I Built a Divine Zoo in Another World

His unique ability did not grant him power directly. It was neither combat magic nor a strengthening technique. It gave him something far better.

Possibilities.

Every new friend. Every genuine bond. Every creature that came to trust him, that shared its life with him, could grant him a new ability.

Beasts. Monsters. Animals. Perhaps even other intelligent races, if he managed to build affinity with them.

The more he thought about it, the more incredible that ability seemed. It did not depend on luck, nor on innate talent. It depended solely on what Lukas loved doing most.

Building bonds. Meeting new creatures. Helping them. Earning their trust through actions, not words. Being worthy of the trust they gave him.

His heart raced, pounding so intensely that he could feel it throughout his entire body. A smile naturally spread across his face, lighting up his features.

”This is...” His voice came out as a whisper, filled with admiration.

”...Perfect.”

He could hardly wait to meet new species, make new friends, and discover how many different abilities existed in that world. Every creature was an opportunity, every bond a gateway to new possibilities.

Meanwhile... in the outside world...

Only half a second had passed.

The instant Lukas touched the Eternal Crystal, the stone erupted with light. It was not merely an intense glow like those seen before. It was a true explosion of colors.

Red. Blue. Green. Gold. Silver. Violet. Hundreds of shades appeared at once, blending together in an impossible spectacle. The colors danced, flowed, and intertwined into patterns that changed every moment.

The light completely flooded the hall, bathing every inch of the space in its multicolored radiance. The marble walls reflected the brilliance, creating a kaleidoscopic effect that spread in every direction.

The altar’s golden runes began to shine intensely, as though responding to the crystal’s energy. Every symbol glowed with its own light, forming a pattern that seemed to tell an ancient story.

Everyone present instinctively stepped back, some out of reflex, others out of pure shock. Eyes widened. Mouths fell open.

”What...?”

”What kind of light is that?”

”I’ve never seen anything like it!”

Some children hid behind their parents, their small bodies trembling in fear of the unknown. Others simply stared in fascination, their eyes reflecting the dancing colors.

Clavor’s eyes widened, his hand instinctively moving toward his sword before he remembered there was no danger. His heart nearly stopped, pounding violently in his chest.

Aurora raised a hand to her mouth, unable to hide the astonishment that overtook her face. Her eyes remained fixed on the crystal, on the light pouring from it, on the son standing before it.

Judith stood completely motionless, her wide eyes reflecting the colors dancing throughout the hall.

”...Brother?” Her voice was little more than a whisper, filled with admiration and confusion. She had never imagined that an Awakening could produce something of that magnitude.

Some of the adults began whispering among themselves, their voices low but filled with speculation.

”Could it be a magical ability?”

”No... not even magic produces that many colors...”

”Perhaps it’s an affinity for multiple elements?”

”Is that even possible?”

The entire hall descended into confusion, unanswered questions, and speculation flying from one side to the other.

But no one was more shocked than the woman responsible for the Eternal Crystal.

She remained completely motionless, her eyes fixed upon the light radiating from the crystal. Every trace of the serenity she had maintained since the beginning of the ceremony had vanished, replaced by an expression of pure shock.

Her pupils trembled, and her fingers tightened around the book she held so firmly that her knuckles turned white. Throughout decades of presiding over Awakening ceremonies, she had never witnessed anything like it.

She knew of that phenomenon. Or rather, she knew it only through ancient records, books so old that their yellowed pages threatened to crumble at the slightest touch.

Her breathing became heavy, and her voice trembled when she finally spoke.

”... It can’t be.”

Then, unable to contain her shock, she spoke loudly enough for the entire hall to hear.

”That...” Her voice trembled, barely able to form the words.

”...is a Unique Ability.”

Silence instantly fell over everyone. The words hung in the air, heavy with meaning. The murmurs that had filled the hall vanished as though swallowed by a vacuum.

”A... Unique Ability?” someone repeated in disbelief, their voice echoing through the silence.

The woman continued staring at the crystal, her eyes tracing every facet of the radiant stone.

”An ability that exists only once in the entire world. Something that can never be repeated, something that can never be copied, something that is absolutely unique.”

”I never imagined...” Her voice faltered for a moment.

”...that I would witness one appear before my very eyes.”

Meanwhile, within the white world, Lukas remained completely unaware of the chaos he had caused. He knew nothing of their reactions, heard none of the whispers, and sensed none of the shock spreading throughout the hall.

His gaze was fixed upon the second sphere of energy still floating before him, pulsing with a gentle light that seemed to call out to him.

It seemed to possess a presence similar to the first ability, which, in his mind, meant it would probably be another Unique Ability just as extraordinary as Affinity with Beings.

Lukas took a deep breath, feeling the anticipation growing within his chest. What could it be? What ability was waiting for him inside that second sphere?

Then he took his first step toward the mysterious sphere.

Lukas calmly walked toward the second sphere of energy.

It remained floating in the same place, pulsing with a steady rhythm, as though it had been waiting for his approach from the very beginning.

Unlike the first, this sphere possessed only a single color. A gentle red light enveloped its entire surface, giving off a strange sense of familiarity.

Lukas had no idea what kind of ability it might be.

Even so, his curiosity was stronger.

If the first sphere had revealed such an extraordinary ability, what was hidden within the second?

His heart began racing once again.

Without hesitation, he slowly extended his hand toward the white sphere.

Only a few centimeters remained before his fingers touched its luminous surface.

The very instant he was about to reach it...

The sphere’s light shone brilliantly.