This Beast-Tamer is a Little Strange

As Kain stepped through an ornately carved door in the direction indicated by the receptionist, the grand and ancient atmosphere from the reception area transitioned into a smaller, more plain space.

The room was dimly lit, the unadorned walls a stark contrast to the opulent surroundings he had just left.

Unlike the rest of the building, this chamber was mostly devoid of decoration, save for a single pedestal in the center that drew his attention.

The pedestal was made of the same gleaming solvanium alloy as the medallion in his hand, and reached about the height of Kain's stomach. At its top, there was a circular groove, perfectly matching the size and shape of the medallion Kain had been given.

As he approached, the groove began to faintly hum with a soft, resonating tone, as though it could sense the medallion's proximity, and Kain immediately placed the medallion into the groove.

The moment it made contact, the faint carvings on the pedestal that were previously invisible lit up with a vibrant white glow.

A soft chime echoed through the room, and a holographic screen materialized before him. It hovered in mid-air, its surface shimmering as though it were woven from threads of starlight.

In contrast to the holographic screens provided by the system that seem to be composed of advanced technological capabilities, the holographic screens of the order seemed to be created through the use of spiritual power and sigils, and so had a faint shimmering quality as though they'd been dusted with glitter.

Kain leaned closer, squinting at the names of what he assumed were various floors or sections of the building: the Archives, Training Rooms, Lecture Halls, Artifact Storage, Debriefing Hall, etc.

But to his disappointment, each name was blurred out, all an unselectable translucent grey colour. As Kain attempted to select one of the sections, a faint red warning flashed across the screen: Access Restricted. Orientation Incomplete.

A soft sigh escaped him as he resigned himself to his options—or lack thereof. His gaze drifted to the bottom of the list, where a single location stood out, its name glowing a bright white that stood out amongst the other faded options: Newcomers.

Realizing that this would be the only location he'd have access to for now, he reached out and pressed the glowing option with his finger.

The room's ambient hum intensified as the medallion in the pedestal seemed to sink slightly into its groove. A stronger ripple of light surged outward from the pedestal to make the markings carved into it even brighter, before spreading to light up more carvings that were also not previously visible on the floor, walls and ceiling, spreading outward in a mesmerizing display.

After a faint tug that hinted at some kind of spatial manipulation, but was far more stable and less disorienting than using the teleportation gate, Kain was notified that he'd successfully arrived and the door, in front of him opened—a door that he'd just entered from the receptionist area and now led to a completely new space.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

The doorway now led to a circular chamber bathed in the soft glow of light orbs floating above. The room, much like the first floor and the rest of the building, had an antique charm, with intricate carvings running along the walls and a mosaic floor depicting a massive star map. Waiting for him in the center of the room was a man with a seemingly nonchalant attitude, leaning casually against a polished stone pilar.

His posture was relaxed, almost lazy, but his sharp hazel eyes took in Kain's arrival with interest.

He was dressed in attire similar to the receptionist's. His tailored coat was a deep forest green, trimmed with golden thread that shimmered faintly as he moved. Beneath it, he wore an embroidered tunic marked with constellations, paired with bracers created from a golden alloy.

A gold circlet adorned his head of short light-brown hair, though it lacked the glowing gem of the receptionist's.

The man straightened up, giving Kain an easy smile. "You must be Kain, right? Welcome to the Pathfinders. I'm Benji, your guide for today."

Kain blinked, caught off guard by the presence of a personal guide. He'd been expecting a large orientation with all of the newcomers to the pathfinders. "Uh, yeah, that's me. Nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you too," Benji replied, gesturing toward a nearby archway. "Alright, let's get started."

He nodded before following Benji through the archway and down a long hallway lined with murals. Each painting depicted explorers in perilous situations—one deciphering a glowing tablet while surrounded by skeletal remains, another fighting off a towering spiritual creature.

Benji caught Kain glancing at the murals. "Cool, huh? Those are all based on real missions. Some of these guys are legends. No pressure, though—most Pathfinders don't make any lifechanging discoveries, much less multiple, in their lives."

"Right," Kain muttered, feeling the weight of the murals' stares as they moved further down the hall.

They soon arrived at an ornate door carved with the image of an open book surrounded by stars. Benji pushed it open with a dramatic flourish. "Behold, the true site of newbie orientation!"

Kain stepped inside and froze. It was a library—a massive one.

The room's shelves stretching far into the distance. The air smelled of parchment, ink, and faintly metallic tang. But as he took a closer look, he noticed something strange—most of the shelves were filled with duplicates of the same thirty or so books.

"Why are there so many copies of the same books?" Kain asked, his brows furrowed.

Benji grinned and then clapped his hands. Numerous golden birds resembling sparrows appeared in Kain's vision and began to carry the hefty down from the shelves, to a nearby table with a loud thud, clearly demonstrating the weight of each one. Each book was massive, its spine thicker than Kain's fist.

"Good question," Benji said, stacking the books into two intimidating towers, each one taller than both him and Kain. "These, my friend, are your first big challenge. Every new recruit has to memorize the contents of these books."