Noa spent hours reading through every book he found interesting. It was time well spent, as each section he memorized helped him understand his new world.
First things first, Noa had to know about the power system.
How did magic work in this world? What kind of beasts existed, and how did they aid humans in everyday life?
Noa wanted to know them all.
The first book he read, 'Foundation of Magic', taught him about the tiers humans had to go through to increase their strength.
[There are nine known tiers for humans and beasts alike. Those tiers aren't simply ranks, but thresholds of advancement.
Cultivation of power and strengthening the mana core is achieved by absorbing mana through breathing techniques, natural or crafted materials, or special conditions, depending on the beast.
The mana core is the heart of this power. It's connected with the tamed beast and grows with each successful breakthrough.
The deeper the bond with one's beast, the stronger and larger the mana core would become.
Tamers depend on their beasts to rise through the tiers.
As a tamer strengthens their contracted beast, their own mana core expands for advancement. It's important to note that the tamer's body and mana control should be ready for the breakthrough the beast will experience.
If a tamer, by any chance, can't handle core expansion, the mana poisoning will start.
The result is always death. No exceptions existed at the time of writing this book.]
It was a huge amount of information Noa received on his first day, but thankfully, it was fairly easy to digest.
Having read webnovels within the same genre helped him as well.
'It feels like I am just reading for fun again,' he lamented.
As for the knowledge itself, he noted a couple of important points. 'So… there are nine total tiers, and I have to strengthen my future buddies if I want to get stronger myself.'
It sounded like a tough thing to achieve.
Especially for someone who will receive a rare beast egg, which will turn out to be the weakest creature.
Not all beasts were equal in strength and potential.
Most of the time, it was determined at birth, when they hatched.
The book explained it in even more detail.
[Strength, growth, and even intelligence are dictated by the second a beast cracks its shell. This initial difference is known as beast potential or awakened grade.
Beast potential is defined by three key factors:
Bloodline quality — A rare bloodline with strong ancestors grants greater power and ability to evolve further.
Mana Purity and Elemental Affinity — Beasts with purer mana cores have an easier time in cultivation. More than one elemental affinity also gives more edge. Same with more common elements, as it is easier to find resources.
Soul Echo — Beasts with a stronger will have greater instincts and grow faster. They also have better connections with their tamers.]
'Wow,' Noa exclaimed. 'Dragons should be superior in every aspect, right?'
His future looked promising, and even with the weakest beast, Noa was confident in his future potential.
The beasts were also categorized by their rarity. Countless books have recorded and studied their development over the centuries, leading humanity to agree on seven distinct rarity tiers.
Common
Uncommon
Rare
Epic
Legendary
Mythic
Primordial/Divine/Origin.
The last two were special. Mythical beasts were, as the name suggested, myths.
It had been centuries since humans encountered one, let alone tamed it.
As for the last tier, it was even more mysterious.
These beasts were one of a kind, and they were among the first to exist in the entire world.
According to the legends, these beasts had never been tamed, and they played a huge role in creating this universe.
Noa's brows twitched.
'Ashe… she is a primordial being. And the talent she gave me is divine.'
It didn't come as a surprise, but actually reading about it helped Noa understand a bit more about her.
Still, the mighty dragon he met had started as a weak being, and despite her limited talent, she had reached the apex of power.
Noa leaned back in the silent library. He tapped his finger on the edge of the desk, his mind thinking about all the information he had gathered.
The entire world was shackled to fate, tied to bloodlines, talents, and several other conditions.
Even humans, with their pride and superiority complex, were tied to the strength of the beast they had tamed.
It was simply a rule.
Everything was predetermined, but Noa knew at least one exception.
This situation and this kind of thrill made him itch.
He knew that the system the world worked under could be bent. He would prove it once more and leave even bigger legends than Ashe ever did.
Though no matter how much he tried to find out about dragons and their origins, Noa couldn't find much about them.
As if an entire world forgot about them.
Thinking deeply about the world, Noa glanced out of the window.
The sun almost vanished, half hidden behind the horizon. Time had passed quicker than Noa expected, leaving him with no sunlight to keep reading.
The world was vast, and he wanted to find out more about its history, inhabitants, or unique species that didn't exist back on Earth.
However, tiredness assaulted his eyes, making them heavier than usual.
Even his stomach growled in hunger. 'I should eat something,' he decided.
But as he was about to leave his seat, Noa noticed that the desk next to him had plates neatly arranged on it.
'Thalia,' Noa muttered, guessing that his friendly and attentive maid kept her promise.
'I didn't even notice. When did she leave them here?'
Without wasting a moment, Noa stood up and peered at the plates with interest. To his surprise, the food was still warm, as some kind of magic kept it warm.
He stared at them like they were art pieces he couldn't explain.
A thick, rich aroma hit him before tasting the golden rice filled with spices. It had something crispy inside—a soft beast meat and a vegetable he couldn't recognize.
Noa chewed them, pleasure running down his spine.
After devouring the food and leaving the plate clean, he reached his room and collapsed into his bed.
But as soon as he closed his eyes, Noa saw fire.
The sky above his mansion turned crimson like the world itself was set ablaze, and he stood barefoot, watching it all burn.