The Parasite Tamer : I Steal Talents From Beast

First blood in the testing ground

The outer testing ground of Azure Academy stretched wide under the late afternoon sun, a massive dirt arena ringed by stone bleachers already half-filled with senior students and curious instructors. Flags bearing the academy crest snapped in the breeze. The air smelled of sweat, and beast musk.

Kael stood near the back of the group of new arrivals, arms loose at his sides. Fenrir sat beside him, broader now, the patchy iron scales along its shoulders catching the light like dull metal. The wolf’s single eye scanned the arena with quiet hunger. A few other hopefuls shot nervous glances their way, but most kept their distance.

A tall proctor in blue robes stepped to the center platform, voice amplified by a wind talent.

“Welcome to the preliminary selection! Today we test basic combat compatibility and talent synergy. You will face academy-trained beasts or paired opponents in controlled matches. Win or show exceptional control, and you advance to the inner exams. Fail, and you go home. Simple.”

Murmurs rippled through the crowd. Some kids looked excited. Others pale.

Kael felt the familiar cold thrill in his gut. This was where small-town parasites got eaten alive, or started eating.

The first round began fast. Names were called in pairs or against low-rank academy beasts. A boy with Vine Lash talent struggled against a nimble Shadow Cat and got disqualified after his vines snapped. A girl with Lightning Spark did better, stunning her opponent’s boar long enough to claim victory.

Then Kael’s name echoed across the arena.

“Kael Draven versus academy trainee Lorn Vale and his contracted Horned Lizard!”

A stocky guy with short brown hair stepped out from the opposite side, grinning confidently. His lizard was bigger than Fenrir, thick hide, curved horns, Low Mortal Rank but built like a battering ram. Lorn cracked his knuckles.

“Try not to cry when my lizard flattens your mutt, parasite,” he called.

The bleachers laughed. Word of the “useless talent” from Edgewood had already made the rounds.

Kael walked to his mark without hurry. Fenrir padded forward, muscles rippling under the new scales. “Let’s make it quick,” Kael muttered under his breath.

The proctor signaled. “Begin!”

Lorn shouted and charged with his lizard. Horned Charge activated, the beast lowered its head and barreled forward like a living boulder, dust kicking up behind it.

Fenrir didn’t wait for orders. It blurred with Gale Wing Slash, wind aiding its steps. At the last second it dodged left, raking iron-hard claws across the lizard’s flank. Sparks flew. The lizard roared in pain but kept coming.

Kael activated Parasitic Bond mid-clash, the invisible thread snapping onto Lorn for a split second.

Talent copied: Horned Charge (Low Grade)

A surge of raw power hit him. He funneled it straight into Fenrir through the Nexus.

The wolf’s body jerked. Horn-like protrusions began pushing through the fur along its shoulders and forehead, small, sharp, and black as shadow. Its charge speed increased noticeably. When the lizard swung its tail, Fenrir met it head-on with its new horns, the impact sending the bigger beast staggering.

The crowd leaned forward.

Lorn’s face twisted. “What the…? Again with that cheating bond!”

He pushed harder, feeding more energy into his lizard. The Horned Lizard activated its own talent, Thick Hide Reinforcement.

Kael smiled thinly. Perfect.

He latched on again, holding the link a heartbeat longer this time despite the resistance.

Talent copied: Thick Hide Reinforcement (Low Grade)

Fenrir’s patchy iron scales thickened further, spreading across its chest and legs. The wolf looked heavier, meaner, like a miniature tank wrapped in living armor.

The next clash was brutal. Fenrir slammed into the lizard with Horned Charge, horns cracking against reinforced hide. Shadow Fang followed, tearing a deep gash. Flame Strike flared along the wound, cauterizing and burning at the same time. Water-edged claws added slippery, cutting damage that made the lizard slip in its own blood.

Lorn was yelling now, face red. His lizard tried one last desperate charge.

Fenrir met it, absorbed the impact with its reinforced body, then countered with everything at once. The lizard went down hard, skidding across the dirt, breathing ragged.

The proctor raised a hand. “Match to Kael Draven!”

Silence, then scattered applause mixed with stunned whispers.

“That wolf mutated three times in one fight…”

“Did you see the horns? And the scales?”

“Parasitic Bond… maybe it’s not trash after all.”

Lorn stomped over, glaring. “You stole my talents, didn’t you? That’s dirty.”

Kael wiped a bit of dust from his sleeve. “You brought a lizard to a fight. I brought evolution. Cry about it somewhere else.”

He turned away before Lorn could reply, Fenrir trotting proudly beside him. The Nexus panel updated in his mind.

Beast Evolution Nexus

Fenrir – Shadow Wolf (Mid Mortal Rank+)

Stored talents: Shadow Fang, Flame Strike, Gale Wing Slash, Horned Charge, Thick Hide Reinforcement, Quick Reflex, Stone Skin, Water Whip, Ironscale Armor

Mutation Energy: 67%

Next major evolution threshold approaching

Kael’s blood was pumping. This felt right. Every copied talent made Fenrir stronger, and every mutation made the next fight easier. He could already imagine what the wolf would look like after a few more rounds.

The next few matches passed. He faced two more opponents, a girl with Thorn Burst and a guy with Swift Step. Both spars ended the same way: quick bonds, new talents copied, fresh mutations dumped into Fenrir. By the time the sun started to set, his wolf had gained thorn-like spikes along its spine and faint afterimages from repeated Swift Step channels. The crowd had stopped laughing. Now they watched with a mix of awe and unease.

When the proctor called the final round of the day, Kael was ready for more.

But the match-up made the entire arena go quiet.

“Kael Draven versus Seraphina Blaze!”

A ripple went through the bleachers. Students stood up. Instructors leaned forward.

From the opposite entrance walked a girl who looked like living fire. Flaming red hair tied in a high ponytail, sharp golden eyes, and an aura that made the air around her shimmer with heat. She wore the academy’s inner disciple robe, crimson accents marking her as elite even among elites. At her side padded a majestic Crimson Flame Fox, its fur flickering like actual flames, eyes intelligent and proud.

Seraphina stopped at her mark, arms crossed, looking Kael up and down with open disdain.

“So you’re the parasite from the border town everyone’s whispering about,” she said, voice carrying clearly across the arena. Loud enough for everyone to hear. “Common grade talent. Pathetic wolf. I was hoping for an actual challenge today, not some talent thief who preys on the weak.”

The crowd murmured. A few laughed nervously.

Kael met her gaze, his lazy smirk sliding into place. Inside, something greedy stirred. That fox looked strong. And the girl… her talent felt like pure heat even from here.

He rolled his shoulders once.

“Friendly spar, right?” he said, loud enough for the proctor to hear. “Let’s see if your fox can handle a little bonding.”

Seraphina’s eyes narrowed. “Try it. I’ll burn that smug look off your face.”

The proctor raised his hand, the air growing tense.

“Begin!”