NOVEL NEXT B1: Chapter 24 - "Terms and Agreements"
Jeremiah stood and faced his doppelgänger, Billy's bowl still clutched in his hands.
Throughout his exchange with Mero, the System's illusionary copy had stood perfectly still, silent and statue-like, as if frozen in a frame of paused footage. But the moment Jeremiah stepped forward, it stirred. The double blinked once, then broke into a familiar, lopsided grin.
"Hello. Would you like to continue the tutorial?" it asked, echoing his voice with unsettling precision. Now that Jeremiah could really study it, its mimicry was… unsettling. It leaned slightly to the left, just like he did when thinking. Its fingers tapped restlessly against its folded arm in the same impatient rhythm Sam used to tease him about. Even the way its eyes darted across the area, as if waiting for something to leap from the shadows between trees.
It wasn't just a copy. It was a reflection.
He hated it.
"Mero, if you're doing that, cut it out…"
The fairy raised both hands in mock surrender. "Not me, kid. That's just how it's coded."
Jeremiah exhaled, rubbing the bridge of his nose.
"Fine," he muttered. At least it wasn't pretending to be Sarah anymore.
He turned to the copy. "Yes, I'd like to continue the tutorial."
"Great!" the image replied, clapping its hands with practiced cheer. "In these Testing Grounds, you'll learn about the Beast Bond aspect of your Iteration! If you have any questions, feel free to ask at any time!"
When Jeremiah didn't respond, the copy pressed on. "The Beast Bond is one of the core aspects of the [Mystical Menagerie]. It allows you to forge powerful, multifaceted connections with various beasts, both mundane and fantastical!"
"Connections?" Jeremiah asked.
"Indeed!" it said with a cheerful nod. "But these aren't mere friendships. The System enables structured Bonds that go far beyond natural understanding. These Bonds fall into three distinct categories, each with its own strengths and depth."
With a flick of its wrist, three translucent windows flared into being, suspended midair. Their edges shimmered with soft, blue light.
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Attunement: "To feel as they feel, to see through borrowed eyes."
By attuning yourself to a beast, you gain an intuitive sense of its emotions, instincts, and intentions. Their needs, desires, and even thoughts will be yours to read. This bond is light but intimate, like the echo of a heartbeat beside your own. While forced attunements are possible, stronger or more intelligent creatures may resist, obscure, or outright reject your link. The deepest attunements are born of respect, trust, and mutual curiosity. These connections are often temporary, fading with time or great distance.
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Contract: "Oaths writ in spirit, too pure for deception."
A contract is a formal agreement, sealed by the System and bound by power. During its construction, both parties are compelled to clarity — able to understand each other's true intentions without deception or confusion, no matter the gap in intelligence, species, or tongue. Terms, lengths, and clauses may vary, but fairness is always enforced. A Contract is more than a handshake; it is an agreement signed by your soul. Contracts come in many forms, depending on the beast and the Constellation.
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Pact: "Two souls, one path. No veil, no mask."
This bond is not made lightly. To form a pact is to commune as equals. It is an exchange of raw potential that binds your fates together. In forming a pact, both you and the beast open yourselves completely to one another. There are no secrets between you, and once formed, the bond becomes a living conduit, allowing for the transfer of thoughts, emotions, and even power. The connection may grow, shift, or evolve over time, deepening as the trust and resonance between you mature. But beware; a broken pact does not fade. It scars.
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Jeremiah studied each window, trying to absorb as much as he could. As seemed typical of the System so far, the descriptions were simple enough to get their point across, but vague enough that he couldn't quite tell what they weren't saying.
"So if I understand right," he said, turning toward his double, "this Beast Bond thing lets me… magically connect to animals?"
"No."
Jeremiah blinked. "What?"
"You asked if the purpose of the Beast Bond aspect was to magically connect to animals. That is incorrect. Its purpose is to facilitate connections to beasts," his copy said, tone flat.
Jeremiah frowned. "Isn't that the same thing?"
The image shook its head. "No. The Beast Bond's functionality extends not just to animals, but all beasts, regardless of their classification as 'animal'. For example, the System database includes a substantial number of creatures classified as 'plant beasts.'"
Jeremiah's eyes widened. "So, what you're saying is all animals are beasts, but not all beasts are animals?"
"Correct. The term 'beast' traditionally refers to any non-sapient, non-artificial organism of sufficient complexity. This includes the aforementioned plant beasts, as well as certain magical-based creatures, minor elementals, and even some incorporeal entities."
Jeremiah let out a dry chuckle, equal parts amusement and disbelief.
Mero floated closer, coming to hover just over his shoulder. "What's with the shock? Weren't ya trainin' to be some hotshot vet? Do they not teach this kinda stuff in your fancy school?"
Jeremiah shook his head. "Of course they did. Animals with magical potential aren't exactly common, but they're not so rare that any decent program would skip them. But what they're—" he gestured toward the copy, "—talking about is something else entirely."
This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
He paused, rifling through half-faded lecture notes in the back of his mind. Months away from class had left the details fuzzy, but not forgotten.
"The school called them 'exotics'. They mostly lumped all together, but honestly? Each type is so different, that they might as well be entire fields of study on their own. There's a massive gap between an animal that can use magic and something that is more… magic wearing the shape of a creature."
He remembered the professors skimming through case studies, always with a tone of academic detachment. Sure, the school had covered exotics, but only in theory. Unless you planned to specialize in something hyper-niche, odds were you'd never see one in practice.
After all, what good was veterinary medicine to a being made of living plasma? Or something stranger still?
"This is the first time I've heard the term 'beast' though. At least in this context," Jeremiah said with a sigh.
Mero folded his arms and nodded, though he didn't say anything else.
Jeremiah wasn't sure why the fairy had stuck around, but… a small, unspoken part of him was grateful. Even if Mero could be frustrating, it was better than going through this alone. The ghost of Sarah's face still lingered at the edges of his mind — too vivid, too real, even if it had been a fake.
Jeremiah shook his head, clearing his thoughts and refocusing. Mero was right. This was important, and he needed to focus — he could have another breakdown later.
The young man took a deep breath and turned back to his copy.
"What next?" he asked.
The illusion paused, then replied, "Now that the basics have been covered, it is time to apply them. Within this forest roam numerous beasts of every shape and nature. For your first task, you must find a beast to form a bond with."
No sooner had the last word passed the copy's lips, that a new screen appeared between them.
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Tutorial Mission #1 - Bond with a Beast. [0/1]
Rank - G
Description - What is a Menagerie without guests? Bond with your first beast to unlock the next mission.
Reward - Beast Board, 10x Quantum Marks.
Failure - N/A
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Jeremiah stared at the glowing screen, eyes wide.
The System actually expected him to form a bond here? Now?
"What the hell," he muttered, spinning toward the fairy hovering at his side. "You're telling me the System seriously wants me to march into a forest, approach some random, potentially dangerous creature, and just, what? Convince it to be friends? That's insane. And we're on a time crunch! Who knows how long it'll take just to find something, let alone earn its trust."
Mero gave a lazy shrug, the corner of his mouth twitching upward. "Do ya have to, though?"
Jeremiah narrowed his eyes. "What's that supposed to mean? Isn't that the whole point of you dragging me out here?"
"Sure, that's why I brought ya. But take a closer look, kid. The mission don't say nothin' about where the beast has to come from."
Jeremiah blinked, then frowned, scanning the mission text again.
He'd assumed the forest was his only real option — but Mero was right. The objective was simple: Bond with a beast. It didn't specify which beast… or where. The forest was just the most obvious and convenient choice.
His gaze dropped slowly to Billy's bowl.
The tiny kraken perked up as if sensing the attention, wriggling with excitement and waving a stubby tentacle through the water.
Without tearing his eyes away, Jeremiah asked, "Did you plan this?"
Mero chuckled, and out of the corner of his eye, Jeremiah caught the amused smirk tugging at the fairy's lips. "I don't know what yer talkin' about. I ain't allowed to help with missions — just here to give advice. What ya do with yer situation's up to you."
Jeremiah rolled his eyes, but the corners of his mouth lifted anyway.
"So… how do I do this?" he asked.
"Just make your intention known," Mero replied simply.
Jeremiah nodded and turned to his double. "System, I've found a beast I want to bond with."
The illusion responded instantly. "Scanning…" its form shimmered for a moment. "...Friendly beast detected! Congratulations User! Please indicate the type of bond you wish to form."
Jeremiah hesitated.
He mentally reviewed the options. Each type of bond had its pros and cons. After a moment of deliberation, he opened his mouth to answer.
"I would like—"
But the copy cut him off. "Warning: Incomplete contract detected. Would you like to dissolve the contract, resolve the contract, or review the terms?"
Jeremiah blinked. "Wait, what?" He turned to Mero. "Incomplete contract? What the hell is it talking about now?"
Mero let out a genuine laugh this time. "Ya really don't remember? I told ya about Billy's 'gift,' didn't I?" He pointed at Jeremiah's chest, where the strange tattoo — black, swirling lines like a newborn star — was hidden beneath his shirt.
Jeremiah glanced down. "That's a contract?" he asked. He was aware the strange magical mark had done something to him, something System had transformed into — or qualified as — a skill, but without being able to talk to Mr. Roger, he was still in the dark about it.
"Well… not a full one," Mero said, rocking his hand back and forth. "Like the System said, it's incomplete. Billy's still a baby. Wasn't ever meant to pull somethin' like that off — and I doubt he fully understood what he was doin' in the first place."
Billy, as if understanding the fairy's words — or more possibly understanding the tone of his voice — quickly retreated into the safety of his castle.
Mero chuckled. "Honestly, it was only the System steppin' in that made it stable enough to take the form it did."
"But it's still unfinished?" Jeremiah pressed.
Mero nodded. "Right. A real contract needs three things: a purposeful offer, an equivalent exchange, and mutual acceptance. Can't stumble into one by accident, what's given has to match what's received, and both parties have to agree."
"And I never agreed…" Jeremiah murmured.
"Exactly. Billy did his part, sure, but the deal was never sealed. He didn't know what he was offerin', and you didn't know you were takin'. But don't be too hard on the little guy."
"So all that's left is to accept?" Jeremiah asked.
"Technically, yeah," Mero said. Then his eyes gleamed. "But are ya sure ya wanna do that first?"
Jeremiah paused.
It didn't take long to connect the dots. He turned back to the copy and spoke clearly.
"I'd like to review the terms."
Off to the side, Mero smirked.
A new screen shimmered to life in front of Jeremiah.
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CONTRACT CLASSIFICATION:
[Beast ↔ User | Initiated Contract]
Status: Incomplete / Pending Acceptance
Bond Level: [System-Sealed — Tier I]
Bond Integrity: [Stable]
Permanence: Flexible
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PARTY A:
Jeremiah Bridge — System-Registered User — Iteration: [Mystical Menagerie]
Sapience: Full [No adjustments]
Willingness: [Pending]
—
PARTY B:
Billy Bridge — Scion of She Who Calls The Stars To Shine.
Sapience: Developing [System-assisted translation of instinct to intention]
Willingness: [Confirmed]
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✦ CONTRACT TERMS ✦
1. Offer:
Billy Bridge offers Jeremiah Bridge the role of his "Chosen". This role is an embryonic link of shared essence and potential, manifested through direct soul mark transference.
Nature of Offer: Protective bond, Awakened Affinity (Mana: Ocean), and Minor Empathy (shared instinctual resonance).
Value: Moderate (due to the beast's age and capacity)
System Notes: The Chosen of a Polaris Kraken is both its intermediary between the lesser races and one of its closest allies and companions. Of the cultures that worship these ancient creatures as god-beasts, the Kraken's Chosen is revered as both a spiritual guide and an extension of the beast's will.
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2. Exchange:
User Jeremiah Bridge shall provide reciprocal care, guidance, and emotional anchoring.
Implied Exchange: Shelter, Food, Safety, Growth Opportunities
Value: Subject to escalation based on bond and beast maturity.
System Notes: Teach him, play with him, feed him tasty treats, and occasionally clean his bowl. He's a baby, he doesn't need a lot. Yet. As a Polaris Kraken, Billy's needs will increase as he grows in both age and power. The inability or unwillingness to meet these needs may result in the termination of this contract.
—
3. Consent:
Pending User Acknowledgement
Beast Consent Status: [Affirmed via instinctual offering]
User Consent Status: [Unconfirmed]
Full contract activation requires deliberate verbal, mental, or emotional acceptance.
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🜁
Accept Terms & Seal Contract
🜃
Decline Terms
(Contract will dissolve)
🜂
Request Amendment
(Requires Beast and System agreement)
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