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**Beijing, Dragon Empire Alliance, Year 2045**
Lin Feng sprawled on his dorm bed, staring at the cracked ceiling while Xiaohuo, his Flame-Tailed Drakeling, gnawed on a charred chicken leg stolen from Fatty Wang's lunch. The neon glow of Beijing's fortified walls pulsed through the window, a reminder of the monster-infested wilderness beyond. Last night's Class Awakening Ceremony had turned Lin's life upside down—reincarnated from a dead-end Earth to Terra Apocalypse, gifted with the **[Mysterious Sovereign System]** and an **Immortal-Rank Talent** disguised as SSS-Rank. His unique class, **Dragon Sovereign's Celestial Mandate**, let him tame dragons, starting with the sassy Xiaohuo.
But fame came with a price. Li Hao, the S-Rank fire-mage prodigy, was out for blood after Lin's accidental (okay, semi-accidental) robe-burning stunt. And with the **Global College Entrance Trials** looming in three months, Lin had to level up fast or get eaten by a dungeon beast.
A blue screen flickered in his vision, the [System]'s snarky voice echoing in his head: **[Quest Update: Train Xiaohuo. Kill 10 F-Rank Monsters. Reward: Mystery Item, 200 System Points. Deadline: 48 hours. Penalty: Xiaohuo eats your shoes.]**
Lin glanced at Xiaohuo, who burped a tiny flame. "You wouldn't, right?"
Xiaohuo smirked, showing needle-sharp teeth. "Keep me hungry, and your sneakers are toast, human."
Lin groaned. "Great. A dragon with an attitude and a footwear fetish." He checked his stats:
**[Status: Lin Feng, Level 1]**
- **Stats**: Strength 10, Agility 12, Intelligence 15, Vitality 10, Luck 8
- **Skills**: [Dragon Bond Lv. 1], [Dragon Claw Strike Lv. 1], [Celestial Evasion Lv. 1]
- **Pet**: Xiaohuo (Flame-Tailed Drakeling, Level 1, Evolves at Level 10)
- **System Points**: 100
"Time to grind," Lin muttered, grabbing his standard-issue combat gear—a flimsy leather vest and a dagger that looked like it belonged in a kitchen. The [System] had promised a **Mystery Item**, and Lin's gamer instincts screamed it'd be worth the hassle.
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**Training Grounds: The Rookie Slaughterhouse**
The school's training grounds were a sprawling arena of sandpits, holographic targets, and caged F-Rank monsters. Students practiced their skills, from **Wind Archers** firing glowing arrows to **Stone Guardians** tanking blows. Lin spotted Fatty Wang in a corner, cooking mana-infused noodles that boosted Agility. The air smelled of sweat, ozone, and… was that barbecue?
"Feng!" Fatty waved, holding a glowing noodle bowl. "Try my [Spirit Broth Lv. 1]! +3 Agility for 30 minutes!"
Lin slurped a spoonful, feeling a tingle in his legs. "Fatty, you're a national treasure. Keep this up, and I'll make you my personal chef."
Fatty beamed, then whispered, "Watch out. Li Hao's crew is lurking. They're calling you 'Trash Dragon Tamer' after that egg stunt."
Lin smirked. "Trash? I'll show them a garbage fire." He activated [Dragon Bond Lv. 1], syncing with Xiaohuo's senses. The world sharpened—every rustle, every scent, even the heat of nearby students' skills. Xiaohuo perched on his shoulder, tail flicking like a whip.
The training supervisor, a grizzled Combat-Class hunter named **Instructor Zhang**, barked, "Rookies! Pair up and clear an F-Rank dungeon sim! Kill five Ironfang Wolves each, or you're scrubbing the arena!"
Students scrambled into teams, but Lin noticed Li Hao and his cronies—a hulking **Ironclad Knight** named **Chen Wei** and a sneaky **Shadow Assassin** named **Zhao Min**—glaring at him. No one approached Lin. An SSS-Rank was intimidating, and his "trash egg" reputation didn't help.
"Guess we're solo, Xiaohuo," Lin said, cracking his knuckles.
Xiaohuo snorted. "Duh. We're too cool for these losers."
Instructor Zhang led them to a holographic portal, shimmering like a sci-fi gate. "This sim mimics a real dungeon. Wolves are fast, but their hides are weak. Don't die on day one."
Lin stepped through, Xiaohuo clinging to his vest. The portal spat them into a forest clearing, holographic trees swaying under a blood-red sky. Five Ironfang Wolves, each the size of a pitbull with metal-gray fur, growled from the shadows.
**[Quest Progress: 0/10 F-Rank Monsters Killed]**.
"Let's dance," Lin said, gripping his dagger. A wolf lunged, jaws snapping. Lin activated [Celestial Evasion Lv. 1], sidestepping with unnatural grace as Xiaohuo spat a [Flame Burst Lv. 1]. The fire singed the wolf's flank, making it yelp. Lin followed with [Dragon Claw Strike Lv. 1], his fingers glowing as he slashed its throat. The wolf dissolved into pixels, dropping a **Wolf Fang** and 10 EXP.
**[Quest Progress: 1/10. EXP +10. Level 1: 10/100 EXP]**.
"Easy," Lin grinned, but four more wolves circled, eyes glowing. Xiaohuo flapped into the air, snarling, "Don't get cocky, human!"
The wolves attacked in unison. Lin dove, rolling under snapping jaws, and tossed Xiaohuo like a flaming grenade. "Go, Pokémon!" The drakeling spat a [Flame Burst Lv. 1], scorching two wolves. Lin slashed another with [Dragon Claw Strike], but the last wolf tackled him, pinning his arm.
"Ow! Bad dog!" Lin yelped, kicking it off. Xiaohuo dive-bombed, claws raking the wolf's eyes. Lin finished it with a glowing slash, panting as the pack dissolved into loot: three **Wolf Fangs**, a **Mana Shard**, and 40 EXP.
**[Quest Progress: 5/10. EXP +40. Level 1: 50/100 EXP]**.
Lin wiped sweat from his brow. "Xiaohuo, you're a menace."
"Compliment accepted," Xiaohuo said, licking its claws. "Now feed me."
Back at the portal, Lin emerged to cheers. Fatty Wang clapped wildly. "You threw your dragon! That's insane!"
Instructor Zhang grunted, impressed. "Not bad, SSS-Rank. But don't get cocky."
Li Hao, watching from a distance, clenched his fists. His cronies whispered, and Lin caught the words "ambush" and "teach him." The [System] pinged: **[Side Quest: Survive Li Hao's Ambush. Reward: 150 System Points, Random Skill Shard. Penalty: Public Humiliation.]**
Lin smirked. "Oh, Hair Gel wants round two? Bring it."
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**The Ambush**
After training, Lin and Fatty headed to the cafeteria, a bustling hall of glowing food stalls and students trading loot. Lin was munching Fatty's [Spirit Broth] when Li Hao's crew cornered them in a quiet corridor. Chen Wei cracked his knuckles, his **Ironclad Knight** aura radiating. Zhao Min vanished into shadows, her **Shadow Assassin** class active.
"SSS-Rank, huh?" Li Hao sneered, flames flickering in his palm. "Let's see if your lizard can save you."
Lin yawned, leaning against the wall. "Hair Gel, you're embarrassing yourself. Go style your bangs and leave me alone."
Chen Wei charged, swinging a fist like a sledgehammer. Lin activated [Celestial Evasion Lv. 1], dodging with a spin that left Chen stumbling. Xiaohuo leapt from Lin's shoulder, spitting [Flame Burst Lv. 1] at Zhao Min, who yelped as her cloak caught fire. Lin ducked Li Hao's [Fireball Lv. 3], grabbing a nearby mop and smacking Chen Wei's helmet, ringing it like a gong.
"Time out, big guy!" Lin laughed, tossing the mop at Zhao Min. She tripped, cursing as her stealth broke.
Li Hao roared, unleashing [Flame Wave Lv. 2], a wall of fire surging forward. Lin grabbed Fatty, diving behind a vending machine. Xiaohuo, unfazed, flew through the flames, claws glowing with [Drake Slash Lv. 1], a skill it had just unlocked. The drakeling raked Li Hao's arm, making him scream and drop his spell.
Lin popped up, grinning. "Xiaohuo, you're my MVP! Let's wrap this up." He activated [Dragon Bond Lv. 1], syncing with Xiaohuo's speed, and tackled Li Hao, pinning him. "Say 'I'm a sparkly princess,' and I'll let you go."
Li Hao sputtered, face purple. "You—!"
Xiaohuo spat a spark, singeing Li Hao's hair. "Say it, Hair Gel," Lin taunted.
"I'm… a sparkly princess," Li Hao mumbled, humiliated as students peeked into the corridor, snickering.
**[Side Quest Completed! Reward: 150 System Points, Random Skill Shard]**.
**[Skill Shard Activated: Dragon Roar Lv. 1 - Stuns enemies with a sonic blast. Cooldown: 60 seconds.]**
Lin let Li Hao go, who fled with his cronies, vowing revenge. Fatty stared, awestruck. "Feng, you're nuts! You took on an S-Rank team solo!"
"Nah," Lin said, petting Xiaohuo. "I had my secret weapon."
Xiaohuo preened. "Obviously. Now, where's my chicken?"
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**Evening Grind**
Back in his dorm, Lin tackled the [System]'s main quest. He sneaked into the training grounds after hours, using a student ID he "borrowed" from a sleeping guard. The holographic portal hummed, spawning another five Ironfang Wolves. Lin and Xiaohuo moved like a well-oiled machine: [Celestial Evasion] dodged bites, [Dragon Claw Strike] ripped hides, and [Dragon Roar Lv. 1] stunned a wolf mid-leap, letting Xiaohuo finish it with [Flame Burst].
The last wolf fell, dropping a **Wolf Pelt** and 50 EXP. Lin glowed, leveling up:
**[Level Up! Lin Feng, Level 2]**
- **Stats**: Strength 12, Agility 14, Intelligence 16, Vitality 11, Luck 9
- **Xiaohuo Level Up! Level 2, New Skill: Ember Shot Lv. 1**
- **[Quest Completed: Kill 10 F-Rank Monsters. Reward: Mystery Item - Lesser Dragon Core, 200 System Points]**
The **Lesser Dragon Core**, a glowing red orb, pulsed in Lin's hand. The [System] chimed: **[Use Lesser Dragon Core to enhance Xiaohuo's growth. Effect: +10% EXP gain for 24 hours.]**
Lin fed the core to Xiaohuo, who gulped it down like candy. The drakeling burped a fireball, scales glowing brighter. "Tasty. More of those, human."
Lin checked his points: **450 System Points**. "Not enough for the [System Shop], but we're getting there." He flopped onto his bed, mind racing. Li Hao's ambush was a wake-up call—this world was brutal, and the **Global College Entrance Trials** would be worse. His Immortal-Rank Talent and [System] were cheats, but he needed more dragons, more skills, and more levels.
As he drifted off, the [System] pinged one last time: **[New Quest: Impress Instructor Zhang in Tomorrow's Training. Reward: 300 System Points, Access to F-Rank Dungeon Pass. Penalty: Xiaohuo steals your snacks.]**
Lin chuckled, petting Xiaohuo. "No one's touching my chips, you little pyro. Tomorrow, we show them what a Dragon Sovereign can do."
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