Weakest Beast Tamer Gets All SSS Dragons

Chapter 161 - Taming the Ancient Ruins - 11

The wolfʼs fangs sank deep into Haroldʼs leg, but his instant transformation into centipede limbs nullified the effective damage for the moment.

The modified appendage allowed him to move as if the wound didnʼt exist, ready to react and strike.

Harold launched himself at Luna without hesitation.

His antennae had detected the shadow wolfʼs characteristic mana signature, and Harold twisted to dodge the next attack, gaining distance. The metallic floor beneath him hummed as he moved.

Luna had also seen something in the mana surrounding Harold since first spotting him, the abyssal mark was unmistakable to someone who had fought Yino agents before.

She vividly remembered her encounter during the journey with Zhao. It hadnʼt happened to her that day, and it wouldnʼt happen today either... she wouldnʼt make the mistake of letting herself be attacked directly.

The air distorted as she executed a jump, swapping positions with her wolf. It was a tactic she had perfected and used many times before, the shadows bending to her will.

But Harold was no common agent.

His extended antennae captured every mana fluctuation with supernatural precision. He could see the jump pattern forming like a three-dimensional map in his mind. Moreover, unlike the other two girls with jump beasts, Luna was limited to shadowed areas or her wolfʼs location.

By the time Luna emerged at her new point, Harold was already there.

His fist, covered in chitinous armor and powered by his beast far above Lunaʼs rank, descended with brutal force. The impact of a silver rank creature resonated like thunder in the chamber.

But instead of flesh, it met crystal.

A transparent barrier had materialized between Luna and the blow. The force of the impact shattered it, brilliant fragments flying in all directions, but it had served its purpose…

Luna was unharmed.

Harold narrowed his eyes. Someone else had interfered.

The crystal fragments exploded in a blinding flash.

Luna was also momentarily blinded, but she didnʼt need to see her jump location, so she attempted another leap.

Something strange happened though…

Instead of appearing where sheʼd planned, she found herself materializing beside her four guards.

The first guardʼs Bubble Coral had created the sacrificial barrier. Her beast was a marine creature, formed by tiny spherical crystals, like a constellation of miniature mirrors, each fragment ready to create new defensive barriers or labyrinths of reflections.

The second guard controlled her Ambush Firefly, which had used the Coralʼs crystals to amplify and reflect its light attack, creating the flash that temporarily blinded Harold.

The third, with her Antenna Venus, had been responsible for redirecting the jump. Her plant beast, specialized in trapping and devouring crystal fairies that ventured too close, could manipulate and redirect spatial jumps in its area of influence.

They had asked her just a few minutes ago to stay in a safe place, but this wasnʼt the time for reproaches.

”Lady Luna,” the guard with the Antenna Venus spoke quickly, her voice urgent. ”We must get you to safety. Kira has her Giant Goat ready for your transport to the surface.”

”Itʼs not the fastest,” admitted the Bubble Coralʼs tamer. ”Makoʼs wolverine would be a better option, but...”

”But sheʼs inside the seed with Shizu,” the Firefly guard completed. ”Please, my lady, we must withdraw you while we can create a distraction. That beast is strong.”

Luna observed the situation as her vision returned.

The guardsʼ coordination was impeccable, the Coral creating reflective surfaces, the Firefly using them to blind, and the Venus manipulating space to ensure her extraction.

They were specialized in recovering the mischievous daughters of the most powerful families, an extraction and distraction team.

They werenʼt designed to fight against agents.

But...

”No,” she declared firmly. ”I wonʼt leave.”

Luna could smell her cousins, Liora and Larissa, somewhere nearby. There was no way she would abandon them.

Harold didnʼt give them time to argue.

His eyes still burned from the flash, but his antennae vibrated with increased intensity, mapping every mana fluctuation in the environment. He transformed even further, his body twisting as the abyssal beast emerged.

What remained barely looked human, an anthropomorphic abomination covered in chitinous segments and antennae. He launched himself at them with a speed that contradicted his grotesque form.

The Bubble Coral guard reacted first. Her spherical crystals multiplied in the air, creating a labyrinth of mirrors and reflections designed to confuse and disorient.

But Harold kept his eyes firmly closed. To his antennae, mana fluctuations were clearer than any visual image. Reflections couldnʼt deceive one who navigated by pure energy waves.

The Ambush Firefly intensified its glow, firing concentrated light rays. The luminous explosions bounced between the Coralʼs crystals, creating a network of attacks from multiple angles.

The rays barely marked Haroldʼs chitinous carapace. His abyssal armor resisted the assault as if they were mere caresses.

The Antenna Venus extended its roots forward while trying to trap the monsterʼs extremities. But the roots were too slow, unable to find purchase on his transformed body.

In seconds, Harold was upon them, his antennae extended like a deadly crown.

The Giant Goat charged from one side while Lunaʼs wolf attacked from the other, a coordinated attempt to halt his advance. The two beasts crashed against Haroldʼs transformed body like waves against a cliff.

♢♢♢♢

Taroʼs Living Tunnel remained the key to their advantage, transforming each earth attack into crystal, rendering them useless to their opponents.

The wolverine agent, Mako, frustrated by her inability to gain ground, finally summoned her beast outside her body, an imposing and furious Bronze rank 2 creature.

”This is all ridiculous!” Ren complained while dodging an attack. ”I canʼt even explore in peace without Luna and her friends chasing me all the time, do they have a crush on me or something?!”

His light claws blocked another blow while he continued: ”I only covered her eyes because I didnʼt want her to escape with a jump, I wanted to negotiate! She keeps my secret about going into the depths outside my rank, and I keep hers! I thought her rich family was hiding her beast to prevent kidnapping attempts like with Luna!”

”Donʼt play dumb, sheʼs not from a rich family!” one of the guards shouted, her voice charged with indignation. ”Larissa is the Kingʼs daughter!”

Ren almost lost control of his light claws. Cold sweat began running down his back as the pieces clicked into place in his mind, the connection with Julius, the resemblance he had noticed but ignored...

ʼOh no.ʼ The thought hit him like a hammer. ʼDid I just rough up a real princess?ʼ