The Serpent They called useless

"Kael Veyron! Next!"

The Master of Ceremonies' voice boomed across the amphitheater, sharp and impatient.

The crystal on the central dais didn't just glow—it hummed. The vibration crawled up through the stone benches of the amphitheater, rattling Kael's boots. A thick, indigo light flooded the dais, swirling like oil on water. The air grew heavy. Suffocating.

Every student at Veyron Academy knew that weight.

Rank C.

"Rank C!" someone shouted. "The broke kid actually pulled a Rank C!"

"Look at that aura." Another student leaned over the railing. "Not bad for someone who eats the academy's leftover gruel. Guess he won't be sweeping floors after all."

The light snapped inward. The pressure collapsed.

Where the indigo pulse had been, a small pale-blue snake lay coiled on the ancient relic. No thicker than a man's thumb. Barely two feet long. Its scales held no fire. Its fangs dripped no venom.

It blinked up at Kael with soft, milky-white eyes—then pressed its tiny snout against his knuckles.

Silence.

The Master of Ceremonies stared at his parchment. Then at the creature. His face twisted like he'd swallowed ash. He tapped his quartz rod against the relic's base.

Two pale runes flickered to life:

Support Type

A single chuckle. Then a roar of laughter echoed off the stone walls.

"A support snake?"

"What's it gonna do—give a goblin a gentle massage while it eats your face?"

The Master of Ceremonies pulled his hands into his sleeves. His voice amplified across the plaza.

"Ever since this institution was founded, no one has ever awakened a pure support beast." He looked down at Kael with open disgust. "Combat beasts can evolve. A Rank E Flame Hound can reach Rank C with enough cores. But a support serpent?"

He spat the next words.

"You are a stain on the centuries-old legacy of Veyron Academy!"

"Expel him!" a boy yelled from the back.

"Why should our tuition pay for a useless dead weight?"

"Throw him out! Expel the trash!"

The chant spread like wildfire through the upper-class heirs.

Voss Thorne stepped out from the elite students. His crimson-lined cloak snapped in the wind. Beside him, a massive ember-coated mane flickered into existence—his newly awakened Rank C Crimson Flame Lion let out a low rumble.

Voss crossed his arms. Stared down at Kael with cold amusement.

"For a second, when the light flashed, I thought you actually had bloodline talent, Kael." His voice dripped condescension. "I was almost worried."

He smiled.

"But trash will always be trash. No matter how bright the spark is when it burns out."

Kael didn't look at Voss.

He didn't look at the crowd screaming for his exile.

He slid his hands beneath the tiny blue serpent. Lifted it into his palm. The creature wrapped loosely around his forearm, resting its head on his wrist. A calm, faint warmth radiated against his pulse.

Then—

A sudden chill cut through the humid heat.

"Silence."

The word wasn't yelled. But it carried an edge that froze the crowd mid-jeer.

Aurelia Veyr walked down the central steps. Silver-white hair caught the sunlight, gold highlights gleaming like forged wire. A magnificent two-headed dragon hovered above her shoulder—frost and embers swirling from its twin maws.

She stopped beside the dais. Her cool gray eyes swept across the coordinator and the roaring crowd.

"Show me the section in the founding charter that dictates expulsion based on a beast's functional classification."

The coordinator cleared his throat. Shifted uncomfortably.

"Lady Aurelia... a support beast has no combat viability. It cannot hunt cores. It cannot defend against the Wild Beast Realm. He will drag down any squad—"

"That is a tactical issue," Aurelia interrupted. "Not a violation of academy law."

She held his gaze.

"He awakened a Rank C beast within the required age limit. He stays."

Before Kael could process her intervention, a sharp translucent window snapped open across his vision.

[BEAST SOVEREIGN SYSTEM AWAKENED]

[Target Detected: Primordial Lineage (Suppressed)]

· Current Form: Support Serpent (Rank C)

· True Hidden Lineage: Ancient World Serpent (Purest Bloodline)

· Current Combat Ability: Minimal (Scouting / Aura Buff)

· Evolution Path Unlocked: [Rank B: Abyssal Combat-Support Hybrid]

  · Note: Evolution overrides classification. Will out-class standard Rank B combat beasts in raw output.

[Required Materials for Breakthrough:]

· 1x Rank C Water-Attribute Core (Fresh)

· 3x Shadow-Vein Herbs

· 100g Ancient Serpent Scale Dust

Kael's chest tightened. The interface expanded—a real-time topographic overlay of the surrounding terrain appeared, marking hidden energy signatures and core veins within five miles.

He ran his thumb over the snake's smooth scales.

"Astra," he whispered.

The serpent flicked its tongue against his palm.

Kael looked up. Met the sneering eyes of the coordinator. The cold disdain of Voss Thorne.

He pulled Astra close to his chest. Secured her inside his linen vest.

"She isn't useless," he said quietly. His voice carried through the lingering silence. "None of you have any idea what she is."

Voss laughed. Shook his head.

"Keep telling yourself that when we hit the forest, beggar."

"Enough!"

The Master of Ceremonies slammed his quartz rod against the floor. A ripple of acoustic force cut off the chatter. His face was red—irritated by Aurelia's interference, but unable to overrule her family's weight.

"The awakening ceremony is concluded! Form your teams immediately! Four tamers per unit!"

He turned his back on Kael, sweeping his grand robes around him.

"Per academy regulation for the trial in Everbeast Forest, higher-ranked combat tamers will be paired with lower-ranked classifications to ensure survival metrics! You have thirty minutes to finalize your squads and submit your names to the registrar!"

His voice boomed.

"Any unassigned tamer will be forced into solo entry!"

The crowd dispersed. Students rushed toward one another, securing the strongest allies. Voss gave Kael one last glance—a cruel smile curling his lips—before turning to select his teammates.

Kael stood alone on the stone platform.

Astra nudged his jawline. A tiny pulse of warm energy flowed directly into his bloodstream. A faint, gentle reassurance.

Kael adjusted his grip on his knife sheath. His gaze locked onto the glowing blue system map hovering in his vision.

"Let them form their teams," he muttered under his breath.

He watched the red dots overlaying the nearby Everbeast Forest.

"We don't need them."