Chapter 6: Fine Print

Chapter 6: Chapter 6: Fine Print

[Name: Jared Rex]

[Beasts: 10]

"That’s right," Jared murmured. ’Ten. I still can’t believe it.’

[Highest ranked beast: SSS]

"They’re all SSS."

[Yes. That’s why it says SSS. I could write it ten times, but that seemed excessive, even for me.]

Below it, a new line appeared, glowing a little brighter than the rest.

[Devolution timer: 1 week]

Jared frowned. "What exactly does that mean?"

[It’s the time before a beast starts visibly degrading. If a gem sits unused for 1 week, the beast inside begins to regress. You’ll see it. Scales dulling, power slipping, rank dropping. It isn’t pretty.]

[Although this timer only applies to your later acquired beasts. I have no actual way of monitoring the devolution of your 10 SSS ranked beast, that’s all on you big guy.]

"One week."

[One week.]

"That’s it?"

[That’s it. It resets whenever you use the beast. So really, you have 7 days of freedom per beast before the world starts judging you.]

"That’s not a lot."

[It’s more than most masters want to admit. Many of them cut it too close. You’ll want to be better than that.]

If he wanted to keep every one of them healthy, he needed a schedule. A serious one. Even though he had no idea how his ten would actually devolve using this timer as a guide might be useful.

’That’s a lot of training.’

[Welcome to management.]

The next line blinked into view.

[Level: 1]

"Level 1," Jared repeated. "I’m level 1."

[You are.]

"I’m level 1 and I yet have ten SSS Rank beasts."

[Yes. It’s a very lopsided relationship. Imagine a toddler holding the leashes of ten dragons. That’s you.]

"That’s an alarming image."

[It’s an accurate one.]

[Beast bond: Level 1]

Jared’s brow furrowed. "That one I’m not sure about."

[Good. Ask.]

"What’s a beast bond?"

[The connection between a master and a beast. It’s measured in levels, from 1 to 10. Right now, yours is at the bottom for every beast you own.]

"Why does that matter?"

[Because bonds protect you. At a low level, the connection is weak. Someone else can use your gems against you. If a thief steals a gem from a master with a low bond level, they can summon the beast and give it orders. The beast obeys whoever touched the gem last.]

Jared went very still.

"Wait. So if somebody steals one of my gems, they can use it?"

[They can. And with a bond at level 1, it would cost them no time or stress at all. ]

"That’s terrifying."

[It’s motivating. Be motivated.]

He put his hand over the pouch at his belt. His fingers curled around it like it might disappear.

"What about higher levels?"

[As the bond grows, it gets harder to steal from you. Eventually the gem resists strangers. At the highest level, level 10, the bond cannot be broken. If a gem is stolen from a master with a level 10 bond, it’s useless in the thief’s hands. A very expensive paperweight.]

"So I need to level it up."

[Eventually. You also need to survive long enough to want to.]

"Thanks. That’s reassuring."

Jared took a slow breath, letting it out through his nose.

’First priority: don’t let anyone steal the pouch. Second priority: figure out how to level the bonds.’ He rubbed the back of his neck. ’Third priority: lunch.’

[There’s one more thing about bonds, Rex.]

"Don’t call me Rex."

[I call you Rex when you’re being slow. It’s affectionate.]

"It doesn’t feel affectionate."

[That’s because you’re slow.]

Jared glared at the panel. The panel glowed back, entirely unbothered.

[The beast bond level also determines how much of a beast’s power you can harness without summoning it. Higher level, more access. At level 10, you could channel a beast’s abilities at 100 percent while the gem stays in your pocket. At level 1, you get a trickle.]

"So at the moment I can barely use their powers."

[Barely. You could summon the beast and use it fully, but the gem has to leave your pocket. That’s the only way you get the full effect.]

"How do I summon one?"

[Simple. Three steps. Step one, drop the gem, or let it touch any surface. Step two, will it. Step three, the beast manifests.]

"That’s all?"

[That’s all. Drop it. Think about it. It appears. You don’t have to chant or dance or complete a short quiz.]

"I’d have preferred a quiz. Jared rolled his eyes after saying so.

[I’m sure you would.] The tone the system responded with also cold.

Jared stared at the list. A couple of lines were still glowing at the bottom.

[Mana: 100]

He tilted his head. "What’s mana?"

[The energy that fuels your beasts. Every time you summon one, it drains your mana. Every time a beast uses an ability, it drains your mana. When you run out, you collapse, or worse.]

"And I’ve got 100."

[You do.]

"Is that a lot?"

[It’s a number.]

"That’s not an answer."

[It’s the only one I have. Mana is an arbitrary metric. It doesn’t compare to anything. It’s simply how much you’ve got, relative to how much you spend.]

"So I have no idea how long I can keep a beast out."

[Not until you try. Which I recommend doing somewhere with no fragile furniture.]

Jared made a mental note. ’Training yard. Not the house.’

Below mana, two more lines pulsed gently.

[Beast Evolution: null]

[Beast Points: null]

He frowned. "Those are empty."

[Correct.]

"Why are they null?"

[Because they’re for beasts that come after.]

"After what?"

[After these. Your current collection is entirely SSS Rank. Beasts of that rank are already at their ceiling. When you bind new gems in the future, they’ll be lesser ranks. Those are the ones that can use these.]

Jared blinked. "So they’re for the weaker ones."

[Exactly. Your ten are the finished product. The next ones will be works in progress.]

"But I thought..." He stopped. ’In the void, the guide said beasts can’t evolve. They can only devolve. A C Rank is always C Rank at best.’ He looked up. "Wait. How do I evolve the beast ranks? I thought nothing could be done about that."

[Nothing can. Ranks can’t be improved. The rank of a beast determines its overall output, and that’s permanent. A C Rank will never become a B Rank.]

"Then what’s the point of evolution?"

[Ah. That’s the clever part. Ranks can’t change, but beasts can still grow. You do it by purchasing beast traits and talents from my inventory. Things like new abilities and upgraded skills, That’s how they evolve.]

"So I buy upgrades."

[Correct. Think of it as a shop. A very specific one. I take beast points. You give me beast points. I give you traits.]

"Where do I get points?"

[They’ll come. Don’t worry about it yet. For now, they’re null because your beasts have nothing to buy. They’re maxed.]

Jared nodded slowly. "So they’re for later."

[They’re for later. Though I’d like to mention one more thing.]

"What?"

[Beast points aren’t only for beasts.]

He raised an eyebrow. "What else are they for?"

[Mana. You can use them to upgrade your mana. It’s the only stat you’re allowed to improve.]

"My only upgradable stat just so happens to be my only available one. Who would have thought."

[Your only one.]

"What about strength? Speed? Defense? Intelligence?"

[They exist. You have them. They’re simply tied to your mana. The more mana you have, the more everything else scales. There’s no separate value for any of them. No numbers, no bars, no little percent signs. It’s an arbitrary metric, and the only lever you can pull is mana.]

"That’s the strangest design I’ve ever heard.I’ve read manhwa with reincarnations, I was never a big fan but something about this set up is weird."

[I didn’t design it. I just narrate it.]

Jared leaned back, rubbing his temples.

’So everything depends on mana. If I want to get stronger, I need more of it. And to get more, I need beast points. And to get beast points, I need beasts I don’t have yet.’

[Do you see why I’m so patient with you?]

"I’m starting to."

[Good. I’d hate to waste the effort.]

He looked at the panel one last time. Every line sat neatly in place, glowing patiently. It wasn’t so complicated, once it was broken into pieces. A timer. A bond. A pool of energy. A shop he couldn’t use yet.

’It’s a lot. But it’s manageable.’

"Okay," he said. "I get it."

[Excellent. Truly. I’m so proud I could short circuit.]

"Don’t."

[I wouldn’t dream of it.]

[What would you like to do then?]

Jared stood and stretched, rolling the stiffness from his shoulders. A faint smell of cooked food drifted through the crack under the door. Somewhere downstairs, a pot clinked. Zoey was probably losing her patience.

He sighed.

"I guess I’ll eat," he said. "And then I’ll probably train all day."

He sighed again, longer this time, and headed for the door.