Weakest Beast Tamer Gets All SSS Dragons

Chapter 170 - Taming Punishment

A little before the fightʼs resolution...

Director Ignatius paced back and forth, worry growing with each passing minute. The girls still hadnʼt returned with news, and their presences continued to be detected far from the planned interception point.

ʼWhy are they taking so long?ʼ he thought while his phoenix stirred beneath his skin, responding to his unease. The beastʼs agitation only heightened his own anxiety.

Thatʼs when he felt it, a disturbance in the mana with the unmistakable mark of abyssal corruption. His muscles tensed instantly, but something was different this time.

”At least itʼs not as powerful as the last intruder,” he muttered, remembering the gold rank agentʼs intrusion. ”Maybe I should go, if the rank is low the terrain maybe canʼt...”

His thoughts were interrupted when an auxiliary arrived running.

”Director!” the man panted, clearly having sprinted with all his might. ”We found a tunnel in the iron rank studentsʼ food storage!”

Ignatius internally cursed himself for the poor surveillance at that point. The place had seemed so unimportant that... He shook his head, this was no time for self-recrimination.

”No time for regrets,” he told himself. ”Did anyone follow the tunnel already?”

”Yes, sir,” the auxiliary nodded. ”But...”

As if responding to his words, another auxiliary appeared just after a little while, his face grim.

”The crack in the mana crystal wall at the tunnelʼs end is too small,” he reported. ”We canʼt pass through. And...” he hesitated a moment, ”Lady Luna entered before I could stop her.”

The Director froze. The crystal structure theyʼd mentioned... it was the kingdomʼs last seed. Calculations based on the crystalʼs thickness and the pattern of the previous ones indicated it shouldnʼt open for at least ten more years.

”Why now?” he murmured. ”What changed?”

The auxiliaries exchanged worried looks while the Director considered his options. The abyssal presence wasnʼt as strong as last time, but if they were trying to get the ring and the potions...

”Iʼm going down,” he finally decided. ”Organize a massive excavation with all earth element professors and auxiliaries. I want all entrances blocked.”

”All of them, sir? There are more than…”

”All of them,” Ignatius began moving. ”If we canʼt enter through the crack, at least we wonʼt let anyone escape. And if there are intruders in there...”

His eyes gleamed dangerously.

”They wonʼt get out alive.”

The auxiliaries dispersed quickly, transmitting orders. Within minutes, the sound of digger beasts began resonating throughout the academy. Students were evacuated while tamers specialized in earth and rock began their work.

ʼLuna is in thereʼ, thought the director. ʼAnd the new students... Julius will kill me if anything happens to his...ʼ

He could only hope that, whatever was happening inside the seed, the girls could handle it until reinforcements arrived.

♢♢♢♢

The director was organizing the excavation squad when another auxiliary came running.

”Director! We found another tunnel entrance that goes to the mana barrier! Itʼs wider and... strange.”

”Strange how?” the director turned, his attention captured.

”Itʼs a tunnel coated in living crystal,” the auxiliary explained, gesturing animatedly. ”But itʼs far above the mana range where these beasts should appear.”

Wei, who had been beside the director, opened his eyes in surprise. ”The mushroom boy,” he muttered, drawing everyoneʼs attention. ”It has to be him.”

”The student who won the bet against you?” the director frowned.

”Yes,” Wei clenched his fists. ”Heʼs been acting suspicious from the start. Let me go down with you, director.”

The director considered the suggestion for a moment before reluctantly nodding. If the student was involved...

A deafening screech interrupted his thoughts. It wasnʼt a common cry, the sound resonated with pure power, making every beast in the area shudder. The very air seemed to vibrate with its intensity.

Looking up, they saw a massive figure descending upon them. A golden Giant Eagle, its plumage shining with the intensity of a gold rank 2 beast, approached with imposing majesty. Its wingspan cast shadows across the academy grounds.

Three figures jumped from its back before it touched earth.

”Zhao, Julius...” the director recognized the professor and the prince. ”And Victor…”

Victor, one of Juliusʼs older brothers and owner of the Giant Eagle, nodded gravely. His beast perched behind him, its golden eyes scanning the area with predatory intelligence.

”This time weʼll join the hunt from the beginning,” Julius declared, his voice leaving no room for arguments. ”No more waiting for slow reports.”

The director noticed the tension in his posture. Of course, his protégées were down there.

”They say the tunnel is this way,” Wei pointed, eager to begin.

Victor placed a hand on his brotherʼs shoulder. ”Weʼll find them.”

The group headed toward the mines. This time, thought the director, they wouldnʼt let anyone escape.

♢♢♢♢

Larissa froze upon seeing Juliusʼs face in the crack.

Her mind, which moments ago had been planning how to explain the entire disaster, went completely blank.

The situation worsened when a hand appeared and pushed Juliusʼs head aside. Victorʼs face peered through the crack, his eyes widening in surprise at finding his little sister inside such important ruins.

”Larissa,” Victorʼs voice sounded strangely calm, which only made her more nervous. ”Get out of there. Now.”

Larissa looked around, everyone who wasnʼt knocked out averted their gaze...

Would she have to explain everything alone? Haroldʼs partially destroyed body, the injured guards, unconscious Ren, the ”packages” carried by Taroʼs Living Tunnel and the artifacts that...

”Am I going to get scolded?” she asked in a small voice, like when she was younger and got caught asking the kitchen maids for sweets.

Julius appeared again in the crack, pushing Victor. ”No, weʼre not going to...”

”Liar!” Larissa interrupted, pointing at him accusingly.

”This time is different,” Julius tried to sound convincing. ”We just want to...”

”Mana doesnʼt lie!” Larissa crossed her arms.

Victor couldnʼt contain a chuckle, which earned him an elbow from Julius.

”Larissa,” Julius tried again, his voice mixing authority and pleading. ”There was a Yino spy in there, right? I canʼt sense their presence anymore... Could you come out and explain everything that happened?”

”Promise you wonʼt punish me!” Larissa pointed with a trembling finger.

”I canʼt promise anything without knowing what…”

”You have to promise!”

Victor pushed Julius aside again. ”Listen, little demon,” his tone was more amused than severe. ”If you come out now, I promise not to let Julius punish you too much.”

”Too much?” Larissa narrowed her eyes. ”Define ʼtoo muchʼ.”