The day dawned with a veil of mist over the Valmere Academy campus. While the city slowly woke up, Ethan felt a mix of tranquility and unease. Despite his resounding triumph in the freshmen tournament, lingering questions remained, along with a sense that the world hid secrets far beyond battles and elemental abilities.


    After lunch, while his classmates dispersed for individual training, Ethan sought refuge in the academy''s library. The imposing stone building, with its colorful stained-glass windows and corridors stretching into a labyrinth of wisdom, had always been his favorite place. Today, however, something felt different. Among the shelves, the silence was almost palpable, and each book seemed to exude the weight of time.


    Ethan wandered the narrow aisles, running his fingers along the worn spines. In a rarely visited section, he found a leather-bound volume, aged and marked with inscriptions blending elemental symbols and traces of an ancient language. As he flipped through the yellowed pages, he found meticulous illustrations of beasts, evolution diagrams, and notes suggesting the existence of long-forgotten training methods.


    While reading, he discreetly jotted down thoughts in a worn notebook. Each paragraph awakened a sense that these literary relics could be the key to understanding not only the true potential of beasts but also the bond between them and their tamers.


    During his reading, Ethan noticed a passage that mentioned “the natural synergy that transcends traditional training methods.” The words seemed to echo the commands he had used during the tournament: Rhythm of Nature and Verdant Cascade. Could it be that there was a deeper connection—something that linked the beasts’ natural state to the essence of the world they inhabited?


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    He reflected on the behavior of the Ancient Forest Deer, which had shown a unique ability to manipulate the environment during the battle. It wasn’t just a learned technique—it seemed intrinsic to the creature, as if its DNA carried memories from ancient times. The idea intrigued him—perhaps there was a forgotten link between beasts and ancient civilizations, and the library might be the place to uncover those secrets.


    As his hands glided over the pages of the book, the soft sound of footsteps echoed through the reading corridor. Ethan looked up and saw Professor Alden, whose penetrating gaze had softened upon seeing the young man so focused. He approached with a curious expression, as if he sensed something special in that silent moment.


    “You seem to have found something interesting,” Alden said, subtly gesturing to the old book resting on the table.


    Ethan closed the book carefully and offered a shy smile.


    “Yes, professor. I''m trying to understand how certain natural techniques are linked to the beasts’ abilities… something that seems to transcend conventional training.”


    Professor Alden nodded, his eyes shining with a mix of approval and curiosity.


    “There are many secrets in this world, Ethan. Not all answers are found on the battlefield. Sometimes, true power lies in knowledge. You’ve already shown, both in the tournament and today, a singular sensitivity. Perhaps, with time, you''ll become one of the few who can unite the art of combat with deep research into the origins of beasts.”


    The professor’s words resonated with Ethan, filling him with a new sense of purpose. For the first time, he glimpsed a path that connected his passion for strategy with the mysteries embedded in every corner of that universe.


    As he left the library, the sky grew clearer, and Ethan felt as though each ray of sunlight carried a fragment of lost knowledge. He knew the road ahead would be long and full of challenges, but the certainty that there was more than met the eye made his heart race with excitement.


    Walking through the academy gardens, he wondered whether the secrets held within those walls might one day rewrite the rules of the tamers’ world. And in that moment of quiet reflection, a silent determination took root: it would not be enough to be strong on the battlefield—he would need to become a pioneer in uncovering the true roots of that power.