Chapter 27: Spirit Caller
Beast Masters of this world cannot directly share stats with their beasts. Instead, their beasts only granted them skills and helped them gain strength through training.
This is possible because their souls are connected, allowing the beasts to help their masters utilize their souls' potential. The higher a Beast Master's soul rank and the greater the number of beasts they possess, the easier it becomes for them to grow stronger.
However, this also means that some Beast Masters may own high-ranked beasts yet remain weak themselves, simply because they never trained properly enough to utilize the full strength available to their rank.
In such cases, the beasts may even disobey their masters—especially if those beasts were only tamed while weakened or injured.
A Beast Master's star rank is determined by their highest-ranked tamed beast, with its power measured using special devices.
For instance:
A 1-star beast allows a maximum of 10 attribute points per stat (based on Leo's system).
0–2.5 = Low 1-star
2.5–5 = Mid 1-star
5–7.5 = High 1-star
7.5–10 = Peak 1-star
Leo's talent, and his system, allowed him to share stats with his beasts and even break past the usual limit of strength potential of his star rank. Now, the same applied to Lily's talent too—the only difference being that her ability functioned differently.
She was a summoner-type. While she could control fewer beasts, her stat-sharing ability helped bridge the power dynamics between Beast Masters and Summoners.
[Since this world is still in its early stages, people remain unaware of Summoners and other such talents, as awakenings produces no visible phenomenon—unlike Beast Taming.]
But seeing her stats so high… she must have been secretly training to become a hunter.
Leo's eyes softened. Now it makes sense why she could exert so much strength before.
The realization filled him with warmth.
She was willing to risk her life for me.
"What happened, Leo? You seem distracted," Lily asked, noticing him lost in thought.
Without warning, Leo suddenly pulled her into a tight hug and sat upright, guiding her to sit in front of him.
"Now you can grow strong too!" he said, locking his eyes with hers.
Lily blinked, caught off guard by his sudden excitement. "Eh? What happened to you all of a sudden?"
"You have a talent, Lily, and a very powerful one!" His voice brimmed with barely contained enthusiasm.
"T-Talent? I don't understand…"
Leo quickly explained how she could summon spirits from beast cores and form contracts with them if she wished. These contracted spirits would share their strength with her, allowing her to grow stronger and also letting her summon them anytime to fight by her side. There was even another effect he couldn't quite figure out yet.
Ba-dump. Ba-dump.
Lily's heart pounded wildly in her chest.
Can I really come stronger? Will I be able to fight beside him? He's not just saying this to make me feel better… right?
Meanwhile, Leo took out the Windbreath Hound's core and placed it before her.
It's a peak 1-star beast core, and she's mid 1-star… it should work. The spirit will be a weaker version anyway. And if something goes wrong, I'll handle it myself.
He quickly allocated his remaining points:
Strength: 5.1 → 12.1
Intelligence: 5.0 → 8.0
Mana: 400 → 640
Unallocated stats: 10 → 0
This much should be enough.
Then, he handed the core to Lily. "Try concentrating on this core and channel your mana into it," he instructed. Even he wasn't entirely certain how it would work—but his gut told him he was right.
"You seem so confident… alright, I trust you," Lily said softly.
The moment her mana flowed into the core, Leo sensed the change.
The core began absorbing her energy rapidly, and a thin bluish stream flowed from her body into the glowing, veined sphere.
He quickly pulled up her interface.
Mana: 45/54 → 32/54 → 20/54
Shit… will her mana even be enough?
Then…
It stopped.
Mana: 4/54
The core pulsed and slowly hovered upward, glowing faintly.
It drifted downward, near the floor, leaving faint blue wisps trailing behind. Then—
It began to dissolve into shimmering motes that scattered, only to condense again and take a shape.
Of a wolf.
Its abdomen formed first, followed by its legs, sharp claws that struck the ground. Then came its tail, swaying gently from side to side.
Finally, its head took shape.
Its fierce eyes opened and locked onto Lily.
She stared at the wolf in awe, instinctively certain that it would obey her every command.
Leo quickly scanned it.
Windbreath Hound [Spirit] (Mid 1-star) – Mortal Bloodline
"It worked…" Lily whispered, barely able to believe it.
She spun rapidly toward Leo, her eyes sparkling.
"Leo, it worked!" she squealed, throwing herself into his arms and knocking him flat onto the bed as she buried her face against his neck.
He chuckled, gently patting her head. "Yes, it worked. And now you'll grow stronger too."
"Yes! I'll become powerful, and then I can protect you!" she declared proudly.
"Ooi, ooi… isn't that supposed to be my job?" he said with a grin.
"Shut up and let this big sister handle everything," she shot back, too caught up in her excitement to realize what she'd just said.
"Hoh? Sister, you say?"
Leo's grin turned mischievous. In one swift motion, he caught her waist, flipped her back onto the bed and pinned her onto the bed. Holding her wrists down with the other hand, he leaned in close, his breath brushing against her face.
"Say that again," he murmured softly. "What were you to me?"
Lily's eyes widened in shock at the sudden development. The way Leo had pinned her, with her current strength, there was no way she could move.
He is so close!!
Her face flushed bright red as she quickly turned her face to the side, avoiding his gaze. But his breath tickled her neck, making her squirm.
"W-what are you talking about? Of course I am your si-sis…" She faltered, unable to finish the sentence.
There was no way in hell a brother and sister would find themselves in a situation like this.
"C'mon, finish what you were saying," he said with a grin, leaning closer to her ears before gently blowing against it.
She shivered at the sudden cold wind.
"D-don't tease me, stupid!" she stammered, desperately looking for a way to distract him.
"T-the wolf! Let us check that first. I don't know why, but it feels like it will disappear soon."
Tsk. Guess I will get her next time.