C1 – System On!
Outside the gates of Lakeshell High, a group of teenagers lingered after the final bell, deep in conversation.
“The college entrance exams are just around the corner. Have you guys figured out which colleges you’re aiming for?”
“We’ve only got one local institution. What about you? Which college are you thinking about?”
“Maybe he’s got his sights set on Nightbay’s Beastmaster Academy.”
“Without even an apprentice beastmaster’s certification, he can’t even apply.”
“That goes for all of us!”
“What about you, Xie Yang?”
Snapping out of his thoughts, Xie Yang shook his head.
“I’m still undecided.”
The others just smiled, letting the topic drop.
They understood each other’s predicaments all too well.
Lacking any remarkable talents, their chances of getting into the Beastmaster Academy were slim to none.
Barring any surprises, their futures likely involved attending a run-of-the-mill school, followed by a diligent, if unremarkable, career.
It was this shared reality that had cemented their friendship.
After a while, they reached a crossroads and went their separate ways.
With a wave goodbye, Xie Yang turned back.
He had been in this world for over half a month now, yet it still felt foreign to him.
He had awoken to find himself in an unfamiliar world, transformed into a high school student on the cusp of college entrance exams.
The whole situation was bizarre.
Xie Yang couldn’t shake the feeling that he might be dreaming.
But the harsh truth was that this was no dream.
He had truly crossed over into another world.
“All those transmigration novels I read, and now I’ve actually lived one,” he mused with a sigh, heading home.
Xie Yang wasn’t one to wallow in pessimism.
With the event already unfolded, all he could do was embrace his new reality and adapt to his new identity and world.
Over the past days, he had begun to grasp the basics of this world.
In essence, it was a place where supernatural forces were the norm.
Centuries ago, a horde of ferocious beasts had burst through a dimensional rift, preying on humanity and plunging it into despair.
Humanity had risen to the challenge. Through the grueling conflict, they had discovered how to domesticate these savage creatures.
Thus, the era of the Beastmasters was born.
Since then, with the rise of numerous powerful Beastmasters, humanity had slowly turned the tide against the onslaught of beasts.
Eventually, humans had secured the advantage in their struggle against the ferocious beasts.
Humans have established a magnificent Beastmaster Civilization that reigns over the most resource-rich regions of the planet. In this age, the title of Beastmaster is synonymous with prestige and hierarchy. To become a Beastmaster is to join the ranks of the elite, a dream shared by nearly every youth, Xie Yang included.
Harnessing extraordinary powers was a longing he held in his past life. To thrive in this world, the path of the Beastmaster is the quickest and most effective. The strong dictate their destinies, a truth that holds across all worlds.
“Sadly, reaching that goal might be too much for me,” Xie Yang lamented, feeling a twinge of disappointment…
Upon turning eighteen, every young adult in this world is eligible to bond with their first pet. The initial pet’s strength is determined by the owner’s wealth and Soul Strength. The greater one’s Soul Strength, the higher the caliber of pet they can contract. Pets come at a steep price; even the weakest first layer, first rank pet costs tens of thousands, while those with potential fetch hundreds of thousands—prices well beyond the reach of the average person. Most are forced to settle for the most affordable, weakest pets.
Xie Yang, unfortunately, lacked advantages in both wealth and Soul Strength. An accident claimed his parents three years prior, and though they left a substantial inheritance, his accessible funds were limited, earmarked for future living expenses. His only option was the most inexpensive pet.
His Soul Strength test yielded a mere 0.8, short of the college entrance exam average of 0.9, indicating Xie Yang’s near absence of Beastmaster aptitude. Yet, he refused to surrender his dream and was determined to contract a pet. His only choice was a creature named Little Snowball.
Summoning his pet, a flash of light preceded the appearance of a basketball-sized, pure white snowball materializing from nowhere. It hovered a few meters off the ground, its clear, lake-blue eyes gazing at Xie Yang with an endearing smallness and charm. But for a pet, cuteness pales next to combat prowess and growth potential.
By the Beastmaster Association’s metrics, Little Snowball ranked as a Level F pet—the lowest of the low.
A Level F pet lacks any evolutionary forms; its initial state is its peak.
Even with complete nurturing, its apex is the first rank, second layer.
Its sole awakened skill is “Frost Breathing,” allowing it to exhale a blast of chill akin to the air from a refrigerator.
Little Snowball’s combat prowess and potential for growth rank at the bottom tier of pets, earning it the designation of an ornamental pet.
“With only half a month until the college entrance exams, it’s impossible for me to score high enough to get into the Beastmaster Academy,” Xie Yang lamented, massaging his temples.
His prospects were grim.
Was he destined to lead the life of an ordinary person?
He couldn’t bear the thought!
Suddenly, a mechanical voice echoed in his mind.
“System charging complete. Activation commencing!”
“Activation successful!”
“The Achievement System is now officially online!”
Xie Yang froze, then quickly came to his senses, overwhelmed with joy.
The System had been absent since his arrival in this world because it was charging up.
At last, he had something to fall back on!
Taking a deep breath to calm his elation, Xie Yang was about to inquire further when a semi-transparent screen materialized before him.
“Name: Xie Yang”
“Physique: 1.0, Soul: 0.8”
“Level: None”
“Soul Power: 80/80”
“Soul Technique: None”
“Pet Beast: Little Snowball”
“Achievement Points: None”
“Note: The standard physique and soul attributes for an adult male are 1.”