Weakest Beast Tamer Gets All SSS Dragons

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...?”

”Couldnʼt 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. ”Weʼre the recovery specialists. What good are we if we couldnʼt 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... Thereʼs 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 isnʼt something theyʼd entrust to common spies…”

The agents exchanged worried looks. The implications were deeply disturbing.

”This seed wasnʼt supposed to be ready for another 10 years,” the agent observed the crack theyʼd entered through. ”The opening shouldnʼt exist, but even though it does... an adult still canʼt 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 canʼt 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.”

”So what do we do?” another asked, shifting nervously. ”Wait for them to come out?”

♢♢♢♢

Moments earlier...

Haroldʼs 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 didnʼt you kill him?” Harold asked, his voice sharp with disapproval.

”Itʼs... itʼs not necessary,” the other spy hesitated, voice wavering. ”He didnʼt see our faces, doesnʼt know which family…”

”Donʼt 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, Iʼll 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!

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 spyʼs coverage still masking his presence. His eyes widened in surprise, the damned mushroom boy was here too.

ʼWhat the hell?!ʼ 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.

ʼImpossible, another jump beast!ʼ but then he saw the girlʼs hair color and everything clicked into place. ʼIdiot!ʼ he berated himself. ʼShe was hidden in the same group all this time.ʼ

The mushroom boy had caught the young woman. If he acted quickly, he could secure both Luna and the Kingʼs daughter.

His body began to transform...

Then his antennae captured six new power signatures. Bronze rank 1 and 2.

ʼShit.ʼ The semi-conspicuous guards. Their presence changed the entire scenario.

Harold canceled the transformation and watched the situation with Renʼs group unfold.

He stood dumbfounded as the mushroom boy began pressing specific points on the ancient door.

ʼYou moron!ʼ

It was impossible… only special keys, like the one he carried, should be able to activate these mechanisms.

Yet…

ʼHow...?ʼ 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 theyʼd 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 whoʼd 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.

ʼThe ten medicines and the evolution key are inside,ʼ he thought as he crawled back to his companion. ʼIf I dispose of them now...ʼ

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.

ʼWhat the...?ʼ

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.

ʼBut then...ʼ his eyes widened in shock. ʼWho did we capture?ʼ