Chapter 91 - Arclume Drakeling

Atlas, Lyrassa, and Edrik stood around the crackling egg as the hatching process began. From the surface of the egg, pulses of energy rippled outward, accompanied by faint sparks of lightning dancing across its shell.

"Looks like your hard work is paying off, Atlas," Edrik said with a grin.

"Is that so?" 

"Yes. Judging by the elemental energy this beast is emitting, it seems to match our expectations."

The egg began to vibrate more intensely, fine cracks spidering across its surface. Then, with a sharp sound, the top of the shell broke apart, revealing a small snout pushing through the opening.

Moments later, a head emerged, and Atlas squinted to get a better look. The shell split further, and finally, the creature burst free, shaking itself vigorously to dislodge the remaining fragments of its egg.

It was a lizard-like creature, sleek and agile, with glowing fins that shimmered like liquid sapphire. Vibrant blue light radiated from its body, streaked with arcs of crackling gold lightning that flared across its form.

Creakkk…

The little creature let out a soft creak, its round, curious eyes scanning the room before fixing on Atlas. It tilted its head, studying him with an innocent look.

"So cute…" Lyrassa murmured, enchanted by its baby-like features.

[Congratulations! You have successfully hatched your first spirit beast.]

[Arclume Drakeling: A hybrid land and aquatic creature with high elemental affinity for water and air, medium affinity for lightning, and low affinity for fire.]

Atlas couldn't help but smile as he knelt down to get closer to the drakeling. Its small, delicate frame was undeniably adorable. As he reached out to touch its head, the creature lowered it slightly, closing its eyes in trust.

The moment his hand made contact, sparks of electricity danced and popped across its scales, crackling softly in the air.

"Welcome to the team," Atlas said softly.

"You need to give it a name," Edrik said.

Atlas paused, caught off guard. "A name?" he repeated, almost to himself. 

This was the first time he'd ever named anything, and the thought felt heavier than he'd expected.

"A name…" he murmured again, his gaze drifting to the little creature before him. "Arclume Drakeling…" he whispered, repeating the beast's race as if searching for inspiration.

"What's its gender?" Atlas muttered softly to himself, then glanced over at Lyrassa. "Do spirit beasts have genders?"

Lyrassa chuckled at his question, an amused smile playing on her lips. "Yes, My Lord, of course they do. And this one's male."

Atlas nodded with a smile. "Thanks."

"Sea, land, water, lightning…" His thoughts wandered, piecing together the elements that defined the creature. 

Then, almost unconsciously, he muttered, "Zefyros."

Creakkk...

The drakeling let out a soft sound, reacting immediately to the name. Its head tilted slightly, as if it understood and approved.

"You like it?" Atlas asked with a smile.

He carefully picked up the creature, lifting it in his arms. To his surprise, despite its baby-like appearance, the drakeling had a solid weight to it.

"Zefyros, the Arclume Drakeling," he repeated, testing the name aloud once more. 

It felt right.

Curious to know more about his new companion, Atlas quickly inspected its status, eager to see what this remarkable creature could do.

[Name: Zefyros]

[Level: 59]

[Strength: 98 | Agility: 267 | Intelligence: 218 | Constitution: 89 | Stamina: 156]

[Job: Specialized Fighter]

And… wow! For a beast that had just been born, Zefyros's level was already higher than Atlas's. A small smile tugged at his lips as he stared at the screen. It was incredible. He could only imagine how much further this creature would grow in the future.

As Atlas continued to examine Zefyros's stats, he noticed that the drakeling had dominant points in Agility and Intelligence. He paused for a moment, intrigued. This was a rather unique combination.

With stats like these, Zefyros was clearly a beast that thrived on speed and mobility while also boasting significant potential for magic damage. The blend of traits hinted at a versatile combat style—swift, precise, and devastating when striking from land or water.

Zefyros was a creature that could live and fight equally well on land and in water. He couldn't help but wonder just how powerful the drakeling would become if placed in an aquatic environment where its abilities could fully shine.

It's perfect!

[Thundercurrent Mastery (SS) - Aqua-Volt Vitality (A) - Aquatic Sovereignty (A)]

Even with only three talents revealed so far, Atlas's eyes lit up when he noticed the SS rating on one of them. 

Incredible!

[Thundercurrent Mastery: Gains natural synergy between water and lightning, amplifying the effectiveness of attacks and elemental abilities when both elements are present.]

Yeah, sure…

This talent would significantly boost Zefyros in battles involving water and lightning—an ideal match for Atlas's Wavebreaker Spear. The synergy would allow both of them to fight as a seamless, mutually enhancing duo.

[Aqua-Volt Vitality: A unique bond with water and electricity enhances stamina and health recovery in humid or wet environments.]

"This one's good too," Atlas murmured, nodding to himself. 

Zefyros's survivability would be vastly improved in environments aligned with its natural elements.

[Aquatic Sovereignty: Dominates aquatic territories, asserting control over lesser water creatures and the environment itself.]

Okay… this one I'll have to test.

The idea of Zefyros asserting dominance over water creatures and potentially shaping aquatic terrain felt both powerful and strategic.

There was a small water body just outside their training area—a stream leading into a pond. Well, it was too small to be called a lake, but it might work as a temporary testing ground for Zefyros's aquatic talents. 

Normally, this spot was a place for troops to relax, soaking their feet in the water after grueling training sessions.

Guess they'll have to be a bit more careful now, Atlas thought, suppressing a laugh as he imagined the startled reactions if Zefyros let loose a bolt of lightning in the water.

With a grin, he decided it was time to see what this drakeling could really do.

Atlas placed Zefyros on his shoulder and stepped out of the room. As soon as he passed through the door, he was greeted by a group of eager faces. 

Their expressions lit up with excitement the moment they saw the small drakeling perched on his shoulder.

"Hi, everyone. Let me introduce our newest team member—Zefyros," Atlas announced with a grin.

Creakkk!

"Welcome to the team, Zefyros!" someone called out.

"Woah, so cute!" another chimed in.

"I want to pet it!"

"Yeah, sure, if you're ready to be electrocuted."

"My Lord, it's so adorable…" Mira exclaimed, rushing toward Atlas with wide eyes, her face drawing closer to the little creature.

"Want to touch it?" Atlas asked with a playful smile.

Mira nodded eagerly and reached out to place her hand on Zefyros's head.

Creakkk…

A small jolt of electricity sparked out, zapping her hand. Mira flinched, momentarily startled, but then chuckled. "Oh… that's so cute."

"Come on, Mira. Let's give our new friend a place to play," Atlas said, leading the group toward the nearby pond.

Standing at the water's edge, Atlas gently nudged Zefyros. 

"Go!" 

Zefyros leapt from his shoulder, diving into the pond with a splash that sent droplets flying in every direction. 

But something extraordinary happened—the water droplets hung suspended in midair, shimmering like crystal beads, as Zefyros swam gracefully below the surface. Moments later, the droplets fell back into the pond as if the spell had been lifted.

"Wow…" 

"It's magical!" 

Zefyros's control over the surrounding water was astonishing, a clear display of its potential.

Edrik, standing beside Atlas, leaned in and said, "I think you're ready to form the contract now."

"Contract?"

"Yes. It's how you bond with the beast."

"Oh, I didn't know that. How do I do it?"