Morning Routine – The Day After the Military City Trip
Kyle woke up to the faint glow of his system interface flickering in his vision. He blinked, rubbing the exhaustion from his eyes as the familiar text scrolled before him.
---
[Familiar System – Kyle Corvayn]
[User]: Kyle Corvayn
[Race]: Human
[Level]: 4
[EXP]: 35/150 (+25 EXP from battles)
[HP]: 35/35
[Strength]: 15
[Agility]: 15 → 17 (+2 from combat reflexes)
[Stamina]: 20
[Willpower]: 25 → 27 (+2 from battle endurance)
[Mana]: 25
[Familiar Status]: Boneclaw (Dormant)
Familiar Tier: Apex (Locked)
Evolution Stage: Inactive
Sync Rate: 3% → 5% (+2% from prolonged battle adaptation)
---
Kyle sat up, running a hand through his hair. The numbers weren't just abstract data—he could feel the changes in his body. The way his reflexes had sharpened during combat, the endurance he had built after hours of fighting, even the strange undercurrent of instincts guiding his movements.
His sync rate had risen. Boneclaw was still dormant, but… something was shifting.
A faint chill brushed against his skin.
Still asleep? Or watching?
The thought lingered before he shook it off. No use worrying about things he couldn't control.
Across the dorm, Jace groaned, rolling over in his bunk. "Why do mornings exist?"
Kyle smirked, standing up. "Because the instructors hate us."
Jace grunted in agreement.
After quickly getting dressed, Kyle checked the Familiar Status tab.
---
[Familiar Status – Boneclaw]
[Familiar]: Boneclaw (Dormant)
[Race]: Familiar
[Health]: 1000/1000
[Level]: 1
[Strength]: ??? → Awakening Incomplete
[Speed]: ??? → Awakening Incomplete
[Defense]: ??? → Awakening Incomplete
[Stamina]: ??? → Awakening Incomplete
[Skills]: ??? → Awakening Incomplete
[System Notes]:
– Familiar Sync Rate has slightly increased, allowing minor instinctual adaptations.
– Boneclaw remains dormant, but its latent presence is beginning to influence the user.
– Familiar attributes are still obscured, requiring further synchronization to reveal full capabilities.
– Evolution Stage: Inactive. Conditions for awakening unknown.
---
Still locked out.
Kyle sighed, closing the interface. Whatever the conditions were for Boneclaw's awakening, they weren't something he could force.
For now, all he could do was train.
---
By the time he reached the training grounds, most of the squad was already there. The familiar routine was in full swing—cadets stretching, warming up, mentally preparing for another grueling session.
Darius yawned, still looking half-asleep. "Tell me again why we signed up for this life?"
Lena smirked. "You didn't sign up. You were conscripted."
Darius muttered something under his breath, but Kyle caught the faint smile underneath.
Vivian stood a little further away, deep in thought. She had been quiet since last night. Kyle noticed the way her eyes lingered on him longer than usual. She saw something.
Before he could dwell on it, the instructors arrived.
"Cadets! Line up! Morning drills begin now!"
Kyle exhaled, rolling his shoulders. His sync rate was rising. His instincts were sharper.
Something was changing.
And soon, he'd find out what.
Morning Training – Strength in Combat
The early morning chill still lingered in the air as the students gathered at the training grounds. Their breaths came in quiet puffs, a stark contrast to the tension crackling between them. The previous fight between Kyle Corvayn and Darius Holt had set a standard, and now, with fresh matches lined up, everyone was eager to see who would rise—or fall.
Instructor Rowan Calder stood at the center of the field, his sharp gaze scanning the gathered students. At his side, the Ashen Direwolf sat motionless, its piercing eyes taking in everything.
Kyle stood off to the side, arms crossed, watching. His role today was different. After his match against Darius, he wasn't scheduled to fight. Instead, Calder had assigned him something else—observe, analyze, and assist.
It wasn't a special treatment. It was an opportunity.
Calder's voice cut through the murmuring crowd.
> "Today, we focus on recognizing weaknesses."
His gaze swept over them.
> "I don't care how good you think you are. Every one of you has flaws. Some of you don't know them yet. Some of you do, but refuse to fix them. That ends today."
A pause. Then, he began calling names.
> "Markus Drex. Theo Rhyne. Step forward."
Match 1 – Markus Drex vs. Theo Rhyne (Power vs. Endurance)
The students shuffled, forming a loose circle around the two combatants. Markus and Theo stepped forward, their familiars—Chimera Cub and Verdant Warden—bracing for battle.
Kyle kept his focus sharp.
> Theo has endurance but lacks speed. Markus is versatile but reckless.
Calder raised a hand. "Begin."
Markus moved first, his Chimera Cub darting forward with feline grace. It wove between the gaps in Theo's stance, snapping its fangs toward him.
Theo didn't flinch. His Verdant Warden planted itself firmly, its vine-covered limbs blocking each attack. Markus tried again—faster, sharper, more unpredictable. But no matter how many times he struck, Theo absorbed the hits like a fortress.
Then Markus changed tactics.
Instead of brute force, he adjusted his positioning. He forced Theo to move.
Kyle's eyes narrowed. That's smart.
Markus feinted left, then dropped low. In a flash, he swept Theo's legs out from under him.
Theo crashed to the ground. The moment his back hit the dirt, Calder raised his hand.
> "Point. Markus wins."
A quiet murmur passed through the crowd.
Theo sighed, rubbing his head. Another loss. But he didn't look frustrated—just thoughtful.
Kyle exhaled. Theo's getting better. But he still struggles to react fast enough.
Match 2 – Lena Voss vs. Erik Fenrow (Precision vs. Aggression)
"Lena Voss. Erik Fenrow. Step forward."
A ripple of anticipation ran through the students. Erik's Blazehound was fast and aggressive, while Lena's Glassthorn Viper was calculating and deadly. It would be a match of wild force against cold precision.
Calder gave the signal.
Erik moved first—as expected. Flames licked at the Blazehound's paws as it lunged. Faster than the eye could track.
Lena sidestepped. Smooth. Effortless.
Every attack Erik threw was met with a counter, a deflection, a redirection.
Kyle watched closely. Lena doesn't block. She makes the opponent waste energy.
Erik growled in frustration and pushed harder. A mistake.
Lena's Glassthorn Viper lunged—one precise strike.
Its fangs sank into the Blazehound's side. The simulation registered a decisive hit.
> "Match over. Lena wins."
A hush fell over the class.
Erik let out a slow breath, shaking his head. "Tch. Should've expected that."
Kyle smirked slightly. Erik fights with emotion. Lena fights with logic. It's obvious who wins that exchange.
Match 3 – Soren Vale vs. Rael Stroud (Tank vs. Stealth)
The next fight had an entirely different energy.
"Soren Vale. Rael Stroud. Step forward."
The students watched intently. Soren was an immovable wall. His Ironback Stag was built for endurance. Meanwhile, Rael's Umbral Raven was nothing but a whisper in the wind.
Calder signaled the start.
Rael disappeared.
One moment, he was there. The next, he wasn't.
The Umbral Raven flitted around the battlefield in erratic, unpredictable motions. Attacking from different angles. Never staying in one spot.
But Soren?
Soren didn't move.
Rael struck. His Umbral Raven slashed, pecked, and harassed. But every attack bounced harmlessly off the Ironback Stag's hide.
The realization hit Rael a second too late.
> He wasn't fighting a person. He was fighting a mountain.
And when Soren finally countered, it was over in a single moment.
A burst of power. A perfectly timed lunge.
Rael barely had time to react before he was knocked flat on his back.
> "Match over. Soren wins."
The students exhaled in unison.
Kyle's fingers tapped against his arm. Rael relies too much on speed. He forgets that some enemies don't care how fast you are.
The Extra Fights – Testing New Names
Calder let the energy settle before turning back to the crowd.
"Now," he said, "we're opening the floor. If you think you're ready, step forward."
A brief hesitation. Then—
"Vex. Orlan. Step forward."
"Myra. Juno. Step forward."
Kyle didn't recognize them. They weren't part of his immediate circle. But that didn't mean they weren't worth watching.
Vex was fast but sloppy. Orlan was strong but slow. Their fight was a clash of opposites—one relied on constant movement, the other on brute strength.
The result? A draw.
Myra was a counter-fighter, luring Juno into mistakes before striking back.
She won through patience.
Kyle stored the information away. They might not be on my radar now, but they will be later.
Final Breakdown – Instructor Calder's Verdict
Calder stepped forward again, his expression unreadable.
"Each of you had weaknesses exposed today. That's good. It means there's room to grow."
His voice was steady, sharp.
"Theo—your endurance is solid, but you hesitate when forced to move."
"Erik—aggression without strategy is just wasted energy."
"Rael—you rely too much on evasion. Sometimes, you need to stand your ground."
Then his gaze flicked to Kyle.
"You. What did you learn?"
Kyle stepped forward.
"Markus adapted. Lena read patterns. Soren controlled the pace. Everyone had a defining strength. But… most of them had predictable weaknesses."
Calder nodded. "Good. Now, use that knowledge. Don't just observe—apply."
Kyle exhaled, his hands curling slightly.
Something inside him was changing.
Even without Boneclaw fully awakened, his instincts were sharpening.
And it wasn't stopping.