《Weakest Beast Tamer Gets All SSS Dragons》


 Chapter 1 - Beast Tamer Ren Patinder

    Today was their tenth birthday. Today, luck would decide their fate at this tender age... Their future hinged on this moment.Today, they would contract their beast.


    The Ceremony Master stood at the altar, his robust frame imposing in the temple''s light.


    His beast, evolved to Silver rank level 2, pulsed with a subtle argentine glow. The beast had matured after reaching the 5th rank, an achievement few could match and even fewer could surpass.


    He struck his staff against the floor, the sound echoing through the ancient halls.


    "The Ceremony of Ten Years begins now. The beasts will take the mana poisoning your young bodies and save you," he announced, his voice carrying the weight of tradition.


    "Remember, your beast''s rank determines your place in our society. Iron for the slaves, Bronze for the workers, Silver for the privileged."


    He didn''t mention the higher ranks. He didn''t need to.


    The 7th rank, Gold 1.


    Throughout the entire city, only five families possessed Gold-rank beasts, and the only living human with a Platinum creature was the king himself. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The only one with a beast of the 10th rank.


    ????


    A red egg rested on the altar.


    The boy who had placed it there positioned himself in the center of the circle.


    The egg cracked.


    It began to glow, and then¡­


    "A Crimson Salamander!" The Ceremony Master''s announcement pierced through the temple as Ron Blackfire''s red egg burst into flames. From the ashes emerged a scarlet creature, its scales gleaming like living embers.


    Whispers of amazement turned to cheers as the tiny salamander opened its mouth and spat a perfect sphere of fire that danced above Ron''s outstretched palm.


    An Iron-rank beast at its lowest... but with vast potential.


    Not only could it easily rise to Bronze rank, but with proper cultivation, it could even reach Silver.


    The kind of creature that opened doors, that with proper investment could transform a mere student into someone destined for comfort and privilege.


    Ron''s smile widened, already tasting his future among the elite. With his family''s proper cultivation techniques, his salamander would undoubtedly reach Silver rank, guaranteeing him a place among the upper-middle class.


    Even now, freshly hatched, it granted him great strength and the power to conjure fireballs at will.


    "Next!" the Ceremony Master announced.


    Ren''s heart stopped beating for an instant.


    It was his turn.


    The metallic taste of fear flooded Ren''s mouth as he stared at his gray egg on the stone altar.


    Around him, dozens of eggs glowed in other children''s hands with promises of better futures, deep blues, vibrant greens, intense reds. Most guaranteed at least a Bronze-rank beast at maturity, and the most expensive ones promised creatures with evolution potential up to Silver level 3.


    Only his was gray.


    The gray egg barely pulsed in Ren''s trembling hands. A pathetic heartbeat so weak he had to hold his breath to feel it.


    Today, this miserable egg, the cheapest available, would chart his destiny, decide his place in the world.


    All his parents had been able to get him, after selling their last sellable possessions, was this gray egg.


    Not white. Not black. Not even brown. Gray.


    The color of failure.


    Laughter and congratulations for Jin still echoed in the temple as Ren approached the altar. His gray egg looked even smaller now, following the magnificent display of the Crimson Salamander.


    Ren mentally reviewed the possibilities for the thousandth time, clinging to hope.


    There was a 5% chance of getting a marsh frog. It wouldn''t be as impressive as a fire salamander, but with the right cultivation technique, a frog could reach the highest Bronze rank, a "mature" level 2 marsh frog.


    But he knew it was asking too much; the probability was too low... He had resigned himself.


    Ren would get the common plant.


    Yet even the common plant with its 95% probability wouldn''t be the end of the world.


    An Iron-rank beast that, well cultivated, could reach the lowest Bronze rank, and by avoiding maturity with a secret technique, some people had even managed to take it to Bronze level 2.


    It wouldn''t be easy, he''d need to invest every coin earned to buy the secret cultivation technique, work twice as hard as others, but at least he could earn an honest living in the end.


    It would mean a decent life, the chance to repay his parents even a fraction of what they had sacrificed for him.


    But the egg had 3 options.


    People called it the failure''s egg not because it usually gave a mediocre and weak plant... They called it that because of those who had the misfortune of drawing the third option.


    First option: the plant of the mediocre poor people, 94.99% probability.


    Second option: the frog of the lucky poor people, 5% probability.


    And then there was that tiny, terrifying 0.01% possibility: a spore.


    The spore of the unlucky poor people.


    The weakest creature ever recorded, incapable of even maturing completely within the Iron rank.


    In other eggs, the lowest possibility, that 0.01%, that 1 in 10,000 chance was a magnificent creature with Silver or Gold potential.


    In this one, it was hell.


    Practically a death sentence in a world where power was everything.


    "Look at the failure''s egg!" Klein Goldcrest''s mocking voice cut through the air like a whip. "I bet it can''t even summon a decent frog!"


    All the children laughed.


    Ren kept his gaze fixed on his egg. He wouldn''t give them the satisfaction of seeing how worried he was.


    "Silence!" The Ceremony Master''s voice resonated beneath the ancient stone arches. "Remember, this is the most sacred moment of your lives. The instant you cease being mere children to become tamers."


    Ren closed his eyes, trying to ignore the pitying looks and barely contained laughter. His gray egg rested on the altar like fate''s mockery, its weak pulse barely perceptible under his trembling fingers.


    The Patinder''s son. The boy with the gray egg.


    The morning''s first sunbeam pierced through the temple''s stained glass, and his egg began to glow.


    Or at least, that''s what Ren wished he could say.


    His egg barely emitted a dim glow, so weak that several children had to squint to confirm it was really glowing at all.


    Please, he begged silently, anything but the spore.


    The egg cracked.


    It didn''t explode into flames like Ron''s. It didn''t open in petals of light like this morning''s blue egg, from which a water horse had emerged.


    It simply... cracked.


    A dry, pathetic sound, like a twig snapping.


    And from the crack emerged...


    A small cloud of gray spores.


    The laughter began before the creature finished materializing.


    A spore.


    The weakest beast ever recorded in the history of summonings. A being so insignificant it didn''t even qualify as a complete Iron-rank monster.


    "Silence!" ordered the Ceremony Master, but there was poorly disguised amusement in his voice. "Ren Patinder, extend your hand and receive your companion into your body for the first time... It will cure the excess mana in your body."


    The cloud of spores floated lazily toward Ren''s outstretched palm. It weighed nothing. Emitted no heat. There was no sign of the mystical bond that was supposed to form between beast and tamer.


    It just... floated there. Gray. Useless.


    "The 0.01%," someone murmured in the crowd. "He really got the 0.01 percent."


    Ren kept his head high as he descended from the altar. His parents had sold everything for this moment. They had worked double shifts.


    He wouldn''t give these brats the pleasure of seeing him cry.

 Chapter 2 - Taming Failure

    Ren kept his head high as he descended from the altar.His parents had sold everything for this moment. Had worked double shifts. He wouldn''t give these brats the pleasure of seeing him cry.


    The contract bond established itself with a flash so weak it barely illuminated his wrist.


    His beast now granted him a 10% increase in physical strength.


    That was all.


    For a scrawny boy like him, it meant maybe carrying one more small bucket of water, or lasting a few extra minutes in the field.


    Other children received the ability to manipulate elements, massive increases in speed or endurance, or even healing abilities.


    Every creature, from the most common to the rarest, granted power to its summoner. It was a fundamental law of the contract.


    Ron growled as crimson scales erupted along his arms, his nails hardening into reddish claws. His canines lengthened into sharp fangs, and a golden gleam appeared in his pupils.


    The Salamander hadn''t just granted him control over fire and a 40% increase to his strength, his entire body was adapting. His endurance, speed, and reflexes would increase by 20%, and with each evolution, these numbers would double.


    By the time the salamander reached Silver rank 2, Ron would have triple the strength of a normal human, a 200% increase, 100% in all attributes plus increased resistance and his fire powers.


    Even a simple plant, what Ren had hoped to get, would have provided a 20% increase to vitality as its primary effect, plus a 10% boost to all attributes that could reach 30% or 40% with proper cultivation.


    But the spore...


    "Pathetic," someone murmured in the crowd. "It''s the only known beast that grants no base power. Just that miserable 10% physical strength boost."


    Ren remained in place, bound by protocol to witness the rest of the ceremony. Each new summoning was another reminder of his failure.


    A wind eagle that enhanced its master''s reflexes. An earth bear that doubled physical resistance. A mystic fox that improved perception and senses.


    And then, the final summoner ascended to the altar.


    Luna Starweaver. Her blue hair cascaded over her shoulders like a waterfall as she placed her black egg on the pedestal.


    One of the most expensive.


    The entire temple held its breath.


    The crack that appeared in the egg was like lightning in the night. From within emerged a shadow wolf, its eyes gleaming with ancestral power.


    The aura that enveloped Luna was almost blinding, multiplied speed, sharpened senses, and the gift of manipulating various types of elemental magic.


    Increases of 500% or 1000% weren''t impossible with that creature.


    "A beast with Gold potential!" The Ceremony Master''s voice trembled with excitement. "Extraordinary! Less than 1% probability even in a high-quality black egg."


    Ren watched as the wolf bowed before Luna, sealing a contract that would elevate her above almost everyone in the city.


    ????


    Throughout the temple, the changes manifested.


    Almost all children received them happily. It was the moment they''d waited for their entire lives.


    The weakness they''d felt in recent years due to mana poisoning transformed into a sensation of ecstasy and power.


    The eagle boy developed silver markings on his skin and his eyes grew sharper. The girl with the mystic fox saw her senses amplify while reddish marks appeared on her cheeks.


    Each transformation was unique, powerful, a symbol of their new status.


    Almost all, except Ren''s...


    His spore would be the symbol that his status was now the lowest.


    At least, he thought with bitter irony, it can''t get worse than this. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He had no idea how wrong he was.


    Then, it was his turn to transform.


    The spore simply... dissolved. It melted into his skin without the slightest spectacle, and for a moment, nothing happened.


    Then, small luminescent mushrooms began to sprout from his scalp, like tiny glowing toadstools among his hair.


    The laughter was instantaneous.


    "Look! He''s rotting!"


    "Hey, Patinder! Are those mushrooms on your head or little peni¡­"


    "Silence!" The Ceremony Master tried to intervene, but the mockery continued.


    "Careful, it''s contagious!"


    "Don''t get too close or you''ll grow mushrooms too!"


    The Ceremony Master cleared his throat after failing to silence the kids, trying to maintain the moment''s dignity. "The spore... uh... can mature with proper time. It could reach up to fifty centimeters and grant a 20% increase in physical strength."


    More laughter. Everyone knew that getting a spore to mature was almost impossible.


    The cost in resources and time would be astronomical, all for a result that any common beast achieved from day one.


    Some children even pretended to sneeze and made faces of fear when passing near him, as if he could infect them.


    Each successful transformation around him only made his situation more pathetic. While others received claws, mystical marks, and changes that screamed power, he had gotten... "unpleasant decorations" for his hair.


    Luna was the last to transform.


    The contract with her shadow wolf covered her skin with delicate silver marks that seemed to dance with the light. Her eyes acquired a supernatural gleam, and her blue hair rippled as if submerged in water.


    The aura of power emanating from her was almost tangible, 100% speed plus 50% increase in all physical capabilities, plus the gift of elemental magic.


    The mushrooms on Ren''s head flickered weakly, as if even they were ashamed.


    "In one week," announced the Ceremony Master, "you will begin your formal education. The carriages will come to collect you for school as agreed in the contract, where you will remain until maturity, 8 years. Afterward, you will have a brief rest before beginning your military service."


    He paused.


    "Keep your beasts fused. It is a show of respect toward the sacred bond you have formed today."


    The ceremony ended.


    ????


    Ren waited until he was outside the temple.


    Away from the mocking glances, the whispers, the poorly disguised pity.


    Only then did he close his eyes and expel the spore from his body. The luminescent mushrooms disappeared from his hair, and the small gray mass returned to floating beside his shoulder.


    To hell with respect. To hell with traditions.


    Thirty years of his parents'' work, they sold their house, saved over 1 million crystals with a frugal life, all... to ruin it with his bad luck.


    The path home had never felt so long.


    Each step was a reminder of what he had failed to become, of hopes that had vanished with that pathetic gray glow.


    The spore floated silently beside him, barely visible in the evening light. His new companion. His symbol of failure.


    His destiny.

 Chapter 3 - Taming Sadness

    The path home had never felt so long.The cobblestone streets of the city center gradually gave way to dirt roads.


    Elegant buildings transformed into increasingly humble houses until he reached the outskirts, where his small cabin stood, tilted and worn by time.


    Correction, it wasn''t even theirs anymore¡­


    His poor parents now had to rent what had once been their property.


    He stopped at the door.


    The aroma escaping through the door''s cracks made Ren''s stomach growl traitorously. His parents were talented cooks; it was what had kept them afloat all these years.


    Despite their low rank.


    With their mature Iron-rank plants, the lowest possible, they''d been incredibly lucky to work in the city''s most modest kitchens... Sure, the owner was a great person for not discriminating against them, but their skill was undeniable.


    That was the real reason they were accepted there.


    The smell of sweet root stew, Ren''s favorite, mingled with freshly baked bread.


    He stood there, hand on the doorknob, the spore floating pathetically beside him.


    Through the window, he could see his mother moving through the kitchen with the grace of years of experience, while his father decorated the table with the only three candles they had left.


    They had prepared a celebration feast with the little they had.


    When he finally pushed the door open, the lump in his throat was so big he could barely breathe.


    "Ren!" His mother turned slightly before his father.


    They both looked at the small gray spore, and Ren could see the exact moment hope abandoned their eyes.


    Still, his mother wiped her hands on her apron and opened her arms. "My little tamer..."


    The tears Ren had held back for hours finally began to fall.


    "I''m sorry," he whispered as he entered, his voice breaking. "I''m so sorry. I''m sorry, I''m sorry..."


    "Oh, my child," his mother wrapped him in her arms. "It''s not your fault. It will never be your fault."


    "You spent everything... sold everything... and I..."


    His father approached, his steps heavy from a long day''s exhaustion in the kitchens. He knelt before Ren, placing his large hands on the boy''s small shoulders.


    "Son, look at me."


    Ren looked up, his vision blurry with tears.


    "Remember when I burned an entire batch of bread last year?"


    Ren nodded, confused.


    "And remember what we did?"


    "We... we cut it into cubes and turned it into croutons."


    "Exactly," his father smiled. "Sometimes life doesn''t give you what you expect. But that doesn''t mean you can''t make something good with what you have."


    "But I... the spore..."


    "It''s part of you now," his mother added. "And we love every part of you."


    "Hey," his father joined the embrace, his voice hoarse. "You''re our son. It doesn''t matter if you have a spore or a dragon..."


    But it did matter. Of course it mattered.


    ????


    The dining room was small but filled with love and the aroma of the outskirts'' finest cooking...


    But try as he might, he couldn''t enjoy it.


    His parents had prepared everything they could in their new situation: sweet root stew, freshly baked bread, they''d even managed to get some wild berries for dessert.


    The three candles illuminated the table with a warm glow, so different from the spore''s gray radiance.


    "Eat a little, darling," his mother served a generous plate. "You''ve had a long day."


    "I''m... I''m not hungry."


    "Just one bite," his father insisted. "Your mother spent hours cooking."


    But not even the aroma of his favorite dish could overcome the bitter taste of disappointment. Ren rose from the table, tears returning to his eyes.


    "I''m sorry," he whispered before running to his room, the spore following him like a gray shadow of guilt.


    "Ren!" his mother called. "At least take some bread!"


    But the only response was the sound of a door closing.


    In the dining room, the three candles continued burning, illuminating a table full of food prepared with love and hope. His parents exchanged glances, the weight of worry visible on their tired faces...


    The afternoon''s attempts bore no fruit either.


    "I''m not hungry," he shouted when his mother knocked on the door with a tray of food.


    In the darkness of his room, the boy observed the weak flickers of his pathetic companion.


    One week.


    In one week, he would have to face school, the mockery, the contempt.


    One week to accept that his life would be exactly what everyone expected from someone with the worst possible beast.


    A gray life.


    ????


    In the small dining room, the candles illuminated the exhausted faces of two people who had just watched their last hopes turn into gray spores, and the school contract lay on the table.


    It was mandatory... Once signed, he had to attend the School of Cultivation and Evolution for 8 years.


    There he would learn to strengthen his creature, develop its abilities, become a true tamer. In one of the best schools, if not the best.


    Or that was the idea, but...


    "Sixty years," the father murmured, both of them already 60 years old.


    Their mature Iron-rank plants barely glowed at their wrists and gave them hair composed of leaves and vines, the result of a life of limited cultivation.


    Their hands, weathered by decades working in kitchens, trembled. "We sold everything for this. Everything."


    His fingers moved over the document they had signed this morning.


    The one that had cost them over 1 million crystals. The one they''d worked their entire lives for.


    In their youth, they hadn''t had the resources to buy the secret techniques needed to evolve their beasts beyond the basic state.


    A simple 40% increase in vitality and 20% to all attributes was all they got from them, but being mature plants allowed them to pretend they were Bronze 1, barely enough "status" to keep their jobs in the third-rate kitchens on the city''s outer line.


    Luckily, the vitality bonus made them look and feel younger, like a couple in their 40s.


    Today, however, nothing in their life felt like "luck".


    "We sold everything for this," whispered the mother, tears falling on her worn apron. "Everything so he could have a real chance at a good school. So his plant could grow to Bronze, evolve, give him a better life than ours."


    The school was expensive for a reason.


    Eight years of intensive training, access to cultivation techniques, resources for evolution, connections, everything necessary to transform a common beast into something more.


    They had dreamed of something better for Ren. A rank that would let him walk the main streets without lowering his head.


    With a normal plant, Ren would have had the chance to reach Bronze rank 2, improve his vitality to 80% upon maturation and all his base increases to 40%, maybe even get a job in the city''s good kitchens learning from his parents.


    But with a spore...


    "He can''t back out now," the mother clutched the contract in her trembling hands, silent tears running down her cheeks. "The payment is made, and the laws are clear, every contract must be fulfilled and every child with a beast must complete their basic education since they passed that law last year."


    "If only I hadn''t gotten sick, we could have had enough... I was so close to buying the brown egg... But that cursed expensive medicine, I should have di¡­"


    "Don''t say that! It''s not your fault. Ren wouldn''t have wanted that," the mother admonished. "Besides, maybe choosing the best and most expensive school was too greedy on our part."


    "What have we done..." sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 4 - Taming Hope

    They had dreamed of something better for Ren.But with a spore...


    "Eight years," the father sank into his chair. "Eight years watching others evolve their beasts while he... while our foolish investment takes away his hope for..."


    He didn''t need to finish the sentence. A spore couldn''t evolve its rank.


    There were no cultivation techniques to study, no improvement paths to explore, no secret techniques to buy.


    Many had already tried.


    Richer people with much more support.


    The only one who succeeded...


    Was labeled as the worst failure. A fortune spent for an almost useless gain, 20% strength.


    Since that day, the spore has been the symbol of failure.


    Ren would spend eight years learning things he could never apply, his surroundings a constant reminder of what he couldn''t achieve.


    Eight years of mockery, being the school''s laughingstock.


    Eight wasted years, because what could he learn about cultivation and evolution with a creature that couldn''t even evolve?


    Sadness led the father to reminisce about the past, a past that Ren had illuminated...


    "Remember that day?" he asked suddenly, his gaze lost in the candle flames.


    "When I couldn''t find the medicine demanded by the kingdom because it was depleted due to severe mana contamination from that year''s horde, and I had to go out searching for a mana poisoning cure and also found that plant you ate... We thought we had been blessed."


    She nodded, taking his hand.


    How could she forget?


    They had been trying to have a child since their twenties.


    Almost three decades of broken hopes, watching their friends form families while they remained alone.


    They had lived a frugal life, pooling their resources to form a happy family, interested only in one thing they couldn''t obtain no matter how much they accumulated.


    Almost a million, an incredible amount for citizens of their rank.


    They''d thought about using the money to "cure" their infertility but they were already so old... They had given up.


    But that trip to the outskirts...


    "The plant I found in the outskirts, mistaking it for that high-quality 100-year-old sweet root..." he continued. "When you ate it, I thought... I thought I had killed you. You were so pale, so cold..."


    "And a week later, I felt like I was twenty again," she smiled sadly. "And the following year we succeeded without trying..."


    "Our miracle."


    They fell silent, listening to the muffled sobs coming from Ren''s room.


    Their little miracle, the child who had given them so much life and happiness when they had almost lost hope, now faced a cruel destiny.


    "It''s as if the dragon gods were mocking us," she murmured. "They gave us a child when we were already too old, only to..."


    "To watch him suffer," he completed, squeezing her hand.


    The candles, almost spent, continued burning, their flames reflecting on the school contract on the table.


    In the adjacent room, their ten-year-old son cried silently, a small gray spore floating beside his pillow like a constant reminder of his fate.


    The feast they had prepared with so much love slowly cooled on the table, untouched, while two elderly parents wept for the cruel turn their life''s miracle had taken.


    ????


    Ren lay on his bed, tears drying on his cheeks while rage gradually replaced sadness.


    The spore floated nearby, its weak gray glow only serving to enrage him more.


    Go to school like this? It was a cruel joke.


    He could already see the next eight years unfolding before him like an endless nightmare. While other children would learn to evolve their beasts, to awaken new powers, he would sit there, with a creature that couldn''t even mature properly...


    Maybe it would be better to do what other unfortunate "rotting ones" did and...


    No!


    He couldn''t, he loved his parents and they loved him too much too.


    He needed to find something to distract himself.


    He turned to the small bookshelf beside his bed, where he kept his favorite book, worn from countless readings: "The Second Contract of the Wandering King."


    His fingers traced the worn cover, following the image of a legendary warrior who had achieved the impossible.


    According to the story, the hero had found a mystical medicine deep in the forest, something that had allowed him to form a second contract with a beast.


    It was just a tale, of course, in all recorded history, only the current king and a dozen legendary warriors had managed to obtain a second creature contracted.


    And none of them would reveal the way to achieve it to the masses.


    But Ren was still a child, still naive.


    Ren looked through his window toward the dark forest stretching beyond the outskirts. The medicine from the story... What if...?


    But the thought died as quickly as it arose.


    His father, with his mature Iron-rank plant, had returned half-dead the only time he ventured there.


    And he had real advantages: A great 40% extra vitality, an adult''s strength and speed increased by 20%, along with all his other attributes, a modest control over plants that allowed him to detect dangers and defend against some monsters, plus years of experience.


    And what did Ren have?


    A useless spore and a miserable 10% increase to his childish strength.


    He couldn''t even lift the heavier flour sacks in the kitchen, how did he expect to survive in a forest full of monsters? Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The spore flickered weakly, as if sensing his desperation.


    "Why you?" he whispered bitterly toward the creature. "With such low chances... why did it have to be you?"


    Silence was his only answer.


    In the dining room, he could hear his parents talking in low voices, their voices laden with worry. He couldn''t bear it anymore. He couldn''t be the cause of their pain, the pathetic end to all their hopes and sacrifices.


    But he couldn''t change anything either.


    Once the contract was formed, it was for life. The spore would be his companion until the day he died, a constant reminder of his failure.


    Unless...


    His eyes fixed again on the dark forest beyond his window.


    Even considering it was suicidal.


    The mana poisoning would kill him in less than 3 days with such a weak creature in his body.


    But as he thought about the school contract, about the years of torment awaiting him...


    What was worse? Dying while trying to change his destiny or living eight years as the school''s laughingstock?


    His parents... Maybe he could make them happy too.


    Ren opened his worn book once more, his fingers tracing the illustrations of the Dragons.


    It was believed that all creatures could become dragons by finding the right path of cultivation.


    According to the book, the Wandering King found much information alongside his medicine...


    It wasn''t just any medicine he wanted, it was in the heart of dragon territory, where mana flowed so densely it could be seen in the air.

 Chapter 5 - Taming the Decision

    Ren opened his worn book once more, his fingers tracing the illustrations of the Dragons.According to the book, the Wandering King had found lots of information alongside his medicine...


    It wasn''t just any medicine that Ren wanted, it was in the heart of dragon territory, where mana flowed so densely it could be seen in the air.


    The Wandering King had traveled for months, crossing the lands of each Dragon Lord.


    The Red Dragon, whose scales burned like the desert sun, ruled over all fire beasts and reptiles. Under his domain, even tiny lizards could breathe flames.


    The Blue Dragon reigned in the ocean depths with his majestic fins and gleaming horns, where every marine creature swore loyalty.


    The Green Dragon, covered by a thick layer of vegetation, was lord of the deep forests, where every beast and plant danced to his will.


    In the eternal skies, the White Dragon commanded all flying creatures, while the Black Dragon governed the beasts of night and shadow.


    The book showed a particularly detailed illustration of the Articulated Dragon, whose domains were filled with giant insects and creatures with exoskeletons.


    Each evolutionary line, each egg color, was represented by a dragon. Scholars denied the correlation between dragons and egg colors due to variations diverging from logical branches in egg outcomes.


    But that wasn''t relevant knowledge for the child.


    Ren paused at a page that had always intrigued him: the Dragon of Decay, lord of fungi, spores, and all creatures that fed on decomposition.


    Reigning above, feeding and creating all creatures of his evolutionary line.


    "At least dragons respect their subjects," he murmured bitterly, looking at his pathetic spore. "Unlike humans."


    But the dragons and their territories were far from the human city, and for good reason.


    Humans had chosen to settle in this area precisely because the mana was so scarce that great beasts found it repulsive. They had no interest in it.


    For humans...


    This was their only protection.


    Only the weakest creatures, expelled and rejected by the stronger ones, prowled near the city. In the plains.


    But it was very rare, they had to be injured, dying, to dare leave the forest.


    Without mana, hunger would catch them and they would die soon.


    The mana here, in human territory, wasn''t nearly sufficient.


    And yet they were deadly dangerous, maddened by the hunger that mana scarcity provoked in them. Like wild animals seeking their next meal, they attacked anything that moved.


    Ren shuddered remembering the stories his father told about the forest outskirts.


    How the beasts there had an empty, desperate look. How they ignored their own wounds, driven only by hunger and lack of mana. Even herbivorous creatures turned aggressive, attacking any source of mana they could find.


    But that was just the outskirts.


    In dragon territories...


    Mana would be Ren''s worst enemy, with a beast of this level, he could barely enter the first iron circle, with the lowest-ranked beasts. Fortunately, the ruin his father found was right at the beginning of the bronze ring... And he could enter through the middle of the iron ring.


    Something like that could be possible even for him, right?


    Sure, he wanted to go to dragon territory and find a miracle like obtaining two beasts.


    However, he would have to settle for medicine that could expel his spore from his body or something similar.


    Something like that could be close to the medicine that cured his mother.


    Dragon territory, or even the silver ring, were out of consideration. If he ventured too deep...


    The mana would consume you quickly and...


    Ren slammed the book shut, his heart pounding.


    Would he really go to that forest?


    Even thinking about it was madness. With his useless spore, mana might not be a problem, as he probably wouldn''t survive even his first encounter with a beast.


    But while listening to his parents'' muffled sobs through the wall...


    What other choice did he have?


    ????


    As night fell...


    Determination had awakened more than courage in Ren... his stomach growled.


    The aroma of sweet root stew still floated in the air, more tempting than ever as his hunger had returned now that he had a clear purpose.


    He slipped out of his room like a shadow, the spore floating silently behind him. The floorboards creaked treacherously under his feet, but years of sneaking out to steal midnight snacks had taught him where to step.


    In the kitchen, the feast his parents had prepared remained untouched. Ren wrapped large portions of bread with stew in clean cloths, also packing several wild berries.


    His father always said berries helped keep the mind clear when fatigue struck.


    From the tool cabinet, he took his father''s smallest kitchen knife, the one used for delicate work, and a worn canteen. Rope and his father''s most precious map. He hesitated a moment before also taking the flint for starting fires.


    It wasn''t much, but it would have to be enough.


    A noise in the hallway made his heart stop. Footsteps.


    He snuck back to his room and got into his bed just as the door opened.


    "Ren?" His mother''s soft voice. "Darling..."


    Ren dove under the covers, grateful for the darkness hiding the packed bag under his bed. The spore settled on his pillow, its weak gray glow perfectly matching the moment.


    "I''m so sorry, my love," whispered his mother, sitting on the edge of the bed.


    Her hand, rough from years of work but always gentle, stroked his hair. "If we could have gotten you a better egg..."


    "It''s not your fault, Mom, or Dad''s," replied Ren, and for the first time in hours, he wasn''t faking the emotion in his voice. "It... it was just bad luck."


    "Would you like some stew? It''s still warm..."


    "Tomorrow," promised Ren, hating the lie but knowing it was necessary for his mission. "Thank you for cooking it."


    She leaned down, kissed his forehead, and the familiar aroma of spices and love almost broke his resolve. Almost. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I love you, little one."


    "I love you too, Mom."


    The door closed softly.


    Ren waited, counting his heartbeats, until the footsteps retreated and the house fell silent.


    With movements practiced during his afternoon escapes with friends, he tied the rope. His bedroom window overlooked the back garden, a drop of barely two meters. The spore watched silently as he secured the rope to his bedpost.


    "If you''re going to follow me on this journey," he whispered to his companion while shouldering his backpack, "you''d better at least not get in my way."


    The night was clear, illuminated by nearly a dozen moons. From his window, he could see the dark forest beyond the city limits. Somewhere out there lay his only hope for a different future.


    He took the rope in his trembling hands.


    I''m sorry, Mom. I''m sorry, Dad.


    And he began his descent.

 Chapter 6 - Taming the First Journey

    Ren landed softly in the back garden, where his parents'' mature Iron-rank plants maintained an herb and food garden.Though it wasn''t theirs anymore, they could still use it to pay part of the house rent and cover some basic food for the family.


    Beyond the garden''s wooden fence, just a few meters away, the terrain began to descend. The view of enormous plains lay almost completely hidden by darkness...


    There were no walls to climb, no guards to evade, their house was one of the last structures before the "civilized" world dissolved into no man''s land.


    Only some plantations dared exceed the common cultivation zone, those with enough for guards.


    But with this house so close to the external zone of the abyss, nobody wanted to invest in lands that could be invaded by hordes of cursed monsters if the army ever faltered.


    Being in the front line was frightening.


    But Ren didn''t understand why they were so cowardly, in his 10 years of life, and according to his parents in another 30, the hordes had never overcome the army.


    These empty plains were perfect for cultivation in his opinion. Not that it affected him anymore...


    He pulled out his father''s worn map, tracing with his fingers the lines and annotations he knew by heart.


    How many times had he heard the story: his father, desperate to find medicine for mana poisoning, unable to get it in the market due to that year''s shortage.


    He had been forced to venture into monster domain like many others. Many didn''t return that year, and his father almost suffered the same sad fate.


    The mandatory mission that had nearly cost him his life.


    "And just when I thought it was my end," his father always said at this part, "I found it. A hidden entrance, as if the earth itself had cracked open to save me.


    I thought I had fallen into a night excavator''s hole...


    But it was an ancient tunnel, probably from the era before mana''s expansion."


    The map showed the path with obsessive detail, every mark, every turn, every landmark carefully noted.


    His father never knew why he''d been so meticulous in documenting a route he swore never to take again, but Ren suspected part of him always knew it would be needed someday.


    An hour later, Ren finally stood at the forest''s edge.


    He''d been lucky not to encounter any exiled and hungry creatures.


    It seemed the day''s bad luck had finally run out... Ren glanced at his spore.


    The spore floated beside him while its faint glow contrasted with the dark forest. Here, at the boundary, it was strangely peaceful.


    Healthy monsters never ventured so close to the mana-void zone, only the hordes did that, and on specific dates, following underground routes that humans had learned to predict and attack to contain and keep them from leaving the abyss.


    Here there weren''t those kinds of problems.


    "In theory," whispered Ren, more to give himself courage than to inform his silent companion, "we should be safe until we reach the deep iron forest. Monsters, even Iron-rank ones, hate this zone almost as much as dragons do."


    Ren repeated to convince himself.


    He unfolded the map one last time, memorizing the first stage. If his father had found that underground tunnel, if it really existed... it would be his best chance.


    The monsters wouldn''t detect him there, and he could advance much deeper into dangerous territory before having to face the real dangers.


    He turned to look back toward his faraway house one last time.


    They were probably still awake, worried about him, planning how to make his life more bearable in the coming years.


    "I''m sorry," he murmured. "But I can''t accept that future. Not without trying to change it at least once."


    And with that, he took his first step toward the forest. The spore floated behind him, its weak gray glow barely visible under the light of the twelve moons.


    The journey that could change his life had just begun.


    ????


    Three kilometers had never seemed so long.


    Ren kept to the exact boundary where the earth was still poor enough in mana to keep most beasts away.


    But not the Moon Toads.


    The glowing trees betrayed the change in mana density. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    His father had specifically warned him about these creatures. No larger than a rabbit, these blue-skinned, translucent amphibians were almost invisible under moonlight, except for their eyes.


    Three bioluminescent eyes that glowed with a hypnotic radiance, capable of paralyzing their prey with just a direct look. They weren''t particularly strong, barely immature Iron-rank beasts, but their hunting method was terrifying.


    They moved in small groups, surrounding their paralyzed prey before beginning to secrete an acid that...


    Ren shook his head. He didn''t want to remember that part of his father''s stories.


    Or worse still, the Night Excavators.


    Slow but enormous beasts, the size of a cow, that dug complex burrows under the mana-poor earth. Mature Iron rank beasts.


    Their long arms ending in massive claws could split a man in half, and though they were lazy and generally solitary, their territories were full of natural traps, hidden holes that led directly to their jaws.


    Both creatures depended on traps to complement the poor mana in their environment.


    The spore floated calmly beside him while Ren tested each step carefully. The ground here was treacherous, a network of Excavator tunnels could collapse under his weight at any moment.


    The huge dead tree had to be close.


    His father had drawn it in detail on the map, an ancient oak, twisted like a claw emerging from the earth, marking the entrance to the secret tunnel. If he could reach it...


    A bluish flash caught his attention from the corner of his eye. Had that been...?


    No. He mustn''t look directly. If they were Moon Toads, a direct look would be his end.


    Another blue flash, closer this time.


    Ren kept his eyes fixed on the ground, his heart hammering against his chest. Moon Toads always hunted in groups of three to five.


    If he''d seen one...


    A soft melodious croak came from his left. Then another from the right. They were surrounding him.


    "Don''t look at their eyes, don''t look at their eyes," he murmured to himself, repeating the words his father had etched into his memory. Moon Toads were slow, clumsy even.


    If he could keep his composure and keep moving...


    The ground creaked beneath his foot.


    Ren froze.


    That hadn''t been the sound of an amphibian. That had been the unmistakable groan of earth giving way over a Night Excavator''s tunnel.


    He was trapped between two deadly threats. If he retreated, the toads would catch him. If he advanced, he would fall into an Excavator''s den. And he couldn''t stay still, the toads were already...


    A blue flash appeared right in front of him. So close he could see the details of its translucent skin, the pulse of internal organs glowing with bioluminescence.


    Ren closed his eyes instinctively, but it was too late. For a fraction of a second, he had seen the toad''s three hypnotic eyes.


    His muscles began to go numb.


    The melodious croaking intensified, now coming from all directions. He could hear the soft padding of their feet approaching, the wet sound of their skin secreting acid...

 Chapter 7 - Taming Danger

    Ren closed his eyes instinctively, but it was too late.For a fraction of a second, he had seen the toad''s three hypnotic eyes.


    His muscles began to go numb.


    The melodious croaking intensified, now coming from all directions. He could hear the soft padding of their feet approaching, the wet sound of their skin secreting acid...


    The paralysis was spreading through his limbs when the spore, without warning, fused with his body.


    Ren wanted to scream in frustration, ''Now''s not the time to be stubborn, a miserable strength increase won''t help me here!''


    The weak glow of the mushrooms in his hair would only serve to attract more predators, making him a more visible target in the night.


    The Moon Toads were getting closer.


    He could hear the rhythmic padding of their feet, the wet sound of their skin secreting acid. The acrid smell already reached his nose, like rotting fruit and hot metal.


    But something was strange.


    The toad in front of him, the one that had paralyzed him, tilted its head.


    Its three eyes blinked in an erratic sequence, breaking the hypnotic pattern. The melodious croaking turned to discordant, confused notes.


    The mushrooms in Ren''s hair pulsed with bioluminescence similar to the toads'', creating patterns that mimicked the glow of their internal organs. It was as if his head had become a distorted version of his predators.


    The leader toad jumped forward, its three eyes now fixed on the glowing mushrooms. The confusion broke its concentration, and with it, the paralyzing spell.


    Ren felt control of his body return just as the ground beneath the toad began to give way.


    Everything happened in an instant.


    The toad, disoriented by the luminescent mushrooms, didn''t notice it had landed on the edge of an Excavator tunnel. The earth crumbled beneath its weight with an ominous crunch. Its bright eyes widened in surprise as it fell, its melodious croak transforming into a shriek of panic.


    A deep roar rose from the tunnel''s darkness, followed by the unmistakable sound of jaws snapping shut.


    The other Moon Toads froze, their bioluminescent patterns becoming erratic with fear. The acid smell intensified, an involuntary defensive reaction.


    Ren didn''t stop to think.


    His legs, newly freed from paralysis, moved by instinct.


    A jump to the right, away from the formerly invisible tunnel edge he could now see thanks to the freshly collapsed earth.


    "The tunnels!" he gasped as he ran. "They form a pattern!"


    Night Excavators were methodical, territorial. Their tunnels always followed the same design, a main entrance with traps in a semicircle around it. If the toad had fallen into one...


    Another crunch to his left confirmed his theory. Two of the remaining toads, in their rush to chase him, had jumped directly onto another weak section.


    The earth opened beneath them like a hungry mouth.


    More roars from the depths. More abruptly interrupted shrieks.


    The last Moon Toad, perhaps wiser than its companions, disappeared into the night with a terrified croak.


    ????


    Ren stopped, panting, his heart threatening to burst.


    The mushrooms in his hair still pulsed weakly, but now they seemed more like a reminder of his luck than a curse.


    "You," he whispered to his spore, still fused with it, "are still the weakest beast that exists. But... thanks. I guess."


    A distant crunch reminded him this was no time to celebrate. Somewhere beneath his feet, a Night Excavator had just enjoyed an unexpected dinner of Moon Toads.


    And he didn''t want to be dessert.


    The dead tree. He had to find the dead tree before¡­


    A deep roar made the earth tremble beneath his feet.


    It was just an excavator, he reassured himself, they wouldn''t come out...


    But the noise attracted something else.


    A new sound froze Ren''s blood, a metallic hiss, like blades dragging against stone.


    The underground roars quieted, as if trying to go unnoticed.


    The new sound came from the deep forest, toward the bronze ring, where darkness was densest.


    Ren hid behind a tree.


    A Mirror Mantis emerged between the trees, its body covered in reflective plates that fragmented the moonlight.


    It was huge, horse-sized, but something was wrong with it.


    Its plates, which should form a perfect pattern, were cracked and misaligned. Deep scars furrowed its exoskeleton, and one of its main scythes was broken near the tip.


    Ren''s heart stopped.


    There shouldn''t be a creature like this within 20 kilometers.


    Mirror Mantises were creatures of the deep forest, Bronze-rank beasts that would normally never approach a zone so poor in mana.


    Their bodies were designed to absorb and reflect the dense magical energy of their territory, using their reflective plates to disorient prey with light and mana illusions.


    This one had been expelled from its territory, probably after losing a territorial battle. The wounds had weakened it so much it couldn''t even maintain its natural habitat.


    And a wounded beast, hungry, forced to hunt in poor lands...


    Was a thousand times more dangerous than any local predator.


    The Mantis turned its triangular head toward him. Its eye facets, normally a kaleidoscope of iridescent colors, were dull with hunger.


    The plates on its body tried to reflect the moonlight, but the pattern was erratic, sickly. Instead of the usual hypnotic illusions, it produced only desperate flashes.


    "Don''t look at me, don''t look at me," Ren silently pleaded, remembering the basic lessons about beasts that every child learned. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Mirror Mantises usually hunted by creating illusory duplicates of their prey, confusing them until they stumbled over their own reflections. But this one, in its famished state...


    A stray flash created a small reflection beside the tree and illuminated Ren.


    The creature moved.


    Despite its wounds, its speed was terrifying. The scythes, even the broken one, cut the air with a deadly whistle. No games, no illusions. Just pure, desperate hunger.


    Ren ran.


    The dead tree had to be close.


    His father had mentioned that the twisted roots pointed north, that the bark marked by ancient lightning formed an arrow-like pattern...


    Behind him, the metallic hiss drew closer.


    The Mantis couldn''t maintain that speed for long in a zone so poor in mana, but it didn''t need to.


    It only needed to catch him once.


    A scythe plunged into the ground beside him, so close he felt the displaced air cut his cheek. The Mantis''s broken plates tinkled like broken bells, its breathing a tortured hiss of hunger and desperation.


    And then Ren saw it, the dead tree, its twisted silhouette cut against the night sky.


    But the Mirror Mantis was getting closer, and the sound of its broken plates was like a promise of death.

 Chapter 8 - Taming the Tunnels

    Ren saw it, the dead tree, its twisted silhouette cut against the night sky.The Mirror Mantis was getting closer, and the sound of its broken plates was like a promise of death.


    The dead tree was less than fifty meters away when the ground gave way beneath Ren''s feet.


    Hope had got him distracted.


    For one terrible moment, Ren floated in darkness, his stomach lurching as gravity claimed its prey.


    His father''s kitchen knife flew from his belt. In an act of pure instinct, Ren grabbed it. The blade plunged into the tunnel wall, slowing his fall with strength he didn''t know he had.


    Earth and stones rained around him, striking his face, getting in his eyes.


    Above, the Mirror Mantis stopped at the hole''s edge. Its broken plates created a sickly kaleidoscope of fragmented moons.


    The creature tilted its triangular head, calculating, hungry.


    "No, no, no..." Ren kicked at the wall, searching for a foothold. The knife was slipping.


    The earth gave way and Ren fell.


    The Mantis jumped.


    Its scythes gleamed in the darkness as it fell, the metal of its broken exoskeleton singing a death song. Ren saw his life flash before his eyes, ten short years that would end in darkness, far from his parents, without even the chance to¡­


    A deafening roar shook the tunnel.


    The image of the excavator catching him made him drive the knife back in, and in his desperation, he saw a small tunnel beside him.


    The parallel tunnel was narrow, barely wide enough for Ren to crawl through. Without thinking, Ren pushed himself toward the tunnel. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But the mantis caught up.


    However, just before it could grab Ren as he entered the tunnel¡­


    The wall beneath the mantis opened, revealing the monstrous head of a Night Excavator.


    The beast had been hibernating, storing what little mana was available, when the collapse had awakened it.


    And now it was hungry.


    The Mirror Mantis twisted in the air, its scythes finding excavator flesh instead of its original prey. The Excavator roared in pain, its massive claws emerging from the earth to catch its attacker.


    Ren was paralyzed with terror.


    Less than two meters away, two nightmare beasts fought in a deadly dance of metal and earth. The Mantis''s broken plates created chaotic flashes in the darkness while the Excavator tried to drag its prey into the depths.


    To his right, almost invisible in the darkness, Ren distinguished an opening. An older tunnel, its walls smoothed by the passage of time.


    He had no choice. The winner would be decided soon.


    He crawled into the tunnel while behind him the battle reached its climax.


    The Mantis''s metallic shriek mixed with the Excavator''s roar. There was a horrible crunch, and then...


    Silence.


    Ren crawled away from the edge, his breathing so loud in his ears he feared the winning beast might hear him.


    ''I''m alive,'' he thought, incredulous.


    The mushrooms in his hair provided the only light in the tunnel''s absolute darkness, their weak glow barely sufficient to see his own trembling hands.


    ????


    "Please let the Excavator have won, please let the Excavator have won," Ren muttered while crawling as fast as he could.


    Night Excavators were territorial and slow, if it won the battle, it would take its time devouring its prey before considering pursuing him.


    But if the Mantis won...


    A victorious shriek made his blood freeze. It wasn''t the deep roar he''d hoped to hear.


    "No, no, no..."


    The mushrooms in his hair barely illuminated the path when a fork appeared before him. The left tunnel was irregular, clearly the work of some beast. But the right one...


    Ren stopped, panting.


    The walls were too smooth, too perfect. Exactly as his father had described in his stories:


    "As if someone had melted the stone itself, son. A tunnel of the ancients, from when humans lived here and shaped rock with magic."


    Behind him, the wet sound of flesh being torn made him nauseous. The Mantis was feeding. But one meal was all it needed to recover strength and continue hunting.


    Ren entered the ancient tunnel.


    Now in a much more spacious place... The mushrooms in his hair revealed marks on the walls, symbols he couldn''t understand but that were definitely not natural. This had to be the path his father had found.


    The tunnel seemed to stretch eternally into darkness.


    Ren had maintained a quick pace for what felt like hours, driven by fear and adrenaline, but now his legs trembled from the effort and his breathing was heavy.


    He stopped, leaning against the smooth wall of the ancient tunnel.


    Remembering what his father said about berries helping recover energy and maintaining a clear mind, he ate some of the ones he''d brought.


    He thought about lighting a torch with the flint, but he''d forgotten to collect wood and his mushrooms provided enough light...


    With a clearer mind, he began to analyze his situation.


    According to his father''s map, he should have found the exit by now. Had he taken a wrong turn? Chosen the wrong tunnel?


    The mushrooms in his hair provided light in the absolute darkness, but their glow was barely enough to see a few meters ahead. Though they were better than a torch.


    They had saved him too...


    Ren had been cursing them since he''d invoked them, but now...


    "At least you''re good for something," he murmured to the spore, still fused with him. "Even if just as a lamp."


    He let himself drop to the ground, his legs grateful for the rest. The water from his canteen was lukewarm, but had never tasted better.


    While catching his breath, he studied the mysterious symbols on the walls. Some seemed to respond weakly to his mushrooms'' light, as if they recognized something in their faint glow.


    "I suppose I should thank you for the thing with the toads too," he continued, surprising himself by talking to the world''s weakest creature. "Though it was pure luck. You probably didn''t even know what you were¡­"


    A distant echo interrupted his words. The unmistakable sound of metal against stone, followed by that blood-freezing hungry hiss.


    The Mantis had finished feeding.


    And this time there would be no more Excavators to distract it.


    This time he would be alone.


    And now it was coming for him.


    "No, no, no..." Ren jumped up when the metallic hiss resonated in the distance, but closer. The mushrooms in his hair now pulsed with a strange yellowish glow, but he barely had time to wonder why.


    The tunnel stretched before him like a black throat. There were no side exits, no places to hide.

 Chapter 9 - Taming the Mantis

    "No, no, no..." Ren jumped up when the metallic hiss echoed closer.The mushrooms in his hair now pulsed with a strange yellowish glow, but he barely had time to wonder why.


    The tunnel stretched before him like a black throat. No side exits, no places to hide.


    Just smooth, ancient stone, and those mysterious symbols that seemed to glow faintly under his mushrooms'' yellow light.


    "Come on, come on," Ren urged himself.


    The metallic hiss drew closer. He could hear the scythes scraping against the tunnel walls, the sickly tinkling of broken plates.


    Another hiss, closer.


    The Mantis moved faster now, the Excavator''s flesh providing it with new energy. The jingling of its damaged exoskeleton was like a death bell approaching in the darkness.


    Ren ran.


    His feet struck the ancient floor as he plunged deeper into the tunnel. The air grew colder, denser. His breathing echoed in his ears, mixing with the ever-closer sound of scythes against stone.


    Scriiitch. Scriiitch. Scriiitch.


    The Mantis didn''t even need to run. Its steady, relentless pace was enough. Sooner or later, the tunnel would end. Sooner or later, he''d run out of places to flee.


    A flash of its scythes illuminated the tunnel behind him.


    The beast was close enough now that the mushrooms'' light revealed the sickly gleam of its eye facets, the irregular pattern of its broken plates.


    It didn''t matter that it was injured.


    It didn''t matter that it had been expelled from its territory. It was still a Bronze-rank creature, and he... he was just a child with the world''s weakest beast. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The tunnel began to narrow. Or maybe his eyes were playing tricks in the darkness. The yellow light from the mushrooms cast strange shadows on the walls, making the ancient symbols seem to dance.


    Scriiitch. Scriiitch. SCRIIITCH.


    Closer. Ever closer.


    Ren stumbled, his knee striking stone. Pain exploded in his leg, but terror kept him moving. He rose and kept running, limping, crawling forward.


    The Mantis hissed, the sound now so close he could feel the vibration in his bones. Its broken plates created a nightmare spectacle on the tunnel walls, reflecting the mushrooms'' yellow light in fractal, demented patterns.


    And then, the tunnel ended.


    A smooth, solid wall rose before him, covered in ancient symbols that seemed to mock his fate.


    No way out.


    The metallic hiss stopped.


    In the silence that followed, Ren could hear the scythes scraping against stone as the Mantis approached slowly, savoring the moment.


    It no longer needed to run. No longer needed to hurry.


    Its prey was cornered, it only had to...


    The mushrooms'' yellow light intensified, as if responding to Ren''s terror. The symbols on the wall began to glow with the same sickly hue, peeling off the walls in small clouds, creating patterns that reminded him of...


    Spores?


    The Mirror Mantis stopped.


    Its eye facets reflected the yellow light, creating a kaleidoscope of death on the tunnel walls. It raised its scythes, preparing for the final blow.


    But something was wrong. The beast tilted its triangular head, confused. Its broken plates tinkled with a new rhythm, more erratic, more... frightened?


    The air grew dense, heavy with a smell Ren had never experienced before.


    It was like damp earth and rusted metal, like rotting leaves and something older, deeper.


    The symbols on the wall, which he''d thought were marks of the ancients, began to move.


    No, not move.


    They were detaching.


    "They''re not symbols," whispered Ren, the horror of realization hitting him like an icy fist. "They''re spores. Dormant spores."


    The Mantis took a step back, its metallic hiss transforming into something close to panic.


    Its plates now reflected thousands of points of yellow light detaching from the walls, ceiling, floor, spores that had been waiting for centuries, awakening to the resonance of the mushrooms in Ren''s hair.


    The entire tunnel was alive.


    And it was hungry.


    The ancient spores swirled in the air like a golden storm, enveloping the Mantis first. The beast shrieked, a sound Ren never imagined such a fearsome creature could make.


    Its broken plates, reflecting light imperfectly, created a horror show as the spores found every crack, every fissure in its exoskeleton.


    Ren pressed himself against the back inclined wall, his heart beating so hard he thought it would burst.


    The Mantis writhed, its scythes cutting the air uselessly while the golden cloud consumed it. Its metallic shriek faded, transforming into a wet, terrible sound.


    And then, silence.


    Where the powerful Bronze beast had stood, now lay only a mound of broken plates covered in yellowish mold that pulsed with ancient life.


    The spores turned toward Ren.


    The golden cloud swirled like a wave of ancient hunger.


    The mushrooms in his hair pulsed frantically, but this time there was no confusion, there was no salvation.


    The ancestral spores weren''t normal predators, they were vestiges of a forgotten age, and everything living was their prey.


    The first contact was like frozen fire on his skin.


    Yellowish fungi sprouted from his arms, legs, neck, each pulsing with a sickly rhythm that drained his energy. The pain was indescribable, as if every pore in his body was being devoured from within.


    "No... please..." he gasped, falling to his knees.


    But then he saw it, where the spores had detached from the ceiling, a ray of light filtered through like a promise of salvation.


    An exit, barely large enough for a child to pass through.


    Ren stood up, his legs trembling with effort. The invasive fungi kept spreading across his body, but something was different.


    Where the Mantis had succumbed in seconds, he remained conscious. His own spore, the "world''s weakest beast," pulsed with its light, as if it were... fighting.


    Every effort was agony.


    He pushed himself upward, his fingers finding the hole''s edge just as his knees threatened to give way. The light blinded him momentarily as he crawled out of the tunnel.


    It wasn''t the outside.

 Chapter 10 - Taming Fate

    Where the Mantis had succumbed in seconds, Ren remained conscious.His own spore, the "world''s weakest beast," pulsed with light, as if it were... fighting.


    Every effort was agony.


    He pushed himself upward, his fingers finding the hole''s edge just as his knees threatened to give way. The light blinded him momentarily as he crawled out of the tunnel.


    It wasn''t the outside.


    He emerged into a small natural cave, its walls covered in bioluminescent crystals that bathed everything in an ethereal, spectral blue light.


    But he could barely appreciate the chamber''s beauty, the ancestral fungi continued spreading, consuming his vital energy.


    "Please..." he whispered, his vision blurring. "I don''t want to die here..."


    His spore fought valiantly, its own mushrooms creating barriers against the yellow infection, but it was losing the battle. Ren could feel his consciousness fading, his body growing colder by the second.


    That''s when he saw it.


    In the cave''s center, bathed in crystal light, grew a plant that seemed like... it reminded him of the one on his father''s stories.


    "The plant..." he mumbled, crawling toward it as the yellow fungi continued their spread. "The one that helped Mother..."


    His fingers brushed the luminous stem just as darkness began claiming the edges of his vision.


    With trembling hands, Ren pulled the glowing plant free. The yellow fungi still expanded across his body, but something in his mind, something deeper than conscious thought, told him this was important.


    This plant was...


    Though he didn''t fully understand.


    His father had found one like it, almost 12 years ago, in another tunnel. The "miracle medicine" that had allowed his mother to conceive.


    But this one was different, where his father''s plant had been firm and robust, this one was delicate and ethereal.


    This was the "female", his father had found the "male".


    With the ancestral fungi consuming his last strength, Ren brought the plant to his lips. The taste was like liquid light, like remembering a dream.


    And then he felt it, a deep resonance with something already existing in his body, dormant genes inherited from his mother, the echo of the other half of the medicine that had made his existence possible.


    The two halves of an ancient medicine, separated by years and tunnels, finally reunited in his blood.


    The effect was instantaneous.


    Pure white light emanated from his skin, so intense that the yellow fungi recoiled, withering and falling like ash.


    His spore, that supposedly useless creature, began pulsing with a new rhythm, perfectly synchronized with the energy now flowing through his veins.


    To any observer, the spore would have appeared exactly the same, small, apparently weak. But Ren could feel that something had fundamentally changed within.


    As if it had evolved into a completely new variant, one that no one had ever seen before.


    What Ren didn''t know, what he couldn''t know, was that he had just completed an ancient recipe, a medicine that required three specific ingredients: the male plant, the female plant, and something unique, a host born with the first half of the formula.


    He himself was the missing key.


    The mushrooms in his hair returned to their usual color, giving the impression that nothing had changed. But in the depths of his being, a dormant power had just awakened.


    A power that would change everything.


    ????


    Hunger awakened him first, a ravenous void that made his hands tremble as he pulled the bread with stew from his backpack.


    He ate desperately, savoring each bite as if it were the first food he''d ever tasted.


    The mushrooms in his hair shone with a stronger light than before, illuminating the cave crystals with dancing shadows. Ren noticed, but he''d survived too many horrors that night to worry about such a small change.


    As he chewed the last piece of bread, the reality of what he''d done began to hit him.


    He''d been seconds from death, multiple times.


    If the Moon Toads had caught him... if the Excavator had found him... if the Mantis¡­ if the spores¡­


    His parents. What would have become of them if he...?


    "I should go back," he murmured, guilt weighing heavier than exhaustion. "This was madness. I..."


    Return.


    The voice was so soft at first he thought it was his own mind. But there was something different about it, something ancient and wise that resonated deep within his being.


    And then it began.


    As if someone had opened a floodgate in his mind, knowledge began to flow. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He saw his spore, not as the weak creature everyone despised, but as something with infinite potential. He understood, with crystal clarity, every step necessary for its cultivation:


    The exact way to feed it different types of fungi. The precise cultivation to strengthen the bond. The correct sequence of evolutions. The bifurcations in its path to power.


    But it didn''t stop there.


    The Mirror Mantis, he saw how its plates formed, how it channeled light and mana, the weak points in its exoskeleton where cracks always began. Its life cycle¡­


    The Night Excavators, the way they built their tunnels, the patterns they followed, how they conserved energy during times of scarcity¡­


    The Moon Toads, the mechanism behind their hypnotic eyes, the exact composition of their acid, the mating rituals that determined their hunting patterns¡­


    The ecology and biology of the creatures he''d encountered became clear to him now.


    It was as if he could see the invisible threads connecting all creatures, understand their most intimate natures, their strengths, their weaknesses, their secrets.


    "What... what is this?" he whispered, overwhelmed by the avalanche of information.


    The mushrooms in his hair pulsed softly, and for the first time since obtaining his spore, Ren felt he could see the path before him.


    Not just his own.


    All creatures'' paths.

 Chapter 11 - Taming the Way Home

    The information in his mind was clear but limited, like a map showing only the beginning of a much longer journey.Ren could see the first steps of his spore''s cultivation with perfect clarity: the specific types of fungi needed, the exact conditions for growth, the strengthening rituals.


    There was something he could take from the tunnel for the final step of his cultivation.


    But the other parts needed for its cultivation?


    None of that was anywhere near here.


    "The first fungi I need..." he murmured, processing the information, "grow in the swamp zones north of the rival city. Not in this forest."


    The revelation hit him with both frustration and relief.


    However, something else gleamed at the edges of this new knowledge, a promise.


    When his spore reached Bronze rank, a possibility would open that made his heart beat faster: a second contract.


    A second beast.


    The rest was nebulous, like looking through murky water.


    But the certainty was there, each evolution of his spore would not only strengthen it but also expand his understanding of beasts and their paths.


    "I have to go back," he said aloud, this time with determination rather than fear or regret. "I have to get a lot of stuff and start cultivating from the beginning."


    The mushrooms in his hair pulsed softly, as if nodding.


    It was time to return home.


    His parents would be worried sick if he arrived too late, and now... now he had a real plan. Not a desperate search, but a clear path.


    Although first, he''d have to find a way out of this cave.


    ????


    The mana density in this cave was insane; Ren would be poisoned if he didn''t get out soon.


    How there could be so much mana in a place in the Bronze ring was a mystery to him, even with his expanded knowledge.


    He wanted to take some of the enormous mana crystals from the cave, but none were loose, it was a great joint formation, as if it were someone''s work from the past rather than something natural. Since it was impossible to break the incredibly hard formations, perhaps he could return to try another time.


    A mana crystal became much more resistant the larger it grew; he''d need something really powerful to extract it. Much more than a pick, even the Bronze-rank mantis probably couldn''t have broken it.


    Decided to retreat...


    Ren observed the tunnel through which he''d arrived.


    The ancestral spores were still there, dancing in the darkness with their sickly golden glow.


    But now he saw them differently, understood their nature with astonishing clarity.


    "They''re not aggressive by nature," he murmured, processing the knowledge flowing in his mind. "They attack because they''re hungry after centuries of hibernation, but their true method is..."


    He stopped, an idea forming.


    The ancestral spores, like all fungi, followed basic behavioral patterns. They sought nutrients, yes, but more importantly: they responded to specific chemical signals.


    Ren took some mud.


    "And if I combine this with..."


    A yellowish mold formed where the ancestral spores fell, as if analyzing its composition...


    Ren closed his eyes, concentrating.


    The mushrooms in his hair pulsed, releasing gray spores that mixed with his sweat. It was disgusting, but now he understood the purpose of the information pulsing in his head: the spores from his own beast contained chemical markers that identified him as "part of the colony."


    He smeared the mixture on his exposed skin full of spores.


    "The ancestral spores should recognize me as another fungal colony now," he murmured. "And should keep them at sufficient distance to..."


    Ren knelt beside the Mirror Mantis''s remains. Under the broken plates and yellowish mold, he could see what he was looking for, the crystalline core, a structure of the beasts that acted as their power center.


    It was the size of his fist.


    "Beast cores," he whispered, the knowledge unfolding in his mind, "are like concentrated eggs. They contain all the creature''s genetic information, its mana patterns, its essence... And there''s a way to revive them."


    He took some of the mantis''s plates, those he could carry in his backpack, and the golden fungus from the ancestral spores that had formed while consuming the mantis.


    He stepped toward the tunnel. The golden spores swirled around him but didn''t attack. To them, he was now just another fungal organism of the same species, not prey.


    "It works," he whispered, amazed by his own knowledge. "It really works."


    While carefully advancing through the tunnel, Ren couldn''t help but smile. A few hours ago, he''d been convinced his spore was useless.


    Now, that same "weakest monster" had given him the knowledge to survive where a Bronze-rank beast had perished.


    And the core in his hands... anyone else would see it as a mere trophy. But Ren could see its true value: an option to obtain the Mirror Mantis.


    A creature that, someday, he might need.


    ????


    The ancestral spores tunnel ended up being the easiest stretch of the return journey.


    Ren emerged covered in mud and a mixture of gray and some stray golden spores, but alive and with a valuable treasure in his backpack.


    He first cleaned the excess mud and golden spores carefully.


    Now, facing the return path, everything looked different. Where before there was terror and uncertainty, now there was understanding.


    The Night Excavator tunnels weren''t a random maze as he''d thought. "They always dig in spirals," he murmured to himself, recognizing the patterns in the ceiling. "And they mark their active territories with deeper scratches on the eastern walls."


    Thanks to this, he could avoid zones where other excavators might be active while looking for a less steep trap to exit through.


    Emerging into the Moon Toads'' zone, he stopped to listen. The melodious croaking came from the distance, but now he understood its meaning.


    "Three ascending tones, they''re hunting. Four descending tones would be mating," he whispered. "And they always leave one toad watching escape routes while the others chase prey."


    He waited patiently until the croaking pattern changed, indicating the toads had moved away following some nocturnal prey''s trail.


    Only then did he move, keeping to areas where the ground was more compacted.


    "Moon Toads hate hard, dry earth," the knowledge flowed naturally now. "Their feet are designed for soft terrain where they can bury themselves quickly. On firm ground, their bodies lose moisture."


    Even the natural trap zones were obvious now.


    The Excavators always left small signs: stones arranged in certain ways, patterns in soil erosion. To untrained eyes they seemed like coincidences, but to Ren now they were like warning signs glowing in the night.


    The mushrooms in his hair, still shining with that more intense yellowish tone than before, lit his path as he advanced with renewed confidence. They showed the pattern of the frogs'' eyes; Ren was no longer worried about being betrayed by their light, now they even served as camouflage.


    Every step was calculated, every decision informed by knowledge that just hours ago he didn''t even know existed.


    "It''s as if I''d been blind my whole life," he thought while skillfully avoiding a zone that showed clear signs of Toad activity.


    "And now I can finally see."


    The night that had begun as a desperate struggle to survive had become a practical lesson about the true nature of beasts. And his supposed "curse," the weakest spore, turned out to be the key to understanding all these secrets.


    The magical forest''s end finally appeared before him, the last ''magical trees'' glowing (from frog urine) against the night sky.


    Ren stopped a moment, unconsciously touching the Mantis core in his pack. He had set out seeking a second beast, a miracle to change his destiny.


    What he''d found was something far more valuable: understanding.


    sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 12 - Taming Gratitude

    The edge of the common forest was near.Ren could see in the distance, about 5 kilometers away, the first houses of the outskirts, small lights flickering in the darkness like fallen stars.


    Soon he would have to face the consequences of his actions.


    He paused for a moment, adjusting the backpack where he kept his obtained treasures.


    How would he explain all this?


    The scratches, the mud, the golden fungus, the plates, the core? Perhaps he could slip in through his window and...


    A movement in the darkness made him freeze.


    For a moment he thought they were frogs expelled from their territory. Dangerous, as so hungry and lacking mana they would act differently than normal.


    But...


    Two silhouettes moved near the forest''s edge, one carrying a dim lamp. Even at this distance, he recognized the way they moved, not monsters, but his parents.


    His father led the way, hoe in one hand and his mature plant ready for combat. His mother followed close behind, her own vines subtly spreading across the ground, prepared for defense.


    Of course, it would have obviously revealed his path and pointed the exact way he''d gone¡­


    The map.


    As soon as they realised Ren wasn''t in his room...


    His father would have noticed the map''s absence immediately. How many times had he seen Ren studying it, asking details about that desperate adventure in search of medicine?


    It was obvious where a child who had just received the weakest spore would look for hope.


    Ren watched them move in the darkness.


    Despite their basic beasts, they moved with the coordination that only years of working together could give. He had seen them like this before, in the kitchen, working in perfect synchronization.


    But now...


    His new knowledge let him see more of it. How his father''s plant extended in specific ways to detect movement, how his mother''s vines created precise defensive patterns with the surrounding roots.


    Even with only mature Iron-rank beasts, they had developed effective techniques.


    The mushrooms in his hair glowed more intensely. He was tired, covered in mud and gray spores, but alive. And now he would have to face what was coming.


    He had no choice¡­


    He took a step toward the light.


    Just one...


    The yellowish glow of the mushrooms in his hair betrayed him.


    "There!" his father whispered. "A frog so close to the prairie could have attacked Ren!"


    The vines moved with surprising speed, and Ren felt the familiar grip of his mother''s plants wrapping around him. For a moment, he considered explaining how mature Iron-rank vines had a growth pattern that...


    "REN!"


    His mother''s cry cut through his thoughts. The vines loosened instantly.


    Ren prepared for the worst. He now knew the biology of dozens of beasts, understood the most complex behavioral patterns, but had no idea how to handle what was coming.


    The punishment would be severe, he knew. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He had stolen his father''s precious map, had run away in the middle of the night, had...


    His mother reached him first, practically knocking him over with the force of her embrace. His father arrived a second later, enveloping them both in his arms.


    They were...


    Crying?


    "My child," his mother sobbed, squeezing him so tight he could barely breathe. "My little one..."


    "We thought..." his father couldn''t finish the sentence, his voice breaking.


    Ren stood rigid, waiting.


    At any moment the shouting would begin, the scolding, the punishment he deserved for being so reckless. He knew he deserved it. He had acted without thinking, had...


    "I''m so sorry," his mother whispered through tears.


    "If we had chosen to get you a better egg instead of a better school, even if you couldn''t cultivate it properly..."


    "We shouldn''t have risked your future like this," his father added, his voice trembling. "We shouldn''t have believed you would get the same plants as us with such certainty. When I got sick we should have..."


    Ren blinked, confused. Were they blaming themselves?


    "But I..." he tried to explain, "I was the one who ran away. Who stole the map. Who..."


    His father hugged him tighter.


    "We drove you to this. With our expectations, with our..."


    "No!" Ren pulled back enough to look at them. "You sold everything for me, even the house. Worked so hard to get me a place in the best school, to get me an egg, any egg, and I..."


    Tears began falling down his cheeks, mixing with the mud and remaining gray spores.


    "I just wanted..." his voice broke, "wanted you to be proud..."


    "We always have been," his mother whispered, gently cleaning his dirty face. "Always."


    There was no shouting that night.


    No punishments or severe scolding.


    Just three people embracing under the light of the twelve moons, crying together while the mushrooms in Ren''s hair glowed softly, like fallen stars.


    And for the first time since the invocation ceremony, Ren understood something that no knowledge about beasts could have taught him: his parents'' love was stronger than any disappointment, deeper than any failure.


    It was unconditional.


    ????


    The walk back across the prairies was silent, interrupted only by his mother''s small, contained sobs as she held his hand.


    As if afraid he might disappear if she let go.


    At home, the feast they had prepared to celebrate his invocation was still on the table, now cold.


    His mother immediately began reheating it.


    "It''s not necessary," Ren began, but she was already in the kitchen.


    "You must be hungry," she insisted, wiping away tears while she worked. "You''ve been outside in the night so long..."


    To his own surprise, when the aroma of reheated stew filled the room, his stomach growled fiercely.


    He ate as if he hadn''t tasted food in days, each bite awakening a deeper hunger. His body seemed to cry out for energy, as if the transformation had awakened a voracious appetite.


    "I''m so sorry, son," his father broke the silence, his voice breaking. "If we weren''t so poor, if we had worked harder, if we could have gotten you a better egg..."


    "We shouldn''t have pressured you so much with our own worry," his mother added, serving another plate of stew that Ren immediately attacked. "You must have felt so..."


    "If something had happened to you," his father interrupted, "we... couldn''t... the sorrow would have..."


    "Don''t pressure him with emotional blackmail!" his mother scolded his father. "Can''t you see he''s suffered enough? Being alone in the forest so long, hiding from frogs in the mud..."


    She approached Ren, stroking his dirty hair tenderly. "Would you like a hot bath, darling?"


    "Forgive me," his father covered his face with his hands. "I''m useless. I couldn''t even get you a decent beast. But I promise... I''ll go to the forest myself. I''ll find a miracle medicine, something to replace that spore or to give you a second beast like in the legends. Anything for you, son. Don''t misunderstand me, I love you even if you only have that fungus, but for you I..."


    "No!"


    The vehemence in Ren''s voice surprised everyone, even himself. He stood from the table, fresh tears in his eyes.


    "Please, don''t say that. Don''t apologize. I... I was foolish." His voice trembled but was full of conviction. "This fungus... your gift... is the best gift in the world. I was stupid not to see it before."

 Chapter 13 - Taming Knowledge

    "No!"The vehemence in Ren''s voice surprised everyone, even himself. He stood from the table, fresh tears in his eyes.


    "Please, don''t say that. Don''t apologize. I... I was foolish." His voice trembled but was full of conviction. "That egg. This fungus... your gift... is the best gift in the world. I was stupid not to see it before."


    He bowed deeply to his parents, tears falling to the floor.


    "Forgive me for not thanking you properly. For all your sacrifices, for everything you''ve done for me. I... I will triumph at school and make you proud. I promise."


    The mushrooms in his hair glowed softly, as if nodding to his words.


    "We already are," his mother whispered, lifting him up and embracing him. "We always have been."


    His father joined the embrace, and for a moment, under the light of the nine moons filtering through the window, the small family remained united, stronger than ever.


    Ren smiled through his tears. He had much to tell them, much to explain. But for now, this was enough.


    He was home.


    ????


    In the bathtub, while hot water washed away the mud and spores from his skin, Ren reflected on his new knowledge.


    The mushrooms in his hair glowed softly, reflecting in the water like tiny stars.


    His parents'' plants... Now he could clearly see what had happened. The knowledge flowed in his mind like a perfectly detailed manual:


    Basic Plant Development:


    1 - Iron Rank: Provide 100 correct development points to rise in rank


    2 - If 1000 points accumulate without specific direction: premature maturation


    3 - Result: Weak Seedling Intermediate Maturation (only path available in Iron rank)


    His parents hadn''t had a choice.


    Without knowledge of evolution routes, without resources to buy proper cultivation techniques in their youth, their plants had accumulated development points randomly until reaching the limit.


    Once they reached 1000 points, maturation was inevitable.


    Unrealized Potential Paths:


    Bronze Rank.


    Bronze 1: Common Seedling


    Bronze 2: Strong Seedling


    Silver Rank.


    Silver 1: Weak Plant


    Silver 2: Common Plant


    Silver 3: Strong Plant


    The water cooled while Ren reviewed this information.


    It was fascinating and tragic at once. His parents had worked so hard, but without the correct knowledge, without understanding the evolution paths...


    Ren straightened in the bathtub.


    There were no paths left, but...


    There was an option.


    The knowledge unfolded in his mind, clear and precise:


    Thousand Days Method - True Plant Maturation


    The "mature plants" everyone knew were actually an intermediate state, a cocoon waiting to bloom.


    The true final result required:


    1 - 1000 specific development points


    2 - One point per day, without exception


    3 - A three-part ritual that must be performed with absolute precision


    The method was deceptively simple:


    1 - At dawn, the plant must absorb the energy of a common mana crystal drop (can find some on the surface after rains) until it completely dissolves. But it must be processed.This energy must mix with a drop of vital essence.


    2 - During midday, the crystal needs exactly 24 minutes of direct sunlight, not a minute more not a minute less.


    3 - At sunset, finally, the mixture must be "sealed" with golden pollen from Night Flowers, common plants that bloom in 10-day cycles.


    "It''s like daily medicine," Ren thought enthusiastically. "And the components are common enough to never run out."


    The key wasn''t in the components, but in precision and consistency. One failed day and the process had to restart from zero.


    Most people who had tried any cultivation with a new method would abandon it after a few months, convinced it wasn''t working.


    Additionally, at the end they had to seal all the accumulated power in the process with an expensive rune.


    In this case his parents would need a Vitality Rune for the last day.


    "Now I understand why nobody discovers this," murmured Ren. "Everyone knows effective cultivation methods last 150 days maximum. Some extend to six months, but..."


    The five-month perception was also a misinterpretation. In reality, all methods were only 100 days long, but people wasted time at the beginning trying to find the correct rhythm and getting the mana energy levels wrong.


    Not that he didn''t get why they used less mana every day than the most efficient amount¡­ Mana poisoning was scary.


    The mushrooms in his hair pulsed softly while he processed this information.


    It was strange to know so much, every beast¡­ sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Yet even if he could clearly see the evolution paths and cultivation methods up to Silver rank, beyond that... nothing.


    Everything related to Gold-rank beasts or higher was an absolute mystery.


    "Perhaps," he thought, "when my own spore evolves..."


    But that was a problem for another time. Now he had to find a way to convince his parents to try something that everyone "knew" was impossible.


    A thousand days. A daily mission. Three magical elements.


    No margin for error.


    And the result... A "truly mature" Iron plant could reach the strength of a Bronze 2 plant. It wouldn''t be as versatile as a plant that had naturally evolved to that rank, but its base power would be the same.


    Their extra vitality would rise from 40% to 100% and they would live longer too.


    He just needed to convince them to try it.


    For a thousand days.


    "It''s like cooking," he murmured, finding an analogy his parents would understand. "You can have the best ingredients, but without the correct recipe..."


    He sank deeper into the water, watching how the mushrooms in his reflection subtly changed color. There had to be a way to show them he wasn''t making up stories.


    To show them he really understood things no ten-year-old should know.


    But first, he needed to better understand his own powers. Information about other beasts flowed naturally in his mind, but there were limits. Nebulous frontiers where knowledge faded into uncertainty.


    "One step at a time," he whispered, remembering how his father always said that same thing when preparing a particularly complex dish.


    Water dripped from the mushrooms in his hair when he finally left the bath. In the foggy old mirror, his reflection stared back: a small, scrawny boy with red hair and green eyes, luminescent mushrooms in his hair.


    Nobody would believe that this child could be special.


    He would have to prove it.


    ????


    Ren awoke with the first light, the mushrooms in his hair glowing faintly.


    In 6 days he would leave for school for eight long years, but before leaving, he needed to make sure his parents began the ritual.


    He found them in the kitchen, preparing for another day of work. Their faces still showed marks from the previous night''s crying.


    "Mom, Dad," he called their attention, holding dozens of mana crystals he had found over the years in the garden. "Before I go to school, could you promise me something?"

 Chapter 14 - Taming the Thousand Days Method

    Ren awoke with the first light of dawn, the mushrooms in his hair glowing with a faint radiance.He had dreamed of evolution routes and paths of power, but among all that knowledge, one simple idea had crystallized.


    His parents were cooks.


    He dressed quickly and went down to the kitchen. As expected, his parents were already there, preparing the day''s bread.


    "Dad?" he called softly. "Can I ask you something about cooking?"


    His father turned, surprised.


    Ren had never shown much interest in the technical details of cooking, and though he always helped, he didn''t do it to learn.


    "When you make bread," Ren continued, "why do you let the dough rest for exactly twelve hours?"


    "Well," his father smiled, always happy to share his knowledge with his son, "that''s the time natural yeast needs to..." Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "And if someone told you that you only need two hours?"


    His father frowned. "It wouldn''t work the same. Fermentation needs..."


    "How do you know?"


    "Because I''ve tried it. All bakers have tried it. We look for shortcuts at first, but with time you learn that some processes simply need their time."


    Ren smiled. "And if someone told you you''re wasting your time? That twelve hours is too much, that nobody waits that long..."


    "Then," his father crossed his arms, "I''d show them two loaves: one with two hours of rest and one with twelve. The proof is in the result."


    "Even if everyone says you''re crazy for waiting so long?"


    A spark of understanding appeared in his father''s eyes.


    "This isn''t about bread, is it?"


    "Mom, Dad," Ren called their attention, holding hundreds of small mana crystals he had collected over the years. "Before I go to school, could you promise me something?"


    Mana crystals this small weren''t very valuable, you needed about 5 to buy a decent loaf of bread. But Ren was offering them around 500 (About 50 dollars before you feel the need to ask), a rather significant amount for a child.


    His parents exchanged glances.


    The kind of glances adults share when a child is about to say something that will break their hearts.


    "I found... I found a way to make your plants stronger," Ren continued, trying to sound confident despite the lump in his throat. "It''s a ritual that takes a thousand days, but..."


    "I promise," Ren said firmly, "that if you trust me and follow exactly what I tell you for a thousand days, your plants will reach the power of a Bronze rank 2 beast."


    "Son..." his father began skeptically.


    "Like bread Dad. The proof will be in the result."


    "Oh, darling," his mother knelt before him, her eyes moistening again.


    "I know it sounds impossible," Ren continued quickly. "But you only need to absorb this each day. With these mana crystals, and..."


    He understood what they were thinking, their little son, desperately trying to convince himself and them that everything would be alright, that his weak fungus and their mature plants didn''t mean a future of misery.


    "Please," he whispered. "Just... just promise me you''ll try it. For a thousand days."


    His father wiped tears with the back of his hand. "Son..."


    "Even if you don''t believe me. Even if you think it''s foolish. Just... just do it. Please."


    His parents looked at each other again, this time with a mixture of pain and love so deep that Ren felt his heart breaking.


    "Of course we''ll do it," his mother hugged him, her voice trembling. "Every day, without fail."


    "A thousand days," his father nodded, joining the embrace. "We promise."


    His father looked at one mana crystal, then at his plant.


    "What do we need to do?"


    Ren knew they were just playing along. That they thought this was his way of coping with the trauma of having the weakest beast, of having to leave for school where he would be mocked for years.


    But they had promised to try. They never had broken a promise with him.


    And for now, that was enough.


    ????


    The last six days had passed in a blur of detailed instructions and practices on how to process the crystal.


    His parents followed each step with a dedication that broke Ren''s heart, not because they believed it would work, but because they couldn''t bear to see the hope in their son''s eyes fade.


    Now Ren had 2 years to get them 2 vitality runes, he would have to pay about 20,000 crystals or find a way to¡­


    He would see how to achieve it; if the school was as they said, maybe it wouldn''t be so difficult... or maybe it would.


    Now, while packing his last belongings, Ren mentally reviewed the requirements for his own spore''s evolution.


    The components were significantly more demanding than the mana crystals and pollen his parents needed.


    Fortunately, the Imperial Academy of Cultivation and Evolution wasn''t just any school. It was one of the city''s three most prestigious institutions, if not the most prestigious, with extensive laboratories, thousands of specialized cultivation techniques, and, according to rumors, even ancient ruins on its grounds.


    "Do you have everything ready?" his mother asked from the door, holding a food package she had prepared for his journey.


    Ren nodded, unconsciously touching the Mantis core that was next to the plates and golden fungus in his bag.


    They hadn''t believed how he obtained these things, though they pretended to¡­ how could they believe something like that?


    The mushrooms in his hair glowed softly as he hugged his parents one last time.


    In a year, when he returned, their plants would have completed almost a third of the ritual. And in less than 3 years, though they didn''t believe it possible now, they would reach a power that would change their lives.


    He couldn''t wait to return for the second time and give them their runes as a gift.


    "Remember, don''t miss a single day," were his last words before boarding the carriage that would carry the new students.


    As the wheels began to turn, Ren took a deep breath.


    The coming years would be difficult; being the child with the weakest beast at one of the most prestigious academies wouldn''t be easy.


    But he had a plan. He had knowledge that no one else possessed. And most importantly, he had something to prove.


    The carriage moved away from the outskirts, heading toward the heart of the city, where the Imperial Academy''s spires rose like spears against the morning sky.


    It was time for the boy with the "useless" fungus to begin his true path to power.

 Chapter 15 - Taming Mockery

    As the carriage pulled away, Ren couldn''t help worrying about his parents.Though they wouldn''t tell him, Ren''s new knowledge had shown him subtle details in their bodies and invocations that were beginning to show signs of mana poisoning.


    His father particularly, that''s why he had fallen ill.


    Living in the outskirts for so many years...


    That poor house didn''t have a great location, but its land wasn''t small at all; they had sold it for about 500,000 crystals.


    The house they''d sold to pay for his education they would now have to rent, and with their mature Iron rank plants, they would barely earn enough in the kitchens to keep themselves fed.


    At sixty years old, they were already close to normal life expectancy. Only the base vitality their plants granted them guaranteed an additional thirty years, a precious gift, but not enough in Ren''s eyes.


    "If they complete the ritual," he murmured, "if their plants reach Bronze 2 power..."


    They wouldn''t just gain more strength and better job opportunities. The increased vitality would give them several additional decades of life. It would cure his father.


    Ren would see his parents only once a year, if he managed to gather money for the trip. About 100 crystals should be easy to get, or so he thought.


    What wouldn''t be easy would be getting the runes and materials necessary for his own evolution.


    But it didn''t matter, Ren wanted to excel in school and make them proud, maybe even become wealthy and buy them a house in the city. He knew his parents deserved it more than anyone.


    But everything in its time. He would have 2 years to achieve his first goal. 8 years for the second.


    Eight visits total before graduating. Eight opportunities to verify their progress with the ritual, to ensure they followed each step correctly.


    In the best case, by the third visit already...


    The carriage crossed through city streets, taking him further and further from the outskirts where his parents would begin another day of hard work, always believing they were following a meaningless ritual just to make their son happy.


    Ren''s fingers unconsciously traced the Mantis core in his bag, knowledge about his own spore flowing through his mind.


    But before he could contract it, he would need to turn it into an egg and evolve his fungus to Bronze rank.


    To evolve, he would need:


    1 - First, absorb the essence of death. Charge a Bronze-rank crystal with the moss that grows on discarded bodies of Bronze beasts.


    2 - Then, mix it with venomous spores from Bronze-rank fungi.


    3 - Finally, seal the process with the mold that forms on some magical runes when they absorb too much mana.


    He had to absorb those expensive processed crystals for 100 days before consuming the final piece.


    The piece for the final day was the golden fungus in his backpack.


    The mushrooms in his hair pulsed softly, as if responding to his thoughts about cultivation.


    "I''ll show them," whispered Ren, his mushrooms glowing with determination. "I''ll show them that their faith in me, even if pretended, wasn''t in vain."


    ????


    The carriage stopped to pick up more students in the commercial district.


    Ren sank into his seat, conscious of the glowing mushrooms in his hair. Before, he would have expelled his spore to hopefully avoid mockery, but now...


    The idea of losing that constant flow of knowledge, of returning to ignorance about beasts and their secrets, was unbearable.


    A group of three children boarded, their fused beasts already granting them cool visible changes: metallic claws, tiger markings, gleaming scales. They stopped when they saw him.


    "Oh, look who''s here," smiled the tallest, a boy with feline features thanks to his tiger beast. "The rotting boy."


    "Are those... glowing mushrooms on your head?" The group''s only girl wrinkled her nose. "Can''t you at least hide them? It''s disgusting."


    "Leave him," laughed the third, his green scales gleaming. "He probably can''t even control his beast properly. Isn''t that right, rotting-boy? Your spore is so weak it has to cling to your head to move."


    Laughter filled the carriage.


    Ren clenched his fists, knowledge flowing through his mind: the first boy''s spirit tiger would reach its limit at Bronze 1 rank, unable to evolve further due to a flaw in its core cultivation.


    Deriving his Spirit Tiger into a "mature" Earthly Tiger. Instead of reaching Greater Spectral Tiger at Silver 3.


    The girl''s beast, a Lesser Fire Eagle, had a defect in its mana absorption pattern that would limit its fire control and growth at Bronze 2.


    Deriving her Lesser Fire Eagle into a "mature" Red Eagle. Instead of reaching Greater Sun Eagle at Silver 3.


    And the third boy''s scales...


    But that knowledge was useless now.


    It only made it more painful, seeing the defects and limitations in their beast cultivation methods but being unable to say anything without seeming crazy. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "At least my mushrooms glow," he finally said, his voice firmer than expected. "Your spirit tiger has a cultivation defect that makes its fur opaque."


    Silence fell in the carriage. The tiger boy looked at him with both surprise and fury.


    "What did you say?"


    "Nothing," Ren turned back to the window. "Just that maybe you should worry more about your own beast than my mushrooms."


    "What do you know about cultivation, rotting-boy?" he growled, his feline features intensifying with anger. "Your pathetic spore doesn''t even have true development, doesn''t even qualify as a beast."


    Knowledge burned in Ren''s mind, tempting him to reveal more, to explain exactly how the tiger''s cultivation would affect its future evolution and show him how foolish he was. But he bit his tongue.


    "I''m just saying what I see," he murmured.


    "What you see?" The boy grabbed him by the shirt collar. "I''ll show you what I see, a weakling with mushrooms on his head who needs to be taught his place."


    His companions laughed, forming a circle around them. The carriage had suddenly become smaller, more suffocating.


    "Look, he''s even trembling," mocked the eagle girl. "Isn''t he adorable?"


    Ren wasn''t trembling from fear. He was trembling from frustration. He could see their beasts'' flaws so clearly: the irregular mana pattern in the eagle''s feathers, the instability in the other boy''s green scales.


    Useless knowledge when you''re about to be beaten.

 Chapter 16 - Taming Fists

    "Look, he''s even trembling," mocked the eagle girl. "Isn''t he adorable?"Ren wasn''t trembling from fear.


    He was trembling from frustration. He could see their beasts'' flaws so clearly: the irregular mana pattern in the eagle''s feathers, the instability in the other boy''s green scales.


    Useless knowledge when you''re about to be beaten.


    But maybe there was something useful in there after all.


    Knowledge flowed through Ren''s mind as the tiger boy maintained his grip: a spirit tiger at Iron rank granted 30% strength and 10% in all other attributes. At Silver 3 those numbers would multiply, 180% strength, 60% in the rest.


    The gap between beasts widened dramatically with each rank.


    But now, at Iron, the difference wasn''t so overwhelming.


    Ren himself, though thin after his latest growth spurt, had a healthy constitution thanks to good nutrition. He wasn''t from a rich family, but his parents always put him first and were cooks.


    His 10% increase in physical strength wasn''t insignificant when it came to moving his light body with ease.


    "What do you know about beasts, Rotting Boy?" the tiger boy raised his fist, his feline features accentuated by rage. "Your fungus isn''t even a real beast!"


    The mushrooms in Ren''s hair pulsed. A spirit tiger''s attack pattern always started the same way, a direct punch to the face.


    Ren could even understand the boy''s body positioning before the attack. So he pushed up against the hand holding his shirt.


    When the other hand cut through the air trying to punch where his head had been an instant before, Ren couldn''t help but smile.


    "Is that all?" he mocked, his heart pounding hard.


    The boy with green scales, who had been watching silently, narrowed his eyes. "It was just luck Jin. He''s just trying to provoke you."


    "Can''t even manage to hit the weakest one with your ''superior'' beast? Maybe mushrooms aren''t so pathetic after all."


    A tense silence fell over the group. It wasn''t just Jin who felt insulted now, everyone who had belittled Ren for his spore looked at him with growing fury.


    Was the rotting boy suggesting their beasts weren''t better than the miserable spore?


    "Shut up!" Jin finally roared, his wounded pride transforming into rage. "I''ll show you what a spirit tiger can do!"


    Ren moved by pure reflex, recognizing the pattern once again, his lighter body responding with agility that surprised even himself.


    "That''s enough!" The boy with green scales, who until then had only watched, activated his quick movement ability and put his foot behind Ren. Ren stumbled, losing his precarious balance.


    Ren noticed the attack patterns again.


    But knowledge only helped if you had time to use it.


    This time, there was no time to react. The fist connected with devastating force, Jin''s extra 30% translated into a pure impact.


    "Who''s pathetic now?" Jin growled, but his words sounded more like those of a hurt child than a real threat.


    The mushrooms in Ren''s hair pulsed weakly. All that knowledge, and still...


    The fist rose again. This time Jin was going to use his tiger''s real ability. That could seriously hurt Ren.


    "You''re going to learn to keep your mouth shut, Fungus..."


    The carriage door burst open, flooding the interior with bright light.


    The carriage had stopped and the driver opened the door for them to get out.


    "What''s going on here?"


    Jin''s fist stopped centimeters from Ren''s face.


    The driver warned them that fighting would cost them points if the teachers saw, but he didn''t do more than that.


    Though it was enough to prevent the worst. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ????


    The group descended and the driver left, but before Ren could get away they surrounded him again.


    With nowhere to escape, the tiger boy grabbed his shirt and dragged him toward a hidden side of the building.


    "Now then, Rotting Boy," he smiled, his fangs gleaming. "No one''s going to interrupt us while we teach you something about respecting your superiors."


    His companions formed a circle, blocking any escape route. The mushrooms in Ren''s hair flickered nervously.


    He would have to use his knowledge to try to get out of this, maybe a good hit could help him escape, this Jin kid didn''t have a defensive beast so a punch would hurt him.


    The problem was the lizard boy.


    "Look how his little mushrooms are trembling again," mocked the eagle girl. "Are they as scared as he is?"


    Ren wasn''t trembling from fear still. He was trembling from excitement... Could he prove he wasn''t so far below them?


    The fist rose again.


    "I''m going to teach you why you shouldn''t stick your rotting nose in¡­"


    "Three against one?"


    The voice cut through the air like an ice knife. Luna Starweaver emerged from the shadows, her wolf materializing beside her like a nightmare made real. Her blue hair rippled with its own energy, and her blue eyes...


    The tiger boy dropped Ren as if he was too hot to touch.


    "We were just teaching the Rotting Boy some manners," he muttered, backing away.


    "Manners?" Luna arched an eyebrow. "Three beasts with Silver potential against the weakest of all. How... pathetic."


    "He started it," protested the eagle girl. "He said things about our beasts..."


    "And that makes you feel threatened?" Luna''s voice was soft but sharp. "A Silver-rank beast threatened by the weakest of all? That makes you sound more pathetic than him."


    The tiger boy straightened, trying to recover some dignity. "It''s not fair that you¡­"


    "That I what?" Luna took a step forward. "That I use my advantage against you? Like you were doing a moment ago? Would you feel good if I did?"


    The silence that followed made the hierarchy clear.


    "Get out of here," Luna ordered. "All of you."

 Chapter 17 - Taming the Entrance Ceremony

    "Get out," Luna ordered. "All of you." S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality."This isn''t over, rotting-boy," Jin growled. "We''ll see you later."


    While the bullies fled from Luna, Ren gently touched the mushrooms in his hair. The knowledge they provided was worth every taunt, every threat.


    Though that didn''t make things easier.


    As the others hurried to obey, Luna looked at Ren for a moment. There was no sympathy in her gaze, only a kind of calculating curiosity.


    Or so Ren thought, still...


    "Thank you," Ren said when the others had left. "For helping me."


    Luna looked at him as if he were a particularly annoying equation she needed to solve.


    "I didn''t do it for you," her voice was cold, practical. "I did it because I dislike those who abuse their power. Three Silver beasts against the weakest of all..." she shook her head. "It''s pathetic."


    Her shadow wolf watched her with its bright eyes, tilting its head as she continued:


    "You''d do well to stay away from trouble. And frankly, you should consider keeping your spore separate from your body. Those mushrooms on your head only make you a more visible target."


    "I won''t," Ren''s response was immediate, firm. "My spore isn''t weak. And I''m going to prove it."


    Luna raised an eyebrow, studied him for a moment...


    "Interesting," she murmured, more to herself than to him.


    She remembered this boy from invocation day, how could she forget the only one with a gray egg among so many bright colors, almost all children of rich and powerful families.


    Luna hadn''t understood why someone who could only buy that type of egg was at this school. The terrible result was even more unexpected.


    He had been so visibly depressed that day, so defeated...


    But now there was something different about him.


    Not just the luminescent mushrooms in his hair, but something in his posture, in his eyes. He looked more... bright. And she didn''t mean the mushrooms on his head.


    "Delusion or courage?" she murmured, more to herself than to him. "Very interesting."


    She turned to leave, but paused for a moment.


    "We''ll see if that confidence of yours lasts at least the first year," she said over her shoulder, her wolf vanishing into the shadows along with her. "Though I doubt it."


    Ren watched her disappear before he could ask what was so ''interesting'', the mushrooms in his hair pulsing softly¡­ But he didn''t need her to believe in him.


    He didn''t need anyone to believe.


    Not yet.


    ????


    The Imperial Academy rose before him, its towers casting long shadows over the city.


    The Imperial Academy''s Great Hall was impressive. Marble columns veined with mana lines rose toward a vaulted ceiling where carved beasts seemed to move in the shadows.


    The new students gathered in orderly rows, their fused beasts creating a spectacle of colors and transformations.


    Except for Ren, of course. The mushrooms in his hair stood out like a ''gray'' stain amid so much ''brilliance''.


    Though he was the one who glowed... literally.


    "Welcome," the Director''s voice resonated through the hall.


    He was a tall, thin man, with a fused Gold beast, a royal phoenix whose golden feathers intertwined with his white hair. "To the most prestigious institution of beast cultivation and evolution."


    Ren watched fascinated. His new knowledge allowed him to see some of the phoenix''s mana patterns, the complexity of its evolution, though everything related to Gold-rank beast cultivation remained nebulous in his mind.


    "Over the next eight years, you will learn not only to strengthen your beasts, but to understand the very nature of the bond between tamer and creature. Some of you will reach Silver rank. A few, very few, might go beyond."


    His gaze paused briefly on Luna, whose shadow wolf had Gold potential. Then, almost imperceptibly, on Ren.


    "However," he continued, "rank isn''t everything. History is full of tamers who achieved the impossible with seemingly weak beasts. Everything depends on your dedication, your understanding, and above all, your willingness to see beyond the obvious."


    The whispers began immediately. Everyone knew it was a diplomatic lie, a way to console those who, like Ren, had bad luck in their invocation.


    Of course, to Ren the irony of the message sounded different.


    "The professors will assign your dormitories and schedules. Classes begin tomorrow at first light."


    The Director paused.


    "One last thing: at the Imperial Academy, we value individual progress, but also contribution to society. We don''t reward direct abuse based on beast rank, social levels depend on each other, so you''ll lose points for misbehavior but gain points for contributing. Everyone has potential... Don''t waste it."


    This time, his gaze clearly stopped on the group that had beaten and threatened Ren in the carriage. The tiger boy shifted uncomfortably.


    As the students began to disperse, Ren noticed something curious.


    The mushrooms in his hair pulsed with a different rhythm near certain areas of the hall, as if responding to a powerful stimulus beneath the floor.


    Knowledge flowed through his mind: perhaps the Academy had indeed been built on ancient ruins. Ruins where...


    He might find the runes he needed without buying them if he was lucky.


    "All first-year students, this way!" A professor''s voice interrupted his thoughts. "It''s time to assign dormitories!"


    Ren followed the crowd, but his mind was already working. The Academy held more secrets than it appeared.


    And he had eight years to discover them.

 Chapter 18 - Taming the Gray Wing

    "Room 15 Gray Wing," announced the professor, a trace of pity in her voice as she handed Ren the key.The name was a cruel euphemism.


    It wasn''t really gray, it was where they sent students with "limited potential," though even there, Ren was a special case.


    He was truly the bearer of a failed gray egg. They hadn''t had one in decades. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The dormitory was spacious but austere, designed for four students.


    His roommates were already there: Min, a thin boy with a water snake; Taro, more robust, with a digger beetle; and Liu, tall and quiet, with a night bat.


    All Iron-rank beasts, yes, but at least they had evolution potential up to Bronze.


    Or that''s what everyone believed, but Ren could see their cultivation routes up to Silver 3 like all other beasts.


    "The mushroom boy," Min smiled when Ren entered. There was no malice in his voice, just a kind of resigned camaraderie. "I guess it makes sense they put us together."


    Ren dropped his bag on the last available bed, aware of the curious glances toward the mushrooms in his hair and the bruise on his eye.


    "Your spore... does it do anything besides glow?" asked Taro.


    Ren hesitated. After the incident in the carriage, he didn''t want to draw more attention to himself. "It gives a 10% increase to my strength," he said simply. "And it has something good... I don''t need lamps."


    More pitying looks.


    An uncomfortable silence followed his words. The others exchanged glances, the kind you give someone who won''t accept a painful truth.


    "Hey," Min tried to sound cheerful, "it''s not so bad. Liu''s bat has good perception," Taro added. "Not everything is about pure power."


    "You''re right, it''s not so bad," Liu said from his corner. "I''m a second-year student but I failed 2 units, that''s why I''m still in this dormitory. My first year here taught me that initial rank isn''t everything. My bat seemed useless at first, but with the right training..."


    While Liu shared advice about life in the Gray Wing, Ren observed his companions.


    He could clearly see how Min''s snake needed freshwater instead of saltwater in its crystals to develop its true potential, how Taro''s beetle needed to be fed processed crystals during a specific moon phase to advance along the correct path and not mature.


    Perhaps, he thought, when they knew each other better, when they trusted each other... he could share some of his knowledge.


    At least enough to help them.


    While unpacking, the mushrooms in his hair pulsed with that strange rhythm again. There was something under the Gray Wing, something ancient. Maybe being in the "worst" dormitory wasn''t so bad after all.


    Especially if what he sensed was correct, and the ancient ruins extended right beneath their feet.


    ????


    "Liu," Ren approached the second-year student after the others began organizing their things.


    "Where can I get discarded monster parts? You know, cores, beast remains, materials, Bronze crystals, and..."


    Liu stopped organizing his trunk and looked at Ren with both pity and amusement.


    "Straight to the point, huh?" he sighed. "Look, a few years ago, the Academy distributed resources equitably. Every student received what they needed to try evolving their beast, regardless of potential rank, to search for possible hidden cultivation paths."


    He sat on his bed, his night bat fluttering restlessly above his head.


    "But everything changed. Now it works on a merit system. You have to prove you''re worth investing in." Liu grimaced. "Basic support is miserable, barely enough for decent beasts to reach Bronze rank with great effort¡­ one measly crystal daily."


    "But I need those materials," Ren insisted. "Especially venomous fungi, Bronze parts, and runes with¡­"


    "Runes?" Liu let out a dry laugh. "Those are extremely expensive. They only give them to elite beasts, ones with real potential, and only for passing from Silver to Gold... The rest have to earn them with results." He looked at the mushrooms in Ren''s hair. "No offense, but nobody''s going to waste resources like that on a spore."


    "Why not?"


    "Because experiments with fungi always fail. Always. The school keeps records of every attempt. The best result was a mature fungus that gave a 20% strength increase, and it cost more resources than evolving three normal beasts to Silver."


    Ren clenched his fists. If Liu knew what he knew now, if he could explain the true evolution paths...


    "But there are other ways to get resources," Liu murmured.


    "There''s the teaching unit system," he continued. "If you manage to pass all five units this semester, they''ll promote you from Iron to Bronze 1. Instead of one crystal daily, you''d receive ten."


    "Ten times more?" Ren''s eyes widened.


    "At Silver 1 it would be a hundred," Liu gave a dry laugh. "But that''s not until fourth semester, and only if you pass the first three without failing any units." He looked at the mushrooms in Ren''s hair. "Though honestly, I doubt you''ll achieve much in the battle unit. And cultivation..." he shook his head.


    "What happens if I fail?"


    "Every three failed units you lose a point. If you lose three points..." Liu made a cutting gesture with his hand. "Goodbye to all support. The most you can do is try to pass three units and avoid getting expelled from the system."


    Ren nodded slowly, processing the information. The system was brutal but the rewards...


    "Listen," Liu leaned forward. "I''m telling you this because I like you and honestly feel a bit sorry for you. Don''t get your hopes up. Focus on surviving the eight years. Learn what you can. But don''t expect miracles."


    "If I were you," Liu lowered his voice, "I''d focus on recovering part of what tuition cost. The fees are high, but with enough work in the gathering zones you could get them to double your resources and recover at least a fifth part in the next 8 years."


    "Double? How does that work?" Ren asked.

 Chapter 19 - Taming the Gray Wing - Part 2

    "If I were you," Liu lowered his voice, "I''d focus on recovering part of what our tuition cost. The fees are high, but with enough work in the gathering zones you could get them to double your resources and recover at least a fifth part in the next 8 years.""Double? How does that work?" Ren asked.


    "Tomorrow they''ll come to check our belongings."


    Ren visibly tensed.


    "Relax," Liu smiled at his reaction. "It''s not what you think. They''ll just register the value of the stuff you brought with you."


    "Why?"


    "For what you just asked about. The Academy doubles the value of everything you get on your own in designated zones," Liu explained. "It''s through a government subsidy system."


    The mushrooms in Ren''s hair glowed with renewed interest.


    "Everything I get?"


    "Everything you obtain with your own hands, yes. Things from your parents or inherited wealth don''t count. Only what you gather or process here yourself. It''s like a performance scholarship, the better collector you are, the more support you receive. The King has always incentivized people who go out to gather stuff."


    "So if I find valuable materials..."


    "The Academy matches their value," Liu confirmed. "That''s why they record what you bring at the start, to know what you obtained afterward on your own."


    Liu lay back on his bed, his bat fluttering restlessly.


    "But like I said, don''t get your hopes up with that creature," he murmured.


    The mushrooms in Ren''s hair pulsed softly, as if responding to his growing determination.


    "What if you''re wrong?" he asked. "What if there''s more to spores than everyone believes?"


    Liu looked at him for a long moment.


    "Then," he said finally, "you''ll have to find a way to prove it. But I warn you, the Academy doesn''t waste resources on empty hopes and promises."


    ''They aren''t empty promises,'' thought Ren. ''I just need a chance to prove it.''


    And as that thought took shape, the mushrooms in his hair pulsed again, reminding him of the secret that lay beneath their feet.


    Perhaps there was a way to achieve both things: obtain the materials he needed and secure his place in the Academy.


    ???? sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Did you hear that?" Min flopped onto his bed, his water snake materializing like a blue ribbon around his neck. "They double what we find and... A hundred crystals daily at Silver! With that I could..."


    "Don''t get your hopes up," Taro muttered. "First you have to get there."


    "Oh, come on," Min smiled, turning toward Taro who was quietly organizing his things. "Don''t tell me you haven''t dreamed about it? Imagine what you could do with your beetle in the mines!"


    Taro just mumbled something inaudible and continued meticulously arranging his tools.


    "Min has a point," Ren intervened, noticing how Taro''s shoulders tensed whenever someone mentioned his beast. "Even beasts that everyone thinks are weak could..."


    "Exactly!" Min sat up suddenly, his snake undulating with enthusiasm. "My water snake is Iron-rank, but I can study a ton and break the mold like the director said. The point is we all have a chance, right?"


    He got up and walked to Taro, putting an arm around his shoulders.


    "Even Mr. Silent here! His digger beetle will be the sensation when it evolves, right Taro?"


    Taro blushed slightly, but a small smile appeared on his lips.


    "If it evolves," he murmured, but there was a touch of hope in his voice.


    "Of course it will!" Min turned to Ren. "And your spore... well, at least it glows pretty."


    "Min," Liu sighed from his bed, "stop bothering everyone and finish unpacking. Tomorrow''s the belongings check and your area looks like a disaster zone."


    "It''s an organized disaster!" Min protested, but started tidying anyway, his snake helping move things with its tail.


    Taro returned to his silent organizing, but Ren noticed his movements were more relaxed now. Min''s enthusiasm seemed to have that effect on people.


    The mushrooms in Ren''s hair glowed softly as he watched his roommates. Maybe the Gray Wing was perfect for him after all.


    ????


    That night, while his roommates slept, Ren reviewed his options in the darkness, the mushrooms in his hair providing a faint glow, dimmed to avoid disturbing his companions.


    Getting materials on his own would be difficult.


    Even knowing exactly what he needed, if they were as expensive as Liu said, obtaining them without Academy support could take years.


    "And meanwhile," he murmured to himself, "my parents will continue with the ritual day after day... Get their runes first and then..."


    No, he needed to be more efficient.


    The Academy had a merit system, and though everyone expected him to fail, that could play to his advantage. Nobody expected anything from a spore, so any progress, however small, would draw attention.


    If he could demonstrate even a fraction of his spore''s potential, if he could win even moderate Academy support with the systems Liu mentioned...


    "Limited resources are better than no resources," he whispered, remembering how his father always said that in the kitchen, even leftovers could become a feast if you knew how to use them.


    He would have to do both: meet the Academy''s expectations to gain some support, while searching on his own for the rest of what he needed and doubling it.


    It would be slower than having full access to resources, but faster than trying to do everything alone.


    The mushrooms pulsed softly, and Ren felt again that strange resonance with something under the dormitory.


    "One step at a time," he reminded himself. "First, prove this student is worth at least the support."


    Tomorrow will be the first classes. His first chance to show that the "Rotting Boy" might not be as useless as everyone thought.


    He closed his eyes, but his mind kept working, plotting plans, calculating possibilities. Eight years was a long time... if you knew exactly what to do with each day.

 Chapter 20 - Taming the First Class

    The classroom was circular, with seats arranged in ascending levels.Ren found himself in the same group as the tiger boy Jin and his friends, who shot threatening glances at him from a distance.


    Fortunately Taro, one of his roommates, was also there, though he had arrived late and sat on the other side of the classroom as there was no other place.


    Luna was there too, her shadow wolf barely visible as an ethereal silhouette beside her.


    "In this first semester," announced Professor Wei, a robust man with a Silver rank 2 manticore manifesting in silver patterns across his skin, "student groups are random. Afterward, you''ll be reorganized according to your performance, so pay attention if you don''t want to lose your place... I''ll begin the class."


    Ren observed the patterns on the professor''s skin. The manticore had been cultivated primarily with random daylight, there were details suggesting other unused techniques.


    Wei began drawing a diagram on the board.


    "The basic principles of cultivation have been studied for hundreds of years," Professor Wei began. "Every successful method follows three fundamental phases and has a proven maximum duration."


    He drew three circles on the board.


    "First, mana absorption. The beast must receive energy appropriate to its nature. Second, processing, how that energy is transformed in the crystal so the mana is suitable. And finally, fixation, how that power is stabilized and made permanent."


    Wei made a significant pause.


    "Something crucial you must understand: no effective cultivation method lasts more than six months. This is a fact proven through countless studies. The most common methods last 150 days, and although some charlatans propose longer processes, the evidence is clear, after six months, any cultivation attempt becomes inefficient or downright useless."


    Ren shifted uneasily in his seat. He knew why this perception was also wrong, all methods without exception were 100 days, but...


    "Luna Starweaver," Wei pointed. "Could you explain how these phases apply in practice?"


    "In practice," Luna stood, her shadow wolf manifesting in her like a dark silhouette with its own life, "first we must obtain the appropriate mana crystals. These are processed, in the case of shadow beasts like mine, under moonlight. Then they''re sealed with specific techniques before the beast can absorb them."


    "Correct," Wei nodded. "The type of crystal, the processing method, in your case moonlight, and the sealing determine the final effectiveness when the beast absorbs it and lead it to the correct path of its potential."


    "Excuse me, professor," Ren couldn''t contain himself. "But that''s not entirely accurate. About crystal processing..."


    Silence fell like a slab. Even the tiger boy seemed to forget his hostility, too surprised by the ''Rotting Boy''s'' audacity.


    "Oh?" Wei turned slowly and looked at him with evident annoyance. "The student with the spore has something to contribute about cultivation?"


    Contained laughter.


    "Mana crystals must be processed differently than broad cases like ''moonlight'', they need to be more specific. For example, Luna''s wolf crystals shouldn''t just be at night, but on a night with 7 moons. Another example would be your manticore, which could have benefited from crystals processed under the first light of dawn, it would have reached Silver 3 instead of..."


    "Enough," Wei cut him off. "I see we have another ''expert'' who thinks he knows more than generations of research. Young man, I studied for thirty years before cultivating this manticore. We reached Silver rank 2 following methods proven by generations. To suggest that..."


    Wei straightened, his golden patterns glowing with irritation.


    "Five points less for the student... what''s your name?"


    "Ren Patinder, sir."


    More laughter, now open.


    "Not that it matters much," Wei smiled maliciously. "I doubt a spore will obtain many resources from the Academy anyway."


    "But..."


    "Enough," Wei cut him off again. "I understand some students try to compensate for their... limitations with extravagant theories. But in this class, we''ll stick to proven methods..."


    "The texts have been proven by generations," Wei frowned. "To suggest they''re wrong based on... what exactly? Readings in a story?"


    Laughter filled the classroom. The tiger boy and his friends practically glowed with satisfaction.


    Luna, however, watched the scene with intense interest.


    Ren clenched his fists under his desk. Not only had he lost points he didn''t even have yet, he could lose the opportunity to gain the support he so desperately needed.


    Reaching 100 points in this class by the end of the semester would now be a bit more difficult.


    I need a way to prove I''m right, he thought while the mushrooms in his hair pulsed softly. Something irrefutable. Something not even Professor Wei can deny.


    The answer had to be somewhere. And he had to find it before his opportunity to obtain resources vanished completely.


    Ren sank in his seat. He hadn''t expected wrong knowledge to be so deeply rooted. How could he prove he was right when everything they knew contradicted the truth?


    "Let''s continue," Wei returned to the board. "As I was saying, basic cultivation follows simple rules..."


    This was going to be harder than Ren thought. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The rest of the class was torture. Every time Wei asked a question, he deliberately ignored Ren''s raised hand. When he finally did call on him, it was only to say:


    "See, this is how you answer, with established facts, not absurd theories."


    ????


    "As we can see in historical records," Wei continued, pointing to Taro, "the digger beetle is a classic example of a beast with mediocre natural limits. None has surpassed Bronze rank in the more than 500 years we have of species documentation."


    Ren saw how Taro''s shoulders slumped. His roommate had a ton of books, he seemed to have been studying cultivation methods at home, hoping to find some exception.


    He had thought about telling him what he knew but decided to wait until he knew him better. However, now...


    Ren straightened in his seat. This was his opportunity.

 Chapter 21 - Taming the Bet

    Ren straightened in his seat. This was his opportunity.His classmate''s beetle was perfect, a beast common enough that everyone knew its supposed limit, but with hidden potential that could manifest quickly with the correct method. If he could demonstrate visible results in a few months...


    He would have more than enough time to achieve it within the semester.


    "Of course," he murmured to himself, "first I''d have to convince the owner to try it."


    And that was the real challenge. Who would trust the boy with the useless spore? Who would risk their beast''s cultivation following the "Rotting Boy''s" advice?


    Still... Did he have another choice?


    "That''s not true," Ren stood up. "The digger beetle can reach Silver rank 3 like any other beast."


    Laughter erupted.


    Wei looked at him as if he were a particularly annoying fly.


    "First he questions established methods, and now he contradicts historical records. Another five points less, Mr. Patinder."


    "The records you mention about beetle cultivation," Ren continued, ignoring the laughter, "only have one error: the timing of processing. If we process the crystals following the correct specific method..."


    "More theories about strange specific timings? The exceptions to such ridiculous theories have never been successfully replicated," Wei smiled disdainfully. "According to your... expert opinion, what would happen if we follow the documented method but change only that detail?"


    "The beetle won''t evolve into a Greater Excavator at Bronze as your texts say. It will become a Living Tunnel instead."


    Silence fell in the classroom. Taro looked at Ren with hope and confusion.


    "A very specific prediction," Wei leaned forward. "What if we put it to the test? If you''re so sure, let''s make a real bet: if you''re right, I''ll give you one Bronze-rank material, whatever you want regardless of cost, and 100 points from my teaching unit in my 2 classes. To give you even more time for your ''wonderful'' demonstration, don''t even bother coming anymore..."


    "...Since you''re sooo knowledgeable, you won''t need my advice in class. You''ll thus be able to pass the other classes more ''easily'' and obtain Bronze 1 support instead of Iron, assuming you pass the exams of all 5 units of course, BUT. If you''re wrong..." he smiled maliciously, "if you don''t demonstrate the exact beetle species you predicted, I get your full tuition and you lose all school support."


    "Professor," Taro intervened, "my beetle..."


    "It''s your decision, of course," Wei continued. "But I warn you: following Mr. Patinder''s theories, if they stray too far from the common method, only guarantees your beast will end up at mature Iron rank. Are you willing to risk your progress for the fantasies of someone who can''t even evolve his own spore?"


    Ren looked at Taro, seeing the conflict in his eyes. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was a lot to ask, risking his beast''s future on the word of a roommate he barely knew.


    "Don''t worry Taro, we''ll follow exactly the documented method, changing only one specific moment of processing, it will be at night as the professor''s literature says."


    Taro thought for a moment and then nodded¡­


    There was no turning back now.


    "I accept the bet," Ren said firmly. "If the beetle evolves into anything other than a Living Tunnel, you win."


    Wei studied Ren for a moment, as if evaluating whether the boy was really as foolish as he seemed.


    "Deal."


    ????


    As they left the classroom, the tiger boy''s group''s laughter echoed through the hallway.


    "Hey, Rotting Boy!" one of them shouted. "Are you practicing begging already? You''ll need it when you lose your tuition!"


    Taro waited until they were gone before turning to Ren.


    "Hey," he said quietly, "I know you were trying to help, but... I think this joke went too far. You should talk to Professor Wei and apologize. Maybe if you explain you were just..."


    "It wasn''t a joke," Ren interrupted, the mushrooms in his hair pulsing softly. "I can help you have a better life, Taro. Your beetle has real potential."


    "Look, I appreciate you trying to cheer me up, but my mother got me the books as soon as I invoked this thing..." Taro shook his head. "The records are clear. In 500 years, no digger beetle has surpassed Bronze rank. And now, because of me, you could lose everything..."


    "We''re only going to change one thing," Ren insisted. "The rest will be exactly like the documented method. There''s not as much risk for me as you think. I have an ace up my sleeve. There''s no risk for you. Just play along, okay?"


    Taro hesitated.


    He had already bought 100 crystals and hadn''t yet mixed them with the night essence, waiting to gather the 150 he would need for the complete method.


    "Though I''m lucky it''s not a full 180-day method, it''s still expensive," he muttered, more to himself than to Ren. "And getting 150 crystals is already quite expensive... those extra 50 crystals will be hard to get within the school."


    "The 100 you have will be more than enough," Ren smiled. "We just need to wait for a specific night that''s coming in a few days."


    Taro looked at Ren for a long moment. The mushrooms in his hair glowed with a steady light, as if reflecting the certainty in his words.


    "You know what?" Taro finally smiled. "I hadn''t started the mixture with the night essence anyway. I was waiting to have all the crystals to do it at once."


    He shrugged.


    "I guess I won''t lose anything by trying. If you''re wrong, I''ll still have time to get the other 50 crystals. After using 100 for 100 days, I''m sure I''ll have the rest ready just in case."


    "You won''t need them," Ren smiled. "I promise."


    As they walked to their next class, Ren couldn''t help but notice how the mushrooms in his hair pulsed more strongly near certain walls. The ruins beneath the Academy were calling, but that would have to wait.


    First, he had to prove that the "Rotting Boy" knew exactly what he was talking about.

 Chapter 22 - Taming Battle

    "You won''t need them," Ren smiled. "I promise.""With the 100 crystals you have it will be more than enough if we overcharge them. The error in the extra 50 days is in the reduced amount of mana in the night crystal, the beetle adapts to the error late, 50 days late..."


    "...Though I understand why they don''t use larger crystals, mana poisoning is scary, but I hope you''ll let me slightly increase the amount," Ren smiled.


    "We just need to wait for a specific night that''s coming in a few days so they don''t absorb the wrong moons'' light and the evolution doesn''t stray from the correct path."


    Taro looked at Ren for a long moment. The mushrooms in his hair glowed with a steady light, as if reflecting the certainty in his words.


    Could he believe this child with such terrible luck? Actually, his logic told him no. But subconsciously, Ren''s overwhelming confidence gave him tiny hopes.


    "You know what?" Taro finally smiled. "I hadn''t started the mixture with the night essence anyway. I was waiting to have all the crystals to do it at once, so..."


    He shrugged.


    "I guess I lose nothing by doing it your way, 500-year of records won''t change to give my beetle another option if the professor was so sure there wasn''t... And if you''re wrong about the amount when overcharging the crystal, the school will give me the potion for poisoning once¡­ at least that support is universal."


    "I''m telling you, you won''t need any of that," Ren repeated and laughed at Taro''s worried monologue.


    "Yes, yes... But if you''re wrong, nothing will happen to me anyway, that''s why I''m calm, and I''d still have time to collect the other 50 crystals to finish the common method, though we''ll have to dig... They''ll only give us one Iron-rank crystal daily and it''s not an earth attribute... Though after using 100 for 100 days, I''m sure I''ll already have another 50 just in case."


    "Hahaha, you talk and worry too much..."


    As they walked to their next class, Ren noticed something.


    "By the way, why didn''t you collect rain crystals? They''re cheaper but you could have exchanged them; I had 500 before coming... I even got 15 in the last few weeks thanks to the rains."


    "In the city?" Taro laughed without humor. "It''s almost impossible to find them here. Besides, my beetle needs earth crystals, which are much more expensive. Plant users are lucky, they can use that basic and super cheap crystal in their first rank."


    Ren nodded, thoughtful. He would also need earth crystals for his evolution, though of a higher rank than Taro''s...


    As they walked toward combat class, Ren and Taro met Min in the hallway.


    "Did you hear?" Min smiled, his water snake undulating around his neck. "Professor Yang has a Stone Behemoth. A Behemoth! There are only three in the whole city."


    Ren, Min, and Taro had reached the end of the hallway, to the next class.


    ????


    The combat classroom was different from the others...


    A circular amphitheater with an arena in the center, surrounded by ascending stands. The walls were marked with scars from past battles.


    "Silence!" Professor Yang''s voice thundered in the amphitheater. He was a tall, muscular man, with scars that spoke of years of real experience.


    The stone Behemoth in Professor Yang''s skin gleamed under the amphitheater lights. The rocky lines covering his muscles made him look carved from living granite, a perfect manifestation for a combat instructor.


    "Welcome to the real reason the government has you in school!" Professor Yang smiled.


    "Though before we begin with the important stuff," Yang approached the board, "I see in your faces that no one has explained how this school really works. Typical of old Wei."


    "Since... my colleague was probably too busy with theories to explain the basics to you, let me simplify your five teaching units."


    He drew five circles on the board.


    "The Academy divides its teaching into five units. Each is worth one point, and you need at least three to maintain your support here. Losing three points, three times in a row, means you''re a failure not worth cultivating."


    He pointed to the first circle.


    "First, basic knowledge: history, economics, and life. Three boring but necessary subjects, without them you wouldn''t even know how to pay your taxes." Several students laughed. "Passing all three counts as one unit."


    Several students were taking notes frantically.


    He pointed to the second section.


    "Then there''s Professor Wei''s theoretical classes: cultivation and crystal processing. Another unit. Yes, they''re important," he rolled his eyes, "but theory alone won''t keep you alive."


    His tone suggested he considered this barely more useful than the basic classes.


    "The third unit is exterior gathering, where you''ll learn something useful. They''ll teach you to survive while searching for cultivation materials. Two weeks every two months, we''ll go to designated zones. You''ll learn to identify materials, detect monsters, and most importantly... when to fight and when to flee."


    The mushrooms in Ren''s hair glowed with interest as Yang continued:


    "Fourth unit: practical crystals. Not endless theories, but real identification and gathering in the caves. Also a respectable unit. You''ll learn to distinguish qualities, purity, and most importantly... not to poison yourselves too often by exposing yourself too much to concentrated mana."


    He straightened.


    "And finally... Combat. My specialty is battle against monsters."


    A young woman entered the classroom, her light step contrasting with Yang''s imposing presence.


    "My assistant, Professor Lin, is expert in combat against other tamers."


    His eyes swept the class.


    "And do you know why this is the most important unit? Because no matter how much theory you memorize, how many crystals you identify or how many materials you collect... if you can''t defend yourself, all that knowledge will die with you."


    The rock in his skin crackled, as if emphasizing his words.


    "Outside, monsters won''t wait for you to process your crystals correctly. And in the rival city... Some ''humans'' can be just as dangerous."


    Ren sank a bit in his seat. With only a 10% increase in strength, this unit would be a brutal unit.


    "This class," his voice was rough as the stone covering him, "will determine your baseline."


    He walked to the center of the arena.


    "The final exam is simple: you''ll have to eliminate a real monster. Not one of those weak ones that prowl near the city, but a genuine beast from the outer zones."


    Murmurs filled the amphitheater.


    "That''s why I need to know where you stand. Professor Lin and I will design a specific training program for each of you, based on your performance today."


    Professor Lin began unrolling a scroll. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "We''ll pair you according to your beasts and attributes. The goal is to show your current capabilities."


    Yang nodded.


    "Some of you have strength increases, others speed. Some have beasts with special abilities. But now, before cultivating them is when your individualities as people can matter more than your beasts. We want to see how you use them, how you think in combat..."


    "Ah, and one more thing," Yang smiled. "In my class, theory is learned through bruises."


    The mushrooms in Ren''s hair pulsed nervously. His 10% increase in strength seemed insignificant compared to his classmates'' beasts. Even in the early stages.


    "First pair," Lin read from the scroll, "Jin and..."


    The tiger boy straightened, his eyes fixed on Ren, waiting for his opportunity.

 Chapter 23 - Taming Battle - 2

    "First pair," Lin read from the scroll, "Jin and..."The tiger boy straightened, his eyes fixed on Ren, waiting for his opportunity like a predator spotting wounded prey.


    "...Taro."


    Ren could see the disappointment flash across Jin''s face. The tiger boy had been hoping for a different prey.


    However, as he watched both students descend to the arena, the mushrooms in Ren''s hair pulsed softly, revealing the patterns of both beasts with startling clarity. Knowledge flowed through his mind like a crystal-clear stream.


    The spirit tiger versus the digger beetle, it would be an interesting combination for Ren to study. Each beast''s strengths and weaknesses became apparent to him, like reading an intricate map of their capabilities.


    ''The digger beetle has a natural ability,'' Ren thought, the information unfolding in his mind. ''Earth Shield, a mana layer that reinforces the exoskeleton using earth energy. And the tiger... its spirit claws follow a pattern of five strikes before needing to recharge energy.''


    The knowledge felt both foreign and familiar, like remembering something he''d always known but never realized.


    "Enter the circle," Yang ordered, his voice echoing in the amphitheater. "Show us what you can do."


    Taro descended nervously into the arena, his digger beetle fusing with him and manifesting as a brown exoskeleton that covered his skin like living armor.


    Jin followed with a predatory smile, tiger markings becoming more pronounced on his face, his movements fluid and confident.


    "Begin."


    Jin attacked immediately, his movements flowing like water. Taro instinctively activated his Earth Shield, his exoskeleton glowing with a deep brown hue. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Jin''s fists, enhanced by the spirit tiger''s 30% strength bonus, hammered against Taro''s exoskeleton. The impacts resonated through the amphitheater like war drums, but barely left marks on the beetle''s defense.


    "Not bad," Jin smiled, backing away with predatory grace. "But how about this?"


    His eyes blazed with golden light as the spirit tiger manifested its fangs, covering Jin''s fists with ethereal energy that seemed to bend the very air around them.


    "Spiritual Fang," Ren murmured, recognizing the tiger''s basic technique, seeing the intricate patterns of mana that made it possible.


    The next blow partially penetrated Taro''s defenses, drawing a cry of pain that echoed in the arena. The spiritual energy had found a weakness in the physical armor, exploiting it with cruel efficiency.


    "What''s wrong, cockroach? Only know how to hide?"


    The exoskeleton had held, but the spirit energy had penetrated like water through stone. Each new blow seemed to find another crack in the seemingly impervious defense.


    "Counter-attack!" Yang shouted from the sidelines, his voice carrying an annoyed tone. "The best defense is worthless if you never strike back!"


    But Taro only retreated, protecting himself with his arms in an increasingly desperate defense. Each new ''Spiritual Fang'' found a different weak point in his armor, like a predator testing its prey''s defenses.


    ''The problem isn''t the defense,'' Ren observed, seeing the pattern with perfect clarity. ''It''s that Taro isn''t using the shield''s rebound to counter-attack. Each time he absorbs a blow, he could...''


    After the fifth spirit strike, Jin had to pull back momentarily to recharge. It was just an instant, but Ren saw the opportunity Taro was missing, a perfect moment for a counterattack that never came.


    The fight continued with the same pattern until the Earth Shield finally gave way before a last Spiritual Fang, cracking like ancient pottery under too much pressure.


    "Pathetic," Jin taunted between blows, his confidence growing with each successful strike. "Is this the level of the rotting boy''s friends? I guess trash attracts trash."


    The fight ended shortly after, with Taro on the ground and Jin barely winded, his tiger markings still glowing with unused power.


    "Enough," Yang declared, his voice cutting through the tension like a knife.


    "Jin, good attack rhythm, though you need to manage your spirit energy better. Taro, your Earth Shield is solid, but you wasted every counter-attack opportunity. Perfect defense is useless if you don''t learn to turn it into offense. In a real fight, passivity will kill you."


    "A win is a win," Jin smiled as he climbed the stands, satisfaction radiating from every movement.


    As he passed by Ren, he added in a low voice, "Tell your friend to find better company next time. Though I guess cockroaches understand each other, but... practicing with a rotting boy will only make him weaker."


    Ren clenched his fists, the mushrooms in his hair pulsing softly. He could see clearly now the spirit tiger''s attack patterns, its limitations, its weak points... But that knowledge would have to wait for a different time to be used.


    The matches continued, each pair showcasing different styles and abilities. Min used his water snake with surprising creativity, though he lost to a boy with an earth bear.


    "Ren," Lin finally called, though she winced at the pairing she read.


    Ren stood up, acutely aware of every eye in the amphitheater turning to him.


    "Against Kai."


    The boy with green scales smiled predatorily, his scales gleaming under the lights as he stood. It was the same one who had tripped him earlier, his confidence evident in every movement.


    "The Rotting Boy against Kai?" Jin laughed from his seat, voice dripping with mockery. "What a waste. I could have crushed him faster."


    "On the contrary," interrupted Cass, the eagle girl, her eyes sharp with interest. "Kai''s stone scales are perfect for this. I want to see how the rotting one handles an opponent practically immune to his level of strength."


    Ren swallowed hard. The stone scales granted natural protection, his blows, even with the 10% increase, would barely be mosquito bites against such defense.


    As he descended toward the arena, the mushrooms in his hair pulsed with knowledge: the scales had a specific pattern, zones where the protection was weaker, but even so...


    "Scared, Rotting Boy?" Kai flexed his arms covered in green scales, each one catching the light like polished jade. "You should be."


    This wouldn''t be a normal fight, it would be a demonstration of just how useless the weakest beast really was against a proper defense.


    Or at least, that''s what everyone expected to see. Whispers about the unfairness and how easy it would be for Kai began to circulate through the stands.


    "It''s not fair!" someone complained through laughter. "It won''t even be fun to watch!"


    "What did you expect?" someone murmured. "With that pathetic 10% increase..."


    "His mushrooms could glow brighter," suggested another, prompting more laughter.


    "The pairings were random," Lin announced firmly. "So I don''t want to hear anyone complaining about favoritism."


    Professor Yang nodded, the stone lines in his skin gleaming. "Though with some," his gaze lingered on Ren, "it doesn''t really matter who they fight."


    The laughter was immediate and cruel.


    "Finish him quickly, Kai!" Jin shouted from the stands. "So we can move on to the real fights!"


    Yang watched with bored indifference. It was obvious he considered this a waste of time, what could the weakest beast do against stone scales? And he knew a lot about stone defense.


    Lin, on the other hand... seemed a bit more interested.


    The mushrooms in Ren''s hair pulsed as he analyzed Kai''s scales, seeking any pattern, any weakness he could exploit.


    "Begin!" Yang ordered.

 Chapter 24 - Taming Battle - Part 3

    "Begin!" Yang ordered.Kai launched forward, confident.


    Why wouldn''t he be?


    His stone lizard''s scales not only increased his resistance and protected him, but his beast also enhanced his other attributes, including strength by 20%.


    Ren dodged the first blow, but not through skill.


    Despite Kai being faster, knowledge showed him how the scales limited certain movements. Kai couldn''t raise his right arm beyond a certain angle without exposing a weak point between his ribs.


    "Stop running, Rotting Boy!"


    "The scales on your right arm," Ren spoke while backing away, "doesn''t it bother you how they limit your movement?"


    Kai stopped for a fraction of a second, surprised. That moment of doubt cost him, his next blow was slower, more self-conscious.


    "Shut up!"


    "It''s because of the growth pattern," Ren continued, dodging another blow. "Scales from other beasts follow the natural muscle line, but in your case..."


    "I said shut up!"


    Kai attacked with more force, but now his movements were less fluid. The doubt had been planted, he was thinking about his own scales, about the small rigidities he had always ignored.


    The mushrooms glowed more intensely. The knowledge showed more: how the green scales indicated a minor deviation in cultivation, how this affected their distribution...


    "Your scales should be almost blue," Ren dodged another blow. "The green means they absorb too much earth mana. That''s why they''re denser on your right side."


    "You know nothing!" Kai roared, but his voice betrayed uncertainty.


    In the stands, silence had replaced laughter. Even Yang was watching more intently.


    "Excess earth mana makes the scales grow irregularly," Ren continued while moving. "It''s subtle, but your right side is heavier. That''s why you always turn left when you attack."


    The next time Kai attacked, everyone could see it, the slight imbalance in his turn, the way he unconsciously compensated for the extra weight on his right side.


    "SHUT UP!"


    Rage made Kai commit the mistake Ren was waiting for. He lunged forward with all his might, turning left as he always did.


    Ren didn''t dodge this time.


    At the last moment, when Kai was fully committed to his attack, Ren stepped forward.


    His hands found Kai''s arm at the exact angle where the scales couldn''t protect the joint. A precise pull, using Kai''s own weight...


    The scaled boy fell heavily to the ground.


    "Impossible!" Jin rose from his seat. "How could the Rotting Boy..."


    The whispers and laughter that had accompanied the fight''s beginning had transformed into tense silence.


    No one expected the mushroom boy to even touch Kai, much less throw him down.


    Humiliation was reflected in the faces of those who moments before had been mocking him, especially in Jin''s group.


    Kai rose slowly, his green scales gleaming with a threatening glow. The amusement had vanished from his face, replaced by cold fury. One thing was playing with the Rotting Boy, but being thrown down by him in front of the whole class...


    The atmosphere in the amphitheater had changed. It was no longer a comic spectacle, now there was real tension.


    Even Professor Yang had leaned forward in his seat, his expression of boredom replaced by genuine interest. Lin and Luna showing even more interest.


    The way Kai clenched his fists, how the scales on his neck bristled... everyone could see the game was over. The Rotting Boy had made the mistake of humiliating him, and now he would pay for it.


    "Damn you...!" Kai stood up, his scales glowing more intensely. "Speed Mode!"


    The scales on his legs changed pattern, channeling more mana. Suddenly, Kai was 50% faster.


    The next minute was a nightmare for Ren.


    Kai''s first blow was brutal.


    Ren could barely raise his arms to block, and even then the impact made him stumble back several steps.


    "Is that all?" Kai smiled, advancing. "The great beast expert can''t even stay standing?"


    Trying to dodge the next blow was useless, Kai was now much faster. The scales on his legs gleamed as he moved, and this time the impact connected directly with Ren''s stomach.


    The air left his lungs. The mushrooms in his hair flickered erratically as he fell to his knees.


    "Get up, Rotting Boy!" Jin shouted from the stands. "The fun''s just starting!"


    Ren stood up slowly, knowledge flowing through the pain.


    Another blow caught him, this time in the shoulder. Kai was relentless.


    Each impact resonated in his bones, each blow finding a new point of pain.


    "Stop the fight!" Taro shouted. "He''ll kill him!"


    But the mushrooms in Ren''s hair glowed more intensely with each blow. The knowledge flowed faster now: speed mode diverted mana to the legs, leaving other points exposed...


    Yang stepped forward. "This is enough..."


    "Wait," Lin stopped him, her eyes fixed on Ren.


    "Your scales..." Ren spat a bit of blood and saliva, "are absorbing... the wrong type of mana."


    "Learn to shut up, damn it!"


    "That''s why... that''s why speed mode destabilizes you." S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kai stopped for an instant, his green scales glowing erratically.


    "The scales should be blue," Ren continued, barely staying on his feet. "The faster you move..."


    "PLEASE SHUT UP OR¡­!"


    Kai lunged forward with all his enhanced speed, his scales gleaming like a green star.


    "Ren!" Taro shouted.


    But again... Ren didn''t dodge.


    At the last second, Ren stepped to the left. His fist, guided by precise knowledge, found the exact point where the mana lines crossed incorrectly.


    It wasn''t a powerful blow, the 10% increase barely made him stronger than a normal child.


    But it didn''t need to be.


    Kai''s scales, overcharged with the wrong mana and strained to the maximum by speed mode, resonated with the impact. The energy pattern, already unstable, collapsed.


    All the green scales went dark at once.


    Kai fell to the ground, gasping. His scales, now matte and lusterless, looked like mere patches on his skin.


    The silence in the amphitheater was absolute.


    "Impossible..." Yang stepped forward. "Stone scales with a simple..."


    "Speed mode," Ren staggered, barely conscious, "forces too much mana through the wrong pattern. One hit in the precise point and..."


    He couldn''t finish. His knees gave way and the world went black.


    The last thing he heard was Professor Yang''s voice:


    "Take Patinder to the infirmary."

 Chapter 25 - Taming Lin

    Ren woke up in the infirmary.The pain in his body reminded him of each of Kai''s blows, the mushrooms in his hair glowed erratically.


    "Finally awake."


    Professor Lin was sitting beside his bed, a mischievous smile on her lips as she sipped tea.


    "You know? It''s the first time I''ve seen someone win a fight while looking so adorably pathetic," she laughed, her eyes sparkling with amusement.


    "Your form is terrible, darling. Your endurance..." she clicked her tongue, "well, let''s say any novice with any other beast would have more stamina, and your technique..." she shook her head.


    "Practically nonexistent."


    Ren tried to sit up, every muscle protesting.


    "Ah, ah," Lin gently pushed him back to the bed. "Boys who let themselves be used as training dummies need to rest a bit while listening."


    "I didn''t let..."


    "No?" she arched an eyebrow, amused. "Oh, sorry. I suppose your face and body heroically stopped all those blows on purpose."


    Despite the pain, Ren couldn''t help blushing.


    "But..." Lin leaned forward, her smile becoming softer, "your combat reading was fascinating. The way you analyzed Kai''s scales, how you found the weak point in his mana pattern... That was extraordinary."


    "Why are you here, professor?"


    "Can''t I visit my new favorite student?"


    "Your... what?"


    "I want to train you personally."


    Ren blinked, sure he had heard wrong.


    "Train me? But..." he looked at the mushrooms in his hair reflected in the window. "I have the weakest beast. Even if I improve my technique, my limit is..."


    "And?" Lin smiled, but there was something bitter in her expression. "Let me show you something."


    Lin rolled up her sleeve with a theatrical flourish. "Look at this."


    On her arm, white and red feathers gleamed under the light. A swift crane manifested in her skin, its wings forming elegant patterns that ran up to her shoulder.


    "A swift crane," Ren observed, the mushrooms in his hair pulsing with knowledge. "But the feather pattern..."


    Lin traced the feathers with a finger.


    "Most cranes can reach Silver easily. They''re creatures naturally gifted for cultivation, with a clear path to higher ranks."


    She sat on the edge of the bed, her eyes lost in the feather patterns.


    "Mine was especially promising thanks to my family''s resources. The professors said it had potential for Silver 2, maybe even..."


    "Well¡­ Pretty impressive, right? Or it was, until this fool," she pointed to herself, "ruined her cultivation through impatience."


    The mushrooms in Ren''s hair pulsed as he analyzed. The pattern clearly showed where the cultivation had deviated.


    "Now it''s permanently at Bronze 1 having reached maturity," Lin continued, pinching Ren''s cheek. "So let''s say I have a weakness for special cases."


    "Why me?" S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Because..." she leaned in so close their noses almost touched, "I saw a little genius today. Sure, a genius who desperately needs physical training, but..." she winked, "that can be fixed."


    Ren saw a flash of pity in her eyes, though she hid it well behind her playful attitude. And she was right, even a mature beast, ruined at Bronze 1, was infinitely superior to his spore.


    At least in others'' perception, since he knew the truth... However, Ren could certainly use some extra training...


    "So, what do you say?" Lin ruffled his hair, making the mushrooms glow. "Will you let this ruined assistant professor train the weakest student?"


    The mushrooms glowed as Ren considered her offer. The knowledge showed him that Lin''s swift crane could have been extraordinary... and that it wasn''t completely lost yet.


    "I accept," he said finally. "But..."


    "But?" Lin tilted her head, curious.


    "Someday," Ren looked at the feathers on her arm, "I''d like to talk to you about your crane''s cultivation."


    Lin blinked, surprised, before letting out a crystalline laugh.


    "How daring!" she pinched both his cheeks this time. "The little expert wants to fix my cultivation? One thing at a time, darling. First," her smile turned mischievous, "let''s see if you can last more than two minutes in a real fight."


    The teacher stood up.


    "Well, enough rest," Lin pulled a small green pill from her pocket. "Take this, it will help with the pain and speed up your recovery."


    Ren swallowed the pill, feeling a pleasant warmth spread through his body. The pain didn''t disappear completely, but it became more manageable.


    "Now, to class," Lin helped him up. "You have practical Economics after battle class, and you can''t afford to miss it. With your... special condition, you need to excel in all theoretical units if you want to maintain your support."


    Ren nodded, understanding where the advice came from. Lin believed that with his spore, he would need every point he could get.


    "I''ll see you after classes," Lin smiled as she gently pushed him toward the door. "And this time try not to provoke anyone who might break your bones before you heal, okay?"


    The mushrooms in his hair pulsed softly as Ren headed to his next class. The lingering pain reminded him that, despite his victory, he still had a long way to go.


    ????


    Ren arrived limping to the economics classroom. Professor Mei was already in the middle of her explanation.


    "...that''s why understanding crystal economy cycles is crucial," she was saying while drawing graphs on the board. "The value fluctuates according to the season. Rain crystals, for example, are cheaper during the wet season..."


    Taro waved to him from his seat, pointing to an empty space beside him.


    "Smart merchants," Mei continued, "buy when prices are low and store. But they must consider storage costs and degradation risk..."


    "Mr. Patinder," Mei stopped, her voice sharp. "Is punctuality not important for...?"


    "Professor," Luna interrupted from her seat, her voice cold and precise...

 Chapter 26 - Taming Crystals

    "Mr. Patinder," Mei stopped, her voice sharp. "Is punctuality not important for¡­?""Professor," Luna interrupted from her seat, her voice cold and precise... "Professor Yang sent him to the infirmary. There should be a note I left on your desk... please continue the class."


    Mei checked her desk, finding a paper she had ignored.


    "Ah." Her expression didn''t change. "Take your seat, Mr. Patinder. As I was saying, smart merchants buy when prices are low and store. But they must consider storage costs and degradation risk..."


    Ren slipped in beside Taro, ignoring the whispers around him.


    As Ren sat down, he noticed his companion had taken detailed notes from the first part of the class.


    "A well-stored iron crystal," Mei continued, "can increase its value by up to 30% if sold at the right time..."


    Most still saw him as the Rotting Boy... They thought it had been luck, a single quasi victory wouldn''t change their perception.


    He would have to win many times more before anything really changed.


    But Luna had defended him again, even if perhaps indirectly.


    ????


    After economics, came crystal gathering class.


    "Welcome to the Crystallography Laboratory," Professor Song placed several samples on the main table. "Before taking you to the mines, you must learn to identify what you''re looking for."


    He lifted a crystal the size of a fingernail.


    "Iron-rank crystals, like this one, are the most common. Each student with basic support will receive one daily."


    "Notice the opaque glow, the irregular structure. Perfect for Iron-rank beasts, but..." he pulled out another crystal, 10 times larger and brighter, "compared to a Bronze one, the difference is obvious."


    The students leaned forward, fascinated.


    "Bronze-rank ones are rarer and more expensive. Each is worth ten Iron ones. After six months of steady progress, you''ll be able to receive one of these daily... If you pass your exams, of course."


    Luna, in the front row, watched with interest as the professor lifted a crystal the size of a strawberry.


    "Silver crystals are worth a hundred Iron ones. And Gold ones..." he held one the size of a fist, "a thousand... Though I doubt many of you will need them."


    His gaze lingered on Luna, whose shadow wolf had Gold potential.


    While the professor continued explaining each type''s properties, Ren calculated mentally. The crystals he would need for his evolution were Bronze rank... ten times more expensive than what Taro would use.


    The mushrooms in his hair pulsed softly. Somehow, he would have to find a way to get them.


    "Truly motivated students wonder how to obtain higher-rank crystals," the professor smiled at the eager looks. "There are three paths to prove you deserve the next level of support in my semester exams."


    He drew three paths.


    "The first and most direct: evolve your beast to the next rank. Though," his smile became knowing, "most prefer to study more before risking their cultivation so few take this route."


    Several students nodded. A mistake in evolution could ruin their lives.


    "The second path is presenting a thesis detailing your evolution method. You must demonstrate deep understanding and a viable plan." He pointed to the second branch of the projection. "It''s the most popular option."


    Ren noticed how many of his classmates relaxed. It was the safest path.


    "And the third..." the professor made a dramatic pause, "prove you can get the support by yourself."


    Murmurs filled the classroom.


    "If you can obtain crystals and synthesis materials on your own, without buying them with your family''s money of course, they can be from within the school or... acquiring them in practical classes, the Academy will match your collected amount."


    His eyes gleamed.


    "That''s why we''re an expensive school. But that''s also why you can recover much of your investment if you demonstrate capability."


    His expression turned serious.


    "Of course, venturing to get materials has its risks. The Academy isn''t responsible for your safety if you choose this path. That''s why most prefer the thesis."


    "Though, regardless of the path you choose, you must pass the theoretical exams of all your classes to advance. Knowledge is the foundation of all successful cultivation."


    "Now," Song smiled, "who wants to see where we find these treasures?"


    The students straightened with renewed interest.


    "They''re safe areas, of course," he smiled, "specifically designed for students to practice gathering without excessive risks. Though... that doesn''t mean it''s easy."


    The mushrooms in Ren''s hair pulsed. If there were official practice caves, that meant the Academy had a whole network of tunnels under its buildings. Perhaps the ruins he sensed...


    "Don''t forget to bring your book on crystal types," the professor interrupted his thoughts. "You''ll need them to identify valuable deposits." S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As students began to leave, Ren couldn''t help but smile. The practice caves would be perfect cover for exploring deeper, where the real secrets waited.


    ????


    "Welcome to the East Cave," Professor Song led them toward a reinforced entrance. "One of our four practice zones, and conveniently, the closest to the Gray Wing."


    Ren and Taro exchanged a significant look. The proximity wasn''t coincidence, poorer students tended to spend more time in the mines.


    The practice mines were well-lit tunnels, nothing like the natural caves outside. Groups of older students worked on the walls, carefully extracting crystals.


    The tunnel descended in a gentle spiral, with depth markers every 25 meters.


    Song pointed at the walls, "these are safe practice areas. But remember, even here, a mistake can be costly."


    "You must learn to identify veins. We don''t want you confusing a solid deposit with a liquid one and getting poisoned by mana gases."


    "Also, mana density increases exponentially with depth," explained Song, stopping beside a 50-meter mark.


    "The first levels are completely safe, the mana is barely more concentrated than on the surface. But observe this..."


    He pulled out a detector crystal, a simple instrument that glowed in the presence of mana. At this depth, its light was dim but constant.


    "Every 50 meters, the concentration doubles," he continued as they descended. "At 100 meters, where our regular patrols end, the density is 4 times higher than on the surface. And the monsters..."


    As if on cue, a distant roar resonated from the depths.


    Several students tensed.

 Chapter 27 - Taming The Academys Depths

    "Every 50 meters, the concentration doubles," Song continued as they descended. "At 100 meters, where our regular patrols end, the density is 4 times higher than here on the surface. And the monsters..."As if on cue, a distant roar resonated from the depths.


    Several students tensed.


    "Beasts are attracted to crystal deposits," Song smiled at their reaction. "The deeper you go, the stronger the mana density... and the more dangerous the visitors it attracts... And remember these aren''t normal monsters, they''re the abyssals from the hordes the army fights."


    Several students tensed again.


    "But don''t worry," Song smiled, "we maintain rotating guards down to 150 meters to eliminate any displaced monsters. The mana-hungry beasts in this zone are more pathetic than dangerous really."


    "If you want to understand how it''s similar to the outer forests... though concentration increases more rapidly down here. At 100 meters, the density barely equals that of the iron ring outside, relatively safe. Though at 200..." he made a significant pause, "well, let''s say there''s a reason only specialized teams venture that deep."


    They stopped in a small cavern, where crystal veins glowed faintly in the walls.


    Ren examined the veins. Knowledge flowed: these iron crystals were just the beginning. The ones he needed, the bronze ones, formed lower down, where mana was denser.


    Song continued, answering another student''s question about monsters while demonstrating basic extraction techniques.


    "The monsters in the depths are in many ways similar to those outside¡ªwhen they lack mana they become hungry and aggressive. The difference is that here they have nowhere to run. There''s only one way out when hunger drives them mad."


    Another roar, deeper than the previous one, emphasized his words.


    But Ren barely listened. The mushrooms in his hair pulsed ever stronger, as if detecting something in the depths. If the practice caves connected to the ancient ruins...


    "However," Song smiled while storing his pick, "not everyone fears them, some particularly... motivated students sometimes form teams and risk going beyond the safe zone. I don''t recommend it, but if someone is foolish enough to try..." he looked meaningfully at the Gray Wing students, "at least do it in groups."


    Ren observed Taro working on a nearby vein. His digger beetle, even unevolved, had a natural advantage in tunnels. If he could help him reach his true potential...


    He needed those bronze crystals for his own evolution too. But more than that, he needed an ally.


    Song distributed basic mining equipment: small picks, simple detectors, containment bags.


    "Professor," a student raised her hand, "is it true we can keep what we find?"


    "Absolutely," Song nodded. "Any material you obtain by your own means in these mines counts. But remember: only what you extract yourselves, and only in designated areas."


    "Though I doubt many of you will need to search so... deep. Besides, after the first year, these caves barely provide useful materials..."


    His comment was clearly directed at wealthy students, who didn''t need to risk themselves for a few extra crystals.


    "Next week," Song concluded as they returned to the surface, "we''ll begin real excavations. Study your notes on crystallization patterns."


    Ren calculated. The ruins must be beyond 200 meters, where guards didn''t patrol. It would be dangerous, but with the right knowledge...


    He just had to find a way to reach them without being detected.


    ????


    Professor Song led them back to the building and set them free.


    Having finished crystal gathering class, Ren and his companions found themselves in a flow of students heading in different directions.


    "No more classes?" Ren asked, confused.


    "Liu!" Taro called to their roommate, who was coming down from an upper floor. "Where''s everyone going?"


    Liu joined them, his night bat barely visible as a shadow on his shoulder. "Ah, right. You''re new. The day ends early."


    "Early?" Min raised an eyebrow.


    "The academy has a particular system," Liu began guiding them through the hallways. "After basic classes, students are expected to be... proactive."


    He stopped before some enormous doors. The library doors.


    The academy library was impressive, shelves rising several stories, sections clearly marked for each beast type.


    "Classes end early," Liu explained while guiding Ren, Taro and Min through the corridors. "They give students time to familiarize themselves with the library and gathering zones..."


    "...You can study cultivation techniques specific to your beasts," Liu continued as they entered. "Or you can go to the gathering zones to start collecting materials. The decision is yours."


    "Most rich family students will go straight to the library," he pointed toward a group already occupying the best tables. "They have resources to buy materials, so they focus on theory."


    "And us?" Min asked.


    "We," Liu smiled knowingly, "usually divide our time. Some hours in the library, some gathering. We can''t afford to ignore any opportunity."


    Ren observed the shelves dedicated to fungi and spores. They were considerably smaller than other sections. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "The library is organized by ranks," Liu explained. "Basic techniques below, advanced above. Though," he looked at the mushrooms in Ren''s hair, "I suppose in your case..."


    "I''ll only need the basic section, yes," Ren completed the phrase, though the mushrooms in his hair pulsed with deeper knowledge.


    "For today I recommend an hour here," Liu consulted a wall clock. "Then we can eat and finally check the gathering zones. Though the first days are the worst, more competition for easy veins."


    Min was already examining books about water snakes. Taro hesitated between the insect section and the terrestrial beasts one.


    "The academy expects us to be independent," Liu continued while searching for a book for his bat. "Classes are important, but what you do with your free time..." he smiled, "that''s what really determines your success here."

 Chapter 28 - Taming the Training

    "The academy expects us to be independent," Liu continued while searching for a book for his bat. "Classes are important, but what you do with your free time..." he smiled, "that''s what really determines your success here."Ren nodded, understanding. It was a system designed to reward initiative and personal effort.


    Though the real knowledge was already in his head and surely wouldn''t be in any book, at least he could accompany his roommates and learn how others had tried to cultivate creatures like his.


    ????


    After a while of studying, the boys went to eat.


    The iron dining hall occupied much of the first floor.


    It wasn''t an unpleasant place, clean floors, well-maintained wooden tables, wide windows, but compared to the other dining halls visible from there...


    "It''s part of the incentive system," Liu explained when he joined them at the table. "From here you can see the bronze dining hall, and from there you can see the silver one."


    Ren observed his plate: white rice, boiled vegetables, and a small portion of meat. The food was... adequate. The ingredients seemed of good quality, but the preparation was deliberately simple.


    "They could make it taste better," Liu pointed with his chopsticks toward the other dining sections. "But then, what motivation would you have to rise in rank?"


    "At least it''s nutritious," Ren sighed while eating. As a cook''s son, he could notice the lack of spices and the slightly overcooked point.


    "Hey, it''s better than having to make and pay for it ourselves... Though I do miss the taste of salt."


    "Little pupil!"


    The cheerful voice made several heads turn. Professor Lin advanced between tables, attracting looks wherever she passed. It wasn''t common to see teachers in the iron dining hall, especially one so attractive.


    "Oh..." Liu dropped his chopsticks. "This is interesting."


    "What is?" asked Ren as Lin approached.


    "Master Lin never comes here," Liu lowered his voice. "She''s... well, she''s something of a legend in the academy."


    "A legend?" Min leaned in, interested.


    "Her beast got stuck at Bronze 1, a shame, but her combat technique is incredible. They say she can defeat even masters with Silver beasts in controlled duels. That''s why she keeps her position here despite..."


    "Despite what?" asked Taro.


    "Politics in the academy are complicated," Liu observed as Lin approached. "Normally, a master with a beast of such low rank would be..."


    Lin stopped at their table, Liu stopped talking.


    "Oh no," she murmured seeing Ren''s half-empty plate.


    "No, no, no. You need to eat more than that." She sat beside them, ignoring the surprised whispers. "How do you expect to develop muscles with that miserable portion of meat? No, no, no. You need at least triple."


    "Professor..." Ren blushed when she started filling his plate with more food.


    Students at nearby tables watched the scene in amazement. Some had even stopped mid-bite.


    "The food here is..." Ren began.


    "Simple? Bland? Graceless?" Lin smiled. "Of course it is. But," she pinched his cheek while serving him more, "you need the energy for my training."


    Nearby students watched open-mouthed. Professor Lin, sitting with the Gray Wing students? Personally serving food to the mushroom boy?


    "Um..." Taro looked nervously around. "Shouldn''t we go to the mine after this? To get crystals for cultivation..."


    "Oh, he''ll have time for that," Lin smiled while watching Ren eat every bite. "After I''m done with him."


    "Professor," Liu bowed respectfully, "it''s an honor..." he blushed.


    "Master Lin gives the best combat advice in the academy," Liu explained, glancing at the others. "Though normally she only helps older students who''ve proven their worth."


    "Oh, but this little one proved something today," Lin ruffled Ren''s hair, making the mushrooms glow. "You don''t see someone use pure knowledge to defeat a technically superior opponent every day."


    The whispers intensified. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Though first," she pushed another plate toward Ren, "we need to work on your physical endurance. I can''t have a student who faints after one fight."


    The mushrooms in Ren''s hair pulsed nervously as she kept filling his plate. For some reason, her playful smile scared him more than all of Kai''s blows.


    "Professor," Min asked, fascinated by the whole situation, "is it true you once defeated a Silver beast master?"


    "Oh, that old story..." Lin sighed theatrically. "Just luck. And the poor man was distracted by... well, that doesn''t matter. What matters," her smile turned predatory as she looked at Ren, "is that our little expert needs to learn that knowledge without technique is like a knife without an edge."


    "But first," she pushed a third plate toward Ren, "eat. Everything. You''re going to need the energy for what''s coming."


    Lin''s smile promised a training hell, but for some reason, Ren couldn''t help smiling too. For the first time since arriving at the academy, he felt he''d found someone who truly saw his potential.


    ????


    "Is this the training field?" Ren observed the secluded area behind the Gray Wing while holding his enormous belly. It was a simple but functional space, with packed earth ground and some basic equipment.


    "The main fields are more impressive," Lin smiled while stretching. "But here we''ll have privacy. First things first, we need to build a solid foundation."


    "Aren''t we going to practice combat techniques?"


    "With those noodle arms?" Lin shook her head. "Your spore gives you 10% more strength, right? But 10% of almost nothing is still almost nothing."


    She approached a pile of logs. "Most students depend too much on their beasts. A spirit tiger can give 30% more strength, but if the base body is weak..."


    "Like me," Ren lowered his gaze.


    "Like you now," Lin corrected. "But that''s going to change. You''re going to train until that 10% really means something better than another 30%... Vomiting is forbidden."


    The next minutes were a succession of basic exercises: push-ups, squats, running. Nothing spectacular, nothing magical. Just the fundamental work needed to build a stronger body and prevent food from escaping his stomach.


    "Technique will come later," Lin explained while correcting his posture. "First you need the strength to execute it properly."


    By the time they finished, Ren could barely stand. The mushrooms in his hair glowed faintly, as if they too were exhausted.


    "Same place, tomorrow after classes," Lin threw him a towel. "And Ren..."


    "Yes?"


    "This is just the beginning."

 Chapter 29 - Taming Recovery

    Ren barely managed to drag himself back to the Gray Wing. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.Each step to the room was torture, and when he finally reached his bedroom, he only had strength to collapse on his bed.


    ????


    He didn''t know how long he slept until the door noise woke him. The pain in every muscle reminded him of Lin''s brutal training.


    "It was better than expected!" Min''s voice came from the hallway. "Thanks for showing us the best spots, Liu."


    "The deposits near the surface are the easiest to identify," replied Liu as they entered. "The trick is recognizing the crystallization pattern in the rock. With time you''ll learn to distinguish promising veins from depleted ones."


    "Oh, you''re awake," Taro noticed Ren. "How was training?"


    "Can''t move anything without it hurting," Ren tried to sit up and immediately regretted it.


    "Just basic exercises. Though they didn''t feel so basic after the first hour."


    "How did it go in the mines?" he asked, trying to divert attention from his pitiful state.


    "Liu taught us the basics," Min dumped his bag on his desk. "I got ten iron crystals! They''re not very big, but for the first day..."


    "Twelve," Taro smiled, showing his own collection. "Though they''re quite small."


    Liu displayed his findings more calmly: fifteen iron crystals and one bronze. "Experience helps identify the best veins."


    "Though don''t get too excited," Liu began organizing his findings. "Crystals are just the beginning. For a complete cultivation you need processing materials and sealants, for example..."


    He listed components, each more expensive than the last.


    "To process your snake''s crystals," he pointed to Min, "you''ll need maybe marine coral extract and moon algae. For the final sealing, probably mermaid scales."


    He turned to Taro. "And your beetle will require metal powder or mana-rich earth from the depths for processing. For sealing, you might need pulverized magical obsidian crystals."


    He began listing other possible components and their costs. "For processing you''ll need those specific materials according to your beast. And the final sealing..." he shook his head, "that''s usually even more expensive."


    "Actually," Ren sat up with difficulty, "processing can be simpler than you think."


    "Oh really?" Liu arched an eyebrow, his tone between amused and skeptical.


    "Min''s snake is a freshwater one, not a sea one, it will only need night water lily extract, not marine coral or moon algae. And Taro''s crystals..." he looked at his companion, "only need to be processed under the correct moons'' light. It''s just the final sealing that will be more complicated."


    "Only moonlight?" Liu gave a short laugh. "The records are quite clear about processing requirements. Centuries of research..."


    "The records also said the beetle couldn''t pass Bronze," muttered Taro, remembering the morning class.


    Liu shook his head with both amusement and pity. "I understand you want to help, but processing isn''t something you can simplify like that. Each component has its function."


    "My beetle does respond better at night," Taro intervened thoughtfully. "Even the books mention its nocturnal nature..."


    "A beast''s nature is one thing," Liu sighed, "and crystal processing is quite another. But I suppose," he looked at the mushrooms in Ren''s hair, "that after what the guys told me about your demonstration today and being trained by Professor Lin, you''re entitled to some peculiar theories."


    Ren held back a smile. The real challenge wouldn''t be processing, the correct moonlight was free, after all. The real problem would be getting the sealant for the final evolution in a hundred days.


    "As I see things," Liu began storing his crystals, "it will be an interesting semester. Though I suggest focusing on proven methods before experimenting with... alternative theories."


    The mushrooms in Ren''s hair pulsed softly. He didn''t expect them to believe him immediately, especially Liu who had spent a year studying traditional methods.


    But when Taro''s beetle evolved correctly...


    Taro looked at his crystals thoughtfully. After seeing Ren defeat Kai using knowledge no one else seemed to have, maybe alternative methods were worth considering.


    "By the way," Min changed topics while storing his crystals, "what other exercises did Master Lin make you do?"


    Ren groaned, the mere memory making his muscles protest. "I''d rather not talk about that."


    ????


    The next morning...


    Ren stopped in front of the crystal processing classroom.


    Wei taught two classes, and although the professor had been clear about the bet, he wasn''t sure if he meant both classes...


    When he entered the kid''s laughter started immediately.


    "Look who came!" Jin smiled from his seat. "Didn''t the expert have anything better to do?"


    Wei stopped his explanation about processing methods, raising an eyebrow at seeing Ren.


    "Ah, Mr. Patinder," Wei smiled with false cordiality. "I didn''t expect to see you here. Shouldn''t you be busy preparing your... demonstration?" his voice dripped with amusement.


    "I... thought I should attend to make sure anyway."


    "Nonsense," Wei waved a hand dismissively.


    "The bet included both classes, right?" asked Ren, ignoring the giggles.


    "Of course. As I said yesterday, you have much to do helping Mr. Taro with his beast and preparing for your other classes." Wei smiled with false kindness.


    "Don''t worry about attendance, you''ll have it perfect if you win the bet. And if you lose..." his smile turned sharp, "well, attendance will be the least of your problems. So you can go awa¡­" he stopped, correcting himself with exaggerated courtesy, "retire quietly to work on it."


    Ren nodded slowly and left the classroom.


    The laughter increased as he left. He could hear someone comment "Did he really think he could come?" before the door closed.


    The mushrooms in his hair pulsed while he considered his options. Free time before battle class.


    The library wouldn''t be much help, at least not in beast topics, most texts just repeated the same limited information.


    And though Mei''s economics class was fascinating, for now he had all the basic concepts clear so the library was excluded for today.


    ''I could take advantage to collect some crystals,'' he thought while heading toward the practice mines. ''If I start now, before other students finish their classes...''


    "Oh! But look who we have here!"


    Ren froze mid-step. That cheerful voice...

 Chapter 30 - Taming Foundations

    ''I could take advantage to collect some crystals,'' Ren thought while heading toward the practice mines. ''If I start now, before other students finish their classes...''"Oh! But look who we have here!"


    Ren froze mid-step. That cheerful voice...


    "My favorite student!" Lin appeared from nowhere, practically materializing in front of him. "What are you doing wandering the halls at this hour? Shouldn''t you be in class?"


    "Professor Wei gave me permission to..."


    "Free time!" Lin''s eyes sparkled with a joy that made Ren instinctively step back. "What a coincidence! I have this hour free too."


    "Actually, I was going to the mines to..."


    "Exercise?" Lin grabbed his arm. "How dedicated! I was just thinking you needed more work on your core endurance."


    "No, I meant to collect cryst¡­"


    "Excellent idea!" Lin began dragging him in the opposite direction from the mines. "We''ll collect muscles! Though," she pinched his arm, "first we need to find them. Where did you hide them, little one?"


    "Professor, I really need to get some materials..."


    "Oh, you also need to get some endurance. And look! We have all morning to work on it."


    The mushrooms in Ren''s hair pulsed with what seemed like resignation while Lin dragged him toward the training field, humming cheerfully.


    "You know?" Lin smiled while opening the field door. "I think today we''ll focus on leg exercises. Since you seem so eager to go to the mines, I''ll help you prepare for all that walking!"


    Ren sighed. Apparently, the universe had other plans for his free morning. Very painful plans.


    ????


    "Come on, one last set!" Lin smiled while Ren struggled to complete another series of exercises.


    Every muscle protested from the previous day''s training. The push-ups that were already difficult had become almost impossible.


    "Can''t... can''t..." Ren panted, his arms shaking.


    "Oh?" Lin crouched beside him. "Does the little expert give up so easily? After beating a boy with stone scales?"


    "That was... different..."


    "True. That was luck and knowledge," she pinched his cheek. "This is hard work. Which would you prefer backing you up next time?"


    "All of them!"


    Ren tried another push-up, but his arms gave way. The mushrooms in his hair pulsed weakly, as if they too were exhausted.


    Lin watched him struggle a moment longer before sighing theatrically. "Alright, alright. I suppose I''ve been a bit cruel." She pulled another green pill from her pocket. "Here. This will help with recovery."


    "More magic pills?"


    "Nothing magical, just my basic fatigue medicine." She winked. "Can''t have my student dying on his second day, right?"


    As the pill''s effect spread through his body, Lin helped him complete the last exercises. The pain didn''t disappear completely, but at least now he could move without wanting to scream.


    "Just in time," Lin heard the bell. "Time for battle class." S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Can''t I take a break?"


    "After I gave you a pill?" She dragged him toward the main field. "Besides, today is special, core training for everyone."


    ????


    The main field was already full when they arrived.


    Yang watched as students organized themselves in rows.


    "After yesterday''s evaluations," he announced, "it''s clear most need basic strength work. Powerful beasts are useless without a solid foundation."


    The exercises that followed were similar to those Lin had made him do, but Ren was already exhausted before starting.


    "Look at the rotting boy!" someone whispered when Ren stumbled during an exercise. "Already tired?"


    "What did you expect?" another answered between laughs. "With that pathetic spore..."


    "Less talk, more movement!" Lin passed between the rows, correcting postures.


    When she reached Ren, she murmured: "Don''t mind them. They''re only doing the exercise once."


    Ren nodded, understanding. While others started fresh, he had two training sessions under his belt. It wasn''t that he couldn''t do it, he was working triple.


    "Patinder," Yang called when Ren failed another exercise. "Was yesterday''s victory luck after all?"


    More laughter. But Ren noticed something in Yang''s voice, it wasn''t mockery, it was a test.


    "No, professor," he stood up, legs shaking. "I''m just working harder than the rest."


    "Harder?" Jin sneered from his row. "Is that what you call being pathetic?"


    "Continue," Yang ordered, silencing everyone, but Ren caught a slight smile on his face.


    As class progressed, Ren kept pace through pure determination. Lin was right, if he wanted to compete at his best, he needed to work harder than everyone else.


    His spore gave him knowledge, but the body to use it... that he would have to earn.


    The mushrooms in his hair pulsed stronger, as if approving his resolution. The laughter and mockery continued, but now they felt distant, irrelevant.


    It didn''t matter what they said. They only saw the present; he was building his future, one aching muscle at a time.


    ????


    "Wasn''t so bad," Lin smiled as students left the training field. "You just need to build more endurance."


    Ren, still panting, looked at her incredulously.


    "Oh, and about mornings..." Lin began collecting training equipment. "Since a certain professor gave you free time, we''ll continue with the routine. But," she raised a finger at Ren''s horrified expression, "you can dedicate afternoons to collecting crystals."


    "Really?"


    "Of course. We''ll have night training but it''ll be lighter, just to maintain the improvement pace." Her playful smile returned. "And I always have more recovery pills."


    Ren didn''t know whether to feel relieved or worried.


    Though the promise of another pill at day''s end was tempting...


    ????


    Mei''s history class proved surprisingly basic.


    While the professor explained the formation of the first cities and their relationship with low mana concentration zones, Ren found he already knew most of the material.


    His old father had liked to tell him all sorts of things...


    "The first cities were established in areas where mana was low enough to keep powerful beasts away," Mei explained. "That''s why our city is where it is, the mana here isn''t enough to maintain even Iron-rank beasts without cultivation."


    ''And that''s why the ruins under the academy are so interesting,'' thought Ren while his mushrooms pulsed. A place with dense mana under a naturally mana-poor zone...


    ????


    Finally came the crystals gathering class.


    Song handed out their mining equipment: small but sturdy picks, basic mana detectors, and special bags for crystals.


    "Ren!" Min called him as they headed to the caves. "Liu taught us some tricks yesterday. Want us to show you?"

 Chapter 31 - Taming Mining Lessons

    Finally came the crystals gathering class.Song handed out their mining equipment: small but sturdy picks, basic mana detectors, and special bags for crystals.


    "Ren!" Min called him as they headed to the caves. "Liu taught us some tricks yesterday. Want us to show you?"


    "Crystals near the surface usually form specific patterns," explained Taro as they descended. "Liu says you have to look for lines that cross at 60-degree angles."


    "He also taught us to distinguish between mature and premature crystals," added Min, pointing to a vein in the wall. "See how the color is more intense in the center? That means it''s ready for extraction."


    Ren watched, fascinated.


    The knowledge flowing through his mushrooms confirmed what they were saying, but added details: how the crystals'' arrangement indicated their purity, how mana lines converged at specific points...


    "And most importantly," Taro lowered his voice, "he showed us how to avoid unstable zones. Some tunnels look safe but..."


    A distant cracking sound emphasized his words.


    "Liu says accidents are common among overeager novices," Min shuddered. "That''s why it''s better to work in groups, at least at first."


    Ren wasn''t too worried about that. With the right knowledge, even these surface veins could be more productive than they appeared.


    "Shall we start here?" he suggested, pointing to a spot where mana lines subtly intersected. His companions couldn''t see them, but they trusted his judgment after recent events.


    As they began working, Ren couldn''t help but smile. Between Lin''s brutal training and gathering with his companions, maybe this new rhythm of life wouldn''t be so bad.


    Though his muscles immediately protested when lifting the pick, reminding him that the "light" night training was still to come...


    ????


    A while later, the boys gained confidence to disperse and dig in deeper places...


    At fifty meters below the entrance, Ren examined the tunnel wall attentively. Despite it being his first day mining, his movements were surprisingly precise.


    "Another one?" Min watched in disbelief as Ren extracted a good-sized crystal. "That''s the fifth in half an hour."


    "Are you sure you hadn''t mined before?" Taro set down his pick, frustrated. "We were supposed to have the advantage from the extra time yesterday with Liu."


    "It''s just observation," Ren pointed to a pattern in the rock. "See how the lines cross here? Where energy converges like this, there are usually crystals behind."


    "How do you know all that?" Min narrowed his eyes. "I can''t see anything you''re talking about... It''s cheating to have so much knowledge."


    "You know pretty strange things... Like knowing Kai''s scale defects," added Taro, though he smiled saying it.


    Footsteps interrupted them.


    Klein Goldcrest passed nearby, his golden lion manifesting in brilliant fur covering his arms.


    As always, he was heading toward where Luna worked.


    Luna was in the deepest section of the allowed zone, her shadow wolf making the darkest veins glow with a spectral radiance. Unlike most who worked in groups, she mined alone, each movement precise and elegant even in this mundane task.


    "It''s almost unfair," Min murmured as they watched her work. "Her wolf can detect mana concentrations we can''t even see."


    "It''s more than that," Ren observed, the mushrooms in his hair pulsing while analyzing her technique. "Look how she strikes at specific angles. She doesn''t waste a single movement."


    "Luna!" Klein''s voice echoed in the tunnel. The Goldcrest family heir approached.


    "Luna!" his voice resonated in the tunnel again. "I found an exceptional vein over here, if you want we could..."


    "I''m busy," Luna''s sharp response echoed from the darkness.


    "How pathetic," Jin''s voice came from another tunnel above Ren''s. "The Goldcrest heir begging for attention again?"


    Klein turned, furious. "Shut up, I don''t want to talk to someone with a mediocre beast like yours." S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Why don''t you come up here and we''ll discuss it, maned kitten?"


    "Enough," Luna''s cold voice cut the tension. "Some of us are trying to work."


    Both retreated, exchanging murderous glances.


    "As I was saying," Ren continued once they''d gone, "there are patterns in how mana forms. Crystals are usually found where..."


    "Look out!"


    A small avalanche of rocks fell near them. Jin smiled from the upper level.


    "Oops, how clumsy of me," his smile turned cruel. "But the Rotting Boy should know all about things falling to the bottom, right?"


    "Is there a problem?" Min stepped forward, his water snake materializing.


    "Not for now," Jin shrugged. "Just make sure to look up while you work. You never know when there might be another... accident."


    When Jin left, Taro picked up his pick with trembling hands. "Maybe we should find another section."


    "No," Ren studied the wall. "This vein is too good to abandon. Besides," he smiled slightly, "it would be a shame to give that idiot the satisfaction, don''t you think?"


    Min and Taro exchanged glances before smiling too. Jin could threaten all he wanted, but they needed those crystals.


    Besides, the professor wouldn''t let them get into too much trouble...


    "Did I hear cave-ins, is anyone hurt?" Professor Song''s voice cut through the air. Jin smiled innocently and walked away.


    When Jin disappeared through the upper tunnel, Ren went back to examining the vein they were working.


    "There''s something else that worries me," he began while extracting another crystal. "Have you noticed how some tunnels up there had fewer crystals than yesterday?"


    "Now that you mention it," Taro observed the upper walls, "the areas where Liu taught us yesterday are almost empty."


    "Mana takes time to regenerate veins," explained Ren. "That''s why most focus on intensive mining at the start of the year. By the time crystals form again after the holidays, most will move on to focus on other classes soon."


    "How long do we have?" asked Min.


    "A month, maybe two before it becomes significantly harder to find good crystals." Ren stored another crystal in his bag. "That''s why we need to take advantage of every moment now."

 Chapter 32 - Taming Momentum

    "How long do we have?" asked Min."A month, maybe two before it becomes significantly harder to find good crystals." Ren stored another crystal in his bag, feeling the weight of time pressing down on them. "That''s why we need to take advantage of every moment now."


    "Well, I can take my time," Min shrugged, his water snake coiling lazily around his shoulders. "I prefer to study more before trying to evolve my snake."


    "But Taro needs the crystals soon," Ren reminded him, thinking of their upcoming demonstration. "And it''s not just cultivation crystals, we need enough to buy processing and sealing materials. You''ll need them too, and it''ll be good to have crystals saved up."


    "At least it will be cheaper for me with your method," Taro smiled, his digger beetle creating faint patterns on his skin. "Hope you are right too¡­ After all, you have a bet to win."


    Ren nodded, though his thoughts went much further. A hundred bronze crystals... equivalent to a thousand of these small ones if exchanged at school.


    And that was just the beginning.


    The Bronze-rank beast parts he''d need for his own evolution would be even more expensive.


    Not to mention the poisonous fungi of the same rank... The numbers were staggering when he really thought about them.


    "Ren?" Min waved a hand in front of his face, his snake mimicking the motion. "We lost you for a moment."


    "Just thinking," Ren refocused on the vein. "We should organize better. Work in shifts, take advantage of every free hour."


    "Don''t you think you''re being a bit..."


    "It''s not just about the bet," Ren interrupted, his voice carrying the weight of knowledge he couldn''t fully share. "Sealing materials are expensive, and once these veins are depleted, getting enough crystals to buy them will be much harder."


    Taro looked worried, his beetle''s markings darkening with his mood. "How many will we need?"


    "For the final sealing..." Ren made mental calculations, remembering the precise requirements. "Probably equivalent to 10,000 iron rank mine crystals, just for the basic materials."


    Min whistled, his snake curling tighter around his neck. "And that''s just for Taro''s beetle. What about your evolution? Are you thinking of cultivating that expensive fungus they say isn''t worth it?"


    Ren pretended to concentrate on mining to avoid the question. That variation they created with strength runes was terrible, but...


    How could he explain that he needed ten times what Taro needed but for something else?


    Better to keep that worry to himself for now.


    "Let''s focus on one thing at a time," he said finally, watching the mana patterns swirl in the rock. "For now, we need to take advantage while the veins are still rich."


    "We should explore deeper tomorrow," he suggested, pointing to another promising pattern that shimmered just at the edge of visibility. "Where fewer students dare to go."


    "Liu warned us about going too far down," Min looked nervous, his snake''s scales rippling uneasily. "He said tunnels can become unstable and there are... things moving in the darkness."


    "Just a little deeper," Ren insisted, the mushrooms in his hair pulsing with reassurance. "Besides, we''ll be together."


    His companions nodded and returned to work. The rhythmic sound of picks against rock filled the tunnel while each considered the challenge ahead of them.


    To evolve a beast, you needed three things: crystals, processing materials, and sealing materials. And getting them all before the veins were depleted...


    ''One step at a time,'' thought Ren while extracting another crystal, watching the mana flow through the stone. ''First help Taro, then...''


    His gaze drifted toward the deeper tunnels, where mana was denser. There, where few dared to go, perhaps he''d find what he needed for his own evolution. But for now, every small crystal counted. Time was running, and the veins wouldn''t wait for anyone. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ????


    "Sixteen crystals today!" Min proudly dumped his bag on the desk, the crystals catching the light like trapped stars.


    "Eighteen," Taro smiled, showing his collection arranged in neat rows.


    "Three bronze and nineteen iron," Ren added his to the pile, each crystal carefully extracted from the precise spots where mana lines converged. "Not bad for beginners, eh, Liu?"


    Liu observed the crystals with genuine surprise, his night bat fluttering closer to inspect them. "Not bad at all... though I don''t understand how you found so many bronze crystals."


    Later, after night training with Lin, Ren barely managed to drag himself to bed. Every muscle ached with the day''s efforts, but it was a satisfying kind of pain.


    "You know," Liu spoke from his desk, his bat casting shadows in the lamplight, "I admire you. With such a terrible beast, most would have given up by now. But you keep pushing... Even harder than the rest."


    Ren smiled in the darkness.


    If Liu only knew that his spore wasn''t as terrible as everyone thought...


    ????


    The days began to blend into a routine, each one building on the last.


    The mornings Wei left free became torture sessions with Lin, each exercise pushing Ren''s limits further than he thought possible.


    Battle classes with Yang were another kind of pain, but Ren could feel his body gradually strengthening, the 10% boost from his spore becoming more meaningful as his base strength increased.


    Professor Mei alternated between history, economics, and "Life," a surprisingly useful class about everything from paying taxes, making fire, and etiquette, to negotiating with merchants.


    Crystal class became more technical, but the real learning came afterward, in the deep parts of the mines where the mana patterns told stories few could read.


    Liu began joining them after classes, apparently intrigued by their success in finding good deposits. His experience added another layer to their mining expeditions, though he still couldn''t quite believe some of Ren''s "theories."


    Nights ended with more training with Lin, though now Ren could stay standing a bit longer before collapsing, each day bringing small but noticeable improvements.


    Thus passed almost a month.


    The routine was exhausting but productive, his muscles strengthened, his crystal collection grew, and slowly but surely, the respect of his companions grew with it.


    But tomorrow... tomorrow was different.


    As he prepared for sleep, Ren mentally reviewed the necessary steps. Tomorrow they would process Taro''s crystals. The lunar phase would be perfect, and everything they''d worked for during this month would be put to the test.


    He just needed to bring the processed Bronze-rank crystal he''d gotten from the school''s exchange shop and make the most of the time window.


    Tomorrow would truly begin his demonstration that the knowledge he possessed was real.


    "Nervous about tomorrow?" asked Taro from his bed.


    "No," Ren smiled in the darkness, the mushrooms in his hair pulsing softly with certainty. "Everything will go exactly as it should."


    Liu snorted from his corner, but said nothing. Soon he would see that some "crazy theories" held more truth than he believed.

 Chapter 33 - Taming Progress

    "Are you finished already?" Lin watched in surprise as Ren completed the last series of morning exercises without his usual gasping.The training field was empty except for them, as it had been every morning for the past month.


    But something was different today.


    "It seems the pills have helped more than I expected," Lin murmured, studying her student with professional interest. "His recovery is... remarkable."


    It was true. The exercises that once left him on the verge of collapse were now, though still challenging, manageable.


    A month of constant training and recovery pills had transformed his endurance.


    "Well," Lin smiled, an expression Ren had learned to fear. "I suppose it''s time to move to the next level."


    "Next level?"


    "We can finally begin with some real technique," Lin positioned herself in front of him. "Until now we''ve just been building your physical foundation. But now that you can move without looking like a newborn kitten..."


    She moved into a stance Ren didn''t recognize.


    "Technique is more than just strength," she explained. "It''s understanding how to use your body efficiently. Watch."


    Her movement was so fluid that Ren could barely follow it.


    In an instant, she was in front of him; in the next, she had twisted in a way that seemed to defy gravity and appeared behind him.


    "Your spore only gives you 10% more strength," she continued. "But with proper training and technique, you can make that 10% worth much more."


    For the next hour, Lin guided him through basic movements. How to position his feet, how to distribute weight, how to use an opponent''s momentum.


    "Most students depend too much on their beasts," she explained while correcting his posture. "They think a 30% or 50% increase in strength makes them invincible. But technique..."


    She moved again, this time more slowly so Ren could observe.


    "Technique can overcome brute force. It''s what''s kept me as a teacher here, even with my crane stuck in Bronze."


    Ren tried to replicate the movement, stumbling in the process.


    "I don''t expect you to master it today," Lin laughed while helping him up. "But at least now you have the endurance to practice without hurting yourself so easily."


    As they continued practicing, Ren noticed that the movements, though somewhat complex, weren''t as exhausting as he''d expected. A month ago, simply maintaining the stance would have left him drained.


    ''The pills have really worked wonders, though I suppose his determination has helped too. Not everyone gets up every time they fall for a whole month.''


    Ren smiled, grateful for his teacher''s support.


    His knowledge had shown him that the pills used somewhat expensive Bronze-level materials that helped with muscle regeneration and energy.


    As thanks, he would help improve her "mature" beast further, show that "weak" beasts weren''t weak, that the records were mostly wrong... And soon, with Taro''s evolution, he would have the first real proof of that.


    "Enough for today," Lin finally announced.


    "Tomorrow we''ll start working seriously on these techniques. Now that your body can keep up, we''ll see how fast your mind can learn."


    As he headed to his next class, Ren reflected on how much had changed in a month. His muscles no longer protested with every movement, his endurance had improved significantly, and now, finally, he would begin learning real techniques.


    Maybe Lin was right, tomorrow everything would begin in earnest... But it was just the beginning. With the processing of Taro''s crystals that night, soon he would have much more to work with.


    ????


    Battle class proceeded normally, still exercising for everyone, as did Professor Mei''s class, which was history today.


    Finally, in crystal class...


    "As you can see," Professor Song pointed at the tunnel walls, "productive veins are becoming increasingly scarce."


    He wasn''t exaggerating.


    Where a month ago crystals glittered everywhere, now only dull marks remained in the rock. The few deposits that remained active were smaller and more scattered.


    "Therefore," Song continued, "we''ll soon change the focus of the class. There''s no point bringing you here when the veins need time to regenerate."


    Min raised his hand. "How long does complete regeneration take?"


    "That," Song smiled, "is exactly the kind of question we''ll be studying. We''ll move to theory of other crystal types and begin extra preparation for exterior gathering classes coming mid-next month."


    Several students, especially those from wealthier families, looked relieved. For them, mining expeditions had been more of a nuisance than a necessity.


    "However," Song added, "those who wish to continue practical gathering can keep using the mines. You just need to report your findings, we''ll use that data for regeneration time studies like every year."


    After class, while most headed to the library, Ren and his companions remained in the tunnels. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Did you notice there are fewer guards?" Taro whispered while they worked on a minor vein.


    It was true. The guards who previously patrolled every level now concentrated mainly at the entrances and deeper zones.


    "Normal," Liu joined them, arriving from his own class. "With fewer students in the mines, they don''t need as much supervision. Most prefer studying theory to picking at rock for crumbs."


    Ren looked around. The only ones left were students like them, those who needed every crystal they could find, from less wealthy families.


    There was no sign of Klein or his group, and even Jin seemed to have lost interest in harassing them in the tunnels.


    "It''s better this way," Min extracted a small crystal. "More space to work."


    "And less competition for the remaining veins," added Taro.


    "Though we''ll soon have to consider deeper zones," murmured Ren, studying the mana patterns. "The upper levels are almost depleted."


    Liu frowned. "Guards still watch those areas."


    "But with less personnel," Ren pointed out. "And the patrols are more predictable now."


    "Are you suggesting...?" Taro began.

 Chapter 34 - Taming the Perfect Night

    "Though we''ll soon have to consider deeper zones," murmured Ren, studying the mana patterns. "The upper levels are almost depleted."Liu frowned. "Guards still watch those areas."


    "But with less personnel," Ren pointed out. "And the patrols are more predictable now."


    "Are you suggesting...?" Taro began.


    "I''m just saying we should keep our options open," Ren continued working on the vein. "Especially considering what we''re doing tonight."


    The processing of Taro''s crystals.


    The lunar phase would be perfect, and they would need sealing materials afterward...


    "At least now we''ll have more freedom to move," Min observed the almost deserted tunnel. "With everyone concentrated in the library..."


    "Rich students can afford to buy their materials with what their parents send," Liu shook his head. "Those like us have to dig to buy ours. But don''t forget that studying is important to pass the exams to the next rank... look at me, instead of coming to study it seems I came to dig."


    The reduction in guards and students could be an advantage, especially when they needed to explore deeper to obtain extra materials.


    But for now, they had to focus on tonight.


    Ren smiled to himself.


    The veins might be depleting, but there were still things to obtain.


    ????


    "It''s almost time," Ren whispered as he rose from his bed.


    Last training of the day with Lin had been brutal as always, but this night was too important to rest.


    It was the moment he had been waiting for.


    "We''ll accompany you," Taro was already ready, holding his crystal bag.


    "It''s not necessary, you should sleep, I can do it alone..."


    "Don''t even try," Liu also stood up. "You''ve been bragging about your special method for a month. I won''t miss the chance to see if you really know what you''re talking about."


    Min stirred in his bed. "I also..." a yawn interrupted his protest. "I also want..."


    Seconds later, his snores filled the room.


    "That one can''t stay awake past 10, like a small child," Liu murmured as they silently left the dormitory.


    The night air was cool as they headed toward the academy outskirts.


    Ren guided them to a clearing where trees didn''t obstruct the sky view.


    "Here," he decided after studying the area. "The moonlight will reach without interference."


    The sky shone with just over half its moons visible. Ren knew he needed exactly eight, the configuration would change soon, some would hide in minutes while others would emerge on the horizon.


    "Help me with this," he spread a long board on the ground.


    He began methodically examining Taro''s crystals. Each piece was studied carefully before being placed or discarded.


    "This one''s too small," he murmured, replacing one. "This other has an irregular surface... we need the best quality possible." sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Does it really matter that much?" asked Taro while watching Ren reorganize the crystals with others he''d obtained from the mines.


    "It must be big enough to reduce from 150 to 100 days," Ren continued his selection until he had exactly one hundred crystals arranged in ten perfect rows.


    He covered the crystals with a black cloth, protecting them from premature light.


    Then he took out something that made Liu lean forward with interest, a bronze crystal, flat and curved.


    "Is that...?"


    "A neutral crystal lens, cost me 500 crystals despite just being a bronze crystal carved and processed with cheap materials," confirmed Ren while testing it, adjusting until he managed to concentrate the moonlight into a bright point.


    Satisfied with the test, he began studying the sky intently.


    "How long...?" Liu began.


    "As long as necessary," Ren interrupted without taking his eyes from the sky. "The configuration must be exact."


    Minutes passed.


    Liu began showing signs of impatience, but Taro watched his friend''s concentration with fascination.


    Finally, something changed in Ren''s expression.


    "It''s time," he murmured, removing the black cloth. The hundred crystals glowed faintly under the night light as he positioned the lens.


    The next hours would prove if a month of preparation had been worth it.


    ????


    The concentrated moonlight formed a bright, intense point.


    He took the first crystal and exposed it to the light beam. The crystal began to glow with an intensity that made Liu tense.


    "Stop!" Liu stepped forward alarmed. "Do you see the glow? It''s processing too much mana!"


    Ren was already storing the glowing crystal in the black bag and taking the next one.


    "Ren, this is dangerous," Liu continued while Ren repeated the process with more crystals. "Mana poisoning is no joke. Medicine is expensive, and if Taro has to go to the infirmary three days in a row, professors will start asking questions."


    "Maybe even two consecutive days would be suspicious," he insisted. "Do you have any idea how much mana they''re absorbing?"


    "They''re exactly at the right limit," Ren didn''t stop his work, keeping a mental count of exposure time. "And I need to concentrate. This specific lunar configuration will only last thirty minutes before the next moon hides."


    "Is that why you bought the lens?" Taro watched the process, fascinated.


    "If we don''t concentrate the light, we''d have to wait two more months to get the equivalent of thirty-six minutes of exposure per crystal... we wouldn''t have time to start your cultivation and finish before the end of the semester, so..."


    Liu opened his mouth to protest again, but Taro calmed him with a gesture.


    "I have over 600 crystals saved thanks to this month in the mines," he reasoned. "Most I found following Ren''s directions. If something goes wrong, we simply discard the method on the second day and I lose only 100 crystals."


    Ren continued working methodically.


    The first crystals received exactly thirty-six seconds of exposure, but he gradually reduced the time.


    "The resonance is already established in the moon group," he explained without stopping work. "The next ones need less time because they''ve been exposed to these same moons'' light while waiting, though not concentrated."


    His movements were precise, each crystal placed exactly at the lens''s focal point. The last ones barely needed six or seven seconds of exposure.


    "How do you know it''s enough?" asked Liu, watching the crystals glow with an intensity that still seemed dangerous to him.


    "Because..." Ren paused for a moment, considering how much and how to explain. "The absorption patterns are clear when you know what to look for."


    Finally, the last crystal went into the bag.


    Ren began collecting the equipment quickly, aware they''d already spent too much time outside the dormitory.


    "That''s all," he announced, securing the bag. "Let''s return before someone notices our absence."


    As they returned through the academy''s dark grounds, Liu couldn''t stop looking at the bag with evident concern. For him, each crystal there was a time bomb, overcharged with mana and ready to wreak havoc in Taro''s system.


    Taro, for his part, showed more curiosity than concern.


    After seeing Ren defeat Kai and find the best veins in the mines for a month, he was willing to trust his strange knowledge once more.


    The first day of the hundred that would determine the success or failure of Ren''s method had begun. And with it, the first real proof that his knowledge about beasts was more than just crazy theories.

 Chapter 35 - Taming the First Crystal

    Dawn was barely breaking, the first hints of light creeping through the dormitory windows, when Ren carefully extracted a small package from his bag.The early morning silence was broken only by his roommates'' soft breathing and the distant calls of morning birds.


    While his companions slept peacefully, unaware of what was to come, he measured out a precise amount of black powder, deep earth that he had been discreetly collecting at the limit of the permitted zone.


    The powder seemed to absorb even the weak pre-dawn light, appearing more like a void than a substance.


    It was a rare and difficult material to find, earth that had managed to absorb mana without transferring it to nearby crystal deposits.


    At the depths they were allowed to reach, it was truly challenging to locate, but Ren''s knowledge had made the task considerably easier, showing him exactly where to look and how to identify the genuine article among similar-looking but useless samples.


    The deep earth was the perfect sealing agent for Taro''s beetle, though this detail appeared in none of the books his friend had so diligently studied.


    Ren could recall seeing Taro poring over tome after tome in the library, searching for information that had been right in front of him but misinterpreted by generations of scholars.


    Liu had mentioned deep earth as a necessary component for some earth beasts, but he had incorrectly associated it with processing rather than sealing. It seemed to have been pure luck and coincidence that he''d mentioned it at all...


    He could have perhaps used Liu''s argument to make it easier for Taro to accept, but he knew Taro read several books about his beast. Therefore...


    To avoid further discussions and potential interference, Ren had decided to keep this step secret.


    The fewer questions asked about his methods at this stage, the better.


    Under the protection of his sheets, he worked with surgical precision. Each grain of the black powder was measured exactly, his movements careful and deliberate.


    The crystal they had processed with moonlight the previous night reacted immediately upon contact with the black powder, its glow gradually shifting until it acquired an earthy brown tone.


    The transformation was fascinating to watch, the crystal''s inner light seemed to pulse and swirl as it absorbed the powder''s properties, like watching soil dissolve into clear water but in reverse.


    This was the kind of subtle interaction that the books missed entirely, focusing instead on dramatic reactions and flashy transformations.


    When Taro began to stir, showing the first signs of waking, Ren had already completed the crystal''s preparation. The timing was perfect, any longer and the sealing might have been too strong, any shorter and it might not have taken properly.


    "Good morning," he smiled, holding the finished crystal. "Your first crystal is ready."


    "Ah, yes... yes, of course," Taro mumbled, still half-asleep.


    "Here," Ren extended the glowing crystal to a barely-awake Taro, who accepted it with sleep-heavy hands.


    Still drowsy and trusting, Taro took the crystal without examining its brown glow too closely. After all, he had decided to put his faith in his friend. With a yawn, he activated the absorption process.


    For a moment, nothing happened. The room remained still, the early morning light casting long shadows across the floor.


    Then, the mana began to flow.


    Taro''s eyes flew wide open as the first wave of power coursed through him. It was more intense than he had expected, far more potent than the practice crystals he had used before.


    The sensation was like plunging into icy water, shocking, overwhelming, yet somehow invigorating.


    Another wave hit, stronger than the first.


    And another.


    And another.


    Each pulse of power seemed to build on the last, creating a cascading effect that made Taro''s entire body hum with energy. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "This is..." Taro gasped as the power continued to surge. "It''s too much..."


    Liu leaped from his bed the moment he saw Taro''s veins begin to glow with an unmistakable blue radiance, the telltale sign of mana poisoning.


    The blue lines traced patterns under his skin like rivers of light.


    "What have you done?!" Liu lunged toward Ren, panic evident in his voice. "I told you they were overcharged! Look at his veins!"


    The blue lines were spreading rapidly across Taro''s arms, who now struggled for breath. The mana flowed uncontrolled through his system, far too much for his body to process normally. Each pulse made the glow brighter, more intense.


    "We need to get him to the infirmary," Liu was already searching frantically for his shoes. "Mana poisoning medicine is expensive, but if he doesn''t get it soon..."


    "Wait," Ren maintained his composure, though his eyes never left Taro. His calm seemed almost unnatural in the face of such danger.


    "Wait?! He''s having massive poisoning because of you!"


    Min had also awakened to the commotion and watched the scene with growing concern, his water snake coiling anxiously around his arm.


    "Just..." Ren raised a hand, "wait one more moment."


    Taro''s veins now shone with increasing intensity, his breathing had become erratic, and sweat beaded on his forehead. Every sign pointed to a severe case of mana poisoning.


    "Easy," Ren gripped Taro''s shoulders firmly. "Breathe with me. Slowly."


    "The mana..." Taro panted, the blue lines pulsing brilliantly beneath his skin.


    "It''s a lot, I know," Ren''s voice remained calm, controlled. "But your beetle can handle it. You just need to guide it correctly."


    Liu watched from the door, torn between running for help and the strange certainty in Ren''s demeanor.


    "Feel the flow," Ren continued. "Notice how it''s pooling in your chest? You need to move it. Make it circulate to your arms first."


    Taro nodded weakly, focusing on the sensation. Slowly, the blue lines in his arms began to fade as he directed the energy.


    "Good. Now, let some flow toward your back. Your beetle is an earth creature, the mana should feel more natural flowing downward."


    Min held his breath as he watched the blue lines shift and gradually weaken, following Taro''s control.


    "Temporary mana excess isn''t bad if you know how to control it," Ren explained while guiding Taro. "Your beast is designed for this, it just needs you to help distribute it properly."


    Gradually, Taro''s breathing normalized.


    The blue lines almost completely vanished, leaving only a faint glow under his skin that looked more healthy than dangerous.


    "How do you feel?" Ren asked after several minutes.


    "It''s... different," Taro flexed his fingers, surprised. "I feel stronger, more connected to my beetle. Is this normal?"


    "It''s how it should be," Ren smiled, finally releasing his shoulders. "Traditional crystals have less mana to avoid poisoning. But your beetle can handle more to shorten the period by much, as long as you guide it correctly."


    Liu had approached again, his expression split between amazement and skepticism. "How did you know it would work?"


    "Because I know beasts better than the books suggest," Ren replied simply. "And this is only the first day."


    Taro stood up, experimenting with his new sensation of power. Not only had he survived the apparent poisoning, he felt better than ever.


    The first crystal had worked exactly as Ren had planned.


    Ninety-nine more, and the beetle''s evolution would be undeniable.

 Chapter 36 - Taming Taros Day

    As Ren headed to his morning training with Lin, Taro entered Wei''s classroom with some apprehension.During the last month, the professor''s behavior had been... peculiar.


    It wasn''t just that he ignored Ren''s absence, he seemed to revel in it.


    As Taro took his usual seat, he noticed how the professor practically glowed with satisfaction at his friend''s absence.


    Each class had become a parade of indirect jabs and examples where Ren served as the perfect antagonist.


    "As you can see in this diagram," Wei pointed to a cultivation pattern illustration, "this is how mana flows naturally in a well-cultivated beast. With this analyzed information as an argument, we can see how proven methods are superior to the unfounded theories of certain... disruptive elements."


    It was the third reference in the first ten minutes of class. Taro had begun keeping a mental count, the current record was twelve "examples" in a single session.


    "Observe the difference between correct cultivation and one..." Wei projected two images, "contaminated by baseless ideas."


    The constant jokes about fungi, idea-rotters, and infectious theories had become daily bread.


    What bothered Taro most wasn''t just the lack of professionalism, but how Wei used his position to influence class opinion. With countless comparisons to try to make his teachings sound more convincing.


    "Today we''ll do something different," Wei announced, finishing his diagram. "I want you to form pairs to study cultivation methodologies for beasts different from your own. Sometimes, an external perspective can spark inspiration."


    He made a theatrical pause before adding:


    His smile turned malicious. "Though remember to keep your minds open but not so much that they rot. Like those theorists who end up..." he made a dramatic pause, "with mushrooms in their brains."


    The class burst into laughter. Wei had carefully cultivated this atmosphere where mocking Ren was the norm.


    Taro gripped his pencil tightly. For a respected professor, Wei was behaving more like a child with a personal vendetta.


    Taro observed the classroom dejectedly.


    He had never been particularly sociable in this class, preferring to keep to himself.


    Now, as a known friend of the "Rotting Boy," the possibilities of finding a partner were even more limited.


    His gaze briefly met Jin''s group by accident.


    The tiger boy, surrounded by his usual cronies, gave him a look of disgust so exaggerated it would have been comical in other circumstances.


    A soft touch on his shoulder startled Taro.


    "Can I be your partner?"


    Taro turned to find Luna standing beside his desk.


    Her expression was as unreadable as ever, but there was something in her gaze suggesting this wasn''t a random choice.


    "With me?" the question came out higher-pitched than intended.


    Luna, the most promising student in class, wanted to pair with the Rotting Boy''s friend?


    ????


    "Luna, why don''t you work with me?" Klein didn''t bother to hide his intentions as she passed near his seat. "My golden lion would be a much more interesting study subject than a simple beetle."


    Luna didn''t even dignify him with a look while sitting beside Taro.


    Klein''s golden lion manifested in his arms, the marks glowing with irritation, but she kept her attention on the study materials she was beginning to take out.


    "So..." Taro began nervously, still bewildered at having the class''s most promising student as his partner.


    "The digger beetle," Luna was direct, her voice barely a whisper while pretending to review a diagram. "Have you already started with the method Ren mentioned?"


    The tension in Taro''s shoulders loosened a bit.


    Talking to a girl was something difficult for him but... This was a topic he could discuss comfortably.


    "Last night we processed the first crystals," he explained while they pretended to work on the assigned exercise. "Ren used a method with concentrated moonlight..."


    "And did it work?" Luna''s eyes showed a flash of genuine interest.


    "This morning I absorbed the first crystal. It was... intense."


    While supposedly analyzing their beasts'' cultivation components, Luna maintained a steady flow of precise questions: How exactly did they concentrate the light? Which moons did they use? How much exposure time?


    Suddenly, she stopped mid-analysis, her eyes fixed on Taro with an intensity that made him shift uncomfortably.


    "There''s something different about you," she murmured, her shadow wolf subtly manifesting in her eyes.


    "Different?"


    "Your mana," Luna narrowed her eyes, studying him. "The flow patterns... they move differently in your body. My wolf can see it clearly. It''s as if..."


    "Ah," Taro smiled slightly, understanding. "During cultivation this morning. The first crystal was processed differently, as Ren said it should be. At first I thought it was mana poisoning, but..." Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Interesting," Luna cut him off softly.


    Though she asked no more questions, Taro could feel her gaze studying him periodically, as if monitoring the changes in his mana flow.


    ????


    They continued with the assigned exercise.


    Taro, after much analysis, only managed to identify one correct component for shadow wolf cultivation, the specific need for night crystals to maintain its affinity with shadows.


    Luna, for her part, identified two elements for the beetle: the critical importance of moonlight in processing and, surprisingly, the need for deep earth.


    "The second is incorrect," Taro pointed out, clearly remembering Ren''s explanations about purely lunar processing. "The method only requires specific moonlight."


    Luna looked at him with a curious expression, almost confused, but didn''t argue. Her eyes, still influenced by her shadow wolf, narrowed.


    When the exercise ended, she rose with the same silent grace with which she had arrived.


    Without saying another word, she returned to her seat, leaving Taro wondering if what had just happened was real.


    Klein tried to get her attention again when she passed, but Luna ignored him as completely as the first time.

 Chapter 37 - Tamers Team

    In battle class... Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality."Gather round!" Professor Yang''s voice resonated across the training field, echoing off the stone walls with commanding authority. "Today we''ll increase the intensity."


    Ren and Min joined Taro, all of them panting from the initial exercises that were notably more demanding than the day before.


    Though Ren appeared remarkably fresher than them, his month of extra training with Lin showing in his improved stamina and form.


    "Each tamer has different aptitudes in their styles," Yang walked through the student ranks, his stone Behemoth''s markings gleaming in the morning light. "Master Lin and I have decided it''s time to adapt the training according to your natural strengths for the beginning of the second month..."


    "But before you ask," he smiled at seeing the confused faces, his expression knowing, "we will decide which category you fit best in."


    Lin began moving among the students with practiced grace, pointing to different areas of the field. Her crane''s feathers shimmered as she moved.


    "Attackers, with Professor Yang," she indicated, her voice carrying clear across the field. "Speedsters, with me. Defensive types, to the east area. Range mages, to the west."


    The field became a flurry of movement as students began shifting to their assigned areas, some looking pleased with their categorization, others less so.


    While the professors assigned groups, Taro edged closer to Ren.


    "Hey, about Wei''s class..."


    ????


    "Luna asked you about the method?" Ren didn''t even seem surprised, as if he had expected this development.


    "Was it wrong that I told her about...?"


    "No problem," Ren shrugged. "You can talk openly about it. It''s not like it''s a secret. Besides, Luna helped me once and..."


    "Patinder!" Lin called out. "To the attackers'' group!"


    "Strength?" several students laughed, their voices thick with mockery.


    "The Rotting Boy? I''m a speed type and I have more strength augment than him."


    More laughter rippled through the crowd.


    "His strength is better than you think," Lin winked, a knowing smile playing on her lips. "A month of training works wonders."


    Taro was assigned to the defensive group, his beetle''s natural affinity for protection making him an obvious choice, while Min joined the range mages with his water snake.


    The class continued with specific exercises for each group.


    Ren discovered that, indeed, his month of training with Lin had prepared him well for the strength exercises. Each movement felt more natural, more powerful than before.


    By the end of the session, Yang gathered all students again, his Behemoth''s presence commanding attention.


    "As you know, the final exam will include eliminating a real monster," his voice turned serious, resonating with experience. "But that''s only half the test."


    Students exchanged confused looks, whispers spreading through the crowd.


    "A tamer must know more than just hunting beasts," he continued, his eyes scanning the gathered students. "Battles against other tamers from the enemy kingdom are equally important, if not more so."


    Lin stepped forward. "That''s why we''ll begin team practices next month. You have this month to form groups of three."


    "Can we choose anyone?" someone asked from the crowd.


    "As long as they''re maximum separated by 1 cultivation level at the time of exam," Lin confirmed, her eyes scanning the gathering.


    Looks began flying across the field as students mentally catalogued potential teammates.


    Jin was already gathering his followers, their beasts manifesting partially in excitement, while Klein seemed to gravitate toward Luna, who studied the distant mountains with pointed indifference.


    Ren, Taro, and Min exchanged glances. They didn''t need words to know they would team up together, even if it meant facing technically stronger groups.


    Their month of working together in the mines had already forged a natural understanding between them.


    "One warning," Yang''s voice cut through the murmurs. "Choose based on compatibility and strategy, not raw power. I''ve seen teams of ''weak'' beasts defeat supposedly superior groups just by having better coordination."


    His gaze briefly rested on Ren and his friends before continuing.


    "Remember, you have a month to practice together and choose. Use that time wisely."


    As the students dispersed, Ren couldn''t help but smile. An attacker, a defender, and a range mage... maybe they weren''t the strongest team, but they could definitely be a balanced one.


    ????


    "Hygiene isn''t just about appearance," Professor Mei drew diagrams on the board. "The same principles we use to keep our bodies clean apply to food preservation."


    Ren observed with genuine interest. As a cook''s son, he found the connections between body care and preservation techniques fascinating.


    "For example," Mei pointed to an illustration, "just as sweat can create an environment conducive to infections on our skin, incorrect moisture can ruin perfectly good food."


    The class continued with practical examples that Ren meticulously noted down. Many concepts reminded him of techniques he''d seen his parents use, though now he better understood the science behind them.


    When they reached crystal class, Professor Song made an announcement that caught everyone''s attention.


    "Today we''ll begin with gathering theory," he explained. "Though those who prefer to continue with practice can head to the mines."


    "What do you prefer to do?" Ren asked his friends.


    Min and Taro exchanged doubtful looks.


    "Gathering theory sounds important," Min began.


    "But we also need more crystals," added Taro.


    "You can stay for today," Ren suggested. "I''ll go to the mines."


    "Alone?" Taro seemed worried for a moment, but then remembered something. "Though now that I think about it, in a month you haven''t had a single accident down there."


    "It''s true," Min nodded. "You haven''t even stepped on a trap by accident, and some are well hidden."


    "Knowledge has its advantages," Ren smiled. "I''ll be fine."


    From a few rows back, Jin observed the conversation with malicious interest. He leaned toward his group, whispering something that made them smile.


    "Are you sure you''ll be fine?" Taro insisted.


    "Perfectly," Ren was already packing his things. "You learn the theory. We can compare notes later."


    As Ren left, Jin and his two cronies also stood up.


    "Professor," Jin smiled innocently. "We also prefer practice today."


    Song watched them with some suspicion but nodded. "Just remember to report your findings."


    Min and Taro watched Ren leave, followed at a distance by Jin and his group. They exchanged a worried look, but reminded themselves that so far, Ren had proven to know the mines better than anyone.


    "He''ll be fine," Taro murmured, though it wasn''t clear if he was trying to convince Min or himself. "After all, he''s the expert, right?"


    Jin''s group''s suppressed laughter didn''t help calm their worries.

 Chapter 38 - Taming the Trap

    The Academy''s corridors were left behind him as Ren ran toward the mines.A month of Lin''s brutal training had transformed his once scrawny frame, his pursuers could barely keep pace now, their heavy breathing betraying their exhaustion.


    "He''s getting away!" Jin''s breathless voice resonated in the distance. "Don''t let that rotting boy reach the mines first!"


    Ren smiled as he descended swiftly down the path toward the caves, each step sure despite the growing darkness.


    The mushrooms in his hair glowed softly, not just providing light but revealing intricate mana patterns in the walls that only he could see, a roadmap of power written in light and shadow.


    Though these fools pursued him and wanted to ruin his day, he couldn''t afford to miss even a single day of gathering.


    The sixty-some Bronze-rank crystals he''d accumulated over the month, while impressive for a beginner, fell far short of his needs. The thirty days of relentless mining had yielded decent results, but nowhere near enough.


    After spending 500 iron crystals on the lens to process Taro''s crystals, only 200 remained in his reserves. He urgently needed to replenish his stocks.


    The exchange rates weren''t helping either, trading his remaining iron crystals for Bronze ones would also be wasteful with the school''s exchange tax raising the cost from 10 to 13, yielding a mere 15 Bronze crystals from his 200.


    Not worth it¡­ Especially considering the other costly materials his evolution would require.


    And that wasn''t all, the deep earth needed for Taro''s sealing and the large crystals grew increasingly scarce in the permitted levels.


    The past month had stripped the easily accessible areas bare, leaving only remnants where rich veins once flowed. Second and third-year students had already claimed the prime safe locations, forcing newcomers to work harder for lesser rewards.


    ????


    The sound of clumsy footsteps and labored breathing faded as Ren delved deeper into the tunnels.


    ''Perfect,'' he thought while navigating the dark tunnels with precision, the mushrooms in his hair barely glowing now, adapting instinctively to his need for stealth.


    ''They''ll follow exactly where I need them to go.''


    He paused at an intersection, studying mana patterns invisible to normal eyes. The official mining zone''s deepest point at 100 meters loomed ahead, but the real treasures lay beyond.


    Untouched veins of Bronze crystals gleamed faintly in the depths, visible only to his specialized sight.


    Distant footsteps echoed through the tunnel, Jin and his group weren''t exactly masters of stealth, their heavy steps and whispered curses giving away their position.


    "Over here!" one of Jin''s followers shouted, voice bouncing off the stone walls. "I saw his stupid mushrooms glowing!"


    Ren continued deeper into the tunnel, each step precise and soundless. The mushrooms in his hair dimmed further, becoming barely visible specks of light.


    His knowledge showed him exactly where to step, which patches of ground to avoid, which walls could bear weight and which might crumble at a touch.


    ''They''re still following,'' he confirmed, briefly increasing his light to draw them on, listening to their unsubtle pursuit echoing through the tunnels.


    Ren stopped near the 100-meter mark.


    The mushrooms in his hair pulsed more slowly now, struggling to process the dense mana saturating the air.


    A guard hummed distractedly beside the access to the next level, clearly bored with his assignment.


    ''Guards never let Iron-rank beast students pass below 100 meters without authorization,'' he reflected, hearing his pursuers'' echoes growing closer. ''But if I can get Jin''s shouts to distract him, I could make it down to 150...''


    Knowledge flowed through his mind as he calculated risks.


    Incorrect Maturation: 31/1000.


    At this depth, his spore accumulated 1 point of incorrect maturation per day, in 30 days of ventures here, he''d accumulated 31, and deeper levels would add 2 points instead of 1.


    Just 4 hours of work today would bring him to 33. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But with only 33 points accumulated out of 1000, he still had room to maneuver.


    ''Should hold out about 4 hours before mana poisoning becomes an issue at 150 meters,'' he continued analyzing. ''Lesser worms are easy to avoid if you know their patterns. Time will be the real limitation.''


    Jin''s group''s footsteps grew louder, their confidence building as they thought they had him cornered.


    "Don''t let him escape!" Jin''s voice thundered through the tunnels. "This time the Rotting Boy has nowhere to hide!"


    A smile played across his face as he positioned himself near a specific intersection.


    They were exactly where he needed them.


    "There''s light ahead!" Kai called out, his scales glinting in the dim light. "I saw those stupid mushrooms glow!"


    Jin and his group were about to learn that following the "Rotting Boy" into the depths might not have been their wisest decision.


    "I can barely see anything down here," Cass complained, her eagle eyes straining to adapt to the darkness.


    "Shut up," Jin hissed, his tiger patterns casting faint shadows. "I think I see him ahead."


    Ren moved with precision across the uneven terrain, each step calculated to lead them toward the natural trap he''d discovered days ago. The lesser worms'' abandoned nests created perfect cavities, invisible to inexperienced eyes but clearly marked in the mana patterns only he could see.


    ''Just need them to fall in there,'' he thought as he approached the exact point. ''Their shouts will distract the guard long enough. There are rich Bronze crystal veins at 150 meters, and more importantly, uncontaminated deep earth.''


    "Over here!" Jin''s voice echoed through the tunnel. "I saw him turn this corner!"


    The group of bullies turned sharply, their footsteps resonating against the stone. The mushrooms in Ren''s hair barely emitted a faint glow as he hid in a wall crevice, watching.


    "Where is he?" Jin growled, his tiger markings glowing in the darkness. "He couldn''t just disappear like that!"


    "Maybe we should..." Cass began, but her voice cut off abruptly.


    "There he is!" Jin''s voice thundered through the tunnel. "We''ve got you, you''ll learn to respect real beasts, Rotting Boy! You can''t go anywhere now!"


    "Oh, there are many places to go," Ren stepped back, carefully calculating his position. "You just have to know where to step."


    Ren feigned surprise at seeing his pursuers running toward him.


    "Don''t let him escape!" Jin ran at the front, his tiger markings glowing with anticipation.


    ''Just a little more...''


    The ground beneath their feet gave way with an ominous crack. For a moment, time seemed to freeze as the reality of their situation registered on their faces.

 Chapter 39 - Taming the Depths

    Ren feigned surprise at seeing his pursuers running toward him."Don''t let him escape!" Jin ran at the front. His beast''s manifestation glowed brighter in the dense mana, betraying his excitement at cornering his prey.


    ''Just a little more...''


    The ground beneath their feet gave way with an ominous crack.


    For a moment, time seemed to freeze, Jin''s confident grin transformed into wide-eyed realization, his followers'' faces reflecting dawning horror as the floor crumbled beneath them.


    "AHHH!" Panicked screams echoed through the tunnels as the group plummeted into the hidden cavity.


    The cacophony of falling rocks and bodies hitting packed earth created a symphony of chaos that would surely draw attention.


    "Help!" Jin''s voice had lost all trace of its former arrogance, replaced by raw fear. "Someone!"


    The panic-stricken cries quickly attracted the guard.


    Ren had already melted into the shadows of a small side tunnel, his movements silent and precise.


    "What''s happening over there?" The guard''s voice approached rapidly, boots crunching on loose stone. "Keep calm!"


    ''Perfect,'' Ren thought, moving silently toward the adjacent wall near the entrance to the depths, a passage he''d been preparing for days.


    The crack, disguised as a simple extraction tunnel, was actually his escape route, carefully weakened over multiple visits.


    "We''re trapped!" Kai shouted, his voice cracking with genuine fear. "The floor collapsed!"


    "Stay calm!" The guard was already assessing the situation. "Don''t move, I''ll get you out of there."


    Ren pressed against the weakened section of the wall.


    The abandoned lesser worm tunnel needed just one more push. With a crackle barely audible under the bullies'' shouts, the rock gave way.


    ''Just enough,'' he observed while sliding through the narrow passage. His thin body barely fit through the opening, a benefit of still being a relatively slim child.


    "Watch the edge!" The guard''s voice faded as Ren descended on the other side. "I''m throwing down a rope!"


    The shouts and chaos continued above, providing perfect cover. Ren moved quickly but precisely along the now clear path.


    ''Now I''ll have a few hours of peace to search for what I need below.''


    The mushrooms in his hair pulsed more slowly with each meter he descended, the dense mana making their work more difficult.


    ''Time is running,'' he reminded himself as he ventured deeper.


    "My ankle!" Jin''s distant voice resonated with feigned pain. "I think it''s broken!"


    "Calm down, boy!" The guard''s voice grew more distant. "These upper tunnels were abandoned, they all once belonged to displaced hungry beasts that have already died, so don''t panic... Take the rope!"


    Ren smiled as he descended. Jin would probably stretch the drama as long as possible, which gave him more time. The real race against the clock was with mana poisoning.


    Bronze crystal veins gleamed temptingly in the walls, but it was better to start from the deepest ones, he could already sense the rich deposits of crystals and deep earth waiting.


    Four hours before the poisoning became dangerous.


    It was time to make every minute count.


    ????


    The mushrooms in Ren''s hair pulsed as he studied the patterns on the tunnel walls. The marks left by lesser worms formed an intricate map for those who knew how to read it.


    ''This isn''t normal,'' he thought as his fingers traced the lines of mana residue that glowed faintly. ''Too many recent marks, too many overlapping patterns.''


    The abandoned tunnels intersected more frequently than his knowledge told him was normal.


    Where he would typically find two or three intersections, now he saw five or six. The lesser worms were expanding their territory, digging new routes with unusual frequency.


    ''Why are they so active?'' Ren stopped to examine a particularly fresh mark. The mushrooms in his hair revealed the still-vibrant mana trail. ''This is less than a day old.''


    Knowledge flowed through his mind as he analyzed the patterns. Lesser worms only proliferated like this when significant changes occurred in mana currents.


    Something was altering the natural flows below.


    A side tunnel caught his attention.


    It was narrow, barely wide enough for a small person to pass through crouched, and the darkness seemed denser there. The mushrooms in his hair pulsed stronger, detecting something.


    ''Perfect,'' he smiled upon examining the wall.


    A bronze crystal vein, richer than normal, intertwined with veins of uncontaminated dark earth. It was an oddly convenient combination, almost unnatural.


    Ren extracted his tools with extreme care. Each strike would need to be precise, controlled. The slightest echo could attract unwanted attention.


    The mushrooms pulsed in warning, a lesser worm had passed through a nearby tunnel recently. Its senses would still be alert to any vibration. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ''Patience,'' he reminded himself while positioning his pick. ''One strong blow in the wrong place and I''ll have company very soon.''


    The first impact was barely louder than a whisper against the rock. Ren worked methodically, each movement calculated to minimize noise.


    The vein was surprisingly generous, bronze crystals practically jumping into his hands once he found the correct pressure points.


    Two hours of methodical work had filled Ren''s bag with a satisfactory amount of crystals and deep earth.


    ''If Taro knew I was using worm excrement to seal his crystals...'' An amused smile crossed his face as he stored another portion of the dark substance.


    ''Better he keeps thinking we only use moonlight and not "special earth from the depths".''


    The mushrooms pulsed more slowly, the dense mana making it increasingly difficult to process the environment. But knowledge kept flowing, showing him exactly where to strike, what angles to use, how to extract and store the dark earth without contaminating it.


    ''It''s almost too perfect,'' he thought while storing another crystal.


    The richness of the deposit, the presence of pure dark earth, the unusual proliferation of tunnels... Everything suggested something had changed in the depths.


    A distant sound made him pause. A worm''s dragging? Or just the natural echo of the caves?


    Another echo, closer this time.


    The sound of something dragging made his hands stop. The mushrooms in his hair pulsed more slowly, adapting to better detect nearby movements.


    ''This vein is too rich to be so untouched,'' he reflected while remaining motionless. Knowledge flowed, showing him clues others would overlook.


    ''The marks on the walls, the crystallized mana patterns... This was not a lesser worm''s but a common worm''s last gift when they expelled it from its territory.''


    The dragging drew closer.


    Ren held his breath, his body completely still.


    A lesser worm emerged from a side tunnel, its pale body glowing faintly with absorbed mana.

 Chapter 40 - Taming the Escape Plan

    Ren held his breath, his body completely still, pressed against the cool stone wall. Each heartbeat seemed unnaturally loud in the oppressive silence of the deep tunnels.A lesser worm emerged from a side tunnel, its pale body glowing faintly with absorbed mana. The creature''s rugged skin revealed intricate patterns of mana circulation, a beautiful display of natural energy processing.


    ''Must have been about two months ago,'' his mental analysis continued while observing the worm. ''The common worm probably died or returned to the depths. But its last defecation left this zone separated.''


    The knowledge flowing through his mind painted a clear picture of the tunnel''s recent history.


    The lesser worm advanced near the deposit, its movements fluid and purposeful. Its olfactory sensors quivered, drawn by the rich mana concentration in the vein.


    Ren watched, fascinated, as the blind creature approached the area where he had been working. Each movement revealed more about its nature, its hunting patterns, its sensory capabilities.


    ''Mana attracts them,'' he thought while the worm tentatively tested the earth near the deposit. ''But the residue...'' His knowledge showed him exactly what would happen next, like reading a script written in mana patterns.


    Just as expected, the worm recoiled almost immediately.


    Its sensors writhed in what appeared to be disgust before the creature rapidly retreated through another tunnel, its body contracting in visible revulsion.


    ''Common worm excrement must taste terrible to them,'' Ren''s smile widened. ''It''s like a natural repellent. The mana in the vein attracts them, but one taste of these residues...''


    The elegant simplicity of nature''s defense mechanisms never ceased to amaze him.


    Ren waited several moments more before resuming his work, each second measured carefully against the growing pressure of mana poisoning in his system.


    ''That''s why this vein has retained so much mana,'' his mind connected the pieces while extracting another crystal.


    ''Lesser worms detect it because of its mana richness, but the common worm''s residues keep them away.''


    Each new discovery reinforced his understanding of the mines'' ecosystem.


    His fingers traced the crystallization lines on the wall. The mana had concentrated uniquely here, preserved by the peculiar nature of the deposit. The patterns told a story of power trapped and refined over recent months.


    ''Nobody else would come looking in such a cramped hole, and lesser worms won''t eat what''s basically a pile of worm feces unless by accident,'' he thought while packing another portion.


    The irony of finding treasure again in what others would avoid brought a slight smile to his face.


    The mushrooms pulsed again, detecting another movement in the distance, but farther away this time.


    Ren continued his work, each movement precise and silent.


    He had found a unique treasure here, and he wasn''t going to waste it. The density of the mana, the quality of the crystals, the perfect preservation of the deep earth, it was a miraculous combination of circumstances at this ''low'' depth.


    ''Just hope Taro never asks why his special crystal has that particular color,'' he smiled while sealing his bag.


    The knowledge had shown him many secrets of the depths, and this was one of the most useful, however unpleasant it might seem.


    ????


    Ren leaned against the tunnel wall, his legs trembling slightly from the effort of the last hours.


    The bag at his waist weighed pleasantly, the result of a productive but risky expedition.


    The bronze crystals clinked softly against the iron ones, while the black earth remained stored in its own bag... 2 bags.


    ''Almost 40 bronze crystals,'' he counted mentally while the mushrooms in his hair pulsed ever more slowly. ''Plus the 50-some iron ones that surrounded them in the vein. And enough black earth for several complete sealings. Could get more, but...''


    A slight dizziness made him lean against the wall again.


    The dense mana was beginning to affect his system after more than three hours of exposure. The mushroom''s processing capacity severely reduced.


    ''Time to start heading out,'' he straightened with effort. ''40 minutes before the mana poisoning becomes serious.''


    Ren took out his canteen and took a long drink. The water helped mitigate the effects, but it was only a temporary solution. He needed to get out soon.


    Following the mana residue patterns on the walls, Ren moved methodically toward the upper zone, each scratch, each crystallized mana residue telling a story.


    His eyes scanned each intersection, looking for something specific. After several minutes of searching, he found what he needed.


    ''There.''


    A relatively gentle slope rose in one of the side tunnels. The marks on the walls showed the characteristic traces of a lesser worm that had abandoned the area long ago.


    The tunnel seemed to end abruptly several meters up.


    ''Perfect.'' A smile formed on his face while examining the formation. ''Time to build my exit.''


    Ren took out some tools and began working in the abandoned tunnel. Each movement was precise despite the growing dizziness. There was no time for errors, only thirty minutes to execute his exit plan and his alibi depended on doing this correctly.


    ''The guards are meticulous with exit records,'' he thought while beginning to work in the abandoned tunnel.


    ''They''ll need a convincing explanation for this amount of crystals. Something that doesn''t raise suspicions about forbidden levels.''


    Especially if he wanted to collect his doubled month-end reward.


    ''Twenty-five minutes,'' he estimated while feeling another wave of dizziness. ''Need to finish this and start ascending in the next ten, or I won''t reach the surface in presentable condition.''


    Sweat ran down his forehead as he continued his work. Each passing minute made his movements more difficult, more imprecise.


    First he used the residual energy in the lens he had bought and overcharged a crystal, then sealed it with deep earth. The crystal began to glow in a brown tone.


    Ren carefully deposited five bronze crystals on the ground, forming a specific pattern. His fingers trembled slightly while placing each one, not just from mana poisoning, but from the pain of wasting valuable resources. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ''Hurts to use bronze crystals like this,'' he thought while taking out three more from his bag. ''But I need the worm to detect them from afar. Iron ones wouldn''t be enough attraction at this 115 meters low depth.''


    The fresh marks on the walls confirmed what was necessary to execute his plan. A lesser worm had passed through here recently, its sensors probably still alert to any signal in its territory.


    The mushrooms in Ren''s hair, though weak, could still detect the fresh mana trail.


    ''This one must be near leveling up,'' he analyzed while studying the residue patterns. ''The marks are deep, regular. It''s been accumulating mana consistently.''


    With methodical precision, Ren began to strike the tunnel wall.

 Chapter 41 - Taming the Shitty Bait

    ''This one must be close to ranking up,'' he analyzed while studying the residue patterns. ''The marks are deep, regular. It''s been consistently accumulating mana.''With methodical precision, Ren began to strike the tunnel wall.


    These weren''t random blows, they followed a specific rhythm, a vibration that mimicked the lesser worms'' mating call.


    Each tap resonated through the ancient stone, carrying subtle harmonics that only the creatures could fully appreciate. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Tap-tap... tap... tap-tap-tap


    ''It''s not really mating,'' knowledge flowed through his mind while maintaining the rhythm. ''It''s more like an invitation to joint evolution.''


    The complex social behaviors of these supposedly simple creatures never ceased to amaze him.


    Tap-tap... tap... tap-tap-tap


    Lesser worms, upon reaching certain levels of maturity and mana accumulation, initiated this ritual. It was their way of seeking a compatible partner to merge with and evolve into a larger, more powerful common worm. Each tap echoed the ancient dance of transformation that had shaped these tunnels for centuries.


    Ren placed more crystals, forming a path leading toward the ascending tunnel he had prepared. Each crystal was strategically positioned, calculating the optimal distance for the worm to detect them sequentially.


    The placement had to be perfect, too close together and they''d overwhelm the creature''s senses, too far apart and it might lose interest.


    ''The concentrated mana in bronze crystals,'' he continued his analysis while working, his movements precise despite growing fatigue, ''mimics the signal of a mature worm offering part of its accumulation as an incentive for fusion.''


    Tap-tap... tap... tap-tap-tap


    A distant echo responded to his strikes.


    The mushrooms in his hair pulsed weakly, detecting movement approaching. Something had heard his call and found it intriguing enough to investigate.


    ''Perfect. Now I just need to maintain the rhythm.''


    Ren continued his rhythmic calling, each series of strikes precisely spaced. The knowledge showed him exactly how to modulate the vibrations to maintain the worm''s interest without alerting it that something was wrong.


    Each tap had to be perfect, too strong would suggest aggression, too weak would indicate weakness.


    The crystals glowed faintly in the darkness, their concentrated mana acting like beacons for the approaching creature.


    The path he had created led directly to the ascending tunnel, where more crystals waited. It was a trail of irresistible temptation for a creature driven by mana hunger.


    ''An almost mature lesser worm can''t resist a signal like this,'' he thought while listening to the increasingly closer movements. ''The promise of enough concentrated mana to evolve... it''s like showing a feast to a starving man.''


    The sound of something dragging grew louder.


    Ren maintained the rhythm, though each strike became more difficult with his arms numbed by poisoning. The dense mana of the deep tunnels was taking its toll, but he couldn''t stop now.


    Tap-tap... tap... tap-tap-tap


    ''Come on,'' he mentally urged while feeling the worm approaching. ''I just need you to follow the path upward. You get some bronze crystals, I get my escape route.'' The bargain seemed fair enough, even if his partner in this dance was unaware of the final exchange.


    The mushrooms in his hair could barely process the ambient mana now, but it didn''t matter.


    The plan was in motion, and the worm was approaching exactly as he had foreseen. Each movement brought it closer to springing his carefully laid trap.


    ????


    Ren slid silently toward a tunnel bend when he had made enough attraction taps, his hand holding the specially prepared brown crystal.


    The lens light had altered its structure, and the addition of common worm excrement had transformed it into a Bronze-level earth crystal.


    ''Now comes the delicate part,'' he thought while listening to the approaching worm.


    The lesser worm emerged from below, its sensors vibrating with excitement at the mana concentration. Without hesitation, the creature lunged at the first pile of 5 crystals, absorbing them with frenzied movements.


    ''Hungry, eh?'' Ren observed as the worm followed the path of crystals he had laid out. ''Perfect.''


    With silent steps, he began following the creature, maintaining a safe distance. The worm continued its ascent through the tunnel, each crystal drawing it higher, away from the high mana concentration zone.


    ''A little more,'' Ren controlled his breathing as they climbed. The dizziness from poisoning made maintaining balance a challenge. ''Just a little higher up.''


    The worm reached the last crystal at the tunnel''s dead end. Its sensors writhed in confusion at detecting no more mana signals nor traces of the supposed evolution partner.


    ''Before you decide to return...''


    Ren struck the wall in a specific pattern, but this time different. Not the mating rhythm, but something more aggressive, more threatening.


    The sound a worm would make defending its territory.


    The reaction was immediate and grotesque.


    The lesser worm''s body contorted in an unnatural peristaltic movement, its posterior end transforming into a new head while the original retracted.


    ''Now!''


    Without losing a second, Ren threw the processed crystal directly toward the worm''s new mouth. In the same movement, he dropped and slid down the tunnel slope, his hands striking the walls in a rhythm that mimicked a superior worm''s threat.


    The lesser worm froze for a moment, caught between the confusion of contradictory signals and the sudden alteration in its system from the special crystal.


    Its body contorted again, trying to move away from the supposed threat.


    As it advanced, it began digging the tunnel upward, exactly what Ren needed.


    When it was about to realize that the mana was too low here and turn around, it noticed the problem in its internal mana flow, but it was too late.


    ''Three... two... one...''


    The mana imbalance in the worm''s body reached its critical point. The creature writhed violently, its body glowing with unstable light.


    It was time, dizziness crept in, but he gritted his teeth and pushed through¡­


    Ren clapped three times as fast as he could with all his strength, his hands firm but not so much, forming a perfect hollow curve to amplify the sound.


    With a sharp shriek that resonated through the tunnels, the worm shot upward, its body frantically digging through the rock.


    BOOM!


    The small explosion shook the tunnel, sending a rain of rock fragments and crystals. Ren protected himself, a satisfied smile on his face while the dust settled.


    ''And that''s how you create an escape route,'' he thought while climbing up through the new tunnel connecting to the upper levels. ''Though it pains me to have spent so many bronze crystals... at least now I have a perfect explanation for my "discovery".''


    The dizziness intensified, he needed to get out soon. But his plan had worked perfectly.


    Now all that remained was to climb up and tell his story of how he had "accidentally" found all these materials after a crazed worm dug a new tunnel and exploded near him, burying him in a hole.

 Chapter 42 - Taming the Aftermath

    Ren climbed hurriedly through the newly formed tunnel, his legs trembling from effort and mana poisoning.The mushrooms in his hair barely emitted a faint glow, but he could still distinguish the disaster scene before him.


    ''What a mess,'' he thought while examining the scattered remains of the lesser worm. Fragments of grayish flesh and greenish fluids covered the tunnel walls. The characteristic smell of mana in Iron-rank beast flesh permeated the air.


    It was a shame that despite the relatively high mana concentration, the worms were so inefficient and only Iron rank at that depth.


    Other Bronze-rank beasts could live there without problem... Of course, Ren doubted if he could eliminate those so easily.


    But not everything was bad.


    His eyes lit up upon detecting some of the bronze crystals he had used as bait, miraculously intact among the remains. He hurried to collect them, each movement calculated despite his growing dizziness.


    ''At least I recovered some,'' he thought while storing them. ''Though I would have preferred it if it were a Bronze beast, I need many parts for cultivation...''


    His fingers stopped on something more solid among the organic remains.


    Teeth.


    Lesser worm teeth, though from an Iron beast, had their uses.


    Ren carefully collected them, his mind already calculating their possible applications.


    ''They''re not Bronze beast fangs, but they''re almost as strong due to digging specialization, they''ll serve for...''


    A particular glow caught his attention.


    Among the mass of remains, something pulsed weakly with a silvery light. Ren held his breath while carefully pushing aside the shredded tissues.


    ''The core.''


    It wasn''t really a complete core.


    Unlike the complete core of the Bronze mantis for example, the lesser worm''s was more primitive, barely transforming so it couldn''t process well, it was more like a storage, closer to a simple mana crystal.


    But the silver color didn''t lie, it contained approximately a hundred units of concentrated mana.


    ''A low-quality Silver crystal,'' he evaluated while carefully picking it up. ''Imperfect, unstable... but with proper processing could be useful...''


    The sound of approaching boots interrupted his thoughts. The guards, attracted by the explosion, wouldn''t take long to arrive.


    Ren quickly stored the core along with the other recovered materials. It was time to put the last part of his plan into practice.


    ''Show time,'' he thought while composing his expression of surprise and confusion. His mushrooms, weakened by poisoning, provided the perfect image of an exhausted student who had just lived an unexpected experience.


    The guards'' sound drew closer. Ren mentally reviewed his story one last time, the discovery of an unusually rich vein that attracted the crazed worm, the unexpected explosion... Everything fit perfectly.


    His legs trembled; he didn''t have to fake the exhaustion. Mana poisoning was reaching concerning levels.


    But it had been worth it.


    Between legitimately collected crystals, those recovered from the remains, and the unexpected Silver core, the expedition had been more than successful.


    ''Though,'' he reflected while hearing the guards'' voices getting closer, ''explaining the presence of a Silver core will be... interesting.''


    ????


    "I just can''t believe it!" Taro shook his head while examining one of the bronze crystals. "All this was inside the worm?"


    Ren reclined on his bed. The mana poisoning still made his head spin, but his friends'' expressions of amazement were worth the discomfort.


    "Thirty-eight bronze crystals," Min meticulously counted, organizing the materials on the table. "Fifty-nine iron... and these bags of deep sand weigh at least a kilo each."


    Liu whistled, impressed. "Fortune smiles on you, fungus. Though being near when the worm exploded... Don''t know whether to call it good or bad luck."


    "The guards say they''d never seen anything like it," Ren shrugged, maintaining his innocent expression. "Apparently the worm consumed too rich a vein and its mana overloaded."


    ''If they knew I caused that overload...''


    "And look at this!" Taro held the silver core against the light. "A Silver-grade mana crystal. How did a lesser worm have something like this?"


    "Master Song explained it in class," Min added. "Lesser worms haven''t yet developed complete processing cores. At that level they just use crystal structures to store mana."


    Ren smiled while watching his friends examine his haul. This month had been exceptionally productive: 100 bronze crystals, 783 iron, two and a half kilos of "deep sand," one silver crystal, and several useful lesser worm parts.


    ''Must be worth around twenty-five hundred crystals to double in tomorrow''s report,'' he calculated mentally. ''The school will really double the value...''


    Everything was noted in the guards'' records, who had been surprised all month by Ren''s effectiveness, they even had a bet to calculate his daily earnings and called him the lucky fungus.


    "This deserves a celebration!" Liu pulled some candies from his drawer. "The rotting fungus is now the lucky fungus!"


    Taro laughed while accepting a candy. "Who would have thought being in the wrong place at the wrong time would turn out so beneficial?"


    ''If they knew how long it took to plan that "accident"...''


    The door burst open.


    "Ren."


    Lin''s icy tone made everyone freeze. The young instructor stood in the doorway, her expression dangerously calm.


    "Would you care to explain why you''re not at the training field?"


    The color drained from Ren''s face. Night training. He had completely forgotten.


    "Master Lin, I... I''m overloaded with mana..."


    "Oh, so you have energy to celebrate but not to train?"


    "Actually I feel quite bad and¡­"


    Lin interrupted him by grabbing his shirt collar and began dragging him toward the door.


    "Perfect! Physical training is excellent for purging excess mana from the system." Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "But Master Lin...!"


    "No buts. Thirty additional laps for being late."


    Taro, Min, and Liu watched with amusement and sympathy as their friend was dragged out of the room.


    "Save me some candy!" Ren managed to shout before the door closed.


    His friends'' laughter followed him down the hallway as Lin dragged him relentlessly toward the training field. Despite the exhaustion and dizziness, Ren couldn''t help but smile.


    ''I guess this is the price of success,'' he thought while resigning himself to a night of brutal exercise.

 Chapter 43 - Taming the Leveling Cost

    The mushrooms in Ren''s hair pulsed with renewed energy as he walked toward the exchange area with his friends.Lin''s pill, combined with last night''s brutal training session, this morning''s workout, and some meditative circulation had effectively cleansed the excess mana from his system.


    "I can''t believe how well it went today!" Taro practically bounced as they walked, his beetle''s markings shimmering with excitement. "I thought I''d struggle again, but the circulation was so much smoother. I could almost feel the patterns!"


    A smile tugged at Ren''s lips as he recalled their morning session.


    Watching Taro''s progress was satisfying, like seeing a complex puzzle slowly come together.


    "You''ve improved tremendously. Soon you won''t need my guidance."


    ''And the sooner he masters it,'' Ren thought, ''the sooner I can focus on my own advancement.''


    The exchange area buzzed with life, a hive of activity where students from all years crowded around the counters.


    The air hummed with haggling voices and the subtle resonance of magical items changing hands. Crystals clinked against scales, while preserved beast parts gleamed in their glass containers.


    "How much did you get with the duplication?" Min''s water snake coiled lazily around his shoulders as he asked.


    "They gave me 2500 crystals," Ren replied as they approached the beast parts counter.


    Glass containers lined the shelves, their contents casting prismatic shadows on the worn wood.


    "I have almost 4000 usable, the rest are materials. Though I doubt it''s enough for much cultivation, I hope it''s sufficient to begin cultivation..."


    ????


    His heart sank when he inquired about the prices of what he needed.


    Bronze-rank beast parts, meticulously preserved in crystal containers, glowed tantalizingly. Each piece cost a fortune, 1000 crystals apiece.


    Thankfully, he didn''t need those pristine specimens.


    But even the discarded parts, the ones slowly rotting that he actually required...


    "100 crystals for a daily portion''s worth for my crystals," he muttered, examining a fragment of common crocodile skin that had begun to decompose. Its scales still held a faint iridescence despite the decay. "And I need a hundred portions..."


    They were cheap by comparison, but far from free. His spore wasn''t the only creature that could utilize materials in that state for cultivation.


    Liu whistled low and long. "Wow, 10,000 crystals just for that garbage. And you still need other materials, right? That spore really is a pain in your side. Sure the investment''s worth it?"


    It was undoubtedly worth it, but the timeline...


    Ren nodded grimly and made his way to the poisonous fungi section. The vendor, an older woman with burn scars crisscrossing her hands like a roadmap of past mistakes, gave him a sympathetic look.


    "3000 per piece," she said before he could ask, gesturing to the glowing specimens. "And yes, it''s expensive. We have to import them from Yino City, and relations aren''t exactly friendly with our Yano City right now."


    ''Each one will process 10 crystals. Another 30,000 crystals...'' Ren felt a headache building behind his eyes.


    "And the intelligence rune?" He pointed toward the artifacts section with a trembling finger, hoping against hope.


    The intelligence rune pulsed with a soft blue glow. It was among the most basic, but still...


    "That''s one of the cheap ones, like vitality runes it costs 10,000," the vendor sighed.


    ''I need 50,000 crystals total.''


    Min scribbled quick calculations in his notebook, his water snake peering curiously at the numbers. "Based on what you say you need... Assuming luck keeps striking, you maintain your current gathering pace, and factoring in the school''s duplication..."


    "Ten months minimum," Ren completed the thought, shoulders slumping slightly. "And that''s if I maintain this level of production."


    ''If I could go deeper... but mana poisoning is already a problem at this depth.'' The mushrooms in his hair pulsed weakly at the thought.


    "Hey, it''s not so bad!" Taro tried to lift the mood, his beetle''s markings brightening with his optimism. "Ten months will fly by! Besides, meanwhile I can keep improving my control and¡­"


    "Ren!"


    The group turned to see Master Lin approaching, her crane''s feathers shimmering with each stride. Her expression was unreadable, but there was a dangerous glint in her eyes.


    "I hope you''re not thinking of skipping tonight''s training again."


    Ren swallowed hard. "No, of course not. I was just¡­"


    Lin studied him for a moment, her gaze piercing. "The path to Bronze rank is never easy. But you got many crystals this month so keep at it... and remember: sometimes the longest path is the safest."


    ''If she knew how I really get the crystals¡­ Not the safest.''


    "Now," Lin continued, a predatory smile forming on her lips, "since you have so much energy for calculations, I''m sure you can handle some extra exercise sets tonight."


    Ren groaned while his friends tried to hide their laughter. Evolution would have to wait, for now, he had another session of torture, er, training, to face.


    ????


    Days fell back into routine for Ren.


    Walking toward the deep mines, he reflected on his situation. Each step echoed his thoughts down the empty corridor.


    ''One worm exploding near the "lucky fungus" and finding a rich vein? Believable,'' he thought, skillfully dodging a group of students.


    Their whispers followed him, the latest rumors about his impossible luck.


    ''Two worms exploding in a week... they''d start asking uncomfortable questions.''


    The "lucky fungus" reputation was useful, but it had limits. He could already imagine the guards'' suspicious looks if "accidents" with worms became too frequent.


    Jin''s group watched from afar, shooting threatening glances but keeping their distance. The tunnel incident had left a lasting impression, a whole week of peace.


    Though they''d returned to their old habits, something had shifted.


    "There goes the rotting boy!" one whispered, but they moved with newfound caution.


    ''At least they don''t chase me like madmen anymore,'' Ren smiled while taking an unnecessarily complex detour. ''And when they do...'' S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Losing them had become almost entertaining.


    A month of Lin''s training had worked wonders for his endurance, and he knew every corner of the upper tunnels like the back of his hand.


    The new secret tunnel had been a success. Using the lesser worms'' mating call, he''d managed to get another worm to dig a small hidden passage. It was more discreet than the previous one, which the guards had quickly sealed after the "incident."


    ''Five bronze crystals, fifty iron, a quarter kilo of deep earth...'' he mentally tallied his daily gathering. ''A "lucky" amount but not suspicious.''


    The mushrooms pulsed as he descended through the hidden passage.


    The routine had become precise: enter, gather for 30 minutes, exit.


    No explosions, no drama.


    Just a persistent student with a consistently "lucky" streak.


    ''But it''s not enough,'' he calculated while carefully extracting a bronze crystal. At this rate, reaching 50,000 crystals would take far too long. ''I need another way...''


    His thoughts were interrupted by distant student conversations. Fragments about the upcoming gathering expedition reached his ears, making his heart race with possibility.


    The mushrooms in his hair pulsed stronger, responding to his sudden interest. The expedition... an opportunity to gather beyond the school''s usual boundaries.


    ''New territories,'' he reflected while storing the day''s crystals. ''New beasts, new resources...''


    A smile formed on his face as he ascended. The risks would be greater outside school grounds, but so would the rewards. More importantly, nobody would question a "lucky" gathering during an official expedition.


    ''I''ll need to prepare well,'' he thought while heading toward the exit.


    The mushrooms pulsed softly, as if approving his plan. The daily routine would continue for now, but the expedition promised to be an opportunity to significantly accelerate his progress.

 Chapter 44 - Taming Practice Beasts

    The mushrooms in Ren''s hair pulsed softly as he counted the day''s crystals. One hundred and twenty in total value, that was his "lucky" but not suspicious amount.''Not quite the thousand-plus crystals counting materials from that first day,'' he reflected while carefully storing his gathering, ''but it''s safer this way for now.''


    The numbers were consistent: between one hundred and one hundred fifty crystals daily. By month''s end, it would amount to roughly 4,000, which the school would double to 8,000.


    Progress toward the needed 50,000 was slow, but at least it was steady.


    ''Two days until the expedition,'' he thought while climbing through the hidden tunnel.


    The prospect of gathering beyond school boundaries offered new possibilities.


    Life had fallen into a rhythm.


    Taro practiced mana circulation daily, his control improving remarkably. He no longer needed as much guidance to distribute energy correctly.


    Morning training with Lin had become more bearable too. His muscles no longer screamed in protest with each exercise, and occasionally he could even maintain coherent conversation while completing his sets.


    It was today, after one of these morning sessions, when something unexpected happened in battle class.


    ????


    "Have you decided on your teams?" Master Yang''s voice resonated across the training field. His Stone Behemoth gleamed under the morning sun as he surveyed the students.


    An uncomfortable silence was his answer. Though some groups had clearly formed, like Jin with his usual followers, many students still seemed undecided.


    "As I thought," Yang crossed his arms, the Behemoth''s markings rippling across his skin. "It''s difficult to choose partners without truly understanding how you work together in combat."


    Lin stepped forward, her crane manifesting in feather patterns along her arms. "That''s why we''ve prepared something special for today."


    At her signal, several assistants began pushing something massive onto the field. It was a reinforced iron cage, covered by a dark canvas.


    "In the final exam, you''ll face a Bronze-rank beast," Yang continued as students instinctively backed away. "But before that, you need to understand the fundamentals of monster combat."


    Lin removed the canvas with a fluid motion.


    The students collectively held their breath.


    Ten enormous stones...


    Most students fell silent in confusion, some laughed... until Yang struck one of the stones and woke it.


    Inside the cage, a Stone Lurker moved cautiously.


    It was roughly the height of a ten-year-old child, with a stocky body covered in protrusions where rocks and minerals adhered. Its four short legs ended in adhesive pads that allowed it to climb vertical surfaces.


    "A Stone Lurker from the northern mines," Yang announced. "Beasts that stalk the tunnels, disguising themselves as rocks to ambush their prey. This one''s barely an Iron-rank juvenile."


    The creature observed the students with small, bright eyes, almost hidden among the stone plates covering its face. Its behavior was notably cautious, finding itself surrounded by beings larger than itself.


    Especially the teachers and assistants.


    "We don''t just breed them here, we regularly capture them from other mines," Lin continued. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "If we let them multiply outside the school''s breeding chamber, they''d leave the caves and become a real danger to children. They''re especially problematic because they tend to hide from adults and ambush prey their size or smaller."


    The Stone Lurker hunched in a corner of the cage, the rocks on its body rearranging to resemble a common big stone. If not for the slight movement of its breathing, it would be difficult to distinguish from its surroundings.


    "They''re slow but resilient," Lin explained. "Their armor absorbs impacts and can rapidly grow to protect damaged areas. The key is finding points where the growth is weakest."


    "They won''t attack directly," Yang added while the creature maintained its disguise. "They prefer to wait for the right moment. In caves, they''d drop from the ceiling onto distracted travelers. Here, you''ll have to force them to move."


    "They''re naturally cowardly," Lin added. "If they face serious resistance, they''ll try to flee. The challenge is either defeating them or making them attempt to escape."


    The mushrooms in Ren''s hair pulsed as he absorbed this information. The Stone Lurker was a specialized predator, not particularly strong, but perfectly adapted for its ecological niche.


    Despite its modest size, its mass was considerable, the rocks covering its body adding significant weight to its already robust constitution.


    Ren found the creature fascinating, a beast that compensated for its lack of speed with adaptive defense and precise ambushes. His spore''s knowledge revealed intricate details about its behavior and weaknesses that others might miss.


    What appeared to be a random pile of rocks was actually ten perfectly camouflaged Stone Lurkers.


    "You''ll form teams of three if you haven''t already," Yang continued, his voice carrying across the field as he passed the students a list to fill. "Each team will have five minutes to face it. You don''t need to defeat it, we just want to see how you handle a resilient creature while working as a team."


    Lin began bringing out the training equipment, laying it carefully on a nearby table. "Choose your weapons according to your style. We have spears for maintaining distance, shields for defense, maces for blunt strikes... Pick what suits your approach best."


    ????


    "As first team," Yang announced, consulting his now full list, "Han, Sora, and Jun."


    Han, a boy with a weaver spider that created intricate hexagonal patterns on his skin, stepped forward decisively. Sora, whose deer manifested small but elegant horns in her hair, and Jun, who had a monkey that manifested brown markings on his hands, followed with notably less confidence.


    "Choose your weapons," Lin indicated, gesturing toward the equipment array. "You''ll face one of them."


    Han took a spear confidently, his spider beast granting him excellent control with long tools. Sora chose a shield, its surface gleaming dully in the morning light, while Jun opted for a short sword despite its obvious limitations against stone.


    "Cutting weapons are a poor choice against rock," Lin murmured, but didn''t stop him from making his selection. This was, after all, a learning experience.


    "Remember," Yang warned as the assistants selected which Stone Lurker they would face, "these are ambush creatures. Don''t let their apparent passivity fool you until the end."


    The team entered the designated area.


    The chosen Stone Lurker was released, immediately blending with its surroundings like just another rock. The only sign of its presence was a faint scraping sound as it settled into position.


    "Begin!"

 Chapter 45 - Taming Practice Beasts - 2

    "Remember," Yang warned as the assistants selected which Stone Lurker they would face, "they are ambush creatures. Don''t let their apparent passivity fool you until the end."The team entered the designated area, their footsteps echoing in the sudden silence that had fallen over the training field.


    Students pressed forward to watch, eager to learn from either success or failure.


    The chosen Stone Lurker was released, immediately melting into its surroundings like just another rock.


    "Begin!"


    Han took the initiative, his spider''s hexagonal patterns rippling across his skin as he moved forward with his spear held at the ready. Sora followed close behind with her shield. Jun covered the flank, his monkey''s markings shifting nervously as he gripped his sword.


    "Maintain formation," Lin suggested from the sidelines. Her experienced eye could already see the gaps in their coordination, the subtle signs of uncertainty in their movements.


    The Stone Lurker suddenly sprang to life, rising on its suction-cup feet with shocking speed upon detecting that Jun was smaller than itself.


    Its mouth opened impossibly wide, revealing rows of crushing teeth designed to pulverize both stone and bone. The grinding sound of its jaw expanding sent shivers through the watching crowd.


    Jun screamed and stumbled backward, his sword shaking violently in his grip.


    His monkey''s patterns distorted chaotically with panic, the usual brown markings becoming a jumbled mess that reflected his terror.


    The maintained formation shattered like glass.


    "Don''t separate!" Han shouted, his spear moving to intercept the Stone Lurker with spider-enhanced precision.


    But it was already too late, Jun had retreated too far, breaking the defensive line.


    Sora, equally frightened by the creature''s sudden animation, had moved in the opposite direction with her shield, leaving a fatal gap in their defenses.


    The Stone Lurker, displaying the predatory intelligence that made its species so dangerous, instantly exploited the separation. It launched itself toward Jun with surprising agility, its stone-covered body somehow fluid in motion.


    The boy barely managed to raise his sword, the blade trembling as he faced the incoming mass of animated rock.


    Yang intervened with lightning speed, his Behemoth manifesting fully as he caught the Stone Lurker mid-leap. The creature writhed in his grasp, its rock armor grinding against itself, but it was useless against the teacher''s overwhelming strength.


    "Enough," he declared while returning the creature to its cage, its struggles diminishing as it recognized defeat.


    "What went wrong?"


    "They broke formation at the first scare," Lin answered. "Only Han maintained his composure, but a team isn''t just one competent member."


    The three students withdrew from the area, their failure weighing heavily on them.


    Jun still trembled, his monkey''s markings faded and distorted. Sora stared at the ground, her deer''s manifestation barely visible in her shame.


    Only Han maintained his composure, though frustration radiated from his rigid posture.


    ????


    "Next team!" Yang called out, his voice carrying across the training field. "Jin, Kai, and Cass."


    Jin stepped forward with a predatory smile, his tiger markings gleaming with an almost electric intensity.


    Kai flexed his arms, scales catching the morning light like polished jade.


    Cass stretched her red eagle wings, the feathers spreading in an impressive display.


    ''This group will be different,'' Ren thought while observing from his position. The mushrooms in his hair pulsed as he studied their movements. ''Jin might be an idiot who falls for traps, but he''s no fool in combat.''


    "Choose your weapons," Lin indicated as Jin''s group approached the arsenal. The variety of training weapons gleamed in the morning light, each designed for different combat styles.


    Jin studied the options before selecting a pair of battle caestus, metal-reinforced gloves designed for close combat. His tiger markings flared as he adjusted them, testing their fit with practiced movements.


    "No swords, eh?" Kai murmured, selecting a war hammer. His scales reflected light in complex patterns as he tested the weapon''s weight, finding its balance point.


    Cass, surprising several observers, took up a shield. "Someone has to keep you alive," she declared as her red eagle feathers manifested, creating intricate defensive patterns across her arms.


    The mushrooms in Ren''s hair pulsed as he observed their formation.


    Unlike the previous group, they moved with clear purpose, each understanding their role in the team. Working together, even if just as bullies, had given them an unexpected advantage in coordination.


    The assistants released one of the Stone Lurkers.


    The creature immediately camouflaged itself, its suction cups gripping the ground as it waited for the perfect moment to strike. Its stillness was almost perfect, only the slightest movement betraying its breathing.


    "Begin!" Yang commanded.


    Jin and Kai advanced with Cass between them, her shield ready and her eagle''s enhanced vision scanning for any hint of movement.


    The Stone Lurker remained motionless, patiently waiting for an opening.


    "Keep your eyes open," Cass murmured.


    The Stone Lurker attacked suddenly, its suction cups releasing with a soft pop as it launched itself toward Kai. Its jaws gaped wide, revealing again those rows of grinding teeth designed to crush stone.


    But Cass had already anticipated the attack. Her shield intercepted the Stone Lurker mid-leap, her eagle feathers glowing as she absorbed the impact with ease.


    "Now!" she shouted while holding the creature against her shield, her enhanced strength keeping it pinned.


    Jin and Kai struck from both sides. Jin''s caestus connected with tiger-enhanced force, while Kai''s hammer descended with the full power of his beast behind it.


    The Stone Lurker''s outer layer, still not fully hardened due to its youth, began to crack under their coordinated strikes.


    The creature attempted to bite, but Cass maintained her shield firmly in place. "Don''t let it breathe!"


    Jin and Kai doubled down on their assault. Each impact stripped away fragments of the Stone Lurker''s mineral covering, gradually exposing the vulnerable flesh beneath.


    "The edges!" Yang shouted from outside. "Focus your strikes where the stones meet!"


    Jin activated his skill, his caestus glowing as he found the weak joints between the mineral plates.


    Kai followed suit, his hammer now moving faster as he systematically destroyed the connections with brutal precision.


    The Stone Lurker shrieked. It attempted one final desperate attack, its jaws seeking Jin''s leg.


    "I don''t think so!" Cass rotated her shield, deflecting the creature into a combined strike from her teammates.


    The simultaneous impact of caestus and hammer shattered the Stone Lurker''s remaining defenses.


    The creature collapsed, its camouflage dissolving as its body relaxed in death.


    "Enough," Yang declared, though it was unnecessary at this point. "An... effective execution, if somewhat messy." S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "The coordination was decent," Lin added as assistants removed the body. "But you relied too heavily on brute force. Against an adult Stone Lurker, that strategy would be far less effective."


    Jin shrugged while removing his caestus, but his smile remained fierce. Kai rested his hammer on his shoulder, clearly satisfied, while Cass maintained her mock professional expression despite their success.


    ''Brutal but effective,'' Ren thought as his mushrooms pulsed, analyzing the combat. ''Though teacher Lin is right, that strategy only worked because it was a juvenile. It''s better to target the internal parts.''


    "Next team!" Yang called out.

 Chapter 46 - Taming Practice Beasts - 3

    ''Brutal but effective,'' Ren thought as his mushrooms pulsed, analyzing the combat. ''Though Lin is right, that strategy only worked because it was a juvenile. Better to target the internal parts.''"Next team!" Yang called out.


    "Klein Goldcrest''s team," Yang announced. "With Feng Zhao and Astor Blackwood."


    The Goldcrest heir stepped forward with the natural arrogance of nobility, his golden lion manifesting in brilliant patterns across his skin. The light caught the metallic sheen of his beast''s markings, creating an almost ethereal glow.


    Feng, whose red cobra created scarlet scales along his neck, and Astor, with his rhinoceros''s bluish markings, flanked him with similarly aristocratic bearing.


    "We won''t need heavy weapons," Klein declared while selecting a light short sword, the blade catching the morning light. "Our beasts are more than sufficient."


    Feng chose a pair of daggers, their edges glinting dangerously, while Astor opted to take no weapon at all. His rhinoceros markings intensified, covering his arms with a bluish glow that promised raw power.


    Unlike previous groups, these three had trained together since childhood.


    Their beasts, all with high potential, complemented their styles naturally, the lion''s overwhelming presence, the cobra''s precision, and the rhinoceros''s raw strength forming a deadly combination.


    The assistants released another Stone Lurker. The creature barely had time to camouflage before the team moved into action.


    "Delta formation," Klein ordered without raising his voice. His companions positioned themselves instantly, Astor taking the front while Feng and Klein covered the flanks.


    Their movements spoke of countless hours of practice.


    Feng''s cobra allowed him to detect the creature''s body heat and through it, the thinner areas of its armor. His scarlet scales shimmered as he focused his beast''s sensory abilities.


    "Thirty centimeters down, slightly left of the eye crack," Feng reported, his scales glowing brighter with certainty.


    Astor advanced heavily, his rhinoceros manifesting in a controlled charge. The Stone Lurker attempted to jump at him, identifying him as an apparently smaller and weaker target than itself.


    A grave mistake.


    Klein''s golden markings blazed as his lion responded. A roar, amplified by his beast''s power, struck the Stone Lurker mid-leap. The sound wave made the stones on its body vibrate violently, creating weak points in its natural armor.


    Before it could recover, Feng appeared at its side, his daggers shining with a poison skill, finding the points weakened by the vibration with snake-like precision.


    The Stone Lurker tried to turn, but Astor was already there. His rhinoceros manifested a charge that, though contained, struck the creature with brutal power.


    "Finish it," Klein ordered, his voice blending with a growl that carried his lion''s authority.


    All three attacked simultaneously, Feng''s poison daggers finding vital points near the eyes, Astor''s charge holding the creature in position, and Klein''s final roar shattering what remained of its mineral armor before ending it with his sword.


    The Stone Lurker collapsed without even having time to screech.


    "Impressive coordination," Yang commented as assistants removed the body. "Though perhaps a bit... excessive in mana use for a juvenile."


    "Excess is better than incompetence," Klein replied while sheathing his barely-used sword. His lion''s markings glowed with satisfaction. "Besides, we can use our skills five times without breaking a sweat."


    "An interesting demonstration of those powerful beasts'' natural abilities," Lin added. "Though in a real situation, depending solely on their mana could be risky."


    Klein simply smiled, the gold in his skin shimmering. His companions maintained equally satisfied expressions as they returned to their positions, their superiority evident in every movement.


    ''Efficient,'' Ren thought, ''but arrogant. They''re so used to their beasts solving everything they barely used their weapons.''


    The mushrooms in his hair pulsed while analyzing the combat. It had been a crushing victory, yes, but also a demonstration of perhaps excessive dependence on their beasts and mana.


    "Next team!" Yang called out.


    "Ren, Taro and Min," he announced.


    The laughter began before he finished naming them. Jin and his group were particularly loud, their mockery echoing across the training ground.


    "The rotting fungus and his friends!" someone shouted from behind. "This will be fun!"


    Ren ignored the taunts as they descended to choose their weapons.


    The mushrooms in his hair pulsed as he approached the equipment. His eyes immediately fixed on the coiled ropes among the more traditional weapons.


    "Take that one," he whispered to his companions, selecting just one long, sturdy rope. He approached each one and whispered something in their ear. Taro and Min exchanged surprised looks but nodded, trusting their friend''s unconventional strategy.


    For himself, Ren chose a short spear.


    "Look!" Jin''s mocking voice rose above the crowd. "The coward wants to stay far from the monster! Though he can''t even carry a normal long spear." Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The laughter increased. Even students who normally remained neutral smiled at the sight of the "weak" mushroom boy unable to wield a longer standard spear.


    "Are you sure about your choices?" Lin asked, her expression neutral but her eyes studying them with interest.


    Ren nodded, the mushrooms in his hair pulsing calmly. Knowledge flowed through his mind, revealing the Stone Lurkers'' peculiar anatomy: how their organs concentrated in a compact sphere, with the brain aligned vertically above their posterior end.


    The assistants released another Stone Lurker. The creature immediately camouflaged itself, its suction cups gripping the ground while studying its opponents with predatory patience.


    "Begin!"


    The team''s movement took everyone by surprise.


    Instead of the cautious approach they thought would be employed, Taro and Min ran forward, each holding one end of the extended rope. Ren followed closely in the center, just behind the rope, his short spear ready.


    The Stone Lurker detected the movement and prepared to jump. Its sensors identified Ren as the closest target and smaller than itself.


    Its suction cups detached from the ground, its enormous mouth beginning to open...


    But it was too late.


    The rope caught it across the forehead mid-leap.


    Taro and Min pulled in unison, using the monster''s own momentum to roll it backward. The stones on its body scraped against the ground as its belly was exposed.


    But it was a belly also completely covered in stone, what could the spear do there?

 Chapter 47 - Taming Practice Beasts - 4

    Taro and Min pulled in unison, using the monster''s own momentum to roll it backward. The sound of grinding stone filled the air as the creature''s rock-covered body scraped against the ground, exposing its belly.But the belly was also completely covered in stone, what could the spear possibly do there?


    The audience held their breath, certain they were about to witness failure.


    Then Ren spotted it, a single small orifice, barely visible among the rocky plates.


    He didn''t hesitate.


    The short spear found its target with surgical precision, plunging deep into the creature''s cloaca and straight up.


    The Stone Lurker tensed once, then went completely still in the next instant. Death came swiftly and silently, catching everyone by surprise.


    Silence fell over the training field.


    The entire encounter had ended in mere seconds, leaving spectators struggling to process what they''d just witnessed.


    "Well," Yang broke the silence, a barely contained smile playing at his lips, "that was... efficient."


    Lin approached to examine the fallen Stone Lurker. "A direct strike to the brain through the cloaca. Impressive knowledge of their anatomy."


    The previous laughter had transformed into surprised whispers. Jin particularly looked like he''d swallowed something extremely unpleasant, his tiger markings dulling with his dampened mood.


    "The fastest victory so far," Yang declared as assistants removed the body. "And with minimal energy expenditure. Excellent teamwork."


    Taro and Min grinned while coiling their rope, their beasts manifesting proudly despite their supposedly "weak" status.


    "An unorthodox approach," Lin commented, "but perfectly executed. Sometimes knowledge truly is worth more than brute force." S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Next team!" Yang called, though eyes remained fixed on the team that had just redefined expectations.


    ????


    Several more teams faced the challenge.


    The mushrooms in Ren''s hair pulsed as he observed each attempt, some more successful than others.


    "We can do it like the fungus team!" one student declared confidently, holding a rope while his companions nodded eagerly. "If he could do it, so can we."


    They even took two ropes, and their leader "corrected" the weak rotting boy''s "mistake" by taking a long spear instead of a short one.


    But the Stone Lurker refused to cooperate with their plan. The ropes worked initially, flipping the creature, but then...


    "Stab it! Stab it!"


    "I''m trying!"


    The spear bounced off the monster''s rock skin, missing the tiny orifice completely.


    A second attempt proved equally fruitless.


    By the third try, the Stone Lurker had managed to break free, forcing Yang to intervene before someone got hurt.


    ''It''s not just about copying ideas,'' Ren thought as the team retreated in shame. ''Without understanding why certain things are done...''


    Finally, it was Luna''s team''s turn.


    Two girls accompanied her, students from noble families who had clearly requested to be her partners. They attempted to engage in conversation while selecting weapons, but Luna barely acknowledged them with brief nods.


    "We should coordinate a strategy," one suggested, adjusting her weapon with nervous movements.


    "It won''t be necessary," was Luna''s only response, her shadow wolf rippling beneath her skin.


    The mushrooms in Ren''s hair pulsed with anticipation. Luna''s shadow wolf was different from other beasts, it possessed immense initial power and had started on the true evolution path from the beginning.


    The Stone Lurker was released, immediately seeking camouflage.


    Luna''s companions assumed combat positions, but she simply extended her hand, her wolf''s influence darkening the air around her.


    For a moment, nothing seemed to happen.


    Then Ren saw it, the monster''s shadow began moving unnaturally. The wolf emerged from it like spilled ink rising upward, its eyes glowing with spectral radiance.


    The Stone Lurker had no time to react. Shadows slipped between the cracks of its mineral armor like black water.


    A moment of absolute stillness, and then...


    Small explosions of blood erupted from every crack in the monster''s armor. The wolf returned to Luna''s shadow as silently as it had appeared, while the Stone Lurker collapsed, destroyed from within.


    The silence that followed was different from the one that had followed Ren''s victory. There was no surprise or admiration, only cold respect mixed with fear.


    "Efficient," was all Yang said as assistants removed the shattered body.


    Luna''s companions looked at her with both pride and nervousness, as if unsure whether to celebrate or maintain their distance.


    ''That shadow wolf...'' Ren observed as Luna returned to her place, as silent as her beast. The mushrooms in his hair pulsed, but for the first time, the knowledge flowing through them seemed incomplete, as if aspects of the shadow wolf lay beyond his current understanding.


    Yang called the next team, but many students kept glancing at Luna, wondering what other secrets their silent classmate concealed.


    ????


    After today''s classes, in Professor Song''s cancelled session...


    They would finally venture outside for the first time.


    "Welcome to your first gathering expedition," Professor Song announced as students gathered in the main courtyard. "Before we begin, let me introduce Professor Zhao, who will lead the fifth and final teaching unit."


    A middle-aged man with owl markings on his arms stepped forward. Though his expression was kind, his eyes, sharpened by his beast, studied each student with clinical attention.


    "Exterior gathering exercises are crucial," Zhao began while assistants distributed equipment packages. "Here you''ll learn to survive outside safe zones, identify valuable resources, and most importantly, recognize when to retreat."


    The mushrooms in Ren''s hair pulsed as he examined his package: ropes, tools, special containers, emergency rations...


    "Normally we would spend three days in the iron ring," Zhao continued, his gaze briefly resting on Ren. "However, this year we''ll make some adjustments. The expedition will last two and a half days."


    Murmurs immediately broke out among the students.


    "Why less time?"


    "Three days every 2 months is tradition!"


    Zhao raised a hand to silence the protests. "As some of you may know, we have a student whose beast has... particular limitations with prolonged exposure to high mana concentration zones."


    All eyes turned to Ren. The mushrooms in his hair pulsed weakly, as if confirming the professor''s words.

 Chapter 48 - Taming the Expedition

    "Why less time?""Three days is tradition!"


    Zhao raised a hand to silence the protests, his owl markings shimmering with quiet authority. "As some of you may know, we have a student whose beast has... particular limitations with prolonged exposure to high mana concentration zones."


    All eyes turned to Ren. The mushrooms in his hair pulsed weakly, as if confirming the professor''s words. Their usual glow seemed somehow dimmer under the weight of so many stares.


    "It''s not fair!" someone protested from the back of the crowd. "Why should we all lose half a day because of the fungus?"


    "Yeah, let him stay behind if he can''t handle it!"


    Jin''s smile turned malicious, his tiger markings rippling with cruel delight. "Or better yet, let him come and we''ll see how long he really lasts with that useless beast."


    "Silence," Zhao''s voice didn''t rise, but the owl in his eyes gleamed with unmistakable authority. "This decision is not open for debate. I prefer a shorter excursion to risking any student''s health."


    The protests transformed into resentful murmurs.


    Several students shot accusing glares at Ren, as if he had personally stolen those precious hours of exploration from them. The tension in the air was almost palpable.


    ''If they knew I spent hours in deeper levels with higher mana concentration than the iron ring, it would be even worse,'' Ren thought while adjusting his equipment, the mushrooms in his hair pulsing with irony. Each soft glow seemed to mock their ignorance.


    "Safety is our priority," Song added, backing his colleague. His stance made it clear the matter was settled. "Two and a half days are more than sufficient for a first expedition."


    Zhao began explaining the expedition details, permitted zones, danger signals, emergency protocols. But Ren could feel the resentful stares burning into him, especially from those who already considered him a burden to the class.


    ''Doesn''t matter,'' he thought as the mushrooms pulsed softly. ''I have my own objectives to worry about for this expedition.'' The knowledge flowed through his mind, revealing possibilities his classmates couldn''t even imagine. While they worried about half a day lost, he was planning to make every available minute count.


    After all, the best opportunities often lay where others saw only limitations.


    ????


    The student caravan advanced along the path toward the iron ring.


    The carts, protected by experienced guards, moved at a steady pace as they left the city behind. The landscape gradually transformed, becoming wilder with each passing mile.


    "I can''t believe they took away half a day!" a student complained from the front cart, voice carrying on the wind. "All because of the fungus!"


    Ren, seated between Taro and Min in one of the last carts, smiled slightly. The mushrooms in his hair pulsed with the vehicle''s movement, their rhythm somehow matching the cart''s gentle swaying.


    "Ignore them," Taro murmured, his beetle''s markings shifting protectively. "They''re just upset because they won''t get to brag about lasting three full days without bathing."


    Min let out a giggle, his water snake coiling playfully. "As if half a day less would make any difference in what they can gather."


    "Actually," Ren lowered his voice conspiratorially, "it''s better this way. Mana is denser at dusk. They''re doing everyone a favor."


    "Really?" Taro leaned in with interest, his beetle''s markings rippling with curiosity. "How do you know that?"


    The mushrooms pulsed while Ren considered how much to reveal. Each glow seemed to carry secrets waiting to be shared. "Let''s say I''ve been studying mana patterns."


    "The expert has spoken again, write it down!" Min joked, his water snake manifesting playfully around his neck. "Though after the Stone Lurker incident, I''m starting to believe you really do know everything."


    From another cart, Jin''s voice carried clearly: "I bet he doesn''t even last the first day! Who wants to take that bet?"


    "I bet he''ll surprise us again, unlike idiot Jin who only bores us," a soft voice cut through the laughter. Luna, seated in the adjacent cart, didn''t even turn to speak, her shadow wolf rippling beneath her skin.


    An uncomfortable silence followed her words. Even Jin seemed at a loss for a response, his tiger markings dulling slightly.


    "Did you hear that?" Min whispered excitedly. "Luna defended you!"


    "She didn''t defend me," Ren corrected, though the mushrooms in his hair pulsed with interest. "She''s just setting a precedent for when I surprise them again."


    "Shhhh!" Min elbowed him playfully. "Don''t ruin the surprise!"


    "What surprise?" someone shouted from another cart. "That the rotting fungus is going to faint before we even get there?"


    More laughter, but Ren noticed it was less enthusiastic than before. The Stone Lurker incident had planted seeds of doubt in many minds.


    He observed the changing landscape thoughtfully. The trees grew sparser, the vegetation more untamed. They were approaching the iron ring, where the real challenges, and opportunities, awaited.


    "Let them laugh," he murmured. "Soon they''ll have other things to worry about."


    The mushrooms in his hair pulsed while knowledge flowed, revealing the opportunities that approached. The iron ring might seem dangerous to his companions, but for him...


    It was a garden of possibilities waiting to be harvested.


    "Though nothing here helps me evolve," Ren murmured thoughtfully. "Everything has market value. And with the school''s exchange bonus..."


    The mushrooms pulsed while he calculated potential profits, each soft glow seeming to represent another opportunity.


    "If I play my cards right," he whispered, "this trip could be quite profitable."


    "Look!" Jin''s voice interrupted his calculations. "The fungus is already counting minutes until we return!"


    Laughter erupted from other carts, but Ren ignored it.


    His mind was already mapping collection routes, calculating which zones would yield the best results. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    From her cart, Luna observed the same landscape, her shadow wolf partially manifested.


    For a moment, her eyes met Ren''s, and a slight smile graced her lips before she turned her attention back to the horizon.


    ????


    "See those twisted trees?" Ren whispered as the cart crossed the iron ring''s border.


    The mushrooms in his hair pulsed while knowledge flowed through his mind. "They look normal during the day, but at night it''s Shadow Stalker territory."


    "The what?" Min leaned in with interest, his water snake mirroring his curiosity.


    "Bat medusas black as night," Ren explained, his voice low and focused. "They float in groups using gas sacs in their bodies. During the day they sleep in caves, but when darkness falls they emerge to hunt, absorbing mana from anything that passes beneath them. They''re practically invisible against the night sky."


    "And look at the trees themselves," he pointed to branches where fine threads gleamed under the sun. "Moon Weaver territory."


    "They look like... cats?" Taro squinted, observing a white figure among the branches.


    "Moth cats," Ren corrected. "Their fur is white as silk and they have moth-like wings but can only glide. They weave nets between trees using threads they produce naturally. They''re daytime hunters, Shadow Stalkers are too dangerous at night."


    The mushrooms pulsed while he observed the ground. "And those mounds that look like grass or dirt... they''re not what they appear to be."

 Chapter 49 - Taming the Expedition - 2

    "Moth cats," Ren corrected. "Their fur is white as silk, and they have moth-like wings but can only glide. They weave nets between trees using threads they naturally produce. They''re daytime hunters, Shadow Stalkers are far too dangerous at night."The mushrooms pulsed while he observed the ground, revealing patterns others might miss. "And those mounds that look like grass or dirt... they''re not what they appear to be."


    "Are those beasts too?" Min asked, his water snake coiling closer in anticipation.


    "Bark Stalkers," Ren explained, pointing to what appeared to be random terrain features.


    "Imagine a toad the size of a small table, with a crab-like shell. They can change their skin''s color and texture to match their surroundings, piles of leaves, earth, even moss-covered rocks. Their camouflage is nearly perfect, which makes them particularly dangerous to unwary travelers."


    "And these beasts all live together here without displacing each other?" Taro seemed fascinated.


    "It''s an interesting cycle," Ren smiled, clearly enjoying sharing his knowledge with his friends. "The Shadow Stalkers dominate the night. From the air, they can safely absorb mana from the Bark Stalkers, they just need to avoid the Weavers'' threads hidden within the trees¡­


    ¡­The Bark Stalkers are practically defenseless against aerial attacks, their shells protect them from ground threats, but offer little protection from above." S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "So the giant toads hunt during the day?"


    "Exactly, to hide from Shadow Stalkers," Ren confirmed. "They conceal themselves near trees and wait for Moon Weavers to come down for drinking or gathering nest materials. A Weaver on the ground is easy prey if it doesn''t notice the Stalker in time. The Stalkers'' incredible camouflage makes them nearly impossible to spot until it''s too late."


    "And when do the Weavers sleep then?" Min asked, leaning forward with growing interest.


    "They sleep very little and are the only ones that can move both day and night, though they prefer daylight. Their webs are too fine to catch anything large, but Shadow Stalkers are very light. If one touches a thread in the darkness, every Weaver in that tree''s colony knows instantly."


    Ren considered the possibilities, each opportunity in this not so complex ecosystem.


    "The materials they produce are very valuable. Stalker skin, when properly processed, is perfect for mana storage bags, it can contain crystals without letting them contaminate before processing. The same adaptations that help them regulate mana in their bodies make their skin perfect for storage."


    "Are the Weavers'' threads valuable too?" Taro seemed concerned about having to capture the nocturnal creatures Ren had described as dangerous.


    "They''re used to make mana detection amulets," Ren explained. "A Moon Weaver''s natural silk can sense energy fluctuations with remarkable precision. The same sensitivity that alerts them to predators makes their silk perfect for detecting mana disturbances."


    "But aren''t they dangerous too? You said if anything touches the web, the entire tree colony knows," Min observed worriedly as the beasts began to become more visible in the distance.


    Each passing minute seemed to reveal more details of the ecosystem Ren had described.


    "Not really... That''s why the school chooses this zone," Ren explained, gesturing at their surroundings.


    "Shadow Stalkers only hunt at night when we''ll be in the protected camp. Weavers avoid anything larger than themselves, they''re cautious creatures by nature. And Bark Stalkers... well, they''re so slow that simply watching where you step is enough to avoid them."


    "Also professor Zhao can easily control the area," he added thoughtfully.


    "Even hungry Bronze beasts avoid this territory, the combination of mana-absorbing swarms and Weavers that can alert and flee from any intruder makes it not worth their effort. The energy cost of hunting here outweighs any potential rewards for larger predators."


    The mushrooms pulsed while Ren made mental calculations.


    At current market prices, a square meter of Shadow Stalker skin was worth hundreds of crystals due to its unique mana-containing properties.


    Weaver silk, though more common, remained valuable for common miners and explorers who needed reliable mana detection. Even the herbs growing on Bark Stalkers'' protective scales had their market as mana poisoning remedies, though less efficient than those from inner rings.


    ''A simple ecosystem,'' he thought, studying the interplay of creatures and environment, ''but full of opportunities for those who know where to look.''


    ????


    "This will be our base camp," Professor Zhao announced as students descended from the carts.


    His owl manifested fully now, enormous wings spreading protectively over the gathered group.


    Ren observed the area with attention.


    The clearing had been carefully selected, open enough to discourage Moon Weavers from establishing territories, yet with sufficient cover to protect them during the dangerous night hours.


    Natural barriers and carefully positioned guards would create a safe zone.


    "During the day," Zhao continued, his voice carrying the weight of experience, "we''ll focus on collecting Weaver silk. It''s the safest and most abundant resource in this zone."


    His eyes, sharpened by his owl''s influence, methodically scanned the nearby trees for any signs of danger. "But even that requires strict precautions."


    The assistants began distributing camouflage blankets among the students, each one specially treated with protective compounds.


    "These blankets are treated with Bark Stalker essence," the professor explained, demonstrating the proper way to wear them.


    "The Weavers will ignore them, thinking they''re just another predator resting. As long as you move slowly, take only low-hanging threads, and keep the blanket over you, you can collect silk without getting jumped by the colony."


    "What about real Bark Stalkers?" someone asked, their voice tinged with apprehension.


    "This area has been cleared," Zhao responded confidently, though his owl''s wings shifted slightly. "We''ve removed the largest specimens and overly numerous Weaver colonies. Still..." his gaze hardened, commanding everyone''s full attention, "caution is mandatory."


    He produced a small flare from his bag, its crystal core glowing with a soft blue radiance that pulsed in harmony with the ambient mana.


    "Each team will carry one of these. If for any reason you stray too far and my owl can''t locate you, break it. The magical signal is unmistakable, even most Bronze-rank beasts avoid its frequency."


    "How far can we go?" Jin asked, his tiger manifesting eagerly in anticipation of the hunt.


    "My owl can cover approximately half a kilometer radius," Zhao indicated marks carved into the most distant trees. "Don''t cross those limits or you''ll enter territories we haven''t secured."


    He began pointing out specific areas. "Besides silk, you can collect moss from empty Bark Stalker shells, they''re abandoned molts. It has value and is relatively safe to obtain, as long as you verify the shell is truly empty first."


    His wings spread fully as he rose a few meters to demonstrate his surveillance range, the downdraft making the students'' clothes flutter. "But remember, I''m just one professor with one beast. I can''t be everywhere at once. If you act recklessly while I''m handling an emergency in another sector..."


    He let the implication sink in, the silence heavy with warning.


    "At night," he continued while descending gracefully, "it is absolutely forbidden to leave the camp. Shadow Stalkers are practically invisible in darkness, and they can drain an Iron-rank student in seconds. Their hunger makes them especially aggressive during the darkest hours."


    The mushrooms in Ren''s hair pulsed while absorbing the information. The professor was meticulous in his planning, this zone was perfect for beginners, with controllable dangers but sufficient risk to keep them alert.


    The ecosystem itself would teach them valuable lessons about survival.


    "Stay in groups of three," Zhao concluded, his owl''s penetrating gaze sweeping across the gathered students.


    "Report anything unusual and remember... While safety is paramount, don''t forget this is a gathering class. Your grades will depend directly on the quantity and quality of materials you obtain."

 Chapter 50 - Taming the Expedition - 3

    "Stay in groups of at least three," Zhao concluded, his owl''s penetrating gaze sweeping across the gathered students."Report anything unusual and remember... While safety is paramount, don''t forget this is a gathering class. Your grades will depend directly on the quantity and quality of materials you obtain."


    As students began organizing themselves, Ren studied the nearest trees. The mushrooms in his hair pulsed gently, revealing patterns others might miss.


    The silk was valuable, yes, but he knew the real treasures lay at the edges of the marked territory, where beasts still maintained their natural behavior, undisturbed by human presence.


    ''I just need to be careful,'' he thought while the mushrooms pulsed softly in agreement. ''And choose the right moment.'' S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Now," Zhao spread his wings while surveying the students, his owl''s influence making his presence even more imposing.


    "These excursions happen only three times throughout the year," the professor continued. "I hope you''ve paid attention in Professor Song''s theoretical classes. Correct identification of valuable materials will be crucial for your success."


    A mocking laugh echoed from Jin''s group, cutting through the serious atmosphere.


    "Did you hear that, Fungus?" he called loud enough for everyone to hear. "The theoretical classes! Aren''t those the ones you never attended because you were too busy becoming less poor or running from us in the caves?"


    More laughter joined in. It was true, Ren had spent most of those classes in the mines, both gathering and easily evading Jin and his group''s clumsy pursuit.


    "I guess being desperate for a few miserable iron crystals was more important than learning to identify valuable materials, poor people logic," Jin continued, his tiger markings gleaming with malice.


    "If student Patinder considers he already masters the theory," Zhao intervened, his sharp gaze fixed on Ren, "then his results in this excursion should reflect that."


    Ren maintained a neutral expression, though the mushrooms in his hair pulsed with quiet amusement. If his classmates knew he''d been gathering far more than "miserable crystals" all this time...


    "The best performing groups," Zhao continued, drawing attention back to himself, "won''t just receive the highest grades. The school offers double bonuses for gatherings, remember."


    Several students'' eyes lit up at the mention of rewards.


    Even Luna''s noble followers seemed more interested, their previously bored expressions sharpening with sudden focus.


    "But remember," Zhao''s voice hardened, his owl''s wings casting meaningful shadows, "a dead student can''t enjoy any bonus. Keep your priorities in order."


    "Good luck with that, Fungus," Jin smiled maliciously, his tiger markings rippling. "Maybe you''ll find some dry leaves worth as much as your iron crystals."


    Taro stepped forward, his beetle manifesting protectively, but Ren stopped him with a subtle gesture.


    "I get you Jin¡­ Mushrooms are experts at identifying what''s rotten and what''s valuable," he responded simply, causing the laughter to choke off as they processed the double meaning.


    The mushrooms in his hair pulsed with satisfaction while Jin frowned, trying to decide if he''d just been insulted.


    "Enough," Zhao cut in. "You have until sunset for your first gathering. Don''t forget your flares and stay within the marked boundaries."


    As groups began dispersing, Ren caught a slight smile playing at Luna''s lips before she turned away with her companions.


    ''Let the others laugh,'' he thought while checking his equipment. ''Knowledge was almost everything so he could skip almost any theoretical class.''


    His mushrooms pulsed in agreement as he prepared to demonstrate exactly how much he''d learned during those "wasted" hours in the caves.


    ????


    "Did you check your blanket?" Taro asked while adjusting his own, his beetle manifesting darker markings that complemented the camouflage perfectly.


    "Mine has a hole," Min examined his blanket with concern, his water snake coiling nervously. "Do you think the Weavers will notice?"


    Ren spread his blanket next to Min''s. The mushrooms in his hair pulsed while analyzing the problem. "We can switch. Mine''s bigger than I need."


    Nearby, Jin organized his group with characteristic confidence, his voice carrying across the clearing.


    "Cass, you''ll watch while Kai and I gather," he ordered, his tiger markings glowing with authority. "Your eyes are better at detecting movement."


    "What if I see a real Bark Stalker?" Cass asked, her eagle feathers manifesting slightly.


    "We crush it," Jin smiled, cracking his knuckles menacingly. "The professor said they removed the big ones, didn''t they?"


    A few meters away, Klein and his noble companions inspected their equipment with meticulous precision.


    "These containers are too basic," Feng complained, his red cobra manifesting in scarlet patterns. "We have better ones at home."


    "Focus," Klein ordered, his golden lion gleaming while studying the trees. "The highest quality silk will be in the higher zones."


    Ren noticed Luna keeping her distance from her assigned companions, who whispered among themselves while watching her with poorly concealed admiration.


    ''I should thank her,'' he thought. The mushrooms in his hair pulsed softly as he approached.


    "Luna," he called softly, his voice barely carrying above the general commotion. "About what you said in the cart..."


    She glanced at him sidelong, her shadow wolf barely visible as a silhouette stretching across the ground. "Don''t misinterpret it. I merely stated a fact."


    "Still, thank you."


    Luna seemed to consider his words for a moment, her wolf''s presence making the shadows around them deepen slightly. "Your knowledge is... interesting," she said finally, though she avoided looking at him directly. "Most only see the obvious."


    Before Ren could respond, one of the noble girls approached nervously, her eyes darting between Luna and the mysterious mushroom boy.


    "Luna, should we start with the eastern sector? The trees seem more..."


    "Do what you want," Luna cut her off, walking away with measured steps. But Ren noticed her path led precisely toward the eastern sector she''d apparently dismissed.


    "Ren!" Min called out. "I found something weird with these containers!"


    As he returned to his group, Ren reflected on the brief interaction. The mushrooms in his hair pulsed, reminding him they had their own plans for this excursion, plans that would surprise everyone.


    "What did you find?" he asked Min, who was holding one of the containers with a puzzled expression.


    "Aren''t these supposed to be sealed? This one has a crack..."


    Taro joined the examination. "We could ask for a replacement."


    "No," Ren smiled while the mushrooms pulsed knowingly. "Actually, this could be useful later."


    His friends exchanged knowing looks. After a month, they''d learned that when Ren smiled like that, he had a plan, one that usually worked out better than anyone expected.


    "Just make sure to keep the flares handy," he murmured while the professor began calling groups to assign sectors. "We might need them for something other than emergencies."

 Chapter 51 - Taming the Gathering Skills

    "First, the basics," Ren whispered as they approached a cluster of trees. "See how the threads shine differently depending on the angle?"Taro and Min nodded beneath their camouflage blankets, moving with the deliberate slowness Ren had emphasized. Each movement was carefully calculated to avoid alerting the creatures above.


    "The brightest ones are older, but they''re not the most valuable," Ren continued, his voice barely above a whisper. "Look for threads with a faint, transparent gleam. Those are new ones that haven''t absorbed much mana yet. Their sensitivity is still perfect."


    "How do we reach them?" Min whispered, observing the threads stretching several meters above their heads, creating an ethereal web in the filtered sunlight.


    "Watch the Weavers first," Ren discreetly pointed toward the high branches. Several white figures moved among the foliage, their moth wings shimmering under the sun like living silk.


    "They have routines. Approximately every two hours, they come down to check the lower networks."


    As if to confirm his words, a Weaver descended gracefully down a nearby trunk. Its white fur gleamed as it inspected the threads, completely ignoring the camouflaged students below.


    ????


    "Now," Ren whispered when the Weaver returned upward, "we have a two-hour window in this section. You need to look for vertical threads that start attached to the trees. And watch this..."


    He pulled out a long and thin branch he''d carefully selected earlier.


    With precise movements, he began winding one of the lower mature threads, which caught one of the new threads from above in a controlled spiral.


    "The older silk is stronger than it looks, but also less sticky. The new silk is more elastic." He let Min try with another thread. The silk tensed but didn''t break.


    "It stretches," Taro completed, watching fascinated.


    "Exactly. But if you twist it on its own axis several turns and then wind it at the correct angle..." Ren demonstrated the movement, "it detaches cleanly from the bark without damaging its properties."


    His friends began imitating the technique, growing more confident with each attempt.


    "And something interesting," Ren indicated marks on the tree trunk that most would mistake for random scratches. "See these scrapes? They''re Weaver territorial marks. They tell us exactly when they last renewed the networks in this area."


    "Like a calendar?" Min whispered.


    "Better. The deeper marks indicate primary weaving zones. If we follow the pattern..." Ren guided them around the tree, revealing a complex system of markings, "we''ll find the newest networks, and therefore, the most valuable ones."


    "One last thing," he murmured while crawling carefully across the ground. "Weavers leave more than just silk. Look at the base of the trees... there."


    He pointed to what appeared to be old bark. But when he carefully moved it aside, it revealed a complete Weaver molt, its delicate structure perfectly preserved.


    "The molts contain traces of their fur and wing scales. Some cultivators use them to enhance beasts with light affinity."


    "Valuable materials too?" Min whispered excitedly, his eyes widening at the discovery.


    "Exactly. And look at this..." Ren pointed to peculiar marks in the ground near the molt. "These are Bark Stalker tracks. But they''re old, not deep, at least a week old. If we find fresh tracks..."


    "We move away," Taro completed, his beetle''s markings shifting protectively.


    "Precisely."


    Ren smiled beneath his blanket. Jin could mock his absences from class, but Ren didn''t need those classes just like Wei''s case.


    "The silk needs special containers," Ren explained while extracting a large bag from his equipment. "Cost five hundred crystals, but worth the investment for its preservation properties."


    "Why invest so much in a large bag?" Min asked while examining the container curiously, his water snake mirroring his interest.


    "Silk contaminates easily, like crystals," Ren explained, demonstrating the proper storage technique. "Without the right container, it would lose its properties before reaching market. You must be very careful storing it. Keep the old separate from the new, or both will be ruined."


    "You must?" Min paused, catching the detail in his words. "Won''t you be with us?" sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ren smiled while adjusting his own equipment, the mushrooms in his hair pulsing with increased intensity. "I''m entrusting you with the silk collection. It''s the simplest and safest task. I''m going after something a bit... more complicated."


    "More complicated?" Taro frowned, his beetle''s markings darkening. "What are you planning?"


    "Nothing dangerous," Ren assured, though the mushrooms'' increasing pulse suggested otherwise. "Just following some interesting leads."


    "What leads?" Min pressed, his snake coiling anxiously.


    Ren discretely pointed to patterns in the ground that others might miss. "See those patterns? They''re Bark Stalker escape routes. But I''m not interested in them..."


    "Then what?"


    "I''m looking for Shadow Stalkers'' daytime hideouts," Ren revealed in a low voice. "Yes, they''re deadly at night, but during the day..."


    "You''re crazy!" Taro whispered in alarm. "The professor said¡­"


    "The professor warned about facing them at night," Ren corrected calmly. "During the day they''re not so bad. I just need to find where they hide."


    He calmed them while studying more ground marks. The Bark Stalkers'' escape patterns told a clear story to those who could read them, and thanks to his special knowledge, Ren could interpret them perfectly.


    "I''ll be fine," he assured his worried friends. "Focus on the silk. You know how to collect it now, and it''s valuable material."


    "But..." Min began.


    "I have the flare," Ren reminded them, patting his pocket. "And I won''t go too far. I just need to confirm some theories."


    His friends exchanged worried looks, but after a month of following Ren in the mines, they''d learned to trust his judgment... to a certain extent.


    "Be careful," Taro finally conceded. "And don''t take too long."


    Ren nodded and began moving away, his eyes fixed on the ground markings that would guide him to his true goal.


    The Shadow Stalkers had to be somewhere. And with them, materials worth far more than the common silk other students would collect.


    ????


    Ren had lied a little to calm his friends.


    The knowledge flowing through him was clear, Shadow Stalker colonies were mortally dangerous even during daylight hours. Thousands of them, packed into deep caves, each capable of draining a student''s vitality in seconds.


    ''But they''re creatures of habit,'' he thought while studying the terrain. ''And every colony has its solitary sentinels...''


    First, he needed a large Bark Stalker, one of those the professor mentioned they''d removed from the marked area. Which meant leaving the safe territory. But for that...


    ''I need a distraction.''


    About a hundred meters away, Jin''s group worked near a particularly silk-rich area. The mushrooms pulsed while Ren analyzed the situation. Just above them, an especially large colony of Weavers was constructing new networks.

 Chapter 52 - Taming the Hunt

    ''I need a distraction.''About a hundred meters away, Jin''s group worked near a particularly silk-rich area. Just above them, an especially large colony of Weavers constructed new networks, their white forms moving with deliberate purpose.


    The annoying bullies hadn''t earned Ren''s true hatred, at least not enough to wish them death... Weavers first trapped their prey in enormous amounts of silk before filling the cocoons with digestive fluid.


    It wasn''t a pretty death, but it was very slow, and a disturbed Weaver colony was an easy target for Professor Zhao''s eyes and intervention.


    Jin''s group wouldn''t be in real danger.


    With careful movements, Ren approached a nearby tree. A tap here, a vibration there... The threads began trembling in a way any Weaver would interpret as trapped prey struggling in their nets in Jin group''s general direction.


    "Look out!" Cass''s cry came just as the Weavers, alarmed by the perceived meal, began descending en masse. Their white forms seemed to multiply as they dropped from above, wings spreading like living silk.


    "There are too many!" Kai''s voice held genuine fear, all his previous bravado vanishing in the face of real danger.


    "Use the flares, idiots!" Jin ordered, his usual confidence replaced by barely controlled panic. His tiger markings flickered erratically, betraying his fear.


    "I can''t find it!" Kai sounded on the edge of complete panic. "They''re everywhere!"


    "PROFESSOR!" Cass''s scream was followed by a flare''s brilliant flash and loud noise.


    ''Perfect.''


    While chaos erupted and Professor Zhao flew toward the commotion, his owl''s wings spread wide, Ren slipped away in the opposite direction. Before crossing the marked territory''s boundary, he strategically placed his camouflage blanket near a silk-rich area, creating a perfect alibi.


    ''When he checks, he''ll think I''m quietly collecting.''


    As he moved away, the screams and sound of multiple flares provided perfect cover for his escape. The professor would be occupied for quite some time controlling the situation with Jin and his group.


    Now he just needed to find a Bark Stalker large enough for his plan. The mushrooms pulsed with anticipation at the hunt ahead.


    ''One step at a time,'' he thought while entering unsecured territory. ''First the decoy, then the real prey.''


    ????


    Jin''s group''s screams still echoed in the distance.


    Ren smiled remembering how easy it had been to provoke the chaos. The panic in Jin''s voice was music to his ears, another small revenge for their harassment.


    The terrain changed dramatically just meters outside the secured territory. Plants showed signs of massive predation, Shadow Stalkers draining the vitality from everything they found during their nocturnal hunts.


    A crunch made him freeze in place. The mushrooms pulsed in warning, something large moved nearby, something that had survived in this dangerous territory long enough to grow far beyond normal size.


    ''Easy,'' he reminded himself while slowly crouching. ''Large Bark Stalkers are territorial. If there''s one here...''


    The pile of "rocks" twenty meters away was chewing on a Weaver, its massive form shifting color with unnatural precision. Ren held his breath while observing the mass subtly change hue, adapting perfectly to the terrain once again.


    ''This one''s the right size,'' he evaluated. ''Three times larger than the juveniles in the safe area.''


    The knowledge flowed freely: these mature specimens were large enough to resist a sentinel male''s absorption for several crucial minutes. Their enhanced vitality and thick armor made them perfect for what he had planned.


    Ren began moving with extreme caution. One mistake and those claws could tear him in half. The Bark Stalker might appear slow, but if he got too close...


    A new sound made cold sweat break out on his forehead.


    A weak buzzing, almost imperceptible to normal ears. The mushrooms in his hair pulsed frantically, confirming what his instincts already suspected.


    The route he was following was correct.


    The Bark Stalker also tensed, its camouflage becoming nearly perfect. These beasts had survived this long for a reason, their instincts were honed by constant danger.


    ''The Shadow Stalker males are the real problem,'' Ren thought while studying the distance to the cave entrance.


    The sentinels weren''t the small black creatures he sought, but the species'' males. Larger, faster, and completely awake during daylight hours.


    The knowledge showed him the hierarchy with perfect clarity: the black females slept deep in the cave, their special skin perfect for storing mana.


    The males, with their more robust and aggressive bodies, guarded the entrance to their harems, defending them from other males and daytime dangers. They were practically Bronze-rank beasts, but could live in this ring thanks to the mana contribution from the numerous females.


    ''I need the male to come out and attack the Bark Stalker,'' Ren calculated, his mind racing through possibilities. ''Only then can I get to the females.''


    But the first problem was moving the camouflaged giant.


    The mushrooms pulsed while Ren observed its behavior, the Bark Stalker barely breathed, perfectly merged with its surroundings. As an ambush predator, it would only attack if something passed close enough.


    ''And if it misses...''


    The knowledge was crystal clear: these monsters didn''t chase prey. One attack, one attempt. If they failed, they returned to position to wait for the next opportunity.


    These beasts were the very definition of predatory patience.


    ''Being bait is useless,'' Ren bit his lip while thinking. ''But if I can''t make it hunt...''


    The mushrooms pulsed stronger when the idea formed. The answer was obvious, if he couldn''t make the Bark Stalker hunt, he''d have to make it flee.


    ''I know exactly what it fears,'' the knowledge flowed while Ren began formulating his plan. ''And with so much accumulated vitality, almost ready to reach Bronze rank, this giant has everything to lose if Shadow Stalkers detect it.''


    ????


    From the cave entrance, almost invisible in the gloom, a male mounted guard. Its body, more robust and aggressive than the black females, was a promise of immediate violence for any intruder.


    Ren couldn''t afford mistakes.


    The males could drain vitality as efficiently as females, but unlike them, had greater range and additional abilities that made them truly deadly.


    ''One step at a time,'' he thought while beginning to move. ''First, make our camouflaged friend decide this isn''t a good place to rest.''


    The mushrooms in Ren''s hair pulsed while he observed the enormous Bark Stalker. The creature was a masterpiece of camouflage, its body the size of a large table blending perfectly with the surroundings.


    ''So much accumulated vitality I almost feel sorry,'' Ren thought while the knowledge flowed and he extracted some tools from his bag. Each movement was carefully measured to avoid detection.


    Ren began preparing his decoy. He needed the Bark Stalker to flee in exactly the right direction, close enough to the cave to attract the male, but not so close that the camouflaged giant would detect the danger too soon.


    ''One mistake and everything''s ruined,'' he thought while working. If the Bark Stalker fled in the wrong direction, he would lose his opportunity. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ren took a deep breath and began implementing his plan. It was time to make a perfect predator remember what it felt like to experience fear.

 Chapter 53 - Taming the Fleshy Bait

    ''Shadow Stalkers use extremely thin mana tentacles to drain energy with absorption waves,'' knowledge flowed while Ren prepared his trap. ''And those waves follow a very specific pattern...''The mushrooms in his hair pulsed while he extracted the Silver-rank proto-core crystal he''d obtained from the worm. Unlike a normal crystal, this one still maintained part of the incomplete core''s mana storage structure, making it perfect for his needs. Its imperfect core nature actually made it more suitable for what he planned.


    ''If I overcharge it with the correct pattern...''


    With precise movements, Ren began introducing mana into the crystal, carefully mimicking Shadow Stalkers'' drainage waves.


    Each pulse had to be exact, too strong would alert the male immediately, too weak wouldn''t affect the Bark Stalker from a safe distance.


    It was risky work; every energy pulse was like a beacon for the male at the cave entrance, who would interpret it as a rival male''s presence. This was why the crystal needed to be perfectly calibrated for a range that was neither too long nor too short.


    The male shifted position, its head turning slightly toward Ren''s location.


    Though still too far to detect him completely, its mere movement sent chills down Ren''s spine.


    ''Just a little more...''


    The crystal began emitting a barely perceptible hum.


    To the Bark Stalker, it would feel like an approaching Shadow Stalker male, the wave pattern was unmistakable to a creature that had survived this long in such dangerous territory.


    The reaction was immediate and dramatic.


    The camouflaged giant tensed, its perfect environmental fusion faltering for a moment. The mushrooms pulsed in response, the primitive fear of losing years of accumulated energy, so close to evolution, was overcoming its instinct to maintain position.


    Ren moved the crystal with surgical precision, directing the waves.


    Finally, the Bark Stalker began retreating, abandoning its position with clear reluctance. Each step, taken as quickly as its massive form allowed, brought it closer to the cave while trying to escape what it perceived as an approaching predator...


    The male at the entrance rose to its full height, its body revealing itself in all its terrible glory.


    It had detected the Bark Stalker, a prey too tempting to ignore, especially one so rich in accumulated vitality.


    ''Now comes the dangerous part,'' Ren thought while preparing to move.


    He needed the male to chase the Bark Stalker far enough from the entrance, but not in his direction nor toward the school''s safe zone where teachers and assistants might detect the commotion.


    The mushrooms pulsed frantically when the male launched its attack. The Bark Stalker, caught between the false Shadow Stalker and the real predator, chose what it perceived as the lesser evil.


    But Ren didn''t falter. Instead, he redirected the waves to quickly give the monster an "escape route" where it wouldn''t have to face either of the two "males" it sensed pursuing it.


    Its retreat turned into a full sprint as the real male gave chase, heading exactly in the direction Ren needed them to go.


    ''The entrance is clear,'' the knowledge showed him he had about 20 or 30 minutes, at most, before the male returned. ''The black females are at the cave, and if he could find the...'' S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was time to discover if his entire plan was worth the risk.


    ????


    The mushrooms in Ren''s hair pulsed while he slipped toward the cave entrance. The knowledge flowed freely now, Shadow Stalker females slept in groups, their fifty-centimeter bodies piled in the darkest zones where mana naturally concentrated.


    ''The skin is the only valuable part in the market,'' he thought while preparing his equipment with practiced efficiency. ''And only the outer layer... But I have an idea for the tentacles, if only the male...''


    The tunnel descended in a gentle slope, its walls gleaming faintly in certain places where years of mana absorption by the creatures had saturated the very rock. The air grew thicker with each step downward.


    In some of these places, crystals had formed naturally, their structure altered by the constant exposure to the creatures'' unique mana manipulation.


    These were the crystals that females accumulated as supplements to feed the male before going deeper to sleep.


    It seemed Ren had gotten lucky, arriving just before the absorption date when the collections would be at their peak.


    Ren collected a bag of those rocky crystals, as many as would fit.


    He had to be careful not to get too close to the swarms'' sleeping zones and not descend too deep into the cave, or he''d risk mana poisoning so severe he wouldn''t even last the two and a half days at camp.


    Though if his plan worked...


    The mushrooms pulsed more strongly, warning about the increasing energy density as he descended deeper into the cave system.


    The tunnel widened into a first chamber.


    Ren''s faint glow revealed groups of sleeping Shadow Stalkers in the walls'' natural cavities. Their black, fifty-centimeter bodies piled on top of each other, their skins absorbing mana even during rest.


    The sight was both fascinating and terrifying.


    Ren paused to study their breathing pattern.


    The knowledge flowed: during daylight hours, their metabolism slowed to an absolute minimum, making them vulnerable but still lethal to touch.


    ''But I need a way to separate the skin without touching or damaging it,'' he thought while observing more closely.


    The creatures, though asleep, remained mortally dangerous. A single touch and they would begin draining his vital energy.


    The knowledge helped him find the most efficient path through what would be a labyrinth to untrained eyes as he ventured deeper. The chamber connected to others, each housing more sleeping groups.


    Finally, Ren reached a deeper chamber, its walls marked with distinctive patterns.


    ''This is the molting chamber,'' the knowledge flowed while he observed the walls.


    Distinctive marks covered the rock, scratch patterns where creatures rubbed to shed their old skins during the process.


    A movement caught his attention. In one of the higher cavities, a Shadow Stalker writhed in its sleep, its outer skin naturally detaching.


    With morbid fascination, he watched as the external skin came off cleanly, like a perfect sheath, maintaining all its mana isolation properties while leaving the sleeping creature with its new, gleaming skin.


    The new body emerged larger and more fragile, but within days it would absorb enough mana to regain its hardness and elasticity in the outer layer.


    This was the chamber he''d been searching for, dozens of skins rested on the ground.


    Some had been ruined by moisture, insects, and decomposing remains on the floor, but many new molts rested atop the damaged ones, in perfect condition.

 Chapter 54 - Taming the Escape Block

    Ren began moving among the sleeping groups with growing confidence.His eyes had adapted to the gloom, allowing him to distinguish subtle variations in the darkness that others might miss.


    Time was of the essence, he risked having the male block the exit sooner than expected if he dawdled.


    Each second had to be used efficiently.


    He worked methodically, moving from group to group. Every skin was carefully rolled, light but voluminous, requiring careful optimization of his bag space.


    ''Fifty... seventy-five...''


    The skins piled up in his bag, occupying considerable space despite their negligible weight. Ten kilos of material didn''t sound like much, but the volume was becoming a challenge. Each new addition required careful repositioning of the others.


    ''Ninety-one, ninety-two...''


    The mushrooms pulsed with renewed urgency. The male would return soon, and if it found him here, surrounded by its sleeping females...


    The thought alone made his hands move faster.


    ''One hundred.''


    Ren contemplated his collection of skins. One hundred perfect sheaths, each obtained with ridiculous ease. But his gaze lingered on one of the newly molted creatures, its fresh skin still gleaming and vulnerable in the dim light.


    ''One more thing,'' he thought while extracting the first Weaver silk thread he''d saved.


    The knowledge flowed freely: these weren''t simple fibers. Generations of predation by Shadow Stalkers and vice versa had led Weavers to develop special silk specifically designed to counter Shadow Stalkers.


    With deliberately slow movements, Ren prepared a slipknot.


    The silk gleamed faintly in the darkness as he positioned it near the sleeping creature, each motion calculated to avoid any disturbance.


    Ren fought against the nervous tension in his fingers.


    One mistake, one sharp squeal at the wrong frequency, and the entire colony would awaken. But the knowledge showed him exactly how to proceed, guiding every movement with precise certainty.


    The loop fell silently around the Shadow Stalker''s neck. The creature didn''t even twitch, its metabolism still slowed by sleep and recent molting.


    ''Now.''


    A quick, precise pull.


    The thread tensed perfectly, and in an instant, it was over.


    The creature had no time to register what was happening. No sound, no struggle, just a moment of pressure and then, stillness.


    Ren worked quickly, selecting one of the largest skins he''d collected. The knowledge showed him how the external skin perfectly blocked absorption, isolating anything wrapped within it completely.


    With precise movements and using the thread to avoid directly touching the dead creature''s tentacles, he wrapped it in the skin, using more Weaver silk to seal the package. The isolating skin would contain any energy absorption from the tentacles inside, keeping Ren safe from its lingering abilities.


    ''A perfect specimen,'' he thought while securing his prize.


    The mushrooms pulsed urgently, it was time to leave. The male wouldn''t be long in returning, and he''d already pushed his luck far enough.


    But while packing his bounty, Ren couldn''t suppress a smile. It was time to exit. Somewhere above him, the male would be finishing its chase of the Bark Stalker.


    He still had enough time. Only about 20 minutes had passed, and 5 to 10 minutes would be more than sufficient to return before the male.


    Or so he thought...


    A vibration in the cave''s mana made him instinctively duck. The mushrooms pulsed in warning, something large was approaching through the main tunnel.


    ''Too soon,'' he thought while silently backing away. ''The male shouldn''t...''


    The knowledge flowed when a new figure emerged in the gloom. This wasn''t the cave''s guardian...


    A rival male.


    ''Impossible,'' Ren held his breath while continuing to retreat. ''It''s not mating season. Territorial fights are rare outside of...''


    The mushrooms dimmed completely while Ren backed away quickly and silently.


    The invading male advanced with purpose. Its objective was clear, the power crystals that females had accumulated for the dominant male.


    Ren pressed himself against the wall, moving as silently as possible. The tunnel was wide, but not wide enough to avoid the monster if it decided to...


    The male paused, its attention completely focused on a lateral cavity. The glow of accumulated crystals emanated weakly, drawing its interest.


    ''The leader''s crystals are its priority for now,'' the knowledge flowed while Ren evaluated his options. ''But after...''


    A satisfied growl resonated as the invader began absorbing the crystallized energy. But Ren knew it wouldn''t end there.


    The knowledge was clear: after stealing the crystals, the male would seek to "mark" some sleeping females. It was part of the domination ritual.


    ''And when it does, it''ll reach me...''


    Ren looked back.


    The hundred skins and specimen in his bag slowed him down, and the main tunnel was the only exit. In moments, the invading male would advance toward the deeper chambers, completely blocking the path.


    He was trapped. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ????


    The mushrooms in Ren''s hair transmitted information while he evaluated his situation. The invading male continued absorbing the leader''s crystals, each second bringing it closer to its next objective.


    ''Think,'' Ren urged himself while the knowledge flowed. The male Shadow Stalkers were different from females. A single touch...


    ''I can''t go back,'' Ren studied the main tunnel. ''And if I stay here...''


    The male began to move.


    Its vibrations resonated ever closer as it advanced, searching for females to mark. The tunnel seemed to narrow with each passing second.


    The knowledge flowed: he needed to hide, and he had exactly what he needed.


    With hurried movements, he began extracting some of the black skins. The mana-blocking capability that made them so valuable could also serve as perfect camouflage.


    ''Like a second skin,'' he thought while methodically covering himself. Each piece had to overlap with the next, creating a seal that would block his energy presence.


    The knowledge flowed frantically: males were territorial, aggressive, but also... ritual-bound.


    Each step of their behavior followed a specific pattern.


    First the crystals, then the females nearest the entrance, then those at the bottom...


    The male moved among the sleeping females, marking its new territory. The invader growled in satisfaction. Its body gleamed with stolen energy as it turned toward the deeper chambers.


    Ren held his breath as the beast passed nearby, its senses completely focused on its domination ritual.


    The mushrooms sent him a warning sensation, something wasn''t right. The male stopped, its head turning slightly.


    A scent had penetrated the skin barrier.


    ''The captured female,'' the knowledge flowed urgently. The knot wasn''t perfect, allowing a small leak of the dead creature''s essence...

 Chapter 55 - Taming the Escape

    Ren held his breath as the beast passed nearby, its senses completely focused on its domination ritual.The mushrooms sent him a warning sensation, something wasn''t right. The male stopped, its head turning slightly.


    A scent had penetrated the skin barrier.


    ''The captured female,'' the knowledge flowed urgently.


    The knot wasn''t perfect, a tiny opening, barely visible to the naked eye, allowing the dead creature''s essence to escape...


    The male turned completely, all its senses now focused on the anomaly.


    It began moving toward Ren, each centimeter of its advance increasing the tension with growing menace.


    ''The broken flare,'' Ren remembered his last possibility, fingers brushing against the device in his pocket. It wasn''t just a signal, the crystal inside was designed to emit a pulse that the professor could detect from a significant distance.


    If he could alter the pulse''s specific frequency and release it instantly through the opening... His mind raced through the calculations, each second precious as the male drew closer.


    Ren moved his hands and mana flow frantically, trying to modify the crystal''s resonance before it was too late.


    The male approached with inexorable purpose.


    He wouldn''t make it in time...


    The beast was so close that Ren could see energy patterns swirling in its eyes, the hungry glow of a predator that had detected something amiss in its new territory.


    When the male was almost upon him, Ren broke the flare.


    The crystal shattered, releasing a concentrated energy explosion.


    The male recoiled, momentarily blinded, and more importantly, the crystal''s resonance traveled through the tunnels with a piercing sound that carried far beyond the cave''s confines.


    Ren didn''t wait to see the beast''s complete reaction. He launched himself toward the exit, every muscle straining with desperate energy.


    The mushrooms in his hair pulsed frantically as he ran, warning that the male would recover in seconds. Their glow dimmed to almost nothing, trying to minimize his presence.


    Ren ran, still covered by the skins. The male roared and moments later began the pursuit, its fury overwhelming its interest in the females. The sound of its rage echoed through the tunnel system, promising terrible retribution.


    The roars made the cave walls vibrate with their intensity. The Shadow Stalker''s fury was palpable, its new territory violated, its ritual interrupted. The sound of its pursuit resonated ever closer, each echo a reminder of approaching doom.


    ''Too fast,'' Ren thought while zigzagging between rock formations. The knowledge showed him the terrible truth, males could move at incredible speeds when provoked.


    Another roar, closer still.


    Ren could feel the air pressure changing as the male drained mana around it, creating vacuum zones meant to slow its prey.


    Fortunately, his skin covering provided some protection, and slightly confused the male''s precise detection abilities.


    The cave exit appeared ahead, daylight beckoning like a beacon of hope.


    The male''s claws scratched against rock, each impact closer than the last, the sound a countdown to capture.


    ''Just a little more,'' the mushrooms pulsed with renewed urgency. The flare''s resonance was still traveling, and somewhere out there...


    But time had run out. When he was about to be caught...


    A new roar answered the first, making it pause for a crucial instant that saved Ren. Discover hidden tales at empire


    This one came from outside the cave, carrying a different fury, the territorial rage of the original male detecting an invader.


    Ren''s plan with the flare had worked just in time...


    He threw himself to the ground as he reached the entrance, rolling into the black skins like a cocoon. Time seemed to slow as the two males met in what promised to be an epic confrontation.


    The invader emerged from the cave like a nightmare of power, its body glowing with stolen crystal energy.


    The original guardian landed before it, its own power obtained from the enormous Bark Stalker manifesting in visible waves of mana that distorted the air between them.


    For a moment, both beasts evaluated each other. The tension in the air was so dense that Ren could feel it even through the skins covering him, each pulse of energy making the very ground tremble.


    And then, all hell broke loose.


    ????


    Ren crawled away from the males'' confrontation.


    Their roars and energy waves transformed the air itself into a battlefield, each clash sending ripples of power through the surrounding area.


    When he considered himself far enough away, he stood and began running.


    But not toward the camp.


    Despite everything, Ren hadn''t had enough for today.


    Especially because the Bark Stalker he''d used as bait had to be somewhere along the route he''d directed it.


    ''The male chased it east,'' the knowledge flowed while Ren studied the terrain, looking for signs of the massive creature''s passage.


    After several moments of methodical searching, he found it. The Bark Stalker''s body lay like an artificial hill, its camouflage failing in death. It''s body was completely dry. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The male had drained much of its vital essence after death, but Ren''s interruption had prevented it from finishing the process. Otherwise, instead of the thin, desiccated creature he now saw, only a shell and dust would have remained.


    The mushrooms pulsed while Ren examined the corpse.


    This was perfect, with the draining interrupted...


    The core should be intact.


    With precise movements, he extracted his knife and grabbed a stone to use as a hammer.


    ''The exact point,'' the knowledge showed him where to strike. The Bark Stalker''s dry skin, though hard, had become brittle after losing its mana.


    A well-placed blow...


    The crack of the rupture resonated like a gunshot in the silence. Ren worked quickly, widening the gap until he could extract the crystallized core.


    He stored it in one of the skins with some powder from the desiccated monster, which should still contain considerable vitality.


    ''And this,'' he thought while studying the carapace, ''is an unexpected bonus.''


    The finest mosses and herbs still clung to the beast''s shell. Carefully, he began removing them and storing them between the Shadow Stalker skins.


    While working, his mind was already crafting possible explanations for his triumphant return. A story about a hollow tree full of skins discarded by Weavers would be hard to believe, the skins were too well preserved, too perfect.


    ''And when I add the core of an almost mature Bark Stalker, plus these exceptional quality herbs...''


    The mushrooms pulsed revealing his concern. Professor Zhao wouldn''t be easy to fool.


    ''I need a better story,'' he thought while storing the last specimens. ''Something that explains all this without revealing I ventured beyond the limits.''

 Chapter 56 - Taming the Interrogatory

    The mushrooms in Ren''s hair pulsed revealing his concern. Professor Zhao wouldn''t be easy to fool.''I need a better story,'' he thought while storing the last specimens. ''Something that explains all this without revealing I ventured beyond the limits.''


    In the distance, the Shadow Stalker males'' roars began to diminish, their battle reaching its inevitable conclusion.


    Soon, one would establish dominance and claim the territory.


    Ren had no more tricks ready to escape the losing male if it found him, his earlier gambit had used up all his prepared contingencies.


    It was time to return.


    But as he headed toward the camp, Ren couldn''t suppress a smile.


    Explaining his bounty would be complicated, but the value of what he carried in his bag would make any interrogation worthwhile.


    ''After all,'' he thought while the mushrooms pulsed softly, ''the best stories are always the hardest to believe.''


    ????


    Ren approached the marked territory cautiously.


    The battle between the Shadow Stalker males had ended, leaving a heavy silence in the air that spoke of recent violence.


    ''First I need something more believable,'' he thought while organizing his story. ''Something that explains not just the skins, but also the core and the herbs.''


    The knowledge flowed while he evaluated his options. The black skins were the biggest problem, too perfect, too well preserved.


    Even if he had found a Weavers'' tree, discarded skins would normally show signs of deterioration... Not to mention that finding 100 was like winning the lottery.


    ''And then there''s the core,'' the mushrooms pulsed while Ren touched the crystal in his bag. An almost mature Bark Stalker, conveniently found along with everything else...


    A sound made him freeze mid-step.


    Voices in the distance, other students gathering.


    He recognized the arrogant tone that had caused him so much dumb trouble.


    "It''s your fault!" Jin''s voice resonated with frustration, carrying clearly through the trees. "If you hadn''t lost the flare so quickly...!"


    "My fault?" Kai sounded equally annoyed, his scales visible even from a distance. "You were the one who provoked the Weavers!"


    Ren slipped silently between the trees, avoiding detection as he made his way back to his camouflage blanket.


    Jin''s group appeared to have had a difficult morning after their encounter with the enraged colony.


    ''At least that distraction worked perfectly,'' he thought while circling their position with practiced stealth.


    Another group appeared ahead, Luna and her reluctant followers. Her shadow wolf manifested briefly while she studied something on the ground, its ethereal form making the shadows dance.


    Their eyes met for a moment.


    Luna''s expression was unreadable, but Ren could swear he saw a flash of curiosity in her gaze before she returned to her task.


    ''She knows something doesn''t add up,'' the knowledge warned him that Luna was more perceptive than the rest. Her shadow wolf could probably detect traces of the residual energy from the Shadow Stalkers.


    Finally, he spotted Taro and Min working in the same silk-rich area where he''d left them. His friends looked up when he approached, their expressions showing relief and concern.


    "Where were you?" Min whispered urgently. "The professor has been making rounds..."


    "And all the guards are talking about a beast fight beyond the perimeter, so everyone''s been warned not to be reckless," Taro added, his beetle''s markings shifting nervously.


    The mushrooms pulsed while Ren considered his response carefully.


    ''Partial truth,'' he decided while preparing to share his edited version of events. ''Mixed with enough believable details to make it digestible.''


    "And then I found this hollow tree where the Weavers had..." Ren stopped mid-sentence. The mushrooms in his hair ceased pulsing abruptly.


    "A fascinating story, no doubt," Professor Zhao''s voice resonated behind him, laden with authority. "Perhaps you could share it in my office." Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ren felt his throat constrict as he swallowed hard. Min and Taro exchanged worried looks, but there was nothing they could do to help their friend now.


    ????


    Night had fallen over the camp.


    An enormous insulating tent protected the students from Shadow Stalkers, while professors and assistants mounted guard at the entrances.


    Inside, the murmur of conversations and occasional flash of manifested beasts created an almost homely atmosphere.


    But Ren wasn''t with his companions. Stay updated with empire


    Instead, he found himself seated in Professor Zhao''s improvised office, feeling increasingly small under the penetrating gaze of the half manifested owl.


    "Do you really expect me to believe that story, Mr. Patinder?" Zhao leaned over his portable desk. There was no anger in his voice, but something worse, disappointment.


    "A tree where you conveniently found all of this?"


    The mushrooms in Ren''s hair pulsed weakly while the professor spread his bounty across the table: the perfectly preserved skins, the Bark Stalker core, the exceptional quality herbs, and even a freshly molted Shadow Stalker.


    "It was clever using the incident with Jin''s group to escape my monitoring," Zhao continued, his tone carrying a bit of irritation. "A perfect execution, I must admit. But..."


    He stood up, his owl manifesting completely.


    The wings spread while his eyes, sharpened by decades of experience, fixed on Ren with unerring focus.


    "Did you think I wouldn''t notice your motionless camouflage blanket for hours? That my eyes wouldn''t detect the complete absence of movement in that spot?"


    Ren sank deeper into his seat, shame and worry warring for dominance in his expression.


    "I don''t like being underestimated, Mr. Patinder," Zhao crossed his arms. "I am the exterior gathering professor for a reason. These eyes have seen more tricks than you can imagine."


    "I''m sorry, professor," Ren mumbled, his voice barely audible in the tense atmosphere.


    "The real question is," Zhao sat back down, his expression unreadable, "what am I going to do with you?"


    The mushrooms pulsed with renewed concern. Had all the planning, all the risks... been for nothing?


    The professor extracted something from his desk, a small flask containing clear greenish liquid.


    "You know, I prepared this before departing," Zhao continued, turning the flask between his fingers thoughtfully. "When the other students complained about the two and a half days, I thought it would be interesting to see their reactions if they ''discovered'' you lasted the full three days."


    The mushrooms in Ren''s hair pulsed with surprise while he processed this unexpected information.


    "The mana poisoning medicine," Zhao smiled slightly, his severity beginning to crack, "was going to be our little secret. A lesson about prejudice for your classmates¡­ and my help for the unfortunate student."


    He reclined in his chair, his owl manifesting more relaxed now. "But it seems I underestimated your... initiative. Instead of needing help to last three days, you decided to venture alone into dangerous territory."

 Chapter 57 - Taming Behavior

    "The mana poisoning medicine," Zhao smiled slightly, his severity beginning to crack, "was going to be our little secret. A lesson about prejudice for your classmates¡­ and my help for the unfortunate student."He reclined in his chair, his owl manifesting more relaxed now. "But it seems I underestimated your... initiative. Instead of needing help to last three days, you decided to venture alone into dangerous territory." Your next chapter awaits on empire


    The laugh that followed was genuine, the change in his attitude flowing naturally. He hadn''t stopped being the strict professor, but now Ren could see the admiration mixed with the reprimand, like a master craftsman acknowledging a particularly clever apprentice.


    "The medicine is still yours if you want it," he offered, sliding the flask across the desk with deliberate care. "Though I suspect you might have your own method for handling the poisoning."


    Ren took the flask with gratitude. "Thank you, professor. And yes, I had a plan involving that Shadow Stalker body, but I''ll keep this as backup."


    "I see you''re relaxing... Now," Zhao leaned forward, his eyes gleaming with genuine interest, his owl''s gaze equally intent. "How about you tell me the true story of how you acquired all this?"


    The mushrooms pulsed while analyzing the professor''s new attitude. After considering for a moment, Ren decided to be more sincere.


    The medicine in his pocket was a reminder that sometimes, people could surprise you in the best ways, luckily not everyone was like Wei or Jin...


    ????


    Professor Zhao''s laughter broke the tension like sunlight piercing storm clouds, transforming the atmosphere in the small office.


    "Well, well," he reclined in his chair with more curiosity than threat of reprimand now. "How did you manage to enter that cave then?"


    Ren carefully considered how much to reveal so his story wouldn''t seem false again, sometimes truth was indeed stranger than fiction... He decided to begin with the basics and build from there.


    "The larger Bark Stalkers are slightly dangerous," he explained, gaining confidence as he saw the genuine interest in the professor''s eyes. "But they have so much accumulated vitality that they''re perfect targets for Shadow Stalker sentinels. I just needed to make one move to the right place..."


    "And how did you manage that without it returning to its spot?" Zhao leaned forward, fascinated by the technical details of Ren''s plan.


    Ren described his use of the worm crystal to imitate drainage waves. The professor''s eyes widened with professional appreciation.


    "Ingenious. I believe the story of that worm crystal must also be interesting, but tell me first... How did you obtain so many Shadow Stalker skins in such a short time? Eliminating them, even while sleeping, isn''t so simple..." S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "The females molt regularly in the deep caves," Ren continued, carefully omitting exactly how he knew to find the molting chamber in the labyrinth of the enormous cave system.


    "The high concentration of individuals makes obtaining numerous skins easier, I just had to take the ones that had naturally molted."


    "Fascinating," Zhao murmured while examining one of the skins with expert attention.


    "In all my years exploring, I''ve only seen such perfect specimens twice... We had destroyed nests in an expedition, finding skins after days of exploring the caves, but most always show damage... It''s difficult to obtain them without marks of violence..."


    "I didn''t need force," Ren smiled slightly. "Just understanding of their natural cycles."


    The professor nodded thoughtfully. "You know? The King''s policy is clear, we must reward those who show true talent for exploration and gathering."


    He stood and began pacing.


    "It was incredibly risky, of course. With your... limitation," he gestured toward the mushrooms, "venturing so far could have ended very badly."


    "But," he continued, a smile forming, "you''ve demonstrated something many forget. Knowledge and cunning can sometimes overcome brute force."


    Zhao studied him for a long moment, his owl''s gaze equally penetrating. "The ''miserable one'' everyone says will belong to the grey wing all his life... Seems there''s much more to you than appears, isn''t there?"


    Ren maintained a modest expression, though the mushrooms pulsed with quiet satisfaction.


    "You know," the professor smiled, "I think I''m going to be very interested in seeing how you develop. With proper support... I almost regret having to stay watching other students collect basic silk."


    "I''d like to see firsthand how you work. Gathering with you in one of those caves, seeing how..."


    An assistant professor entered hurriedly, his face showing concern that quickly turned to disdain upon seeing Ren.


    "Professor Zhao, the Shadow Stalkers... they''re acting strangely. I''ve never seen so many hitting against the protective tent."


    Zhao raised a hand to silence him. "It''s not so unusual. When there are territorial changes, sometimes the colonies..."


    But Ren had gone rigid in his seat while listening to the impacts above the tent. They were quick, erratic, different from the usual cave migration pattern.


    "Silence," he requested, raising a hand. "Listen to the rhythm."


    The assistant looked at him with contempt, what could this troublesome student mean by that? ''How arrogant'', he thought but Zhao turned with interest.


    "What did you notice, Ren?"


    "This isn''t a normal territorial change, excuse me professor," Ren murmured, his mushrooms pulsing faster. "They''re flying too low, too fast. Almost as if..."


    "As if what?" Zhao prompted.


    "As if they were fleeing," Ren completed, standing up. "And Shadow Stalkers don''t flee from..."


    "Other beasts?"


    "The Bronze ring beasts in this section, the Wood Colossi, the Metal Serpents, even the Rock Scorpions, never venture here," Ren chose his words carefully. "Even when displaced by territorial fights or hunger."


    "Why are you so sure?" the assistant crossed his arms skeptically.


    "Because Shadow Stalkers kill them," Ren responded with quiet certainty. "A Bronze beast might be stronger individually, but at night a Shadow Stalker colony can drain all its mana in seconds. It''s suicide for them to enter this territory."


    Zhao nodded slowly, his owl''s feathers ruffling with growing concern.


    "They would stay in the mana-richer zones, even if displaced, they''d seek other hunting grounds," Zhao completed, his expression turning thoughtful. "You''re right. This is unusual."


    "And a Silver-rank beast..." Ren continued his analysis, "if it was displaced from its territory, why come here? It would be more logical to stay in the second ring, hunting Bronze beasts. The mana concentration there is much higher and hunting would be easier."


    "I suppose that''s why this zone is safe for students," Ren added. "The iron ring has nothing to attract more powerful beasts."


    "This is... too artificial," Ren frowned. "As if something had altered the natural cave structure. Or perhaps..."

 Chapter 58 - Taming Behavior - 2

    "I suppose that''s why this zone is safe for students," Ren added. "The iron ring has nothing to attract more powerful beasts."The impacts continued overhead, growing more erratic with each passing moment. The Shadow Stalkers, creatures that normally dominated the night in this zone with absolute authority, were acting as if something had fundamentally altered the natural order of the first ring.


    Their behavior spoke of primal fear, an emotion these predators rarely experienced.


    The assistant seemed eager to protest that they were taking a student seriously, but another pattern of impacts interrupted him, this one more urgent than the last. The rhythmic pounding against the tent''s protective fabric carried an unmistakable message of panic.


    The impacts persisted above the tent, the Shadow Stalkers'' erratic behavior becoming increasingly evident. Each new pattern of strikes revealed more about their unnatural state of agitation.


    "This is... too artificial," Ren frowned. "As if something had altered the natural cave structure. Or perhaps..."


    "Perhaps?" Zhao pressed, his owl''s eyes focusing intently on Ren.


    "Perhaps it isn''t natural at all," Ren looked at the professor meaningfully. "What if someone is deliberately controlling the stalkers?"


    The assistant snorted with derision, but Zhao''s expression had turned serious.


    "Someone?" the assistant insisted. "A cave could have collapsed... What kind of nonsense...?"


    "Silence," Zhao ordered, his expression grave while studying Ren with newfound intensity.


    "Continue."


    "Geological changes aren''t unusual for them, this isn''t a volcanic zone," Ren explained, knowledge flowing naturally through his mushrooms. "The beasts would behave differently. And a large collapse would have caused vibrations we would have felt."


    The impacts on the tent increased in frequency and force. Ren could picture the Shadow Stalkers, creatures that normally dominated the night without rival, fleeing in blind panic from something that terrified even them.


    Zhao grasped something, his expression growing more serious with each passing second. "Someone is deliberately driving the Stalkers toward this area."


    "But why?" Ren frowned, mind racing through possibilities. "Unless..."


    He stopped, an idea forming.


    The Shadow Stalkers were the reason why no one could move freely at night in this zone of the iron ring. If someone wanted to ensure that no one could escape...


    "Professor," the assistant finally seemed to grasp the gravity of the situation. "Should we evacuate the camp?"


    "No," Zhao shook his head decisively. "Such a move would only alert whoever is behind this. For now..."


    Something changed in Zhao''s expression, a shift from concerned teacher to battle-ready warrior. His owl manifested completely, wings extending to their full impressive span, each feather gleaming with contained power.


    "Ren," his voice was low but firm. "Stay here. Hide yourself."


    "Professor, I can help. If someone is..."


    "No," Zhao cut him off with gentle but unyielding firmness. "This is different from collecting materials or studying beasts. There''s a reason why I''m the professor of this class."


    He turned to the assistant. "Alert the other guards. Have them keep their beasts manifested."


    The assistant nodded, his own beast, a wind lynx, manifesting fully as he departed.


    "But professor," Ren insisted, his mushrooms pulsing with urgency, "if I know how the Stalkers behave I could counter..."


    "First I need you to stay safe," Zhao looked at him directly, his gaze burning with intensity. "Your knowledge might be vital to our city later. But now..."


    A new pattern of impacts resonated above the tent. The Shadow Stalkers were no longer just fleeing, they were being herded with purpose.


    "Now I need you to trust me," Zhao moved toward the exit. "There are things more dangerous than wild beasts, Ren."


    His gaze briefly shifted toward where the students slept, some of them heirs to powerful families with beasts of extraordinary potential.


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    "Stay here," he repeated before leaving. "And whatever happens, don''t expose yourself."


    Ren watched Zhao depart, the mushrooms in his hair pulsing with growing concern. Something or someone had orchestrated this situation with careful precision. And while the impacts continued above the tent, Ren couldn''t help but wonder what other plans were unfolding in the darkness.


    ????


    The darkness inside the tent grew thicker while Zhao and the auxiliaries formed a protective circle around the sleeping students. Some students started to wake up from all the movement.


    Their manifested beasts created patterns of faint light, Zhao''s owl shining more brilliantly than the others, its power barely contained.


    The auxiliaries didn''t fully understand what the commotion was about until...


    A movement at the tent''s eastern entrance drew all eyes.


    A figure wrapped in black fabric stood motionless, its silhouette barely visible against the night. The fabric absorbed all light, all traces of mana, only the finest Shadow Stalker materials could achieve such an effect.


    "Professor..." one of the auxiliaries whispered, fear creeping into his voice.


    Before he could complete his warning, another figure appeared at the western entrance. Then a third in the north. A fourth in the south. Each identical to the last, their forms completely hidden by the black fabric that seemed to devour light itself.


    A student let out a choked cry when the figures began to move.


    Their bodies seemed to flow beneath the fabric, as if their forms weren''t entirely human. With synchronized movements, they drew what appeared to be curved blades that gleamed dully in the dim light. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Zhao stepped forward, his owl spreading its wings in warning, but stopped when the figures pressed their blades against the tent''s fabric.


    Small cuts appeared where the edges touched the material, the protective enchantments struggling against the weapons.


    "Don''t try it, Zhao," a voice resonated from outside. Authoritative, cold, with a metallic echo suggesting some kind of mask.


    "You know what will happen if the tent breaks."


    The Shadow Stalkers'' impacts on the roof intensified, as if emphasizing the threat, their frenzied movements promising swift death to any one exposed to the night.


    "There are more than 50 students here," Zhao responded, his voice tense but controlled. "Most are barely ten years old."


    "Then it would be a shame if something happened to them," the voice seemed to smile. "Surrender. No one has to die tonight."


    The blades pressed deeper, the cuts extending like dark veins across the protective fabric. In the darkness, the figures seemed to grow more menacing, their silhouettes distorting with increasing mana tension.


    "Last warning," the voice acquired a more threatening tone.


    "Lower your wings, Zhao. Or we''ll see how long these children can survive when the tent falls and the Stalkers enter their feeding frenzy."


    The sound above their heads was deafening now, dozens, perhaps hundreds of Shadow Stalkers hammering against the protection, hungry, maddened, waiting.

 Chapter 59 - Tamers Battle

    "Last warning," the voice acquired a more threatening tone."Lower your wings, Zhao. Or we''ll see how long these children can survive when the tent falls and the Stalkers enter their feeding frenzy."


    The sound above their heads was deafening now, dozens, perhaps hundreds of Shadow Stalkers hammering against the protection, hungry, maddened, waiting. Their collective frenzy created a symphony of impending doom that made even the bravest students tremble.


    The figures covered in black fabric remained at the tent''s entrances, creating a sense of silent siege. Their presence alone seemed to make the air heavier, more oppressive, as if the very darkness had taken physical form.


    The auxiliaries formed a protective circle, their beasts manifesting as patterns of power across their bodies, scales, fur, and feathers gleaming faintly in the dim light. Each of them knew that against a horde of frenzied Shadow Stalkers, their chances were slim at best.


    Zhao stepped forward. The hooded figures tensed, but didn''t retreat. Their stillness was more threatening than any movement could have been.


    "I wonder if Yino has truly fallen so low as to threaten children."


    His owl merged with him without fanfare, a subtle change in the air, a presence that spread like ink in water.


    "The famous Hunter of Yano," the voice from outside sounded amused, but there was an edge of caution in it. "Your reputation precedes you, Zhao. How many of ours have you tracked and eliminated flying over the abyssal border? Twenty? Thirty?"


    "Forty-two," Zhao responded with the same calm he might discuss the weather.


    Zhao stood tall, his owl manifesting across his skin. It wasn''t the ostentatious beast many would expect from someone with his reputation, but those who knew the Hunter''s history understood that his power lay in the lethal precisi¨®n of the user, not just his Silver 3 beast raw strength.


    "All of them better than you. None stupid enough to attack in my territory. You''ve made a mistake coming here."


    He wasn''t just a professor, the Hunter of Yano, as he was known at the border, was famous for his ability to track and eliminate threats from the rival kingdom. His very name was spoken with fear and respect in certain circles.


    The blades pressed deeper into the tent''s fabric. The Shadow Stalkers'' impacts created a frenzied rhythm overhead, their collective hunger growing with each passing moment.


    A dry laugh resonated from outside. "Mistake? No, old friend. This place... these training grounds you''ve used for generations. We know them better than you think."


    Zhao showed no reaction, but his mind worked rapidly. That information shouldn''t be available to Yino. Unless...


    "We have a simple proposal," the voice continued. "Luna, Klein, Feng, and Astor. Hand them over, and the other forty-six students will live. It''s a generous deal."


    The named students tensed.


    Luna, her shadow wolf manifesting briefly before melting back into the shadows. Klein, his golden lion gleaming with contained fury. Feng, whose red cobra created scarlet patterns across his skin. Astor, the blue rhinoceros pulsing with power beneath his surface.


    "And if I refuse?" Zhao maintained his casual tone, as if discussing the day''s weather rather than the lives of his students.


    "Then," the figures pressed their blades deeper into the tent''s fabric, creating ominous patterns of stress in the protective material, "we''ll have to settle for ensuring Yano loses an entire generation of promising talents. Not our preferred goal, but..."


    The auxiliaries were ready to fight, but Zhao could see the worry in their eyes. Even with all their combined skills, protecting fifty students from a horde of enraged Shadow Stalkers, plus some extra attackers of unknown rank would be impossible.


    The math was simple and brutal.


    "You have to make a decision, Hunter," the voice sounded almost compassionate now. "Four lives, or fifty? The heirs of some noble families, or an entire generation of students?"


    "Four lives or fifty, that''s the choice you''re giving me. Right?" Zhao repeated slowly. "Curious..."


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    The black figures shifted uneasily. Something in Zhao''s calm disturbed them more than any display of power could have.


    "Do you know why they call me the Hunter of Yano?" he stepped forward, and though the blades pressed deeper into the tent''s fabric, no figure dared to cut it.


    "It''s not for the number of enemies I''ve eliminated. It''s because never, not once, have I let a single target escape." S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Something changed in Zhao''s posture... a shift so subtle that only the most observant noticed it.


    The auxiliaries formed a tighter circle around the students. But everyone knew that against a horde of maddened Shadow Stalkers...


    "My choice..." his voice became dangerously soft.


    The black figures tensed when they felt the change in the air.


    Silver feathers flashed in the darkness, moving with lethal velocity.


    Ten feathers, ten targets.


    The heads of the black figures in his sights.


    The attack was so sudden that two of the hooded figures didn''t even have time to react. The feathers pierced their masks with deadly precision, their bodies collapsing before they could scream.


    The others were faster.


    Some ducked, others covered with their arms, and some retreated behind the tent''s folds. The silver feathers cut through the air where their heads had been moments before.


    The first cut in the tent''s fabric was the beginning of the storm.


    "Proud fool!" the leader''s voice resonated with fury as the figures began tearing at the protective fabric.


    The cuts in the tent multiplied rapidly as the enemies attacked. The first Shadow Stalkers began entering, their black bodies nearly invisible in the gloom.


    "You could have saved forty-six students," the leader continued as more medusas slipped through the openings. "But your pride has just condemned them all!"


    "Pride has nothing to do with it," he responded while launching a feather that eliminated the first Stalker that came too close. "I simply refuse to negotiate with monsters who take children hostage."


    The sound of tearing fabric was his only answer as more and more medusas began flooding the space.


    Zhao''s silver feathers flashed in the darkness while eliminating another medusa slipping through the cuts. His eyes, sharpened by his owl and decades of night hunting, detected every movement in the shadows as if it were daylight.


    ''Thirty-seven,'' he counted mentally as another feather found its target. The Stalkers'' bodies fell, but remained dangerous even in death, their mana-absorbing ability persisting for days.


    More cuts appeared in the tent''s fabric. The black figures coordinated their attacks, creating strategic openings that allowed more Stalkers to enter.


    "Maintain formation!" Zhao ordered his auxiliaries while another feather flew from his hand.


    The auxiliaries reduced the circle even more... Zhao was confused for a moment, it was reduced too much.


    Were there fewer students now?

 Chapter 60 - Tamers Battle - 2

    More cuts appeared in the tent''s fabric. The black figures coordinated their attacks, creating strategic openings that allowed more Stalkers to enter."Maintain formation!" Zhao ordered his auxiliaries while another feather flew from his hand.


    The auxiliaries reduced the circle further... Zhao felt confusion pierce through his battle focus for a moment.


    Were there fewer students than before?


    He dismissed the thought, he had enough on his mind dealing with each Shadow Stalker that breached their perimeter. Every second brought new threats that demanded his immediate attention.


    Zhao hadn''t been lying, this was his territory.


    The Mist Owl''s abilities were perfectly adapted for night combat.


    In this zone, he could move freely even during the medusas'' hunting hours, he could fly far faster than they could and was capable of distinguishing them perfectly in the darkness.


    His enhanced vision turned their greatest advantage into nothing.


    A single silver feather was enough to kill a Shadow Stalker, but even with this lethal advantage, he couldn''t eliminate such a massive swarm quickly enough to protect a big group all night¡­


    There were simply too many, their numbers seeming endless.


    ''This doesn''t make sense,'' he thought while eliminating ten more with precise strikes. Shadow Stalkers were exclusive to this region of the habitable world. No one had managed to obtain a Shadow Stalker from an egg in Yano, and even if they had...


    A medusa nearly reached a student. Zhao''s feather pierced it just in time, the creature falling dead before it could touch its prey.


    ''The control over them... it shouldn''t be possible.''


    Even having a contract from an egg wouldn''t necessarily explain such mastery over these creatures. Luna couldn''t control wolves despite having a powerful shadow one, for example...


    Yet the Stalkers moved with purpose, coordinated in a way that defied their very nature.


    Another section of the tent gave way.


    The attackers pressed from all directions, their distorted forms suggesting something more than simple manifested beasts. Their movements carried an unnatural fluidity that spoke of powers beyond normal cultivation.


    ''Abyssals,'' the thought made his feathers vibrate with recognition. The corrupted creatures that dwelled beyond known depths and emerged in controlled hordes. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But making a contract with one of them...


    "Professor!" an auxiliary''s cry pulled him from his thoughts. More cuts appeared as the tent began failing at multiple points, their protection crumbling piece by piece.


    The students clustered in the center, forming an ever-shrinking circle of frightened faces and manifesting beasts.


    Zhao launched another feather, the silver metal gleaming with medusa blood. He was fast, he was lethal, he was the Hunter of Yano. But even he had limits, and tonight they were pushing him beyond them.


    ''How?'' he wondered while eliminating another wave. ''How did they manage to contract with an Abyssal? What are they willing to sacrifice for this power?''


    The medusas flooded the tent through dozens of cuts. Zhao''s silver feathers flashed ceaselessly, each strike finding its mark with deadly precision.


    The attackers'' leader released a satisfied laugh from outside when Zhao began running low on feathers. His triumph was palpable.


    "It''s over, Zhao. Not even you can..."


    Zhao launched his last feathers, striking even the attackers cutting the tent who were now more visible, eliminating another enemy with lethal efficiency.


    The movement created a moment of vulnerability that the medusas rushed to exploit, surging toward Zhao...


    Exactly as he had planned.


    The silver feathers illuminated, vibrated, then shot back, returning to their master in an instant.


    In a flash of impossibly fast movement, the feathers fired out again, now backwards before reattaching to their owner''s wings. Dozens of Stalkers fell simultaneously, their lifeless bodies hitting the ground in a macabre rain.


    "Damn you...!" the leader lost his composure at seeing they were back where they started with one less person.


    "Everyone, attack! I don''t care if the heirs survive anymore!"


    The black figures began moving in concert with the medusa avalanche, their coordinated assault promising swift death.


    "Professor!" Ren''s cry cut through the chaos. "The supports! Destroy the tent supports!"


    Zhao wanted to demand why the boy wasn''t hidden where he''d left him...


    But he didn''t hesitate.


    His feathers found the structural points with surgical precision. The enormous fabric roof began collapsing on all of them, creating a moment of perfect chaos.


    The attackers retreated instinctively.


    "Fools!" the leader roared as the tent fell. "You''ve buried yourselves alive!"


    When the tent collapsed completely over them, the leader decided they didn''t need to remove it, they could eliminate their targets right where they lay, blind and helpless.


    "Attack the tent!"


    The fire-wielding attacker from the enemy didn''t wait for further orders. His flames began devouring the fallen fabric while his companions struck with other invocation powers or their blades.


    "Let them cook for a moment," the leader smiled beneath his mask. "The smoke will make our work easier."


    The flames spread rapidly across the treated fabric. The attackers waited to hear screams of terror, pleas for help...


    But there was only silence.


    "What...?" The leader advanced when the flames finished their work and revealed the interior.


    Where there should have been fifty trapped and burned students, there was only disturbed earth and a covered hole.


    "Impossible," he whispered as understanding dawned. "They''ve been digging this whole time."


    Then an explosion launched feathers everywhere, striking the attackers once more.


    ????


    Moments before¡­


    Ren crawled out of the office, covered in the Shadow Stalker skins he''d collected.


    He''d decided to wrap himself in them again when the professor rushed out and he understood the situation.


    The battle chaos above provided perfect cover for his movement.


    ''Sorry, professor,'' he thought while moving through the shadows, ''but I can''t stay still when I can help my friends.''


    He found Taro among the group of students. Min was with him, both manifesting their beasts against the imminent threat.


    "Taro," Ren whispered, making his friend jump in surprise. "I need you to use your digger beetle and... dig. Now." Stay tuned to empire


    "Ren? What...?"


    "Your beetle can go through compact earth very quickly, hurry," Ren explained while another Stalker fell, pierced by Zhao''s silver feather. "We need cover."


    Taro understood immediately, a trench. His beetle manifested fully, its pincers beginning to work the ground while Min kept watch.


    The sound of digging attracted nearby students'' attention. A boy with a mole-type beast joined without hesitation. Then a girl whose rock beast also had a facility for digging.


    Soon, several students combined their efforts.


    Above, Zhao continued his impossible battle. His feathers flashed in the darkness, finding target after target, but the Stalkers kept entering through the increasingly numerous cuts.


    "Deeper," Ren urged as the hole took shape.

 Chapter 61 - Tamers Battle - 3

    above the trench, zhao continued his impossible battle.his silver feathers flashed in the darkness, finding target after target, but the shadow stalkers kept pouring through the increasingly numerous cuts in the tent''s fabric.


    "deeper," ren urged as the hole continued expanding beneath them.


    sweat beaded on the diggers'' foreheads as they worked tirelessly.


    ren observed students sliding into the trench while zhao''s feathers grew increasingly scarce.


    "faster!" ren urged taro and the others who continued digging.


    the hole was almost deep and wide enough, forty students had slipped inside, but the space for those remaining wasn''t ready yet.


    "min, help them smooth the earth there," he directed his friend. "taro, to the right, the earth is softer there."


    taro''s beetle changed direction, its legs tearing away larger chunks of soil. two other students with digger beasts coordinated their movements, expanding the space with efficiency. their combined efforts made the tunnel grow faster than any single beast could manage.


    ''just a little more,'' ren thought while approaching where luna remained apart, observing the situation with her wolf ready to strike. he extended a hand toward her.


    "i don''t need you to rescue me," luna maintained her neutral expression, avoiding direct eye contact, though ren noticed her eyes evaluating the distance to the tunnel and the attackers'' positions.


    ren kept his hand extended, carefully considering his next words.


    "i didn''t need you to rescue me from jin either... or defend me with your opinion in the cart," he responded calmly. "but you gave it anyway. so let me repay some of that debt, and surprise you again. trust me this time."


    luna met his eyes, studying the daring confidence in them that contrasted with his usual gentle, cheerful appearance. without a word, she took his hand and slipped toward the hole, her wolf melting into the shadows around them.


    klein''s group, him, feng, and astor, needed no convincing... one glance at the situation was enough for them to make the sensible decision and jump into the tunnel as soon as space allowed. their egos hadn''t completely smothered their survival instincts.


    but jin...


    "the rotten one organized that?" jin spat the words with contempt, while his followers nervously watched the stalkers that zhao barely kept at bay. "i''d rather die than follow his plans!"


    zhao''s feathers returned to him, then the black figures pressed their attack with renewed vigor.


    "if you want to die, that''s your problem!" ren said to jin before turning toward where zhao was about to be attacked from multiple angles simultaneously. "professor! the supports! destroy the tent supports!"


    the auxiliaries, who had been watching the tunnel''s development with growing attention, exchanged quick glances. they didn''t wait for further debate... they grabbed jin''s group and dragged them toward the opening despite their protests.


    silver feathers found the supports with lethal precision. as the structure began to collapse, zhao launched himself toward the tunnel, his feathers returning to him just as the fabric fell over their heads.


    ????


    absolute darkness filled the narrow tunnel, pressing in from all sides.


    the mushrooms in ren''s hair glowed with forced intensity, illuminating tense and terrified faces. their light cast shifting shadows that made the space seem both smaller and larger than it was.


    above, they could hear the attackers retreating to avoid being covered by the fallen tent, accidentally touching the fallen life absorbing jellyfish''s bodies that surrounded the group.


    "what''s the plan?" zhao turned to ren. "i hope i won''t regret playing along with you, boy... we''ll be easy prey if we stay like this."


    "first we need a stronger cover!" ren spoke quickly, urgently. "just a few seconds! i''ll explain while they make it!"


    zhao nodded sharply. "everyone who can manipulate barriers, earth, or rock!" his voice cut through the tunnel. "we need a ceiling, now! thin but resistant!"


    several students responded immediately, their beasts manifesting with defensive purpose.


    "continue!" zhao ordered while his enormous wings helped support the improvised structure.


    ren nodded. "yes, first i''ll handle the shadow stalkers and then you..."


    a blow above them and the sound of flames interrupted his words. the attackers had begun their assault.


    "faster!" zhao urged. "we don''t have much time!"


    "the plan is..."


    ????


    taro pressed his hand against the tunnel wall. his manifested beetle vibrated, detecting movements above with uncanny precision.


    "three to the right," he whispered. "two more moving away north."


    the mole-beast boy nodded in confirmation. "the other two are almost directly above us."


    zhao watched ren, his silver feathers gleaming faintly while waiting for the perfect moment. the plan was risky, but better than trying to cover everyone alone... if it worked, he could fight with more freedom. sear?h the n?velfire(.)net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "5 meters!"


    "now!" zhao''s command cut through the tunnel''s tense air while the improvised ceiling flew upward, propelled by the wind lynx auxiliary''s power.


    zhao''s feathers shot through the improvised ceiling, finding several unprepared attackers. their precision was absolute even in the chaos of the moment.


    above, the attackers'' surprised cries confirmed they''d found their targets, the element of surprise worked perfectly.


    students with defensive capabilities had already begun forming the new shelter, thicker than before, strategically angled to deflect attacks. walls began rising around them, each layer reinforcing their protection.


    ren pulled out his new bark stalker core, his plan to counter the shadow stalkers'' control ready for implementation. he activated the proto-core crystal while beginning to manipulate the frequency in the immediate area around the students.


    shadow stalkers continued approaching from above, but something changed in their pattern when ren activated the core. the shadow stalkers began moving erratically, as if confused by conflicting signals.


    "it''s working!" taro shouted while reinforcing a section of the wall. experience more on empire


    the students prepared to defend their position with everything they had, while zhao and three of the four auxiliaries launched their attack.


    ????


    zhao didn''t hesitate, the moment of surprise was all he needed.


    his feathers had found vulnerable targets, leaving several enemies bleeding or disoriented. the battle for survival continued with renewed intensity.


    but this time was different, the auxiliaries could join zhao in the attack. for the first time since the assault began, they could focus completely on combat without worrying about protecting the students from the shadow stalkers.


    "keep them safe!" he ordered the auxiliary with the calcium-plated snail, before launching himself toward the group of attackers.


    it was time to press their advantage.


    the seven remaining attackers retreated, their distorted forms moving in impossible ways under the moonlight. their black fabric, now torn in places, rippled to reveal glimpses of the corruption beneath¡­ flesh fused with beasts in ways that defied nature.

 Chapter 62 - Tamers Battle - 4

    zhao didn''t hesitate, the moment of surprise was all he needed."keep them safe!" he ordered the auxiliary with the calcium-plated snail, just as he launched himself toward the group of attackers.


    the other three auxiliaries followed his lead, each moving with practiced coordination. their beasts manifested fully.


    the wind lynx bearer moved like a gust toward the enemy on the left, his claws gleaming in the darkness. the beast''s speed made him almost invisible to the untrained eye.


    the boar bearer charged against the fire wielder, his defensive plates shimmering against the first corrupt flames. each step was measured, calculated to close the distance while minimizing exposure.


    the third auxiliary, his bronze hawk manifesting in copper patterns across his skin, intercepted another enemy on the left.


    zhao faced the remaining four, including the leader. his silver feathers danced between his fingers, each one humming with power.


    read exclusive adventures at empire


    the black figures finally dropped their hoods, revealing the true abominations beneath... forms of the abyssals. their skin shared that disturbing purple tone that marked their chaotic species from the depths. each one was a unique nightmare made flesh.


    the first had tentacles emerging from its back, each moving with its own will, its purple skin pulsing with darker veins that seemed to writhe beneath the surface. the appendages twisted and coiled like living ropes.


    the second appeared to be a grotesque fusion of giant salamander and crocodile, its slimy skin gleaming wetly in the moonlight. scales and smooth flesh merged in weird patterns.


    the third maintained a vaguely humanoid form, but parts of its body melted and reformed constantly, like molten purple wax dancing to some alien rhythm. its shape was never quite the same from one moment to the next.


    the leader was a nightmare given form, an arachnid creature whose face split into three distinct mouths, one central and two on the sides of the jaw. five purple eyes moved unnaturally, studying zhao''s every movement with predatory intelligence.


    "the famous hunter of yano," it smiled, its multiple mouths moving in unsettling unison. "how long have you been hunting us without truly understanding what you face?"


    zhao''s feathers danced between his fingers with deadly grace. "long enough to know where to strike."


    the attack was instantaneous. silver feathers became streaks of light as they sought vital points. the tentacled one used its appendages to deflect them, but two found flesh, drawing purple ichor.


    the giant salamander spat purple acid that melted both feathers and earth where the hunter had been a second before, while the purple wax being suffered no damage as it tried to flank him. its mostly fluid form made conventional attacks nearly useless.


    the arachnid leader observed with its five brilliant eyes, its three mouths moving in a disturbing smile while coordinating the attack.


    behind them, ren struggled with the bark stalker core. the frequency it emitted made the medusas hesitate, but they kept approaching, their controller''s hold over them too strong to break completely just like that.


    around them, the auxiliaries kept their opponents occupied.


    the lynx bearer matched his enemy''s speed, his precise attacks seeking weak points in their defense. the boar absorbed the corrupt flames with his plates while advancing relentlessly. the hawk demonstrated why it was feared even among bronze beasts, its strikes leaving purple wounds that refused to close.


    "it was a mistake to leave the children alone, hunter!" the leader''s three mouths moved in unison. its spider legs propelled it in an attack that zhao barely managed to dodge. "i can sense the pathetic attempt to imitate a male stalker!"


    zhao blocked a tentacle with his feathers while evading another acid stream. the wax being had split into three masses attempting to surround him, each one moving with lethal purpose.


    "you think you can outmaneuver us in controlling this swarm?" the leader continued while pressing its attack. "we eliminated their male and made the entire swarm watch while we dominated them with my illusion! a simple frequency isn''t enough to¡­"


    it stopped abruptly. above the hole, a figure rose, a shadow stalker male, its presence making the entire swarm halt. the massive creature''s silhouette dominated the night sky.


    the medusas began dispersing, their coordinated attack breaking as the abyssal''s control vanished in the face of what appeared to be their true leader.


    "how...?" the leader''s three mouths twisted in confusion, its confidence cracking for the first time.


    zhao smiled while his feathers found purple flesh. "it seems trusting my ''least promising'' student wasn''t a mistake after all."


    "damned cheater!" the abyssal leader''s roar cut short in a choked cry as zhao''s feathers found their mark.


    the distraction was perfect, while the five purple eyes were fixed on the "illusion" above the hole, the hunter attacked without mercy.


    it wasn''t a real male glowing in the night¡­ ren had combined the natural reflection of mirror mantis plates with the dead medusa''s body, using his mushrooms'' white glow to create an image that, combined with the frequency, fooled the entire swarm.


    "silent flight," zhao whispered. his mist owl responded immediately, its presence vanishing like morning fog, leaving the abyssals in momentary confusion.


    the salamander turned frantically, its bifurcated tongue tasting the air for the hunter. a silver flash was its only warning before three feathers pierced its purple flesh.


    the tentacled being thrashed wildly, trying to create a defensive zone, but zhao was no longer there. he appeared like a ghost behind the wax abyssal, his feathers finding the right consistency to cause real damage to its fluid form.


    "find him!" the leader ordered, purple blood dripping from its wounds while its spider legs moved erratically. "he can''t¡­!"


    more silver feathers emerged from nowhere, some finding flesh, others forcing the abyssals to move as zhao wanted. the hunter of yano was in his element, the night was his domain, and his mist owl allowed him to move like a specter between shadows.


    a tentacle found empty air. an acid stream hit lifeless earth. purple wax masses split and reformed without purpose. the leader''s five eyes spun frantically, trying to track the invisible predator slowly bleeding them dry. s§×arch* the nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    only the whisper of feathers and choked cries of pain marked zhao''s presence, appearing and disappearing like the mist itself, each attack precise and lethal.


    the battle had become a hunt.


    the hunter was a nocturnal bird of prey.

 Chapter 63 - Taming Ilusion and Defense

    the abyssals retreated, bleeding and panting, their corrupted forms bearing the marks of zhao''s precise attacks.the leader looked at its companions, their purple bodies trembling from numerous wounds, but their eyes still gleaming with dark determination.


    "there is no other choice," its three mouths spoke in different tones that created an unsettling harmony. "complete fusion."


    a shiver ran through the other abyssals, their corrupted flesh rippling with either fear or anticipation.


    "we need 2 people''s mana. and if we fail..." one began, its tentacles writhing with nervous energy.


    "we''ve already failed," the leader cut in sharply. "at least this way we''ll have a chance, we must reach that cave."


    zhao emerged from his invisible state for a moment, launching more feathers that nearly eliminated the tentacled one. the silver projectiles sliced through corrupted flesh with surgical precision.


    the four beings began to... flee.


    ????


    while ren maintained the illusion with his mushrooms, the calcium snail remained defending the group of students.


    his beast manifested across his body created whitish barriers that stopped the occasional attacks that slipped through the other auxiliaries'' defense.


    "keep calm!" he ordered when a stream of purple acid splashed against his barrier, generating an intense reaction that made the protective surface sizzle ominously.


    klein''s group stayed organized, their manifested beasts ready to support if necessary.


    feng and astor flanked their leader with practiced coordination, while jin''s group, still resentful about being dragged into the shelter, at least had the common sense to remain behind the protections that all those capable of defense had created.


    another attack, this time a fireball that bounced off the boar auxiliary''s defense and headed toward the hole.


    the calcium barrier rose just in time, its surface hardening to deflect the corrupted flames.


    "professor!" klein called out, his golden lion manifesting more fully. "we can help the other auxiliaries!"


    "maintain your position!" the snail master reinforced another section of the barrier, his determination unwavering. "your job is to survive!"


    from the center of the hole, ren maintained his concentration with iron discipline.


    the mushrooms in his hair shone with an intense white glow, reflecting off the mirror mantis plates while taro and min manipulated the skinless shadow stalker body above them.


    "a little more to the left," ren whispered, adjusting the light angle with precise control. "we need it to look like it''s floating more naturally."


    taro struggled to keep the weaver threads taut. "it''s harder than it looks," he grunted, sweat beading on his forehead.


    "move it like this," min took control of the improvised "puppet" with more fluid movements.


    a cry of pain drew their attention, cutting through the tense atmosphere.


    the lynx auxiliary had been struck by one of the abyssal''s limbs, a purple myriapod with legs like spears.


    the corrupted beast had overcome the lynx master''s speed, wounding his side, and now turned its attention toward where ren was manipulating the illusion.


    "the brat," the abyssal hissed, its multiple legs moving like poisoned needles. "he''s the one interfering with the swarm."


    the abyssal launched itself toward the hole, but luna''s shadow wolf emerged from the darkness like solidifying ink, its fangs finding one of the attacker''s feet with deadly precision. find your next read on empire


    the abyssal screamed in pain but its speed barely diminished, the numerous long legs of its beast keeping it perfectly stable despite the injury.


    but that moment was all the lynx auxiliary needed. his manifested claws flashed in a deadly arc, severing two of the myriapod''s legs.


    however, the victory was brief.


    "look out!" ren''s warning came too late.


    the abyssal twisted with impossible speed, the myriapod''s legs, transformed into living spears, pierced through the lynx auxiliary''s chest and shoulder. blood sprayed as the man screamed, his manifested claws losing their gleam.


    "teacher!" min loosened the threads maintaining the floating male illusion.


    the dead shadow stalker''s body wobbled dangerously. taro cursed, trying to compensate, but his movements were clumsy and abrupt under the pressure.


    "no! the threads!"


    "i can''t!" taro''s hands shook while he fought for control. "it''s too complicated!"


    meanwhile, luna''s shadow wolf continued its assault with relentless precision. it appeared from one shadow to bite a leg, disappeared before the counterattack landed, emerged from another angle to tear purple flesh.


    a deadly dance of appearances and disappearances that kept the abyssal occupied. sear?h the n?velfire.n§×t website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    preventing it from finishing off the lynx auxiliary''s life.


    "min!" ren shouted while helping taro and maintaining his mushrooms'' glow. "i need you to help the teacher! taro can maintain the illusion alone!"


    "but..."


    "listen to me!" ren didn''t take his eyes off the mantis plates reflecting his light. "your snake can direct mana to heal, it''s one of its innate abilities. you need to make it flow in a spiral, from outside to center. now!" he urged. "the teacher will die if you don''t close those wounds!"


    min nodded, his water snake manifesting as he sent it to the injured auxiliary. the mana began flowing following the pattern ren had shown.


    luna remained focused, her eyes following every movement while directing her beast in this lethal dance of hit and run tactics.


    taro let out a grunt of effort. the shadow stalker''s body tilted dangerously.


    "i can''t!" taro''s hands trembled violently. "it''s falling!"


    "focus!" ren adjusted his light angle with desperate precision. "we can''t lose the illusion now!"


    min''s snake had reached its target. the energy began flowing, seeking the wounds, closing them slowly but steadily.


    the lynx auxiliary started breathing more easily as the mana did its work. his claws regained some of their luminescence.


    "min," he whispered hoarsely. "you''re doing it... keep going..."


    the abyssal roared in frustration, its legs moving increasingly erratically. each time it thought it had the wolf, the beast dissolved into shadows only to reappear at another point.


    it was like trying to stab smoke. luna remained motionless in the corner of the hole, her eyes fixed on the battle while her beast moved as a perfect extension of her will.


    "a powerful beast," the myriapod hissed while its legs dodged another wolf attack. "but its owner is just a defenseless girl."


    luna maintained her impassive expression, her eyes fixed on the battle while her wolf continued its assault from the shadows.


    "do you know what''s faster than your wolf, little one?" the abyssal''s legs tensed like coiled springs. "me."


    it launched itself like lightning toward luna, completely ignoring the shadow wolf''s next bite.


    the lynx auxiliary, finally recovering enough to rejoin the fight, intercepted the attack with his manifested claws.


    "luna!" he shouted while containing the spear-like legs. "fall back!"


    but the myriapod twisted in an impossible way, its rear legs propelling it over the auxiliary. luna barely had time to blink before the corrupted beast was above her, its legs descending like a rain of death.


    "too slow!" the abyssal roared.

 Chapter 64 - Taming Flexibility and Speed

    "it''s falling!" taro shouted, his hands trembling as he struggled with the delicate control required."no, no! softer!" ren urged while the medusas began showing signs of doubt in their movements. "the motion has to flow, like air is water. think of natural movements, not forced ones."


    "i''m trying!" taro''s hands shook with the effort of controlling the threads, each tremor threatening to reveal their deception.


    "you''re making movements that are too tense... close your eyes," ren interrupted, his voice steady despite the chaos around them. "forget the threads. think about your beetle, about how it will be when it evolves."


    "but we''re in danger... i can''t relax if..."


    "a living tunnel doesn''t fight against the earth," ren''s voice softened despite the chaos, carrying wisdom beyond his years.


    "it doesn''t scrape, doesn''t push. it undulates, flows, makes the earth dance around it. your beast will do this when you finish training. just like the mana movement during cultivation."


    the medusas stirred restlessly, the incomplete signal pattern making them hesitate between their natural instincts and the artificial control.


    "let tension go, breathe deep," ren insisted, guiding his friend. "let your arms move like your beast will. like water beneath the earth."


    taro breathed deeply, his eyes closed. for a moment, he could see it, his beetle transforming, becoming something more fluid, more natural. the vision was so clear it took his breath away.


    his arms began moving with a different rhythm. no longer fighting against the dead shadow stalker''s weight, he let his movements flow like liquid earth, each motion smooth and purposeful.


    "that''s it!" ren adjusted his mushrooms'' glow to complement the new rhythm. "keep it just like that!"


    above, the medusas responded to the completed pattern. the danger signal finally registered in their primitive minds, and they began retreating toward their cave, their movements becoming more natural and coordinated.


    "i''m doing it," taro whispered, a smile forming on his face while maintaining the undulating movement. "i can feel it... this is how it will be..."


    "like dancing earth," ren confirmed, proud that his friend had found that connection with his future evolution.


    ????


    the salamander-shaped abyssal ran, his purple skin gleaming with cold sweat.


    his supernatural senses were stretched to their limit, trying to detect where the next attack would come from.


    a whistle, barely perceptible in the night air. s§×arch* the n??el fire.n§×t website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    he threw himself right just as three silver feathers pierced the air where his head had been. he didn''t even have time to recover when two more emerged from an impossible angle, one finding flesh in his shoulder and drawing corrupted blood.


    ''where is he? where is he?!''


    the hunter was like a ghost in the darkness. there were no footsteps to hear, no presence to detect. only the deadly whistle of feathers and the pain they brought with them.


    ahead, he could see its companions, the tentacled one bleeding profusely, the purple slime being having lost consistency in several places. if he could just reach them...


    your next chapter is on empire


    another attack, this time from above.


    he rolled desperately, but a feather found his leg. the pain was unbearable, but the terror was worse. every time he thought he had found a pattern in the attacks, zhao changed it with lethal unpredictability.


    ''the rumors were true,'' he thought while another feather grazed his neck. ''the hunter never lets his prey escape.''


    a movement in the shadows, was it him? no, another distraction.


    the feathers came from the opposite side, piercing through scales and flesh as if they were paper.


    he couldn''t even scream anymore. fear had closed his throat. all he could do was run, crawl, try to reach his allies while silent death followed in the darkness.


    why had the leader accepted this mission? why had they provoked the hunter in his own territory?


    another whistle. more pain bloomed in his corrupted flesh.


    the salamander panted, his purple blood leaving a trail as he ran through the night.


    ''if only i could see him,'' he thought desperately.


    as if answering his wishes...


    zhao''s figure appeared before him.


    his eyes lit up. throughout the entire chase, the hunter had been attacking from the shadows, never giving an opportunity to counterattack.


    but now...


    ''a chance!'' the salamander felt his ancestral venom accumulating in his glands. ''at last i can see him!''


    the attack he had been saving, his trump card unfurling like a deadly flower.


    the abyssals'' corrupt acid wasn''t like normal beasts'', it didn''t just melt flesh and bone, but disintegrated the target''s very mana. a single direct hit and not even the hunter of yano could maintain his beast manifested.


    zhao launched a wave of silver feathers, but the salamander was ready. his purple muscles tensed to their limit, enduring the pain as he launched forward while his body twisted unnaturally to dodge each projectile by millimeters.


    ''i have you!'' his throat expanded, preparing the stream of corrupt acid.


    ????


    the lynx auxiliary, finally recovered enough to rejoin the fight, his wounds still bleeding but closed thanks to min''s intervention, intercepted the attack with his manifested claws.


    "luna!" he shouted while containing the spear-like legs with desperate strength. "fall back!"


    but the myriapod twisted in an impossible way, its rear legs propelling it over the auxiliary. luna barely had time to blink before the corrupted beast was above her, its legs descending like a rain of death.


    "too slow!" the abyssal roared in triumph.


    a barely perceptible smile formed on luna''s lips. her body began dissolving into shadows just as the legs were about to reach her.


    the shadow wolf appeared in her place, its fangs finding the myriapod''s center while luna emerged from the shadows several meters back, her timing perfect.


    "damned brat!" the myriapod roared in fury.


    the lynx auxiliary, his body still aching but wounds closed thanks to min''s healing, saw the opening. his manifested claws gleamed as he launched forward.


    the myriapod detected the attack, its legs spinning to intercept, but that was exactly the moment luna''s wolf had been waiting for.


    it sank into the shadows once more, this time flowing over the corrupted beast like living darkness.


    the wolf wasted no time, its fangs finding the abyssal''s neck just as the lynx''s claws tore through its front legs. the scream that followed was a horrible mixture of insect chirp and bestial roar.


    purple blood sprayed as the shadow wolf shook its prey, its fangs sinking deeper. the myriapod''s legs thrashed frantically, but without its front legs, its attacks had lost their deadly power.


    "it''s over," luna gestured and her wolf gave the final pull, tearing through flesh and tendons.


    the abyssal''s body twisted one last time before collapsing, its multiple legs twitching as life abandoned it.


    "who''s too slow?" she whispered.

 Chapter 65 - Taming the Hunt and Tasks

    the abyssals'' corrupt acid wasn''t like normal beasts'', it didn''t just melt flesh and bone, but disintegrated the target''s very mana.a single direct hit and not even the hunter of yano could maintain his beast manifested, leaving him vulnerable.


    zhao launched a wave of silver feathers, their deadly precision cutting through the night air. but the salamander was ready, his corrupted body prepared for this moment.


    his purple muscles tensed to their maximum, enduring searing pain as he launched forward while his body twisted in unnaturally fluid motions to dodge each projectile by mere millimeters.


    ''i have you!'' his throat expanded, preparing the stream of corrupt acid that would end the legendary hunter.


    at this distance there was no way to dodge, all he needed was one direct hit to turn the tide of battle.


    victory was within his grasp.


    his jaws opened beyond what should be physically possible.


    the purple acid gleamed between his fangs, ready to erase the hunter from existence, his corrosive power promising a horrible end.


    zhao launched one final wave of silver feathers, but the salamander was ready for this desperate attack. the acid would destroy the feathers without leaving a trace and finish zhao in the same deadly stream. s§×ar?h the n??el fire.n§×t website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    he had him! the great hunter of yano was finally within reach! generations in yino would remember this moment.


    the gleam in zhao''s eyes should have warned him that something was wrong.


    "silent flight," zhao murmured before disappearing like morning mist.


    a whistle, not from ahead but from all directions at once. the feathers that the hunter had been planting during the chase, dozens of them strategically positioned, returned to their master with lethal purpose.


    the salamander only had time to comprehend his fatal error before the silver metal pierced it from every possible angle. its last thought was understanding that zhao had never been following it... he had been expertly guiding it into a perfectly orchestrated trap.


    its body collapsed, purple blood forming a pool.


    "one less," the hunter murmured as the last feathers returned to him. his eyes were already fixed on his next prey, calculating their demise.


    ????


    "it''s over," luna gestured and her wolf gave the final pull, tearing through flesh and tendons with savage precision.


    the abyssal''s body twisted one last time before collapsing, its multiple legs twitching as life abandoned its corrupted form.


    "who''s too slow?" she whispered, satisfaction evident in her usually cold voice.


    "impressive," the lynx auxiliary dropped to one knee, the effort taking its toll on his newly closed wounds. "but now return to the shelter."


    "we can keep fighting," luna stepped forward, but the auxiliary raised a hand to stop her.


    "i know," he smiled despite the pain radiating through his body. "but your wolf isn''t the only one who can move in the shadows."


    he rose with effort, his claws gleaming again with renewed purpose. across the hole, the boar master continued maintaining a defensive battle against the fire abyssal, his plates glowing against the corrupt flames.


    "protect your companions," he ordered while preparing to move. "leave the rest to us."


    luna nodded slightly, her wolf returning to her side as the lynx auxiliary launched himself toward the other battle, his speed surprising despite his injuries.


    ''be careful,'' she thought while returning to the shelter. the shadow wolf followed like a second shadow, its eyes gleaming in the darkness with protective intent.


    ????


    "they won''t come back for a while," ren observed the night sky where the last medusas were disappearing toward their cave.


    "we have at least an hour before they get bored of following protocol and return to hunt."


    taro and min exchanged worried looks. they knew that expression on their friend''s face, he was planning something potentially dangerous.


    "is the illusion no longer necessary?" luna appeared near the group, her voice cold as always. there was no sign of fatigue in her despite the intense battle she had just fought.


    "not for now," ren studied the continuing battle. the auxiliaries were pressing the fire abyssal, but its corrupt flames maintained a defensive perimeter. "i need you all to help the teachers."


    "how?" min asked, his water snake coiling in anticipation.


    "taro, your beetle can..." ren began laying out his plan.


    "now you give orders?" luna''s eyebrow arched slightly, but there was a glimmer of amusement in her eyes.


    "suggestions," ren corrected smoothly. "taro can endure quite a bit with his beetle to defend them in case of attacks. min, your snake can weaken the pyromancer''s control from afar, just shoot water at him."


    he turned to luna, meeting her penetrating gaze. "and your wolf can support the auxiliary master with the hawk..."


    "what about you?" she interrupted. it wasn''t a casual question, she had noticed something in his posture.


    continue reading on empire


    ren adjusted the shadow stalker skins. "i have an idea, but... it''s complicated to explain."


    "you''re going to do something stupid," it wasn''t a question. her shadow wolf manifested briefly, its eyes gleaming with the same intensity as its owner''s.


    "probably," ren admitted with a small smile that did nothing to ease their concerns.


    luna studied him for a moment before turning away. "don''t die. it would be annoying to miss wei''s expression when you win the bet."


    "trust me," ren smiled while sliding out of the shelter. coming from luna, that was practically a declaration of concern. "i just need to verify something."


    the mushrooms in his hair barely pulsed as he slipped out of the hole, leaving his friends with worried but determined expressions. they had work to do.


    ????


    the mushrooms in ren''s hair pulsed softly as he followed the trail of purple blood.


    the signs of zhao''s pursuit were everywhere, feather marks in the ground, splashes of abyssal blood, trees damaged by dodged attacks.


    ''the professor is impressive,'' he thought while studying the scene. ''but...''


    his eyes stopped on a silver feather that gleamed faintly.


    the constant launching and retraction of his weapons, maintaining his silent flight technique, the continuous manifestation of his three silver-rank powers...


    all of it required a big amount of mana.


    zhao maintained a perfect facade of control, but ren could see the subtle signs of exhaustion in the patterns of his most recent attacks.


    what worried him most was his own ignorance.


    for the first time, the knowledge flowing through his golden mushrooms encountered a void.


    the abyssals were creatures beyond his current understanding, there was no information in his shrooms about their weaknesses, their patterns, their limits.


    ''if the professor falls...'' the thought made the mushrooms pulse with concern.


    without zhao, they would be at the mercy of these corrupted creatures.


    the auxiliaries were competent, but against more abyssals...


    ren adjusted the bag on his shoulders. he couldn''t stand by with crossed arms waiting for the best.


    ''i may not have knowledge of the abyssals,'' he thought while beginning to move in the direction the tracks indicated. ''but that doesn''t mean i can''t do anything.''

 Chapter 66 - Taming the Fusion

    zhao continued the pursuit but the enemies were almost reaching their destination.only two followers remained, too many had fallen to the hunter''s silver feathers.


    "you," the leader pointed to the semi-fluid being. "intercept zhao. we need time."


    the slime abyssal tensed visibly, its purple eyes glowing with fear. "sir, against the hunter..."


    "are you questioning a military order?!" the leader''s five eyes blazed with fury. "or would you prefer your family to experience the new... laboratory procedures?"


    the slime being shuddered. he knew what that meant, he had seen the results of those "procedures" on the families of deserters and traitors...


    without another word, he turned to face the approaching hunter.


    ????


    the abyssal leader stopped beside the massive corpse of the shadow stalker male.


    "you," the leader addressed the tentacled one. "prepare yourself. i''ll need your core to stabilize the process... a 50-50 chance is better than dying without achieving anything, isn''t it?"


    his three mouths twisted into a grimace as he brought his hands to his chest. the black fabric fell away revealing a torso covered in purple scars.


    in the center of his stomach, a creature writhed.


    with a grunt of pain, he plunged his fingers into his own stomach.


    "my captain..." the tentacled one watched in horror as his leader extracted something from within, a female shadow stalker, clearly having been part of him.


    the creature twisted weakly before dying.


    "partial fusion is painful," the leader dropped the now dead beast beside the male''s corpse. "but complete fusion..."


    he stopped, his body trembling from the trauma of extraction. "there''s a better chance of success if you help me. but if it fails..."


    "we''ll die," the tentacled one completed.


    an unnatural opening appeared in the leader''s stomach, like a huge mouth revealing entrails that moved like tiny tentacles, each ending in a small pulsing mouth.


    "connect," ordered the leader while kneeling beside the body. "your core must stabilize my fusion long enough. you must help me circulate the mana or i''ll explode."


    the micro-tentacles extended, connecting with the male''s corpse. the abyssal groaned when chaotic energy began flowing, it was like acid running through his veins.


    "aaagh!" the leader arched when the connection completed.


    corrupt energy flowed through all three, the enormous corpse, the subordinate''s core, and his own abyssal essence. sea??h th§× n?velfire.net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "captain... we..." the tentacled one could barely speak. each energy pulse was like a knife in his entrails. "i don''t know... how long i can..."


    "hold on!" the leader''s three mouths roared. his five eyes began glowing with a sickly purple while his body started changing. "if we fail here, everything will have been in vain!"


    the corrupt energy increased.


    the bodies began to merge, their essence mixing with the leader''s. read exclusive adventures at empire


    the tentacled one screamed in pain when his core began resonating with the fusion.


    in the distance they could hear sounds of battle, the slime being facing the hunter. they didn''t have much time.


    "just... a little... more..." the leader extended his arms.


    his purple skin bubbled as the shadow stalker''s essence integrated with his being. it was pain beyond comprehension, but he couldn''t stop.


    not now.


    the tentacled one fell to his knees, purple blood flowing from his eyes. his tentacles pulsed erratically, desperately trying to maintain the connection.


    the complete fusion was in its final stage.


    ????


    "i just have to resist!" the slime abyssal tried convincing himself while his fluid parts expanded, creating a wider defensive zone.


    "just until the leader completes the fusion!"


    a whistle in the air, silver feathers approaching from his right. his body liquefied in that area, letting the projectiles pass through harmlessly.


    "interesting defense," zhao''s voice came from somewhere in the darkness. "but too slow."


    more feathers, this time from three different directions. the abyssal transformed parts of his body into liquid shields, but some feathers found solid areas, drawing grunts of pain.


    ''i can''t keep my entire body liquid,'' he thought frantically while scanning the shadows. ''i need solid organs to function, and he knows it.''


    a silver flash, there! the abyssal launched a wave of liquid projectiles toward where he''d seen movement.


    but found only empty air.


    "too obvious," zhao appeared briefly in another direction, his feathers flying with deadly precision.


    the abyssal turned, transforming part of his torso to liquid, but wasn''t fast enough. two feathers found his right side, which he needed to keep solid.


    he barely managed to deflect enough to avoid fatal damage.


    "damn you!" he roared while counterattacking with liquid whips. "i''m just buying time! when the leader completes the fusion..."


    "you won''t live to see it."


    the abyssal''s eyes widened. the voice had come from all directions.


    turning around he saw feathers'' gleam everywhere and then understood, the feathers that had been grazing him, the ones he''d dodged...


    zhao had been creating a perimeter.


    a final whisper came from behind...


    "it''s over."


    dozens of silver feathers returned to their owner simultaneously, all piercing the space where the abyssal stood.


    he desperately tried to liquefy his entire body, but it was impossible, there was always a part that had to remain solid.


    the abyssal''s scream cut off when the feathers pierced him from every possible angle. his purple blood splattered the ground while his body tried to stay together, liquid and solid parts mixing in his agony.


    zhao appeared again before the dying abyssal, but this time there was no energy in his posture. he leaned on one knee, his breathing heavier than it had been in years.


    "a fatal... mistake..." the abyssal gurgled purple blood. "the damned hunter... is tired of hunting..."


    the abyssal''s body collapsed, its liquid parts solidifying in death.


    zhao allowed himself a moment to catch his breath.


    the constant use of his abilities had drained more mana than expected.


    ''i''ve never let an abyssal escape,'' he thought while standing with effort. ''and i won''t start tonight.''


    but the abyssal leader wasn''t planning to run anymore.


    a movement in the darkness made him tense. his feathers, stained with purple blood, gleamed faintly as he prepared for another confrontation.


    the figure that emerged from the shadows made his eyes narrow.


    where before there had been an arachnid-shaped abyssal, now rose a bone-white aberration. hundreds of tentacles emerged from its body, some thin, others thick. but what caught zhao''s attention was the face... or rather, the faces.


    on the creature''s chest, grotesquely fused, were the features of the abyssal leader and his tentacled subordinate.

 Chapter 67 - Tamers Battle (Revenge) - 5

    the abyssal leader wasn''t planning to run anymore.a movement in the darkness made zhao tense. his feathers, stained with purple blood, gleamed faintly while he prepared for another confrontation.


    the figure that emerged from the shadows was a bone-white aberration, but purple veins pulsed beneath its surface like sickly rivers of corruption, each beat sending ripples across its unnatural flesh.


    "impressed, hunter?" the words resonated in a distorted manner from the creature, its tentacles undulating as if they had lives of their own while the moonlight revealed its true form in all its horrific glory.


    hundreds of tentacles emerged from its body. but what caught zhao''s attention was the face, or rather, the faces.


    on the creature''s chest, grotesquely fused like a twisted sculpture, were the features of the abyssal leader and his tentacled subordinate. their expressions frozen in a moment of eternal agony.


    it hadn''t been a fusion, it had been an absorption, a betrayal made flesh.


    that had been his true plan. his own subordinate...


    ''a dead shadow stalker male''s body, impossible. of course it wouldn''t work alone.''


    it needed... fresh material.


    what he hadn''t told his lackey was that with a dead body, it wouldn''t work, so during the fusion, some of his entrails had connected with the tentacled abyssal and absorbed him too.


    a perfect betrayal hidden behind false promises of a shared victory.


    now it was capable of controlling long tentacles, absorbing energy, and controlling male shadow stalkers, a combination that made it a nightmare given form.


    "hello again, zhao," the voice sounded distorted, but also vengeful, each word dripping with years of cultivated hatred. "do you remember the ravencrofts?"


    something in that name made zhao tense imperceptibly, a memory surfacing from years of hunting. discover hidden content at empire


    "my son, marcus ravencroft," the creature continued while its tentacles undulated hypnotically. "three years ago, near the border..."


    zhao remembered, a young abyssal, barely transformed, too inexperienced to have been in the field. the mission had been quick, precise. like most of his hunts, there had been no hesitation.


    "adrian ravencroft," the creature formally introduced itself, its tentacles extending like a grotesque bow. "though i suppose the name doesn''t matter much anymore."


    a sound behind called his attention, making the hairs on his neck rise.


    zhao didn''t need to turn completely to sense the massive presence behind him. his instincts, though exhausted, warned him of the danger even before he shifted his stance.


    the shadow stalker male rose in the darkness, its white body reflecting the scarce light, but its eyes... its eyes glowed with the same sickly purple that pulsed beneath the aberration''s white skin.


    "surprised?" adrian''s tentacles undulated with savage pride. "three years looking for this. three years since you tore my son apart like he was just another name on your list."


    zhao maintained his position, his silver feathers gleaming faintly while evaluating the situation. the shadow stalker male moved in an unnatural way, as if invisible strings were pulling it like a puppet.


    "it was a reconnaissance mission," adrian''s voice grew deeper, more bestial with each word. "his first mission. there wasn''t even supposed to be combat."


    the tentacles began moving more erratically, some drawing dangerously close to zhao, who couldn''t afford to waste energy.


    not yet.


    each movement had to count now.


    "but the great hunter of yano never lets his prey escape, right?" purple veins pulsed beneath the creature''s white skin. "no matter if it''s an experienced warrior or a frightened boy."


    the shadow stalker male took another step closer. zhao could feel its mana absorption ability, in his current state, a single touch could be fatal.


    "so i studied every report, every sighting," adrian extended more tentacles, their tips gleaming wetly in the moonlight. "i learned about your patterns, your routes, your precious territory."


    "the shadow wolf heiress," he spoke while studying zhao''s movements. "that''s my mission. and klein''s group if possible."


    zhao noticed something in the creature''s chest, where the faces merged, there were marks of pain, as if the union had been... forced. the flesh around the fusion points was raw and pulsing, speaking of recent and violent transformation. sear?h the n??elfir§×.net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "a traitor noble from your beloved yano pays well for this mission. very well. and when i learned the target was in your territory... the perfect opportunity."


    the tentacles tensed like coiled springs. "two birds, one stone. the mission... and revenge."


    "revenge? against the executioner and not those who gave the order? and your subordinate?" asked zhao, his eyes studying every movement. "was he also willing to be part of your revenge?"


    "marcus wasn''t my only son, hunter," adrian''s voice grew deeper, more bestial with each word. "and some... some still live."


    the implication was clear, hostages in yino, ensuring his loyalty through the most brutal means.


    "you know, marcus cried... that noble told me in the report you said he cried and begged. but you didn''t even hesitate."


    "and your subordinate? didn''t he have a family to protect too?"


    "don''t you dare judge me!" adrian''s voice distorted further while his form expanded like a blooming nightmare. "not when you blindly serve corrupt yano! at least i know i''m a monster!"


    the laugh that followed was a horrible sound, like breaking glass mixed with dying screams.


    "sure... i killed my subordinate for my goal and became this, but... does it matter? look at us now. stronger, more perfect. and you..."


    the tentacles tensed while the shadow stalker male prepared to attack, its unnatural movements becoming more fluid.


    "you''re exhausted, hunter. your feathers barely shine. your mana nearly depleted."


    zhao allowed himself a small smile. "three years studying me, adrian? you should know..."


    the silver feathers began to shine.


    "...that the hunter of yano always saves something for the end."


    "die!" adrian''s tentacles launched like living spears while the shadow stalker attacked from behind, their coordinated assault promising certain death.


    zhao counterattacked, his feathers finding and cutting through several tentacles with surgical precision despite his fatigue.


    the shadow stalker male began draining mana from the area. zhao could feel his energy weakening even faster, each movement requiring more effort.


    "why the shadow wolf heiress," zhao launched to cut another assault of tentacles, though more slowly. "what does the traitor noble plan?"


    "does it matter?" adrian released a grotesque laugh. "you''ll be dead soon! and she... well, who knows."


    the silver feathers cut through tentacles that wouldn''t stop coming. zhao moved between shadows thanks to his silent flight, but each movement was slower, more predictable.


    "ready to die, hunter?" adrian extended more tentacles while the shadow stalker male closed the circle with its own. their trap was nearly complete.


    another wave of tentacles. more feathers flew, severing corrupted flesh, but zhao noted with concern that each attack forced him to launch them in specific directions. his options were becoming limited.


    "is that all?" the tentacles hammered against the feather rain. "is this the legendary hunter?"


    zhao''s feathers began to fall, their gleam growing dimmer with each passing second. the hunter of yano finally seemed cornered.


    "before i kill you," the tentacles pressed their attack while the male drained more mana from the area, "which yano noble do you think paid for this mission?"

 Chapter 68 - Tamers Battle (Death) - 6

    "is that all?" the tentacles advanced against the rain of feathers, their corrupted flesh seeming to mock the silver light."is this the legendary hunter?"


    zhao''s feathers began to fall, their gleam growing dimmer with each passing second. the hunter of yano finally seemed cornered, his legendary prowess failing at last.


    "before i kill you," the tentacles pressed their attack while the male drained more mana from the area, creating a vacuum of power, "which yano noble do you think paid for this mission?"


    zhao cut through three more tentacles, his feathers increasingly scattered. silent flight finally vanished, he had to save mana to use it when it would truly give him an opportunity.


    "do you really know?" zhao breathed heavily, surrounded by both male and aberration. "or they don''t trust you enough to tell you?"


    "silence!" more tentacles attacked. zhao''s last feathers flew to intercept them with desperate precision.


    adrian smiled, his fused face contorting grotesquely. "it''s over, hunter. your precious feathers are scattered exactly where we wanted them. one last recall would be a useless waste of your already diminished mana from that angle."


    "then i''ll have to use something more efficient."


    zhao''s hands glowed as he adopted a stance adrian recognized. s~ea??h the n?velfire(.)net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "bird of prey talons?" adrian burst into laughter while zhao launched forward. "your last card is your bronze-rank short-range ability? no more mana i see¡­"


    but zhao disappeared, one final flash of silent flight. the shadow stalker male, now with almost no tentacles, barely had time to register the movement before the manifested claws tore through it.


    the male died, but...


    the victory was brief.


    zhao fell to his knees.


    the claws vanished while his poorly positioned feathers lay useless around him, their silver light barely visible in the darkness.


    "pathetic," adrian''s tentacles rose and surrounded him for the final blow. "in the end, you couldn''t even find out who ordered all this before running out of mana... i''ll tell you only because you''re already dead."


    zhao braced one leg to stand, his breathing labored and heavy.


    "you know what''s funny?" adrian moved his tentacles almost lazily while watching zhao struggle to rise. "this mission... the nobles called it ''asset recovery.'' as if their nephews and children were objects."


    "luna and klein''s group," the tentacles oscillated hypnotically. "alive preferably. they''d pay ten times more if we brought them as hostages instead of simply eliminating them."


    "the blackburns?" zhao coughed, his eyes studying the tentacles surrounding him. "or perhaps the march family?"


    "higher," adrian released a distorted laugh. "much higher. first minister silvercliff himself."


    that made zhao pause in his attempt to stand. the first minister of yano... if true, this was bigger than he had imagined.


    "though," the tentacles drew closer, "money stopped mattering to me long ago. do you know what would be more valuable than gold, hunter?"


    zhao managed to get both feet under him, though his body trembled with the effort of standing.


    "seeing your face when i kill your supposedly precious students. one by one. slowly." adrian''s eyes glowed with sickly malice. "destroy your facade. the great protector of yano, powerless while i destroy everything he swore to defend."


    "my students..." zhao finally straightened, though the effort seemed to be tearing him apart, "are not ''supposedly'' precious, they are precious."


    "oh, are they?!" adrian expanded his tentacles in a theatrical gesture. "the noble hunter, the dedicated professor. how many have you sent to die in missions like my marcus''s? how many children have you sacrificed for the ''good of yano''?"


    "the difference," zhao stepped forward, "is that i''m not the one pushing them, not the one giving orders and i''m not pretending to care... i truly care."


    "care?" the tentacles tensed.


    "i hope that''s true! but don''t think i''m stupid... i won''t take you alive so you can recover mana and pierce me with your hateful feathers, i''ll just give you my word. when i''m done with you, i''ll take my time with them. especially with that little fungus who tried to trick me with his shadow stalker illusion ploy."


    zhao took another step, his legs threatening to give way beneath him.


    "what''s wrong, hunter?" adrian mocked. "are your legs shaking? or is it truly the guilt of knowing they''ll die for your failure?"


    "you''re wrong about something, adrian," zhao stood completely straight, though the effort was visible in every line of his body.


    "oh? what am i wrong about?"


    "my students won''t wait to be eliminated and they don''t just matter to me," zhao''s eyes gleamed with something that made adrian hesitate for a moment. "they''re the only reason to stand one last time."


    zhao''s trembling hands rose, preparing for the final effort of recalling his scattered feathers.


    "really?" adrian burst into laughter that made his tentacles vibrate. "this is your grand finale? calling your feathers when you have no mana left? you''ll burst your veins for nothing... but if you want to suffer for free, go ahead."


    zhao stepped forward, his entire body shaking with the effort of staying upright.


    "pathetic," adrian''s tentacles undulated with anticipation. "you''ll really do it... the great hunter of yano, dying like a sentimental old fool."


    another step. zhao''s legs barely supported him now.


    "you know what?" the tentacles began to tense. "i''ll give you the killing blow now because you make me feel too much pity. it''s the least i can do to honor the legend and not feel i hunted you in vain."


    zhao staggered forward, his arms extended in a gesture that seemed more plea than threat.


    "you disappoint me, hunter," all tentacles rose simultaneously. "i expected a more... dignified end."


    zhao lunged forward with one final, enormous effort.


    adrian''s attack was brutal, dozens of tentacles piercing zhao''s body from every possible angle. the impact''s force raised dust and debris.


    "huh?"


    where there should have been flesh and bone, the tentacles found only air...


    and then he heard it, quick, precise footsteps, behind him.


    adrian turned his monstrous head just in time to see zhao, running behind him. his eyes blazed with iron determination while his hands completed the recall gesture.


    the silver feathers responded.


    all of them.


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    every feather that had been "forced" into specific safe angles for adrian during the battle returned to its master, but now from the opposite side, tearing through adrian''s aberrant form on their way. dozens of them, cutting tentacles, piercing corrupted flesh, destroying everything in their path.


    "im... impossible," adrian choked on his own purple blood. "silent flight... but you had no mana..."


    "never used it," zhao caught the last returning feather. "since the last silent flight, i was already behind you."


    "but... how..."


    "another illusion," zhao stepped toward the dying creature. "i told you, my students wouldn''t wait for you to come for them... i also told you, didn''t i?"


    the tentacles began to fall, lifeless.


    "the hunter of yano..." adrian released a broken laugh while his body began to collapse.


    ren emerged from the shadows where he had been controlling the professor''s illusion at a mirror angle with the mantis plates, "always saves something for the end... he doesn''t disappoint, after all."


    the aberration that had been adrian ravencroft collapsed, its form twisting as the forced fusion finally came undone.

 Chapter 69 - Taming the Small Rest

    "the hunter of yano..." adrian released a broken laugh while his body began to collapse.ren emerged from the shadows where he had been controlling the professor''s illusion at a mirror angle with the mantis plates, "always saves something for the end... he doesn''t disappoint, after all."


    the aberration that had been adrian ravencroft collapsed, its form twisting as the forced fusion finally came undone.


    ????


    ren wasted no time, moving directly...


    to the shadow stalker male''s corpse, not to zhao, his priorities clear even in the aftermath of battle.


    "good timing," zhao murmured while falling to his knees, his legendary strength finally failing him. enjoy new adventures from empire


    although he had feigned the trembling in his legs and having not a drop of mana for adrian, now he truly was depleted. the cost of maintaining his deception near the draining zone had been steep.


    "you used the illusion at the perfect moment... though it was risky coming out of hiding with that thing still alive."


    ren barely nodded, too concentrated on his task.


    his hands moved with precision around the shadow stalker male''s corpse, carefully avoiding the tentacles that still retained traces of abyssal power and absorption properties.


    "the enemy was already finished... and i had the illusion overlapped with you from the start. i didn''t guess when you disappeared, it was easy because mantis mirror plates are perfect for creating illusions," he commented while delicately extracting the core. "especially when there''s little light."


    zhao observed his student work.


    the ''weakest'' in the class, the one everyone underestimated, had helped instantly after arriving with just a glance. the boy''s efficiency was almost unsettling.


    though ren didn''t mention it, zhao realized, since his sound control had allowed him to detect the exact moment the boy arrived.


    "when did you notice?" ren asked without looking up from his work, his fingers moving with care.


    "when i used silent flight and saw my ''body'' where it shouldn''t be," zhao released a small laugh that turned into a cough.


    "though i could have missed that detail in the heat of battle... luckily i knew you were trying something when you arrived and paid attention to where you were pointing that ''mirror''."


    the mushrooms in ren''s hair pulsed softly while he finished extracting the core. it was larger than the bark stalker''s, and the abyssal corruption had given it a sickly purple tone that seemed to absorb nearby light.


    "the basic sound control of your owl to project your voice''s sound to the illusion''s location," ren examined his prize carefully, "was perfect to help making the enemy believe you were still in front, then making him think you couldn''t stand, and making him hear your illusion talk was unexpected, it was brilliant. although..."


    he turned toward his professor, who remained on his knees, breathing heavily from exhaustion.


    "you really ran out of mana this time, didn''t you, professor?"


    "it was worth it," zhao looked at adrian''s shattered body. "we got a name. silvercliff..."


    "and interesting materials," ren carefully stored the core in a special container. "though i wonder if the abyssal corruption..."


    the mushrooms in ren''s hair pulsed while he observed the abyssal bodies that had separated after the forced fusion collapsed. their flesh still writhed with residual energy.


    the corrupted shadow stalker male''s corpse lay to one side... sea??h th§× n??el fire.n§×t website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "professor," ren pointed timidly toward the deformed mass. "that one too...?"


    zhao shook his head, still catching his breath. "that one we''ll have to take to the city for analysis. sorry, but when i make the official report..."


    "i understand," ren nodded, though his eyes remained fixed on the interesting patterns of the failed fusion. each twist and curve held potential knowledge.


    "however," zhao looked toward the other shadow stalker male, the one controlled by tentacles, "you can keep that one. after all, without your help with the illusion..."


    ren''s eyes lit up as he returned his attention to the core he had already extracted. the abyssal corruption had given it unique properties worth studying.


    ren turned his focus back to the shadow stalker male, using weaver threads to manipulate the tentacles without touching them directly. his movements were precise, almost ritualistic in their care.


    "they should be fine¡­ with the auxiliaries united and the extra support from luna and min..."


    he stopped, concentrating on wrapping another particularly long tentacle. the mushrooms in his hair pulsed softly while he selected the least damaged pieces.


    "we should return," ren murmured, his voice smaller now that the adrenaline was beginning to fade. the reality of how dangerous it had all been started to sink in.


    ren approached his professor with concern evident in his movements.


    "can you stand?"


    "one more moment," zhao tried to rise but had to lean on one knee again. "i need to recover some mana before moving... sometimes pretending to be weak is more exhausting than actually being weak."


    "i''ll keep that in mind if i ever have to pretend to be the weakest student."


    ????


    ren waited in silence, his mushrooms pulsing softly while studying their surroundings.


    the night had been more instructive than he''d expected, though the abyssals... a shiver ran down his spine remembering how they had fused, how they had corrupted even the local beasts.


    not being able to access information about something felt strange now, like a blind spot in his understanding.


    zhao remained seated, his breathing more stable but still visibly exhausted. his feathers barely gleamed in the darkness.


    after several minutes of silent work while letting zhao rest, ren stored the last specimen. "professor... we should..."


    "the shadow stalkers?" zhao tried to stand again, his movements careful and measured.


    "the deception will keep them away for about twenty more minutes," ren adjusted his containers carefully. "after that..."


    zhao managed to stand, though the effort was visible. "time enough."


    "but in your condition..." ren hesitated, looking at the distance they needed to cover.


    "it will be... inconvenient," zhao took an experimental step, his legs still shaky from mana exhaustion. "but we''ll make it."


    they began their return journey, moving slower than either would like. the night had been long, and it wasn''t over yet.


    "professor," he whispered after a moment. "why did they want luna and the others?"


    zhao looked at the night sky before answering. "that, along with the name we obtained, is something we''ll have to investigate very carefully."

 Chapter 70 - Taming Protection

    min had reduced the pyromancer''s power, something the auxiliaries hadn''t initially agreed with, their protective training flaring against him getting aggroed by the attacker."it''s too dangerous to expose a student!" they had protested, but when his water began effectively reducing the abyssal pyromancer''s flames, their protests transformed into tactical orders. every splash weakened the corrupted fire''s intensity.


    so they left their complaints for later.


    the combat had ended quickly after that.


    the pyromancer, unable to maintain his defensive zone under constant aquatic assault, fell to the auxiliaries'' coordinated attack. his corrupted flames sputtering out against the relentless water.


    later, the complaints would turn to praise from the snail auxiliary...


    the remaining abyssal, now surrounded by all three auxiliaries and luna''s wolf, decided to flee rather than face such overwhelming odds.


    now, in the improvised shelter, the calcium-plated snail auxiliary tried to maintain order. several students were too excited about having participated, boasting about their contributions with youthful enthusiasm.


    "i made that wall that stopped him!" "my lightning almost hit him!"


    "silence!" the snail auxiliary reinforced another section of his barrier, his patience wearing thin. "or have you forgotten the incident with master jared (the boar one)?"


    some students shrank back, remembering how a misdirected attack had struck the auxiliary''s back instead of the enemy. that painful lesson was still fresh.


    which had led to the snail auxiliary forbidding any attacks except from min or luna... in the wolf''s case, it was clearly on another level entirely.


    "at least min really helped," taro murmured, his friend''s water had soaked the auxiliaries too but that had ultimately contributed to their victory.


    luna remained apart from the others, her shadow wolf returning to report the last abyssal''s position, who had opted to flee when surrounded.


    he had fled in the direction where the first group had escaped from zhao, perhaps seeking his leader''s aid.


    "they should have let me help," klein complained quietly, his golden lion manifesting with contained frustration. "my beast is more powerful than..."


    luna''s look silenced him instantly, her cold gaze brooking no argument. discover exclusive content at empire


    "this is ridiculous!" jin''s voice cut through the tension. "he just got lucky having a water beast! anyone could have done the same!"


    "sure," min responded softly, a slight smile playing at his lips, "are you perhaps jealous of my snake?"


    jin turned red with rage, but before he could respond, he seemed to notice something amiss in their group.


    "wait a minute... where''s the rotten one?"


    the silence that followed was revealing. no one had noticed when ren had abandoned the shelter.


    "i knew it!" jin swelled with renewed indignation. "the coward ran while we were all fighting!"


    min and taro exchanged worried looks, knowing their friend was out there somewhere in the night where abyssals still lurked.


    ???? s~ea??h the n?vel_fire.¦Çet website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    the calcium-plated snail auxiliary evaluated their situation with professional scrutiny. the shadow stalkers would return soon, taro had informed him that ren''s trick had sent them to their cave, but they would eventually return to their hunting territory.


    "we need to reinforce this shelter," he announced while studying how to create a roof in the hole. "with a small but well-positioned ventilation shaft..."


    "are we staying here?" a student complained, voicing what many thought. "it''s dark and damp!"


    "i prefer dark and damp to being drained by those jellyfish," the auxiliary responded dryly. "those with earth or rock beasts, help with structure. we need this place to hold for the rest of the night."


    "the roof is almost ready," reported one of the students with an earth beast. "will the vent here work?"


    the auxiliary nodded, though his mind was elsewhere. not only did he have to keep the students safe, but zhao was still out there, and if what taro said was correct, the shadow stalkers wouldn''t take long to return.


    "this stinks, the air feels stale in here with the rotten one''s friends," jin commented in his group, his disdain evident.


    "jin," the snail auxiliary interrupted while supervising the new roof''s construction, "if you have so much energy to complain, help reinforce that section."


    luna observed everything in silence, her shadow wolf occasionally manifesting outside to explore the surroundings. klein and his group kept apart, clearly bothered by not having participated in the defense.


    ????


    "by the way... how did you find me?" zhao asked as they advanced slowly. the exhaustion was visible in every step he took.


    "i followed the battle''s traces," ren responded, the mushrooms in his hair pulsing softly. "the patterns in the blood stains, the marks from the feathers..."


    "you surprise me more and more," zhao glanced at him sideways. "did you perhaps find some hidden ability in your spore? do those mushrooms feed your brain and give you a super sharp mind perhaps?"


    ren hesitated a moment. "something like that... it gives me information about beasts and their behaviors. and sometimes... i can use that knowledge to deduce other things."


    "i see," zhao smiled slightly, though it was evident he wasn''t completely convinced. he probably thought the boy was simply a genius hiding behind modesty.


    "i look forward to seeing what other surprises you have in store," the professor continued. "though i''m afraid it will have to be another time... the expedition must end here. we need to report this and secure the children. it seems they''re the target of some noble''s dirty battle..."


    "it''s a shame," ren adjusted his containers full of specimens. "though at least i got a good harvest..."


    a noise alerted them.


    quick footsteps approaching through the darkness.


    zhao''s feathers flew before the fugitive abyssal could even register their presence.


    despite his exhaustion, the hunter''s precision hadn''t diminished, the enemy, already tired and wounded, fell lifeless instantly.


    "professor!" the falcon auxiliary emerged from the trees, followed by the boar and lynx one. they stopped upon seeing the abyssal''s body.


    "we arrived late," the lynx one observed the feathers of zhao. "as always, the hunter never lets his prey escape."


    "the students?" zhao asked while recovering his feathers.


    "safe," the boar master responded. "carl (the snail one) stayed guarding the hole."


    ren looked at the sky. they had less than ten minutes before the medusas returned to their territory.

 Chapter 71 - Taming Return

    the calcium snail manifested another barrier when jin began another diatribe about min''s "luck". the protective shield shimmered in the dim light, reinforcing their safety."silence!" ordered the auxiliary. "your chatter is bringing them back."


    the shadows over the ventilation shaft confirmed his words, the shadow stalkers had returned to their hunting territory. the students held their breath as the beasts passed above them, their presence a palpable weight in the darkness.


    the plan seemed to work, the bat-jellyfishes couldn''t detect them through the cover...


    until one began descending toward the small ventilation shaft, its tentacles probing curiously.


    ''should seal it completely,'' thought the auxiliary while preparing his beast. ''the air will last long enough for...''


    a silver feather pierced the shadow stalker, which fell lifeless. the precision of the strike was unmistakable.


    as if it were a signal, the rest of the swarm began rapidly moving away.


    "you can come out," zhao''s voice came from above. "the area is clear."


    zhao and the auxiliaries began carefully dismantling the shelter''s cover. the snail master constructed a calcium ladder for the students to emerge in small groups, each step solid despite its translucent appearance.


    "finally!" exclaimed a boy upon exiting. "i couldn''t stand the smell anymore!"


    "silence," ordered the lynx auxiliary sharply. "we''re not safe yet."


    the students emerged to find their professor along with the other three auxiliaries. ren was with them, carrying what appeared to be several skin bags/containers and a crystal emitting some kind of magical wave.


    "carefully," indicated the lynx auxiliary. "maintain order and silence."


    min and taro practically jumped on ren when they emerged, their relief evident in their enthusiastic greeting.


    "where were you?" whispered taro, giving him a small push. "you worried us!"


    "what happened out there?" whispered min, his eyes fixed on the sealed containers. "why did you leave like that?"


    "i wanted to verify something and get the professor''s help," ren responded evasively while securing his specimens with meticulous care.


    "verify what?" taro insisted, his curiosity evident.


    "nothing important... trust me," ren adjusted his equipment straps. "there are things better not discussed here."


    "things like controlling nocturnal stalkers, apparently."


    luna''s voice startled them. she had approached silently, moving like a shadow herself.


    her eyes studied ren''s containers with genuine curiosity, her gaze penetrating.


    "i... it''s not what it seems," ren avoided her penetrating gaze and shifted uncomfortably.


    "no?" luna tilted her head. "because it seems you weren''t just keeping the shadow stalkers away, you were actually doing something... more interesting."


    ren swallowed hard. the intensity of her stare was unsettling, as if she could see right through him.


    "i don''t know what you''re talking about," he tried to sound casual but failed.


    "mmm," luna observed the mushrooms in his hair. "i suppose those sealed containers are full of common earth then."


    "it''s just..."


    "and i suppose professor zhao just happened to find you on the way back."


    "i don''t know what you''re talking about," ren insisted, avoiding any direct answers.


    "of course you don''t," luna narrowed her eyes, her shadow wolf briefly manifesting behind her.


    taro and min exchanged confused looks, but ren could feel cold sweat on the back of his neck.


    luna took another step closer, her voice barely a whisper. "i''ll find out soon... you speak truths and lies at interesting moments, fungus."


    she moved away as silently as she had come, leaving ren with the uncomfortable feeling that she had seen more than he wanted to show.


    "what was that?" asked min, bewildered by the exchange.


    "nothing... it''s time to go," ren changed the subject while the auxiliaries began organizing students for the return. "the carriages are waiting."


    "pack your things," ordered zhao. "the covered carriages await. the expedition is over for this occasion."


    "but what about gathering?" someone protested.


    "safety is priority," zhao responded in a tone that admitted no discussion. "collect everything. we''re leaving."


    jin seemed about to say something more, but one look from the snail auxiliary silenced him definitively.


    continue your adventure with empire


    this gathering trip had been more than enough for one day.


    ????


    the students began boarding the carriages, some still excited commenting about the battle, others visibly relieved to be returning. the night''s events had left their mark on everyone.


    "what''s in those containers?" asked jin, eyeing ren suspiciously before boarding his own carriage. "did you sneak away to collect what professor zhao defeated while the rest of us were fighting?"


    before he could continue, zhao intervened with a ''gentle'' tap to jin''s head. "those containers are sealed for a reason. and you should be boarding over there."


    luna observed everything in silence while her shadow wolf manifested nearby, as if ensuring there were no more threats. her eyes briefly stopped on ren before turning to join her group of noble girls.


    klein''s group kept apart, though it was evident they were still upset. the incident had revealed too much... the attack hadn''t been random, and they had been a specific target.


    zhao stopped beside ren as he finished arranging his containers.


    "ren," zhao leaned slightly, his voice gentle despite evident exhaustion, his tone having lost the usual formality of classes, "do you think you could do something more with that crystal of yours?"


    "something more?" ren blinked, protectively hugging one of his containers.


    "for the return journey," zhao gestured toward the other carriages. "could that crystal of yours keep the medusas away during the entire trip?"


    "ah!" ren''s eyes lit up with understanding. "i can keep them away! just..." he touched his lip, thoughtful. "i just need to go in front¡­"


    "if i stay in the front carriage," ren nodded while adjusting the core. "the effect will make them gradually disperse, as if following the male. i just need to keep it active."


    zhao contained a smile at the childish enthusiasm. "of course. in fact, i insist you go to the front."


    "perfect!" ren smiled broadly before remembering who he was talking to. "i mean... yes, professor."


    "also," zhao continued as the boy climbed into the carriage, "i want to thank you for your help today. not everyone keeps calm in a situation like this."


    ren shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "it was nothing... i just wanted to help..."


    "and you did. more than you imagine," zhao gave him a gentle pat on the shoulder. "you deserve a proper reward. i''ll see what i can get from the academy that might be useful to you."


    ren''s eyes widened like saucers. "re-reward? like... like cultivation materials?"


    "would that be useful?" zhao smiled mysteriously. "we''ll see what i can do..." s~ea??h the nov§×lf~ire.net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    as the professor walked away to organize the departure, ren could barely contain his excitement. academy materials! with luck they would be...


    a movement in the nearby shadows caught his attention.


    but then he stopped...


    "everything ready?" the snail auxiliary''s voice startled him.


    "y-yes," ren looked away from the trees. it must be his imagination.

 Chapter 72 - Taming Estimation

    "the carriages are reinforced," zhao explained to three of the auxiliaries. "we''ll maintain a tight formation to take advantage of our lucky fungus''s crystal and... keep an eye open, we can''t assume there won''t be more attempts tonight..."they were ready to depart, with only one auxiliary remaining near the clearing''s edge where the carriages waited, when...


    "wait!"


    han shouted while running from nearby bushes toward the last carriage, adjusting his belt, his face red from exertion and his clumsy movements betraying his rush to reach the carriages before they left.


    "i''m coming!"


    "finally!" klein snorted with irritation. "i thought you''d gotten lost in the forest."


    "hey han, weren''t you just going to ''pee''!" jin smiled maliciously. "congratulations on holding it so long during battle and in the hole without soiling your pants! new endurance record!"


    laughter erupted in several carriages. even some of the more serious students couldn''t contain a smile.


    the echo of laughter bounced between trees while han, his face now the color of a ripe tomato, climbed into the last carriage.


    "shut up!" he muttered, though his voice was lost among more laughter when jin began dramatically imitating someone desperate to find a bush.


    "silence and order!" the snail auxiliary tried to sound severe, though the corner of his mouth curved slightly. "everyone to your places!"


    ren observed the scene from the front carriage, the mushrooms in his hair pulsing softly with the more relaxed atmosphere. after so much tension, even a silly joke served to lighten the weight of what had happened.


    that''s when he saw it again.


    a quick movement caught his attention from the corner of his eye. at first he thought it was another shadow stalker, but the flight pattern was different.


    the mushrooms in his hair pulsed with curiosity when he managed to better distinguish the form: a flying beast, but its feathers... had a color that didn''t correspond to any species in the area.


    ''how strange,'' he thought as the carriage pulled away. ''those markings...''


    "move out!" the lynx auxiliary''s voice pulled him from his thoughts.


    the carriages began moving, the laughter from jin''s joke finally fading.


    ????


    they finally arrived at their dorm¡­


    the creak of the door opening made liu jump in his bed.


    "who...?" he sat up alarmed, his bat briefly manifesting before recognizing his companions. "you''re back already? but it''s barely..."


    "long story," taro mumbled while collapsing onto his bed without even removing his shoes.


    min was already snoring before his head hit the pillow. his water snake coiled lazily around his neck, also exhausted.


    "did something happen?" liu watched with concern as ren carefully stored several sealed containers under his bed.


    "we''ll tell you tomorrow," ren barely managed to remove his boots before sinking into his mattress. the mushrooms in his hair barely pulsed, as if they too needed rest.


    "but..." liu began, only to notice his three companions were already deeply asleep.


    sleep enveloped ren like a warm blanket.


    his body ached from the day''s effort, but it was a satisfying pain. images of the mysterious bird and its markings floated in his mind as he sank into well-deserved rest...


    ????


    some hours later¡­


    a ray of light hit his face directly.


    ren grunted, trying to turn away from it.


    something wasn''t right.


    the ray was moving in his eyes.


    and there was a shadow...


    his eyes opened slowly, his blurry vision gradually focusing on...


    the beautiful face of a woman floating right above him, her radiant smile promising pain in his immediate future.


    "good morning, my favorite student!"


    ren screamed, or at least tried to. the sound was muffled when lin covered his mouth with her hand.


    "shhh," her smile widened. "let your companions sleep a bit longer. they don''t have special training today."


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    "tfainfing?" ren tried to speak through lin''s hand.


    "of course!" lin finally released him, only to grab his arm and begin dragging him out of bed. "it''s a perfect day for exercise!"


    "but..." ren stumbled while being dragged toward the door, "we were supposed to return the day after tomorrow! today and tomorrow should be free days!"


    "oh, dear," lin dragged him through the hallway like a rag doll, "did you really think coming back early meant more rest? how adorable."


    "but i''m tired!" ren tried to resist, but lin''s strength far surpassed his. "we had a very intense expedition yesterday!"


    "more reason to train!" lin didn''t even slow down. "we must maintain momentum! besides..." she briefly stopped, her smile turning mischievous, "a little bird told me that a certain student had an interesting role in last night''s events."


    ren paled. "how did you...?"


    "oh, we''ll have plenty of time to chat," lin resumed her relentless march toward the training field. "between exercise and exercise!"


    the mushrooms in ren''s hair pulsed weakly, as if they too wanted to protest. but they knew lin well enough to know it was futile.


    the sun was barely peeking over the horizon, promising a long, very long day ahead.


    ????


    ren collapsed onto his bed, every muscle in his body protesting from the brutal training. through the window he could see his companions enjoying their free day in the gardens.


    "at least i can organize everything now," he mumbled while crawling toward his containers, the mushrooms in his hair pulsing weakly from exhaustion.


    he took out his treasures one by one, carefully aligning them on his bed. knowledge flowed naturally while he evaluated each piece:


    first, the cores. the mirror mantis core shone with a metallic gleam, a complete bronze core, perfectly preserved. next to it, the shadow stalker male''s core emitted a faint purple pulse from the abyssal corruption, but was still a complete core.


    "these two are the most valuable," he murmured while examining them. "though they''re also the ''least valuable,'' and the corruption..."


    the other cores were different.


    the worm''s and the bark stalker''s were more primitive, incomplete storage structures.


    "these would serve better as process materials than real cores."


    he continued with the skins. almost a hundred shadow stalker skins, some slightly damaged from battle. "with luck about 150-200 crystals each... the best perhaps 250."


    the worm teeth gleamed with an opaque tone. "resistant as bronze rank though they''re iron... interesting."


    the mantis plates reflected light hypnotically. ren smiled remembering how he''d used them. "the complete set could be worth quite a bit... shame i didn''t get it at school..."


    the weaver thread min and taro had gifted him from their own gathering gleamed with a silvery tone. "not much, but could be useful."


    the female shadow stalker body and male tentacles occupied a special container. "these are harder to value... but i have an idea for their use."


    in another container, the bark stalker powder mixed with moss and herbs from its shell. "good medicine materials..."


    the cave crystals formed a small brilliant pile. "these are purer than normal ones, the mana density is better."


    the weaver molt and deep earth completed his collection.


    ren began making calculations on paper:


    mantis core: ???


    male core (corrupted): ???


    primitive worm core: ~100


    primitive bark stalker core: ~200


    skins (average 200 crystals): ~20000 total


    mantis plates: ~???


    worm teeth (10): ~100


    weaver thread: ~500


    body and tentacles: ??? s~ea??h the novel(f~)ire.net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    vitality powder: ~300


    herbs and moss: ~500


    pure crystals: ~1000


    weaver molt: ~300


    deep earth: ~500


    pure crystals: ~500


    crystals: ~5000


    total: ~30,000

 Chapter 73 - Taming Value

    "i have about 30,000 crystals total according to the numbers in liu''s book... if i wanted to sell everything and got the best price," he murmured while reviewing his calculations."and that''s without counting what the school will duplicate from the official report... maybe an extra 25,000 with luck. plus what i can mine in the remaining days of the month..."


    it was a good amount, more than he had expected to get from this expedition. his careful planning had paid off. but for his plans...


    "still need a bit more if i wanna start now," he sighed while beginning to carefully store everything away. "but maybe i could start with..."


    a shout of laughter came from the garden. his companions played carefree under the afternoon sun, enjoying their well-earned rest.


    "free time..." he murmured with a mixture of envy and resignation. "someday i''ll have free time... when all this bears fruit."


    "at least," he smiled while sealing the last container, "training with lin is showing results. even if it hurts."


    his eyes stopped on the male''s corrupted core. there was something about those purple veins that intrigued him, something his knowledge couldn''t quite decipher completely...


    ren slapped his cheeks and stood up.


    if he wanted to progress, he would have to keep working, and today he had a place to go to capitalize on his gathering reward...


    the exchange window.


    ????


    the exchange warehouse was enormous, its high shelves filled with materials of every kind.


    the usual aroma of dried herbs and minerals mixed with the unmistakable smell of tanned leather and metal, creating an atmosphere that spoke of countless treasures.


    the main window was occupied by a long line of older students, so ren headed to one of the side ones.


    a young girl, perhaps around 20, was clumsily organizing papers behind the counter, her movements betraying her inexperience.


    "um... hello?" ren approached with his samples.


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    the girl jumped in surprise, scattering several papers. "ah! i''m sorry!" she quickly bent to pick them up, hitting her head against the counter in the process. "ouch!"


    "are you okay?" ren couldn''t help but smile at her flustered state.


    "yes! perfectly fine!" the girl emerged rubbing her head, her hair becoming disheveled in the process. "welcome to the exchange warehouse! i''m jessy, and i''m here to help you!" her enthusiasm was contagious despite her evident nervousness.


    "thanks," ren began taking out his samples. "i wanted to check some prices..."


    "of course!" jessy pulled out a thick appraisal manual much larger than liu''s, eagerly flipping through it. several pages crumpled in the process. "oh, no... wait..."


    while trying to fix the wrinkled pages, ren noticed she had cat ears, her spirit beast.


    "first," ren placed the weaver molt on the counter, "could you check this?"


    "sure!" jessy examined the molt with genuine interest, her cat ears perking up. "let me see..." she began searching through the manual, muttering to herself. "scales... fur... here! no, wait, those are reptilian... white scales... aha!"


    her eyes lit up with professional excitement. "oh! these are complete! the quality is very good and..." she paused to search another page, her enthusiasm making her movements less clumsy, "yes! the wear pattern indicates they''re from a recent molt. that makes them more valuable."


    "really?" ren leaned in with interest, curious about her detailed assessment.


    "well..." jessy consulted a value table, her tongue peeking out slightly while calculating. "normally they''d be about 300 crystals, but in this condition... 450!"


    ren whistled softly. "wasn''t expecting that much."


    "it''s because of the preservation!" jessy smiled, gaining confidence in her expertise. "look at these marks here," she pointed with genuine enthusiasm. "it means they retain all their original flexibility because they haven''t dried out."


    next, ren showed the mirror mantis plates, their surface catching the light beautifully.


    "wow!" jessy''s eyes widened like saucers. "these are beautiful! and you have 5 complete ones..." she quickly flipped through the manual, accidentally dropping more papers in the process. "oops... doesn''t matter! let''s see..."


    her expression turned serious while consulting several tables, her professional side emerging. "they''re... they''re very valuable. especially because they have the bottom layer intact, looks like they weren''t ripped off as usual... are you planning to sell them?"


    "no, just wanted to know the value."


    "oh, well..." jessy made more calculations. "as a complete set, i''d say... 5000 crystals for all 5? the reflective properties are intact and it seems there isn''t even a trace of the bad smell from flesh or hemolymph, which is rare..."


    ren nodded, impressed. it was more than double what he had expected.


    when he brought out the shadow stalker skins, jessy let out a small squeal of excitement.


    "the quality is incredible! look at this sheen! they''re... um..." she nervously consulted the manual, "300 crystals each for the best ones, 250 for standard. but..."


    "but?"


    "they need treatment soon," jessy bit her lip with genuine concern. "shadow stalker skins are delicate. properly treated they''d be worth double, but..." she blushed slightly, "i wouldn''t recommend trying without experience. it''s... it''s very easy to ruin them."


    ren appreciated her honesty. "how long do i have?"


    "three days maximum," jessy consulted another table with practiced efficiency. "after that they''ll start losing properties. there''s... there''s a processing workshop on the third floor, isaac would be the best for this," she pointed vaguely upward while gathering the scattered papers.


    "alright," ren smiled while helping her collect them. "you''re very good at explaining things."


    jessy blushed at the compliment, her cat ears twitching. "thank you... i''m new and still a bit nervous."


    they continued reviewing the rest of the materials, which turned out to have values very close to ren''s calculations. jessy gained more confidence as they progressed, her expertise shining through her initial clumsiness.


    "so," ren began storing his samples, "the processing workshop, you said?"


    "yes!" jessy nodded energetically. "third floor, second door on the right. just... be careful with the stairs," she blushed again, clearly speaking from experience.


    ren laughed. "thanks for all the help, jessy."


    "come back anytime!"


    as ren climbed the stairs, one of the mushrooms in his hair pulsed softly. jessy noticed it for the first time, and her expression changed subtly.


    ''oh...'' she thought, ''he''s the spore boy...''


    a mixture of pity and curiosity crossed her face, until something clicked in her memory.


    "wait!" jessy stood and searched through the delivery drawer papers. "there''s a note... i''m sure that..."


    but ren was already heading upstairs.


    "oh, no..." jessy held the envelope she had just found, the words "for ren," written in elegant handwriting on the front. "i should have remembered earlier..."


    she bit her lip, watching the boy''s figure disappear toward the third floor.


    but another student arrived at her window.


    sear?h the n?vel(f)ire.n§×t website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 74 - Taming Processing

    "third floor," ren murmured, adjusting his bag filled with precious skins. "time to process some hides."the workshop was a spacious area filled with work tables and shelves of tools. the air was thick with the smell of tanned leather and fixative products, each scent telling a story of materials transformed.


    a short man with a thick grey beard worked at one of the tables. he was barely 10 centimeters taller than ren, but his hands moved with the certainty of years of experience, each motion precise and purposeful.


    "excuse me," ren approached, "mr. isaac?"


    "that''s me," he responded without looking up from his work, his focus absolute. "what do you need, boy?"


    "i''d like to use the workshop to process some skins."


    this caught isaac''s attention. he turned, his shrewd eyes studying ren... until they noticed the mushrooms in his hair. his expression softened with a hint of pity that ren was all too familiar with.


    "what kind of skins?"


    "shadow stalker."


    isaac whistled softly. "how many?"


    "almost a hundred."


    "look, boy," isaac set down his tools, his expression turning serious, "shadow stalker skins are delicate. one mistake and..."


    "i know," ren interrupted, determination in his voice, "but i''d like to learn."


    isaac sighed, scratching his beard thoughtfully. "i''ll show you the facilities, but i insist you should let someone with experience..."


    "could i pay you to process the first ten?" ren brought out some skins carefully. "i''ll pay for the service and materials. i just want to see how it''s done."


    isaac studied the skins with a critical eye, his expertise evident in every glance. "good quality... would be a shame to ruin them." he considered the proposal for a moment, weighing options. "fine, but it''ll cost you 100 crystals per skin, 50 for labor plus 50 for materials."


    ren nodded and watched attentively while isaac prepared his workspace. knowledge flowed while the artisan explained each step, every detail adding to ren''s understanding.


    "first, the base solution," isaac mixed several liquids with practiced ease. "three parts fixative, one stabilizer... this works for any skin you want to treat."


    ren began noticing details. the shadow stalker skin fibers had a peculiar pattern, unlike others which meant they may needed different proportions for optimal treatment.


    "why use standard fixative?" ren asked, his curiosity genuine.


    "it''s what i always use," isaac responded without pausing. "works well enough."


    "wouldn''t powdered crystal fixative be better?"


    isaac paused briefly. "would be slightly better, yes. also three times more expensive... not worth it."


    ''the skin doesn''t have its own mana,'' ren reflected while the mushrooms in his hair pulsed softly. ''it would need much less crystal powder than normal...''


    he observed how the standard fixative saturated the fibers. it was too much. the fibers didn''t need that amount because...


    "why use so much fixative?" ren asked, his mind connecting patterns.


    "better ensures preservation," isaac answered without stopping. "especially with delicate skins."


    based on the responses, knowledge whispered that the proportion could be better. four to one would give the skin more flexibility without compromising durability. your next read is at empire


    "then, we immerse for exactly ten minutes," isaac continued, his movements precise. "not one more, not one less."


    ''maybe eight and a half minutes would be ideal for shadow stalker skins,'' ren thought, but limited himself to nodding.


    isaac''s expert hands worked with mechanical precision, stretching and treating each skin. his movements were perfect, but the materials... s§×ar?h the n?velfire(.)net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ren took mental notes of each step. the technique was impeccable, but with the right materials...


    "done," isaac displayed the first batch of processed skins. "see the difference in texture and shine? you could sell them for 300 but now for 450."


    ren nodded. subtracting the 100 crystals per skin, the profit was 50...


    the result was good, but could it be exceptional?


    ????


    "still want to process the rest?"


    "yes," ren began storing the treated skins carefully. "thanks for the demonstration."


    "you''ll regret it..." isaac murmured, though there was a glimmer of respect in his eyes. "the facilities are available to students, but if you damage anything, you pay for it."


    ren went down to the warehouse with a clear mental list. jessy was still at her window, organizing papers with slightly more success than before.


    "back so soon?" she smiled warmly.


    "need standard fixative," he told jessy, "but also some bronze-grade powdered crystal."


    "bronze grade?" jessy consulted her manual. "that''s 10 times more expensive, quite fine..."


    "only need one small 100-crystal cost unit," ren began calculating. "also stabilizer and half premium stabilizer."


    while jessy gathered the materials, her eyes stopped on something on her desk.


    "oh!" she exclaimed. "the note! almost forgot again!"


    she took an elegant envelope and extended it to ren. "arrived this morning. it''s for you."


    ren accepted the envelope while paying 500 crystals for his materials.


    "thanks," he stored it carefully. he would finish with the skins first. that fresh knowledge in his mind shouldn''t be wasted.


    as he climbed back to the workshop, a smile formed on his face. the mushrooms pulsed softly, as if approving his deductions.


    ????


    ren organized his workstation methodically, aligning the materials in the order he would need them.


    "let''s see..." he murmured while measuring the base fixative.


    unlike isaac, who used a full measure per skin, ren added only three-quarters. then, with extreme care, he dusted a tiny amount of powdered crystal over the liquid.


    the fixative glowed faintly upon contact with the crystal, exactly as ren expected. the skin''s conductive fibers only needed that minimal mana guidance.


    he prepared the stabilizer solution in another container, heating it precisely to a shadow stalker''s body temperature, slightly cooler than what isaac had used. knowledge told him the fibers would respond better this way, as they did when the beast was at rest.


    the first skin was immersed in the modified fixative. ren counted the seconds carefully, observing how the fibers absorbed the solution. when he extracted it, he noted with satisfaction that the shine was even more intense than in the skins isaac had processed.


    "eight and a half minutes," he murmured while transferring the skin to the salamander solution. the fibers began tensing and relaxing in a rhythmic pattern, expelling soft fats and proteins.


    with each skin, ren refined the process. he discovered he could reuse the salamander solution more times than normal, shadow stalker skins barely altered its composition if they had no residue from the first process.


    the crystal fixative also yielded more, as the conductive fibers only took what they needed.


    isaac approached occasionally to observe, his expression oscillating between skepticism and curiosity. by 2 pm, when ren had processed almost half his skins, the artisan had to admit the results were exceptional.


    "never seen that deep shine," he commented while examining one of the finished skins. "and the flexibility..."

 Chapter 75 - Taming Processing - 2

    isaac approached occasionally to observe, his expression oscillating between skepticism and curiosity.by around 2 pm, when ren had processed almost half his skins, the artisan had to admit the results were exceptional.


    "never seen that deep shine," he commented while examining one of the finished skins. "and the flexibility..."


    "it''s because the fibers are perfectly aligned," ren explained while immersing another batch. "like when the shadow stalker prepares to sleep. i achieved it using a different fixative proportion and very little bronze crystal powder, look..."


    isaac paused briefly, interested. "why does it work with so little powder?" continue your journey on empire


    "powdered crystal fixative is designed for most skins, which have residual mana," continued ren, his knowledge helping him understand, to then explain. "that''s why they use so much powder, to seal the skin with more mana. but here there''s no mana to seal."


    "interesting theory," isaac stroked his beard thoughtfully.


    "and eight and a half minutes," he murmured. "not ten."


    "why eight and a half?"


    "the base solution is green slime oil, right?" ren sniffed slightly. the mushrooms had given him the answer to that scent''s owner already. "shadow stalker skins have 15% less fat and water than others."


    isaac looked at him with renewed interest. "continue."


    "if the solution maintains that pattern," ren pointed to a freshly immersed skin, "eight and a half minutes is enough to expel all matter that could rot."


    "fascinating," isaac murmured. "and that makes such a difference?"


    "the conductive fibers adapted better," ren traced the patterns in the skin. "like i said... just like when the shadow stalker goes to sleep."


    isaac processed the next skin following ren''s suggestions. the result was subtly different, more flexible, with an even deeper shine than what ren achieved, with the old man''s technique the best possible skins were born.


    "well, well," the artisan nodded appreciatively. "seems there''s more in that head of yours than just fungi."


    ren smiled, the mushrooms pulsing cheerfully. s~ea??h the n??efire.¦Çet website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    by the end of the day, ren had processed all his skins using barely a tenth of the materials normally required, and his mixtures never became contaminated. each piece gleamed with a deep luster, the conductive fibers perfectly preserved in their optimal state.


    "you could make a career of this," isaac suggested while ren packed the last skins. "you have talent."


    ren smiled but shook his head. he had other plans for his future.


    while cleaning his workstation, he calculated mentally: the reduced material cost and his own labor meant more profit per skin. and with the improved quality, the selling price would also be higher.


    ''not bad for half a day''s work,'' he thought while carefully storing his production.


    ????


    the warehouse was quieter when ren returned.


    most students had already left, leaving only the occasional sound of papers and soft tinkling of crystals.


    ren could have gone to the more experienced lady with burn scars in her hands but decided to return to jessy.


    "you''re back," jessy smiled seeing him approach with his package. "how did the processing go?"


    ren carefully laid the skins on the counter. the deep shine immediately caught jessy''s attention.


    "may i?" she asked, extending a hand toward the nearest one.


    ren nodded. the mushrooms in his hair pulsed softly while jessy examined the first skin.


    "amazing," she murmured, running her fingers over the surface. "the flexibility is perfect, and this shine..." she held the skin up to the light. "are you sure this is your first time processing?"


    "isaac helped."


    "this is the best work i''ve seen from isaac so far, well i haven''t seen too many... has he been working worse lately?" jessy continued examining. "the fibers are perfectly ordered. almost looks like they could start breathing at any moment."


    she pulled out her appraisal manual, this time with professional enthusiasm replacing her earlier nervousness.


    "let''s see... premium quality, exceptional preservation..." her fingers ran through price tables. "how many do you have?"


    "ninety to sell. i''ll keep some."


    jessy nodded. "let''s see... at the base price of 450 crystals for premium quality, plus the bonus for perfect fiber preservation..." she made some calculations. "i can offer you 550 for each."


    "i''ll take it," ren responded without hesitation.


    "done," jessy began counting. "though i''ll have to bring more from the vault. how many did you say? ninety?"


    "yes. that''s 49,500 crystals total."


    jessy blinked at the speed of the calculation. "let me verify... yes, exact. give me a moment."


    while jessy headed to the back of the warehouse, ren organized the skins in groups of ten. some of the best quality ones were already set aside for his own experiments.


    "planning to use them to buy something now or want crystals to save?" she asked while completing the paperwork.


    "don''t trouble yourself, i already know what i want to buy, i have enough to begin my cultivation."


    jessy''s hands paused briefly while counting. "cultivation?"


    "yes, i have enough to evolve my spore."


    "but..." jessy continued counting, though more slowly, "wouldn''t it be better..." she stopped, biting her lip.


    "better what?"


    "it''s a lot of money," she continued carefully. "you could... there are other ways to invest it. the materials market always needs intermediaries, and i don''t know how you obtained all this being so young but if you save..."


    ren waited, knowing what was coming.


    "it''s just that..." jessy placed another group of crystals, "with a spor... i mean, that beast doesn''t... even with the best cultivation... well even if you were to follow my advice... the city''s regulations are strict. without an appropriate rank you won''t be able to establish yourself in the commercial zones or..."


    "operate a business in the inner districts?" ren completed.


    "exactly. even with capital, the rank restrictions are somewhat unfair..." jessy stopped, uncomfortable. "i''m sorry, i shouldn''t have... since you can''t even..."


    "can''t even reach bronze to operate businesses or trade outside school, right?"


    jessy blushed. "i''m sorry, i didn''t mean..."


    "don''t worry," ren smiled. "i know the regulations, my father always complained about them. i also know what everyone thinks about my beast... but you''ll be surprised."


    "by the way," jessy seemed to remember something while trying to change the subject to hide her rude slip, "did you open the envelope i gave you earlier?"


    ren blinked, surprised by the question. "the envelope?"


    "yes. i gave it to you when you came for the processing materials."


    "ah, that envelope," ren patted his pocket where it still rested, unopened. "haven''t had time."


    "must be important," jessy insisted. "the messenger who brought it was very specific about delivering it to you... all the windows knew about it."


    ren nodded, though his mind was already on his next steps. with these crystals he could finally begin his real work.

 Chapter 76 - Taming Processing - 3

    ren broke the blue wax seal, intrigued by the envelope''s formality. then he extracted a letter written in elegant calligraphy."dear ren,


    i have spoken with the director about your performance during the expedition. your support was crucial, and more importantly, you demonstrated an exceptional understanding of beasts that frankly intrigues me.


    the director has authorized a special support of 100,000 credits for the exchange store. consider it recognition for a promising student.


    perhaps i should start believing in that knowledge of yours and see what it can do with a small push. whatever you''re planning, i hope this helps you achieve it.


    i''ll be absent for a while arranging certain matters. we''ll see each other upon my return.


    professor zhao"


    ren read the letter twice, processing the implications. the mushrooms in his hair pulsed with accelerated rhythm.


    ''a hundred thousand credits...'' his eyes shone while making mental calculations. with that he could buy the materials, his parents'' runes, and save his crystals for other needs... perhaps the mantis core wouldn''t have to wait so long.


    "jessy," he called while returning to the counter. "i need to make some purchases."


    "so soon, are you sure about...?" jessy was still worried, but her expression changed upon seeing the official letter. "oh..."


    "i have authorized credits," ren showed the director''s signature. "i need specific materials."


    jessy checked the authorization with increasingly widening eyes, then checked the credit book... "a hundred thousand... it''s true, what do you need?"


    "first, 10,000 in discarded bronze-rank beast parts," ren began listing. "but only tissues from woody or rocky beasts like the rock crocodile you had a few weeks ago."


    "woody ones?" jessy consulted the catalog. "we have some forest guardian remains and still have some of the crocodile you mentioned. but are you thinking of cultivating a ghoul monkey?"


    "don''t worry, i know what to use them for... i also need poisonous fungi, the luminescent ones imported from there..."


    jessy worried slightly. "those are 3,000 each. how many?"


    "ten," ren responded without hesitation.


    "thirty thousand just in fungi," jessy made notes. "the woody tissues would be about another ten thousand. anything else?"


    "one intelligence rune and 2 vitality ones."


    jessy stopped her pen. "those are... quite common, but..."


    "do you have them?"


    "yes, but..." jessy hesitated. "that''s another 30,000 credits. and normally they''re only used by beasts that can process large amounts of information, the vitality ones aren''t good either... a spor..." she stopped, uncomfortable.


    "a spore wouldn''t benefit because it only slightly increases strength, right?"


    "i didn''t mean..."


    "doesn''t matter," ren smiled. "i want them anyway."


    jessy nodded and began processing the order. "it''ll take a while to gather everything. the discarded parts are in the special warehouse and the runes in the vault."


    while waiting, ren mentally reviewed his plans. the crystals he''d gotten from the skins would serve other purposes...


    the mushrooms in his hair pulsed softly. soon, very soon, everyone would understand that a spore could be much more than they imagined.


    "here you go," jessy returned with several sealed containers. "the fungi are in special containers, they''re extremely toxic. the tissues are preserved with their original moss. and the runes..."


    she held a small crystal box. inside, a translucent stone glowed with a faint bluish radiance.


    "be careful with them," she warned while ren examined it. "they''re very sensitive to magical energies and you could ruin them."


    ren nodded while carefully storing each component. his knowledge showed him exactly how to use each piece, how to combine the elements to achieve something no one would expect from a simple spore.


    "now for your 49,500 crystals... we have two options," jessy turned to check a small box.


    "i can''t store student credits, the ones from the letter are a special case like some other bonuses and rewards, for storing you must go to the bank section or you can keep them with you... so you can withdraw part of the 30,000 you have left but can''t store more here..."


    "...i can give you forty-nine normal gold crystals, which are quite bulky, or if you want to withdraw 500 more crystals or have something to exchange and complete the 50,000..." her eyes sparkled, "i can give you five dark bronze crystals. they''re worth the same, but the bronze ones are smaller and easier to transport."


    ren considered his options.


    normal gold crystals were apple-sized spheres, each worth a thousand basic crystals. dark bronze ones, on the other hand, barely reached the size of a walnut, but each was worth ten thousand.


    ren gave her the herbs he''d obtained from the bark stalker''s shell to complete the last 500¡­ he didn''t want to withdraw or ruin the nice round number of his 30,000 credits for now.


    "the 5 dark bronze ones, please."


    jessy nodded while opening a special box. inside, small crystals shone with a soft dark tone.


    "thank you jessy," he said goodbye while securing the last container. "you''ve been a great help."


    "come back anytime," she smiled. "and... good luck with your cultivation."


    there was some pity in her voice, but also genuine kindness. ren couldn''t blame her, no one would expect a spore to go very far.


    ''soon they''ll understand,'' he thought while leaving the warehouse.


    he could finally begin.


    ????


    the mushrooms in ren''s hair pulsed with anticipation while he spread the shadow stalker skins across his bed sheet. their conductive fibers, perfectly preserved, absorbed light creating a space of deep darkness.


    working methodically, ren hung more skins using sheets as support until forming a sort of dark tent over his work area. the light that filtered through was minimal, but the faint glow of his fungi was sufficient to see.


    in the center of this improvised space, he placed the processing pot that all students received. it was made of special opaque metal, designed to contain magical reactions.


    this reaction wasn''t as simple as taro''s.


    the hundred normal bronze-sized crystals, from the best ren had mined, aligned perfectly around the pot''s edge, each shining with a soft bluish glow.


    the intelligence rune rested in its own crystal box, emitting occasional flashes.


    before processing the crystals in the pot, he had to use most of his mana on that rune.


    the mushrooms in his hair pulsed more strongly while he concentrated. slowly, he began directing his mana toward the rune in the covered space, away from contaminating external energies.


    it was a delicate process, too fast and the rune could fracture, too little and it wouldn''t reach the critical point necessary to begin synchronization with his beast.


    sweat drops appeared on his forehead while maintaining the constant flow.


    the rune began glowing more intensely, absorbing mana from his mushrooms. where energy drops touched the surface, tiny points began forming.


    ''like spores,'' ren thought while maintaining concentration. ''ten days of this and the rune will be ready... it will be reassuring to have it from the beginning.'' explore new worlds at empire


    when the process with the rune reached a stable equilibrium, ren turned toward the poisonous fungi. their special containers were marked with warning seals.


    with precise movements, he extracted all ten fungi. their colors were vibrant, almost hypnotic.


    the mortar he used was very clean. any contamination could ruin the process. the fungi crushed under his careful strikes, releasing a sweet aroma that made his eyes water. sear?h the ¦Çov§×lfire .net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    when the paste was ready, ren channeled a small amount of mana. the reaction was immediate, the mixture beginning to bubble softly, its color becoming more intense.


    the discarded parts of woody beasts and crocodile parts came in sealed containers. upon opening them, a penetrating smell flooded the space.


    the moss covering them was the key.


    ren directed his mana toward the small plants, which responded immediately. they began growing, spreading over the discarded tissues, consuming the decomposing matter.


    the process was fascinating to observe. the moss pulsed with each new extension, converting dead tissue into new life. the mushrooms in ren''s hair pulsed at the same rhythm, as if recognizing a familiar process.


    when the moss reached its maximum extension, ren began scraping it carefully. each strand was precious, charged with the transformed energy of bronze beasts.


    the collected moss fell into the poisonous fungi mixture. the bubbling liquid absorbed it eagerly, its color changing to a deeper tone.


    the processing pot now contained the mixture of fungi and moss that would serve as transformation medium.


    the preparation was complete. now would begin the real work: a hundred days of careful cultivation, each crystal absorbing the mixture''s power while the rune developed its spores.


    in the darkness of his improvised tent, surrounded by the soft pulse of mana, ren smiled. the first step toward true evolution was underway.

 Chapter 77 - Taming Pain

    the materials were ready...but one step remained to ensure the cultivation''s success and reduce the pain, even if just a little.


    the preserved female shadow stalker''s body gleamed faintly in the darkness of the improvised tent. ren manipulated it carefully, tracing the conductive fiber patterns until locating the most appropriate tentacle.


    a tentacle too thick would absorb too much mana, one too thin would saturate quickly. he needed an intermediate one, with the correct amount of conductive fibers.


    ''this one,'' he thought while using the weaver thread to cleanly cut a tentacle the size of his index finger. the internal fibers briefly glowed when exposed, hungry for mana.


    with precise movements, ren submerged the tentacle in the now mana depleted solution he had prepared. the liquid, a mixture of poisonous fungi and moss, was instantly absorbed by the conductive fibers. the tentacle darkened, as if it was a paper that had absorbed ink.


    the bark stalker powder came next. ren carefully dusted it over the treated surface, watching how it adhered forming patterns like tiny scales.


    the powder would seal the tentacle, preventing it from absorbing his vitality instead of just the specific mana he needed to manipulate.


    ''now the delicate part,'' he thought while unrolling more weaver thread.


    he began wrapping it around a section of the tentacle, creating a safe grip zone.


    the mushrooms in his hair pulsed with warning when he took the first crystal. the mana density was ten times greater than those taro used, enough to cause serious damage to his mana veins if not handled correctly.


    he breathed deeply, holding the modified tentacle in his right hand. he positioned it over the veins above his stomach, where mana would flow most intensely.


    ''here we go,'' he thought while absorbing the crystal.


    the pain was immediate and intense. mana entered his system like liquid fire, threatening to instantly saturate his channels. his mushrooms began glowing strongly, trying to process the overload.


    ren pressed the tentacle at a specific point on his chest. the conductive fibers, hungry but controlled by the treatment, began absorbing the excess mana saturating the channel.


    the pain decreased slightly, becoming manageable.


    he moved the tentacle following his veins, allowing the conductive fibers to unblock saturation points. it was like opening small gates, allowing mana to flow instead of dangerously stagnating.


    sweat ran down his face while maintaining concentration. one wrong move, one second of carelessness, and mana could fatally accumulate in his vital points.


    the tentacle and his willpower were his only protection against the overload that would leave him permanently unable to control mana.


    his mushrooms pulsed erratically, struggling to process the energy flowing through his system. still in their dormant phase, they weren''t ready to handle such power.


    but that was precisely why they needed this controlled overload.


    ren continued moving the tentacle...


    the process was painfully slow.


    the tentacle''s conductive fibers began glowing with a sickly purple tone, signaling they were saturating. ren adjusted his grip on the thread-covered section, grateful for that precaution.


    minutes that felt like hours passed while ren struggled to maintain balance. the crystal gradually consumed itself, its mana distributed between his channels and the saturated tentacle. s§×arch* the n?vel?ire.net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    finally, when the last vestige of mana was absorbed, ren allowed himself to breathe deeply. the tentacle in his hand was glowing an intense black, saturated to its capacity limit.


    ''one down,'' he thought while placing the used tentacle in a sealed container. ''ninety-nine to go.''


    the mushrooms in his hair pulsed weakly, exhausted by the effort. but there was something different in their glow, a deeper, more concentrated tone.


    the first step toward awakening had been taken.


    ????


    the director''s office occupied the central tower''s peak.


    floor-to-ceiling windows offered a panoramic view of the school grounds, while shelves filled with ancient tomes covered walls that weren''t glass. the domed ceiling was decorated with a fresco representing the dragons of different beast families, each in its natural territory.


    a massive dark wood desk dominated the room''s center. behind it, the director read a note with furrowed brow while his royal phoenix subtly manifested golden flashes in his white hair.


    "zhao is getting soft since that incident," he murmured to himself while his eyes traced the lines. "a hundred thousand credits for a student with a spore? and this story about an extraordinary genius? it''s obvious he just feels pity for the boy..."


    he left the note on the desk, where it joined several detailed reports about the medusa incident.


    your journey continues on empire


    "at least before, his ''support for the unfortunate'' made some sense," he continued, his phoenix manifesting more clearly in response to his irritation. "but this is just..."


    finally, he looked up at the young woman waiting patiently before his desk. her presence was so discreet she almost seemed to merge with the room''s shadows.


    "i need you to investigate something," his voice adopted a more formal tone. "there''s an... unusual student. a boy with a spore."


    the young woman nodded silently.


    "i see you know who he is... i want you to test him. something to help us understand what zhao has seen in him to insist so much." the director took up the note again, rereading a specific passage. "i need to know if this is another of his whims or if there really is something so special about him."


    the young woman made a slight bow before heading toward the door, her movements so fluid they barely disturbed the air.


    "and remember," the director added as she reached the threshold, "be discreet. we don''t want your identity revealed over trifles."


    ????


    ren stored the used tentacle in its special container, his movements slow from exhaustion. the mushrooms in his hair barely pulsed, also exhausted from the effort of processing so much mana.


    his reflection in the room''s small mirror showed the changes: his veins still glowed faintly under his skin, and the mushrooms seemed more defined, with a deeper shine. they weren''t changes someone would notice at first glance, but they were there.


    ''a hot bath,'' he thought while gathering his toiletries, ''and then sleep for a week.''


    the mental exhaustion was different from anything he''d experienced before. it wasn''t like tiredness after training with lin, this was deeper, as if his mind had been stretched to its limit.


    he headed toward the door, eager to reach the baths before his body simply decided to collapse.


    knock. knock.


    the knocks, though soft, startled him. it was late, his roommates didn''t knock to enter, and no one else usually came to the grey wing.


    the mushrooms in his hair pulsed weakly in alert.


    "who is it?" he asked, his voice betraying some of his exhaustion.


    "that doesn''t matter," a female voice answered from the other side. "could you open for a moment?"

 Chapter 78 - Taming Lies

    the mushrooms in his hair pulsed weakly in alert."who is it?" he asked, his voice betraying some of his exhaustion from the intense cultivation session.


    "that doesn''t matter," a female voice answered from the other side. "could you open for a moment?"


    ren quickly looked around the room. the containers were sealed, shadow stalker skins stored away, work area dismantled. but the smell... a mixture of poisonous fungi and decomposing tissues still lingered heavily in the air.


    "who are you?" he insisted, buying time while considering opening a window to clear the suspicious scents.


    "it will only take a moment."


    "it''s... it''s very late and i''m not presentable," ren responded, his exhausted mind trying to process the situation. "could it be tomorrow?"


    there was a pause, barely a heartbeat...


    the tone changed.


    "open the door, fungus," luna''s voice cut through the silence, cold and direct. "i need to talk to you."


    ren froze. of all people...


    "luna," he tried to make his voice sound firm despite the exhaustion. "i was about to take a bath..."


    "can it really not wait until tomorrow?"


    "no."


    ren looked around the room with desperation. everything was stored, but the smell... and he was shirtless, covered in sweat, his veins still glowing faintly from the mana manipulation...


    "luna, it''s really not a good time..."


    "you have ten seconds," her voice didn''t change tone. "after that, my wolf will find another entrance."


    as if to emphasize her words, ren felt the shadow wolf''s presence manifesting on the other side of the door. the mushrooms in his hair pulsed more strongly.


    "five seconds."


    no choice. luna didn''t seem like someone who made empty threats.


    ren opened the door.


    luna stood there, her shadow wolf partially manifested in the shadow beside her, her blue eyes studying him with clinical intensity. her gaze traveled over his bare torso, stopping at the veins that still glowed weakly with residual mana.


    "interesting," she murmured, gently pushing him to enter the room. her nose wrinkled slightly. "though the smell is... peculiar."


    "luna, please..."


    "sit," she ordered, closing the door behind her. "we need to talk about what really happened during the expedition."


    the mushrooms in ren''s hair pulsed with resignation.


    ????


    "where were you when the tent fell?" luna began while her wolf materialized more clearly, its eyes glowing with a silvery tone that seemed to pierce through him.


    "in the hole with everyone else... but you already know that," ren responded, noticing luna''s gaze focusing on his chest when he answered, studying his mana patterns.


    "when did you leave?"


    "when you saw me do it... this is strange, you already know all this, why..."


    ren stopped, understanding something...


    mana flowed subtly to luna''s eyes, a pattern that ren knew generated in some beasts that used enhanced perception.


    "why did you leave?"


    "i wanted to verify something."


    "lies," luna didn''t change her expression, but her wolf growled softly. "the real reason."


    ren blinked, surprised by the certainty in her voice. the mushrooms in his hair pulsed while analyzing the mana flow in luna''s eyes again.


    "i wanted to help," he answered carefully, observing her reaction.


    this time luna didn''t contradict him, but her eyes glowed more intensely. "how did you know you could?"


    "i didn''t know," ren measured each word, noticing how the mana in luna''s eyes fluctuated with each response. "i just... had an idea."


    "when did you see zhao?"


    "a while after leaving the hole."


    the shadow wolf took a step closer, its eyes reflecting the same glow as luna''s.


    "was finding him a coincidence?"


    "yes," ren responded, and saw the flash in luna''s eyes. "no," he corrected immediately. "i knew he would be near because of the feathers left behind."


    luna narrowed her eyes, mana flowing more intensely. "how?"


    "by the attack pattern," the mushrooms in his hair pulsed while ren connected the dots. luna could detect lies, probably through small-changes in the speaker''s mana flow.


    "i see you notice many changes... for example, did you notice the medusas were very organized?" luna began. "too organized for..." sea??h th§× n??el fire.n§×t website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "i noticed," ren responded, aware of the mana flowing to luna''s eyes. explore more stories at empire


    "what else did you notice?"


    "that it wasn''t natural. medusas don''t hunt like that."


    "no," luna took a step toward him. "they don''t. you know what else isn''t natural? that a child with a spore knows exactly how to help during such an attack."


    ren had to be careful, luna was building to something.


    "someone must have been controlling them, right?"


    the shadow wolf tensed.


    "why is zhao hiding information about the attack in the official report? why didn''t he make public that they were looking for me and klein''s group?"


    "why don''t you ask him yourself?"


    "don''t play dumb¡­ zhao told you something," luna didn''t ask. it was a statement while her wolf moved even closer. "before disappearing and avoiding my questions."


    "he thanked me," he responded calmly. it was truth.


    "what else?"


    "he left me some credits for the store." also truth.


    luna took a step toward him, her eyes glowing with a particular mana pattern...


    the games and roundabout hints stopped.


    "who gave the order to the attackers?"


    "i don''t know that person." technically true, he had never met the first minister.


    "but you know their name."


    the mushrooms in ren''s hair pulsed with alarm. that was the real question luna had come to ask.


    ren maintained his neutral expression. he had to be very careful now.


    "i know many names." another truth.


    "which is the culprit''s?"


    "i couldn''t be certain." also truth, he had no physical proof to be certain.


    luna narrowed her eyes, mana flowing more intensely. "what did zhao tell you exactly?"


    "that he would conduct a careful investigation." truth again.


    the shadow wolf drew closer, its eyes reflecting the same glow as luna''s. they were looking for the slightest fluctuation in his mana that would betray a lie.


    "why?"


    "because accusations have consequences."


    "you''re good," she said finally. "very good."


    ren observed the mana flow in luna''s eyes that were now very close. "you can detect lies, can''t you? that''s why the pattern in your eyes changes with each response."


    luna tensed. "i don''t know what you''re talking about."


    "now you''re lying," ren smiled, the mushrooms in his hair pulsing with enthusiasm. "i think i''m understanding the trick."


    "impossible," luna stepped back. "you couldn''t see..."


    "my spore can detect mana patterns too," ren advanced, for the first time feeling he had the advantage.


    luna stared at him while confirming that what ren said was true.


    "show it to me," said ren, his smile widening at seeing luna lose composure and backing away as he approached, turning the tables. "show me how it really works."

 Chapter 79 - Taming Misunderstandings

    "now you''re lying," ren smiled, the mushrooms in his hair pulsing with enthusiasm. "i think i''m understanding the trick.""impossible," luna stepped back, her composure slipping for the first time. "you couldn''t see..."


    "my spore can detect mana patterns too," ren advanced, for the first time feeling he had the advantage in their verbal sparring.


    luna stared at him while confirming that what ren said was true.


    "show it to me," said ren, his smile widening at seeing luna lose composure and backing away as he approached, turning the tables on her intimidation tactics. "show me how it really works."


    "don''t get cocky," luna recovered some of her usual hardness. "you''re still just a foolish fungus who says nonsense about illogical evolutions and ''believes'' they''re true."


    she raised her hands to push him back, grabbing his wrists. "why do you insist on saying things that go against all logic?"


    she tried to push him backward, expecting to easily dominate him with her superior strength enhancement percentage. her eyes widened with surprise at finding strong resistance.


    "surprised?" ren maintained his position, lin''s training finally showing results. "enhancements don''t matter if they''re multiplying miserable values."


    luna narrowed her eyes, her pride wounded.


    her wolf began manifesting more fully, preparing to merge and increase her strength.


    the door burst open.


    "ren! you won''t believe what..." min froze mid-sentence, his eyes opening like saucers.


    liu and taro crashed into his back, curious to see what had stopped him. their jaws dropped almost in unison.


    the scene before them was... difficult to explain.


    ren, shirtless and covered in sweat, his mushrooms glowing intensely. luna, the untouchable luna, with her hands gripping ren''s wrists, her perfect blue hair unusually disheveled.


    the room smelled strange, sheets hung creating mysterious shadows, and there was a tension in the air that could almost be cut with a knife.


    both frozen in what appeared to be a power struggle.


    "oh..." min stepped back, colliding with taro.


    "my..." continued taro, stumbling into liu.


    "dragon..." completed liu, his bat manifesting briefly from nervousness.


    "i... we..." taro stammered, his beetle''s markings flickering with embarrassment. "we should come back later."


    "no!" luna released ren as if he burned, her usual grace completely forgotten. "it''s not what..."


    "we''ll sleep in the hallway!" min announced suddenly, his voice two octaves higher than normal, his water snake coiling nervously around his neck.


    "yes! the hallway!" taro nodded frantically. "it''s a beautiful night to sleep on the floor!"


    "very hygienic!" added liu, backing away. "dust is good for the lungs!"


    "wait! it''s not what it looks like!" ren tried to explain, but his friends were practically climbing over each other to escape.


    "take your time!" min shouted from the hallway, his voice cracking. s§×arch* the n?velfire.net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "yes, don''t worry about us!" taro''s voice sounded strangled.


    luna turned toward him, her cheeks red with fury and embarrassment. "this is your fault!"


    "my fault? you started it!"


    "ugh," luna headed toward the door, her manifested wolf ears drooping with embarrassment.


    "this isn''t over, fungus. and next time..." she stopped, trying to recover her dignity. "next time will be in a more appropriate place. but if anyone," she hissed, "hears a single word about this..."


    she didn''t finish the threat. the room''s shadows seemed to come alive, wrapping around her like a dark cloak. in a blink, luna and her wolf merged with them, disappearing as if they had never been there.


    ren stood in the middle of the room, shirtless, sweaty, and suddenly very aware of how ridiculous the entire situation was.


    the mushrooms in his hair pulsed once, as if laughing.


    "guys!" he called toward the hallway. "you can come back! it''s not what you think!"


    "we''re not thinking anything!" min''s voice came from far away. "absolutely nothing!"


    "our minds are completely empty!" added taro.


    "like my future memory of tonight!" completed liu.


    ren sighed.


    at least he had discovered luna''s secret about detecting lies...


    and she had discovered that maybe, just maybe, she had underestimated the "foolish fungus."


    ????


    there was a long silence from the hallway.


    "is she gone?" min''s voice sounded cautious.


    "yes, she''s gone."


    "through the door?" asked liu.


    "not exactly..."


    "used the shadows again?" taro sounded impressed.


    the three peeked their heads around the door, one above the other like an improvised tower, their beasts manifesting briefly in curiosity.


    "is it safe to enter?" min sniffed the air. "and... what''s that smell?"


    "it''s a long story," ren began gathering his bath things lazily, exhausted after everything that had happened.


    "oh, we have all night," liu entered first, his bat manifesting to inspect the room. "especially after... that."


    "it''s not what it looked like," ren defended while taro and min also entered, closing the door behind them.


    "you weren''t having a romantic moment with luna?" min arched an eyebrow, his water snake coiling playfully.


    "romantic?" ren nearly choked. "she was interrogating me!"


    "without a shirt?" taro grinned, his beetle''s markings shifting in amusement.


    "i was going to take a bath when she appeared!"


    "uh-huh," liu nodded solemnly. "and i suppose she tripped and you fell on her."


    "no! she was..." ren stopped, remembering he couldn''t explain the real reason. "we were just talking."


    "very closely?" min wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.


    "and in the dark," added taro.


    find exclusive stories on empire


    "with mysteriously hanging sheets," completed liu.


    ren groaned, collapsing onto his bed. "you''re impossible."


    "and you''re a heartbreaker," min sat beside him. "who would have thought?"


    "first lin, now luna..." taro pretended to wipe away a tear. "our little fungus is growing up."


    "lin just trains me!" ren protested. "and luna hates me!"


    "hate and love are very close," liu philosophized, his bat nodding sagely.


    "can we change the subject?" ren pleaded. "weren''t you going to tell me something when you came in?"


    the three exchanged looks.


    "oh, right, about the mines," min smiled. "but this," he gestured at the room and hanging sheets, "is much more interesting."


    "though it stinks," added taro. "what were you really doing?"


    ren sighed. this was going to be a very long night.


    "i''m going to take a bath," he announced, standing. "and when i come back, we''ll talk about anything else but luna, understood?"


    "whatever you say," liu winked. "romeo."


    his friends'' laughter followed him into the hallway. the mushrooms in his hair pulsed with resignation, they would never let him forget this.


    at least luna was equally embarrassed. that was a small consolation.

 Chapter 80 - Taming Profits

    the next morning, lin appeared before ren with her trademark sadistic smile. not even his exhaustion from the cultivation process could save him from training."faster!" lin''s voice cut through the morning air as she made him run with weighted bands strapped to his limbs.


    when he was finally released that afternoon, his muscles trembling from exertion, ren decided to demonstrate his cultivation process to his friends. they gathered around, watching with curiosity and apprehension as he meticulously laid out his materials.


    "first, i crush the poisonous fungi..." ren began explaining, his movements precise and practiced.


    min nodded along, following the process with keen interest until ren reached the part about overloading with ten times more mana than taro and controlling his veins with the tentacle while enduring excruciating pain.


    his eyes glazed over, and he toppled backward like a felled tree.


    "min!" taro lunged forward to catch him.


    liu observed in silence, his bat ears occasionally manifesting as a reflection of his unease. the methodical way ren handled materials that would make most people retch was... disturbing, to say the least.


    "and you say you''ll absorb all that every day for a hundred days?" liu finally asked, his voice a blend of admiration and horror.


    "just a hundred days," ren replied with an unsettling casualness.


    liu nodded slowly, his respect for ren growing alongside a healthy dose of caution. there was again, something deeply unsettling about the ease with which his friend handled substances that could kill a grown adult.


    the following days fell into a new routine. classes continued as normal, though luna now watched ren with an intensity that made everyone around them uncomfortable.


    "i think she''s plotting your death," taro whispered one day during mei''s class.


    "or your wedding," min added, earning a sharp elbow from ren.


    training sessions with lin grew more intense. each day brought new exercises, new aches, new boundaries to push past. the mushrooms in ren''s hair seemed to pulse in rhythm with his growing strength.


    "your body is changing," lin observed as she watched him lift weights, her keen eyes noting the subtle transformations. "whatever cultivation you''re doing... it''s working." s~ea??h the n??el fire.n§×t website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ren could only grunt in response, too focused on not dying from exhaustion and pain.


    finally, at the end of the second month, the official crystal report arrived. ren opened his during breakfast, the mushrooms in his hair pulsing with anticipation.


    the report detailed everything: crystals mined from the caves, specimens collected, even processed and sold beast hides.


    guard signatures and master song''s verification certified the mined crystals, while isaac and jessy''s signatures confirmed the hide sales profits.


    zhao''s signature at the bottom of the collection report certified each of the last items.


    ren''s eyes grew wider and wider as he tallied the amounts. the academy would double everything: crystals found in the caves, beasts'' materials values, collected materials, processed and sold materials'' profits...


    "how much is it?" min leaned over his shoulder, curiosity evident in his voice.


    ren revealed the total. his friends gasped in unison.


    "that''s..."


    "no wonder luna''s interested," taro joked, earning a death glare from ren.


    ????


    the academy''s bank occupied the administrative tower''s first floor, a surprisingly modest space considering the wealth it managed.


    at this hour, it was nearly empty, with only a few senior students making routine inquiries.


    ren felt small as he climbed the stairs, his official report clutched firmly in hand.


    "well, look who it is!" mr. finch''s high-pitched, mocking voice sliced through the silence. "the academy''s most prosperous fungus cultivator! my most intriguing depositor!"


    the banker was a short, thin man with round spectacles that magnified his eyes until they resembled those of a startled mouse. his perfectly trimmed mustache seemed to have a life of its own when he spoke.


    despite his impeccable banker''s uniform, something in his eyes suggested he found everything terribly amusing.


    his beast, a small white mouse, occasionally darted between his fingers as he counted crystals.


    "good afternoon, mr. finch," ren approached the counter, the mushrooms in his hair pulsing gently.


    "come to confess your crimes?" finch smiled as his mouse approached, sniffing the air suspiciously. "because i must say, five dark bronze crystals two weeks ago was quite... interesting. not many ten-year-olds handle that denomination."


    "actually..." ren began pulling out the report.


    "oh, wait! don''t tell me!" finch raised a hand dramatically. "found an ancestral treasure? robbed a noble''s chest? or perhaps your mushrooms have hallucinogenic properties, and you''ve been selling them to the senior students?"


    the mushrooms pulsed with amusement as ren slid the report across the counter.


    "what''s this?" finch adjusted his glasses. "your written confession? how considerate, normally i have to..."


    he stopped mid-sentence, arching an eyebrow while stroking his mustache, his eyes growing even larger behind his glasses as he read.


    "this is..." he blinked several times, his mouse jumping to review the numbers. "no, no, there must be a mistake."


    "is there a problem?" ren asked, suppressing a smile.


    "problem?" finch let out a hysterical laugh. "the problem is these numbers make no sense! two weeks ago, you bring five dark bronze crystals, which was already suspicious enough. and now?" he consulted the report again, "fifty-five thousand additional crystals?"


    his mouse began frantically calculating in a small notebook.


    "one hundred and five thousand crystals in total!" finch removed his glasses to clean them compulsively. "with a spore? the weakest recorded creature? are you certain you haven''t been selling illegal substances?"


    "everything''s in the report," ren replied. "with professors song and zhao''s signatures."


    "ah yes, the signatures..." finch narrowed his eyes. "you''re sure you didn''t forge them? or perhaps hypnotize the professors? do your mushrooms have hypnotic properties in addition to being hallucinogenic?"


    "i just need to withdraw five thousand crystals."


    "just he says!" finch turned to his mouse. "did you hear that, theodore? ''just'' five thousand crystals. as if it were pocket change."


    the mouse nodded solemnly while continuing its calculations, tiny paws moving across the ledger with surprising dexterity.


    "you know," finch leaned over the counter, his eyes gleaming with undisguised curiosity.


    "i''ve been at this bank for fifteen years. i''ve seen students with legendary beasts amass fortunes. i''ve watched nobles squander entire inheritances. but never, and i mean never, have i seen someone with a spore earn so much in such a short time."


    he straightened, adjusting his glasses with practiced precision.


    "either you''re a criminal genius, or there''s more to those mushrooms of yours than anyone thought."


    "about those five thousand crystals...?" ren persisted.


    "yes, yes," finch began counting but paused mid-motion. "just five thousand? no grand plans? no extravagant investments? no fleet of golden carriages?"


    "not for now."


    "boring," finch sighed dramatically. "sure you won''t share your secret? between financial colleagues? i promise not to tell anyone. except theodore, of course, but he''s a vault. aren''t you, theodore?"


    the mouse nodded again, though its whiskers quivered with what appeared to be suppressed laughter.


    "just good luck," ren replied.


    "ha! good luck?" finch snorted while counting crystals. "next you''ll tell me you won it all playing dice!"


    as the banker prepared his withdrawal, ren reflected on his true plans. the mushrooms in his hair pulsed while his thoughts drifted to his home.


    the problem was that now they had to rent it.


    ''first,'' ren thought while finch counted crystals with unnecessary flourish, ''i''ll get their house back. then...''


    his eyes gleamed with determination.


    ''then i''ll show them they can have more.


    "voil¨¤!" finch interrupted his thoughts, presenting the crystals with a theatrical gesture and sliding them toward ren.


    "here you are, my mysterious mycological magnate. five thousand crystals, perfectly counted by the humble servant before you and verified by the illustrious theodore."


    the mouse executed a small bow.


    "thank you."


    "oh no, thank you," finch smiled while stroking his mustache.


    "you''ve made my week far more interesting. usually, i just see students complaining their allowances won''t cover cultivation crystals. but you..." he shook his head with mock admiration, "you''re a mystery wrapped in an enigma and covered in glowing mushrooms."


    the mushrooms in ren''s hair pulsed with what seemed to be amusement as he stored the crystals.


    "until next time, mr. finch." your adventure continues at empire


    "ah, a threat of future surprises!" finch turned to his mouse. "theodore, keep an eye on this one. when we least expect it, he''ll show up riding a dragon made of fungi."


    as ren walked away, he could hear finch muttering.


    "a spore... one hundred and five thousand crystals! theodore, perhaps we should consider a career in mycology..."

 Chapter 81 - Taming Aspiration

    ren walked slowly back to his room, the five thousand crystals weighing in his pocket like stones of possibility. the mushrooms in his hair pulsed softly while his thoughts wandered to his parents again.he stopped before a hallway window. at this hour, they would be preparing food in the small restaurant''s kitchen, earning barely enough to survive.


    "one hundred thousand crystals," he murmured with nostalgic feeling. "in just two months..."


    memories rushed in unbidden: his mother counting crystals at the kitchen table, worry in her eyes as she tried to make the money stretch. his father exhausted but smiling, always smiling.


    "the investment," he whispered while the mushrooms pulsed more slowly, as if sharing his memories. "i could return everything they spent on me."


    his fingers brushed the crystals in his pocket. each one represented another step closer to repaying what they had sacrificed for him.


    another memory struck without warning: his father on that night when he fell ill, coughing in bed while apologizing for having to use their savings on medicine. his mother, trying to smile while selling her best cooking pots to complete the payment for the worst egg.


    "half a million crystals," ren whispered, recalling the price of their old house. "i could get it back in less than a year at this rate."


    the mushrooms pulsed stronger, as if trying to show him something.


    the image of their old house appeared in his mind. it wasn''t large, but it had been their home for years¡­


    his parents had never complained. not once.


    even now, paying rent for the house that was once theirs, they kept smiling. kept working hard.


    kept believing in him.


    "no," he said suddenly, his voice firm. "it''s not enough."


    the mushrooms glowed more intensely as a new resolution grew in his chest.


    "they... they gave everything," he continued. "not just the house. everything. their thirty years of savings. their dreams. their chances."


    he began walking faster toward his room, his energy building with each step.


    "why settle for staying where we were?" the words came faster now. "mom always wanted a bigger garden. dad dreamed of a larger, better-equipped kitchen."


    he stopped before another window, looking out toward the distant city. the high-rank districts shone more brightly, their buildings rising above the rest like constant reminders of what lay beyond their reach.


    "thirty years saving," his voice trembled slightly. "thirty years working double shifts. thirty years waiting to have a child. and when i finally came..."


    the mushrooms pulsed forcefully, sharing his emotion.


    "they gave me everything," the words rushed out now. "without hesitation. without second thoughts. just... everything." s§×arch* the n?vel(f)ire.n§×t website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    his eyes moistened as memories flowed: his mother teaching him to cook even when exhaustion bent her shoulders after a double shift, her gentle hands guiding his smaller ones through each motion.


    his father carrying him on his shoulders like a dragon, spinning tales of legendary beasts despite his back aching from hours in the kitchen, never once letting the pain show in his voice.


    "they don''t deserve to just get their house back," he declared with renewed determination. "they deserve more. much more."


    ideas began flowing through his mind like a rushing river: a new house, larger than their old one.


    a huge garden where his mother could cultivate whatever she wanted without worrying about space.


    a kitchen where his father could experiment with new recipes, with proper equipment and room to move.


    "ten million," he murmured, testing how the number felt on his tongue. "a house in the city would cost at least ten million crystals¡­ if i just¡­"


    the mushrooms in his hair pulsed forcefully at the magnitude of the figure, their light reflecting off the window glass.


    "no no¡­ it''s impossible, i''m getting cocky since i got a bit lucky lately," whispered the part of him that still thought like a low-rank family''s son.


    "is it too much?" responded the new part, the one that had earned over a hundred thousand crystals in two months. "is it really too much?"


    his eyes moved to the intelligence rune inside its box with a crystal, where spores continued developing. to the sealed containers filled with materials most would fear to touch but he had collected alone. to the crystals gleaming with contained power that he was absorbing daily now.


    "two months," he repeated, his voice stronger. "a hundred thousand in two months. and i''m just getting started."


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    the mental image shifted. it was no longer their old house with its familiar rooms. now he saw a new house, spacious and bright, worthy of the people who had given him everything.


    "a house in any normal district of the city they choose, any one they want. if i can prove i''m capable of reaching at least silver rank..."


    "i could get them a good place... no rank restrictions. no limitations."


    the mushrooms glowed like captured stars while his determination grew, casting dancing shadows on the hallway walls.


    "i''ll show them," he promised. "i''ll show them their sacrifice was worth it. that their faith in me wasn''t misplaced."


    his hands closed into determined fists, knuckles white with resolve.


    "i won''t just recover what they lost. i''ll give them what they always deserved to have. what they never allowed themselves to dream of because they were too busy taking care of me."


    ren felt something new awakening inside him. he was no longer just a child trying to fix the past.


    he was a son determined to build a better future for those who had given everything for him.


    "ten million," he repeated, this time as a promise. "and that''s just the beginning."


    the mushrooms pulsed one final time, sealing his oath with their ethereal light.


    this was no longer about recovering a house or the tuition of one million.


    the old goal of regaining what was lost now seemed so small, so limited. he no longer wanted to return to what they had.


    he wanted to take them where they never imagined they could go.


    this was about giving them the world they had always deserved.

 Chapter 82 - Taming the Sleeping Core

    a few days after reaching his new resolution...ren sat on his bed, every muscle protesting after his night training with lin. the mushrooms in his hair barely pulsed, exhausted from another day''s work in the mines.


    correct maturation: 10/100


    incorrect maturation: 82/1000


    the amount of crystals he''d collected and his mana resistance had taught him something important.


    no matter how much he trained or how hard he pushed himself, his limits were painfully clear.


    he couldn''t venture beyond 200 meters to work, could only stay for a few hours, and accumulated 4 days of incorrect maturation... plus, the monsters wouldn''t let him stay in one place for long.


    even 150 meters sometimes yielded better results.


    at 250 meters it would be 8 points of incorrect cultivation, and he''d be dangerously close to the bronze ring''s mana levels... he wouldn''t even manage an hour of work there if he considered the time needed to climb up and down.


    or the time to avoid monsters.


    today he''d barely lasted two hours at 150 meters before excess mana forced him to retreat.


    his cultivation was oversaturating him as well.


    "but if i want to make more money..." he murmured while massaging his aching arms, "i need to go deeper."


    the mushrooms pulsed weakly, as if nodding.


    it wasn''t just about knowing how to find good materials anymore, he needed to be able to reach them. continue your saga on empire


    the iron ring and the -100-meter level, with their low mana concentration, were safe but limiting.


    even in just over a month, when they will have their next collection trip, he couldn''t achieve much more than before if he wasn''t able to endure...


    the truly valuable materials were in deeper zones, in territories where higher-rank beasts dwelled.


    ''ten million crystals,'' he thought while remembering his promise. ''i won''t get them by settling for what i have now.''


    ren knew that even at bronze rank his fungus wouldn''t have the power of a common beast.


    its capability was unique but its raw power and mana processing were far below a common beast.


    if he wanted to give his parents a truly comfortable life, he needed access to rarer, more expensive materials.


    but with his current level...


    ren stood up and took out the mirror mantis core. he had kept it thinking it might be useful eventually, but now that he was closer to being ready...


    "a second beast," he murmured while the mushrooms pulsed more intensely. "with the right process..."


    he stopped, an idea forming as he remembered a story his father used to tell him before bed.


    a tale about dragons and the origin of eggs.


    ????


    the world was divided by the abyss, a chasm so deep no one had seen its bottom.


    some said it reached to the planet''s heart. the abyss cut the world into four parts with its two perpendicular lines.


    one line was the dead abyss and the other the living abyss.


    yano controlled one quarter of the world. yino another quarter...


    or so they said.


    ren smiled at the idea. "control" was a pretentious word when 90% of those two territories belonged to the dragons.


    humans barely occupied a circular area that monsters simply despised for its lack of mana.


    the other half of the world, divided by the living abyss, no one had crossed.


    the dragons won''t let you go there¡­


    the mushrooms pulsed while knowledge showed him why.


    behind the territory of the dragons guarding the living chasm, the abyss wasn''t the dark and dry void that divided yino and yano...


    it was a living river of pure mana, so concentrated it glowed with its own light. the few adventurers who had ventured that far and seen the chasm from afar swore eggs were born there, floating in that primordial flow.


    "like seeds in a current," ren murmured, remembering his father''s words. "each egg absorbs mana from the nearest dragon''s territory, and that''s how it gets its color and potential."


    it was a beautiful story. romantic even.


    "it''s just a tale," ren reminded himself, smiling. "a pretty story about dragons and mana rivers."


    but his knowledge told him there was more to it... though something didn''t add up.


    if eggs only came from the abyss in dragon territory, how could the kingdom release hundreds to the market each year? how did they collect them? who ventured that deep into dragon territory regularly?


    knowledge whispered a different answer. sea??h th§× n?vel?ire.net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ren observed the mantis core again.


    "they don''t need to go that far," he murmured while the mushrooms pulsed with excitement. "because the abyss isn''t the only source of pure mana."


    knowledge flowed more clearly: mana veins ran throughout the world, like arteries carrying life. most were small, barely detectable. but some...


    "the ruins," his eyes widened with understanding. "the ancients built over a point where a huge vein came close to the surface... or so i believe."


    it was so obvious once you think about it. why else would you build a city over ancient ruins? why was there no mana in this part of the world?


    ren didn''t know the exact answer... but with his fungus''s information that didn''t quite fit, he could guess... there should be mana in this abyss too.


    how had they achieved such a thing? ren didn''t know, but he was certain.


    he had no proof, but also no doubts.


    after all, the best tales always hid some truth. and if he was right about the ruins...


    but that wasn''t important now...


    the mushrooms glowed while ren followed the thread of thought.


    ''it needs pure mana,'' he thought while studying the fractures in the core. ''like the kind that flows in the world''s natural veins.''


    knowledge unfolded in his mind: the core could revive if it absorbed enough pure mana. one hundred thousand units exactly.


    with that, and using a secret technique the mushrooms whispered to him, he could recover the mantis''s complete evolutionary line.


    his eyes shone with new determination. an extra beast... eventually a bronze beast.


    it would mean being able to venture deeper into dangerous territory, collect more valuable materials, and work for longer periods without succumbing to mana excess.


    "but first..." he studied the core carefully, "i need to feed it."


    injecting his own mana was out of the question, it would be a waste considering his current limitations. but the mines...


    the mushrooms pulsed while ren began calculating. at his current mine level, the core would absorb 4 units daily. at that rate, it would take decades.


    but if he could find a small mana vein deeper down... one his knowledge told him exactly where to find...


    his eyes narrowed as he did the calculations.


    "ten days," he whispered, the plan taking shape in his mind. "i just need to find a way to get it down there without dying."


    ren stood and began organizing his materials. if he was going to do this, he would need a perfect plan.

 Chapter 83 - Taming Deception

    "ten days," he whispered, the plan taking shape in his mind. "i just need to find a way to get it down there without dying."ren stood and began organizing his materials. if he was going to do this, he would need a perfect plan.


    the mana vein was there, three hundred meters beneath the academy. it wasn''t large like the ones feeding the abyss, but it would serve his purpose.


    the problem was how little time he could endure down there.


    fifteen minutes maximum before the mana overloaded him.


    near the vein it would be even worse due to the mana flow''s irregularity.


    he needed to do it early before the day''s cultivation, which meant skipping training with lin too, which would help him to also have more strength for the small adventure.


    "i need help," he murmured while organizing his materials.


    the male shadow stalker tentacles he''d saved would serve as duration extenders, but he needed something more.


    "hey, min!" he called to his companion studying on his bed. "do you still have that weaver''s thread?"


    "the one we got from the expedition?" min looked up from his book. "yeah, haven''t traded it yet, why?"


    "would you sell it to me?"


    "what do you want it for?" min''s small snake peeked up too, its curiosity evident to ren in the way it moved its flickering tongue.


    "projects," ren replied vaguely.


    "projects," min repeated with a knowing smile. "like those that make our room smell like death."


    "i''ll pay 50% more than what they give at the exchange."


    "sold," min didn''t even hesitate. "though i''m worried you''re willing to pay that much."


    while storing the thread, ren took out the potion zhao had given him. the green liquid glowed softly.


    then he spoke with taro about helping him fake something...


    ????


    "you''re going to skip training tomorrow?" taro asked worriedly.


    "not exactly," ren smiled. "i''m just going to... delay it a bit. just the morning one."


    "lin will kill you," liu commented without looking up from his notes.


    "not if she can''t find me."


    all three of his roommates stopped what they were doing to stare at him.


    "you''re going to try to hide from lin?" min sounded genuinely concerned. "the same lin who found you instantly that time you hid on the roof?"


    "or when you tried sleeping under your bed," taro added.


    "or that time in the library," liu smiled. "behind a big plant."


    "this time is different," ren began preparing the tentacles, wrapping them with weaver''s thread and dusting them with bark stalker vitality powder. "i have a plan."


    "oh no," min sat up straight. "last time you said that you ended up hanging upside down in the courtyard."


    "lin has a routine," ren explained while working. "she always checks the same places in the same order... i just need to prepare my alibis before she arrives."


    "you''ve been studying her patterns like she was a beast?" liu arched an eyebrow.


    "she taught me to use everything at my disposal," ren smiled. "first she comes here. if she doesn''t find me, she checks the dining hall, then the library, the roof... and finally the gardens."


    "and?" taro leaned in with interest.


    "and tomorrow," ren held up a prepared tentacle, "she''ll find evidence that i went to town."


    "to town?" min frowned. "but we can''t leave the academy."


    "exactly," ren pulled out a paper. "that''s why when she finds this note about a special permission and an errand..."


    "oh no," liu removed his glasses. "you''re going to forge documents?"


    "no," ren smiled. "i''m going to make it look like i was asked to. by someone who conveniently always needed an assistant to pick up materials early in the morning."


    "who would be so..." min stopped. "no. you wouldn''t."


    "professor wei always asks for help with his morning deliveries," ren continued working on the tentacles. "and coincidentally, tomorrow he won''t be at school."


    "you''re going to make lin think wei took you to town, the same wei who hates you," taro sounded impressed. "without wei knowing."


    "lin hates him so much she won''t even ask him," liu nodded appreciatively. "brilliant and terrible at the same time."


    "i only need a few hours," ren began storing his prepared materials. "by the time lin discovers the truth, i''ll be done."


    "and dead anyway," min added cheerfully.


    "it''ll be worth it," ren stored the last tentacle. "besides, it might even work."


    his friends exchanged skeptical looks.


    "want us to prepare your funeral?" taro offered.


    "i just need you to do something for me, taro," ren headed to his bed. "and maybe some ice for afterward."


    "lots of ice," liu corrected. "and bandages. lots of bandages." discover hidden tales at empire


    ren gave them an uncomfortable smile as he prepared for bed. tomorrow will be an interesting day.


    and probably painful.


    ????


    lin stopped in front of the gray wing''s door, her feathers partially manifesting as she checked the time.


    six in the morning, the perfect moment to wake her favorite student.


    ''good morning, little one...'' she murmured while opening the door, only to find two deeply sleeping students and two empty beds.


    her eyes narrowed.


    in the time she''d been training ren, he''d only tried escaping this early 3 times.


    "where is he?" she asked the sleepers.


    min stirred in his bed, mumbling something about dancing snakes. liu didn''t even move. taro wasn''t there...


    lin methodically searched the room. the bed was cold, he''d been gone for a while. the trunk was closed, but...


    "oh," her lips curved into a dangerous smile. "trying to be clever?"


    lin noticed something peculiar: wei''s assistant delivery uniform, normally hanging in the hallway for students who helped with deliveries, had several clasps and one was on the floor near the trunk.


    ''so you want me to believe you took the uniform,'' lin thought. ''clever, but predictable.''


    a note slightly protruded from the trunk, as if someone had hurriedly stored it. lin carefully pulled it out.


    ''temporary assistant for professor wei... sorry, i''ll be back soon for exercise.''


    "impossible," she murmured. wei would never take an assistant from the gray wing, much less...


    "let''s check the dining hall."


    she headed to the dining hall, her usual second stop. at this hour the cooks were already preparing breakfast and morning deliveries. sear?h the nov§×lf~ire.net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "the new assistant?" the head cook nodded when asked. "passed by a while ago. professor wei''s uniform and everything. said he had to prepare a special delivery."


    lin smiled. ren had used the uniform to access restricted areas early in the morning. no one would question a wei assistant.


    was he planning to hide inside one of them?


    the library was her next stop. she found it open, unusual at this hour.


    "oh, the new assistant just finished organizing the delivery records," the librarian pointed to some perfectly ordered documents.


    ''creating an alibi,'' lin examined the records. they were all correctly filed, including a materials order for today.


    "very efficient, though those mushrooms in his hair were quite peculiar."


    ''he''s leaving too obvious a trail,'' lin thought while climbing to the roof. ''he doesn''t want to hide... he wants me to follow.''


    on the roof she found another clue: a materials list with professor wei''s seal, apparently dropped here by accident.


    "using the system against itself," lin murmured, genuinely impressed. ren had learned well, each move was backed by official procedures.


    the gardens revealed the final piece: the delivery cart was in place, clean and prepared as wei always demanded.


    but the gardens were empty except for the gardener, who had also "just seen" ren heading toward the main entrance.


    lin stopped, processing the information...


    "that little..." lin smiled despite herself. it was an elaborate plan, using the antagonism between her and wei to prevent her from verifying directly with him.


    "but," her eyes gleamed with understanding, "all this real work is just a distraction."


    lin smiled.


    it was brilliant really, making the work appear real so no one would question anything. no forgeries, no obvious deceptions. just a temporary assistant doing his tasks.


    "except," her eyes narrowed as her crane fully manifested, "wei is out of town today."


    "where are you really, little trickster?"

 Chapter 84 - Taming the Depths

    "except," her eyes narrowed as her crane fully manifested, "wei is out of town today.""where are you really, little trickster?"


    ????


    lin headed toward the main entrance.


    had ren really gone to town with no formal permission?


    lin observed the figure in the assistant''s uniform near the main entrance. the mushrooms in his hair glowed under the dawn light, though something seemed... different.


    ''got you little cheat,'' she thought while silently approaching. ''you can''t leave without real permission, and wei isn''t here to sign it so you are trapped in the end...''


    the figure moved strangely, as if practicing what to say.


    "good morning, sir guard, i''m here to make a delivery," he muttered to himself. "no, too formal. uh, hi! i need to go out to... no, too casual."


    lin smiled. it was almost adorable watching him so nervous¡­ not quite like¡­


    "trouble with the script?" she asked softly, right behind him.


    the scream that followed was definitely not ren''s.


    the figure turned, revealing taro''s terrified face. obviously fake mushrooms were precariously attached to his hair.


    "teacher lin!" taro squeaked, his voice three octaves higher than normal. "what a terrible¡­ i mean, delightful surprise!"


    "taro," lin crossed her arms menacingly. "what... interesting hair accessories you''ve chosen."


    "this?" taro nervously touched the fake mushrooms. "it''s... a new fashion ren taught me yesterday and¡­?"


    "where is he?"


    "who?" taro stepped back. "professor wei? as you know, he''s out of town and couldn''t finish the..."


    "taro."


    "yes?"


    "your legs are shaking."


    taro looked down.


    "traitors," he muttered to his legs.


    "now," lin smiled sweetly, "you''re going to tell me exactly what''s happening, or i''ll..."


    "i can''t!" taro nearly cried. "i promised ren i''d distract you while he was...!" he covered his mouth with both hands.


    "while he what?"


    "nothing," taro began sweating profusely. "he was just going to... buy flowers. lots of flowers for you. because he appreciates you so much for torturing¡­ training him 3 times every day."


    "taro."


    "yes?"


    "you''re sweating so much the mushrooms are falling off."


    indeed, one of the fake mushrooms slid pathetically down his forehead.


    "they''re... sweaty mushrooms?"


    lin sighed. "how did he convince you?"


    ????


    the night before...


    "come on, taro," ren pleaded while holding the fake mushrooms. "i just need a few hours."


    "no," taro crossed his arms. "lin will kill me."


    "i''ll give you my dessert for a week."


    "risk my life? not even for a month of desserts."


    "i''ll help you evolve your beetle even beyond bronze, all the way to silver."


    taro hesitated. "really?"


    "i know exactly what you need to take it even further," ren smiled. "besides, lin won''t hurt you. you''re too adorable when you''re nervous."


    "i''m not adorable," taro protested. "i''m intimidating."


    min and liu, listening from their beds, burst out laughing.


    "besides," ren continued, "you just have to act suspicious near the entrance. lin will catch you, interrogate you, and by the time she''s done, i''ll be back." s~ea??h the n??elfir§×.net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "what if she asks where you are?"


    "tell her i went to buy her flowers."


    "she''ll kill you twice when you show up."


    "worth it," ren placed the fake mushrooms on taro''s head. "so?"


    taro sighed, looking at his reflection with the mushrooms. "fine. but this better be important."


    the next morning, long before dawn, ren and taro snuck out of their room. the hallways were deserted at such an early hour.


    "remember," ren whispered as they walked, "in the end you just need to stay near the entrance. lin will see you, interrogate you, and by the time she''s done, i''ll be back."


    "i still don''t understand why i have to practice what to say to the guard if i''m not even going to leave."


    "because you need to look nervous," ren smiled. "and that, my dear friend, doesn''t come from you naturally if you''re faking it¡­ you are a terrible actor, but an awesome actor in the right conditions."


    "i don''t know whether to feel flattered or offended."


    in the morning¡­


    after finishing placing the clues, they stopped at the intersection leading to the mines.


    "good luck," ren whispered. "and thanks."


    ????


    the hidden tunnel ren constantly used to dodge the guards at 100 meters remained the safest route. the mushrooms in his hair pulsed softly as he slipped through.


    he often worked at 150 meters, so he knew the place fairly well now¡­


    at 200 meters, the first change was evident.


    the common worms here were twice as large, better fed by the mana density. their tunnels formed more complex patterns, creating true gallery networks.


    past 200 meters, the greater worms began to appear. four times larger than their lesser counterparts.


    two fusions had transformed them into true tunnel machines, their segmented bodies glowing with concentrated mana. each now had a complete core, capable of processing the dense ambient mana.


    but they were no longer the only inhabitants.


    digger beetles and very rare hunter bugs lived here too.


    the mushrooms pulsed in warning when he reached 250 meters. here the ecosystem changed dramatically.


    the first deep worms appeared, beasts the size of a cart that made the lesser worms look tiny. eight times larger.


    but the most impressive began just after.


    at around 275 meters, the first bronze beasts made their appearance.


    the living tunnels, massive beetles that had evolved to turn their own bodies into mobile tunnel extensions, created gallery networks that seemed to breathe. their shells secreted a living mineral that reinforced the walls, transforming simple tunnels into organic structures.


    they weren''t mere tunnelers, they were bio-engineers, reinforcing walls with special secretions.


    "natural architects," ren murmured as he passed near one expanding a chamber.


    the deep and greater worms acted as workers for these superior beasts, maintaining the tunnels in exchange for the beetles increasing protection.


    it was a symbiotic society, the worms executing and the beetles improving. enjoy new adventures from empire


    at 300 meters, where his objective waited, the mana was already 16 times denser than that of the iron ring, the mushrooms in his hair pulsing with effort to process it.


    here¡­


    the symbiotic society had made a complex web of living tunnels that beathed with a soft yellow tint¡­ like the entrails of a huge beast.


    they had to make it...


    because something else inhabited these depths.


    here, a bronze beasts line reigned supreme:


    the mushrooms pulsed in warning when ren detected the first trace: claw marks on the walls, so fine they seemed carved with diamond. knowledge flowed revealing fragments about a new species: the deep assassins.

 Chapter 85 - Taming the Depths - 2

    here, a bronze beasts line reigned supreme:the mushrooms pulsed in warning when ren detected the first trace: claw marks on the walls, so fine they seemed carved with diamond. knowledge flowed revealing fragments about a new species: the deep assassins.


    the assassins were the true predators here.


    their bodies, long and segmented but with hyper-articulated elongated limbs, allowed them to move along walls and slip through narrow tunnels, while also being covered in vibration sensors that could detect the slightest movement through the rock.


    their bodies, a matte black that absorbed all light, made them practically invisible in darkness.


    but most terrifying was their proboscis. discover exclusive content at empire


    ''like a diamond sword,'' ren thought while examining one of the marks.


    knowledge showed him how the beast used this lethal tool: first locating its prey, then piercing through up to 50 centimeters of rock and its prey''s skin or shell, then injecting enzymes that paralyzed and liquefied internal organs to slowly suck them out.


    their prey remained alive through most of the process.


    they seemed like a nightmare born from the fusion between an assassin bug and a hunting spider, but perfectly adapted to subterranean life.


    the assassins primarily hunted deep worms and living tunnels, ambushing them from the other side of walls that weren''t yet reinforced.


    the assassins were the reason why all other beasts at this level built reinforced refuges.


    but nothing was completely safe. the assassins always found a weak point, a thinner section, an unprotected angle.


    some abandoned tunnels showed signs of ancient battles: walls perforated with small holes, abandoned galleries full of circular marks, remains of emptied shells.


    ren had less than fifteen minutes before the mana overloaded him.


    it was time to advance, but first he would need to ensure no killer decided to add him to its core collection.


    all creatures here were practically blind. ren intensified the glow in a pulse that illuminated the distance just once.


    a movement caught his attention.


    a killer emerged from its hiding place, its nearly 5-meter body moving with disturbing grace. four white and opaque eyes, blind, glowed faintly against ren''s light, while specialized antennae tested the air for prey.


    the beast slid along the wall without making the slightest sound, its legs detecting vibrations that revealed the position of creatures in nearby tunnels. its proboscis, normally folded beneath its head, briefly extended, it was almost as long as ren was tall.


    ''a perfect predator,'' ren observed fascinated as the assassin located its prey: a greater worm excavating too close while expanding a tunnel.


    the beast calculated the exact angle to pierce the rock.


    with a fluid movement, the assassin pressed its proboscis against the wall. there was no sound as it drilled, the precision such that it barely displaced material. in seconds, it had created a perfect hole toward its victim.


    ren was grateful the killer was too far away and occupied to hear his steps.


    he stopped in a small side cavern, acutely aware that any wall could hide a lurking killer. the mushrooms pulsed showing him it was clear.


    the air was now much denser, charged with mana that made breathing require conscious effort. ren advanced cautiously, each step measured while his senses adapted to the increasing pressure.


    the prepared shadow stalker tentacles absorbed some of the excess mana, but he could still feel it accumulating in his system.


    the tunnels here didn''t look like rock caverns anymore, transforming into something that seemed less mineral and more organic.


    the connecting tunnels and walls had a yellowish tone that melted into deep oranges, as if he were entering the entrails of a colossal beast.


    that''s when he saw it: a living tunnel emerging from a side gallery.


    ren pressed himself against a wall, holding his breath while the beast worked. it wasn''t aggressive, but at this depth everything was potentially lethal for him.


    even more so if it confused him with a small hunter bug.


    the advance continued.


    at this depth, the living tunnels'' work had created a maze that seemed designed to confuse.


    ''an escape and defense system,'' ren understood while carefully navigating.


    ren stopped at an intersection, aware that mana was already beginning to saturate his system. the vein was close, he knew from his knowledge. but between him and his objective lay a sea of identical tunnels.


    a soft pulse. the illumination bounced off the walls, returning with information.


    another pulse. clearer this time, the tunnels had a pattern. the living tunnels didn''t dig randomly; their galleries followed specific rules.


    ''like a chronology,'' he thought while studying the marks on the walls. the older sections returned a more opaque glow. as they approached active zones, the designs became more reflective.


    a third pulse revealed more: main intersections always had seven exits. secondary ones, five. those leading to rest areas, three.


    knowledge flowed as ren advanced: the mana vein was too powerful for creatures at this level to approach directly.


    ''the vein must be in an old saturated zone,'' he reasoned. ''living tunnels would avoid rebuilding near a pure mana geyser, some must have exploded sometimes with so much energy.''


    following this logic, ren began tracking back in time through the patterns. each intersection led him to more opaque but crystal-rich tunnels.


    information came in fragments as he studied the tunnel patterns. the vein periodically expelled a geyser of pure mana that crystallized into a huge crystal formation of at least 5th rank, creating a chamber that no common beast could penetrate.


    only something with the power of a ''dragon'' could break that mana-saturated rock to feed. sear?h the ¦Çov§×lfire .net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    but most fascinating was what knowledge revealed about the eggs. some emerged from the geyser itself.


    ''a living tunnel or deep killer egg would be useful,'' he thought, ''but the contract wouldn''t work like that.'' the beast he would get would be more basic: a digger beetle like taro''s, or perhaps a hunter bug. the potential was there, but it would take time to develop.


    the vein he sought was very small.


    knowledge whispered that in areas like this, an egg appeared perhaps every decade. the academy probably conducted periodic dives to collect the fixed eggs they found.


    but few bothered to search for them.


    the general perception was that digger beetles and hunter bugs only reached bronze, which made their fixed eggs, though more expensive, less desired than the brown eggs the kingdom released. fifty of those came out each year, promising the possibility of a mole too with supposedly better potential.


    still, it would be unlikely to find one and... his mantis was better for his first beast.


    the beetle was a defensive beast and the hunter bug had good offensive but short-range abilities and was slower.


    the mantis was faster and had some mid-range abilities; for ren''s taste, its skill kit was more attractive... still, having an extra egg wouldn''t be bad in any case... or he could sell it.


    ren continued advancing...


    until he found it: a yellow living bridge that seemed to breathe and crossed over a deep gallery. on the other side he could feel the vein pulsing with pure mana.


    but there was just one problem.


    a massive deep worm rested inside the bridge, its body occupying all the space. the beast dozed, probably recovering after excavating new galleries.

 Chapter 86 - Taming the Depths - 3

    until he found it: a yellow living bridge that seemed to breathe spanning across a deep gallery.on the other side, he could feel the vein pulsing with pure mana.


    but there was just one problem.


    a massive deep worm rested inside the bridge, its body occupying the entire space. the beast dozed, probably recovering after excavating new galleries.


    ren studied the situation. he couldn''t use force, the slightest conflict would attract predators. not that he had much force to use anyway...


    he also couldn''t make it explode like a lesser worm because this one had a real core.


    he needed the worm to move of its own volition.


    a pulse from his mushrooms showed him the surroundings, searching for nearby tunnels and threats.


    ''fused worms are territorial,'' he remembered while formulating a plan. ''and this one should be resting in its territory.''


    ren extracted the weaver''s thread while studying the situation. he had no choice; he needed to cross.


    he tied one end of the thread to a stalactite above the bridge that would serve as an anchor point, and if he calculated the distance correctly¡­


    with precise finger hits, he began generating vibrations in the ground.


    not just any pattern, but a specific one that mimicked an injured hunter bug.


    the kind of prey a fused worm couldn''t resist.


    practically no beast here could...


    hunter bugs were the pre-evolution of deep assassins; if a worm or beetle could take revenge on them, they would do so without hesitation.


    that''s why very few reached the surface, if they hadn''t achieved evolution along the way¡­


    the worm stirred in its sleep, disturbed by the vibrations of the intruder in what it considered its resting space.


    the deep worm finally awoke, irritated.


    the enormous beast moved almost immediately, its massive body turning toward the sound''s source. ren wrapped the thread around his hand, connected to a particularly robust stalactite to avoid it breaking.


    the worm approached, each segment of its body pulsing with anticipation while searching for easy prey. ren waited until the last moment, when the beast was fully committed to the search.


    he pushed off from the ground, the thread tensing as his body swung over the bridge.


    the worm detected that there was nothing at the movement''s location, but it was too late, ren was swinging above, his feet barely avoiding grazing the beast''s enormous body.


    he landed on the other side just as the worm realized it had been deceived.


    but his landing generated a vibration.


    the beast changed direction with surprising speed for its size, of course, it could transform its rear into its head¡­


    it followed ren, its entire body vibrating with irritation.


    ren didn''t wait.


    he ran toward the cave pulsing with the vein''s light and reached an unexcavated tunnel section, where the hard rock would slow the worm.


    yet the beast followed, its massive body crushing and scraping rock and minerals in pursuit.


    enjoy new adventures from empire


    ''too interested,'' ren thought while running. worms normally avoided making so much noise.


    it shouldn''t want to run directly toward the vein for too long either.


    something was wrong with its persistence.


    in general, ren had felt something strange in the cave from the beginning, the beasts were more excited than they should be, constantly...


    a glow ahead caught his attention, the mana vein. it was close, so close...


    his fingers worked quickly with another piece of thread while running.


    if the worm caught up before he reached it...


    he wouldn''t let it; he just had to swing again and he''d be safe. ren made a slip knot.


    the tunnel widened slightly. the worm accelerated; ren could almost feel its exact location under the rock by the intensity with which it dug. it was the beast''s most vulnerable moment, and yet it kept pursuing.


    then ren felt it, a different sensation in the tunnel. something moved behind them, something that had been attracted by the commotion.


    the strange sensation was silence; the worm''s digging was the only thing that could be heard.


    a sudden silence.


    the constant scraping of general excavation ceased, as if all creatures held their breath.


    all others had stopped to hide.


    the deep assassin emerged like a living shadow. its body arched with lethal precision, the proboscis extended like a nightmare lance. s§×arch* the n?velfire(.)net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    the strike was so fast ren barely saw it. the proboscis pierced the rock as if it were water, going through exactly above the worm.


    the beast froze almost instantly, its massive body paralyzed at the moment of impact.


    ren stopped, his heart beating so hard he feared the sound would give him away. the assassin was just meters away, its matte black body absorbing all light while beginning the feeding process.


    with infinitely slow movements, ren backed toward the vein.


    the assassin was completely focused on its prey; ren deduced that the worm had been fleeing, probably after detecting the predator''s presence after chasing ren a bit, but when it wanted to stop it was already too late.


    ren continued moving away with extreme slowness.


    each step away from the assassin seemed to last an eternity. the vein glowed tantalizingly close, but one sound, one careless movement...


    the sound of moving fluids filled the tunnel. the assassin had begun consuming its prey, its proboscis injecting enzymes that would liquefy the worm from inside.


    ren continued backing away, every muscle tense with the effort of maintaining absolute silence. the vein''s glow intensified with each step.


    just a little more...


    but he couldn''t move this slowly for so long.


    ren was drenched in cold sweat. the mana was so dense it was suffocating him. the tentacles were almost saturated; he had maybe ten minutes before the excess would overload him.


    he continued backing away but... the mana pressure became unbearable.


    ren tried to maintain concentration, but his senses began to cloud. with trembling fingers, he extracted the last tentacle, needing to release some of the overload.


    the slow movement, the pain, the concentration on the tentacle, and the fear of the killer made him distracted, too much, and his foot hit a loose stone.


    the sound, barely louder than a whisper, seemed to resound like thunder in the tunnel''s silence. the deep assassin turned instantly, its matte black body moving with unnatural fluidity.

 Chapter 87 - Taming the Depths - 4

    the slow movement, the pain, the concentration on the tentacle, and the fear of the assassin made ren distract too much, and his foot hit a loose stone.the sound, barely louder than a whisper, seemed to resound like thunder in the tunnel''s silence. the deep assassin turned instantly, its matte black body moving with unnatural fluidity.


    with no time to think, ren threw the tentacle.


    the improvised projectile flew straight toward one of the assassin''s legs, beginning to absorb mana at the moment of impact.


    the beast recoiled, more from surprise than damage.


    its senses, adapted to darkness and vibrations, hadn''t expected an aerial attack. the sensation of its energy being drained at a specific point made it focus on that area.


    ren didn''t waste a second.


    his hands were already knotting the thread while the assassin was distracted. a quick jump and his body hung far from the ground.


    the training with lin and his extra bit of strength gave him enough capacity to reach quite high.


    the thread began to turn slowly, the tension from the initial launch creating a circular movement. ren held his breath while the assassin searched for its attacker, its proboscis extended and ready.


    but ren kept slowly rotating...


    that''s when he saw it.


    the chamber opened about ten meters below, illuminated by the glow of a colossal crystal. the formation was both beautiful and terrifying, its facets reflecting mana light in a way that made it seem alive.


    in the center, a hollow, the vein itself. pure mana flowed in a silent geyser that fed the crystal''s growth. and there, on a ledge near the base...


    two eggs.


    the first wasn''t a surprise. a hunter bug, exactly one of the two he expected to find if he found anything.


    the egg had the characteristic pattern of its species, promise of a silent and lethal predator.


    but the second...


    ren had to contain an exclamation that would have been fatal. his eyes couldn''t be seeing correctly.


    it was impossible.


    the egg had the unmistakable design of a lesser carbon shark. what could one day evolve into a diamond hydra.


    knowledge flowed frantically while he rotated in silence, the assassin still searching below. diamond hydras were legendary silver rank 3 creatures, so rare in history that many doubted their existence.


    ''it makes no sense,'' he thought while the thread kept turning. hydras form much deeper than bugs or beetles, close to their dragon ''mothers'' in the depths.


    an egg like this shouldn''t be here, so high up in such a small vein.


    the probability of a hydra egg not hatching before reaching here was infinitesimal.


    unless...


    knowledge whispered a possibility.


    the core of an adult hydra, collected by the highest level of assassins, passed from one to another in their territorial battles. a core that was finally released when its last possessor reached golden or platinum rank, and somehow managed to ascend high enough to be reborn.


    but it was speculation...


    it was as if there was a void in the information, a mystery his mushrooms couldn''t decipher at this rank.


    what he did know was that he wanted it: a diamond hydra''s skill set in its early levels was exceptional.


    though primarily defensive, it didn''t lack offensive capabilities, and its versatility far surpassed that of a hunter bug or digger beetle.


    while slowly rotating on the thread, ren considered his options. if he sought speed and offensive power, the mirror mantis remained his best choice. but a hydra...


    even if he didn''t choose it as his first, it could be perfect as a second battle beast in the future.


    a movement in the chamber interrupted his thoughts.


    a creature emerged silently from a side opening. its body was elegant but alien: a long sinuous neck supported two heads that had jaws reminiscent of sharks.


    it moved on two powerful legs, and its scales... its scales were transparent, shining like living diamonds under the crystal''s light.


    knowledge couldn''t confirm its identity, but it was obvious, it had to be an evolved diamond hydra.


    its presence radiated gold rank power, which raised a disturbing question: how could a beast of that level survive in an environment with so little mana?


    the answer came immediately.


    the hydra approached the geyser, extending one of its heads directly into the flow of pure mana. it began absorbing energy directly from the source.


    the pieces started fitting together in ren''s mind.


    a silver rank hydra with a single head, must have been expelled from its territory. by luck or instinct, it found this vein.


    the constant flow of pure mana allowed it to survive and evolve, completing all silver ranks until reaching gold.


    the beast finished feeding and moved languidly toward the egg. its body coiled around it in a protective gesture, but its movements were slow, almost lethargic. despite the geyser, the vein was too small to keep it truly active at this superior rank.


    soon it would need to return to the depths but...


    as he watched the beast settle, ren understood something more: the cycle of hydras at higher ranks must be very different from deep assassins, worms, or beetles.


    that was his assumption seeing the protective behavior with the egg.


    it seemed that egg dynamics were more complex than he had expected.


    knowledge revealed more: the colored eggs containing the three known evolutionary line possibilities only formed when veins passed near the "mothers," the dragons of each evolutionary line dwelling much deeper below.


    that''s where brown eggs formed, for example, having bugs, beetles and moles as options.


    what arrived here was different.


    they were cores returning to the cycle thanks to the deep assassins.


    these creatures collected the complete cores of their prey, displaying them as trophies on their backs. as they evolved, they fought among themselves for these collections. but upon reaching gold or platinum rank, something changed, they discarded their trophies, casting them into the depths.


    most of these discarded cores were reborn as basic iron evolution in the lower levels only to be devoured again.


    but some managed to ascend, transformed by their journey through mana-saturated zones. that''s why most hunter bugs and digger beetles became living tunnels or deep assassins, the dense mana shaped them during their ascent. sear?h the n??efire.¦Çet website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ''that''s why there are so few young stages at this height,'' ren understood. those who managed to climb high enough had the chance to evolve along the way.


    it was a perpetual cycle: the assassins collected, fought, evolved, and finally released.


    the cores fell, were reborn, ascended or were hunted to try again. and occasionally, very occasionally, one reached high enough without evolving.


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    worms were slightly different.


    they weren''t born from eggs like other beasts. they emerged from the depths, fleeing from even deeper zones in the same way.


    those who managed to reach higher levels were the survivors of a deadly race from the abyss.


    it was a cycle generated by the mother worm, the devourer dragon of the depths... from its skin thousands of worms were constantly born, or so they said in his stories... his knowledge didn''t reach that far yet.


    but where worms had no parental care, nor beetles... where assassins began collecting cores from bronze rank, hydras clearly had different behaviors beyond gold rank.


    perhaps it was parental care that allowed them not to need to rise to high levels to evolve and made them so rare...


    but as these were behaviors of creatures not within his knowledge range...


    it was a missing piece of the puzzle, an aspect of the cycle that current knowledge couldn''t reveal. what did hydras do in their highest ranks? why would an egg be here, next to one of higher rank, when most beasts abandoned their eggs to the cycle?


    the deep assassin kept searching, and ren hung between two mysteries: the predator that couldn''t see him, and the hydra that defied everything he thought he knew about the beast egg cycle.


    with careful movements, ren extracted the flask with the potion zhao had given him.


    the green liquid glowed softly as he uncorked it. it was his last defense against mana overload.

 Chapter 88 - Taming the Depths - 5

    The Deep Assassin kept searching, and Ren hung between two dilemmas: the predator that couldn''t see him, and the hydra that defied everything he thought he knew about the beast egg cycle.With careful movements, Ren extracted the flask with the potion Zhao had given him.


    The green liquid glowed softly as he uncorked it. It was his last defense against mana overload.


    The taste was bitter and metallic, but the effect was immediate. The crushing pressure of mana receded, as if a window had been opened in a suffocating room.


    It wouldn''t last long, but it would have to be enough.


    The Deep Assassin finally lost interest in its search. Its sensors detected no more movement, and the paralyzed worm promised a feast it didn''t want to waste. The beast returned to its prey, its proboscis sinking back into the liquefied flesh.


    ''Now or never,'' thought Ren as he began descending the thread.


    He descended with extreme care and retrieved the stone that had betrayed him. He was now meters from the predator that had returned to the tunnel entrance...


    He would deal with that obstacle at the exit later.


    First he had to take advantage of his luck...


    It was a unique opportunity, a miracle of the cycle that wouldn''t repeat for centuries.


    Or so he thought. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The chamber opened below him, the massive crystal dominating the space with its pulsing light. The hydra dozed around the egg, apparently exhausted by the effort of existing at this depth.


    He still had to move with perfect caution. One sound, one sudden movement, and all would be lost. If the Assassin didn''t kill him, the hydra certainly would.


    Ren studied the crystalline formation more carefully. The enormous crystal formed a natural bowl, its facets creating levels and ledges that could serve for a safer approach.


    ''I don''t need to get all the way there,'' he thought while pulling out more weaver''s thread. ''I just need the right position.''


    The bowl''s edge offered a perfect spot. From there he could manipulate the thread without exposing himself too much to the geyser or the hydra.


    His fingers worked quickly preparing a knot while evaluating angles.


    The mantis core would also need pure mana. The solution was elegant: he could leave it suspended near the geyser, allowing the flow to saturate it naturally. In ten days it would have absorbed enough to begin its transformation.


    But for that to happen, he needed the hydra to stop feeding from the geyser''s mana.


    The hydra remained motionless, its two heads resting near the egg.


    ''Not really its child,'' he reflected while tying the mantis core to leave it suspended. The egg contained another hydra''s core, yes, but it was another that had somehow not completed the cycle and ascended here.


    It was more like an evolutionary sibling, part of the same line but not direct offspring.


    Ren liked to think it was a species with "parental care" but was it more like a strong siblinghood?


    Perhaps that''s why the hydra protected it, not from maternal instinct, but from lineage recognition. A siscon hydra? Ren shook his head at his own silly joke and continued working, perhaps nervousness was making him think foolish things...


    But the dilemma was clear, he needed the hydra to leave.


    And if the egg disappeared... what reason would it have to remain in this small, limiting vein?


    His feet touched a ledge. Pure mana flowed in the chamber, not at silver ring level but triple the normal at this depth. Even with the potion still in effect, Ren could feel the energy trying to saturate his system.


    The bug egg was closer. It would be easier to reach first, safer. But the hydra egg... the chance to understand such a rare evolutionary line...


    Ren took a step toward the ''better'' egg. The rock under his feet was strangely slippery, polished by years of exposure to pure mana. Each movement required total concentration, a slip here would be fatal.


    Another step. The hydra breathed deeply, its body moving in a slow but steady rhythm. Ren wondered how long it spent like this, conserving energy between feedings, trapped in this endless cycle of minimal survival.


    The egg was within reach of his thread now. Its surface gleamed with the same tone as its sister''s scales, as if already containing the promise of what it could become.


    A sound from above, the Assassin moving its prey. Ren froze, but the beast was just repositioning itself above the worm for better access.


    The potion still kept the mana at bay, but Ren could feel its effect beginning to diminish. Time was running out.


    The first throw had to be perfect. Ren breathed deeply. The knot swayed gently as he positioned it.


    The thread flew silently, settling right over the egg. With a soft but firm pull, the loop closed around his prize.


    Ren waited a moment.


    The hydra didn''t move.


    With infinite care, Ren began lifting the egg. Each centimeter was an eternity, the dead weight making the thread creak almost imperceptibly.


    When the egg was secure, Ren extracted the thread for a second throw.


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    Was it greedy? Maybe, but he wouldn''t waste an opportunity like this.


    The bug''s egg ended up in his hands a few seconds later.


    The core was left floating in the energy flow, immediately beginning to absorb pure mana when the hydra would leave. In 10 days¡­ maybe he could come in 11 or 12 as he didn''t know when the hydra would wake... With luck it would be ready then.


    The hydra moved slightly, one of its heads adjusting in sleep. Without the egg next to it, how long would it take to notice its absence?


    With nothing to protect, instinct would push it to seek areas with more mana, to reunite with others of its kind. This small vein would no longer have purpose for it.


    Ren carefully stored the second egg in his backpack too, now he had to get out of here.


    He began his careful ascent toward the cave entrance, toward the Assassin.


    The potion was losing effect, he needed to get out of here before mana saturated his system again.


    One last look at the magnificent creature. Part of him felt guilty for stealing something it had been protecting, but another part knew he might be doing it a favor.


    The hydra was too powerful a beast to be limited to this low-power existence.


    ''We''ll meet in the depths,'' he thought while beginning the final ascent. ''When we''re both stronger.''


    Ren extracted the small stone from his pocket, the same one that had revealed his presence before. The traitorous stone would now save him. The irony wasn''t lost on him as he calculated the throwing angle.


    ''Simple,'' he thought, feeling the eggs'' weight on his back. ''The Assassin investigates the noise, I run through the tunnel. With luck, its prey will keep it close and it won''t follow me for long.''


    But a voice in his head whispered that he should have left the second egg.


    Fifteen minutes of potion wasn''t much time to ascend three hundred meters, especially if he had to move stealthily.


    An encounter with any beast would be disastrous.


    ''Too late for doubts,'' he told himself while tensing his arm. The Assassin remained focused on its feast, its proboscis buried deeply in the worm.


    The stone flew in a perfect arc... until it hit a ledge Ren hadn''t noticed.


    The impact sound was like thunder in the silence. Instantly, the Assassin launched toward it and Ren advanced to the entrance still silently, he had to let the Assassin move a bit further until...


    The stone bounced, its trajectory altered sending it directly toward the crystalline chamber.


    Ren watched in horror as the traitor stone rolled down the bowl, the sound amplified by the crystalline formation. Each bounce was louder than the previous one, creating a cascade of echoes that filled the tunnel.


    The Assassin turned instantly toward the noise and froze for a moment.


    The hydra awoke.

 Chapter 89 - Taming the Ascent

    Ren watched in horror as the traitorous rock rolled down the bowl, the sound amplified by the crystalline formation. Each bounce was louder than the previous one, creating a cascade of echoes that filled the tunnel.The Assassin turned instantly toward the noise and froze for a moment.


    The hydra awoke.


    Its two heads rose in perfect synchronization, transparent scales gleaming as it uncoiled. For a moment it seemed confused, as if not understanding what had awakened it.


    Then it noticed the egg''s absence.


    The roar that followed made the Assassin instinctively back away. The hydra rose completely, its two heads moving in search patterns while the crystallized mana in its scales began pulsing with contained power.


    ''Run,'' Ren''s mind screamed. ''RUN.''


    ????


    The hydra turned both heads directly toward Ren, its eyes glowing as it recognized him as the egg thief.


    This was no longer a stealthy escape... the beast had seen him.


    Stealth no longer mattered.


    Ren ran like never before, each step resonating in the tunnels while the hydra''s roar made the walls tremble.


    Knowledge flowed: silver rank 3 hydras could shoot power rays, concentrated beams of light. This one, at gold rank, probably had even more lethal capabilities, but knowledge didn''t reach that far.


    A strong vibration shook the tunnels.


    The hydra had begun moving, its massive body crushing rock while following its prey.


    Fortunately it wasn''t shooting, it needed to conserve energy. With its feeding from that small vein, each use of power meant minutes of recovery.


    ''Thirty minutes,'' Ren calculated while running. ''It will need to feed after thirty minutes of intense activity with so little mana.''


    The first obstacle appeared: the natural bridge he had crossed before. The structure trembled with each impact of the hydra digging behind.


    Ren didn''t even hesitate, he used the momentum from running to jump and grabbed the thread, the eggs bouncing on his back as he landed on the other side.


    A group of deep worms emerged from a side tunnel, their massive bodies momentarily blocking the path. At the hydra''s next roar, the beasts writhed in panic harder and fled in the opposite direction, crushing each other in their rush to escape.


    The deep Assassin passed by him like a shadow, but didn''t even stop to look at him. The beast ran on pure survival instinct, its prey forgotten before a much greater threat.


    Behind, the sound of rock being pulverized echoed in the tunnels. The hydra wasn''t bothering to follow the passages, it was creating its own direct path toward Ren.


    Ren ran down the now cleared path, following his steps.


    The potion''s effects were beginning to fade and Ren could feel energy accumulating in his system. His legs burned with the effort of climbing, each step heavier than the last.


    The Living Tunnel he had seen earlier now blocked the path, its body occupying the entire gallery. Ren stopped abruptly, trapped between the beetle and the approaching hydra.


    Ren wanted to scream in frustration, but it would be dangerous if the beetle confused him with a bug for a moment and stomped on him so he had to position himself and strike hard with his feet in a unique rhythm of the living tunnel species that suggests danger.


    But Ren was light so the vibration didn''t convey enough urgency.


    The beast turned slowly.


    The sound of pulverized rock approached. One of the hydra''s heads appeared in the tunnel, its scales gleaming threateningly.


    The beetle finally sensed the danger and began turning quickly.


    But it was too late, the hydra was too close.


    Ren could see mana concentrating in its throat, it was considering using a ray.


    The Living Tunnel moved faster to back away, creating a small opening. Ren lunged for the space, but his foot slipped.


    He fell to his knees just as the hydra fired.


    The ray passed over his head, impacting the Living Tunnel. The beast collapsed split in two, its shell smoking. The hydra paused for a moment, its breathing heavier, that attack had cost valuable energy.


    Maybe it had lost about 10 minutes of energy.


    Ren crawled to the other side of the tunnel through the small gap, then got up and continued running. The hydra roared in frustration but didn''t fire again. Instead, it approached the fallen Living Tunnel and began devouring it, recovering some of the spent energy.


    Each head could consume one of the huge beetle halves in an instant.


    ''Damn that will give it about 5 more minutes of energy... It could do that all the way up,'' Ren thought. ''Consuming beasts to maintain the pursuit.''


    At 275 meters. The air was more breathable but the mana was still dense.


    Another group of worms emerged from a side tunnel. The beasts froze upon sensing Ren, but the sound of the approaching hydra sent them into panic.


    Ren was trapped in the middle of the fleeing worms. Their massive bodies pushed him against the walls while they writhed desperately.


    The hydra''s roar resonated closer.


    In desperation, Ren pushed between two worms, the space so tight he felt crushed. Just as he emerged from the other side, he saw the hydra catch one of the lagging worms.


    One of the heads caught it with lethal precision, its jaws tearing flesh. But the other head kept the body moving while the first ate, its eyes never stopped following Ren.


    At 250 meters, the tunnel narrowed. Ren could feel mana saturating his system, the potion was losing effect. His legs trembled from the effort while he crawled through a narrow passage.


    A section of the tunnel had partially collapsed, probably from the hydra''s vibrations.


    Ren crawled through the debris.


    Behind, the sound of destruction approached.


    A deep Assassin appeared before Ren in the narrow tunnel. The beast hesitated, caught between its hunting instinct and its fleeing instinct.


    The narrow cave entrance vibrated intensely. Ren worried about another collapse. But he was lucky.


    The Assassin completely forgot about Ren and decided to flee.


    Ren crawled to the cave''s exit while the hydra dug behind. His lungs burned. Mana saturated his body now that the potion no longer had effect. Each meter was a battle against exhaustion and energy overload. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ren finally emerged from the tunnel at 200 meters.


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    A worm colony panicked upon feeling the vibrations, their bodies filling the tunnel in a chaotic mass. Ren had to jump over them, his feet finding small spaces between the writhing bodies.


    Behind the hydra finally broke through the wall.


    The beast was panting now, the chase''s effort beginning to take its toll.


    Ren took advantage to gain ground.


    He knew this area, turned and climbed up a not-so-light slope that led to the conventional cave entrance.


    150 meters. The first guard checkpoint.


    The air was lighter now but his legs felt like lead. The backpack on his back seemed to weigh a ton. His hidden tunnel offered an alternative route, so he wouldn''t have to explain...


    ''No,'' Ren thought while continuing to climb. No time for detours. The hydra was getting closer and closer.


    The checkpoint appeared before Ren, the mana lamps'' light shining through the entrance. Three guards moved hurriedly, alerted by the vibrations shaking the tunnels.


    "Halt!" one shouted when he saw Ren climbing the slope. "What the hell...?"


    "It''s the lucky mushroom boy!" another guard recognized him, his expression transforming from surprise to anger. "Why were you prowling in the lower levels. This time you really...!"


    The wall behind Ren exploded.


    The hydra emerged from the dust like a nightmare made real, its two heads covered in blood from the beasts it had devoured along the way.

 Chapter 90 - Taming the Blockade

    "Halt!" one shouted when he saw Ren climbing the slope. "What the hell...?""It''s the lucky mushroom boy!" another guard recognized him, his expression transforming from surprise to anger. "Why were you prowling in the lower levels. This time you really...!"


    The wall behind Ren exploded.


    The hydra emerged from the dust like a nightmare made real, its two heads covered in blood from the beasts it had devoured along the way.


    One last effort. One final sprint.


    Ren had finished climbing the slope, having gained ground on the beast despite his exhaustion as the beast wasn''t in much better condition than him.


    "Run! It''s a gold rank hydra!" Ren''s voice cracked with desperation and fatigue.


    The guards exchanged skeptical looks.


    At this level, barely 150 meters deep, the idea of a gold rank beast was as absurd as finding a dragon sunbathing in the academy garden.


    "Impossible," whispered the supervisor, his expression changing from disbelief to horrified recognition. "A diamond hydra. But they live more than a thousand meters deep..."


    The guards barely had time to process his words when the supervisor grabbed his arm, his ice penguin partially manifesting.


    The hydra roared, the sound making the mana lamps crack. One of its heads turned toward the guards while the other kept its gaze fixed on Ren.


    The other two guards instinctively backed away. Their beasts, an earth bear and a rock mongoose fully manifested. Both beasts were bronze rank 2, their power significant in normal circumstances but dwarfed by the terror before them.


    "Block the entrance!" ordered the supervisor while pulling Ren backward. His voice carried the authority of someone used to commanding in crisis situations. "We need to evacuate!"


    Knowledge flowed while Ren observed the guards'' beasts. Earth and rock control... The supervisor''s ice penguin, silver 2, was also a beast with ranged control capability.


    ''Maybe they''re prepared for dead abyss beasts, to contain hordes,'' Ren understood.


    The placement of the checkpoint, the specific combination of beasts, it wasn''t random.


    They''re designed for the very unlikely case of a horde; hordes only come from the dead abyss but loose monsters from the hordes are rarely found in the caves too... that''s why they fear hordes in the caves.


    ''But they must only be here to buy time while reinforcements arrive if dead abyss'' beasts ever filter into the caves. To block the path.''


    "Wait!" Ren resisted when the supervisor tried to drag him further back, an idea crystallizing in his mind. "Don''t take me yet! Your ice, you can use it to slow it down!"


    "What?"


    "The slope!" Ren pointed to the ascending tunnel while the other guards began controlling earth and rock barriers. "If you freeze the climb it''ll be harder for it to scale!"


    The supervisor hesitated only for an instant. "Hydras shoot light rays don''t be an idiot and come...!"


    "Look!" Ren pointed. "Its movements are slower. It only has about ten minutes of energy left at this height, it won''t waste power on rays!"


    The supervisor evaluated the suggestion in an instant. His penguin fully manifested, beginning to cover the steep climb with a thick layer of ice.


    "More ice!" shouted Ren. "It needs to be thick enough!"


    The ice layer grew as they ascended, becoming thicker with each breath from the penguin.


    "Now!" he ordered his subordinates. "Block the entrance!"


    The earth bear and rock mongoose created layered barriers, compacted earth reinforced with rock formations.


    The sound of rock being pulverized approached. The hydra was breaking up the slope a bit to get better footing.


    It roared again, but the sound was weaker. Without access to new prey, each movement brought it closer to exhaustion.


    The hydra hit the blockade but couldn''t break it, its strength no longer the same.


    "It won''t cross!" Ren shouted over the noise. "Without prey to feed on, each movement weakens it more!"


    Another hit, weaker than the previous one. The hydra was losing strength.


    "It''s giving up," murmured one of the guards while the impacts grew progressively feebler, hope creeping into his voice.


    Silence fell suddenly. The guards exchanged cautious looks.


    "Did it leave?" asked the one with the mongoose.


    Ren felt something was wrong, it was too soon for the hydra to abandon its pursuit after investing so much energy. Knowledge screamed a warning in his mind, calculating that it should still have enough power for one last...


    "GET DOWN!" he shouted, already diving for the ground.


    The power ray pierced the barriers as if they were paper, passing over their heads and leaving a trail of molten rock on the ceiling. The barrier had failed.


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    "Damn we''re dead!"


    After that, only silence reigned.


    "No... It''s over," said Ren as they slowly stood. "That ray used the last of its energy. It needs to return to its vein now."


    The echoes of the hydra''s slow departing steps confirmed his words. The beast was descending, deeper and deeper, where the increase in mana or eating other beasts would keep it alive.


    The supervisor turned to Ren, his expression a mixture of relief and suspicion. "You have a lot to explain, boy."


    But Ren had fainted, his mouth foaming and his veins glowing, unmistakable sign of mana poisoning. The mushrooms in his hair flickered weakly, barely processing the dense ambient energy.


    "Damn!" the supervisor caught Ren''s limp form before it hit the ground, noting the dangerous heat radiating from his small body. "We need to get him out of here and give him medicine fast!"


    "Peter!" he pointed to the mongoose guard. "Stay on watch!"


    "What? Why me?" Peter looked nervously toward the tunnel where the hydra had disappeared, his mongoose hugging his legs. "What if the hydra..."


    "The hydra is already going to the depths!" the supervisor was already running toward the exit with Ren in his arms. "Shut up and watch!"


    "But... but..." Marco hugged his manifested mongoose tighter, both guard and beast trembling slightly.


    "We''ll be back soon!" shouted the supervisor while disappearing up the upper tunnel with the bear guard.


    "That doesn''t make me feel better!" Marco shouted into the empty tunnel, his voice echoing mockingly back at him.


    The mongoose made a sound that suspiciously resembled laughter.


    "Don''t pretend, you don''t want to be here either!" Marcus accused his beast, which tried to look dignified despite its obvious nervousness.


    A distant echo made them both jump.


    "See? Even you''re nervous!" Marco pressed against the wall. "Though if anyone asks, we''ll say we maintained a stoic and brave watch." Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A new echo made them both jump and hug each other.


    "But that doesn''t mean we have to be in the middle of the tunnel! We can watch perfectly fine from behind that rock!"

 Chapter 91 - Tamer Spies

    A girl watched from the shadows in the tree, her presence almost imperceptible among the leaves. She had been following Ren since early morning, this time more out of obligation than real interest.Though she was already worrying about the start of classes.


    Initially, she had considered following him into the mines.


    After all, the headmaster''s recent interest in the supposedly weakest student had piqued her already high curiosity too. But she had dismissed the impulse, reasoning that Ren was likely just another poor student desperate to recover his family''s investment.


    ''Another case of economic desperation,'' she had thought upon seeing him enter the mines. It wasn''t unusual, many low-resource students spent extra hours digging, trying to recover something.


    ''The headmaster must be overreacting,'' she had thought, settling into her observation post. ''What could possibly be special about a boy with a mere spore?''


    Yet something about him nagged at her mind.


    The way he moved through the mines wasn''t like other desperate students. He showed none of the random searching, the trial and error that characterized novice miners. His movements had purpose, precision.


    Or so she had seen during their time as classmates, and it was very strange.


    The hours passed without incident. The girl almost considered leaving, her time could be better spent on other tasks. But something kept her at her post. Perhaps that strange confidence he seemed to have despite his apparent weakness.


    She used the time to study. Occasionally, her eyes would drift to the mine entrance, but nothing seemed amiss.


    The chaos began without warning. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Two guards emerged running from the entrance, carrying the boy''s unconscious body. His veins glowed with a sickly radiance, and a line of foam ran from the corner of his lips.


    "Halt!" the entrance guard intercepted them. "Inspection protocol! All obtained materials must be..."


    "Mana poisoning!" shouted one of the guards carrying Ren. "Critical level!"


    The entrance guard paled and stepped aside. "You can... you can report what was found when he wakes up."


    The girl straightened on her branch.


    The academy carefully regulated access to deeper areas, and the guards were vigilant at the entrances, keeping students above the 100-meter mark.


    ''Did he fall like 200 meters from a secret tunnel?'' she wondered, her mind racing through possibilities. ''Some forgotten passage to the depths? Or is he simply that pathetic, getting poisoned at levels everyone can tolerate?''


    But that didn''t fit with what she had observed of him. Despite his weak beast, Ren had shown surprising competence in other areas. His victory over Kai hadn''t been luck, nor the illusions with the crystals, he had demonstrated knowledge that even senior students would envy.


    ''250 meters?'' she calculated while watching them take the boy to the infirmary. ''No, even deeper to cause that level of saturation.''


    But that was impossible. No first-year student, much less one with a spore, could survive at those depths. The beasts would kill them in minutes... Seconds with bad luck.


    The mushroom boy was proving to be a most fascinating puzzle.


    Her lips curved in a slight smile as she watched more guards arriving at the mine entrance. Whatever had happened below, she intended to find out. After all, anyone who could survive what had so clearly terrified the guards was worth watching very carefully indeed.


    She slid a small notebook from her sleeve and began taking notes. Professor Zhao might indeed have seen something that others overlooked.


    ????


    At 350 meters beneath the academy, a solitary figure ascended through the tunnels.


    The golden hippogriff pulsed beneath his skin as he extracted another potion from his bag.


    Months of mapping between silver and gold rank depths... some days much deeper, had depleted his reserves, but he still had enough to keep the concentrated mana''s effects at bay.


    The liquid was bitter, but the relief was instant. His silver rank 2 abyssal scorpion briefly manifested its claws, adjusting to the renewed energy flow.


    A movement in the shadows.


    A deep Assassin emerged from a corner, probably attracted by the man''s noisy steps.


    The beast had perfectly hidden its presence, but...


    The hippogriff manifested its front claws through its tamer''s arms, and the beast didn''t even have time to extend its proboscis before being torn apart.


    ''Pathetic,'' he thought while continuing his ascent. These beasts were nothing compared to what he had faced in the depths.


    His employer had asked for a hydra core for his daughter. "Any hydra," he had said, as if they were so easy to find.


    If he could turn it into an egg he would multiply his payment by 10, but according to his employer''s family secret technique he needed a mana vein and a hydra alongside the core to transform it back.


    The records were ancient, most destroyed during the last war. No one, not even from Yano had ventured so deep in this area in decades.


    Honestly, he wouldn''t have survived the worst encounters either...


    But everything had changed since Yino discovered how to contract abyssals.


    Having two beasts was an advantage that the war against Yano couldn''t ignore for long. Once the plan was complete, once the abyssal scorpions were his squad''s second beast...


    His hand instinctively touched the bag where he kept the cores.


    Dozens of them, each containing the potential of an abyssal scorpion. Unlike hydras, these abyss beasts could be revived with the new secret technique and didn''t need a vein and the mother creature.


    But he had delayed too long searching for hydras.


    He thought it would be easier to search for an egg directly, but...


    Weeks of searching in the gold ring had been a waste of time, none had eggs.


    They weren''t easy opponents either. But still he had to descend from those 1000 meters... 1000 meters more.


    The 2000 meters had been hell. The platinum hydras were territorial and ruthless. And they weren''t the only beasts, the superior Assassins were a nightmare. He had almost died three times before deciding to risk everything.


    Three thousand meters. The diamond ring.


    His potions barely kept him conscious at that depth and fighting was impossible, his whole life depending on stealth. The hippogriff and scorpion suffered from mana excess, but he had no choice.


    Luck finally smiled on him as he quickly found an 8-headed diamond hydra guarding eggs. The beast was monstrously powerful, but also predictable in its sleep routine.


    One moment of carelessness was all he needed to steal one.


    Or so he thought but one head saw him...


    The escape had been frantic. He had to hide in many places. Spent almost all his high-level potions staying alive while ascending. And in the end he had to return the egg.

 Chapter 92 - Taming Investigation

    Luck finally smiled upon him as he quickly found an 8-headed diamond hydra guarding eggs. The beast was monstrously powerful, but also predictable in its sleep routine.One moment of carelessness was all he needed to steal one.


    Or so he thought but one head saw him...


    The escape had been frantic. He had to hide in countless crevices and abandoned tunnels. He spent almost all his high-level potions just staying alive while ascending.


    And in the end...


    He had to return the egg.


    When he finally escaped and was returning to the surface defeated, having endured insane temperatures that only thanks to his gold beast he could withstand and that could be called torture, his body still ached with the memory of that heat.


    Having suffered the constant stalking of powerful beasts...


    Luck finally smiled upon him. This time for real.


    He found that small vein at 350 meters, perfect for his purposes.


    He couldn''t believe it, below he had found three others, as they were more common the further down, but all were guarded by beasts leagues above their real depth rank, impossible for him to defeat; he was sure not even the ridiculous Platinum King of Yano could defeat them.


    Small mana vein outlets were extremely rare at that height, but there it was.


    So¡­ he returned to the depth of 1000 meters for 2 silver rank hydras, difficult to find without golden rank company.


    But much easier to find and defeat than stealing the egg... If he had known there would be a vein, he would have done this from the beginning.


    He eliminated the first to obtain its core and weakened the second.


    Worthy opponents even one rank below him, but manageable thanks to him being a double tamer.


    It was easy to drag the weakened one with his griffon to feed from the vein, and to keep it guarding and molding the core until it became an egg while he obtained more scorpion cores.


    Everything had been meticulously calculated.


    The core would need weeks to recover enough energy to become an egg next to the hydra. The hydra would guard until he returned with the rest of the cores.


    Taking it would be easy when it had low energy, even if it had reached gold rank.


    But now...


    The next stretch of tunnel showed signs of recent activity. Fused worms and Living Tunnels had been excavating new routes, expanding territory.


    But something wasn''t right.


    The excavation patterns were erratic, as if the beasts had been fleeing. Claw marks and pulverized rock told a story of panic and hasty escape.


    His steps accelerated.


    ''No,'' he thought while running. ''It''s too soon.''


    His calculations had been precise. The silver hydra should barely have reached gold. The egg should have barely formed, it couldn''t have hatched.


    Worry grew when he found the first signs of massive destruction. Demolished walls, collapsed tunnels, traces of energy discharged against rock.


    Beast bodies lay scattered, some partially consumed. The hydra had been hunting, spending energy it shouldn''t have.


    Someone had interfered.


    Someone had provoked the hydra to spend energy it shouldn''t have in a chase toward the surface.


    After observing them for so long, attempting the same thing, he knew there could only be one reason...


    Someone had stolen the egg.


    When he reached the geyser chamber, he stopped dead.


    Empty.


    The massive crystal was still there, pulsing with pure mana. But there was no sign of the hydra or the egg. He hated being right this time.


    ''Impossible,'' the hippogriff''s wings manifested, reflecting their tamer''s fury while examining the empty chamber. So much effort, so many resources spent, so many risks taken...


    All ruined because some idiot had stumbled upon his experiment before time.


    Who would have thought the mana vein would be so close to an exterior entrance...


    But there was no point in being angry.


    Fury was replaced by cold determination. He would find the responsible party. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    And when he did...


    The scorpion manifested its plates while he began the ascent. The work his King in Yino had given him was too important to allow interference. His princess would obtain that hydra, and the cores must reach their destination.


    Yano must not suspect anything until it was too late.


    But at least he could go out for a while to take in the sunlight and recover his egg¡­ Stealthy.


    ????


    The girl in the tree decided to investigate.


    The entrance guard didn''t even notice her pass. Shadows were her natural allies, though not in the way many would assume.


    As always, her beast could transport her to any point in her line of sight, a gift far more versatile than most beasts, though she wasn''t the only one who could do it.


    Her two cousins in class could too, how funny it had been that it ended up like this for all three...


    ''So much effort to keep ourselves hidden,'' she thought while descending through the first levels. Her group had carefully dispersed throughout the classroom, mixing with normal students, subtly exchanging handmaidens when forming teams.


    And yet...


    A sigh escaped her lips. All that precaution had been useless when the enemy kingdom''s eyes had so easily identified 4 of their 6 main targets in 1 classroom.


    Though without doubt Klein''s group were idiots bad at hiding it...


    The last 2 of them would probably be discovered soon too, at this rate.


    The mines'' upper level was practically deserted. Students had exhausted the accessible veins.


    The few students who usually dug weren''t here this early. The mushroom boy had caused quite a stir, but she wouldn''t hear gossip because there was almost no one, unfortunately...


    At one hundred meters, nothing changed. The mana wasn''t bothering her yet either.


    Her beast, though technically iron rank, was an exceptional specimen. The type that only the most privileged families could afford.


    At 150 meters, she found the first signs of something extraordinary.


    The descent tunnel had been blocked but the barrier showed signs of a devastating impact, rock melted and crystallized. A beam attack, it seemed from a high-rank beast.


    A guard hidden behind the rocks, quite frightened.


    The slope was frozen, she had to look through the gap and appear far away so he wouldn''t see her, though he really wasn''t paying much attention, the guard was more occupied trembling and hugging his beast with unintelligible murmurs.


    Had Ren really gone down so far?


    ''How could someone with a spore survive that?'' she wondered while silently advancing.


    She thought it would just be another case of juvenile stupidity but maybe this hadn''t had anything to do with him.

 Chapter 93 - Taming Investigation - 2

    Had Ren really gone down so far?''How could someone with a spore survive that?'' she wondered while silently advancing.


    She thought it would just be another case of juvenile stupidity but maybe this hadn''t had anything to do with him.


    The destruction became more evident as she descended.


    At 250 meters, the mana grew denser. Her beast was superior to most in its rank, but even it had limits. She could already feel the pressure building, and the fused worms at this depth were truly massive, their segmented bodies casting grotesque shadows in the dim yellow light.


    The tunnels here were wider, the work of greater worms and Living Tunnels.


    But it seemed the enormous beasts had hastily abandoned their galleries, half-built structures telling the story of a panicked flight. Something had scared even these territorial creatures from their domains.


    One suddenly emerged from a hole and nearly crushed her against a wall, forcing her to perform two consecutive blinks to evade its segmented body. The effort made her stop to catch her breath behind a rock formation, the mana pressing against her senses like a physical weight.


    When she was given her mission, she hadn''t expected to do this kind of thing...


    The worst part was that no one would know.


    No one except her handmaidens, of course.


    The thought almost made her smile, the girls everyone believed were simple noble followers were much more than they appeared, cousins and handmaidens.


    Three handmaidens for the three cousins, playing their parts perfectly in two teams... How had they already found the classroom, class, and school they were in? Was there a skilled spy in the school?


    Though the constant exchange of groups, pretending not to know each other... It was an entertaining game of actresses and also served as study for their future lives in high noble positions.


    Learning to act and be a spy was part of why she was here, after all, watching her cousin was her original mission.


    Though lately the headmaster, the only adult who knew the truth, seemed more interested in knowing about the mushroom boy than her cousin and the king''s daughter.


    It was fine. She wouldn''t have been able to fulfill the real mission anyway. She loved her cousins, besides...


    Her cousins had always been observant, even when pretending not to be. The mission would have failed.


    So the mission to watch Ren was better, she could take it more seriously and didn''t have to lie in the reports. But this no longer had anything to do with Ren either...


    ''How could he have reached so far down with just a spore? Impossible, this couldn''t have been his doing... My objectives seem to change too quickly. But I have to find out what happened here.''


    At 275 meters she found the first signs of deep Assassins, proboscis marks on the walls and remains of consumed prey. But something had driven them away. The territorial beasts had abandoned their usual hunting grounds.


    At 300 meters, the trail of destruction reached its climax.


    The mana was a bit denser now. Each blink required more concentration, and the rest periods between each use grew longer.


    A deep Assassin emerged from a corner, its proboscis extended.


    She remained completely still. Deep Assassins didn''t hunt by sight. They depended on detecting vibrations, and right now she wasn''t generating any.


    The Assassin moved slowly, its sensors sweeping the area.


    Her previous steps must have alerted it.


    When the beast came too close, she panicked, took a step back and used her ability, appearing several meters beyond. The Assassin advanced to the location of the last step and stopped, confused.


    Its prey''s vibrations had completely disappeared.


    The beast began moving in a search pattern, its sensors working methodically. She waited, studying its behavior.


    The Assassin approached again. This time, when she transported, she did it behind a rock formation she had been studying but it wasn''t perfect. The sound of her landing was muffled, but not far enough, the assassin felt it, she needed a more distant target to lose it.


    The beast turned instantly toward the new vibration, its proboscis cutting through the air where she had been a second before. Her next blink took her to a larger tunnel and she ran.


    The Assassin pursued her, guided by her footsteps'' vibrations.


    The signs of destruction were more evident here, pulverized walls and marks of recent combat.


    The Assassin kept chasing her, but something made it stop. Its sensors detected something else, something that made the beast instinctively back away.


    A roar shook the tunnels.


    The girl, not having to worry about the assassin now and confident in her skills, peered cautiously around a corner.


    A hydra, its two heads covered in recent wounds.


    Her mother had told her about them, but two heads meant gold rank, what was it doing so high up?


    Normal hydras only had one head and lived at around 1000 meters underground in the zone beneath the school, that was all that appeared in modern records.


    Information about multi-headed ones were relics of an earlier age, mentioned in texts so ancient that no one in Yano had bothered to verify.


    Her uncles or her father could have done it.


    Her father definitely had the power to obtain a hydra egg. But their interests had led them down other paths, to beasts they considered "better."


    No one had wanted the hard task, or risk their life if even a little, in an expedition beyond 2000 or 3000 meters of depth just for the possibility of finding a hydra egg.


    Its scales, beautiful as diamonds, gleamed weakly while it faced a figure she hadn''t noticed before.


    The man, if it was a man, had two beasts.


    The hydra attacked with one of its heads while the other tried to charge a ray. The man blocked the attack with his claws, the impact making the rock beneath his feet crack.


    She remained hidden, observing.


    The hydra was weakened, its movements slower than they should be, and the ray in its second head barely managed to form sparks.


    The man, on the other hand, seemed furious.


    "Where is it, idiot?" his voice resonated in the chamber. "How did you let them steal the egg? Now you''ll be my new egg, a plan B!"


    The hydra responded with another attack, but it was obvious it was rapidly losing strength. The man dodged and counterattacked with a brutal combination of his two beasts.


    Then, the golden hippogriff manifested completely outside his body, its 5-meter form filling the chamber.


    The abyssal scorpion remained fused with him, its influence evident, the mutations it caused different from anything she had seen in Yano.


    ''Yino,'' she thought while observing the mutation patterns. ''Father told me that only they have perfected fusion with abyssal beasts. He''s like those from the attack with Professor Zhao.''


    S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 94 - Taming Investigation - 3

    The golden hippogriff manifested completely outside his body, its 5-meter form filling the chamber.The abyssal scorpion remained fused with him, its influence evident in the way his body had transformed. The mutations it caused were different from anything she had seen in Yano.


    They weren''t subtle and stylized like their kingdom''s methods, these were more bestial, as if he was becoming the beast rather than merely controlling its power.


    ''Yino,'' she thought while observing the mutation patterns. ''Father told me that only they have perfected fusion with abyssal beasts. He''s like those from the attack with Professor Zhao.''


    The hippogriff launched forward with impossible speed, its massive form moving with a grace that defied its size. The hydra tried to defend itself, but its movements were already too slow.


    In an instant of perfect violence, the griffon''s claws cut cleanly through one of the hydra''s diamond necks.


    The girl held her breath, watching in horrified fascination. A hydra''s scales were legendary for their hardness, said to be impenetrable by normal weapons. That this man''s beast could slice through them so easily...


    The head fell with a dull thud while blood fountained from the severed neck. The hydra roared with its remaining head, a sound of agony and fury that echoed through the chamber.


    ''It will die soon,'' the girl realized.


    ''What a waste,'' she thought while watching the magnificent beast stagger. She herself had been lucky, her own beast was "superior" by current standards. But seeing this understudied creature, its beautiful gleam even in its moment of defeat...


    It was time to leave. She had enough information.


    If the man was strong enough to kill a two-headed hydra...


    The girl began her own ascent, processing what she had witnessed. The headmaster needed to know about this. The presence of someone from Yino with beasts of that level, the hydra, the mentioned egg...


    In her last glance at the scene, she saw something that made her blood freeze. The man had slightly turned his head, his eyes focusing for an instant on the spot where she had been observing.


    She began blinking backward, using her ability to move between visual anchor points. One blink, then another, each taking her further from the battle.


    Her heart pounding. He had noticed her, perhaps not clearly, but he had sensed her presence.


    ????


    The light filtering through the infirmary window made Ren blink.


    His head throbbed, but the effect of the potion they had given him was making the pain fade gradually.


    "Finally!" Taro almost jumped from his chair. "Are you okay? I thought you had died!"


    "What...?" Ren tried to sit up, but the world spun momentarily.


    "Stay still!" Taro gently pushed him back to the bed. "The nurse said mana poisoning is no joke. What were you thinking?"


    "Why are you here, the classes...?"


    "Did your brain melt? Wei isn''t at school today, remember?" Taro resettled in his chair. "And Lin left me here to wait for you to wake up and wait for punishment too... when she found out I helped you escape training."


    "Lin already knows about...?"


    "Oh, yes," Taro grimaced. "I confessed everything when she started threatening to triple my training and fail me in the battle unit. We were on our way when we saw you being carried out of the cave by the guards. But by then they were already bringing you to the infirmary."


    Ren closed his eyes, processing the information. "How angry is she?"


    "Let''s say when you return to training, you''ll wish you had died from poisoning."


    "Fantastic¡­"


    "And speaking of that..." Taro leaned forward, "what the hell happened down there? The guards seemed really shaken up."


    "It''s... complicated."


    "Complicated?" Taro raised an eyebrow. "Ren, you were foaming at the mouth. Your veins were glowing brighter than your mushrooms. They CARRIED you RUNNING to the infirmary."


    "I need a favor."


    "Oh no," Taro crossed his arms. "You''re not changing the subject that easily."


    "It''s important and urgent," Ren tried to sit up again, this time more slowly. "I need one of the processed crystals from my room. For today''s cultivation before Lin returns and I lose the whole day suffering." sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Taro looked at him as if he had grown a second head. "You''re joking, right?"


    "No, I''m serious."


    "You just woke up from mana poisoning!"


    "Exactly," Ren lowered his voice. "My body is more receptive now that the potion just finished its effect. It''s the perfect moment."


    "The perfect moment to do what? Die?"


    "Don''t be dramatic."


    "Dramatic?" Taro stood up, his beetle briefly manifesting from agitation. "You almost died!"


    "Shhh," Ren looked to one side. "The nurse will throw you out if you shout."


    "Good! Maybe she should throw your brains out too, since you''re clearly not using them!"


    "Taro..."


    "No," his friend shook his head. "I''m not going to help you kill yourself. I''ve had enough with lying to Lin. Do you know how terrifying she is when she''s angry?"


    "I do know¡­ I''ll owe you one."


    "You owe me like fifty!"


    "And I''ll take you to gold rank," Ren smiled weakly. "Please."


    Taro stared at him for a long moment, then looked aside feigning disinterest. "I don''t believe you... but fine. If you die, I get your stuff."


    "Deal."


    "And what you have in the bank."


    "Now you''re abusing."


    Taro sighed dramatically. "Fine. What do you need?"


    "The usual processed crystal," Ren lay back down. "And... one more thing."


    "What?"


    Ren smiled mysteriously.


    ????


    "A hydra?" Lin frowned while the guard finished his story. "Are you sure?"


    "Completely," the supervisor nodded. "Two heads, transparent scales. I''ve never seen anything like it... and for it to be so close to the surface..."


    "And you say it was chasing Ren specifically?"


    "Followed him until it had to return from lack of energy. The boy must have really bad luck for a beast of that level to waste so much energy in a place without mana in a chase... Or maybe it was good luck because he survived¡­"


    "...He even got us out of the initial surprise and suggested how to stop it. An interesting kid, shame about his beast, I guess he does have very bad luck... without doubt."


    Lin processed the information. Something didn''t add up. Ren wasn''t weak, but his beast was, even with all his training. How could he have found a hydra, how deep had he gone? And if that was the case... How had he survived so long at that depth?


    "Thank you for your time," she turned to leave, when something caught her attention.


    A presence in one of the nearby trees. This wasn''t the kind of concealment a normal student would use, there was something... semi-professional about it.


    Lin took off running to the guard''s surprise.

 Chapter 95 - Tamer Relay

    The presence vanished suddenly, as if it had never been there.Except Lin knew that sensation. Her crane partially manifested its wings and slightly elongated her legs while following the trail, her beast''s enhanced perception tracking the faintest disturbances in the air.


    A flash of movement to her right, someone appeared for an instant before vanishing again.


    "Interesting," Lin murmured. The jumps were becoming more abrupt now, almost clumsy in their haste. Whoever it was, they were more concerned with speed than subtlety.


    Another flash, this time to her left. Lin adjusted her course, her crane helping her maintain the pace while analyzing the pattern of movements.


    "Why the rush?" she whispered while following the flashes of movement, her experienced eyes noting how each jump seemed to cost the fleeing figure more effort than the last.


    The chase led them toward a more densely wooded section. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Clever," Lin had to admit it. "But not enough."


    ????


    The girl staggered upon appearing on the last branch before the administrative building.


    Her jumps had become clumsy, each transportation consuming more energy than the previous one.


    ''One last jump,'' she thought while focusing on the director''s window. Her beast protested, too many jumps in too little time, especially after the strain in the depths.


    "Your jumps are terrible today, I didn''t teach you to..." The director began, having perceived her long before she arrived.


    When she appeared inside the office, her legs gave way beneath her. She held onto the edge of the desk to avoid falling.


    The director rose alarmed. "What happened?"


    "I saw..."


    "Sit," the director quickly moved a chair toward her, his concern evident. "Are you hurt?"


    She shook her head while dropping into the chair. "Just... tired. Too many jumps."


    "Are you sure?"


    "Yes... I was following the mushroom boy as you asked," she began, her breathing still agitated. "He entered the caves this morning."


    "The caves?" the director frowned, but then remembered. "Ah, Wei is out today," his expression becoming understanding, "economic troubles. Wouldn''t be the first student trying to recover their investment working extra in the mines... But I don''t see how that''s reason to..."


    "It''s not that," the girl shook her head. "They carried him out unconscious. Mana poisoning."


    "What? How far did he go..."


    "But that''s not the important part either," she interrupted. "Yino," she managed between heavy breaths. "An agent... in the caves. About 300 meters deep."


    The director straightened immediately.


    "WHAT?! The boy went down to three hundred meters," the director almost shouted, then visibly controlled himself. "And you followed him there?"


    The girl nodded. "Partly yes, I don''t know how far down he fell... They carried him out unconscious, it must have been coincidence. Then ending in mana poisoning. But that''s not the important thing."


    "Of course it''s important," the director began pacing the office. "You were supposed to just watch a normal boy from a safe distance. If something had happened to you, your father would have..."


    "The Yino agent had two beasts, a gold rank hippogriff and an abyssal scorpion."


    The director stopped dead. "Explain."


    "Two beasts, a double tamer. And the scorpion mutation was unmistakable, only Yino has perfected that technique."


    "Did you discover what he was doing so close to the academy?"


    "He was fighting a hydra. With two heads."


    The director visibly paled. "A gold rank hydra? At 300 meters depth? Now you will tell me you engaged in combat?"


    "No," she quickly denied. "I stayed hidden. The agent... cut off one of the hydra''s heads. He was furious, looking for something. Mentioned an egg."


    The director approached his territory map, his mind working rapidly. "Did he see you?"


    "Almost. At the end... I think he sensed my presence."


    "By all the Dragons, how could you not¡­!" the director stopped himself, remembering who he was talking to. "This goes beyond watching a suspicious student. I shouldn''t have allowed..."


    "With all respect," she straightened in her chair, "this is what I''m training for."


    "Your father asked me to give you opportunities to improve your espionage skills," the director looked at her seriously. "Not to put you in the line of fire of a territorial conflict... You can be a noble house spy or in the kingdom of Yino when your father gives your hand, not in the deep caves at 10 years old... You put yourself in great danger and..."


    "And I''ve improved. Nothing is 100% safe... I managed to follow the boy, discovered the agent, and escaped without being detected. Well, almost."


    The director sighed. She was kind of right, but the idea that something might have happened to her... the repercussions would have been catastrophic.


    "Go to professor Yang," he finally said. "Tell him to start safeguarding the students of all years and alert the teachers, defense protocol."


    She stood up, her legs firmer now. "Will you go alone first?"


    "If Yino is moving pieces of that rank so close to the academy, they must have a bigger plan. Go with Yang, then rest. You''ve done enough for today."


    The girl nodded and headed for the door.


    "And..." the director stopped her, his tone softer, "good work. Though I''d prefer if next time you didn''t risk so much."


    A small smile appeared on her lips as she left.


    She knew she would keep taking some risks... It was part of her training and after all, she loved being a spy.


    The director waited for the door to close before taking out his special communicator.


    A Yino agent, a two-headed hydra, and always in the middle of everything...


    The mushroom boy had bad luck to always be in the wrong place at the wrong time.


    Outside, Lin observed from her tree, remaining perfectly still while processing what she had heard.


    ''A student trained by the director just as I train Ren... So it wasn''t just my student doing foolishness,'' she thought while watching the director make his calls. ''An enemy agent in our territory... The question is... What did you really find down there, Ren?''


    ????


    "Here you go!" Taro pulled out the crystal wrapped in black cloth and the tentacle from a bag. "And the other things you asked for."


    Ren took only the tentacle and crystal with trembling hands. "And the... Did you find them too?"


    "Yes," Taro nodded, nervously watching the infirmary door. "But I still think this is a terrible idea... If she arrives before you are done..."


    "Just don''t let them interrupt me for a few minutes, I''m faster at the process now and quieter."


    Ren turned to look at the busy nurse, unwrapped the crystal and positioned the tentacle over his stomach. He breathed deeply before beginning the absorption.

 Chapter 96 - Taming Thanks and Hugs

    Ren took only the tentacle and crystal with trembling hands. "And the... Did you find them too?""Yes," Taro nodded, nervously watching the infirmary door. "But I still think this is a terrible idea... If she arrives before..."


    "Just don''t let them interrupt me for a few minutes, I''m faster at the process now and quieter."


    Ren turned to look at the busy nurse, unwrapped the crystal, and positioned the tentacle over his stomach. He breathed deeply before beginning the absorption.


    The pain was immediate and intense, burning through his system like liquid fire. His veins began to glow as mana flowed through his system, creating intricate patterns under his skin. The tentacle worked frantically, absorbing the excess where the veins threatened to burst, its movements precise despite the chaotic energy flow.


    But after a few minutes, Taro finally couldn''t hide the glow in Ren''s veins from the nurse with his body anymore.


    "What are you doing?!" the nurse burst into their cubicle, her eyes widening with horror. "Stop immediately!"


    "He can''t!" Taro interposed himself in her path, arms spread wide. "He''s cultivating! If you interrupt him, he could get hurt!"


    "He just suffered mana poisoning and his veins are glowing again!" the nurse tried to get around Taro, her professional concern evident. "He needs medicine now!"


    "He''s perfectly fine!" Taro moved to block her again, almost tripping over a small table in his enthusiasm. "Just look!"


    "Step aside, young man!" the nurse pulled out a potion. "I need to give him this!"


    "No, no, no!" Taro waved his arms dramatically. "No potions! It would ruin the whole process!"


    The nurse tried to push Taro''s arm aside, who responded by hugging her tight, his face reddening at his own boldness.


    "This is ridiculous!" the nurse tried to remove Taro, who responded by spinning and hugging her from behind.


    "I am his designated bodyguard!" Taro continued hugging while the girl dragged him. "Officially appointed like... five minutes ago!"


    Meanwhile, Ren struggled to maintain concentration. The crystal was almost completely absorbed, but each second was a battle against searing pain. The tentacle moved constantly, following the points where mana threatened to saturate his veins with deadly precision.


    "Just a little more!" he shouted through clenched teeth.


    "See?!" Taro pointed dramatically toward Ren. "Just a little more!"


    "He''s a patient recovering from poisoning!"


    Ren let out a final gasp as the crystal finally dissolved completely. The tentacle made one last pass over his veins before becoming completely saturated.


    "Done," he sighed, falling back against the pillows.


    Taro and the nurse stopped mid-drag-fight.


    "See?" Taro smiled triumphantly. "Everything under control!"


    The nurse quickly approached to check on Ren. Her eyes widened in surprise when she noticed his vitals were... perfectly normal. Better than normal, in fact.


    "This is impossible," she murmured while checking his pupils. "A moment ago he was on the verge of collapse from mana saturation."


    "Cultivation can be like that," Ren smiled weakly. "Full of surprises."


    "And reckless idiots," added Taro, but he was smiling too.


    The tension in the room finally broke. The nurse even let out a small laugh while storing her unused potion.


    "It''s been a great day," Ren stretched, satisfied. The mushrooms in his hair pulsed with renewed energy.


    "The best," Taro nodded. "Escaped training, survived poisoning... And I hugged a pretty nurse!" he proclaimed proudly.


    The nurse gave him a gentle tap on the nose. "Very gallant, little one. But I''m a bit old for you."


    A shadow appeared in the doorway.


    The smile froze on Ren and Taro''s faces. Color drained from their cheeks so quickly that the nurse almost pulled out her potion again.


    Lin stood in the threshold, her expression unreadable.


    "So..." her voice was dangerously soft, "who escaped from training?"


    ????


    "What were you thinking?!" Lin paced in front of Ren''s bed. "How did you trick the guards?"


    "I didn''t trick anyone," Ren tried his best innocent face. "I just... took a shortcut."


    Lin pinched his cheek. Hard.


    "Ow, ow! Alright!" Ren rubbed his sore cheek. "I have... a small secret tunnel. Sometimes I go down to 150 or 200 meters. To get crystals."


    "A secret tunnel?" Lin''s eyes narrowed. "With all those minor and common worms around? With a beast that can barely process mana at that depth?"


    "It''s not so dangerous if you know the worms'' patterns and only stay there a while," Ren avoided her gaze. "Besides... I was looking for something special for you."


    "What thing?"


    "A crystal flower," Ren drew the shape in the air with his fingers. "It''s a very rare formation. The crystals grow in the shape of petals, but finding one is like..."


    "Like finding a five-leaf clover," completed Lin, still skeptical. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Exactly! But no luck again, I thought I''d have it in the new vein I found," Ren looked back. "Taro... Did you bring option B?"


    Taro cautiously peeked his head in. "The flowers? Yes, here..."


    Lin blushed slightly at seeing the small bouquet, but her expression hardened immediately. Her hand descended in a precise chop on Ren''s head.


    "Ow!"


    "The truth," she demanded. "What did you really go looking for?"


    "It was for the flower!" Ren rubbed his head. "Why does no one believe me when I try to say thanks?"


    "Maybe because the last time you tried to ''say thanks'' you also ended up trying to escape training," Lin extended her hand. "Show me what you found."


    "I didn''t find the flower, just the usual," Ren pointed to the shadow stalker skin bag that Taro had brought. "Just some crystals and deep earth. You can check."


    Lin examined the bag''s contents. Indeed, there were only common crystals and some dark earth.


    "All this risk for this?" she shook the bag. "Going so deep you ended up with mana poisoning?"


    "I need to gather a lot for my cultivation," Ren shrugged. "And the crystals..."


    "Then," Lin interrupted him, her voice dangerously soft, "what was all that about the hydra?"


    The color drained from Ren''s face. Taro, who had been listening from behind, almost dropped the small bouquet.


    "The... what?"


    ????


    The hydra lay motionless, its single remaining head lifeless. The man approached the body.


    "At least it won''t be a total waste," he murmured while beginning the extraction.


    A hydra core could become an egg again. He just needed another silver rank hydra and wait... Keep living in the damn caves for at least 10 extra days...


    Eating that garbage...


    Defecating and sleeping in the caves...


    "To hell with it! I''m going to recover that egg."


    The griffon''s claws sank into the crystallized skin, searching for the exact point where the core rested.

 Chapter 97 - Taming the Lurcher

    "To hell with it! I''m going to recover that egg."The griffon''s claws sank into the crystallized skin, searching for the exact point where the core rested.


    It shouldn''t be too difficult to recover it, but he couldn''t afford to lower his guard. Not after sensing someone watching him, that subtle presence that had almost escaped his notice.


    The claws found their target. The hydra''s core pulsed weakly, its power still active even after the beast''s death. Its last breaths resonating with diminishing strength.


    ''Someone was there,'' he thought while working. The mana marks in the air were subtle, small distortions where someone had transported themselves, like ripples in an invisible pond.


    ''A Will-o''-the-wisp spirit? A mineral light fairy? A shadow wolf?''


    All 3 were possibilities, but they had something in common... They were very expensive beasts, the kind only the truly privileged could afford.


    Well, the wolf depended on luck but was still quite expensive.


    The core finally yielded to his expert touch.


    Even if for some reason he couldn''t recover the egg, this would be his insurance.


    Transforming his mouth into the scorpion''s, he took a large piece of the hydra''s mana-rich flesh and consumed it, feeling the power course through his mutated body.


    The pathetic monsters at this depth would feast on the wounds he''d left in the hydra''s body... Some would surely rank up, they didn''t deserve it.


    Just like the idiot who stole the egg didn''t deserve it either.


    He stored the core in his backpack and began his ascent. The trail of the person who had watched them was clearer now that he approached the spot where he''d sensed the presence, small points where space had been briefly distorted by mana.


    Though honestly, it wasn''t necessary. Before him...


    The destruction the hydra had caused in its pursuit also marked a quite clear path.


    Pulverized walls, tunnels violently widened, telling the story of a desperate chase.


    ''Could it have been the same person?'' he wondered while climbing.


    At 200 meters he found the first signs of regular occupation, methodically worked tunnels, tool marks. He was entering mined territory.


    The frozen slope appeared before him at 150 meters.


    It seemed they had wanted the hydra to give up the chase.


    An improvised but effective idea, the ice was thick enough to make ascending complicated even for a beast of his level.


    But the most interesting thing was what he sensed on the other side.


    A presence hidden among the rocks. Weak, barely perceptible from this distance... bronze rank, probably. The scorpion stirred, eager to eliminate the witness.


    ''No,'' he thought while studying the situation. ''Could have information.''


    He pulled out his map, calculated his position and overlaid it with another that his employer had obtained from the city of Yano, studying his location carefully.


    ''The central academy,'' he realized with surprise. ''We''re under one of Yano''s most prestigious academies.''


    A smile formed on his lips. If the egg had made it up here, maybe recovering it wouldn''t be difficult. An institution full of weak students, with only a few professors dangerous to him.


    But then that presence could have been a rich student... It was particularly weak and didn''t seem to be hiding its mana.


    The presence on the other side of the slope moved slightly. A miserable school guard, perhaps? Someone in charge of stopping students, dealing with wretched worms or delaying hordes, surely... Even better, someone who had probably seen everything that happened.


    His scorpion fully manifested its tail, abyssal venom dripping softly.


    Time to ask some questions.


    ????


    "You see..." Ren tried his best innocent expression, "I was looking for the flower for you when I heard a roar and a strong vibration. I tried to return through my tunnel but it had partially collapsed..."


    Lin kept her eyes fixed on him, her expression skeptical.


    "So... I had to take the long way. Through the main slope, though I knew the guards would scold me," Ren continued, avoiding her gaze. "And well, that''s when the hydra saw me."


    "The hydra saw you?" Lin crossed her arms.


    "But it was very tired!" he added quickly. "Could barely move. That''s why I could escape."


    "And if you only did that much then why did you have such strong mana poisoning?"


    Ren started sweating. The mushrooms in his hair pulsed nervously while he searched for another credible explanation.


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    "Well, you see, when I was..."


    The sound of hurried footsteps in the hallway interrupted him.


    A group of students ran past the infirmary. Luna appeared in the doorway, her breathing agitated.


    "Everyone to the shelters," she announced, her usual composure replaced by contained urgency. "Master Yang is evacuating the students."


    Taro, who had been pretending to be invisible in a corner, straightened up. "Evacuating? Why?"


    Luna ignored him, her eyes fixed on Lin. Something silent passed between them. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I suspected as much," Lin stood up, her expression becoming serious. "It''s time."


    "Time for what?" Ren got up, but Lin gently pushed him toward Luna along with Taro.


    "You two," she pointed to Ren and Taro, "go with Luna to the shelters. No detours, no secret tunnels," she looked meaningfully at Ren, "straight to the shelters."


    "But..." Ren began.


    "This is not negotiable," Lin''s tone left no room for discussion. "I''m going with Yang. Luna, make sure they reach the shelter."


    Luna nodded while waiting at the door.


    "Lin," Ren called before she left, "what''s happening?"


    "With luck, nothing," she responded without turning. "With bad luck... well, that''s why we have shelters."


    "Teacher Lin!" Taro shouted.


    "Yes?"


    "Do you still want the flowers?"


    Lin disappeared down the hall without answering.


    "Move," Luna ordered. "And no walks like during the excursion, mushroom. It''s not time for your secret adventures."


    Ren and Taro exchanged looks while following Luna. More students ran through the hallways, some scared, others simply confused.


    "Hey," Taro whispered while they walked, "you think this has to do with your...?"


    Ren shook his head, silencing him. "I don''t know, but it shouldn''t be... if in the end it went back down¡­ But lie about it," he whispered.


    Something was happening. Something serious enough for Lin to leave her interrogation unfinished.


    And somehow, he had the feeling it was related to the strange behaviors in the depths.


    ????


    The tunnels were too quiet. The agent advanced cautiously.


    The guard he had interrogated was left lying motionless on the frozen slope, he had resisted until the end, not releasing information even when the abyssal venom had begun to corrode his organs.


    ''Tougher than he looked.''


    The hippogriff remained manifested, its senses alert. The scorpion pulsed restlessly under his skin, the abyssal mutations making it more sensitive to threats.


    ''Not a single guard,'' he thought while approaching the exit. The checkpoints were empty, the mana lamps still lit. As if everyone had suddenly disappeared.


    Daylight filtered through the mine entrance. Too bright after so long in darkness, he didn''t exit, his eyes would need time to adjust.


    He stopped several meters from the exit, keeping to the shadows. His beasts tensed, detecting something they couldn''t fully identify.


    The silence was unnatural. Not even the wind seemed to dare blow.

 Chapter 98 - Taming Suspicion

    Daylight filtered through the mine entrance. Too bright after so long in darkness, he didn''t exit, his eyes would need time to adjust to the harsh change.He stopped several meters from the exit, keeping to the shadows. His beasts tensed, detecting something they couldn''t fully identify.


    The silence was unnatural. Not even the wind seemed to dare blow.


    ''Too easy,'' his training screamed warnings. An academy doesn''t evacuate its mines without reason. Doesn''t leave its entrances unguarded for students to do foolish things.


    The hydra''s core weighed next to many others in his bag, a constant reminder of his partial failure.


    The egg remained lost, stolen by some fortunate thief who had stumbled upon his experiment.


    ''Should go back,'' he considered while studying the entrance. The mission was clear: find and secure specific beast cores. The egg was extra, and he could obtain it again.


    But pride...


    He had spent months preparing everything. Finding the right hydra, manipulating it to this vein, waiting for the egg to form. All ruined because he grew overconfident, because he hadn''t considered someone else might find such a small vein.


    ''The mission,'' he reminded himself. ''Focus on the mission.''


    The core was enough. He could find another hydra. The depths were full of them, with time and patience...


    ''But the thief is here,'' a voice whispered in his mind. ''Close. With my egg.''


    His beasts stirred restlessly, sensing his inner conflict.


    ''Return,'' his training insisted. ''Something is wrong. Go back and plan better.''


    He took one step back, determined to retreat.


    Then another.


    ''It''s the right thing,'' he thought. ''The sensible thing.''


    He turned toward the protective darkness of the tunnels.


    And then...


    "To hell with it," he muttered, turning sharply. "Nobody steals from me!"


    He took a step toward the light.


    The massive fireball consumed him instantly.


    ????


    The shelter was an impressive structure located behind the academy. Spacious chambers connected by well-lit tunnels now housed dozens of confused and nervous students.


    "Min!" Taro waved his arms upon seeing his friend. "Over here!"


    Min approached. "Anyone know what''s happening?"


    Ren watched as Luna was immediately surrounded by the two noble girls who always accompanied her. A second group of nobles joined them, exchanging quick whispers before dispersing as if they had never spoken.


    "It''s obvious, isn''t it?" Taro began, his voice adopting a conspiratorial tone. "All this is because of Ren''s mad scientist experiments."


    "What?" Min blinked in confusion.


    "Think about it!" Taro raised an accusing finger toward Ren. "Our room always smells like death and strange processing products!"


    "That''s because of the cultivation..." Ren began.


    "The mushrooms in his hair glow unnaturally!"


    "They''re naturally luminescent..."


    "And today he went down to the depths!" Taro was on a roll. "He must have activated some ancient device! The mine must be glowing right now, about to explode!"


    Liu arrived just in time to hear the last part. "What''s going to explode?"


    "The mine!" Taro grabbed Liu by the shoulders. "Ren accidentally filled it with strange fungi! Soon we''ll have giant mutant worms emerging everywhere!"


    "The worms are already quite big on their own..." Ren murmured.


    "Bigger!" Taro insisted. "With tentacles! And light rays!"


    Min tried to contain his laughter. "Light rays?"


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    "It''s the only explanation!" Taro began walking in circles. "Why else would they evacuate the entire academy?"


    Ren searched for Luna with his gaze, but she and her companions had disappeared into the crowd.


    "And that''s not all!" Taro continued his theory. "The fungi will ally with the worms! They''ll create an underground empire!"


    "Taro..." Min tried to interrupt.


    The mushrooms in Ren''s hair pulsed, as if finding the idea entertaining.


    "See!" Taro pointed at the mushrooms. "They''re communicating! Planning their revolution!"


    "If beasts were going to start a revolution," Min said thoughtfully, "don''t you think mushrooms and worms... such weak beasts would be the last ones to do it?"


    Liu pinched the bridge of his nose. "How did we get to this?"


    "Taro, you don''t need to invent ridiculous things to avoid telling them about the hydra because Lin already knows, and I didn''t do anything to make them shelter us, also that''s not what I meant by lying¡­ But if it makes you feel better," Ren smiled, "when the fungi take control, I''ll name you minister of conspiracy theories."


    "Ha!" Taro raised his fist triumphantly.


    ????


    Luna observed the crowd from an elevated corner of the shelter.


    A gold rank Yino agent, here, in Yano territory. The news transmitted through her handmaidens had left the group of cousins unsettled.


    ''Have they discovered us?'' her eyes moved among the students, evaluating. Her position at the academy was delicate, direct niece of the king but pretending to be just another noble.


    Several meters away, Princess Larissa pretended to be absorbed in a book. Her handmaidens and other cousin surrounded her, maintaining the image of a young noble studying even during a crisis. But her mind worked furiously.


    ''The underground labyrinth,'' Larissa thought while turning a page she wasn''t reading. The tunnels between Yino and Yano were an intricate system of passages and beasts.


    To enter from the other kingdom unseen, they would have to start very deep... gold or platinum rank depth.


    It was supposed to be impossible to navigate there without a precise map. And the maps... the maps were jealously guarded.


    Liora stayed close to Larissa while talking with a group of students. Her thoughts, however, were far from her current task.


    ''A gold rank resource,'' she calculated while smiling at the students. Yino wouldn''t waste such a valuable asset on a simple mission. Agents of that level were scarce, precious. Sending one so deep into enemy territory...


    Luna noticed a subtle signal from one of her handmaidens. Her eyes moved briefly toward Larissa, who had received a similar signal from her own group. Liora, without turning, moved a finger in a practiced pattern.


    ''What are they searching for?'' Luna returned to her thoughts. The agent had been in the depths, fighting a hydra. Why risk so much for a beast that, though rare, wasn''t particularly powerful?


    Larissa softly closed her book. ''How did they find a path? Did a traitor give them an accurate map?'' the question ate at her. The tunnels changed constantly, beasts altered routes, new passages formed while others collapsed. Even with a map, it was an extremely difficult task.


    Liora finished talking with the students. ''Why now?'' she wondered while pretending to check a list. The tension between Yino and Yano had always been present, but this... This was a significant escalation.


    The three cousins maintained their positions, separated but connected by their similar thoughts. Their handmaidens moved between them, exchanging signals so subtle they seemed casual, a book changed hands, a handkerchief folded in a certain way, a brooch adjusted in a specific pattern.


    Luna thought about compromised security. Larissa considered the treaty implications. Liora evaluated the political consequences.


    None looked directly at the others.


    Their beasts remained semi-manifested, each synchronized with its tamer but also alert to the others'' signals. Luna''s shadow wolf, Larissa''s Will-o''-the-wisp spirit, and Liora''s mineral light fairy, all part of the silent communication network they had perfected.


    The final question resonated in all three minds, though none expressed it:


    What if the real target wasn''t the hydra at all?

 Chapter 99 - Taming the Threat of War

    Director Ignatius waited hidden in the trees facing the mine entrance, his royal phoenix manifesting a golden aura that made each strand of his white hair shimmer with power.The bronze rank guards maintained their encirclement at a greater distance, their earth beasts would be useful for blocking retreat or providing support, but in direct combat against a gold rank tamer they would be little more than a hindrance.


    The supervisor, his ice penguin partially manifested, positioned himself hidden on the other side of the entrance. Silver rank 2, not enough to fight directly against a gold opponent, but he could provide support to the director who did have a gold rank creature.


    A presence moved inside the cave. The Director sensed it immediately, gold rank power was unmistakable, impossible to completely conceal.


    In Yino, where platinum rank was nonexistent¡­ that meant someone near the top of their hierarchy. Which made their presence here very problematic.


    His fingers tensed as he prepared an attack. The phoenix concentrated power in his hands and the temperature around the Director began to rise. Enjoy new stories from empire


    But the presence stopped.


    ''Detected the trap,'' thought the Director as he felt the intruder cautiously retreat. The tension in the air was almost palpable.


    Following them inside would be a terrible idea. Without a tamer of similar rank specialized in underground combat, the terrain advantages would be too great. Better to wait, to confront them he had to let them come out into open terrain.


    The seconds crawled like hours. The presence moved occasionally, evaluating, perhaps thinking it wouldn''t be worth it.


    ''Come out,'' the Director maintained his position. ''Save us the trouble of sending someone to follow you...''


    The situation required a permanent solution, a tamer of this level returning to Yino with information about the academy''s defenses would be too dangerous. Better to end this here, where the incident could be... contained.


    As if responding to his thought, the presence moved forward.


    The Director''s attack was instantaneous, releasing a massive wave of golden fire that consumed the mine entrance.


    The heat was so intense that the guards had to retreat further. The supervisor fully manifested his penguin, preparing for whatever would emerge from the flames.


    When the fire began to dissipate, a mound of earth exploded from the ground.


    The figure that emerged was a nightmare of flesh and chitin, a human grotesquely fused with an abyssal scorpion, the characteristic mutations of Yino taken to the extreme.


    A golden hippogriff manifested instantly at his side, its majestic form contrasting with its tamer''s monstrosity.


    The Director observed the transformation with a mixture of fascination and revulsion. Yino''s techniques for fusing with abyssal beasts had always seemed an abomination to him, an easy path to power that inevitably corrupted its users.


    The mercenary''s eyes opened with recognition. "The famous Director Ignatius Aurelius of the Imperial Academy of Yano," his voice sounded distorted by the mutations. "It''s an honor."


    Ignatius studied his opponent.


    "I can''t say the same," Director Ignatius responded, expanding his wings in threat. "Though clearly you''re someone of importance in Yino."


    An asset too valuable to let escape.


    "Me?" the mercenary pointed to his mutations with a pincer. "I''m just one more... just the result of embracing the true potential of abyssal beasts."


    "Is your presence here a declaration of war?" the Director kept his voice calm, but his mind worked rapidly. An agent of this level, so deep in enemy territory... the implications were worrying. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    His right hand moved in a subtle pattern. The bronze rank guards understood the signal and at the right moment, would seal the entrance. There would be no retreat.


    One wrong move and this could become the first act of a new war between kingdoms.


    "War?" the mercenary laughed, a horrible sound through his mutated jaw. "The war never really ended, did it? We''ve just been... preparing."


    "And I suppose," the Director observed the mutations with disgust, "those abominations are part of that preparation."


    "Abominations," the mercenary spat the word. "You and your pretense of purity. At least we don''t fear true power."


    "True power?" The Director maintained his condescending smile while taking a step forward. "Yino has always been... limited in that aspect. So many resources invested in aberrant experiments, so much forbidden research... and the result? Not a single platinum rank tamer."


    The mercenary''s crystalline pincers opened and closed rhythmically, a nervous tic that betrayed how much those words had affected him.


    "One platinum tamer?" he spat the words like venom. "Is that what gives you such confidence? A single double tamer holding up an entire kingdom?"


    "Isn''t that precisely what you fear? Our King''s capabilities... But let''s return to the important point... I''m surprised to find an agent of your level, a single agent near the academy... makes me wonder if Yino is really prepared for whatever it''s planning¡­"


    The guards sealed the entrance, their earth beasts manifesting to create interlocked barriers.


    "Oh, I see you want me to extend my visit."


    "We have plenty of ''hospitality'' for you so make yourself comfortable." Director Ignatius maintained his casual tone while golden flames danced between his fingers. "So answer! What does Yino seek by sending one of their gold rank tamers... alone?"


    "Alone?" The mercenary''s voice sounded distorted through his partially transformed jaw. "Do you think I''m alone in this, Director?"


    "Oh, I know perfectly well that you''re alone now," Ignatius let a condescending smile form on his lips. "The real question is why¡­ why send one of their precious experiments so deep into our territory?"


    "Precious?" The mercenary laughed, a metallic and fleshless sound. "Don''t overestimate me, Director. I''m just one of the many gold rank tamers that Yino regularly produces now."


    "Ah, so you admit they sent you?" Ignatius stepped forward, his phoenix spreading its wings in all its majesty. "Though you try to pass yourself off as one of many... your griffon betrays you. You''re one of their best, aren''t you? What a waste of potential, corrupted by those abyssal beasts..."


    "Waste? While Yano clings to its traditions, limiting itself to archaic beasts, Yino advances. Each year we produce more gold rank tamers, each month more double tamers join our ranks. And soon..."


    He paused dramatically, savoring the moment.


    "Soon our first triple tamers will be ready."

 Chapter 100 - Taming the Threat of War - 2

    "Waste? While Yano clings to its traditions, limiting itself to archaic beasts, Yino advances. Each year we produce more gold rank tamers, each month more double bearers join our ranks. And soon..."He paused dramatically, savoring the moment.


    "Soon our first triple bearers will be ready."


    The Director maintained his neutral expression, but his golden feathers bristled slightly at the revelation. Triple tamers were theoretically possible, of course, but the cost, the risk of uncontrolled mutation...


    "Triples?" He recovered quickly, his voice laden with disdain. "It doesn''t matter if they can bear three beasts or five, if they''re all those abyssal corruptions you so love to create. A true tamer with a pure beast will always be superior."


    The mercenary''s laughter echoed through the clearing, a sound that made several guards shudder.


    "A true tamer? Like your precious king? I suppose it has merit that he''s a double tamer too but... It must be... lonely, Director. Being so limited, so tied to the old traditions. But times change, old man... "


    "¡­A single platinum rank warrior holding up an entire kingdom? Yino no longer depends on exceptional individuals. We have something better, numbers."


    "And you think numbers compensate for quality?" Ignatius allowed more power to flow into his flames. "If you were facing our King right now, you''d already be dead. It doesn''t matter if you bear five beasts or ten, they''re all corruptions of simple silver rank, nothing compared to a single one of his pure beasts of true power."


    The mercenary''s smile widened, showing teeth altered by mutations. "Oh, but the King isn''t here, is he? In fact," his eyes gleamed with malice, "we know perfectly well that he''s not even in the kingdom."


    Ignatius maintained his neutral expression, but his mind worked rapidly. If Yino knew that...


    "It must be... lonely, Director, being so limited to a single beast... Not like your ''great'' absent King."


    "It must be LONELY," continued the mercenary theatrically, "to depend so much on ONE, SINGLE warrior. What will happen when our triple bearers are ready? When we have three gold tamers for every one of yours?"


    "I thought you would understand it better as the tamer of that griffon, but I see now that you don''t... Let me show you," Ignatius let his power manifest fully, his majestic phoenix enveloping the area in golden flames, "the difference between your imitations and a true bond with a pure beast."


    The supervisor extended his hand as his penguin fully materialized, covering the ground with a thick layer of ice that gleamed under the sunlight.


    "No more tricks underground," murmured the supervisor, his eyes fixed on the mutated agent.


    The director released a powerful flow of fire toward the mercenary.


    The mercenary evaluated the situation in an instant.


    "Defend me!" ordered to his hippogriff while he himself leaped to the side.


    The golden flames of Ignatius''s phoenix met the hippogriff''s wind flow. The resulting explosion shook nearby trees, creating a shockwave that made the guards stagger.


    The mercenary took advantage of the distraction to bury his legs in the ice. His mutations allowed him to break it enough to use the hole as a foothold and launch himself at dizzying speed toward the supervisor.


    The supervisor reacted on instinct. His penguin created a barrier of ice stalactites that emerged from the ground like spears. The mercenary twisted between them with unnatural grace, his body contorting in ways no normal human could imitate.


    "Too slow!" The mercenary appeared before the supervisor, his scorpion tail emerging from his back like lightning.


    The supervisor barely had time to create an ice shield. The stinger pierced through it like paper, stopping millimeters from his throat.


    He began to overpower him and push forward, the ice cracking. It seemed the mercenary''s power boosts were far superior to the supervisor''s.


    "Pathetic," the mercenary smiled with his mutated teeth while advancing his pincers. "A silver rank 2 and yet your strength is..."


    A column of golden fire fell from the sky, forcing the mercenary to jump back. The ice beneath his feet evaporated instantly, creating a vapor curtain that momentarily obscured the battlefield.


    "Did you forget who you''re fighting?" Ignatius''s voice resonated as his phoenix descended, its wings extended creating a wall of golden flames.


    The mercenary landed beside his hippogriff, which alone, had been forced to retreat.


    "I wanted to regain ground control, Director," the mercenary flexed his pincers as more plates sprouted from his skin. "A valid tactic against your fire powers, don''t you think?"


    Ignatius''s golden flames intensified until the air itself seemed to distort with heat. "Show me then, Yino experiment, if your tactics have a future while you ignore me."


    "Of course I will... My future and Yino''s are bright after all."


    "The future," murmured Ignatius while his phoenix manifested its complete form, "belongs to those who respect the true bond between tamer and beast. Not to those who debase themselves into monsters."


    ????


    Luna was concentrated on exchanging discrete signals with her cousins when she felt a light touch on her shoulder. The mushrooms in Ren''s hair pulsed softly as she turned, startled at not having sensed him approach due to her distraction.


    "Do you know what''s happening?" asked Ren with a casual smile, as if he hadn''t just penetrated her entire surveillance system undetected.


    Luna quickly composed herself, her shadow twisting uncomfortably. "No, I don''t know anything," she responded curtly. "Now leave."


    "Lie," Ren smiled more widely with what appeared to be amusement. "Also, what are you doing?"


    Luna''s face tinged slightly red, remembering the last time Ren had discovered her ability to detect lies. The proximity in his room, the misunderstanding with his companions...


    "What I do or don''t do is none of your business, fungus," she responded brusquely, crossing her arms. "And ''also'', this has nothing to do with you."


    "Also a lie," Ren laughed, imitating the casual posture she usually used when interrogating him.


    "You''re exchanging information with them," he discreetly pointed to the other nobles, "using rather elaborate mana signals... What do they mean?"


    Luna clenched her fists, irritated at having her own tactics used against her. "I don''t care what you think you see. Leave, I don''t want to see you and I''m not interested in you."


    The mushrooms pulsed more intensely while Ren raised an eyebrow. "Wait, that''s a lie... Triple lie. That must be some kind of record... And you''re... interested in me?"


    "Enough!" Luna turned to her handmaidens, who had been watching the exchange with carefully neutral expressions. "Deal with him."


    The "noble students" moved with a grace that revealed training beyond mere noble posture. In seconds, they formed a perfect barrier between Luna and Ren.


    "We suggest you withdraw," one of them said in a soft but firm voice.


    "Oh," Ren studied them with genuine interest.


    "Out!" Luna interrupted before he could talk again, her face now definitely flushed.


    "As you wish," Ren stepped away from the wall with a small mocking bow. "Though you know I''ll eventually discover what''s happening. I''m quite good at finding secrets and lies lately."


    Luna watched his back as he walked away, her handmaidens maintaining their protective formation. Only when he was far enough away did she allow herself to release a sigh of frustration.


    "My lady," one of her handmaidens approached discreetly. "Do you want us to keep him under surveillance?"


    "No," Luna massaged her temples. "Watched he is... Just... keep him away. He''s too..." she stopped, searching for the right word. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Observant?" suggested a handmaiden.


    "Cute? Your type?" suggested another handmaiden with what seemed to be a hint of amusement.


    "Irritating," corrected Luna, sending a murderous glare to her maid, though the blush on her cheeks contradicted her words.


    Her handmaidens exchanged knowing looks but maintained their professional posture. After all, part of their training included knowing when their lady was lying.


    And at that moment, all indicators suggested that "irritating" wasn''t precisely the word Luna had wanted to use.

 Chapter 101 - Taming the Threat of War - 3

    Ren was walking away with a small smile, the mushrooms in his hair still pulsing with amusement at Luna''s reaction, when a soft roar made him stop.Klein''s golden lion shone with an intense aura while its tamer blocked the hallway.


    "Hey, fungus," Klein stepped forward, his voice trying to sound threatening though the effect was somewhat lost due to his still childish tone. "What do you think you''re doing getting so close to Luna?"


    The nearby students began paying attention, some discreetly, others not so much. The air grew thick with anticipation.


    Klein advanced with the confidence that only the heir of the Goldcrest family could possess, each step measured and deliberate.


    The mushrooms in Ren''s hair pulsed while analyzing the mana patterns. The golden lion was an impressive beast, though its current manifestation revealed some inefficiencies in its cultivation... If it continued like that the main line would be lost at silver rank...


    "We were just talking," Ren maintained his casual tone, though he noticed several students beginning to form a circle around them, anticipating trouble.


    "Luna doesn''t need to ''talk'' with plebeians like you," Klein took another step forward, his lion rumbling softly.


    Ren took a small step back. Not from fear, but from habit after so much training with Lin.


    "She belongs to me."


    Ren blinked, genuinely confused. "Belongs to you? Can people belong to other people?"


    "Don''t play dumb!" Klein clenched his fists. "My father told me. Luna will be my fianc¨¦e when we''re older, so she''s mine. It''s the natural order of things, noble families like the Goldcrests and Starweavers are destined to unite."


    "Oh," Ren tilted his head, thoughtful. "But my mother says people can''t belong to anyone. She says everyone owns themselves and thinking differently is... what was the word?" the mushrooms pulsed as if helping him remember. "Ah yes! Halfwitted."


    Klein''s smile froze. "What did you say?"


    The golden lion roared more forcefully, its mane glowing with threatening intensity. The students took a step back, but Ren stood firm.


    "What could your mother know?" Klein spat the words.


    "My mother knows many things," Ren frowned, the mushrooms in his hair pulsing more intensely. "She knows how to cook for many people, she knows how to tell stories, she knows how to make people smile... And she definitely seems to know more than your father about people."


    Klein turned red with fury. "Don''t you dare insult my father, filthy plebeian! So she''s just a plebeian cooking in some miserable restaurant. My father is the leader of the Goldcrest family. He understands how the world really works!" sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The mushrooms in Ren''s hair pulsed with even more intensity. "My mother knows that people''s smiles can''t be forced. And Luna definitely doesn''t seem very happy or smiley when you''re around!"


    Klein turned even redder. His lion extended its claws. "Don''t you dare talk as if you knew her! Luna is destined to be with me! It''s the wish of our families!"


    "What about her wish?" Ren tilted his head. "Have you ever asked her what she wants?"


    "I don''t need to ask her!" Klein took another threatening step. "It''s her duty as a noble! Something a miserable plebeian with a pathetic beast would never understand!"


    "I think you''re the one who doesn''t understand," Ren smiled. "People aren''t objects you can claim just because your father says so. Even a ''plebeian'' like me can see that... Or do you belong to your father?"


    "It''s different!" Klein advanced another step. "You don''t understand anything! You...!"


    The golden lion roared with all its might, making several students cover their ears.


    "You...!"


    "I what?" Ren maintained his smile, though his muscles tensed preparing to dodge if necessary. Training with Lin had taught him to always be ready.


    Klein raised a fist, his face contorted in a childish fury. "I''m going to teach you your place, fungus..."


    The ground shook violently, interrupting his threat. Students stumbled, surprised by the sudden tremor.


    The mushrooms in Ren''s hair pulsed with alarm. This wasn''t an ordinary earthquake...


    Another shake, stronger than the previous one, made the shelter''s lights flicker.


    Ren and Klein exchanged one last look. Their personal dispute suddenly seemed much less important.


    "This isn''t over," Klein backed away, though his voice had lost some of its previous conviction. "Don''t think..."


    A third shake interrupted him. This time, even the shelter''s protective barriers flickered.


    The students began to murmur nervously.


    ????


    Moments before...


    "Your hippogriff fights pathetically without its tamer''s guidance," Ignatius observed while his phoenix''s golden flames forced the beast to retreat.


    "Is that why you resort to those abyssal aberrations? Because you don''t know how to properly use pure beasts?"


    The mercenary smiled. "You''re right," he admitted while watching his hippogriff. "I made the mistake of leaving the worst to my griffon while trying to quickly eliminate the weakling with the penguin..."


    His eyes narrowed, the scorpion mutations glowing with a threatening tone. "I shouldn''t have underestimated the difference between a beast guided by its master and one acting alone."


    The supervisor, still maintaining his ice barrier, noticed something strange in the mercenary''s tone. "Director, careful!"


    But Ignatius had already perceived it. The mana around the mercenary began flowing differently, as if it were...


    "Come," the mercenary extended his arms. The golden hippogriff instantly stopped fighting, transforming into pure light that flowed toward its tamer.


    The scorpion''s features were violently expelled from the mercenary''s body. The abyssal beast fully materialized, its monstrous form immediately launching against the supervisor.


    The mercenary''s body transformed again, but this time it was different. Where there had been grotesque plates before, now golden feathers sprouted following natural lines. His arms were covered in brilliant plumage while noble claws replaced the crystalline pincers.


    "This..." Ignatius observed the transformation with genuine interest, "looks more like a true tamer''s fusion."


    The mercenary extended his newly formed wings on his arms, each feather glowing with contained power. The transformation was elegant, almost beautiful in its symmetry. "Isn''t it?" he smiled, his features now more avian like the director''s but maintaining a harmonic balance with his human form.


    "Although..." his smile widened, "one of the things my body learned after so many abyssal ''experiments'' is how to extract... more."

 Chapter 102 - Taming the Threat of War - 4

    "This..." Ignatius observed the transformation with genuine interest, "looks more like a true tamer''s fusion."The mercenary extended his newly formed wings on his arms, each feather glowing with contained power. The transformation was elegant, almost beautiful in its symmetry.


    "Isn''t it?" he smiled, his features now more avian like the director''s but maintaining a harmonic balance with his human form.


    "Although..." his smile widened, "one of the things my body learned after so many abyssal ''experiments'' is how to extract... more."


    Ignatius barely had time to react.


    The mercenary''s golden claws passed grazing his face as he threw himself backward. The Director used his own phoenix claws, blocking the second attack by millimeters, golden feathers clashing against golden feathers.


    The mercenary feathers began to glow with more intensity. He arched his back as his transformation continued, pushing beyond natural limits. The air itself seemed to distort around him as his body reshaped itself.


    His arms, locked in a contest of strength with the director, lengthened and broadened, the transformation defying human anatomy.


    "Impressive, isn''t it?" The mercenary pressed forward, gaining ground in strength against the director. "When you truly accept becoming one with your beast, when you let the transformation reach its end..."


    His claws lengthened further, digging into the director''s skin, his face deforming slightly as a golden beak emerged, reshaping his features into something between human and raptor.


    "This is an abomination!" Ignatius manifested more power in his feathers which burst into flames. "You''re perverting the sacred bond between tamer and beast!"


    "Perverting it?" The mercenary pushed, his strength now far superior to before. "We''re improving it!"


    "Don''t think," Ignatius counterattacked by wrapping his hands in flames, "that just because you look more like a beast means it''s better."


    Their claws fought wind magic against fire magic, creating shockwaves that made nearby trees tremble. Each clash sent sparks of golden energy cascading through the air.


    "A true bond is about balance, about maintaining your humanity while channeling your beast''s power."


    The mercenary laughed while fighting the blaze. "Humanity? What good is humanity when you can be something superior?"


    Several meters away, the supervisor fought against the abyssal scorpion. The beast was slower without its tamer, but its venom made each exchange mortally dangerous, forcing the supervisor to maintain constant vigilance.


    "Look at what we''ve achieved," the mercenary nodded toward his golden wings that were beginning to separate from his arms while continuing to press his attack. "Two beasts, complete transformation, and soon..." his wind power began to gain ground and managed to graze Ignatius''s shoulder, "we''ll have tamers capable of fusing with three."


    Ignatius retreated further, feeling the cut on his shoulder. It was superficial, but the fact that it had connected was worrying. "All I see is someone who has forgotten what it means to be a tamer."


    The golden flames of his phoenix intensified, creating an aura that made the mercenary step back for the first time and sealed Ignatius wounds. "A true tamer guides their beast, doesn''t become one."


    "Empty words from someone limited by obsolete traditions," the mercenary began to gain ground again by generating thrust with his now separate wings. "I''ll show you the true power you achieve when you fully embrace the transformation."


    The mercenary''s golden wings began launching cuts at Ignatius while his own arms, covered in denser feathers, kept his hands trapped. Each wing moved independently, creating a storm of slashing attacks from multiple angles.


    "You see?" he smiled while his wings attacked independently. "You talk of nobility, of purity... but your transformation is limited, incomplete."


    Ignatius could only manifest his claws and wings on the same pair of arms. His movements lacked the versatility of his opponent, forced to choose between offense and defense with each motion.


    "Look at your form," the mercenary fully extended his 2 extra upper appendages. "So attached to human anatomy... don''t you see the irony? You boast of nobility but move further from the truly noble ones."


    "What are you talking about?" Ignatius created a mane of flames to block the wind attacks but some still got through, leaving shallow cuts across his defenses.


    "The dragons," the mercenary broke through the fire using his wings. "The true lords of beasts. Six appendages, not four. My base hippogriff and this form are closer to divinity than your ''pure'' transformation."


    The Director was reduced to focusing on his phoenix''s regeneration against the avalanche of attacks coming from multiple angles. The mercenary''s wings not only gave him superior mobility but functioned as additional limbs in combat, each one capable of launching its own deadly attacks.


    Meanwhile, the supervisor struggled to keep the abyssal scorpion at bay. His silver rank 2 penguin created increasingly thin ice barriers while the silver rank 3 beast systematically destroyed them, each impact weakening the defensive line.


    "Maintain the perimeter!" he shouted to the guards who were fighting to contain the fires caused by the Director''s golden flames. Their earth beasts worked frantically, digging trenches and raising barriers to prevent the fire from spreading toward more trees and other parts of the academy.


    "Your pure beast is failing," the mercenary pointed toward the supervisor. "Your subordinate will die soon. The rank difference is evident, and abyssal beasts are superior in endurance."


    As if to emphasize his words, the scorpion broke through another ice barrier. Its stinger passed dangerously close to the supervisor''s face, who barely managed to create a shield in time.


    "Your methods are obsolete, Director, the future belongs to those who are willing to truly evolve."


    Ignatius tried to increase the power of his golden flames, but it became increasingly difficult to maintain regeneration. The mercenary was right, the ability to use his wings and arms independently gave him a significant tactical advantage.


    A cry of pain pierced the battlefield. The scorpion had managed to graze the supervisor''s arm with its venom. The supervisor froze his arm at the point of impact but...


    The ice around the venom began to crystallize, the corrosion spreading rapidly. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Supervisor!" shouted one of the guards, but they couldn''t abandon their position. If the golden fire spread beyond the perimeter, the entire academy would be in danger.


    The scorpion prepared its final blow. The supervisor, partially paralyzed by the venom, could barely maintain a weak ice barrier.


    "Kill him already!" The stinger descended like a chitinous lightning bolt.

 Chapter 103 - Taming the Threat of War - 5

    "Supervisor!" one of the guards shouted, but they couldn''t abandon their position. If the golden fire spread beyond the perimeter, the entire academy would be in danger.The scorpion prepared its final blow. The supervisor, partially paralyzed by the venom, could barely maintain a weak ice barrier.


    "Kill him already!" The stinger descended like a chitinous lightning bolt.


    He just had to finish off the only silver rank and then the scorpion could help him with the director to clear the path.


    But a mass of living rock intercepted the attack.


    Professor Yang''s stone behemoth struck the scorpion, its massive fist absorbing the venomous stinger''s impact without difficulty, the crystalline substance barely marking its rocky surface.


    "Sorry I''m late," Yang helped the supervisor to his feet while his beast kept the scorpion at bay. "The students are safe, protected by the other professors in the shelter."


    The mercenary clicked his tongue in annoyance. "More unnecessary interference..."


    Yang''s presence manifested as a wave of silver rank power that made the agent turn his head slightly. His enhanced senses clearly detected the threat level. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ''Another silver,'' he evaluated while mentally directing his scorpion toward the new threat. ''The behemoth is slightly stronger than the penguin, it''ll be a problem for the scorpion, not that there aren''t more enemies but...''


    His eyes briefly moved toward some of the bronze rank guards still containing the fires. He didn''t even bother tracking them, their attacks would barely scratch his golden feathers.


    ''But the silvers could pierce my defense, and if they work together with the director...'' his wings tensed while calculating. ''I need to end this quickly.''


    The scorpion launched itself against the behemoth, its stinger seeking weak points in the living rock. Yang retreated, dragging the supervisor, coordinating his beast to keep the abyssal creature at bay.


    "No more games, Director!" The mercenary beat his wings with more force and urgency, creating a wind gust that reduced Ignatius''s golden flames.


    The Director was momentarily exposed, his flames unable to reform quickly enough against the cutting wind.


    ''He''s mine,'' the mercenary smiled. Without the Director''s gold rank power, most silvers wouldn''t pose a threat. He could recover his egg and retreat before the king''s aid...


    Something was wrong.


    The Director was smiling.


    It was just an instant, a slight pull of his lips, but the mercenary noticed. His senses tried to expand, to search for the trap, but...


    CRACK!


    A brutal force impacted against his leg from behind his knee. His legs, transformed with the hippogriff''s power withstood most of the damage, but buckled under the precise strike. Continue reading on empire


    The mercenary lost his balance, his wings desperately trying to compensate. ''What...? How didn''t I sense...?''


    Lin rolled on the ground, her crane manifested elongating and especially increasing the power of her legs. The kick had been perfect, all her beast''s strength concentrated in a single impact point.


    In the mercenary''s fall, Lin took advantage of her low position to execute an impossible spin, her transformed leg connecting brutally with the agent''s jaw-beak. The impact was devastating, making the mercenary''s head violently snap back.


    The Director''s right hand broke free and his claws descended like a golden lightning bolt.


    Through his blurred vision, the agent saw the Director lunge, his golden claws aiming straight for his throat. Consciousness was slipping away, Lin''s strike had been calculated to knock out...


    He managed to cover himself at the last moment, though the cost...


    Blood and golden feathers filled the air as the mercenary''s arm fell severed.


    The pain helped him overcome his blurred vision with adrenaline, he saw the Director lunging forward, his golden claws aiming again straight for his throat.


    ''I still have that... But I''ll fail my mission, should keep this secret... But is my life of lesser value? NO, TO HELL WITH THAT!''


    His wings extended with a burst of power, creating a wind wave so intense that both Lin and Ignatius were pushed back at the last moment.


    "Damn you!" the mercenary roared while his scorpion dissolved into a sphere of violet light that returned to his body. His wings didn''t stop beating with great force, maintaining distance while from his bleeding stump emerged a pincer that replaced the wound.


    "You asked for it!" his voice sounded distorted by rage and the mixed power of both beasts.


    ''Want to know how I got this far, Director? How I could map the depths without the changing tunnels losing me?'' The mercenary thought.


    The air began to vibrate with a strange energy while the mercenary pulled out a sphere from his bag that glowed with a purple aura and fed it with mana.


    ''The abyssal veins never change! And right below gold rank, before beasts reach platinum and can cross the barrier... exists the abyssal layer.''


    The earth beneath their feet began to shake. Lin and the Director exchanged worried looks.


    Ignatius narrowed his eyes, studying the mana patterns emanating from the mercenary. The energy had a... familiar behavior. Something he had read the theory of in ancient tomes, in the kingdom''s oldest archives.


    "So this is it," he murmured while intensifying his flames and trying to resist the wind. "Not only did they tame abyssal beasts... they found a way to navigate the abyss itself."


    The mercenary didn''t respond, but his smile widened. His wings beat harder while the tremor increased.


    ''Only we can navigate that 500-meter layer! From 1,500 to 2,000 meters deep, where the endless hordes of monsters make passage impossible for others!''


    "The layer between gold and platinum," the Director advanced, managing to push despite the cutting wind, his flames growing in intensity. "Where the hordes make passage impossible for those below platinum rank..."


    His smile turned savage while the tremor increased.


    "That''s how you could map the changing depths and get here," Ignatius felt how the beasts in the lower levels stirred, responding to a frequency that only they could fully perceive.


    "Hahaha, damn perceptive old man... That''s right! Know why? Because they recognize us as their comrades! The abyssals know we''re their brothers! So say goodbye to your security, we''ll always have ways to reach you when you least expect it!"


    The wind intensified while the mercenary''s violet aura grew. He no longer tried to hide his connection to the abyss, each beat of his mutations making the earth shake with more force.


    Ignatius concentrated all his power, his phoenix''s golden flames reaching a blinding intensity as he prepared for his most powerful attack. The heat was so intense that the surrounding trees began to wither, their leaves curling and blackening.


    He had to stop him no matter what.

 Chapter 104 - Taming Aliens

    The wind intensified while the mercenary''s violet aura grew. He no longer tried to hide his connection to the abyss, each beat of his mutations making the earth shake with more force.Ignatius concentrated all his power, his phoenix''s golden flames reaching a blinding intensity as he prepared for his most powerful attack. The heat was so intense that the surrounding trees began to wither, their leaves curling and blackening.


    He had to stop him no matter what.


    Yino had found a way to navigate the 500 meters of the abyss. The space where only abyssal creatures reigned. But if the mercenary had made the first map...


    Then perhaps it could still be destroyed before others followed his path.


    Ignatius released all his power in a wave of golden fire.


    For a moment, the battlefield transformed into an inferno of light and heat while both forces fought for supremacy.


    With a roar that made the trees tremble, the Director managed to pierce through the wind barrier... but when the flames dissipated, the mercenary had vanished.


    In his place, a hole gaped in the earth. The tremor intensified while the echo of distant laughter resonated from the depths, a sound that seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere at once.


    "He''s gone," Lin approached the hole''s edge. "Straight to the depths."


    Ignatius took a step toward the hole, but his legs trembled slightly. The prolonged use of so much power had taken its toll, golden feathers falling from his partially manifested form.


    "No," Lin put a hand on his shoulder. "Going down now would be suicide. You have no earth specialty and you''re exhausted."


    "But if he escapes..." the Director clenched his fists, his golden flames flickering weakly like dying embers.


    "Director," Yang approached, carrying the unconscious supervisor. The areas affected by the venom had expanded, covering much of his side with an otherworldly gleam. "We need help here."


    Ignatius quickly evaluated the situation. His flames could neutralize the venom.


    "Maintain the perimeter watched," he ordered while kneeling beside the supervisor. His hands glowed with a softer, more controlled fire that danced across the infected areas.


    Lin and Yang organized the remaining guards. The stone behemoth positioned itself near the hole while the earth beasts reinforced the defensive positions, creating overlapping fields of protection.


    The Director''s golden fire worked methodically, burning away the venom and healing the underlying tissue. Drops of sweat ran down his forehead, he had little energy left after his massive attacks.


    A roar emerged from the depths, the sound unlike anything they''d heard around the normal academy depths.


    "They''re coming!" shouted one of the guards, his earth beast trembling at the alien sound.


    The first beast emerged from the hole like a twisted shadow. Its body, a mass of chitin and tissue, barely had time to touch the ground before the Director''s flames consumed it, the creature''s death scream echoing unnaturally.


    He had finished healing the supervisor just in time.


    But the creature wasn''t alone.


    More beasts began to emerge, each more grotesque than the last. Yang''s behemoth crushed several with its massive fists while Lin used her crane-enhanced speed to intercept and drive back those trying to flank their position.


    A new roar, this time from another direction, this one deeper and more resonant.


    "Sir!" one of the guards pointed east. "They''re emerging from the ground making new entrances!"


    Lin cursed while kicking away a beast that tried to surprise her from behind. The monsters were using the mining tunnels, emerging through multiple points in a coordinated attack pattern.


    "The shelter," her eyes widened with concern. "Ren and the other children..."


    ????


    The impacts started as subtle vibrations beneath their feet, like the prelude to an earthquake.


    The mushrooms in Ren''s hair pulsed with alarm, detecting something moving under the shelter''s floor, something that made their usual patterns fluctuate erratically.


    "What is that?" Klein whispered, his previous bravado forgotten in the face of the unknown.


    The impacts intensified. Some students began to murmur with concern.


    "Keep calm!" A Professor''s voice resonated through the chamber. "This shelter was designed to resist any emergency. The walls are made with several meters of reinforced solid rock."


    Another impact, stronger. Ren''s mushrooms pulsed with increasing intensity, their glow taking on an unusual pattern.


    "Even if it were a worm invasion," continued the professor while other teachers organized the older students into defensive formations, "the black earth layer in the construction makes it impossible for them to penetrate. It''s completely safe."


    Klein stepped forward, his eyes fixed on the floor, all thoughts of his earlier confrontation with Ren forgotten in the face of a greater threat.


    "Professor," he called with tense voice. "But look at the floor..."


    Ren saw it at the same time. A crack, barely visible, beginning to form in the solid rock. The mushrooms in his hair pulsed, as if detecting something completely alien to their knowledge base.


    "Impossible," murmured the professor, approaching to inspect. "This rock is specifically treated to..."


    Another crack appeared, connecting with the first one.


    Ren''s mushrooms pulsed with more urgency. The mana pattern they detected wasn''t natural, wasn''t like anything they had encountered in the mines.


    "Professor," Ren stepped back. "Those aren''t worms."


    As if confirming his words, more cracks began to appear.


    Klein retreated as well, his lion covering him protectively. Ren saw genuine fear in the noble''s eyes, all pretense of superiority forgotten.


    "Everyone back!" The professor began manifesting his beast.


    The tremors ceased abruptly. A heavy silence fell over the shelter while students held their breath, the only sound the subtle hum of manifested beasts.


    "Is it... over?" Klein murmured, his golden lion still alert, its mane bristling with tension.


    The crystalline cracks in the floor began to expand again.


    "Maintain distance!" S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Min and Taro came running, their faces pale with fear.


    "Ren!" Taro stopped beside him, his beetle manifesting from nervousness. "Only you can know what''s..."


    The floor exploded.


    The first creature that emerged made Ren''s mushrooms pulse with total confusion. Its body was a vertical column of translucent purple tissue, with no distinguishable head, just a series of concentric rings that pulsed with their own light.


    From its center emerged tentacles.


    "By all the..." Min couldn''t finish the phrase.


    Another creature emerged.


    This one had a segmented exoskeleton that gleamed with violaceous tones, but the segments didn''t follow any recognizable pattern. They overlapped and intertwined as if in constant motion..


    The mushrooms in Ren''s hair couldn''t process the information they were receiving. These beasts didn''t follow their known logic.


    "There''s no information," murmured Ren while his mushrooms tried to analyze the creatures. "It''s as if... as if they came from somewhere completely different." Stay tuned with empire

 Chapter 105 - Taming Sense of Wonder

    Ren''s mushrooms couldn''t process the information they were receiving. These beasts didn''t follow their known logic, defying every pattern he had learned."There''s no information," murmured Ren while his mushrooms tried to analyze the creatures. "It''s as if... as if they came from somewhere completely different."


    "Fall back!" shouted one of the professors while attacking one of the beasts, barely managing to inflict any damage despite his powerful beast.


    The students retreated in panic as more creatures emerged. A being that seemed made of intertwined tubes pumping violet liquid advanced toward them, its movements following no natural rhythm.


    "They''re more horrible than I expected," Klein murmured, his lion growling at enemies that defied its comprehension.


    "What do we do, Ren?" Min asked, his water snake manifested but coiling nervously. "What kind of beasts are these?"


    Taro also turned to him. "Are they like the deep worms and living tunnels? Or more like the bugs or assassins you told us about?"


    The mushrooms in Ren''s hair pulsed erratically, trying to process what they were seeing, their usual patterns breaking down in the face of the unknown.


    He watched one of the creatures that had an elongated body covered in overlapping plates of deep purple. It had no visible eyes, but dozens of antennae vibrated constantly.


    "I..." Ren found himself speechless for the first time in a long while. His mushrooms couldn''t provide useful information; the beasts didn''t follow the normal patterns he had learned to recognize.


    "I don''t know," Ren finally admitted, the sensation of ignorance hitting him like a physical weight. "I have no information about them."


    Min and Taro exchanged surprised looks. Ren always knew something, always had some idea of how to proceed.


    A roar resonated in the chamber as a larger beast emerged. Its body was a mass of dense tissue, with multiple appendages ending in branching structures.


    "Defensive formation!" Professor Wei''s voice cut through the panic. "Senior students, form a perimeter! You''ve studied abyssal beasts!"


    The teachers moved with the precision that only comes from real experience in the army during their military service. Their beasts attacked while they took strategic positions.


    "Don''t let them advance!" shouted another professor while his elephant bull charged one of the creatures. "Test elements until you find their random weakness!"


    Wei directed his manticore. "Bronze rank, seek elemental weakness! Silver rank, attack directly! Brute force works if you have enough power!"


    The senior students who had advanced in their cultivation organized quickly. One launched a water attack that made one of the beasts writhe in pain. Another discovered his wind beast could disarm the protective plates of another.


    "This is revealing," murmured Ren while watching the battle unfold with fascination and apprehension.


    He observed, fascinated, as the teachers and experienced students worked together, testing different approaches until finding the effective way to eliminate each type of beast. It was for him a reminder that the world was larger and stranger than his mushrooms could show him at this level.


    "It''s like starting over," he whispered, a small smile forming on his lips despite the danger. "There''s so much I don''t know..."


    Ren observed with renewed interest. Perhaps he didn''t know these beasts, had no information about their patterns or weaknesses, but that only meant there was more to discover.


    Of course he was afraid of the unknown... But he had always been brave because he had always liked the idea of being an explorer like the ''Wandering King'' from his book.


    The initial feeling of vulnerability slowly transformed into something else: the same feeling of excitement and curiosity that had led him to leave home or explore the mines in the first place.


    "Well," he finally said to Min and Taro, his mushrooms pulsing with renewed determination, "I guess it''s time to learn something new."


    ????


    The last monsters fell to the teachers'' combined experience.


    What initially seemed like a crisis was resolved with common military tactics, leaving only carcases and some holes in the ground as evidence.


    "Very well," Wei gathered the younger students while other teachers inspected the damage. "Normally this is explained in battle class in a few years but... Since you''ve had an unexpected direct encounter with abyssal beasts, we''ll advance this lesson."


    He cleared his throat, preparing for one of his extensive explanations.


    Wei observed the group of young students, noting with discomfort the presence of a certain student he normally didn''t have to face in his classes.


    During the last few months, he had grown accustomed to freely mocking the "absurd fungus theories" when the boy wasn''t present.


    Now he would have to teach with him there.


    "As you can see," he continued with some stiffness, "abyssal beasts are fundamentally different from the normal creatures we find in the mines or outskirts."


    He stopped instinctively, waiting for the inevitable correction. When Ren only observed attentively with what seemed genuine interest, Wei found himself losing his train of thought.


    "Normally these attacks..." Wei cleared his throat, uncomfortable with Ren''s silent attention. "These attacks occur from the great abyss in the city outskirts."


    Taro, sitting nearby, smiled seeing Wei''s nervousness. During the last month he had had to endure the professor''s constant mockery about the "absent fungus''s theories," and now the professor seemed unable to maintain his usual condescending tone.


    "True hordes are much larger," Wei continued, his hand playing nervously with his robe. "They can last... entire months..."


    He stopped instinctively, his experience with Ren making him wait for the inevitable "actually professor..."


    Nothing.


    The boy kept listening with total attention, showing no signs of wanting to interrupt.


    "This attack was unusually small," Wei tried to recover some of his usual confidence. "Though I suppose some might have... alternative theories about that." S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The jab, which would normally provoke laughter in class, fell into uncomfortable silence. The students who had witnessed Wei''s behavior during the last month exchanged amused looks.


    "Any questions?" Wei looked directly at Ren, almost begging for the familiar confrontation. Your next chapter awaits on empire


    "Yes, professor," Ren raised his hand politely. "Could you explain more about the horde cycles?"


    Wei almost choked on his own saliva. Where were the absurd theories? The references no one else knew?


    "True hordes..." Wei loosened his robe''s collar, visibly sweating, "follow a cycle of several years and appear in specific seasons... and require the intervention of the complete army."


    Another glance at Ren. Was he sick? Had the encounter affected him more than it seemed?


    "Does anyone want to... add something?" he looked meaningfully at Ren. "Comment on any error in my explanation? Please?"

 Chapter 106 - Tamers Progress

    "True hordes..." Wei loosened his robe''s collar, visibly sweating, "follow a cycle of several years and appear in specific seasons... and require the intervention of the complete army."Another glance at Ren. Was he sick? Had the encounter affected him more than it seemed?


    "Does anyone want to... add something?" he looked meaningfully at Ren. "Comment on any error in my explanation?"


    "Actually," Ren straightened up, and Wei almost sighed with relief, "I''d like to know more about the defensive tactics used against different types of abyssals."


    Several students laughed discreetly at seeing the expression of total bewilderment on Wei''s face.


    "Well¡­ Tactics against asarous monsters like those are just about finding the weakness by trying multiple options and¡­ This... this isn''t normal," murmured Wei, passing a hand across his forehead. "Are you feeling well?"


    "Why do you ask, professor?" Ren tilted his head innocently.


    "Because you seemed like someone who always had something to say!" Wei finally exploded. "Have you learned your lesson and become a new person in these months?"


    "Oh," Ren smiled. "It''s just that I don''t know anything about this, professor. My mushrooms don''t have information about abyssal beasts."


    "Your mushrooms... don''t know anything?" Wei blinked in confusion.


    "No sir. That''s why I''m listening. Although," and here the mushrooms in his hair pulsed, "according to what Taro has told me about your cultivation classes, you''re still wrong about many things..."


    Wei''s face went through several shades of red in rapid succession.


    "YOU¡­ I THOUGHT YOU HAD CHANGED YOUR¡­!" he began, but stopped, breathing deeply. "You know what, I prefer when you don''t know anything. Let''s continue with the lesson about what you DO want to learn... And I hope you remember that soon you''ll only have less than half the semester left to fulfill your word in our bet!"


    "Of course, professor," Ren nodded seriously. "Though about the cultivation method you mentioned to Taro last week..."


    "NO! ENOUGH!" Wei raised his hands in defeat while the students burst into laughter. "Ten points less for... for...! For existing!"


    The mushrooms in Ren''s hair pulsed to the rhythm of laughter while Wei tried to regain control of the impromptu class, muttering something about "thinking he had changed" and "returning his pity."


    ????


    The day of the second exploration is near, but it''s not the only thing happening soon...


    "Well?" Liu observed while Taro absorbed another processed crystal. "Do you feel closer to becoming a living tunnel yet?"


    "Don''t be like that," Min laughed. "Clearly Ren is transforming him into a deep assassin. Can''t you see how his mouth is lengthening and his shell glows differently?"


    Taro almost choked while dealing with the crystal absorption. "Don''t joke while I''m cultivating, idiots!"


    The mushrooms in Ren''s hair pulsed with amusement while he continued absorbing the next crystal for his own cultivation.


    "Though..." Min moved closer to examine Taro more carefully. "Your mana does flow differently lately."


    Liu nodded with fake seriousness. "And your markings are more defined. Maybe the fungus knows what he''s doing after all."


    "Of course I know," Ren smiled while finishing his absorption and storing the saturated tentacle. "That''s why you too should..."


    "No no no!" Min raised his hands defensively. "First let''s see if Taro survives."


    "Thanks for the vote of confidence," Taro muttered.


    "Hey, you''re our brave guinea beetle," Liu patted him on the back. "If you survive and evolve like Ren says, we''ll be first in line begging for help."


    "And if I don''t survive?"


    "Then we''ll be first at your funeral," Min smiled. "With flowers and everything."


    The four laughed, though Taro looked slightly darker as he finished absorbing.


    "Well, I''m off," Liu stood up. "Some of us still have to study normal and safe cultivation methods at this hour and Professor Agatha is just as bad as Wei..."


    "Coward," Taro shouted as he left, provoking more laughter.


    Once alone, Ren, Taro, and Min also prepared to leave while discussing something more serious.


    "Professor Yang''s mid-semester evaluation..." Min began. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "We need a strategy," Taro nodded. "We''re the only team without an offensive beast and I don''t know if I''ll have time to rank up... Hope they delay the date more because of the horde problem."


    Ren studied his companions thoughtfully. The mushrooms in his hair pulsed while analyzing each one''s capabilities.


    "We have to use our strengths," he began. "Min, your snake has our best attack range. Taro, your beetle is perfect for defense, especially now that your mana flows better. And I..."


    "You have the brightest mushrooms," Min completed with a smile.


    "Also Lin''s training," Taro added.


    "True," Ren straightened. "And lots of normal beasts knowledge... Which means we can use interesting strategies depending on who we face..."


    "Well, I''m off to Professor Dorothy, good luck with Wei and Lin, haha," Min mocked while walking away.


    Taro clenched his fist, Ren frowned, that lucky one had the calmest teacher of first year.


    The boys separated to go to their first classes and Ren went to hide from Lin.


    He failed again.


    ????


    After a brutal training session with Lin, a punishment that had been going on for several days after his escape to the caves...


    Ren was dragged by Lin to Yang''s class, for more training.


    "Five more laps!" Yang watched while the students ran around the training field.


    The mushrooms in Ren''s hair pulsed steadily¡­ it wasn''t actually so bad since training with Lin had significantly improved his endurance. Min, on the other hand, was breathing heavily beside him.


    "How... do you... do this... 4 times... every day?" he managed between breaths.


    "Lin is worse lately," Ren smiled, remembering his morning session.


    When they finally finished, Yang gathered all the students.


    "Well, I have an important announcement," his voice resonated across the field. "As you know, you would normally have the gathering trip in the middle of the fourth month of the semester..."


    "Would have?" Cass, Jin''s friend, interrupted. "What do you mean by ''would have''?"


    "Professor Zhao will be... indisposed," Yang continued. "Therefore, we''ll take advantage of that day to hold a small friendly mid-semester tournament."


    Murmurs of discontent spread quickly among the students.


    "But we need those materials!" someone protested from the back.


    "The collection is crucial for generating profits and paying for our cultivation!"


    Ren also felt some disappointment. The collection trip would have been an excellent opportunity to obtain many materials again... though thinking about it, without Zhao present and the noble kids being targets, it could be more dangerous than last time.


    "Silence!" Lin''s voice cut through the complaints. "To compensate for the loss of the trip, special prizes will be awarded to the teams with the best performance."


    This immediately caught everyone''s attention.


    "The prizes," Yang smiled, "will include materials equivalent to what you could have obtained on the trip. Possibly more, depending on your performance."


    "Now," Lin took out a small box, "we''ll proceed to draw the matches for the first round."

 Chapter 107 - Tamers Absence

    Zhao''s owl manifested completely in his body as he advanced through the silver ring, its wings fusing with the professor''s arms to allow him to glide silently between the trees, each movement calculated to minimize detection. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.A group of two-headed hyenas hunted below, their black bodies perfectly camouflaged but visible to Zhao''s owl eyes under the moonlight.


    He easily avoided them, though he could defeat them, the noise of battle would attract unwanted attention and he needed to advance as fast as possible.


    Further ahead, a nest of winged serpents occupied several treetops. The silver rank 3 creatures intertwined their bodies creating a living net, their scales gleaming with hypnotic patterns designed to trap flying prey.


    Zhao descended. Flying in this zone would be suicide, the serpents had the advantage in the air and hunted in groups.


    A distant roar made him stop.


    The border with the beginning of the gold ring announced itself with a change in vegetation. The trees here were larger, older, their trunks marked by battles between superior beasts.


    The roar was probably from a golden fox bear, common in the area ahead.


    ''Dangerous territory,'' he thought while his owl eyes scanned the area. ''From here on all beasts are stronger than me.''


    ????


    A fox bear dozed in a nearby clearing. Zhao carefully circled around it, a rank gold 1 predator was dangerous for someone of silver rank like him.


    The ground trembled slightly. A herd of golden turtle trees moved in the distance, their massive bodies regenerating vegetation in their wake. Zhao was thankful they were far away enough.


    A sharp screech cut through the air. Above, a giant horned crow made its rounds. Zhao pressed himself against a tree trunk, merging with the shadows thanks to his owl''s feathers.


    ''I''ll die before reaching the platinum ring,'' he thought while continuing to advance with extreme caution. His enhanced senses caught every sound, every movement in the darkness.


    ????


    Upon reaching the platinum ring, alive but exhausted...


    A clearing opened ahead. Moonlight revealed recent battle marks, fallen trees, disturbed earth, broken plates scattered across the ground.


    Zhao''s owl caught movement. A figure moved among the shadows, its power making the air vibrate around it.


    ''Found you,'' Zhao smiled slightly while preparing for the encounter. He just hoped the news he brought justified the risk of venturing so deep into hostile territory.


    The figure seemed to sense his presence, turning slowly toward his position...


    ????


    Ignatius observed the city from his office window when he felt the familiar presence approaching. He didn''t need to turn to recognize his former student''s characteristic power.


    "It''s been a while, Director," Prince Julius''s voice sounded tired. "Though I would have preferred to visit under less... concerning circumstances."


    The Director turned to find the young noble practically collapsing into one of the seats. Work at the castle must be exhausting, but there was something more in his expression, a fatigue that went beyond the physical.


    "They took their time responding," Ignatius commented while pouring two glasses of wine.


    "We took time finding someone who could respond," Julius took the glass with a heavy sigh. "The council is... divided on how to handle the situation."


    "And your father?"


    The Prince laughed without humor. "What do you think was his response when I suggested he should have returned already 3 months ago?"


    Ignatius observed the liquid in his glass. "Let me guess... ''I won''t abandon my mission for small trifles you can handle?''"


    "''The will of dragons cannot be interrupted by mortal machinations,''" Julius quoted bitterly. "As if Yino weren''t literally invading our territory while he searches for... what exactly is he searching for?"


    The Director noticed how his former student avoided specifically mentioning the King''s mission. Even in private, some secrets were too dangerous to be named.


    "Does the council know Yino is aware of his absence?"


    "The council can barely agree on what to have for breakfast," Julius rubbed his temples. "Half insist we must reinforce the army at the rift. The other half argue that any sudden movement will only confirm Yino''s suspicions."


    "While they discuss," Ignatius set down his glass, "Yino advances. Their agents can navigate the abyss now, Julius. They''ve found a way to use the hordes to their advantage."


    "I know, I did read your message first," the Prince straightened slightly. "And I don''t like the rest either. Their experiments with abyssal beasts, their double tamers... and now this about triples."


    "Do you think it''s possible?"


    "Three beasts?" Julius frowned. "A year ago I would have said it''s impossible. But Yino..." he paused, carefully choosing his words. "They''re willing to cross lines we wouldn''t even consider."


    Ignatius noticed the subtle emphasis on "we." Purity in the bond between tamer and beast was one of Yano''s fundamental principles. But how much were principles worth against raw power?


    "Your father believes he''ll find the answer in his search," the Director commented softly.


    "My father believes many things," Julius finished his glass in one gulp. "He believes he can abandon the kingdom indefinitely. He believes his personal power is sufficient deterrent. He believes the dragons will guide him to... to whatever he''s searching for."


    The silence that followed was heavy with unspoken words. The King, the only platinum rank tamer in the kingdom, chasing a legend while his nation teetered on the brink of a war that could end everything.


    "Zhao reached the platinum ring," the prince continued. "But father was no longer there."


    Ignatius nodded while pouring more wine. It wasn''t a surprise, the King never stayed long in one place during his searches.


    "Zhao found my brother who father left behind," continued the prince. "Though with him we have another gold double in the kingdom I don''t think it will be enough."


    The Director observed his former student. The young noble had matured quickly since his father''s obsession began affecting the kingdom''s stability.


    "I''m sorry you had to come... but I understand why you couldn''t trust this to a message," Ignatius commented. "With the abyssals able to emerge anywhere..."


    "And I couldn''t ignore the situation either," the prince straightened. "Especially not when my sister and my cousins are here."


    His eyes narrowed slightly. "Liora told me about the incident in a letter. About the hydra in the mine..."


    "Your cousins have maintained excellent vigilance," the Director tried to reassure him. "Their unexpected dangerous encounter was something..."

 Chapter 108 - Taming Conjectures

    His eyes narrowed slightly. "Liora told me about the incident in a letter. About the hydra in the mine...""Your cousins have maintained excellent vigilance," the Director tried to reassure him. "Their unexpected dangerous encounter was something..."


    "I don''t blame you director," the prince interrupted. "I know those three, always getting into trouble... So I need to increase their security."


    "The academy is a target," Ignatius agreed. "The agent''s attack made that clear."


    "The academy has always been a target," Julius poured himself more wine. "It''s the nest that increases our kingdom''s power and home to perfect ''hostages'' in the enemy''s eyes..."


    "They have spies here," the Director added. "Good spies."


    The Prince nodded slowly. "I know."


    "More guards?"


    "Yes," the prince nodded. "But common guards would draw attention. I need to increase the number of ''handmaidens'' with additional training. The kind of handmaidens that only you can discreetly enroll."


    Ignatius accepted the request with a simple nod.


    "And the informants?"


    "They''re everywhere," the prince rubbed his temples. "Every noble, every counselor... all have their own agendas. And with father absent..." S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He paused, carefully choosing his next words. "Platinum rank used to be our last bastion of security. But neither I nor any of my siblings managed to match father''s cultivation, something was missing. And if what you say about the abyssals is true..."


    "It is," Ignatius confirmed. "The agent made it very clear after fleeing. They have a way to navigate the depths using the hordes themselves."


    "If Yino tries something with that while father is... absent..."


    The word ''absent'' carried the weight of years of frustration. The King, the only platinum tamer, chasing legends while his kingdom teetered on the edge of crisis¡­


    "How much longer?"


    "Until he returns?" the prince laughed without humor. "Does even he know? Let''s talk about something more interesting... Liora told me something about her adventure in the mines that coincidentally resonates with something Zhao mentioned¡­"


    ????


    "Han''s spider is problematic," Min traced patterns in the air with his finger while his snake coiled nervously around his neck. "Those hexagons aren''t just decorative."


    Ren nodded while his mushrooms pulsed, analyzing the available information. "It can create traps and barriers too. Not as strong as Taro''s shell, but more versatile."


    "And Sora has good speed with her deer," Taro added. "The horns in her hair aren''t just for looking pretty either."


    "At least Jun''s monkey is more straightforward," Min sighed. "Enhanced strength, nothing complicated."


    Ren''s mushrooms pulsed while considering their options. If Taro had started his cultivation at the beginning of the semester, they would now be planning tactics with his evolution in mind.


    But there was no point in lamenting.


    "We''ll have to work with what we have," Ren stood to draw some formations in the air. "Min, your snake has the best range. If we can keep Han busy and you take down his webs..."


    "And Jun always attacks directly," Min added. "If we could use that against him..."


    A knock on the door interrupted their planning.


    The three exchanged confused looks. It was late for visits, and Liu generally didn''t knock to enter.


    Ren approached the door, the mushrooms in his hair pulsing with curiosity. When he opened it, the welcome words died in his throat.


    Director Ignatius was there, his phoenix manifesting in a subtle golden glow. And beside him...


    Prince Julius, heir to the throne, observed Ren with intense interest. His beast, a Qilin, created golden patterns that flowed under his skin like liquid gold.


    "Young Ren," the Director kept his voice neutral. "We apologize for the hour, but we need to discuss something important."


    Min and Taro stood up so fast they almost tripped over each other.


    "May we come in?" the prince smiled slightly at their reaction.


    "Of... of course," Ren stepped aside, his mind racing with possibilities.


    "Relax," the Director noticed their nervousness. "Just..."


    "Actually," the prince interrupted softly, "we''re here about something that has intrigued me quite a bit." His eyes fixed on the mushrooms pulsing in Ren''s hair. "Something about unconventional methods and unexpected knowledge."


    Taro and Min exchanged worried looks. How much did they know about the cultivation experiments?


    "The director mentioned something Professor Wei reported... an interesting bet," continued the prince while examining the papers with battle formations on the table. "About evolution and traditional methods."


    The mushrooms pulsed faster. Ren could feel the weight of the prince''s gaze, evaluating, measuring.


    "Though that''s not all," Julius smiled. "I''ve also heard fascinating stories about a certain student who seems to understand beasts better than some teachers."


    The Director remained silent, observing the interaction with an indecipherable expression.


    "And I wonder," the prince sat casually in one of the chairs, his qilin manifesting more completely, "what other secrets might you know?"


    ????


    Moments before¡­


    "Zhao and Liora?" The Director observed the prince as they walked through the academy''s empty hallways. "It''s curious that both specifically mentioned this student."


    "Yes," Julius smiled slightly. "Zhao spoke of a boy who seemed to have unusual knowledge about beasts. Specifically mentioned that his knowledge during the exploration was... too precise."


    "And Liora noticed something similar," Ignatius nodded. "Though she focused more on how the boy seemed very confident while exploring."


    "As if he knew what to expect," the prince stopped, his qilin partially manifesting. "Or as if he had detected something others couldn''t see."


    The Director considered the implications. "You think it wasn''t coincidence that he was in the cave that day?"


    "Zhao said the boy appeared exactly when needed," Julius continued. "And when my cousin was following him, coincidentally, that''s the same place where the agent appeared."


    His eyes gleamed while his second beast created crystalline patterns on his arms. "My earth beast can track underground movements. I came primarily to search for the mercenary, if he''s still nearby..."


    "But you also want to know why a student with the supposedly ''worst'' beast seems to have such deep understanding of the depths," Ignatius completed the thought.


    "Exactly," the prince nodded. "A common spore that somehow guided my cousin exactly toward an infiltrated agent. A student who, according to Wei, is challenging all established knowledge about cultivation..."


    "Wei tends to exaggerate," the Director smiled. "Especially when it comes to this particular student."


    "But he''s not completely wrong, is he?" Julius arched an eyebrow.

 Chapter 109 - Taming Conjectures - 2

    "Wei tends to exaggerate," the Director smiled. "Especially when it comes to this particular student.""But he''s not completely wrong, is he?" Julius arched an eyebrow.


    "Wei talks a lot but doesn''t lie when..."


    "And just when Yino finds a way to use the abyss against us," continued the prince, "such a student appears."


    "You suspect a boy with a mushroom too?" the Director smiled.


    "Not necessarily..." Julius smiled too. "Rather, I''m intrigued. Zhao mentioned something specific about how he was too clever."


    They stopped in front of the dormitory door.


    "Ready to speak directly with our mysterious student?" Julius smiled while raising his hand to knock.


    ????


    "So," the prince observed the room with apparent casualness, "do you enjoy spending time in the mines?"


    Min and Taro had withdrawn after a signal from the Director, leaving Ren alone with his important visitors.


    "It''s... a good way to obtain resources, your highness," Ren responded carefully, measuring each word.


    "The guards say you''re quite successful at finding crystals," Julius continued. "For someone with a spore, it''s... unusual."


    "I just follow basic patterns," Ren maintained his neutral tone. "Anyone can learn them."


    The prince smiled slightly. "Like the patterns you followed during the exploration with Zhao?"


    Ren felt a pang of nervousness, but kept his expression calm. "Professor Zhao guided us that day. I just followed his instructions."


    "Curious," Julius tilted his head. "He remembers the situation... differently. Something about a boy escaping his famous vigilance."


    The Director remained silent, observing the exchange like he would a chess match.


    "I think, pardon, y-your highness," Ren chose his words carefully, "I think Professor Zhao is being too generous. He probably compares me to others because of my weak beast and assumed more than what really happened."


    "And auxiliary Lin?" the prince changed topics abruptly. "Why did she decide to train you personally?"


    Read the latest on empire


    "Because I have a pathetic beast in combat and I''m a lost cause," Ren smiled with feigned self-deprecation. "Or I was, at least. Master Lin has a weakness for lost causes..."


    The Director coughed slightly to hide a smile. The answer was perfectly believable, Lin was known for adopting students with unrecognized potential.


    "You were also in the infirmary for mana poisoning that day," Julius continued. "How deep did you really go?"


    "Not very deep," Ren shrugged. "But my spore is so weak that even a little exposure affects me more than others."


    It was a perfectly reasonable explanation. The prince frowned slightly, each of Ren''s answers was logical, simple, almost too perfect in their normality.


    But was it really that weak?


    He didn''t have much to compare it to but it shouldn''t be so different in processing mana to others, maybe 50% less...


    "And the cultivation method that bothers Wei so much?"


    "Oh, that," Ren seemed to genuinely animate. "It''s just an idea based on a lucky friend. Professor Wei believes it''s impossible, but..." he stopped, as if doubting whether to continue.


    "But?" the prince encouraged.


    "But I think sometimes we focus so much on what we believe impossible that we stop seeing what can be," Ren concluded.


    Julius studied the boy for a long moment. Each answer subtly diverted attention from any special ability, attributing everything to luck, help from others, or simple persistence.


    It was the kind of humility that could be genuine... or a well-constructed facade.


    But the prince was the one who had taught the girls to detect lies...


    "You know," the prince finally stood, "I need to investigate something in the mines tomorrow. The guards say you seem to be an expert in tunnels and very ''lucky''."


    Ren blinked, surprised by the change of topic. "You want me to...?"


    "Guide me," Julius smiled. "Since you spend so much time there, you must be able to help me find an intruder''s trail."


    The Director carefully observed Ren''s reaction. For a moment, something seemed to gleam in the boy''s eyes, but it disappeared so quickly it could have been imagination.


    "O-of course, y-your highness," Ren nodded respectfully. "Though I don''t know how useful a spore can be as a guide..."


    "Oh, don''t worry about that," the prince headed toward the door. "Sometimes the simplest beasts surprise us, don''t they, Director?" sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ignatius nodded slightly, noticing how the mushrooms in Ren''s hair pulsed faster than ever.


    ????


    The prince observed Ren while they descended through the tunnels. The boy''s answers in the dormitory had been careful, measured... and several of them were definitely false.


    There was something in the way his eyes moved when answering about the exploration, in how his voice subtly changed when talking about the depths. Small details others might overlook, but for someone who had trained Luna, Liora, and Larissa in the art of detecting lies were clear as day.


    The mushrooms in Ren''s hair illuminated the way with a soft glow.


    "Well," the prince commented casually, "at least now I see one small advantage you have over your companions. That light must be useful down here... Do your mushrooms have any other interesting advantages?"


    "It''s just light, your highness," Ren responded while guiding the way. "Not really a big deal."


    The prince noticed the slight tension in his shoulders, the subtle change in his tone.


    Another lie.


    "Do you know anything about the intruder who attacked the academy?" he asked abruptly, watching Ren''s reaction.


    "Just what I heard afterward," Ren responded, and this time his voice carried the ring of truth. "That he was someone dangerous from Yino."


    ''Interesting,'' thought the prince. ''So he didn''t see him personally then.''


    "And can you repeat to me what you were doing that day in the mines?"


    "Looking for crystals, as always," the response was too quick, too rehearsed.


    The prince studied the boy while they continued descending. He didn''t seem like a spy, his lies were too specific, too focused on hiding something particular instead of the kind of general deception an infiltrator would use.


    "Tell me," he stopped at a tunnel crossing, "do you notice anything unusual? Anything different from what you''re used to?"


    Ren visibly hesitated. The mushrooms in his hair pulsed while his eyes scanned the walls.


    "No... not really."


    The prince smiled. It was the most obvious lie yet.


    "You know, my cousin told me something about you and how you understood her special ability, but..." his voice softened, "I was the one who taught Luna to detect lies. It''s a subtle art, the small changes in voice, the tension in certain muscles, the way the eyes move... And above all, the bodily flow of mana."


    Ren froze, the mushrooms in his hair pulsing erratically.


    "And you, young Ren, have been lying quite a bit. Not about everything, but definitely about important things."

 Chapter 110 - Guide Tamer Ren Patinder

    "You know, my cousin told me something about you and how you understood her special ability, but..." his voice softened, "I was the one who taught Luna to detect lies. It''s a subtle art, the small changes in voice, the tension in certain muscles, the way the eyes move... And above all, the bodily flow of mana."Ren froze, the mushrooms in his hair pulsing erratically.


    "And you, young Ren, have been lying quite a bit. Not about everything, but definitely about important things."


    Silence filled the tunnel while Ren processed this revelation.


    "You''re not a spy," the prince continued. "Your lies are too specific for that. You''re protecting something, hiding something you can do or see."


    The mushrooms pulsed more intensely, as if responding to their bearer''s tension.


    "Please," Julius softened his tone further, "tell me what you really see down here. What your mushrooms with more than ''just light'' are showing you."


    Ren remained silent for several seconds, clearly debating with himself.


    The mushrooms pulsed once more before Ren finally spoke:


    "The patterns..." he began hesitantly. "I can see patterns in the mana. In the walls, in the beasts, in how the energy flows..."


    The prince observed how the boy seemed to relax slightly upon finally telling the truth. Although that was an ability several beasts had, like his qilin or those of his cousins or siblings... He had never heard of a spore providing it.


    And it definitely wasn''t enough to explain Zhao''s exaggerations...


    "Continue," he encouraged gently.


    "It''s like... like clues," Ren gestured toward the walls. "I can see where crystals form, where beasts have left marks, which tunnels are safe and which aren''t."


    His mushrooms pulsed with more confidence as he continued explaining:


    "And since the attack... there are new patterns. Marks I hadn''t seen before. As if something had altered the natural flow of mana in the depths."


    The prince listened attentively, noting how each word now carried the unmistakable weight of truth.


    The supposedly useless spore had turned out much more interesting than anyone could have imagined. Or was Ren''s spore different to others?


    "But it''s strange," Ren frowned, his mushrooms glowing more intensely while he approached to examine a crystalline vein. "The mana flow is... different. As if something had pushed it out of its natural course."


    He moved to another section of the wall, his fingers tracing lines invisible to others.


    "Do you see these crystal formations?" he pointed to patterns that seemed random to the prince. "Normally they grow following the natural mana lines, but here..." he paused, searching for the right words. "It''s as if something had forced them to grow in another direction."


    The prince observed with renewed interest as Ren continued his analysis. Enjoy new chapters from empire


    "The abyssals," Ren murmured, more to himself than his companion. "When they emerged, it must have been like opening a floodgate. A vein of their energy extended up to here."


    His mushrooms pulsed more rapidly while following the trail of alterations.


    "But it''s receding," he continued, noticing how the patterns began normalizing in certain areas. "The natural flow is pushing back, reclaiming its territory."


    "Like a river returning to its course?" the prince could see it too, but played along trying to understand more about the boy.


    "More like..." Ren searched for a better analogy. "Like when you mix water with oil. At first they blend, but gradually each returns to its natural place."


    The mushrooms detected something else, a subtle fluctuation in the patterns.


    "Although..." Ren stopped, studying a particular section more carefully. "There are areas where the abyssal energy seems to have... settled. As if it had found points where it can remain stable."


    The prince observed how the boy moved through the tunnel with a confidence that completely contradicted the image of someone with the "worst beast." Each movement seemed guided by information invisible to others.


    He showed no fear of possible old worm holes that could make him fall, seeming to walk as if through his own home. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "That''s why some crystals are changing color," Ren pointed to formations. "They''re absorbing the residual energy from the abyssals."


    He stopped before a particular crack, the mushrooms in his hair pulsing with a slower, more cautious rhythm.


    "Here," he murmured. "This point is still... active. Like it''s an anchor for the abyssal energy."


    The prince approached to examine the crack. To him it looked like any other, but the certainty in Ren''s voice was undeniable, so he scraped with his beast''s claws and found violet crystals.


    "The normal mana flow is avoiding this area," Ren continued explaining. "Like a river circling a rock. But the abyssal energy..." he stopped, considering his next words.


    "Yes?" the prince encouraged him to continue.


    "It''s as if it left a mark," Ren frowned. "A point where its influence remains, even while the rest fades."


    The mushrooms pulsed one final time, detecting something deeper, more worrying.


    "And I don''t think it''s the only point like this... it must continue downward... This way," Ren pointed to another descending tunnel while his mushrooms pulsed. "The abyssal energy vein is stronger in this direction."


    They passed a group of guards who respectfully saluted the prince. As they descended, the marks on the walls became more pronounced.


    "Your highness," Ren stopped abruptly, this was his chance to escape from the prince... He had guided him far enough in the right direction. "We''re passing 150 meters. With my spore, the mana poisoning..."


    "Is that what really worries you?" the prince interrupted softly. "Or is there another reason you want to stop here?"


    The mushrooms in Ren''s hair pulsed erratically.


    "I don''t understand what you mean by..."


    "That day," Julius looked at him directly, "when they found the mercenary. Did you also stop at 150 meters?"


    "Of course, I..."


    "Lie," the prince took a step toward him. "Like the other lies about your limits. How far did you really go down, Ren?"


    Silence filled the tunnel while Ren considered his options. The mushrooms in his hair pulsed faster and faster.


    "150 meters isn''t your limit," Julius continued pressing. "Not even close. I can see it in your face every time you mention that depth."


    Ren took a step back, but the prince advanced another.


    "I... might have gone a bit deeper that day."


    "How much is ''a bit deeper''?"


    "Maybe... 200 meters?"


    The prince smiled without humor. "You''re still lying. 300 meters, perhaps?"


    Ren''s mushrooms practically glowed at the mention of that depth. It was all the confirmation Julius needed.


    "Three hundred meters," the prince whistled softly. "With a spore. I won''t ask how you avoided the deep assassins or the worms. But it''s... impressive. And what were you looking for so deep?"


    "Nothing in particular, just..."


    "Ren," Julius interrupted again. "We''ve established that I can detect your lies. Why don''t you tell me the truth?"


    There was another moment of tense silence before Ren finally sighed.


    "There was a mana vein," he admitted. "A special one. That I wanted to use for my cultivation..."


    "And that''s when you found the hydra?"


    Ren nodded slowly.


    "Show me."


    "What?"

 Chapter 111 - Guide Tamer Ren Patinder - 2

    "Ren," Julius interrupted again. "We''ve established that I can detect your lies. Why don''t you tell me the truth?"There was another moment of tense silence before Ren finally sighed.


    "There was a mana vein," he admitted. "A special one. That I wanted to use for my cultivation..."


    "And that''s when you found the hydra?"


    Ren nodded slowly.


    "Show me."


    "What?"


    The prince opened his robe, revealing dozens of small vials secured inside. "Medicine for mana poisoning. Enough to keep you safe even at that depth."


    Ren''s mushrooms pulsed while considering his situation...


    "Well?" the prince arched an eyebrow. "Will you show me the way? Or would you prefer we continue this game of half-truths?"


    Ren looked at the medicine vials, then at the prince, and finally toward the depths he knew so well.


    "The vein is relatively easy to find," he began slowly.


    "Perfect," Julius took out a vial and offered it to Ren. "Guide me."


    ????


    The mushrooms in Ren''s hair pulsed restlessly while he guided the prince through the tunnels. His mind kept circling back to the mantis core he had left dangling and accumulating mana.


    ''It shouldn''t be an egg yet,'' he thought as they descended. ''According to the knowledge... Mana levels indicate it still needs almost 20,000 points to complete the process.''


    But the prince was the problem. How would he explain that?


    The mushrooms detected a subtle change in mana patterns.


    "Everything alright?" the prince noticed his hesitation.


    "Yes, your highness," Ren responded automatically. "Just verifying the safest path."


    ''Although maybe...'' his mushrooms pulsed while considering the possibilities. ''It wasn''t such a bad situation, if he could use the prince and his potions to collect the core already... Then the mana points saved in medicine and preparations could be injected into the core to finish the process and...''


    The prince observed him with interest while they navigated another tunnel crossing. Ren could feel the weight of his evaluating gaze.


    ''The core should still be safe... With no monsters having hatching behavior at this depth, the core should maintain its nature. But since that hydra had made it up here... Maybe it wasn''t a bad idea to collect a bit earlier if possible.''


    Suddenly, the mushrooms pulsed with alarm. Ren stopped dead.


    "What''s wrong?" Julius asked, his hand transforming into claws instantly.


    "A Deep Assassin," Ren whispered. "Moving through the side tunnel. If we wait a moment, it will pass without..."


    The prince stepped forward, an enigmatic smile on his lips. "No need to wait."


    A golden light emanated from his body while he manifested his beast.


    The creature that materialized was something Ren had only seen in books. A sleek and elegant body covered in scales that shone like polished jade. Its horn, long and spiral, emitted an aura of pure power that made Ren''s mushrooms reduce their glow.


    A Qilin.


    The sacred beast''s aura expanded through the tunnel. Ren felt how the Assassin, a creature that normally feared nothing at this depth, retreated in panic. Its presence quickly vanished in the distance, fleeing from the power that had just manifested.


    "Assassins are cowardly creatures," the prince commented casually while his Qilin remained manifested, its light illuminating the tunnel with a glow greater than Ren''s mushrooms. "So sure of their position in the food chain... until they find something truly superior."


    Ren couldn''t take his eyes off the sacred beast. The mushrooms trying to process the unique mana patterns emanating from the Qilin. But most information concerning a gold beast was beyond their knowledge.


    Perhaps the Assassin wasn''t cowardly... maybe it was intelligent.


    "It''s..." Ren stopped, searching for the right words.


    "First time seeing one?" Julius smiled at his amazement. "Not surprising. Qilin are... the symbol of royalty."


    The mana patterns around the Qilin were different from anything Ren had seen before.


    "Let''s continue," the prince indicated, his Qilin illuminating the way with its golden radiance. "I suspect we won''t have any more interruptions. Beasts tend to avoid me." Find exclusive stories on empire


    Ren nodded, his mind divided between awe at the beast and concern for his core. At least now they would have a clear path to the vein... though that meant he wouldn''t have excuses to delay the inevitable.


    ''I just hope,'' he thought as they resumed their descent, ''the prince is more interested in the mana vein flow than in any unusual core we might find.''


    ????


    "What do you know about crown lizards from the western desert?" Julius asked as they advanced, his Qilin still illuminating the way.


    "Oh, they''re fascinating," Ren''s mushrooms pulsed giving him the knowledge enthusiastically. "They have a unique life cycle, they run in circles that they use to create hot air currents. The currents trap insects that..."


    The prince observed how the boy described with micrometric precision the habits of a beast he had probably never seen. It was the kind of knowledge you''d only find in specialized texts.


    He asked more about iron, bronze, and silver beasts until...


    "And the celestial spirit flames of the eastern islands?" S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Liu told me he read a book recently that says they glow with their own light and can levitate using mana currents, although..." Ren hesitated for some reason, "they actually don''t use currents, they project themselves wherever the mana is because they''re pure energy..."


    ''Interesting,'' thought Julius. ''Extensive knowledge but with some weird confusions.''


    The prince had thought Ren was wrong when in reality the book Liu had read was the one that was wrong and the boy''s correction was the truth.


    The prince, of course... believed the version from the book he had also read.


    Zhao had mentioned something similar, how during the expedition, Ren seemed to know too much about some things... But added small outlandish things to the general knowledge.


    "What about phoenixes?"


    "Ah..." Ren seemed to shrink slightly. "I only know the basics. Gold rank or higher beasts, very powerful, use fire and..."


    "And platinum Wyverns?"


    "Sorry, your highness. I know even less about those."


    Julius frowned. The contrast was marked, encyclopedic knowledge of common and rare beasts of silver rank and below, but almost nothing about the more powerful gold ones and above.


    ''As if someone had poured hundreds of books of lower rank creatures into his head,'' thought the prince. ''But that doesn''t make sense...''


    Records showed Ren came from a modest family. Limited wealth wouldn''t allow the kind of library needed to accumulate such knowledge. And although the academy had an impressive library, the boy hadn''t been there even half a year¡­


    Was he really some kind of genius or¡­?

 Chapter 112 - Guide Tamer Ren Patinder - 3

    ''As if someone had poured hundreds of books into his head,'' thought the prince. ''But that doesn''t make sense...''Records showed that Ren came from a modest family. Limited wealth wouldn''t allow the kind of library needed to accumulate such knowledge. And although the academy had an impressive library, the boy hadn''t been there even half a year.


    Was he really some kind of genius or...?


    "Tell me about your spore," Julius said casually.


    The mushrooms in Ren''s hair pulsed with nervousness. It was the question he had been dreading since this journey began.


    But then, something changed in his expression.


    "You know what, your highness? It''s not fair," Ren stopped, turning toward the prince. "You ask all the questions. How about I ask something too?"


    Julius blinked, surprised by the sudden change in attitude. Then smiled, amused by the boldness.


    "About my beasts, I suppose?"


    "Exactly!" Ren''s mushrooms pulsed with genuine enthusiasm. "What''s it like having a Qilin? And what''s your other beast?"


    The prince laughed softly. The boy was skilled at diverting attention... but perhaps if he played along it would make him relax...


    "The Qilin is the beast of royalty as I already told you," he began, watching Ren''s reaction. "My father is the only one who has a platinum rank one. An impressive sight, truly."


    "And your siblings?"


    "None have managed to take it beyond gold 3," Julius sighed. "I myself stalled at gold 2. The cultivation... failed after that and my Qilin matured."


    Ren''s mushrooms pulsed with curiosity. "Why?"


    "There''s something different in my father''s method," the prince shrugged. "Some detail we haven''t been able to replicate. He insists it''s simple, but..."


    "Sometimes the simplest things are the hardest to see," Ren commented, surprising Julius with the depth of the observation. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "True. As for my other beast," continued the prince, "it''s a rank gold 1 elemental wolverine."


    "The ones that can adapt to different elements?"


    "Exactly, it''s popular among nobility too. I have it attuned to the earth element, though changing its neutral element in juvenile stage isn''t difficult. Most of my sisters prefer water, my brothers fire..." he stopped, a nostalgic smile on his lips. "A shame both beasts are already mature. The decisions we make when young follow us all our life..."


    Ren''s mushrooms pulsed more intensely. "How... how do you manage to have two beasts?"


    Julius smiled enigmatically. "Sorry, but that''s a royal family secret. If I told you, I''d have to kill you."


    Ren froze for a moment, until he noticed the gleam of amusement in the prince''s eyes.


    "Just kidding," Julius laughed at Ren''s expression. "The method for obtaining two beasts isn''t really a deadly secret. It''s just... impractical to replicate on a large scale."


    The mushrooms in Ren''s hair pulsed with curiosity while they continued advancing.


    "Unlike Yino we don''t have easy methods to cultivate double tamers," the prince continued, his expression becoming more serious. "According to our recent visitor, they''ve found a way to make the process quite replicable. They''re even experimenting with three beasts."


    "And is it true?"


    "Seems so... but they have their own limitations," Julius nodded. "Their abyssal beasts seem to have the limit at silver 3. No matter how many they accumulate, if that''s the limit in their individual power¡­"


    Ren processed this information while his mushrooms analyzed the tunnel ahead. The mana pressure was gradually increasing making it a bit difficult to advance, but he could still endure about 14 minutes more without major problems...


    "Wouldn''t it be better then..." he began without thinking too much, "to share the method with Yano''s people? If Yino can give two or three beasts to their tamers, keeping the method secret seems like a disadvantage for the kingdom."


    Julius stopped, observing Ren with renewed interest.


    "It''s more complicated than that," he finally responded. "The method has... implications that could affect the kingdom''s economy and would be problematic for people to know for various reasons."


    ????


    Ren''s mushrooms pulsed while pointing to another tunnel. This one showed signs of recent destruction, though local beasts had begun rebuilding it.


    "The worms and beetles have been working," Ren commented as they passed. "They use their secretions to reinforce damaged tunnels. It''s fascinating how they incorporate crystal fragments into..."


    "How do you know so much about the depths?" Julius interrupted. "Not just the tunnels and beasts, but their behaviors, their habits..."


    "There are many books in the academy," Ren responded automatically.


    "You read that much?"


    "In the library of the..."


    "You haven''t been at the academy that long," the prince cut him off softly. "And your family... Besides I feel it''s half lies..."


    He stopped. Something in Ren''s expression had changed.


    The mushrooms in his hair pulsed with a different rhythm while the tunnel opened into a wider cavern. The air here smelled different, like death.


    "So this is where..." Ren whispered.


    Julius''s Qilin illuminated the cavern with its radiance, revealing a scene of major destruction. The walls showed marks of battle, and in the center...


    "The hydra," the prince approached the corpse. "Or what''s left of it." Discover stories with empire


    The beast''s massive body had been practically consumed completely, only the hard parts of its armor remaining. Purple crystals sprouted from some of its wounds, creating a grotesque statue that glowed faintly under the Qilin''s light.


    "The attacker''s abyssal energy I suppose," Ren murmured, his mushrooms pulsing while failing to analyze the patterns. "The crystals around, the mana, even the way beasts rebuild the tunnels is strange here..."


    As they skirted the hydra''s corpse Ren grew bold enough to ask...


    "Your highness?" Ren stopped beside the hydra''s crystallized corpse. "Could I... could I collect some parts of the armor?"


    Julius blinked, as if the idea hadn''t occurred to him. "The armor?"


    "The diamond scales," Ren explained while his mushrooms analyzed the most valuable sections. "In the market, even a single hydra scale can be worth..."


    The prince had probably never needed to worry about the market value of anything so he hadn''t thought about it.


    "Of course," Julius smiled, understanding the situation. "Take what you can carry. Just avoid the parts affected by abyssal energy."


    Ren''s mushrooms pulsed while identifying the best pieces. Some scales here, a tendon fragment there... each piece worth a small fortune.


    "As for the rest..." the prince manifested his second beast.


    The wolverine that emerged was massive. Its fur had an earthy tone and its body seemed to partially merge with the ground beneath its paws. Crystals and minerals sprouted from its skin like natural armor.


    "Watch," Julius commanded his beast.

 Chapter 113 - Guide Tamer Ren Patinder - 4

    "As for the rest..." the prince manifested his second beast.The wolverine that emerged was massive. Its fur had an earthy tone and its body seemed to partially merge with the ground beneath its paws. Crystals and minerals sprouted from its skin like natural armor, each one catching and reflecting the Qilin''s light.


    "Watch," Julius commanded his beast.


    The wolverine approached the hydra''s corpse and, to Ren''s surprise, began to devour it systematically. But something was weird, the pieces it swallowed seemed to disappear into some kind of internal space.


    "It has a special cavity," the prince explained upon seeing Ren''s expression. "It can store objects without digesting them. Quite useful for transporting things... or eliminating evidence."


    Ren''s mushrooms pulsed with fascination while observing the wolverine methodically consume the hydra''s remains. When it finished, the beast simply vanished, returning to Julius''s body.


    "Are... are the remains inside you now?" Ren couldn''t help but ask.


    "In a way," Julius smiled. "Though I prefer not to think too much about the details. Do you have everything you need?"


    Ren nodded, carefully securing his bounty.


    ''A beast that can store objects,'' he thought as they advanced. ''Would be really convenient...''


    His mushrooms pulsed, reminding him there were more immediate things to worry about.


    ????


    "Now," the prince resumed their path, "since I''ve answered your questions, how about you tell me more about that spore of yours?"


    "Well..." Ren began, but stopped abruptly. His mushrooms pulsed with a different rhythm.


    "What''s wrong?"


    "We''re close," Ren pointed ahead. "The vein is just past that ''bridge'' turn."


    Julius noticed the topic change but decided not to press. For now. The boy was more skilled than he appeared at handling difficult conversations.


    Before Julius could ask more, his mushrooms pulsed with intensity.


    "It''s here," he pointed to the large chamber as they exited the tunnel.


    The vein revealed itself as a crystal bowl that glowed with pure energy. The mana pressure was considerable, for someone with a common spore, it should be almost unbearable to approach the flow.


    Ren knew he still had about ten minutes before really needing the medicine, but...


    His mushrooms pulsed erratically while he pretended to stagger slightly.


    "The mana..." he murmured, taking out the vial the prince had given him. "At this depth..."


    Julius observed how Ren drank the medicine, his eyes studying every movement. The boy seemed genuinely affected by the pressure, which was consistent with someone bearing a simple spore.


    And yet...


    "Better?" he asked while Ren recovered his "balance."


    "Yes, thank you," Ren nodded, hoping his performance was convincing. If the prince thought he could barely handle himself at this depth, maybe he wouldn''t insist on exploring further down, filling him to the brim with potions.


    "The vein is impressive, it''s rare to have them at this low depth," Julius approached to examine the crystals. "Is this what you were looking for that day?"


    "Something like that," Ren responded vaguely, his mushrooms pulsing while searching for the mantis core.


    The dangling core should be here, oscillating right where he had left it, but...


    ''Disappeared,'' he thought with a touch of sadness. At least he still had the hydra egg as backup.


    "Interesting location," Julius commented while descending to examine the geyser more closely. "You were right, it''s not particularly inaccessible. Though with recent... problems... It''s not worth the effort to come here to..."


    "To create more random eggs for the kingdom?" Ren completed the thought.


    His mushrooms pulsed while considering something. "Is that how... how you make the random colored eggs, using the veins?"


    Julius stopped mid-inspection.


    He turned slowly toward Ren, a smile forming on his lips.


    "You know, I really should kill you for asking such perceptive questions."


    Julius observed the boy. His knowledge was too precise to be coincidence, too specific to be just reading... but it also didn''t fit the profile of a spy... Perhaps it was even worse.


    It was as if Ren was a mystery that grew deeper with each answer.


    ''Every time I learn more,'' thought Julius. ''I understand this boy less and less.''


    Ren tensed for a moment before noticing the gleam of amusement in the prince''s eyes.


    "I realize," Julius continued, "that it''s quite difficult to hide things from you. You''ve probably already deduced most of it..."


    He approached to examine a particular crystal formation. "Yes, the kingdom has a massive mana vein. That''s where we get the eggs we distribute." Enjoy new chapters from empire


    Ren''s mushrooms pulsed with interest while absorbing this confirmation of his suspicions.


    "The problem," Julius sighed, "is that we can barely control what type of eggs form there. Most methods for obtaining specific beasts require a dragon brooding or at least a platinum rank beast, and we don''t have..."


    He stopped, but Ren had already caught the implication. The King''s platinum Qilin probably had played a crucial role in producing eggs for the royal family, but that wasn''t a detail that needed mentioning.


    ''Too late to hide it... Though it was obvious to me.''


    "This vein is too small," Julius continued, apparently oblivious to Ren''s thoughts. "There is a method to revive cores using concentrated mana, but here we could barely produce one egg per month. Maybe one every ten days if we found a creature willing to brood but few could live at this depth. Oh, the hydra perhaps..."


    "But it''s not worth the effort, right...?" Ren left the question hanging so the prince wouldn''t follow the conversation thread that would lead back to why the hydra had followed him up.


    "Exactly. The gold rank beasts that can survive here can''t brood, or aren''t strong enough to make the effort worthwhile..."


    Ren''s mushrooms pulsed while looking around.


    "Anyway," Julius straightened, "I''ll discuss the possibilities with the Director. Though small, a pure mana vein always has its uses." S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ren nodded, his mind working quickly. If the kingdom had a massive vein somewhere it must be in...


    "Don''t bother trying to find the big one we have," Julius smiled, reading his expression. "The main vein is very well protected. Though," he added with a wink, "I have the feeling you''d find a way to get there if you really tried."


    Ren''s mushrooms pulsed with what might have been embarrassment or amusement.


    "After all," the prince continued, "you seem to have a special talent for finding trouble and things that are supposed to be well hidden."


    ''If you knew I already know where it is¡­ maybe you would actually kill me...'' thought Ren.

 Chapter 114 - Guide Tamer Ren Patinder - 5

    While Julius examined the vein, Ren''s mushrooms pulsed detecting something unusual. A different mana pattern emanated from a nearby crack at the edge of the bowl.Ren descended the slope as far from the pure mana geyser as possible and approached cautiously, taking advantage of the prince being distracted with his inspection at the bowl''s center.


    The crack was narrow, barely visible in the penumbra, but there...


    His heart skipped a beat. Two cores rested in the hollow. One still had the weaver''s thread tied to it, his mantis core. And next to it, another core that hadn''t been there before.


    The mushrooms pulsed with excitement while Ren extended his hand toward the crack. If he could reach them quickly and hide them...


    "What are you doing?"


    Ren jumped, his hand freezing midway. Julius was right behind him, his eyes fixed on the cores in the crack.


    "So this is it," the prince murmured, leaning to better examine the discovery. "You''ve found a way to generate eggs?"


    Ren''s initial panic mixed with resignation.


    "Something like that," he responded carefully. "I have a bug egg..."


    Ren''s mushrooms pulsed nervously. With the prince''s ability to detect lies, there was no point trying to deny it.


    Julius''s eyes momentarily gleamed while verifying the truth in those words. "I see. Experimenting with basic eggs to sell in the market, eh? Though they''re not very popular... But with your family''s situation I can understand a bit..."


    The prince''s assumption was convenient for Ren, but there was something more in his expression. As if he were connecting invisible dots.


    Then, something seemed to occur to the prince. His expression changed subtly.


    "You know, Ren," Julius spoke slowly, his tone changing too. "I wonder... were you the one who caused the incident with the hydra?"


    The mushrooms in Ren''s hair pulsed erratically while the boy tried to find a way to respond that wasn''t a direct lie.


    "Ah right," he said softly. "That it followed you by bad luck when you came doesn''t imply you''re the culprit I''m looking for... Would it be, who brought it here. or who took it up...?"


    The prince noticed his hesitation.


    "No, let me rephrase that," Julius raised a hand. "Did you bring the hydra here? For brooding a core or for some other reason?"


    "No," Ren responded immediately, grateful to be able to tell the absolute truth in this. Experience more tales on empire


    The prince kept his eyes fixed on Ren for several seconds, studying every micro-expression, his Qilin illuminating the scene with its golden radiance.


    "Interesting," he finally murmured. "That last response was completely true."


    He approached the crack, observing the cores more carefully. "I wonder what other secrets you keep about this whole incident. Because I''m starting to suspect you know much more than you appear to."


    Ren''s mushrooms pulsed with concern.


    "You know what''s most fascinating?" Julius continued, his voice casual but his eyes sharp. "That a student with the supposedly ''worst beast'' has managed not only to survive at these depths, but also experiment with cores and eggs. That requires knowledge not found in common books."


    He turned to fully face Ren. "The question is: where does that knowledge come from? And what other secrets are you hiding?"


    How much could he reveal without getting into more trouble?


    "Take your cores," Julius smiled slightly. "If you don''t want to share your specific method, you don''t have to."


    Relief flooded Ren while he carefully collected both cores from the crack. Upon closer examination, he noticed the second one also seemed to be from a hydra. It could be useful for something different if he applied his method... though he would need parts of the beast he wanted to get.


    Julius had moved to another sector of the cavern, his eyes fixed on the ground.


    "There are traces here," murmured the prince. "From the agent, probably." He turned to Ren. "What do you think? Should I follow the receding abyssal corruption trail, or these footprints?"


    Ren considered the question while his mushrooms analyzed both patterns. "Not the corruption trail," he finally responded. "If I were the intruder, I''d think that''s good bait."


    ''Besides,'' he thought to himself, ''this second core must be related to the intruder. It wasn''t here before so maybe he still has something to do with the hydra egg.''


    "You''re probably right," Julius nodded. "You should return for now."


    "I agree," Ren responded, grateful for the suggestion.


    The prince took out 3 more medicine vials and offered them to Ren with a wink. "For when you think of doing more interesting things."


    Ren took the vials, hesitating a moment before making a decision. The prince had treated him well, it seemed his suspicions toward Ren were simple protocol. So he could return some kindness...


    "Your highness... there''s something that might be useful for the kingdom." The mushrooms in his hair pulsed while organizing his thoughts. "Deep killers don''t brood at this depth, but..." he paused, making sure to explain correctly. "If you have a part of the monster, a carcass or any other part, you can put it surrounding the core, along with 10 days of the specific bug cultivation in this case, and..." S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ren proceeded to show him the correct mana circulation pattern in the core. It was a complex symbol that followed the reasoning of the creature''s mana circulation in life.


    "...You can revive the egg without needing its own species to brood it."


    Julius observed him with surprise, clearly processing the implications. But the pattern''s complexity was too ridiculous to be a coincidence... When could people simply happen upon such a discovery by chance... How...?


    Suddenly, an amused smile crossed his face.


    "Wolverine," he called, manifesting his massive beast. "I need you to shake yourself. And scratch, a lot."


    The beast seemed confused for a moment, but obeyed. It began an intense session of scratching and shaking, spreading hair and mineral fragments across the ground.


    "Are these useful to you?" Julius asked, pointing to the remains.


    "I-I can at least sell them," Ren responded, surprised by the gesture. "Thank you."


    "Good," the prince smiled. "Wolverine, could you take our friend up?"


    Before Ren could protest, Julius had lifted him and placed him on the beast''s back. The mushrooms in his hair barely had time to pulse with surprise before the wolverine moved.


    A minute later, Ren blinked under the light at the cave entrance, still processing what had just happened.

 Chapter 115 - Taming Pursuit

    The prince''s wolverine returned after leaving Ren at the cave entrance.Julius began his descent, following the trail the mercenary had left.


    In the silver zone at 500 meters depth, the greater deep assassins were the first to appear. Where their lesser cousins were solitary predators, these hunted in pairs.


    Julius had to use his Qilin several times to force these creatures to reveal their presence. "No wonder some explorers don''t return from these depths."


    Their more developed bodies gleamed with a metallic tone more suited to the new environment as they moved between shadows, their forms blending perfectly with the crystalline formations around them.


    "Impressive coordination," murmured Julius while observing them communicate through small taps on their partners'' front legs. "But they still maintain distance from the Qilin."


    Deeper, he found the domains of the superior worms. These beasts had evolved to be larger and still created complete networks of interconnected galleries but now wider.


    "Natural engineers," he noted.


    The greater living tunnels, unlike their common versions, could improve tunnels in more complex ways, like adding spikes at certain entrances to damage Assassins, turning entire cave sections into traps. Their work showed an intelligence that went beyond mere instinct.


    Common hydras were very rare at these levels and if found it was almost at the end of the section, in small groups. Though individually less impressive than the one that had attacked the academy, their teamwork made them equally dangerous.


    ????


    Upon reaching the gold zone, the environment changed drastically. The beasts here weren''t just stronger, they had fundamentally different behaviors.


    The Assassins became more crystalline, almost transparent, their strategy shifting more to camouflage and ambush than pursuit. Their bodies seemed to bend light itself, making them nearly invisible until the moment they struck.


    The worms developed resistant shells. The living tunnels created mobile magical traps.


    Gold hydras cared for lower rank hydras, teaching them, protecting them, showing a level of social organization that challenged the common understanding of most beasts.


    But it was the rock beetles that really added tension to the Assassins'' more obvious ambushes, their massive forms emerging from seemingly solid walls.


    "Fascinating," he murmured while observing one of these divergent evolutions of the living tunnels. They merged with the walls, these massive insectoids literally appearing as rock, gaining the ability to mold and generate it at will.


    "The power difference is notable," he thought while dodging an attack from a Assassin that had jumped from its hiding place. His wolverine barely managed to deflect the beast''s proboscis of the same rank while the Qilin attacked from behind.


    The mercenary''s trail became harder to follow. The beasts here were at his level, some would even be stronger soon when he descended further. Each step required more caution, more power.


    Finally, he reached the border between gold and platinum, the zone where the true abyss began.


    "So this is where you went," he murmured, observing how the abyssal energy trail was lost in the depths. "They are using the abyss itself as refuge indeed."


    The mercenary had escaped him... He had chosen another path and not the abyssal vein but had reached the abyss anyway.


    But something didn''t add up...


    ????


    "Damn it!" the agent''s voice resonated in the vein cave. His scorpion arm glowed faintly reflecting the geyser while he struck the wall in frustration.


    It had been a risky plan: descend to the bottom, create 2 trails, and then return through the abyssal energy vein dragging a new hydra. The days needed to feed the core would be almost covered by the time he returned and he could wait out the last ones hidden near the entrance.


    The silver hydra he had captured writhed weakly. It was badly hurt but once it took mana from the geyser it would recover and serve to brood the core... if only he could find it.


    "Again!" he roared, his mutations expanding from frustration. "Again someone took the damned core!"


    His fingers traced the empty space where the core should be hidden.


    All the effort... He took the risk of reaching the abyssal vein, climbing back up through the zone that would give him a quick escape route if someone pursued him, letting his beast make a second trail while he hid from the gold rank ones... all had been in vain.


    The hydra shook again, as if mocking his failure.


    "Don''t think this means you''ll be saved," murmured the agent while approaching the beast. If he couldn''t have the egg, at least he''d get another hydra core before returning.


    His claws rose, preparing to give the hydra the final blow...


    After extracting the hydra''s core and feeding himself some meat, the mercenary decided it was no longer possible to obtain the egg, he would have to return and deliver at least the hydra core... After all his employer seemed to have an alternative method, though it would give only a tenth of the reward.


    He left the vein chamber...


    The attack came from nowhere.


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    The agent barely managed to dodge, his mutations reacting by instinct. A golden Qilin claw passed grazing where his head had been a moment before.


    "Did you think having two trails would be enough?" Julius''s voice resonated in the cavern. "Didn''t you think your pursuer might also have two beasts?"


    The mercenary backed away, cursing internally. His strategy had been solid, both trails would lead any pursuer toward the abyss, how did he find the trail after he changed his access route from the abyss?


    Had he returned to the chamber on a hunch?


    The prince emerged from the shadows, his wolverine manifesting in his body.


    "One trail for my Qilin," Julius smiled. "And another for my..."


    "Nose," the agent completed, his scorpion arm tensing. "I should have considered that an earth tracker could catch my scent from the surface trails."


    "I followed them, both," the prince advanced casually. "But you were careless returning here, do you care so much about this small vein? I want to know why..."


    The agent observed the blocked exit...


    ????


    "Spill everything!" Min practically jumped with excitement trying to feed his curiosity. "What did the prince want? Why did he take you?"


    "Did he threaten you?" Liu added, his bat opening its mouth briefly from anxiety. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ren smiled while his mushrooms pulsed softly. "Nothing so dramatic. He just wanted to check some things in the mines."


    "The prince? In the mines?" Min narrowed his eyes with suspicion.


    "Well..." Ren elaborated a convenient version of events. "Apparently he had heard about my... successes finding veins. He wanted to hear about my method while I guided him."


    "And?" Liu leaned forward.

 Chapter 116 - Taming Nests

    "Well..." Ren elaborated a convenient version of events. "Apparently he had heard about my... successes finding veins. He wanted to hear about my method while I guided him.""And?" Liu leaned forward.


    "And nothing. I showed him how I use the mushrooms for light. He let me take some remains from the dead hydra and gave me old parts from his beast. End of story."


    His friends clearly wanted more details, but Ren moved toward his trunk, effectively changing the subject since¡­ Carefully, he took out the hydra egg and the bug egg, placing them next to the two cores he had recovered.


    Taro, who had been unusually quiet, observed the objects with familiarity. After all, he had helped Ren hide them the day he ended up in the infirmary.


    "What the hell?" Min approached to examine the objects. "Where did you get those?"


    "A bit deeper in the caves," Ren responded honestly. "Luckily... I found them along with the cores."


    Liu studied the cores without much interest. "Why keep cores? They''re useless."


    "The government buys them," Min pointed out, "though they pay a pittance. You can''t extract mana from them like a crystal, they can absorb mana but filling them is a useless waste because they have no practical use."


    Taro scratched his head. "The bug egg is worth something. What? About 100,000 crystals for being rare?"


    "If you find a buyer," Liu snorted. "People prefer to pay a bit more for a brown egg like the one that gave you your beetle. At least they have the possibility of getting a mole then."


    Ren''s mushrooms pulsed while his friends discussed market value. If they only knew... Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "But this other egg is what intrigues me..." Min pointed to the hydra egg, his eyes shining. "I''ve never seen anything like it even in the city market."


    The egg glowed like a diamond, its patterns clearly different from common random eggs.


    "Doesn''t look like a random egg," Liu moved closer. "What beast could it be from? How much do you think it''s worth? That glow is impressive."


    "Much more than the bug one, surely," Min nodded. "Some people pay fortunes for unique eggs."


    Ren let his friends speculate about prices and potential buyers. It was safer if they thought about the objects only in terms of their market value.


    "Why don''t you sell them?" Liu finally asked. "You could get a really good profit, school residence hasn''t treated you as badly as we thought after all... Congratulations lucky shroom."


    "I''m waiting for the right moment, don''t tell anybody yet," Ren responded vaguely.


    The mushrooms in his hair pulsed softly. His friends would never suspect that one of those "useless" cores would soon become something as valuable as any rare egg in the market... soon he would have 4 eggs in his hands.


    "Hypothetically, if you could choose," Ren began, "what would you prefer? A defensive creature with some attack, an elemental offensive one, or a faster one with utility?"


    "Defensive," Taro responded immediately. "There''s nothing like a good shield."


    "Are you crazy?" Min shook his head. "Elemental offensive, obviously. The best defense is a good offense."


    "You''re both wrong," Liu intervened. "Speed and utility. What good is power if you can''t reach your target?"


    Ren''s mushrooms pulsed with what seemed to be exasperation. "Thanks. You''re not helping at all."


    He lay back on his bed, thoughtful. The wolverine''s ability to store things inside was fascinating, and the mantis''s mirrors had already saved his skin more than once... but the hydra also...


    Suddenly he stood up, startling his friends. He began emptying his enormous backpack, which seemed to contain his size in materials.


    "What are you doing?" Taro asked while Ren piled hydra plates to one side.


    Without answering, Ren opened his trunk and took out the carefully stored mantis plates. With precise movements, he began building small "nests" using the mantis plates as a base for one, interweaving the wolverine''s hair and minerals for the other.


    "Um..." Min observed confused. "Are you making... abstract art?"


    "Maybe it''s a phase," Liu whispered. "Like when Taro tried to make ugly sculptures with earth."


    "Hey! Those sculptures were art!"


    "They were piles of dirt, Taro."


    Ren ignored them, completely focused on his task. Suddenly, something seemed to occur to him. He grabbed some of the hydra plates and headed toward the door.


    His friends were left staring at the decorative "nests" and then at the door where Ren had disappeared.


    "Should we...?" Min began.


    "...worry about his mental health?" Liu completed.


    They looked at each other for a moment.


    "Ren, wait!" they shouted in unison, running after him.


    They found him in the hallway, muttering to himself while examining a hydra plate against the light.


    "Are you going to tell us what you''re doing?" Taro asked.


    "Brooding," Ren responded distractedly.


    "Brooding?" Min repeated skeptically.


    "Need more materials," Ren elaborated, turning the plate 45 degrees.


    "For what?" Liu asked.


    "It''s... for the nests."


    The three exchanged looks.


    "You know," Min began slowly, "when we said you needed a hobby away from the caves..."


    "We didn''t mean this," Liu finished.


    "Shouldn''t you be practicing for the tournament?" Ren asked without stopping examining the plate.


    "Shouldn''t YOU be practicing with us for the tournament instead of... whatever this is?" Taro counterattacked.


    The mushrooms in Ren''s hair pulsed with what could have been amusement. "Multitasking."


    "Doesn''t multitasking imply doing both things? You''re only doing one..." Min observed.


    Ren finally looked at them, a mysterious smile on his face. "Don''t you have homework to do?"


    The three looked at each other while following Ren until...


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    "J-Jessy!" Min practically shouted when they saw who Ren was looking for. "Why didn''t you tell us we were coming to see Jessy?"


    The young evaluator jumped in her seat, dropping several papers. "Ah! Ren! And... company?"


    "Ignore them," Ren smiled while his mushrooms pulsed. "They''re bored and decided to follow me."


    "Hey!" Liu protested. "We''re worried about your mental health. The art with monster parts..."


    "Art?" Jessy blinked confused while picking up her papers. "Oh, are you going to sell me more materials?"


    "Just these 5 diamond skin plates," Ren placed the enormous hydra plates on the counter.


    Jessy''s eyes lit up immediately, her cat ears perking. "These are...! Wait, let me check..." she began frantically searching in her manual.


    "The quality is exceptional," she murmured while examining the plates. "And the crystallization pattern... oh! And look at this iridescence on the edges... Gold rank..."


    Min, Liu, and Taro watched open-mouthed while Jessy calculated the value.


    "F-for the quality and preservation state..." Jessy smiled brightly, "I can offer you 3 bright bronze crystals for each one, fifteen total!"


    "Fifteen?!" the three friends exclaimed in unison.

 Chapter 117 - Taming Nests - 2

    "F-for the quality and preservation state..." Jessy smiled brightly, "I can offer you 3 bright bronze crystals for each one, fifteen total!""Fifteen?!" the three friends exclaimed in unison.


    "Seems good," Ren nodded while his mushrooms pulsed with satisfaction.


    While Jessy prepared the payment, the others couldn''t stop staring at the crystals with envy... The lucky bastard had five more plates in the room, not to mention the eggs and who knows how much more among his fortunate acquisitions...


    While his friends were still processing the figure, Ren pulled out a list.


    "I also need some materials," he said casually.


    "Oh?" Jessy took the list. "What are you looking for?"


    "Speed and elemental control runes," Ren began. "And these components..."


    Jessy''s eyes widened while reading the list. "These are... unusual combinations. The runes are usually the most expensive parts of cultivation..."


    "How much for everything?"


    "Ten thousand for the speed rune, fifteen thousand for the elemental control one and with the materials you want... T-thirty thousand," Jessy stuttered. "But I could look for more economical alternatives..."


    ''It''s almost exactly the calculation I had,'' thought Ren. ''The cultivation materials for the mantis for 10 days are cheap, no more than 500 crystals, 1000 for the rune guide solution, but the iron wolverine ones are quite expensive, they must be popular among royalty and high-rank nobility...''


    "Use my credits, should be just enough," Ren said.


    "Credits just enough?!" the three friends exclaimed in unison.


    "Next stop," Ren announced after saying goodbye to Jessy, "the bank."


    ????


    At the bank, Finch was polishing his spectacles when they saw the group enter.


    "Theodore!" Finch''s high-pitched voice greeted them. "Prepare the withdrawal forms! Look who''s come to visit us! Our mysterious fungus magnate!"


    The small white mouse sighed, pulling out the corresponding papers.


    "How much will it be this time?" Finch smiled sympathetically. "Five thousand for the month''s expenses? Your third month report was only ten thousand, still quite impressive for that beast, but you''ll spend your luck very soon if you squander it like it''s..."


    "Actually," Ren interrupted, "I''m here to make a deposit."


    Finch blinked. "Deposit? But you just turned in your last report..."


    Ren placed 10 bright bronze crystals on the counter.


    Finch''s mustache trembled violently. "This is... one hundred thousand?"


    "Look, I have 5 more here... And wait until they double it in the 4th month report," Ren added with a wide smile.


    Theodore dropped the forms.


    "In cash!" Finch squealed. "Theodore! Our magnate has returned! And more magnate than ever!"


    The mouse began counting frantically while Finch circled around the counter.


    "Let me see," Finch adjusted his spectacles. "With the previous hundred thousand, plus the ten thousand from the third month, plus what''s doubled from the third month''s report... you''ve already gathered 220,000 crystals total in 3 months!"


    For the 3rd month Ren had ''only'' managed to obtain 10 thousand crystals from the mines.


    Ren''s friends stared at him open-mouthed.


    "Where did you get so much?"


    "Just sold some normal materials," Ren laughed. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Ha! Normal? Fifteen bright bronze crystals! Theodore, remember when fifteen bronze crystals was our annual budget?"


    The mouse nodded solemnly while beginning to count.


    "Though..." Finch narrowed his eyes when Ren pocketed the other five crystals. "Not depositing everything? Does the fungus magnate need cash for minor expenses?"


    "It''s for a project," Ren responded vaguely.


    "Project?" Finch''s eyes enlarged behind his glasses. "What kind of project requires 50,000 crystals in cash? Are you building a mushroom palace?"


    "Nests," Ren smiled.


    "Nests?" Finch looked at Theodore. "Did you hear that Theodore? Nests! Fifty thousand crystals for ''nests''!"


    The mouse paused his counting to look at Ren with curiosity.


    "Exactly."


    Finch removed his spectacles to clean them compulsively.


    "Theodore!" Finch turned dramatically. "Add ''luxury nest builder'' and ''interior decoration'' to our list of side hustles to get rich!" Your next chapter is on empire


    The mouse pulled out his tiny notebook, diligently noting while his whiskers trembled with amusement.


    "By the way," Ren turned to his friends. "Why do you have so much free time? You should join Lin''s training."


    The instant horror on their faces said it all...


    "NO!" they shouted in unison, backing up several steps.


    "We value our life," Min explained.


    "And our unbroken bones," Liu added.


    "And our dignity," Taro completed.


    "Cowards," Ren smiled.


    "Oh!" Finch clapped. "You''re one of Lin''s students? That explains so much and so little at the same time!"


    "Theodore," Finch turned to his mouse. "Add ''sadistic training'' to our list of theories about our fungal friend."


    The mouse leafed through the tiny notebook and noted diligently.


    "Anything else you need?" Finch asked while Theodore finished the paperwork. "A personal accountant? An investment advisor? A historian to document the legend of the fungus magnate?"


    ????


    Back in the room, Ren took out the rune guide solution.


    His friends watched with curiosity while he traced precise patterns around the mantis core in the ''nest'' full of components.


    "What are you...?" Min began to ask.


    Ren took 2 of the 5 bright bronze crystals.


    "No," Liu narrowed his eyes. "You wouldn''t dare."


    "Don''t be ridiculous," Taro laughed nervously. "No one would be foolish enough to..."


    Ren pressed the crystals against the rune drawn on the core.


    His friends'' scream of horror probably reached the academy''s top floor when the crystal began dissolving, its mana flowing into the core.


    "MY EYES!" Min covered his face dramatically.


    "TWENTY THOUSAND CRYSTALS!" Liu fell to his knees.


    "STOP!" Taro tried to reach Ren. "WE CAN STILL SAVE IT!"


    But Ren had already finished with the first core. His mushrooms pulsed while he turned toward the hydra core, holding the three remaining crystals.


    "No..." Min''s eyes widened with horror. "NO!"


    The three lunged forward at the same time.


    Lin''s teachings kicked in and the first movement knocked down Liu, who fell with a thud.


    The second sent Min spinning toward the bed.


    The third left Taro blinking from the floor, wondering how he got there.


    "If you let me explain..." Ren began.


    "EXPLAIN WHAT?!" Liu shouted from his position. "HOW TO THROW YOUR MONEY IN THE TRASH?!"


    "This one needs an extra step," Ren continued calmly while tracing a different rune on the hydra core. "Since I''m going to change its beast type..."


    He pulled out a male Shadow Stalker tentacle.

 Chapter 118 - Taming Nests - 3

    "EXPLAIN WHAT?!" Liu shouted from his position. "HOW TO THROW YOUR MONEY IN THE TRASH?!""This one needs an extra step," Ren continued calmly while tracing a different rune on the hydra core. "Since I''m going to change its beast type..."


    He pulled out a male Shadow Stalker tentacle.


    The preserved appendage seemed to writhe slightly in the dim light, as if still possessing a fragment of its former life.


    Min groaned from his bed. "Oh great. More monster parts. Are you making a collage now?"


    Their mockery transformed into horrified fascination as Ren used the tentacle to methodically destroy the core''s edges, systematically erasing the "form" that defined its original species.


    The room filled with a subtle humming as he worked, the whisper of ancient magic being undone.


    The core, now more spherical than before, emitted a soft pulse of light as Ren began tracing new runic symbols with his solution.


    "No..." Taro''s whisper was barely audible, his digger beetle''s markings darkening with distress. "Not the other thirty thousand..."


    But it was too late.


    The three remaining crystals dissolved one after another, their mana flowing into the modified core like water into parched earth.


    Each crystal''s ''death'' drew a collective wince from his audience.


    The silence that followed was deafening.


    The two cores, after consuming fifty thousand crystals worth of resources, simply... glowed a bit brighter.


    Their subtle illumination seemed to mock the fortune that had just been invested in them.


    "That''s it." Min''s voice was flat with disbelief. "He''s lost his mind."


    "If you wanted more light, you already have your stupid glowing mushrooms!" Liu gestured wildly at Ren''s hair, his night bat''s ears manifesting in agitation.


    "We don''t need more night lights!" Taro joined in, his voice rising with hysteria. "We can barely sleep with the ones you already have!"


    The mushrooms in Ren''s hair pulsed with what appeared to be amusement while his friends continued their lamentations.


    "Fifty thousand crystals!" Min pulled at his hair, his water snake coiling in distress. "I only managed to get five thousand last month with so much effort!"


    "This must be a nightmare!" Taro suggested hopefully.


    "Are you done?" Ren asked calmly while carefully storing the cores in the ''nests''.


    "NO!" they responded in perfect unison, their voices blending into a chorus of outrage.


    "At least Taro''s horrible sculptures were free!" Min pointed out desperately.


    "Hey!" Taro protested, his pride visibly wounded. "My sculptures were art!"


    "They were piles of dirt, Taro!" Liu and Min responded automatically.


    The mushrooms in Ren''s hair pulsed steadily as he watched his friends argue, their light seeming to dance with silent laughter. Soon they would understand that some "wastes" were worth far more than any investment.


    But for now, he found entertainment in their dramatic mourning over his "fifty-thousand-crystal lamps."


    A subtle tremor shook the room, causing the crystals on the desk to tinkle briefly before everything returned to stillness. The vibration was so slight it might have been imagination, yet it left an unsettling feeling in its wake.


    "See?" Taro pointed dramatically at the floor. "The dragon god of the depths is angry at your waste!"


    Ren''s laughter was cut short as he produced two more crystals from his bag. His friends immediately launched into panic mode.


    "No more!" Min lunged forward, his snake extending protectively.


    "Think of the children!" Liu pleaded, though which children he meant remained unclear.


    Their relief was palpable when they saw they were just common bronze-sized crystals, barely worth ten points each. The tension in their shoulders visibly eased. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Oh, now you use the cheap ones," Taro muttered.


    With precise movements, Ren began organizing the materials he''d purchased from Jessy.


    He simulated two different cultivation processes: one using the patterns of the iron-rank wolverine, and another from the iron-rank mantis.


    "When you see them turn into eggs," Ren continued casually, as if discussing the weather, "don''t tell anyone, okay?"


    His friends erupted in laughter, the sound bouncing off the dormitory walls.


    "Oh yeah," Min wiped a tear from his eye, his snake swaying with mirth. "Your big secret of turning cores into eggs is safe... Sure thing."


    "And after that," Ren continued, ignoring their laughter, his mushrooms pulsing steadily, "when I reach bronze, I''ll absorb one to become a double tamer."


    The silence lasted exactly three seconds before his friends doubled over with renewed laughter.


    "A double tamer!" Liu clutched his stomach. "You haven''t even reached bronze rank!"


    "With a spore!" Min added between gasps. "Getting to bronze would already be a miracle!"


    "Ten days," Ren murmured while his mushrooms pulsed rhythmically. "In ten days, the eggs will be ready."


    "Just in time for the friendly tournament?" Taro asked, showing genuine curiosity.


    "Yes, though I won''t be able to absorb anything yet," Ren explained patiently. "I''ll only be at about 60 days of cultivation by then, I need 100."


    "And I''ll be at 75, we started 25 days late then," Taro added, calculating his own progress.


    Min and Liu were still laughing¡­.


    "You''ll see," Ren smiled as his mushrooms pulsed. "I know it''s too early to prepare them, but having them ready will give me the motivation to not miss a single day of cultivation.


    "Oh? So you have plenty of motivation not to miss a single day?"


    Lin''s deceptively sweet tone from the doorway made all four boys stiffen.


    "That''s wonderful," she continued as she entered the room, each step deliberately slow. "Because you''re already late for your night training, and I grew tired of waiting."


    "Teacher Lin, I..." Ren began backing away, but there was nowhere to run in the small room.


    "No, no," Lin smiled. "If you have such motivation, surely you''ll want to make up for lost time."


    Before Ren could protest further, Lin grabbed him by the collar, her grip gentle but inexorable.


    "Guys, help!" Ren called out as he was dragged toward the door, his mushrooms pulsing frantically.


    "Sorry," Min carefully avoided eye contact. "We value our lives."


    "Traitors!" Ren''s voice faded down the hallway, leaving his friends in guilty but relieved silence. Find your next read at empire


    "Do you think he can really make eggs?" Taro asked after a moment.


    "It''s more likely Lin will turn him into one," Liu responded dryly.


    The mushrooms in Ren''s hair pulsed weakly as he was dragged to his fate, but a small smile played on his lips.


    In ten days, his friends would have to swallow their laughter.


    If he survived Lin''s training, that is.


    ????


    In the Director''s office, a different kind of conversation was taking place.


    The setting sun painted the grand windows in shades of amber and gold, its dying light illuminating a young woman who stood before Ignatius''s desk. Her posture was perfect, her report delivered with military precision.


    "His routine hasn''t varied since the incident," she explained, her voice crisp and professional. "He begins at dawn with Lin''s training, still completely avoiding Professor Wei''s class..."


    The Director nodded thoughtfully. The bet between Wei and Ren was well known to him through both the professor''s complaints and the girl''s reports. It would almost certainly result in the boy failing one of his units this semester...


    ''Why had he made such a foolish wager, unless...?''


    "He attends Professor Yang''s class, then Zong''s," the girl continued, cutting through his musings. "After that, he invariably descends to the mines. And at night..."


    "More training with Lin?" Ignatius arched an eyebrow, genuine curiosity coloring his voice.


    "Precisely."


    "Interesting," the Director leaned back in his chair, the leather creaking softly. "Most students Lin ''adopts'' don''t last a month. The pace is... intense."


    "In fact," the girl added, a hint of intrigue in her tone, "since the prince left him out of the cave, he seems more... animated."


    "Animated?"


    "As if he''s found something that particularly motivates him."


    The Director was about to respond when a sharp knock interrupted their conversation. Without waiting for an answer, Prince Julius strode into the office, his presence immediately filling the room.


    "Ah, I was beginning to worry," Ignatius straightened in his chair. "How was the investigation?"

 Chapter 119 - Taming Presumption

    The Director was about to respond when a sharp knock interrupted their conversation. Without waiting for an answer, Prince Julius strode into the office, his presence immediately commanding attention."Ah, I was beginning to worry," Ignatius straightened in his chair. "How was the investigation?"


    "I found him¡­ Unfortunately, I couldn''t take down the mercenary." Julius shook his head as he leaned against the Director''s desk, exhaustion evident in every line of his body. The recent pursuit had clearly taken its toll.


    "I had the complete advantage in power, but when it came to escaping, he proved extraordinarily skilled... I tried following him through the abyss, but there were too many creatures. I ended up wasting energy without achieving anything from there."


    With a gesture that spoke of pure frustration, the prince hurled a blood-stained backpack onto the desk. The impact resonated through the office with a dull thud, the considerable weight of its contents making the solid wood creak.


    "At least I managed to wound him significantly," he continued, his eyes gleaming with the memory of combat. Golden light flickered across his irises as his Qilin stirred beneath his skin.


    "He might not survive. I tore off another arm and a leg during our confrontation."


    The prince straightened. "But using the abyssal power from the start was barely enough for him to escape. He invoked the abyssal vein again, they undoubtedly can control it. The small surge of abyssals attacked me while ignoring him..." His fingers clenched into fists. "He replaced his lost leg and hand with scorpion appendages almost instantly and ran."


    "The mutation capacity of abyssal beasts..." the Director began to mutter, but Julius cut him off with a sharp gesture.


    "This wasn''t a simple mutation." The prince''s voice carried an edge. "It was as if the beast was part of him at a deeper level. The way he manipulated those appendages... too natural, too controlled."


    "And the normal beast, the hippogriff?" the Director asked.


    "I destroyed its form," Julius responded, bitter satisfaction coloring his voice. "My wolverine followed the mercenary while I used the qilin. It was a relatively easy battle, but the beast fought to the end."


    His expression darkened.


    "By the time I had defeated it... the mercenary had already tricked my beast and escaped quite far. When I caught up, part of the griffin had already regenerated in his body, so he used its wings to move faster and reach the abyss."


    The Director and his cousin listened intently to the story. The girl, especially, seemed fascinated by the pursuit''s details, her eyes never leaving the prince as he spoke.


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    "What''s in the backpack?" his cousin finally asked, her gaze fixed on the bloodied object.


    Julius pushed it, causing its contents to spill across the desk in a cascade. Dozens of cores rolled across the polished surface, some still stained with dark crimson, others emitting a faint, pulsing glow in the fading light.


    "Why risk so much for this?" The Director picked up one of the cores. "Surely they could obtain many others more easily in their territory. Apart from generating random eggs in the controlled veins, cores are practically useless once the beast dies..."


    "Maybe they''re not so useless." The prince''s voice dropped lower, heavy with implication.


    "Maybe there''s something we don''t understand but they do. What if it''s not the quantity that matters, but the specific type? If they''ve discovered how to hatch them, if they''re from specific creatures that help them..." His eyes narrowed. "Like the one from the mercenary infiltrating us."


    His words fell heavily in the room, each syllable weighted with unspoken threats. The Director observed the cores scattered across his desk with renewed concern while the prince cousin began collecting them, her movements precise and methodical.


    The setting sun filtered through the office windows, making the cores gleam with an ominous light. What had seemed like worthless remains now represented a potential threat none of them had considered.


    What if it''s not coincidence? What if they''re collecting specific cores to facilitate their mass infiltrations?


    "We need to investigate this further," the Director began, but the prince was already walking toward the door, his Qilin''s light casting elongated shadows.


    "I''m already doing something about it," Julius paused in the threshold. "For now, I need you to complete the paperwork for the extra guards, and you, dear cousin, keep watching our friend very carefully."


    The door closed behind him with a soft click, leaving the Director and his cousin contemplating the situation, silent witnesses to an approaching war that was taking an unexpected turn.


    ????


    Ren''s muscles screamed in protest as he settled into his bed.


    Every movement sent waves of pain through his overtaxed body, reminders of Lin''s particularly brutal training session.


    He took the recovery pill she had given him, feeling the familiar warmth spreading through his limbs as the special medicine took effect. The constant ache began to fade, replaced by a gentle tingling sensation that promised relief.


    The mushrooms in his hair pulsed softly as his gaze drifted to the two cores resting on his nightstand. The mantis and hydra cores glowed faintly with the mana he had invested in them.


    His trunk caught his attention, specifically the two eggs hidden within. The Ambush bug egg especially... he could sell it. There were always buyers interested in rare eggs, and though bugs weren''t popular, their rarity guaranteed a good price if he was patient enough to find the right buyer or collector.


    ''But finding it already transformed was too lucky,'' he thought as his mushrooms'' glow momentarily distracted Taro. ''It could be useful later...''


    His eyes drifted to where he kept the abyssal shadow stalker core. Though he couldn''t use it yet, (his knowledge didn''t cover abyssals) perhaps when his spore increased in rank there would be interesting possibilities.


    Bronze rank with two beasts... He could become strong enough to defeat beasts with real cores when he reached that level. The thought made his heartbeat hasten with anticipation.


    Could he obtain more cores in the future to produce more eggs? Transform them for use or sale?


    The mushrooms pulsed insistently, reminding him of reality: first, he needed to become stronger.


    Dealing with bronze-rank beasts was too dangerous at his current level. Luck and knowledge would only take him so far, he needed real power to back up his plans.


    "Hey, Ren..." Taro''s voice pulled him from his thoughts.


    His roommate sat cross-legged on his bed, surrounded by books and notes from Wei''s class. The flickering candlelight cast dancing shadows across his unusually serious expression. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Do you really believe my beetle can evolve beyond bronze?" Taro fidgeted nervously with his pen. "Truth is... I''ve tried not to get my hopes up, but..."


    He paused, searching for the right words in the dim light.


    "You always surprise us," he finally continued, voice thick with emotion.


    "With your knowledge, with your predictions... Now if even those cores transform into eggs, I won''t be able to help it anymore. And now, with my beetle''s cultivation, I..." Tears began forming in his eyes¡­

 Chapter 120 - Taming the Prince Investment

    He paused, searching for the right words in the dim light."You always surprise us," he finally continued, voice thick with emotion.


    "With your knowledge, with your predictions... Now if even those cores transform into eggs, I won''t be able to help it anymore. And now, with my beetle''s cultivation, I..." Tears began forming in his eyes¡­


    The mushrooms pulsed gently as Ren watched his friend struggle with his doubts.


    "I''m scared," Taro admitted in a whisper that barely disturbed the night air. "Scared that this hope will turn into disappointment. Everyone says it''s impossible, that I should be content with bronze rank 2 at most."


    Ren sat up in his bed, ignoring the protest of his aching muscles.


    "I promise you that won''t happen."


    "How can you be so sure?"


    "Because," Ren smiled with quiet confidence, "I see what others can''t. And you have potential you can''t even imagine..."


    Taro opened his mouth to respond, but a sharp knock at the door interrupted them. The sound echoed strangely in the quiet dormitory.


    Who could be visiting at this hour?


    "Did Liu forget his key again?" Taro rose, setting aside his studies.


    "No, they told me..." Ren shook his head. "He and Min are in the library until late, Liu''s helping Min with an assignment."


    Another knock, more insistent this time.


    ????


    "Good evening, Ren," Prince Julius smiled when the door opened, his presence immediately filling the small room. "How have you been?"


    Without waiting for an invitation, he strode inside. His eyes immediately fixed on the cores resting in their elaborate "nests" of diverse materials.


    "Interesting," he murmured, studying the setup with undisguised curiosity. "I see you''ve been busy."


    Taro had frozen on his bed, textbooks forgotten as he watched the crown prince enter their dormitory for the second time.


    "I brought you a gift," Julius continued, dropping a stained backpack onto the floor. Dozens of cores rolled across the wooden planks, their dull surfaces catching the light from Ren''s mushrooms.


    Ren showed his surprise as he observed the sheer quantity of cores scattered before him.


    "I was thinking," the prince casually leaned against Taro''s desk, his Qilin''s power subtly manifesting in golden ripples across his skin. "Instead of taking them back to be converted into random ones, how about I leave them with you to show me what you can do with them?"


    Ren glanced between the cores and the prince. "That''s..." S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Oh, don''t worry," Julius waved a dismissive hand. "The castle has far more than we can process anyway."


    Ren''s mushrooms pulsed as he analyzed the cores. They all appeared to be from scorpions, their essence still faintly resonating with their original nature.


    "Filling them all with mana will be difficult," Ren commented cautiously, acutely aware of Taro''s presence.


    "You have time," the prince smiled. "Besides, I think that vein we found will be safe for quite a while." He winked at Ren.


    Julius transformed his stomach into something resembling a bottomless void and pulled out an enormous package. "I also brought you these," he unwrapped it to reveal ten more hydra plates. "This should give you enough to work with for a while."


    Ren nodded slowly, noting how the prince carefully avoided mentioning eggs specifically in front of Taro.


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    "Though," Julius added casually, "in your next demonstration, I''d like to see if you can do something more... interesting. Like a hydra one, for example."


    Ren felt his throat go dry. His mushrooms pulsed erratically as he searched for an excuse. But then he noticed something peculiar. Among all the scattered cores, there wasn''t a single hydra one. They were all scorpion cores.


    "Wouldn''t it be strange for the intruder who was trying so hard to get a hydra core not to have any among their collection?"


    The prince followed his gaze. "Oh? I hadn''t paid attention to that. To me, all cores were just cores." His smile widened. "Thank you for noticing."


    He moved toward the door. "Unfortunately, my ''vacation'' has to end. My siblings must be drowning in work without me."


    Before leaving, he paused in the threshold. "I''ll visit you again, Ren. I have a feeling you''ll do very interesting things in the future."


    Ren scratched his head, unsure how to respond as the door closed behind the prince.


    "What... what just happened?" Taro finally found his voice.


    Ren surveyed the cores scattered across the floor. The prince had been somewhat careful with his words, but the message was clear: he knew more than he let on.


    "Seems I have more work than I thought," he murmured as he began gathering the cores.


    ????


    "Day 105," Liu sighed while checking his calendar. "Only 75 days left until the end of semester."


    Min looked up from his books, his water snake coiling lazily around his shoulders. "105 days have passed already? Feels like we just arrived yesterday."


    "We should be going gathering today," Taro commented while absorbing his daily crystal. His cultivation was on day 75.


    "At least we have the tournament to distract us," Min tried to sound optimistic. "Three days of competition."


    Ren, who was organizing his trunk, struggled to make space among his materials. The fifteen hydra plates and cores took up an enormous amount of room, even the space under his bed hadn''t been spared.


    "Most are from the prince," he insisted when he noticed his friends'' knowing looks.


    "Sure, sure," Liu smiled. "Like the hundred thousand crystals you ''casually'' deposited the other day."


    "Or the fifty thousand you ''invested'' in your core lamps," Min added.


    "Oh!" Taro perked up. "Did you hear about our tournament prize? Professor Yang will announce it today, but I overheard some senior students talking about it."


    "No¡­ Is it something good?" Liu asked, noticing Taro''s excitement.


    "It must be!" Taro practically bounced on his bed. "It''s to compensate for the canceled gathering trip after all."


    "I didn''t get that kinda event last year but I bet it''s special materials," Liu speculated. "Like Ren''s hydra plates."


    "The ones worth 30 thousand each?" Min whistled.


    "Most are from the prince," Ren repeated.


    "Or maybe some bronze shine crystals?" Taro continued excitedly. "Like the ones Ren wastes on his ''nests''!"


    "The ones that cost ten thousand each," Min recalled.


    "It''s not a waste," Ren muttered.


    The bell rang.


    "Oh!" Min jumped up. "It''s time! Yang''s going to make the announcement!"


    All four hurried to the training field, where other students were already gathering. The afternoon sun cast long shadows across the packed earth as they found their places.


    Yang waited for everyone to settle before beginning.


    "This friendly tournament will compensate for the gathering trip," his voice resonated across the field. "Three days of competition. The best teams will prove their worth."


    The tension was palpable as students waited for the prize announcement.


    "The winning team," Yang made a dramatic pause, "will be exempt from the final tamer battle exam and receive ten thousand crystals for each member."


    Min, Liu, and Taro slowly turned to look at Ren, who tried to maintain a neutral expression.


    "Ten... thousand..." Min murmured.


    "Like... one-third of a hydra plate?" Liu calculated.


    "Or one of his ''nest'' crystals," Taro added.


    The three sighed in unison.


    "The plates are from the prince," Ren repeated automatically, his mushrooms now definitely pulsing with amusement.


    "Still," Min complained. "After seeing your hundred thousand deposit..."


    "And the thirty thousand you spent on materials with Jessy..."


    "And the fifty thousand on your ''lamps''..."


    "And¡­"


    "They''re from the prince!" Ren interrupted, but this time he didn''t even try to hide his smile.


    The mushrooms in his hair pulsed cheerfully while his friends continued lamenting how ten thousand crystals no longer sounded impressive after witnessing Ren''s "investments."


    "At least," Liu grinned, "we know who to borrow from if we need money."


    "If he sells any of his 15 hydra plates," Min laughed.


    "Most are from the prince," all three chorused along with Ren, bursting into laughter.

 Chapter 121 - Tamers Friendly Competition

    In the dormitory room, Min and Taro were visibly depressed."Five thousand for second place," Min collapsed onto his bed. "And a thousand points for third and fourth."


    "Not even real money for fifth to eighth place," Taro sighed, absently turning his daily cultivation crystal between his fingers. His beetle''s markings had dulled to match his mood.


    Liu laughed from his desk. "What did you expect? That they''d hand out fortunes like Ren''s?"


    Ren listened while organizing his materials, trying to find space where none existed.


    "Anyway," Liu continued, "it''s not like you had a chance of winning. Luna''s famous wolf will sweep everyone aside, and if not her, it''ll be Klein''s expensive beasts or some other noble."


    "Liu''s right... maybe we should focus on the mines," Min murmured, then grimaced. "Although lately..."


    "It''s impossible to find decent veins," Taro completed the thought. "And Ren always disappears shortly after we enter to search for good veins alone... Selfish mushroom."


    Ren''s mushrooms pulsed as guilt pricked at his conscience. His expeditions to the depths were still too dangerous to bring a group that would make more noise.


    "The interrupted gathering trip was terrible too," Min continued, his snake mimicking his dejected posture. "Only 1000 crystals from the weaver''s thread. I can only say I did better than the rest with 1500 because I sold the thread to Ren."


    "At least you got extra," Taro sank deeper into his bed. "If my mother hadn''t sent money, I still wouldn''t have the defense rune. Twelve thousand crystals..."


    "You would have gotten it," Ren interjected. "Though barely 5 days before the hundred days limit."


    "How are we supposed to cultivate higher ranks like this?" Min complained. "The mines are practically empty in the safe levels now, and we''ve already lost 5 days of gathering outside."


    Ren considered how to cheer up his friends...


    "We can try to win at least one round and I''ll give you my 1000 crystal prize. If we don''t manage even that... This tournament is just preliminary," he began. "The important one will be the final exam. By then, Taro will have evolved and we''ll have a better chance."


    "If I evolve," Taro muttered.


    "You will," Ren affirmed with conviction. "And when you rank up, you''ll be able to get better materials. I''ll teach you how to deal with the weaker worms, there are specific techniques you can use with your next ability that..."


    "And now you''re going to disappear with Taro in the mines?" Liu teased.


    Ren ignored the comment and turned to Min. "You could start your cultivation too. Your snake has potential and..."


    "Ah, no," Min waved his hands nervously. "I prefer... I prefer to wait and see how it goes for Taro first."


    "Fine, I won''t insist... But back to the tournament topic, you should at least try, we''ve practiced. Besides," he continued, "we don''t need to win to pass Yang''s class. Just give a good demonstration and..."


    The bell''s ring interrupted him.


    The four exchanged glances. It was time.


    "At least," Min tried to joke as they stood up, "if we lose quickly, we can go to the mines before other teams finish."


    "And follow Ren, maybe this time we''ll catch him before he disappears and reveal his secrets," Liu added. "We''ll find his magical vein of infinite crystals."


    Ren rolled his eyes.


    ????


    The training field had been transformed for the tournament.


    In the first semester zone, only eight teams were going to fight.


    The teams had arrived and Yang explained the battle format. The afternoon sun cast long shadows across the packed earth as students took their positions.


    Ren, Min, and Taro observed their competitors with careful attention.


    Klein stood proudly apart with his team, his golden lion manifesting in brilliant patterns. Feng and Astor flanked him.


    Near them, another team of nobles who constantly sought their approval practiced their formations.


    Luna and her two companions (maids) remained silent in their corner, her shadow wolf barely visible as a rippling darkness around her.


    The other noble girls (her cousins and the other maid) maintained a calculated distance from everyone else.


    Jin and his group occupied the opposite end of the field, and beside them had formed another team that lately seemed to gravitate toward their influence. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Han and his companions were there too.


    8 teams.


    In the stands, six new girls observed the preparations. Though they had arrived recently, they had already integrated themselves into the noble circle, orbiting especially around Luna and her cousins.


    It was curious how the teachers barely made them participate in class, and now they wouldn''t compete in the tournament either.


    "Remember that since most of you are young and your beasts are still not very resistant, no weapons or offensive skills in dangerous body areas will be allowed or Yang and I will stop you and disqualify you," Lin warned them.


    "First match," Yang announced. "Jin''s team versus Larissa''s team."


    ????


    The maid with the armadillo took central position, Larissa and Liora flanking her. Find exclusive stories on My Virtual Library Empire


    Facing them, Jin smiled as Kai advanced to the vanguard, his green scales gleaming under the sun. Cass moved to the right, her eagle partially manifesting in shimmering feather patterns across her skin.


    "Begin!" Yang gave the signal.


    Kai launched forward, activating his speed enhanced by his lizard legs. The maid responded by activating the armadillo''s shield skill, creating a semicircular barrier that covered all three of them.


    But Cass and Jin ran to the sides, their movements fluid and practiced.


    "Now!" Jin ordered.


    Cass began launching small cutting wind bursts while Jin circled around the shield to attack from behind, his spiritual claws gleaming with ethereal light.


    Liora''s blue hair rippled like flames as she dodged the wind cuts, but she didn''t counterattack. Her movements were graceful, almost dance-like, but she was clearly holding back.


    The faint glow around Larissa intensified slightly when Jin approached, but she too didn''t respond with power. Instead, she relied solely on hand-to-hand combat techniques to counter Jin''s advances.


    "We have them cornered!" Kai pressed against the shield.


    The maid maintained her position, the armadillo channeling more power into the barrier. Larissa and Liora continued moving with grace, dodging attacks but never utilizing their beasts skills.


    Ren observed from the stands, noting how the two nobles contained their beast features and abilities as always...


    For most, it would be difficult to guess the girls'' beasts for this reason, since many beasts shared flames or glows, but not for Ren.


    Liora''s will o'' wisp could have launched devastating flames, while Larissa''s mineral light fairy could have easily blinded their opponents or defended its tamer even better than Kai''s lizard.


    Even short spatial jumps would have completely changed the course of the battle.


    Because both could do them.


    They were truly powerful creatures like Luna''s wolf, but for some reason, they didn''t want to show them.

 Chapter 122 - Tamers Friendly Competition - 2

    Liora''s will o'' wisp could have launched devastating flames, while Larissa''s mineral light fairy could have easily blinded their opponents or defended its tamer even better than Kai''s lizard.Even short spatial jumps would have completely changed the course of the battle.


    Because both could do them.


    They were truly powerful creatures like Luna''s wolf, but for some reason, they didn''t want to show them.


    Ren had a theory, based on the prince''s face and the familiar resemblance some of the girls'' features shared after being close to him for a while.


    Also on the fact that no random eggs could produce such beasts¡­ they had to come from unique eggs unavailable in the market.


    Unlike Luna''s beast, the eggs of these creatures would be many times more costly... If Luna''s wolf could compete with them, it was only due to her enormous luck in obtaining it from a random black egg.


    They had to be very important people... But the fact that they weren''t searched for during the first excursion''s attack by the abyssals must have been because they hid to look as plain nobles.


    Yet Ren had one doubt when looking at the girls'' features...


    Luna.


    Why didn''t she hide?


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    Jin increased the pressure, his spirit claws slicing through the air ever closer to striking Larissa. She simply stepped back, her glow barely perceptible beneath her skin.


    "They''re boxing themselves in!" Cass intensified her attacks, creating a rain of wind cuts that forced Liora to move closer to the shield. The air itself seemed to shimmer with each slice.


    The maid adjusted her position, maintaining the barrier though the effort was beginning to show. The armadillo''s plates glowed with increasing strain, their light flickering under the pressure.


    "Lost shield formation!" Jin commanded.


    Kai suddenly withdrew while Cass and Jin converged from both sides. The maid stepped forward accidentally when Kai''s pressure disappeared, forced to pivot the shield to protect her ladies. This left her back exposed, which Kai immediately exploited.


    His green plates blazed on his fist as he struck the girl. Simultaneously, Jin and Cass launched their most powerful attacks, their beasts'' energies harmonizing in deadly synchronization.


    Larissa and Liora could have used their spatial jumps to reposition. Instead, they moved conventionally, allowing themselves to be caught in the attack pattern.


    The combination was devastating. Cass''s wind cuts forced Liora toward Jin''s spirit claws, while Kai finally broke through the maid''s defensive formation. The coordinated assault left no room for escape.


    After that, the noble girls tried to win with hand-to-hand combat techniques, even getting close to knocking Jin out, but ultimately Jin''s group''s liberal use of abilities proved too much for them.


    "Victory for Jin''s team!" Yang announced.


    The nobles withdrew gracefully, showing no frustration at their defeat. The maid bowed respectfully, her armadillo features fading from view like morning mist.


    "Good battle," Jin smiled, but there was something mocking in his gaze.


    From the stands, the six new girls observed in silence. Their expressions remained unreadable as the nobles returned to their side. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Next match!" Yang announced. "Klein''s team versus Roran''s team."


    The Goldcrest family heir stepped forward with his usual arrogance, his golden lion manifesting in an impressively generous mane. Feng, whose red cobra created scarlet scales across his skin, and Astor, with his rhinoceros''s bluish plates, flanked him with similar aristocratic bearing.


    On the other side, Roran''s team took their positions. His troll dog, a robust beast with grayish skin, fully manifested as it adopted a defensive stance at the front.


    Mira, his companion with a giant rat, let her beast''s moss and flowers bloom across her arms as she positioned herself on the left. The vibrant growth pulsed with gentle energy.


    Trent and his fire ant completed the formation on the right, heat shimming around him.


    "Begin!"


    Klein didn''t even move. Seeing that Roran had fully released his beast, he did the same, and with a casual gesture, his lion roared, creating a golden pressure wave that forced his opponents back.


    Feng followed suit, his cobra slithering forward, scarlet scales gleaming as it spat a stream of venom toward Mira. The giant rat created a moss barrier, but the venom began corroding it instantly, eating through the green defense like acid.


    Astor''s rhinoceros charged at Trent. The power of its charge made the ground tremble, forcing the fire ant to abandon its position.


    "Hold formation!" Roran shouted, his troll dog struggling to break free from the paralyzing effect of Klein''s lion.


    "Pathetic," Klein smiled as his lion pounced, attacking with golden claws that left trails of light in the air.


    Mira''s rat managed to regenerate its moss enough to dodge another of Feng''s attacks, but the cobra''s scales began to glow with greater intensity. The next stream of venom didn''t hit the moss, it made a parabola aimed directly at Mira''s feet, forcing her to jump out of the way.


    The rhinoceros charged from the flank, channeling power into a strike that shattered Trent''s fire ant''s defense. The wall of flames was impressive, but the rhinoceros''s bluish plates shone, creating a barrier that nullified the damage completely.


    The ant was crushed beneath its power.


    Roran''s troll dog was knocked down by Klein''s lion, its gray claws scraping the ground in desperate attempts to escape its grip.


    "This is boring," Klein sighed. "Feng, Astor, let''s end this."


    Feng''s red cobra coiled around his arm while scarlet scales covered more of his skin. The venom it spat this time, guided by Feng''s will, formed a complete circle around Roran''s team.


    Astor''s Rhinoceros charged again. The ground beneath its feet cracked and splintered as it rushed forward.


    Klein simply extended his hand, his lion roaring one final time to paralyze them. The golden pressure combined with Astor''s charge, amplifying the rhinoceros''s power to devastating effect.


    The result was brutal.


    Mira''s rat''s moss withered instantly as it was knocked out, and Yang stopped the battle before real damage could be done.


    "Victory for Klein''s team," Yang announced, though it was unnecessary.


    Klein didn''t even look at his defeated opponents as he withdrew, Feng and Astor following with the same arrogance with which they had entered.


    From the stands, Jin observed in silence. His expression remained neutral, but his eyes tracked Klein''s every movement with predatory focus.


    Klein paused briefly, looking toward where Luna watched the battles. For a moment, his expression shifted from arrogance to something else... but the moment passed quickly as he continued on his way, the golden lion fading from his skin like sunset''s last rays.


    "Next match," Yang called. "Luna''s team against..."

 Chapter 123 - Tamers Friendly Competition - 3

    "Luna''s team against Hector''s team!" Yang announced, his voice carrying across the hushed training field.Luna stepped gracefully onto the field, her shadow wolf barely visible as a dark silhouette at her feet, rippling like ink in water.


    Her "noble companions", in reality her maids, took flanking positions.


    The cloud bird of one created soft wisps in the air, while the small tree growing from the other''s turtle shell swayed gently.


    In the stands, students leaned forward, eager to witness Luna''s infamous combat style. Even the new noble girls seemed to pay closer attention, their usual aloof expressions showing hints of genuine interest.


    Hector (leader of Klein''s follower team) manifested his minotaur, its horns gleaming menacingly as he took center position. The beast''s power radiated in waves of barely contained aggression.


    To his right, Vern let his centaur fully materialize, its hooves resonating against the ground in a steady rhythm. The hybrid beast''s muscles rippled with anticipation.


    Rosalind completed the formation, her three-horned horse pawing the earth eagerly. The beast''s three horns caught the sunlight like polished spears, their points promising swift and decisive strikes.


    "Begin!"


    Hector''s minotaur charged immediately, its horns blazing as it aimed for Luna. Vern''s centaur flanked right while the tri-horned horse attacked from the left.


    The triple attack formation would have overwhelmed most opponents through sheer power alone.


    Luna smiled.


    Her maids'' beasts moved to intercept, the cloud bird creating a curtain of mist while the tree turtle generated many thin wooden stakes at the front. They appeared to be a weak defense against the charging power of three noble beasts. Some spectators even muttered about the apparent mismatch.


    But it was going exactly as Luna had planned.


    Just as the minotaur was about to impact the barrier, the maids melted into the mist and Luna vanished into the shadows. Her wolf emerged behind Hector, its fangs gleaming as they prepared to bite his leg.


    "Behind!" Vern shouted, spinning to protect his companion.


    But there was nothing there except lingering shadows.


    Luna appeared from Vern''s own shadow, her precise strike finding a pressure point in his neck that sent him stumbling off balance.The attack was so swift that many in the audience missed it entirely, seeing only its effects.


    At the front, Rosalind turned and attempted to charge Luna, but the cloud bird had created enough cover for the shadow wolf to slide through the mist arriving at Rosalind''s back, biting (not too deep, as permitted) the girl''s leg before she could attack Luna from behind.


    "Defensive formation!" Hector ordered upon seeing his injured companion, his minotaur backing up to protect him and his teammates.


    The tree turtle advanced then, its seemingly harmless skill becoming a threat. It began creating more stakes between the boys to separate them, and when the horse tried to charge back, roots extended with surprising speed, entangling its feet.


    Luna switched places with her wolf just as the centaur tried to stomp her. The wolf dodged the slow attack meant for Luna and its fangs found the beast''s flank while Luna materialized behind Rosalind like a ghost.


    The cloud bird''s mist had spread across the entire field, creating a labyrinth of shadows and sticks that Luna and her wolf exploited with devastating efficiency.


    Hector struggled to free his minotaur, also caught by the roots, but one of the maids emerged behind him for a knockout strike. The wolf also surfaced from below, its fangs finding the beast''s belly.


    The minotaur roared one final time before fading, returning to Hector''s unconscious body.


    Rosalind and her tri-horned horse were the last to fall.


    But their resistance proved no different from their companions, and with her injured leg, it was only a matter of time... The end came swiftly, almost merciful in its precision.


    "Victory for Luna''s team," Yang announced.


    The mist dissipated slowly, revealing the three defeated nobles and Luna standing at the field''s center, her shadow wolf once again barely visible at her feet. Her maids maintained neutral expressions, as if their role in the strategy had been insignificant.


    From the stands, Klein watched with burning intensity. The shadow wolf''s power was impressive, but it was Luna''s tactical precision that truly stood out.


    The defeated nobles rose with what dignity they could muster after receiving preventive healing from an assistant''s beast. They would head straight to the infirmary but their pride was more wounded than their bodies.


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    Still, despite their defeat, they had shown considerable skill and coordination. They had simply been outmatched by superior strategy and beast.


    Luna inclined her head slightly in acknowledgment as she withdrew, her maids following like if they were normal noble girl subordinates.


    ????


    "Next match," Yang called, drawing attention back to the field. "Ren''s team versus Han''s team."


    Ren studied their opponents'' formation as they took positions. Han''s weaver spider... their greatest threat, its ability to control the battlefield more devastating the longer they leave him alone.


    Sora, with her deer''s antlers gleaming in her hair, took the left flank, while Jun with his monkey hands positioned himself on the right.


    "Remember the plan," Ren murmured. "Taro, contain Sora and Jun. Min, keep Taro standing."


    His mushrooms pulsed as he analyzed their opponents'' manifestation patterns. Han''s web was the priority, being the worst matchup for Taro. Once neutralized, the others would lose their main tactical advantage. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Begin!"


    Sora launched forward immediately, activating her skill to increase his speed to levels comparable to Kai''s.


    Jun activated his skill too, though there was nothing to climb here, the boost it gave was useful, his muscles visibly swelling as his monkey''s strength increased from 30% to 60%.


    Taro advanced to intercept them with his skill also activated, his shell gleaming as he expanded his defense. Min began channeling water, ready to heal or attack as needed.


    Han started weaving webs around himself, creating hexagonal patterns. Ren moved laterally, studying how light refracted through the nearly invisible threads.


    Sora rammed against Taro''s shield, his manifested antlers clashing against the reinforced shell. Jun took advantage to flank, his enhanced strength making each blow resonate.


    "Hold on!" Min directed a concentrated water jet toward Jun, forcing him to retreat while using another stream to heal the cracks in Taro''s defense.


    Ren dodged Han''s first web, noting how the mana had been channeled for the attack even before it was launched.


    ''The edges,'' he thought while jumping aside. ''They''re 4 meters from his hip.''

 Chapter 124 - Tamers Friendly Competition - 4

    "Hold on!" Min directed a concentrated water jet toward Jun, forcing him to retreat while using another stream to heal the cracks in Taro''s defense.Ren dodged Han''s first web, noting how the mana had been channeled for the attack even before it was launched.


    ''The edges,'' he thought while jumping aside. ''They''re 4 meters from his hip.''


    Jun vaulted over Taro with monkey-enhanced agility, attempting to strike at Min. Taro''s arm extended just in time, his shell''s reinforced surface intercepting the blow while Min counterattacked with a precise water jet to Jun''s face. The coordination between defenders and healer had become almost instinctive.


    Sora seized the momentary distraction to charge again, her antlers blazing with accumulated power. Taro pivoted to intercept, but the sheer force of impact drove him back several steps, leaving small furrows in the packed earth.


    Han had woven an intricate network of hexagons, the nearly invisible threads limiting Ren''s movement options. The pattern was beautiful in its complexity, a deadly spider''s web catching the afternoon light¡­


    But instead of retreating, Ren advanced.


    ''The weaving pattern has a rhythm,'' his mushrooms pulsed as he analyzed each intersection. ''Three gaps large enough for me between each main connection.''


    Ren slid between the web''s gaps with serpentine grace. Lin''s technique gave him the confidence to approach, but it was his analytical mind that revealed the exact paths through Han''s deadly maze.


    Han''s eyes widened in surprise, he hadn''t expected the mushroom boy to enter his trap zone so directly.


    Spectators leaned forward, sensing something unprecedented was about to unfold again.


    Meanwhile, Taro held Jun at bay, his carapace absorbing blow after enhanced blow while Min alternated between healing his fracturing defense and keeping Sora at distance with precisely aimed water jets. Their teamwork had evolved dramatically since their first training sessions, each movement supporting the others.


    Ren surveyed the battlefield with calculating eyes. Han''s hexagonal webs reached only hip height, unable to rise higher without anchor points, a limitation of the field he could exploit.


    In a forest, Han would have been far more problematic for them.


    Han launched another web, trying to snare Ren as he approached. The hexagons gleamed faintly, nearly invisible except for how they distorted light and their mana content. The pattern was mesmerizing but deadly.


    Ren moved.


    Not backward as Han expected, but sideways. A calculated leap carried him over the low webs, landing perfectly in another gap.


    Then he sprang forward to finally close the distance, but...


    "Got you!" Han''s smile was triumphant as he launched a web directly into Ren''s trajectory, mid air.


    Time seemed to slow.


    He was in trouble, but not trapped. Not yet.


    Ren hung suspended in the air, the web approaching with inexorable certainty.


    From the stands, several students held their breath. It seemed impossible to dodge in that position. Jin''s smile widened knowingly...


    "Ren!" Min''s cry echoed across the field, but he couldn''t help while maintaining Taro''s defense.


    Sora tried to exploit the opening to charge Min. Her antlers blazed as she rushed forward, but Taro remained vigilant.


    In a move that demonstrated how much his initiative had improved since his defeat against Jin ¨C thanks to the hope Ren had given him ¨C Taro grabbed one of Sora''s antlers. Using her own charging momentum against her, he spun and hurled her directly into Jun. The impact sent both sprawling.


    Ren calculated angles and distances in the split second he had left. The web approached, its hexagons glowing with Han''s anticipated victory.


    ''Now.''


    The mushrooms in his hair flared brilliantly, temporarily blinding Han with their sudden radiance.


    It was all he needed.


    In that same instant, Ren covered his right hand with spores. As the web was about to catch him, he grabbed one of the threads he''d been jumping over and pulled hard, canceling his jump''s forward momentum to drop faster.


    The spores adhered to the sticky thread while his hand came away clean.


    Han blinked away the afterimages, expecting to see Ren trapped in his web. But there was nothing above.


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    The strike came from below.


    Ren had crawled under the web network.


    His kick connected perfectly with his opponent''s legs, sweeping the weaver off his feet.


    Han tried to break his fall by putting his hands down, but before they could touch earth, Ren''s fist was already threading between his arms. The uppercut, perfected through countless sessions with Lin, found exactly the right point on Han''s jaw.


    The weaver crashed unconscious to the ground.


    "Han is out!" Yang announced, his voice cutting through the stunned silence.


    When Taro had thrown them together, Sora and Jun collapsed in a tangle of limbs, giving Ren time to rejoin his teammates. Their expressions showed a mixture of relief and renewed determination.


    Without Han''s support, the combat dynamics shifted dramatically as Ren joined the fray.


    "Shall we finish this?" Ren smiled, his mushrooms pulsing as he adopted one of Lin''s combat stances.


    Min and Taro nodded, falling into position beside him.


    Taro and Ren moved to flank their opponents while protecting their healer. Lin''s training sessions with Ren and their practice as a team finally bore fruit.


    Within minutes, Sora and Jun also lay defeated. Their resistance was skilled but futile against the team''s synchronized assault.


    "Victory for Ren''s team!"


    "The first round has concluded!" Yang announced while assistants tended to the minor injuries.


    The mushrooms in Ren''s hair pulsed softly as he helped Han to his feet. The weaver blinked in confusion, still processing what had happened.


    "How...?" he began to ask.


    "My spores," Ren explained, showing him the residue still clinging to the thread. "They stuck to the thread but my hand didn''t."


    Han studied the spores for a moment before laughing. "Using my own web as an anchor point... brilliant." S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    From the stands, Luna observed with renewed interest, unable to completely hide a small smile from her watchful maids. Her shadow wolf seemed to ripple at her feet.


    "For the semifinals: Luna''s team versus Jin''s team! Klein''s team versus Ren''s team!"


    Ren''s mushrooms pulsed steadily as he looked toward where Klein smiled arrogantly, his golden lion''s mane shimmering.


    The real test was about to begin.

 Chapter 125 - Taming Promises

    The room was illuminated by the light of three moons when they returned from the infirmary, casting triple shadows that danced across the walls.Their injuries had been minor, bruises and scratches that the auxiliaries had healed quickly.


    "Well, at least you made it to the semifinals," Liu tried to lift the mood as he settled at his desk. "That''s more than most people expected."


    Min collapsed onto his bed, stretching muscles that still ached despite the healing. His water snake coiled dejectedly around his belly. "Yeah, and now we get to face the strongest team in the tournament. Perfect."


    "Maybe Luna''s team is stronger, though it depends on how you look at it... If you''d been matched against Jin''s team, you''d have had a chance," Liu continued, trying to find silver linings. "Their beasts are strong but not at Klein''s team''s level¡­ Those are too much, even with Ren''s strategies..."


    "Yeah, no... strategies don''t help much when there''s such a huge power gap," Taro muttered.


    Ren stood by the window, his mushrooms pulsing softly as he mentally reviewed every possibility. He wanted to tell them there was a way, that if they tried hard enough and executed the perfect plan...


    But even with all his knowledge, he couldn''t find a viable solution.


    The gap was simply too wide.


    Klein''s golden lion, Feng''s red cobra, Astor''s rhinoceros, all beasts with explosive growth in their early stages. Their raw power was evident in every movement, every manifestation. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In contrast, Taro''s beetle would need time to reach its true potential. Min''s snake was just beginning to develop its water abilities.


    And his mushrooms...


    Well, the intense glow only worked up to a point and wouldn''t surprise anyone anymore.


    He didn''t want to give them false hope.


    It wouldn''t be fair to promise an impossible victory.


    "Hey, don''t make those faces," Liu tried again, his night bat manifesting slightly in response to his concern. "Nobody expected you to get this far. Just being in the semifinals is..."


    "Maybe we can find a way to lose with style," Min completed with a resigned smile, his snake mimicking his defeated posture.


    Ren finally turned to face his friends. His mushrooms pulsed steadily as he made a decision.


    "You should be happy," he said, drawing everyone''s attention. "At least you''re guaranteed 1500 crystals each."


    "Each?" Taro blinked in confusion, his beetle''s markings swirling with surprise. "But third place is only a thousand points."


    "I''ll give you my share," Ren explained, his mushrooms casting gentle light patterns across the room. "I don''t really need it and..."


    "Oh," Min sat up straighter, a hint of his usual humor returning. "The generous magnate doesn''t need his prize because he has a trunk full of hydra plates."


    "Which are from the prince," Liu added automatically, triggering laughter that helped ease the tension.


    "It''s not because of that," Ren smiled, his mushrooms pulsing with amusement. "It''s because you worked hard following the plan and..."


    A knock at the door interrupted him.


    The mushrooms in his hair pulsed with sudden alertness as everyone turned toward the entrance. It was late, and after the day they''d had...


    Another knock, more insistent this time.


    Ren approached the door, his mushrooms analyzing the presence on the other side. Whoever it was carried an aura of purpose that seemed unusually intense for this hour.


    ????


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    The male wing''s corridors were practically deserted at this hour, moonlight creating patches of silver and shadow across the wooden floors.


    A girl moved with the practiced grace of someone accustomed to avoiding notice, her blue hair barely visible in the darkness as she slipped between shadows. Each step was precisely placed, each movement calculated for silence.


    Like so many other nights, her destination was Ren''s room. It had become routine, listen, observe, report.


    But tonight something was different.


    A movement in the perpendicular hallway made her quicken her pace. For an instant, a flash of her blue hair was illuminated by moonlight through a window before she vanished around the corner.


    Klein, passing by, froze mid-step. "Luna?"


    The blue hair, the direction... his eyes narrowed as he processed that this corridor led directly to Ren''s room. His golden lion stirred beneath his skin, responding to his rising tension.


    ????


    The knocks at the door startled the room''s occupants from their contemplation.


    Ren approached cautiously, his mushrooms'' light revealing his friends'' concerned expressions.


    When he opened it, Klein shoved the door with enough force to make Ren step back instinctively into a defensive stance.


    Feng and Astor flanked Klein but remained in the hallway, their beasts partially manifesting as their leader scanned the room with narrowed eyes, as if searching for something... or someone.


    "Hey!" Min jumped up, his water snake coiling protectively around him. "You can''t just barge in like that!"


    "Ren, hide the plates," Taro whispered urgently. "Maybe they''re here to steal them."


    "If he steals anything he''ll be expelled, noble or not," Liu interjected. "The academy is extremely strict about obtained items. The value must be doubled by them so they''re very careful about where things come from..."


    Klein diverted his attention from the corner he''d been examining.


    "I''m not interested in your miserable possessions," he spat, though it was clear he had no idea of the wealth Ren had accumulated.


    Not that it mattered, as the Goldcrest heir, money was the least of his concerns.


    His eyes swept the room one final time before focusing on Ren with laser intensity. "I came to tell you something directly."


    His golden lion manifested partially, creating brilliant patterns across his skin and expanding his mane into a corona of power. "Tomorrow I will humiliate you in front of everyone. When they see the abyssal difference between us, perhaps you''ll finally understand your place."


    Ren''s mushrooms pulsed with growing irritation as Klein spoke of humiliation. It was one thing to know the battle would be difficult for them, he himself had been considering it moments before.


    But seeing how his friends lowered their gazes before Klein''s threats...


    Ren''s mushrooms pulsed as he studied Klein. There was something more than simple arrogance in his bearing, an extra tension, an irritation that went beyond his usual disdain. His golden lion''s manifestation seemed almost unstable with emotion.


    "Once I demonstrate how insignificant you are," Klein continued, his voice carrying an edge of something personal, "it will be perfectly clear that approaching Luna is forbidden."


    Taro and Min exchanged confused looks. Luna? What did she have to do with this?


    "After all," Klein raised his voice slightly, as if wanting someone else to hear, "a promised girl shouldn''t be meeting other men in secret."


    The silence that followed was absolute. Ren''s friends stared at Klein uncomprehendingly, while Feng and Astor seemed equally confused by their leader''s comment. The tension in the room grew thick enough to cut.


    "Promised?" Min finally broke the silence. "What are you talking about?"


    Klein ignored the question, his eyes fixed on Ren with burning intensity. "Tomorrow you''ll learn your place, mushroom. And I hope that afterward, certain people remember their... obligations to..."


    "I told you before," Ren stepped forward, cutting off Klein''s monologue. "That kind of discourse is for halfwits."


    Klein froze in the doorway, his golden lion manifesting more fully until its power filled the corridor with shimmering light. "What did you say?"

 Chapter 126 - Tamers Pride

    "I told you before," Ren stepped forward, cutting off Klein''s monologue. "That kind of thinking is for halfwits."Klein froze in the doorway. His golden lion manifested more fully. "What did you say?"


    "Having a beast that is decent in the lower ranks doesn''t give you the right to look down on others." Ren''s mushrooms pulsed with growing intensity, their light steady and unwavering. "Or to threaten humiliation... or to treat people like objects."


    "A decent beast?" Klein turned fully. "My golden lion''s lineage is the culmination of generations of noble cultivation. You dare call it decent? What next, will you compare it to your pathetic mushrooms?"


    "Your beast or your noble genes don''t make you a better person than anyone else," Ren''s voice remained firm, unbending. "And tomorrow won''t be the easy victory you imagine against my awesome spore!"


    Min and Taro straightened slightly at his words. It wasn''t a promise of victory, both understood the real odds too well for that. But it was a promise of dignity.


    "Are you challenging me, mushroom?" Klein stepped forward, but Ren held his ground.


    "I''m reminding you that arrogance has a price." Ren met Klein''s gaze steadily. "And that my friends deserve respect, regardless of tomorrow''s outcome."


    Feng and Astor exchanged wary glances. Few dared confront Klein like this.


    "Tomorrow," Klein practically spat the word, "you''ll regret every single one of those words. And when I''m done with you and your pathetic friends, everyone will see the difference between¡­"


    "The difference between someone who needs to humiliate others to feel superior," Ren cut in, "and those who win or lose with dignity."


    Outside in the dark hallway, the girl held her breath. Her mistake in being seen had caused Klein to reveal something perturbing, but at least now she knew...


    Though now she would have to report this unexpected development. The Goldcrest heir was saying very concerning things, and she didn''t like hearing that at all...


    At least Ren seemed unwilling to let Klein say whatever he wanted about it.


    The silence that followed within the room crackled with tension. Golden patterns danced across Klein''s skin, pulsing with fury.


    "Tomorrow," Klein finally spoke, his voice cold as winter frost. "In the arena. We''ll settle this once and for all."


    "Tomorrow," Ren nodded once.


    When Klein and his followers finally left, Min released the breath he''d been holding.


    "What was all that about?" Taro asked as they finally closed the door.


    "Klein being Klein," Min shrugged, though worry lined his face.


    "He''s trying to intimidate you," Liu suggested. "Though I don''t know what he meant about Luna... Wait! Is he jealous because Ren seduced her in the room the other day?"


    "Don''t be ridiculous..." Ren sighed.


    "Ren," Taro began hesitantly, "we..."


    "I know," Ren turned to face Taro and Min. "I know the odds aren''t in our favor. But that doesn''t mean we have to accept his threats or his contempt."


    "You''re right. Even if we lose," Min smiled faintly, "at least we''ll do it on our terms."


    "And he''ll have to earn his victory," Taro added, his voice stronger now.


    Liu watched from his corner, a small smile playing on his lips.


    They might not win tomorrow, but something more important had been strengthened tonight.


    Ren''s mushrooms pulsed softly as he began planning tomorrow''s battle. He couldn''t promise them victory, but he could ensure Klein never forgot this encounter.


    ????


    Luna, Liora, and Larissa gathered in the main room each night, a ritual as familiar as breathing.


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    Two of the three cousins shared the characteristic blue hair of the adjacent family, while one bore the blonde of the main line. Each wore it differently, like variations on a noble theme.


    "You won''t believe the horror story I just heard!" One burst into the room, practically trembling with disgust. "Klein is shouting to the four winds that he has a fianc¨¦e!"


    "That''s impossible," another replied, sitting ramrod straight with an irritated expression. "Marriage promises can''t even be made until sixteen."


    "B-but that''s in 6 years..." mumbled the third cousin from her corner, half-hidden behind a beast manual.


    "And he went straight to Ren''s room to make a scene!" continued the first.


    The book quivered slightly. "To... to Ren''s room?"


    "Oh, does that interest you?" The storyteller''s smile widened mischievously. "It was quite interesting. He defended the right to free choice and everything."


    "Who did he defend?" the other two asked in unison, one demanding and barely audible.


    A blush crept across one face, its owner immediately turning away in a futile attempt to hide it.


    "Is that a blush I see?"


    "D-don''t be silly," the blushing girl kept her face turned away. "It''s just warm in here."


    "B-but we just opened the windows..."


    "Don''t take her side!"


    The maids, who had remained discreetly in the corners until now, exchanged amused glances.


    "Young Ren has certainly been showing interesting facets lately," one commented.


    "Especially in the mines," added another, causing one of the cousins to visibly tense.


    "It''s fascinating how he always knows where to find the best veins and win battles without a beast!"


    "And how he seems to understand beasts so well..." came the comment from behind the book.


    "And how certain someone always seems to be aware of his movements," a maid added with feigned innocence.


    "Enough!" The blushing cousin stood abruptly. "It''s not... it''s not what you''re implying."


    "And what exactly are we implying?" The playful smile grew. "We haven''t mentioned anything about certain eyes following a certain figure in Yang''s classes..."


    The book dropped, revealing a startled face. "Y-you noticed too?"


    "That''s enough!" The blushing girl began herding her cousins toward the door. "The tournament is tomorrow and we need rest."


    The maids hid their smiles as they watched their young lady practically expel her cousins from the room, their protests and laughter echoing down the hallway.


    When she finally closed the door, she leaned against it with an exasperated sigh.


    "Young Ren is quite peculiar, isn''t he, my lady?" a maid commented while preparing the bed.


    The only response was a soft groan and the sound of someone burying their face in a pillow.


    ????


    The crystal dissolved in Ren''s hand, the last of his daily cultivation. In the adjacent bed, Taro absorbed his dose as well.


    Neither spoke. There was no need. Last night''s words still echoed in the room, the promise of dignity.


    The training field awaited them, ready for battle.


    Luna''s team versus Jin would be an interesting match, but everyone knew who would win. All eyes were on the second battle.


    The Goldcrest heir against the mushroom boy who seemed to win in interesting ways, leveraging the beasts'' low rank to cushion his spore''s virtual uselessness. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Klein was already there, his golden lion manifesting across his skin. Feng and Astor flanked him, the red cobra and rhinoceros creating an intimidating tableau.


    In the stands, Ren saw the three cousins with their three maids watching intently. Beside them, the six new students remained silent.


    What he had said last night...


    It was a promise that, regardless of the outcome, this battle would be remembered.


    "First semifinal!" Yang announced. "Team..."

 Chapter 127 - Tamers Friendly Competition - 5

    "First semifinal!" Yang announced, his voice carrying across the morning air. "Luna''s team versus Jin''s team!"The teams advanced to the center of the field.


    Luna walked with innate grace, her "noble companions" flanking her with matching elegance. Her shadow wolf was barely visible as a dark silhouette at her feet.


    Jin took center position, his tiger manifesting partially in rippling stripes across his skin as he studied his opponents. At his right, Kai let his defensive plates gleam under the sun. Cass completed their formation on the left, her eagle flickering like a living shadow above them.


    "Begin!"


    Mist began flowing immediately from the cloud bird, but Jin''s confident smile showed he had anticipated this.


    "The same strategy as before?" Jin''s voice dripped with disdain. "Hiding in the mist won''t work this time."


    Luna didn''t respond, but a small smile curved her lips as her companion''s cloud bird continued producing mist in great quantities. The fog rolled across the ground like a living thing.


    "Cass! Now!"


    Cass''s eagle was already outside her body, its majestic wings spread to their full span. Each feather gleamed as it began beating the air, creating currents that started dispersing the mist.


    The area around Jin''s team cleared, revealing the battlefield. Morning light pierced the thinning fog like golden spears.


    "See?" Jin''s smile widened. "Without your cover, your wolf isn''t so¡­"


    He stopped mid-sentence.


    For a moment, it had seemed their strategy would work, but...


    Where the eagle dispersed the mist, new fog flowed to fill the void. It was like watching water flow in slow motion, filling every empty space with deliberate purpose.


    "Doesn''t matter," Jin clenched his teeth. "Keep trying, Cass! Kai, prepare for any attack!"


    A cracking sound drew their attention. The turtle''s roots and branches began emerging from the ground, creating barriers that serpentined between them.


    "Don''t let them separate us!" Kai fully activated his plates on his fists, striking the wooden barriers. But for each branch he destroyed, two more took its place.


    A howl resonated through the growing mist.


    "Cass, watch out!" Jin shouted, but the wolf had already emerged from the shadows.


    Its fangs found Cass''s flank with precision, drawing a cry of pain. Her eagle, responding to the primal instinct to protect its tamer, abandoned its task of dispersing the mist.


    It was their fatal mistake.


    The wolf appeared above the manifested eagle like a black lightning bolt, its fangs finding the exact point where the neck was most vulnerable. The eagle vanished in a flash of light, its form dissolving back into pure mana.


    Luna emerged simultaneously from Cass''s shadow, a precise strike to her nape rendering her unconscious before she could even register the attack.


    "One down," Luna counted softly, her voice carrying an edge of satisfaction.


    "Cass!" Jin tried to reach his fallen companion, but more wooden barriers blocked his path, the branches weaving together like prison bars.


    Luna and her wolf vanished back into the shadows. The mist swallowed them whole, leaving no trace of their passage.


    "Back to back!" Kai ordered, his plates blazing intensely as he positioned himself beside Jin. Their shoulders touched as they turned slowly, trying to watch every angle at once.


    A soft laugh echoed through the mist, seeming to come from all directions at once. The sound danced around them like autumn leaves in the wind.


    "Coward!" Jin shouted, his frustration evident in every line of his body. "Come out and fight face to face!"


    The laughter continued, mixing with the sound of wind through branches and occasional wolf howls. In the mist surrounding them, shadows began to move with deliberate purpose.


    "Coward?" Luna''s voice resonated through the fog. "Like you, always bullying those you think weaker?"


    The wolf bit Jin''s arm while Luna''s voice distracted him. Jin tried to counterattack with a spirit punch, but hit only empty air. The beast had already melted back into the shadows.


    "You''re a narcissistic child, a boring bully," Luna continued, her voice moving around them like a dance. "What makes you think you''re better than others? Your wealthy family? Your beast?"


    "Shut up and fight face to face, you witch!" Jin launched more spirit punches into the mist, but the wolf was too quick, appearing and vanishing between shadows like a nightmare. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kai withstood the attacks better, his defensive plates absorbing the wolf''s bites. But even he began showing wounds in his less protected areas, blood slowly staining his uniform.


    "Enough!" Jin growled, his frustration reaching its limit. "Spirit Tiger!"


    His beast manifested fully outside his body, roaring as it searched for the wolf in the mist.


    Luna''s laugh gained a sharper edge. "Perfect."


    The wolf emerged from the shadows, this time holding nothing back. It no longer needed to worry about injuring the tamer too deeply, a manifested beast could be "eliminated" without permanent consequences. It would regenerate completely within a day at most.


    The massive wolf appeared from below and tore the tiger''s throat with a brutal bite. Blood that would soon turn to mana sprayed in an arc through the mist.


    The tiger managed to connect a slash with its huge paw, making the wolf retreat briefly. But Luna''s beast recovered quickly, returning to the shadows while the tiger''s opened neck let all the mana of its form bleed away.


    With a flash of light, Jin''s beast vanished, returning to his body.


    "No!" Jin tried to manifest it again, but it would be impossible for today¡­ and the wolf was already upon him.


    "Two down," Luna counted again as Jin fell unconscious.


    The wolf continued its assault against Kai, though the damage it had received was beginning to take its toll. Its movements had slowed slightly, black blood dripping from where the tiger''s claws had found their mark.


    Kai saw his opportunity.


    The wolf had become slower after the tiger''s slash. Activating his enhanced speed, he launched himself toward the wolf that had just missed an attack against his armor...


    It was his final mistake.


    Luna emerged from his shadow, her strike finding exactly the same point Ren had exploited in their individual battle. Kai''s eyes widened in surprise before he collapsed.


    "Three down," Luna finished counting, satisfaction evident in her tone.


    "Victory for Luna''s team," Yang announced as the mist began to dissipate like morning fog burning away under the sun.


    The wolf walked back to its tamer''s side, showing some signs of the encounter with the tiger in its gait, but retreated to Luna''s shadow to rest.


    The "noble girls" accompanying her maintained their neutral expressions, as if the outcome had been inevitable from the start.


    Luna observed her fallen opponents as medical auxiliaries approached to tend to them.


    "Next time," she murmured, though only her wolf heard, "think twice before calling someone a coward witch." Read latest chapters at My Virtual Library Empire


    The mist finished dispersing, revealing the battlefield in its entirety. Klein followed Luna with his gaze as she and her group returned to the stands, his eyes blazing with an intensity that made several people look away.


    The medical auxiliaries carried away Jin''s team. Their injuries weren''t severe, some healing energy would mend them, but taking them to the infirmary beds was more convenient to give them time to recover their dignity as well as their health.


    "Second semifinal!" Yang''s voice resonated across the field once more. "Klein''s team versus Ren''s team!"

 Chapter 128 - Tamers Friendly Competition - 6

    "Last semifinal!" Yang''s voice resonated across the field. "Klein''s team versus Ren''s team!"Lin watched Ren prepare to descend to the arena, her hands tightening. Her student had progressed enormously in recent months, but this battle...


    Still she couldn''t bring herself to suggest surrender, yet the thought of a crushing defeat affecting his motivation made her chest tighten with worry.


    Taro and Min flanked Ren as they advanced onto the field. Their expressions showed determination despite the overwhelming odds they faced. The morning sun cast long shadows behind them, like omens of the challenge ahead.


    What Ren had said last night...


    It was a promise that, regardless of the outcome, this battle would be remembered¡­


    And he intended to go by those words.


    Klein stepped forward before Yang could begin the match. His golden lion manifested fully, creating a spectacle of light that drew gasps from the spectators. The beast''s mane rippled with power, each strand seeming to capture and amplify the morning sun.


    "Listen, everyone!" his voice carried across the field. "What you''re about to witness is not just a battle. This is a demonstration of the natural difference between nobility and those who don''t know their place!"


    Feng and Astor smiled as their beasts partially manifested, the red cobra and rhinoceros adding their intimidating presence to the scene. The cobra''s scales gleamed like fresh blood, while the rhinoceros''s armor plates seemed to absorb light itself.


    "No matter what tricks you pull from your sleeve, mushroom," Klein pointed at Ren, contempt dripping from every word. "No matter what pathetic strategies you attempt. The difference between us is fundamental, and today everyone will see it!"


    The mushrooms in Ren''s hair pulsed softly as he held his position. Min took several steps back but left his snake with Ren, while Taro stepped forward, creating an unusual linear formation that seemed to puzzle the spectators.


    From the stands, Luna observed in silence, her shadow wolf rippling at her feet. Her cousins exchanged meaningful glances while the six new students remained motionless as always, but like everyone their attention was fixed on the unfolding scene.


    "This will be a lesson!" Klein continued, his voice growing more theatrical. "A lesson about the natural order of things. About why certain boundaries should not be crossed, and certain... ''approaches'' should not be attempted."


    He glanced briefly toward where Luna sat before returning to Ren, the meaning clear to those who understood.


    Yang studied both teams before raising his hand... but Ren''s team seemed uninterested neither to answer nor even listen. Instead, they stared intensely at Yang himself, as if expecting something.


    ''Do they want him to defend them? Well, yeah the ''speech'' was getting¡­''


    "After this battle," Klein continued, cutting Yang''s thought, "everyone will see the difference between a true noble and¡­"


    "Begin!"


    Yang dropped his hand, starting the battle if only to silence Klein. The golden lion''s roar shook the air as the battle for pride, and something more, began. Experience tales with My Virtual Library Empire


    ????


    Their positions seemed strange to observers, Taro and Ren at the front, with Min slightly behind. To the spectators, it looked like suicide.


    "Poor things," someone murmured in the stands. "They don''t even know how to position themselves properly."


    "The lion''s roar will paralyze them the moment it starts," another added. "It''ll be a massacre."


    Klein observed the formation with undisguised contempt. Were they really so stupid as to separate? Should he simply take a nap while letting his lion''s power do the work? This would be even easier than he''d thought.


    The golden lion roared instantly, waves of spiritual power crossing the field like visible ripples in the air. Klein smiled, expecting to see his opponents frozen in terror.


    The smile froze on his face.


    Taro and Ren were already running full speed forward, as if the roar hadn''t affected them at all. Their movements were unhindered, fast, nothing like Klein had expected.


    "Impossible!" Klein gritted his teeth, his confidence cracking. "Attack!"


    Klein''s golden lion charged directly at them. Ren''s mushrooms pulsed as he analyzed patterns, the frontal attack was a distraction. Feng''s cobra was already slithering along the left flank, while Astor''s rhinoceros prepared to charge from the right.


    It was ridiculous, did they really think they could face beasts of this level in direct combat?


    "Finish them!" Klein ordered his lion, focusing on Ren. That damned mushroom needed to learn his place once and for all.


    But Taro was in front, so he''d have to deal with him first.


    The lion attacked, its golden claws gleaming as they descended toward what appeared to be Taro''s suicidal charge.


    Then Ren''s light made a strong pulsation across the field. But from that far it couldn''t blind anybody¡­ even less at daylight


    Yet it wasn''t important because instantly after, in a move no one expected, Taro curled into a ball.


    His shell blazed brilliantly as he concentrated all his defense into his back, the hardest part of his beetle manifestation. Months of cultivation had made that shell a bit stronger too.


    The lion impacted against the carapace with devastating force... but Taro held firm. The sound of the collision echoed across the field.


    "What...?" Klein began, but then he saw it.


    Ren, who had been running behind Taro, used the shell as a springboard as Taro also pushed him up. His legs, honed by months of training with Lin, launched him skyward. Every muscle, every movement had been perfected for this moment. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Min''s snake launched against the lion''s back, giving him the second small boost he needed. The coordination was flawless, each piece falling into place like a perfectly executed dance.


    For a moment, time seemed to stop.


    Klein saw Ren suspended above him, the mushrooms in his hair gleaming under the sun. In that frozen instant, their eyes met, one filled with shock as he tried too late to put up his guard, the other with furious determination.


    ''It can''t be,'' Klein thought. ''He''s just a commoner with a useless beast...''


    Ren''s fist, charged with months of training with Lin and his small but meaningful buff, connected directly with Klein''s jaw.


    The impact carried the weight of every slight, every insult, every moment of condescension.


    The Goldcrest heir fell backward, his eyes wide with disbelief as his golden lion roared in impotent fury. The sound of his body hitting the ground seemed to echo across the suddenly silent field.


    In the stands, no one breathed. Even the wind seemed to pause.


    The mushroom boy had just knocked down the Goldcrest heir with a single punch.


    Luna''s lips curved in a small, satisfied smile.

 Chapter 129 - Tamers Friendly Competition - 7

    The battlefield was controlled chaos. Spectators remained slack-jawed, still processing the shocking initial blow they''d just witnessed when the true battle exploded into life.Min''s snake had coiled skillfully around the golden lion, using its flexibility to keep the powerful beast occupied.


    Taro was doing the impossible, containing Astor''s rhinoceros. His shell, though already showing cracks from the lion''s impact, continued to hold. Each blow resonated through the field like thunder, yet he refused to yield.


    Across the field, Min dodged and weaved, keeping ahead of Feng''s cobra, buying precious seconds.


    Klein lay on the ground, his vision blurred from the impact. The metallic taste in his mouth only fueled his fury at the humiliation of being knocked down before everyone. But before he could fully recover, he saw Ren launching himself forward to finish the job.


    ''No... Damned commoner,'' rage cleared his mind like lightning. ''I won''t lose to a damned commoner!''


    "RETURN!" Klein''s cry echoed across the field.


    The golden lion transformed into a sphere of pure energy, breaking free from the snake and returning to its tamer''s body. Beast power coursed through him, clearing the confusion from the blow and allowing Klein to block Ren''s next attack with renewed strength.


    Ren''s movements were precise, each strike and step showcasing Lin''s brutal training. Klein found himself shocked to be on the defensive while still grounded, the cursed mushroom really knew how to fight.


    But Klein was no novice either.


    His beast''s power enhanced his reflexes, letting him block the strike aimed for his chin. His training in the Goldcrest mansion emerged as he blocked and counterattacked. He wouldn''t underestimate this opponent again.


    Ren''s movements were a revelation to all present. With a technique Lin had made him practice dozens of times, he caught Klein''s arm in a lock, forcing his guard to open. Enjoy new adventures from My Virtual Library Empire


    The second punch connected, drawing a grunt of pain from Klein.


    "Klein!" Astor launched himself toward them, his kick catching Ren''s side. The impact forced him to release his hold on Klein, sending him stumbling back. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "You''ll pay for this," Klein rose, wiping blood from his lip as his eyes blazed with murderous fury. This humiliation... this insult...


    His lion fully manifested again, golden patterns on his skin glowing with menacing intensity. The beast''s power radiated from him in visible waves.


    Ren adopted his fighting stance once more, the mushrooms in his hair pulsing in rhythm with his controlled breathing. Lin''s training had been brutal, but now he understood why, this was the level needed to face the academy''s elite.


    "CRACK!"


    The impact was brutal.


    After so many attacks, Taro''s shell finally gave way before the rhinoceros''s charge. His body rolled across the ground as his beast was forcibly returned to his interior.


    "Taro is out of combat!" Yang announced, the rules preventing any additional attacks on the fallen student.


    "Taro!" Min shouted, trying to reach his companion through the chaos.


    Feng''s cobra intercepted him, forcing Min to retreat. His own snake hesitated, torn between protecting its tamer and helping Ren. The conflict was visible in its shifting coils.


    "Return!" Min finally ordered his beast, knowing Taro couldn''t rejoin the fight after Yang''s announcement.


    Ren quickly evaluated the situation as his mushrooms pulsed with analytical light. The rhinoceros was already charging toward him, its plates gleaming threateningly in the morning sun.


    "Three against one," Klein spat blood while smiling as Feng joined them. "Where''s your wit now, mushroom?"


    Ren didn''t respond.


    His eyes moved constantly, evaluating angles and distances as Lin had taught him. Against multiple opponents, every second of analysis was crucial. Each movement had to count.


    Astor attacked first, relying on their numerical superiority. Ren dodged the initial strike and responded with an elbow that connected with his opponent''s solar plexus, forcing him back with a grunt.


    Klein tried to exploit the opening, but Ren had anticipated the move. Pivoting on his axis, his kick found Klein''s side before he could complete his attack. But Feng managed to kick Ren''s back.


    "Damn you!" Klein roared. "Hold him!"


    The rhinoceros finally arrived and charged, forcing Ren to leap aside. But it was exactly what they''d expected, Astor was already there, his arms closing around Ren in a lock. The trap had sprung perfectly.


    "Ren!" Min shouted, watching his companion struggle desperately.


    He tried to reach him but now he had to get past Feng.


    Min''s snake managed to coil around the cobra, but Feng himself still blocked the path. Min''s limited combat abilities prevented him from breaking through, each attempt rebuffed with brutal efficiency.


    Ren flexed his body, employing one of the most difficult techniques Lin had taught him. His elbow found a pressure point in Astor''s grip, loosening it just enough to free one arm.


    Klein approached, transforming his hand with his lion''s power. Ren blocked the first strike to his face, then the second. The third grazed his cheek, but he maintained his defense despite the overwhelming difference in strength.


    "Why don''t you surrender?" Klein growled while preparing another blow with his massive lion claw.


    Ren smiled despite the situation, blood staining his teeth. "I can still do this."


    His leg rose in an impossible arc, connecting with Klein''s jaw for the third time in the battle. The Goldcrest heir staggered back, spitting fury and blood.


    But that moment of triumph proved costly.


    The rhinoceros finally returned to Astor, its plates reinforced in his fists as he struck Ren''s side. The impact was devastating, though Ren responded with a strike of his own, there was no way to damage that defense with mere fists.


    Klein recovered, fury burning in his eyes as even his fangs transformed. He unleashed his lion''s roar, trying to paralyze Ren with fear. But just like before, the roar seemed to have no effect on the mushroom tamer.


    "HOLD HIM TIGHT!" Klein ordered, preparing to strike.


    Min watched everything as if in slow motion. His snake distracted the cobra, but Feng continued blocking his path. Each second that passed was another moment he couldn''t help Ren, couldn''t reach his friend.


    "REN!" he shouted, throwing himself against Feng in a desperate attempt to break through.


    Klein''s first punch connected with Ren''s stomach, driving the air from his lungs. The second crashed into his side. The third struck his face, making him spit blood. The fourth would have downed him if Astor wasn''t holding him upright.


    "This one is for daring to strike me," Klein prepared the final blow, his lion''s power concentrating in his fist like golden fire.

 Chapter 130 - Tamers Friendly Competition - 8

    "REN!" he shouted, throwing himself against Feng in a desperate attempt to break through.Klein''s first punch connected with Ren''s stomach, driving the air from his lungs. The second crashed into his side. The third struck his face, making him spit blood. The fourth would have downed him if Astor wasn''t holding him upright.


    "This one is for daring to strike me," Klein prepared the final blow, his lion''s power concentrating in his fist like golden fire.


    Even then, held and beaten, Ren refused to surrender. His mushrooms pulsed one last time as he gathered his remaining strength, their light steady despite his battered state.


    "And this," he managed between ragged breaths, blood staining his teeth, "is for underestimating me."


    His final kick connected with Klein''s knee, making him stumble, curse in pain and fail the hit.


    But the price was steep when the lion kid recovered.


    The fifth blow finally connected with Ren''s face, Klein''s enormous golden lion hand sending his head snapping back. This time, consciousness fled from him like morning mist before the sun.


    "Ren!" Min fell to his knees watching his companion collapse. His snake, sensing his anguish, released the cobra and coiled protectively around him.


    "Victory for Klein''s team," Yang announced as he saw Min surrendered, medical auxiliaries rushing onto the field.


    The battle had ended.


    The result was expected.


    But no one who witnessed the match would forget how the mushroom boy faced the academy''s elite and, though he lost, did it on his own terms.


    ????


    Silence hung heavy over the field while the auxiliaries tended to Ren and Taro. Min remained on his knees, his snake wrapped around him in an attempt at comfort.


    Klein spat blood while wiping his split lip, shoving away the auxiliary trying to heal him. His victory felt... different from what he''d imagined. The humiliation of being knocked down, of needing help to defeat a mere commoner with a spore...


    "He knocked Klein down," someone murmured in the stands, breaking the silence.


    "Incredible," another whispered. "Would he have been knocked out in the end if Astor hadn''t helped him in time?"


    "And the lion''s roar... it didn''t work on Ren. How...?"


    Lin watched from her position as they loaded her student onto a stretcher. Her hands, which had been clenched throughout the battle, finally relaxed. The marks of her nails remained in her palms, crescents of worry etched in flesh.


    The three cousins remained silent, though one gripped the edge of her seat so hard her fingers had gone white. Each impact on Ren had made her flinch imperceptibly.


    "My lady," a maid whispered. "Should we...?"


    A subtle gesture silenced her, though concern remained evident in the maid''s eyes.


    In the higher stands, the six new students exchanged meaningful glances.


    Klein couldn''t stop staring at where Ren had fallen. Five direct hits. He had needed five direct hits, plus his companions'' help and 2 of their beasts, to defeat someone that was supposedly the weakest in the academy.


    "Lord Klein," one of his followers approached. "That was an impressive victo¡­!"


    "Shut up," Klein cut off the attempt at flattery. His lion dimmed briefly, its golden patterns dulled by exhaustion and something that might have been shame.


    Min couldn''t stop following Ren''s stretcher with his eyes, his snake mirroring his worried movements.


    "Easy," an auxiliary restrained him gently. "Your friend will be fine. He just needs rest."


    "You don''t understand," Min smiled weakly, tears gathering in his eyes. "That''s not why I want to go. I want to be there when he wakes up... to tell him that was the most incredible battle I''ve been in and that he defended our honor like he promised."


    ????


    Yang found Lin watching as the auxiliaries carried Ren to the infirmary. She maintained her stoic expression, but he knew her well enough to see the worry swimming in her eyes.


    "Did you really expect him to win?" he asked softly, taking his place beside her.


    Lin shook her head while sighing. "The difference in beasts was too great," she responded after a moment. "Ren is clever, reckless even... but there are barriers not easily overcome with just..."


    "Don''t see yourself there," Yang smiled slightly. "Your crane isn''t considered a good beast for its rank either, yet the other day you were crucial to the Director''s victory."


    Lin recalled the battle against the mercenary, how her kick had created the necessary opening. The memory brought a ghost of pride to her face.


    "Everyone''s contributions matter," Yang continued. "Ren didn''t win, true, but he gave a performance worth remembering. Like you, he refused to accept the limitations others tried to impose."


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    A small smile formed on Lin''s lips as she watched her student being transported. Even unconscious, there was something in his expression that suggested satisfaction.


    "You''re right," she admitted. "Ren is worth more than just his fighting ability. His way of analyzing situations, his persistence..."


    "If he had any other beast," Yang nodded, "he probably would have won today. Even with a common combat beast, his tactical ability..."


    He stopped seeing Lin shake her head, her eyes fixed on the stretcher where Ren rested with a slight smile on his face.


    "You know? I have the feeling that even if he could, Ren wouldn''t want another beast as his first," Lin said softly. "During training, even the hardest sessions, I''ve never seen him sad or frustrated about his spore."


    She paused, searching for the right words in the afternoon light.


    "He always seems... grateful."


    Yang observed Lin, noting how her expression softened when speaking of Ren. The usually stern combat master had found something special in this unusual student.


    The stretcher disappeared down the hallway. The last students began dispersing, still commenting on the surprising battle that may become an academy legend. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Then I''m sure he''ll find his place," Yang assured. "Like you found yours. Sometimes someone''s true worth isn''t in winning every battle."


    Lin nodded, remembering her own struggles to be accepted as a combat master with a bronze crane as her beast.


    ????


    Light filtered through the infirmary windows when Ren opened his eyes.


    The mushrooms in his hair pulsed weakly as his vision cleared. In the adjacent bed, Taro slept deeply, his eyes occasionally moving beneath his lids as if responding to some dream.


    He removed the small bread balls from his ears.


    Min, who had been looking out the window, turned at the sound of movement. His hands twisted nervously as he approached the bed, his snake coiled anxiously around his shoulders.


    "Ren, I..." his fingers played with the edge of his shirt. "If I had gotten there sooner..."


    "And steal all my fun?" Ren tried to sit up, wincing as he still felt some of the blows. "I was the one who wasted the opportunity. If I had knocked Klein out when I had the chance, we would have had that three-on-two we planned."


    He leaned back against the pillows, a small smile forming on his bruised lips. "Though that first hit... Klein''s face when he went down... no one''s going to forget that anytime soon."


    Min laughed softly, letting his shoulders relax a bit. "Especially after all that speech about crushing victories and great differences?"


    "Exactly," Ren nodded. "And in the final battle of the semester..." his mushrooms pulsed stronger, their light carrying a promise, "we''ll have our rematch."

 Chapter 131 - Taming Reproach

    Ren leaned back against the pillows, a small smile tugging at his bruised lips. "Though that first hit... Klein''s face when he went down... no one''s going to forget that anytime soon."Min laughed softly, letting his shoulders relax. "Especially after all that speech about crushing victories and great differences?"


    "Exactly," Ren nodded. "And in the final battle of the semester..." his mushrooms pulsed stronger, their light carrying a promise, "we''ll have our rematch."


    "You''re right... and it was pretty satisfying seeing his expression at the end," Min sat down, his fingers finally releasing their anxious grip on his tunic. "Ren... do you think you could...?" he stopped, biting his lips. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Yes?"


    "Could you teach me the correct cultivation for my snake?" the words tumbled out in a rush. "I know I should have accepted the offer before, I''m sorry, it''s just that..."


    "Just bring me a fruit drink as an apology," Ren interrupted with a smile. "I''m quite thirsty."


    Min blinked in surprise before breaking into a grin. "I''ll be right back!"


    When his footsteps faded down the hallway, Ren''s smile faltered.


    His mushrooms pulsed while his hand clenched into a fist beneath the sheets.


    So close to taking him down and...


    "It was a shame."


    Ren startled at the girl''s voice.


    Luna was leaning against the doorframe, her wolf barely visible as a shadow at her feet, its presence making the light bend strangely around her.


    "Can you tell me how you avoided the roar''s paralysis?"


    Ren sighed, a slight smile returning to his face.


    "We put some bread in our ears," he explained. "We could barely hear anything, but that way the effect can''t take hold. It needs to reach a high volume in the opponent''s ears to work, though with your beast''s mana level..."


    "Thank you," she looked down, a blush coloring her cheeks.


    "The hits you landed on Klein were... satisfying," she continued, her eyes still avoiding meeting Ren''s. "Don''t worry, I''ll make sure to beat him in the finals. It''s time he stops feeling so important and stops bothering me."


    Her fingers played with the edge of her sleeve. "And you know... I don''t need you to defend my freedom. He can''t force me into anything if he doesn''t manage to..."


    "I defended you?" Ren frowned. Then he remembered the conversation with Klein...


    "How do you know about that...?"


    Luna visibly tensed, a soft pink coloring her cheeks. Without another word, she vanished into the shadows just as Min''s footsteps returned down the hallway.


    "Got your drink!" Min entered holding a glass. "I brought one for Taro too when he wak¡­" he stopped, noticing Ren''s confused expression. "Did something happen?"


    "I''m not sure," Ren responded while his mushrooms pulsed with curiosity. "But I think I just had a conversation with my shadow."


    In the adjacent bed, Taro mumbled something about invincible shells in his dreams.


    ????


    Klein slammed his fist against the wall of his private room, ignoring the protest of his bruised knuckles. His golden lion stirred beneath his skin, rippling with agitation. The beast''s unease only fueled his anger.


    Five hits.


    The number haunted him like a curse. And not just the hits, he''d needed Astor to hold Ren, needed Feng to kick his back, needed... His pride twisted like a knife in his gut.


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    "My lord?" A hesitant knock at the door interrupted his brooding. "The auxiliaries are waiting to finish healing your injuries."


    "Leave me alone!" The words emerged as a snarl. His lion''s mane partially manifested, casting fractured golden shadows across the room.


    The servant''s hasty retreat echoed down the hallway. Klein touched his split lip, still refusing healing. Let it sting. Let it remind him of his... of his...


    Victory.


    He''d won.


    So why did it feel like ashes in his mouth?


    That first punch replayed endlessly in his mind. The moment he''d looked up to see the mushroom boy suspended above him, those cursed glowing fungi casting light across his determined face. The impact that had sent him sprawling in front of everyone.


    In front of Luna... his future wife.


    His fingers clenched into fists again, nails biting into palms. A hundred and ten days of cultivation. That''s how far the commoner had progressed, far more than should have been possible with such a weak beast.


    His own lion grew stronger every day. By the time of the final exam, he''d have completed his family''s special 166-day method, reaching Bronze rank 1.


    It should be enough. It had to be enough.


    "You were supposed to be nothing," he muttered, pacing the room like a caged animal. "A joke. A rotting boy with the weakest beast in history. So how...?"


    The question gnawed at him like poison. If someone with a mere spore could land such a blow, what chance did he truly have against Luna''s shadow wolf?


    His father''s words echoed: "The Goldcrest name must be elevated. The Starweaver''s... Luna''s power will be ours, one way or another."


    Klein had been so certain. The arranged marriage would be simple, demonstrate overwhelming strength, prove himself worthy of first place and claim what was promised. But now...


    He caught his reflection in the window and froze. A bruise was darkening along his jaw where Ren had struck him. Where a commoner had marked the face of a Goldcrest heir.


    "Damn you," he whispered, but the fury felt hollow. Something else crept in, an emotion he refused to name. "If you could do this with just a spore..."


    The thought trailed off as his golden lion stirred again, almost nervously. The beast that was supposed to represent his noble breeding, generations of careful cultivation. Yet today it had barely been enough.


    No. He couldn''t think like this.


    He was a Goldcrest. His beast was superior by divine right.


    This was just... just...


    "A fluke," he tried to convince himself, but the words rang false even in his own ears. "It has to be."


    The sun was setting outside his window, painting the academy grounds in shades of amber and gold. Somewhere out there, Luna was probably watching the same sunset. Had her opinion of him changed after today? Did she now see him as...


    This wasn''t how it was supposed to be. He was meant to be untouchable, invincible.


    "I won''t lose," he declared to his empty room, trying to recapture his usual confidence. "Not to him. Not to her. Not to anyone."


    But as night fell over the academy, Klein found himself standing at his window for a long time, watching shadows lengthen across the grounds. And for the first time in his life, deep in his core where even his lion''s light couldn''t reach, a seed of doubt had taken root.

 Chapter 132 - Taming the 2nd Tutee

    Luna slammed her bedroom door harder than necessary, startling Mayo and Matilda who were preparing her bed for the night. Her shadow wolf slid like liquid ink into her shadow to rest."Is everything alright, my lady?" Matilda asked, noting the subtle blush coloring Luna''s cheeks.


    "Of course it is," Luna strode to her vanity, deliberately avoiding to see her face in the mirror. "I''m just thinking about tomorrow''s strategy. We need to make sure we crush Klein once and for all."


    Mayo exchanged a knowing look with Matilda while folding the sheets, their practiced movements betraying years of service even at their young age.


    "Oh, is that all it is?" Mayo smiled mischievously. "Nothing to do with a certain boy with an adorable face who¡­"


    "Mayo!" Luna spun around, her blush deepening. "I''ve told you it''s not... it''s not like that. If I find baby faces cute, it''s... it''s purely an aesthetic appreciation."


    "Of course, my lady," Mayo''s smile widened. "Totally aesthetic. Like when you stare during training or when¡­"


    "One more word," Luna narrowed her eyes, shadows stirring around her feet, "and I''ll send you to serve Liora and Larissa. I''ll keep Mar¨ªa, who at least knows when to keep quiet."


    "Oh, but my lady," Mayo laughed softly while fluffing the pillows, "we all know Larissa would never allow it. She''s quite... attached to her current friendly relationship with her. So I''m afraid you''re stuck with me."


    "Mayo," Matilda intervened with a gentle but firm tone, "I think that''s enough for today. Our lady needs rest for tomorrow."


    Luna sighed as she sat at her vanity, allowing Mayo to begin brushing her hair. The repetitive motion seemed to calm her nerves.


    "Tomorrow we can move more actively in the mist and attack for real," Matilda commented while closing the curtains. "We won''t let that arrogant brat even get close."


    "Don''t overdo it too much," Luna frowned. "The noble maiden facade could¡­" Enjoy new stories from My Virtual Library Empire


    "Oh, that facade?" Mayo giggled. "My lady, with all due respect, that strategy failed long ago. There are too many eyes in the academy, too many informants, and they already know you''re here."


    "It''s true," Matilda nodded. "In the end it did no good that your uncle denied you the will o'' wisp egg or the mineral fairy one. Even with the black egg as the most discreet option, the risk ended up being for nothing¡­"


    "It doesn''t matter," Luna studied her reflection, her shadow wolf barely visible as a dark silhouette behind her. "This companion turned out better than I could have hoped for. A direct line from my father''s family''s best knights brought it to gold rank so I can¡­"


    Her fingers unconsciously traced her wolf ear that her beast manifested, a soft smile playing across her lips.


    "And tomorrow," she continued, her voice taking on an icy edge, "we''re going to show Klein and his father they can forget about that ridiculous arrangement. No matter what my uncle wagered, I won''t be a prize to elevate their horrible family''s status."


    "Especially since your heart already has another own¡­" Mayo began.


    "Mayo!" Luna and Matilda exclaimed in unison.


    The maid raised her hands in surrender, though her playful smile remained intact. "I''m just saying that a certain boy with glowing mushrooms¡­"


    "It''s a misunderstanding," Luna stood abruptly, her blush returning. "And if you continue with that, I''ll really consider asking Mar¨ªa to take your place."


    "As you say, my lady," Mayo executed an exaggerated bow. "Though we all know Mar¨ªa is terrible at hair-brushing and that you''d never¡­"


    A knock at the door interrupted her teasing. All three tensed instantly, their playful atmosphere evaporating into sudden alertness. They hadn''t felt the presence till now.


    "Who is it?" Matilda asked, her voice transforming into the servile tone appropriate for a common noble''s maid.


    "Message for Lady Luna," a voice responded.


    Luna exchanged glances with her maids. The shadow wolf silently slid toward the door, ready for any eventuality.


    ????


    Morning began as always with Ren and Taro absorbing their daily crystals. The glow of Taro''s shell was increasingly intense, a sign that the cultivation was progressing well along its intended path.


    "Are you sure about this? They say that''s the weaker version." Min played nervously with his snake as they walked toward the shop. "I don''t want to waste resources if¡­"


    "Trust me," Ren smiled while his mushrooms pulsed softly. "Your snake is freshwater. Traditional methods waste resources using marine components that actually change its nature to one with less potential." sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "And the night lily extract will really work?"


    "Better than marine coral and moon algae," Ren stopped in front of the counter where Jessy waited, her cat ears perking up at their approach. "And it''s much cheaper."


    "Ren!" Jessy''s cat ears twitched with enthusiasm. "More materials for your nests?"


    "Not today," Ren shook his head. "My friend needs night lily extract. One hundred units."


    Jessy consulted her manual while her tail moved thoughtfully. "Let me see... yes, we have it in stock. One thousand points for the hundred units."


    Min nearly choked. "Only a thousand? But marine coral costs¡­"


    "Five times more," Ren completed. "That''s why few use the lily extract. Many assume more expensive ingredients are better."


    While Jessy prepared the order, Min took out his crystals. He had quite a few after months of mining, though most were small.


    "You should deposit some, your trunk is full too," Ren suggested. "The bank can¡­"


    "Don''t even mention it," Min shuddered. "I don''t want to see Theodore''s look when he compares my tiny deposits to your... plate investments."


    "The plates are from the prince," Ren and Taro responded in unison, causing Min to roll his eyes.


    Back in the room, they found Liu sitting on his bed, his night bat fluttering above his head, casting dancing shadows on the walls.


    "Finally decided to risk it all?" he asked, seeing the materials.


    "Yes," Min spread his crystals on the table. "Though I still need the elemental control rune."


    "Those are expensive," Liu whistled. "Like fifteen thousand points."


    "I have time," Min shrugged. "A hundred days to get it. For now..."


    Ren was already examining the crystals one by one, his mushrooms pulsing as he analyzed each piece with precision.


    "Not this one," he discarded one. "Too small. This one yes, the mana quantity is perfect."


    "How can you...?" Liu began to ask, but stopped himself. After so many times he''d learned not to question Ren''s knowledge about beasts.


    After half an hour of meticulous selection, Ren had separated the hundred best crystals, each one gleaming with promise.


    "Ready?" he asked Min, who held the first crystal nervously in his trembling hands.

 Chapter 133 - Taming the 2nd Tutee - 2

    After half an hour of meticulous selection, Ren had separated the hundred best crystals, each one gleaming with promise."Ready?" he asked Min, who held the first crystal nervously in his trembling hands.


    "What if it doesn''t work?" his snake coiled more tightly around him, scales shifting with anxiety. "What if the extract isn''t enough?"


    "It will work," Ren placed a drop of extract on the crystal, which immediately began to glow with a more intense bluish tone, like sunlight through deep water. "Your snake is freshwater. It needs the essence of plants that grow in its natural habitat, not marine components that would only contaminate its energy. How many times do I need to tell you that?"


    Min swallowed hard while Ren helped him sit in a comfortable position, adjusting his posture with practiced movements thanks to the experience he got with Taro.


    "Breathe deeply and manifest your snake in your body," Ren instructed as Min held the overcharged crystal. "When the pain starts, keep the energy flowing toward your center. Don''t let it stagnate in your extremities."


    "Why does it have to hurt so mu¡­ ARGH!"


    Min clenched his teeth as the crystal''s energy flooded his system. His scales blazed with unnatural intensity.


    "Because we''re using the maximum concentration your body can handle," Ren watched attentively, his mushrooms pulsing while analyzing the energy flow. "Maintain control. Guide the energy like a river, don''t let it overflow."


    "A very hot river," Min growled, sweat beading on his forehead. "That''s boiling my insides."


    "Oh, come on," Liu smiled from his bed, his night bat casting flickering shadows from the ceiling. "It can''t be worse than when you tried to eat that extra spicy curry."


    "Shut up," Min gasped between breaths.


    "Focus," Ren corrected Min''s posture with gentle but firm hands. "The energy is accumulating in your left shoulder. Make it flow."


    "Everyone''s falling to the dark side," Liu sighed dramatically. "First Taro with his impossible evolution, now you suffering the same with the pain method. What''s next? Will you tell me mushrooms are the future?"


    "Mushrooms are the future," Ren and Taro responded in unison, just before Min let out another grunt of pain.


    "Traitors," Liu shook his head, though his smile betrayed his amusement. "You''ve been corrupted by the Lord of Mushrooms."


    "I can''t...!" Min started trembling, his scales taking on an alarming blue tinge. "It''s too much!" Read latest chapters at My Virtual Library Empire


    "Yes, you can," Ren held his shoulder firmly and helped him circulate his mana slightly. "Your snake is processing the energy well. You feel this flow? You just need to hold on a little longer."


    The minutes crawled by while Min struggled to contain and direct the torrent of power coursing through him. Each second felt like an eternity until finally, the last trace of energy was absorbed. He collapsed backward, panting heavily.


    "That was..." he breathed heavily, his scales slowly returning to their normal color, "horrible."


    "But effective," Ren smiled, pointing to the new markings on Min''s skin that shimmered like sunlight on water. "Your snake is responding better than expected."


    "Great," Min stretched out on his bed, every muscle aching. "Only ninety-nine more torture sessions to go¡­ How the hell do you handle 10 times this amount?"


    ????


    The first rays of dawn were filtering through the window when Klein heard knocking at his door.


    He had barely slept a few hours, his mind churning with worries that refused to let him rest.


    "Didn''t I tell you not to disturb me?" he growled from his bed, his fangs partially manifesting in response to his irritation.


    "Lord Klein, I''m very sorry, but..." the servant''s voice sounded unusually nervous.


    The door opened before the servant could finish his apology.


    Klein sat up furiously, ready to unleash his accumulated frustration, but the words died in his throat.


    "Kassian?" his older brother''s name came out as a surprised whisper.


    "I see you''re still charming in the mornings, little brother," Kassian smiled as he entered. At twenty-two, he was already as tall as their father, carrying himself with the same aristocratic bearing.


    Klein jumped up, his mood shifting instantly. "What are you doing here? Did you hear about the tournament? You didn''t need to¡­"


    Kassian raised a hand, silencing his younger brother. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Don''t think so highly of yourself. I''m here for other matters." His smile remained, but there was something calculating in his eyes. "This ''friendly tournament'' is merely a convenient coincidence."


    Klein tried to hide his disappointment.


    For a moment, he''d thought his brother had come to support him, like in the old days.


    "Although since you mention it," Kassian continued, his tone becoming more serious, "you better not disappoint our father. The family has enough... complications lately."


    Before Klein could respond, Kassian turned to the door. "Enter."


    A boy Klein''s age entered the room. His posture was rigid, like he was standing for military inspection, every movement precisely controlled.


    "This is Harold," Kassian introduced him with a casual gesture. "He''ll soon be your classmate. Father arranged his admission as... a special favor."


    Klein studied the newcomer. There was something in his way of moving that suggested formal training, a soldier''s discipline in a student''s uniform.


    "I want you to give him a general overview of how things work here," Kassian continued. "You know, the unwritten rules, the hierarchies... the usual."


    "Why me?" Klein frowned. "There are others who could¡­"


    "Because I say so," Kassian''s smile didn''t waver, but his eyes hardened like steel. "Or would you prefer I tell father you''re refusing a simple favor?"


    Klein clenched his fists but nodded. "As you say, brother."


    "Excellent," Kassian patted Harold''s shoulder. "I leave him in your care then. And since I''m here, I suppose I''ll stay to watch your match with the little Starweaver."


    Klein visibly tensed.


    "Oh, did I touch a nerve?" Kassian laughed softly. "Relax, little brother... This activity is extracurricular. Though I hope you remember what''s at stake in the final exams. The Goldcrest family cannot afford... unnecessary setbacks."


    With those words, Kassian headed toward the door. "Harold, stay a moment with my brother. You have much to discuss."


    The door closed, leaving Klein with his new "companion" and an additional weight on his shoulders. As if he didn''t have enough pressure already.


    Harold remained silent, waiting for instructions. Klein observed him for a moment before sighing.


    "Sit," he finally ordered.


    The sun continued its inexorable ascent. In a few hours he would face Luna, and now he had this new... "favor" to further complicate matters.


    ''A Goldcrest shows no weakness,'' he reminded himself as he began explaining the academy''s complexities to Harold. ''No matter how much pressure there is.''

 Chapter 134 - Tamers Friendly Competition - 9

    ''A Goldcrest shows no weakness,'' Klein reminded himself as he began explaining the academy''s complexities to Harold. ''No matter how much pressure there is.''????


    "Unfortunately, I won''t get to see Luna crush Klein''s team," Liu began gathering his things, his night bat casting fleeting shadows. "I have class and need those points to not fall behind again."


    "We''ll tell you every bloody detail," Min promised from his horizontal position, still recovering from the cultivation session.


    The bells began to toll, marking the hour of the final battle. Their deep resonance seemed to vibrate through the academy walls and their bodies.


    "Ready?" Ren headed for the door, his mushrooms pulsing with anticipation.


    "To see Klein humiliated? Always," Min rose with effort, his new markings still shimmering. "Think Luna will use your trick against the roar?"


    "We''ll find out soon."


    The battlefield was packed when they arrived.


    Even spectators from other years with free schedules had come to watch. Klein''s brother lounged in the stands with aristocratic indifference, and even Professor Wei, who had no class today, had made time to attend. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The tension in the air was almost palpable as the teams took their positions, like static before a storm.


    Luna advanced with grace, her shadow wolf barely visible as a dark silhouette at her feet, bending light around its ethereal form. Her "companions" flanked her with elegance, though there was something different in their posture today, like predators barely containing their hunting instincts.


    Klein occupied the opposite field''s center, his golden lion manifesting in brilliant patterns across his skin. The mark on his jaw, where Ren had struck him, was still visible from refusing proper healing, a reminder of wounded pride.


    Feng and Astor flanked him, their beasts creating an intimidating spectacle of crimson scales and bluish plates.


    "The friendly tournament''s final battle," Yang positioned himself between both teams. "Are you ready?"


    Klein''s gaze toward Luna contained more than simple rivalry. There was desperation in his eyes, as if his entire future hinged on this moment.


    Luna returned an icy smile, her wolf materializing more clearly for an instant. The message was clear: there would be no mercy.


    "It''s like the whole academy is holding its breath," Min whispered.


    Ren nodded, his mushrooms pulsing in rhythm with his anticipation. The final spectacle was about to begin.


    ????


    Klein studied the battlefield while Yang prepared to give the signal, his mind racing through scenarios.


    ''The cloud bird is key,'' he thought, mentally reviewing his strategy. ''If they create their mist field, the wolf will have too much of an advantage. I need to paralyze them before they can establish their terrain and finish them quickly.''


    Feng and Astor positioned themselves according to plan too.


    Feng''s red cobra already had its acid ready, the instant Luna''s team was paralyzed by the roar, it would strike the cloud bird at its most vulnerable moment.


    Astor and his rhinoceros would handle the noble girl controlling it.


    Luna remained serene, almost unconcerned. Her maids maintained their elegant poses, as if this were merely a garden stroll.


    Their confidence only fueled Klein''s anger.


    ''That arrogance...'' Klein clenched his fists. ''They think they can underestimate me after what happened with that rotting boy...''


    "Begin!" Yang''s voice resonated across the field.


    Klein didn''t waste a second. He unleashed his roar instantly, golden waves of spiritual energy crossing the air like a tsunami of light. The very ground seemed to tremble with its power.


    "Now!" he shouted, certain of victory.


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    Feng launched his snake''s acid attack toward the cloud bird while Astor''s rhino charged at its controller. It was a perfect plan. The roar would paralyze their opponents for precious seconds, more than enough to¡­


    Luna didn''t freeze at all.


    Not just her¡­ her entire team moved with devastating speed, as if the roar didn''t even exist.


    "Impossible!" Klein stepped back, his eyes widening in horror as once again his roar failed to affect his opponents. The image of Ren falling toward him flashed through his mind for an instant.


    Feng''s acid found only air, the cloud bird was already in action, mist pouring from its wings in torrents. Astor''s charge was slowed by roots erupting from the ground, the tree turtle creating barriers with supernatural speed.


    "They used it!" Min watched from the stands. "I knew denying Klein''s roar was too good to ignore."


    "They''re doomed, right?" Taro leaned forward. "With the mist, victory is..."


    "Luna''s team''s," Ren completed. "Though they''ll have to take their time. We could only attack by surprise at the start but for them..."


    On the field, Klein tried to reorganize his shattered strategy. Without the initial paralysis, his team had lost all positional and field advantage.


    The wolf emerged from Astor''s shadow, its fangs tearing at his leg where the rhinoceros''s armor couldn''t yet manifest. It wasn''t an attack to take him out since the rules didn''t let it hurt him too much, but to slow and force his beast to retreat.


    As expected, the rhinoceros returned in a sphere of light to Astor''s body immediately after his pained scream.


    "Defensive formation, retract beasts!" Klein ordered while backing toward Astor, the mist already surrounding them, thick and disorienting.


    Luna still gave no verbal orders. Her maids moved as one, each anticipating the others'' movements with practiced precision.


    Luna''s wolf began its deadly dance, appearing and disappearing between shadows, delivering small attacks that Astor barely managed to block. Each time Klein tried to track its position, he found only more mist.


    "Don''t let them separate us!" Klein tried to keep his team together, but wooden barriers kept appearing, pushing them out.


    "Scared so soon?" Luna''s voice slid through the fog like frozen silk. "And we''re just getting started."


    Klein tried to track the sound''s origin, but her voice seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere at once.


    "The voice isn''t the problem," Feng muttered, his cobra moving nervously. "It''s that we can''t¡­"


    "You know what they told me, Klein?" Luna interrupted, her tone carrying childish disgust with a razor''s edge. "That you''ve been going around talking about engagements and false promises. I don''t even like you!"


    Klein visibly tensed. Feng and Astor exchanged confused looks.


    The words struck harder than any physical attack, not because of Luna, but because of what they meant for the future hanging over his head.

 Chapter 135 - Tamers Friendly Competition - 10

    "You know what they told me, Klein?" Luna interrupted, her tone carrying childish disgust with an icy edge "That you''ve been going around talking about engagements and false promises. I don''t even like you!"Klein visibly tensed. Feng and Astor exchanged confused looks.


    The words struck harder than any physical attack, not because of Luna, but because of what they meant for the future hanging over his head.


    His grandfather had been clear: without this engagement, their family''s position would weaken. His father counted on him, his mother had arranged so many social gatherings to prepare him... S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In the stands, Kassian''s gaze sharpened, his attention suddenly focused like a predator sensing weakness.


    "That cursed rotting boy," Klein growled, his lion manifesting more intensely. "He went running to tattle!"


    A soft laugh floated through the mist. "Ren? Oh no, he has more class than you despite being a commoner. The academy is just full of attentive ears..."


    A silhouette moved in the mist, imposing. For a moment it seemed to be Luna, but when Feng launched his beast''s acid, the figure vanished like smoke.


    "You know what''s worse, Klein?" Luna continued, her voice now coming from another direction. "That you actually believe you''ll have any right over me."


    "Shut up already!" Read new chapters at My Virtual Library Empire


    Klein tried to maintain concentration while searching for the wolf in the mist.


    "They told me you should be grateful because we''re trying to improve your family situation!" he roared into the fog. "Look, at least my beast is truly noble! From a fixed golden lion egg! Not a dirty shadow wolf obtained by pure luck!"


    "Golden? Oh, Klein... your lion can''t even reach ''golden'' rank. And now it''s just an iron lion with a pretty shine. My ''luck'' will tear it to pieces."


    "Watch out!" Astor blocked an attack from another angle. "They''re toying with us!"


    Another silhouette appeared, more defined this time. Klein ordered Feng to attack, but again found only mist. The wolf then emerged from another point, its fangs grazing Feng''s leg before vanishing again.


    Ren watched the mana silhouettes clearly moving in the haze while listening to Klein''s comment.


    "You know," he remarked to Min and Taro, "it''s funny how everyone calls it a golden lion when it barely shines yellow. A normal ''golden'' tiger of his same iron rank would be physically more powerful. Jin''s is weaker in physical enhancement only because it''s a spiritual one."


    The golden, no¡­ yellow beast lunged toward where it thought it saw the wolf. Its claws cut only mist yet again.


    "You know what''s the difference between you and me, Klein?" Luna''s voice came from everywhere and nowhere. "I fight for my freedom."


    ????


    ''No,'' Klein thought desperately. ''It can''t end like this. The promise to my father... the agreement...''


    The figure in the mist, now clearly visible as the noble girl with the turtle, emerged with a powerful kick trying to knock Feng down just as the wolf attacked from the opposite side.


    Astor barely managed to block both attacks, but the effort forced him back.


    "Enough games!" Klein ordered his beast to attack the girl who had revealed herself.


    "There it is," Luna murmured, her voice now laden with satisfaction. "The moment desperation makes you commit mistakes."


    The wolf emerged like black lightning, its fangs heading directly for the lion''s flank.


    But Klein also saw his opportunity in the ''mistake''.


    Instead of ordering his beast to dodge, Klein himself lunged forward, grabbing the wolf with his own hands. The fangs sank into his shoulder, but he didn''t let go, blood beginning to stain his uniform.


    ''This is my chance,'' he thought through the pain.


    "Klein!" Astor tried to approach to help.


    "No! Stop the turtle girl!" Klein gritted his teeth, ignoring the pain. "Maintain formation! This is my battle!"


    The lion turned toward the wolf while Astor blocked Mayo.


    Klein roared triumphantly as his lion''s claws finally found flesh. The wolf''s side opened in a wound that bled black mana, its howl of pain resonating across the field.


    The pressure on Klein''s shoulder increased slightly, the fangs sinking deeper from his grip, but he didn''t release his hold.


    He couldn''t let go.


    Not when his honor and family depended on his ability to defeat this girl.


    ''Grandfather, father, mother...'' his thoughts mingled with the pain. ''I won''t fail you.''


    The lion attacked again, its claws tearing at the wolf''s already wounded flank. The shadow beast howled, its form becoming unstable for a moment.


    Klein smiled despite the pain. The wolf was badly hurt, his beast had finally managed significant damage. If he could hit it once more, prevent it from vanishing into the shadows by interrupting its mana flow...


    The lion roared triumphantly as its claws rose for a third time.


    Finally.


    The lion would finish it...


    Or so he thought.


    "You really are an idiot," Luna''s voice had lost all mocking tone.


    A strange sound cut through the air.


    "Leave my poochy alone," Luna whispered, her voice coming from very close now.


    Klein realized his mistake too late.


    The wolf had vanished like ink in water, leaving Klein holding... Luna herself.


    His brain froze.


    Suddenly he had the girl who was supposedly going to be his future fianc¨¦e in his arms, her perfume reaching his nose. The lion halted its attack as much as it could, only grazing the girl''s back, since the rules prohibited deep damage to tamers.


    Luna''s eyes flashed dangerously as she endured the pain.


    "You''ll never touch me again!"


    Her knee rose with the extra force of her buff, finding a target that made every man in the audience capable of seeing mana wince in sympathy.


    Klein doubled over, his grip loosening as an entirely new pain replaced his shoulder''s one easily. His lion roared in confusion, torn between the rules prohibiting attacks on tamers and the instinct to protect its own.


    That moment of hesitation was all the wolf needed.


    The beast emerged from the shadows like a nightmare made manifest, its fangs finding the lion''s throat. This was no superficial attack now, it was against another beast, and the fangs sank deep, making the yellow beast roar in agony.

 Chapter 136 - Tamers Freedom Knee

    Klein doubled over, his grip loosening as an entirely new pain replaced his shoulder''s one easily.His lion roared in confusion, torn between the rules prohibiting attacks on tamers and the instinct to protect its own.


    That moment of hesitation was all the wolf needed.


    The beast emerged from the shadows like a nightmare made manifest, its fangs finding the lion''s throat. This was no superficial attack now, it was against another beast, and the fangs sank deep, making the yellow beast roar in agony.


    "Klein!" Feng reacted instinctively, his cobra rising to strike, scales glowing with deadly intent.


    "Too slow," whispered a voice behind him.


    Mayo emerged from the mist like an avenging ghost. Her kick connected with the base of Feng''s skull with deadly precision, sending him crashing to the ground like a puppet with cut strings.


    "Oops!" Mayo landed with perfect grace, a playful smile dancing on her lips. "Where did the noble maiden facade go? Well, an occasional slip is forgivable."


    Only the most troublesome remained¡­ Astor with his powerful defense that was difficult to breach.


    The cobra, sensing the danger to its tamer, began spitting acid erratically. The wolf, as if having anticipated this very reaction, tore the lion''s throat with one savage motion and bit the serpent''s tail.


    The effect was immediate and spectacular.


    The cobra hissed in pain, its body writhing as its acid attack became completely uncontrollable. The wolf, using the tail as leverage, threw the thrashing cobra with its wild spray toward where Astor tried to maintain his defensive position.


    "Watch out!" someone shouted from the stands, but it was far too late.


    The acid rained down on Astor''s plates like corrosive tears. His scream of pain cut through the air as his defensive plates began to dissolve, steam rising from where the acid ate through his protection.


    "It''s over!" Yang intervened instantly, his voice carrying command. "Auxiliaries, quickly!"


    Medical staff rushed onto the field as the mist began to dissipate. Klein remained on the ground, his lion slowly fading from the throat wound while he tried to process what had gone so terribly wrong. Feng lay unconscious, his cobra weakly writhing before it too vanished back into his body.


    Astor received immediate attention from several auxiliaries working to neutralize the acid. Though not in mortal danger, they needed to stop the effect quickly to prevent injuries that would require excessive healing.


    Luna observed the scene with calm detachment, her shadow wolf returning to her side. Though the beast trembled slightly from its wounds, it maintained an air of dignity that matched its tamer''s bearing.


    "Next time you try to claim something that doesn''t belong to you," she said as she walked away, "remember this moment."


    Mayo approached her, all pretense of servility abandoned in their triumph. "Wasn''t the knee strike a bit... excessive?"


    "He deserved it," Luna shrugged, though a hint of satisfaction colored her voice. "Besides, I needed his lion to hesitate for a moment."


    "Ah, so it was all planned?" Mayo''s smile widened. "The dramatic appearance, the strategic knee strike...?"


    "Of course not," Luna blushed slightly. "It was... impulse. But it worked, didn''t it?"


    In the stands, spectators were still processing the devastating outcome.


    "That was..." Min responded to Ren''s comments, his snake coiling nervously, "intense." Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Luna is terrifying," Taro nodded, his beetle''s markings shifting uneasily. "Let''s remember never to make her angry."


    "The most impressive thing," Ren observed while his mushrooms pulsed analytically, "is how she turned every ''error'' into an opportunity. Klein''s attack on the wolf, Feng''s reaction, even the uncontrolled acid... everything ended up playing to her advantage. Astor would have been very difficult to take down with their current beasts."


    "You think she really planned all that?" Min asked, fascination mixing with awe in his voice.


    "Not everything," Ren smiled. "But she definitely had enough contingencies to exploit any opportunity. The rest was... creative improvisation."


    On the field, the auxiliaries continued their work. Klein''s shoulder and pride would need more attention, though the latter would take far longer to heal.


    Feng began regaining consciousness, confusion evident on his face as he tried to understand how a "mere girl" had taken him down so easily. Astor would be taken to the infirmary for more extensive treatment along with Klein.


    Luna received treatment for her back, but her team had emerged almost unscathed. Mayo couldn''t help one last satisfied smile. Their noble maiden facade might have cracked today, but the message had been sent with crystal clarity:


    Underestimating Luna and her team was an error paid for dearly.


    Very, very dearly.


    "Victory for Luna''s team," Yang announced officially, though by now it was mere formality.


    In the higher stands, Luna''s cousins exchanged knowing looks. One whispered something that sounded suspiciously like "he had it coming," while another tried to hide her smile behind a beast manual.


    The six new students observed everything with carefully neutral expressions, though their eyes sparkled with what might have been amusement.


    Kassian, on the other hand, was far from pleased with the result. His rigid posture spoke volumes about his thoughts on this public humiliation.


    The tournament had ended, but its repercussions were only beginning.


    ????


    The award ceremony was brief.


    Luna received her ten thousand crystals with elegance and a neutral expression, as if the prize were mere trinkets. Her "companions" maintained their facade once again, though Mayo couldn''t help a small smile seeing Klein receive his five thousand crystals for second place.


    Klein pocketed the prize without even looking at it. What were five thousand crystals to the Goldcrest family? An insignificant sum compared to what he had just lost.


    His shoulder still ached slightly where the wolf had bitten him, but it was his pride that had suffered the deepest wound. The auxiliaries had healed the physical injuries, but the pitying looks from his peers...


    "Klein."


    Kassian''s voice cut through his thoughts like an ice blade. His older brother waited at the training field''s entrance, his expression unreadable.


    "Come with me."


    It wasn''t a suggestion.


    Klein followed his brother to his room, acutely aware of Harold watching their departure with calculating eyes.


    "Interesting spectacle," Kassian began once they were alone in the room. His tone was soft, almost casual, which made it all the more threatening. "Especially the part where a little girl brought you to your knees. Father will be... fascinated when I tell him."


    Klein clenched his fists. "It was just a friendly tournament. In the finals¡­"


    "In the finals there will be no excuses," Kassian cut him off, steel entering his voice. "You better have followed the cultivation method to the letter and reached bronze rank 1 by then. You and your... companions."

 Chapter 137 - Taming Family

    "Interesting spectacle," Kassian began once they were alone in the room. His tone was soft, almost casual, which made it all the more threatening. "Especially the part where a little girl brought you to your knees. Father will be... fascinated when I tell him."Klein clenched his fists, the bruises from the battle still fresh. "It was just a friendly tournament. In the finals¡­"


    "In the finals there will be no excuses," Kassian cut him off. "You better have followed the cultivation method to the letter and reached bronze rank 1 by then. You and your... companions."


    The word ''companions'' dripped with contempt from his lips.


    "Astor and Feng will also reach bronze 1," Klein assured quickly. "We''ve been cultivating according to the traditional method and¡­"


    "Oh, and you think that will be enough to get conceited again?" Kassian smiled without humor, his eyes cold as winter frost. "I''ve already heard the gossip, did you think I wouldn''t learn about a boy with a mere spore humiliating you?"


    Klein felt blood rush to his face. "That was¡­"


    "A disgrace," Kassian completed the thought. "A stain on the Goldcrest name that will need more than words to cleanse. All caused by stupid overconfidence."


    He stepped closer to Klein, his voice dropping to a threatening whisper that seemed to chill the very air.


    "Listen well, little brother. If you don''t reach bronze rank by the finals, if you lose again even with that advantage..." he made a meaningful pause.


    "You''d better forget your place in the family."


    Klein paled. "You can''t¡­"


    "Can''t what?" Kassian arched an eyebrow. "Inform father about your incompetence? Suggest that perhaps the second son isn''t as valuable as we thought?"


    He stepped back, subtly gesturing toward where Harold watched like a sentinel.


    "Our new friend will keep me informed of your... progress. So I suggest you start training harder. Today''s humiliation must be erased no matter what."


    "It will be," Klein tried to keep his voice from trembling. "I promise that¡­"


    "Don''t promise me anything," Kassian cut him off. "Prove it. Or the next time I speak with father, it will be about the possibility of sending you to a different city... where no one knows you."


    He turned to leave but paused for a moment.


    "Oh, and Klein? Next time you decide to let a girl strike your noble parts..." a cruel smile curved his lips, "at least make sure it''s not in front of the entire academy."


    Klein remained motionless long after his brother left.


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    Five thousand crystals weighed in his pockets, a useless reminder of his failure. The prize didn''t matter, the rank didn''t matter. All that mattered was reclaiming his honor.


    And if that meant training until exhaustion, until he bled...


    So be it.


    ????


    Luna had barely finished changing when her cousins burst into her room, followed by their maid who tried to maintain some semblance of decorum.


    "That knee strike was epic!" one cousin exclaimed, throwing herself dramatically onto the bed. "Did you see his face? It was like his brain had to restart!"


    "The knee strike was vulgar," Matilda commented while collecting the training clothes, though her lips twitched. "But I must admit it was... satisfying to witness."


    "The way the wolf seized the moment to bite the lion!" the other cousin perched on the bed''s edge, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "And then with the cobra... it was brilliant!"


    "Everything went according to plan," Luna smiled while sitting at her vanity, allowing Mayo to begin brushing her hair with practiced strokes.


    "You planned the knee strike too?" Mar¨ªa asked with feigned innocence.


    "That was... creative improvisation."


    Laughter filled the room. For a moment, they were just a group of girls celebrating a victory, without the weight of their responsibilities or appearances.


    "Although..." Luna hesitated, her expression growing more serious. "There''s something we need to discuss."


    Her cousins straightened, recognizing the change in her tone.


    "The message I received last night," Luna continued. "It seems Klein''s brother didn''t come just for the tournament."


    "The Director informed me," the first cousin nodded. "The Goldcrest family is moving pieces. They''ve inserted a new student into the academy."


    "Can they do that just like that?" the second cousin frowned. "Brother Julius is one thing, but they¡­"


    "Apparently," the other cousin sighed. "The Director says he can''t reject all their requests. The family provides too many resources to the academy."


    "We need to keep an eye on the new student," Luna mused. "Find out what they''re planning."


    "If someone needs spying on, you know I''m the one for the job," the first cousin pointed to herself with a flourish.


    "Oh no," the second cousin crossed her arms. "You already have Ren. Besides, Luna is very interested in him so you can''t stop watching him..." S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Excuse me?" Luna turned so quickly Mayo had to dodge with the brush. "I''m not interested in anyone!"


    "Please," the first cousin rolled her eyes. "We all saw how you smiled when the roar didn''t affect him because he used the ear trick."


    "That was technical appreciation!"


    "Oh, then you won''t mind if I investigate him while our ''star spy'' switches to watching the new guy," her second cousin smiled mischievously.


    "No way!" The first cousin blushed at her own outburst. "I mean... I''m already familiar with his routine. It makes more sense for me to¡­"


    "Oh? Do we have a new interested party?" The second cousin feigned surprise.


    "No! I mean..." The first cousin looked to the maids for support, but they seemed to be suppressing laughter.


    "Then I''ll handle Ren and you take the new one," the second cousin interjected with a playful smile.


    "My lady," Mayo commented with mock seriousness, "if your attachment to young Ren is purely professional, there should be no issue reassigning the observation task... After all, you''ll continue your ''observation support duties'' in class and in your free time..."


    "Mayo!"


    "She''s right, you practically have two people watching him already so our ''expert spy'' isn''t needed," Matilda nodded solemnly. "Though I must say your observation methods are quite... intense. Especially during training."


    "I don''t watch him during training!"


    "Oh, then why do you always insist we practice near where he¡­" her first cousin began.


    "It''s coincidence! He runs right in front of us because he''s that fast!" Luna had turned completely red. "And we should be discussing the new student!"


    "Of course, so it''s decided that I''ll watch him from now on," the second cousin grinned. "But I''ll do it when Luna can''t... After all, we wouldn''t want to distract her from her current ''technical appreciation''."


    The three maids could no longer contain their laughter, which only worsened when Luna shot them a betrayed look.


    "You''re impossible," Luna muttered, sinking into her chair. "All of you."


    "We love you too," her second cousin blew her a kiss. "Now, who''s watching whom?"


    "Alright, since we don''t know his perception level yet... It''s decided then," declared the first cousin. "I''ll watch the new guy, and you can help Luna continue her thorough ''investigation'' of a certain ''cute'' mushroom pot."


    Laughter erupted again, even Matilda abandoning her usual composure to join the fun.


    "I hate you all," Luna murmured, but a small smile betrayed her words.


    "We love you too," they responded in unison, causing another round of laughter that echoed through the room.

 Chapter 138 - Taming the Impossible

    Ren observed the four eggs aligned on his bed with a thoughtful expression, his mushrooms pulsing softly as he analyzed each one.The hydra egg shone like a cut diamond, its perfect geometric patterns capturing and refracting light in mesmerizing ways.


    The wolverine egg displayed a prismatic multicolor glow, shifting like aurora.


    The mantis egg reflected light like a faceted green mirror, while the ambush bug egg maintained an opaque hue with threatening plates.


    Behind him, Min, Taro, and Liu''s jaws had dropped so low they seemed in danger of detaching completely.


    They noticed something else, their necks turning mechanically between the newly formed eggs and the corner of the room where dozens of identical "prince''s nests" waited.


    The three boys resembled poorly articulated golems in their shock.


    "This... this is impossible," Liu finally found his voice. "Cores don''t turn into eggs. They can''t. It''s... it''s..."


    "Impossible?" Min completed automatically. "Like a spore being useful?"


    "Or a digger beetle evolving differently than documented in the last 500 years?" Taro added, his shell manifesting slightly with excitement.


    "But this is different!" Liu gestured wildly toward the corner full of nests. "Those are like fifty scorpion cores! Are they all going to...? How even...?"


    "Wei is going to have a fit when Taro evolves," Min whistled softly.


    Ren barely heard them, focused on his decision. The knowledge flowed: each egg had unique potential, specific advantages and disadvantages that only he could see.


    "How?" Liu was still trying to process what he''d just witnessed. "How did you make the cores transform? They''re supposed to be just... just..."


    "Trash?" Ren smiled without taking his eyes off the eggs. "Most people assume that because they don''t know what to do with them."


    His friends looked back at the nests in the corner, as if expecting them to start transforming at any moment.


    "So..." Taro swallowed. "All those scorpion cores...?"


    "Will also become eggs, yes," Ren nodded. "Though it''ll take a few more days. And I''ll need to wait for more materials for the last nests."


    "More nests..." Min collapsed onto his bed. "More crystal investments..." sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Actually, yes, I exchanged the three hundred thousand crystals the prince gave me for the nests," Ren smiled while his mushrooms pulsed. "But I managed to save quite a bit."


    "Save?" Liu blinked in confusion. "How can you save when each nest costs over 10 thousand and you have like 50?"


    "The defense rune is the most expensive part," Ren explained while examining the hydra egg. "But I can use the same one to hatch all the eggs..."


    "...Unlike when ranking up, you only need the mark near the egg, not actually absorbing it. The main expense was materials and rune writing fluid... Though with more runes I could hatch faster, but I''m not in a hurry."


    Taro made quick mental calculations. "But still, with so many nests..."


    "I still have almost two hundred thousand of those crystals," Ren shrugged. "And five hydra plates that are mine."


    "You''re not going to sell those too?" Min asked, leaning forward with curiosity. "Jessy would pay a fortune for them."


    "No," Ren caressed the hydra egg carefully. "I think I''m going to need them. I''ve made my decision."


    His friends observed the brilliant egg Ren had chosen.


    "The hydra?" Liu whistled softly. "Ambitious."


    "It has the best initial mana resistance potential," Ren explained while his mushrooms pulsed. "Besides, even if I don''t sell them, tomorrow''s report will be interesting."


    "Why?" Taro asked.


    "The first plates the prince gave me, the ones I didn''t use in the scorpion nests, count as materials I obtained myself," Ren smiled. "When his beast left me at the entrance, the guard registered them and Julius apparently asked the director to count them as my acquisition... The report will exceed three hundred thousand."


    Min nearly fell off his bed. "Theodore is going to have a breakdown!"


    "Finch will clean his glasses like crazy," Liu mimicked the compulsive gesture.


    "No, Finch will squeal so high only your bat can hear it!" Taro added, laughing.


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    "Theodore will probably add a new page to his notebook of ''mushroom magnate'' theories," Min held his stomach from laughing.


    Ren watched amused as his friends imagined the banker''s reactions.


    "Oh!" Min straightened suddenly. "We have to be there when you deliver the report tomorrow!"


    "Yes," Taro nodded enthusiastically. "I want to see Theodore''s face when he has to write all those zeros!"


    "And hear the new nicknames Finch invents," Liu added.


    Ren let his friends continue with their jokes while returning to examine the hydra egg. The diamond-like glow seemed to respond to his touch, as if recognizing its future tamer.


    ''First the report, then Taro''s evolution,'' he thought while his mushrooms pulsed. ''And then...''


    Ren smiled. Tomorrow would be an interesting day at the bank.


    ????


    Wei frowned as he walked through the academy''s halls.


    The students'' whispers had been bothering him all week.


    "Did you see how the mushroom boy held against Klein?" "They say he managed to hit him..." "I heard even the prince..."


    Nonsense.


    It had to be nonsense.


    But the rumors persisted, and Wei found himself attending the first-grade finals more out of irritation than real interest. He needed to see for himself what was causing such commotion.


    The battle had been... interesting for iron-rank children.


    Wei thought the Goldcrest boy was an idiot for letting himself be humiliated by someone with a spore... If that was the case, he''d see a clumsy battle that would reveal the boy''s flaws.


    But it wasn''t what he expected...


    Klein''s group lost, yes, but not in the way rumors suggested. The Starweaver girl''s shadow wolf had demonstrated excellent coordination with her companions. The strategy, timing, synergy... everything had been exemplary.


    ''A perfectly normal execution for rich kids from big name families,'' Wei thought as he headed to the bank to deposit his monthly report.


    He saw his juicy payment on the paper that would multiply by 10 at the end of the semester.


    Wei stared fantasizing about taking his girlfriend somewhere nice when he finally withdrew the support from Ren at the end of the semester. A satisfied smirk played across his lips as he considered the possibilities.


    ''The tournament finale was somewhat crude, but did Klein have diarrhea in the semifinals then? It made no sense...


    How could that crazy spore kid, with the most pathetic beast in existence, and his team of a mediocre beetle and a support snake possibly deal with¡­''


    A high-pitched squeal interrupted his thoughts, making him jump.


    "Theodore!" Finch''s voice pierced through the hallway like a drill. "THEODORE! Bring the special calculator! The one we use for big accounts!"

 Chapter 139 - Taming the Impossible - 2

    A satisfied smirk played across Wei''s lips as he considered the possibilities.''The tournament finale was somewhat crude, but did Klein have diarrhea in the semifinals then? It made no sense...


    How could that crazy spore kid, with the most pathetic beast in existence, and his team of a mediocre beetle and a support snake possibly deal with¡­''


    A high-pitched squeal interrupted his thoughts, making him jump.


    "Theodore!" Finch''s voice pierced through the hallway like they didn''t exist. "THEODORE! Bring the special calculator! The one we use for big accounts!"


    Wei froze mid-step. He hated dealing with Finch when he got like this. Perhaps he should use the other reception, even if the line was longer he could avoid his nonsensical banter and his...


    "Three hundred and ten thousand in one month from an iron 1 student!" Finch''s shout nearly made Wei drop his papers. "Theodore! Are you seeing this or am I dreaming? THREE HUNDRED AND TEN THOUSAND!"


    Wei crept closer to the hallway intersection, partially concealing himself behind the corner. His manticore''s eyes and ears manifested slightly, responding to his burning curiosity.


    "The mushroom magnate has returned with a new record!" Finch practically danced behind the counter. "And more magnificent than ever! We must kneel this time in front of him for a chance to share in his money making secrets!"


    Wei narrowed his eyes. Was that the mushroom boy? Three hundred thousand? Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Mr. Finch," Ren''s voice sounded amused. "The prince practically gave it all to me for free. It''s not like I helped much, not that big a deal..."


    "Not that big a deal?" Finch removed his glasses to clean them frantically. "Theodore! Note this in your book! The magnate is being modest!"


    The small mouse wrote furiously in his tiny notebook, his whiskers trembling with concentration.


    "The hydra plates he gave me are particularly valuable," Ren continued, clearly enjoying Finch''s theatrically exaggerated expressions. "And with the cores I processed for him, next time he comes I could be rewarded too..."


    "Processing cores? Information only noble families control?" Wei almost revealed his position with his muttered questions. Was the brat still on about his absurd weird knowledge theories?


    Wei pressed himself harder against the wall, his mind working furiously. Processing cores? Obtaining 310,000 crystals? In one month? That was more than he earned in three...


    "Theodore!" Finch was practically hyperventilating. "Open a new section in the notebook! We need to document this!"


    Wei silently retreated from the intersection, his monthly report forgotten in his trembling hands. Something didn''t add up. The useless spore boy, generating those amounts... processing cores? Selling hydra materials?


    ''The bet,'' he thought suddenly. The brat had wagered with such confidence. Soon he''d have to demonstrate his ridiculous theories...


    Wei began to doubt.


    ''Perhaps they weren''t so ridiculous? Impossible!''


    "THE LORD OF MUSHROOMS!" Finch''s final cry followed him down the hallway. "Theodore! We need a grander title! This one no longer suffices!"


    Wei clutched his papers tightly. Perhaps he should pay more attention to the demonstration the boy had promised.


    Just to prove him wrong, of course.


    ????


    Today was the day, on the 10th day of the 5th month, 130 days since the semester''s start, Taro would rank up and obtain his Living Tunnel variation according to Ren.


    The defense rune and final crystal glowed with a deep brown tone in Taro''s trembling hands.


    One hundred days of cultivation, each crystal processed and absorbed exactly as Ren had indicated, culminated in this moment.


    Liu and Min watched silently from their beds, the tension so thick it felt almost tangible. Min''s scales rippled in waves across his skin, reflecting his tamer''s anxiety.


    ''Please,'' Min clenched his fists. ''Please let it work.''


    After seeing cores transform into eggs before their eyes, it was easier to believe in Ren''s "impossible knowledge" now.


    But this... seeing this happen before their eyes was a bit different.


    Five hundred years of records stated the digger beetle had only one mediocre option.


    "Come on," Ren smiled, his mushrooms pulsing with confidence. "It''s still early, but I want to show you some things you can do before we go to Wei''s class."


    The beetle''s markings on Taro''s skin shone more intensely than ever. A hundred days of cultivation had strengthened the bond, but... would it be enough?


    "What if...?" Taro swallowed, his fingers tightening around the crystal. "What if it doesn''t work?"


    "It will work," Ren maintained his smile, but his friends could see the slight concern in his eyes. "Your beast is ready. The crystals are perfectly processed. You just need to take the final step."


    Min shifted restlessly on his bed. If it worked, if Ren was right... it would not only prove his "crazy" theories true but confirm that his own beast was now on a different path as well.


    "Remember," Ren approached Taro, "when you feel the change begin, don''t fight it. Let the energy flow naturally. Your beast knows what to do."


    Taro nodded, though his hands continued to shake.


    Liu remained silent but drummed his fingers, his gaze intense with anticipation.


    "What if Wei is right?" he whispered. "What if it only evolves into a Great Digger like the books say?"


    "I''ve told you a thousand times already, it will work," Ren maintained his smile, though he could feel Lin''s evaluating gaze from her corner.


    It hadn''t been easy convincing her to stay and witness the cultivation instead of taking him to morning training.


    "If this is a waste of time..." she had warned when Ren explained he''d attend Wei''s class today, "tomorrow''s exercises will be twice as intense."


    "Trust me," Ren had responded. "Today Taro evolves."


    Lin had only agreed to let Ren skip training with the explicit condition that there would actually be an evolution.


    "If your friend doesn''t evolve and this is another of your tricks," she had threatened, "you''ll compensate for the lost training with interest."


    "Wei''s books are¡­"


    "Wei can shove his books where the sun doesn''t shine," Lin muttered, surprising everyone. Stay connected through My Virtual Library Empire


    She blushed slightly when they stared at her. "What? That man needs someone to knock him off his pedestal again. And if my student says it will evolve differently..." she left the sentence hanging, but her message was clear.


    The tension broke momentarily with nervous laughter.


    "It''s now or never," Ren pointed to the crystal and defense rune.


    Taro looked at the materials one last time. A hundred days of hope, of trust in theories that defied everything established, converged in this moment.


    "Here we go," he whispered, and began to absorb them.

 Chapter 140 - Taming the Impossible - 3

    Taro looked at the materials one last time. A hundred days of hope, of trust in theories that defied everything established, converged in this moment."Here we go," he whispered, and began to absorb them.


    The effect was instantaneous.


    The crystal''s brown glow spread through his veins like rivers of liquid earth, yellow earth. His beetle''s markings intensified, expanding across his skin in patterns none of them had seen before, each line seeming to pulse with newfound power.


    "It''s beginning," Ren watched attentively. "Let it flow..."


    Taro gasped as the first wave of power hit him. It was different from the previous ones, deeper, more fundamental. He could feel his beast changing, transforming at its very core.


    Min leaned forward, completely still for the first time that morning. Liu held his breath, his night bat manifesting slightly in response to his tension. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The markings continued to expand, but instead of hardening into the shell plates, they seemed to merge with the earth itself, bright and yellow. The air around Taro vibrated with raw energy.


    "Ren..." Taro''s voice sounded strange, distorted, as if coming from underground. "I feel... I feel..."


    "I know," Ren smiled. "It''s happening exactly as it should."


    The transformation reached its climax. For a moment, Taro seemed to glow from within, his silhouette blurring as if made of shifting earth.


    And then...


    ????


    Wei flipped another page of the "Advanced Compendium of Insect Evolutions," his eyes irritated from another night of intensive reading. His manticore manifested intermittently in his eyebrows like a nervous tic, responding to his growing frustration.


    Five hundred and forty thousand crystals in his account.


    The number kept resonating in his mind since he''d returned remembering to deposit his money and heard Finch''s squeals ten days ago.


    It was an absurd amount for any first-year student, but for someone with history''s weakest beast...


    ''There must be an explanation,'' he thought while reaching for another book. ''Accumulating that amount through luck alone isn''t logical.''


    It was the kind of wealth a veteran Silver 3 rank slightly stronger than him would obtain after about 6 months of work. Not something a child with a mushroom could achieve in 4 months.


    His fingers traced the new tome''s index, searching for any mention of variations with incompletely documented methodologies in digger beetles.


    There had to be something he was missing.


    "What if...?" Wei paused, an uncomfortable idea forming in his mind. "What if someone in the outer lands...?"


    He shook his head immediately.


    It was ridiculous.


    The odds of someone discovering a new evolution without the academy''s knowledge were astronomically low.


    The million-crystal reward for a new methodology was too difficult for those people to ignore...


    It could be that someone working in the mines wanted to sell it themselves to their close associates... But that made it more improbable, that same person sharing such a secret with a random child...


    But the doubt persisted.


    Wei rose from his desk and began pacing his study. The walls were covered with shelves full of books, each one carefully selected and studied over years.


    "Five hundred and forty thousand," he muttered. "In four months."


    Wei stopped in front of a specific section: "Documented Evolutions in the Last 100 Years."


    Not a single mention of variations in the digger beetle''s evolutionary pattern.


    "It''s impossible," he told himself. "The records are clear. Five hundred years of consistent observation..."


    But then, how to explain the crystal amount?


    How to justify that a child with the weakest recorded beast was generating more wealth than students with elite beasts?


    Was someone deliberately messing with him?


    Wei returned to his desk and pulled out a map of the outer lands. His eyes scanned the known inhabited areas, searching for... what exactly?


    A point where someone could have made a revolutionary discovery without anyone noticing?


    "Ridiculous," he muttered, but continued studying the map.


    The bet. Everything came back to that foolish bet.


    "If he loses," Wei smiled humorlessly, "I''ll have to find out where he got so much money. And if he wins..."


    His skin bristled as his manticore''s fur manifested, as if the thought itself was disturbing.


    "No," Wei closed the book with more force than necessary. "He can''t win. It''s impossible for a child with a mushroom to know something generations of researchers overlooked."


    But as he prepared for his first class of the day, Wei couldn''t help slipping an extra book into his briefcase.


    Just in case.


    ????


    Wei crossed the classroom door, and his manticore manifested involuntarily at seeing who awaited him.


    Ren sat in the front row, his mushrooms pulsing with a steady light.


    Beside him, Taro seemed... different.


    Wei couldn''t pinpoint exactly what, but there was something distinct in the way the boy carried himself.


    ''So he finally decided to show up,'' Wei smiled sarcastically while placing his books on the desk. ''He still has a month and a half to play fool, but I suppose he wants to advance his humiliation.''


    "Well, well," Wei couldn''t resist. "Has the expert in impossible theories finally decided to honor us with his presence?"


    Several students laughed out of obligation, but there was tension in the air. Something in Ren''s tranquil smile made Wei feel... uneasy.


    "Good morning, professor," Ren responded with a calmness that only irritated Wei more. "I thought today would be a good day to demonstrate my theory about the beetle''s evolution."


    ????


    Moments before...


    The classroom was half full when Ren and Taro entered.


    Jin was the first to react.


    "Look who decided to show up!" his voice dripped venom. "Has the rotting boy come to beg for class?"


    Klein, sitting in the back with his mood still dark from his defeat, straightened in his seat. His eyes gleamed with contained malice. Stay updated with My Virtual Library Empire


    "Shouldn''t you be in the mines, pauper?" he mocked. "At least there your mushrooms serve some purpose."


    Some students laughed, more out of habit than real malice. Others watched with barely concealed interest. The bet between Ren and Wei was known to all.


    Luna, from her place by the window, stopped pretending to read her book. Her eyes followed every movement as Ren and Taro sat in the front row. Her shadow wolf manifested slightly, as if sensing something important.


    "Is he really going to try it?" one of her cousins whispered to the other. "Taro''s mana looks different, do you think...?"

 Chapter 141 - Taming the Impossible - 4

    Some students laughed, more out of habit than real malice. Others watched with barely concealed interest. The bet between Ren and Wei was known to all.Luna, from her place by the window, stopped pretending to read her book. Her eyes followed every movement as Ren and Taro sat in the front row. Her shadow wolf manifested slightly, as if sensing something important.


    "Is he really going to try it?" one of her cousins whispered to the other. "Taro''s mana looks different, do you think...?"


    "Shh, quiet," Luna interrupted, though her own eyes sparkled with anticipation.


    Harold, the new student, observed everything with studied intensity. His eyes moved between Klein and Ren, evaluating, measuring, storing away every detail.


    "Just wait until Wei throws him out," Kai commented to Cass, his green scales gleaming with amusement. "He must be really worried about losing his tuition to come, now that the end of the semester is coming closer."


    "Or maybe he''s very confident," Mayo murmured from her seat, her words carrying more weight than they seemed.


    The six new students exchanged silent looks from their usual places. Something in their posture suggested this was more than mere academic curiosity.


    "You should leave," Jin leaned forward, his tiger partially manifesting in rippling stripes. "Before Wei arrives and humiliates you in front of everyone. Again."


    "Worried about me? Better worry about not falling into another hole in the mines." Ren responded without looking at him, his mushrooms pulsing softly.


    "Or making it past the semifinals in the next tournament," added Taro.


    Jin''s face turned scarlet. Several students held their breath, remembering the battle where the wolf had torn apart his spiritual tiger''s neck.


    "You..." Jin half-rose, but Klein stopped him with a gesture.


    Since the day both lost to Luna''s team, they''d grown closer.


    "Leave it," the Goldcrest heir smiled. "Soon he won''t even have tuition to get any school benefits. Wei will see to that."


    "Ready?" Ren asked Taro softly, ignoring the taunts.


    Taro nodded, though his hands trembled slightly.


    The door opened before anyone could respond. Wei entered with his usual air of superiority, but faltered for a moment upon seeing Ren.


    The classroom collectively held its breath. The moment they''d been waiting months for had finally arrived.


    ????


    "Good morning, professor," Ren responded with a calmness that only irritated Wei further.


    "I thought today would be a good day to demonstrate my theory about the beetle''s evolution."


    The classroom fell into absolute silence.


    Even those who normally couldn''t focus in class were paying rapt attention.


    Wei placed his hands on the desk, trying to maintain his composure. "Oh? And what makes you think today is different from any other day in over five hundred years of records?"


    "Because today," Ren smiled while his mushrooms pulsed, "Taro completed his hundred days of cultivation."


    Wei observed the other boy more carefully. Now he could see it, the beetle''s markings seemed more defined, more... alive. Your next read is at My Virtual Library Empire


    Now bronze rank...


    ''But only 100 days? More nonsense. Exaggeration? Maybe, 130 days have passed since that day.''


    "Ah, yes. Our little bet," Wei regained his confidence. "Let me remind you of the terms: if your friend evolves into anything other than a Great Digger, you win. If not..." he smiled maliciously, "you lose your tuition support... You''ll sign it, by the way."


    "And if I win," Ren maintained his tranquil smile, "I get any Bronze rank material I choose and a hundred points in your two classes without attending... Your entire teaching unit."


    "Exactly," Wei spread his arms theatrically. "So go ahead! Show us your great discovery that contradicts half a millennium of documented research."


    Students held their breath. Some even leaned forward in their seats, unwilling to miss a moment.


    "I present to you," Ren stood while his mushrooms pulsed intensely, "the Living Tunnel... Go ahead, Taro..."


    "Show them."


    Taro nodded and, instead of manifesting the markings on his body, directly invoked his beast to leave no doubt.


    The air in front of Wei''s desk began to ripple.


    The earth that emerged from Taro seemed to come alive, rising and taking shape. Where a one-meter digger beetle with its characteristic rigid shell should have appeared, something completely different emerged.


    The two-meter-tall beast was enormous, occupying much of the classroom''s front space. Its body looked as if a piece of the depths had gained its own life. Each segment gleamed with an earthy but vibrant tone.


    "Impossible," Wei stepped back.


    He frantically opened one of his books, searching for any similar record.


    "No... this isn''t... the records say..."


    "The records are incomplete because the methods are based on luck," Ren pointed to Taro, who now seemed to glow from within. "As I told you months ago, professor, the digger beetle can evolve differently."


    Though they were known creatures in the not-so-deep caves, no one had managed to obtain one as their beast.


    The beetle''s evolutionary line had always given tamers a single variation, the Great Digger.


    Wei dropped his book.


    "This is... must be..."


    "A Living Tunnel?" Ren completed the phrase. "Considering they live in the caves near the academy, professor, you should know them."


    Wei visibly paled. His eyes frantically scanned the beast, searching for any sign of deception.


    "It''s a trick!" he suddenly exclaimed. "Must be a physical transformation beast. Or an illusion... Yes! An illusory beast must be trying to deceive me!"


    He stepped forward with trembling steps, extending a hand toward the creature. "Illusions have no substance, this must be..."


    His fingers touched the Living Tunnel''s surface. It was solid, warm, undeniably real. The texture was like crystallized earth but alive, pulsing beneath his touch.


    "A physical transformation beast?" Ren arched an eyebrow.


    "Like a camouflage raptor, invisible amphibian, or mimic insect? And whose supposed beast would this be, professor? You know every student present. Who would have such a beast? But let''s not beat around the bush, you can use your mana vision..."


    Wei scanned the room. True, he didn''t know some of the noble students'' beasts for sure, but his mana vision didn''t lie¡­ the bond between Taro and the creature was clear as day.


    "This isn''t... can''t..."


    Wei looked desperately at his books.


    "Five hundred years of records... all the research..."


    "Incomplete," Ren pointed out calmly. "As I just told you, and months ago, proper processing makes the difference."


    "The methods are proven!" Wei slammed his desk. "It can''t be true, it''s a deception, it''s earth control generating a statue, it''s...!" S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Taro," Ren ignored Wei''s outburst, "show them what we practiced."


    Taro nodded.

 Chapter 142 - Taming the Impossible - 5

    "The methods are proven!" Wei slammed his desk. "It can''t be true, it''s a deception, it''s earth control generating a statue, it''s...!""Taro," Ren ignored Wei''s outburst, "show them what we practiced."


    Taro nodded.


    Newfound confidence was visible in his every movement.


    The Living Tunnel began to move, its segments interweaving in patterns. Before the class''s astonished eyes, it began manipulating the earth, creating what at first glance appeared to be a disordered mound. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Is that all?" Wei tried to recover some of his confidence, though his voice trembled. "A pile of dirt? See, that''s what I mean, any beetle can¡­!"


    His words died in his throat as the Living Tunnel began secreting a crystalline liquid that covered the mound. The substance gleamed with a characteristic yellow tone, the same found in deep tunnels 300 meters down in the caves.


    "Living crystal," Ren explained while the substance hardened yet remained somehow alive, pulsing with inner light. "The distinctive mark of a true Living Tunnel. They don''t just dig tunnels, they make them habitable and safe from Deep Assassins."


    Wei fell to his knees before his desk, his manticore manifestation flickering erratically across his skin.


    His hands trembled as he touched the newly formed crystal. It was identical to what was found in the depths, the substance no common beetle could create. The texture was unmistakable to anyone who had spent time in the deeper mines.


    "No..." he whispered, but there was no conviction left in his voice, only despair. "The records..."


    "Are wrong," Ren concluded softly. "Or at least, incomplete. As I told you from the beginning."


    The classroom remained in absolute silence as Wei contemplated the living crystal, all his arrogance vanishing like morning mist. Five hundred years of certainty had just crumbled before his eyes.


    And with them, everything he thought he knew about beast evolution.


    The silence in the room was deafening as Wei remained kneeling, his fingers still touching the living crystal as if expecting it to disappear at any moment.


    Luna was the first to react. A small smile formed on her lips while her shadow wolf manifested briefly, as if nodding in approval.


    Liora and Larissa exchanged surprised and satisfied glances, their own beasts stirring beneath their skin.


    Jin and Klein looked as if they''d been struck with a mace. Their beasts manifested erratically across their bodies, responding to their confusion and contained rage.


    "So," Ren broke the silence, his mushrooms pulsing with steady light, "about our bet, professor..."


    Wei rose slowly, his movements mechanical. For a moment, it seemed he would protest, search for another explanation, any excuse to deny what he''d just witnessed.


    But he said nothing.


    "I want the Bronze rank 2 light rune," Ren continued calmly. "The most expensive bronze rank one."


    Wei choked. "That costs two hundred thousand crystals! That''s more than two months of my salary!"


    "A bet is a bet," Ren smiled, though there was steel beneath his pleasant tone. "Unless you''d prefer to discuss the 1 million tuition forfeiture document you were going to make me sign..."


    Taro barely contained his laughter.


    Wei clenched his fists. "This is ridiculous! One thing is demonstrating a different evolution by luck, but demanding a rune of that price that you can''t even use is¡­!"


    A creak at the door made him freeze. Lin was leaning against the frame, arms crossed and a dangerous smile playing on her lips. Her crane''s feathers ruffled menacingly.


    "Any problems fulfilling your bets, professor?" she asked with false sweetness.


    Wei paled. The memory of his last encounter with Lin flashed through his mind like lightning. His body visibly shrank, his manticore manifestation fading entirely.


    "There''s also the matter of my grades," Ren added, clearly enjoying the moment. "A hundred points in both subjects, if I remember correctly."


    The six new students observed everything with carefully neutral expressions, though their eyes sparkled with something that might have been amusement or satisfaction.


    "The academy gossips are going to love this," Larissa commented. "The student with the ''weakest beast'' proving that Wei''s ''five hundred years of records'' were wrong."


    Wei moved to his desk like an automaton, pulling out the grade registry. With trembling hands, he wrote a perfect 100 next to Ren''s name in both subjects.


    "The rune..." Wei began, his voice barely above a whisper.


    "You can bring it tomorrow," Lin interjected from the door. "I''m sure you won''t want to... delay payment more than a day. I don''t think we''ll need to make you sign anything, right?"


    Wei watched all this with humiliation and impotent rage.


    Lin stepped away from the door. "Ah, and Wei," she added with a dangerous smile, "next time you make a bet... make sure you can pay up on the spot."


    "Well," Ren glanced at the classroom clock, barely ten minutes of class had passed. "Since I''m officially approved and won''t even have to take the final exam for this class which, frankly, DOESN''T serve me any purpose..."


    He rose calmly, gathering his things. His mushrooms pulsed with a rhythm like joyful little hops.


    "I''ll retire to train with my master," he continued while heading for the door. "Something that DOES serve me a purpose."


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    "Good luck, Taro," he bid farewell to his friend with a casual gesture. "Though I doubt you''ll have much to learn here..."


    Lin stepped forward, her presence filling the doorway.


    "By the way, professor," her voice was soft but laden with threat. "I hope it won''t occur to you to take reprisals against Taro or Ren. I''ll be very attentive to how you conduct your classes from now on."


    Wei sank into his chair as Lin and Ren departed, their footsteps echoing down the hallway.


    The living crystal continued to glow at the front of the classroom, a tangible reminder of everything that had just happened. Its pulsing light seemed to mock five centuries of academic certainty.


    Wei raised his gaze, trying to start his class through sheer inertia, but the words refused to come. All eyes were fixed on him, some with pity, others with barely contained amusement.


    He lowered his head, defeated.


    "T-today''s class is... is over, you may leave," he whispered in a trembling voice.


    No one moved for a moment, as if they couldn''t believe what they''d just heard.


    The sound of the door closing behind Ren and Lin seemed to break the spell.


    Wei remained at his desk, alone, contemplating how five hundred years of certainty had crumbled in less than ten minutes. The living crystal''s steady glow illuminated his slumped figure, a testament to how thoroughly his academic world had been shattered.

 Chapter 143 - Taming Changes

    No sooner had the students spilled into the hallway than a crowd formed around Taro, the power dynamics visibly shifting before their eyes.Han''s group was the first to approach, followed closely by Luna''s maids and cousins.


    Even Jin''s usual errand-runners now orbited nearby, trying to catch Taro''s attention.


    The corridor buzzed with excited whispers.


    "It''s incredible!" Han beamed, his spider''s web patterns shimmering with excitement. "First student with a bronze beast! And only 130 days after starting school!"


    "Actually..." Taro scratched his head, clearly uncomfortable with the attention, his new beast''s markings shifting beneath his skin, "it was only 100 days of cultivation."


    "A hundred days?" one of the maids moved closer, her cloud bird manifesting in her hairt. "How is that possible?"


    "It was all thanks to Ren," Taro smiled, his newfound confidence evident in his posture. "He knew exactly what to do from the beginning to the end."


    Luna observed from a distance, leaning against the wall while her cousins and maids mingled with the group. A small smile played on her lips as her shadow wolf rippled at her feet.


    "A Living Tunnel?" someone asked eagerly. "What else can it do besides that crystal?"


    "Oh, well..." Taro began, but was interrupted.


    "It''s not that impressive," Klein''s voice cut through the crowd like a knife. He approached with arrogant steps, his lion manifesting in bright patterns that seemed dimmer than usual. "It''s still a mediocre beast. My lion will reach the same rank soon, and it will be much stronger."


    "Exactly," Jin joined in, his group following automatically. "I defeated you once, remember? Extra defense means nothing if my spirit punches can pierce through it like it doesn''t exist."


    Taro rolled his eyes, remembering something that made his lips curve into a knowing smile.


    "It''s funny you mention how good your beasts are," he said casually. "Ren mentioned your beasts are on the wrong path. That they won''t reach gold rank."


    Silence fell over the group. After the demonstration with the beetle, Ren''s words carried entirely different weight.


    "In fact," Taro continued, enjoying the moment, "he said your lion, Klein, will stall at silver rank 3 from what he can see in your cultivation patterns... Not so golden after all, huh?" Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Klein visibly paled, his lion''s manifestation flickering erratically. "Lies! My lion has golden lineage, everyone knows..."


    "Like everyone ''knew'' my beetle could only evolve into a Great Digger, right?"


    Han let out a laugh that others quickly joined, the sound echoing through the corridor.


    "Ren promised to help me reach at least gold," Taro added as if commenting on the weather, though his eyes sparkled with mischief.


    "Gold?" Jin scoffed, but his voice betrayed uncertainty. "A gold beetle? Now you''ve really lost your mind."


    "Like Professor Wei lost his?" Taro continued. "You know what Ren says about your beast''s rank? Bad news, it''s..."


    "It''s ridiculous," Klein tried to regain control of the situation. "A nobody with an inferior beast reaching gold..."


    "Inferior?" Han stepped forward, his spider''s web glowing faintly. "The only bronze beast in the first semester, the only tamer of a Living Tunel in history doesn''t seem inferior to me... The odds of how far it can advance aren''t set yet. And in only 100 days¡­ When did you say your lion would reach that bronze rank?"


    Jin group''s usual followers keep subtly backing away further from him, gravitating toward the group around Taro. The shift in power was almost palpable.


    "It''s just luck!" Jin spat, his tiger manifesting in agitated stripes. "Tricks and crazy theories from a rotting mushroom, theories that won''t work again!"


    "Theories that worked once," Mayo commented from where she watched with the other maids. "They could work again."


    The crowd had clearly divided now. Jin and Klein with their most loyal noble followers on one side, while the majority clustered around Taro.


    "When my lion reaches bronze rank..." Klein began, but his voice lacked its usual conviction.


    "Bronze is just the beginning, and one day only one of us will reach gold," Taro interrupted. "Ren mentioned something about an error in the golden lion''s cultivation pattern. Something about using the wrong light..."


    Klein choked on his own words. Doubt flickered across his face like a shadow.


    "You know?" Han smiled, his spider''s patterns weaving with interest. "I wonder if Ren would be willing to check other beasts. You know, to help poor classmates avoid cultivation mistakes..."


    Several students nodded enthusiastically.


    "This is ridiculous!" Klein spun around. "Let''s go! We don''t need to hear more nonsense."


    But as they walked away, it was evident their influence had been severely damaged.


    "So, Taro," Han threw an arm around his shoulders. "What else has Ren said about alternative evolutions? Perhaps something about weaver spiders?"


    Luna finally pushed off from the wall, a satisfied smile on her face as her cousins and maids fell in step behind her.


    "Things are going to be very different from now on," she murmured.


    ????


    "Master," Ren paused after completing a series of exercises, his mushrooms pulsing softly in the morning light. "There''s something I want to tell you about your crane."


    Lin stopped correcting his posture, a shadow of something¡­ Pain? Resignation? Crossing her face briefly.


    "There''s a method," Ren continued while wiping away sweat, "a thousand-day one that could bring your crane to Silver rank 1 or 2 power, at least in its speed specialty... and with your technique..."


    Lin regarded him silently for a moment, her crane partially manifesting in feather patterns across her skin. At any other time, she would have dismissed such a suggestion as the well-intentioned delusions of a student trying to cheer her up.


    But after what she had witnessed today in his room and Wei''s class...


    "A thousand-day method?" she finally asked, trying to keep her voice neutral though her eyes shone with what might be hope.


    "Yes," Ren nodded. "It requires absolute consistency. Miss one day and you have to start from zero but..."


    Lin sat on one of the training area benches, gesturing for Ren to join her. Her crane''s patterns shifted with interest.


    "Explain," she said simply.


    "Every dawn you''ll need to absorb a crystal," Ren began, his mushrooms pulsing as he shared his knowledge, "you''ll need to process crystals of your beast''s rank, in this case bronze 1, with 10 minutes of first dawn light. But not the traditional way."


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    "It''s crucial," Ren smiled. "Your crane has a natural affinity with dawn. That''s when its speed peaks, isn''t it?"


    Lin blinked in surprise. It was a detail about crane beasts that very few had noticed.


    "The crystal needs exactly 10 minutes," Ren repeated. "Plus it must be sealed with bronze rank aquatic plant root extract and..."


    As Ren explained the method''s details, Lin felt something she hadn''t experienced in years: true hope for her beast''s future.

 Chapter 144 - Taming Changes - 2

    "The crystal needs exactly 10 minutes," Ren repeated. "Plus it must be sealed with bronze rank aquatic plant root extract and..."As Ren explained the method''s details, Lin felt something she hadn''t experienced in years: true hope for her beast''s future.


    "Why a thousand days?" she asked when Ren finished his explanation. "The traditional methods..."


    "Traditional methods are incomplete," Ren interrupted gently. "As you saw today, there''s much that those who wrote those books don''t properly understand. The problem is they have to experiment blindly..."


    Lin observed her crane''s markings, thinking of all the times she had wished she could push her beast beyond its current limitations. The feather patterns shifted beneath her skin, as if sensing her renewed hope.


    "The intermediate maturation isn''t like ranking up, that''s why it requires 10 times more energy... There''s a final maturation later, but let''s finish this one first."


    "A thousand days," she murmured. "Without missing a single one."


    "You''ll need a bronze rank 1 speed rune at the end," Ren added. "But I''m sure that''s not too costly for you and worth the investment."


    "And you really believe it will work?" The question came out more vulnerable than Lin intended.


    Ren smiled while his mushrooms pulsed with confidence. "As sure as I was about Taro''s Living Tunnel."


    Lin stood, her decision made. "Then I''ll start tomorrow at dawn."


    "Does this mean I get a day off from training?" Ren asked hopefully.


    Lin''s laughter echoed across the training field. "Nice try. Now, back to that kick series you were doing wrong."


    As they resumed training, Lin couldn''t help but smile. For the first time in years, her crane''s future seemed bright.


    And all thanks to the student with the academy''s supposed "weakest beast."


    ????


    Yang''s training class was normally a spectacle of concentration and effort. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Today, however...


    "Cass! That''s the third time you''ve tripped on the same exercise!" Yang shook his head while his behemoth resonated with frustration. "And Feng! Since when does your cobra attack in the wrong direction?"


    The students barely listened. Their eyes constantly followed Ren, who tried to concentrate on his exercises while ignoring the stares. Even Jin''s group couldn''t maintain their usual disdainful distance, stealing glances when they thought no one was looking.


    It wasn''t a pleasant sensation. The constant attention made him uncomfortable, as if each movement was being analyzed and judged.


    But then he remembered Wei''s face crumbling before the living crystal, Jin and Klein''s expressions as they watched their influence dissolve...


    A small smile formed on his lips. His mushrooms pulsed with satisfaction.


    "Han! Your web just tangled with your own feet!" Yang rubbed his temples. "Is anyone paying attention today?"


    Lin, for her part, practically glowed with joy while enthusiastically correcting postures.


    "Excellent form, Ren," she commented in passing, winking. "At least someone maintains their concentration."


    ????


    In Mei''s class, the situation didn''t improve.


    "...and that''s how economic cycles affect crystal prices," Mei drew graphs on the board, her voice increasingly irritated. "Is anyone even listening?"


    A paper ball flew through the air, intended to catch Ren''s attention. Mei''s vine intercepted it with a sharp movement.


    "Enough!" she slammed her desk. "Mr. Patinder''s alternative evolution situation will not be on the exam! But my graphs will be!"


    Ren sank slightly in his seat, though the memory of Wei on his knees before the living crystal remained an excellent consolation.


    ????


    By the time Song''s optional class came around, the professor found himself in a completely empty classroom.


    He peeked into the hallway just in time to see his usual students surrounding Ren, who had been heading to the caves but ended up trapped in the courtyard, bombarding him with questions about alternative evolutions.


    "I suppose there''s no crystal class today," Song murmured.


    Ren finally managed to escape the crowd thanks to Lin, who appeared providentially announcing it was time for his special training.


    "Not so fun being the center of attention, huh?" Lin smiled as they walked away.


    "No," Ren admitted, his mushrooms pulsing softly. "But remembering Wei''s face when he saw the living crystal... that makes it worth it."


    Lin laughed. "Wait until you see his face tomorrow when he hands over the rune."


    Ren''s mushrooms pulsed with renewed anticipation. Perhaps a few more days of being the center of attention wouldn''t be so bad after all.


    ????


    Ren had barely opened the door to the room when he found Liu on his knees, holding a bronze shine crystal in his outstretched hands like an offering.


    "I''m so sorry!" Liu exclaimed nervously. "I should have believed you from the start! Please accept this humble crystal as an apology and teach me the right path for my beast!"


    Ren couldn''t contain his laughter. Of course, now everyone wanted his help with cultivation.


    "Get up," Ren put a hand on Liu''s shoulder. "You''ll need that crystal for your own cultivation. Although..." he smiled mischievously, "you could bring fruit water for all four of us."


    "Of course!" Liu jumped up and practically flew to the door.


    Min burst into laughter as soon as Liu disappeared. "Did you see his face? Like he was before an ancestral master!"


    "Don''t mock him Min, you looked very similar a few days ago..."


    "About today..." Taro scratched his head, looking a bit guilty. "I think I ran my mouth too much. Everyone''s talking about your evolution knowledge and..."


    "It''s fine," Ren waved his hand while his mushrooms pulsed calmly. "It was just a matter of time."


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    "You should charge," Min suggested while lounging lazily. "You saw how everyone is. You could make a fortune selling your methods."


    "No," Ren pulled a new notebook from his trunk. "I''m going to do something better."


    "Better than making money?" Min arched an eyebrow.


    "I''m going to write books," Ren smiled while his mushrooms pulsed with determination. "Books of cultivation techniques for everyone. So no one else has to settle for incomplete evolutions just because current records are wrong."


    Taro and Min exchanged looks.


    "Wei is going to have a fit," Min smiled.


    "The entire academy is going to have a fit," Taro added.


    "Doesn''t matter," Ren began writing, his mushrooms pulsing with steady rhythm. "It''s time someone corrected hundreds of years of incomplete information."


    Liu returned with the fruit water, finding his roommates laughing while Ren wrote the first page of what would become a revolution in beast cultivation knowledge.

 Chapter 145 - Taming the World

    Nine days of frenzied writing in his scarce free time had resulted in a notebook filled with detailed diagrams and meticulous explanations.Ren smiled as he handed "Ecology, Characteristics, Abilities, and Cultivation Techniques for Digger Beetles" to Taro, his mushrooms pulsing with quiet pride.


    "I want you to be the first to read it," he said while his mushrooms pulsed softly. "Though it''s not entirely complete."


    Taro flipped through the pages with reverence, his eyes widening with each diagram he found. There was information about tunnel patterns, living crystal composition, fortification techniques... things he hadn''t even known his beast could do. Each page seemed to hold another revelation.


    "Not complete?" he asked without taking his eyes off the book. "There''s enough information here to take a good while reading."


    "It only goes up to silver rank 3," Ren shrugged. "I want to include the path to gold, but I need a bit more time to have that information."


    "How long?" Taro finally looked up from the book.


    "Don''t worry," Ren smiled while his mushrooms pulsed. "It''ll take you some years to reach silver 3, so I''ll have plenty of time to complete it. And I only need one more day to know..."


    Taro froze, his mind suddenly connecting the dots.


    Tomorrow.


    Tomorrow Ren would complete his hundred days of cultivation.


    Tomorrow he would reach bronze rank 1.


    "Tomorrow you''re going to...?" Taro didn''t complete the question, but he didn''t need to.


    "Yes," Ren nodded while his mushrooms pulsed with anticipation. "Tomorrow I''ll know."


    ????


    On the 25th day of the fifth month, exactly 145 days after entering the academy, Ren held the final bronze crystal, a golden mushroom and the intelligence rune in his hands.


    The moment he had been waiting for had finally arrived.


    Liu, Taro, and Min held their breath, clustered around his bed. Their beasts manifested partially, responding to their anticipation.


    Lin leaned against the doorframe, apparently relaxed but missing no detail, and ensuring her student wouldn''t try to escape training afterward.


    "Here we go," Ren murmured while his mushrooms pulsed softly.


    He absorbed the materials and...


    The glow was... subtle.


    So subtle that for a moment his friends wondered if something had gone wrong.


    The previous days of his normal cultivation had been much more intense. This seemed almost anticlimactic in comparison.


    "Did it work?" Min leaned forward, his snake mirroring his movement. "Your mushrooms seem to... glow a bit more?"


    "Maybe?" Liu squinted, his night bat vision manifesting. "It''s hard to tell if they''re glowing more or if it''s just the morning light."


    But Ren was smiling.


    In his mind, new evolution paths unfolded like an intricate map. He could see routes that were previously nebulous, patterns that extended all the way to...


    "I can see it," he whispered in awe. "Up to gold rank 1... the path is clearer now."


    "But what changed?" Taro asked, searching for any visible difference. "I don''t see any new manifestation in your beast."


    "In my body I don''t notice much difference," Ren admitted. "But my spore is no longer a simple cloud of inactive tiny seeds. It''s a complete beast now, a real fungus."


    The four exchanged expectant looks.


    "Could you...?" Min made a vague gesture.


    "Show you my beast at bronze rank 1?" Ren completed the question. "I suppose so. Though I don''t love losing the knowledge flow from my head..."


    "Most of it is memorized already, isn''t it?" Lin commented from the door. "And I admit I''m curious too."


    Ren nodded and, for the first time in a long time, separated his spore from his body.


    The air in front of him rippled softly and then...


    "It''s... it''s..." Liu leaned so far forward he nearly fell.


    A small mushroom, no taller than five centimeters, materialized on the bed.


    It had a face that looked like a chubby baby''s, with big eyes and round cheeks that seemed designed to inspire cooing noises.


    "It''s tiny!" Min couldn''t contain himself.


    "What''s the increase to your capabilities now?" Liu asked, trying not to laugh.


    "Twenty percent in strength and another 20% in intelligence," Ren responded with dignity.


    Laughter erupted in the room. Even Lin had to cover her mouth with one hand.


    "Taro has 60% in defense!" Min held his stomach. "And 30% in everything else!" S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "And this cost ten times more to cultivate..." Liu wiped tears of laughter. "Any beast could eat it in one bite!"


    "Stop making fun of the world''s best beast!"


    The high-pitched voice, like a small child''s, made everyone freeze.


    Slowly, very slowly, all eyes turned to the tiny mushroom.


    "Did it just...?" Taro blinked several times.


    "Of course I spoke!" the mushroom crossed what appeared to be arms.


    "And I''m not small!" the mushroom began jumping indignantly on the bed, its cheeks puffed in an adorable pout. "I''m compact! Aerodynamic! Efficient!"


    The silence that followed was absolute. Beasts didn''t talk.


    It was a known fact that they communicated mentally with their tamers, sharing sensations and emotions directly because they were part of them.


    Sure, there were stories of dragons that could speak, but those were children''s tales.


    Taro and Min exchanged looks of amazement while Liu rubbed his eyes as if not believing what he was seeing.


    "It''s... it''s impossible," Liu stuttered. "Beasts don''t..."


    "I speak, deal with it already!" the mushroom continued, its cheeks still inflated in that impossibly cute pout.


    Lin was the first to recover from the surprise. "Well," she smiled, "this is unexpected but I suppose it makes sense."


    "What do you mean?" the mushroom looked at her with its large eyes.


    "Why Ren always seems to know so much about beasts," Lin moved away from the door. "He has a beast that can analyze and communicate information, like a huge living library."


    "In a very compact package," added Taro, unable to contain a smile.


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    "Exactly!" the mushroom nodded vigorously before realizing they were teasing again. "Hey!"


    Min and Liu continued staring, alternating between the tiny talking mushroom and Ren, who smiled as if this were perfectly normal.


    "I''m the command center of a gigantic body! It''s like... it''s like your brains. Do you think you''re small if you only count your brain and couldn''t see yourselves complete?"


    "Command center?" Liu leaned closer to see the tiny mushroom better.


    "Yes, of the biggest beast of all!" declared the mushroom proudly.


    Laughter erupted again.


    "Why are you laughing? My mana roots, so fine that not even the sharpest eye could see them, will extend throughout the world! For now they only reach the first part of the gold ring," the mushroom admitted, but its eyes shone with determination.


    "But one day my influence will touch every corner of the world! I''ll 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.

 Chapter 146 - Taming Secrets

    "But one day my influence will touch every corner of the world! I''ll 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 they''d ever seen. "Ren! I don''t want to be in front of these mocking troglodytes! I''m going back inside!"


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


    ????


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


    "It''s 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 can''t 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 Ren''s body. They spread like an ethereal web, each strand pulsing with power.


    "What''s...?" 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 they''d heard.


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


    "Impossible!" Lin moved closer to see better. "That''s not... that''s not how..."


    Ren''s 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 predator''s 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 don''t 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 Ren''s 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 can''t the hydra come out since it''s 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. "They''re both part of my being now. But the mushroom''s physical manifestation doesn''t have much use outside my body, so there''s not much point in using it."


    "What kind of boosts does the hydra give you?" Liu asked, studying Ren''s new features with fascination.


    "Forty percent in strength and defense, 20% in everything else," Ren flexed his crystalline claws. "It doesn''t reach Luna''s wolf''s boost levels, which can hit fifty percent per rank, but it''s not far behind."


    "And with your mushroom''s twenty percent..." Min began calculating.


    "Sixty percent total strength," Ren nodded. "Similar to Taro''s defense buff. And the hydra is still iron rank."


    Lin approached. Her expression had turned serious, her crane''s feathers ruffling with concern.


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    "Writing theories that challenge five hundred years of knowledge is one thing," she said quietly. "But being a double tamer... that''s 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 they''re... quite protective of that knowledge."


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


    "I recommend you don''t manifest the hydra for now," Lin continued. "At least until we find a way to handle this. Did you tell Julius anything about this?" S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "No," Ren shook his head. "I didn''t discuss this with him."


    "Maybe you should next time you see him," Lin nodded. "I''ve known Julius since we were children. He''s trustworthy. But his siblings..." she made a significant pause. "They''re 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 doesn''t involve having powerful people asking you questions you shouldn''t answer right now."


    "Questions like ''where did you learn to make a second contract''?" Min suggested, his snake coiling nervously.


    "Or ''how did a child with a mushroom discover something only royalty knew''?" Taro added, his markings shifting uneasily.


    "Exactly," Lin paused at the door. "For now, keep a low profile. You''re already drawing enough attention with your evolution theories. We don''t 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, he''s 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.

 Chapter 147 - Taming New Beginnings

    "One more thing," Lin added before leaving. "When the time comes to talk to Julius, let me prepare the ground first. As I said, he''s trustworthy, but even he might have a strange reaction when he learns a first-year student achieved something supposed to be exclusive to royalty."The silence that followed Lin''s departure was heavy.


    Min, Liu, and Taro watched Ren with concern, their excitement diminished by the metaphorical rain falling on his achievement while he remained unusually still, apparently lost in thought.


    "Hey," Min began, "it''s not so bad, you just need to keep the hydra secret for a while and¡­"


    He stopped when a big smile began forming on Ren''s lips.


    "Lin..." Ren murmured, his smile growing. "Lin was so worried about the hydra issue that she..."


    His eyes suddenly lit up with a mischievous realization.


    "SHE FORGOT ABOUT MY TRAINING!" he jumped from his bed with explosive energy. "This is our best chance!"


    "Oh no," Taro recognized that look. "Oh no, no, no..."


    Ren grabbed Taro by the shoulders, his new muscles enhanced by the stacked 60% buff making his grip surprisingly firm for a 10-year-old.


    "Ren!" Taro blinked in surprise. "Since when are you this strong?"


    "Fifty percent extra strength increase..." Liu reminded him.


    Ren practically glowed with excitement. "This time we don''t need an elaborate distraction like last time!"


    "Last time?" Min narrowed his eyes suspiciously.


    "I wanted to start gathering materials for the hydra and my world mushroom''s next level but they''ll have to wait... We need to seize this morning!" Ren was already dragging Taro toward the door. "The ruins await us!"


    "Wait!" Taro tried to resist, but Ren''s new buff made it surprisingly difficult. "Shouldn''t we at least discuss what you want to do or...?"


    "There is no time to talk!" Ren was already running down the hallway, dragging a resigned Taro by the arm. "Lin could remember about our training at any moment!"


    Min and Liu looked at each other for a moment.


    "Should we...?" Liu began.


    "Follow those idiots before they get into trouble?" Min sighed while his snake coiled nervously. "Probably."


    ????


    In Yino territory...


    Morning light barely illuminated the path when a figure crawled out of a mine.


    Its anthropomorphic silhouette was grotesque: where arms should be, two enormous scorpion pincers moved erratically.


    The guard at the entrance noticed the movement and raised his lamp, tense and prepared to face a threat.


    The light revealed a disturbing sight: a man covered in dirt and dried blood, his uniform in tatters.


    The guard''s initial tension dissipated upon recognizing the characteristic marks on the uniform of a Yino abyssal soldier, though he''d never seen one in such poor condition.


    "Registration?" the guard asked automatically, following protocol despite the obviously abnormal situation. "I need to note the materials that..."


    The scorpion pincers vanished, revealing stumps where the man''s arms should be. His blood-shot eyes tried to focus on the guard before his body finally gave out.


    The soldier collapsed at the entrance, his last incoherent mumblings about lost cores and stolen eggs.


    "It''s Hagen!" the guard shouted. "The abyss cartographer!"


    Other guards near the entrance came running.


    Few people in Yino didn''t know Hagen, the man who had mapped the depths longer and across greater expanses than anyone. His maps had discovered dozens of new mana veins for the city in recent years.


    "Bring a healer!" another guard was already running toward the emergency post. "And notify the Captain!"


    Transport was complicated. They didn''t want to cause more damage...


    When they finally reached the infirmary in the city center, the head healer was already waiting. Enjoy exclusive adventures from My Virtual Library Empire


    "By all the..." the healer stopped upon seeing Hagen''s condition. "What in hell happened here?"


    The damage was extensive, not just the lost arms, but massive internal trauma suggesting he''d been crushed and beaten multiple times.


    ????


    When Hagen finally awoke, his first instinct was to reach for his bag, only to find himself moving a bloody stump.


    ''Right¡­''


    He tried with the other arm, achieving the same pathetic result.


    "Damn it," he muttered, concentrating to manifest the hippogriff''s claws.


    The transformation was painful, his beast as exhausted as he was.


    The claws weren''t the best "hands" now, they were clumsy, designed for tearing, not fine manipulation. Though they were better than the pincers...


    After three frustrated attempts to reach his bag, Hagen let out a curse that would have made a sailor blush.


    "Mr. Hagen," the healer rushed in. "I need to administer more treatment. The damage was too severe to heal in one session. My mana wasn''t enough to heal everything in the first round."


    Hagen tried to wave his "hand" dismissively but with his claw¡­ only succeeded in knocking over a tray of instruments. He rolled his eyes, frustrated by his new clumsiness.


    He sighed heavily, concentrated, and moved his claw slowly... He felt his bag, confirming he still had what he needed.


    "About your arms..." the healer began cautiously. "I''m afraid we have no way to..."


    "Don''t worry about that," Hagen interrupted. "Soon it won''t be a problem."


    A familiar laugh resonated from the door. "Won''t be a problem? What are you planning to do? Grow new arms?"


    The east zone supervisor entered, followed by the guard who had found Hagen. The smile on his face froze upon seeing the damage to his body. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Hell, Hagen, you look terrible," he whistled. "Did you run into the King of Yano or what?"


    Hagen let out a laugh. "The King? No, no... from what I heard, if it had been the King, I''d be dead."


    He straightened with difficulty.


    "This one," he raised his left stump, "I gifted to that Director Ignatius when I tried to recover the first egg someone stole from me. And this other one," he raised the right, "was a farewell gift to the prince when I tried to save the second egg."


    "The eggs?" The supervisor frowned. "The ones you were supposed to find in the deep zones?"


    "You see..." Hagen told him most of what had happened.


    "Why the hell did you leave the depths?"


    "Because I''m a proud imbecile," Hagen rolled his eyes. "A stubborn idiot who wouldn''t accept to lose what was lost..." Hagen sighed, making the hippogriff''s claws disappear and raising his stumps. "But I learned my lesson."

 Chapter 148 - Taming New Beginnings - 2

    The castle of Yino was an imposing structure carved into living rock, its corridors illuminated by crystals that pulsed with a sickly purple glow. The very air seemed heavier here, weighted with power and secrets.Two guards practically dragged Hagen to the throne room, his bandaged stumps contrasting starkly with the elegance of the place.


    Each step echoed ominously through the ancient halls.


    The King of Yino awaited, his Nian beast manifesting as a horn that his crown accommodated perfectly.


    When Hagen finished most of his report...


    The King''s eyes, normally calculating, burned with barely contained fury.


    "Do you know what you''ve done?" the monarch''s voice was deceptively soft. "Not only did you lose the scorpion cores. Not only did you fail the most important mission I''ve given you in years."


    He rose slowly, his Nian''s power making shadows dance across the walls.


    "You revealed to Yano that we can control abyssals!"


    Hagen remained silent, his stumps trembling slightly.


    "Do you have any idea," the King continued, rising from his throne and approaching, "how much you''ve delayed our plans? Without the scorpion cores to begin abyssal cultivation, the next phase is impossible."


    "My lord," Hagen spoke again, his voice hoarse. "Now that they''re alert, we''d need to wait for things to calm down to try again. Or perhaps we could find another digging beast that supports abyssal injection as well as the scorpion and..."


    The King''s beast''s shadow extended, engulfing Hagen in darkness for a moment. "Perhaps I should cut off your head," whispered the King. "To match your arms."


    "I''ll accept whatever you order, my lord," Hagen bowed his head. "I regret my failure."


    The King moved away, massaging his temples.


    "Manufacturing new abyssal control cores to deploy someone else will take months. And there aren''t many willing to cross the gold depth barrier to complete the mission..."


    He turned abruptly.


    "Why the hell did you need to go up? What was so important that you risked leaving safety and ending up like this?"


    There was a moment of silence. The King studied Hagen; in twenty years of service, he had never lied. He was one of the few the King trusted completely, which made this failure even more frustrating.


    "Stupidity, I have no excuse, but at least," Hagen straightened with difficulty, "I got the hydra core you wanted for your daughter, majesty. Although..." he grimaced, "I couldn''t turn it into an egg. They stole it, and that was largely why I left the safe zone."


    The King sighed deeply, fury giving way to resignation.


    "I suppose we can use you as a test subject for the next abyssal creature as punishment before sending you again." A twisted smile formed on his lips. "If you survive having 3 creatures in your body... Also¡­ Maybe its hands will serve you better than the hippogriff''s."


    He approached to take the core Hagen had protected so fiercely. "At least my little one will be happy with the hydra she''s been asking for so long." His expression softened slightly. "Though we''ll have to resort to plan B and buy some things soon. It''s not long until her tenth birthday."


    "The princess is almost ten?" Hagen blinked in surprise. "Time flies..."


    "Indeed, and you took so long I thought you were already dead... And now, thanks to your little adventure, we''ll have to hurry with the alternative preparations."


    The King carefully stored the core.


    "I know, my lord," Hagen lowered his head. "That''s why I''ll try to recover them as quickly as possible next time if you allow me."


    The King observed the bandaged stumps of his most loyal servant. Twenty years of impeccable service, and now this...


    "Go rest," he finally ordered. "When the new abyssal beast is ready, we''ll discuss your next mission."


    Hagen nodded as the guards helped him stand. "Yes, my lord."


    ????


    "Slow down!" Taro''s voice echoed through the hallway. "Your legs are sixty percent stronger too!"


    "Exactly!" Ren''s laughter floated back to them. "Isn''t it great?!"


    Min and Liu ran after their friends, barely managing to keep pace with the newly empowered Ren. Their beasts manifested partially, trying to help them match his enhanced speed.


    "At least tell us what we''re going to do in the mines!" Liu panted as they ran.


    "We''re going where we couldn''t before!" Ren skillfully dodged a group of surprised students, his new reflexes making the movement seem effortless. "I have a Living Tunnel and a hydra on my side!"


    "I thought we were supposed to keep the hydra secret!" Liu nearly crashed into a column.


    "Secret from the nobles!" Ren corrected without slowing. "Not from the mines!"


    "Isn''t that dangerous?" Taro asked while bouncing behind Ren like a puppet.


    "Not if they don''t catch us!" Ren laughed, clearly enjoying his new capabilities.


    Min and Liu exchanged another look while continuing to run. A normal Ren was troublesome enough. A Ren with strength buff and avoiding training...


    "There are ancient ruins under the school!" Ren explained while running, his excitement infectious despite their reservations.


    This day was going to be interesting.


    ????


    Harold observed Klein strike the training post for the hundredth time¡­


    The kid was throwing movements, more aggressive but equally inefficient as before. Each impact sent vibrations through the ground that his mole beast translated into clear pictures of frustration.


    His mole stirred beneath his skin, like laughing.


    Continue your adventure with My Virtual Library Empire


    ''How pathetic,'' he thought while pretending to take notes. ''The Goldcrest heir reduced to this.'' Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Klein had been like this since his defeat, alternating between periods of impotent rage and what he called "intensified training".


    In reality, he was just making the same mistakes with more force, like a child throwing a tantrum.


    His long-antennaed abyssal centipede, the special beast for his quest, stirred within him, its mana sensors capturing the erratic energy patterns emanating from the golden¡­ no, yellow lion, as the beetle boy had correctly pointed out the other day.


    Harold suppressed a smile. As an orphan from Yino, he had seen true power, true determination.


    This spoiled noble''s tantrums were almost insulting.


    His centipede perceived something deeper, far more interesting than Klein''s frustrated strikes. Ancient energy patterns, firmly buried beneath the academy.


    The ruins that were his true mission to investigate.


    The centipede extended its ethereal antennae, invisible to all except those most sensitive to mana fluctuations. The ruins were fascinating, more complex than Yino had theorized.


    ''If you only knew, Klein,'' he thought while pretending to admire another poorly executed strike. ''That your "new assigned companion" is a double tamer, sent not to watch you, but to uncover secrets your traitorous family wants to share with Yino...''

 Chapter 149 - Taming the Ancient Ruins

    ''If you only knew, Klein,'' Harold thought while pretending to admire another poorly executed strike. ''That your "new assigned companion" is a double tamer, sent not to watch you, but to uncover secrets your traitorous family wants to share with Yino...''The mole was perfect for detecting physical structures, excavating the tunnels and chambers. Its sensitivity to underground formations provided a living map of what lay beneath.


    The abyssal long-antennaed centipede, Yino''s latest experiment in detector beasts, could perceive mana patterns in ways other normal beasts couldn''t even dream of. Its ethereal antennae could trace the faintest energy signatures through solid rock.


    Together, they formed the perfect exploration team. And while Klein obsessed over his wounded pride, Harold could continue his true mission without raising suspicion.


    "Stronger!" Klein roared, his lion''s fur manifesting erratically across his skin. "I have to be stronger!"


    Harold nodded with false admiration, while his beasts silently mapped the secrets buried beneath the academy. Each vibration through the ground revealed more of the complex network below.


    ''Keep at it, Goldcrest heir,'' he thought. ''Keep distracting everyone with your drama while I discover what really matters.''


    Harold watched Klein strike the training post once more before deciding it was time to move.


    "You''re progressing very well," he lied with a practiced smile. "You should maintain this rhythm all day and I''ll tell Kassian you are doing good."


    Klein barely grunted in response, too absorbed in his "intensive training" to notice his supposed guardian''s departure.


    The mole beneath Harold''s skin vibrated slightly as he walked away, detecting another student''s movements several corridors ahead. His abyssal centipede confirmed the mana signature¡­ undoubtedly his companion.


    ????


    Minutes later, Harold walked side by side with one the others, Yino spies¡­ another student from his same class.


    To the casual observer, they were just two classmates chatting casually.


    "Did you find an entrance?" Harold asked quietly, his beasts constantly scanning the area for witnesses. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The other spy nodded, guiding him toward a rarely frequented section of the academy. The air grew colder as they descended toward what appeared to be an underground storage area.


    "This section has a ton of food stored for iron rank students," his companion explained as they went down. "Mainly old grains and cheap preserves."


    Harold noticed the dust accumulated in the corners. "Doesn''t seem very used¡­ Or cleaned."


    "That''s the point," a smile formed on the other spy''s lips. "Who would steal low-rank food in an academy full of rich people and nobles? This food is a ''punishment'' to make them want to rank up. Most of the time they don''t even watch this place."


    The centipede''s ethereal antennae extended, detecting increasingly strong mana patterns as they descended. The mole vibrated with anticipation, sensing ancient structures below the basement.


    They stopped in front of a particularly dark section of the storage room. An old barrel container rested against the wall, covered by a thick layer of undisturbed dust.


    "I''ve been observing this place for almost five months," the other spy moved the container slightly, revealing a narrow space. "Nobody has touched these barrels. Not even the cleaning staff comes here if that isn''t obvious..."


    Harold slipped through the space, his mole guiding him in the darkness. Behind the container, partially hidden by old boxes, a hole had been carefully excavated in the wall.


    "The ruins are about 200 meters down," Harold whispered, his eyes gleaming with anticipation. "I can feel them."


    "How long will you need?"


    "My mole can make a single-person tunnel in a few minutes," Harold calculated. "The real challenge will be preventing the mana from leaking and alerting the academy''s sensor tamers."


    "That''s what I''m here for," the other spy smiled. "Just focus on digging. I''ll handle covering the hole to hide the presence."


    Harold nodded, feeling the ruins pulsing weakly beyond the wall.


    "The Goldcrests betrayed Yano for a reason," Harold murmured while his beasts analyzed the excavation. "Whatever''s down there must be more valuable than Yino imagines."


    Soon they would discover exactly what was important enough to risk everything.


    ????


    "There are ancient ruins under the school!" Ren explained while running, still dragging Taro like a kite in his wake.


    "Ruins?" Min had to raise his voice to be heard while trying to keep pace. "How do you know?"


    "I can feel them!" Ren turned a corner without slowing. "From the caves to the academy there''s an impenetrable crystallized mana wall surrounding them¡­ that¡­ everyone probably thinks as part of the natural cave''s structure!"


    "Slow down!" Liu almost collided with another student. "What does that have to do with wanting to escape training?"


    "There are leaks!" Ren grinned while his mushrooms pulsed briefly. "From the school I feel strange sensations in the mana!"


    "Please tell me we''re not going to try to break through an impenetrable mana wall!" Taro pleaded while bouncing behind Ren.


    "No! There must be some entrances!" Ren jumped over a bench with surprising agility, dragging Taro with him. "With my new level I can feel them better than before, though still not with total precision!"


    "What about the director?" Taro managed to ask between bounces. "The staff? Don''t they know about these ruins?"


    "They probably do!" Ren dodged a group of sleepy students. "Maybe they''ve already explored them! But there''s something strange, a powerful sensation down there and I need to know what it is!"


    "I bet you''re thinking: We''ll find out if they''re explored when we get there!" Min guessed the thought, already knowing how his friend''s mind worked.


    Liu finally stopped, leaning against a wall while catching his breath. "Ok, that''s too much, I actually have the first class!" he raised his hands in surrender. "I''ll miss this suicide mission, sorry!"


    "Don''t forget to absorb your crystal today!" Ren shouted over his shoulder without stopping.


    The mine entrance appeared before them. The guard nodded at his post, fighting against early morning drowsiness.


    "Good morning," Ren greeted casually while dragging a disheveled Taro toward registration.


    The guard barely managed to keep his eyes open while scribbling their names. "So early today?"


    "The early worm catches the crystal!" Ren grinned, causing Min to roll his eyes at the made-up saying.


    They had barely finished registering when Ren accelerated again, practically flying toward the lower tunnels. Stay tuned to My Virtual Library Empire

 Chapter 150 - Taming the Ancient Ruins - 2

    "Exactly at 100 meters!" Ren announced as they headed toward the tunnel he used for his habitual escapes. His mushrooms pulsed with excitement, casting dancing shadows on the rough walls. "The perfect entrance.""Perfect for what?" Min asked, but Ren was already turning at the familiar corner.


    "This way," Ren didn''t answer and slipped through an opening so narrow that Min had to hold his breath to pass.


    "How did you even find...?" Taro stopped at seeing the network of tiny tunnels stretching before them. "Oh. So this is where you always sneak off to."


    "Sorry," Ren laughed while advancing through a passage that seemed specifically designed for someone his size. "It''s just..."


    "It''s just that you didn''t want us following you to your secret vein to keep all the crystals for yourself," Min completed the sentence, his snake hissing with mild indignation.


    "Not really, it''s because you would..."


    A distant sound, like claws against stone, made them all freeze.


    "What was...?" Taro began, but Ren silenced him with a gesture.


    They advanced silently until reaching a crack in the floor. The darkness emanating from it seemed deeper, more threatening than that of normal tunnels.


    "My secret route," Ren whispered, his mushrooms pulsing softly. "I''ve been going down here every day."


    Min peered into the abyss. "But... the monsters..."


    Another sound, like something dragging itself across stone.


    "You guys don''t know how to avoid the worms... one wrong step and you attract them," Ren nodded. "That''s why I couldn''t bring you before, but now we are stronger." Continue your journey with My Virtual Library Empire


    Taro and Min exchanged looks.


    How had Ren managed to spend an entire semester moving among monsters without being detected? The question hung in the air, but neither dared to ask it for a long explanation here.


    "We''ll go down to two hundred meters," Ren began descending through the crack with the familiarity of someone who has made the journey dozens of times. "That''s where I need your help, Taro."


    The descent was tense. Every brush of clothing against stone seemed amplified in the darkness. The tunnel twisted like a snake, sometimes so narrow they had to move sideways.


    But Ren was super happy that the mana didn''t feel as oppressive anymore.


    "Living tunnel beetles like yours start at three hundred meters," Ren explained when they finally reached their objective. "Which means..."


    "That if we make a tunnel here," Taro completed, his eyes gleaming with understanding, "and coat it with my Living Tunnel''s crystal..."


    "The lesser worms won''t be able to enter," Ren nodded. "The crystal is too hard for them."


    "It''ll be a safe tunnel..." Min understood.


    "And better yet," Ren smiled while his mushrooms pulsed with anticipation, "they''ll think a lower-level creature was expelled and is hunting due to lack of mana. No common monster will risk entering once it''s finished."


    "Are you sure about this?" Taro asked.


    "Completely," Ren pointed toward the school''s direction. "I can feel the ruins more clearly here. We just need a direct path..."


    "A secret tunnel," Min whispered. "Straight to whatever''s under the school."


    ????


    Ren guided them to another "slide" that led to a solitary zone at 200 meters and asked them not to move to avoid vibrations, while he decided for the perfect location.


    "That''s a good place to start," Ren manifested his hydra, its crystalline scales gleaming with his mushrooms'' light in the darkness. At his side, Taro''s Living Tunnel emerged in all its glory.


    The two beasts began excavating with supernatural efficiency.


    "Taro!" Ren called without stopping coordinating his hydra''s movements. "Have your beast start coating the walls! The worms won''t take long to notice the vibration!"


    Min moved nervously while watching the first meters of tunnel form. "Shouldn''t we...?"


    "Don''t be scared!" Ren smiled without taking his eyes off the work. "Just stay still and summon your snake! It can help us soon."


    The water snake materialized, its scales shining with a deep blue tone in the tunnel''s gloom.


    "My hydra and your snake can keep the worms at bay while the beetle secures the first sections," Ren explained while the beasts continued their labor.


    Twenty meters of tunnel later, Ren visibly tensed. His mushrooms pulsed once, catching something.


    "First one''s coming!" he warned. "Taro, stop excavating! Start the blockade!"


    The Living Tunnel immediately changed its task, living crystal flowing from its segments to strengthen the walls.


    Ren guided his hydra a few meters beyond the finished tunnel''s end. "Here it comes!"


    The earth trembled beneath the hydra. A common worm, its segmented body glowing with a sickly tone, emerged from the wall as if it were water.


    "Diamond Shield!" Ren ordered.


    The hydra''s scales shone intensely, crystallizing into an improvised armor.


    ''Not as hard as it will be at higher ranks,'' Ren thought, ''but it''ll do!''


    The worm launched itself at the hydra, only to find its jaws trapped by the crystalline beast.


    "Min!" Ren called. "Now!" sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The water snake slid swiftly, coiling around the worm. Between the two beasts they began pulling, dragging the monster completely from its hole.


    The worm writhed uselessly, trapped between the hydra''s jaws and the snake''s constricting coils.


    "Just a bit more and...!"


    CRASH.


    The Living Tunnel, apparently tired of waiting, simply crushed the worm with one of its enormous feet.


    "Well..." Ren blinked in surprise. "That... works too."


    "Can we get back to work?" Taro asked while his beast casually cleaned its foot against the wall. "I''d prefer to finish before more come."


    "Right!" Ren had his hydra return to excavating. "But stay alert! Some worms are foolish enough to..."


    He broke off, his mushrooms pulsing again.


    "From the right!" he warned.


    The beasts positioned themselves, prepared for another round.


    ????


    Luna''s cousins looked at each other in horror when the first rays of sun woke them.


    They had fallen asleep after a night of ''planning surveillance strategies'' with their cousin.


    They ran through the hallways, trying to maintain aristocratic composure. But when they reached Ren''s room, they found the door closed and no sound from within.


    "Did he escape us?" the blonde bit her lip. "Great spies¡­"


    As if answering her question, Liu appeared turning the corner, muttering to himself while walking distractedly.


    The cousins exchanged a look and slid silently closer, hiding behind a column.


    "...and now with that ruins thing..." they managed to hear Liu. "...as if the hydra wasn''t enough..."


    The blue-haired cousin barely contained an exclamation. Her companion covered her mouth with one hand.

 Chapter 151 - Taming the Ancient Ruins - 3

    The cousins exchanged a look and slid silently closer, hiding behind a column."...and now with that ruins thing..." they managed to hear Liu. "...as if the hydra wasn''t enough..."


    The blue-haired cousin barely contained an exclamation. Her companion covered her mouth with one hand.


    Liu continued walking distractedly while muttering to himself until he was far enough away.


    "Great," one of them sighed. "Now what? Without Wei''s class this first hour, we don''t even know where to look for Harold..."


    "...should have followed Ren to the caves?" Liu continued mumbling. "But the cultivation class has the hardest exam to memorize..."


    The cousins exchanged a meaningful look, their beasts stirring with interest beneath their skin.


    "I''m going to the caves," one of the cousins whispered. "If they''re looking for ruins, we need to know why."


    "And what am I supposed to do without being able to find Harold?"


    "You''re right... Without Wei''s class, he won''t show up until later. Follow this boy for now, he''s muttering interesting things so keep track of everything he says."


    The cousin sighed resignedly while watching her companion disappear down the hallway. She turned to follow Liu, who was still muttering to himself as he walked.


    But though she followed, he no longer seemed to be saying anything interesting... He appeared to be heading to his cultivation class.


    The cousin was considering abandoning the surveillance when Liu, instead of heading to his usual class, took an unexpected detour.


    The side hallway was rarely used, mainly for storage. Liu looked nervously both ways before turning another corner.


    ''What are you up to?'' the cousin smiled while following cautiously. Maybe this day wouldn''t be so boring after all.


    ????


    In the caves¡­


    The tunnel grew meter by meter, each section immediately reinforced with living crystal that glowed with a soft, steady light.


    "How much further?" Min asked while his snake helped the hydra try to remove another particularly stubborn worm from the ground.


    "Not much," Ren smiled. "I can feel the ruins getting closer."


    CRASH.


    "Was that necessary?" Ren looked at Taro, who shrugged sheepishly.


    "My beast says it''s more efficient this way."


    Min shook his head while watching the Living Tunnel clean its foot again. "At least it''s quick..."


    While Taro''s beast and the hydra continued digging, Ren and Min collected the remains of the lesser worms they''d defeated. The tunnel floor was littered with evidence of their battles.


    The cores were incomplete, practically hundred-point crystals so they were good, but the teeth were what really caught Ren''s attention.


    "Still thinking about making those strange weapons?" Min asked while storing some crystals.


    "Mmm," Ren examined one of the teeth, remembering his failed attempts of the last few months. "I never managed to get them to fix properly to the wood to make the spiked club I wanted."


    He recalled his visit to Isaac, the craftsman. The cost of the work he''d requested was high compared to the limited utility the weapon would have... buying a complete wooden weapon would be cheaper and the utility would be similar.


    "I got to the point where I was thinking of selling them," he continued while picking up another particularly sharp tooth. "But with only 10, a hundred crystals weren''t very attractive so I decided to just keep them..."


    "Ha ha, now we have to hear about the rich hoarder''s problems... Are you planning to keep more to collect?" Min observed the small bag of teeth that Ren was accumulating.


    "Now that we have a way to get many..." Ren held a tooth up to his mushrooms'' light. "I was thinking about arrows."


    "Arrows?"


    "They''d be easier to make than a weapon designed to be permanent," Ren explained while carefully storing the teeth. "And cheaper. They could be useful for the final gathering expedition of the semester in five days."


    The tunnel advanced quickly thanks to the combined work of the hydra and Living Tunnel. Living crystal continued flowing, creating resistant walls that no lesser or common worm would try to breach.


    Taro broke his silence. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Ren," he wiped dirt from his forehead, "how much are you going to need to rank up?"


    "Why?" Ren smiled while his hydra helped with the excavation. "Worried about the costs?"


    "Well," Taro made mental calculations, "I went from using one-point crystals to ten-point crystals. So my base cost went from one hundred to a thousand crystals."


    Min shrugged. "That doesn''t sound so bad." Experience more on My Virtual Library Empire


    "No, that''s the only cheap part," Taro continued. "The bronze rank deep earth now costs me a hundred points per crystal. That''s another ten thousand..."


    "And the defense rune for bronze 2," he added, "is twenty-four thousand crystals."


    "Thirty-five thousand total," Ren nodded. "Not bad for a bronze evolution."


    "Exactly, though it''ll take me a bit longer to get them but I have 100 days to complete..." Taro directed his beast to widen a section of the tunnel. "But you already spent fifty thousand just to reach bronze 1. How much will you need now?"


    Ren sighed while his mushrooms pulsed softly. "The base crystals have to be hundred points now. So that''ll be ten thousand crystals just for that."


    "Ten times more than me," Taro nodded.


    "The intelligence rune for bronze 2 is twenty thousand so that''s actually cheaper than yours," Ren continued. "But the expensive part is the special materials. I need bronze 2 beast remains with a specific type of mold. Thousand crystals per unit."


    Min almost choked. "Thousand per unit? And how many do you need?"


    "A hundred," Ren responded casually. "One hundred thousand crystals total..."


    "And that''s not all," he continued while feeling an energy leak and correcting course. "The bronze 2 level fungi to dissolve the materials have to be from Yino. Three hundred thousand more."


    "Four hundred thirty thousand," Min calculated, his snake coiling nervously. "Just for the mushroom?"


    "Well, there''s also the hydra," Ren smiled. "But it''s more economical because it''s just going from iron to bronze 1 so¡­ Uses a defense rune like Taro''s and some basic light element materials. Only adds about twenty thousand more to the total."


    "Four hundred fifty thousand crystals," Taro shook his head in amazement. "There goes the magnate''s fortune."


    "But don''t worry, after this we''ll use your tunnel to improve our situation," Ren touched one of the crystallized walls. "Plus the gathering in five days could help."


    Suddenly, Ren stopped. His mushrooms pulsed briefly.


    "What''s wrong?" Taro halted the excavation upon noticing his expression.


    "I can feel it more clearly now," Ren closed his eyes, concentrating. "One of the entrances. It''s close."

 Chapter 152 - Taming the Ancient Ruins - 4

    Suddenly, Ren stopped. His mushrooms pulsed briefly."What''s wrong?" Taro halted the excavation upon noticing his expression.


    "I can feel it more clearly now," Ren closed his eyes, concentrating. "One of the entrances. It''s close."


    Min and Taro exchanged looks while Ren pressed his hand against the tunnel wall, his fingers tracing patterns only he could sense.


    "There''s energy leaking," he murmured. "Through the enormous crystallized mana wall. It''s... different. More intense than anything I''ve felt before."


    "Should we continue in this direction?" Taro asked, his Living Tunnel awaiting instructions.


    "No," Ren opened his eyes. "We need to adjust course. About twenty degrees to the left and..." he calculated for a moment, "five degrees upward."


    "Are you sure we want to go toward that?" Min asked nervously, his snake coiling tighter around his arm.


    "I can feel the entrance more and more clearly. It''s like... a whisper calling to me."


    Min felt ignored again... but didn''t argue against Ren.


    Taro nodded and directed his beast to begin excavating in the new direction. Ren''s hydra joined the effort, its crystalline claws tearing through hard earth with renewed purpose.


    "Well... At least, whatever''s there," Min murmured while collecting the last tooth, "must be important if it''s protected behind a mana wall."


    Ren smiled while feeling the strange energy growing stronger. "We''ll find out soon."


    ????


    Luna''s cousin frowned when she saw Liu enter the food storage for iron rank students.


    The place was barely used, most students uninterested in its existence.


    Maybe the occasional couple of lovebirds...


    ''Why would someone come here alone?'' she thought while sliding silently after him.


    The air grew colder as they descended. Liu constantly looked over his shoulder, as if afraid of being followed.


    The cousin maintained her distance, using the shadows of old containers as cover. There was something very strange about all this, and she was determined to discover what it was.


    ????


    The other cousin had reached the mines and registered.


    "Lucky mushroom''s group?" the guard checked his registry to remember the time. "Arrived about ten minutes ago."


    Luna''s cousin nodded, maintaining a casual expression while signing her entry. Ten minutes wasn''t much time, in theory, they should be easy to catch up to if they were limited to the first hundred meters like all first-year students.


    But after searching all the main tunnels of the first level, she had to admit she was wrong. There was no sign of them anywhere.


    She stopped at an intersection, considering her options. The tunnels were quiet this early in the morning.


    ''Where could they have gone?'' she thought while observing the rock walls. And then an idea crossed her mind.


    Her beast specialized in minerals.


    If Taro''s Living Tunnel had been using its special ability to create living crystal, it would have left a distinctive mineral energy signature. And since that type of crystal was only found naturally after three hundred meters down...


    A smile formed on her lips while she manifested her beast, making sure no one saw. Any use of that crystal at lesser depths would be like a bright signal pointing directly to them.


    ????


    In the iron rank students'' food storage...


    The sound of footsteps on the storage stairs made the spy curse internally. His fist hit the ground in a specific pattern: three quick hits, pause, two slow ones.


    Through the rock, the vibrations traveled to where Harold was digging. His mole caught them first, instantly alerting him. His long-antennaed centipede confirmed the pattern, unplanned intrusion.


    Harold stopped excavating immediately, cursing his luck. His beasts tensed, sensing his frustration.


    Just when they had decided to act...


    He climbed the 50 meters of tunnel he''d made, approached the soft, elastic cover of the tunnel that the other spy had made, and pressed his hand against it.


    Liu had reached one of the less dusty boxes, muttering to himself while his bat separated from him, venturing into the storage''s darkness.


    "You love this, don''t you?" Liu talked to his beast while opening the box. "You can never enjoy darkness in the room because Ren always has those glowing mushrooms... At least here you can relax a bit before class."


    The spy covering the entrance tensed when the bat passed nearby. The beast was rather large, almost a meter in height. If it decided to use its sonar...


    ''Shit,'' he thought while remaining completely still.


    Harold waited for information inside the tunnel on the other side of the entrance.


    From the other side, his companion responded with a series of soft taps. His fingers moved in Yino''s silent language, transmitting vital information in Harold''s palm. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Student... unknown... flying beast..."


    Harold''s fingers responded quickly: "Threat?"


    The response came immediately: "Bat... large... sonar..."


    A single echo-location pulse and all would be lost. Its ears moved constantly, catching every small sound.


    The spy''s fingers transmitted quickly: "Mentions Ren... roommate..."


    Harold felt his blood freeze. A roommate of the mushroom boy? The same one who had been causing such a stir lately?


    The fingers transmitted another urgent message: "Beast... too close..."


    Harold gritted his teeth. If the bat discovered them, they would have to silence the boy. Not something they wanted, a missing student would draw too much attention.


    The student kept talking, apparently oblivious to the danger he was in.


    ????


    Luna''s cousin watched curiously while Liu searched through the new boxes.


    After so much mystery and suspicious behavior, what he pulled out was...


    Food?


    "Ah, here they are," Liu smiled holding a dried leaf filled with preserves. "They haven''t restocked these since last semester."


    "It''s a funny acquired taste that left me without friends," he muttered while opening the preserve. "Haven''t had these since I was little. Last semester reminded me of them and I suffered because they stopped serving them... But the other day, when I passed by one of the carts bringing provisions to the punishment storage and smelled them..."


    The smell emanating from the opened box made the cousin have to contain a retch. It was a mixture between fermented vegetables and something that definitely shouldn''t be fermented.


    "I don''t understand why everyone hates it," Liu smiled, apparently immune to the stench. "Though they don''t seem to like the smell..." his smile faltered. "Maybe I should worry about my breath now..."


    The cousin had to contain an incredulous laugh. All this stealth and suspicious behavior was for... smelly food no one likes? She had worried for nothing.


    "Ah!" Liu snapped his fingers. "The dried herbs! There are some boxes in the back, next to the oil barrels. They''re not tasty at all, but they''re perfect for killing smells if you chew them."


    Liu began walking toward the back of the storage, directly toward the old barrel furniture that no one had moved in months.

 Chapter 153 - Taming the Ancient Ruins - 5

    Liu was worried about losing friends again due to the smell that would linger in his mouth...


    "Ah!" Liu snapped his fingers. "The dried herbs! There are some boxes in the back, next to the oil barrels. They''re not tasty at all, but they''re perfect for killing smells if you chew them."


    Liu began walking toward the back of the storage, directly toward the old barrel furniture that no one had moved in months.


    ''He''s just looking for herbs to...'' thought the cousin.


    Her thoughts were interrupted when she noticed something strange in the shadows near the barrels. Was it her imagination, or had something moved?


    Liu kept approaching, cheerfully chewing his smelly preserve while his bat rested lazily on his head. Completely oblivious that he was heading directly toward...


    The cousin narrowed her eyes, trying to better distinguish what she had seen. For a moment, she could have sworn she saw the gleam of eyes in the darkness.


    ????


    In Luna''s room...


    The absence of Wei''s class had made the morning unusually peaceful.


    Mayo hummed softly while brushing Luna''s hair with expert movements, taking her time to create Luna''s perfect favorite hairstyle that she normally had to rush.


    Matilda moved around the room with silent efficiency, folding yesterday''s pajamas and organizing the training uniform for later classes.


    Luna''s shadow wolf dozed lazily in a corner, enjoying the relaxed atmosphere.


    "We should thank Ren... I have a feeling we''ll have several mornings like this after Wei''s humiliation," Mayo commented while braiding a section of hair. "I could send him a bouquet of roses... with a note saying something like, ''Thanks for an unhurried morning, with love: Luna''."


    Luna rolled her eyes and was about to respond when three firm knocks resonated on the door.


    The girls exchanged glances and following protocol...


    Matilda opened the door to find two of the new "students". The usual formality in their faces had been replaced by a sense of urgency.


    Luna noticed the change immediately. "Matilda, close the door."


    The newcomers didn''t even wait for the door to close completely.


    "Two energy anomalies underground," the first reported without preamble. "Our companions with perception beasts detected them 1 minute ago. Something''s happening under the school."


    "And that''s not all," the second added. "The four caretakers assigned to your cousins sent a message. They believe they might be in danger again from their ''spy games'' shenanigans."


    Luna''s wolf entered her shadow, responding to her concern. "Which game?"


    "They went out monitoring again, escaping early and unwatched, it seemed safe as always so our team followed from afar, but apparently one decided to follow the mushroom boy," responded the first agent.


    "...But the boy went to the caves again today. The energy anomalies... they''re enormous. The kind that shouldn''t exist under the academy."


    "We need to act together," the second agent looked meaningfully at Luna.


    As agents infiltrated in a children''s class, Julius couldn''t form too strong a team since age greatly affected the rank children could reach through cultivation time. Individually they barely reached bronze rank 1 and 2.


    Luna vividly remembered the incident with the gold rank 1 agent.


    If something similar was happening...


    "The six of us together can protect them even then, our beasts are specialized in protection and recovery," continued the first. "But if there are serious problems, we''ll need total team coordination."


    "First we want you to get to safety," added the second agent. "But we need someone to inform the director. If there are intruders of the level of the last incident..."


    "Excuse me?" Luna arched an eyebrow.


    "You''re our primary protection target," the other agent added. "We can''t risk anything happening to you while we''re all investigating the anomalies."


    Luna clenched her fists, her shadow wolf manifesting with more intensity. "My cousin could be in danger."


    "And we''ll handle it," the first agent insisted. "Please, stay where we can guarantee your safety when we return."


    "My lady," Mayo intervened, her usual playful tone completely absent. "What are your orders?"


    Luna held her gaze for a long moment before sighing. "Fine. I''ll stay... I''ll go to the director," Luna decided. "You gather with the others."


    The agents nodded, apparently satisfied, and headed for the door, but Luna stopped them.


    "And girls," her voice turned icy, "if you find my cousin... make sure she returns safely."


    The "students" exchanged a look before nodding. Experience more content on My Virtual Library Empire


    When they left, Mayo and Matilda were already ready, their beasts partially manifested.


    "Do you think it''s another Yino intruder?" Matilda asked as they followed Luna down the hallway.


    "I don''t know," Luna clenched her fists. "But if someone hurts my cousin, they''ll discover there are things worse than a gold rank 1 beast."


    Mayo and Matilda knew that expression on Luna''s face too well.


    "My lady..." Matilda began.


    "Mayo," Luna interrupted while her wolf began merging with the shadows. "Go to the director. Inform him of the situation."


    "And you?" Mayo asked, though she already knew the answer.


    Luna smiled while the shadows enveloped her. "I''m going to find my cousin. And let no one tell me who I can protect."


    Before they could protest, Luna had disappeared into the darkness, leaving only the echo of her last words.


    ???? S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Stop," Ren raised a hand when the tunnel ended abruptly against a crystalline wall that glowed with strange energy. "It''s here."


    Taro''s Living Tunnel stopped, its segments pulsing while evaluating the new barrier. Ren''s hydra sniffed the surface, its crystalline scales resonating slightly with the material.


    "Is this...?" Min approached to better examine the wall. "The mana cristal barrier?"


    "Yes," Ren ran his fingers over the surface. "But look at this."


    His mushrooms pulsed while pointing to an irregularity in the crystal. What appeared to be a solid, impenetrable wall had a crack, barely visible under the living crystal light that coated their tunnel.


    They used their beasts and began digging around it until they finally had an entrance...


    "It''s small," Taro observed, studying the opening. "Very small."


    "We''ll have to return the beasts," Ren began vanishing his hydra into his body. "It''s the only way to get them through."


    Ren was the first to try. Used to moving in the small secret tunnels he''d made, it wasn''t difficult for him.


    Min followed, though he had to contort a bit to pass. His snake remained manifested, being long but not thick managed to slide through the crack with relative ease.


    Taro stayed looking at the opening with apprehension.


    "I''m not going to fit," he declared after studying it. "I''m more... robust."

 Chapter 154 - Taming the Ancient Ruins - 6

    Ren was the first to try. Used to moving through the small secret tunnels he''d made, it wasn''t difficult for him to slip through.


    Min followed, though he had to contort a bit to pass. His snake remained manifested, being long but not thick managed to slide through the crack with relative ease, its scales gleaming in the strange light.


    Taro stayed looking at the opening with apprehension.


    "I''m not going to fit," he declared after studying it. "I''m more... robust."


    He tried to wedge a shoulder in, but his broad back made passage impossible. After several frustrated attempts, Ren began to laugh.


    "What''s so funny?" Taro growled, still stuck halfway.


    "I don''t sense anything dangerous here... Deactivate the shell," Ren suggested between laughs. "Your beetle is in your body so it can pass, but you don''t need to keep all its characteristics manifested."


    Taro blinked in surprise before blushing. The shell on his back vanished and, indeed, he managed to slide through the crack without further problem.


    He was about to make an excuse and say it wasn''t fear, but the words died in his throat when he saw what awaited them on the other side.


    Where they thought they would find more rock, earth, or crystal, rose a metallic wall that glowed faintly under a layer of ''antiquity'' (rust).


    They were standing on a structure of the same material, some kind of strange bridge or walkway with pulsing blue lines that extended from the crack to the wall.


    "Look up," Ren whispered, his voice filled with wonder.


    Min and Taro raised their eyes and held their breath.


    The metal wall curved upward and to the sides, forming what appeared to be part of an enormous sphere. The same was true when they looked down.


    Other bridges similar to theirs connected the crystallized mana wall to the structure at different levels and angles.


    All this existed in a space between the crystal barrier they had just crossed and another similar layer that seemed to contain the entire structure, as if the metal sphere had been built in a pocket between two worlds.


    "It''s... it''s..." Taro couldn''t find the words.


    "Impossible," Min completed, his voice barely a whisper.


    Ren was already walking toward the end of their bridge, where a rectangular shape was distinguishable in the metallic wall. As he approached, the details became clearer, it was definitely a door, with engraved symbols that resembled ones he had seen before.


    "It can''t be," Min observed the other walkways. "All this has been here, under the academy, this whole time?"


    "What is this place?" Taro asked, still trying to process the scale of what they were seeing.


    Ren extended his hand toward the door.


    "I don''t know," he responded while his mushrooms pulsed with anticipation. "But we''re going to find out."


    Ren''s fingers barely brushed the door''s symbols when a bluish glow emanated from them. His mushrooms responded immediately, pulsing with the same strange light.


    An overwhelming sensation coursed through his body, as if something ancient and powerful was communicating directly with his mind. Suddenly he understood, every action needed to open the door unfolded in his consciousness like a map.


    But along with that knowledge came something else. Explore stories on My Virtual Library Empire


    An increase in his perception...


    And a realization.


    "Down!" Ren grabbed Min and Taro, roughly pulling them to the metal floor. "Don''t move."


    "What...?" Min began to ask, but Ren silenced him with a gesture.


    "Someone followed us," he whispered, his eyes fixed on the crack they had entered through. "They have a beast that can ''jump'', do short teleportations."


    Ren began crawling toward the crack, taking his friends with him, keeping as close to the floor as possible. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Min and Taro didn''t understand the abrupt change, they had many questions but...


    Ren pressed a finger to his lips, silencing Min and Taro''s questions. He pressed against the edge of the mana wall, his body tense as a bowstring.


    "Teleportation beasts have a weakness," he whispered so low his friends could barely hear him. "They need to see where they''re going to appear."


    Min and Taro nodded, understanding the importance of staying out of sight.


    "Be ready," Ren continued. "When they appear..."


    He broke off when he felt the distortion in the mana, the signal of a spatial jump.


    The figure materialized right in front of the crack, still inside Taro''s "living tunnel".


    After some tense seconds of what felt like indecision, they ended up cautiously peering through.


    Ren held his breath. He knew the follower''s next action would be predictable, seeing no one, they would do a jump inside the space for better visibility.


    As anticipated, the figure muttered something and instead of physically crossing the crack, the air distorted with the signal of another jump.


    ''Teleportation beasts tend to choose the most obvious and safe point to appear,'' Ren smiled internally while moving.


    At the exact moment the figure materialized in the center of the metal walkway, Ren jumped. His arms, strengthened by Lin and the hydra''s buff, closed around the intruder from behind, one hand firmly covering their eyes.


    "A jumping beast is useless if you can''t see your destination," Ren declared, maintaining his firm grip. "Now, why did you follow us?"


    ????


    The vibrations Harold''s mole caught were unmistakable, the intruder was approaching. His long-antennaed centipede confirmed the presence.


    ''Damn,'' Harold gritted his teeth. They couldn''t afford witnesses, not when they were so close. They would have to silence the bat boy.


    The spies quickly analyzed the situation. The bat was a threat with its sonar, but its tamer seemed distracted, focused on chewing smelly food.


    A quick and precise attack...


    Harold touched the hand on the other side, transmitting a new message to his companion: "Prepare elimination. Too much risk."


    His companion didn''t seem very convinced as his hand trembled, was that indecision?


    But while considering his options, a plan began to form. The ruins he was going to find... were deep enough that a disappearance would take time to investigate. If they could get the boy''s body there without being seen...


    In the worst case, he could always escape to the abyss.


    His modified beast, a modern achievement of Yino, reached silver rank 1 without destroying its tamer''s mind, giving the spy a power range unthinkable for a normal child his age.


    No student near his age could avoid being dragged to the depths.


    "Stop trembling and prepare," he transmitted to his companion. "Let me pass when in range. We catch the intruder as soon as he''s less than 5 meters away."


    The other spy began preparing his trap.


    And then they felt it.


    A distortion in the mana, the unmistakable pattern of a spatial teleportation. The spy covering the entrance caught a glimpse of blue hair materializing briefly before hiding under a box behind the other intruder.


    ''Shit,'' Harold''s fingers transmitted frantically. "Second intruder. Jump beast."


    ''Luna?''

 Chapter 155 - Taming Fear

    The other spy began preparing his trap.


    And then they felt it.


    A distortion in the mana, the unmistakable pattern of a spatial teleportation. The spy covering the entrance caught a glimpse of blue hair materializing briefly before hiding under a box behind the other intruder.


    ''Shit,'' Harold''s fingers transmitted frantically. "Second intruder. Jump beast."


    ''Luna?''


    The situation had just grown exponentially more complicated. One thing was disposing of a distracted student, but a teleportation beast... those were rare, and generally meant trouble.


    Harold''s centipede extended its long antennae, trying to map the new intruder''s exact position. The mole vibrated, detecting movement right where the jump had landed.


    The outer spy insisted: "Blue hair + jump = Luna, strong. Extreme risk."


    Yet Harold considered his options. The mission was crucial, the ruins contained secrets Yino desperately wanted.


    But if they were discovered now...


    "Abandon?" the other spy asked insistently through the cover.


    Harold felt the tension in his companion''s taps, but a smile formed on his lips. His abyssal centipede vibrated, catching the characteristic mana fluctuations of teleportation.


    ''Luna,'' he thought while his mole confirmed the presence at the jump point. ''What an interesting twist of fate.''


    His employer''s orders had always been clear: obtaining Luna was a priority.


    The arranged engagement with Klein was just one of many strategies in play, and frankly, one destined to fail from the beginning in his opinion.


    Harold remembered Klein''s constant complaints, his childish tantrums, his inability to understand the true nature of his political mission of wooing the girl.


    He shook his head in disgust remembering.


    No, that path would never work.


    But this... this was a unique opportunity.


    His fingers transmitted quickly: "No retreat. Priority target identified."


    "Are you crazy?" the response came immediately. "She''ll have guards nearby. The six new ones are extremely suspicious..."


    "That''s why we must act fast now that she''s near our tunnel," Harold interrupted the tapping. "Generate more material like this used for the camouflage. I want two blankets."


    His companion hesitated but began working.


    Harold didn''t know why Luna was following the bat boy, but that was irrelevant. What mattered was that she was here, far from most of her protectors that his antennae couldn''t sense, in a place where no one would expect an attack.


    His modified beast stirred beneath his skin, eager to act. At silver rank 1, he could handle any initial resistance.


    ''Sorry, Klein,'' he thought with some irony. ''But there are more efficient ways to get what you want.''


    His fingers transmitted the final instructions: "Hurry. We need immediate containment."


    It was risky, yes. The new students probably weren''t far. But if they acted quickly enough...


    The prize was worth any risk. They would generously reward whoever delivered Luna, especially if she came with information about the ruins under the academy.


    Harold smiled in the darkness. Luna had no idea she was walking straight into a trap.


    ''Sometimes,'' he thought while preparing, ''fate delivers exactly what we need.''


    Harold transmitted through the cover on the wall...


    "Open the entrance just for a moment when the stuff is ready. I''ll handle Luna, you take the intruder. Signal when finished."


    The first cover took shape quickly.


    The tension was palpable while the second began forming. The spy worked with controlled but hurried movements, clearly uncomfortable with the plan but following orders.


    The second was barely halfway done when...


    A flash of mana. Luna had materialized nearby, too close. She was peering precisely in their direction.


    ''Damn,'' Harold didn''t wait for the signal or his companion to finish. His body changed instantly, his modified beast manifesting to its maximum. The centipede''s antennae extended, catching every mana fluctuation in the air.


    "Now!" he shouted to his companion. "You catch the bat one!"


    Everything happened in an instant.


    Luna detected the danger immediately. The air distorted with the characteristic signature of a spatial jump as she tried to escape.


    But Harold''s antennae were extraordinary. The mana fluctuations were so clear to him that he could predict exactly where the jump would appear.


    It was like seeing a three-dimensional mana map in space, and only one point glowed brightly.


    With Harold''s multiple long legs and his speed increased by 200%, the swift impulse took him to the appearance point.


    Just after the girl''s figure could fully materialize, Harold was already there.


    The cover his companion had created deployed like a living net, enveloping "Luna" without giving her eyes time to repeat the appearance dynamic.


    Inside the cover Harold felt mana accumulating, she was trying to use transformation.


    His centipede''s antennae caught the intention instantly. There was no time for subtleties.


    The strike was quick and precise. Luna collapsed inside the cover, the energy dissipating inside like mist.


    "Secure the other one," Harold ordered while verifying his prisoner was truly unconscious. Discover stories with My Virtual Library Empire


    His centipede''s antennae remained extended, monitoring the area. If the new students were nearby, they would have to act fast.


    But for now, they had Luna.


    The other spy was barely finishing the second cover when Liu''s bat emitted a sonar pulse. The waves bounced through the space, revealing the hidden figures.


    Liu''s fusion with his beast after that was almost instantaneous. The bat''s wings manifested on his arms while his mind processed the sonar information: two attackers, one wrapped figure.


    He rose quickly in the storage''s darkness, his bat guiding him with perfect precision.


    "He''s escaping!" Harold shouted, still holding his unconscious prisoner.


    The other spy threw the newly finished cover, but Liu was already near the high ceiling.


    ''Damn,'' Harold gritted his teeth. If the boy reached the entrance, the entire operation would be compromised. He would have to catch him, but...


    Liu stopped in the air. His bat had detected something else, the kidnapped girl.


    "No..." he whispered, and then made his decision.


    Instead of escaping toward the entrance, Liu dove directly at Harold. His eyes glowed with determination while remembering Ren''s lessons:


    "Sonar isn''t just for detection," his friend had told him. "Concentrated and at the right distance, it can disorient, stun..." Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The cry that emerged from Liu was like nothing Harold had experienced. The sound waves, amplified and concentrated by the beast, hit his nervous system like a hammer.


    Too effective against Harold''s beast''s heightened perception.

 Chapter 156 - Taming Defeat

    Instead of escaping toward the entrance, Liu dove directly at Harold. His eyes glowed with determination while remembering Ren''s lessons:


    "Sonar isn''t just for detection," his friend had told him. "Concentrated and at the right distance, it can disorient, stun..."


    The cry that emerged from Liu was like nothing Harold had experienced. The sound waves, amplified and concentrated by the beast, hit his nervous system like a hammer.


    Too effective against his beast''s heightened perception.


    He staggered, his antennae involuntarily retracting from the attack. His vision blurred while his brain tried to process the sensory overload.


    Liu descended, his hand extended toward the wrapped figure.


    He was so close...


    So close that he was distracted for an instant.


    The movement above Harold went unnoticed until it was too late.


    It wasn''t an antenna.


    A line of organic material, placed defensively above Harold as protection, wrapped around Liu''s wrist. The first spy had activated the line Harold was pulling at the precise moment.


    Liu''s hand got pulled.


    And before he could react, Harold recovered from the stunning. His fist, empowered by his modified beast, connected with brutal precision. Liu went limp like a puppet with cut strings even before touching the ground.


    Harold raised his hand for a second blow, this time lethal, but his companion stopped him.


    "Leave him to me," the spy pointed toward the tunnel. "Your beast... its energy is too distinctive. If someone''s tracking, they''ll detect you first. Enter the tunnel now."


    Harold barely had time to consider his companion''s suggestion when his antennae caught a new presence. The vibrations his mole detected in the stairs were unmistakable, someone was approaching.


    "Shit," he hissed, his centipede extending its antennae to evaluate the threat. "Hurry!"


    His spy companion acted efficiently, wrapping Liu''s unconscious body in the protective cover with precise movements.


    The sensation intensified, whoever was coming was moving fast.


    "Inside!" Harold urged while his companion carried Liu toward the hidden hole.


    They slipped through the opening just as the footsteps reached the storage level. The entrance disappeared under a layer of material.


    "Take her," Harold passed Luna''s unconscious body to his companion. "I need my hands free."


    Without waiting for a response, he positioned himself at the tunnel''s front. His ears were still ringing and he saw things slightly distorted from the bat boy''s annoying ability, but he gritted his teeth. The centipede extended its ethereal antennae through the rock, searching.


    "There are two possible entrances in the upper part," he murmured while beginning to excavate. "The antennae can sense them, but we need to reach the closest one before..."


    A vibration came from the direction they''d come from. Someone was investigating the storage room.


    "Faster," his companion whispered, adjusting his grip on the two unconscious prisoners.


    Harold didn''t respond, focused on creating a perfect tunnel while the centipede constantly scanned the surrounding area.


    The antennae caught one of the entrances more clearly, it was close, very close. The mana emanating from it had a pattern very similar to what he''d been trained to look for in the ruins.


    "This way," Harold turned slightly right. "I can feel an entrance. If we can reach it before they track our mana..."


    His companion followed in silence.


    The tunnel extended behind them, serpentining through the rock like an invisible scar. Harold knew they would eventually find it, it was impossible to completely hide an excavation''s trace, especially when the ruins'' mana would end up escaping through the hole.


    But they didn''t need to hide it forever. Just long enough to obtain the prize and escape to the depths.


    His centipede''s antennae vibrated with anticipation, they were close, very close. The mana signal grew stronger with each meter they advanced.


    "Almost..." he murmured while his claws tore away another section of rock. "Just a little more..."


    ????


    In the Academy''s biggest office¡­


    Director Ignatius massaged his temples while reviewing the preliminary monthly reward reports.


    The Academy, dedicated to training the heirs of the kingdom''s best families, might seem expensive in its entrance fee, but was paradoxically one of the 5 most costly institutions to maintain.


    The incentive system was brutal for the kingdom''s coffers:


    The Top 5, the so-called "Platinum" students, though none actually had a beast of that rank, received a daily support of 10,000 crystals. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    - Top Platinum: 10,000 daily crystals, totaling 1,800,000 per semester.


    Almost two million per semester for each one. But they justified it with their extraordinary results.


    In all the Academy''s history, mostly students from 7th or 8th year.


    They were the top of the ranking, one that simulated cultivation ranks without actually depending on the students'' beast cultivation rank.


    Though in a way, one could say the rank showed how "cultivated" they were.


    Right behind those 5 came the scarce Gold rank students:


    - Gold 3: 3,000 daily crystals, totaling 540,000 per semester


    - Gold 2: 2,000 daily, 360,000 per semester


    - Gold 1: 1,000 daily, 180,000 per semester


    ''Very few reach so high,'' he thought while turning pages.


    And with reason. Getting there was equivalent to truly perfect performance.


    Most outstanding students concentrated in Silver ranks:


    - Silver 3: 300 daily crystals, 54,000 per semester


    - Silver 2: 200 daily crystals, 36,000 per semester


    - Silver 1: 100 daily crystals, 18,000 per semester


    These students typically reported between 10,000 and 20,000 crystals monthly. Respectable numbers that justified the school''s investment and were enough to cultivate decent beasts.


    Bronze ranks received more modest support:


    - Bronze 2: 20 daily crystals, 3,600 per semester


    - Bronze 1: 10 daily crystals, 1,800 per semester


    Their reports oscillated between 2,000 and 10,000 crystals monthly. Nothing spectacular, but showing potential. Usually early-year students still learning.


    Enough for initial cultivations but not so much that they''d be content, still incentivized to improve their ranks.


    And finally, Iron rank students.


    The new ones.


    One crystal daily, 180 per semester.


    Such an insignificant amount it didn''t even cover basic cultivation cost. Their reports were predictably low, with the occasional prodigy maybe reaching 10,000 crystals in gathering trip months.


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    It was a system designed to reward progress and punish stagnation.


    The numbers in each list were always of similar length, monotonous, predictable, following patterns established for decades...


    Ignatius sighed, his eyes returning to a specific report.


    "Then why always you," he murmured, reviewing the numbers again.


    It was impossible for those numbers not to stand out in the list with the fewest zeros...


    An Iron rank student had been reporting amounts comparable to seventh and eighth-year Gold rank students.


    Not for one month, not by luck, but consistently for over three months.


    And now Wei, standing before his desk, was telling him they would have to add a 200,000-crystal rune''s value to this month''s "acquisitions" report.


    "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. "It''s official, there''s a new digger beetle evolution."

 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. "It''s official, there''s a new digger beetle evolution."


    The Director''s 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 Director''s 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 Wei''s 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 Julius''s three special guests might be in danger."


    The Director visibly tensed.


    "The 6 new ''students'' went to investigate," Mayo continued, "but if we''re facing something of the last intruder''s 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 castle''s 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.


    ''It can''t be,'' he thought as they moved swiftly through the corridors. ''Yino can''t have that many Gold rank agents already. If they had that level of power...''


    If Yino truly had that many warriors of that caliber, they wouldn''t 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... it''s 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.


    ''Let the girls be safe,'' 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.


    ????


    Ren''s arms maintained a firm but careful grip around the girl, one hand covering her eyes. Min and Taro tensed upon recognizing her, but Ren didn''t 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 didn''t seem frightened, but rather... embarrassed?


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


    With Ren''s 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?


    "Don''t even try," Ren warned softly, the hydra''s defense manifested in his torso. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The girl decided she had no choice but to manifest her beast then. Discover stories at My Virtual Library Empire


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


    His free hand settled on the girl''s 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 I''ll have to threaten you to tell everyone your secret."


    The girl''s heart raced. ''My secret?'' she thought frantically. ''Which one? Does he know about...?''


    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 can''t see anything," she responded, trying to keep calm. "You''re 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. "It''s better that you can''t use mana for now... You''re 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.

 Chapter 158 - Taming the Ancient Ruins - 8

    "The numbness in your mana flow will only last a few minutes," Ren explained as he began pressing different points on the door. "It''s better that you can''t use mana for now... You''re 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. Experience exclusive tales on My Virtual Library Empire


    Ren pressed the symbols with growing urgency as the presences approached at an alarming speed. He regretted not having the fast option, the key.


    Sweat beaded on his forehead as he worked, but something wasn''t right. They were moving too fast, as if something had fundamentally changed.


    And then it hit him.


    ''The interrupted mana flow of my "hostage",'' he thought as panic began to bloom in his chest. His fingers trembled against the cold metal of the door.


    Any decent perception beast would detect the anomaly, the expelled mana stopping abruptly, like a sudden death amid all the natural flow. A red flag that would send any guard into high alert.


    They might think she is dead now.


    "Oops¡­"


    The six new students flashed through his mind, six presences that now made terrible sense. Their arrival after Julius''s visit, their behavior, the way they always seemed to be observing, their minimal participation in classes...


    ''Guards?''


    The thought made his hands shake slightly making it more difficult to open the door.


    ''Did I just attack and threaten someone under Julius''s royal protection?''


    As if that wasn''t enough, another presence, a strange energy pulsed above for a moment. His imagination playing tricks?


    The symbols under his fingers seemed to resist now, as if his own panic interfered with the pattern. The ancient metal felt cold and unresponsive, refusing to yield to his touch.


    What had he gotten himself into?


    Discovering ancient ruins in secret was one thing, but interfering with the mana flow of someone under kingdom protection...


    "They''re getting closer."


    Ren adjusted his grip on the girl while trying to maintain concentration on the pattern. The girl remained oddly still, as if oblivious to the gravity of the situation.


    She was more occupied exploring Ren''s torso with curiosity, her free hand sliding across his abdomen. As if she couldn''t believe the incredibly hard texture she found there.


    The presences were already near the crack when finally the last symbol yielded under his fingers. The ancient door began to move with a sound that seemed to resonate through the entire metallic structure, its echo bouncing off the spherical walls.


    "Inside! Quickly!"


    The ancient door had barely finished opening when a figure leapt through the crack. One of the new students, her earth wolverine manifesting for the first time since arriving at the academy.


    The Bronze rank 2 beast combined with its tamer gave her a menacing air.


    Ren shoved Min and Taro toward the interior while his fingers frantically searched for the closing pattern on the internal panel. A second agent was already entering through the crack, her shadow stretching ominously across the metal floor. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ''Just a few more symbols!'' Ren released the captured girl, throwing her to Min to focus on the patterns, his fingers moving with desperate urgency.


    The girl with the Bronze 2 wolverine lunged at him to attack. Her claws found Ren''s arm but couldn''t break the hydra''s crystalline scales, the momentum died with a sound like metal striking glass.


    The guard''s and spy girl''s eyes widened in surprise at seeing the manifestation of a second beast in Ren.


    They shouted simultaneously:


    "So you were a damned Yino spy, traitor!" the guard snarled, realizing Ren was a double tamer.


    "So those weren''t steel abs, traitor!" the ''spy'' girl blurted, blushing as she realized she wasn''t focusing on the important problem¡­ that Ren had two beasts.


    "You are lucky she''s alive, surrender her now and your death will be quick and painless!"


    The second agent who had passed through the crack charged forward while a third figure began emerging from the crack. Taro managed to catch the first one who was in a stalemate with Ren in a bear hug, but the second was already about to enter too.


    Ren''s fingers pressed the final sequence. The ancient door closed with a metallic groan that echoed through the chamber.


    ''Yes!'' Ren thought, but his relief was short-lived.


    The second agent had managed to slip inside just before the door was sealed.


    "Damn it."


    Now they were trapped with two formidable opponents: a Bronze rank 2 agent with an earth wolverine and another Bronze rank 1 with a Night Ambusher (an evolutionary branch of the Night Excavator Ren had visited in the forest near his house, the ones that dig traps).


    The first agent broke free from Taro''s grip with an elbow to his side and a fluid movement that spoke of years of training.


    Ren raised his guard, ready to fight alongside Taro. The guards mirrored their stance, tension crackling in the air between them.


    Face to face, the wolverine one started creating a chunk of earth. The second guard touched the earth with her claws, and before Taro and Min''s astonished eyes, the material began to fuse with her extremities.


    The claws grew and sharpened, transforming into deadly mineral extensions. They were a devastating combination, the wolverine''s elemental power providing the material that the Night Ambusher converted into lethal weapons.


    ''A duo with good synergy,'' Ren analyzed while manifesting more of his hydra, crystalline scales spreading across his skin. ''Like Luna and her team members.''


    They were two attack beasts. Earth elemental damage and a high-speed earth controller, the perfect vanguard for the caves.


    "Wait," Ren tried to reason, raising his hands. "This is a misunderstanding, we only¡­"


    He barely managed to dodge the first attack from the Night Ambusher agent, her mineral claws slicing through the air where his head had been a second before.


    The Night Ambusher moved like a shadow, so different from its base form that it was hard to believe it had ever been a digger designed for ambushes. In this evolution it had sacrificed stealth for pure speed and offensive power.


    "Silence, Yino spy!" the wolverine agent spat the words like venom.


    "I''m not¡­!"


    "We''ve already seen your second beast. Only the royal family and select nobles know the secret to achieving that so don''t play dumb. Who''s your employer?!"


    It was clear they weren''t going to listen. Taro took up a defensive stance, his Living Tunnel manifesting as well. Ren adopted a defensive posture, hydra scales glinting in the strange light of the ancient chamber.

 Chapter 159 - Taming the Ancient Ruins - 9

    The remaining four agents finished crossing the crack and stood on the metallic bridge, muscles tense and ready for combat.


    Their forms cast long shadows across the ancient structure as they assessed the worrying situation.


    The two attack oriented companions, the vanguard of the group chosen for their advantage in territory and speed, had rushed ahead and managed to enter before the door sealed.


    Now they were trapped inside with their protection target and the suspected spies.


    "Did you see?" one of them asked the third agent who had crossed the crack. "The young lady, is she...?"


    "Couldn''t get a clear view," the agent shook her head in frustration, fists clenching at her sides. "Mako and Shizu charged in and blocked the line of sight."


    "Damn it!" Another slammed her fist against the metal floor, the sound reverberating through the spherical structure like a gong. "We''re the recovery specialists. What good are we if we couldn''t retrieve the young lady?"


    They approached the ancient door, studying the engraved symbols that pulsed with a faint, ethereal light. The leader ran her fingers across the marks, her expression growing more grave with each passing second.


    "This is a seed of the three main veins," she murmured in awe. "Not as big as the royal artery beneath the castle, but not an insignificant structure either... There''s an important artifact and 10 miracle potions inside."


    "Are you certain?" Another agent leaned in to examine the markings, her breath fogging the cold metal surface.


    "Absolutely. Only the three main families and the royal line have the key to access this." Her fingers traced the ancient patterns. "Master Julius told me the three schools were originally created to guard these seeds until the crystal opened. Maybe the traitors gave the key to the spies, but it isn''t something they''d entrust to common spies¡­"


    The agents exchanged worried looks. The implications were deeply disturbing.


    "This seed wasn''t supposed to be ready for another 10 years," the agent observed the crack they''d entered through. "The opening shouldn''t exist, but even though it does... an adult still can''t fit through that small gap."


    "How did they know it would be ready early?" the one who had struck the floor asked, her voice tight with tension. "How did that mushroom boy hide the key? And more importantly, how did they manage to infiltrate him into Yano when they already were looking at the Goldcrests shenanigans closely?"


    The silence that followed was heavy with unspoken fears. The questions none dared voice hung in the air:


    Had more than one of the three main families betrayed the kingdom? Was another family acting while they were trying to get evidence on the Goldcrests?


    "We can''t enter," the leader finally spoke, breaking the oppressive silence. "Only someone of the standing of Master Julius or someone of high rank in the main families could bring the key to activate this door." sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "So what do we do?" another asked, shifting nervously. "Wait for them to come out?"


    ????


    Moments earlier...


    Harold''s antennae detected the entrance.


    With a final adjustment to their course, the crystal wall appeared before them, its surface shimmering with power.


    His mole claws worked methodically, removing earth around a discovered fissure barely large enough for a child to squeeze through. The crystalline barrier hummed with contained energy as they exposed more of the crack.


    The other spy, still holding their unconscious captives, finished creating another special coverage. The material would shroud Harold and his companion, further masking their mana signatures from detection.


    Harold crossed first, antennae extended to detect any threats in the alien environment. He helped his companion maneuver the two unconscious bodies through, noting that the bat boy still drew breath.


    "Why didn''t you kill him?" Harold asked, his voice sharp with disapproval.


    "It''s... it''s not necessary," the other spy hesitated, voice wavering. "He didn''t see our faces, doesn''t know which family¡­"


    "Don''t be foolish," Harold cut off the excuse, his tone cold. "His bat used sonar. It could distinguish plenty in the darkness." He approached the motionless body. "If you lack the stomach to take lives, I''ll do it myself."


    The other spy trembled slightly, clutching the wrapped bodies tighter. Harold advanced toward him but stopped abruptly, his antennae vibrating with urgent warning signals.


    More presences!


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    Harold and the other spy stood on the upper section of the "seed", and three new mana signatures had entered through one side of the spherical structure.


    "That way," Harold pointed in the opposite direction. "Take the hostages to the other end and hide."


    His companion seemed relieved to avoid bloodshed and quickly obeyed, disappearing into the shadows with their captives.


    Harold peered cautiously around the curve of the structure, the other spy''s coverage still masking his presence. His eyes widened in surprise, the damned mushroom boy was here too.


    ''What the hell?!'' his antennae extended, rapidly assessing the situation.


    He could eliminate them all, adding more bodies to the list hardly mattered now...


    But then he detected another mana signature.


    Someone had stopped outside the crack where the mushroom group had entered. The figure performed a spatial jump, and Harold nearly lost his coverage in shock.


    ''Impossible, another jump beast!'' but then he saw the girl''s hair color and everything clicked into place. ''Idiot!'' he berated himself. ''She was hidden in the same group all this time.''


    The mushroom boy had caught the young woman. If he acted quickly, he could secure both Luna and the King''s daughter.


    His body began to transform...


    Then his antennae captured six new power signatures. Bronze rank 1 and 2.


    ''Shit.'' The semi-conspicuous guards. Their presence changed the entire scenario.


    Harold canceled the transformation and watched the situation with Ren''s group unfold.


    He stood dumbfounded as the mushroom boy began pressing specific points on the ancient door.


    ''You moron!''


    It was impossible¡­ only special keys, like the one he carried, should be able to activate these mechanisms.


    Yet¡­


    ''How...?'' his antennae extended involuntarily, trying to comprehend what he was witnessing. Had the other noble family supporting Yino sent another agent? But even they needed the keys...


    Seeing the door open without a key was beyond incredible.


    Nobody should possess that knowledge. Was there a third power at play? Some faction they''d overlooked?


    His thoughts were interrupted as he watched the group enter. Only two guardians had managed to slip inside before the door sealed.


    He pushed his questions aside, focusing on the immediate mission.


    He should attack now, enter from the other side and eliminate the two guards who''d gone in with the mushroom group. It would make their escape easier by eliminating the group of 6 separately, and he could take not one but two valuable hostages for Yino.


    ''The ten medicines and the evolution key are inside,'' he thought as he crawled back to his companion. ''If I dispose of them now...''


    He rose and began running toward the opposite side of the structure. Glory for completing such a mission with results far beyond expectations was within reach...


    Intense pain exploded in his leg.


    A wolf had emerged from his own shadow, its fangs sinking deep into his flesh and tearing before vanishing back into darkness.


    ''What the...?''


    The beast had appeared through the shadows themselves, invisible to his enhanced perception until that instant.


    Harold transformed his injured leg, flesh morphing into centipede segments. A power signature emerged from the shadows, and his blood ran cold.


    Luna.


    Luna was here, standing before him.


    ''But then...'' his eyes widened in shock. ''Who did we capture?''

 Chapter 160 - Taming the Ancient Ruins - 10

    Harold transformed his injured leg, flesh morphing into centipede segments. A power signature emerged from the shadows and his blood ran cold.


    Luna.


    Luna was here, standing before him.


    ''But then...'' his eyes widened in shock. ''Who did we capture?'' S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ????


    Moments earlier...


    Luna raced toward the caves, her shadow wolf merging and reappearing as they advanced. If the energy disturbance came from below, it was the most logical place to search.


    Everyone seemed to be heading in that direction.


    But suddenly, her wolf''s ears drooped, and it whimpered softly.


    Luna stopped, noticing how her beast seemed uncomfortable.


    "What is it, did you hear something?" she whispered, kneeling beside her companion. The wolf''s dark fur rippled as shadows played across its form.


    The wolf perked its ears, nose twitching as it caught something in the air.


    Without warning, it turned and began guiding Luna in the opposite direction, toward the iron rank students'' food storage.


    When they entered, the place appeared empty.


    Shadows stretched between old containers and boxes, but Luna could see clearly, though there were no signs of movement.


    The wolf, however, insisted.


    Its nose worked frantically until it caught a particular scent. But suddenly, the beast recoiled, whimpering in pain. Its eyes began to water.


    Luna caught the scent then too, a nauseating smell that seemed to contaminate the very air. Her eyes traced the trail to an opened box.


    "The bean preserves," she muttered while quickly closing the box, wrinkling her nose at the pungent aroma.


    After a few moments, when the air cleared somewhat, the wolf resumed sniffing. This time it led them to the corner where the old barrels rested, its nose moving with renewed determination.


    Luna carefully observed the area. Something wasn''t right.


    Her fingers brushed the wall and found a strange texture, a flexible covering that shouldn''t be there.


    When she pulled it away, a wave of mana energy hit her with such intensity she nearly stepped back.


    ''They didn''t enter through the mines,'' she realized with horror.


    Hurried footsteps resonated above their heads, someone on the upper floor had sensed the disturbance too when she unblocked it.


    Moments later, two perception auxiliaries rushed down the stairs.


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    "Lady Luna!" one of them approached quickly. "The energy..."


    "Here," Luna pointed to the hidden tunnel. "Someone has been digging."


    One of the auxiliaries immediately left to inform the director and reinforcements. The other, an earth specialist, began examining the tunnel.


    "I''ll go in, wait here..."


    "I have to enter with you," Luna insisted. "My cousins could be down there."


    "Lady Luna, I cannot allow¡­"


    "I''m not asking permission," her eyes glowed dangerously. "I''m going in. You can come with me or stay here."


    The auxiliary hesitated before nodding resignedly. "At least let me check the path first... I''ll take the front."


    They descended the tunnel carefully, the auxiliary using his beast to ensure it wouldn''t collapse on them. When they reached the crack in the crystal barrier, however, they found another obstacle.


    "I can''t pass," the auxiliary admitted after several attempts. The opening was too narrow for an adult.


    Luna looked at the crack, then at the auxiliary. Her wolf was already merging with the shadows, ready to follow her.


    "I can," she declared while sliding through the opening. "Let the others know where I am."


    Before the auxiliary could protest, Luna had vanished beyond the crack.


    ????


    It was clear they wouldn''t listen.


    Taro took up his guard position, his Living Tunnel manifesting as well.


    Ren adopted a defensive stance and quickly evaluated the situation.


    The two agents, Mako with her earth wolverine and Shizu with her Night Ambusher, were at a higher level than the girl he had subdued earlier, the mana flow control he''d used on her wouldn''t work against opponents of his same standing, bronze rank or higher.


    ''We''ll have to do this the hard way,'' he thought, analyzing his opponents'' battle pattern.


    "Taro!" he called without taking his eyes off the agents. "Maximum concentration on your defense! Use all your plates and convert earth to living mineral whenever you can!"


    Taro was the perfect counter¡­ the Living Tunnel''s living crystal would be immune to the wolverine''s elemental control and couldn''t be used by the Night Ambusher.


    The only problem was that Taro hadn''t fully mastered his new abilities yet, his movements still clumsy from inexperience.


    ''I''ll have to keep them busy,'' Ren prepared as his hydra''s scales gleamed under the dim light.


    But his beast''s true ability wasn''t its crystalline armor, that was just its manifestation.


    The hydra''s elemental nature was light.


    Yet the powerful light beam from that day, its signature ability, would be available at that level in gold rank, where its power would be devastating.


    But for now, it wasn''t worth using like that...


    Energy concentrated in his hands.


    Where Mako had mineral earth claws, Ren manifested claws of pure light, blazing with blinding intensity.


    The combined buff of his beasts, 40% from the hydra plus 20% from the mushroom, gave him a total 60% strength increase. Time to put it to the test.


    Mako attacked first, her wolverine summoning more earth for her companion. Shizu moved like a shadow while seeking a weak point, her Night Ambusher''s speed making her almost blur.


    Ren blocked the first blow with his light claws, the impact sending sparks through the air. The force of the clash surprised Mako, clearly she hadn''t expected him to match her strength.


    Let alone exceed it.


    His physique, molded by Lin''s training, made better use of the enhancement.


    Shizu attacked from the flank, or tried to, but Taro had created a living crystal barrier. Her earth spikes bounced uselessly off the crystalline surface.


    Taro touched Shizu''s claws while Ren contained her.


    "The earth can''t destroy his defense!" Mako shouted in frustration, her wolverine growling inside her.


    "Tell me about it, my claws are breaking!" Shizu responded, her Night Ambusher''s attacks becoming increasingly desperate.


    "Because they''re not earth anymore!" Ren grinned as his light claws cut through Shizu''s claws in his next attack. "It''s living crystal!"


    The Night Ambusher changed tactics, its speed increasing as Shizu searched for an opening. But Ren''s light claws and crystalline armor denied her damage, and each blow backed by that 60% strength increase reverberated through her muscles, leaving them increasingly fatigued.


    Mako tried to create more earth for her companion, but Taro was transforming every chunk into living crystal before she could control it. Their perfect coordination was crumbling before a strategy that completely negated their synergy.


    "We''re not Yino spies!" Ren blocked another attack while backing toward Min and the king''s daughter. "If you''d let us explain...!"


    "Silence!" Mako roared in frustration, her wolverine''s fur bristling. "Only the royal family knows the secrets of double beasts!"


    Ren sighed. It seemed they would have to resolve this the hard way.

 Chapter 161 - Taming the Ancient Ruins - 11

    The wolf''s fangs sank deep into Harold''s 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 didn''t exist, ready to react and strike.


    Harold launched himself at Luna without hesitation.


    His antennae had detected the shadow wolf''s 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 hadn''t happened to her that day, and it wouldn''t happen today either... she wouldn''t 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 wolf''s 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 Luna''s 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.


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    The crystal fragments exploded in a blinding flash.


    Luna was also momentarily blinded, but she didn''t need to see her jump location, so she attempted another leap.


    Something strange happened though¡­


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


    The first guard''s 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 Coral''s 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 wasn''t 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."


    "It''s not the fastest," admitted the Bubble Coral''s tamer. "Mako''s wolverine would be a better option, but..."


    "But she''s 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 guards'' 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 weren''t designed to fight against agents.


    But...


    "No," she declared firmly. "I won''t leave."


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


    Harold didn''t 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 couldn''t deceive one who navigated by pure energy waves.


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


    The rays barely marked Harold''s 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 monster''s 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 Luna''s wolf attacked from the other, a coordinated attempt to halt his advance. The two beasts crashed against Harold''s transformed body like waves against a cliff.


    ????


    Taro''s 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. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "This is all ridiculous!" Ren complained while dodging an attack. "I can''t 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 didn''t 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!"


    "Don''t play dumb, she''s not from a rich family!" one of the guards shouted, her voice charged with indignation. "Larissa is the King''s 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...


    ''Oh no.'' The thought hit him like a hammer. ''Did I just rough up a real princess?''

 Chapter 162 - Taming the Ancient Ruins - 12

    "Don''t play dumb, she''s not from a rich family!" one of the guards shouted, her voice charged with indignation. "Larissa is the King''s 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...


    ''Oh no.'' The thought hit him like a hammer. ''Did I just rough up a real princess?''


    Ren swallowed hard, remembering how roughly he had manipulated her mana flow.


    "Was that your objective from the start?" the guard pressed, her wolverine growling menacingly. "The artifact? Or perhaps you saw an opportunity to capture one of the girls? Or all three?"


    The wolverine began circling them while her companion continued: "The King''s daughter and the heiresses of two of the kingdom''s three most important families aren''t just any target... we have many ways to recover them. Did you think you could simply take them and run?"


    "No! It''s not what you think!" Ren shook his head frantically, his voice echoing off the metallic walls. "It''s a misunderstanding! I just¡­!"


    The distraction cost him dearly. The wolverine seized his moment of panic to charge with all its might, sending him flying against one of the metal walls with a resounding crash.


    Min and Taro exchanged a brief look before simultaneously throwing themselves to the ground, their foreheads hitting the metal with a hollow thud.


    "We''re so sorry!" they shouted in unison, faces pressed against the cold floor. "We had no idea!"


    "I thought they were just normal noble girls!" Min whimpered, his snake coiling nervously around his arm.


    "I believed royalty never left the castle!" Taro added, his voice trembling. Your next read awaits at My Virtual Library Empire


    Larissa seized the moment to break away from Min, running toward where her guards waited. Once they had her behind them, the agents'' demeanor changed completely.


    "Enough games," the wolverine guard growled, her beast tensing for attack. "Time to end these filthy spies."


    With Taro and Min prostrate on the ground, practically defenseless, the guards saw their opportunity. The wolverine launched itself at Taro, his armor would only protect him from fatal damage for so long.


    The other guard moved like a shadow toward Min, her mineral claws gleaming with lethal intent.


    Min didn''t even have time to look up.


    Ren, barely recovering from the previous impact, saw the claws descending toward his friend.


    Something ignited inside him.


    His mushrooms pulsed with unprecedented intensity, feeding pure light into his crystalline defense.


    He leaped with all his strength to the limit.


    The light claws in his hands stretched, reaching greater length while barely managing to interpose between Min and the attack at the last moment.


    The clash was brutal. The guard''s mineral claws shattered on contact with Ren''s concentrated light, brilliant fragments raining onto the metallic floor.


    The guard retreated, her eyes wide with surprise as she stared at her destroyed weapons.


    Ren''s gaze hardened.


    He had now understood it truly, part of him already knew, but now it was much clearer... for these girls, this wasn''t a game or mischief.


    They were deadly serious and would kill without hesitation.


    Without a word, his hand shot out to the disarmed guard''s wrist. With his enhanced strength, the grip was implacable as he spun her and slammed her against the metal floor with an impact that resonated throughout the structure.


    The other guard reacted instantly, her wolverine charging forward. But Ren already knew every detail of that beast and was prepared, his mushrooms flashed with blinding light, directly into the beast''s sensitive eyes.


    The wolverine, three meters of muscle and fury, still charged blindly. Ren dropped to the ground, his light claws intensifying as the beast passed over him. With a fluid motion, he cut along the wolverine''s unprotected belly, its weak point.


    The beast disintegrated from the massive damage.


    Without losing a moment, Ren dissipated his claws and turned toward the downed guard before she could fully summon her beast again. His fist, charged with disruptive mana, connected with her stomach.


    He couldn''t manipulate her flow delicately as he had done with Larissa, but he could cause moderate damage to deny her the capability.


    The beastless guard and manaless Larissa tried to attack him from behind, but their punches and kicks bounced uselessly off the hydra''s crystalline scales.


    "Taro!" Ren shouted while maintaining his position over the other guard. "Cover them in living mineral!"


    Taro, finally shaking off his stupor and seeing Ren truly angry for the first time, nodded. His Living Tunnel responded immediately, living crystal flowing to immobilize the three girls before they could attempt another attack.


    ????


    With the three girls firmly wrapped in living mineral, Ren finally had the chance to explain himself.


    "You know what?" he began, running a hand across his face in frustration. "I just wanted to explore what I felt down here. You''re the ones who came to ruin my day and¡­"


    "Don''t lie, Yino spy¡­!" the guards started shouting, but Ren stepped closer and raised his voice above theirs.


    "ENOUGH!" his shout resonated through the metallic structure. "I''m sick of you not letting me speak! And in case you haven''t noticed, you''re not exactly in a position to talk... So you''re going to LISTEN!"


    He approached Larissa, leaning until his eyes, burning with indignation, were inches from hers. The princess tensed, unaccustomed to anyone invading her personal space so boldly.


    "You have a mineral fairy, don''t you?" Ren asked, his voice more controlled but still intense. "Then like Luna, you have the perception ability, you can sense when someone lies through mana flow too?"


    Larissa''s eyes widened in surprise. It was true, her beast could detect the fluctuations in mana that occurred when someone lied. It was an ability she shared with her cousin Luna... But how did he know?


    Larissa nodded tentatively.


    "Then use it," Ren challenged her. "See if I''m lying when I say I have nothing to do with Yino."


    Larissa closed her eyes for a moment, her mineral fairy partially manifesting. The mana fluctuations around Ren were clear, crystalline¡­ he was telling the truth.


    "And I''m not interested in kidnapping princesses either," Ren continued. "Not you, nor Luna when I see her with her blue hair spying on me sometimes..."


    "Oh," Larissa interrupted, a small smile forming on her lips. "Actually, Liora is the one who always spies on you. Luna only watches you during classes." Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "My lady!" the guards protested. "You shouldn''t reveal¡­!"

 Chapter 163 - Taming the Ancient Ruins - 13

    "And I''m not interested in kidnapping princesses either," Ren continued. "Not you, nor Luna when I see her with her blue hair spying on me sometimes..."


    "Oh," Larissa interrupted, a small smile playing on her lips. "Actually, Liora is the one who always spies on you. Luna only watches you during classes."


    "My lady!" the guards protested. "You shouldn''t reveal¡­!"


    "He''s telling the truth," Larissa cut them off. "About everything." She turned to Ren, curiosity sparkling in her eyes. "Why are you here then?"


    "Like I said, I wanted to explore. I felt strange energy coming from down here and..." Ren shrugged, his mushrooms pulsing softly. "Guess I''m curious."


    "And you attacked the princess because...?" one of the guards pressed, though her tone had lost some of its hostility.


    "I didn''t attack her!" Ren defended himself, throwing his hands up. "I just wanted to negotiate before she jumped away after maybe confirming it was us, probably to accuse us or something. Since she was spying on us, and I thought... well, I thought if she kept the secret about me coming down here, I''d keep hers about her beast. I didn''t know she was a princess or that she thought I was a spy!"


    "That''s true too," Larissa confirmed, then frowned. "But how did you know I had a mineral fairy if I was hiding my beast?"


    "Are you kidding?" Ren raised an eyebrow. "A jump beast, white glow in your hair and eyes, anyone who saw you jump would know. Though now that I think about it, being constantly guarded and with that beast... It was obvious you were important. Like Luna when they tried to kidnap her. Maybe I should have known earlier because you do look like Jul¡­ His Highness Julius."


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    The guards exchanged glances. Seen that way, his actions made more sense, though they remained reckless.


    "So," Larissa smiled slightly, "this was all a misunderstanding?"


    "A misunderstanding we could have avoided if someone," Ren cast a significant look at the guards, "had let me explain before attacking."


    Larissa burst into laughter, the musical sound resonating through the metallic structure. Ren took a step back, blushing at the princess''s joyful expression. Her laughter was contagious, and her face lit up in a way that...


    A penetrating stare made him quickly avert his eyes. One of the guards was watching him as if she wanted to skewer him with her gaze. Ren cleared his throat, grateful that the situation seemed to be calming down.


    "I like him," Larissa declared cheerfully, still laughing.


    "My lady," the guard with the bruised stomach protested, her voice tight with pain. "Don''t trust so easily. It could be a trick." She winced slightly. "No normal child has such strength. That hit still... everything about him is suspicious."


    "He''s telling the truth," Larissa insisted firmly. "You can deceive the body, but not mana." Her eyes gleamed with determination. "The essence that rules over magic always paints liars black. If it weren''t for those foolish ancient rules about ''respect for nobles'', I would do a purge with my mana sight myself, so don''t underestimate my ability."


    "But Truth in his words doesn''t change that he''s a brute," the guard complained, tears welling in her eyes. "He even hugged you and¡­!"


    Larissa visibly blushed, some memory crossing her mind. "It was just self-defense," she mumbled. "I saw myself how he retracted his claws at the last moment before hitting you so he meant no harm."


    "But I probably have internal bleeding!" the guard whined dramatically.


    Ren scratched the back of his neck, uncomfortable. "Min," he called to his friend. "Could you heal her with your snake?"


    While Min approached the injured guard, Ren turned back to Larissa. "What''s this about ''respect for nobles''? Why can''t you use your detection ability for this ''purge''?"


    Larissa let out an exasperated sigh. "It''s ridiculous. The mana beast lie detection method was proven just a few years ago. But since it''s ''new'' and there aren''t enough ''trustworthy'' users", she skilfully made air quotes with her eyebrows since her arms were still trapped, "it''s not considered valid evidence in court yet."


    "So you have to get other proof?" Ren asked, genuinely interested.


    "Exactly. And meanwhile, the government is full of traitors who know exactly how to hide physical evidence, the corrupt lot." Larissa frowned. "We all know who they are, but without ''traditional'' proof, we can''t do anything."


    Min, meanwhile, had begun treating the injured guard. "The damage isn''t that bad," he diagnosed. "Ren was quite precise with the hit."


    "Precise?" The guard looked at him incredulously. "I feel like I was charged by a rhinoceros!"


    "So who are the traitors?" Ren asked, avoiding the guard''s accusatory glare and genuinely curious.


    Larissa considered him for a moment, her eyes studying his face. Finally, she seemed to reach a decision.


    "The Goldcrests," she answered. "Not all of them, but... the highest ranks of the family are involved."


    "I see..." Ren touched his chin thoughtfully.


    The guard tried to protest but Larissa continued: "We know they''re conspiring with Yino, but we must wait for my father''s return to act. Or find evidence that not even they can dismiss."


    "Okay I understand, so¡­" Ren tried to cut her off but Larissa didn''t stop.


    The girl sighed heavily. "The problem is that the Starweavers are too weakened since the last horde. For some reason, the attack in their defense sector was unusually intense a year ago... Luna is practically alone now because her father has been ignoring her with the excuse of work and recovering losses..."


    "Wait shouldn''t you stop telling me these things...?" Ren insisted but Larissa wouldn''t quiet down.


    "The Ashenways, Liora''s family, insist on maintaining their neutrality. They have their own internal problems." She grimaced. "And we, the Dravenholms, aren''t any better. My father''s absence has caused... uncertainty. Some of my siblings have started fighting among themselves and¡­"


    "My lady!" the guard scolded. "You shouldn''t reveal such sensitive information!"


    "For once I agree with your guard," Ren nodded vigorously. "I don''t want to know so much!"


    "We don''t either!" Min and Taro exclaimed in unison, waving their hands in denial. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Larissa giggled. "It''s too late for that, but I have a feeling it will be good if you know... Besides, you''re in the ancestral ruins. Whether by luck, good or bad," she gave them a meaningful look, "you''re now owners of the artifacts. And by law, that means you''ll be made nobles, so it''ll be your problem too..."


    "WHAT?!" Ren and Taro shouted simultaneously.


    Min, however, just scratched his head with a confused expression. "But... I''m already noble."


    "You''ll be a new noble," Larissa explained patiently. "Of your own house, not as a secondary branch of¡­"


    Min processed the information for a moment before his eyes widened like saucers. "WAIT, WHAT?!"


    "I don''t want to be noble!" Taro flailed his hands frantically. "I can barely remember which fork to use for each dish at my aunt''s house!"

 Chapter 164 - Taming the Ancient Ruins - 14

    "I don''t want to be noble!" Taro flailed his hands frantically. "I can barely remember which fork to use for each dish at my aunt''s house!"


    "They can''t do this to us!" Ren joined the protest, his face a mask of panic. "We just wanted to explore!"


    "Will I have to wear those ridiculous hats?" Min looked ready to faint.


    "Will we have to learn to dance?" Taro turned pale as a ghost.


    The guards watched the spectacle with expressions that oscillated between exasperation and reluctant amusement. Larissa simply laughed, finding their reactions absolutely adorable.


    "It''s the law," she explained between giggles. "Besides, it''s not something bad... Now, the fact that the door opened for you..."


    "It was Ren!" the other two protested in unison, pointing at their friend.


    "Then Ren is the leader of this ''expedition''," Larissa smiled. "Welcome to nobility, gentlemen."


    ????


    When the three boys finally calmed down and accepted what they thought was their "sad" fate...


    "Could you free us now?" Larissa asked, though her tone was more amused than demanding.


    Ren remained thoughtful for a moment, studying the three girls trapped in crystal. "You won''t attack us again? Because if you do, I''ll have to..."


    Larissa let out a little giggle. "You''ll have to what?"


    "He''s threatening to kill us," the injured guard muttered, still distrustful. "Like the trained agent he is, surely he has no problem with¡­"


    Ren remembered the moment he struck the guard and clapped a hand over his mouth, his face turning pale at imagining a more lethal scenario.


    Larissa laughed harder. "I don''t think Ren would do anything like that. In fact, I''m quite sure he''s not even trained for it."


    "It''s true," Ren admitted, still looking a bit green. "I''d probably throw up... but..."


    He turned serious for a moment. "But if I have to defend my friends..."


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    "It won''t be necessary," Larissa interrupted him, smiling. "Right, girls?"


    The guards looked sideways before reluctantly nodding, mumbling promises not to attack.


    "Good," Ren turned to Taro. "Then..."


    Before he could finish, Larissa disappeared in a flash and reappeared free of the crystal.


    "You already gave me permission," she smiled at Ren''s surprised expression. "And my circuits aren''t blocked anymore."


    Ren scratched his head, confused.


    "I accept the deal," Larissa continued. "I won''t say anything if you don''t say anything. Although..." she looked toward the entrance, "it will be hard for this to go unnoticed when we leave. But at least I won''t be the one to expose you."


    While Taro cautiously freed the guards, who maintained tense but non-hostile postures, Larissa turned to Ren with curiosity.


    "But then tell me why you have two beasts? It''s supposed to only be possible with the artifacts..."


    "It was my beast," Ren began to explain.


    "How?" Larissa asked, intrigued. "I only know the mana potion method for¡­"


    She stopped when Ren''s mushroom suddenly manifested itself.


    Ren''s light dimmed as the little one appeared like a light bulb with legs.


    The tiny creature, with its chubby baby face, looked toward the corridor that led deeper into the ''seed'' and, without warning, took off running in that direction.


    Everyone stared at the scene with dumbfounded expressions.


    "Hey!" Ren shouted, taking off after his rebellious beast. "Come back here!"


    Larissa burst into laughter before running after him. "That''s the cutest thing I''ve ever seen in my life!"


    Min and Taro exchanged resigned looks before following them, the guards bringing up the rear with expressions mixing concern and curiosity.


    ????


    The metallic corridor they chased the little mushroom through gradually widened until the group emerged into a chamber that took their breath away.


    It was a perfect spherical room, the metal gleaming with a soft light that seemed to emanate from the walls themselves. Eleven pillars rose from the floor in a circular pattern, ten surrounding a central one, each emanating a gentle pulse of energy.


    "What is this place?" Taro whispered, his voice echoing slightly in the chamber.


    Ren''s mushroom ignored the ten potions glowing on the outer pillars, each contained in a crystal vial that seemed to float above its pedestal. Instead, it ran directly to the central pillar, where a metallic ring floated in the air, slowly rotating.


    The tiny creature began jumping, its little arms extended trying to reach the ring, but its diminutive size made the task impossible.


    "It''s so tiny and adorable," Larissa commented, laughing softly at the mushroom''s attempts.


    The mushroom stopped, its cheeks puffing up with indignation at being called tiny. With an audible "hmph!" it disappeared back into Ren''s body.


    Min and Taro approached the outer pillars, their eyes fixed on the glowing potions floating above them.


    "Those are the transformation potions," Larissa explained. "The ones that convert a normal tamer into a double tamer."


    Taro held his breath. "Like the high-ranking nobles and the men of the royal family?"


    "Exactly," Larissa ran her fingers near the crystal of one of the potions, without touching it. "They regenerate approximately every thirty-three years, though that number is only based on the time it took for them to reappear in the only other two ''seeds'' in our kingdom..."


    "There are only 3 seeds?" Ren asked, turning his attention away from his mischievous mushroom.


    "As far as we know, yes... Well, Yino has another three, just like us," Larissa explained, her expression growing more serious. "In fact, we believe they altered some of their potions to create the abyssals."


    Min and Taro exchanged amazed looks. The possibility floated literally before them, the power to control a second beast.


    "The ring..." Larissa approached the central pedestal, her eyes gleaming with recognition. "It''s one of the 3 keys believed necessary to enter the kingdom''s central ruins. My father has one, and the Starweavers have another."


    "The rings are keys?" Ren asked, also approaching.


    "They also give power to the bearer," Larissa explained. "A hundred percent increase in all statistics." She turned to Ren. "As expedition leader, technically it would belong to you..."


    "My lady!" one of the guards protested. "You shouldn''t reveal that information if he didn''t even know about it!" S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "It''s only fair," Larissa shrugged. "Though obviously you won''t be able to keep it... but I''ll make sure you receive appropriate compensation."


    Ren was about to ask how much something like that could be worth when he felt a familiar movement in his head. The mushroom manifested again, appearing atop his hair.


    Before anyone could react, the tiny creature leaped toward the central pedestal. This time, instead of trying to reach the ring, it simply opened its tiny mouth, now way bigger than it seemed and...


    Swallowed the ring in one bite.


    "NOOOOO!" the collective scream resonated through the spherical chamber while the mushroom chewed contentedly.

 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 couldn''t 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 friend''s 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 I''ve 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, Ren''s 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 don''t talk," Larissa whispered, worried but also fascinated. "It''s 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 don''t know," it shrugged with a carefree gesture. "Instinct called me."


    "Instinct?" Larissa repeated weakly. "Eating one of the kingdom''s three most important artifacts because of instinct?"


    "Beasts shouldn''t 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 Ren''s body.


    At that moment, thin glowing lines began spreading throughout Ren''s 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 wasn''t 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.


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    "I suppose there''s 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.


    "You''re right," he agreed, though he didn''t seem very enthusiastic about the prospect of more confrontations like the one they''d 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 doesn''t 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.


    "You''re not taking one?" Ren asked, noticing that Larissa and her guards hadn''t opened the potions.


    "Oh, no," she shook her head but her gesture was somewhat sad. "I''m not a man¡­ the potions are saved for the men of the royal family because they''re stronger and more suited for war, so tradition..."


    "That makes no sense," Ren frowned as he saw in the mana that she didn''t believe what she was saying was all true or just. "You''re here with the expedition, aren''t you? The potion should be yours if you want it... Don''t worry about those foolish ''traditions''."


    Larissa seemed to consider his words for a moment, but began shaking her head. "It''s not that simple. Protocol dictates that¡­ also I''d 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 Larissa''s potion, uncorked it, and before anyone could react, pressed it against the princess''s lips. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


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


    "Don''t 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 don''t 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, I''m in trouble because my mushroom ''ate'' 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.

 Chapter 166 - Taming the Ancient Ruins - 16

    The headache persisted after Liu''s sonic attack, but Harold ignored it through sheer willpower as his transformed body moved with supernatural speed. The metallic floor beneath his feet hummed with energy as he darted between his opponents.


    His two beasts gave him an overwhelming advantage against the lower-ranked guards, who were clearly trained for support roles rather than direct combat. Even against five opponents, the battle remained evenly matched, though only through his monstrous power.


    Luna''s wolf and the Giant Goat charged in a coordinated pincer attack, their movements perfectly synchronized.


    Harold spun, his chitinous segments gleaming in the strange light while his antennae captured every movement. His transformed arm struck the wolf, sending it crashing against a wall while he dodged the goat''s charge.


    The beasts rose more slowly than before, accumulated damage beginning to show in their labored movements and dulled reactions.


    "Containment!" one of the guards shouted, her voice echoing off the curved crystal walls.


    The Antenna Venus extended more of its roots, creating a network of vines attempting to limit Harold''s movement space. Simultaneously, the Bubble Coral generated strategically positioned crystalline barriers, forming an improvised labyrinth.


    ''They''re trying to buy time,'' Harold analyzed while his antennae mapped each obstacle with inhuman precision. ''But their vanguard is trapped in the ruins...''


    The Ambush Firefly took advantage of the Coral''s reflective surfaces to multiply its light attacks. The rays bounced between barriers, creating a network of luminous energy that would have been lethal to a normal opponent, each beam ricocheting through the improvised arena.


    But Harold was far from normal. His chitinous armor, hardened by abyssal energy, barely showed surface marks where the rays impacted, the attacks dissipating harmlessly against his supernatural defense.


    The wolf attempted another attack, emerging from a shadow to bite his leg. Harold kicked it with brutal force, his antennae already detecting the goat trying to capitalize on the distraction. He spun using the momentum from striking the wolf and connected a punch to the transport beast''s side.


    "We can''t contain him!" the Coral guard shouted while creating more barriers, her voice tight with strain.


    The Venus''s roots extended more aggressively, trying to create zones where Harold couldn''t move freely. But his chitinous claws cut through the vegetation like paper, green fragments flying in the air around him.


    The Firefly increased the intensity of its attacks, making the crystal barriers practically sing with bouncing energy. It was a beautiful and lethal spectacle, light fragmenting and multiplying through the crystalline maze, but still insufficient against Harold''s supernatural defense.


    Luna directed her wolf trying to capitalize on every opening her guards created, but each successful attack barely scratched the surface of Harold''s armor. And with each exchange, their beasts showed more signs of exhaustion, their movements becoming slower and less coordinated.


    ''If this were about escaping,'' the Antenna Venus guard thought while Harold destroyed another barrier, ''we''d be far away by now.''


    But she couldn''t abandon her companions trapped in the seed nor her protection mission.


    While the guards couldn''t defeat him, Harold also couldn''t simply ignore them and continue his way, a moment of carelessness against five opponents, however individually weak, could be fatal.


    The wolf emerged from another shadow, this time targeting his neck. Harold caught it mid-air with one hand, but had to release his grip when the goat rammed his side. The Venus''s roots took advantage to entangle his legs while the Firefly concentrated its attacks on his eyes.


    Harold broke free with a burst of strength, but the pattern repeated itself, for every offensive movement he made, the guards responded with a combination of defensive tactics and opportunistic counterattacks.


    It was an exhausting stalemate, where the only real difference was that the guards'' beasts gradually tired while he maintained his monstrous power practically intact.


    ????


    Luna watched as her wolf retreated from another failed exchange, its fangs having barely scratched Harold''s carapace.


    It was frustrating, her bites were effective when they connected, but getting close enough was increasingly dangerous as damage accumulated in her wolf.


    "Your light attacks!" she called to the Firefly guard. "If they were more powerful..."


    "I know!" the guard responded while her bronze rank 1 beast continued firing rays that bounced uselessly off Harold''s armor, sweat beading on her brow. "But his defense is too strong!"


    Luna observed how the light rays reflected off the crystal barriers, and an idea began forming in her mind.


    "Let''s use light and shadow synergy!" she shouted while her wolf merged with darkness. "If we combine our energies...!"


    The guard caught the idea but seemed reluctant. "It''s a difficult attack to set up, the preparation is slow and with that monster''s speed..."


    "Let''s try it!" Luna began extending shadows behind Harold, creating a zone of denser darkness. "If I can trap him, hit him with everything!"


    Harold, however, had been sensing the mana. His antennae vibrated, capturing the increase in shadow energy behind him.


    When Luna tried to manipulate the darkness to trap him, he simply leaped forward, his chitinous claws destroying another crystal barrier. The impact sent crystalline fragments scattering across the metal floor.


    The Firefly''s concentrated ray passed harmlessly through the space where Harold should have been.


    "Damn it!" Luna gritted her teeth. "He''s too fast!"


    But the Giant Goat guard had been observing the exchange. Her eyes followed Harold''s movements, calculating each dodge and counter.


    "Again!" she shouted while her beast positioned itself. "But this time...!"


    Experience more content on My Virtual Library Empire


    She quickly shared her plan with Luna and the Firefly guard, their eyes lighting with understanding.


    Luna began expanding the shadows again, this time creating multiple smaller dark zones. Harold responded as they expected, his antennae extended while analyzing each shadow area for the real trap.


    The Firefly began charging its most powerful attack, luminous energy accumulating as it bounced between crystal barriers, amplifying with each reflection until the air itself seemed to hum with power.


    Harold saw the pattern coming and dodged... or so he thought. When Luna tried to trap him with the shadows, he jumped again...


    Directly toward the goat that had been silently moving into position.


    The impact was brutal. The goat connected with all its strength, driving Harold toward the densest shadow zone. For an instant, his perfect balance shattered. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "NOW!" Luna shouted while her wolf emerged from the shadows, its fangs finding purchase on Harold''s leg, holding him in position for one crucial fraction of a second.

 Chapter 167 - Taming the Ancient Ruins - 17

    The impact was brutal.


    The goat connected with all its strength, driving Harold toward the densest shadow zone. . For an instant, his perfect balance shattered.


    "NOW!" Luna shouted while her wolf emerged from the shadows, its fangs finding purchase on Harold''s leg, holding him in position for one crucial fraction of a second.


    The Firefly''s ray, charged to maximum power and amplified by dozens of reflections in the crystal barriers, struck Harold directly. The light energy blazed with extra blinding intensity as it impacted Harold''s shadow-shrouded form, creating a reaction that not even his chitinous armor could fully resist.


    A crack echoed through the chamber as the carapace finally broke, revealing the vulnerable flesh beneath.


    Harold roared, the first sound of intense pain he hadn''t been able to contain, the first he''d emitted since the battle began. The sound reverberated off the ancient walls, primal and filled with fury.


    "We did it!" the Firefly guard exclaimed, though her beast panted from the effort of expelling such power.


    But Luna didn''t celebrate. She knew a wounded enemy was even more dangerous.


    The broken carapace and pain unleashed something in Harold...


    Unbridled rage.


    His muscles expanded while forcing his transformation beyond safe limits, his form becoming even more monstrous. Flesh and chitin merged and twisted, creating an aberration that barely resembled anything natural.


    He launched himself at the Giant Goat with brutal speed.


    Luna''s wolf, still biting the leg, emerged from the shadows as it was yanked by the massive increase in strength, its fangs sinking deeper from the effort, but Harold endured the pain through gritted teeth and raised his leg. With a savage strike, he sent the wolf flying against the crystal wall.


    A powerful leap made him break through a new crystal barrier and reach the goat.


    The Goat tried to retreat, but it was too late. Harold''s venomous jaws, a modification of his abyssal centipede, closed around the beast''s neck. The abundant flow of venom coursed through its body and acted almost instantly, the Giant Goat vanished in an explosion of light, forced to return inside its tamer.


    "No!" Luna cried while her wolf rose unsteadily.


    Without the Goat to maintain the power balance, the battle began tilting rapidly. The Coral''s barriers could no longer contain Harold''s frenzied advance as he shattered crystal with blows empowered by his now excessive transformation''s enormous body.


    The Antenna Venus tried creating a root cage, but Harold burned them with acid secretion from his centipede. The Firefly fired rays continuously, seeking the damaged zone in his carapace, but without the previous surprise and synergy, it couldn''t inflict enough damage.


    The wolf returned to the shadows to attempt a new attack, but Luna was hesitant as she knew one more hit would eliminate it.


    The Coral guard retreated, trying to maintain distance while creating more barriers, but Harold simply charged through them.


    He reached in seconds and¡­


    A single blow sent her flying and crashing against the crystal barrier, the two hits knocked her unconscious.


    The Antenna Venus created one last desperate defense, forcing her skill to its maximum, her roots intertwining to trap Harold who was already upon them. For a moment it seemed to work, the vines wrapping around Harold, limiting his movements.


    Three more seconds would be useful for the firefly to charge a final attack aimed at the armor breach.


    But then he released a wave of acid again, melting the vegetation and reaching the guard behind. She screamed when the acid touched her skin, distracting her long enough for Harold to reach her and silence her with a precise blow that sent her flying too.


    The Goat guard, though beastless, launched herself at Harold with a hidden dagger. It was brave but futile, Harold''s armor broke the dagger effortlessly and slammed the girl against the ground with brutal force.


    The Firefly guard retreated, almost ready to launch another concentrated attack¡­ Your adventure continues at My Virtual Library Empire


    Luna saw the danger.


    "Watch out!" she shouted, her wolf launching from the shadows to intercept.


    But it was too late.


    Harold''s mole attacked from behind the guard, its claws cutting deeply across her back.


    The scream of pain distracted Luna who turned to look at the girl for one crucial second.


    Harold seized that moment of distraction. His claws found the wolf mid-jump, and with a brutal motion, slammed it into Luna. Both fell, the wolf vanishing from damage while Luna struggled to maintain consciousness and tried to rise.


    With one last tremendous effort and a scream, Luna stood and used her enhanced speed, forcing her injured wolf to manifest just its claws in her hand.


    A swift strike at the armor breach...


    That never landed.


    Harold caught Luna''s wrist.


    "Game over, bitch..." he said laughing, then pulled and knocked her out.


    Luna, "the strongest first year" fell.


    He stood over two of the fallen guards, his body covered in wounds but his eyes blazing with murderous fury.


    He lifted them by the neck, ready to enjoy finishing them slowly.


    "Harold!" a voice called from the side. The other spy emerged partially from his hiding place. "There''s too much activity outside! We need to hurry!"


    Harold''s damaged antennae vibrated with effort. Despite the pain, he could sense the presences approaching the cracks.


    Indeed¡­


    He had to hurry to obtain the artifacts before they excavated the entire crystal surface of the seed and found the lower cracks through which he planned to escape. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With a growl of frustration, he released the guards.


    Harold tried to retract his transformation, but something was wrong¡­


    An involuntary roar escaped his throat while his body began to contort. The modified beast resisted returning, as if the taste of battle had awakened something primitive and hungry.


    "Harold?" the other spy watched with growing concern as his companion struggled against his own form.


    The chitinous segments twisted, antennae vibrating erratically. For several tense moments, it seemed Harold would lose control completely. But finally, with a supreme effort of will, he managed to dominate the beast.


    Almost.


    His face still showed marked chitinous patterns, like living scars that refused to disappear. His injured leg and other areas where he''d received damage remained partially transformed, flesh and carapace mixing grotesquely. But at least he had regained control.


    He grabbed Luna by the hair and began dragging her toward where they kept Liora wrapped.

 Chapter 168 - Killer Tamer

    For several tense moments, it seemed Harold would lose control completely. But finally, with a supreme effort of will, he managed to dominate the beast.


    Almost.


    His face still showed marked chitinous patterns, like living scars that refused to disappear. His injured leg and other areas where he''d received damage remained partially transformed, flesh and carapace mixing grotesquely.


    But at least he had regained control.


    He grabbed Luna by the hair and began dragging her toward where they kept Liora wrapped.


    "There are many beasts in the school that can create coverings," the spy commented worriedly as Harold dragged the poor girl and caught his breath. "I can stay at the academy, keep my eyes open and continue reporting..."


    Harold looked at him as if he''d lost his mind. "They''ll interrogate you after this even if you pretend I kidnapped you..."


    "I know, it''s a big risk... That''s why I need you to rough me up a bit," the spy smiled weakly, though his eyes betrayed his nervousness. "Make the situation more believable."


    "As you wish," Harold shrugged, but when he raised his fist, the patterns on his face intensified, darkening like spilled ink. The rage he had been containing bubbled back to the surface, a primal fury he couldn''t fully suppress.


    The blow was brutal, too brutal. The spy collapsed, barely conscious, blood flowing from his shattered nose and split lip. His head bounced off the metal floor with a sickening thud.


    "Sorry," Harold muttered, his claws retracting slowly as worry at his own lack of control settled in. "I... I overdid it."


    ????


    On the metal bridge where they kept the other hostages, Harold observed the unconscious bodies of Liu and Liora¡­


    His claws grew involuntarily at seeing Liu, the headache from the sonic attack still present and returning with a vengeance, demanding retribution.


    For a moment he considered finishing what he''d started, his transformed hand flexing with murderous intent, but his damaged antennae captured even more movement now both above and in the tunnel that Ren''s group had created.


    There was no time for indulgences.


    "The emblem," he ordered his mole.


    The beast regurgitated a small crystal carved with the symbol of the Venmonts, one of Yino''s most prominent houses. Harold took it carefully, it was more than a simple key, it was evidence of the trust his kingdom placed in him.


    When he placed the emblem on the ancient door, it reacted immediately. Mechanisms hidden for centuries came to life, responding to House Venmont''s call.


    The ancient door opened with a metallic sound that echoed through the spherical structure.


    Harold took a step toward the tunnel but stopped when he heard a groan behind him. The other spy was staggering, the blow had done more damage than planned. Blood still flowed freely from his nose, and his eyes couldn''t quite focus.


    "Stay," Harold ordered, his antennae vibrating while analyzing the path ahead. "There are only 6 students with normal beasts in there... My antennae are injured but I can sense that 2 of them lost their mana signature."


    "But... how did they open...? If they got in they could be..." the spy leaned against the wall, still dizzy from the impact.


    "I don''t know," Harold frowned, the chitinous patterns on his face undulating with his expression.


    "But I don''t think they''re from Yino, nor do I think they''re strong from what I saw and felt when they were trying to escape those weak guards. Probably the 2 extinguished presences are 2 of those fools... the princess''s guards probably already took care of them and left one alive for questioning..."


    A cruel smile formed on his lips while dragging Luna closer. "Just one princess left with two low-level guards and a hostage. If I let myself go a little more..."


    He stopped, an idea forming in his mind distorted by the transformation. "You don''t need to follow me. They probably fought among themselves, wore out the guards and the princess... But if she uses the ring..."


    His grip on Luna''s hair tightened, causing the unconscious girl to moan softly. "I''ll use this bitch to make the princess lose focus, it''ll surely be her with her iron rank beast who demands to carry the ring. Maybe she won''t give me much trouble or be able to escape with her jumps if she''s worried about her friend..."


    The spy watched with growing concern as Harold''s features became more bestial while imagining the scene, the transformation spreading further across his face.


    "The face she''ll make when she sees..." Harold laughed, a sound that was more insect than human. The chitinous segments on his face expanded, his transformation advancing as he entered the tunnel.


    "Are you sure that...?" the spy began trying to stand, but Harold was no longer listening.


    ''Too easy,'' he thought while advancing, dragging Luna. ''A frightened iron rank princess, two tired guards...''


    His antennae vibrated with anticipation, ignoring the warning signals trying to pierce through his mind intoxicated by power. All he could think about was the reward he would receive for delivering not one, not two, but three prisoners of such value.


    The tunnel curved ahead, and Harold could sense presences. A predatory smile formed on his deformed face as he prepared for his triumphant entrance.


    ????


    Ren couldn''t stop thinking about Larissa''s words.


    Could he really kill someone?


    His hand trembled remembering the fury he had felt when the guard threatened Min, how for a moment he had been willing to... The memory of that rage frightened him almost as much as the situation itself.


    Larissa interrupted his thoughts with a whimper, holding the two potions her ''traitorous'' guards had given her. "It''s not fair... Why do I have to be the only one in trouble?" she murmured sadly but with a small air of happiness.


    She looked at them with accusing eyes while they avoided her gaze. Min and Taro scratched their heads, pretending sudden interest in the metallic walls that surrounded them.


    The moment of levity shattered when they felt it... a wave of power emerging from outside the seed.


    A door had opened, but the mana emanating from one of the tunnels...


    "Abyssal?" Larissa whispered, her mineral fairy detecting the corruption in the energy, its wings trembling at the tainted power.


    Everyone tensed. The guards, despite their exhaustion, immediately positioned themselves in front of Larissa, their beasts barely beginning to regenerate.


    "Don''t be foolish!" Larissa tried to push them aside. "You barely have mana! Your beasts haven''t even fully reformed!"


    "Our duty is to protect you," they responded firmly, though their stances betrayed their mana fatigue.


    Ren stepped forward, his hydra armor manifesting in brilliant crystalline scales with glowing veins now even more imposing due to the ring''s addition.


    "Stay back. I''ll handle this."


    "But you..." Larissa began, evident concern in her voice.


    Ren hesitated for a moment.


    Could he really kill someone even if they were an abyssal? The idea turned his stomach and sent chills down his spine, but... he clenched his teeth and fists. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This wasn''t the time for doubts.


    His carapace began to shine with increasing intensity, his mushrooms'' light veins feeding the hydra''s light power.


    The figure that emerged from the tunnel was monstrous, a hybrid of human and insect that dragged something... no, someone.


    Ren''s eyes fixed on Luna, unconscious and bleeding, her hair being used cruelly as a leash by that abomination.


    Something changed inside him.


    "LUNA!" Larissa''s scream seemed distant as fury flooded through Ren. Continue your adventure with My Virtual Library Empire


    The internal light of his mushrooms still traveling through his body in numerous small veins exploded, feeding a power he shouldn''t be able to use yet. The consumed ring''s enhancement resonated with his rage, amplifying the luminous energy to impossible levels.


    The hydra''s light beam manifested in all its destructive glory.


    Harold barely had time to register the strange situation as he was blinded by an intense radiance.


    His injured antennae caught the danger too late, he had been so sure of his victory that he hadn''t noticed the sudden accumulation of power...


    Luna awakened at that moment feeling the intense light. With the last remnant of her mana, she created a shadow behind Harold and clutched his leg, anchoring him in place for another small instant.


    The beam pierced through Harold like a miniature sun, its purifying light tearing through the abyssal corruption like divine judgment made manifest.

 Chapter 169 - Killer Tamer - 2

    In his final moments, Harold saw his life flash before his eyes. The orphanage in Yino, cold and desolate, where shadows seemed longer and darkness deeper than anywhere else.


    The day the Venmonts adopted him, the first time he felt hope bloom in his chest like a fragile flower.


    Years of brutal training, painful modifications, all to please a father who never...


    The thought remained unfinished when the beam of light finished consuming his torso. What remained was barely recognizable as human, the lower half of a charred body, part monster, part man, smoking on the metallic floor. The acrid smell of a burned body filled the air.


    "Luna!" Larissa ran to her cousin, who lay there after anchoring Harold with her last shadow and physical effort. Her normally perfect composure shattered by genuine fear for her family.


    Min followed immediately, his snake manifesting to begin the healing process, its scales gleaming with restorative energy.


    Taro and the guards also approached, forming a protective circle around the girls, their bodies tense despite their exhaustion.


    But Ren collapsed to his knees, his eyes fixed on what remained of Harold. His hands trembled uncontrollably while the glowing lines across his body began to fade from the massive energy expenditure of his powerful attack.


    "I..." his voice was barely a whisper. "I just..."


    The hydra armor retracted and his mushrooms appeared in his hair, pulsing softly as if trying to console him but reflecting a dimmer, sadder light. Their usual cheerful glow muted by their tamer''s emotional turmoil.


    "She''s alive," Min''s voice cut through the fog in his mind. "Luna will be fine."


    Larissa held Luna''s hand while Min worked, but her eyes were fixed on Ren. She had heard about this before¡­ her brother had told her that something could be seen in warriors'' eyes and mana after their first real kill.


    There you could see someone''s true yin or yang nature.


    ????


    When Min finished healing Luna, Larissa approached Ren.


    "You saved her life," she said softly, her voice gentle with understanding. "Maybe all of ours."


    Ren nodded mechanically, but his eyes remained on the charred remains. How old had the transformed tamer been? Had he had a family like Ren''s? Would his mother and father miss him?


    "It was him or us," one of the guards added, her voice kinder than it had been before. The hostility from earlier completely gone, replaced by something like sympathy. "You had no choice."


    "You''re right... there was no choice," Ren murmured, remembering how fury had consumed him upon seeing Luna injured. But had there really been no other option? Or had he simply let rage decide for him? Was he still able to "become a good man" like his mother and father had asked him to be?


    "Thank you," Larissa smiled weakly. "For not hesitating." sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ren felt tears beginning to form. He hadn''t hesitated, no. And that was what frightened him the most.


    But Min called them, momentarily distracting Ren from his dark thoughts.


    Luna opened her eyes slowly, her vision focusing on the worried faces surrounding her.


    "The other guards..." she mumbled, trying to sit up. "They''re badly hurt. They need help, quickly."


    Larissa helped her up while Min considered the injured guards with concern. His snake had already expended much energy healing Luna, its scales dulled from the effort.


    "I don''t know if I have enough mana left," Min admitted, biting his lip.


    Ren, who had been staring into space, seemed to wake at this. His eyes lit up, here was something good he could do, something that might slightly reduce his guilt.


    "Min!" he quickly approached his friend. "I can help."


    "Yes, but my snake''s mana is different from your beasts'' and..."


    "I know exactly how it works," Ren continued, his mushrooms pulsing as he concentrated. "I know the pattern of each type of mana. I can transfer some of mine to you."


    "Is that possible?" Taro asked, momentarily forgetting the situation out of pure curiosity.


    "It''s very difficult," one of the guards commented. "The mana of different beasts isn''t usually compatible."


    "But Ren knows the patterns," Min smiled, beginning to understand. "Like when he helped us with our cultivation."


    Ren nodded, placing a hand on Min''s shoulder. His glowing lines, relic of the consumed ring, began to pulse with a specific rhythm.


    "It''s like directing a river into a lake," he explained as his mana flowed into Min.


    Min''s snake began to glow with renewed energy, its scales brightening with borrowed power.


    "It''s working!" Min exclaimed excitedly.


    Larissa observed how Ren concentrated on the task, noting how his hands no longer trembled.


    ????


    The group advanced down the corridor Harold had used, their footsteps echoing on the ancient metal. When they reached the exit...


    They didn''t have to search long before finding three bundles wrapped in some kind of organic material.


    When they opened one of the coverings... "Liora!" Larissa rushed forward upon recognizing her cousin''s face. Luna also seemed surprised but pretended not to care too much when Larissa announced she was merely unconscious.


    They assumed all three were Harold''s hostages, as like Luna, he surely intended to take Liora to Yino as well.


    Taro summoned his Living Tunnel, which carefully lifted the three unconscious but breathing hostages. "I''ll carry them," he offered.


    "We need to find the guards quickly," Luna tried to move faster but stumbled.


    "I''ll heal them, I promise," Min decided, his snake still glowing with the energy Ren had transferred. "They could be..."


    No one completed the sentence. They couldn''t sense the mana signatures since the guards were knocked out.


    They climbed toward the seed''s upper section, supporting themselves on the metal bridges. The silence was oppressive as they searched.


    "Here!" one of Larissa''s guards shouted.


    The first fallen guard lay near fragments of coral crystal, her breathing barely visible. Min knelt immediately, his snake beginning to work.


    "Over there," Ren pointed, his mushrooms pulsing as they detected signs of life. "There''s another."


    They found the second guard surrounded by withered roots, her skin showing acid burns. Min''s snake hissed with concern, the wounds were deep.


    "Come on," Min murmured as he worked. "Come on..."


    Color slowly began returning to the guards'' faces.


    "Another!" Luna pointed to a corner where the Firefly guard lay motionless, a deep wound in her back.


    Min moved as quickly as he could, but his hands trembled from the effort. He had healed too many serious injuries today.


    But one was still missing... Larissa found the Goat guard, her ears bleeding slightly.


    Min''s remaining mana didn''t seem sufficient, the light faded... The girl began to convulse.


    "One more time," Ren put his hand on Min''s shoulder, his last mana reserves flowing into the snake.


    Gradually, the girl began to calm.


    The glowing lines on Ren''s body started flickering while more and more presences accumulated outside the cracks. He could sense dozens of perception beasts probing the area.


    "There are... there are many..." he mumbled, his vision beginning to blur. He had spent too much mana, the light beam, repeatedly transferring energy to Min...


    Taro barely managed to catch him when his legs finally gave out. The mushrooms in his hair gave one last weak pulse before vanishing.


    "Ren!" Min approached worriedly, but his snake was also exhausted after so many healings.


    Taro''s Living Tunnel added Ren to its load of wrapped bundles.


    The guards began waking one by one, disoriented but alive.


    The last to open her eyes was the Firefly guard. "The... princess?" she whispered.


    "Safe," Larissa knelt beside her to show she was alright. "We''re all safe."


    ????


    "Should we dig another exit?" Taro asked, looking nervously toward the cracks where they could sense the growing concentration of people outside.


    "Maybe we could..." Luna began, but stopped. "No, it''s useless."


    "There''s no point in hiding anymore," Larissa nodded. "Everyone will know who was involved by now."


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    The group headed toward the tunnel Ren and Taro had originally created. It was the widest path, and at this point, trying to sneak away would only make them appear more suspicious.


    When they approached the crack, however, they froze in their tracks.


    There, looking directly at them with an unreadable expression, was Julius''s face.


    "I believe," said the prince after a long moment, "that you have much to explain."

 Chapter 170 - Taming Punishment

    A little before the fight''s resolution...


    Director Ignatius paced back and forth, worry growing with each passing minute. The girls still hadn''t returned with news, and their presences continued to be detected far from the planned interception point.


    ''Why are they taking so long?'' he thought while his phoenix stirred beneath his skin, responding to his unease. The beast''s agitation only heightened his own anxiety.


    That''s 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 it''s not as powerful as the last intruder," he muttered, remembering the gold rank agent''s intrusion. "Maybe I should go, if the rank is low the terrain maybe can''t..."


    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 students'' 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 tunnel''s end is too small," he reported. "We can''t pass through. And..." he hesitated a moment, "Lady Luna entered before I could stop her."


    The Director froze. The crystal structure they''d mentioned... it was the kingdom''s last seed. Calculations based on the crystal''s thickness and the pattern of the previous ones indicated it shouldn''t 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 wasn''t as strong as last time, but if they were trying to get the ring and the potions...


    "I''m 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¡­" S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "All of them," Ignatius began moving. "If we can''t enter through the crack, at least we won''t let anyone escape. And if there are intruders in there..."


    His eyes gleamed dangerously.


    "They won''t 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.


    ''Luna is in there'', thought the director. ''And the new students... Julius will kill me if anything happens to his...''


    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! It''s wider and... strange."


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


    "It''s a tunnel coated in living crystal," the auxiliary explained, gesturing animatedly. "But it''s 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 everyone''s attention. "It has to be him."


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


    "Yes," Wei clenched his fists. "He''s 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 wasn''t 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 Julius''s 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 we''ll 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 prot¨¦g¨¦es were down there.


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


    Victor placed a hand on his brother''s shoulder. "We''ll find them."


    The group headed toward the mines. This time, thought the director, they wouldn''t let anyone escape.


    ????


    Larissa froze upon seeing Julius''s 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 Julius''s head aside. Victor''s face peered through the crack, his eyes widening in surprise at finding his little sister inside such important ruins.


    "Larissa," Victor''s voice sounded strangely calm, which only made her more nervous. "Get out of there. Now."


    Larissa looked around, everyone who wasn''t knocked out averted their gaze... Find adventures at My Virtual Library Empire


    Would she have to explain everything alone? Harold''s partially destroyed body, the injured guards, unconscious Ren, the "packages" carried by Taro''s 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, we''re not going to..."


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


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


    "Mana doesn''t lie!" Larissa crossed her arms.


    Victor couldn''t 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 can''t sense their presence anymore... Could you come out and explain everything that happened?"


    "Promise you won''t punish me!" Larissa pointed with a trembling finger.


    "I can''t 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 ''too much''."

 Chapter 171 - Taming Truth

    After Julius and Victor convinced Larissa and the other kids to come out, the academy guards acted swiftly.


    The children, both conscious and unconscious, were directly transported to a "secure room" in the academy''s most protected area. The term "secure" was a polite euphemism for what it really was: an interrogation chamber adapted for minors, though decorated with soft furnishings and warm colors to mask its true purpose.


    "Do we really need this many guards here?" Julius observed the security deployment around the "secure room" with disgust. "They''re just children..."


    "Children who defeated a Yino transformed spy," Victor leaned against the wall, his eyes fixed on the closed door. "One with an abyssal beast."


    "Defeated?" Julius let out a dry laugh. "Someone or something tore him apart... But he was only silver rank 1, this is excessive."


    The initial priority had been investigating the seed.


    With adults unable to enter through the cracks due to their size, they sent small beasts specialized in reconnaissance. The creatures worked efficiently, transmitting vital information back to their tamers.


    The director approached with a preliminary report. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Sir," he addressed Victor, "the reconnaissance beasts confirm Princess Larissa''s story. The body... what remains of it, shows clear signs of abyssal corruption. The transformation fused with his flesh permanently."


    "Like the last one," Julius murmured.


    "No," the director shook his head. "This one was different. Weaker, yes, but... the fusion was deeper. As if it had almost completely lost control."


    Victor straightened, suddenly more interested. "As if the beast was transforming into the tamer?"


    The silence that followed was heavy. Julius closed his eyes, his expression darkening.


    What they found confirmed Larissa''s first rushed words. Harold''s partially charred body lay where someone or something had defeated him, the remains of his abyssal transformation still visible in the carbonized flesh.


    "The Goldcrests traitors," Victor spat the name like poison. "And Yino experimenting on children¡­"


    "Now we have proof," Julius smiled humorlessly. "The body, the papers showing they forced a spy into the academy, Larissa''s testimony..."


    Larissa''s preliminary testimony, though carefully edited to protect Ren, provided the necessary context. Harold had been a Yino agent, infiltrated into the academy thanks to the Goldcrests. The evidence was undeniable.


    For the first time in years, they had tangible proof against one of the kingdom''s three most powerful families.


    Victor struck the wall with such force that the stone cracked. "Enough," his voice was pure ice. "This ends now."


    "No brother¡­ You know that we need more than this," Julius tried to reason. "The Goldcrests have too much influence and power. Besides, even with absolute proof... As long as father doesn''t return, we fighting them alone would just end up creating the perfect situation for Yino''s invasion..."


    And too many questions remained unanswered.


    In the "secure room," surrounded by guards with beasts specialized in perception, the children slept unaware of the chaos they had unleashed.


    The mushroom boy also slept deeply, not knowing that his actions to explore and save Luna had changed the kingdom''s balance of power.


    Although the room seemed comfortable, with soft beds and pleasant decoration, the truth was evident in the guards'' watchful eyes. No one would leave until every question was answered.


    ????


    The children had been separated into two rooms, one for the girls and another for the boys.


    In the girls'' room...


    "It''s about time you tell us the truth, little demon¡­ What happened to the ring?" Julius kept his voice soft while observing Larissa.


    This was the most important situation of all and had priority¡­ but they had searched their bodies and no one had it.


    The princess, seated with her cousins and guards in the elegantly decorated room, smiled with feigned innocence. "It disappeared."


    "Larissa..."


    "It''s true!" she protested. "I literally saw it disappear. One moment it was there and the next..." she made a vague gesture with her hands.


    "Who defeated the spy?" Victor tried another angle.


    "An elemental light attack," Larissa responded without hesitation. "The light beam pierced through him."


    "And where did this powerful light come from? Only you or Lucy can use that element among those present and you''re not at that level..." Find your next read at My Virtual Library Empire


    "The beam came from inside the seed, of course," Larissa blinked with a confused expression. "Where else could it come from?"


    Luna coughed to hide a smile. Her cousin was in her element, telling incomplete truths with the innocence of someone who never breaks a plate...


    Even Luna didn''t know exactly where the attack had come from, she had only seen the flash and acted on instinct.


    Liora had been knocked out so also knew nothing.


    Julius and Victor exchanged frustrated looks. Each of Larissa''s answers was technically true, but they felt she was still hiding something important.


    "How many potions exactly remain?" Julius tried to be specific.


    "Seven," Larissa responded cheerfully and without hesitation. Her mineral fairy glowed slightly, while her brothers detected that she wasn''t lying.


    "Two belong to me by right and five are Ren''s group''s."


    "Why does the boy have more? Can you explain the discovery situation?" Victor arched an eyebrow.


    "Of course. There were two groups who entered: mine and Ren''s. Ren entered first so he had priority, but he gifted us two... the potions, like any artifact, belong to the Yano citizen who finds them first."


    "And the other three?" Julius leaned forward.


    "Oh, Ren''s group used them immediately," Larissa waved her hand dismissively. "Well, two of them and Ren..."


    Luna observed her cousin with interest. It wasn''t exactly a lie, but...


    "Did the mushroom boy not take one?" Victor straightened, suddenly more attentive.


    "Yes¡­ He took it from the pedestal... Mm-hmm," Larissa nodded while playing with her dress. "The potions belong to them, so they''ll be made nobles and can use them as they want, right?"


    "But the two you have..." Julius began.


    "Are mine to distribute," Larissa interrupted firmly. "Two belong to me even if by tradition I''m not allowed to use them directly, but as the princess I am¡­ I''ll ensure they''re used appropriately and justly, also the other five are Ren''s group''s."


    "Appropriately and justly?" Victor crossed his arms.


    "They always are for the men of the royal family, of course," Larissa smiled innocently. "It''s tradition that whoever finds them distributes them to the men of the family, isn''t it? Like the ones father keeps in the castle and hasn''t distributed yet."


    Julius and Victor exchanged looks. It was a difficult argument to refute.

 Chapter 172 - Taming Truth - 2

    "Appropriately and justly?" Victor crossed his arms.


    "They always are for the men of the royal family, of course," Larissa smiled innocently. "It''s tradition that whoever finds them distributes them to the men of the family, isn''t it? Like the ones father keeps in the castle and hasn''t distributed yet."


    Julius and Victor exchanged looks. It was a difficult argument to refute.


    Their little sister had masterfully turned their own family''s rules against them.


    "Even so," Victor tried another angle, his fingers drumming an agitated rhythm against his arm as he searched for leverage, "considering the situation..."


    "Oh, they''ll be perfectly safe with me," Larissa interrupted, her voice carrying the perfect blend of childish enthusiasm and royal authority. She straightened in her chair, every inch the princess despite her youth.


    "After all, who better to guard something so important than a princess? And when father returns and decides which brothers are worthy of the ones he had saved for so long..."


    "Fine but... The ring whereabouts are more important," Julius changed topics. The loss of such a powerful artifact couldn''t be dismissed so easily. "Where is it?"


    "As I said before, it disappeared," Larissa maintained her smile, though a mischievous glint sparkled in her eyes. "Poof. Right in front of us." She wiggled her fingers in an exaggerated magical gesture.


    "Larissa..."


    "It''s the truth," she insisted, her mineral fairy glowing softly beneath her skin like validating her words. "You can ask anyone who was there. One moment it was there and the next... poof." She made the gesture again, clearly enjoying their discomfort.


    "Larissa," Victor''s voice carried the weight of exasperation built up through years of dealing with his clever sister, "this is serious... If a beast stored it inside someone''s body, you need to tell us..."


    "I know," she nodded with exaggerated solemnity, though amusement danced in her eyes.


    "That''s why I''m being so precise with the details. No beast ''stored'' it, nobody ''hid'' it¡­ Besides, your voice is rising, and you promised not to scold me if I only told the truth." Right on cue, tears began welling in her eyes, a performance worthy of the royal theater.


    Victor looked away, caught between embarrassment at falling for her act and admiration for her skill. He began pacing the room, his boots clicking against the polished floor.


    "The potions..." he muttered, searching for any angle of attack. "Fine, they''re yours according to our King''s rules, so you can keep them. But the ring..."


    "No longer exists," Larissa shrugged with perfect nonchalance. "So there''s nothing to look for." She was telling the truth.


    Julius finally stood, recognizing defeat in this particular battle.


    "The potions," he conceded, "can stay with you as Victor said. But this conversation about the ring isn''t over, and you haven''t escaped punishment yet."


    ????


    In another room, far from the royal drama, the spy posing as a hostage answered similar questions with his own brand of careful truth-telling.


    The interrogation room masqueraded as a comfortable study, with plush chairs and warm lighting designed to put students at ease. But the spy noted every detail that betrayed its true purpose¡­ the slight angle of the chair that gave the interrogator psychological advantage, the carefully positioned lights that would make facial tells more visible, the barely perceptible hum of detection beasts in the walls.


    Unlike the room where the princess held court with her family, this space carried no pretense of deference.


    The consequences here could be far more severe.


    As other students awakened, they were systematically separated and questioned.


    The spy knew this performance would determine not just survival, but the success of years of careful planning that had been made just so they could keep getting information as a normal student.


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    "Did you see who attacked you?" asked the guard, his tone carefully calibrated to convey sympathy.


    "Yes," the spy touched his partially healed face, allowing genuine pain to color their expression. The bruises Harold had left were a gift, real injuries made deception so much easier. "But everything happened so fast. Harold hit me when I tried to stop him..."


    "Stop him?"


    "Yes, I..." he coughed, the wetness in the sound perfectly calculated. "When I saw he had hostages, I prevented him from killing them. I tried..." Another cough interrupted the words. "I tried to do the right thing."


    The guard made a note in his book, the scratching of his pen unnaturally loud in the quiet room. "And the ring? The potions?"


    "I don''t know," the spy let vulnerability seep into the words, years of training making it easy to tremble at just the right moment. "I was outside the ruins when... when everything happened."


    Every word was true, but danger still lurked. The school''s thorough investigation had revealed hollows throughout the academy, hidden spaces concealed by various coverings. Grass and moss, minerals, spider webs, even beast shells... A network of hideaways that raised too many questions.


    The interrogator studied the student before him trying to catch the smallest tell, the slightest hesitation.


    "The covering in the tunnel," he began without preamble, placing several samples on the table between them, "is similar to others we''ve found in the last few hours around the academy."


    The injured student nodded weakly, allowing genuine fatigue to show. "Not surprising given how Harold made me cover him. Many students can make coverings." Each word was true, yet revealed nothing of importance.


    "But yours is the one used this time," the interrogator''s fingers traced the edge of one sample. "Perfect for containing mana signatures."


    "Or for protecting people," the student coughed again, the sound carrying just the right note of pain. "Like I tried to do when I saw what Harold was planning... Many other covers can contain mana too..."


    "Why didn''t you alert the guards?"


    "With what time?" a pained smile crossed the bruised face, the expression carefully crafted to show both sincerity and trauma. "Everything happened so fast. I saw Harold acting strange, followed him, and when I understood what was happening..." Another perfectly timed cough. "Well, you''ve seen how that ended."


    "Why did he hit you?"


    "Because he wanted to, because he lost control," the student gestured at his bruises, using them as both shield and evidence. "Isn''t it obvious?"


    "Did you know Harold well?"


    "No, he was a classmate," another careful truth, delivered with practiced casualness.


    The interrogator leaned forward. "The coverings we found... some have been there for months."


    "The academy is big," the student smiled weakly. "And many of us can make coverings. Some use them to hide and sleep between classes..."


    "Like you?"


    "Sometimes," another truth. "Darkness can be very comfortable with a good hammock in a hollow." sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Many of the coverings have this same base."


    "The material is common," the student maintained his composure, letting exhaustion do the work of hiding any tension. "My beast produces it, yes, but others have the same. Check the beast registry if you want."


    "Oh, we did," the interrogator''s smile carried a predatory edge. "There are 33 students who can produce organic coverings similar to those found."


    "See? Not so special."


    "But only 11 can make them this resistant."


    "Practice makes perfect," the student''s weak smile never wavered. "When you spend so much time..."


    "Practicing coverings?"


    "Studying and resting," another truth that revealed nothing. "The covering is just for comfort and avoiding punishment from the auxiliaries."


    "Did you know Harold had an abyssal beast?"


    "A what?" the student allowed genuine surprise to show. "I just saw him transform into something horrible. I thought it was a failed cultivation or..."


    "And you still tried to stop him?"


    "I didn''t think much," the student letting shame color the voice. "I saw he had hostages and... acted on instinct. It was stupid, I know."


    "Very stupid," the interrogator nodded slowly. "Or very brave. The question is... which was it?"


    "Considering how I ended up," the student gestured at the injuries, using them one final time as both shield and proof, "I''m leaning toward stupid."


    "Very well," the interrogator rose with deliberate slowness. "Rest. We may have more questions later."


    "I''ll be here," the student indicated with resigned humor. "Not like I can go anywhere else."


    As the interrogator left, he couldn''t help but admire the student''s performance. Every answer had been truth, every explanation logical and simple. The story was perfect¡­ too perfect perhaps.


    ????


    The mushrooms in Ren''s hair pulsed weakly when he finally opened his eyes, their dim light barely illuminating his pale face.


    "Where am I?" he murmured while trying to focus his vision, the elegant room swimming before him like a dream.


    "Ren!" Min jumped from his bed, relief breaking through his usual composure. "Finally!"


    "Lower your voice," Taro glanced nervously toward the door where two guards maintained their silent vigil. "They''re observing us."


    Ren sat up slowly, taking in their surroundings. The room was beautiful, with rich furnishings and tasteful decoration. But the walls themselves seemed to hum with the energy of detection beasts, their presence a constant reminder that this comfortable prison was still very much a cage.

 Chapter 173 - Taming Truth - 3

    Ren sat up slowly, taking in their surroundings. The room was beautiful, with rich furnishings and tasteful decoration. But the walls themselves seemed to hum with the energy of detection beasts, their presence a constant reminder that this comfortable prison was still very much a cage.


    To his surprise, the potions sat untouched beside his bed. They hadn''t taken them away... His gaze drifted to the adjacent bed where a familiar figure lay.


    "Liu," Ren noticed his roommate''s dejected expression on the nearby bed. "Are you alright?"


    "Define alright," Liu attempted a smile that came out more like a grimace, his usual cheerfulness nowhere to be found.


    "Are you still hurt? Does anything pain you?"


    "Not really... maybe just my ego," Liu tried to smile again but only managed a twisted expression. His eyes fixed on the floor, unable to meet Ren''s gaze. "I tried to stop him, you know? When I saw he had a girl..."


    "You saved her," Min interjected softly, his voice gentle but firm.


    Liu shook his head, self-loathing evident in every movement. "It wasn''t enough. That attack you taught me, Ren... I think I executed it perfectly, concentrated the sonar just like you explained, but..." his voice cracked slightly. "I only managed to get myself knocked out. Couldn''t even help her."


    "You''re wrong," Ren straightened, his voice carrying absolute conviction. "Think about it. He must have been disoriented when he fought after your attack, his movements probably clumsier. You gave enough time to prevent worse outcomes, prevented deaths. We can''t know for certain but I believe..."


    "But..."


    "No, listen," Ren pressed on, refusing to let his friend wallow in self-doubt. "Luna and her guards probably only managed to resist because he wasn''t at full capacity. Your attack weakened him, damaged his senses, affected his balance. We barely had time to find the guards¡­ so surely... you gave them just enough time."


    "Time Min needed to heal them," Taro added, backing up Ren''s assessment.


    Liu lifted his gaze, a spark of hope breaking through his defeated expression. "You really think I helped that much?"


    "I don''t think, I know," Ren smiled warmly. "In fact..." he paused, weighing his next words carefully. "I''ve been thinking about what to do with the remaining potions."


    "Those 5 you have left? You''re not selling them to kill Finch and Theodore with a heart attack?" Min asked jokingly, though having received one himself, he suspected he knew the answer.


    "No. Two are for my parents," Ren began counting on his fingers. "One definitely goes to Lin, she''s more than earned it. But the other two..."


    Liu blinked in confusion, not daring to hope. "Why are you telling me this?" S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Because I think you''ve earned one," Ren responded simply, though the weight of his words filled the room. "What you did today... I don''t think just anyone would do that."


    "But I failed," Liu''s gaze dropped again, shame evident in his posture.


    "You didn''t fail, you stubborn fool," Ren shook his head emphatically. "You gave them a chance. Without your intervention, without the damage you caused him, the girls might have..."


    "But a potion to become a double tamer... it''s too valuable."


    "Those of us in the grey wing need to help each other," Ren shrugged, as if giving away a priceless artifact was the most natural thing in the world. "What you did today proved you''re someone valuable."


    "Besides," he added with a theatrical gesture, "what better use than giving it to a friend who''s already proven he''ll use his power to help others?"


    Liu opened his mouth to protest but closed it again. His eyes moistened slightly with unshed tears.


    "I..." he began, his voice trembling with emotion. "I don''t know what to say."


    "Say you''ll accept it," Ren smiled warmly. "And that next time you see someone in trouble, you''ll have double the power so you can help better."


    Min and Taro observed the exchange in respectful silence, understanding the weight of the moment. This wasn''t just a gift, it was recognition.


    "Thank you," Liu finally managed, his voice firmer now. "I promise I''ll use it well and repay you many times over."


    "I know," Ren nodded with absolute certainty. "That''s why I''m giving it to you."


    "Although," Liu smiled weakly, some of his usual humor returning, "I still think I should have practiced that attack more."


    "Oh, trust me," Ren laughed, the sound lightening the mood, "we''ll have plenty of time to practice. After all, I''m going to need your help getting rich since I won''t be selling any of the potions."


    ????


    Min and Taro exchanged meaningful looks before moving closer to Ren, their expressions turning serious.


    "Listen," Min lowered his voice to barely above a whisper. "There are some things you need to know before they come to interrogate you like they did us."


    "Princess Larissa explained us about lie detection," Taro continued in the same hushed tone. "About what to say and what not to."


    "Oh yes... I know how it works. What did you tell them?"


    They shared the official version they''d maintained, the three truths they needed to protect, the role each had played in the story they''d constructed.


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    "So," Ren repeated the information carefully, "the light beam came from the center of the chamber?"


    "Exactly," Min nodded.


    "And the ring simply... disappeared."


    "Nobody saw it after," Taro added. "One moment it was there, the next it wasn''t."


    "And about Larissa''s potion..." Min murmured conspiratorially.


    "Technically she wasn''t the one who ''took'' it," Taro completed.


    Liu watched them curiously from his bed. "What are you all whispering about?"


    "Just confirming what happened," Min straightened, returning to a normal volume. "Don''t worry about it, you don''t know anything because you were knocked out, and that''s better."


    "Ah yes," Liu deflated slightly again. "After that bastard hit me, everything went dark... By the way, can someone explain exactly what happened after I blacked out?"


    As his friends began recounting the subsequent events, Ren noticed the guards outside and in the walls seemed particularly interested in their conversation. Perfect. Letting them hear this version of events would only strengthen their cover story.


    "It was incredible," Min was saying with carefully measured enthusiasm. "Suddenly there was this brilliant light from the center of the chamber and..."


    "And the bad guy just... disintegrated," Taro completed, gesturing dramatically.


    "Such a shame about the ring," Min sighed theatrically. "It just disappeared."


    "As if it had never existed," Taro nodded solemnly.


    The mushrooms in Ren''s hair pulsed softly as he listened to the story. His friends had become surprisingly good at lying with the truth.


    "By the way," Liu coughed lightly. "I heard them talking about making you nobles or something."


    "Apparently it''s the law," Taro shrugged with feigned nonchalance. "Something about finding ancient artifacts."


    "Though first we have to get through more interrogations," Min grimaced.


    "It''s not so bad," Liu tried to smile encouragingly. "Just have to tell the truth."


    The guards at the door shifted, apparently satisfied with what they''d heard. The story remained consistent: the mysterious beam, the vanished ring, the three used potions...


    ????


    The other girls knew almost nothing of importance, Luna, Liora and the four guards had no trouble sharing everything.


    The only two guards who seemed to know something only repeated what Larissa had said.


    Finally, it was Ren''s turn.

 Chapter 174 - Taming Truth - 4

    The interrogation room was different from the elegant cell. Smaller, more intimate, with a round table that pretended to create a false sense of equality between its occupants.


    The lighting was again carefully arranged to reveal facial expressions while the walls hummed with detection beasts'' energy.


    Ren observed the five men seated before him. They''d given him the VIP treatment, with the highest number of important figures trying to extract information. Each of them carried themselves differently; authority wrapped around them like cloaks of varying weights.


    His mushrooms pulsed softly, capturing the nuances in their expressions, the subtle tells that betrayed their thoughts.


    Zhao was the first to speak, his voice warm as the last time they''d met. "I''m glad to return and see you''re well, Ren. You worried us when you wouldn''t wake up." Genuine concern colored his words.


    Wei shifted uncomfortably in his seat as the one with the lower standing and rank. His eyes avoided looking directly at Ren, as if afraid of what he might discover.


    "Let''s start at the beginning," Director Ignatius leaned forward, his presence commanding attention. "Why were you in the depths?"


    "Seeking wealth and secrets¡­ as our king likes, right?," Ren responded naturally, his tone carrying the perfect blend of innocence and truth. "As always."


    "As always?" Victor arched an eyebrow, studying the child that everyone seemed to treat so differently. "A first-year student with a spore frequents the depths... ''as always''?"


    "Oh, yes," Zhao smiled, pride evident in his voice. "Ren has a special talent for exploring, he''s practically a genius. During our expedition..."


    "This isn''t a social gathering, Zhao," Wei interrupted sharply. His hands trembled slightly, betraying his agitation. "The boy was where he shouldn''t have been so early in the morning."


    "Was he?" Julius intervened, his voice soft but firm. "From what I hear, you weren''t giving your class and... Technically they created a safe entrance from the permitted level. He didn''t break any specific rules if he was above 200 meters with a bronze 1 student."


    Victor observed the exchange with growing interest. Why was his brother defending the child?


    "The light," the director resumed the interrogation. "Where did it come from?"


    "From the center of the chamber," Ren replied, his voice innocent. "It was very bright and I know because I was right there."


    The silence that followed was dense. The five adults exchanged looks, knowing they had to ask the other questions if they wanted different information.


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    "Did you take one of the potions?" the director finally asked.


    "Oh, I took many for myself, not just one," Ren nodded while his mushrooms pulsed softly. "Though we didn''t use them all, but... I''m already a double tamer."


    Wei choked on his own saliva. Victor leaned forward, his interest sharpening.


    "Prove it," Julius requested, his voice mixing curiosity and caution.


    Ren shrugged and manifested his hydra. The crystalline scales gleamed under the room''s light while the adults observed with varying degrees of surprise.


    "A hydra?" Victor frowned. "Of all possible beasts..."


    "It''s a rare and respectable beast," the director commented, though his tone suggested certain disappointment. "But the potential of a natural double tamer from our Yano..."


    "It''s a shame," Victor sighed theatrically. "If you had waited, the kingdom could have provided something more... suitable to your new potential."


    Ren stroked his hydra''s scales, seemingly oblivious to the adults'' disappointment. "I like it. It''s strong from the start."


    "I guess it''s fine since you only had a spore anyway¡­ But the hydra will only reach silver rank 1," Victor insisted. "A double tamer should have aspired to more."


    "By the way," Julius intervened. "Did you get the hydra egg for that contract from the core you found that day in the depths with me?"


    "Yes," Ren smiled. "Like the scorpion ones you asked for. I''ve already have several dozen, but they still need much more mana to finish the process."


    Julius slapped his forehead with his palm. "Ren... I didn''t need that many scorpions. I thought you would make more variety of monsters."


    "The cores were from scorpions," Ren shrugged innocently.


    He didn''t mention anything about the possibility of changing the cores'' nature¡­ Not because Julius didn''t have suspicions already, but it would have too many implications to hide in this room.


    "You''re talking about creating specific eggs from cores?" The director asked incredulously.


    Zhao tried to hide a smile while Wei looked at the ceiling, as if seeking divine patience.


    "About the remaining potions," Victor cleared his throat. "The kingdom would be interested in purchasing them."


    "Oh, they''re not for sale," Ren shook his head. "I''m going to use them all."


    Victor developed a tick in his eye. "It''s useless to use more than one potion. It''s impossible to have more than two beasts by drinking more, it would be a waste..."


    Wei developed an even worse tick.


    "I know," Ren smiled. "They''re not for me. They''re for people I know." He turned to Zhao. "In fact, professor, one is for you."


    The room fell silent again. Zhao blinked in surprise while the others processed the declaration.


    "Ren," Victor massaged his temples. "Those potions are invaluable. You can''t simply..."


    "Why not?" Ren tilted his head. "Larissa told me they''re mine, right? Professor Zhao has supported me. He''s earned it."


    "The boy has a point," Julius smiled slightly. "Technically he can do whatever he wants with them."


    Victor looked about to suffer an aneurysm. "Do you have any idea of the value of those potions? How much noble families would pay for them?"


    "No," Ren shaked his head. "But I prefer to give them to people I care about."


    Zhao had to cough to hide his laughter at Victor''s horrified expression.


    "It''s your right," Julius intervened before his brother could protest further.


    Wei buried his face in his hands, muttering something that sounded suspiciously like "this illogical child is going to give me a heart attack."


    "Fascinating," Victor reclined in his chair, his irritation transforming into interest. "You just rejected a fortune in crystals, political power and noble favors... to give the potions to your teachers and family."


    "And a friend," Ren added casually.


    "A friend?" the director arched an eyebrow.


    "Yes... Though that''s not relevant to this interrogation, is it?"


    Julius observed the child with renewed interest. Under that apparent simplicity and honesty...


    "That''s right, what''s truly important is... Where is the ring?" Victor leaned forward.


    "It disappeared," Ren shrugged.


    "Things don''t simply disappear," Wei found his voice in a higher pitch than planned.


    "Like impossible evolutions don''t exist," Ren smiled innocently. "Nor do bet payments disappear... Right, professor?"


    Wei snapped his mouth shut and sank into his chair, his face pale.


    "Fascinating," Victor murmured, more to himself than the others. "Each of you treats him differently. Zhao like a prodigy, Wei like a threat, Julius like..." he paused, studying his brother. "Like an equal?" S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "The boy is... unusual," the director admitted.


    "Unusual?" Victor laughed. "A first-year student enters an ancestral seed and everyone here seems to have a different opinion about him." He turned to Ren. "Do you know what finding ancestral artifacts means?"


    "What?" Ren asked innocently.


    "It means the noble families are going to tear you apart," Victor smiled humorlessly, his eyes gleaming dangerously. "They''ll pressure you, manipulate you, offer you everything you can imagine until you yield."


    "Victor," Julius warned, but his brother ignored him.


    "Do you think this is a game?" Victor stood, his Gold rank 3 Qilin beginning to manifest. Golden scales appeared on his skin while an aura of power filled the room. "Nobles have spent centuries perfecting the art of getting what they want."


    "Don''t you think you''re exaggerating with that level of pressure mana here..." Zhao tried to intervene. "He''s just a child that¡­"


    "A child?" Victor laughed while advancing toward Ren. His beast''s power grew, making the air itself seem denser. "A child who somehow reached an ancestral seed. A child who has many double potions. A child who hides the most important ring relic of..."


    He stopped abruptly. Something was resonating with his power.


    Ren had begun to glow, but it wasn''t the normal glow of a tamer. The lines of light coursing through his body seemed to respond to the Qilin''s pressure, as if something inside him recognized the power.


    And then it appeared.


    The tiny mushroom manifested atop Ren''s head, its large eyes observing Victor with what seemed like... hunger?

 Chapter 175 - Taming Truth - 5

    Ren had begun to glow, but it wasn''t the normal glow of a tamer. The lines of light coursing through his body seemed to respond to the Qilin''s pressure, as if something inside him recognized the power.


    And then it appeared.


    The tiny mushroom manifested atop Ren''s head, its large eyes observing Victor with what seemed like... hunger?


    The expression was so unexpected on its chubby, childlike face that for a moment no one quite knew how to react.


    The adults froze in place. The creature was absurd with its round cheeks and tiny arms, but there was something about it that didn''t match any known beast. A quality that defied classification.


    The spore evolution they knew was different, much larger and thinner. This was something else entirely.


    But then something even stranger occurred.


    The energy flooding the room began to swirl, as if drawn to an invisible point. The lines of light in Ren''s body pulsed with ancient power.


    The director and Julius also felt their beasts resonate involuntarily, the phoenix and the Qilin responding to the pressure of power far older than themselves.


    The tiny creature opened its chubby mouth and... began to absorb.


    Victor''s Qilin''s power, instead of pressing outward, started flowing toward the mushroom like water into a drain. The intimidating energy transformed as it was consumed, becoming purer, closer to the Qilin''s true nature: benevolence, wisdom, compassion.


    The director''s phoenix resonated as well, its energy of regeneration and life being absorbed and purified until only its essence remained.


    For a brief instant, in Victor''s eyes, the small mushroom seemed to grow, becoming majestic and enormous, like an existence that had witnessed the birth of the world itself. Ancient wisdom peered through those oversized eyes.


    The prince stepped back, his eyes widening in surprise when his beast reacted not with aggression but with... reverence?


    The lines in Ren''s body glowed more intensely as new energies flowed through his system. He could feel the changes: 10% more in fire control and regeneration, courtesy of the phoenix. Also 10% in earth control and vitality from the qilin.


    Two slight improvements and two that, curiously, he couldn''t use... yet.


    The mushroom, satisfied with its feast of power, opened its mouth again... but Ren felt that now it was to speak.


    Ren, snapping out of his amazement, rushed to cover its mouth with his hand.


    "Mmph!" the creature protested, its cheeks puffing up adorably, as if it hadn''t just defied every known law about beasts and mana control.


    The adults observed in silence, their minds struggling to process what they had just witnessed. Victor especially seemed to be fighting between indignation and a strange sensation of respect he couldn''t explain.


    "What... what just happened?" Wei finally managed to ask.


    Victor took another step back. "What in hell is that?"


    "Nothing," Ren responded quickly while wrestling with his mushroom. "Just my spore... My... first beast?"


    "Another new beast path..." Wei muttered, his face pale. "And I could swear it looked like it was going to speak... I must be delirious... yes, delirious..."


    "It wasn''t going to speak," Ren lied blatantly while the mushroom continued struggling against his hand.


    Fortunately, everyone was so distracted by his beast that no one noticed the lie in his eyes.


    Ren smiled nervously while keeping his mushroom''s mouth firmly closed.


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    Julius leaned forward, fascinated. "That''s not a normal beast."


    "Definitely not a spore anymore," Zhao added.


    "It''s just a new cultivation path for the mushroom," Ren insisted. "A very normal and common mushroom that doesn''t..."


    The creature bit his hand in protest.


    "Ow!" Ren shook his injured hand while the mushroom opened its mouth again.


    Just then, someone knocked on the door.


    Ren took advantage to force his beast back into his body.


    The mushroom disappeared instantly, but left behind the strange regal atmosphere it had created. The lines in Ren''s body faded, though he could feel the new power percentages settling into his system.


    The five adults stared at the empty space, each trying to rationalize what they had seen. Victor''s Qilin stirred restlessly, as if remembering something important it couldn''t express.


    "Come in," the director managed to say, his voice betraying his bewilderment.


    Lin entered first, her crane manifesting and slightly enhancing her elegant posture. However, that elegance evaporated when she saw Ren.


    "Ren!" she launched herself at him, trapping him in a hug that squeezed all the air from his lungs.


    "Hiiiii!" the high-pitched sound that escaped Ren made Victor arch an eyebrow.


    "I brought reinforcements," Lin whispered in his ear taking advantage of the noise while squeezing him, though her expression turned worried as she indicated someone else had come. "But there was an unwanted visitor in her office..."


    Behind her, Selphira Ashenway entered with the grace that only decades of power can bestow. Liora''s grandmother, leader of one of the three main families, observed the scene with astute eyes.


    "Well, well," she smiled while approaching. "Why are so many important adults bothering a poor child?"


    "We''re not bothering him," Zhao and Julius responded almost in unison.


    Wei sank deeper into his chair, as if wanting to disappear. The director straightened, adopting a formal posture.


    "Lady Selphira," he greeted with a bow. "We weren''t expecting..." Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Of course not," she interrupted him kindly. Behind her, another figure entered the room.


    Sirius Starweaver, Luna''s father, remained near the door, his expression cold and distant. His eyes barely rested on Ren before returning to Selphira.


    "This doesn''t concern you," Victor complained. "With all respect, persistent old counselor, this isn''t your problem. We''re just teaching the lucky boy that fortune isn''t always something good."


    "Luck?" Sirius showed a flash of interest. "What kind of luck?"


    "He''ll be made noble," Julius responded, studying Luna''s father''s reaction.


    "Is he already a gold student?" Sirius asked, his tone suggesting the answer would determine if he was worth his time and interest.


    "Not yet," Zhao and Julius responded simultaneously, exchanging an amused look at the coincidence.


    The interest in Sirius''s eyes died as quickly as it had appeared. "Selphira, we should continue our discussion. This is..."


    "One moment," Selphira raised a hand. "Why don''t you go see your daughter while I help my niece Lin resolve this situation? I''ll catch up later to see my granddaughter Liora."


    The temperature in the room seemed to drop several degrees.


    "My daughter is being properly educated at the institution, I didn''t come to distract her," Sirius responded with an icy voice. "We have more important matters that..."


    "More important than your daughter, who was almost kidnapped?" Selphira''s smile didn''t waver, but her eyes flashed dangerously.


    "Luna is strong," Sirius responded dryly. "She doesn''t need coddling."


    Lin squeezed Ren tighter, as if wanting to protect him from the tense atmosphere that had formed.


    But quickly they felt their bodies relax... Breathing in the atmosphere that the mushroom had created.


    "Fascinating," Selphira commented, feeling the atmosphere. "Well, since you insist on staying then you can wait..." she turned to Victor. "What were you saying about teaching lessons to my future prot¨¦g¨¦?"

 Chapter 176 - Taming Truth - 6

    Lin squeezed Ren tighter, as if wanting to protect him from the tense atmosphere that had formed.


    But quickly they felt their bodies relax... Breathing in the atmosphere that the mushroom had created.


    "Fascinating," Selphira commented, feeling the atmosphere. "Well, since you insist on staying then you can wait..." she turned to Victor. "What were you saying about teaching lessons to my future prot¨¦g¨¦?"


    "Your what?" Victor blinked in surprise, his composure slipping for the first time.


    "Oh, didn''t you hear me?" Selphira smiled sweetly, though steel lurked beneath her gentle tone. "As leader of the Ashenways, I''m taking a personal interest in this future young noble''s development."


    Wei groaned audibly, slumping further in his chair. Julius hid a smile while Zhao watched with evident amusement, clearly enjoying the show.


    "You can''t simply..." Victor began, his authority crumbling before the elderly noble''s presence.


    "I can''t?" Selphira arched an eyebrow, her smile never wavering. "How curious. I wasn''t aware that a single prince, one whom I taught as a child, could dictate whom I may or may not protect."


    Victor choked on his own indignation while Lin finally released Ren, who took a dramatic gasp of air.


    "Now," Selphira sat gracefully in a chair that no one had offered, commanding the room''s attention with effortless authority, "why don''t you tell me exactly what''s happening here?"


    ????


    After the director explained the situation, Sirius''s face showed genuine interest for the first time.


    "The ring has been released?" his eyes fixed on Ren with predatory intensity. "And these children know where it is?"


    "Apparently your daughter also participated in the incident so you should ask her directly," Selphira commented casually, though her words carried a sharp rebuke. "In fact, since I''m here, I should make use of my visit to see Liora. Perhaps she knows something more..."


    Sirius frowned at the mention of Luna but didn''t respond, his cold demeanor growing more rigid.


    "Where is the ring?" Victor pressed Ren again, but the truth remained unchanged.


    "As I said before, it disappeared," Ren responded with the same tranquility. "Poof."


    "Maybe we should focus on his strange creature," Wei suggested nervously, fidgeting in his seat. "Something tells me it must have something to do with all this... What we saw before..."


    "Ah," Selphira interrupted, exchanging a meaningful look with Lin. "That would be in very poor taste."


    "Poor taste?" Victor arched an eyebrow, his voice dripping with skepticism.


    "Of course," Selphira smiled kindly, though her eyes glinted with challenge. "After all, how many here freely share their beast cultivation secrets?"


    An uncomfortable silence fell over the room as her words hit home.


    "The royal family''s Qilin," she continued, "can any student find information about its cultivation in the academy library?"


    Julius and Victor exchanged looks, unable to counter her point.


    "The high ranks of wolverines either, the director''s phoenix..." Selphira continued listing, each example another nail in their argument''s coffin. "Are there any books about the final ranks of Victor''s eagle? Or about Sirius''s White Celestial Tiger?"


    Sirius tensed visibly, his shoulders going rigid at the mention of his beast.


    "Even I," Selphira smiled, "would never share with you the secrets of my family about cultivation of my Black Turtle."


    "That''s different," Victor began, but Selphira raised a hand, silencing him effortlessly.


    "Is it?" her smile turned sharp as a razor. "Wei and Zhao are the only ones here whose beasts have publicly available cultivation information. And that''s only because researchers were properly compensated for it."


    "The situation requires..." Victor tried to argue.


    "What?" Selphira interrupted softly, her gentle tone carrying more force than any shout. "That a child reveal his cultivation secrets without compensation? Without even being properly asked permission?"


    Lin, Zhao, the director and Julius nodded silently, acknowledging the truth in her words.


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    "If you''re so interested," Selphira continued, her logic inexorable, "you should make a proper offer. Negotiate appropriately. Not interrogate a child with threats to steal secrets that might as well be familial."


    "Familial?" Sirius snorted derisively. "He''s barely iron rank... he''s far from even being the lowest noble rank and¡­"


    "And yet," Selphira smiled, triumph gleaming in her eyes, "he already has secrets that all of you are desperate to know. Fascinating, don''t you think?"


    Lin, who had remained close to Ren throughout, hid a smile.


    "But the ring is more important than any cultivation secret," Sirius tried to redirect the conversation.


    "Ah, yes," Selphira nodded sagely. "The ring that, according to all testimonies, simply disappeared. Shouldn''t we stop bothering children to fix our problems and start looking for our lost things ourselves then? Like adults."


    "This is ridiculous," Victor complained, though his authority continued to crumble. "We can''t simply..."


    "Can''t what?" Selphira interrupted again, her voice sharp. "Respect the same principles we demand for ourselves? Or do rules of humanity only apply when they''re convenient?"


    Ren watched the exchange with fascination while his mushrooms pulsed softly.


    "Cultivation secrets are one thing," Victor crossed his arms, trying to regain ground. "But this is different. The boy is too suspicious."


    "They found a Yino spy in the school," Sirius added. "Victor is right, Selphira. We can''t ignore the coincidences..."


    Selphira exchanged a look with Lin, who nodded almost imperceptibly. The Ashenway leader sighed with resignation before turning to Ren.


    "Very well," she smiled while leaning toward him. "Let''s make this simple. Just answer yes or no. Understood?"


    Ren nodded.


    "Were you born in Yino?"


    "No."


    "Have you ever been to Yino?"


    "No."


    "Do you work for someone from Yino?"


    "No."


    "Do you have contact with people from Yino?"


    "No."


    "Have you received training from Yino?"


    "No."


    "Have you been offered anything from Yino?"


    "No."


    "Is Yano your home?"


    "Yes."


    "Have you considered living in Yino?"


    "No."


    She asked him dozens of questions...


    Each answer was clear and firm while the adults analyzed for lies.


    "You know what?" Selphira straightened, satisfaction evident in her bearing. "I think we can conclude this interrogation."


    "Just like that?" Victor stepped forward, disbelief coloring his voice.


    "Just like that," Selphira nodded with finality. "You can maintain surveillance on the children without interfering with their academic life or basic privacy."


    "But..." Sirius began.


    "But nothing," Selphira took Ren''s arm gently. "We''re leaving."


    Victor advanced, his Qilin manifesting partially. "You can''t simply..."


    Selphira stopped at the door and turned slowly. Her smile turned dangerous, decades of power radiating from her slight frame.


    "Want to test that, Victor?" her voice softened to almost a whisper. "Or would you prefer everyone to know about that little boy I so fondly called ''little bird''?"


    Victor visibly paled. Julius had to cough to hide a laugh while Wei looked between them with horrified fascination.


    "That was decades ago," Victor protested, though he took a step back.


    "And you think I''ve forgotten?" Selphira arched an eyebrow. "My memory works perfectly. Want to test it?"


    "That won''t be necessary," Julius intervened, clearly enjoying the moment. "I think we can all agree that respectful surveillance is sufficient."


    "But the ring..." Sirius insisted.


    "Look for it if you want it," Selphira responded calmly. "Or don''t. Either way, torturing a child with interrogations won''t make it magically materialize."


    "We weren''t torturing..." Ignatius began.


    "No?" Selphira interrupted. "Five powerful adults intimidating a first-year student. What would you call it?"


    The silence that followed was eloquent. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "That''s what I thought," Selphira smiled. "Now, if you''ll excuse me, I''m taking this young man with me. And Victor..." her smile widened, "remember that birds are adorable creatures and qilins are so benevolent they avoid stepping on grass."


    As they left, Ren couldn''t help but ask in a low voice: "Did you really call him ''little bird''?"


    "Oh yes," Selphira laughed softly. "It''s his worst fear that others will learn why."


    "Why?"


    "Because of ego," Selphira winked at him, "but sometimes princes need to be reminded that power comes in many forms. It''s not always the strongest or loudest who wins."


    Behind them, they could hear Victor muttering something about "manipulative old witches" while Julius and Zhao laughed openly.


    "Besides, back then," Selphira added as they walked away, "he sang surprisingly well."

 Chapter 177 - Taming Nobility

    "Do you know what finding ancestral artifacts means?" Selphira asked Ren, her eyes studying him with keen interest.


    "That I''ll become noble?" Ren responded casually, as if discussing the weather.


    "Not until you reach at least gold rank in school... But it''s more than that, it makes you someone important. Someone who''ll need to know how to play the game."


    "I''m not interested in those games..." Ren began.


    "Oh, but you''re already playing, and from what I saw, quite well," her smile widened, eyes twinkling with approval. "Each person in that room saw you differently, and yet..." she paused meaningfully, "none could prove anything concrete about what happened."


    Lin watched her aunt with relative caution. She was a great ally, but her interests sometimes came at a steep price... For example, the cultivation of her beast would have...


    "Nobility isn''t just titles and land rights," Selphira continued, her voice carrying many years of accumulated wisdom. "It''s power. Influence. The ability to make others see you as you want them to see you."


    "Like a normal student who just wants to earn many crystals for his poor family?" Ren suggested innocently.


    "See, Lin? This is exactly what I''m talking about. The boy already understands the game better than most adult nobles."


    ????


    Shortly after Selphira and Ren left the room, the remaining adults regained their composure, but...


    Wei practically jumped from his seat, nearly tripping in his haste. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I... uh... have to go," he muttered while backing toward the door. His eyes carefully avoided making contact with the powerful figures remaining in the room.


    "So soon?" Julius smiled, clearly enjoying his discomfort.


    "Yes, I have to... buy a rune," Wei swallowed hard while glancing sideways to where Lin had been. If she was a close niece to Matriarch Selphira, perhaps he should make sure that rune was of especially good quality.


    Victor let out an amused snort while Wei practically fled from the room.


    "I''m leaving too," Zhao stood with a smile that threatened to split his face in two.


    "Why is the "cold blooded hunter of Yano" so happy?" Victor asked, though everyone knew the answer.


    "Oh, nothing in particular," Zhao tried to maintain composure, but his eyes sparkled like a child in a candy store. "Just... matters to attend to."


    "Matters related to a certain potion?" Julius teased.


    Zhao''s smile widened even further, if that was possible. "I don''t know what you''re talking about."


    Director Ignatius watched the professor practically float toward the exit, a stab of envy piercing him. Everyone present, except him, either was or would be a double tamer. But as a respectable director, he maintained his neutral and elegant expression.


    "You can take your time visiting your student relatives," he offered with all the dignity he could muster. "As main benefactors of the academy, you have free access to the facilities. Though it will be a favor since visits aren''t school¡äs normal policy."


    "Normal policy?" Victor laughed. "You mean you can''t deny us entry even if you wanted to."


    "Victor," Julius warned, though he was smiling at seeing Ignatius ''elegance'' falter.


    Sirius, who had remained silent, headed toward the door with an annoyed expression. It was obvious that Selphira had escaped their previous discussion by coming here.


    "Lord Starweaver," the director called. "Don''t you wish to see your daughter?" Read new chapters at My Virtual Library Empire


    "It''s not necessary," Sirius responded dryly without stopping.


    He reached the door and opened it, but stopped. His hand tensed on the handle as he seemed to fight an internal battle.


    After what seemed like an eternal moment, he released the door again and turned.


    "Where..." he coughed uncomfortably. "Where are they keeping her?"


    Julius and Victor exchanged a meaningful look while the director gave Sirius directions... they nodded before turning to the director.


    "We''ll go see Larissa too," Julius announced.


    "Yes," Victor nodded. "And director... don''t forget what was agreed upon."


    Ignatius sighed. "The six new operatives."


    "Exactly," Victor smiled, but there was no warmth in his expression. "The previous ones were... insufficient."


    "They''re good elements," the director defended.


    "So good they sided with the girls," Victor responded coldly.


    "This time they''ll be different," Julius intervened. "More experienced and specialized in searching."


    "And more lethal for the remaining spies," Victor added.


    Sirius, who had been listening to the exchange, frowned. "More guards for the girls?"


    "To protect them and search for the ring," Julius explained.


    "Luna must become strong... she doesn''t need..." Sirius began, but Victor interrupted him.


    "No? Didn''t you read the report? She needed help when that spy almost took her to Yino."


    The silence that followed was tense.


    Julius broke it. "We''ll pay all costs for these 8 years as agreed, don''t worry... Even though they''ve been discovered, she''ll be protected as best as possible."


    Sirius clenched his fists but didn''t respond.


    "The new operatives will arrive tonight," Victor continued, his tone brooking no argument. "And this time, director, make sure they have free and constant access to protect them... Or next time," he smiled while his Qilin manifested a golden aura, "we won''t be so understanding about security failures in your academy."


    Julius sighed, "He''s just worried about Larissa, director, don''t take it to heart. This time we need you to allow more freedom to the assets."


    "The students will be frightened, the spies will be even more careful," Ignatius lightly protested.


    "Good," Victor headed toward the door. "Perhaps a little fear and stress will teach them to respect our kingdom."


    As the three last visitors left to see the girls, the director remained alone in his office, contemplating how to maintain the delicate balance between protection and ''learning freedom'' in his academy.


    He wondered if this time the cure wouldn''t be worse than the disease.


    ????


    "So," Selphira smiled as they walked, "what do you plan to do with the potions you obtained?"


    "Give them away... One is for my teacher Lin," Ren responded immediately, causing his teacher to nearly stumble.


    "For me?" Lin blinked in surprise.


    "Of course, teacher," Ren nodded while his mushrooms pulsed softly. "You''ve earned it with all the support and training you''ve given me."


    "Little one," Selphira stopped, studying him with curiosity. "Do you have any idea how much one of those potions is worth?"


    "Not really," Ren shrugged. "But it doesn''t matter."


    The elderly woman laughed softly. "With a single potion you could obtain enormous favors from noble families when you assume your position."


    "I don''t want to be noble," Ren protested.


    "No?" Selphira arched an eyebrow. "You don''t want anything? You have no ambition? You said something about getting crystals for your family, right?"


    Ren paused a moment, considering. "Well... I''d like to get a decent house for my parents. One that''s not on the outskirts, that helps them feel successful and not have to walk with their heads down."


    "A decent house for your parents?" Selphira repeated. "How good?"


    "Something in the city would be nice," Ren responded. "It doesn''t need to be anything special..."


    "Ah," Selphira smiled shrewdly. "Do your parents deserve just something ''decent''? Or do they deserve the best?"

 Chapter 178 - Taming Nobility - 2

    "A decent house for your parents?" Selphira repeated. "How good?"


    "Something in the city would be nice," Ren responded. "It doesn''t need to be anything special..."


    "Ah," Selphira smiled shrewdly. "Do your parents deserve just something ''decent''? Or do they deserve the best?"


    Ren''s mushrooms pulsed with greater intensity as he processed those words, their light reflecting his deepening thoughts.


    "The best," he finally responded, conviction growing in his voice. "They deserve the best."


    "Then aim higher," Selphira nodded with approval. "You know? You could get one of the best houses in the city."


    "With the potion?" Ren asked.


    "No, no," Selphira shook her head. "Well, maybe with the potion or with enough money you could get a favor to obtain a large house near the center... but you''d still have to keep your head down with no status."


    "Why?"


    "Because respect isn''t bought so easily," Lin intervened softly, her voice carrying the weight of experience. "No matter how much money you have, without position..."


    "Exactly," Selphira nodded. "If you want a truly grand house, one where your family can walk with their heads held high, you need to be at least noble."


    "And for that," she continued as they resumed walking, "you need to reach at least gold student rank."


    "How long would that take?" Ren asked, his curiosity piqued.


    "You need to get perfect marks in all your units. First advance to bronze 1 next semester, bronze 2 the following one, silver 1 and so on until reaching at least gold 1," Lin explained, counting off the steps.


    "Minimum three years, you could be there upon entering your fourth year if you''re a perfect student," Selphira responded. "But it''s not easy. Being realistic, most students never achieve it."


    Ren''s mushrooms pulsed with determination. "If my parents will get the respect they deserve... I''ll do it."


    "And you still insist on giving the potion to Lin?"


    "Of course," Ren smiled. "If I''m going to be noble, I''ll need strong and cool allies, won''t I?"


    Selphira burst out laughing while Lin blushed slightly.


    "Clever," the elderly woman nodded with approval. "Although..." she turned to Lin, her expression growing more serious. "We''ll have to be discreet about this..."


    Lin seemed to shrink into herself. "Aunt, I..."


    "As long as he doesn''t find out," Selphira sighed, "I won''t have to punish you for this."


    Ren looked between them, confused. "He?"


    "The succession happened years ago," Selphira continued, ignoring Ren''s question. "It shouldn''t be a major problem now."


    "Succession?" Ren insisted.


    Lin avoided his gaze while studying the ceiling with sudden interest.


    "Some families," the elderly woman finally responded, "have very specific rules about who can be their leader and who cannot."


    "But you..."


    "It''s complicated," Lin interrupted softly. "And it''s not important now."


    Her eyes pleaded with him to drop the subject, so Ren nodded, though curiosity still burned within him.


    "What''s important," Selphira resumed her cheerful tone, "is that you''ve started thinking bigger. That''s good."


    "A noble house," Ren murmured, imagining his parents walking proudly through the city. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "A huge house," Selphira confirmed. "And much more, if you play your cards right."


    "My cards?"


    "Oh yes," the elderly woman smiled. "You already have some very interesting ones: double tamers, a unique beast, the support of a certain princess..."


    "And a terrifying teacher," Ren added, looking at Lin.


    "And a terrifying teacher," Selphira laughed. "Though," her eyes sparkled with amusement, "if I were you, I''d be more afraid of the aunt than the niece."


    Lin coughed to hide a laugh as they approached the room where Ren''s friends waited.


    "After all," Selphira added casually, "not just anyone can turn princes into little birds."


    ????


    The door opened without prior announcement.


    Sirius Starweaver stood in the threshold, his imposing figure partially blocking the hallway light.


    The nine girls in the room fell silent instantly. The guards exchanged uncomfortable looks while Luna, who had been conversing softly with her cousins, visibly tensed.


    Sirius said nothing. He simply made a gesture with his hand, summoning his daughter.


    Luna rose slowly, her usual elegance shadowed by an unnatural rigidity. She crossed the room under her companions'' worried gazes and stepped into the hallway. The door closed behind her with a click that sounded too loud in the silence.


    The atmosphere in the room remained tense until new knocks on the door broke the moment.


    Julius and Victor entered, bringing with them a less oppressive though equally authoritative air.


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    "Larissa," Julius smiled at his sister. "You''re free to leave here now, but..."


    "Liora," Victor addressed their cousin. "Your grandmother came to see you. If you want, you can go find her."


    Liora looked at Larissa, understanding the unspoken message. When her cousin nodded slightly, she stood and left the room.


    "Well?" Larissa looked at her brothers once the door closed again. "What do you want?"


    "Your friend Ren spilled everything," Victor smiled maliciously. "You''re in trouble."


    Larissa burst into laughter that surprised the guards. "Really? You still can''t fool the mana detection, you know?"


    Julius sighed. "Alright, you caught us. You''re free to go, but..."


    "The ''seekers'' will stay with you until the ring matter is resolved," Victor completed.


    Larissa sighed dramatically. "Fine," she shrugged. "Though I warn you they won''t find anything."


    "Don''t be so sure," Julius smiled. "In fact, I specifically asked one of them to ''watch over'' our friend Ren."


    Larissa''s cheeks puffed up in an adorable pout that made some guards have to contain their smiles.


    Victor let out a laugh. "What''s wrong, little sister? Upset because we''ll discover your tricks?"


    "No," Larissa crossed her arms. "I''m upset because I had just gotten the chance to watch him and now you''re taking that away."


    The brothers exchanged a meaningful look.


    "Larissa," Victor knelt before her, his voice turning serious. "You''re too young for foolish ideas."


    "What foolish ideas?" she protested.


    "You''re a princess," Victor continued relentlessly. "There''s no place for common interests like those. Forget it."


    "Common interests?" one of the guards murmured, earning an elbow from her companion.


    "He''s just a commoner who got lucky," Victor insisted.


    "Exactly," Larissa nodded. "Don''t you find that fascinating?"


    "What I find," Victor growled, "is that you need to focus on things more appropriate for your position."


    "Like learning to lie better," Larissa smiled innocently. "Or is that not appropriate either?"


    Julius had to cough to hide a laugh while Victor developed a tick in his eye.


    "The seekers stay," Victor declared firmly. "And you''ll keep away from that boy."


    "Of course, dear brother," Larissa smiled sweetly. "I''ll stay as far away as you stayed from the castle maids."


    This time Julius couldn''t contain his laughter.


    "You were almost a baby then," Victor protested. "How can you even..."


    "Liora''s grandmother tells great stories," Larissa winked. "Especially about a certain little bird prince."


    Victor turned toward the door, muttering something about "gossipy old witches" and "princesses too clever for their own good."

 Chapter 179 - Taming Nobility - 3

    When Ren opened the room''s door, the first thing he saw was Min standing on his hands, Taro flexing his arms in a strange pose, and Liu trying to imitate what appeared to be a battle stance... all shirtless.


    The three froze upon seeing Lin and Selphira.


    "AAAAHH!" the collective scream resonated through the hallway.


    Ren closed the door immediately, his face a mask of perfect expressionlessness. His mushrooms, however, pulsed fast with what could only be secondhand embarrassment.


    Behind him, Selphira hid a smile behind her hand while Lin blinked in confusion.


    "Should we...?" Lin began to ask.


    "Let''s give them a moment," Ren responded, his voice completely flat.


    From inside the room came sounds of frantic movement, several falls, and what suspiciously sounded like Min shouting "My shirt! Where''s my shirt?"


    After what felt like an eternity but was probably only thirty seconds, Ren opened the door again.


    The three boys were sitting on their beds, fully dressed and wearing expressions of absolute innocence, as if nothing had happened.


    "Welcome," Taro smiled with such artificial calm it was painful to watch.


    "What a beautiful day, isn''t it?" Liu added while smoothing down a shirt with clearly misaligned buttons.


    Min simply smiled, though his shirt was inside out.


    Ren observed his friends and sighed deeply. "Did I really give transformation potions to these clowns?"


    Selphira laughed openly while Lin tried to maintain a serious expression and failed miserably.


    "Potions don''t cure foolishness in men," Selphira commented cheerfully. "In fact, some cases make me believe they double it."


    Ren approached the small table where the four remaining potions rested. Selphira''s eyes opened slightly upon seeing them, a spark of recognition and something else crossing her gaze.


    Without ceremony, Ren took one and turned to Lin.


    "Teacher," he said simply, extending the potion.


    Lin remained motionless for a moment, her eyes fixed on the glowing crystal.


    "Ren," her voice was barely a whisper. "I..."


    She couldn''t finish the sentence. Instead, she caught Ren in a hug that made his mushrooms pulse with surprise. Small tears rolled down her cheeks while Ren held the potion against her chest.


    Selphira observed the scene with a small smile, something soft replacing the usual cunning in her eyes. She opened her mouth to say something, but at that moment someone knocked on the door.


    Ren''s mushrooms pulsed with curiosity while Lin quickly dried her eyes.


    "More visits so soon?" Selphira murmured, her expression turning cautious.


    "Come in," Ren responded to the knock.


    Wei poked his head in cautiously, as if fearing to find something dangerous inside. Upon seeing Selphira, he seemed to shrink even more, but forced himself to enter completely.


    "I... uh..." he cleared his throat nervously while holding a rune that glowed with a whitish tone. "I came to deliver this."


    Lin, still with moist eyes, shot him a look that could have frozen a volcano. Wei audibly swallowed.


    "The bronze rank 2 light rune," he hurried to explain while advancing with rigid steps toward the nearest table. "As agreed."


    He placed the rune with as much care as if it were a bomb about to explode, making sure Lin could clearly see he was fulfilling his part of the deal.


    "The debt is settled and recorded for the month''s report," he added quickly while backing toward the door. "I''m leaving... I have to... there are things that..."


    He didn''t finish any of his sentences. He simply made an awkward bow and practically fled from the room.


    Selphira waited until Wei''s hurried footsteps were lost in the hallway before letting out a giggle.


    "Well, well," she smiled looking at Ren. "It seems you have Wei completely dominated."


    Ren let out a nervous laugh. "Not really, just..."


    "Just defeated him in his own specialty, proved him wrong, and got one of the most expensive runes out of him?" Min suggested with a smile.


    "And he runs every time he sees you," Taro added.


    "Like a fire mouse before a water cat," Liu completed.


    "Shut up," Ren looked at them reproachfully, though his mushrooms pulsed with amusement.


    Lin resumed the hug, taking Ren by surprise. "Thank you so much, Ren. I¡­"


    "It''s only fair," Ren shrugged. "After all, you..."


    Another knock on the door interrupted his words.


    "Has everyone decided to visit you today?"


    "Fame has its disadvantages," Selphira commented with an enigmatic smile while observing the door with renewed interest.


    "Come in," Ren responded again.


    The door opened revealing Liora, who peeked in timidly. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Excuse me," she smiled softly. "A guard told me my grandmother was here..."


    "Ah, my little one!" Selphira brightened upon seeing her. "Just in time. I was thinking of going to find you."


    The elderly woman turned to Ren with a mischievous smile. "I''ll leave you with Lin to finish your ''loving embrace'', those moments are important."


    The effect was immediate.


    The boys'' cheeks blazed like embers, Ren looked like he wanted his mushrooms to absorb him and disappear. Min, Taro and Liu blushed by pure proximity to the situation, and Liora, who had no context of what had happened, reddened at the insinuation.


    "Aunt, you''re going to confuse the children!" Lin protested weakly.


    Selphira laughed, clearly enjoying the chaos she had created. "Oh, come on. I''m just pointing out the obvious. After all, not every day does a student give their teacher something so valuable..."


    Ren''s mushrooms pulsed with embarrassment while Lin seemed to debate between gratitude and mortification.


    "By the way, Ren," Selphira continued while heading toward the door. "I''ll be watching your development. I''m very interested in seeing how someone with your... peculiarities evolves."


    Her smile turned more calculating. "And of course, you''ll always be welcome in my faction once you achieve your noble appointment. Someone as interesting as you has potential."


    With a final laugh at everyone''s flustered expressions, Selphira left to the hallway with Liora.


    Once outside, her expression turned more serious.


    "Now, dear," she addressed her granddaughter as they walked. "Tell me exactly what happened in that seed."


    "I don''t know much," Liora admitted. "I was unconscious most of the time."


    "But?"


    "But Larissa told me some things," Liora lowered her voice. "She said Ren was... crucial. That he saved us."


    "Oh?" Selphira arched an eyebrow with interest. "Did she mention how?"


    "Not exactly," Liora shook her head. "But the way she said it... I''ve never seen Larissa so impressed by someone."


    "Fascinating," Selphira murmured. "You know? I think you should pay more attention to that boy." Read the latest on My Virtual Library Empire


    "More attention?"


    "Yes," Selphira smiled. "In fact, I''d like you to report directly to me about him from now on."

 Chapter 180 - Taming Nobility - 4

    "Fascinating," Selphira murmured. "You know? I think you should pay more attention to that boy."


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    "Yes," Selphira smiled. "In fact, I''d like you to report directly to me about him from now on."


    Liora blinked in surprise. "You too want me to watch him?"


    "Yes," Selphira nodded. "But be... subtle. We don''t need others getting territorial, do we?"


    "Grandmother," Liora narrowed her eyes. "What are you planning?"


    "Oh, nothing special," Selphira laughed softly. "Just making sure I don''t miss the show."


    "You think he''ll do important things?"


    "Dear," Selphira smiled, wisdom gleaming in her aged eyes. "He already is. The question is: who will be better positioned to capture him when he rises? Now take me to the main door..."


    As they walked down the hallway, Selphira added almost to herself: "I didn''t expect so much from this visit, and... It will be fun imagining Sirius''s face when he learns I used coming here as an excuse to escape his boring petitions."


    "Grandmother..." Liora sighed, though a small smile formed on her lips.


    "What? An old woman needs her entertainment," Selphira laughed. "And something tells me that boy is going to provide me with plenty."


    ????


    While walking away from Larissa''s room, Julius observed his brother from the corner of his eye.


    "You''re not as unpleasant when giving orders anymore... You''ve changed," he commented casually.


    Victor snorted. "You''re the unpleasant one."


    "I''m serious," Julius smiled. "Before, you wouldn''t have let Larissa get away with it. You would have tripled her surveillance just on principle."


    "Tch," Victor looked away. "It''s not a bad idea for her to keep an eye on that strange boy anyway. There''s something about him that doesn''t quite add up to me."


    "So you''re not worried about her interest in him?"


    "I just hope Larissa matures and understands her role on her own," Victor evaded the question. "She''s a princess, she can''t go around being fascinated by any commoner who shows unusual tricks."


    Julius laughed softly. "You''ve matured."


    "I don''t know whether to take that as a compliment," Victor growled, but after a moment added in a lower voice: "After going to look for father in that... madhouse in the platinum ring, I realized some things."


    "Oh?"


    "The world is too big to think you''re strong," Victor shook his head. "I was like a frog in a well, thinking the sky was only what I could see from below."


    "Zhao said something similar when he returned from looking for you," Julius nodded. "Though I suppose it was worse for him¡­ and he didn''t even have to enter the platinum ring."


    "His beast is good at hiding," Victor acknowledged. "But he probably saw enough from the shadows and at the edge of the platinum 1 ring when he found me."


    They walked in silence for a moment before Victor spoke again.


    "Speaking of Zhao," his expression turned thoughtful. "Now that he''ll be a double tamer, maybe we should find him a good complement for his beast. He''s an excellent soldier."


    "Thinking about the Goldcrests?"


    "With things as they are," Victor nodded gravely, "we''ll need all the support possible when the time comes to punish them."


    "Do you think father will arrive in time...?"


    "Father is still trying to understand that thing," Victor interrupted. "As I told you when I arrived, I don''t know when he''ll return... but when he does, the evidence will be undeniable. The Goldcrests have crossed too many lines."


    "Experimenting on children," Julius murmured. "Helping abyssal spies enter here..."


    "Betraying the kingdom," Victor completed. "The question is: how many more are involved?"


    "Do you already suspect someone specific?"


    "Just suspicions," Victor smiled humorlessly. "Nothing concrete. But I trust my gut... It''s what kept me alive in the platinum ring."


    Julius studied his brother with new appreciation. The old Victor would have declared open war on the Goldcrests at the first hint of betrayal. This more mature Victor... was more dangerous to their enemies.


    "You know?" Julius smiled. "I think I understand why you let Larissa keep her little spy game with the mushroom boy."


    "Oh?"


    "It''s better to have friendly eyes on him than make him more cautious," Julius winked. "You''ve definitely matured."


    "Shut up," Victor growled, but a small smile formed on his lips. "I just hope Zhao knows how to choose his second beast well. It''s not every day you get the chance to be a double tamer."


    "With luck," Julius laughed, "he''ll choose better than a certain prince who ended up with an eagle when he could have had something with better synergy for the Qilin."


    "My golden eagle is perfectly capable," Victor defended. "Not everyone needs 2 boring earth beasts."


    "Boring? My beasts have perfect synergy!"


    "Your beasts are pretentious," Victor corrected. "Like their tamer."


    As the brothers continued their way between jokes and more serious plans, the echo of their voices was lost in the academy''s hallways. The storm brewing with the Goldcrests was still on the horizon, but preparations had already begun.


    ????


    Larissa watched through the window, lost in her thoughts.


    Things hadn''t gone as badly as she feared. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Her brothers hadn''t discovered her most important secret: that she was now a double tamer.


    A sigh escaped her lips as she thought about Liora''s family. The Ashenways were different. Not only did they allow women to lead, but their own matriarch, Selphira, was a respected and feared double tamer.


    ''It must be nice,'' she thought while her mineral fairy glowed softly beneath her skin. ''Not having to hide your desire for power.''


    Her thoughts drifted to Luna. Would her situation be similar? Were the Starweavers like the Dravenholms, bound to antiquated traditions? Or like the Ashenways, more progressive?


    But Luna never talked about her family¡­


    As if her thoughts had summoned her, Luna entered the room. Her head was down, her usual elegance tarnished by something that seemed to weigh on her shoulders.


    "Luna?" Larissa called softly. "Are you alright?"


    There was no response. Luna simply sat on her bed, her gaze fixed on the floor.


    Larissa approached, extending a hand to touch her cousin''s shoulder. But before she could, something emerged from Luna''s shadow.


    A black snake, its scaly skin gleaming with a dark luster, materialized holding an envelope in its fangs. Larissa recognized it instantly, it was the most common beast from the random black egg, the one everyone had expected Luna to get in the first place.


    Its abilities were similar to the shadow wolf''s, though it lacked elemental control and its potential was limited to silver rank 3. It was a respectable beast, but not exceptional.


    ''Uncle Sirius''s second beast,'' Larissa realized as the snake deposited the envelope in Luna''s hands.

 Chapter 181 - Lin, Double Tamer

    A black snake. Larissa recognized it instantly, it was the most common beast from the random black egg, the one everyone had expected Luna to get in the first place.


    Its abilities were similar to the shadow wolf''s, though it lacked elemental control and its potential was limited to silver rank 3. It was a respectable beast, but not exceptional.


    ''Uncle Sirius''s second beast,'' Larissa realized as the snake deposited the envelope in Luna''s hands.


    The change was subtle but immediate. Luna''s somber countenance seemed to lighten slightly while her fingers caressed the envelope. The snake slid back into the shadows, vanishing as if it had never been there.


    Luna carefully tucked the envelope into her clothes, her movements almost reverent.


    "Is everything alright?" Larissa asked softly.


    Luna''s cheeks tinged pink. She avoided her cousin''s gaze, her eyes fixed on a distant point.


    "Yes," she finally responded, her voice barely a whisper.


    It was the smallest voice Larissa had ever heard from her cousin, so different from her usual confident and controlled tone. But there was something in it, a note of... happiness?


    Larissa observed Luna for a moment more before returning to her own bed. She wouldn''t press. If her cousin wanted to share the message''s contents, she would in her own time.


    Meanwhile, she couldn''t help but wonder what kind of message could cause such a change in Luna''s always stoic countenance. What words could uncle Sirius have written that could transform sadness into that soft blush?


    Perhaps, Larissa thought while her mineral fairy glowed with curiosity, other families'' traditions weren''t as simple as they appeared at first glance.


    ????


    "I''ve been thinking," Lin caressed the potion while speaking, "about which beast to choose."


    "Do you already have an idea?" Ren asked while his mushrooms pulsed with interest.


    "All my life I''ve practiced hand-to-hand combat," Lin explained. "I''d like to deepen that. I was considering beasts that increase speed or strength."


    She stood and began walking around the room, gesturing while explaining. "The problem is that the main family doesn''t know decent cultivation methods for direct combat beasts, except for the crane."


    "And that worries you because...?" Ren encouraged her to continue.


    "I''d need classic noble beasts if I want to reach gold," Lin sighed. "In school, the beasts known to have a chance to reach gold 1 are basically three: the Cockatrice, the gargoyle, and the pegasus."


    "They''re not seen often..." Min leaned forward, interested.


    "No, they all have less than 1% probability in random eggs," Lin grimaced. "And they''re expensive eggs. Besides, none gives me exactly what I''m looking for..."


    "...The pegasus could be useful," she suggested while sitting again. "Though it''s not ideal."


    "For what you''re looking for," Ren intervened, "a fire panther lizard would be excellent... It also has good synergy."


    Lin blinked in surprise. "Well, yes. They have a 40% increase in speed and 40% in attack, but..." she shook her head. "They only reach bronze 1. Nobody chooses them if they can avoid it."


    "No," Ren smiled while his mushrooms pulsed with more intensity. "I know how to take them at least to gold 1, remember? Like all beasts."


    The silence that followed was deafening. Taro, Min, and Liu exchanged knowing looks, but Lin remained motionless, processing the words.


    It wasn''t the first time they''d heard him say it. He''d mentioned it when he obtained his little mushroom, but now... now that they saw him ready to apply that knowledge again, the reality of what it meant hit harder.


    "It''s surreal," Liu murmured, breaking the silence.


    Lin straightened. "Well, then I''ll get an orange egg. They have a good probability of containing a panther lizard, and I have enough money saved..."


    "You don''t need the egg," Ren interrupted. "We just need a core from one, or failing to get that from another beast, though preferably of the same type to save the big tentacles..."


    "...We''ll also need several parts of the panther lizard. With that I can make the egg."


    Lin, who hadn''t seen Ren process cores from scratch, looked at the other three boys, who nodded confirming what Ren was saying. Clearly, they had seen this process before...


    "The core is extremely cheap," Taro rubbed his chin. "And the parts are easy to buy."


    "Ren can transform all that into a perfect egg," Min added proudly.


    "We''ve seen him do it," Liu confirmed.


    Lin stood with determination and drank the potion in one gulp. "Then it''s time to visit the bank."


    "Are you sure?" Ren asked. "Once you decide on the beast..."


    "Completely," Lin smiled. "Besides, what kind of teacher would I be if I didn''t trust my favorite student?"


    Ren''s mushrooms pulsed with what seemed like embarrassment while the other boys laughed.


    "Though," Lin added with a mischievous smile, "I still find it incredible that the same boy who can''t dodge my basic strike knows how to take beasts to gold."


    "Hey!" Ren protested. "Those strikes are impossible to dodge!"


    "They''re not," Lin sang while heading to the door. "You just need more practice. But when I have my panther lizard, they''ll be even faster so prepare to train harder."


    Ren visibly paled while his friends burst into laughter. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "You know?" Min managed to say between laughs. "Maybe you should have suggested a slower beast."


    "It''s too late for regrets," Lin smiled from the door. "Come on, the bank awaits."


    As they followed Lin down the hallway, Ren couldn''t help but wonder if he had just committed a tactical error by suggesting a beast that would increase his already terrifying teacher''s speed.


    His mushrooms pulsed with resignation. At least, he thought, the training would serve to improve his reflexes.


    ????


    When they reached the shop, Ren stepped ahead of the group.


    "Jessy," he called while his mushrooms pulsed softly. "How much does it cost to safeguard two very valuable objects?"


    The merchant looked up from her account book, arching an eyebrow. "Ah, hello Ren... That''s quite expensive. Ten thousand crystals per month for each safeguarded object, I don''t think it''s worth it for those hydra scales..."


    "Twenty thousand a month..." Ren murmured, making mental calculations.


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    Lin stepped forward. "It''s fine, I''ll pay for it."


    "It''s not necessary," Ren shook his head. "I just wanted to know the price. I have enough crystals."


    "I insist," Lin frowned. "It''s the least I can do after..."


    "Really, don''t worry," Ren interrupted her quickly, noticing Jessy''s confused expression.


    He turned back to the merchant. "More importantly now, what''s the price for Panther Lizard parts?"

 Chapter 182 - Double Tamers

    "I insist," Lin frowned. "It''s the least I can do after..."


    "Really, don''t worry," Ren interrupted her quickly, noticing Jessy''s confused expression.


    He turned back to the merchant. "More importantly now, what''s the price for Panther Lizard parts?"


    "What rank?" Jessy asked while pulling out a price list.


    "Bronze and silver," Ren specified. "All options."


    "Let''s see..." Jessy consulted her register. "Bronze 1 parts are a hundred crystals each. Bronze 2 goes up to a thousand."


    Min whistled at the difference while Taro and Liu exchanged knowing looks.


    "And silver?" Lin asked, her interest evident.


    "Silver 1 is ten thousand per piece," Jessy continued. "Silver 2... twenty thousand."


    "We''ll need five parts," Ren explained, looking at Lin. "And the higher the level of the pieces, the faster I can cultivate the egg. It''ll depend on how urgently you want it."


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    "There''s also the core," Liu reminded.


    "Right," Ren nodded. "We''ll need a hundred thousand crystals to feed it properly."


    "It''s less than an orange egg cost," Taro commented. "Though it''s still expensive."


    Lin remained silent for a moment, clearly calculating options.


    "The bronze 2 ones," she finally decided. "How long would it take with those?"


    "About twenty days," Ren responded while his mushrooms pulsed with approval. "It''s a good balance between cost and time."


    "Then it would be five thousand for the parts," Lin calculated, "plus a hundred thousand for the core..."


    "A hundred and five thousand total," Min completed.


    "Though I don''t know why you want a core but those are 10 crystals," Jessy added casually, "although I''m not sure if we still have complete bodies to get you one, they normaly send them to the castle fast¡­ it would also be hard to distinguish it among others in the piles."


    "I''ll cross my fingers and give you a tip if you find it," Lin added.


    Jessy smiled. "I''ll do my best to search for it in the refrigeration basement."


    "If you can''t find one, I can help you distinguish them¡­ Do you have the 5 bronze 2 parts available?" Ren asked.


    "I can get them while I look for the core in about 30 minutes," Jessy responded.


    "Alright," Lin nodded. "We''ll return with the money then."


    As they headed toward the exit, Jessy called to Ren.


    "Are you sure you want to safeguard objects?" she asked curiously. "Almost nobody does it because of the cost, but if you insist I''ll bring the paperwork."


    "Yes, thanks," Ren smiled, "but I''ll bring the money when we return."


    When they moved away from the counter, Lin insisted again. "I really can pay for the safeguarding. It''s only fair since you gave me a potion."


    Ren stopped, turning to her. "The potion is a gift. I don''t need anything in return."


    His mushrooms pulsed softly while he continued: "Besides, if you really want to do something, you could reduce training intensity a bit when you have your panther lizard and..."


    Min, Taro, and Liu''s laughter resonated through the hallway while Lin smiled maliciously.


    "Oh, no," her smile turned predatory. "You won''t escape that easily. I''m going to pay for safeguarding AND increase the intensity. After all, I''ll need to practice with my new beast."


    Ren''s mushrooms pulsed with what seemed to be resignation while the group headed to the bank. At least, he thought, he had twenty days before the real suffering began.


    "You know?" Min commented as they walked. "I think Ren just committed the biggest tactical error of his life."


    "Definitely," Taro nodded solemnly.


    "Totally and completely," Liu confirmed.


    Lin just smiled, already planning new training routines in her mind.


    ????


    "THEODORE!" Finch''s shout resonated from the bank. "IT''S A WITHDRAWAL OF ONE MILLION CRYSTALS!"


    The group stopped just before entering.


    Through the door they could see Finch leaning over his counter, his eyes enormous behind his glasses while his mouse calculated frantically.


    "What''s happening?" Lin asked, curious about the commotion.


    "Finch is just dramatic like this, he likes to entertain others and..." Ren explained to Lin.


    "Oh no," Min interrupted and smiled maliciously. "Looks like someone''s being unfaithful to our mushroom magnate."


    "New love? Ah!" Taro peered through the door and then turned to Ren with a dramatic expression. "Sorry friend, looks like they''re cheating on you."


    Ren rolled his eyes while his mushrooms pulsed with amusement. Inside the bank, Finch continued his monologue.


    "One million crystals," the banker adjusted his glasses while trying to maintain a professional tone. "It''s a considerable amount, you usually make smaller withdrawals Professor Zhao."


    "Today is a special day," Zhao responded with a patient smile.


    "I see, I see," Finch visibly struggled against his impulse to dramatize as he was before a respected professor. "But still... Theodore, note the transaction in the special book."


    "Your number one fan seems to have found someone richer... Look at him contain himself," Liu whispered while joining the teasing. "I can almost see how much it pains him not to do his complete show."


    A young but arrogant voice interrupted. "I will deposit two hundred thousand crystals. Doesn''t that deserve some recognition?"


    At the counter, Leopold Montclaire, the fifth-year prodigy, observed the transaction with evident disgust.


    "Mister Leopold!" Finch''s voice sounded exasperated. "I already told you your numbers are very impressive for your age, however we are in the presence of a respected gentleman. But..."


    "But?" The gold rank prodigy looked at Finch expectantly. "I''m a gold rank student in my fifth year! Don''t I deserve your exaggerated dance at least?"


    "Of course, of course," Finch responded hastily. "Theodore, note also the deposit of the young fifth-year prodigy."


    The group entered just in time to see the student in golden robes strutting in front of the counter.


    Behind him, Zhao waited with an increasingly impatient expression.


    "Could we speed this up?" the professor sighed. "I just need to withdraw that million crystals from my account..." Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "A million," the student in golden robes interrupted. "And you don''t even give our profesor the... proper appreciation?"


    Finch seemed to brighten at the opportunity.


    "Finch," Zhao coughed softly. "My withdrawal, please."


    "Ah, yes, yes," the banker adjusted his glasses. "Excuse the delay. It''s just that young Leopold insists on receiving the... proper appreciation for his achievements."


    Leopold puffed up his chest and interrupted again. "Though my situation is more impressive... I''m a gold rank prodigy at 14! I''m going to deposit two hundred thousand crystals, don''t you get it?"


    Finch''s eyebrows rose while his mouse looked up from his calculations.


    "Two hundred thousand," the banker repeated, his voice barely containing his enthusiasm. "Very impressive for someone so young. Theodore, doesn''t it remind you of...?"


    The mouse nodded vigorously, his whiskers trembling with what seemed to be amusement.


    "Right?" Finch continued while processing Zhao''s withdrawal. "Though of course, some prefer gradual accumulation while others..." his memories drifted toward Ren, "surprise us with THREE HUNDRED AND TEN THOUSAND IN ONE MONTH AND IN IRON RANK."


    Leopold choked on his own saliva. "What?"

 Chapter 183 - Double Tamers - 2

    The mouse nodded vigorously, his whiskers trembling with what seemed to be amusement.


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    "Right?" Finch continued while processing Zhao''s withdrawal. "Though of course, some prefer gradual accumulation while others..." his memories drifted toward Ren, "surprise us with THREE HUNDRED AND TEN THOUSAND IN ONE MONTH AND IN IRON RANK."


    Leopold choked on his own saliva. "What?"


    "Oh, you didn''t know?" Finch smiled while his mouse prepared a new book. "Some of our younger clients have rather... interesting numbers."


    "Impossible," Leopold spat the word. "I''m a gold rank prodigy and barely..."


    "Your withdrawal, professor," Finch interrupted, handing the money to Zhao who now watched the scene with amusement as he finally had his ten silver-glowing crystals.


    "Thank you," the professor smiled.


    Leopold flushed red. "I demand to see those records!"


    "Sorry, that depositor''s name is private unless they request otherwise," Finch shrugged. "Bank policy."


    "But..." Leopold frowned, clearly upset by the lack of impression his deposit was making.


    "Don''t compare yourself to other magnates, Mister Leopold. You''re also a winner who leaves Theodore and me drooling with envy, and quite an impressive one," Finch nodded politely. "Theodore, in fact, thinks it''s extraordinary to achieve so much at your age."


    The mouse looked up from his book and nodded vigorously.


    "Then where''s my funny dance?" Leopold smiled smugly. "If even your assistant recognizes my talent¡­"


    "The rich humiliating the poor," Finch sighed dramatically. "Theodore and I are just obliged to observe and document. Although..." his voice dropped to a conspiratorial whisper, "some are more considerate than others with our theatrical sensibilities... But it''s fine, we''ll do the dance just for you, young Leopold."


    Ren''s group approached to see Finch practically dancing around Leopold while Theodore wrote frantically in his little notebook.


    "This offends me," Min declared with false indignation. "I thought those worship dances were exclusive to Ren."


    "He seems to be doing them with even more enthusiasm today," Taro added, playing along. "Say goodbye, Ren¡­ It''s not worth it."


    "Oh no," Finch murmured upon seeing the new visitors. "Theodore, prepare for more numbers!"


    The mouse pulled out a new book, his whiskers trembling with anticipation.


    "More numbers?" Leopold asked, his curiosity momentarily overcoming his arrogance.


    "The mushroom magnate visits us," Finch explained. "Though I don''t know if he''ll be able to maintain his account when his friend reaches silver. Cultivation becomes SO expensive..."


    "More of a magnate than me?" Leopold studied Ren with disdain. "This first-year child?"


    "Not yet," Finch sighed dramatically. "But if he continues like this..."


    The mouse nodded solemnly while turning the page.


    "Impossible," Leopold spat the word.


    "Sorry," Finch shrugged. "It is what it is. Right, Theodore?"


    The mouse nodded vigorously again.


    "Though," Finch continued, "if you''re interested in his exact impressive numbers, you could ask him yourself..."


    "No... I don''t want to hear more!" Leopold turned dramatically and left the bank.


    "Well," Finch sighed. "It seems few appreciate good theater. Don''t you think, Theodore?"


    The mouse shook his head solemnly while turning the page.


    "Did you see that?" Min smiled. "Totally unfaithful."


    Lin observed everything with a mixture of amusement and confusion. "Is he always like this with you?"


    "Oh no," Taro responded. "Usually it''s worse. Just that some clients..." he looked meaningfully toward Zhao and back to Lin, "don''t let his dramatic art emerge freely..."


    "THEODORE!" Finch suddenly exclaimed, though with less intensity than before. "Do you have the special book ready? Our mushroom magnate honors us with his presence."


    "There was nothing to worry about... See?" Liu elbowed Ren. "He''s already coming back to you. True loves always return."


    "Mushroom magnate?" Zhao turned, revealing a smile. "Is that your title now, Ren?"


    "Professor," Ren greeted, ignoring his friends'' giggles. "I''m glad to find you here. I wanted to give you your potion."


    Zhao stopped short, his eyes gleaming with anticipation. Finch and Theodore exchanged curious looks.


    "About that," Zhao offered the million he had just withdrawn. "As I support my family, I can''t give you more right now, but I''ll keep paying the favor bit by bit and..."


    "No," Ren shook his head while his mushrooms pulsed softly. "First use that money to cultivate your new beast. By the way, have you thought about which one you''ll choose?"


    Ren turned to Finch while Zhao scratched his chin. "I need twenty thousand crystals, please."


    "THEODORE!" Finch straightened. "The special withdrawals book..."


    "No," Lin put a hand on Ren''s shoulder. "I already told you I wouldn''t let you pay for the safeguarding."


    "They''re for my parents," Ren explained. "The two potions I''m going to store. So it''s up to me to..."


    "I insist," Lin tightened her grip slightly.


    "Lin will be a double tamer too?" Zhao asked, observing the exchange with interest.


    When both nodded, a smile of understanding crossed the professor''s face.


    "Ah," Zhao put away the money, as if having made a decision. "Then let her help, Ren. I myself feel a great debt to you that I''d like to reciprocate. At least allow her this much for now."


    Ren''s mushrooms pulsed with what seemed like resignation while Lin smiled triumphantly.


    "Alright," he finally yielded. "But then tell me, professor, what kind of beast will your second one be?"


    "I want something that increases my stealth," Zhao leaned on the counter, ignoring how Finch and Theodore discreetly leaned in to listen better. "Or that improves the speed and damage of my feather attacks."


    "The school''s gold beasts don''t really serve you too well either then..." Lin commented while asking a distracted Finch to withdraw 200,000 crystals from her account for the safeguarding and her new egg.


    "That''s the problem," Zhao sighed. "None is really ideal for what I''m looking for. The Cockatrice would add damage to my feathers but not speed to my shots or help my camouflage, the gargoyle is resistant but slow..."


    "And the pegasus has great mobility but is redundant for you," Ren completed thoughtfully.


    "Exactly," Zhao nodded. "I need something more... specific... but it doesn''t exist."


    "Not necessarily," Ren''s mushrooms pulsed while he thought. "There are some options..."


    "Theodore..." Finch murmured. "Prepare the special knowledge page. I still don''t understand what they''re talking about but surely this is good research material."


    The mouse pulled out a new notebook, his ears trembling with anticipation.


    "Do you have any suggestions?" Zhao asked, ignoring how Finch practically vibrated with curiosity.


    "Depends," Ren brought a hand to his chin. "Do you want to prioritize stealth or damage?"


    "Ideally both," Zhao smiled. "Though I know I''m asking too much."


    "Theodore..." Finch whispered dramatically. "He''s thinking... Prepare to write!"


    "Finch," Lin looked at him warningly while counting her crystals. "You''re whispering too loudly..."


    "Sorry, sorry," the banker adjusted his glasses. "The excitement of the moment."


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 Chapter 184 - Double Tamers - 3

    "Finch," Lin looked at him warningly while counting her crystals. "You''re whispering too loudly..."


    "Sorry, sorry," the banker adjusted his glasses. "The excitement of the moment." Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "As I was saying," Ren continued, "there are beasts that could work."


    Zhao straightened, his interest completely captured.


    "A camouflage raptor would be perfect," Ren suggested.


    "THEODORE!" Finch couldn''t contain himself. "WRITE THAT DOWN!"


    "Finch!" two voices scolded him simultaneously.


    "Sorry," the banker shrank in his seat.


    "Camouflage raptor?" Zhao considered the idea. "It would undoubtedly help with silent flight dynamics but..."


    Finch "accidentally" dropped some papers near them, bending to pick them up with exaggerated slowness.


    "But they''re not easy to obtain," Zhao continued, ignoring how the banker now pretended to search for something under the counter to be closer. "And they only reach silver 1 at most. Being a double tamer, my chance of reaching gold with the castle''s help is quite good and..."


    Theodore wrote frantically while his tamer climbed the counter.


    "In fact," Zhao added, "I could ask Julius for a wolverine. Feathers with elemental damage of my choice would be useful, plus I could reach gold 1 that way and..."


    "Reaching gold isn''t a good reason to get the wolverine and discard your own style, professor. If it''s just about reaching gold I..."


    Ren was about to explain how he could take the raptor to gold, but he noticed Finch practically hanging from the counter, his eyes enormous behind his glasses.


    Liu and Lin looked at him, shaking their heads.


    "He''s a gossip," Liu murmured.


    "The biggest one," Lin nodded while collecting her two hundred thousand withdrawal.


    "But you have to admit this is fascinating."


    The mouse nodded vigorously from behind his book.


    "Professor, why don''t we continue this conversation in Ren''s room?"


    Finch straightened instantly, abandoning all pretense of discretion. "What? You''re leaving already? But we were just getting to the interesting part!"


    Theodore''s shoulders dropped in disappointment, his whiskers drooping.


    "Not even a hint?" Finch complained while compulsively adjusting his glasses. "Is this how you treat your humble financial servants? The custodians of your fortunes?"


    "...Poor commoners like Theodore and me," he continued while his mouse nodded dramatically, "can only dream of the magnates'' secrets..."


    "...Theodore," Finch turned to his assistant with a theatrically hurt expression, "remember when we only had to count normal crystals? Before they came with their mysterious secrets and impossible deposits?"


    The mouse nodded solemnly while wiping an imaginary tear.


    "Life was simpler then," Finch sighed. "Now we have to live with the torture of knowing there are more secrets," he looked accusingly at Ren, "secrets that could revolutionize banking as we know it, and they won''t even give us a hint!"


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    "Dramatic as always," Liu laughed while they headed to the exit.


    "It''s not drama!" Finch protested. "It''s professional indignation! Right, Theodore?"


    The mouse raised a tiny fist in solidarity.


    "See!" Finch pointed to his assistant. "Even Theodore is indignant! And he never gets indignant!"


    "See you, Finch," Ren smiled as they left.


    "Someday!" Finch called after them. "Someday we''ll discover your rich people''s secrets! Theodore won''t rest until then!"


    The last thing they saw before the door closed was Theodore nodding with determination while pulling out a new notebook titled "Theories about the Mushroom Magnate - Volume 2".


    ????


    "The camouflage raptor can reach gold if you follow my method," Ren explained in his room. "And when it evolves, it''s not just a beast that hides."


    "What do you mean?" Zhao asked with genuine interest.


    "Its scales become extremely hard," Ren''s mushrooms pulsed while he detailed. "You could combine your feathers'' dynamics with them, make them heavier and invisible. Plus, the beast''s stalking attacks are incredibly fast."


    Zhao touched his chin, processing the information. "You''re sure you can take it to gold?"


    "Ren doesn''t lie... If he says he''ll take us to gold, he definitely can," Lin intervened. "But for now, it''s better to keep this between us."


    Zhao nodded slowly, understanding the implications.


    "Since we all have potions," Min began while they waited for Zhao to finish accepting the incredible reality of what Ren was, "we should decide what beasts we want."


    "I want to try getting the mole I didn''t get," Taro stepped forward. "The brown egg didn''t give me one the first time, but now that Ren can help us get almost anything..."


    "Actually," Ren interrupted, "I already have a Deep Assassin egg prepared that would be great for you."


    "A what?" Taro frowned. "I don''t want that horrible bug, I want the mole. It''s an impressive beast that can..."


    "The Deep Assassin has perfect synergy with your Living Tunnel," Ren explained. "Your ability to manipulate minerals and your carapace would benefit all its future abilities and..."


    "But..." Taro didn''t seem convinced. "The mole can dig faster and everyone would..."


    "The Deep Assassin can use your living crystal to amplify its attacks a lot," Ren continued. "And again, I already have the egg ready..."


    Taro crossed his arms. "I don''t know... the mole sounds cooler."


    "And you, Liu?" Min tried to change the subject seeing Taro wouldn''t easily yield.


    "Anything good works," Liu shrugged. "It''s not like I''m very attached to the useless bat that left me embarrassed..."


    "You should consider a banshee hyena," Ren suggested.


    "A hyena?" Liu made a face. "Why would I want that when I could have something like a golden lion or..."


    "Because the banshee hyena would increase your sonic damage and improve your future skill set with your beast," Ren explained. "The bat isn''t bad, it''s just a baby. Since you can''t get rid of it, it would be better to use it well."


    "But hyenas are..." Liu searched for the words, "inelegant."


    "The banshee hyena would greatly increase your power with the insane volume of its shrieks and laughs since they can shred their opponents'' nervous system with a single howl," Ren countered.


    "Still..."


    "And me?" Min interrupted. "I was thinking about a phoenix that would heal me too. Something majestic that..."


    "Fire wouldn''t combine well with your water snake... You need defense and stealth," Ren shook his head. "As a healer, you must stay safe. An invisible amphibian would be perfect."


    "An... amphibian?" Min looked horrified. "You want my second beast to be a lame hiding frog?"


    "They aren''t frogs¡­ An amphibian that can become almost completely invisible," Ren corrected. "It would increase your water magic, so your healing too, and they''re extremely resistant."


    "But when people ask about my second beast..." Min protested weakly.


    "You''ll be alive to answer them," Ren completed.


    "How would you create the eggs for all these rare beasts?" Zhao intervened, noticing the boys'' unconvinced expressions.

 Chapter 185 - Double Tamers - 4

    "How would you create the eggs for all these rare beasts?" Zhao intervened, noticing the boys'' unconvinced expressions.


    "I need parts that won''t rot from the monsters we''ll use," Ren explained. "Scales, bones, claws, hair, teeth from the beasts. The core must be kept surrounded by these materials and I''ll draw specific complex runes with rune liquid."


    "Complex runes?" Lin leaned in with interest.


    "Very complex," Ren nodded. "Each beast requires a unique set of patterns. Besides the 100,000 mana to fill the core, I need to inject processed mana daily during the process as if cultivating."


    "For how long?" Zhao asked.


    "Depends on the beast, for example... For Min''s Invisible Amphibian," Ren looked meaningfully at his still reluctant friend, "it would be about two weeks working on the egg if we use bronze 2 parts in the nest."


    "Two weeks?" Min blinked in surprise. "Six days less than the panther lizard...?"


    "You''re lucky, right? Beasts have different ''incubation'' periods," Ren smiled.


    "Wait no! He''s trying to convince me without me noticing," Min realized, "an amphibian... it just doesn''t sound very..."


    "Impressive," Liu completed. "Like the hyena..."


    "You know what''s not impressive?" Ren looked at them seriously. "Wasting potential because you chose the wrong cultivation path, right?... The same goes for choosing a beast that looks ''cool'' instead of one that truly complements the abilities you already have."


    The three fell silent, considering his words.


    "Besides," Ren continued, "who says these beasts aren''t ''cool''? You don''t even have an idea how they look at gold rank..."


    "What about the amphibian?" Min asked, his curiosity overcoming his resistance.


    "It will be a huge reptile at gold rank. It can greatly improve your water magic and will also give you vitality," Ren smiled. "And that''s just the beginning."


    The three friends exchanged looks. Their expressions still showed doubt, but there was a spark of interest in their eyes.


    "The materials to create the eggs, especially the mana to fill them isn''t small, they''re expensive," Ren added. "And the process besides taking time is delicate, so... I need to know what you want before starting."


    "But are those really the best options?" Liu asked.


    Ren''s mushrooms pulsed with confidence. "The best synergies. The question is: do you trust me?"


    After thinking about it a bit, they all accepted Ren''s suggestions.


    Zhao asked Ren to dictate all the materials to make a list...


    ????


    "Well," Lin turned to Ren with a smile that made his mushrooms pulse nervously. "Time for your exercises."


    "But we have to buy and..." Ren began to protest.


    "Don''t think you''re going to escape your routine today. You can start while we take those two last potions to safekeeping and go get the cultivation things you named... We''ll even bring yours and the boys''... Right, Zhao?"


    Zhao nodded.


    Ren dropped his shoulders dramatically, but Lin wasn''t finished.


    "Besides," her smile grew wider, "from now on I''ll train all four of you. For today you can even teach the basics to the other 3 yourself."


    Ren''s mushrooms pulsed with new interest as he looked at his friends. Min, Taro, and Liu instinctively backed away when they saw how his expression changed.


    "You know?" Ren smiled, a flash of Lin''s sadism reflecting in his eyes. "Maybe it''s not a bad idea to train my allies a bit..." S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Oh no," Liu murmured.


    "This is going to hurt tomorrow," Min added.


    "A lot," Taro confirmed.


    When Lin and Zhao left heading for the exchange, leaving Ren instructing his friends on the "correct basic posture," their cries of pain were already resonating through the hallway.


    "He''s a good boy," Zhao commented as they walked. "With extraordinary potential."


    Lin stopped abruptly in the hallway and looked at him sideways. "You''re a government dog."


    It wasn''t a question.


    "I am," Zhao admitted without shame. "But that doesn''t change that I''m on his side and care about him."


    "Ren isn''t protected enough for everyone in the castle and high nobles to know his secrets," Lin warned, pointing at his neck up close. "Not yet."


    Zhao smiled softly. "Don''t worry. I fight for our homeland precisely to keep our children safe. I wouldn''t put Ren in danger."


    Lin relaxed a bit.


    "Speaking of something more important," Zhao changed the subject, "there''s a way to ''pay him back'' for the potion that he won''t be able to reject. Will you join me?"


    "What do you have in mind?"


    "Well," Zhao smiled mysteriously, "he''ll surely use the school''s counter to get materials for some years, right?"


    Lin''s eyes opened with understanding. "The credits."


    "The same ones," Zhao nodded. "And coincidentally, I have a million crystals that we can defer over several months to not scare him."


    "So he''ll have to accept it," Lin nodded her head. "I can leave him a part each month too without going bankrupt in one go... Good idea, you''re clever."


    "Thanks," Zhao began walking.


    Behind them, the boys'' screams mixed with Ren''s laughter.


    "Back straight!" they could hear him shout. "Or we''ll have to repeat the whole series!"


    "Definitely your student," Zhao laughed.


    "For better or worse," Lin smiled as they walked away, leaving the boys to their fate for a while.


    ????


    Liora returned to Luna and Larissa after leaving her grandmother at the entrance.


    She found Larissa sitting comfortably, as if she had been waiting for her.


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    "How did it go?" Larissa smiled.


    Neither responded immediately. Luna seemed lost in her thoughts, her fingers unconsciously brushing the envelope hidden in her clothes. Liora maintained her expression carefully neutral, though her eyes revealed certain unease.


    "It''s okay," Larissa gestured for them to sit. "Take your time. Maria!"


    One of the guards approached.


    "Could you bring us that special drink I prepared?" Larissa asked sweetly. "The one I left on the corner table?"


    Maria nodded and returned moments later with three cups of an aromatic liquid.


    The girls sat around Larissa, each taking a cup. The aroma was sweet and comforting.


    "On my part¡­" Larissa began while her cousins drank, "everything went quite well. They''ll probably increase surveillance, but there''s not too much to worry about."


    Luna and Liora nodded distractedly, the warmth of the drink helping to relax them.


    "There''s just one thing..." Larissa leaned forward, lowering her voice conspiratorially.


    Her cousins looked at her with curiosity, though they didn''t quite understand her mysterious attitude. Still, they instinctively leaned in too.


    "You''ll have to be very careful," Larissa whispered, "not to tell anyone that all three of us are double tamers now."