With the end of the semester approaching, Ren felt a particular satisfaction seeing how the projects in which he had invested so much time were beginning to bear fruit.
The nest he had prepared for Zhao finally showed the egg ready for contracting. The crystalline shell pulsed with a steady rhythm, the energy within reaching optimal levels for emergence.
It was late when Zhao arrived at the room. The professor seemed slightly agitated, as if he had been resolving some urgent matter before coming to their appointment.
"I hope I haven't kept you waiting," he commented while closing the door behind him.
Ren shook his head. "It just reached the critical point a few minutes ago. Your timing is perfect, professor."
The egg, amber-toned with greenish veins, emitted an intermittent glow. Unlike Min's amphibian, whose hatching had been more delicate, this egg showed signs of more intense energy. Small arcs of electricity occasionally danced across its surface, and the air around it felt charged with potential.
"What should I do?" asked Zhao, approaching the nest with barely contained anticipation. His fingers twitched slightly, betraying his eagerness despite his professional demeanor.
"It's as simple as when you contracted your mist owl egg as a child," instructed Ren. "Let some of your mana naturally enter the egg. The raptor needs to recognize you as its tamer before emerging."
Zhao followed the instructions. The moment he touched the crystalline surface of the egg, it responded with a more intense pulse of energy.
The process was surprisingly rapid. A series of crackles traveled across the egg's surface, followed by the appearance of fractures that extended like lightning. Unlike the gelatinous hatching of Min's amphibian, the raptor's egg opened with an explosive movement, crystalline fragments flying in all directions before disintegrating into particles of light.
Where the small egg had been, particles of light grew and disappeared... now stood a reptile approximately the size of a large dog.
Its skin constantly changed color, adapting to its surroundings, but its basic form was unmistakable: an agile, muscular body, powerful hind legs, a long tail for balance, and a triangular head dominated by yellow eyes with vertical pupils that intensely studied Zhao.
"Impressive," Liu murmured as the camouflage raptor tilted its head, recognizing Zhao as its tamer. "Definitely not a 'small' creature like our Min's."
Taro nodded with a knowing air.
"Reptiles generally emerge in more advanced stages of development like my hydra," Ren explained while observing the bond forming between beast and tamer. "Their growth cycles are different from amphibians or insects."
The raptor made an agile leap, landing in front of Zhao. Its size was considerable; the professor observed with fascination how the creature's skin adopted the exact tone of his tunic's fabric.
"The enhancements will be notable," Ren commented. "Forty percent in attack, with an additional thirty percent in defense and speed. All other attributes receive a twenty percent increase..."
"...It's not at the same initial level as Luna's wolf, Larissa's fairy or Liora's will-o'-wisp," Ren reflected, "but it's certainly very close... Like my hydra."
"The professor will have enhancements equivalent to a Gold 1 of Tier 2," Taro understood, his eyes widening slightly at the implications.
Ren nodded. "Your mist owl already provides forty percent increases in attack and speed, which at Silver-3 level means an impressive 240% in those attributes and 120% in the others."
"And with the raptor..." Zhao mentally performed the calculations, his expression shifting as the numbers revealed themselves.
"Your attack will reach 280%, and your speed 270%, with considerable increases in defense and all other attributes as well," Ren completed. Then, he extended two thin books carefully bound by Isaac's hands. "These are for you."
Zhao took the books, examining the meticulously calligraphed titles: "Cultivation of the Camouflage Raptor" and "Maturation of the Mist Owl: Path to True Form."
"The second is for when you're ready for the investment," Ren explained. "It contains all the tips and optimized methods to bring your owl to the first step of its maximum potential in 1000 days."
"About that..." Zhao smiled slightly, "Julius has agreed to cover the costs."
"Really?" Ren couldn't hide his surprise. The maturation of a Silver-3 beast toward its true form required resources that even some nobles would consider prohibitive. The process demanded rare materials from the deepest rings, specialized energy crystals, and constant expert supervision.
Zhao nodded, while the raptor rubbed against his leg, apparently comfortable with its new tamer.
"I was wondering if you've ever considered joining the military forces when you grow up," he commented, shifting the topic slightly. "As a soldier, they could pay for all your cultivations too."
Ren remained thoughtful for a moment. The proposal was tempting from a purely practical standpoint. He mentally calculated what it would cost to bring his mushrooms to complete maturation: special materials, energy 10 times more expensive, rare components from superior beasts... The resulting sum was truly astronomical.
"I appreciate the suggestion, professor," Ren finally responded, "but I don't think military life is for me."
Ren considered his answer for only a moment. "I don't like killing people," he said simply.
Zhao nodded, not seeming surprised by the response, though he mentally registered the structure of the comment, as if it were relevant data for some invisible assessment.
"In any case," Zhao continued, while the raptor cautiously began to explore its new environment, "Julius will not only cover my cultivation. It seems he intends to fund certain research that, according to my calculations, might give you a surprise when the first results start to show."
"What kind of research?" asked Ren, genuinely curious.
"Yours with Wei... I can't reveal all the details now," Zhao responded with a slight smile. "But based on what I've learned about your hundred-day methods, I'd say you could see monetary results in approximately four months."
Ren didn't fully understand what Zhao was referring to, but the mention of his accelerated cultivation methods suggested that someone was taking his theories seriously enough to plan significant resource investment in them.
The possibility that his work might extend beyond the academy walls was both exciting and somewhat intimidating.
"I'm glad you've decided to begin the maturation process for your owl," Ren commented, deciding not to press for more details for the moment. "When it reaches its true form, it will be at the level of a Gold-2 in its main enhancement... three hundred and twenty percent."
"No negligible power," Zhao nodded. "Though it will take almost 3 years, it will be a long time."
"All valuable things do," Ren responded with the practical wisdom that often surprised those who expected the typical naivety of his age.