After the contract was completed.
The Ember Shade Fox turned into a beam of light…
And was absorbed into the Crystal.
Immediately after.
Ancient runes began to form around the Crystal.
They rotated slowly… glowing faintly.
Their color…
Was grey.
A sign of its current rank.
F Rank.
Moments later, the Crystal dissolved into light and entered Qalish's body—
Through a point on his forehead.
The space between his eyes.
His Inner Space.
Qalish exhaled slowly.
"It's done…"
He thanked Aura briefly before leaving the shop.
He couldn't wait any longer.
He needed to check his Monster's full attributes.
This place…
Was not suitable.
After all, only he could see the system screen.
To others—
He would just look strange.
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Back Home
As soon as he arrived, Qalish briefly told his parents about the Monster he had contracted.
Then—
Without wasting another second—
He rushed into his room.
Inside, he raised his hand.
"Come out…"
A familiar magic circle appeared behind him—
Golden… rotating…
The Crystal emerged once more.
Then—
It shattered into light—
And reformed into a small creature.
A fox.
Qalish stared at it.
The Ember Shade Fox was…
Adorable.
Soft, fluffy fur—
Colored in platinum white.
Bright blue eyes…
With a faint hint of dark, shadowy black within them.
A strange contrast—
Beautiful… yet slightly eerie.
Qalish smiled.
"Since we're going to be together for a long time…"
"I should give you a name."
The fox tilted its head.
"From today onward…"
"I'll call you—Foxy."
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A simple name.
But one day…
This name would become a nightmare—
Feared by Awakened all over the world.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Qalish activated the system.
Name: Viridis Qalish
Crystal Type: Typeless Crystal
Crystal Rank: F (SSS+ Potential)
Level: 1
Monster Contract Limit: 1
Monster List:
Ember Shade Fox
Monster Points (MP): 0
System Skills:
Monster Analysis, Evolution Path, Rank Upgrade
Contract Skill: [1 Slot Available]
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Monster Status :
Name: Foxy (Female)
Species: Ember Shade Fox 🔥🌑
Rank: F
Type: Beast / Spirit
Element: Fire / Minor Dark
Skills:
Flame Heal, Shadow Bite
Potential: D Rank
Evolution Aura (EA): 0%
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Qalish frowned slightly.
"Monster Points…? Evolution Aura…?"
A new system message appeared.
[Monster Points (MP) and Evolution Aura (EA) are required for Monster evolution.][Once EA reaches 100%, the Monster becomes eligible for evolution.]
Qalish's eyes lit up.
"So I just need to fill this to 100%… and Foxy can evolve?"
Another message appeared.
[Monster Points (MP) can be obtained by defeating Monsters.][Evolution Aura (EA) can be obtained by consuming defeated Monsters.][Certain rare materials can also increase MP and EA.]
Qalish clenched his fist.
"Then… it's basically grinding."
Hunt Monsters.
Gather materials.
Evolve.
A grin slowly formed on his face.
This system…
Was broken.
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🔗 Skill Extraction & Binding System
Another panel appeared.
[Awakened users can extract a skill from a contracted Monster.][Extracted skills can be bound to the user's Crystal.][Bound skills can be used directly by the user.]
[Skill usage depends on user Level and energy capacity.][Once bound, skills cannot be removed unless special materials are used.][Unbinding materials are extremely rare and expensive.]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Qalish narrowed his eyes slightly.
"So I can… choose Monster skills myself?"
In this world, skill binding was normal for all Awakened.
However—
Choosing the right skill…
Was never easy.
Most beginners selected skills randomly, without fully understanding their value.
Because once a skill was bound—
It was almost impossible to change.
Unless they had access to rare and expensive materials.
Only the wealthy and powerful—
Those with knowledge, resources, and experience—
Could carefully choose the best skills from the very beginning.
They understood Monster synergy, skill combinations, and long-term growth.
But Qalish…
Was different.
With the system—
He didn't need to guess.
He didn't need luck.
He could see everything clearly.
Qalish's gaze sharpened.
"This…"
"…changes everything."
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Skill Details:
Flame Heal
Uses fire energy to restore HP over time. More effective in high-temperature environments. Low combat usage, high survival value
Shadow Bite
A dark-element attack infused with shadow energy. Deals burst damage and may weaken the enemy. Effective against unaware targets
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Qalish didn't hesitate.
"Flame Heal…"
"That's more important right now."
Survival…
Came first.
[Skill Selected: Flame Heal][Binding in progress…]
A warm sensation spread through his body.
The Crystal inside him pulsed gently.
[Flame Heal successfully bound to user]
Qalish clenched his fist.
Now…
He could heal himself.
Even in battle.
Next—
He activated another skill.
Evolution Path.
The screen flickered.
A new panel appeared.
[System Analysis Complete][3 Evolution Paths detected for Ember Shade Fox]
Normally, Foxy's potential was only D Rank.
Which meant—
Its natural evolution limit should end there.
But thanks to the system…
Even this could change.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Evolution Paths (F → E Rank)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. 🔥 Flame Spirit Fox
Focus: Fire Element
Type: Beast / Spirit
Specialization: High Attack
Skills Gained: Flame Burst, Burning Claw
Evolution Requirement: Fire-type materials + 100% EA + 100 MP
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2. 🌑 Shadow Night Fox
Focus: Dark Element
Type: Spirit
Specialization: Stealth / Assassination
Skills Gained: Shadow Step, Dark Fang
EvolutionRequirement: Dark-type essence + 100% EA + 100 MP
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3. 🔥🌑 Dual Eclipse Fox
Focus: Fire + Dark Balance
Type: Beast / Spirit
Specialization: Balanced (Attack + Sustain)
Skills Gained: Flame Shadow Claw, Dark Regeneration
Evolution Requirement: Dual-element materials + 100% EA + 100 MP
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Qalish stared at the screen in silence.
Three paths.
Three completely different futures.
"This…"
"…is insane."
A normal Awakened—
Would never know any of this.
They would blindly evolve their Monsters.
Relying on luck.
Guesswork.
Or incomplete knowledge.
But Qalish—
Could see everything.
Every path.
Every requirement.
Every possibility.
His eyes slowly moved toward Foxy.
The small fox wagged its tail innocently.
Qalish took a deep breath.
"If I want to become strong…"
"…I can't choose the easy path."
His gaze sharpened.
"The dual-element path…"
"…has the highest potential."
"Foxy…"
"We're going this way."
The fox let out a soft cry—
As if responding.
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Deep within his Inner Space—
The white-gold Crystal pulsed faintly.
As if responding to his decision.
As if…
Something had just been set in motion.