A Rat-Dragon System

RISK & REWARD

The creature that stepped out behind Dan was nothing like I had imagined.

It wasn’t just big.

It was monstrous.

Its body was thick and muscular, covered in jagged, stone-like scales that shifted slightly as it moved, grinding against each other with a low, scraping sound.

Each step it took cracked the ground beneath it, leaving its feet imprints in the arena floor.

Its head was shaped like that of a wolf—but twisted, elongated, and armored. Rows of sharp teeth gleamed beneath its curled lips, and those glowing red eyes burned with a savage, almost intelligent hunger.

A low growl rumbled from its chest.

The sound alone made my legs feel weak.

“Stone Fang Wolf,” someone whispered from the crowd.

“No way… that’s a mid-tier evolution…”

“He’s been hiding that this whole time?”

My throat tightened.

Mid-tier.

That meant… even at Tier 5, his pet was already far stronger than it should be.

Dan casually rested his hand on the creature’s head,completely unbothered by the terrifying beast beside him.

“Scared?” he asked, his voice calm, almost amused.

I didn’t answer.

I was indeed scared.

My throat went damp and dry and for the first time, I was worrying about the safety of my rat.

My pet trembled slightly on my shoulder, its tiny claws digging deeper into my sleeve. Its body felt tense… alert… but not frozen.

Not afraid.

That… surprised me.

It should be but I felt like it could take on any tier system after my last fight it won.

I swallowed hard and forced myself to take another step forward.

“I’ve seen worse,” I said, even though my voice came out tighter than I wanted.

Dan laughed.

“Worse?” he repeated. “You fought a beetle and suddenly you think you’re invincible?”

The wolf growled again, stepping forward slightly, its massive paws pressing into the stone.

I instinctively stepped back.

The students noticed. A few of them laughed out.

“Look at him!”

“He’s already backing off!”

“The fight hasn’t even started!”

I clenched my jaw.

I wasn’t backing down. If defeating Dan was going to grant me the level up that I need then I was going to give it my all.

I checked the system and I saw I could buy a special boost for my pet.

It would grant it thrice it power pack but then, it was going to cost me, £3,000.

There was no way I could afford that.

My hands went to my neck. It was the Mu Xiang golden chain. It was a symbol that I belong to the family.

But now, it was just some worthless trinklet I was holding onto. I could trade it for £5,000 if I could hassle for a good price.

My eyes immediately scanned the students and finally settled on Sammie.

A student who was known for lending out money at crucial times. But this time, I was not going to borrow any money from him.

I was going to trade the only trinket that I had with me.

" Come back here! Don't tell me you are already running away." Dan shouted

But I didn't listen. I was not going to run, this was a fight I was going to face head on.

His brows was arched when he saw me approaching him.

" Sammie. Would you like to buy my this?" I asked

My hand close opened and I revealed what I was having. His gaze changed immediately he saw it.

" How much?"

" Give me £7,000."

Sammie laughed. " This is just a worthless trinket. Your father disowned you so you practically don't need this. I am going to give you £5,000." he said finally.

" Are you taking it?"

I smiled. " That will do."

I let go of the only thing closer to home and my account ringed with an envelope dropping to a right hand corner.

[ Sent ]

" Nice doing business with you." Sammie said smiling

The moment I returned back to the ring, the principal’s voice cut through the tension.

“Are both sides ready?”

Dan didn’t hesitate. “Always.”

All eyes turned to me. My heart pounded violently in my chest.

But slowly… I nodded.

“…Ready.”

The principal raised his hand.

“Begin!”

The moment his hand dropped, “Attack,” Dan said calmly.

The wolf moved.

No, It exploded forward.

The ground shattered beneath its paws as it lunged straight at me, its jaws opening wide.

“Move!” I shouted.

My pet reacted instantly.

It leapt off my shoulder just as I dove to the side.

CRASH!

The wolf slammed into the ground where I had been standing, sending fragments of stone flying in every direction.

I rolled, barely managing to avoid getting hit.

Too fast.

Way too fast.

“That speed…” someone gasped.

“Isn’t that above Tier 5?”

I pushed myself up, breathing hard.

My pet landed lightly a few feet away, its small body low to the ground, wings slightly spread.

" Since when does a rat have wings?"

" Is that even a rat anymore!"

" It is something else!"

My pet eyes and gazed was fixed on the wolf. Like it was waiting for any slight mistake.

An opening to launch its attack. The wolf came with a full speed again.

" Dodge!" I shouted and it immediately flew into the air.

Dodging another crucial blow.

[ Stundet roar ]

My gaze landed on Selena and I could see the disbelief in her eyes.

Ivy was just standing, her pet by her side and a look that said it all.

She was finding this intriguing.

Jack on other hand was fuming with anger. His gaze landed on me and he smirked. " Let's see if you can managed to win this!" he mouthed towards me.

“Don’t run!” Dan called out mockingly. “Fight me!”

The wolf turned again, its red eyes locking onto me like a predator that had already chosen its prey.

“Think,” I muttered under my breath. “Think…”

Head-on was suicide. That much was obvious. Dan's wolf was big, fast—but not necessarily agile.

“My pet is faster,” I whispered.

I could use that to my advantage.

Another blue panel of light flickered right in front of me.

[ System tools: Pick Ur next weapon ]

My eyes scanned each power ups. I could see the price for each of them before I finally clicked.

All I had to do now was wait for the right moment.

The right opportunity.

And then an idea formed.

“Go for the eyes,” I said.

My pet squeaked sharply and vanished.

" wow!"

" Where did it go?!"

" Did you see that?"

" Hundred buck on Rat-boy!"

" Two hundred!"

" Three!"

The students kept betting as the sake between me and Dan rises higher.

It shot forward in a blur, its small wings beating rapidly as it zigzagged across the arena.

The wolf lunged again but missed.

My pet darted to the side at the last second, its speed making it almost impossible to track.

“What the—” Dan’s expression shifted slightly.

Good. I could see he wasn't expecting my next move.

We had his attention.

“Again!” I shouted.

My pet circled the wolf, moving faster and faster, forcing it to turn, to adjust, to react.

The massive creature snarled, snapping its jaws repeatedly—but it couldn’t catch it.

The crowd began murmuring.

“It’s… dodging everything…”

“That rat is actually fast…”

Dan clicked his tongue. “Enough playing. Stop fooling around!"

His eyes sharpened.

“Pin it.”

The wolf suddenly stopped chasing.

My eyes widened.

“Wait—”

Too late.

It slammed its front paws into the ground.

BOOM!

The arena floor cracked and a shockwave ripped outward.

“Move!” I yelled.

But my pet was mid-air.

The shockwave hit it directly.

THUD!

It was thrown backward, slamming into the ground and rolling several times before coming to a stop.

“NO!” I shouted, rushing forward.

The wolf didn’t wait.

It charged again.

“Get up!” I yelled desperately.

My pet twitched.

Then it pushed itself up.

Barely managing to stand properly.

I could feel it strenght depleting. My hand was slightly on my phone, ready to press my next tool.

But it was still standing. Relief flooded through me.

“Good,” Dan said coldly. “Now finish it.”

The wolf lunged again, this time faster.

My mind raced.

We couldn’t take another hit.

We needed to end this.

Now.

“Listen to me,” I whispered urgently. “One shot. That’s all we need.”

My pet looked at me almost like it could hear what I just said from where it stood.

For a split second… everything felt still.

Then it nodded.

I exhaled.

“Go.”

The wolf was already mid-attack.

Its jaws wide and its long claws elongated.

But instead of dodging, my pet flew straight toward it.

“What is he doing?!” someone shouted.

“Is he insane?!”

Dan smirked. “Finally giving up?”

But I wasn’t watching the wolf.

I was watching the timing.

“Now…” I whispered.

At the last possible second, my pet folded its wings.

And dropped.

The wolf’s jaws snapped shut, missing by a few inches.

And in that exact moment, my hand clicked the button. My pet shot upward.

[ System voice: Killer boost activated.]

[ Heat vision activated ]

Heat vision?

What does that even mean?

Straight toward its face.

“Eyes!” I shouted.

A sharp, piercing strike hit the wolf right across the face.

The wolf roared.

A loud, furious, pain-filled roar that echoed across the entire arena.

It staggered back, shaking its head violently.

The crowd erupted.

“Nice shot!”

“No way!”

“It actually landed a hit!”

Dan’s expression darkened instantly.

“You little bastard! Now I am going to finish you!"

“Don’t stop!” I yelled.

My pet didn’t hesitate. It went in again.

This time, it missed. The wolf's paw grazes its belly and my pet fell to the floor.

It backed into a corner as blood dropped from the cut.

I checked my system and I could see the damage was fatal.

Dan burst into laughter. " Do you think you can win this? You are not going for the tournament because it doesn't need the likes of you!"

I clenched my hands in anger. My fist dug into my palms.

" He is dead!"

" That stupid pet of his won't last another round."

" Finish this!" Dan shouted.

I watched as his wolf surge forwards, it palms going straight for my pets tiny throat.

It slashed at it and it fell to the floor.

Gasping for breath.

" C'mon. Get up!" I commanded with a croaky voice.

But instead, it started to force breath and could barely move.

Dan walked closer to me. " You lose rat boy! You have no choice but to give me your system and also be my slave. This isn't your fight, boy!" he said mockingly

But that was it.

I heard another squeakish sound. The same one I heard when it eyes changed.

[ System voice: High damage to the pet-system means a new power to be generated ]

[ Dragon power system activated ]

I paused. Stared at the message again and back at my pet.

It got on its hinge legs and flew into the sky.

Everyone raised their eyes into the sky wondering where it was going.

We waited. I waited.

But when it landed back in front of us, the ground shook. Everyone stepped back frightened and I could barely believe what was standing right in front of me.