The rain had begun to fall over the Iron Docks by the time Kaelen Ashford locked the heavy oak door of his attic room.
It was a cold, driving downpour that rattled against the thin glass of his narrow window, washing away the grease, coal dust, and salt mist that clung perpetually to the lower district of Oakhaven. Down below, the rhythmic clanging of Old Bram’s forge had quieted for the evening, leaving only the distant whistle of coastal winds and the soft, steady purr of the creature resting at Kaelen's feet.
Kaelen set the heavy wooden crate down on his worn oak table.
The brass hinges groaned as he opened the lid, revealing the pile of petrified stone fragments he had purchased for two silver coins at the back of the Fossil Market. To an ordinary appraiser or a Guild scholar, the contents looked like nothing more than useless calcified debris—rocky strata hardened by centuries of underground pressure, devoid of any measurable mana aura.
But as Kaelen reached out and swept aside the top layer of pale shale, a distinct chill rippled through the air of the small attic.
Resting at the center of the crate was a thick, blackened cylinder of petrified bone. It was roughly the size of a man’s forearm, heavily calcified and encrusted with grey mineral veins. To the naked eye, it appeared completely lifeless.
Yet, as soon as Kaelen’s fingers brushed the jagged surface, his translucent System interface flared into brilliant, violet life.
[PRIMAL GENETIC MEMORY DETECTED...] [ANCIENT BESTIARY SCANNING...] [TARGET: CALCIFIED FEMUR FRAGMENT] [ORIGIN: ERA I — THE PRIMAL CATACLYSM] [SPECIES 005: PRIMAL ABYSSAL THUNDER-DRAGON (CALAMITY-GRADE)] [STATUS: ERASED FROM SYSTEM ARCHIVES / DNA DORMANT] [HARVESTABLE EXTINCTION ENERGY: EXTREMELY HIGH]
Beside him, Nox lifted its head.
The slender, obsidian-scaled shadow-stalker stepped onto the table with silent grace. Its long, sleek tail twitched rhythmically as its twin eyes of molten gold locked onto the black bone. A low, vibrating growl hummed deep within Nox’s chest—not a growl of hostility, but the instinctual response of an apex predator recognizing the remnant of its ancient prey.
"You feel it too, don't you, Nox?" Kaelen whispered, staring at the glowing notification floating in the dim room. "A dragon that once ruled the abyssal storms... erased as if it never existed."
Nox stepped closer, placing a delicate black paw against the cold, stony surface of the femur.
Instantly, the mineral crust on the bone cracked.
CRACK—!
A hair-thin fissure split the petrified bone down its center. From within the crack, a thin wisp of pale violet lightning leaked out—not hot, searing electricity created by fire-elemental magic, but a cold, heavy arc of dark plasma that smelled faintly of ozone and ancient rain.
[INITIATING VOID ABSORPTION...] [EXTRACTING PRIMAL DNA MEMORY...]
Nox opened its jaws, and a swirling vortex of pitch-black shadows spilled from its throat. The shadow mist wrapped around the calcified bone like liquid ink, seeping directly into the porous mineral structure.
The transformation was mesmerizing.
The heavy, stony bone did not shatter. Instead, it dissolved into thousands of glowing, violet dust particles that spiraled upward into the air before being pulled into Nox’s maw. With every particle absorbed, the dark arcs of electricity jumping across Nox’s fur grew thicker, weaving through its obsidian scales like threads of living lightning.
Inside Kaelen's mind, a cascade of vivid, ancient memories suddenly erupted.
Through the lens of the Ancient Bestiary, Kaelen saw a vision of a long-forgotten world.
The sky was not the soft blue of modern Solis, but a turbulent expanse of swirling violet clouds and golden lightning. Beneath the clouds stretched a vast, boundless ocean of pitch-black water, torn by waves taller than mountains.
Rising from the depths was a colossal creature—a leviathan clad in midnight-blue scales, boasting four massive wings shaped like thunderclouds and a crown of jagged, electric horns. It roared toward the heavens, its voice shattering the clouds and summoning hundred-foot spouts of dark lightning.
It was the Primal Abyssal Thunder-Dragon—a Calamity-Grade beast capable of drowning continents in eternal storms.
Then, the sky cracked open.
Golden chains of System light descended from the heavens, forged by the Architects. A massive, celestial array sealed the thunder-dragon, draining its mana, fracturing its bloodline, and wiping its name from the annals of history until only a single calcified bone remained buried beneath miles of coastal silt.
Kaelen gasped, snapping back to reality as the vision faded. He gripped the edge of the wooden table, sweat dripping from his chin, his breathing heavy and ragged.
The petrified bone in the crate was completely gone, reduced to fine, inert grey dust.
Standing atop the table, Nox let out a soft, contented sigh. A tiny arc of violet lightning danced across its whiskers before vanishing into its dark fur.
[VOID ABSORPTION COMPLETE!] [SPECIES 005: PRIMAL ABYSSAL THUNDER-DRAGON INDEXED!] [BESTIARY COMPLETION: 5 / 100] [RECOVERY BONUS: PRIMAL THUNDER ESSENCE EXTRACTED!]
[EXTINCTION POINTS ACQUIRED: +1,200 EP!] [CURRENT EP BALANCE: 1,250 EP]
[NEW SKILL UNLOCKED FOR NOX: VOID-LIGHTNING STEP (LV 1)] [DESCRIPTION: INFUSES MOVEMENT WITH ABYSSAL THUNDER ESSENCE, ALLOWING THE SUMMON TO TELEPORT UP TO 15 METERS INSTANTLY WHILE LEAVING BEHIND A DESTRUCTIVE SHOCKWAVE OF COLD PLASMA.]
"Twelve hundred Extinction Points..." Kaelen breathed, his eyes wide as he stared at his status panel. "From a single crate of fossilized trash."
He looked at Nox, whose golden eyes burned brighter than ever. With 1,250 EP in his balance, Kaelen held enough power to upgrade his own class abilities or further reinforce Nox’s attributes.
Without hesitation, Kaelen opened his Erased Beast Tamer interface.
[AVAILABLE EP ALLOCATIONS:]
UPGRADE CLASS TALENT: [PRIMAL COMMAND (LV 1)] -> [PRIMAL COMMAND (LV 2)] (-300 EP)
Effect: Extends telepathic command range to 500 meters and allows instant stat-boosting synchronization during combat.
UNLOCK PASSIVE: [EXTINCTION SENSE II] (-400 EP)
Effect: Expands detection radius for hidden fossils, erased mana remnants, and ancient artifacts to 1,000 meters.
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REINFORCE NOX: [ATTACK POWER & DEFENSE BOOST III] (-500 EP)
Effect: Increases True Combat Rating by +120 points.
"System," Kaelen commanded mentally, "allocate EP to all three upgrades."
[CONFIRMED!] [DEDUCTING 1,200 EP...] [REMAINING EP BALANCE: 50 EP]
[CLASS TALENT UPGRADED: PRIMAL COMMAND (LV 2)] [PASSIVE UNLOCKED: EXTINCTION SENSE II] [SUMMON REINFORCED: NOX (ANCESTRAL PRIMAL VOID-STALKER)]
A warm surge of raw, ancient energy washed through Kaelen’s body. His senses expanded dramatically. Suddenly, he could hear the faint heartbeat of the rats scurrying inside the walls three floors down, the soft breathing of Old Bram sleeping in his quarters next to the smithy, and the distant, rhythmic thrumming of ancient mana buried deep beneath the harbor mud.
Nox let out a low purr as a golden ripple passed through its obsidian scales, its physical structure densifying and its aura sharpening like a freshly honed blade.
[NOX — TRUE COMBAT RATING UPDATED] [TRUE COMBAT RATING: 770 (GOLD-GRADE PEAK)] [MASKED COMBAT RATING (PUBLIC): 1]
A True Combat Rating of 770.
Kaelen knew what that meant. In the entire city of Oakhaven, only a handful of senior Guild Masters and high-ranking noble commanders possessed beasts with a Combat Rating above 700. Valerius Vance’s proud Flame Drake, sitting at CR 380, was now less than half as strong as the tiny creature curling up on Kaelen’s lap.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
A heavy, deliberate rap at his wooden door broke the quiet rustle of the rain.
Kaelen froze.
Nox instantly melted into the shadows behind the table, its golden eyes fixed unblinkingly on the doorframe.
Kaelen reached for the handle of Old Bram’s iron hunting knife tucked into his belt. "Who is it?"
"It's Bram, lad," a rough, familiar voice called out from the hallway. "Open up. We need to talk."
Kaelen relaxed slightly, though he kept his guard up as he slid the iron bolt back and opened the door.
Old Bram stood in the dim corridor, holding a flickering oil lantern in one hand and a damp leather envelope in the other. Rainwater dripped from his grey beard onto his heavy leather apron. His face, usually gruff and cheerful, was carved with deep lines of concern.
"Bram?" Kaelen asked, stepping aside. "What's wrong?"
The old blacksmith stepped into the attic room, closing the door firmly behind him. He set the lantern on the table, his sharp eyes quickly sweeping over the room before settling on Kaelen.
"Word reached the Docks an hour ago from the High Precinct," Bram said softly, his voice gravelly. "The Mercenary Guild just issued a city-wide mandate."
He handed the damp leather envelope to Kaelen.
Kaelen opened it, pulling out a official parchment stamped with the crimson wax seal of House Vance and the Royal Mercenary Guild.
"What is this?" Kaelen asked, scanning the lines of crisp, formal script.
"House Vance purchased exclusive hunting rights to the entire northern quadrant of the Whispering Woods," Bram explained, shaking his head grimly. "They're organizing a grand expedition three days from now. Valerius is leading the vanguard with his Flame Drake, hunting for a mutated Alpha Beast to secure his fast-track admission to the High Capital Academy."
Kaelen’s eyes narrowed. "What does that have to do with the Docks?"
"Look at the bottom of the decree, lad," Bram pointed a thick, calloused finger at the fine print.
Kaelen read the last paragraph aloud:
'By order of House Vance and Guild Master Malakor, all unregistered citizens and Failed Summoners within Oakhaven are required to join the auxiliary supply draft. Drafted laborers will serve as baggage porters, bait handlers, and camp clearers for the hunting vanguard. Failure to report will result in immediate revocation of residency rights and expulsion to the Outer Wastes.'
Kaelen’s knuckles turned white against the parchment.
Bait handlers.
It was a common, cruel practice among noble hunting parties. When entering high-risk monster zones, wealthy noble youths drafted poor, unbonded commoners or Failed Summoners to carry heavy gear and draw away wild beasts whenever danger arose.
Valerius Vance hadn't just arranged a hunting expedition—he had personally engineered a legal way to drag Kaelen into the deepest, deadliest section of the Whispering Woods as human fodder.
"Valerius put your name at the top of the draft list himself," Bram spat onto the floorboards in disgust. "The arrogant bastard wants to humiliate you in front of the entire Guild... or make sure you don't come back alive."
Bram reached into his pocket and pulled out a small leather pouch containing twenty gold coins—his life savings.
"Listen to me, Kaelen," Bram said urgently, shoving the pouch into Kaelen's hands. "Take this gold. Leave Oakhaven tonight before the watch posts lock the lower gates at midnight. Slip past the harbor guards and catch a merchant barge heading south to the coastal cities. You can start over where House Vance can't reach you."
Kaelen looked down at the pouch of gold, then looked back at Old Bram.
He saw genuine, fatherly worry in the old blacksmith's eyes—a warmth he hadn't felt since his parents passed away years ago. Bram truly believed Kaelen was defenseless, a weak boy holding a worthless CR 1 pet.
Slowly, Kaelen handed the pouch back to Bram.
"Keep your coins, Bram," Kaelen said quietly, his voice calm and steady. "I'm not running."
Bram stared at him in disbelief. "Are you mad, boy?! That expedition is entering the Gloom Ravine! They're hunting a CR 300+ Alpha! If a battle breaks out, the nobles will leave you to be eaten first!"
A faint, cold smile touched Kaelen’s lips.
From the dark shadow behind the table, Nox stepped smoothly into the lantern light. The tiny black-furred creature rubbed its cheek against Kaelen's boot, letting out a soft, purring sound that carried a hidden, bone-chilling aura.
"Let them draft me, Bram," Kaelen said, looking toward the dark window where rain washed over the distant spires of the High Precinct. "Valerius thinks he's taking me into the woods to die."
He clenched his fist, his eyes burning with a fierce, dangerous light.
"He doesn't realize he's taking a predator into his own hunting ground."