Chapter 15 : Thunderbird

Seeing Finn like this, Leo grew increasingly concerned.

Falling asleep suddenly was fine when staying at home, but it could become dangerous if Finn ever ventured outside. Losing consciousness unexpectedly while walking outdoors could easily lead to serious trouble.

Carefully, Leo picked Finn up from the sofa and carried him to the bedroom, gently placing him on the bed. Finn remained soundly asleep. Leo lay down beside him, pondering, and asked the system in his mind:

"How does the random lottery work? Is it different from the random ability draw?"

Leo had earned three chances for a random lottery after completing earlier missions but hadn't had the opportunity to use them amidst his hectic days.

[ The random ability draw is limited to abilities. The random lottery, however, includes a wider range—you could receive anything. ]

Hearing this, Leo felt a wave of anticipation. "Alright, let's do the random lottery."

As soon as he spoke, the system's voice responded:

[ You have used three random lottery chances and received: one Thunderbird, one Beast Taming Whistle, and one Universal Fusion Worm. ]

Leo's eyes lit up with excitement at the rewards, especially the Thunderbird.

The Universal Fusion Worm was another highlight; having acquired three of them now, Leo realized he could fuse up to three royal beasts to boost his combat capabilities. But it was the Thunderbird that thrilled him the most.

Due to the low status of Beast Tamers among supernatural beings, there weren't many markets within the city that specialized in selling exotic beasts. To fully harness his abilities, Leo would need to capture beasts from outside the city—a dangerous and daunting task. Acquiring one through the lottery was a significant stroke of luck.

Without delay, Leo summoned the White Jade Cat, the Silver Light Fox, and the newly acquired Thunderbird.

A dazzling light filled the room, so bright that Leo instinctively closed his eyes, though the light pierced even through his eyelids.

The commotion startled Finn awake. He jolted upright, covering his eyes and shouting in panic, "What's going on? Am I time traveling!?"

Leo patted Finn's shoulder and shouted over the chaos, "Relax, it's just a beast I summoned!"

As the light gradually dimmed, Leo cautiously opened his eyes. Before him stood a stunning bird, no larger than his palm, exuding a faint electric glow.

Its feathers were a pristine white near the base, becoming increasingly translucent toward the edges, giving it an ethereal appearance. After the glow faded completely, its feathers turned a soft lavender, shimmering as though made of light rather than matter.

"Is this… the Thunderbird?" Leo murmured, reaching out to touch it. To his surprise, the bird obediently flew onto his palm.

Information about the Thunderbird flashed in his mind:

[ Thunderbird ]

[ Bloodline: A-Class ]

[ Stage: Juvenile ]

[ Level: First-tier Beast ]

[ Abilities: Lightning control,super speed ]

Leo's heart raced with excitement. The Thunderbird's A-Class bloodline made it a rare and powerful addition. He could only imagine how formidable it would become after a fusion.

Finn, meanwhile, stared wide-eyed at the three beasts now occupying the room. He turned to Leo, staring at him with suspicion.

"What?" Leo asked, unnerved by Finn's intense gaze.

Finn leaned in, pinching Leo's arm and face before whispering conspiratorially, "Tell me the truth—are you really Leo?"

Leo froze for a moment, then quickly realized Finn was likely just surprised by the sudden turn of events and didn't suspect the truth about his reincarnation.

"Of course, I'm Leo. Who else would I be?" Leo replied with a helpless shrug.

Finn shook his head in disbelief. "Two days ago, you didn't have a single beast to your name. Now you're walking around with three, and not just any three—these are at least B-Class beasts! How does that even happen? Did you cheat?"

Leo rolled his eyes, dismissing Finn's concerns. "You're overthinking. Just go back to sleep."

Reluctantly, Finn lay down, muttering under his breath.

Within moments, he was snoring softly again.

Leo, now alone, took out the final item from his lottery rewards: a small whistle. It was no larger than his thumb and looked as though it had been carved from a single piece of ruby.

[ Beast Taming Whistle: Allows the user to control beasts weaker than themselves. ]

Leo's eyes sparkled at the whistle's description. This was a game-changing tool. Outside the city, where beasts posed the greatest danger to humans, a higher-level user with this whistle could effortlessly neutralize entire hordes.

Satisfied with his rewards, Leo drifted off to sleep.

Two days later

Leo stayed home, and a steady stream of money flowed into Lia's account from his previous ventures.

The day had come for Lia to depart for one of the top ten academies. Leo and Finn accompanied her and Mia, heading toward the Advanced Ability Academy for their own enrollment.

Walking down the road, Lia held Mia's hand tightly, her expression filled with reluctance.

"No matter which academy I end up in, it'll be far from here," Lia said softly. "I probably won't be able to visit for at least a year or two. Promise me you'll keep me updated if anything happens."

Lia's voice carried a note of worry. She had always returned home weekly while at the Advanced Ability Academy, but now the long separation weighed heavily on her.

Leo smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry, sister. I've got everything under control."

But as they continued walking, Leo noticed the silence behind him. Turning around, he saw Finn had stopped again—this time asleep where he stood.

Leo sighed, shaking his head in exasperation. He walked back, lifted Finn effortlessly onto his back, and said, "You've fallen asleep four times, and we've barely walked a kilometer. If this keeps up, we'll reach the academy by noon!"

Finn, still half-asleep, mumbled an apology as Leo carried him forward.