensional spaces for training and safety.
The greatest breakthrough, however, was the ability to form contracts with these extraordinary creatures. These contracts allowed humans to tame beasts, harness their strength, and even wield their powers. With this, humanity's position gradually stabilized.
As time passed, the system of Beast Tamers evolved. Humanity began cultivating a wide variety of creatures, creating specific evolutionary paths and structures. Beast Masters became humanity's greatest warriors and protectors. Today, the prestige of a powerful Beast Master rivals that of a global superstar.
Cities with top-tier Beast Tamers not only thrive economically but also enjoy greater security.
Despite this progress, humanity's situation remains precarious. Extraordinary creatures have existed for eons, and some of them harbor horrors beyond comprehension. Additionally, new spatial cracks still appear frequently, releasing more beasts into the world. These threats are the reason why cities like Southgate require elite warriors to defend them.
Ethan's parents, for example, had fallen during a beast tide outbreak.
"I thought I had the perfect protagonist backstory," Ethan muttered. "But why did it have to turn out like this?"
His frustration stemmed from his talent. Most people awakened their beast-controlling talents during adolescence, and these talents were divided into categories like Enhancement, Shared, and Fusion.
• Enhancement: Boosts the strength of contracted beasts. For instance, a fire-enhancement talent would significantly increase the power of a fire-type beast's skills.
• Shared: Allows the Beast Tamer to inherit some abilities from their contracted creatures, making the master themselves a formidable fighter.
• Fusion: Combines the Beast Tamer's talents with the creature's, allowing them to share powers and even change their physical form during battle.
In addition, rare special talents exist.
Ethan had recently awakened his talent before the school's official ceremony. Normally, self-awakening is a good sign, as it indicates a high affinity for extraordinary energy. Self-awakened talents also tend to be powerful.
Ethan's talent was no exception—it was classified as S-rank. However, its effect was both exciting and infuriating:
His talent was called Unknown Evolution.
Unknown Evolution allowed him to collect materials for his beasts to evolve without adhering to a fixed evolutionary path. However, the results were entirely unpredictable.
The outcomes depended entirely on chance.
A successful evolution could result in a godlike transformation, granting incredible abilities and breaking through all limits. On the other hand, a failed evolution could weaken the beast, distort its abilities, or even cause it to lose control entirely.
Even if Ethan followed established evolutionary chains, there was still a risk of unexpected results.
This talent was a double-edged sword—it offered immense potential but relied entirely on luck.
"Let's just head to school first," Ethan sighed, deciding not to overthink for now.
Southgate No. 1 High School was bustling with activity, despite it being the weekend. Ethan walked into the office building and found his homeroom teacher, Mr. Harris, busy reviewing documents.
Mr. Harris was an elite-level Beast Master with a B-rank enhancement talent. He could control powerful beasts and was highly respected.
When Ethan explained that he had awakened his talent early, Mr. Harris looked up, intrigued.
"Oh?" Mr. Harris raised an eyebrow. "What's the rank of your talent, Ethan?"
"S-rank," Ethan replied calmly.
The room fell silent.
The teachers nearby immediately crowded around.
"An S-rank talent?! It's been years since Southgate had one!"
"Mr. Harris, you're lucky to have a gem like this in your class!"
"Ethan, why don't you consider transferring to my class instead? I specialize in S-rank talents."
"Get out of here!" Mr. Harris snapped. "Ethan is staying in my class!"
Ethan could only watch as the room erupted in chaos around him.