Ring Ring Ring.
The bell rang long and loud, symbolizing the start of the school year as new students swarmed every corridor.
Yet this was no normal school.
With towers high enough to pierce clouds, a base larger than a football field, and thousands of teachers exuding terrifying auras, it would be more accurate to call this place an Organization.
Gray, a newly recruited Soul Tamer, walked through the chaos unfazed.
This would become his second home, sooner or later — a place where strength decided everything.
Here, there were no books filled with theories.
Skills were survival.
Without them, you were nothing.
Gray moved through the crowded halls where new students milled about nervously. Some rushed to their classes, others stared at their surroundings in awe.
He slipped through without much thought, stopping at a steel door marked with a strange emblem.
Taking out a red chip, he inserted it into a machine next to the door.
Beep... Identity Confirmed... Welcome Trainee Gray.
A robotic voice echoed, and the steel door slid open, revealing a classroom bustling with students. Some were chatting animatedly; others glanced at Gray briefly before returning to their conversations.
Behind him, heavy footsteps sounded.
A tall man with sharp eyes and a powerful presence walked in.
Everyone immediately stood up — all except Gray, who had just entered.
The man blinked once and said in a surprisingly casual tone,
"Ah, why are you standing here? Go take a seat."
"Yes," Gray replied simply.
He made his way toward a bench near a window, sitting down quietly.
The man clapped his hands once.
"Alright everyone, sit down."
In perfect synchronization, they obeyed.
"My name is Johnson," he announced. "I will be your mentor until you all qualify for a university."
He moved to the board and drew up a table.
"This is your routine," he said.
"For the first month, we will focus on learning about Soul Beasts.
Understand this: in the wild, beasts vastly outnumber humans.
Ignorance will kill you faster than any enemy."
Johnson's voice hardened.
"The basics are as important as breathing.
A single mistake — physical or mental — will cost you your life."
He scanned the room.
"First, I want everyone to take out their Soul Pets."
Students activated their Gates — small devices near their wrists — and summoned their partners.
The room filled with an astonishing variety of creatures: beasts resembling mutated hyenas, mythic dragons, monstrous plants.
Johnson's eyes sharpened.
He pointed at a blue-haired boy sitting calmly with a massive flower-like creature curled beside him.
[Monster Name: Dandelion]
Description: A rare monster known for roaming plains, using its vines to capture prey. Appears as a simple dandelion but hides deadly strength.
Skills: Camouflage, Vine Trap, Pollen Storm.
Next, Johnson's gaze moved to a girl with stark white hair — sitting beside a small rock statue shaped like a crocodile.
[Monster Name: Earth Crocodile]
Description: Found in swampy, mountainous terrains. Aggressive and extremely defensive.
Skills: Earth Defense, Rock Dash, Boulder Throw.
But it was the last two who caught his eye most sharply.
A blonde-haired girl stood beside a dark creature, something between a lion and a bull. It radiated a brutal, primal energy.
[Monster Name: ???]
Description: Unknown species.
Skills: Unknown.
Finally, Johnson's gaze lingered a little longer on Gray and the small fox-like being at his side — sleek, silver-black fur, a deep gaze almost too intelligent for a beast.
But Johnson didn't say anything.
He simply retracted his gaze.
"Alright," he said, clapping his hands together with a sonic boom that rattled their bones.
"Now that introductions are over...
Today, you'll learn your first skill — Mental Fortitude."
He strode to the front again.
"You should already know," he said coldly, "that Soul Beasts are shaped by the environment — lakes spawn Water types, lava fields give birth to Fire types.
But as beasts evolve, their elements may also change."
He paused, scanning them again.
"Mental Fortitude is awkward by name, but critical in practice.
It strengthens your connection with your Soul Beast... and stabilizes your mind under pressure."
His voice sharpened.
"The method is simple:
Sit.
Clear your mind.
Connect with your pet as deeply as you can."
Without another word, the students moved.
Most assumed meditation poses — legs crossed, hands resting on knees.
Some struggled to find peace, fidgeting in their seats.
Gray didn't sit cross-legged.
He remained upright, relaxed, eyes closed — the silver fox curling up by his side, breathing with him.
Slowly, the air in the room shifted.
---
Azure, the blue-haired boy, gritted his teeth. His Dandelion pulsed beside him, trying to sync, but it was chaotic — vines twitching unpredictably.
Azure's breathing grew shallow, forehead damp with sweat.
Ivory, the white-haired girl, struggled silently.
Her Earth Crocodile sat motionless, but inside, it was like two mountains grinding against each other.
Tears pricked the corners of her eyes — not from pain, but from an overwhelming sense of pressure.
Solace, the blonde girl, was different.
She sat ramrod straight, hands clenched into fists.
Her beast — the dark lion-bull hybrid — stayed utterly still, yet the strain on Solace's face was undeniable.
Her body trembled slightly under the weight of the connection, but she didn't break. Not yet.
And Gray?
Gray's breathing was steady, deep.
The connection between him and his silver fox was seamless — like two rivers merging naturally into one.
No force, no chaos.
Simply a quiet flow of thought, instinct, and understanding.
The fox's fur shimmered faintly under the fluorescent lights, almost imperceptible — a sign of synchronization forming deeper than normal.
Minutes stretched into an hour.
Trainees dropped out one by one — Azure gasping for air, Ivory wiping her face quickly, Solace forcing herself to remain steady but visibly exhausted.
Gray simply opened his eyes — calm and sharp, like a sword being drawn from a silent sheath.
---
Johnson finally called an end.
He stood at the front once again, arms folded behind his back.
"Today's results have been recorded," he said coolly.
Some students flinched.
"Some of you," he said, locking eyes briefly with Azure and Ivory, "have potential... if you survive your own arrogance."
He looked at Solace.
"You have power, but not control. That's a dangerous mix."
When his eyes fell briefly on Gray, he didn't speak.
He just nodded once — the barest hint of acknowledgment.
Johnson stepped back, voice rising slightly:
"This is not a playground.
You are not here to enjoy youth.
You are here to train until your minds shatter and your bodies break — and still rise."
He let the words settle like heavy stones.
"There are no homes here.
No safety nets.
Only stronger enemies... and the question of whether you'll live long enough to face them."
The trainees listened, silent, breathless.
"Training is complete for today.
You are dismissed."
Without waiting for a response, Johnson turned and exited, steel doors hissing open behind him.
The students slowly rose.
Some stumbled. Some leaned on their Soul Pets.
Gray stood, quiet and steady, his fox moving with him in unison.
They filtered into the dim corridors of the Organization.
There was no warmth, no chatter, no promises of comfort.
Only tomorrow's silent promise:
Train. Survive. Grow.
Or vanish without a trace.
Gray walked forward, unshaken — ready for whatever came next.