Weakest Beast Tamer Gets All SSS Dragons

Chapter 157 - Taming the Ancient Ruins - 7

”A Bronze rank 2 light rune?” Ignatius looked at Wei incredulously. ”For an Iron student?”

”I lost the bet,” Wei looked physically ill while explaining. ”Itʼs official, thereʼs a new digger beetle evolution.”

The Directorʼs eyes returned to the numbers on his desk, scanning them for the hundredth time. Final-year students with elite beasts and years of experience reported similar amounts. But a first-year child? With the historically weakest beast?

”Luck should have limits,” Ignatius muttered, massaging his temples. The figures danced before his eyes, defying all logic and experience. His hands trembled slightly as he set down the report. ”This is ridiculous.”

Wei shifted uncomfortably before the Directorʼs desk, his usual confidence shattered. ”That must be it,” he insisted, though his voice lacked conviction. ”Some relative of his must have stumbled upon it by dumb luck and somehow communicated it to the kid by…”

The Director was about to silence Weiʼs poor attempt at rationalization when urgent knocks on the door interrupted first.

”Enter,” Ignatius had barely finished speaking when he felt it, a mana disturbance. A wave of power emanated from the depths, strong enough that even without a perception-specialized beast, he could sense it crawling across his skin.

Mayo burst in, her usual maidenly composure completely abandoned. Her hair was disheveled, and her eyes were wide with urgency. ”Director, we have problems. The prince Juliusʼs three special guests might be in danger.”

The Director visibly tensed.

”The 6 new ʼstudentsʼ went to investigate,” Mayo continued, ”but if weʼre facing something of the last intruderʼs level...” She let the sentence hang in the air, heavy with implication.

Ignatius understood immediately. Six Bronze rank 1 or 2 agents, no matter how well-trained, could hardly survive a Gold rank opponent. The power gap was simply too vast.

”Their best option is to try to recover and retreat upward,” Mayo explained, her hands clasped tightly before her. ”Bring the battle to you.”

As if confirming the gravity of the situation, perception auxiliaries began arriving alongside several combat masters.

Their reports were similar, they had sensed a significant energetic disturbance beneath the academy. But there was a crucial difference, one had detected an abyssal energy signature below the school, if only for a moment.

”Evacuate the students,” Ignatius ordered as he rose from his chair, his movements sharp and decisive. ”Standard protocol, same routes as last time.”

From a hidden compartment, he retrieved the lightning hawk Julius had sent, a direct communication line with the prince.

The bird glowed, its feathers crackling with electricity. Using the mana lines of standard communicators in the castle would have taken longer to reach the prince.

He quickly wrote on a special parchment: ”Possible second abyssal intruder of Gold level. Luna, Liora, and Larissa potentially in danger. Six agents in recovery action. Request immediate response.”

The hawk snatched the message and shot through the window, its speed so high it left a trail of sparks in the air. It was their fastest form of communication besides the castleʼs scarce communicators, which were slightly less private. The bird would reach the castle in seconds.

He strode toward the door, followed by several battle teachers and the most experienced perception auxiliaries.

The ”designated location” for intercepting high-level threats had been established after the last attack, an area specifically designed to minimize collateral damage and maximize the advantage of the many combat teachers and new guards.

ʼIt canʼt be,ʼ he thought as they moved swiftly through the corridors. ʼYino canʼt have that many Gold rank agents already. If they had that level of power...ʼ

If Yino truly had that many warriors of that caliber, they wouldnʼt need infiltrations and furtive attacks. They could simply invade directly.

”Director,” one of the perception auxiliaries approached as they continued toward the interception point. ”The energy... itʼs different from normal. More... intense.”

Ignatius frowned. Different? Had Yino sent something worse than a Gold agent?

Soon the hallways would be filled with evacuating students, the remaining teachers directing the movement.

ʼLet the girls be safe,ʼ the Director thought as they reached their position. Another wave of power interrupted his thoughts. This time it was undeniable, something was happening in the depths of the academy.

♢♢♢♢

Renʼs arms maintained a firm but careful grip around the girl, one hand covering her eyes. Min and Taro tensed upon recognizing her, but Ren didnʼt hesitate.

”Why were you following us?” he whispered near her ear, keeping his voice low in the crystal chamber.

The girl shivered at the whisper. She didnʼt seem frightened, but rather... embarrassed?

Her mind raced through options, she could manifest her beast, use its special characteristics...

With Renʼs grip on her eyes leaving one arm partially free, she drove her elbow back toward him. But her strike met an abdomen hard as diamond.

The girl internally cursed, fighting through the pain not to scream.

Could he really be that hard there?

”Donʼt even try,” Ren warned softly, the hydraʼs defense manifested in his torso.

The girl decided she had no choice but to manifest her beast then.

”I told you not to try,” Ren insisted.

His free hand settled on the girlʼs stomach, and suddenly she felt something extraordinary, her mana flow distorted, like a river whose course had been subtly altered.

The transformation was interrupted…

She held her breath, surprised.

Only three people she knew could perform such precise disruptive control without causing damage: her father and two of her older brothers. It was a technique that required a deep understanding of mana flow and exceptional control.

”Last chance,” Ren insisted. ”Either cooperate, or to protect ourselves Iʼll have to threaten you to tell everyone your secret.”

The girlʼs heart raced. ʼMy secret?ʼ she thought frantically. ʼWhich one? Does he know about...?ʼ

Ren guided her toward the metal door, practically carrying her to maintain control. ”Do you know what this is?” he asked, referring to the ancient structure.

”I canʼt see anything,” she responded, trying to keep calm. ”Youʼre covering my eyes, remember?”

Ren was about to respond when his mushrooms pulsed in warning.

Several presences were approaching rapidly.

”Damn,” he muttered. This was supposed to be a moment like no other to make his discovery down here, but it seemed many had the same idea for some reason...

His eyes scanned the ancient door, and an idea formed in his mind.

”Sorry about this then,” he whispered to the girl before sending a precise mana pulse through his hand. The cousin let out a small whimper when she felt the internal pinch of her flow being manipulated harshly.

”The numbness in your flow will only last a few minutes,” Ren explained as he began pressing different points on the door. ”Itʼs better that you canʼt use mana for now... Youʼre going to accompany us.”

His fingers moved with precision, following the pattern he had perceived when he first touched the door. It was like playing an invisible melody, each point needing exact pressure at the exact moment.