Recognition and Rivalries

The air in the training arena was still heavy with the excitement of Jiang Chen's unexpected victory. The whispers of the gathered students had not yet died down.

"Incredible… He actually won against Wang Tao."

"His Battle Bone Death Ape is far stronger than it looks."

"I thought that thing was weak! But it fought like a beast possessed!"

Jiang Chen ignored the murmurs. He had no interest in their opinions. What mattered was his own progress and Ghost's growth.

Ghost stood beside him, its skeletal frame heaving slightly from exertion, but its crimson eyes still burned with battle intent.

---

Instructor Wei's Evaluation

Instructor Wei watched Jiang Chen carefully from the platform.

He had seen thousands of battles in his years at Blue River Monster Taming Academy, and Jiang Chen's wasn't the most explosive or visually overwhelming…

But it was precise. Calculated. Ruthless.

This kid wasn't just a beginner relying on luck.

He was learning and adapting in real-time.

Interesting…

Wei stroked his chin and made a note on his tablet.

"This Jiang Chen… I'll have to keep an eye on him."

Then, he spoke loudly, gathering everyone's attention.

"Alright! The first round of battles is complete. Some of you did well. Others… not so much."

Several students lowered their heads in shame.

"But!" Instructor Wei continued, "This is just the beginning of your journey as Monster Tamers. Whether you won or lost, you must grow stronger. That is the only thing that matters."

He turned his gaze toward Jiang Chen.

"And some of you have already begun to prove yourselves."

The crowd instinctively followed his gaze.

Jiang Chen met Instructor Wei's stare without flinching.

The instructor smirked slightly.

"Jiang Chen, Wang Tao, and three other students have shown commendable skill. The academy will grant you all a small Beast Growth Pill to aid in your monster's development."

Jiang Chen's eyes flickered.

A Beast Growth Pill?

It was a low-grade cultivation resource, but for beginners, it was still useful. It could accelerate Ghost's strength development, even if only by a small margin.

Other students murmured with jealousy.

"Tch… I should've won my match!"

"He gets a reward already?!"

Jiang Chen didn't care for their complaints.

He stepped forward, accepted the pill from an instructor, and walked away.

More strength. More growth. That was all that mattered.

---

A New Rival Emerges

Jiang Chen had just stepped away from the crowd when a voice called out to him.

"You."

Jiang Chen turned.

A tall youth with sharp features and a confident smirk approached.

He wore a dark uniform, and a small lightning bolt insignia was stitched on his sleeve—a sign that he was from a privileged faction within the academy.

The students around them immediately tensed.

"That's Feng Zhi!"

"He's one of the strongest first-years!"

"He already tamed a Purple Lightning Blood Rat before the ceremony even started!"

Jiang Chen observed him calmly.

Feng Zhi crossed his arms. "Your battle was impressive. Most people wouldn't have won against Wang Tao so efficiently."

Jiang Chen remained silent.

Feng Zhi chuckled. "Not very talkative, huh? That's fine. I don't care much for words either."

Then, his eyes sharpened.

"But I do care about strength."

The air around him crackled slightly.

His Purple Lightning Blood Rat crawled up onto his shoulder, its small body surging with electricity. Its fur glowed faintly with purple sparks.

"I don't like surprises, Jiang Chen. And you? You're a surprise."

He took a step forward. "One day, we're going to fight."

Jiang Chen looked at him for a moment before responding.

"Then you better not disappoint me."

The crowd erupted.

"He actually talked back to Feng Zhi?!"

"Is he insane?"

Feng Zhi's lips curled into a grin.

"I like that. Don't die before we get our match."

With that, he turned and walked away.

Jiang Chen narrowed his eyes.

Feng Zhi was strong. His monster was already showing signs of evolving into something far more dangerous.

But Jiang Chen wasn't concerned.

He looked at Ghost, who stared back at him with its crimson eyes.

We'll just have to evolve faster.

---

A New Path: The Training Grounds

Later that evening, after most students had returned to their dorms, Jiang Chen made his way to the academy's private training grounds.

Thanks to the Beast Growth Pill, Ghost had fully recovered from the earlier battle.

Now, it was time to train Phantom Step.

Phantom Step – New Ability

Allows Ghost to briefly fade into the shadows, avoiding attacks and increasing speed for a short time.

Duration: 1.5 seconds

Cooldown: 20 seconds

Jiang Chen analyzed the ability carefully.

"Short duration, but if used correctly, it could be the difference between life and death in battle."

Ghost let out a low growl, awaiting instructions.

Jiang Chen nodded.

"Let's begin."

---

Late-Night Training

For hours, Jiang Chen pushed Ghost to master Phantom Step.

At first, Ghost failed to control the ability, flickering in and out of shadows unpredictably.

But Jiang Chen was patient.

He adjusted the training, forcing Ghost to dodge faster, move more efficiently, and use Phantom Step with precision.

Time passed.

The moon rose high above Blue River City.

Finally—

Ghost vanished for an instant—then reappeared behind a wooden training dummy.

It had successfully activated Phantom Step at the right moment.

Jiang Chen smirked.

"Good."

Ghost huffed, its eyes glowing with satisfaction.

Their progress was undeniable.

But Jiang Chen wasn't satisfied.

"We still have a long way to go."

He looked at the moonlit sky, his mind already thinking about the next step.

The world of Monster Tamers was vast.

And he would conquer it—one battle at a time.