Chapter 10: Click, Click

In the Training Ground, various training setups could be customized based on the unique skills of the pets, like the targets Ellen, the little skeleton, was currently using.

Beyond the stationary targets, there were also aerial moving ones. Once upgraded, the facility could even simulate natural environments outside the battle arena, offering a way to enhance all aspects of a pet’s abilities.

Mu Huiyue opened up Ellen’s attribute panel.

[Name]: Ellen (Little Skeleton)
[Attributes]: Dark, Undead
[Species Rank]: Low-tier Elite
[Growth Stage]: Juvenile
[Innate Core]: Reformation (Undead, D-Rank)
[Skills]: Bone Smash (Dark, E-Rank), Shadow Stealth (Dark, C-Rank), Will-o’-the-Wisp (Fire, C-Rank)

Judging by the panel alone, Ellen already had combat power far beyond most low-tier elite species.

For extraordinary creatures, the skills they possess are what determine their species’ potential. Chief among them is the Innate Core skill, the most important factor in their growth. Having a C-Rank core skill meant stepping into the threshold of Warlord species, while a B-Rank core signified a Monarch species, and an A-Rank or higher indicated an Emperor species.

Take, for example, a Solar Blaze Wolf, a high-tier Emperor species, with an S-Rank Innate Core.

Even rarer were the Mythical species—guardians of nations and lands, often born with an S-Rank or higher core skill, making them some of the most powerful beings.

Skills of extraordinary creatures followed a structure similar to an evolution tree. As a creature’s mastery and energy reach certain thresholds, they have a chance to learn higher-tier versions of their skills. When the skill that evolves is their Innate Core, it usually accompanies the creature’s physical evolution as well.

For instance, A-Yue’s contracted Cloud Puppy had an Innate Core skill, a C-Rank Earth-type move called Mud Bomb. When the Cloud Puppy mastered this skill and grew in energy, it would have a chance to learn the B-Rank Earth-type skill Mudslide and evolve into a mid-tier Monarch species, the Earthbound Fighting Wolf.

The higher the skill tier, the harder it is to master, and the more challenging it becomes for creatures to evolve into higher-tier species. Some, like the Blazing Wolf, could only take their signature skill Fiery Lotus to B-Rank before hitting a limit.

In most cases, evolution of the Innate Core skill led to the creature’s physical evolution, though there were exceptions. For example, some like the Bone Soldier only needed to overflow with skeletal mass to evolve from a little skeleton, without altering their core skill, Reformation. However, such evolutions often failed to break through their species’ limits, like the Bone Soldier being stuck as a high-tier elite rather than a Warlord species.

With two C-Rank skills, Ellen already had the combat strength of a Warlord species. Unfortunately, its core skill couldn’t change, so its official ranking remained that of a low-tier elite.

Mu Huiyue examined the attribute panel thoughtfully.

With Will-o’-the-Wisp, Ellen’s combat power had taken a significant leap. Shadow Stealth and Reformation allowed for surprise tactics, Will-o’-the-Wisp ensured strong offense, and Bone Smash added a brief crowd-control effect.

Based on her past experience, this combination should be more than enough to handle most Beastmasters at her level. After all, in high school, few people opted to contract Dark or Undead-type pets, leaving most without experience battling them.

And then there was her own Dark-type enhancement talent…

Mu Huiyue looked at her palm. In their previous battle, she had instinctively used her enhancement ability, greatly boosting Ellen’s Bone Smash, which knocked out the opponent’s Cloud Puppy with a single hit.

Deep in thought, she opened the game interface again and tapped on the icon of the World Tree.

[Space Level: Lv.1]

[Dark Attribute Enhancement: Battle Resonance]

[Description: Temporarily amplifies Dark-type skills using resonance, significantly increasing their power. The duration is tied to the space level.]

[???]

[???]

[???]

…

As expected, Mu Huiyue saw a description of her Dark-type enhancement ability in the introduction panel.

Since her personal World Tree could be leveled up, it made sense that her Beastmaster talent would also be displayed within it. For now, only the Battle Resonance ability was unlocked, while several other icons remained locked—likely accessible only when her Beast Space leveled up.

Mu Huiyue recalled that the Battle Resonance effect lasted around a minute, just enough time for Ellen to release one or two skills. Judging by A-Yue’s Earth-type enhancement ability, the duration was about the same. In a battle, Battle Resonance could typically only be used once, making it a last-resort move.

Timing it right would require careful coordination with Ellen, which meant more practice together. Mu Huiyue pondered this as she began planning a detailed training schedule for Ellen.

Just then, her phone rang, pulling her consciousness back from the Beast Space into her own body.

Glancing at the caller ID, she saw it was her homeroom teacher.

After her Brain Awakening test at the hospital, the results had likely been shared with her school and guardian. Yet, no one had reached out for the past couple of days. The first call came from her homeroom teacher, no less.

Mu Huiyue sighed internally at the reminder of her strained relationships.

She answered the phone. Her teacher asked when she planned to return to school, especially since the Career Selection Tournament had already begun.

The Beastmaster Association of Dayan holds two annual certification exams. The November exam is open to the public, a standard test to obtain a professional license. However, the June exam is exclusive to high school graduates and is a test for newly awakened Beastmasters.

The results from this test play a major role in university admissions. Students who don’t pass can still take the public exam in November. Because of this, the June test is often called the “College Entrance Exam” for young Beastmasters.

Students who perform exceptionally well in the test attract the attention of prestigious universities. Each year, the competition gets fiercer, with schools in every region hosting preliminary selection tournaments. These tournaments pit top students against each other in deep combat evaluations, culminating in a National Ranking Tournament that determines the country’s top 200 Beastmasters.

Some elite high schools, like Mu Huiyue’s Changning First Beastmaster High, are granted seed spots—reserved entries for the ranking tournament, allowing students to skip the career test and focus solely on their ranking. Changning High typically secures about 10 of these coveted spots, with internal school competitions held two months prior to the national tournament to decide which students will represent the school.

Mu Huiyue had always been a top student, consistently ranking first in academic exams. Combined with her legendary Mu Family background, she had been a prime candidate for these selections. However, she hadn’t awakened her Beastmaster talent, and with graduation looming, she was denied even the chance to step into the battle arena. This left not only Mu Huiyue but also her school anxiously waiting for her awakening.

Now that her awakening had finally happened, her homeroom teacher was excited. After all, Mu Huiyue, as their best student, had a strong chance of securing one of the school’s seed spots. The teacher had called specifically to confirm her participation.

“I understand, teacher. I’ll be back at school tomorrow,” Mu Huiyue responded, holding her phone close. “Yes, my health is fine now, and I’ll be ready to compete in the selection battles.”

Her teacher seemed to let out a sigh of relief over the phone. Mu Huiyue’s calm voice was a stark contrast to her previous restless attitude. Everyone could see her frustration before, and she had snapped at anyone who tried to talk to her. She had always been proud, and without many friends, that period had only made her feel more isolated.

The teacher gave a few more words of advice before hanging up. Mu Huiyue tossed her phone aside and collapsed onto her bed, closing her eyes.

Her consciousness slipped back into the Beast Space, where Ellen was still practicing Will-o’-the-Wisp. Sensing her presence, the little skeleton clattered over to her.

“Click clack?” (What’s wrong, Huiyue?)

Ellen’s clicks sounded slightly different when it called her name, which Mu Huiyue found adorable. She smiled and bent down to give her contracted pet a tight hug.

At least she had Ellen.

The little skeleton stiffened a bit, clearly worried its bones might poke her. It awkwardly tried to shrink down in her arms.

“Nothing’s wrong. Let’s keep training!” Mu Huiyue released Ellen, patting its head. “We need to be ready for the school selection battles.”

“Click!” (Got it!)