Chapter 2: The Path of an Insect Tamer

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‎The crowd around Kai buzzed with a mix of disbelief and curiosity. Many of the students had dismissed him as a nobody, a weakling not worth their time. But now, standing beside a towering Titan Ant, Kai had become the center of attention—though not all of it was positive.

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‎"An insect?" one student whispered, pointing at Tiny's massive frame. "Who bonds with an *insect*? That's embarrassing!"

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‎"Yeah, it looks strong, but it's still just a bug," another added with a sneer.

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‎Kai tried to ignore the murmurs, but he couldn't help feeling a twinge of irritation. He clenched his fists, glancing at Tiny, who stood protectively by his side, its mandibles clicking softly as if sensing his frustration.

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‎"Let them laugh," Kai muttered under his breath, patting Tiny's head. "We'll show them how strong you really are."

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‎Arden, still fuming, stepped forward, his Thunder Wolf growling at his side. "Alright, Anther, I'll admit your bug is… bigger than I expected. But size doesn't mean strength. Let's settle this right here, right now. A duel—you and your overgrown ant versus me and Thunderjaw."

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‎The crowd fell silent, eyes darting between Arden and Kai. A duel on the first day of the academy? That was almost unheard of.

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‎"Are you sure about this, Arden?" Lila Vermise, the top-ranked student in their year, spoke up from the sidelines. She stood with her arms crossed, her piercing violet eyes fixed on Kai. "Picking on a newbie just because he surprised you? That's pretty low, even for you."

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‎"This isn't about picking on anyone," Arden shot back, though his tone betrayed his irritation. "It's about putting him in his place. He thinks he can show up here with a *bug* and act like he's hot stuff? Someone needs to teach him a lesson."

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‎Kai sighed, scratching the back of his neck. He wasn't exactly thrilled about the idea of fighting Arden—especially not in front of a crowd. But the system had other plans.

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‎**[New Quest: First Duel]**

‎**[Objective: Defeat Arden Stormfang in a beast duel. Reward: Evolution Stone (Medium) and Skill Upgrade.]**

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‎Kai grimaced. "Of course there's a quest for this," he muttered.

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‎The system chimed in again.

‎**[Tip: Use your wits and your insect's unique abilities. Victory is not always about raw power.]**

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‎"Yeah, yeah, I get it," Kai muttered under his breath. He turned to Arden, straightening his posture. "Alright, fine. You want a duel? Let's do it."

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‎Arden's smirk returned, full of confidence. "You're going to regret this, bug boy."

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‎The duel was set to take place in the **Training Grounds**, a massive arena located at the heart of the academy. The space was designed for students to spar and practice with their beasts, with a protective barrier surrounding the field to keep spectators safe. By the time Kai and Arden arrived, a sizable crowd had gathered, eager to witness the clash.

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‎Kai stood on one side of the arena, Tiny clicking its mandibles beside him. On the other side, Arden and his Thunder Wolf, **Thunderjaw**, radiated raw power. The wolf's fur sparked with electricity, and its glowing yellow eyes locked onto Tiny with predatory intent.

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‎"Last chance to back out, Anther," Arden called out, his voice dripping with arrogance. "I'd hate to humiliate you in front of the entire school."

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‎Kai rolled his eyes. "You keep talking like that, Arden. I'm starting to think you're trying to convince yourself."

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‎Arden's smirk faltered for a split second before he barked a command. "Thunderjaw, get ready!"

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‎The wolf crouched low, sparks crackling around its paws as it prepared to pounce.

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‎Kai took a deep breath, glancing at Tiny. "Alright, buddy, it's just you and me. Let's show them what we're made of."

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‎Tiny let out a low, clicking sound, almost as if it were agreeing.

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‎**[Combat Mode Activated: Synchronizing Host and Beast.]**

‎**[Skill Suggestions Available.]**

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‎"Skill suggestions?" Kai murmured. "Alright, system, what do you got?"

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‎**[Skill: Harden (Level 1) – Temporarily increases the durability of your insect's exoskeleton, reducing damage taken.]**

‎**[Skill: Mandible Strike (Level 1) – A powerful attack using the insect's mandibles to crush or slice through targets.]**

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‎"Not bad," Kai muttered. "Tiny, be ready to go on the defensive. Use *Harden* when I give the signal."

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‎The referee, a stern-looking instructor with a clipboard, stepped forward and raised his hand. "This will be a one-on-one beast duel. No outside interference, and no direct attacks on the opponent's tamer. The match ends when one beast is unable to fight or the tamer surrenders. Are both participants ready?"

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‎"Ready," Arden said confidently.

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‎Kai gave a small nod. "Yeah, ready."

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‎The referee brought his hand down. "Begin!"

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‎---

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‎The moment the match started, Thunderjaw surged forward, its body a blur of motion as it charged at Tiny. Sparks flew from its fur, and the air crackled with electricity.

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‎"Thunderjaw, *Lightning Fang*!" Arden shouted.

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‎The wolf's jaws glowed with electric energy as it lunged at Tiny, aiming to take it out with one powerful bite.

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‎"Tiny, now! *Harden*!" Kai yelled.

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‎A faint shimmer surrounded Tiny's body as its exoskeleton thickened, the Titan Ant bracing itself for impact. Thunderjaw's fangs clamped down on Tiny's side, but instead of piercing through, the attack barely left a scratch.

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‎"What?!" Arden's eyes widened.

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‎"Not so tough now, huh?" Kai called out, a smirk tugging at his lips. "Tiny, counterattack! *Mandible Strike*!"

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‎Tiny's massive mandibles glowed faintly as it clamped down on Thunderjaw's leg with incredible force. The wolf let out a yelp, stumbling backward as it tried to shake off the attack.

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‎The crowd gasped, murmurs spreading like wildfire.

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‎"That ant… it's actually holding its own!"

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‎"Yeah, but it's just an insect. It can't win, right?"

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‎Kai ignored the chatter, his mind racing. "Alright, system, what's next?"

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‎**[New Skill Unlocked: Acid Spit (Level 1) – A ranged attack that sprays corrosive acid at the target. Effective against armored foes.]**

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‎Kai grinned. "Perfect. Tiny, use *Acid Spit*!"

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‎Tiny reared back slightly, its mandibles opening wide. A stream of green liquid shot out, splashing against Thunderjaw's side. The wolf howled in pain as the acid sizzled against its fur, leaving burn marks on its flank.

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‎"Thunderjaw, shake it off!" Arden shouted, panic creeping into his voice. "Use *Thunderbolt*!"

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‎Thunderjaw growled, electricity building around its body before it unleashed a massive bolt of lightning. The attack streaked toward Tiny—but Kai was ready.

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‎"Tiny, dodge it!"

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‎Despite its size, the Titan Ant moved with surprising agility, skittering to the side just as the lightning bolt struck the ground where it had been standing.

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‎"Now, finish it! *Mandible Strike*!" Kai commanded.

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‎Tiny lunged forward, its mandibles glowing brightly as it clamped down on Thunderjaw's neck. The wolf let out one final yelp before collapsing to the ground, unable to move.

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‎The arena fell silent.

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‎"Thunderjaw is unable to fight!" the referee announced. "The winner is Kai Anther and his Titan Ant!"

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‎The crowd erupted into shocked murmurs, with a few scattered cheers breaking through the silence. Arden stood frozen, his mouth hanging open as he stared at his fallen beast.

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‎Kai stepped forward, patting Tiny on the head. "Good job, buddy. You were amazing."

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‎Tiny clicked its mandibles in response, its massive frame towering proudly over the defeated Thunderjaw.

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‎Kai turned to Arden, a smug grin spreading across his face. "Looks like the bug beat the wolf. Maybe next time, don't underestimate the little guys."

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‎Arden's face turned bright red as he stormed off, his Thunder Wolf limping behind him.

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‎The crowd began to disperse, though several students lingered, whispering to each other about the duel. Kai caught Lila Vermise watching him from the sidelines, her violet eyes sharp with curiosity. After a moment, she gave him a small, approving nod before walking away.

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‎Kai let out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding. "Well, that was intense. But I think I'm starting to get the hang of this."

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‎**[Ding! Quest Complete: First Duel]**

‎**[Reward Acquired: Evolution Stone (Medium) and Skill Upgrade]**

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‎**[Ding! Status Interface Updated]**

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‎As the robotic voice of the system echoed in his mind, a translucent blue panel appeared in front of Kai. He blinked in surprise, glancing around to see if anyone else could see it. When it became clear the interface was visible only to him, he focused on the glowing text.

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‎**[Status Interface – Kai Anther]**

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‎**Name**: Kai Anther

‎**Title**: Insect Tamer (Beginner)

‎**Level**: 2

‎**Beast Bond Slots**: 1/2

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‎**System Features**:

‎- *Insect Evolution*: Allows bonded insects to evolve into higher-tier forms.

‎- *Skill Acquisition*: Unlocks new combat skills for tamer and insects.

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‎**Bonded Beast**:

‎- **Titan Ant** (Evolved)

‎ - *Size*: Medium (Growth Stage 1)

‎ - *Skills*:

‎ - Harden (Level 1) – Increases durability temporarily.

‎ - Mandible Strike (Level 1) – A powerful melee attack.

‎ - Acid Spit (Level 1) – A ranged corrosive attack.

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‎**Inventory**:

‎- 1x Evolution Stone (Medium)

‎- 100x Beast Taming Points (BTP)

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‎**[New Skill Unlocked: Beast Synchronization (Passive)]**

‎**Description**: Improves the tamer's connection to their bonded beast, allowing faster commands and minor stat boosts during combat.

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‎Kai raised an eyebrow as he examined the interface. "So this is the status screen, huh? Not bad. Looks like I leveled up too. And what's this… Beast Synchronization? That sounds useful."

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‎He tapped the glowing panel, and the interface disappeared, leaving him alone with his thoughts.

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‎"Alright," Kai said, turning to Tiny. "Let's keep moving. We've got a lot more to learn if we're going to survive in this academy. And with this system, we might just stand a chance."

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‎Tiny clicked its mandibles in agreement, and the two of them left the arena together, ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead.

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