C2 Detection Function and the Familiar Book!
"Actually, this egg is just from a medium-sized jungle lizard with common aptitude."
"Really?" The girl cocked her head, puzzled. "Why does it feel like it could be a Rock Snake egg?"
"No, you're mistaken. Look at this, this is what happens when you don't pay attention in class," Lin Yi said with a look of feigned distress, pointing at the egg's yellowish crack with a trembling finger. "Notice how regular the rock-like cracks are on the surface?"
"Wow! You're right!"
Lin Yi's eyes widened as he blurted out, "This is a mutated variant of the jungle lizard, likely with an earth attribute."
"Oh, is that so..." The girl looked crestfallen.
...
Lin Yi watched as Nuo Juan scampered off to inspect other Familiar Eggs.
"Phew!" He sighed deeply, relieved to have dodged that bullet.
Nuo Juan was the girl's name. Her father had been a comrade of Lin Yi's father, and both families had long been keen on setting the two up.
But who was Lin Yi to be tied down by romantic entanglements before experiencing life's highs and lows? What joy could love bring compared to the thrill of a solo gaming session?
Ahem, I digress.
Now, what to do with these nearly identical eggs?
"Beep! Auxiliary system now loading..." A robotic, emotionless voice echoed in Lin Yi's mind.
"Ah... what's this? A cheat code!" Lin Yi, who had been sullenly sorting through Familiar Eggs, suddenly looked astonished.
A wave of irrepressible excitement washed over him.
"Auxiliary system loaded successfully!"
"Activate!" Lin Yi commanded in his thoughts.
As a young man with experiences from another world, he was no stranger to such a system.
Zi Zi!
A grey panel materialized before him.
Detect! Draw! Exchange!
"Wow! This feels amazing!" Lin Yi wiped away the drool that wasn't there from his mouth, sensing the rhythm of his impending rise.
He glanced around at his classmates, who were busy selecting Familiar Eggs.
Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. That meant the panel was visible to him alone.
"Hehe, let's test out the detection function first."
Sizzle!
The gray panel flickered before settling back into stillness.
"How can it be blank?" Lin Yi wondered, shifting his attention to a white Familiar Egg nearby.
Name: Grass Snake
Species: Reptilia
Attribute: Wood
Level: None
Status: Unformed
Quality: Common
Potential: Two Stars (Estimated)
Skill: Bind, Whip
Evolution Route: One (Not met)
Introduction: A very common reptilian creature. Its quality is common and it's not recommended for cultivation. However, its meat is quite good and can be turned into a tasty dish.
Name: Beetle?
Species: Reptilia
Attribute: Wood
Quality: Elite
Potential: Three Stars (Estimated)
Skill: Dash
Evolution Route: One (Not met) Two (Not met)
Introduction: A very common reptilian creature with ordinary potential, not recommended for cultivation. It's the favorite meal of Fang Rats and aids in their growth.
Name: Sprinkler Bird
Species: Flying
Attribute: Water
Level: Bronze Three Early Period
Status: Ready to Hatch!
Quality: Common
Potential: Two Stars
Skill: Sprinkler
Evolution Route: One (Not met)
Introduction: A very playful avian creature that enjoys teasing nearby beings, though it often meets a grim fate. With its common quality, it is not recommended for cultivation.
"Wow!" Lin Yi couldn't contain his excitement, his smile spreading uncontrollably.
The timing of this feature couldn't be more perfect, especially since Lin Yi needed it today of all days.
The academy had organized a selection of Familiar Eggs today.
But here, aside from the eggs, there were no descriptions. And yet, it was precisely because of this that many eggs of exceptional quality were hidden among the lot—treasures that money couldn't buy.
Choosing a superior Familiar Egg was no small feat, as it involved a multitude of factors.
Half of the factors involved are influenced by the knowledge of Familiars one has acquired over time, as some species inherently have a higher starting point than others. This makes the biological recognition skills learned quite useful, and it's certainly an advantage for those with good academic performance.
However, another critical factor, and perhaps the most important, is luck. After all, each species has its strengths and weaknesses, and with a bit of luck, it's not impossible to pick a divine beast, right?
Luck is arguably the greatest allure of gambling on Familiar Eggs.
"Hehe, guess I'm kind of cheating, huh?" Lin Yi chuckled, his gaze continuously scanning the area.
Name: Fire Crab?
...
Name: Weedle?
...
Name: Bellbird?
...
After examining dozens of Familiar Eggs, Lin Yi noticed that most had only common aptitude, but there were a few with elite aptitude and rare Familiar Eggs that showed promising potential. They were perfect for a novice's first Familiar, but Lin Yi wanted to look further. After all, as a man with an edge, he couldn't settle for just ordinary, could he?
"Huh?" Lin Yi suddenly paused.
Name: Scarab!
Species: Reptilia
Attribute: Light
Level: Bronze Three Early Period
Status: Waiting to be hatched!
Quality: Perfect
Potential: Four stars
Skills: Charge, Baptism, Refraction
Evolution Route: One (Not satisfied) Two (Not satisfied) Three (Not satisfied)
Introduction: An exceptionally rare reptilian creature, believed to be a benign mutation of the beetle. An excellent choice for a healer!
"Perfect quality!" Lin Yi smiled, pleased. After such a long search, he had finally found one that met his standards.
Name: Mutant Water Snake?
Species: Reptilia
Attribute: Water
Level: Bronze Three Early Period
Quality: Perfect
Potential: Four stars (estimated)
Skills: Coil, Gaze, Spunlace
Evolution Route: One (Not satisfied) Two (Not satisfied) Three (Not satisfied)
Introduction: Suspected hidden bloodline? Highly recommended!
"Hidden bloodline! Gulp!" Lin Yi swallowed hard.
He made his decision!
Without further thought, Lin Yi pulled out his student card and swiped it through the card reader in front of the glass display.
"Ding! Sir, please take your Familiar Egg!"
A synthesized female voice rang in Lin Yi's ear.
A blue Familiar Egg!
Lin Yi's thoughts stirred, and a bronze-colored book materialized before his eyes.
Familiar Book!
This is one of the most mysterious forces in the world.
Within every person lies a Familiar Book, a repository of boundless energy. It is also a crucial power that enables humanity to maintain its foothold in the world.
Lin Yi gently opened the first page of his Familiar Book and carefully placed the Familiar Egg in the center.
"Buzz!"
The Familiar Book gave a slight tremor as the Familiar Egg transformed into a beam of light and was absorbed into the pages.
"Whoosh! Whoosh!" The pages of the Familiar Book turned, and rows of text began to materialize on what were once blank pages.
Image (Blue Familiar Egg)
Name: Unnamed
Level: Bronze Three - Early Period
Status: In Incubation...
"It's still quite rudimentary compared to the auxiliary system's detection function," Lin Yi mused to himself.
