Eclipsed Realms: The Tamer's Path

Walking through the expansive Tamer Association building with Wang as my guide was like stepping into an entirely different world. Every corner of the building brimmed with purpose and innovation, a testament to humanity's determination to adapt and thrive.

We first stopped at the medicine shop, a sprawling area with shelves stacked high with vials, capsules, and serums. The air smelled faintly of herbs and chemicals, a mixture of nature and science. Wang explained in detail, his tone casual but authoritative.

"Here, you'll find medicine for any problem you can think of—healing pills, serums for severe injuries, and even temporary boost medicines. But watch out," he added with a smirk. "Those boosts come with side effects. Still, a smart tamer always has the right resources on hand. It can mean the difference between life and death."

Next, we visited the weapon shop, a massive area as busy as the medicine shop. It wasn't just a retail space; workshops buzzed in the background, where craftsmen forged and refined weapons.

"Most basic equipment comes from Earth," Wang explained. "But anything of real quality is made right here." He gestured to a rack of swords, gleaming under bright lights. "From simple blades to laser swords and blasters—everything a tamer could need in the field."

I couldn't help but admire the craftsmanship. Each piece seemed to hum with latent power, waiting for the right hand to wield it.

We moved on to the armor shop, where racks of body armor, shields, and advanced exosuits were displayed. Some glowed faintly, indicating built-in energy enhancements. Wang didn't dwell long here, but I noted how essential protective gear was for survival in this world.

From there, we headed to the library, a quiet, serene space in stark contrast to the bustling shops. The walls were lined with actual books, though digital screens were scattered throughout for quick access to information.

"Here's where tamers come to learn," Wang said. "You can find detailed information on creatures, evolution paths, and strategies. You'll also meet others with similar goals—it's a good place for discussions and exchanging ideas."

We passed by the arena next, a massive open space designed for battles between tamers. The roar of a crowd and the clash of combat echoed faintly from within.

"Fights are strictly regulated here," Wang said. "If you want to test your skills or settle disputes, this is the place."

The training areas came next, each section specialized for honing different abilities. Rooms with obstacle courses for speed, chambers with dummies for reflex training, and even pods that tested intelligence and strategy were laid out in a logical flow.

"These facilities are essential if you want to push your limits," Wang noted.

Eventually, we arrived at the teleportation area, a sleek and sterile section of the building. A faint hum filled the air as glowing circles on the floor pulsed rhythmically.

"This is your gateway back to Earth," Wang said. "But don't expect much for training. Earth's energy levels make it nearly impossible to progress beyond iron rank."

Finally, we reached the reception area, bustling with activity. Large digital boards displayed missions, each tagged with rank requirements and rewards.

"This is where you'll find missions," Wang said. "You can join others here to form teams. Lone wolves don't last long, so it's better to find allies."

"I'll keep that in mind," I replied, appreciating the advice.

With the tour complete, Wang led me to my new residence. I wasn't sure what to expect, but when we stopped at a penthouse, my jaw nearly dropped.

"This is your assigned place," Wang said, gesturing me inside.

The apartment was beyond luxurious. It had two spacious bedrooms, a modern kitchen, and a cozy living room. But what caught my attention most was the balcony—a stunning view of the town stretched out before me. A private swimming pool shimmered under the sun.

"Every tamer is assigned a house," Wang continued. "Though most prefer living in town. Property here isn't expensive, and tamers don't pay rent—it's all provided. But don't think about claiming land or forming your own territory. That's a death sentence. The wild areas are too dangerous, and most of the land is already under the empires' control."

I nodded, absorbing the warning.

Wang handed me a watch and a phone. "These are yours. The watch is synced with your ID—use it to access the association facilities and secure your home."

With that, he gave me a parting nod and left. I stood in the silence of my new home, the weight of everything sinking in.

After locking the door with the watch, I sank onto the sofa.

After few minutes I explored my new residence, Asura followed along, his movements filled with the curiosity of someone seeing everything for the first time. I couldn't help but smile as he nosed around the furniture and even pawed at the futuristic panels on the walls. Voltis and Laila were also watching through my eyes, sharing in the discovery.

I was cautious, though. This place almost certainly had cameras, and I didn't want to reveal my full strength just yet. It wasn't paranoia—just a lesson learned from experience. If someone ever tried to test me, I wanted to deliver a surprise they'd regret.

After about half an hour, we wrapped up the exploration. Asura looked as energized as ever, but it was clear he was itching for something more engaging. Voltis and Laila, too, were eager to train.

Their taming space had expanded, now covering an area of about 10 kilometers. Voltis immediately got to work setting up a training course for speed and maneuvers using explosive balls. Laila joined him, turning it into a two-sided challenge where they would take turns dodging and firing at each other to hone their accuracy.

Even Asura decided to join in, asking for permission to train alongside them. I agreed. Until I had a clearer picture of the tamers and their partners here, it was better to keep our capabilities under wraps.

While they trained, I left the apartment and headed for the library. I needed to gather as much information as possible—both about this new world and the changes to Earth after the incident.

---

The library was quiet, with a comforting hum from the digital interfaces scattered around the room. I picked up several books, both physical and digital, and began piecing together the basics.

The ranking system, I learned, was a standardized way to categorize strength and evolution, but its origin surprised me. The Guardians of Order had rewritten reality to give creatures visible rank indicators—a change that drastically reduced unnecessary conflicts. Before that, identifying a creature's level required advanced skills or close observation, which often led to fatal mistakes.

The energy powering everything was a creature's life force, naturally produced by their bodies. Hunger or exhaustion drained it, and different species had varying capacities and density ranges at each level. Training could increase density, while daily exhaustion—or external help—was needed to expand capacity.

Tamers followed a clear progression:

Unranked Tamers could enhance themselves and create personal barriers.

Iron Rank allowed expanded barriers to protect others and basic energy attacks, though many relied on equipment for combat.

Bronze Rank tamers often had three or four partners and used barrier skills offensively. Advanced Bronze tamers had precise control, mimicking my own fighting style.

Silver Rank unlocked elemental affinities, significantly boosting a tamer's power.

Gold Rank introduced fusion with partners, creating incredibly strong hybrid creatures.

The descriptions of taming talents caught my attention, especially the Fusion Talent, which was said to belong to the leader of humanity. Other talents were classified, and I'd need higher authorization to learn more.

---

After two hours of reading, my mind buzzed with new information. I realized the evolution guidelines were far from complete—they missed countless possibilities. Still, the basics were helpful for now.

Feeling drained, I headed to the food area. The association's dining hall was vast, catering to different cuisines. I chose an Asian stall and ordered fried shrimp with chili and rice, along with a few extra dishes for Voltis, Laila, and Asura in the taming space.

As I ate, I noticed someone approaching—a young man in his twenties with black hair and a polite demeanor.

"Excuse me," he said, bowing slightly. "I'm Jun. Are you waiting for someone, or... are you here alone?"

I paused, curious about his intentions. "I'm alone. What do you need?"

Jun hesitated but pressed on. "I'm sorry to disturb you, but my group just arrived here, and we're all Iron Rank. We don't have a strong teammate, so we were hoping... you might join us. You'd be our leader, and we'd follow your commands."

His tone was earnest, almost desperate. I could tell they wanted to explore outside the safe haven but were too cautious to do so without stronger support. The association provided guides, but only for the first week, leaving new tamers to fend for themselves after that.

While I had no real interest in babysitting, this could be an opportunity to observe other tamers up close—and test whether the association monitored activity outside the safe zones.

"All right," I said, nodding slowly. "I'll give your group a chance. If you're good enough, I'll let you follow me."

Jun's face lit up with relief. "You won't regret it!"

We exchanged contact details, and as he left, I leaned back in my chair. This would be an interesting way to learn about the system—and a potential step toward finding reliable allies in this strange, dangerous world.