John strolled along the dirt road, his heart light and his spirits high. The scenic, tranquil fields stretched out before him, an endless wave of golden wheat gently swaying in the breeze, far removed from the worries and conflicts of his past. As he walked, he paused to savor the beauty of the moment—a world of peace and simple splendor, where the rhythm of nature set the tone for his journey.

  It pleased him deeply that in this parallel world, his powers had returned unimpeded. The collar that suppressed his strength in the real world had not come with him; he had arrived free, with only his usual traveling clothes. The realization struck him with renewed gratitude. All the rest of his clothing had survived the transition, yet the restrictive collar remained behind—a small but significant twist of luck.

  With every step, John felt fortunate and free, embracing the opportunity to explore this calm new world with his old strength restored and the burden of his collar lifted from his shoulders.

  The closer John got to the village, the stronger his conviction grew that it resembled Cloudroot—but it was not quite the same. He noticed farms hosting peculiar little animals unfamiliar to him, adding to the sense that this place, while comforting, was not the village he had spent his early childhood in.

  An old man soon approached, greeting John with a kind smile. "Welcome, young dragon," he said.

  John was inwardly amused, realizing that the locals assumed he was a dragon. Remaining polite, he returned the greeting and then asked the old man where he was, hoping to understand whether this parallel world simply mimicked places from his past or if there was more to its nature.

  The old man replied warmly, "You are in village 105. Not many dragons start here, but we are ready for you." His words carried both a welcoming assurance and an intriguing hint that this place was prepared for unusual arrivals like John's, adding another layer of curiosity to his new adventure.

  John wondered what the old man's words meant—that they were ready for him. The old man smiled kindly and seeing John’s confused face, decided to explain, "There are several starting villages scattered throughout the world, and I am the elder of village 105. We villagers raise pets for you dragons to choose from. In return, we ask that you assist us with some matters." His explanation shed light on the mutual relationship between the villagers and the young dragons, hinting at a bond of cooperation and shared goals in this parallel world.

  The elder invited John to follow him, leading the way to a small enclosure where a variety of creatures played. Each was about the size of a house cat, yet their shapes were wildly different—some resembled tiny, agile lizards with shimmering scales glinting in the sunlight; others were fuzzy little bears, tumbling over each other clumsily; and a few looked like miniature turtles, slowly ambling about with serene expressions.

  As John watched, one lizard-like pet darted after a fluttering leaf, its tiny claws skittering across the dirt with surprising speed. A furry bear-pup playfully swatted a small, colorful ball, its eyes bright with excitement. Nearby, a turtle-pet lifted its head lazily, then blinked slowly as if pondering the mysteries of the world.

  Floating above each pet were translucent system windows, showing their names and ranks shimmering gently in the air. The elder turned to John and asked, "Are you looking for a strong pet or one that grows fast?" John pondered the options, observing the pets' cute behaviors and weighing what would best suit his uncertain journey ahead.

  John observed the pets with a thoughtful gaze. None seemed particularly strong at first glance, but he recalled being told they would grow powerful quite quickly. His mind went to the rankings of pets. He remembered he had been told, they were categorized from F up to A. Most of the animals before him carried the humble F and E ranks, fluttering and rolling about with youthful energy.

  Among them, one stood out—a single pet ranked D. It was noticeably larger than the rest and looked like a bird. Its body shimmered in deep iridescent hues of blues and greens. The most iconic part of the pet were its train—long, ornate feathers that made up more than 60% of its body length. These feathers were decorated with colorful “eye” patterns in shades of blue, green, gold, and bronze. While John was looking at it, the bird fanned out its train into a magnificent display that arched across its back. The animal held a proud, regal posture, its sharp eyes scanning the surroundings with keen awareness.

  Unlike the playful bustle of the other creatures, this one remained relatively still, exuding an aura of quiet confidence and command, as if waiting for something important—perhaps a worthy companion—to recognize its potential.

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  But then, almost hidden behind a sturdy oak, John noticed a system window floating quietly in the shadows. The rank displayed was G. What was that? Such a rank was not supposed to exist.

  Curious, John turned to the elder and asked about the ranks.

  The elder smiled knowingly. "We have one rank D," he replied, his eyes glancing toward the proud bird. "He will require a large amount of experience points to level up, but he will certainly reach at least level 100." John noticed the elder referred to the bird as 'he' instead of 'it,' with a hint of respect in his tone.

  The elder continued, "It's a risky bet because he'll grow slowly, but if trained properly, he will surpass all the others here. If you prefer a pet that grows faster, I recommend a rank E. They require less XP per level but can still reach levels above 50."

  John scanned the group of playful pets as the elder elaborated, "If you want a rank F, it will grow very fast but is usually capped at level 30. However, a rank F might evolve into something stronger. Waiting for a rank E to evolve is riskier since they are harder to train at lower levels. And you won't have time to wait for a rank D to evolve. But betting on a rank F to evolve is one strategy that some choose."

  John's thoughts drifted momentarily to the error he had seen on his timer. Did that mean he might actually be able to stay in this parallel world for longer than 30 days?

  John glanced at the villager and asked, "Do you also have a pet?"

  The elder shook his head gently. "No, we cannot form a bond with a pet. Only otherworlders like you can. Only a bonded pet is capable of leveling up. We simply raise them here, but they remain at level 1 while with us." This explanation highlighted the unique connection between the visitors and these creatures, a mystical bond that villagers could not achieve.

  John then asked, "What about that pet behind the tree? The one with the rank G?"

  The elder sighed deeply. "A defective pet. I don't know how this could happen. I also don't know what it means. No one will ever want to take it."

  John politely asked for permission to walk into the enclosure, and the elder nodded in acceptance. John slowly approached the rank G pet, mostly out of curiosity.

  It was a small, frail-looking creature, white in color, standing upright on two legs like a delicate, fragile biped. Its thin form and uncertain stance set it apart clearly from the other pets, marking it as unusual and mysterious.

  John squatted down gently in front of the rank G creature, a strange feeling drawing him to the frail white being. Without hesitation, he extended his hand towards it, as if an invisible thread connected them. The elder's face tightened with concern, his eyes widening in fear at the unexpected move.

  But it was too late—the white creature reached out with a delicate, trembling hand and touched John's.

  Instantly, a system notification flashed before John's eyes: "Bond formed with Bobo - rank G."

  The moment was both surprising and profound, marking the beginning of a unique and unpredictable partnership between John and the enigmatic creature named Bobo.

  John was taken aback, his eyes shifting in disbelief first to the elder, then to Bobo. He had not expected the bond to form so suddenly. Fumbling, he pulled out the artifact meant to capture a pet, only to see the word "occupied" glowing softly above it.

  Realizing the gravity of the situation, the elder stepped closer, a hint of regret in his voice. "I am sorry, my boy," he said gently. "I should have explained this to you. But... it's too late now. The bond is already formed." The weight of the moment settled heavily between them, marking a turning point in John's journey with Bobo by his side.

  Before forming the bond, John had only been able to see Bobo’s rank. But now, a detailed system window appeared, showing more information about Bobo:

  These details offered John a clearer picture of his new companion’s current abilities and potential for growth or lack thereof.

  John reflected on Bobo's stats, realizing they were even worse than his own when he first awakened at seven years old. To make matters more daunting, he knew Bobo was capped at level 20, a severe limitation that hinted at the challenges and constraints his new companion would face in growing stronger. Despite this, a quiet determination settled in John, as he hoped that their bond could still hold untapped potential.

  The elder approached John with a somber expression. "I am sorry, my boy," he said gently, "but the rules are the rules. Once you have your pet, you will need to leave the village."

  John then noticed something new—something that hadn't been there before. Surrounding the village was a shimmering dome of light, clearly delineating it from the wider outside fields. Inside the dome, everything remained calm and unchanged, but beyond its glowing boundary, the wheat fields appeared to ripple and fan out, shimmering with an otherworldly glow as if reality itself softened at the edges. This dome marked a boundary both physical and magical, separating the familiar village from the unknown expanses beyond.

  John did not feel the need to challenge the elder’s words, yet before he could take a step away, an invisible force tugged at him and Bobo, pulling them firmly outside the dome.

  The elder remained behind, waving thoughtfully. "Come back in 24 hours," he called out. "We will have some missions for you then, but first, find some shelter."

  John looked back once more, feeling the weight of the new journey pressing on him as he stepped beyond the village’s protective light.