I Acquired The Insect Evolution System

The echo of cheers from the **Beast Taming Exhibition** still lingered in Kai's memory as he sat cross-legged on the floor of his dorm room, staring blankly at the system interface. The thrill of victory, the recognition, the new title of **Rising Contender**—all of it felt hollow now that reality was setting in.

His debt.

The upgrades he had secured for Tiny and Stinger had been worth every gold coin. They had carried him through the exhibition, proving to the academy and himself that he wasn't just a "bug boy" anymore. But the cost…

Kai rubbed his temples, his mind racing. Professor Elara had loaned him the money—**1,300 gold coins**—using the **Verdant Core** as collateral. That had been fine in the heat of the moment, but now that the exhibition was over, he needed to pay her back quickly, or his most valuable material would be gone for good.

He glanced at Tiny, who was resting in the corner, its polished reinforced armor glinting faintly in the sunlight streaming through the window. Stinger perched on the windowsill, its wings twitching as it buzzed idly. Glow fluttered near the desk, its soft golden light casting a warm glow over the room.

"Alright," Kai muttered, closing the system interface. "We need to figure this out. Fast."

---

As Kai made his way to the academy's central plaza, a bustling hub of activity where students bartered, traded, and sought out jobs to earn extra gold. He scanned the bulletin board near the **Quest Hall**, hoping to find something that could help him make the money he needed.

The board was covered in parchments detailing various tasks:

- **Escort Mission**: Protect a merchant caravan traveling through the Wild Zone.

*Reward*: 200 gold coins.

*Risk*: Medium.

- **Beast Cleanup**: Eliminate a rogue pack of **Shadow Jackals** near the academy's outskirts.

*Reward*: 150 gold coins.

*Risk*: Low.

- **Rare Material Collection**: Retrieve **Moonlit Orchid** petals from the **Duskwind Caverns**.

*Reward*: 400 gold coins.

*Risk*: High.

Kai frowned as he read through the options. None of these would cover the full debt on their own, and the riskier ones could take days to complete. He didn't have that kind of time.

"Looking for work, bug boy?"

Kai turned to see **Arden Stormfang** leaning against a nearby post, his usual smug grin plastered across his face. His Thunder Wolf sat at his feet, its glowing blue fur crackling faintly with static.

"Not in the mood, Arden," Kai said flatly, turning back to the board.

Arden chuckled. "Relax, I'm not here to pick a fight. I actually have a proposal for you."

Kai raised an eyebrow, glancing at him. "What kind of proposal?"

Arden's grin widened. "There's a private tournament happening in the Wild Zone. Invitation-only. High stakes, but the prize pool is massive—**2,000 gold coins** to the winner."

Kai's interest piqued, but he kept his expression neutral. "What's the catch?"

"The catch," Arden said, pushing off the post, "is that it's not exactly… academy-approved. It's run by some alumni who like to gamble on beast fights. No rules, no restrictions. Just you, your team, and whatever you're willing to risk."

Kai frowned. "And how do you know about this?"

Arden shrugged. "I have my sources. Word is, they've been looking for fresh blood to spice things up. I told them about you."

Kai crossed his arms, eyeing Arden suspiciously. "Why would you do that? You hate me."

"I don't hate you, bug boy," Arden said, his tone mockingly sincere. "I just think it'd be fun to see how you handle yourself without the academy's safety nets. Besides, if you win, you get your money. If you lose…" He smirked. "Well, that's on you."

Kai hesitated. The risk was obvious—if the tournament was as dangerous as Arden made it sound, he could lose more than just the gold. But the reward… **2,000 gold coins** would not only pay off his debt but leave him with enough to fund future upgrades.

He glanced at Tiny, who clicked its mandibles as if sensing his thoughts. Stinger buzzed faintly, and Glow shimmered softly on his shoulder.

"I'll think about it," Kai said finally.

Arden chuckled. "Suit yourself. The tournament's tomorrow night. If you're interested, meet me at the southern gate at sundown."

With that, Arden turned and walked away, his Thunder Wolf following close behind.

Back in his dorm room, Kai sat on the edge of his bed, weighing his options. He could take one of the safer jobs from the quest board and slowly chip away at his debt, but that would mean risking the **Verdant Core**. Alternatively, he could enter the tournament, where victory would solve all his problems—but failure could cost him everything.

The system chimed softly, interrupting his thoughts.

---

**[New Quest Available: High-Stakes Tournament]**

**Objective**: Compete in the underground Wild Zone tournament and secure victory.

**Reward**: 2,000 gold coins, prestige among tamers.

**Risk**: Severe.

---

Kai exhaled deeply, closing the interface. "No pressure, huh?"

He looked at his team. Tiny's reinforced armor gleamed in the dim light, a testament to the investment that had brought them this far. Stinger's wings buzzed faintly, its speed and agility unmatched. Glow perched quietly on his desk, its golden light steady and unwavering.

"We've faced worse," Kai said softly, more to himself than his team. "If we can take down the Thorned Devourer, we can handle this."

Tiny clicked its mandibles, Stinger buzzed in agreement, and Glow's light pulsed faintly.

Kai stood, his resolve hardening. "Alright. We're doing this."

The southern gate of the academy was quiet as the sun dipped below the horizon. Kai arrived to find Arden waiting, a smug grin on his face.

"Glad you decided to show, bug boy," Arden said, gesturing for Kai to follow. "Let's see if you've got what it takes."

The two tamers made their way into the Wild Zone, the dense forest growing darker with each passing minute. After what felt like an eternity, they arrived at a hidden clearing lit by glowing orbs suspended in the air. A makeshift arena had been set up in the center, surrounded by a crowd of tamers and alumni.

Kai's stomach tightened as he took in the scene. This wasn't like the academy's Colosseum—there were no referees, no safety measures. Just raw, unfiltered competition.

"Welcome to the tournament," Arden said, clapping Kai on the back. "Good luck. You're going to need it."

As Kai stepped into the arena, his heart pounded in his chest. The first match was about to begin, and he could feel the eyes of the crowd on him.

He glanced at Tiny, Stinger, and Glow, his team standing ready at his side.

"Alright," Kai muttered. "Let's show them what we're made of."