Chapter 412: A new class

"Mm..." Luke groaned as he slowly pushed himself up from whatever he had been lying on.

His head was ringing slightly and his body felt sore as if he had hit gym after a long time and had been forced to do it for hours.

It took him some time but his head calmed down a little as scratched his stomach.

’What was I doing...’

The last thing he remembered was watching Astfall lower his head in surrender. What led to it was a little difficult to remember but Astfall’s clear defeat remained etched in the deepest corner of his mind

And the moment that realization had allowed his body to relax, even for a second, consciousness had slipped away.

And now...

"Where am I?"

He slowly rubbed his eyes and looked around, only to find himself in the same arena where the long battle had taken place.

The huge craters, the burnt marks, the concrete once pristine and uniform now completely ruined. Everything indicated that the battle has taken place here.

All the signs were there, but everything felt strangely different. The sky had turned completely black, and the audience stands were utterly deserted.

Luke turned his head and found a certain man still kneeling in the distance.

Astfall.

The dragon remained in the same position, his head lowered as he stared blankly at the ground. He looked almost lost, as though he was still trying to comprehend everything that had happened.

There was someone else nearby as well. Someone who kept glancing in Luke’s direction but seemed strangely reluctant to meet his gaze.

[Host, you are in the Resting Zone. The system created it around the host when the host lost consciousness.]

The system’s explanation also made Luke understand the strange reaction around him. If he had truly fainted in the middle of that battlefield, surrounded by those dragons, he might have been killed on the spot. Especially after seeing how offended the other dragons, Astaroth in particular, had appeared.

’And why wouldn’t they?’

A faint smirk tugged at Luke’s lips as he remembered the roar he had unleashed. The sheer force of it had been so overwhelming that, for a moment, he had genuinely thought his throat would tear apart and kill him.

Yet that roar had not been a petty imitation of Astfall’s attack.

It had been something else entirely.

A dragon’s dominion.

A force capable of crushing the will of its enemies and forcing them into submission.

As for how Luke knew that, and what exactly had happened to him during those moments, there was only one being who could provide an answer.

[Host, your Gamma Pod has finally evolved. You have broken through and awakened a rare class during the battle.]

Luke frowned.

He had somehow guessed that something had changed, but knowing the answer did little to make it seem any less absurd.

"But you said there was a requirement for it to remain dormant and all."

[Yes, and that was because of the low potency of Gamma in that world and the lack of opportunities capable of pushing the host’s Pod to regulate such a tremendous amount of magic at once.]

Luke cracked his knuckles, slowly digesting the explanation.

"So, like... the two moons and the battle itself allowed the Pod to evolve?"

[Indeed, host. The intensity of the battle prevented you from noticing the changes, but your Gamma Pod has successfully reached the second stage.]

Luke was not entirely sure how he felt about it.

There was certainly relief. The uncertainty surrounding his Gamma Pod had been a constant concern, and its inability to evolve had forced him to postpone several plans for his own safety. Knowing that he no longer had to worry about that was reassuring.

Still, the suddenness of the evolution left him somewhat overwhelmed.

"Just out of curiosity, what are my base stats at the moment?"

[Host, it is almost impossible to accurately measure them until the host enters the Lunar Warden state. However, the system can prepare a status window based on estimation.]

[Level: 3]

[Strength: 45 → 60]

[Speed: 44 → 64]

[Defense: 45 → 70]

[Intelligence: 35 → 50]

[Gamma: Surging...]

Damn.

He had advanced that much in such a short period.

Even if the exact numbers were only an estimation and might fluctuate slightly, there was no denying that Luke had become considerably stronger.

His base stats had been painfully mediocre for quite some time. There had even been moments when he desperately wished for an opportunity to face a truly powerful opponent beneath the moon.

Now, after his evolution and a battle against the strongest foe he had ever encountered, he had finally become someone considerably powerful even beneath the sun.

’Feels great...’

A grin slowly spread across his face.

’But tell me. Didn’t you say I needed to spin a wheel to determine my second attribute?’

It had happened the first time as well. He had spun the wheel and awakened an affinity with the Sound Element.

[Host, you have awakened a Class through the evolution. The host can still draw an elemental attribute.]

Luke’s brows rose.

"What class did I awaken?"

He had initially assumed it might be something like Dragon Slayer. After all, he had somehow managed to adapt to the Dragon Lord’s power and ultimately defeat him.

However, when the system screen appeared before him again, Luke froze.

[New Class Unlocked]

[Host, you have acquired <Beast Tamer> Class.]

[Beast Tamer: A class that allows the user to tame and bond with beasts, turning them into loyal companions. The stronger the bond, the stronger the beast becomes, allowing both master and beast to grow together.]

An arrow appeared beside the description, indicating that there were further details available.

Luke ignored it.

He simply stared at the class for several moments in stunned silence.

As a novel reader, he knew exactly how useful a class like this could be. The ability to form bonds with powerful beasts meant he could have companions he could genuinely rely on.

Strong ones.

His gaze slowly shifted toward Astfall.

"...Can I make him my companion too?"

[Host has defeated subject Astfall and fulfilled all the necessary conditions to form a soul bond. The host can form a bond with the subject.]

Luke rubbed his hands together, excitement building in his chest.

Just imagining a dragon by his side was enough to make him grin. Someone powerful enough to protect him, someone who could become a significant ally in battle, someone he could rely on when things became dangerous.

Yeah.

That sounded pretty damn good.

But before getting ahead of himself, Luke remembered something important.

"System... I can’t bring Astfall to the real world, right?"

[Unfortunately, no, host.]

Luke sighed.

"Right..."

[However, the host can now use Beast Assimilation, which allows the host to temporarily wield a portion of his bonded beast’s physical and magical abilities.]

Luke’s brows shot up.

"Much like back then?"

[Indeed, host.]

Luke was instantly overjoyed.

He had not forgotten that unbelievable sensation.

The moment he had borrowed Astfall’s power, he had felt something awaken within him. It had been predatory, dangerous, and utterly liberating.

And now, he could do it again.

’But it’s strange how the system already knew that I would awaken a class. Did it sense something from me?’ Luke couldn’t recall if he had been involved in a situation that suggested he might become a tamer.

Well, there was that recent incident with the silver fox but surely, anyone else could have done that too, maybe a better job than he did. But well.

Without lingering on that thought for long, Luke asked, "Have I fulfilled the ultimate goal, though?"

Amidst all the chaos, Luke had not forgotten why the system had rushed him here in the first place.

It had been to protect humanity from its ultimate annihilation.

[Indeed, host. The human race has been spared, thanks to the host’s courage, determination, and hard work.]

Luke gave a wry smile.

"Just praise won’t do. I need my reward."

Surely, saving the entire race warranted something substantial. After everything he had endured, Luke could hardly wait to see what the system had prepared for him.

[The host has fulfilled multiple quests. The system will require some time to process all completed objectives and prepare the corresponding rewards.]

Patience had never been one of Luke’s virtues, but for this, he could make an exception.

"Take your time, system. I want my rewards to be juicy and satisfying."

[Rest assured, host.]

Luke hummed and slowly rose to his feet.

He took a few potions, allowing their restorative effects to wash through his battered body and replenish the stamina he had burned through during the battle.

His eyes remained fixed on Astfall as he muttered, "Alright, take down the Resting Zone."

It was time to get his first familiar.

~~~

A/N:- I hope you are enjoying the story until now. The arc was not fully planned but I somehow reached the destination I wished to. The next few small arcs would be soothing.