Chapter 114
“Naming is the foundation of taming.”
“Calling out a name initiates the connection, allowing the monster to recognize the tamer as its own.”
“However, this requires a sufficient level of rapport beforehand, and it’s crucial to detect the signals that the monster sends, indicating that it’s willing to be tamed.”
“The interpretation of these signals can vary, so caution is needed.”
The screen shifted to display a Hellhound.
“In the case of the Hellhound, wagging its tail could be a sign that it’s permitting taming, but it could also indicate an unstable state.”
“Analyzing these subtle differences allows you to proceed to the next stage of naming, where taming can be attempted without excessive force.”
The memory of taming Kloshti and the struggle it involved came to mind.
I confidently recited the content of the Introduction to Taming lecture in a calm tone.
“Observing if the monster is lowering its stance, tilting its head, or the nature of its vocalizations—judging all these factors quickly helps reduce the time needed for taming.”
“That’s all.”
Professor Ernst seemed pleased.
“Hahaha.”
“Hahahahaha.”
He burst out in hearty laughter, giving me a big thumbs-up.
Honestly, this professor is a bit overwhelming.
Won, sensing my discomfort, clicked his tongue sympathetically.
“Wow!”
The other students, picking up on Professor Ernst’s enthusiasm, quickly joined in with applause.
Was such applause and praise really necessary for this basic information?
Their expressions clearly showed that they thought this was favoritism, but no one dared to challenge it.
At least when it came to taming, I had an overwhelming affinity compared to anyone else here.
To be honest, I never really cared about these theories. I just tamed creatures on instinct, and even dragons fell in line.
It’s just something you’re born with.
Muttering to myself, I returned to my seat, thankful that the class ended without further issues.
Or so I thought…
As soon as the class was over, Professor Ernst, still chuckling, called me over.
“See you in my office later.”
* * *
The reason Professor Ernst wanted to see me privately was to discuss the new ability I had unlocked. He had clearly heard the rumors that had already spread through the Magic Department.
“So, the new ability you’ve gained… it’s called Transfer?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
To be precise, it’s the ability to draw on Basilus’ magic, which is connected to me. Additionally, I could also use Basilus’ skills as my own.
I didn’t mention the latter.
Professor Ernst was more interested in the former, anyway. The fact that I could draw on an immense amount of magic, far beyond what any human could wield, even if it was only a portion of it, was akin to having a powerful financial institution on call for emergency loans.
“Are there any significant side effects?”
“There are. It seems to put a lot of strain on my body.”
Since I was already in a poisoned state, I couldn’t be entirely sure, but I could feel that repeatedly using Basilus’ magic was overloading my body.
For a moment, I worried it might be similar to dark magic, which consumes life force, but Professor Ernst shook his head.
“I’ve never encountered an ability like this in the academic field. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s dangerous. It’s probably because you’re not fully able to control the magic yet.”
Professor Ernst was, after all, an expert in this field. He was more skilled at understanding the mechanics of my ability than I was.
“Can you demonstrate it now?”
“I think so. Basilus?”
“Quu….”
Basilus jumped heavily into my lap, blinking its eyes.
Ssssss.
As I focused, the space around me grew still.
[Would you like to transfer Basilusus Atraxis’s magic?]
Basilus’ tail wagged slightly. It seemed he was now accustomed to this, naturally relaxing as he clung to my arm, purring softly.
“Quu!”
“Despite the significant magic loss, he seems fine.”
“Ugh.”
I, on the other hand, was not fine.
Overwhelmed by the sudden surge of power, I felt like my chest was being crushed, and pain radiated from my heart.
“Ugh… ugh.”
“Are you okay?”
“Actually… I’m better than expected.”
But that discomfort faded quickly.
Although I wasn’t entirely used to it, it felt as if a waterfall of magic was filling up a reservoir within me.
Professor Ernst looked between me and Basilus, his eyes widening in surprise.
“Wow, his magic is replenishing quickly.”
Normally, after using that much magic in one go, a creature would be completely drained.
However, because I was only transferring a portion of Basilus’ magic, he was able to recover relatively quickly due to his dragon nature.
Although his magic wouldn’t be fully restored immediately, he had enough left to protect himself with a basic air shield.
This meant he could still participate in battle alongside me.
“The more I see, the more incredible this is.”
“It seems like it could be quite useful, doesn’t it?”
“…We’d have to say it’s a rare talent.”
This ability could significantly mitigate one of the biggest weaknesses of tamers—becoming drastically weaker when fighting alone.
If Professor Ernst knew I could also use Basilus’ abilities, he might actually faint from excitement.
His eyes sparkled even more than when we first met, a look that practically screamed, “You’re going to grad school.”
“Haha, as expected, you truly are an outstanding student. So, I suppose you’ll be staying in the research lab next year as well?”
“Oh.”
“Ah, where are my manners? Here, have some homemade bonito cookies from Persi Harbor. You must be hungry after using your ability.”
“Quu?”
Basilus looked up at me as if to say, “Why is this mine when I did all the hard work?”
He ended up snatching it.
Munching away, Basilus devoured my cookies.
Well, you worked hard, so enjoy.
As I petted him, I listened to Professor Ernst continue.
“Here are some materials I prepared just in case.”
Thud.
Professor Ernst set down several thick, heavy books on the desk, each at least a handspan in width.
These were detailed studies on tamers’ abilities, including theories on powers similar to Transfer, compiled by Professor Ernst himself.
There were also some rare books that a regular student would never have access to.
These were valuable.
Though he was the typical overzealous professor with boundless energy that was hard to keep up with, his dedication to his students was unmistakable.
“Study your ability in depth by the next time we meet.”
“Yes, I’ll give it a try.”
“Oh, and when analyzing an ability, it’s best to start by investigating its origin.”
“Its origin…?”
Like how Adela had awakened as an earth mage due to a specific trigger.
Understanding the origin of an ability can be the key to mastering it.
“Did this new ability develop due to a specific event?”
“Not sure. It just appeared out of nowhere.”
“In that case, start by investigating that.”
“Got it.”
Although I said that, I was already beginning to piece together the nature of this ability.
The system mentioned that certain conditions had to be met.
But it didn’t work with just anything—only with Basilus, not with Kloshti.
Why was that?
This might be the key to understanding the ability.
Was it because Basilus’ level had surpassed 20?
Or was it because Basilus had an ample amount of magic?
There were many possibilities.
“It seems to be related to the amount of magic.”
This “Transfer” ability is definitely something others would desire. Just as the dark mages sought to draw magic from the Cube, my ability involved drawing magic from an external source, which is similar in principle.
Suddenly, a thought struck me.
The dark mages used machines to draw magic, but what if this ability could also be applied to objects?
What if it could work on the Cube?
“Ah.”
And what if I could tame objects?
It sounded crazy, but it was worth trying.
* * *
Thick, acrid smoke stung my eyes as I descended slowly through the swirling sandstorm.
This was a place where they would never find me—or so I thought. But it was also the very place they would inevitably search someday: a desolate desert on the outskirts of Ardel.
It was a nearly deserted area, fortified with alarm spells, trap wards, and other protective enchantments. Lee Han had taken care of all the preparations.
Step by step, I walked through the empty dome.
Though hastily constructed, the vault within was more secure than I expected.
It didn’t take long before I found the Cube, encased in a protective barrier.
“There it is.”
After all the hardships and near-death experiences, I had finally managed to gather three Cubes. Slowly, I circled the orange-glowing Cube.
The Cube of Senses.
The dark mages in the original story sought to extract magic by combining the five Cubes, but I knew better. Each Cube had its own unique abilities and drawbacks.
The Cubes weren’t just sources of magic.
They provided immense power but demanded a price in return.
In a way, they were the kind of objects that dark mages would covet the most.
This orange Cube could enhance human senses to superhuman levels, but in return, it would steal one of the user’s senses.
The more you used it, the more of your senses you would lose to the Cube.
The dark mages, unaware of this, used the Cubes solely as magic sources, while Lee Han sacrificed his vision in exchange for victory in the final battle.
Of course, I had no intention of using this Cube.
Not now, and not in the future.
But I needed to check if there was a way to connect with the Cube.
Even though the other Cubes had significant penalties as well, there might come a day when I would need to rely on them as a last resort.
So, this was an experiment.
The dark mages created machines to connect with the Cube.
Lee Han had used his innate skills to communicate with the Cube.
And I…
I wanted to see if it could be tamed.
In this empty place, I stood alone before a glowing, square-shaped stone.
I cautiously reached out to the source of magic, which pulsed with energy.
“Taming, huh.”
The idea felt a bit ridiculous, like I was trying to activate the Cube with my own unique skill, just like Lee Han did.
The problem was that the process felt a bit absurd.
The foundation of taming is communication.
Would this even work?
Honestly, I didn’t think it would.
But I tried anyway.
“Hey.”
“…”
No response.
Taming something was always this difficult?
“Hey, hey.”
“Say something. I’m going crazy here.”
*ap, tap.
Still nothing.
Of course. This was a rock.
“Should I… name it?”
There was no indication of affinity rising, so taming seemed impossible. It felt ridiculous, but affinity usually began with introducing yourself, right?
It was square-shaped.
Might as well call it “Square.”
“Square.”
A wave of self-doubt hit me.
I rubbed the Cube, wiping off the dust with my sleeve.
“Square… This is never going to work.”
Rub, rub.
The reality of the situation finally sank in.
What was I even doing?
But then, suddenly.
[Affinity has increased!]
“Square?”
Why was the affinity increasing for this crazy rock?
[Affinity has increased!]
[Affinity has increased!]
[Affinity has increased!]
“Square…”
I called your name, and you came to me as a… rock.
What the hell is this?
[Would you like to tame ‘Square’?]
**<Square>**
No thoughts. No… life.
Level: 1
Magic: 100
Strength: 0
Agility: 0
Intelligence: 1
[Transfer]
Basilus’s magic is 70.
Seeing a three-digit number made my brain freeze for a moment.
But before that…
My brain completely froze at the realization that I had just tamed this… thing.
I had tamed a lifeless rock named “Square.”
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