Chapter 1: The Ant and the Underdog
The midday sun shone brightly over the sprawling campus of **Beast Dominion Academy**, its towering marble gates a symbol of power and prestige. Students bustled about the grounds, their laughter and chatter mingling with the occasional roar, screech, or growl of their beasts. Griffins swooped overhead, and massive shadow panthers slinked through the courtyard, their masters walking beside them with proud smirks.
Kai Anther stood in the shadow of the gates, clutching his admission papers in one hand and a plain leather satchel slung over his shoulder. His dark, slightly messy hair fell into his eyes, a common occurrence he never seemed to care enough to fix. Compared to the other students with their polished uniforms and confident strides, Kai looked… ordinary. No, scratch that. He looked like a total pushover.
"Well, here I am," Kai muttered under his breath, taking a deep breath. "Beast Dominion Academy. The place where legends are made. And I'm already ten steps behind everyone else."
He glanced around at the other students. Most of them were showing off their beasts—flaming dire wolves, icy serpents, and even a roaring earth golem lumbering across the field. The sheer power emanating from the creatures was palpable, and their tamers stood tall, basking in the admiration of their peers.
Kai, on the other hand, had nothing.
No ferocious beast. No mythical creature. Just an empty slot where his bonded beast was supposed to be.
"Ugh, this is going to be embarrassing," Kai muttered, scratching the back of his neck. He took another hesitant step forward when a sharp voice rang out behind him.
"Hey, loser! You're blocking the gate!"
Kai turned just in time to see **Arden Stormfang**, one of the academy's most famous prodigies, strolling toward him. Arden's golden hair shimmered in the sunlight, and the massive **Thunder Wolf** padding beside him growled low in its throat, sparks crackling along its fur. Arden's smirk was as sharp as the blade strapped to his side.
"Oh, it's you," Kai said flatly. "The self-proclaimed king of the academy. How's it going, Arden?"
Arden's smirk widened. "Better than you, obviously. I heard you haven't even bonded with a beast yet. What's the matter? Too scared to tame something dangerous?"
Kai sighed. "Not scared. Just… waiting for the right moment."
Arden laughed, a loud, obnoxious sound that made Kai grit his teeth. "Right, right. Let me guess—you're hoping to bond with something really powerful, like a dragon or a phoenix. Hate to break it to you, but guys like you don't get beasts like that. You'll be lucky if you end up with a field mouse."
"Thanks for the pep talk," Kai said dryly, brushing past him.
But as soon as he stepped through the gates, the world around him seemed to blur. His vision darkened, and a strange, robotic voice echoed in his head.
---
**[Ding! The Insect Evolution System has been activated.]**
**[Welcome, Host. You have been selected to wield the power of insect taming and evolution.]**
---
Kai froze in his tracks. "Wait, what? Who's talking?"
The voice continued, ignoring his confusion.
**[Please bond with your first insect companion to unlock the system's full capabilities.]**
"Insect companion?" Kai whispered, glancing around. He half-expected someone to jump out of the bushes and yell "Gotcha!" But no one was even paying attention to him.
The voice spoke again, more insistent this time.
**[Bond now or the system will enter hibernation for 24 hours.]**
"Oh, for the love of—" Kai groaned, running a hand through his hair. "Fine! Where am I supposed to find an insect right now?"
As if in answer, a tiny black ant crawled onto his shoe. Kai stared at it, his expression a mixture of disbelief and resignation.
"You've got to be kidding me," he muttered. "This is my grand destiny? An ant?"
The voice chimed in again.
**[Target identified: Common Black Ant. Initiating bond process…]**
Before Kai could protest, a faint glow surrounded the tiny insect. A strange warmth spread through his chest, and a small, shimmering rune appeared on the back of his hand. The bond was complete.
---
**[Congratulations! You have successfully bonded with your first companion: Common Black Ant.]**
**[New System Features Unlocked.]**
---
Kai blinked, staring at the ant now perched on his hand. It didn't look any different, still small and unassuming. He sighed. "Well, this is definitely going to make me the laughingstock of the academy."
"Hey, Kai!" Arden's voice rang out again, drawing the attention of nearby students. "What's that in your hand? Did you finally bond with a beast?"
Kai hesitated, glancing down at the ant. The last thing he wanted was to give Arden more ammunition to humiliate him. But before he could come up with an excuse, one of the system's new features activated.
---
**[New Quest: Prove Them Wrong]**
**[Objective: Demonstrate the power of your bonded insect to silence your doubters. Reward: Evolution Stone (Small).]**
---
Kai's eyes narrowed. "Alright, fine. Let's do this."
He turned to face Arden, holding up his hand. "Yeah, I bonded with a beast. And it's way stronger than anything you've got."
Arden snorted. "Oh, really? Let's see it, then."
Kai grinned, a spark of mischief lighting up his eyes. "You asked for it."
---
**[Activating Skill: Growth Boost (Level 1)]**
**[Target: Common Black Ant.]**
---
The ant on Kai's hand began to glow, its tiny body expanding and shifting. Gasps echoed through the crowd as the creature grew larger and larger, its black exoskeleton glistening like polished armor. In seconds, the once-tiny ant had transformed into a **Titan Ant**, standing as tall as Kai's waist with razor-sharp mandibles and legs that looked capable of crushing stone.
Arden's confident smirk faltered. "What the hell is that?!"
Kai folded his arms, a smug grin spreading across his face. "This? This is Tiny. Say hi."
The Titan Ant clicked its mandibles menacingly, and Arden took an involuntary step back. The crowd erupted into murmurs, some impressed, others disbelieving.
"Looks like I'm not such a loser after all," Kai said, patting Tiny's armored head. "You were saying something about me being lucky to bond with a field mouse?"
Arden's face flushed with anger. "Don't think this changes anything, Anther! You're still a nobody!"
Kai shrugged. "Maybe. But at least I'm a nobody with a giant ant."
The crowd burst into laughter, and for the first time since arriving at the academy, Kai felt a flicker of confidence. He didn't know where this system had come from or why it had chosen him, but one thing was clear:
This was just the beginning.