Chapter 10: The Island of Misfit Beasts
The incident at the Glitch Portal had changed the atmosphere at the Academy. Leo was no longer just a talented noble; he was a variable that the government couldn't calculate. While the Research Bureau lurked in the shadows, Leo focused on his newest acquisition: the Breeder's Domain.
Entering the Domain was like stepping into a pristine, untouched world. Within his consciousness, Leo stood upon a grassy hill overlooking a vast valley.
[Breeder's Domain: Level 1]
Current Population: 1 (Grim)
Special Features: Spirit Spring (Accelerated Healing), Soil of Potential (Nurtures rare herbs).
System Task: Rescue and Contract "Flawed" beasts to unlock the Path of the Myriad.
"This isn't just a ranch," Leo realized, walking toward the Spirit Spring. "It's a laboratory where I can ignore the rules of the outside world."
The Auction of the "Broken"
To fill his Domain, Leo didn't go to the high-end beast emporiums where his brother shopped. Instead, he dragged a still-recovering Jud Gus to the Lower District Salvage Market.
This was where guilds dumped beasts that had failed to evolve, were born with "defects," or had been wounded in the Portals. To the world, this was a graveyard of broken tools. To Leo, it was a goldmine of hidden potential.
"Leo, why are we here?" Jud asked, shivering. "The air smells like wet fur and despair. My Stone-Toad is literally hiding in my pocket."
"Because, Jud," Leo said, his Eye of Truth scanning the cages. "The 'perfect' beasts have already reached their peak. But the broken ones? They have room to grow."
Leo stopped in front of a cage containing a Shadow-Hawk with a mangled wing. Next to it was a Frost-Salamander that couldn't produce cold, and a Twin-Headed Snake where one head appeared to be asleep.
Then, his eyes locked onto a creature in the corner—a Crystal-Tortoise whose shell was shattered, exposing its soft, pulsing mana-core. It was dying.
[Target: Shattered Crystal-Tortoise]
[Status: Critical Mana Leak / Abandoned]
[Hidden Lineage: Diamond World-Bearer (Dormant)]
[Evolution Path: Requires 'Glitch-Essence' and 'Spirit Spring' immersion.]
"How much for the tortoise?" Leo asked the dealer.
The dealer, a greasy man with a cigar, laughed. "That piece of junk? It won't last the night. Give me 10 Spirit Stones for the 'disposal fee' and it's yours."
Leo paid without hesitating. He then pointed to the Shadow-Hawk and the Frost-Salamander. "I'll take those too."
The First Group Evolution
Back at the Heart Estate, Leo retreated to his private training grounds and transferred the three "misfits" into the Breeder's Domain.
The moment they entered the Spirit Spring, the animals let out cries of relief. The tortured Crystal-Tortoise floated in the glowing water, its shattered shell beginning to knit together with threads of violet light—a gift from Grim's leftovers.
[DING!]
[Commencing 'Collective Breeding'...]
Step 1: Use Sovereign's Mirror to bridge the Shadow-Hawk's speed to the Frost-Salamander.
Step 2: Infuse the Shadow-Essence from the Grotto into the Hawk's broken wing.
Leo worked through the night. He wasn't just healing them; he was cross-breeding their attributes using the System's unique interface.
"Grim, help them," Leo commanded.
The Primordial Storm-Turtle stood at the edge of the spring, acting as a lightning rod. He channeled soft pulses of ancestral energy into the water.
The results were staggering:
The Shadow-Hawk's wing didn't just heal; it turned into a wing of "Dark-Phase Matter," allowing it to fly through solid objects.
The Frost-Salamander's internal temperature plummeted, turning it into a Sub-Zero Drake.
The Crystal-Tortoise... its shell didn't just reform. It grew into a fortress of translucent diamond, vibrating with the same "Static" energy as the Glitch Portal.
[Domain Level Up! Level 1 -> 2]
[New Feature Unlocked: 'The Breeding Table' – Allows for the creation of Custom Beast Food.]
A Friend's Transformation
"Leo... what did you do?"
Jud had snuck in to check on his friend and was staring at the three legendary-looking beasts now lounging in the Domain (which Leo was projecting onto a wall-screen).
"I showed them their true path," Leo said, wiping sweat from his brow. "And now, it's your turn. Bring me your Stone-Toad."
"My Toad? But he's just... a C-rank support pet."
"Not anymore." Leo's eyes glowed gold. "Your Toad has a 'Weight' attribute. I'm going to combine it with the remains of the Obsidian Golem we killed. We're going to turn him into a Titan-Crag Toad."
Jud hesitated, then placed the small, bumpy toad in Leo's hands. "Do it. I don't want to be the guy who has to be rescued anymore. I want to stand beside you."
Leo smiled. "That's the spirit."
As the evolution light began to swallow the Toad, Leo received a sudden, urgent ping from his System.
[WARNING!]
[External Interference Detected!]
[A 'Master-Rank' Seeker has placed a tracking spell on the Heart Estate.]
[The Research Bureau is moving in. Estimated Arrival: 10 minutes.]
Leo looked at the half-evolved Toad, then at the gates of the estate. He wasn't ready for a full-scale war with the government yet.
"Jud," Leo said, his voice dropping to a serious tone. "Pack your bags. We aren't staying for the Academy finals. We're going into the Expedition Zone early."
"What? That's suicide!"
"No," Leo said, looking at his army of "misfits" who were now radiating power. "For the others, it's a suicide mission. For a Breeder, it's a shopping trip."