Bond Master

The Personalized Crucible (2)

Sergeant Corvina followed him through the glass doors, stepping out onto the balcony, only to pause instantly as her sharp eyes took in the humid, thriving jungle environment. A look of genuine intrigue and mild shock cut across her stern features, but it wasn't the sheer density of the exotic tropical foliage that caught her attention.

"Are these specimens all freshly cultivated and watered?" she asked, her voice dropping into a tone of quiet calculation as she reached out to touch a vibrant, thick green leaf along the path.

"There was a comprehensive maintenance notebook included with the room's fixtures, Sergeant," Ren replied with a casual shrug as he led her toward the wooden gazebo. "According to the logs, most of these roots only require environmental hydration once a week. I wasn't entirely certain when the previous resident had last tended the soil, so I went ahead and thoroughly saturated the planters the afternoon I checked in. A few of the deeper containers seemed fairly parched, but the structural integrity of the garden is still in excellent condition."

"You've managed to claim an exceptional residential unit, Barrett. Extremely high outdoor Mana density," Sergeant Corvina noted, stepping into the shade of the gazebo and placing her leather-gloved hands firmly on her hips. "I cannot guarantee if the regional weather arrays will permit natural rain to fall directly onto this projecting deck due to the protective barriers currently active over this wing, but other than that small detail, you've lucked out immensely. Now, let us cut straight to the core of the evaluation. I require a complete, unvarnished breakdown of everything you currently comprehend regarding your unique system powers so we can construct a viable long-term training plan."

She stepped closer, her silver-crimson eyes locking onto Ren's face with absolute sincerity. "How have your baseline physical attributes adjusted after a single day of system internalization? In what manner has the raw destructive output or casting speed of your activated skill shifted after your morning practice forms? Are there any other hidden biological hints or instinctual whispers indicating what your soul-line can manifest?

I will not sugarcoat the reality of the military apparatus for you, Barrett—initiates who awaken classes capable of deploying autonomous stone golems or bound magical constructs into the vanguard lines are in significantly higher demand by the High Command than almost any other specialty, save for the rare master mages who can channel unique regional cataclysms. If you possess a functional, ranged kinetic strike asset right from the starting gate, you are already positioned in an incredibly advantageous spot."

The absolute honesty of her presentation startled Ren. It felt completely genuine, as if this intense military woman truly held his best developmental interests at heart as an official guidance counselor rather than simply viewing him as another nameless ordinary recruit to process. He realized that trying to conceal too many fundamental mechanics from his primary advisor wouldn't do him any long-term good; if he wanted to properly survive the competitive academy environment and help his bound companion grow into a true apex weapon, he needed her institutional expertise.

Ren drew a deep, anchoring breath, closed his eyes, and reached down into the iron chambers of his Confinement Vault. Focusing on his intent, he unlocked the primary soul-gate, drawing the sleeping beast out into the physical world. Come out, Grim, he thought.

A sudden, sharp ripple of gray spatial energy distorted the air inside the gazebo. In a flash of dim, smoky light, the Volden Shackle-Hound manifested directly onto the wooden floorboards beside Ren’s boots.

Now the physical size of a robust hunting hound, the young beast looked absolutely magnificent. Its coat was a sleek, midnight charcoal color, and a series of sharp, bone-plated armor ridges ran the entire length of its spine, glistening with a faint metallic luster. A heavy, intricate iron collar—formed naturally from the spatial chains of Ren's mark—was locked securely around its thick neck, trailing a few links of spectral energy that dissipated into thin air.

Sergeant Corvina froze, her breath catching slightly as she stared down at the charcoal beast. For a long, heavy interval, the veteran soldier simply stood motionless, her mind frantically scrambling to process the completely unprecedented biological phenomenon occurring right in front of her.

"We need to establish our baseline from this point, Sergeant," Ren explained quietly, reaching down to calmly scratch the hound behind its bone-plated ears, causing the creature to let out a deep, vibratory rumble of contentment. "I've officially named him Grim.

My unique class skill enabled me to instinctually anchor and hatch his stone egg inside the kitchen galley during the transport journey. The bond allows him to rest comfortably within a specialized spatial vault constructed directly inside my subconscious mind, and our working thoughts are continuously linked via a telepathic soul-tether.

The moment our contract initialized, I permanently inherited the ability to channel [Bone-Plate Rend]—the exact same armor-piercing kinetic strike that his bloodline utilizes in the wild—and my physical perception underwent an incredible, permanent evolution via his shared [Ironclad Senses] passive."

Sergeant Corvina knelt down, her leather glove extending cautiously toward Grim’s snout. The young hound sniffed her palm, its sharp grey eyes tracking her movements with an eerie, unnervingly human degree of focused intelligence before it let out a soft huff and rested its heavy jaw back against Ren’s boot.

"So... your system attunement allows you to forcibly contract with wild magical beasts and what? Directly siphon and manifest their natural combat toolkit as your own personal skills?" Corvina questioned, her voice laced with a profound mixture of professional awe and deep-seated caution as she stood back up. "While that framework undeniably sounds exceptionally versatile on paper, Barrett, you must understand that it represents an incredibly high-risk, volatile path to walk when deploying against high-tier monsters in the field. If your beast falls in battle, or if its loyalty waivers due to psychic strain, your entire offensive toolkit collapses instantly. You will be left completely exposed on the frontline."

"That's a valid structural risk, Sergeant," Ren countered smoothly, looking down at his loyal companion. "But because our minds are completely synchronized, we always know exactly what the other is planning. With rigorous tactical training and proper coordination, I won't ever have to fight as an isolated vanguard soldier. I'll always have Grim executing forms right alongside me."

Sergeant Corvina’s stern expression softened slightly, a faint, calculating smile playing at the corners of her lips. "Then we must ensure your vanguard presence is backed by overwhelming force. How about we coordinate with the administration to scout the outer reserves and secure you a second, more traditionally aggressive beast cub? If we can locate a high-tier martial predator—perhaps a juvenile Iron-Hide Ursine or a raptor breed with natural physical amplification—to bind to your second slot, you might possess a genuine, historical chance to climb into the upper echelon of the Academy's elite power rankings."

The moment the suggestion of a replacement left her mouth, Grim’s ears pinned back instantly. The young Shackle-Hound snapped its jaws shut, letting out an incredibly loud, indignant telepathic screech directly into Ren’s brain that was accompanied by an audible, guttural growl in the physical world.

Does this shameless human woman possess absolutely no dignity whatsoever? Grim roared furiously through the psychic link, its spectral tail bristling as it glared intensely at the veteran officer. How dare she look down on the lethal legacy of the Volden Shackle-Hound! Once my growth matrix reaches maturity, I am absolutely certain I can break through the evolutionary barriers straight into the Commander Rank! She’s nothing but a common Ascendant-tier warrior herself! Give me exactly one month of high-tier monster meat, and I’ll bet I could easily tackle her into the dirt right now!

When outside the vault like this, the hound's intense telepathic rants were mirrored by highly animated snapping and protective positioning. Sergeant Corvina arched an eyebrow, thoroughly amused by the irate fledgling's theatrical display.

"What exactly is your companion communicating right now, Barrett?" she asked, her smirk widening. "He looks like he wants to challenge my credentials."

Ren rubbed the back of his neck, letting out a wry, slightly embarrassed chuckle. "He's... well, he's exceptionally proud of his bloodline, Sergeant. He essentially stated that once his growth matrix stabilizes, he has every intention of evolving straight into the Commander tier, while you'll still be holding an Ascendant classification. He thinks that given a single month of proper nutrition, he could probably take you into a sparring match."

Sergeant Corvina’s smile vanished instantly, replaced by a razor-sharp, mock-glare that she locked directly onto Ren.

Ren immediately raised his iron-studded gauntlets in an open gesture of complete surrender. "Hey, please don't target the messenger, Sergeant! You asked for a direct breakdown, and he projected the thought. I'm just operating as the mandatory translator here."

Corvina broke her glare, looking back down at the growling charcoal hound with an expression of profound, serious academic interest. "So, his cognitive faculties are already advanced enough to form coherent tactical thoughts and competitive logic at an infant's growth stage. Fascinating. The mental synchronicity of a Bond Master class is significantly tighter than any standard Druid affinity we have on record."

She turned back toward the room, her leather cape swirling elegantly behind her frame. "I know it is technically only your first official orientation day within these walls, Barrett, but plans change. Return your companion to the vault, gather your preferred training gear, and meet me down on the primary martial testing square within ten minutes. It is time we see exactly what you two can accomplish when deploying your skills as a unified combat team."