SSS Rank: Strongest Beast Master

The following morning, Jonah felt like a ghost haunting his own body. The psychic backlash from the Grade-2 synthesis had faded, but it left behind a deep, lingering mental exhaustion. His thoughts felt slow and heavy, like they were wading through mud. His body was fine, but his mind felt like it had run a marathon.

He had written the report for Seraph as ordered, meticulously detailing the process and the Glimmer-Wing Striker's abilities. After she picked it up with a curt nod, he was left with a rare pocket of free time. He knew he should rest, but his mind, sluggish as it was, was buzzing with questions.

Essences. Synergy. Genesis Cores. These were the building blocks of his power, but he knew almost nothing about them. If he wanted to be more than just a kid following orders, he needed to understand the materials he was working with. He needed to learn about the beasts themselves.

So, he decided to go to the one place in the Academy that was guaranteed to have information: the library.

The Mystic Phoenix Academy's library didn't feel like a regular room full of books – it felt more like a giant temple of knowledge. Polished wooden shelves soared five stories high, each one packed with thousands of leather-bound volumes. Sunlight streamed through massive arched windows, illuminating dust motes that danced in the quiet, reverent air. The place smelled like old paper, worn leather, and silence you could almost hear. It was nothing like the tiny, dusty bookshelf back in the Cinderfall schoolhouse.

Jonah wandered the aisles, feeling small and out of place. He searched the directories for sections on Demonic Beast anatomy or biology. It was harder than he expected. He found thousands of books, but the titles were things like Slaying the Sabertooth Grump, Field Dressings for Wyvern Bites, and a bunch more he didn't even understand. They were all about how to fight monsters – not how monsters actually lived.

Frustrated and tired, he turned a corner too quickly and stumbled right into a fortress of books stacked on a large reading table. An bunch of heavy ones slid off and crashed to the floor around him.

"Hey! Watch it!" a sharp voice snapped.

From behind the collapsing wall of literature, a girl glared at him. She had dark, intelligent eyes and long, straight black hair that was tied back in a practical, no-nonsense ponytail. She looked at the mess on the floor, then at him, her expression a perfect mask of annoyance.

"I'm so sorry," Jonah mumbled, bending down to help pick them up. "I wasn't looking."

He glanced at the titles as he stacked them: Advanced Mana Theory, Principles of Runic Weaving, Aetheric Resonance and Spell Shaping. This was way over his head.

The girl's gaze softened slightly as she took in his appearance. She noted the plain, first-year uniform and the stark White Badge on his collar. But she also saw the dark circles under his eyes and the profound exhaustion etched onto his face.

"It's fine," she sighed, the annoyance fading into tired resignation. She pointed to the massive directory near the entrance. "The general bestiaries are on the first floor, under 'Threat Analysis.' If you're looking for a specific biological data, you'll need to cross-reference with 'Alchemical Components' on the third floor. The system is quite inefficient."

"Oh. Thanks," Jonah said, grateful for the help. He set the last book down on her table. Just looking at the pile made his head spin. "That's… a lot of reading."

She gave him a tired little smile. "Being a Mage isn't just about tossing fireballs. You need to build a solid base. You have to know why the fire burns, how mana shapes the spell. If you can't control it, it controls you."

Her words spoke a lot of passion. She wasn't just studying; she was giving it everything she had.

"So, you're a Mage," Jonah said, even though it was pretty obvious.

She nodded, a hint of pride in her eyes. "Vanessa. And you?" She looked him up and down. "Not bulky enough for a Warrior. Tamer, then?"

Jonah's mind instantly flashed to Seraph's warning. Do not speak of the specifics of your ability.

"Tamer," he said, deciding on the partial truth. It felt thin and weak compared to her confident declaration. "I'm… in a special program."

Vanessa raised a perfectly sculpted eyebrow. "A special program? Hmm.. That's Odd. Most of the Tamers I've seen practically live at the beast pens on the south campus. You're the first one I've ever seen in the library."

Before Jonah could try to stammer out an explanation, a sharp, familiar voice cut through the quiet air.

"Jonah."

He flinched. Sergeant Seraph was standing at the end of the aisle, her arms crossed, her expression as stern as ever. She walked towards them, her practical combat boots making no sound on the polished floor.

Her sharp gray eyes shifted to Vanessa, quickly taking in the mountain of books and her obvious "magic student" vibe. Then she turned to Jonah. It wasn't mean or angry – but her voice made it clear she wasn't asking.

"Time to go."

"I was just leaving," Jonah said quickly, giving Vanessa an apologetic look.

Seraph gave Vanessa a final glance, a look that was somehow both a warning and a dismissal, a clear signal that this conversation was over and this student was off-limits. She placed a firm hand on Jonah's shoulder and steered him away.

As he was led away, Jonah glanced back. Vanessa was still watching him, her dark eyes filled not with annoyance anymore, but with a deep and thoughtful curiosity. He was an anomaly, a puzzle. A Tamer who studied biology, looked like he hadn't slept in a week, and was personally escorted by a scary-looking combat instructor.

Vanessa, the dedicated Mage, had just found a mystery she couldn't find the answer to in any of her books. And she looked like she was determined to solve it.