Weakest Beast Tamer Gets All SSS Dragons

Chapter 200 - Tamers Missing

Silence returned to the tunnel as the Assassinʼs body collapsed.

Renʼs mushrooms pulsed softly while his armor disappeared and he caught his breath.

”That was...” Liora opened her eyes, looking at the scene in amazement, ”incredible.”

”Your fire helped with the light synergy.”

”Itʼs not just that,” Liora shook her head. ”The way you moved, how you knew exactly what to do... Where did you really learn all this?”

”Master Linʼs training mostly,” Ren explained modestly, though his mushrooms pulsed with something like pride. ”And that day in the seed I...”

Lioraʼs eyes brightened with interest, but before he could continue, Renʼs mushrooms pulsed in warning.

”Itʼll have to wait,” he said. ”Weʼre almost at the time I promised Taro, and more beasts are coming attracted by the battle noise. Also...” Ren whispered while approaching the Assassinʼs body.

With a precise movement, he grabbed the monsterʼs head and freed it from where it had become embedded in the rock. It was heavy, and the proboscis extended like a spear.

His eyes settled on the Assassinʼs body, Ren wanted the core inside. And there were other useful parts too: the leg tips, the sensory organs...

But the mushrooms pulsed in warning. He could feel more beasts approaching, drawn by the noise and smell of battle.

”Arenʼt we going back? Do you want to take more...?” Liora asked quietly, noticing his indecision.

Ren shook his head. ”The body will serve better as bait,” he responded while adjusting the long proboscis with the head over his shoulder.

”Clever,” Liora smiled, though there was a question in her eyes. ”Why take the head?”

Renʼs mushrooms pulsed with what might have been amusement. ”Because I want to make a weapon.”

”With that?” Liora arched an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. ”Those rot and dry out in 2 days. Several have tried using them and...”

”Assassin proboscises are very resistant if you preserve them properly,” Ren interrupted while beginning to move. ”But I suppose it is difficult to prevent the acid from ruining them...”

They started moving away, maintaining the rhythm they had practiced. The proboscis swayed gently with each of Renʼs steps, like a macabre victory staff.

”You know?” Liora whispered as they advanced, ”I think Iʼm going to steal Larissaʼs place as your spy again.”

”Stop spying on me, itʼs not...”

Renʼs mushrooms pulsed with amusement, but before he could continue, a distant noise reminded them they werenʼt out of danger yet.

It was time to hurry. Taro was waiting, and he had a trophy to show off.

♢♢♢♢

Taro sat in front of the crack he had reopened minutes ago, cold sweat sliding down his forehead as he tried to appear casual...

But his living tunnel pulsed nervously under his skin, reflecting his anxiety.

Behind him, he could feel the penetrating stares of several noble girls. Especially Larissaʼs, whose smile didnʼt reach her eyes as she watched him.

”So, Taro,” Larissa approached with deliberately slow steps, ”how much longer are you going to pretend that wall is the most interesting thing youʼve ever seen?”

”I... uh...” Taro kept his eyes fixed on the crack. ”I-I donʼt know what youʼre talking about... Iʼm just... uh... studying my mineral formations!”

”You donʼt know what Iʼm talking about?” Larissa leaned until her face was level with his. ”You donʼt know what that hole youʼve been watching like a hawk means?”

”Itʼs... um... a very promising cave!” Taro tried to sound convincing.

”Oh, really?” Mako, one of the guards, crossed her arms. ”And I suppose Lady Liora and the mushroom boy are also ʼstudyingʼ that cave?”

”Liora?” Taro tried his best surprised face. ”Isnʼt she over there gathering with...?” He turned his head and stopped at seeing the girlsʼ unimpressed expressions. ”Oh…”

”ʼOhʼ indeed,” Matilda narrowed her eyes. ”Lady Liora disappeared and curiously at the same time as your mushroom friend.”

”The reckless mushroom boy,” Maria murmured, her tone making Taro shrink. ”How could you let Lady Liora follow him?”

”She could have followed him on her own... Min!” Taro called desperately. ”Help me here!”

”Oh?” Larissa smiled wider. ”So you admit they went together?”

”I didnʼt say that!”

”Technically Ren could have brainwashed her like us,” Min commented jokingly from where he was gathering crystals, clearly enjoying the show. ”I donʼt even know how I ended up doing so much exercise with him... Ren is more sadistic than he seems so itʼs not wrong to worry because maybe...”

”This isnʼt the time for jokes, Min!” Taro looked betrayed.

”Sorry, but you got yourself into this by opening the crack,” Min responded cheerfully while filling another bag with crystals.

”You know whatʼs interesting?” Larissa continued, ignoring the exchange. ”How your ʼpromising caveʼ coincides exactly with a crack the perfect size for someone like Ren to slip through.”

”Lifeʼs coincidences,” Taro laughed nervously. ”Nature makes fascinating things, doesnʼt it?”

”Almost as fascinating as your ability to lie,” Luna commented dryly.

Han, observing from a safe distance, sighed while watching his companion sink deeper into his own verbal grave.

”Poor thing,” he murmured. ”He doesnʼt know how to lie.”

”Itʼs part of his charm, without a clear alibi he doesnʼt know what to say. It was a miracle he followed Larissaʼs story well the other day,” Min laughed. ”Though he should learn to improvise, considering Renʼs secrets...”

The girls had joined the interrogation, forming a semicircle around the increasingly nervous Taro.

”The longest half hour of my life,” Taro murmured to himself, though not quietly enough.

”Aha!” Larissa exclaimed triumphantly. ”So they did tell you something!”

”No! I mean... I just...”

A sound from the crack saved him from having to invent another unconvincing excuse. Everyone tensed, preparing for whatever might emerge.

Taro could only pray it was Ren and Liora at last. Preferably before the nobles decided he had been complicit in some kind of kidnapping.

”Does it sound like a worm?”

”Sounds more like someone trying to move silently through the narrow tunnel and failing miserably.”

As if confirming their words, a muffled whisper was heard from the crack:

”Ouch! Be careful!” ”Itʼs not my fault! Youʼre the one who insisted on bringing that thing!” ”Shhh! Weʼre supposed to be stealthy!”

Taro buried his face in his hands as Ren and Lioraʼs voices became increasingly clear.

”Liora is going to hear it from me,” Larissa smiled maliciously. ”But… What ʼthingʼ do you think theyʼre bringing?”