The Havenwood Welcome Pack felt like a true bounty. Ten minor healing potions, five mana potions, and fifty gleaming gold coins! It was real currency, the kind that could buy better gear, more food, or maybe even a new, shinier collar for Raiv. Eron gripped the virtual coins, a grin splitting his face. This was tangible progress, a reward for surviving the wilderness.
"Fifty gold!" Lily squealed, holding up her own coins. Fern, her tiny Forest Sprite, buzzed around her hand, its luminous eyes wide with excitement. "That's enough for… almost anything! Maybe some shiny berries!"
"Let's not spend it all at once," Eron chuckled, tucking his coins into his inventory. Raiv nudged his hand, a soft rumble in his chest that expressed his contentment. The bustling energy of the Tamer's Guild hall was a stark contrast to the quiet tension of the forest, and it felt surprisingly good.
"Master Elara said we should check out the Market Square or the Training Grounds," Eron suggested. "Maybe we can sell the Skitter meat and Frostmane pelt. And then… maybe see what the Training Grounds are like."
"Training Grounds!" Lily's eyes lit up. "Let's go! I want to see Fern try out her new Evasion skill against something that won't try to eat us!"
They left the Tamer's Guild, stepping out into the vibrant main street of Havenwood Village. The Market Square was a lively hub. Stalls draped with colorful cloths lined the wide, dirt path, overflowing with exotic fruits, gleaming armor, strange potions, and even smaller, more common beasts for sale. The air was filled with the shouts of vendors, the murmur of bartering, and the varied calls of tamed creatures.
Eron looked around, fascinated. He saw a Tamer with a majestic Griffon, its feathered wings folded neatly, its piercing gaze sweeping over the crowd. Another player argued loudly over the price of a healing herb, his Giant Armadillo beast snoozing peacefully at his feet, oblivious to the commotion. A group of players, all wearing matching green cloaks, moved together, their Venom-Spitter Lizards hissing softly in unison – clearly a powerful guild.
He also spotted familiar types. A sneering player with a bulky Ironhide Rhino pushed past a smaller, timid Tamer and her Sparkling Squirrel, making them stumble. The Rhino snorted, its eyes narrowed. The Squirrel Tamer quickly apologized, her face flushed, and hurried away. Eron felt a familiar prickle of annoyance. Bullies existed even in the virtual world. It was a stark reminder of Blaze.
"Wow," Lily breathed, pulling Eron towards a stall laden with glistening, jewel-toned berries. "Look at those! Do you think they're Lumina-Berries?"
"Maybe," Eron said, but his attention was elsewhere. He watched a young boy, no older than Lily, trying to teach his F-rank Fluffy Moth to fetch. The moth kept fluttering away, chasing dust motes. The boy sighed, but kept trying, a determined look on his face. Eron felt a kinship with him. F-ranks united.
They quickly found a vendor who was buying monster parts. Eron sold the Skitter meat and carapace, along with the rare Frostmane Pelt. The pelt alone fetched a surprisingly high price – 200 gold! Combined with the welcome pack, they now had 250 gold. This was wealth!
"Okay, Training Grounds next!" Eron declared, feeling a renewed sense of purpose. They had gold, they had a plan.
The Training Grounds were located on the outskirts of the village, a wide, open area enclosed by a sturdy wooden fence. Inside, various obstacles were set up: tall wooden dummies for combat practice, low hurdles for agility training, and even a small, muddy pit reminiscent of the Tangled Mire. Players and their beasts were scattered throughout, diligently practicing.
A Tamer with a sleek Panthera beast gracefully leapt over a series of hurdles, its movements fluid and silent. Another, accompanied by a ponderous Stoneback Turtle, practiced defensive formations, the turtle hunkering down, its shell deflecting practice projectiles fired by a nearby NPC.
"Look, Eron!" Lily pointed. "They have an obstacle course for beasts! And it looks like you can time yourself!"
A simple wooden sign stood beside the start of the course: "Havenwood Obstacle Challenge – Test Your Beast's Agility & Control." Below it, a scoreboard listed player and beast names, along with their completion times.
"Perfect," Eron said, a competitive spark igniting within him. "This is exactly what we need. A challenge that isn't about fighting, but about Raiv's strengths."
Raiv nudged Eron's leg, his eyes fixed on the obstacle course. He seemed eager, a subtle vibration of anticipation running through him. Lily and Fern were bouncing in excitement beside them.
"Let's do it!" Lily cheered. "Fern can try it too!"
Eron registered them at a small kiosk. The challenge was simple: guide their beast through a series of jumps, weaves, and small water obstacles. It tested agility, responsiveness to commands, and the beast's ability to navigate varied terrain. There was a low-rank course and a higher-rank course. They chose the low-rank one, which was still designed to be challenging for new beasts.
"Alright, Raiv," Eron whispered, kneeling beside the starting line. "Remember the mire? Just like that. Fast, precise. And listen to my commands."
Raiv gave a confident nod, his tail giving a single, decisive wag.
[System Notice] – Havenwood Obstacle Challenge initiated. Best time will be recorded.
The course began. A series of low wooden hurdles. "Raiv, jump!" Eron commanded, projecting the image of a clean leap. Raiv took off, clearing the hurdles with effortless grace, his Mire Walker trait seemingly enhancing his spring.
Next, a winding path of weaving posts. "Around the posts, fast!" Eron urged, mentally guiding him. Raiv flowed through the posts like water, his movements almost too quick for Eron's eyes to follow, a blurred grey streak.
Lily and Fern followed, a little slower, but Fern, guided by its Instinctive Evasion, expertly weaved through the posts, avoiding collisions.
Then came the shallow water pit. "Mire Walker, Raiv! Easy!" Eron thought. Raiv bounded into the water, his paws barely disturbing the surface, seeming to glide across it without sinking. Lily and Fern, following his lead, also navigated the water surprisingly well, inspired by Raiv's effortless movements.
They were halfway through when Eron heard a familiar, sneering voice. "Look at this. An F-rank wolf actually trying the agility course. What a joke."
Eron glanced over. It was Blaze again, leaning against the fence with his massive Frostmane Bear, watching them with a mocking expression. Beside him was another player, a haughty-looking woman with a sleek, black Shadow Lynx.
"He actually thinks that scrawny thing can compete," the woman snickered. "My Shadow Lynx could do that course blindfolded."
Eron gritted his teeth, but he didn't stop. He focused on Raiv. He wouldn't let them get to him. This was for Raiv, for Lily, for Fern. For them.
The next section was a series of narrow platforms, requiring precise jumps. "Careful, Raiv! Precision!" Eron urged.
Raiv, surprisingly, seemed to understand the taunts. His Mana Sense flared, and Eron felt a pulse of defiance from the cub. Raiv moved with a new intensity, his jumps sharper, his landings silent. He seemed to respond to the pressure, not with fear, but with a fierce desire to prove them wrong.
[System Update!] – Raiv's will and Tamer bond under scrutiny have triggered a unique behavioral response.
[New Trait Unlocked!] – [Spirit of the Unbound]: This creature's performance is significantly enhanced under direct challenge or scorn, drawing strength from opposition. Activates a temporary burst of Agility and Instinct.
Eron's eyes widened. Spirit of the Unbound! This was amazing! Raiv was literally getting stronger because someone was trying to put him down!
With the new trait boosting him, Raiv blazed through the remaining obstacles. He leapt over a high wall with incredible power, twisted through a tight maze of barrels, and burst across the finish line, a small cloud of dust rising behind him.
[System Notice] – Havenwood Obstacle Challenge Completed! Time: 0:45 seconds. New Record for Low-Rank Beasts!
[System Notice] – Your achievement has been posted on the Village Scoreboard.
Eron stared at the notification. 0:45 seconds?! That was incredibly fast. He looked at Raiv, who was panting slightly, but his eyes were blazing with a triumphant light.
Lily and Fern finished a moment later, exhausted but elated. "We did it!" Lily cheered, then her eyes fell on the scoreboard. "Eron! Raiv! You got a new record!"
Blaze and the woman stared, their faces a mixture of disbelief and utter fury. Blaze's sneer had contorted into a furious scowl. "No way! An F-rank?! That's impossible! That system's glitched!"
Eron just offered them a confident, unblinking stare. "Impossible, huh? Maybe you just haven't seen what an F-rank can really do." He gave Raiv a proud pat. "Come on, buddy. Let's see what else this village has to offer."
They walked away, leaving Blaze fuming at the fence. Eron felt a surge of pure, unadulterated triumph.