After preparing the meal, Sein called Cier to come and eat. They sat together, enjoying the simple yet satisfying food after their busy day.
As they finished eating, Cier looked at Sein curiously. "Brother, you awakened today, right? What's your career?"
"I became a Beast Tamer," Sein replied with a small, proud smile.
Cier's eyes lit up with excitement. "A Beast Tamer? Does that mean you have a beast?"
Sein nodded. "Yes, I do."
"Can I see it?" Cier asked eagerly, his voice brimming with anticipation.
Sein chuckled and agreed. With a thought, he released Kuro from his beast space. The small, dark-furred pup appeared, his cautious eyes scanning the unfamiliar surroundings. Kuro hesitated briefly, seeming unsure of Cier.
However, after sensing the blood connection with Sein and seeing his reassuring nod, Kuro's apprehension melted away. Slowly, he stepped forward, his sleek black fur glistening under the dim light.
"Wow, he's amazing!" Cier exclaimed, crouching down to pet Kuro. The boy's laughter filled the room as Kuro, initially reserved, began to wag his tail. Before long, they were playing together, Cier's excitement and Kuro's growing comfort creating a lively scene.
They played for quite some time until Cier, now full of energy and joy, began to yawn. His movements slowed, and his eyelids grew heavy.
Seeing this, Sein smiled gently. "Alright, time for bed. You've got school tomorrow," he said as he guided the drowsy boy to his room. After tucking him in, Sein quietly left, glancing back to see Cier already drifting off to sleep with a contented smile on his face.
Sein made his way to the main lobby, where a family portrait hung on the wall. The image captured his parents standing proudly, with a younger version of himself and little Cier by their side. Both of his parents had awakened careers and had served as fighters in the World Border War.
Their lives were tragically cut short six years ago during a skirmish with the Asura Clan, an event that claimed the lives of hundreds of brave warriors. Such losses were not uncommon; battles at the World Border against hostile races like the Asura, Zergs, and others often resulted in mass casualties, with entire units being wiped out in a single encounter. Despite the immense sacrifices, these wars were necessary to safeguard humanity's survival.
In recognition of his parents' sacrifice, the government provided financial support to ensure their family's needs were met. Additionally, Roy had personally stepped in during challenging times, offering assistance that helped Sein manage the burden of raising Cier and maintaining their lives amidst the hardship.
Now that Cier was asleep, and with no other disturbances or distractions, Sein decided to bring Kuro out of the beast space.
"Woof, woof!" yipped Kuro excitedly as he appeared, his small form immediately darting around Sein in energetic circles.
Smiling at the pup's enthusiasm, Sein crouched down and gently instructed, "Alright, Kuro, settle down for a bit."
Once Kuro stopped running and sat obediently, Sein focused. He mentally summoned the system and asked it to use the free evolution available for Kuro.
[DING! DOES HOST CONFIRM TO USE FREE EVOLUTION ON "KURO"?]
"Yes," Sein replied without hesitation.
As soon as he gave the confirmation, silver and black thread-like energy began to swirl around Kuro's small frame. The strange sensation startled the pup, and Kuro stood rigid, barking in alarm.
"Calm down, Kuro," Sein said gently, his voice soothing. "It won't hurt you, trust me."
Hearing Sein's reassurance, Kuro hesitated for a moment but eventually quieted down, his alertness replaced with cautious curiosity as the transformation began.
Soon, the swirling black and silver threads wrapped tightly around Kuro, forming a cocoon. The cocoon glowed faintly, its shimmering blend of black and silver hues pulsating as if alive.
After a while, the threads stopped weaving, and the cocoon stabilized, its surface smooth and still. The lines of energy faded entirely, leaving behind a quiet yet radiant shell.
"Will he be alright?" Sein asked the system, his voice tinged with concern.
[DO NOT WORRY, HOST. THIS IS PRIMAL ESSENCE ENERGY OF THE COSMOS, DESIGNED TO ENABLE THE BEAST TO EVOLVE SAFELY AND EFFICIENTLY.]
Reassured by the system's explanation, Sein exhaled deeply. Though his bond with Kuro was still new, the contract had already fostered a sense of trust and responsibility between them.
Half an hour passed, and the cocoon remained motionless. Just as Sein began to wonder if something was wrong, a series of faint cracking sounds broke the silence, growing steadily louder with each passing moment.
Sein turned his attention to the source of the sound and saw tiny cracks begin to form on the cocoon.
As the cracks widened, the cocoon suddenly shattered with a sharp crack, releasing a flash of brilliant silver light. The intensity of the light made Sein quickly close his eyes to shield them.
Before his vision could return, he felt something large and warm leap onto him, followed by a wet lick across his face.
Opening his eyes, Sein was met with the sight of a large hound, its black fur adorned with shimmering silver patterns. The creature's bright, curious eyes gazed down at him, and it gave another playful lick, fully transformed from the small pup it once was.
Sein looked at Kuro, his mouth agape. He had expected some changes after the evolution, but seeing Kuro fully grown and transformed into an adult was beyond anything he had imagined. The sight was truly shocking.
After a moment, Sein quickly regained his composure. He gently pushed Kuro off him and told him to stand still.
Looking at Kuro, who didn't appear evil in any way, Sein breathed a sigh of relief and thought to himself, "Well, he does look like a good beast, nothing evil."
Just then, the system quickly interrupted his thoughts, as if it had read them.
[HOST, LOOK CLOSELY AT HIS FUR.]
Following the system's advice, Sein focused intently on Kuro's fur. His eyes widened as he realized the truth. What he had mistaken for fur was, in fact, tiny tentacles that blended seamlessly into Kuro's appearance. They weren't visible at first glance, but upon closer inspection, the subtle difference became clear.
"F*ck, system, are you trying to get me killed and then find a new host?" Sein questioned, his voice shaky. "If anyone saw this in Kuro, they'd think I'm some kind of worshiper of some evil alien race!"
Seeing Sein's anxious mood, the system replied:
[DON'T WORRY, HOST! THIS SYSTEM HAS BESTOWED UPON THE BEAST THE MOST ADVANCED CAMOUFLAGE SKILL, ALLOWING IT TO TAKE ANY FORM WITHOUT EVER REVEALING ITS TRUE FORM.]
Sein sighed in relief after hearing the system's explanation. At least now he didn't have to worry about showing Kuro off in front of others.
He turned to Kuro and said, "Go back to your previous form." He still wanted to test the skill and see if it would work as expected.
Kuro tilted his head in confusion, as if wondering why, but then shifted back into his original black pup form without thinking much about it.