Chapter 3: The First Bell and the Iron Arena
The morning sun hit the golden crest of the Alliance Academy of Excellence, reflecting off the glass domes where rare biome-habitats were kept. For Leo, this wasn't just school; it was the first step toward the Global Breeding Exam.
"Check it out, Leo! The new uniforms actually fit!" Samuel beamed, adjusting his silver-trimmed jacket. His Armored Badger, Boris, was already wearing a miniature Academy bandana, his new Iron-Oak claws clicking against the pavement.
As they walked through the gates, whispers followed them.
"That's the Heart kid. Did you see his Awakening stats?"
"S-Rank Insight... but he's still carrying that snail. Is he for real?"
Leo ignored them. He felt the weight of the Void-Drifter Snail—now named Nova—resting on his shoulder, her shell shimmering with a faint, violet starlight that she had learned to dim to avoid drawing too much attention.
Lesson 1: The Soul-Space Synchronization
The first class was Beast Theory & Synchronization, held in a massive lecture hall filled with high-tech mana-scanners. The professor, a stern woman named Dr. Aris, didn't waste time.
"Being a Tamer isn't about giving orders," she said, her voice echoing. "It is about the Soul-Space. If your space is cluttered or weak, your beast will never reach its Primordial state. Today, we practice 'Resonance'."
Leo sat cross-legged, closing his eyes. Inside his mind, the Breeder's Domain hummed.
[SYSTEM: Synchronization Level: 95%]
[Feature Unlocked: 'Shared Sense' (Level 1)] – Host can perceive what the pet feels.
While other students were sweating, trying to maintain a simple mental link, Leo was perfectly calm. He could feel Nova's curiosity and the Rusty-Fox's (whom he called Amber) hunger for battle.
"Mr. Heart," Dr. Aris walked over, her scanner beeping. "Your synchronization is... unusually stable. It's as if your soul and your beasts are one organism. Excellent."
The Practical Training: Obstacle Course
The class moved to the Training Grounds, an outdoor area filled with moving platforms, fire-pits, and mechanical dummies.
"We will test your beasts' agility and reaction time," Dr. Aris announced. "Go!"
Samuel went first. Boris used his heavy claws to grip the moving walls, his Iron-Soul path giving him incredible grip. He finished in the top 10%.
Then, it was Leo's turn.
"A snail on an obstacle course? Is he going to finish by next year?" laughed Marcus Vance, a wealthy student with a Storm-Eagle.
Leo didn't look back. "Nova, Void-Slip."
The Snail didn't crawl over the hurdles. She phased through them. While other pets were jumping and climbing, Nova simply floated in a straight line, passing through every solid object as if it were air. Amber, the Fox, followed with predatory grace, using her enhanced Agility-Dance to dodge the fire-pits.
[Course Time: 18 Seconds (New School Record)]
The laughter stopped. Dr. Aris checked her stopwatch, stunned. "Phasing? At Level 11? That's not a standard Cloud-Snail trait."
The Arena Battle: Heart vs. Vance
The final part of the day was the Combat Evaluation. The students were paired up for a 1-on-1 spar in the Iron Arena.
"Leo Heart vs. Marcus Vance," the automated voice announced.
Marcus stepped onto the sand, his Storm-Eagle screeching. "My Eagle is Level 15, Leo. Your snail might be fast, but it can't handle a 'Lightning Strike'."
Leo stepped up with Nova. "Let's find out."
[Battle Analysis: Storm-Eagle (Grade-D, Level 15)]
[Weakness: Ground-based Static; Tail-Feather Mana Node.]
"Eagle! Lightning Dive!" Marcus roared.
The bird turned into a bolt of blue energy, plummeting toward the small snail.
"Nova, Gravity Anchor (Sub-skill of Void-Drifter)."
The violet shell pulsed. Suddenly, the gravity in a 3-meter radius around Nova tripled. The Eagle, mid-dive, felt its wings become heavy as lead. It crashed into the sand, unable to pull up.
"Now, Amber! Ember-Tail Whip!"
The Fox, who had been hiding in Nova's Mist-Screen, leaped out. Her tail ignited with a brilliant crimson flame, striking the Eagle's tail-feather node.
"SCREE!" The Eagle's mana flickered out. It was pinned to the ground, exhausted.
"Winner: Leo Heart!"
The Aftermath
Marcus recalled his bird, his face red with shame. The rest of the class stood in silence. They had just seen a "trash" snail take down a high-tier predator in under a minute.
[DING!]
[Victory Gained! System Points: +200]
[Skill Book Unlocked in Shop: 'Beast-Language Comprehension']
As they walked out of the school, Samuel was buzzing. "That was insane, Leo! You didn't even break a sweat!"
"It's just the beginning, Sam," Leo said, looking at the notification in his vision. "Tomorrow, we start the Ranch Care chores. I need to check the shop for some high-quality nutrients. Our pets need to be Level 20 before the first Dungeon Expedition Exam."
Leo headed home to the Heart Ranch, ready to care for the family's beasts and plan his next evolution.