Noah stood in the clearing, his breathing steady but his mind racing. He flexed his fingers, feeling the energy buzzing beneath his skin like a storm waiting to break. Every inch of him tingled with new power, his senses sharper than they had ever been.
It was strange. He had always imagined what it would feel like to become strong, to finally reach the level of the noble tamers who stood at the top. But he had never imagined this, this overwhelming feeling of control, of something deep inside him awakening for the first time.
He lifted his hand, turning it over, half-expecting to see something different. His skin looked the same, but it felt different. Lighter. Stronger. As if the Shadow Panther's very essence had woven itself into his flesh.
And in a way, it had.
The beast was gone, but not in the way normal tamers experienced when their contracted beasts disappeared into a summoning space. No, the Shadow Panther hadn't been stored away to be called upon later.
It had become part of him.
Noah exhaled slowly, closing his eyes as he focused inward. There it was, a presence lurking beneath the surface, not separate from him, but not entirely gone either. It was resting, watching, silent but alive.
Not just a tamed beast but a fused one.
He wasn't sure if the Shadow Panther had a consciousness anymore, but he could still feel it. The way it had hunted, the way it had moved through the darkness, the way it had survived. These weren't distant memories. They weren't stories passed down but they were his memories now, he could move like it, see like it and even fight like it.
It was unsettling, but also exhilarating.
"Alright," he muttered, rolling his shoulders. "No time to stand around admiring myself. I still have to get back before sunrise."
His voice sounded different to his own ears, it was deeper and smoother like something inside him had settled.
Then, a strange sensation crawled up his spine. Someone was watching him.
Noah turned sharply, his muscles tensing, his newly sharpened instincts kicking in immediately. He scanned the trees, his enhanced vision picking up the faintest movements among the leaves. But there was nothing there.
At least… nothing physical, it wasn't an enemy, it was the Shadow Panther, not in the real world, but within him.
He felt its presence, like a silent guardian lying in wait beneath his skin. The sensation wasn't intrusive or painful, but it was there. A quiet, lingering awareness that he wasn't entirely alone anymore.
Noah exhaled, shaking his head.
'That's going to take some time getting used to.'
Suddenly a sudden sharp chime filled his ears. Noah flinched, instinctively taking a step back, before realizing what it was.
The system.
The glowing blue text appeared before his eyes, crisp and clear.
[Time Remaining: 3 hours until sunrise.
Trial Status: No Tamed Beast Detected.
Penalty for failure: Permanent Expulsion from the Royal Beast Academy.]
Noah froze. "Wait…What?
He blinked, waving his hand in front of him as if that would somehow change the text.
"What do you mean, no tamed beast detected?" he demanded. "I literally just fused with one! How does that not count?"
The system, of course, didn't answer.
Noah groaned, running a hand through his hair. "So, what? The Academy's methods don't recognize fusion?"
It made a stupid kind of sense.
The Academy's definition of beast taming had always been rigid. A Beast Tamer was meant to have a visible companion, a creature that followed them, fought beside them, stood as proof of their talent.
But Noah had fused with his beast. The Shadow Panther wasn't separate anymore, it was him and that meant, in the Academy's eyes, he still hadn't bonded with a beast.
Noah sighed, rubbing his temples.
"In short…" he muttered, "I need another one."
He took a deep breath, pushing down the frustration bubbling inside him. "Okay. No time to panic. Just… find another beast and tame it normally. No fusing this time. Just a simple, boring contract."
As soon as he made that decision, something shifted inside him, his senses expanded, stretching outward without him even trying. He could hear things he hadn't noticed before, the rustle of leaves, the faint scurrying of something tiny against the dirt, the heartbeat of a creature nearby.
He wasn't just listening anymore, he was tracking. His eyes flickered toward the bushes.
'There.' He saw something, something small but fast, crouching low to the ground, its body still, but its heart racing. Not a predator. Not exactly prey, either. It was something in between.
Noah crouched low, letting his instincts guide his movements.
"Come on, little guy," he murmured, keeping his tone light. "I just need a second beast, and you look like you don't want to get eaten by something bigger. Let's make a deal, huh?"
The creature hesitated, then, slowly, it crept forward.
A Night Prowler, barely the size of a house cat, it slinked out of the underbrush. Its inky black fur blended with the darkness, it had violet eyes glowed like twin gemstones.
Noah held his breath, the creature wasn't afraid. Just cautious.
"See? That wasn't so hard, was it?"
The Night Prowler's ears flicked forward.
"Alright," Noah muttered. "How do I do this again?"
He extended his hand, letting his spiritual energy reach out. The Night Prowler sniffed the air, its sleek tail flicking behind it.
A soft golden glow spread between them.
Then,
Ding!
[Beast Contract Request Sent…waiting for the creature's acceptance…]
Noah barely breathed. The Night Prowler studied him, then, finally, pressed its small nose against his palm.
Ding!
[Beast Contract Successful! You have tamed: Night Prowler (Tier 1).]
A rush of pure energy slammed into Noah's chest. The Night Prowler's body dissolved into shimmering golden particles and merged into him.
Noah stumbled, gripping his chest as his senses sharpened again. The change wasn't as intense as when he had fused with the Shadow Panther, but it was noticeable.
His footsteps made no sound at all, as if the very ground refused to betray his presence. His vision shifted, everything in the shadows became clearer, sharper.
Ding!
[New Passive Ability Acquired: Silent Steps. New Passive Ability Acquired: Night Vision.]
Noah exhaled sharply, adjusting to the new enhancements.
"Well. That was… something."
Then a faint, familiar stirring within him made him pause. The Shadow Panther's essence reacted to the fusion, almost like it was watching and it felt… amused.
Noah sighed. 'What? You think it's funny watching me struggle?'
There was silence, but the smug feeling didn't disappear.
He rolled his eyes. 'I should've fused with something less arrogant. Like a squirrel.'
He turned toward the Academy gates. His body felt lighter and faster than ever before. The old him would have needed hours to cover the distance but new him could do it in minutes. He let his energy flow through his body, took a step forward, then the world blurred and suddenly, he was twenty feet ahead of where he had been.
Ding!
[Shadow Step Activated.]
Noah grinned. "Alright," he muttered, stretching his arms. "Let's go make the Academy regret everything."
And with that, he vanished into the shadows, heading toward the Academy, ready to prove them all wrong.