They ran.
Ethan's lungs burned as he crashed through the undergrowth, Shadow limping beside him despite her injury.
Behind them, Zhang Hao and his group were screaming, their contracted beasts roaring in panic.
The Crimson Fang Viper was hunting.
Ethan could hear it—the hiss of scales sliding across bark, the crunch of vegetation being crushed under its massive weight.
Every few seconds, a tree would crack and splinter as the viper smashed through obstacles in its path.
[Crimson Fang Viper - Mortal Beast Rank 38]
[Distance: 150 meters]
[Warning: Beast is gaining]
"It's getting closer!" one of Zhang Hao's companions screamed.
Ethan's mind raced. A Mortal Beast Rank 38 was Beast Lord level—far beyond what any of them could handle. Even Instructor Wang, who was probably around Beast Master Rank 7, would struggle against something like this.
They needed help.
Fast.
"Does anyone have a distress flare?" Ethan shouted.
"I do!" Liu Yue's voice called out.
She'd been nearby when the viper appeared and had joined their panicked flight.
She fumbled in her pouch while running, pulling out a red crystal tube.
"Use it!"
Liu Yue snapped the tube.
A brilliant red light shot into the sky, exploding into a crimson flower visible for miles.
The emergency signal.
"The instructors will see it, but they're at least ten minutes away!" Zhang Hao gasped.
His face was pale with terror, all his earlier arrogance gone.
"We need to slow that thing down!"
"How?" another student cried.
"It's Rank 38! Our beasts can't—"
A shadow blurred past them.
The viper had circled around, cutting off their escape route.
It reared up, easily twenty feet tall, its crimson scales gleaming like blood-stained metal.
Venom dripped from fangs the size of short swords, sizzling when it hit the ground.
[Warning: Escape route blocked]
[Analyzing...]
[Recommendation: Split up to divide beast's attention. Survival probability increases to 15%]
"Split up!" Ethan commanded.
"Go in different directions! It can only chase one group!"
For once, no one argued with him.
The students scattered like startled rabbits.
Zhang Hao and two others went left. Liu Yue and another girl went right.
Ethan, with Shadow beside him, dove straight forward, sliding under the viper's raised body.
The viper's head snapped toward Zhang Hao's group—they had the most beasts and were making the most noise.
Its jaws opened wide, preparing to strike.
"No!" Ethan didn't know why he did it.
Zhang Hao was an asshole who'd made his life miserable for years.
But watching someone get eaten alive...
He grabbed a rock and hurled it at the viper's head.
"Hey! Over here, you overgrown worm!"
The rock bounced off the viper's scales harmlessly, but it got the creature's attention.
Yellow eyes fixed on Ethan with cold hatred.
[Warning: Beast aggro shifted to Host]
[Survival probability: 3%]
"Oh, that was stupid," Ethan muttered.
The viper lunged.
Ethan threw himself sideways, and the massive jaws snapped shut where he'd been standing.
He rolled, came up running, Shadow racing beside him.
Through their bond, he could feel Shadow's determination despite her injury.
She wasn't going to abandon him.
"I need you alive more than I need you brave!" Ethan told her.
"If we get separated, hide!"
Shadow sent back feelings of refusal.
They were bonded now.
Partners.
Where he went, she would follow.
Damn it.
Ethan's chest tightened with an emotion he didn't have time to examine.
The viper struck again.
This time Ethan felt the wind from its passage, felt droplets of venom spray past him.
One landed on his sleeve, and the fabric immediately began to dissolve with a hissing sound.
He tore off the sleeve and kept running.
[Distance to safe zone: 800 meters]
[Estimated time to reach safe zone: 4 minutes]
[Estimated time until viper catches Host: 90 seconds]
The math wasn't good.
Ethan's eyes darted around wildly, looking for anything that could help.
The forest was thick here, ancient trees towering overhead.
A plan formed in his mind—crazy, probably suicidal, but better than nothing.
"Shadow! Get ready to use Shadow Step on my command!"
Through their bond, he felt her acknowledgment.
Ethan ran toward the largest tree he could see, a massive ancient oak at least fifteen feet in diameter.
The viper was right behind him, so close he could smell its rancid breath.
"Now!"
Shadow vanished into darkness, her Shadow Step ability activating.
Ethan threw himself to the side at the last possible second.
The Crimson Fang Viper, moving too fast to stop, slammed headfirst into the oak tree with a thunderous CRACK.
The impact shook the ground.
The viper reeled back, dazed, and Ethan didn't waste the opportunity.
He scrambled to his feet and ran harder than he'd ever run in either of his lives.
Shadow reappeared beside him, panting heavily.
That skill had cost her a lot of energy.
[Distance to safe zone: 600 meters]
[Viper stunned - Estimated recovery time: 20 seconds]
They had a head start, but it wouldn't last long.
Ethan's legs felt like lead.
His breath came in ragged gasps.
The spiritual energy in his dantian was nearly depleted from healing Shadow and maintaining their bond.
He was running on fumes.
Behind them, he heard the viper shake off its daze with an enraged hiss.
[Viper recovered]
[Distance: 120 meters and closing]
They weren't going to make it.
Then, through the trees ahead, Ethan saw movement.
Blue and white robes. Azure Sky Beast Academy colors.
"Here!" he screamed. "Rank 38 Viper! Help!"
Instructor Wang burst into view, his Thunder Wolf beside him.
The instructor's eyes widened when he saw the massive viper bearing down on Ethan.
"Get behind me! Now!"
Ethan didn't need to be told twice.
He dove past Instructor Wang just as the viper struck.
The Thunder Wolf met it head-on.
Two massive beasts collided with a sound like a thunderclap.
Lightning crackled across the Thunder Wolf's silver fur as it locked jaws with the viper.
They were roughly the same size, both Beast Lord level creatures, but the Thunder Wolf had the advantage of experience and training.
Instructor Wang's hands moved in complex patterns, spiritual energy flowing from him to his beast. "Thunder Fang technique! Strike!"
The Thunder Wolf's jaws erupted with electricity.
The viper convulsed, trying to pull away, but the wolf held on.
More lightning, more power, until finally the viper managed to wrench itself free and retreated with a hiss of pain.
It wasn't dead—a Rank 38 beast was far too strong to be killed that easily—but it was injured and knew it had met its match. With one final hate-filled look at Ethan, the Crimson Fang Viper slithered back into the depths of the forest.
Silence fell, broken only by heavy breathing.
"Are you insane?" Instructor Wang turned on Ethan, his face red with fury.
"What were you thinking, going into the deep woods? You're barely Rank 1! That viper could have killed you with a sneeze!"
"I... yes, sir. I'm sorry." Ethan hung his head.
But Instructor Wang wasn't done.
"And you!" He turned to where Zhang Hao and his group had emerged from hiding.
"You three were with him? Or did you also violate the safe zone boundaries?"
Zhang Hao's face went white.
"We... we were following a Rank 15 beast and got turned around—"
"Silence!" Instructor Wang's Thunder Wolf growled, and Zhang Hao shut up immediately.
"We will discuss your punishments when we return to the academy."
More instructors arrived, along with Liu Yue and the other students who'd scattered.
Everyone was accounted for. No one had died, though several students looked like they'd aged ten years from the scare.
As they began the march back to the city, Liu Yue fell into step beside Ethan.
"That was incredibly brave," she said quietly.
"And incredibly stupid."
"Story of my life," Ethan muttered.
She glanced at Shadow, who was limping along at his side.
"You actually did it. You contracted a beast."
"Yeah."
"A Three-Eyed Shadow Cat. They're rare. I've only seen one other in all my time at the academy." She paused. "Zhang Hao said it was trash because it's injured and only Rank 2, but he's an idiot. Shadow Cats have incredible potential if trained right."
Ethan looked at her in surprise.
It was the first time anyone had said something genuinely encouraging about his contract.
"Thanks," he said.
Through his bond with Shadow, he felt curiosity about Liu Yue.
The cat seemed to like her.
"You saved Zhang Hao's life back there," Liu Yue continued.
"Even after everything he's done to you. That says something about your character."
Ethan shrugged.
"Couldn't just let him die."
"Most people would have."
They walked in silence for a moment, then Liu Yue smiled.
"For what it's worth, I'm glad you're not giving up. The academy's better with you in it."
Before Ethan could respond, she jogged ahead to join some other students.
Shadow made a sound that might have been approval.
"Don't get any ideas," Ethan told her.
"We've got bigger priorities than romance."
Shadow's response through the bond was decidedly smug.
---
Two hours later, they were back at the academy.
Instructor Wang had separated the students who'd violated the safe zone—Ethan, Zhang Hao, and his two companions—and marched them straight to the Head Instructor's office.
Head Instructor Feng was a severe woman in her sixties, her grey hair pulled back in a tight bun.
She was a Beast King Rank 3, one of the strongest tamers in Qingyang City, and her contracted White Jade Tiger lay beside her desk like a living statue.
"Violating the safe zone boundaries is grounds for immediate expulsion," she said coldly, her eyes sweeping over the four students. "Do any of you have anything to say in your defense?"
Zhang Hao spoke up immediately.
"Head Instructor, we were pursuing a valuable beast and lost track of the boundaries. It was an honest mistake—"
"Silence." Head Instructor Feng's gaze was withering. "Instructor Wang's report indicates you deliberately ventured beyond the safe zone in search of stronger prey. That is not a mistake. That is arrogance and stupidity."
She turned to Ethan. "And you, Chen Xuan. Your record is already abysmal. Three years without a single contract. Now you add rule violation to your list of failures?"
"I accept full responsibility for my actions, Head Instructor," Ethan said.
He'd expected this. "I went into the deep woods knowing it was forbidden. I have no excuse."
Head Instructor Feng studied him for a long moment.
"Instructor Wang also noted that you saved Zhang Hao and two other students by drawing the viper's attention to yourself. Is this true?"
"I... yes, Head Instructor."
"And you successfully contracted a Three-Eyed Shadow Cat despite your previous failures?"
"Yes, Head Instructor."
She was silent for a moment, then stood.
"Zhang Hao, Zhao Ming, Li Chen—you are suspended from all academy expeditions for one month. In addition, you will each write a ten thousand word essay on the importance of following safety protocols. Dismissed."
The three students bowed hastily and left, Zhang Hao shooting a venomous look at Ethan as he went.
"Chen Xuan, remain."
Ethan's heart sank.
A harsher punishment, then.
Head Instructor Feng walked around her desk, studying him intently.
"Show me your contracted beast."
Shadow limped forward, her three eyes watching the Head Instructor warily.
"Injured," Head Instructor Feng noted.
"And only Rank 2. Yet you bonded with her successfully."
She knelt down, and to Ethan's surprise, Shadow allowed her to examine the wounded leg.
After a moment, the Head Instructor stood.
"There's trace amounts of draconic bloodline in this creature. Very faint—less than one percent—but it's there. How did you find such a beast?"
Ethan couldn't exactly explain the system.
"Luck, Head Instructor. And my mother's pendant." He pulled out the Jade Serpent Pendant.
Recognition flashed in her eyes. "Jade Serpent... I see. Your mother was Xiao Mei, correct?"
"Yes, Head Instructor."
"I knew her, many years ago. She was a talented beast tamer before she married into the Chen family."
Head Instructor Feng's expression softened slightly.
"She would have been proud to see you finally contract a beast."
Ethan felt Chen Xuan's emotions stirring—grief, longing, and a desperate need for validation.
"Your punishment," Head Instructor Feng continued, her voice returning to its normal stern tone, "is two weeks of detention. You will report to the academy's Beast Medical Hall every evening to assist with healing injured beasts. Perhaps you'll learn something useful."
"Thank you, Head Instructor."
"Don't thank me yet. I'm also assigning you mandatory training sessions with Instructor Wang. If you're going to be reckless enough to enter dangerous areas, you'll need to be strong enough to survive them." She paused. "However, I'm also removing you from the probationary list. You've proven you have the ability to contract beasts. You will remain a student of Azure Sky Beast Academy."
Ethan's eyes widened. "Really?"
"Really. Now get that cat to the Medical Hall and have her injury properly treated. Dismissed."
Ethan bowed deeply and left, Shadow at his heels.
As soon as they were out of the office, Ethan couldn't help but grin.
Not expelled.
Off probation.
And he had a contracted beast with draconic bloodline potential.
[Quest Complete: Contract Your First Beast]
[Rewards: Beginner's Gift Package, +1 Contract Slot]
[Current Contract Slots: 1/4]
[Opening Beginner's Gift Package...]
[Rewards Received:]
[1x Basic Beast Evolution Guide]
[1x Spiritual Energy Cultivation Manual (Mortal Rank)]
[100x Evolution Points]
[1x Minor Healing Pill (Can heal injuries up to Rank 10)]
[System Shop Unlocked! (Basic tier)]
Ethan's grin widened. This just kept getting better.
"Come on, Shadow," he said. "Let's get you healed up. Then we've got work to do."
Through their bond, Shadow purred with anticipation.
The trash tamer of the Chen family had taken his first real step toward greatness.
And this was only the beginning.