I grabbed my jacket and checked my reflection one last time. My eyes weren't those of a "Hollow" anymore. They were the eyes of a Hunter.
"Tenebris," I said, looking at the tiny dragon perched on my shoulder. "If we're going to do this, we do it right. No more hiding in kitchens. No more taking scraps from bullies."
The dragon let out a sharp, metallic chirp. "Then lead the way, Kai. The hunger won't satisfy itself."
I stood before the registration kiosk at The Olumo Spires. The holographic scanner was humming, waiting for me to declare my beast type.
"Master," Tenebris hissed in my mind, his tail twitching in my pocket. "If these humans see a Dragon on that screen, they will never let you leave this building alive. They don't want a King; they want a pet."
I knew he was right. Dragons were extinct legends. If the Association saw him, I'd be locked in a research lab by noon. I looked at the tiny, dark scales of the dragon. If you squinted, he didn't look like a god of the sky yet—he looked like a common, dark-attribute lizard.
"I need a cover," I whispered.
[INPUT BEAST TYPE:]
I typed into the console, my fingers moving quickly.
[TYPE: SHADOW-GECKO (RARE VARIANT)]
[ELEMENT: DARKNESS]
[RANK: F-GRADE]
The machine beeped, processing the lie. A "Shadow-Gecko" was a real beast, but it was weak—mostly used by low-level scouts for hiding in corners. It was the perfect mask for a Primordial Dragon.
"A Gecko, Kai?" Tenebris grumbled in my head. "You insult my bloodline."
"Shut up," I muttered. "Until we're strong enough to burn this city down, you're a lizard."
The clerk behind the desk looked at the screen and sighed. "Another Shadow-Gecko? Figures. Useful for hiding, I guess, but don't expect to climb many Floors with that. You're registered as an F-Rank Rookie."
He tossed a plastic ID card onto the counter. It didn't matter what the card said. It didn't matter that the world thought I had a weak lizard.
I looked at the massive gate leading to the Level 1 Slum-Dungeons.
"Let's go, 'Gecko,'" I said with a smirk. "Time to get you some real food."
[ID ISSUED: KAI — SHADOW-GECKO TAMER]