"Mist? What kind of ability is that?"
The overseer's eyebrows furrowed as he scrutinized Leon, who stood confidently in front of him.
Judging by the name, it sounded more like a spiritual illusion-type ability. But wasn't Leon's bonded spirit a metal beast?
"I'll demonstrate for you right now, Overseer."
Leon smiled and turned to Titan. "Release the mist," he said loudly, then muttered softly under his breath, "Release steam."
The skill [Mechanical Control] allowed him to issue clear and simple commands to his robot. The shout of "release the mist" was just for show.
Hoooot—
Titan's internal steam engine roared like a train whistle at Leon's command. Steam hissed out from the rows of small vents on its head, billowing into the air.
In moments, the area within a few meters was shrouded in thick white vapor, obscuring everything in sight.
The overseer stared blankly.
Mist?
That's just water vapor!
A metal spirit whose innate ability is… releasing steam? What use does that have?
Snap!
The overseer snapped his fingers lightly.
Behind him, the black hawk spread its massive wings. With a powerful flap, a gust of wind swept through the area, scattering all the steam in an instant. Titan and Leon, now slightly damp, stood revealed once more.
"Go stand over there," the overseer said, gesturing.
"Yes, sir!"
Leon saluted respectfully and led Titan to join the group on the left.
As he passed the right side, the defeated individuals in the other group looked at him with envy and bitterness.
A metal spirit… why didn't we get one?
If someone with his poor aptitude could bond with one, surely we could too! How is his luck so unfair…
Leon pretended not to notice their stares.
He certainly couldn't walk over and admit that his spirit beast was something he built himself!
"Leon, I think we could work together."
As soon as Leon joined the left group, a chubby boy approached him eagerly.
Leon recognized him—his name was Beard.
They weren't close; in the Beast master Bureau's prison, the inmates rarely spoke to each other. Still, Leon couldn't help but wonder how Beard managed to maintain such a round figure on the prison's meager rations.
"Your spirit beast seems more strength-oriented, right? This is mine—I call him Gold Monkey."
Beard crouched down and picked up a small monkey at his feet.
The monkey had golden fur and a white face, with slender arms. It looked harmless and docile as it snuggled in Beard's arms.
Leon glanced at the creature, and information about its species immediately surfaced in his mind.
Spirit-class bloodline: Gold Spirit Monkey.
Fast and agile, with great potential for growth—possibly even reaching a heavenly-grade bloodline. Its weaknesses? Fragile body and poor combat abilities during its early stages.
If Titan and the Gold Monkey fought, Titan would be invincible. Even standing still, its iron body would be impervious to the monkey's attacks.
Of course, Titan's lack of agility meant it couldn't harm the nimble Gold Monkey either.
Still, Leon was confident. With continued upgrades, Titan would eventually excel in all aspects—strength, speed, and combat capabilities—becoming a fully upgraded super mech.
"You're suggesting our spirit beasts complement each other, so we could take on high-contribution missions together?" Leon asked.
"Exactly!" Beard nodded eagerly, holding the Gold Monkey like a baby.
The monkey's high bloodline potential meant it was weak in the beginning, making it unsuitable for solo missions. Beard had tried teaming up with others but was rejected outright.
"Alright."
Leon agreed after some thought.
Titan's strengths and weaknesses were obvious: strong and durable but slow. If they encountered a highly agile enemy, the Gold Monkey could serve as a distraction, greatly improving their chances of success.
Plus, Leon didn't need to worry about sharing contributions. Titan's battle damage could easily be repaired with a wrench, unlike other spirit beasts that required expensive resources for healing or evolution.
After exchanging contact details, Leon and Beard waited near the boulder for further instructions.
Beard mentioned that although today was the final day, Leon wasn't the last one to leave the Tianqiong Mountain Range. Four others still hadn't shown up.
The overseer had already sent disciples to search for them.
Leon glanced at the vast mountain range, his brows furrowing slightly.
Could someone have dared to run away?
By the time the sun set, the disciples returned with shocking news.
The missing candidates hadn't fled—they were dead.
"Dead?"
"Dead. Judging by the state of their bodies, they were likely killed by violent and powerful spirit beasts."
The overseer's frown deepened.
The Tianqiong Mountain Range served as a reserve for the Beast master Bureau to house spirit beasts, and the Bureau frequently culled the more dangerous ones. While it wasn't foolproof, casualties among new recruits were usually rare.
But this time, out of just over thirty candidates, four had died.
Leon scratched the back of his head, wondering if it was the same spirit beast that attacked his predecessor, leading to his own transmigration.
"We'll need to send another team to clear out the dangerous spirit beasts," the overseer finally decided before leading everyone back to the Bureau.
The corpses of the dead were left behind, to be devoured by the mountain's spirit beasts and wild animals.
Upon returning, those who failed to bond with a spirit beast were sent off to serve the Bureau, working off their crimes for the rest of their lives.
Meanwhile, Leon and the others were each given a jade talisman, which they were instructed to keep on them at all times—even while sleeping.
The Bureau used a special artifact to monitor these talismans. Any anomaly would mark them as fugitives, and they'd face immediate execution, even as certified Beast masters.
After completing all the formalities, Leon stored Titan in his personal space but didn't return to the capital city of Yan.
His father's execution had resulted in the confiscation of their property, leaving Leon with only his mother's ancestral home in Mo Family Village, a hundred miles from the capital.
Though humble compared to their former residence, it was enough for Leon to live in—and the remote location would allow him to build mechs without fear of prying eyes.
In his memories, the villagers were always welcoming, despite his infrequent visits after his mother's passing.
But traveling on foot was impractical, and using a teleportation array was too expensive. Thankfully, a steward who owed Leon's father a favor arranged for him to hitch a ride with a disciple on a mission.
"What's going on?"
As Leon approached the village entrance, he saw it brightly lit and crowded with villagers, blocking the entire path.