As soon as Umbra and Scry sensed him, they rushed forward.

  Kai stepped out of the room and saw them hurrying to greet him.

  He smiled, warmth blooming in his chest.

  “Hey, you two,” he said, grinning as they stopped before him.

  “Don’t you grin at me like that! It’s been ten days, and we’ve been worried sick!” Scry yelled.

  Umbra nodded, though her face betrayed her true feelings. She was beyond happy to see Kai well.

  “Welcome back, Kai. Scry missed you,” she said gently.

  “Oh, shut up,” Scry snapped. “I thought you were going to kill yourself if he didn’t wake up soon.”

  Umbra snorted and whipped the spirit with her tail.

  Kai burst into laughter.

  “I’m sorry I worried you. But I’m fine now, more than fine, actually,” he said, touched by their concern.

  “Umbra, how are you? Everything okay?” he asked, a hint of worry in his voice.

  “Actually, I feel amazing,” Umbra replied, her tone bright. “The mana you poured into me healed me completely. Not only that, it brought me closer to Tier 8. I should break through soon.”

  “That’s great, but be careful. Don’t rush your breakthroughs… please.”

  His eyes darkened slightly, a flicker of his past life as a wolf surfacing.

  “Don’t worry, I agree. This bloody situation taught me a lesson. I’ll reach Tier 8 naturally,” she said, smiling and nudging him with her beak.

  “Hey, what’s that?” Scry interrupted, spotting Kai’s forearm.

  He flew closer to inspect it. “Wow, it contains pure fire mana… with some lightning mixed in. But wait, you have a spirit inside. A lesser spirit!”

  He zipped around Kai, scanning him with growing astonishment.

  “Your soul! It contains part of the wolf, and it’s completely merged with you and your serpent spirit. How is that possible?”

  “You even managed to make a contract with a fire spirit?” He hovered two centimeters from Kai’s nose. “Tell me, tell me!”

  Umbra also leaned in, sensing something different about Kai.

  “The ability unlocked by the first page of the Grimoire lets me deal soul-level damage,” Kai explained. “Combined with my Urobors skill, I can devour the souls of those struck by it.

  After I killed the wolf, my soul serpent consumed the last sane part of his soul. It merged with me. I absorbed his memories, and I think I can even access some of his spells now.”

  He paused, then continued, “But the most important part is that the wolf’s spirit willingly offered itself.

  With the Grimoire’s influence, his soul was reborn as part of me, a fire spirit. His fire mana is stronger because my tree absorbed the lightning part of his soul. Once he awakens, he should be part of me like my serpent… but I have a feeling he could be more.”

  “That makes no sense,” Scry said, eyes wide. “But what else should I expect from you except something world-shaking?

  You’re telling me you absorbed the soul of a divine beast and created a fire spirit, artificially connecting to the fire element?”

  “Oh, this is beyond anything anyone could’ve imagined. I need to inspect you further. You’re such a good test subject. Hohoho!” he laughed joyfully.

  Umbra smiled, sensing it was a good thing, but something still bothered her.

  “Kai… why do I feel like our mana is slightly connected now?” she asked.

  “Wait, what?” Kai scanned their bond. Indeed, mana flowed from the world inside him through their connection, and back from Umbra. Their bodies were now transmitting mana to each other.

  “Oho! Now that I can explain!” Scry jumped in. “Your soulbond evolved when Kai poured massive amounts of mana through it. It trained your bodies to share mana reserves. This is the natural next step for soul-bonded companions. It’s actually why humans form soulbonds with beasts, it makes both stronger.”

  He floated in front of them. “Congratulations! You’re now truly connected in every way.”

  Kai placed his hand on Umbra’s head and smiled.

  “This way, I can help you in more ways. It’s great.”

  Umbra nodded, her heart skipping a beat.

  The generals, alerted by the commotion, entered the hall with urgency, eager to meet the one who had saved them.

  As they stepped inside, each bowed their head in respect. Behind them, the towering mammoth lord followed suit, lowering his massive head solemnly.

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  Mammoth was the first to speak.

  “I see you’ve recovered, our savior. It brings me great joy to see you well. If you need anything, do not hesitate to ask; we owe you our lives.”

  Kai nodded calmly.

  “There’s no need. I helped because the dragon asked me to, and we were already planning to fight the wolf.”

  Mammoth’s voice grew firmer.

  “It doesn’t matter. You saved us. We owe you.”

  Kai smiled faintly.

  “Alright then. Let us stay here for a while, if that’s acceptable. And if you could help train Umbra, she should break through to Tier 8 soon; that should be enough.”

  “Not enough,” Mammoth declared. “I’ll give you a storage full of mana crystals, and another filled with mana fruits and herbs.”

  Kai chuckled.

  “Fine, fine. Agreed.”

  The other four generals hesitated, wanting to speak but feeling ashamed.

  Scry flew toward them, grinning.

  “Go on, you wanted to meet him. Don’t be shy now.”

  The gorilla stepped forward, his arm slowly regenerating.

  “I’d like to spar with you once I’ve recovered, if you don’t mind.”

  “No problem. I’d like that,” Kai replied with a warm smile.

  The old turtle coughed gently.

  “I sense strong water mana in you. I’d be honored to teach you a few things about it, as repayment. What do you say, young warrior?”

  Kai’s eyes lit up.

  “That would be amazing. I lack knowledge the most.”

  Then came the jaguar, her eyes locked onto Kai.

  “You are very strong. We would have powerful offspring. I will treat you well. What do you say?”

  Before Kai could respond, the spider general wrapped the jaguar in a cocoon of web and dragged her away.

  “We apologize for the jaguar,” the turtle said, chuckling. “She’s very fond of strong males.”

  Kai stood frozen, his body shivering.

  “What… did she just say?”

  Scry collapsed to the ground, laughing uncontrollably.

  Umbra sighed. She had gotten to know the female jaguar over the past few days. Explosive and honest, the jaguar was indeed searching for a strong mate.

  ***

  Days passed slowly within the castle walls.

  Umbra spent her time alongside the other generals, deepening her understanding of mana control and bloodline powers. She absorbed mana from crystals and sparred most often with the jaguar, their duels fierce and frequent under the jungle sun.

  Kai, meanwhile, devoted himself to training with the old turtle, the Azureshell Turtle, a legendary wielder of the water element. Under his guidance, Kai unlocked the deeper secrets of water magic.

  Control became second nature; his spells grew sharper, faster, and more fluid. Even Azureshell was astonished; Kai could activate spell formulas with a speed that surpassed his own.

  Scry, ever curious, spent his days listening to tales of the jungle’s history. The Mammoth lord spoke of ancient battles, forgotten beasts, and even of Scry’s old master, stories that filled Scry with joy and nostalgia.

  ….

  A few days later, Silver Gorilla fully restored his arm. His body, attuned to metal mana, allowed him to regrow limbs using a technique similar to liquid metal. Once healed, he challenged Kai to a spar.

  With a roar, the gorilla activated his bloodline ability. Mana surged through his veins, and two additional pairs of arms erupted from his sides, each one thick and powerful. His body expanded, his aura flaring with ancient strength.

  Kai’s eyes narrowed. He activated Crescent Moon, and his body shimmered with silver light. Lightning mana surged through his limbs, crackling beneath his skin, enhancing his reflexes and speed.

  Then they clashed.

  Fist met fist. Elbow met jaw. The ground trembled beneath their blows.

  Kai ducked under a six-armed barrage, his body weaving like water, then countered with a lightning-infused uppercut that sent the gorilla staggering. But the beast recovered instantly, grabbing Kai with two arms and slamming him into the earth.

  Kai jumped backward, landing on his feet, and launched a flurry of strikes, each one precise, each one enhanced by the moon’s grace and the storm’s fury.

  The gorilla roared, his fists pounding like war drums. Kai absorbed the blows, his body reinforced by moonlight.

  The fight raged on, brutal, primal, beautiful.

  Kai learned with every strike. The gorilla’s technique was raw but refined, born of countless battles. Kai adapted, his movements growing sharper, his counters more fluid.

  Finally, with a burst of speed, Kai slipped past the gorilla’s guard and delivered a thunderous punch to his chest. The beast staggered, then dropped to one knee.

  Breathing heavily, the gorilla looked up and smiled.

  “You’re strong,” he said, voice filled with respect. “Stronger than me. I concede.”

  After that day, they sparred almost daily. Kai absorbed countless techniques from the ape, refining his close-combat skills. Yet, despite his efforts, the gorilla never managed to best him.

  ***

  A month later, Umbra broke through to Tier 8.

  She was now the strongest beast in the jungle, second only to the Holy Tusk mammoth. Pride radiated from her, rightfully so. Thanks to the Thunderfire mana Kai had fed her, her darkfire evolved further. Lightning and heat fused into her essence, amplifying her spells and making her attacks deadlier than ever. Though she hadn’t awakened any new bloodline abilities, her power had undeniably evolved.

  The time to say goodbye to the jungle was drawing near.

  Kai had experienced much since his arrival: hardship, growth, and transformation. Umbra had changed, too. He was nearly eighteen now, and this would be his first birthday spent far from his family, far from Earth.

  Yet in this new world, he had found something unexpected: friendship, kinship, and a sense of belonging. Umbra and Scry his new family, and the jungle generals, strange and powerful as they were, had become his friends as well.

  They were honest, true to themselves, even the mad wolf had his own kind of integrity. Kai had grown, not just in strength, but in spirit. He was no longer the boy who had arrived from Earth. He had become a capable young man.

  Once the decision to leave took root in his heart, he spoke with Umbra and Scry. Both agreed, it was time.

  Kai sought out the Holy Tusk mammoth to ask about the test. The dragon had said the jungle lord would know what to do.

  As expected, Tusk knew everything.

  “The test Lord Arthraxius entrusted to me is straightforward,” the mammoth rumbled. “There is a magetech artifact that maintains the barrier around the mountain region, keeping the jungle sealed. To leave, one must either be a Divine Beast or prove they are as strong as one.”

  He paused, letting the weight of his words settle.

  “This test and the barrier were not always here. They were created later, as part of the dragon’s rules. Once a beast becomes Divine, they must leave the jungle. Only I, as the jungle lord, may remain to preserve balance.”

  Kai listened intently.

  “To pass, you must fight a copy of yourself, one imbued with mana equal to that of a Divine Beast. If you win, you may leave. If not, you must stay until you are strong enough to succeed. The same applies to Umbra, as she is still a Spirit Beast.”

  Kai nodded solemnly.

  “When you’re ready, I’ll take you to the testing grounds,” Tusk said. “But first, come with me. Lord Dragon left something for you.”

  Kai followed the towering beast, Umbra, close behind, and Scry fluttering cheerfully at their side.

  They arrived in a dimly lit underground chamber. The air was thick with ancient mana, and the walls pulsed faintly with embedded glyphs. In the center of the room floated a massive mirror, its ivory frame etched with glowing runes. As they approached, a draconic eye appeared within the glass, its gaze piercing through them.

  “Thank you, Tusk,” came the deep, resonant voice of the dragon. “You three, come to my hall. I need to speak with all of you.”

  Before any of them could respond, a red light enveloped Kai, Umbra, and Scry. In an instant, they vanished, leaving the Holy Tusk mammoth alone in the chamber.