Lunar Legacy: Rise Of The Beastlord

The first light of dawn slipped through Jayden's curtains, painting faint golden streaks across the ceiling. His eyes snapped open before his alarm even buzzed. Sleep still clung faintly to him, but the itch of restlessness was stronger. He lay there for a moment, staring up at the faint glow of the sky and listening to the faint whistle of the early morning breeze against the windows.

"Alright," he muttered under his breath, sitting up. "Let's get this over with."

He rolled out of bed, muscles stretching and bones cracking with the faint stiffness. After tugging on a black hoodie, track pants, and sneakers, he slipped out quietly. The house was still hushed, the kind of calm that only existed before everyone woke up.

As he jogged to park, the air was crisp, carrying the smell of dew-wet grass and faint earth. Jayden breathed it in deeply as he began his warm-up laps, feeling the ground crunch softly beneath his soles.

His daily quests were a lot easier and faster to complete now. To anyone else, it was just exercise. But to Jayden, every rep had weight. Every step carried that faint pulse of the System in the back of his mind, whispering growth, sharpening instincts.

When it was done, he sat beneath the oak, letting his pulse steady. The city was waking now — faint car hums in the sky, joggers cutting across the park, a kid walking his dog tugging at the leash. Jayden wiped his brow, then rose, heading home with that quiet satisfaction only discipline gave.

Back at the house, the scent of soap clung to him as he stepped out of the shower. He dressed neatly.. crisp white shirt, a jacket hung over his shoulder, sneakers white. Standing before the mirror, he ran a hand through his hair, and for a fleeting moment, he saw something sharper in his reflection. A presence. A weight he hadn't noticed before.

He clicked his tongue, shaking it off, and left the room.

Downstairs, the clatter of plates and the hum of conversation welcomed him. The dining room was warm, sunlight pouring in through the tall windows. Harleen was setting down a bowl of scrambled eggs, while Jacob leaned back in his chair sipping coffee, already dressed sharp like a man with a hundred things to do.

Jessica sat cross-legged on her chair, nibbling toast and scrolling through her tablet. Tasha was the picture of calm elegance, her outfit perfectly fitted, sipping tea with that same composed posture she always carried.

"Morning," Jayden greeted, sliding into the seat beside Jessica.

"Morning, wolf-boy." she whispered without looking up, though the corners of her lips betrayed a faint smirk.

"Morning, Jayden," Tasha added, her tone soft but deliberate, her eyes lifting from the rim of her cup.

Jacob set his mug down. "Ready for today?"

Jayden shrugged lightly, grabbing a plate. "Yeah. Guess so."

"You don't sound ready," Jessica teased, finally looking up from her phone.

"I'm ready enough," he shot back with a faint grin.

Breakfast passed with light chatter… Jessica complaining about Tasha's training schedule, Harleen insisting Jayden eat more protein, Jacob reminding them not to "cause too much trouble at school." Eventually, they rose, ready and filed toward the waiting black sedan hover-car in the driveway.

Jacob took the driver's seat. Jayden slid in beside Jessica, with Tasha slipping in last, folding her hands neatly in her lap. The ride was smooth, city streets gliding by in a blur of storefronts, morning commuters, and the occasional honk.

Jessica leaned her head against the window, humming some random tune. Tasha tapped quietly on her tablet, playing a puzzle game. Jayden just leaned back, eyes half-shut, letting the hum of the car lull him.

When they pulled up at the gates of the academy, Jacob slowed, glancing back. "Alright. You three know the drill. Stay sharp. Look alive."

Jessica groaned. "It's school, not a warzone, Dad."

"Same thing," he replied coolly, earning a quiet laugh from Jayden.

Jacob smirked faintly, then unlocked the doors. "Go on. I'll see you later."

They stepped out, the morning air already buzzing with life. Students moved across the courtyard in small groups, all wearing casual outfits, chatter filling the space. The academy's buildings loomed proud and polished, banners fluttering with the insignia of the school.

The car hummed away, lifting slightly as its hover-tech engaged, vanishing down the street until it was only a dark blur.

Jayden adjusted his strap and glanced around. And there, right in front of the seniors' building… Aileen and Cassandra were waiting.

Aileen leaned casually against the railing, arms crossed, sunlight catching the golden streaks in her hair. Cassandra stood beside her, chatting animatedly, her hands moving as she spoke.

Jessica was the first to wave. "Hey! Look who's early."

Aileen straightened with a giggle. "We actually just got here." she said.

Cassandra spotted them and smirked. "Finally. Took you guys long enough."

Jayden lifted a hand in greeting. "Morning." he said.

"Morning," Aileen echoed, her smile softening as her eyes briefly flicked toward him before moving to Tasha.

"Well," Tasha said smoothly, stepping into her natural role as leader. "Shall we? The registration office should already be open. Best we get in before the line stretches."

"Lead the way, Captain." Cassandra replied with a half-salute.

And just like that, the group of five moved together… Jayden at the center, Jessica humming beside him, arms hooked in his, Cassandra's chatter filling the air, Aileen's quiet confidence steady, and Tasha guiding them with her usual composed stride.

The group followed Tasha as she confidently navigated through the wide corridors of the senior building. The polished floor reflected the morning light filtering through tall windows, and their footsteps echoed softly in the hallways. Every now and then, other students passed by, some in groups, some alone, chatting idly about classes or the upcoming tournament.

After a short walk, Tasha stopped in front of a large oak door with a silver plaque that read: "Tournament Registration Office."

"Here we are," Tasha said, glancing back at the others before pushing the door open.

Inside, the room buzzed with a low murmur of voices. A few students were scattered about: two leaning against the wall chatting, another group complaining in frustration.

"I told you, man, you need to be at least level fifteen!" one boy groaned, throwing his hands up.

"Ugh, I trained all month and I'm still at level thirteen. Why can't they just reduce the cutoff to level ten or something," another boy muttered.

Jayden's group passed them by, heading straight to the far end of the room where a registration desk gleamed under the soft overhead lights. Seated behind it was a woman in her late thirties. Her auburn hair was neatly tied back, her hazel eyes bright and observant as she flipped through holographic screens projected above her desk.

Just as they arrived, a tall boy with a sheepish grin stepped away from the desk, rubbing the back of his neck. "Guess I'll try again next year," he sighed, and slipped past them.

Tasha immediately stepped forward, her voice polite but confident.

"Good morning, Miss Charlotte." she greeted.

The woman looked up, her expression warming into a smile. "Good morning, Natasha. Do you and your friends want to register for the tournament?" she asked.

"Yes, ma'am," Tasha replied with a small nod.

Miss Charlotte folded her hands neatly on the desk. "Very well. But before you can register, you'll need to check your current level. The cutoff is fifteen. Anything below that, I'm afraid, won't qualify."

"Understood," Tasha said firmly. "I'll go first."

Miss Charlotte gestured to the seat in front of her desk. "Please, have a seat."

Tasha slipped gracefully into the chair, her posture poised. Miss Charlotte tapped a small panel on her desk, and instantly a faint hum filled the air as a holographic screen flickered to life in front of Tasha. At the center of the desk, a transparent orb-like device pulsed softly with light, almost as if it were breathing.

"Place your hands on the orb," Miss Charlotte instructed.

Without hesitation, Tasha pressed her palms gently against the orb. It responded immediately.. flaring to life with a bright, blinding white glow.

Everyone leaned forward instinctively as the glow intensified, filling the room with its brilliance before slowly dimming back down.

The holographic screen rippled once and then stabilized, displaying neat lines of glowing text:

*Name: Natasha Smith

*Ability Type: Elemental

*Current Level: 23

Jessica's eyes widened. "Whoa.. you leveled up twice?" she blurted out from behind, her tone caught between awe and disbelief.

Tasha smirked smugly, turning her head just slightly so her ponytail bounced against her shoulder. "It's all thanks to Jayden's D-Rank beast meat… and a few extra training sessions." She chuckled lightly, clearly enjoying the attention.

Jayden smiled knowingly, his eyes glinting faintly. "Good job, Tasha. Two levels in such a short time is a great achievement." he praised.

Tasha's expression softened, the smugness giving way to a faint blush of pride. "Thanks, Jayden." she said.

Jessica pouted almost immediately, crossing her arms with a huff. She wanted Jayden to praise her too.

Cassandra, standing beside her, leaned closer with a mischievous grin. "Jealous much?" she teased in a sing-song tone.

Jessica shot her a glare, which only made Cassandra giggle.

Meanwhile, Miss Charlotte had been quietly watching the exchange with a patient smile. She cleared her throat gently. "Alright, Natasha. You're eligible to register. All that remains is for you to provide a few basic details."

"Of course," Tasha said, straightening her posture again.

Miss Charlotte tapped another button, and a translucent holographic keyboard spread across the surface of the desk. She began typing swiftly, her fingers gliding with practiced ease as she asked: "I need your age. Current home address? Contact number? Emergency contact?"

Tasha answered each question crisply, her confidence unwavering. The others watched in silence, though Jessica kept sneaking glances at the screen as though trying to memorize every word.

Finally, after a few minutes, Miss Charlotte hit Enter with a flourish. The screen blinked once, then displayed: "Registration Complete."

"You're officially registered," Miss Charlotte announced with a professional smile.

Tasha rose smoothly to her feet, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "Thank you, Miss Charlotte." she said.

As Tasha stepped aside, Jessica immediately pushed forward, her eyes gleaming with determination. "I'm going next."