Cybernetic Beast Taming In A Game-like World-Chapter 34: Mechbeast Basics

Jethro followed the other new tamers through a slender corridor that had projections embedded in the ceiling, showing constellations of data streams concerning things like the campus maps, class halls for upcoming lessons, and various announcements.

They arrived at a lightbeam doorway.

As they approached, the light rippled like water and the door retracted in four various directions. Jethro thought it was a dramatic way to open a simple door.

But the reason for the theatrics became apparent the moment he saw the class hall.

It was a large cybernetic amphitheater illuminated by ambient lights and designed with rows of ergonomic, slate-gray seats descending towards a central dais.

Instead of walls, curved screens defined the shape of the room, reaching from the ceiling to the floor, displaying ecosystems, diagrams and labels of various mechbeasts, including descriptions on devices essential for mechbeasts such as aether chips and cultivation modules.

There were no air conditioning units that Jethro could see, yet the air was very cool and filtered. And even with everything mostly made of steel, the room still smelled like ozone and herbs.

"House Faction! This way!" a student with a Steel Sparrow bellowed, gesturing towards a corner of the hall.

Kekius practically vibrated. "Come on, Jethro! Aren’t you excited? It’s our first lesson!"

Jethro pursed his lips. "Yeah, but why do we all have to sit together?"

"I told you that things get competitive, didn’t I?" Kekius beamed. "Factions just stay together. That way they can work as a team."

Jethro rolled his eyes with disinterest. ’Pretty sure no one wants me on their team.’

"Come on!"

Kekius dragged Jethro towards seats a few rows behind where Padva sat. She glanced up as they approached, her eyes meeting Jethro’s for a fleeting second before she quickly looked away, pretending not to have noticed him.

Once Jethro and Kekius were seated, the rest of House Faction students filtered in, claiming seats around the same area. Luckily for Jethro, he was sitting adjacent to the wallscreen so he didn’t have to worry about anyone not wanting to sit beside him and Scorch.

Jessamine entered a moment later, flanked by other Knight Faction members who seemed to be trying to attach themselves to her orbit. Her Vulcan Hydra observed the room with alert curiosity from her shoulder. She scanned the tiers, her gaze lingering when they found Jethro.

She smiled tauntingly at him before him heading towards the Knight Faction’s designated position in the class hall. Eryn paused to get a good look at Jethro. When Jethro raised a brow at him, his expression darkened and he walked away.

Other students entered, Gilded and Ravelin Factions, sitting in their separate corners. The air started to buzz with low conversation and the mechanical whirs and purrs of mechbeasts.

Suddenly, the ambient lighting subtly shifted, focusing brighter on the central dais. A section of the floor slid aside silently, and everyone watched as a figure rose smoothly from below.

It was another professor. A woman this time. She wasn’t ancient like Saggitaru, nor imposing like the Faction Leaders. She appeared perhaps in her late forties, with sharp, intelligent features framed by chin-length black hair shot through with a single dramatic streak of silver above her left temple.

She wore a form-fitting suit of deep indigo, reminiscent of a pilot’s flight suit except it had an academic fashion. A long cape of darker purple spread down her back, secured by a single golden bolt. Her most striking feature was her large, observant golden eyes. They swept the amphitheater with unnerving focus, almost as if she’d captured every single one of them in that moment.

Integrated into the forearm of her suit was a slim, translucent interface panel, a style she preferred over carrying data-slates. A warm, yet authoritative smile was on her face as she stepped away from the section she had risen from and walked closer to the dais.

At this point, the hum of conversation from the crowd had already died. And even the mechbeasts seemed to quieten, sensing the shift in the atmosphere.

"Good morning, new tamers," the professor greeted, her voice modulated enough to carry. "Welcome to the Beastcorp Academy and welcome to your first class in Mechbeast Basics and Growth. I am Professor Aris Golenhart, and I’ll be handling you on this important course."

She consulted the panel in her forearm before continuing. "This class is called the Basics because that’s exactly what it is. The basics. Before you’re to begin your very paths as mechbeast tamers and possible Riftwalkers, it is undeniable that you must first understand the essential foundations of what is required. Mechbeast growth, development, necessities, cultivation and other requirements."

"In this class, potential meets understanding. This is where the bond between tamer and mechbeast is not merely acknowledged, but actively forged, nurtured, and pushed towards its apex."

Her amber gaze swept across the students, pausing for a fraction longer on Padva’s Doomsday Panther, Jessamine’s Hydra, and then, unexpectedly, resting on Scorch, still peeking from Jethro’s white hair. There was no judgment in that look, only intense, analytical curiosity.

She returned to her explanation. "You will find some of this information in basic glyphs but since it’s the fundamentals you’re here to learn, then I must begin with that."

As she spoke, the holographic board behind her began to scribble words mirroring her lecture.

"There are five recognized mechbeast ranks: Grey, Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum and Black. Regardless of what rank your beast falls into, you all begin at Class E, which many of you are at this moment."

She continued, now pacing back and forth. "Your Class increases in three ways: Your mechbeast’s growth, the strength of your bond with your mechbeast, and your mechbeast’s power. Advancement in any of these areas accelerates your Class progression with the peak being Class A, and in exceedingly rare cases, Class S."

"If you’re curious about how to track your Class status," she added, "consult your beastlinkers or your license which automatically updates each time your Class increases."

"Now..." She stopped pacing, allowing a moment of dramatic silence to build. "I know the burning question that excites all of you is how to climb those Class ranks swiftly, especially for those eager to become Riftwalkers. So why don’t I cut to the chase and tell you exactly how to do that, mhm?"

Everyone looked at each other, grinning ear to ear.

"This professor rocks."

"Yeah! I like her."

Professor Aris acknowledged the reaction with a slight smile. "Since your Class hinges on your mechbeast’s growth, bond, and power, then it is a bit obvious then, isn’t it?"

She paused, her expression turning more serious. "Well, the theory is straightforward, but the execution involves numerous critical steps. Take Beast Growth for example: In the Hatchling Phase, there are specific diets that should be fed to different mechbeasts on respect to their nutrient flow circuit. That way, the mechbeast can reach the optimal development for that particular phase."

"You see, what I’m saying here is: It might seem straightforward that getting your mechbeast to grow from the Hatchling Phase to the Apex Phase will get you up a Class, but achieving that requires diligent attention to details like the earlier mentioned nutrient flow circuit, efficient aether absorption, structured training, and dedicated bonding exercises. Merely observing the phases isn’t enough. You must actively guide your mechbeast through each segment to unlock its full potential."

Her golden eyes swept the room and stopped at a girl with a Dreadeater Caterpillar curled sleepily around her neck.

"You." Professor Aris pointed at her. "Do you know what the nutrient flow circuit is for your mechbeast once it reaches the Mature Phase?"

The girl froze, her brown eyes widening. After a moment of fluster, she shook her head.

Professor Aris raised a brow. "Does anyone?" She offered the question to the rest of the class.

Jethro immediately swore in his mind. The screen had appeared to him at that very moment. Which meant that he knew the answer to the question, but he didn’t want to come off as a know-it-all on his first day.

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