whooooosh!—
A violent wind erupted from the awakening crystal, sweeping across the hall like a divine storm.
The force knocked over several benches, causing robes to flutter and children to stumble.
A crushing aura—ancient, wild, and regal—descended upon the crowd.
The academy representatives jumped to their feet, expressions full of disbelief.
"What is this?!"
"I've never seen a beast projection before!"
" What kind of talent is this."
"This… this talent—it's not recorded in any of the ancient archives!"
Even the top five academy envoys, who had seen countless prodigies in their lifetime, looked as though they had just witnessed the descent of a god.
But then—something even more shocking happened.
The black-haired young man, who had remained motionless throughout the entire ceremony, finally opened his eyes again. He slowly stood up, and the moment he did
—BOOM!—
a powerful aura exploded from his body.
With a wave of his hand, a shimmering energy barrier enveloped the hall, calming the wind and shielding the children from harm.
The crowd instinctively bowed their heads.
> "He... he stabilized the aura with a single thought...!"
" Who is he."
Jax stood still, stunned by the windstorm he had caused. But in the next moment, something flickered before his eyes.
A glowing panel suddenly appeared—visible only to him.
---
> [ Talent Awakening Complete ]
Congratulations! You have awakened a Unique Talent: [Beast Monarch]
Then, another panel materialized beside it—sleek and faintly blue.
---
> [ System Interface Initialized ]
— Name: Jax Veridan
— Age: 12
— Cultivation: None
— Talent: Beast Monarch (Unique)
— Tamed Beasts: None
[More Features to Unlock…]
---
> "A system?!" Jax blinked in shock. "Just like those reincarnation novels on Earth…"
Before he could explore further, a tall figure stepped in front of him, casting a shadow over the crystal.
It was the black-haired young man.
His eyes locked onto Jax's, calm and piercing, like the gaze of someone who had seen entire empires rise and fall.
> "You," the young man said softly. "What talent did you awaken?"
Jax was startled.
Even the academy representatives were whispering behind the barrier—but this man had come straight to him.
"I—I..." Jax hesitated.
The young man narrowed his eyes. "I asked you a question. What is your talent called kid?"
Jax took a deep breath.
"…Beast Monarch," he finally said.
The young man's gaze sharpened. "Beast Monarch…" he repeated slowly, tasting the words. "what kind of talent is that and what does it do?"
"I…" Jax started to speak—but truthfully, he didn't know how to explain it. He had just seen the panel for the first time.
But at that moment, the system panel reappeared in front of his eyes, this time displaying the description more clearly.
> [ Beast Monarch Talent Functions: ]
— Form Soul Contracts with beasts.
— Speak all beast and monster languages.
— Inherit and wield the powers of tamed creatures.
Armed with this new information, Jax looked the man in the eyes and answered.
"My talent allows me to form contracts with beasts. When I do, they become my subordinates. I can command them… and also use their abilities as if they were my own."
The entire hall fell silent.
Everyone—including his mother, Maya, the academy representatives, and even the noble and their children—were staring directly at him.
Not a single person spoke.
And then—BOOM!
The hall erupted into chaos.
"Did he say... he can command beasts?!"
"Use their abilities too?! That's insane!"
"I've never heard of such a talent!"
"Is it even humanly possible?!"
" Does that mean he will be able to use any ability of his tame beast?"
Even the academy representatives began murmuring in shock, arguing over what kind of classification this talent should fall under.
The black-haired young man remained calm, staring at Jax.
"…Show me," he said.
Jax blinked. "Huh?"
"Show me how your Beast Monarch Talent works, as it the Frist time this kind of talent had appeared."
"I—I can't," Jax stammered. "There are no beasts here to form a contract with—"
Before he could finish, the young man grabbed him by the shoulder.
WHOOSH!
In a single instant, they shot upward like a flash of lightning, blasting through the ceiling of the Awakening Hall and into the sky.
"JAX!" Martha screamed as she shielded Maya from falling debris. She stared at the gaping hole in the roof with eyes full of fear.
Maya clung to her mother's arm. "Mom… is big brother going to be okay?"
Martha took a deep breath, then gently picked up her daughter and hugged her close.
"That man… he's one of the top five academy representatives," she said quietly. "Your brother… will be just fine."
Meanwhile, Sophie—the four-elemental girl—stood silently, her gaze fixed on the shattered ceiling.
She said nothing. But her eyes narrowed slightly.
No one could guess what she was thinking.
The elder on the stage looked at the stunned crowd and took a deep breath. He raised his hand, and clapped.
"Calm yourselves! The Awakening Ceremony is not over!"