The ground trembled.
It wasn't from any battle, nor from the movements of the students training nearby. It was something else. Something far more primal.
The pulse of mana, dense and unrestrained, reverberated through the very air, thickening the atmosphere around Philippine Hunter University. It was the kind of power that hung heavy in the air like a storm about to break, thick and untamed.
Within the heart of the university, inside **The Crucible**, a specialized simulation dome designed for group exercises, something had gone terribly wrong. Originally built for students to face harmless virtual monsters in a controlled environment, today it had become the stage for something far beyond the ordinary.
Grim stood at its center, alone, his heart pounding in sync with the thrum of raw mana that surged around him.
*This wasn't supposed to happen.*
His eyes scanned the eerie emptiness of the dome as it flickered with light. The simulation system, designed to be harmless and straightforward, had glitched. A few students had started the exercise earlier, but the moment Grim stepped inside, everything changed. The dome locked out the others, isolating him in a strange, otherworldly setting.
Above him, the sky shifted unnaturally. Galaxies spun and stars shifted with rhythmic precision, as though the universe itself was holding its breath. A whisper, soft but urgent, echoed in his mind.
*Call with your soul.*
Grim's pulse quickened. His hands trembled slightly. This wasn't part of the curriculum. He had no idea what he was supposed to do. He wasn't an experienced summoner; his awakening had barely begun. But even in the face of fear, his instincts kicked in. Slowly, he raised his hands, not as he had done before in practice, but with an unfamiliar purpose.
The pull deep inside him was undeniable. The very air seemed to hum with energy, wrapping itself around his body like a warm blanket. The ground beneath him seemed to shift, as though reacting to his intent.
And then it happened.
A screech—a sound that didn't belong to the world of men—ripped through the sky. It was a sound of thunder and lightning, of vast wings carving through space itself. The dome around Grim cracked, not with the force of a physical blow, but with the pressure of the mana unleashed.
The air split open.
A creature descended, its size incomprehensible. Its wings were vast, stretching beyond the horizon, casting shadows that seemed to swallow entire sections of the sky. Its body shimmered like the starlit void, feathered in celestial hues. A mighty beak, sharp as the edge of the universe itself, glistened beneath the starlight.
**Minokawa.**
The name filled Grim's mind, as though the universe itself whispered it to him. The Minokawa, a legendary celestial beast from ancient Filipino myths—a creature that devours the sun and moon. The devourer of light. The guardian of celestial balance.
The beast's massive form landed before him with a power that sent a shockwave through the very fabric of reality. Its wings folded with grace, controlling their size in a way that defied logic. It towered over Grim, yet its eyes—glowing with ancient wisdom—met his gaze. The creature's gaze was piercing and regal, full of silent authority.
For a long moment, there was no sound—only the quiet hum of the celestial energy swirling around them.
Then, the beast lowered its head in a gesture of deference.
Grim stumbled back, his heart racing. "Wait… you're… mine?"
A low rumble, like distant thunder, emanated from the Minokawa. It was not a voice, but a deep, reverberating resonance that seemed to speak to him on a level beyond words.
*You have called. I have answered. The bond is formed.*
A warmth spread through Grim's chest, as if a glowing star had ignited deep within him. His veins thrummed with power—power that felt ancient, untapped, and limitless. His mind struggled to process the overwhelming force now coursing through him.
From the shadows of the arena, simulated monsters, illusions designed for training purposes, began to spawn. But as they materialized, the Minokawa's gaze turned cold. It flared its wings, and with a single flap, the creatures were swept away. They vanished in an instant, their existence shattered by the raw power of the Minokawa. The fake monsters' mana dissipated like mist in the sun.
---
Outside the simulation dome, chaos erupted.
The alarms blared, and Karina's sharp voice cut through the confusion.
"What's happening in there?!" she demanded, frantically tapping at the control panel. Her eyes widened as the system readout flickered with an alarming message:
**[Gate Simulation – ERROR OVERRIDE]**
**[Initiating Celestial Trial]**
**[Classification: UNKNOWN]**
On the screens, the scene inside the dome shifted from a basic combat simulation to something far more intense. Karina's gaze flickered to Elyse, who had just arrived, eyes wide with disbelief.
"That's not a simulation," Elyse whispered, more to herself than anyone else. "That's a gate."
The words seemed to hang in the air, thick with the weight of their meaning.
Elyse's sharp eyes didn't leave the screen. "That creature… it's the Minokawa. A celestial being. But… how? Only the most powerful summoners are ever able to summon such a beast."
Elyse's voice trailed off, as if she were piecing together a puzzle, her mind working through the implications of what was happening.
Zeke, ever calm and composed, folded his arms and spoke with gravity, his voice low. "We've seen S-rank blessings, but this… this is different. No one has summoned a creature like that in centuries."
"It's not just the beast, Zeke," Kyle added, his tone laced with awe. "It's the boy. He's not just blessed. He's chosen."
---
Inside the dome, Grim stood frozen in awe, still trying to comprehend the magnitude of what was happening. He felt the presence of the Minokawa within him, an overwhelming force that whispered of forgotten realms and forgotten gods. The celestial beast before him was not a mere summon—it was a companion, a guardian, a link to something far greater.
"Minokawa," Grim whispered, his voice barely audible. "Why did you come? Why me?"
The Minokawa's gaze softened, and it lowered its massive head. Through the bond that had formed between them, Grim could feel an answer stir within him.
*The veil has begun to thin, young summoner. The celestial realms are no longer as distant as they once were. You, Grim Arclight, have awakened the ancient pacts. I have come to protect the balance.*
Grim's chest tightened as the meaning behind the words sank in. *A protector? A guardian?* He wanted to ask more, to understand, but the words seemed to dissolve in his mind as the Minokawa raised its wings once more, ready to return to the sky.
With a final, powerful flap, the beast took to the heavens, its form dissipating like a fading star. The illusion of the dome shimmered, cracking apart as the celestial presence slowly faded.
---
When the simulation finally ended, the dome released its lock with a hiss, and the door slid open. Grim stepped out, his body humming with power. The students who had gathered around waited in stunned silence as he walked through, unscathed, but undeniably changed.
Karina was the first to approach, her expression unreadable as she studied him with a mix of suspicion and awe.
"What happened in there?" she asked, her voice steady, but the weight of her gaze heavier than any physical pressure.
Grim paused, taking a moment to collect himself. "I... I called something. I didn't know I could."
Karina arched an eyebrow. "And what did you summon?"
Grim exhaled slowly. "A Minokawa."
The name sent a ripple through the crowd. Whispers spread like wildfire, eyes wide with disbelief. The Minokawa wasn't just any creature—it was a celestial being, a myth from the ancient texts.
Karina blinked, her sharp gaze assessing him. "Class dismissed," she said, her voice distant.
---
Later that night, in the quiet of his dorm room, Grim sat cross-legged on his bed, his mind still buzzing with the echoes of the Minokawa's presence. He could feel the bond, the connection between them, a shimmering thread of mana stretching across the vastness of the realms.
"I don't know why you chose me," Grim whispered to the empty room, the words slipping past his lips like a prayer. "But I'll find out. I swear I will."
From his window, the moonlight bathed the room in a soft glow, as though the stars themselves were watching. Somewhere above, the heavens shifted once again, as if in response to his vow.
In the shadows, unseen by Grim, a figure stood on the rooftop—a silhouette against the night sky.
Thyce, the goddess of summoning, smiled softly, her eyes glowing with pride.
"So," she whispered, her voice a soft murmur of satisfaction. "The Celestial Veil has begun to thin."
"And my disciple... has taken the first step."
---
Far beneath the university, in a hidden chamber sealed by ancient runes, a lone candle flickered to life. The massive stone mural depicting celestial creatures shimmered faintly, its intricate carvings glowing with an eerie light. At the center of the mural, the carving of the Minokawa began to pulse, its eyes lighting up as if acknowledging the awakening of a new summoner.
An old man, one of the university's oldest guardians, stood before it, his gaze focused and intense. He turned to a glowing orb beside him that pulsed with a rhythmic heartbeat-like rhythm. "A celestial pact has been forged," he whispered. "A true summoner has awakened. After all these years... the prophecy stirs."
Above, the stars shifted once more.
And somewhere in the world, those who watched the heavens felt the tremor in the veil.