Beast Taming! How is That Beast Taming

Another day, and Aelorin was more zestful than usual, waking up earlier than most. His eyes gleamed with excitement. Today was the day he would finally dive into the strange book he had acquired. As soon as he sat up, his first thought was to practice the teachings of that book.

"Let's see what that crap book can do for me," he muttered with a mixture of sarcasm and curiosity. He walked over to the table where he'd tossed it the night before, ready to give it a shot.

But when he reached out for the book... it was gone.

Aelorin froze, his fingers brushing the empty surface of the table. He blinked, his heart picking up speed. He could have sworn he'd left it right there. His eyes darted around the room as a sudden rush of paranoia struck him. Had someone snuck in during the night? Was it stolen?

He turned toward the door, narrowing his eyes as if the answer was hidden in the faint shadows beyond. But there was no sign of forced entry. Whoever might have taken the book was long gone, leaving no trace behind.

"Great. Just great. Sold my soul to that thing, and now it's gone. What a waste!" He was irritated, more at himself than at whoever might have taken it.

Suddenly, an unfamiliar sensation gripped him. A strange warmth spread through his chest, and a metallic voice echoed in his mind.

**{The Beast Taming book has been absorbed into your being.}**

"What the hell?" His breath caught, eyes wide with confusion. "Absorbed? You mean I... combined with the book? And you did it without my permission?!"

A paranoid shiver ran down his spine. It was as if the system was sentient, making decisions on its own. The idea of losing control, of something inside him acting independently, was enough to make anyone wary.

**{As your system, I must ensure you can survive using the given resources.}**

Aelorin exhaled slowly, forcing himself to calm down. There was no point freaking out. "Fine. Whatever. At least I don't have to read the damn thing anymore."

**{Job Class: Beast Tamer acquired.}**

**{You have no level. Find an organism.}**

The directive was simple enough. If he wanted to learn beast taming, he needed to find a creature. His first task was clear.

Aelorin approached the door, hesitating for a moment before cracking it open just enough to peer outside. His instincts kicked in.

**{Insight skill activated.}**

His system-enhanced vision scanned the hallway, extending the range of his senses far beyond normal. The longer he concentrated on a specific area, the deeper his awareness grew, allowing him to detect even the slightest movement. No one was watching. No one was following him.

Once satisfied, Aelorin opened the door wider and slipped into the hall. He moved swiftly, his steps light and silent as he made his way to a nearby window. Without thinking twice, he climbed onto the sill, his legs dangling over the edge. He stared down at the dizzying drop.

It was a reckless idea. He knew it.

But Aelorin wasn't afraid of reckless choices. He took a deep breath, and then... he leaped.

The fall was long enough for regret to settle in, and panic clenched his heart as he braced for the impact. He landed hard, the shock reverberating through his body. A sickening crack echoed in the still morning air, and pain exploded in his left leg. He collapsed onto the ground, gritting his teeth, nearly biting his tongue to stop a scream.

**{Warning: You have broken your left leg.}**

**{Engaging healing protocols.}**

Just as the notification appeared, a strange thing began to happen. The grass beneath Aelorin's body started to wither and die, their vibrant green fading to brittle brown and ash. His surroundings seemed to sacrifice their vitality, and in return, he felt the pain in his leg begin to ease. Warmth flooded the injured limb, knitting bone and muscle back together.

Moments later, the pain vanished. Aelorin blinked in surprise and looked down at his leg. It was as if the injury had never happened.

"Hahahaha!" He laughed aloud, half from relief and half from the absurdity of it all. "Being a side character comes with some wild perks!"

His thoughts wandered as he rose to his feet, memories surfacing. Years ago, he had discovered this strange ability. He'd been a mischievous child, once peeking on his mother only to fall from a dangerous height. That day, the system had saved him by absorbing the very cells of his clothing to heal his injuries. He had been left naked but unscathed.

"Crazy, right? I've tested it over and over." Aelorin muttered to himself as he started walking, his gait steady now. "Back then, I kept pushing the limits. I stabbed my hand, my leg, just to see how far it could go. It even healed a throat stab once. I can't die... not as long as there are cells around to absorb."

He recalled how, after learning that, he had started practicing control. The idea of accidentally absorbing the wrong thing during healing—like a person—had terrified him. It took time, but he learned how to choose what to absorb. Though, even now, he couldn't fully control how much he took.

"And that's why I'm not afraid to jump from heights," he smirked. "System, what's your goal? Why are you doing all this?"

**{To make the user supreme above all creation.}**

Aelorin rolled his eyes at the grandiosity of the statement. "So, a king of the world, huh? Well, that's your goal. Mine's simpler. I just want to live a life where I'm so powerful, strong people come looking for me to fight. A selfish hero, I guess."

**{Superhero?}**

"No, no, don't get me wrong. I'm not interested in sacrificing anything for the world. I don't care about being righteous or noble. I just want what I want and to fight whoever's strong enough to challenge me. That's all."

The system remained silent after that, which suited Aelorin just fine. He yawned, waiting for another notification, but when nothing came, he simply shrugged and pressed on.

After some time, he reached his destination: a sprawling garden filled with lush, vibrant flora. The bushes were a strange shade of purple, their star-like fruits glinting like diamonds in the morning light. The garden felt alive, almost magical, and as he scanned the area, he could already spot several fantastical creatures moving between the plants.

"I'm in luck," Aelorin whispered, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "I've studied all the creatures in this forest. My sister thinks I come here to play hide and seek with her, but I've been researching for this exact moment."

**{Quest Received}**

**{Difficulty: Easy}**

**{Objective: Get in physical contact with a beast.}**

**{Reward: Beast Points.}**

Aelorin's lips curled into a grin. "Alright, let's tame some beasts."