Jimmy glanced at the digital wall clock.
7:00 PM.
The glowing numbers ticked slowly, but his mind moved fast. He looked down at Luna, who had just finished her training—a light sheen of water still clung to her fur, and soft sparks danced across her whiskers.
"Luna," he said gently, crouching next to her. "Can you hold off using your energy tonight?"
Luna tilted her head, then gave a firm, silent nod. Her eyes were calm, understanding his intent.
"We'll buy our home in the daylight. It feels… better that way."
Luna nodded again and flicked her tail softly, nestling beside his leg as if to say, I trust you.
They left the Nexus quietly and returned to their dormitory. The hallways were quieter than usual—soft footsteps, muffled voices, the clinking of dishes from the nearby cafeteria. As Jimmy entered his small room, he closed the door gently behind them and walked to the corner terminal.
He transferred a chunk of his money into a secure account labelled "Future." Even now, with access to more money than he'd ever had before, something in him still whispered plan ahead.
Luna yawned wide, her small fangs showing as she curled up near his mattress.
"You sleepy?" Jimmy asked with a grin.
She blinked once, nodded slowly, then tucked her head under her paw.
"Go on then. You earned it."
Before resting, Jimmy served them both a simple meal—steamed greens and grilled fish for him, and a portion of fresh elemental fruits for her. They ate in comfortable silence, lit only by the soft light of the room and the gentle glow of his desk lamp.
Once Luna had dozed off fully, Jimmy reached into the pouch beside his bed and pulled out two fruits he'd stored carefully: one glowing faint yellow—the Electric Fruit, and the other a misty, pale blue—the Ice Fruit.
He held them in his hands, thoughtful.
"Water flows. Ice freezes. If she's growing as fast as she is, ice might awaken soon too…"
Instead of rushing to feed them to her, he carefully placed the fruits in a storage tray beside the Data Sphere, as it was before marking them as potential evolution material.
Then he opened the books he'd borrowed earlier—thick, handwritten volumes from the school library filled with theories on elemental awakening, hybrid combinations, and Whisp resonance. This time, the librarian hadn't scolded him just like before. Maybe even they had noticed Jimmy was starting to change.
For the next five hours, Jimmy read.
Eyes skimming charts. Diagrams. Bonding patterns. Case studies of Whisps that jumped elements or awakened dual traits.
He took notes silently. His fingers smelled faintly of ink and fruit. Outside, the night deepened.
Eventually, exhaustion tugged at his shoulders. He stretched his arms and turned off the screen. Before crawling under the blanket beside Luna, he checked her Codex one last time.
[Primary 9th Level (165 → 170/200)]
"Five points in five hours… okay, that's enough," he whispered under his breath, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "Please don't grow more while I'm sleeping. Just… rest."
He reached over and dimmed the lamp, letting the room fall into a warm hush. Luna shifted slightly in her sleep, one paw resting on his foot, like always.
Tomorrow, they would begin a new chapter.
But tonight, they just needed peace.
......................................................
The morning sunlight filtered softly through the curtains.
Jimmy stirred, but Luna didn't. She was curled up in the centre of the blanket, her breathing calm, her fur still glowing faintly from last night's training. Jimmy checked his Codex.
[Primary 9th Level (179/200)]
His eyes widened slightly, but then softened.
"Good," he thought. "It's slowing down. The surge is settling."
He didn't speak, not even mentally. He just moved silently through his morning routine—brushing, organizing the materials he read last night, packing up a few things.
It was nearly 9 AM when a soft knock echoed at his door.
Jimmy opened it to see one of his next-door roommates—a lanky boy with glasses and a curious gaze.
"You're not coming to class today?" the boy asked.
Jimmy hesitated, then raised both hands and gestured: "I'll just disturb everyone."
The boy frowned. "But the teacher is different this time. He won't mind."
Jimmy gave a half-smile and pointed toward Luna, still asleep on the bed.
"If she wakes up, I'll go," he signed.
The roommate peeked over his shoulder and nodded in understanding. He is one of the two winners in Class B, so everyone is now in respect with him.
With a nod of farewell, the boy left.
Fifteen minutes passed.
Without a word, he gently placed his palm on her head, then closed his eyes and took her into his Mind's Garden
...................................
The sleek black transport car stopped in front of a small but professional-looking property office just outside the commercial district. Jimmy stepped out, a dark satchel slung over his shoulder, his Academy and Whisp Tamer ID tucked inside.
As he entered, a sharply dressed property broker looked up from his desk and blinked.
A young, mute boy with a blank expression.
For a moment, he didn't even bother standing.
Then Jimmy walked up and passed him a note.
"I want to rent a home—within 25 million T-Coins range or more. It should have enough open land for Whisp training. Please treat this seriously."
He attached a copy of his Whisp Tamer License and School ID.
The broker blinked. Then did a double take. Then straightened his tie very quickly.
"W-Welcome, sir!" he said, now fully alert. "Of course! Let me see what I have within that price bracket."
Jimmy simply nodded, watching with calm eyes.
The broker tapped on his terminal, then leaned over the desk.
"There are two properties available in your price range," he said quickly. "Both are close enough to the academy—about 20 minutes away—but secluded, ideal for training Whisps."
He handed Jimmy a digital map.
Option 1: 60 Katha land – Well-fenced, decent open space, forest edge nearby.
Option 2: 80 Katha land – More isolated, even larger open space, mild slope, good drainage, pre-built stable and shelter included.
Jimmy pointed to Option 2 without hesitation.
The broker raised his eyebrows. "You've got a good eye. That one's listed at 35.5 million T-Coins—slightly over your budget. Shall I take you there?"
Jimmy nodded.
Twenty minutes later, Jimmy stepped out onto a lush, quiet stretch of land. Tall grass swayed gently in the breeze. In the distance, a small training shed stood beside a tree line. A natural spring trickled somewhere nearby. Birds chirped, but there was no human noise. No city buzz. No onlookers with a two storeyed house, a good balcony and inside decorator and many more.
He checked Luna is already awakes so, he call her out.
Luna peeked out from Jimmy's shoulder and gave a curious chirp, her whiskers twitching. She liked it here.
The broker beamed as he spread his arms. "This is it—80 Katha of personal space, just for you. Already registered under the city's secure leasehold system. Fencing is legal. Utilities are underground. We can finalize everything right now."
Jimmy gave a firm nod and passed his ID again.
"I want to live here starting today."
The broker laughed softly, surprised and pleased. "Well then, we'll have the furniture and energy lines activated within half an hour. Here's your access key and address port."
Jimmy took it, palms warm with excitement. For the first time in his life, he had a place of his own—not a dorm, not a bed someone gave him—but a home that belonged to him and Luna.
As the broker's staff began uploading the ownership and lease credentials to the city network, Jimmy stood in the centre of the land and let out a long, quiet breath.
Luna appeared beside him, tail flicking with pride.
"Welcome home," he signed to her.
She nudged his side with a happy chirp.