My Werepanther System: Starting with Nine Lives

DING!

[You have Leveled Up! You are now Level 7!]

[+1 Stat Point]

[2 Stat Points Available!]

[Barbed Skill Synthesized from x6 Drake and x1 Alpha Drake Mana Signatures!]

[Barbed Skill, (Venom Saliva) Unlocked!]

Rex yawned— feigning his elation at the readings of his system screen as he stood in formation with the rest of his recruit class.

At the head of the formation, Corporal Green and Specialist Sunder stood tall. On Corporal Green's side, a number of captured students remained tied up and disgruntled looking. Among them was Natasha Bloom.

On Specilist Sunder's side to the right, a row of dead recruits covered by black tarps flailed in the wind.

Rex seemed to be the only one bothered by the smell of some.

Burnt flesh. Frozen necrosed inards. Puss and poison filled wounds. They did not go quietly. Then again, that was never the life of an Inheritence Ability user.

You either die soon or die long.

It was three thirty in the morning. Rex's knees tingled from exhaustion.

"Great work to those that worked." Specialist Sunder said, "This was your first training exercise as Drift Soldiers in training. Remember it. This was needed for nothing more than to teach you that Mana is not your friend.." He motioned to the dead students on his side, "Eight future saviors of the world. Died for no reason other than the unruly nature of Mana. Some of them had their Inheritence Abilities grafted straight from their parents DNA— from a pure bloodline with no genetic offshoots or modifications. They were the perfect candidates and still rejected what was rightfully theres."

"That's because Mana belongs to no one." Corporal Green explained. "It is an energetic life form that cannot be tamed playing as a tool that cannot be perfected. We use it because it's useful. But so is a gun, a sword, a jet. Learn the ins and outs of both. Never become reliant, because on this, you cannot."

The students shivered in the dark despite how humid the jungle was.

Someone behind Rex tried and failed to stifle their cries.

"Return to your berrics. Wake-up is oh-eight hundred. Inheritence Ability Users, you have pre-training exercises at oh-seven hundred. If you're late….. just don't be late." Specialist Sunder said.

Someone suddenly raised their hand, right before they were about to be dismissed.

"Tyson." Corporal Green said.

"Who won?" Tyson asked.

"Not your team. Maybe you would've if one of your key ability users didn't decide to maul a pack of Drakes instead of stick to the mission. Good job by the way, Rex. Why the jungle-monkey unit didn't take over, I'll never know."

"Thanks." Rex replied with another yawn. All they knew of were the entrails. He was safe. Sort of…

"The winners of this event are Syrus's team with four captures of Inheritence Ability users and a complete defense of their own."

Somewhere to Rex's left, a group of students silently cheered.

He didn't even know who they were. His night was occupying an entirely different domain. What a first day.

"Now. Dismissed."

The recruits dispersed and started making their way into The Box that was no less than a quarter mile away and littered with guards and trained guns.

Rex walked like he'd been doing so for years straight.

Then the golden dust came and his aches and pains slowly but surely faded.

"Victor's low on Mana as well." He thought.

"It's almost like Specialist Sunder and Corporal Green didn't just say don't rely on your Mana." Imani said from behind him.

"Did they? I must not have been there for that." Victor replied sarcastically as he came up to walk beside Rex.

"That lesson kind of doesn't make the best sense anyway." Rex said, "We'll have to use our powers at some point. What if we run out of ammo? Or our guns jam? Or our gundam's fuel tank zeroes? Then what? We'll have to rely on it then. At least I will." Rex said.

"The point is the less you use it, the less risk you take of rejection." Imani explained as she tried and failed not to look over Rex. "Mana works like a virus. It spreads and evolves and works off of your own body. No use, no development of said power— or mana."

"I guess class is in session." Tyson jogged to catch up to them.

"Only if you didn't pay attention in any classes before this. How wouldn't you know the basic functions of Mana at this point?" Imani asked.

Tyson itched his shaggy blonde hair as his freckled face scrunched up to make a goofy expression, "I understand you're royalty, but are you always this…. Stiff?"

Imani looked to Rex.

"Don't ask me to back you up."

"Hunter was right. You've influenced everyone to talk however they want to me." Her dark skin shined under the glow of the flowers and mechanical portions of The Box as they entered.

"Welcome to normal living."

"A place you haven't occupied for a while…" Imani said. "Even your voice is deeper…."

"Yea— what's that Inheritence Ability? Flames of Rebirth? You eviscerated that Drake like it was made of paper!" Victor said.

"Flames of Rebirth isn't a recognized Inheritence Ability." Imani said without looking away from Rex.

"I was freestyling, man." Victor said with defeat.

"I've run through the Global Inheritence Ability Logs twice and found nothing of a similar name. Reincarnation isn't something we've tapped into yet from the owners perspective. Do you know what family donated this to you? I don't recognize the markings." Imani said.

"Am I being interrogated?" Rex asked as they walked up the ramp.

"Yes."

"Then I want my lawyer." Rex replied, "You're biased."

"To what?"

"Maintaining a feeling of superiority." Rex replied.

Tyson and Victor giggled.

Imani's cheeks warmed— giving her a luster that made Rex salivate. "I do not—"

"Just sit in the dark. It's not a big deal— and I'm on your team. We're all trying to be Drift Soldiers here, right?"

"Hell yea!" Tyson yelled.

"Shut your crap-shoot you dickhead!" One of the mechanics sleeping in the cockpit of his fighter jet yelled.

"Oh…. My bad." Tyson cringed.

"The dark is the home of monsters— not man. We forge light. Do you not?" Imani asked.

"You must not know about the Angler-Serpents." Rex replied.

Imani stiffened, "Why the secrecy?!"

"I SAID QU—" The mechanic burst from his flight seat ready to curse Imani to pieces until he noticed who he was yelling at— that and the shadows were turning into monsters. Or they always were.

Hunter hovered behind them with his group of friends.

Rex stuffed down his anger for the moment, "Because, I think you're used to getting your way. Id love to exist as a lesson for you. That and it obviously pisses of your boy toy back there." Rex pointed very obviously to Hunter. "Blame him. Please. It'll make my morning."

Victor shook his head as he laughed, "You were never this expressive in Primary School, Rex. It seems not only your face changed."

"What? Oh yea…."

"Have you seen a mirror recently? You aged up, dude." Tyson added from beside him.

"It's not a complete facelift, but you're different. Physique upgrades are a rare side effect of Mana Grafting. More of an allergic reaction, actually. Lucky turnout. Sometimes people grow extra fingers and tails." Victor explained.

Rex turned to Imani, "Wanna ask if I have a tail?"

"Would you answer truthfully?"

"Hell no." Rex replied. Imani rolled her eyes as they came to a stop at their berrics. Both were already remade and functioning as shapes moved within. "I'll figure you out, Rex."

"I'm not a puzzle."

"Everyone is." Imani turned and walked away.

The three watched her go in silence.

"Stop gawking you hounds." Corporal Green yelled from the top floor of the girls berrics.

"Ooh— sorry!" Tyson panicked and ran inside.

Victor and Rex turned to face eachother. "What a first day….."

"Yea." Rex replied.

"I'm glad you're here with me."

"Likewise man."

The two shook up just as the last batch of students came in.

Rex turned when he felt the eyes of one on him.

The man was tall and slender with silver tipped black hair and brown eyes. He exhaled through his mouth, revealing a pair of over pronounced canines.

The recruit came to a stop in front of Rex.

"…..Do you need something?" Rex asked.

"Confirmation." The recruit replied.

"What?"

"I'm Syrus." He said.

"The winner." Rex realized.

"I won this event, but I don't feel victorious. I played with some inexperienced children. You killed seven Drakes with sharp sticks and fire. I heard some of them evolved beyond their initial stage."

"What's your point?" Rex asked.

"Spar me in training tommorow. Let me find out if I truly earned my win." Syrus replied, "Agree and I'll tell you how to beat Hunter."

"You think I need to be told how?" Rex asked.

"You'd be surprised." Syrus walked into the berrics as if he got his answer. "See you in a few hours."

Rex turned to face Victor, "Is everyone this smug? The fuck is going on, man?!"

Victor shrugged.