By the time the sun rose fully over the Academy, Kael Ashborne had already broken three rules.
Rule one: Do not train without supervision after a near-fatal incident.
Rule two: Do not provoke your summon during an unstable evolutionary phase.
Rule three: Do not, under any circumstances, attract more attention than necessary.
Kael lay flat on his back in Training Hall Seven, staring at the ceiling and wheezing.
"…Okay," he muttered. "Fourth rule. Do not underestimate stone floors."
The Proto-Form—no longer quite a blob, not yet anything definable—sat beside him, its surface darker than before, scales sharper, its shape more compact and deliberate. It tilted slightly, as if judging him.
"Don't look at me like that," Kael said. "You're the one who nearly turned into a baby dragon without warning."
It made a low, rumbling sound. Not a growl. Not a gurgle.
Something in between.
The System stirred.
[Proto-Form emotional feedback detected.]
[Interpretation: mild annoyance.]
Kael blinked. "…You're annoyed at me?"
The Proto-Form turned away.
"Oh, come on."
He groaned and pushed himself upright, every muscle screaming in protest. Professor Halden stood near the edge of the arena, arms crossed, watching silently.
"You're awake faster than expected," Halden said.
Kael winced. "I think my body's given up on sleep."
"Good," Halden replied. "You'll need it."
Kael didn't like the way that sounded.
News traveled fast.
Too fast.
By mid-morning, the Academy buzzed like a kicked hornet's nest. Whispers followed Kael through the corridors. Some students stared openly. Others pretended not to notice him at all—which was somehow worse.
"That's him."
"The dragon one."
"F-Rank my ass."
"Do you think he cheated?"
"Do you think he'll explode?"
Kael kept his head down, Proto-Form tucked close under his cloak. Luna walked beside him, arms folded, expression cool and unreadable.
"You're trending," she said.
Kael sighed. "I preferred being invisible."
She glanced at him sideways. "You don't get to choose that anymore."
That hit harder than expected.
At the end of the hall stood a group of nobles—three men, one woman—all wearing crests Kael recognized. Old families. Money. Influence.
They watched him approach like predators evaluating prey.
One of them stepped forward.
"Kael Ashborne," he said smoothly. "Common-born. No lineage. No resources."
Kael stopped.
"…Hi?"
The noble smiled thinly. "You embarrassed several sponsored students yesterday."
Kael frowned. "I nearly died."
"Perception matters more than truth," the noble replied. "Weakness inspires disgust. Strength inspires control."
Luna shifted slightly closer to Kael.
"And which do you think he inspires?" she asked coldly.
The noble's gaze flicked to her—and hesitated.
"Curiosity," he said finally. "And concern."
Kael laughed. "You sound worried."
The noble leaned in, voice dropping. "Be careful. The Academy tolerates weakness. It does not tolerate unpredictability."
He stepped back, signaling the others to follow.
As they left, the System chimed softly.
[Hostile social influence detected.]
[Political pressure increasing.]
Kael rubbed the back of his neck. "Great. I've offended rich people."
Luna smirked. "You'll get used to it."
Training under Professor Halden was nothing like Kael imagined.
There were no flashy drills. No combat sparring. No shouting.
Instead, Halden made him wait.
Hours of standing still. Of breathing exercises. Of syncing heartbeats with his summon.
"Control precedes power," Halden said flatly. "Power without control gets you killed."
Kael clenched his jaw.
The Proto-Form rested in front of him, faint heat radiating from its core.
"Again," Halden ordered.
Kael closed his eyes.
He breathed in.
Slow.
Deep.
The System stirred.
[Synchronization attempt in progress.]
[Stability check: acceptable.]
For a moment—just a moment—Kael felt it.
The Proto-Form wasn't just a beast.
It was a presence.
Not subservient. Not dominant.
Parallel.
Kael's breath hitched.
"…This is weird."
Halden nodded. "Good. That means you're doing it right."
The door burst open.
"HEY!"
Iris Thorn marched in, hands on hips, salamander flicking sparks off the walls.
"Why does he get private training?"
Halden didn't turn around. "Because he nearly triggered a dragon-line evolution."
Iris blinked.
"…Oh."
She turned to Kael. "Okay, yeah, that tracks."
Kael smirked. "Jealous?"
"Terrified," she corrected. "Mostly for you."
The System chimed.
[External interference detected.]
[Training efficiency reduced by 7%.]
Kael groaned. "Even the System hates interruptions."
"Rude," Iris said. "I brought snacks."
She tossed him a wrapped bar. Kael caught it instinctively.
"Thanks."
"Don't die," she added cheerfully. "It'd ruin my reputation."
Later that day, Kael was summoned—not to training—but to the Council Hall.
The room was vast, cold, and lined with crystal screens displaying System metrics. Several high-ranking figures sat behind a long table.
Including nobles.
Including professors.
Including one man Kael didn't recognize—but whose presence made the Proto-Form tense instantly.
The System screamed.
[WARNING.]
[Dragon-class bloodline detected: dormant.]
Kael's heart pounded.
The man smiled.
"Kael Ashborne," he said pleasantly. "You are under review."
Kael swallowed. "For… surviving?"
"For destabilizing established power structures," the man replied calmly.
The room murmured.
The man continued. "Your existence creates imbalance. Weak tamers are necessary. They reinforce hierarchy."
Kael's fists clenched.
"So," he said slowly, "my crime is not being weak enough."
The man tilted his head. "Precisely."
Luna stood abruptly. "This is absurd."
"Sit," the man said calmly.
The Proto-Form shifted.
Heat rose.
The System blared.
[Emotional spike detected.]
[Proto-Form agitation increasing.]
[Warning: evolution pressure rising.]
Kael took a step forward.
"No," he said quietly. "I won't."
The room went silent.
"I didn't ask for this," Kael continued. "I didn't cheat. I didn't steal power. I survived."
His voice shook—but didn't break.
"If that's a crime," he finished, "then your system was broken long before me."
The man studied him.
Then smiled wider.
"…Interesting."
Halden stepped forward. "He is under my authority."
The man's gaze flicked to him. "For now."
That night, Kael sat alone on the Academy roof.
The city lights stretched endlessly beyond the walls. The Proto-Form rested beside him, its warmth steady.
"I think they're afraid," Kael said quietly.
The System responded.
[Assessment: correct.]
[Host potential exceeds expected parameters.]
Kael looked down at his summon.
"…We're really doing this, aren't we?"
The Proto-Form leaned closer.
Far above, beyond the clouds, something ancient shifted again.
A dragon opened one eye.
And smiled.