Ren had begun to glow, but it wasn't the normal glow of a tamer. The lines of light coursing through his body seemed to respond to the Qilin's pressure, as if something inside him recognized the power.
And then it appeared.
The tiny mushroom manifested atop Ren's head, its large eyes observing Victor with what seemed like... hunger?
The expression was so unexpected on its chubby, childlike face that for a moment no one quite knew how to react.
The adults froze in place. The creature was absurd with its round cheeks and tiny arms, but there was something about it that didn't match any known beast. A quality that defied classification.
The spore evolution they knew was different, much larger and thinner. This was something else entirely.
But then something even stranger occurred.
The energy flooding the room began to swirl, as if drawn to an invisible point. The lines of light in Ren's body pulsed with ancient power.
The director and Julius also felt their beasts resonate involuntarily, the phoenix and the Qilin responding to the pressure of power far older than themselves.
The tiny creature opened its chubby mouth and... began to absorb.
Victor's Qilin's power, instead of pressing outward, started flowing toward the mushroom like water into a drain. The intimidating energy transformed as it was consumed, becoming purer, closer to the Qilin's true nature: benevolence, wisdom, compassion.
The director's phoenix resonated as well, its energy of regeneration and life being absorbed and purified until only its essence remained.
For a brief instant, in Victor's eyes, the small mushroom seemed to grow, becoming majestic and enormous, like an existence that had witnessed the birth of the world itself. Ancient wisdom peered through those oversized eyes.
The prince stepped back, his eyes widening in surprise when his beast reacted not with aggression but with... reverence?
The lines in Ren's body glowed more intensely as new energies flowed through his system. He could feel the changes: 10% more in fire control and regeneration, courtesy of the phoenix. Also 10% in earth control and vitality from the qilin.
Two slight improvements and two that, curiously, he couldn't use... yet.
The mushroom, satisfied with its feast of power, opened its mouth again... but Ren felt that now it was to speak.
Ren, snapping out of his amazement, rushed to cover its mouth with his hand.
"Mmph!" the creature protested, its cheeks puffing up adorably, as if it hadn't just defied every known law about beasts and mana control.
The adults observed in silence, their minds struggling to process what they had just witnessed. Victor especially seemed to be fighting between indignation and a strange sensation of respect he couldn't explain.
"What... what just happened?" Wei finally managed to ask.
Victor took another step back. "What in hell is that?"
"Nothing," Ren responded quickly while wrestling with his mushroom. "Just my spore... My... first beast?"
"Another new beast path..." Wei muttered, his face pale. "And I could swear it looked like it was going to speak... I must be delirious... yes, delirious..."
"It wasn't going to speak," Ren lied blatantly while the mushroom continued struggling against his hand.
Fortunately, everyone was so distracted by his beast that no one noticed the lie in his eyes.
Ren smiled nervously while keeping his mushroom's mouth firmly closed.
Julius leaned forward, fascinated. "That's not a normal beast."
"Definitely not a spore anymore," Zhao added.
"It's just a new cultivation path for the mushroom," Ren insisted. "A very normal and common mushroom that doesn't..."
The creature bit his hand in protest.
"Ow!" Ren shook his injured hand while the mushroom opened its mouth again.
Just then, someone knocked on the door.
Ren took advantage to force his beast back into his body.
The mushroom disappeared instantly, but left behind the strange regal atmosphere it had created. The lines in Ren's body faded, though he could feel the new power percentages settling into his system.
The five adults stared at the empty space, each trying to rationalize what they had seen. Victor's Qilin stirred restlessly, as if remembering something important it couldn't express.
"Come in," the director managed to say, his voice betraying his bewilderment.
Lin entered first, her crane manifesting and slightly enhancing her elegant posture. However, that elegance evaporated when she saw Ren.
"Ren!" she launched herself at him, trapping him in a hug that squeezed all the air from his lungs.
"Hiiiii!" the high-pitched sound that escaped Ren made Victor arch an eyebrow.
"I brought reinforcements," Lin whispered in his ear taking advantage of the noise while squeezing him, though her expression turned worried as she indicated someone else had come. "But there was an unwanted visitor in her office..."
Behind her, Selphira Ashenway entered with the grace that only decades of power can bestow. Liora's grandmother, leader of one of the three main families, observed the scene with astute eyes.
"Well, well," she smiled while approaching. "Why are so many important adults bothering a poor child?"
"We're not bothering him," Zhao and Julius responded almost in unison.
Wei sank deeper into his chair, as if wanting to disappear. The director straightened, adopting a formal posture.
"Lady Selphira," he greeted with a bow. "We weren't expecting..."
"Of course not," she interrupted him kindly. Behind her, another figure entered the room.
Sirius Starweaver, Luna's father, remained near the door, his expression cold and distant. His eyes barely rested on Ren before returning to Selphira.
"This doesn't concern you," Victor complained. "With all respect, persistent old counselor, this isn't your problem. We're just teaching the lucky boy that fortune isn't always something good."
"Luck?" Sirius showed a flash of interest. "What kind of luck?"
"He'll be made noble," Julius responded, studying Luna's father's reaction.
"Is he already a gold student?" Sirius asked, his tone suggesting the answer would determine if he was worth his time and interest.
"Not yet," Zhao and Julius responded simultaneously, exchanging an amused look at the coincidence.
The interest in Sirius's eyes died as quickly as it had appeared. "Selphira, we should continue our discussion. This is..."
"One moment," Selphira raised a hand. "Why don't you go see your daughter while I help my niece Lin resolve this situation? I'll catch up later to see my granddaughter Liora."
The temperature in the room seemed to drop several degrees.
"My daughter is being properly educated at the institution, I didn't come to distract her," Sirius responded with an icy voice. "We have more important matters that..."
"More important than your daughter, who was almost kidnapped?" Selphira's smile didn't waver, but her eyes flashed dangerously.
"Luna is strong," Sirius responded dryly. "She doesn't need coddling."
Lin squeezed Ren tighter, as if wanting to protect him from the tense atmosphere that had formed.
But quickly they felt their bodies relax... Breathing in the atmosphere that the mushroom had created.
"Fascinating," Selphira commented, feeling the atmosphere. "Well, since you insist on staying then you can wait..." she turned to Victor. "What were you saying about teaching lessons to my future protégé?"