The abandoned alleyway had become their temporary sanctuary. Jace sat against the cold brick wall, his breathing still laboured from the Spirit strain of sustaining Kiri's dramatically improved stats. The Seraph stood a few feet away, her posture rigid but no longer defensive. The golden light in her eyes had intensified, no longer the dull flicker of a dying ember but a steady, watchful flame.
Jace studied her carefully. The instant stat jump had been more violent than he'd anticipated. His Spirit of 45 was being stretched to its absolute limit, like a thin wire bearing far too much weight. The forced feedback was a constant, low throb behind his eyes, a warning that he was operating at the edge of his capacity. But the gamble had worked. Kiri was no longer at death's door. She was functional, powerful even, and most importantly, she was listening.
'We need to establish a training regimen,' Jace said, his voice still carrying that strange mixture of Jace's youthful tone and the Prince's absolute authority. 'The Academy trials are in seven days. Your current stats are solid for a Mid Rare Tier beast, but we need you higher. Much higher.'
Kiri tilted her head slightly, her first real gesture of engagement. 'You speak as though you know exactly what I am capable of becoming,' she said quietly. Her voice was beautiful, musical even, but there was an edge to it. The edge of someone who had been broken and was learning, cautiously, to trust again.
'I do,' Jace confirmed. He stood slowly, his legs unsteady. The Constitution of 40 was making itself painfully known. 'Seraphs are the apex of one on one combat when properly cultivated. Your Speed stat is already your strongest attribute. That's your primary weapon. We're going to refine it until you can move faster than anything in your tier can track.'
Kiri's expression shifted, something between scepticism and desperate hope. 'And my wings?'
'The Wing-Marrow Opal,' Jace repeated. 'It exists. It's located in a contested zone called the Wild Continent, specifically near the borders of the Seraph Nation. It's dangerous, heavily guarded, and we're nowhere near strong enough to retrieve it yet. But it is the goal. Everything we do from this moment forward is in service of two objectives: get you strong enough to survive the journey, and get me the resources to make that journey possible.'
The Seraph was silent for a long moment, processing his words. Finally, she nodded once, a sharp, decisive movement. 'Then we begin training. Now.'
Jace allowed himself a small, grim smile. 'Not quite yet. First, we eat again. Your body is still recovering from prolonged malnourishment. We push too hard too fast, and you'll collapse. The forced feedback will knock me unconscious, and we'll both wake up in a conscription camp.'
He reached into the small satchel he'd carried and produced the remaining components he'd purchased. More of the spirit herbs, a few strips of dried, iron-rich meat, and a small vial of distilled essence extracted from common minerals. It was all cheap, readily available to anyone who knew what to look for. But the combination, the precise ratios, that was the royal knowledge at work.
'This will hurt,' Jace warned as he prepared the mixture. 'Your body is going to process these nutrients faster than normal because of our contract bond. The Royal Stat Floor amplifies the efficiency of everything you consume. It's going to feel like your insides are on fire for about ten minutes.'
Kiri took the prepared meal without hesitation. She consumed it quickly, efficiently, and then her entire body went rigid. Jace saw the moment the pain hit. Her jaw clenched, her hands balled into fists, and a thin sheen of sweat broke out across her pale skin. But she didn't cry out. She didn't collapse. She endured it with the silent, absolute discipline of someone who had survived far worse.
Jace watched, his own body echoing a faint, dull version of her discomfort through the contract link. The forced feedback was a double edged sword. It meant he felt her pain, her exhaustion, her injuries. But it also meant he knew, instantly and intimately, the exact state of her condition at all times.
Ten minutes passed. Kiri's breathing steadied. The tension in her body released, and she opened her eyes. The change was visible even without checking the system readout. Her skin had more colour. Her posture was stronger. The faint, celestial glow that emanated from her core was brighter, steadier.
System: Beast Stats Updated
Beast: Kiri (Wingless Seraph)
Condition: Stable, High Rare Tier Baseline
Stats: Power 275, Spirit 280, Constitution 270, Speed 295
Jace exhaled slowly, relief flooding through him. The second feeding had pushed her firmly into High Rare territory. Her Speed stat of 295 was now dangerously close to the theoretical ceiling for the Rare Tier, which capped at 300. With the Royal Stat Floor's 20 to 30 percent performance advantage, she was already fighting at the level of a Low Epic beast in terms of raw speed.
'How do you feel?' Jace asked.
Kiri flexed her hands, testing her renewed strength. 'Stronger. Faster. The pain was worth it.' She looked at him directly, her golden eyes sharp and assessing. 'You were correct. The knowledge you possess is not normal. Who are you, really?'
Jace met her gaze, and for a moment, he considered telling her the truth. That he was a reincarnated Prince, that his bloodline had once ruled nations, that the current world was built on the corpse of his family's legacy. But the truth was too dangerous, too complex, and too unbelievable. Not yet. Not until he'd proven himself beyond any doubt.
'I'm a summoner who refuses to fail,' he said simply. 'And you're a Seraph who refuses to die. That's all that matters right now.'
Kiri studied him for a moment longer, then nodded slowly. 'Very well. Then let us begin. What is the first step?'
Jace allowed himself a brief moment of satisfaction. The contract was no longer just a transactional bond between a desperate summoner and a dying beast. It was becoming something more. A partnership built on mutual need, yes, but also on a shared, unspoken understanding that they were both outcasts fighting for survival in a world that had already written them off.
'The first step,' Jace said, 'is rest. We've pushed your body hard twice in one day. Tomorrow, we train. We have six days left before the Academy trials. By the time we step into that arena, you're going to be the most dangerous Rare Tier beast anyone has ever seen.'
Kiri's lips curved into the faintest hint of a smile. It was the first time Jace had seen any expression other than pain or wariness on her face. 'Good. I look forward to proving you correct, master.'
Jace turned and led the way deeper into the alley, searching for a more secure location to rest. The city around them continued its indifferent bustle, unaware that in a forgotten corner, a failed summoner and a broken Seraph had just taken their first real step toward something far greater than survival.
The night was cool, and Jace's body ached from the sustained Spirit strain. But for the first time since waking in this weak, debt ridden shell, he felt something other than shame and rage. He felt purpose. The climb had begun, and failure was no longer an option.