Logan felt the tiger finally relent.
The resistance in its mind faded, and with it, the tension in its muscles.
He didn't want to crush such a noble spirit. He hadn't come here to break the beast—only to form a bond.
So he lifted his foot and stepped back, releasing the pressure. The moment the mental link solidified between them, the tiger spoke.
The voice came through, heavy and resigned. It sighed, as if finally letting go.
"Right," Logan said, cracking a small smile. "You made it hard, though."
He crouched down beside the beast, conjuring healing light in his palm. "Here. Eat this," he added, sliding over more meat and one of the light crystals.
"I'll fix that arm of yours."
The glow from his spell wrapped gently around the tiger's fractured limb, slowly mending torn muscle and cracked bone.
After he transferred the mana from the light-elemental crystals, one by one, watching its strength rise with each pulse of energy while the tiger kept eating its large steaks.
Logan could feel it — the creature was approaching the threshold of evolution.
He wondered briefly why such a powerful beast had been so under-leveled compared to the wild monsters near the fire temple.
The city built around the Temple of Light — the humans must've nurtured only the creatures they wanted, killing off the rest, tiger.
"It's no wonder I can't find a decent creature to tame," Logan muttered with a sigh. Still, he looked at the tiger expectantly.
Finally, a few minutes of rest and having filled its stomach the tiger began to stretch. It rose, full and brimming with light mana.
Logan handed it one final mana crystal — the last piece it needed to gain it's next level.
With a low growl and a rising hum of energy, the tiger roared as it drained the crystals contents.
Light surged around its body, forcing Logan to shield his eyes with one arm.
The ground trembled faintly as the beast's form began to shift.
Moments later, the light receded.
And standing where the saber-toothed tiger had once been a new beast — taller by a full meter, its broader body now nearly three meters in length.
Its dark golden stripes pulsed with steady brilliance, no longer just flickering only when it attacked.
The power the strips held now was constant, their light overpowering even the sun's overhead as the tiger tried to show off.
Logan smiled feeling the tiger thought himself a god now, even though he was just at level 40. The boy then pulled up its updated status window to check on the new skills it gained.
Name: Lucent / Species: Grand Saberlight Tiger / Level: 40 / Blood Mark: Right Shoulder / Loyalty: 7/100
Str: 53 / Agi: 49 / Dex: 45 / Con: 39 / Int: 37 / Char: 36
Radiant Slash: Lucent charges its claws with condensed light energy, slashing with blinding speed. Each strike deals light-elemental damage and may leave enemies dazed.
Solar Pounce: In a burst of radiant power, Lucent leaps high and crashes down on a target, stunning or knocking them back with explosive force upon impact.
Prism Fang: Biting with empowered light, Lucent's fangs bypass conventional armor and sear through magic-based defenses.
Gleamstep: Allows Lucent to vanish and reappear within a short range, leaving behind a blinding flash that disrupts enemy vision and tracking.
New Luminous Roar:* Emits a sacred roar that inspires nearby allies, increasing their resistance to dark magic while weakening foes aligned with shadow or corruption.
New Halo Crest:* A radiant aura forms around Lucent, reducing damage from projectiles and lightening movement. Can deflect low-tier spells and increase agility for nearby allies.
New Divine Breaker:* Lucent channels light into its limbs and unleashes a high-speed, multi-strike assault that targets enemy weak points. Has a chance to disable limbs or disrupt enemy spellcasting.
The tiger remained quiet.
Logan tilted his head, waiting. He expected some kind of reaction, maybe even a complaint.
But the beast said nothing.
It wasn't that it couldn't speak — Logan could feel it. The bond was there. It just chose not to.
"You alright?" Logan asked, circling it slowly and inspecting its body from every angle.
Aside from the glowing stripes running along its flanks, the tiger now had two tails. Its face, already imposing with fangs nearly fifteen centimeters long, now bore ones that had doubled in size.
[No problem,] the tiger finally replied, its voice low, followed by a faint hiss.
Logan smirked. "Still mad you lost?"
He leaned in a little. "How about it — want a rematch? Or should we wait until you're stronger?"
He could feel it — the tiger's will hadn't faded in the slightest. If anything, it was just... waiting.
Calmer, maybe. But not completely subdued.
Logan chuckled and crouched near its side, reaching to inspect the creature's long claws. They looked to be at least six centimeters long, retractable — and the moment he touched near them, the tiger quickly sheathed them again, as if hiding its weapons.
"Well then, tell me about this place. I'm looking for the strongest monster in this forest."
[Strongest? You can't win.]
The tiger hissed again, almost like a warning.
[Hard to find. Hard to fight. But... I want to taste it.]
Logan raised an eyebrow as he heard the beast gulp audibly.
That reaction alone piqued his interest.
"Yeah? Then maybe start with what it is," Logan said, patting the side of the tiger wanting to see if it's fur was soft.
[Strongest is horned horse. It is like a guardian. Hard to reach. Lives with tiny winged ones. Protects them, they make him stronger.]
Logan blinked, curiosity now thoroughly stirred.
"Tiny winged ones…?" he repeated aloud.
"Why is it hard to reach? Were you just weaker before, or is there more to it?"
[Hard to find,] the tiger replied.
[The winged ones help it. They move the trees. Hide the path. Guide it when it moves to find best grass.]
Before Logan could ask more, the tiger continued—
[Small winged ones…] the tiger said slowly, eyes narrowing as if trying to picture them again. [They look like small humans made of light. Only light. Hard to see them properly.]
It then turned its head toward Logan, locking eyes with him.
He recognized the look immediately — hunger.
The earlier meal hadn't been enough, especially now that the tiger had evolved. Its size, muscle mass, and energy output had increased, and so had its appetite stirred once again after evolution.
Logan chuckled. "Let's go find more creatures then. If you help me, I'll keep feeding you mana stones and fresh meat."
He knew what he was doing — testing the beast's pride.
It might hate being treated like a pet, but Logan wanted it to become more than a tool.
Eventually, he'd be able to morph into his tamed creatures, share their strength — but to do that, he needed trust, not just obedience.
[Will show best prey,] the tiger responded with a growl, its eyes lighting up. [If lucky, we find the horned horse. This time... I will hunt it.]
Logan reached out and patted its shoulder — the same one he had injured earlier.
The tiger flinched slightly, a shiver running down its leg at the memory.
"You'll let me fight it," Logan said, his tone firm but not harsh. "And I'll give you whatever meat you want from my storage after."
He climbed onto the tiger's back. It was large enough now to ride comfortably, and its fur was thick and soft — fluffy enough to sleep on, he thought absently.
The beast growled low but didn't protest.
Then, with a powerful push of its hind legs, the tiger launched forward, paws thudding against the forest floor, its body weaving through the trees with silent grace.
They were going hunting again.
Not just for meat, but for a real challenge.