Weakest Beast Tamer Gets All SSS Dragons

Chapter 165 - Taming the Ancient Ruins - 15

Ren clutched his head with both hands, the horror of what had happened hitting him. ”No, no, no...”

”...Larissa,” he approached the princess, his voice trembling. ”What are we going to do when they ask for the ring?”

Larissa froze. Her eyes, fixed on the now-empty pedestal, seemed to look beyond it, as if contemplating consequences the others couldnʼt yet imagine. Ren gripped her shoulders, desperation overcoming his usual caution.

”Larissa!” he shook her not so gently. ”Say something!”

The guards tensed, their beasts partially manifesting, bristling at the physical contact with the princess.

”Ren!” Min and Taro shouted in unison, worried about their friendʼs reaction.

”They had...” Larissa finally murmured, her voice barely audible. ”They had been preparing for years... The internal war that would be triggered by the fight for the three rings...” she swallowed hard. ”The entire power balance depended on who would get them and...”

Ren felt cold sweat running down his back while the color drained from his face.

”Mmm!” a satisfied little voice interrupted from the pedestal. ”That was delicious! The best meal Iʼve had since waking up!”

The silence that followed was absolute. Everyone turned slowly toward the small mushroom wiping its mouth with an exaggeratedly satisfied gesture, Renʼs group with expressions of contained fury, while Larissa and her guards seemed surprised to hear it speak for the first time.

”Did it just...?” one of the guards began. ”...talk?” the other completed, her eyes huge with surprise.

”Beasts donʼt talk,” Larissa whispered, worried but also fascinated. ”Itʼs impossible. They communicate mentally with their tamers... but articulated words... unless...”

”YOU!” Ren pointed accusingly at his beast. ”WHY DID YOU DO THAT?!”

The mushroom blinked its large eyes, as if offended by the question. ”I donʼt know,” it shrugged with a carefree gesture. ”Instinct called me.”

”Instinct?” Larissa repeated weakly. ”Eating one of the kingdomʼs three most important artifacts because of instinct?”

”Beasts shouldnʼt be able to talk, nor make independent decisions like this...”

The mushroom gave them a look that seemed to say ”Are you done?” before disappearing back into Renʼs body.

At that moment, thin glowing lines began spreading throughout Renʼs body, as if someone had drawn an intricate network of light beneath his skin.

The sensation was strange but not unpleasant, he could feel his power increasing significantly. His strength, already at 60% thanks to his beasts, now reached an astonishing 160%. And that wasnʼt all… numerous other improvements flowed through his system, each of his characteristics now had an extra 100%.

Larissa observed the phenomenon intently, something like realization forming in her eyes.

The guards, for their part, seemed divided between concern for the lost ring and fascination with this series of impossibilities unfolding before them.

”A beast that talks,” murmured one. ”That eats ancestral artifacts,” added the other. ”And seems to process them for its tamer somehow,” Larissa completed, studying the glowing lines.

After a long moment, the princess sighed deeply.

”I suppose thereʼs nothing we can do for now. We should take the potions and leave. People outside must be worried.”

Ren nodded, thinking about the other four guards who had been about to enter earlier and that strange sensation he had felt on top.

”Youʼre right,” he agreed, though he didnʼt seem very enthusiastic about the prospect of more confrontations like the one theyʼd just had.

”Everyone take a potion for yourselves then,” he suggested.

Larissa thanked him with a bow since her group having attacked and lost the battle it would be normal for them to get nothing, while Min and Taro practically bounced with excitement.

Min and Taro approached the pedestals with a mixture of nervousness and excitement. They took their potions with trembling hands and, after exchanging glances...

They drank their potions with exaggerated gestures, as if expecting to transform instantly into all-powerful beings. When nothing happened, their disappointed expressions made Larissa laugh.

”It takes a while to take effect,” she explained between giggles. ”And it doesnʼt feel as dramatic as you expect from what I saw with my brothers… It just makes you shine a little.”

As if responding to her words, both glowed briefly.

”Done,” Larissa smiled. ”Now you can choose a new egg to make your second contract.”

When Ren approached to take a potion, the glowing lines in his body instantly analyzed it. The information flowed into his mind: this version was useless for him, as he already possessed a more powerful variant of the medicine, so he decided to save the five remaining potions.

”Youʼre not taking one?” Ren asked, noticing that Larissa and her guards hadnʼt opened the potions.

”Oh, no,” she shook her head but her gesture was somewhat sad. ”Iʼm not a man… the potions are saved for the men of the royal family because theyʼre stronger and more suited for war, so tradition...”

”That makes no sense,” Ren frowned as he saw in the mana that she didnʼt believe what she was saying was all true or just. ”Youʼre here with the expedition, arenʼt you? The potion should be yours if you want it... Donʼt worry about those foolish ʼtraditionsʼ.”

Larissa seemed to consider his words for a moment, but began shaking her head. ”Itʼs not that simple. Protocol dictates that… also Iʼd get in trouble and...”

Ren stepped closer, his expression turning serious. ”Drink it.”

”There are reasons why...” Larissa looked away, searching for an excuse.

In a quick movement that surprised everyone, Ren grabbed Larissaʼs potion, uncorked it, and before anyone could react, pressed it against the princessʼs lips.

”My lady!” the guards advanced alarmed, their beasts manifesting.

”Donʼt interfere!” Ren shouted, his voice firm, his expression showing discomfort at forcing the situation but his eyes had a gleam of mad satisfaction. ”Those traditions donʼt seem fair to me at all.”

Larissa had no choice but to drink. When she finished, she wiped her lips and looked at Ren with a mixture of indignation and curiosity.

”Why did you do that?”

”Because I wanted to help you stop lying to yourself and…”

”Liar!”

Ren looked to the side, scratching his neck nervously. ”Well, Iʼm in trouble because my mushroom ʼateʼ something important... so now you can be in trouble with me and keep my secret.”

The guards exchanged a look before quickly passing their potions to Larissa.