Jayden stared at the notification that had appeared in front of him.
[Soul Bonding Complete]
[You have successfully established a pact with the Sapphire Sonic (Legendary)]
Then, a detailed informational window expanded in his vision, replacing the ergency warnings.
——————
Soul Bonding
*Type: Active
*Description: Enables the host to form a mutual pact with a beast, allowing shared understanding, emotional linkage, and power synchronization.
*Pact Forming Conditions:
-Requires direct contact or proximity.
-Pact is voluntary and cannot be forced.
*Core chanics:
-Host and beast experience each other’s mories briefly upon bonding.
-Clear communication between host and bonded beast.
-Emotions are shared bidirectionally; host and bonded beast can feel each other’s pain, intent, rage, and instinct.
-Soul-bonded beasts cannot be commanded. They retain full independence and autonomy. Loyalty must be earned through care, affection, and reciprocated allegiance.
*Benefits of Soul Bonding:
-Ability and Gene Sharing: Host can tap into bonded beasts’ energy and acquire their genes and abilities while bonded. This enables seamless Beast Energy Acquisition without the standard process requirents.
-Exp Generation: Bonded beasts generate Exp for host directly without Pack integration. And every kill made by a bonded beast awards double the base Exp ( 100% bonus)
-Bonded beasts grow stronger as host levels up.
-Host can communicate telepathically with bonded beasts.
*Notes:
-Initial bonding process requires a strong will. Unsuccessful bonding can lead to death.
-Emotional feedback may destabilize or overwhelm host.
-Fatal damage or death of bonded beast causes severe ntal and emotional backlash.
-Gene Sharing is currently unavailable (Unlock at Level 40)
——————
Jayden read through the info carefully his mind reeling. The soul bond pact was even more incredible than Luna had let on. The benefits were too good to be true. Double the standard Exp yield for every kill the sapphire sonic made? That ant F-Rank beasts would net him 40 Exp instead of 20.
But what was even more incredible was the Ability Sharing. He could acquire the Sapphire Sonic’s powers without needing to co in contact with her core.
Just then, the beast purred. But instead of an animalistic sound, a soft, childlike feminine voice echoed directly in his mind.
Master?
Jayden’s eyes widened. This must be the clear communication the system was talking about. It was like a universal translator had been installed in his brain.
"Hey," he whispered back aloud. "I’m Jayden. Not master. You don’t have to call that."
The Sonic tilted her head, her glowing blue eyes blinking slowly as she processed the information. Then she nudged his hand.
Master. She said again.
"Okay," Jayden let out a tired chuckle. "Master it is."
Suddenly, her deanor shifted entirely. She pounced forward, planting her heavy paws on his chest and letting out a series of demanding, low growls. And what arrived in his head from the growl was:
Crystals. More Crystals. Master give crystals.
Jayden blinked, stunned by the sheer duality of the creature. She was an engine of absolute destruction, yet her ntal state was remarkably akin to a demanding toddler.
He pulled five beast crystals from his inventory and held them up. She snapped them out of his palm, crunching through the dense minerals like they were hard candy, chewing each one with complete satisfaction.
Jayden watched her, a smile forming on his face. He’d finally done it. He’d made this beautifully majestic bundle of joy and destruction his ally.
It wasn’t exactly taming like he’d imagined. But it was close... and definitely better.
Just then a new notification appeared.
[New Tab Available: Bonded Beasts]
[Would you like to explore the new tab?]
Jayden opened the interface without hesitation.
1.) Sapphire Sonic (Unnad)
*Species: Sapphire Sonic
*Class: Legendary
*Rank: A
*HP: 1,200,000 / 1,200,000
*Ability: Super Speed (Speed Force)
*Options:
| (Locked)
[Please select a na for the newly bonded beast]
Jayden looked at the prompt, then looked down at the beast happily licking crystal dust off her paws. He thought back to her mories... to the mont she left the planet she was being hunted on. She had run so fast across the atmosphere—literally running on air molecules... that it looked as though she were flying through the clouds.
"Skye," Jayden said softly into the quiet mall.
[Na confird: Skye]
The beast paused, her ears perking up. She purred loudly, the vibrations humming in Jayden’s mind.
? Master na Skye?
Jayden smiled and nodded. "Yes. You are Skye."
The sapphire sonic exploded into motion, quite literally. She imdiately began jumping around him in a literal blur of blue light, her childlike joy overwhelming their ntal link.
Yay! Master na Skye! I am Skye!
Jayden laughed. It was fascinating. She was physically massive and incredibly lethal, yet her ntal state was entirely that of a child. She was really still just a cub.
He was about to explore the Ability Acquisition tab, when his enhanced hearing picked up the distinct, cautious crunch of glass underfoot near the main concourse.
He focused more on the sound until he could hear it; Three heartbeats. Moving together. And approaching his location.
Jayden imdiately stood up, his posture rigid. "Skye, go," he spoke using their telepathic link. "Find sowhere to hide, quickly."
Okay, master! she chirped, before vanishing into the shadows of a nearby clothing outlet in a silent streak of blue.
A few seconds later, a hesitant, terrified voice echoed across the atrium.
"Jayden?"
He turned to see Tasha, Jessica, and Cassandra standing at the edge of the blast radius. They hadn’t fled the mall entirely; they had waited in the periter to make sure he survived.
The mont they saw him standing amidst the rubble, alive, they broke into a sprint. They hit him in a combined, desperate hug, burying their faces in his jacket. Jayden hesitated for a second before wrapping his arms around them, grounding himself in their presence.
"I’m glad to see you guys too." He said with a smile.
When they finally pulled away, Cassandra took a step back, her eyes tracing the lines of his dark tactical suit. "So... you really are the masked vigilante." She let out a shaky breath. "I had my suspicions when I saw the news reports, but I wasn’t too sure until Tasha called your na earlier."
Jayden rubbed the back of his neck, his expression tight. "Yeah. It’s . I really wish you guys didn’t have to find out like this."
Jessica scoffed, folding her arms over her chest, though her eyes were still rimd with red. "Please. Tasha and I already knew. Did you really think we bought that terrible excuse you gave Dad the other day?"
Tasha stepped forward. She looked down at the incinerated, unrecognizable remains of Tazer, and a visible shudder ran through her. "I actually hoped we were wrong, Jayden. Look at what happened here," she motioned to the visible wreckage around them. "These n didn’t co to rob the mall. It was a trap, specifically designed to lure you out." She looked up at him, her eyes pleading. "Why are you even doing this? Do you really have to play the hero? It’s too dangerous."
Cassandra looked away, her voice dropping to a guilty whisper. "I think... I think he’s doing it because of ," she muttered softly. "After he killed that pioneer and saved from that facility, the syndicate must have started digging into him. He’s going after them first so they can’t track him back to us."
Tasha paused, her breath catching. She looked deeply into Jayden’s eyes. "Is that true? You’re doing all this... to protect us?"
Jayden t her gaze and nodded firmly. "It’s the only way to ensure they never harm you guys. I can’t let them have the initiative." He turned to Cassie. "And don’t bla yourself for what’s happening. This was my decision. I knew exactly what I was stepping into the mont I made contact with Big T."
All three girls furrowed their brows in unison.
"Who the hell is Big T?" Jessica asked.
Jayden winced internally. He had slipped. "Nobody," he said quickly. "It’s not important right now. What’s important is that you guys trust , and you don’t breathe a word of this to anyone. Can you do that?"
Tasha stared at him for a long, heavy mont before letting out a defeated sigh. "Fine. We support you. But I swear to God, Jayden, if you die playing vigilante, I will kill you myself."
Jayden offered a weak, grateful smile. "Noted."
"If you ever need my help, Jayden, you let know," Cassandra added, her tone fiercely serious. "I owe you my life."
"Thanks, Cassie," Jayden said. He turned to check on Jessica, but she wasn’t paying attention to the conversation anymore. Her eyes were fixed on the ruined storefront of a high-end boutique behind them.
"Um... guys?" Jessica murmured, slowly pointing a trembling finger toward the ruined storefront behind Jayden. "Is it just , or is that a beast hiding behind that headless mannequin?"
Tasha and Cassandra followed her gaze. There, peeking awkwardly out from behind a toppled rack of designer coats, was Skye. She was doing a remarkably terrible job of hiding, her bright blue eyes locked onto the group, projecting an aura of intense curiosity.
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