The sky above Ashvale City had always looked the same—gray, distant, and silent. Aether had watched that sky countless times from the rooftop of the old orphan shelter, wondering what existed beyond it. Far away, near the edge of the mountains, faint shimmering cracks sometimes appeared in the air. People said those were marks left behind by Ascension Gates, pathways opened by powerful tamers who had reached the peak of this world and moved on to a higher universe.
Most people treated those stories as legends. For Aether, however, they were something more. They were a promise.
He leaned slightly against the rusted railing of the rooftop, watching the faint glow in the distance slowly fade. The wind carried the sounds of the waking city—merchants opening their stalls, carts rolling over stone streets, and distant horns echoing from the Tamer Academy. Today was the Beast Contract Ceremony, one of the most important events in Ashvale City. Every young adult who qualified would attempt to contract their first beast. For many, it was the beginning of a life filled with danger, power, and opportunity.
For Aether, it was simply a chance.
He had no powerful surname, no family reputation, and no resources behind him. He had grown up in the shelter since he could remember, told that his parents had died during a monster outbreak years ago. As far as anyone knew, he was just another orphan hoping to change his fate.
Eventually, he turned away from the sky and walked downstairs. The building creaked softly as he moved through the narrow hallway, the walls covered with marks left behind by children who had once lived there. Some of them had gone on to become tamers, some had vanished into the wider world, and others had never been heard from again.
At the bottom of the stairs stood Old Mara, the caretaker who had run the shelter for decades. Her sharp eyes immediately locked onto him.
"You're late," she said bluntly.
"I'm early," Aether replied calmly.
Old Mara snorted, clearly unimpressed. "That's what every idiot says before they fail."
Despite her words, she reached into a small wooden drawer nearby and handed him a cloth bag. Inside were a few pieces of bread and dried fruit. She didn't look at him while doing it.
"Food," she muttered. "You'll need energy."
Aether paused for a moment, slightly surprised, but then nodded. "Thank you."
She waved her hand dismissively. "Just don't embarrass the shelter."
With that, he stepped outside and began walking toward the academy.
The streets of Ashvale were crowded that morning. Everyone wanted to watch the ceremony, especially when the heirs of powerful families were participating. Many people believed the next great tamer might appear that day, someone who would eventually reach the peak of the world and open an Ascension Gate.
By the time Aether arrived at the academy plaza, the area was packed. The enormous square was surrounded by tall stone pillars carved with ancient runes, and at its center stood a massive crystal platform where the ceremony would take place. Above the platform hung banners displaying the crest of the ruling faction of the city.
Groups of students gathered together, many wearing elegant clothes or armor decorated with family insignias. Their confidence was obvious. Some of them glanced at Aether as he walked past, their expressions quickly turning dismissive.
A few even laughed quietly.
"Another orphan hoping for luck," one of them said loud enough for others to hear.
"Even if he gets a beast, it'll probably be something useless."
Aether ignored them and kept walking. He had heard worse before.
Instead, he focused on the giant crystal platform. For a brief moment, the crystal seemed to shimmer slightly as he approached, as though reacting to something unseen. The feeling was subtle enough that he almost thought he imagined it.
Soon, a powerful voice echoed across the plaza, calling all candidates forward. The instructor standing on the platform was tall and imposing, surrounded by several experienced tamers whose beasts stood nearby. Some of those creatures radiated such strong pressure that even the air around them felt heavy.
One by one, candidates stepped forward and placed their hands on the crystal. Each time, a glowing gate appeared, allowing them to enter the Beast Dimension—a mysterious realm where beasts could be found and contracts formed.
The results were mixed. Some students returned empty-handed. Others came back with weak beasts that barely impressed anyone. Occasionally, someone contracted a decent creature, earning applause from the crowd.
Hours passed like this.
Finally, it was Aether's turn.
He stepped onto the platform calmly. The instructor looked at the registration tablet and frowned slightly when he saw Aether's information.
"No family affiliation?" the instructor asked.
"No," Aether answered.
The instructor shrugged. "Place your hand on the crystal."
Aether did as instructed.
The moment his palm touched the surface, the crystal trembled slightly. The movement was small, almost imperceptible, and none of the people watching seemed to notice. But deep within the crystal, something ancient stirred.
Aether suddenly felt the world shift.
When his vision cleared, he was standing in a vast, mist-covered landscape filled with floating islands and strange glowing plants. Creatures moved in the distance, their shapes shifting through the fog like living shadows. This was the Beast Dimension.
Most people would spend hours searching for a suitable beast.
Aether had barely taken a few steps when he heard a small sound behind him.
A soft yip.
He turned around and saw a tiny creature sitting on a rock. It looked like a small puppy formed from faint red flames. Its eyes were bright and intelligent, watching him carefully.
"A Fire Pup?" Aether murmured.
Among tamers, Fire Pups were known as extremely weak beasts. Many people didn't even consider them worth contracting. Yet as Aether looked at it, he felt a strange sense of familiarity, as if this little creature had been waiting for him for a long time.
The Fire Pup stood up and walked toward him without hesitation. When it reached him, it gently placed its paw on his hand.
Instantly, a glowing contract circle appeared.
Aether blinked in surprise. "That was fast."
Normally, beasts resisted contracts or tested potential tamers before agreeing. This one accepted immediately. But as the contract formed, something unexpected happened inside Aether's mind.
A strange reddish golden light ignited within his consciousness, and a faint voice echoed.
Perfect Evolution Talent Activated.
Images flooded his mind—beasts evolving rapidly, ancient creatures awakening, and Ascension Gates opening across the universe. He saw worlds and battlefields, and countless powerful beasts bowing before him.
Then, just as quickly as it had appeared, the vision disappeared.
Aether stood still for a moment, trying to understand what had happened. Meanwhile, the Fire Pup wagged its tail happily, as if nothing unusual had occurred.
Eventually, Aether returned to the ceremony platform.
The instructor looked at him. "Contract success. Show your beast."
Aether summoned it.
The Fire Pup appeared beside him, flames flickering gently.
For a brief moment, the plaza was silent.
Then laughter erupted from the crowd.
"A Fire Pup?!"
"That's even worse than expected."
"What a waste of a contract."
The instructor sighed, clearly unimpressed, and signaled for the next candidate. Aether stepped down from the platform without reacting.
But as he walked away, he noticed something unusual. The flames of the Fire Pup looked slightly different now—stronger and more vibrant than before. It almost felt as if the creature had changed during the contract.
Later that evening, Aether returned to the rooftop of the orphan shelter. The Fire Pup sat beside him quietly, staring at the distant mountains where faint lights occasionally appeared in the sky.
"You're weak right now," Aether said softly.
The Fire Pup tilted its head.
"But that's fine."
He looked up at the fading glow of a distant rift.
"One day, we'll reach the Ascension Gate."
The Fire Pup barked quietly, as if agreeing.
Neither of them realized that their journey had already begun to alter the balance of the universe. Somewhere far beyond Ashvale City, in a hidden chamber deep within an ancient structure, a massive mechanism slowly awakened.
Someone had noticed.
The rise of the Beast Monarch had begun.