This Beast-Tamer is a Little Strange

He felt a faint but distinct presence brushing against his star space—a subtle, alien energy that didn't belong. It wasn't threatening; in fact, it was fragile, like a flickering candle caught in the wind that he could snuff out at any time.

'This must be it,' Kain thought.

He didn't block its entry, knowing that it was likely a fragment of Ferrin's soul.

The foreign energy moved swiftly towards Pangaea once in his star space, as though it is equipped with a homing beacon, and soon entered the small world.

Pangaea had continued to develop over time. The massive supercontinent was filled lush greenery broken only by winding rivers and towering mountain ranges.

Massive trees, each brimming with spiritual energy, dotted the land like skyscrapers built by Mother Nature.

The spiritual creatures that thrived on Pangaea were numerous and diverse, and many did not resemble those seen in the main world.

Kain's focus shifted as he tracked the soul fragment, its path winding erratically as though uncertain of its destination. The fragment floated across rivers and meadows, pausing occasionally near certain creatures before moving on.

It loitered briefly around a pack of scaled wolves prowled dense forests, then it flew high above to circle around a shimmering winged serpents swimming through the skies.

Perhaps tired of staying in the air, the soul fragment dropped to the forest floor to where tiny insects with iridescent shells buzzed around glowing flowers.

Looking at the busy planet and variety of creatures, Kain couldn't help being filled with pride.

Unfortunately, his pride in the numerous creatures was short-lived once he realized that the fragment's energy grew weaker with each passing moment, and the glow of the array on Ferrin's shoulder also began to dim alongside it.

In the lab, Kain's peripheral senses picked up Ferrin's labored breathing. His complexion had turned pale, beads of sweat dripping from his face. The man's spiritual power reserves were clearly running dry, and without them, the soul fragment's connection with Pangaea would sever entirely.

Kain was about to step in, prepared to guide the fragment manually to a spiritual creature, when it finally stopped.Nôv(el)B\\jnn

It hovered above a small black fox curled up at the base of a tree. The creature was tiny, its fur as dark as the void of a starless night sky. It slept soundly, its chest rising and falling with slow, rhythmic breaths.

The moment the soul fragment made contact with the fox, both it and the fox disappeared from Pangaea in an instant.

At the same moment, Kain felt as though something had been taken from him. Undeniably, whatever connection he'd had with that fox had been severed.

Kain's awareness returned to the lab, his heart pounding as he looked to see Ferrin's state.

Ferrin gasped audibly, clutching his shoulder as the array flared brightly for one moment, making it not visible to the naked eye, before it faded. In its place was a faint white scar, as if from a wound that healed long ago, in the shape of a fox where the array had previously been.

"Did it... work?" Ferrin asked weakly, his voice trembling.

Before Kain could answer, a faint glow emanated from the air in front of Ferrin, and with a soft, almost musical hum, the small black fox materialized at his feet. Its bright silver eyes blinked open, meeting Ferrin's gaze first before looking around the unfamiliar surroundings.

Its fur bristled slightly, and its slender body was taut, ready to spring into action at the first sign of danger. The bright, sterile light of the lab and the hum of the machinery were a stark contrast to the tranquil forest it had always called home, and its nose twitched as it sniffed the air, searching for any familiar scents. Enemies, friends, its family? But there were none.

It let out a soft, high-pitched growl, clearly unsettled.

Ferrin, meanwhile, sat frozen, his wide eyes fixed on the creature before him. He barely dared to breathe as he felt the faint but undeniable connection between himself and the fox. It wasn't just a presence in front of him; he could feel its emotions—its wariness, its confusion, and its desire to flee.

"I can feel it," Ferrin whispered, his voice tinged with awe. He extended a hand slowly, his movements careful and deliberate. He truly wanted to scoop it into his arms, but could sense that doing so would not be welcomed by it.

The fox didn't immediately respond to Ferrin's outstretched hand, its ears swiveling toward him but its body remaining tense.

"It's not rejecting you," Serena said softly, observing the interaction with a critical eye. "That's a good sign. We'll leave you two alone to get more familiar."

Kain agreed, and so, although curious, they left the observation area sectioned off by glass walls and Kain even used the controls on the side to make the glass opaque and give them some privacy.

Gabriel, already waiting outside of the observation area was ecstatic. Doesn't this mean that he'd soon be able to form a contract? At only 11-years-old, wouldn't he set a record! Most kids his age didn't even have their first star condensed yet, but due to the help of the implanted artificial star, he was able to skip that step.

Thankfully, it didn't take long for Ferrin to calm the fox down, likely due to the connection they shared, and after calling out, Kain and the others re-entered the room to continue examining Ferrin and his contract.

Firstly, Kain noticed that although he no longer had the connection and control over the young fox's life like he did on Pangaea, he did have an instinctive knowledge of the fox's attributes and abilities.

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Species: Unnamed

This dark-attribute fox is naturally cautious, preferring to observe and strategize before taking action. Small and agile, it is highly suited to stealth and ambush tactics, and rarely confronts opponents even weaker than it head-on. The fox's connection to darkness allows it to manipulate shadows, making it a formidable opponent even in low-light conditions.

Quality: Silver

Spiritual Power: White-grade

Type: Fox

Attribute: Dark

Skills:

B-Shadow Meld: The fox can merge seamlessly into shadows, becoming nearly invisible in dim environments to creatures even one level higher than it. While in this state, it is harder to detect and gains increased speed. The effect is nullified in brightly lit areas.

B-Dusk Step: The fox can perform short-range shadow teleports, disappearing from one patch of shadow and reappearing in another within 5 meters. This ability is limited by the availability of nearby shadows.

D-Nightfang: The fox imbues its bite with dark energy, for additional power.

F-Moonlit Howl: The fox releases a soft, eerie howl that grants a slight boost to its own speed and attack for a short duration in the presence of moonlight. The effect is diminished in brighter environments.

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'Not bad'

Kain felt a burst of pride. Although a spiritual creature at this level isn't particularly appealing to Kain now, it is a decent quality for a newbie beast-tamer, and even arguably stronger than Bridge's first contract Lady before she evolved.