The Tamer Academy gates were massive, carved from stone and reinforced with steel. For most students, stepping outside them was a dream come true: the first real test in the world beyond safety, beyond walls, beyond structured trials.
For Kael Ashborne, stepping outside was more like stepping straight into a nightmare.
He adjusted his bag strap and looked down at his summon, the gray blob now slightly firmer after its micro-evolution into Proto-Form. It quivered nervously but remained obedient.
"Alright, mush," Kael muttered, crouching beside it. "Today… survival is real. No System dummies, no fire jets. Real life, real danger. You survive, we evolve. You die… well… we die. Deal?"
The blob gurgled. Whether it was agreement or despair was unclear. Kael chose to interpret it as determination.
Outside the gates, the world was… chaotic. Smoke rose from distant cities, and enormous wings occasionally blotted out the sun as dragons passed overhead. The streets were not safe. The forests were crawling with beasts, large and small. Humanity survived in pockets, often hiding, often praying they weren't next.
The Academy had placed students in small squads to patrol, map, and survive outside the gates under controlled supervision. Today's exercise, however, was different. The professor overseeing the trial, Veldar, had announced:
"Survival Trial Two: Urban and Wild Terrain."
Kael's stomach twisted. Yesterday's mechanical hazards were terrifying; today's were real.
He looked around at his squad.
Luna Dravaryn, calm and beautiful, her water-winged beast circling her like a halo.
Iris Thorn, fiery-haired and brash, already glaring at Kael like she wanted to shove him into a pit herself.
Cassian Vire, obviously annoyed that Kael was still breathing.
Two other students, silent and nervous, whose beasts had already shrunk away in fear.
Kael clenched his fists. "Fantastic. I'm going to die… with style, at least."
The group hadn't gone ten minutes outside the gates before disaster struck.
A pack of Scragbeasts—wolf-sized creatures with metallic scales and jagged claws—emerged from an alleyway. Their growls vibrated the ground.
"Form up!" Cassian barked, striding forward with his griffin.
Kael crouched low. His blob wobbled beside him, almost invisible in its gray mushiness.
"Mush… time to show them what Proto-Form can do," Kael muttered. "Survive. That's all I care about. SURVIVE."
The nearest Scragbeast lunged. Kael froze for half a second—and then… the blob expanded like elastic, forming a crude shield. The creature's claw slammed against it. Nothing broke. The Scragbeast staggered back, confused.
Kael's jaw dropped.
"Wait… you just… blocked that?"
The System chimed in calmly:
["Adaptive resistance detected. Survival threshold exceeded. Experience gained: +15. Micro-evolution probability: +5%."]
Kael's fists clenched. "Yes! Keep going!"
Kael charged forward, yelling at his blob.
"Hit it! Do something! Anything!"
Yhe blob rolled forward—not attacking, just rolling. Somehow, it tripped a second Scragbeast into a pit. Kael blinked. "Did… did you just…?"
The third Scragbeast growled, confused. Cassian's griffin dove in, tearing it apart effortlessly, but Kael barely noticed. He was laughing and groaning at the same time.
"This is insane! How are we still alive?"
Luna's calm voice interrupted him:
"By luck and stubbornness… mostly the latter, actually."
Kael blinked. "You… you're complimenting me?"
"No," she said softly, smirking. "I'm just acknowledging the anomaly."
Kael's cheeks burned, though he tried not to show it.
After the Scragbeasts were dealt with—or rather, after the blob accidentally survived them—the squad moved deeper into the city. Buildings were crumbling, remnants of old magic or dragon attacks. Fires burned in spots. Looters and scavenger beasts ran in packs.
The System overlaid a holographic interface over Kael's vision:
[Objective: Map the city, survive threats, assist squadmates.]
[Beast Alert: Nearby creatures—levels and threat detected.]
[Adaptive Suggestions: Use terrain for cover. Use synchronized attacks with squad.]
Kael groaned. "System, don't get philosophical on me. Just… keep me alive."
The blob quivered nervously, but a small shimmer ran across its body—tiny, firm scales forming along its surface. Kael noticed.
"Micro-evolution… again? Already?" he muttered, astonished.
Cassian immediately started barking orders. "Move left! Cover the alley! Watch the roofs!"
Luna floated alongside Kael's side, her beast flaring tiny waves of water to douse lingering fires.
Iris shouted, flames licking her hands, ready to attack. "Stay behind me, Ashborne! And try not to get yourself killed!"
Kael's heart raced. "Why do I feel like everyone's just here to humiliate me?"
The blob wobbled beside him, forming a rough cylinder around Kael as he ran. Every time a small hazard appeared—falling rubble, a minor beast—the blob instinctively rolled, stretched, or expanded, saving Kael from immediate harm.
"You're… amazing," Kael muttered. "I swear I'm going to train you until you're… not a mush anymore."
The System chimed again:
["Proto-Form survival success: +20. Micro-evolution progress: +15%. Hidden evolution path remains: ???."]
Kael's jaw dropped. "Fifteen percent? Already? We're actually evolving!"
Kael tried to maneuver the blob through a narrow alley. He shoved it forward. It rolled. It bounced off a wall. It hit a trash bin. The bin toppled, knocking over a small pile of debris that accidentally crushed a scavenger beast nearby.
Kael froze. "Did we… just kill something?"
["Accidental victory,"] the System replied in its monotone voice.
Kael groaned. "I… don't even know if I should celebrate or cry."
Meanwhile, Iris snorted from behind. "Nice work, Ashborne. You're the most chaotic tamer I've ever seen."
Kael shot her a glare. "Thanks? I think?"
As they reached a partially destroyed plaza, Kael tripped... literally and landed face-first into the dirt. His blob plopped beside him.
Luna sighed softly, walking over. "Do you always fall face-first, or is it just with your summon?"
Kael groaned. "Ha. Ha. Very funny."
"I'm serious," Luna said, crouching beside him. "That… thing of yours… has potential. I've never seen an F-Rank survive this long outside the Academy. It's… remarkable."
Kael blinked. "You're complimenting me… again."
"Don't get used to it," she said, standing. "Focus on surviving. That's all that matters."
Kael muttered under his breath: "Yeah… yeah. Survive first, evolve later."
Just as Kael started to feel a small spark of confidence, the sky darkened. Huge shadows moved overhead.
"Dragons," Cassian hissed. "Get down!"
Kael froze. His chest raced. This was what the professors had warned about: real-world dragons were unpredictable, fast, and lethal.
The blob quivered beside him. Its body shimmered faintly, scales forming faster than before. Kael felt a strange warmth in his chest. "You… you're not afraid?"
The dragon, massive, black scales reflecting sunlight, landed a few hundred meters away. Its eyes glowed faintly red. Kael felt the System kick in:
["High-level threat detected. Estimated danger level: A-Rank. Immediate survival required. Tamer synchronization recommended."]
Kael clenched his fists. "Then we survive… Proto-Form. We survive. That's all we do."
The dragon roared, shaking the rubble around them. Students screamed, scattering. Kael's heart hammered, but his blob quivered forward, almost bravely.
Kael whispered, teeth gritted:
"Alright… you and me. Let's show them what an F-Rank… and a stubborn idiot… can do."
The System chimed one last time:
["Proto-Form adaptive evolution triggered. Survival instinct active. Long-term evolution path: ???. Dragon-level potential: detected."]
Kael's eyes burned with determination.
"This… is only the beginning."