I Can See Evolution Paths

The marked area immediately looked different from the surrounding wilderness. Wooden platforms had been built between enormous trees. There were shallow waterways. Open clearings. Stone pillars marking boundaries. Old training structures reinforced with mana.

Several professors were stationed around the area.

Roland explained, "These areas have been surveyed repeatedly. The Beasts here are considered appropriate for first year students."

A student immediately asked, "Considered?"

Roland looked at them. "You’re learning," he said.

Arthur smiled.

Sun muttered, "I really hate that word."

The students were told they could fight the Beasts, but they had to remain inside the marked zones. Most importantly, their Beast Partners were released. The entire area suddenly filled with Beast Tamers and their partners.

The training grounds suddenly came alive.

Beasts of every shape and size appeared beside their Tamers. Wolves with glowing horns. Winged reptiles. Armored insects. Small slimes. Massive quadrupeds covered in scales.

Some students immediately began discussing their partners. "Let’s see who’s stronger!"

"Don’t underestimate the Everglades Beasts!"

"My partner has been training for months for this!"

The Beasts themselves seemed just as excited. Some growled. Others stretched. A few stared curiously into the unfamiliar forest.

Arthur smiled as this didn’t feel like a classroom anymore.

It felt like an expedition.

The students began encountering several unique species.

A Stoneback Ursar, a massive bear like Beast with four muscular arms, its shoulders and back covered in jagged stone spikes, dropped onto all four arms when threatened, becoming almost impossible to push backward.

A student saw one and immediately said, "That’s a bear?"

Another student said, "It has four arms."

The first student said, "That’s why I asked!"

Arthur immediately became interested.

Vedas said, "Don’t."

Arthur said, "I didn’t say anything."

"You were looking at it."

"It’s interesting."

Vedas sighed.

A Mirefang Raptor, a large swamp predator with long legs, dark green feathers, and a crocodile like jaw, could change its feathers to blend into the surrounding vegetation, hunting by standing completely still before suddenly sprinting across the water.

Athy noticed one before anyone else.

Athena said, "Athy found something."

Arthur said, "Where?"

Athy pointed. Arthur looked. Nothing.

Then the Mirefang suddenly moved.

Arthur said, "Oh."

Athy proudly raised her head. Athena smiled. "Good job," she said.

A Glowhorn Elk, a beautiful Beast with enormous antlers covered in glowing flowers, wasn’t aggressive at all, wandering through the training grounds eating magical plants instead.

Eden became fascinated. "Can I pet it?"

Arthur said, "Maybe."

Athena said, "No."

Arthur looked at her. "You really don’t trust us."

Athena said, "Correct."

The Glowhorn Elk calmly walked away. Eden watched it disappear. "I’ll make friends with one eventually," she said.

A Mudscale Crocmaw, a bulky crocodilian Beast with armor like scales and several glowing mana vents along its back, could launch itself through the mud despite its size. A group of students chose to fight one.

The training grounds immediately became lively. Beast Tamers began pairing with their partners. Some students were nervous. Others were excited.

"Let’s go!"

"My Beast is ready!"

"Don’t steal my target!"

Professors observed from a distance, ready to intervene only if something went wrong.

Arthur watched several battles. He wasn’t immediately fighting. He was studying the Beasts.

Sun noticed. "You’re doing it again," he said.

Arthur looked at him. "Doing what?"

"Watching instead of fighting."

Arthur smiled. "I’m learning."

Sun blinked. "You actually listened to a professor."

Mithra laughed.

A Stoneback Ursar charged toward Sun and Kong. Sun’s eyes widened. Kong cracked his knuckles. "Four arms," he said.

Sun looked at him. "That’s your observation?"

Kong nodded. "Four arms."

The Ursar attacked. Kong met it head on, the impact shaking the ground. Sun realized the Beast’s four arms allowed it to attack from multiple angles. He quickly adapted.

"Kong! Don’t overpower it!"

Kong looked confused. "Why?"

"Because it’ll use your momentum!"

The Ursar grabbed Kong with two arms. Sun immediately commanded, "Now!"

Kong twisted and Sun attacked simultaneously. The combination knocked the Ursar backward, and it stumbled through a shallow channel before catching itself.

Kong grinned. "Good."

Sun smiled. "We’re getting better," he said and then he noticed something. "Kong! Keep its left side busy!"

Kong grinned. "Got it."

He deliberately attacked from the front. The Ursar responded with all four arms.

"Now!"

Kong suddenly dropped low.

Sun rushed in from the side and struck the Beast’s exposed leg.

The Ursar stumbled.

Kong immediately followed with a punch.

Boom!

The Beast crashed into the water.

Kong looked at Sun.

"Good plan."

Sun smiled. "I have those sometimes."

...

Mithra and Melo fought a Mirefang Raptor. The Beast disappeared into the vegetation. Mithra immediately became cautious.

Melo closed her eyes, her tails beginning to move. "Left."

Mithra turned. Nothing.

Melo said, "No."

Then, "Right."

Mithra immediately swung Kusa. The Mirefang jumped out. Clang! Mithra blocked it.

Melo laughed. "I knew it."

Mithra smiled. "You were guessing."

"I was guessing correctly."

Mithra laughed.

...

Athena didn’t immediately engage. Instead Athy scouted the battlefield from above, and Athena called out directions.

"Athy, left side."

Athy flew. "Three Beasts."

Athena nodded. "Good."

Another student looked at her. "How does she know where they are?"

Athena adjusted her glasses. "Athy sees them," she said.

Athy proudly nodded.

Arthur watched. "You two work really well together," he said.

Athena smiled slightly. "We’ve practiced."

Athy landed on her shoulder. "We’re very good," she said.

...

Arthur laughed.

Eventually Arthur found a Stoneback Ursar of his own. His eyes immediately brightened.

Vedas noticed. "You found your treasure," he said.

Arthur smiled. "Exactly."

Vedas summoned his spear. "Fine."

Arthur and Vedas fought together. This Ursar was significantly stronger than the swamp Beasts from their previous encounter, using its four arms to attack simultaneously.

Arthur blocked one.

Vedas blocked another.

And then he saw the image of Vedas spear swapping to the side towards him. Arthur immediately understood before he ducked.

Vedas’s spear swept over him.

Arthur used Dusk to strike the Ursar’s exposed side.

The Beast stumbled.

Arthur grinned. "Again."

The Stoneback Ursar roared and charged again.

Arthur moved first.

Vedas immediately understood.

Arthur stepped left.

Vedas stepped right.

The Ursar’s four arms came crashing down.

Arthur slipped beneath one attack. Vedas blocked another with his spear.

Arthur didn’t need to call out.

Vedas already knew where he would move.

The two separated.

Then attacked from opposite sides.

The Ursar turned toward Arthur.

Vedas was already there.

It turned toward Vedas.

Arthur was already behind it.

"Again," Arthur said.

Vedas laughed. "You’re enjoying this."

"A lot."

And soon the Beast finally fell.

Arthur looked at it with a fascinated look and then he approached the fallen Stoneback Ursar. He noticed this one had a strange purple on its stone spikes and wondered if it was a mutation.

Then he touched its body.

Instantly he saw the evolution path unfold.

[Specsis: Rocky Bear]

[Stoneback Ursar] → [Mountain Mover] → [Titan–]

"Hm?"

Arthur’s eyes narrowed.

One branch of the evolution structure didn’t simply lead forward. But instead seemed to have paused and then vanished before something new took its place.

[Stoneback Ursar] → [Mountain Mover] → [Primal Ursar]

[Evolution Paths Analyzed: 29 → 30]

Evolution Paths Discovered: 39 → 40]

"W-What?" Arthur’s eyes widened in disbelief. "That’s strange..."

Vedas looked at him. "What is?"

Arthur shook his head. "I’m not sure yet."

It was the first time he has ever seen the evolution line change into something different. Before Arthur could examine it properly, the Ursar suddenly got back up.

Arthur stepped back.

But instead of attacking, it looked directly at him and then ran into the forest.

Arthur watched it disappear. "Weird," he said.

Vedas asked, "What was weird?"

Arthur kept staring at the trees. "I don’t know yet."

The students continued training for another hour.

Some defeated their first Everglades Beast.

Some discovered weaknesses.

Some learned new ways to use their Beast Partners.

Professors praised good teamwork. Arthur’s group also improved their synchronization through repeated combat.

As the training session began winding down, Arthur looked toward the path where the Stoneback Ursar had disappeared.

Eden floated beside him. "Arthur?"

"Hm?"

"Are you thinking about following it?"

Arthur smiled.

Vedas immediately said, "No."

Arthur looked at him. "I didn’t say anything."

"You didn’t have to."

Sun laughed.

Mithra shook her head.

Athena watched Arthur carefully.

Athy looked toward the forest. Then Athy suddenly became serious, pointing toward the direction where the Ursar had disappeared.

Athena’s expression changed. "Athy saw something," she said.

Arthur’s smile disappeared. "What?"

Athena looked into the forest. "Something else was following the Ursar," she said.

Arthur’s eyes brightened. "A Beast?"

Athena didn’t answer immediately.

Athy slowly shook her head.

Arthur’s expression changed.

"Then what?"