The Parasite Tamer : I Steal Talents From Beast

Road to Azure

The recruitment test was three days away, and Kael spent every waking hour squeezing Edgewood dry.

He hit the training grounds again at dawn, Fenrir padding beside him like a shadow with teeth. The wolf had grown another inch overnight, its fur thicker, the wind streaks along its flanks catching the early light like faint blades. Every small fight added something new, a sharper claw here, a flicker of flame that lingered longer there. The Nexus bar ticked up steadily.

By midday he’d picked three more low-rank tamers. One gave him Stone Skin. Another handed over Quick Reflex. The third, a girl with a decent Water Whip talent, put up more resistance than the boys. Her cheeks flushed bright red when the parasitic link snapped into place, and she stumbled back breathing hard, eyes glassy for a second.

“What… what was that?” she muttered, pressing a hand to her chest.

Kael just shrugged, already channeling the new talent into Fenrir. “Friendly spar, remember? You’ll feel better in an hour.”

The wolf howled as water energy mixed with the rest. Its fangs gained a slick, cutting edge, and faint ripples of moisture shimmered around its paws. The mutations were getting faster, more dramatic. Fenrir shook itself, sending droplets flying, then looked up at Kael with that single golden eye like it was asking for more.

Kael scratched its head. “Greedy bastard. Same as me.”

Word spread faster than he expected. By the second day, people started avoiding him. Renn Tarvos crossed the street when he saw Kael coming. Jax pretended to be busy with his hawk. Even the merchant girl with the chestnut hair watched from a distance, biting her lip, but she didn’t approach.

Fine by him. He didn’t need friends. He needed fuel.

On the morning of the test, Kael stood at the edge of town with a small pack slung over his shoulder, dried meat, a change of clothes, and the last of his coins. Fenrir trotted ahead, tail high, already looking like something that belonged in the wild rather than a half-dead pup from the woods. The road to Azure Academy stretched north through rolling hills and light forest, a three-day walk for most. Kael planned to make it in two.

He wasn’t alone on the road.

A handful of other hopefuls from Edgewood and nearby villages had gathered at the crossroads. Most gave him side-eye. One burly guy with an Earth Slam talent muttered something about “parasite cheater” under his breath. Kael ignored it. Let them talk. Talking didn’t evolve beasts.

They set off together in loose groups. The first day passed in dusty silence broken only by occasional beast howls in the distance. Fenrir stayed close, ears twitching at every sound. When a pack of Wild Horn Rabbits burst from the underbrush, Kael let the wolf handle it.

Shadow Fang met fur and bone. Gale Wing Slash added speed. Flame Strike left scorched patches on the ground. The rabbits didn’t stand a chance. Fenrir dragged one back to Kael, dropping it at his feet like an offering, blood still dripping from its jaws.

“Good hunt,” Kael said, skinning it quickly for dinner. The Nexus bar climbed another notch.

That night they camped under the stars. The other tamers kept their distance, huddled around their own fires with their contracted beasts, a mix of boars, hawks, and one sad-looking deer. Kael sat alone, feeding Fenrir strips of rabbit while he stared into the flames.

The bond felt stronger already. He could sense the wolf’s satisfaction, its growing hunger for power that mirrored his own. Parasitic Bond wasn’t just copying. It was a connection. And the more he used it, the more natural it felt.

On the second day the road got rougher. Rain turned the dirt to mud. One of the Edgewood guys slipped and twisted his ankle. The group slowed. Kael kept walking. He wasn’t here to babysit.

By afternoon they reached the first real obstacle, a narrow ravine where a wild Ironscale Python had made its nest. The massive snake coiled around a fallen tree, scales glinting dull gray, eyes lazy but watchful. Low Mortal Rank, but tough as hell. Most of the group stopped, debating whether to fight or go around.

Kael didn’t debate.

“Stay back if you’re scared,” he said, stepping forward. Fenrir growled low, wind rippling around its legs.

The python struck fast, jaws wide.

Fenrir met it head-on. Shadow Fang sank into scales. Water-edged claws raked deep. The snake thrashed, slamming its tail into the wolf’s side. Fenrir rolled with the blow, coming up faster thanks to Quick Reflex. Flame Strike flared along its bite, cooking the inside of the python’s mouth.

Kael watched with sharp eyes. When the snake weakened, he struck.

Parasitic Bond activated.

The link latched on. Resistance was higher than with humans, the beast fought back, sending a wave of cold pressure through his head. But he held it.

Talent copied: Ironscale Armor (Mid Grade)

Power surged into him, thick and heavy. He dumped it straight into Fenrir without waiting.

The wolf’s body convulsed. Bones cracked louder this time. Fur hardened along its back and shoulders, turning dark and metallic. Scales pushed through in patches,  not full coverage. Its missing eye socket itched again, the scar tissue thickening into something tougher. When the mutation finished, Fenrir stood broader, heavier, looking like a nightmare crossed with a small tank.

The python lay still, defeated.

The other tamers stared in stunned silence.

One girl whispered, “His wolf… it’s changing every single fight.”

Kael wiped sweat from his brow and kept walking. “Come on. Academy won’t wait.”

They reached the outer gates of Azure Academy as the sun dipped low on the third day. The place was massive, white stone walls towering over manicured grounds, training fields visible in the distance, and the faint silhouette of the Beast Tower rising against the sky like a challenge.

A line of new arrivals waited at the entrance. Proctors in blue robes checked names and talents. Kael joined the queue, Fenrir at his side drawing curious glances.

When his turn came, the proctor scanned him with a crystal tablet.

“Kael Draven. Edgewood. Talent: Parasitic Bond.” The man’s eyebrow twitched. “Common grade. Beast: Shadow Wolf Pup.”

A couple of nearby applicants snickered.

The proctor sighed. “Proceed to the outer testing ground. The first round starts in an hour. Good luck, kid.”

Kael stepped through the gates, the weight of the academy pressing down on him. Tall buildings, wandering students in crisp uniforms, powerful beasts lounging beside their tamers. This was the real world.

Fenrir looked up at him, single eye bright with excitement.

Kael smirked. “Let’s go steal some real talent.”

He could already feel eyes on him, some curious, some dismissive. A girl with flaming red hair and an aura like a bonfire watched the new arrivals with bored arrogance.

But Kael didn’t notice her yet.

He was too busy planning his first move inside these walls.

The preliminary test was about to begin, and he intended to walk out of it with more than just a scholarship.