Chapter 7: The Patriarch's Secret
The return to the Heart Estate was quiet, but the air around Leo and Samuel felt heavy. Usually, a successful E-Rank dungeon run resulted in some crystals and a few monster parts. This time, they were carrying the living history of the Great Merger.
As they entered the main courtyard, Jason Heart was training with his own beast, a massive Storm-Core Lion. He stopped mid-swing, his eyes locking onto Leo's wrist where the tiny Void-Serpent Dragon, Kael, was coiled like a silver-and-black bracelet.
Jason's face went pale. He didn't say a word; he simply gestured for them to follow him into the Ancestral Sanctum, a restricted basement level where the family's oldest records were kept.
The Bloodline Resonance
"Dad? Is something wrong?" Leo asked, feeling Kael's scales vibrate against his skin.
Jason turned around, his eyes shining with a mixture of fear and awe. "Leo... do you know what you're holding? That's not just a dragon. That's a Void-Serpent of the First Era. According to the secret journals of the first Leo Heart, this specific lineage was thought to have been wiped out during the 'Final Solution' 10,000 years ago."
He pulled out a weathered, metallic scroll. As Leo approached, the scroll began to glow with a violet hue, reacting to Kael's presence.
[SYSTEM: Ancient Data Detected...]
[Decrypting: The Sovereign's Pact (Incomplete)]
[Mission Unlocked: Rebuild the Crown of the Void.]
[Objective: Find the 4 Fragments of the Void-Dragon's Heart hidden in SSS-Rank Dungeons.]
"Our family has been the 'Keepers' of this secret for a hundred centuries," Jason whispered. "We were told that one day, a descendant with the 'Mirror Soul' would find the lost partner. Leo, you've awakened a destiny that the Alliance—and the remnants of the 'System'—will kill to control."
Training the New Generation
"I'm not letting them take him, Dad," Leo said firmly.
"I know you won't. But you're not ready for the SSS-Rank paths yet." Jason turned to Samuel, who was holding his Emerald Raptor Egg. "And you, young man. That Raptor carries the Primal Earth-Dragon blood. It is the perfect 'Shield' for the Void. You two are no longer just students; you are the Vanguard."
[DING!]
[New Function Unlocked: 'Legacy Training']
[Effect: Training with family members grants 2x Experience for Pets.]
For the next two days, Jason and Lily pushed the boys to their limits. Leo used his System Points to buy 'High-Tier Beast Language' and 'Dragon-Marrow Essence'.
[Kael (Void-Dragon) Level: 1 -> 8]
[Skill Learned: 'Dimension Shift' (Short-range teleport)]
[Sam's Raptor Egg Hatched!]
[Pet: Terra-Claw Raptor (Grade-C / Primal)]
[Skill: 'Tectonic Plate' (Creates an immovable earth barrier)]
The Monday School Exam: The Theory & Practical
The Academy was buzzing. Today was the Mid-Term Examination, consisting of a written theory test and a mock-dungeon survival simulation.
The Theory Exam:
Leo finished the 200-question paper in thirty minutes. While others struggled with "Basic Evolution Trees," Leo was writing about "The 12 Sub-species of Trans-dimensional Parasites."
[SYSTEM: Academic Rank: 1st Place (Score: 100/100)]
The Practical Exam:
The students were placed in a simulated forest populated by Level 20 Mechanical Beasts.
"Look at Leo," a student whispered. "He's still using the snail and the fox. Where's the 'Dragon' everyone's gossiping about?"
Leo had kept Kael hidden in his Soul Space. He didn't need a dragon to handle school-level bots.
"Nova, Event Horizon! Amber, Solar Dash!"
The Astro-Void Snail created a miniature gravitational pull that sucked in three mechanical wolves, while the Kitsune Fox streaked through them, leaving only molten scrap metal in her wake.
The Confrontation
At the end of the exam, the rankings were posted.
Leo Heart (Total Score: 1000/1000)
Samuel (Total Score: 850/1000)
...
Marcus Vance (Total Score: 620/1000)
Marcus, who had just returned from his short suspension, was trembling with rage. "You cheated, Heart! A snail can't have that much gravitational force! You must be using illegal stimulants from your ranch!"
Leo didn't even look at him. He was busy feeding a piece of high-grade jerky to Nova.
"The results are verified by the Academy's Mana-Sensors, Marcus," Leo said coolly. "If you spent less time spying on our ranch and more time actually bonding with your Eagle, maybe you'd be in the top 10."
"You...!" Marcus reached for his belt, but a cold hand landed on his shoulder. It was Natasha Heart, Leo's eldest sister, looking down at Marcus with a terrifying smile.
"Is there a problem with my brother, little bird?" she asked, her Silver-Winged Griffin letting out a screech that shattered the nearby windows.
The Alliance Invitation
Before Marcus could respond, a messenger from the Global Tamer Alliance arrived.
"Leo Heart, Samuel. By order of the High Council, you are both invited to participate in the Alliance Junior Breeding Championship next month. This is the first time freshman students have been invited. Do you accept?"
Leo looked at Samuel, then at his sister. He felt the pulse of the Void-Serpent on his wrist. The path to the SSS-Rank dungeons was through the Alliance.
"We accept," Leo said.
[DING!]
[Main Quest Updated: 'Road to the Championship']
[New Reward: 'Sovereign's Throne' Domain Expansion (Locked until Level 50)]