The ink on the Ignis Core blueprint was still settling into the fibres of the parchment when the rhythmic thud of a knuckle against wood echoed through room 555. Kale Ardentis did not look up immediately.
His eyes remained fixed on the complex gene-splicing sequences he had mapped out for the Crystal Slime base, his mind calculating the thermal absorption variables required to prevent cellular liquefaction during the bonding process.
The room was heavy with the scent of dried herbs and the lingering ozone of the Gene Lab’s holographic displays.
Neo was coiled on the corner of the table, its three heads tucked into its wings as it mimicked the deep, recovery breathing of a hibernating predator.
The second knock was louder, more insistent. Kale finally sighed and rolled the parchment, sliding it into a protective tube before standing up to adjust his white coat.
He reached for the headband on the table, carefully wrapping the grey cloth around his forehead to obscure the blackened soul sigil.
He opened the heavy wooden door to find Master Igor standing in the hallway.
The master rank tamer looked tired, the shadows beneath his eyes suggesting that the administrative duties of the Greenroot Guild were far more taxing than the actual defence of the borders. Igor gave Kale a quick, perfunctory nod.
"Grandmaster Henry has requested your presence immediately,"
Igor stated, his voice raspy. "He is in the central observation chamber of the fourth floor. It seems there is a matter regarding the new arrivals from the capital that requires your specific... expertise."
Kale raised an eyebrow, his expression a mask of analytical stoicism.
He did not ask for clarification; instead, he stepped into the hallway and signalled for Neo to follow. The hydra hopped onto his shoulder, its matte obsidian scales absorbing the dim light of the irrigation ducts as they began the climb toward the upper reaches of the gargantuan tree.
The interior of the trunk was a bustling hive of activity. Master rank tamers were hurrying between sectors, their beasts acting as heavy lifters to transport crates of medicinal pills and mana gems toward the front lines.
The tree’s natural life force vibrated against Kale’s heels with every step, a low-frequency hum that reminded him of the world will’s persistent gaze.
When they reached the observation chamber, Grandmaster Henry was standing by a wide balcony window, looking out over the verdant canopy of the Tigerwood Forest.
The man did not turn around when Kale entered. There was a tense silence in the room, one that made the mana in the air feel stagnant. Henry finally turned, his gaze narrowing as it landed on Kale.
There was a profound suspicion in the grandmaster’s eyes, a sharp and piercing scrutiny that Kale had felt before.
The grandmaster did not voice these thoughts, however. He was a practical man, and the guild needed strength more than it needed answers.
"A new wave of members from the capital has joined our ranks in the outer zone," Henry began, his voice echoing off the curved wooden walls.
"These are high-potential, promising tamers, the children of noble houses and elite academies. They have all reached the master rank despite their age, which ranges from fifteen to sixteen."
Henry walked toward a large stone table where several recruitment scrolls lay open. "They are young, arrogant, and entirely untested by the true cruelty of the forest. They believe that their rank and their bloodlines make them invincible. I find that mindset to be a liability in a defensive campaign."
Kale remained silent, his green eyes reflecting the flickering light of the magical braziers. He already understood the direction of this conversation. Henry wanted a predator to cull the flock’s ego. He wanted these capital prodigies to understand that rank was merely a number when faced with a real monster.
"I want you to have mock battles with their beasts," Henry continued, a faint smile touching his lips.
"It will be a good experience for the recruits to face someone who awakened only a few months back. It will show them the difference between academic potential and practical battle capacity."
Kale thought for a while, his mind processing the variables. He was technically a twelve-year-old boy, though his Hexarion physiology made him look much older, standing tall with a broader frame than most adults.
He was an anomaly of strength. Humbling a few pampered teenagers from the capital was a simple assignment.
"I understand the assignment perfectly," Kale said, a rare, cold smile touching his lips. He understood that Henry was using him as a tool for psychological conditioning, but he did not mind. It was an opportunity to test Neo’s concealment abilities in a high-stakes social environment.
Henry smiled satisfactorily, his eyes flashing with a mix of relief and amusement.
"Igor will take you to the primary training ground on the second floor. The recruits are already there, preparing for their first patrol. Try not to break them too badly, Kale. We still need their beasts for the secondary lines."
Igor led Kale down the spiralling walkways to the second floor, a massive root plateau that had been reinforced with stone slabs and mana-dampening arrays. It was an expansive arena, designed for large-scale beast skirmishes.
As they entered the training ground, the sound of haughty laughter and the clashing of training weapons reached Kale’s ears.
There were more than ten lesser master rank tamers gathered in the centre of the arena. They were dressed in vibrant, expensive silks and reinforced leather armour that bore the insignias of prominent noble houses.
Their beasts were equally flashy: a silver-furred sabre with glowing blue eyes, a hawk with feathers made of polished bronze, and a massive, crystalline lizard that refracted the sunlight into rainbow patterns.
The recruits stopped their sparring as Igor and Kale approached.
Their disdain became even more apparent the moment Igor began the introduction. The master rank guide gestured toward Kale, his voice carrying the weight of guild authority.
"This is Kale," Igor announced.
"He is an apprentice tamer who has been contributing to the guild’s defence in the southern sector. He only awakened a few months ago, but the guild master has requested that he assist in your orientation through a series of mock battles."
A collective scoff echoed through the arena. One of the boys, a tall youth with a golden mane of hair, stepped forward with a look of pure incredulity.
"An apprentice? You want us to spar with a country bumpkin who barely knows how to channel beast force? This is an insult to our status."
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