Chapter 70: Chapter 70 – The Echoes of Mythical Beasts (6)

The moment the magical sigils lit up beneath their feet, the world warped and shimmered. In a flash of prismatic light, the ten chosen students vanished from the Beastridge mountain and appeared, scattered, deep within the veiled expanse of the Inner Sanctum.

The Inner Sanctum was vast—an ancient, mystical realm hidden deep within Beastridge Mountain. Shrouded in luminescent mist, the air shimmered with dense mana. The sky here pulsed with magical auroras that danced like divine silk. The terrain stretched wide and varied: icy cliffs, floating islands, golden fields, dark forests, and deep crystal caves—each infused with elemental energies and ancient life forces.

[Day 1 – Morning]

Aiden found himself on a luminous hilltop bathed in sunlight, despite the absence of any visible sun. Flowers glowed faintly, and in the center stood a silver-horned creature—an Alicorn with wings of light.

Its voice rang in his mind like chimes, “Light is not in strength but in intent. Show me yours.”

Without a word, Aiden’s body glowed as he raised his spear. He didn’t attack but instead created a radiant dome around the flowers the Alicorn stood near, protecting them from shadowy tendrils creeping from the forest’s edge.

The tendrils hissed, recoiling from his pure light. The Alicorn bowed.

It didn’t speak, yet Aiden felt its voice inside his heart:

“Your spirit is loyal. You believe in hope even when all turns bleak. Will you run beside me?”

Aiden bowed respectfully. “I will protect, I will learn, and I will never misuse your power.”

A radiant sigil etched itself on Aiden’s arm. The contract was sealed.

[Day 1 – Midday]

Kyle stood atop a jagged cliffside, wind howling as a Gryphon soared above, its cry echoing like thunder.

It dove without warning, talons bared. Kyle barely dodged, heart pounding.

“You want me? Fight me!” he shouted, unsheathing his polearm.

The Gryphon didn’t speak—it tested through combat. A storm of wings and steel clashed. Kyle was pushed to the brink, his arms shaking, knees buckling. But he never backed down.

Finally, breathless and bloodied, he disarmed himself and stood firm. “Kill me or accept me.”

The Gryphon landed and stood before him.

A claw brushed Kyle’s chest, and glowing golden feathers wrapped around his shoulders.

The beast had chosen its rider.

[Day 1 – Afternoon]

A volcanic plateau crackled beneath Vincent’s feet. The Silver-Winged Wyvern, a massive serpentine beast, roared, wings spread wide like polished blades.

It didn’t wait. It attacked.

Vincent grinned.

“Let’s see who’s the real beast here.”

Their battle scarred the land—sword and claw, fire and fury. Vincent adapted, learned the creature’s rhythm, mirrored its movements.

At the brink of defeat, he laughed. “That’s all? You’re holding back.”

The Wyvern paused. Its eyes narrowed. Then it charged.

This time, Vincent didn’t dodge. He stood firm, blade to the sky.

The Wyvern stopped inches from him, exhaling hot wind.

“You are reckless… but courageous.”

It slammed its head to the ground before him. A metallic crest appeared over Vincent’s heart.

The bond was formed.

[Day 1 – Deep night]

In a serene glacial cavern, Selena breathed fog with every step. The Ice Phoenix, elegant and cold, perched on a crystalline branch.

“What will you sacrifice to wield frost?” it whispered, its words like falling snow.

Selena stepped forward. “My warmth. My peace. I’ll give it all if it means I can protect the ones I care about.So I won’t ever have to lose someone I Love”

The Phoenix burst into flame—icy blue fire. It surrounded her, testing her resolve. Memories of comfort, love, and family flickered and froze.

Selena clenched her fists, endured the cold of solitude, and stood unyielding.

The Ice Phoenix cried, spiraling around her. Frost bloomed across her back in feathered patterns.

Accepted.

[Day 2 – Dawn]

Aurelia wandered a forest of starlit bamboo, the air thick with spiritual energy. A Qilin, shimmering with celestial markings, approached silently.

“You burn bright… but is it for yourself, or others?”

Aurelia hesitated.

“I want to be strong,” she admitted. “I want to stand independently. I have people to protect… someone I want to reach.”

The Qilin lowered its head. “Then burn wisely.”

It released a trial of spiritual fire. Aurelia stepped through it, memories flashing—her training, her solitude, her dreams of greatness.

She emerged unscathed.

The Qilin roared, wrapping her in golden threads. A horned mark glowed on her hand.

Contract complete.

[Day 2 – Midday]

Elowen – The Fairy Glyph

In a blooming glade floating on air, Elowen met a strange creature—part moth, part spirit, with hundreds of tiny glowing runes flitting around it.

“Understanding the world’s language… Can you listen without judgment?”

Elowen sat and closed her eyes. The air shimmered with ancient voices—trees, wind, stones whispering.

She weaved the meaning between sounds, emotions, and images.

Hours passed, but she smiled. “I hear you.”

The Fairy Glyph landed on her hand, and hundreds of runes danced around her, forming a glowing cloak of symbols.

“Then let our song be one.”

[Day 2 – Night]

Lilliane – The Nine-Tailed Fox

A mirror lake under a twilight sky. Lilliane stood before the Nine-Tailed Fox, tails swirling like ink in water.

Its eyes pierced into her soul.

“You cling to one. You shut out the world. Why should I choose a caged heart?”

Lilliane flinched. The fox conjured illusions—Aiden laughing with others, walking away from her.

Tears welled up.

“I… I don’t know how to open up. But I’m trying. I want to learn. I want to stand beside someone I like.”

The fox stepped closer.

“Then prove it.”

It touched her chest with its snout. The illusion shattered.

Her tear hit the ground—and in that moment, the fox smiled gently.

“Then I’ll walk with you… until you get what you desire.”

The tails wrapped around her, forming a sigil on her shoulder.

The forest breathed softly around him, a symphony of rustling leaves and distant chirps, wrapped in the cool veil of night. Moonlight streamed through the gaps in the canopy, painting silver patterns on the ground below.

High above, lying on a thick branch of an ancient tree, Luca rested with one leg dangling off the edge, arms folded behind his head. His eyes traced the constellations above, their silent brilliance both soothing and somehow distant.

A quiet sigh escaped his lips.

“It’s been two days…”

His thoughts stirred restlessly.

He had wandered through endless terrain—the volcanic cliffs, the crystal-laced caverns, the hidden groves blooming with enchanted petals, and now this dense, dreamy forest. He had crossed paths with dozens of beasts, each more breathtaking than the last. Thunder Lions whose roars split the sky… Winged Leopards that moved like the wind itself… Unicorns whose horns shimmered with sacred light… even a family of majestic Gryphons that flew overhead.

And yet…

“None of them even looked at me.”

He clenched his jaw, Aiden and everyone else must have found the beast they were destined with. I know about Aiden, Selena, Lilliane, and Kyle, but I am looking forward to which beasts Aurelia, Elowen and Vincent can form contracts with. Knowing them… They’ve probably succeeded by now too. Aurelia’s flame, Elowen’s calm insight, Vincent’s quiet strength—each of them had something that set them apart.

“But me?”

He closed his eyes for a moment, the branches creaking gently under him.

“Is there something wrong with me? Am I too weak…? Too ordinary? Or…”

He recalled the moment when a majestic Thunder Lion had looked directly at him… then turned its head and walked away.

It wasn’t rejection. It was disinterest.

Every beast he approached walked away from him running away like he was some kind of plague.

His fingers tightened slightly around the branch.

Silence answered him.

Somewhere in the distance, a wolf howled—a low, echoing cry that made the leaves shiver. The stars shimmered above, as if listening to his unspoken pain.

For a moment, Luca chuckled dryly to himself.

“To think… I came into this world with so much knowledge and still ended up last.”

He blinked as a gentle breeze rustled his hair. His thoughts drifted to the game’s lore… of a saying ,heroes chosen not because they were the strongest, but because something called to them—something deeper than strength or talent.

But if that was true, what was he missing?

“Is there something I’m not seeing?”

As the night deepened, and the world grew quieter, he closed his eyes again, whispering to the stars.

“If you’re out there… if you’re waiting for me… then please—show me. I don’t care how hard the test is. Just let me try.”

Next morning “Huh, is that Aria?”

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