Chapter 2: Chapter 2 - Taming Failure Ren kept his head high as he descended from the altar. His parents had sold everything for this moment. Had worked double shifts. He wouldn't give these brats the pleasure of seeing him cry. The contract bond established itself with a flash so weak it barely illuminated his wrist. His beast now granted him a 10% increase in physical strength. 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦 That was all. For a scrawny boy like him, it meant maybe carrying one more small bucket of water, or lasting a few extra minutes in the field. Other children received the ability to manipulate elements, massive increases in speed or endurance, or even healing abilities. Every creature, from the most common to the rarest, granted power to its summoner. It was a fundamental law of the contract. Ron growled as crimson scales erupted along his arms, his nails hardening into reddish claws. His canines lengthened into sharp fangs, and a golden gleam appeared in his pupils. The Salamander hadn't just granted him control over fire and a 40% increase to his strength, his entire body was adapting. His endurance, speed, and reflexes would increase by 20%, and with each evolution, these numbers would double. By the time the salamander reached Silver rank 2, Ron would have triple the strength of a normal human, a 200% increase, 100% in all attributes plus increased resistance and his fire powers. Even a simple plant, what Ren had hoped to get, would have provided a 20% increase to vitality as its primary effect, plus a 10% boost to all attributes that could reach 30% or 40% with proper cultivation. But the spore... "Pathetic," someone murmured in the crowd. "It's the only known beast that grants no base power. Just that miserable 10% physical strength boost." Ren remained in place, bound by protocol to witness the rest of the ceremony. Each new summoning was another reminder of his failure. A wind eagle that enhanced its master's reflexes. An earth bear that doubled physical resistance. A mystic fox that improved perception and senses. And then, the final summoner ascended to the altar. Luna Starweaver. Her blue hair cascaded over her shoulders like a waterfall as she placed her black egg on the pedestal. One of the most expensive. The entire temple held its breath. The crack that appeared in the egg was like lightning in the night. From within emerged a shadow wolf, its eyes gleaming with ancestral power. The aura that enveloped Luna was almost blinding, multiplied speed, sharpened senses, and the gift of manipulating various types of elemental magic. Increases of 500% or 1000% weren't impossible with that creature. "A beast with Gold potential!" The Ceremony Master's voice trembled with excitement. "Extraordinary! Less than 1% probability even in a high-quality black egg." Ren watched as the wolf bowed before Luna, sealing a contract that would elevate her above almost everyone in the city. ♢♢♢♢ Throughout the temple, the changes manifested. Almost all children received them happily. It was the moment they'd waited for their entire lives. The weakness they'd felt in recent years due to mana poisoning transformed into a sensation of ecstasy and power. The eagle boy developed silver markings on his skin and his eyes grew sharper. The girl with the mystic fox saw her senses amplify while reddish marks appeared on her cheeks. Each transformation was unique, powerful, a symbol of their new status. Almost all, except Ren's... His spore would be the symbol that his status was now the lowest. At least, he thought with bitter irony, it can't get worse than this. He had no idea how wrong he was. Then, it was his turn to transform. The spore simply... dissolved. It melted into his skin without the slightest spectacle, and for a moment, nothing happened. Then, small luminescent mushrooms began to sprout from his scalp, like tiny glowing toadstools among his hair. The laughter was instantaneous. "Look! He's rotting!" "Hey, Patinder! Are those mushrooms on your head or little peni..." "Silence!" The Ceremony Master tried to intervene, but the mockery continued. "Careful, it's contagious!" "Don't get too close or you'll grow mushrooms too!" The Ceremony Master cleared his throat after failing to silence the kids, trying to maintain the moment's dignity. "The spore... uh... can mature with proper time. It could reach up to fifty centimeters and grant a 20% increase in physical strength." More laughter. Everyone knew that getting a spore to mature was almost impossible. The cost in resources and time would be astronomical, all for a result that any common beast achieved from day one. Some children even pretended to sneeze and made faces of fear when passing near him, as if he could infect them. Each successful transformation around him only made his situation more pathetic. While others received claws, mystical marks, and changes that screamed power, he had gotten... "unpleasant decorations" for his hair. Luna was the last to transform. The contract with her shadow wolf covered her skin with delicate silver marks that seemed to dance with the light. Her eyes acquired a supernatural gleam, and her blue hair rippled as if submerged in water. The aura of power emanating from her was almost tangible, 100% speed plus 50% increase in all physical capabilities, plus the gift of elemental magic. The mushrooms on Ren's head flickered weakly, as if even they were ashamed. "In one week," announced the Ceremony Master, "you will begin your formal education. The carriages will come to collect you for school as agreed in the contract, where you will remain until maturity, 8 years. Afterward, you will have a brief rest before beginning your military service." He paused. "Keep your beasts fused. It is a show of respect toward the sacred bond you have formed today." The ceremony ended. ♢♢♢♢ Ren waited until he was outside the temple. Away from the mocking glances, the whispers, the poorly disguised pity. Only then did he close his eyes and expel the spore from his body. The luminescent mushrooms disappeared from his hair, and the small gray mass returned to floating beside his shoulder. To hell with respect. To hell with traditions. Thirty years of his parents' work, they sold their house, saved over 1 million crystals with a frugal life, all... to ruin it with his bad luck. The path home had never felt so long. Each step was a reminder of what he had failed to become, of hopes that had vanished with that pathetic gray glow. The spore floated silently beside him, barely visible in the evening light. His new companion. His symbol of failure. His destiny.