Weakest Beast Tamer Gets All SSS Dragons

Chapter 146 - Taming Secrets

”But one day my influence will touch every corner of the world! Iʼll know all the secrets! All of them!”

Something about seeing the tiny creature claim it occupied such an enormous expanse of land made the boys unable to stop laughing.

”Hmph!” the mushroom puffed its cheeks in what had to be the most adorable display of indignation theyʼd ever seen. ”Ren! I donʼt want to be in front of these mocking troglodytes! Iʼm going back inside!”

Without waiting for a response, the small mushroom vanished, returning to Renʼs body. The mushrooms in his hair sprouted and pulsed once more with their characteristic glow.

♢♢♢♢

”Well, what now?” Liu asked, still smiling at the sporeʼs peculiar evolved personality. ”How are you supposed to get your second beast?”

”Itʼs simple,” Ren smiled while approaching the hydra egg resting on his desk, its crystalline surface catching the morning light.

”Simple?” Min arched an eyebrow. ”Nobody outside the highest-ranking nobles and the royal family knows about methods for a second contract... It canʼt be simple.”

The words died in his throat when Ren touched the egg.

Fine mana roots, invisible to the normal eye but clearly perceptible when gathered in large quantities, began emerging from Renʼs body. They spread like an ethereal web, each strand pulsing with power.

”Whatʼs...?” Taro stepped back as the roots completely enveloped the egg, creating a cocoon of pure energy.

Before their astonished eyes, the egg began transforming. Its physical form gradually dissolved, becoming a pure mana construct that pulsed with its own light. The air around it seemed to bend and twist.

There was no ceremony. No rituals or magic circles like in the stories theyʼd heard.

The egg, now a brilliant mass of pure energy, simply flowed into Renʼs chest as if it had found its natural home.

”Impossible!” Lin moved closer to see better. ”Thatʼs not... thatʼs not how...”

Renʼs body glowed for a moment, the energy reorganizing and settling within him. When the glow faded, the mushrooms in his hair had disappeared.

In their place, new features began manifesting.

His teeth visibly sharpened, becoming similar to a predatorʼs fangs. His ears lengthened and refined, taking on a more reptilian aspect. Crystalline claws replaced his nails, and scales of crystal blue began covering his arms in elegant patterns that caught and reflected light.

”Is that... an iron rank hydra?” Liu whispered in awe.

”So this is what it feels like,” Ren flexed his hands, observing how light played across his new scales. ”The knowledge was correct.”

”But...” Min shook his head, his snake coiling anxiously. ”Getting a second beast is supposed to require special rituals! Potions! Preparation!”

”Only if you do it like in the stories, but we donʼt even know the true traditional way,” Ren smiled, his new fangs gleaming. ”My spore uses a different path, their own one.”

”Your mushrooms?” Taro looked around. ”Where are they?”

As if answering the question, the mushrooms briefly reappeared in Renʼs hair before vanishing again.

”I can alternate between manifestations like any normal double tamer,” he explained, shifting between forms with ease.

”Can you invoke them outside your body, or canʼt the hydra come out since itʼs entwined?” Lin asked, her professional curiosity evident.

”Everything works the same, I can summon the mushroom outside while keeping the hydra manifested or vice versa,” Ren explained while admiring the scales on his arms. ”Theyʼre both part of my being now. But the mushroomʼs physical manifestation doesnʼt have much use outside my body, so thereʼs not much point in using it.”

”What kind of boosts does the hydra give you?” Liu asked, studying Renʼs new features with fascination.

”Forty percent in strength and defense, 20% in everything else,” Ren flexed his crystalline claws. ”It doesnʼt reach Lunaʼs wolfʼs boost levels, which can hit fifty percent per rank, but itʼs not far behind.”

”And with your mushroomʼs twenty percent...” Min began calculating.

”Sixty percent total strength,” Ren nodded. ”Similar to Taroʼs defense buff. And the hydra is still iron rank.”

Lin approached. Her expression had turned serious, her craneʼs feathers ruffling with concern.

”Writing theories that challenge five hundred years of knowledge is one thing,” she said quietly. ”But being a double tamer... thatʼs more complicated than you think.”

Ren looked at her curiously. ”Why?”

”Because only the highest-ranking nobles and the royal family are supposed to know the method,” Lin crossed her arms. ”And theyʼre... quite protective of that knowledge.”

The other boys exchanged worried looks, their beasts manifesting slightly in response to their anxiety.

”I recommend you donʼt manifest the hydra for now,” Lin continued. ”At least until we find a way to handle this. Did you tell Julius anything about this?”

”No,” Ren shook his head. ”I didnʼt discuss this with him.”

”Maybe you should next time you see him,” Lin nodded. ”Iʼve known Julius since we were children. Heʼs trustworthy. But his siblings...” she made a significant pause. ”Theyʼre another story entirely.”

”What do you suggest?” Ren asked while his scales slowly faded.

”Let me talk to someone first,” Lin moved toward the door. ”There might be a simpler solution that doesnʼt involve having powerful people asking you questions you shouldnʼt answer right now.”

”Questions like ʼwhere did you learn to make a second contractʼ?” Min suggested, his snake coiling nervously.

”Or ʼhow did a child with a mushroom discover something only royalty knewʼ?” Taro added, his markings shifting uneasily.

”Exactly,” Lin paused at the door. ”For now, keep a low profile. Youʼre already drawing enough attention with your evolution theories. We donʼt need to add more fuel to the fire.”

”And training?” Ren asked, a small smile forming on his lips.

”Oh, that continues as always,” Lin smiled mischievously. ”Though now that you have sixty percent more strength, we can intensify it a bit.”

Ren groaned while his friends laughed.

”One more thing,” Lin added before leaving. ”When the time comes to talk to Julius, let me prepare the ground first. As I said, heʼs trustworthy, but even he might have a strange reaction when he learns a first-year student achieved something supposed to be exclusive to royalty.”

After Lin left, the boys remained silent for a moment, the weight of their new secret settling over them like a heavy cloak.