Weakest Beast Tamer Gets All SSS Dragons

Chapter 759 - Taming the Fifth Year - Until I Found You - Final Dance

The dress captured light in ways that shouldnʼt be possible with ordinary fabric and thread.

It wasnʼt made from common materials, and anyone with eyes could see that immediately.

Taro noticed it the instant Luna entered the competition hall. He wasnʼt the only one whose attention was captured. A murmur rippled through the audience, the type of sound people made when witnessing something they knew would change trends for years to come, when seeing innovation that would be copied until it became standard.

The dress was dark blue, almost black in certain lighting, but when Luna moved the runed crystals sewn in strategic patterns caught the hallʼs light and refracted it in flashes that recalled stars against the night sky. The fabric flowed with each step, neither too rigid nor too loose, perfect in its balance between elegance that impressed judges and mobility that allowed complex choreography.

It was exactly at the regulation limit without crossing into forbidden territory. Larissa had verified every centimeter against academy regulations with obsessive attention to detail, ensuring the crystals didnʼt exceed permitted number or size, that the fabric met thickness standards, that every technical detail stayed within acceptable parameters that wouldnʼt result in disqualification.

Liora had designed the form through hours of experimenting and cutting prototypes that hadnʼt quite achieved the vision. The lines that followed natural body shape but added subtle drama in correct places. The skirtʼs fall that would allow fluid movement during complex turns. The crystals positioned to maximize visual impact without interfering with the dance mechanics.

And in the end, Ren had created it with his hands that always had learned entirely new skills in impossibly short time.

Heʼd sacrificed practically all his sleep hours, something only possible for a tamer with his level of vitality and stamina that came from multiple beasts enhancement. Nights spent training with cheaper materials first, burning failed attempts before daring to work with the best fabric heʼd collected.

First heʼd made two others before attempting Lunaʼs. One for Liora. One for Larissa.

As thanks for their help that had gone beyond what friendship demanded. As an apology for monopolizing so much practice time with Luna when they might have wanted his attention for other things. As... honestly, Ren wasnʼt completely sure of all his motives for the gesture. He only knew it felt right to acknowledge what theyʼd done for him.

Liora had worn hers once during late-night practice when Luna would likely already be asleep, when it was just the two of them in an empty hall. Sheʼd tried it on, had danced three complete songs with Ren with a big smile, and then had carefully stored it without intentions of wearing it in the competition.

Larissa didnʼt compete in the dance, but sheʼd tried hers on as well. Only with Ren and only once too. A simple waltz in the practice hall before folding it with almost ceremonial reverence and storing it in her room where it would remain.

Both dresses now rested in closets, worn once each but without intentions of being used to dance with anyone except their creator. Sufficient to honor the gift. No more than that because asking for more would be inappropriate given circumstances everyone understood without speaking.

But Luna had reason to wear hers today for a competition that mattered more than just its scores.

Ren walked toward the hallʼs center where she waited with a composure that looked effortless but probably required significant effort to maintain. The music hadnʼt started yet. Judges were checking their scoring sheets with bureaucratic flare. The audience murmured appreciating the dress that had already become the eveningʼs main topic before dancing even began.

And Luna looked at him with an expression Ren couldnʼt completely decipher despite days of studying to read her micro-expressions.

There was something different in her eyes now. Something that hadnʼt been there before the practice days. Before the whispered conversations during dances when sheʼd revealed up incrementally. Before that day when sheʼd cried silently in his arms and heʼd made silent promises about helping her recover what could be recovered.

He extended his hand with that cool steady confidence he didnʼt entirely feel inside. Luna took it without hesitation.

Her fingers were warm against his palm. Stable. They didnʼt tremble like they had that first practice day when sheʼd still been indecisive.

ʼSheʼs better,ʼ Ren thought while maintaining perfectly calm exterior. ʼNot completely healed. But better than she was. That has to be enough for now. So…ʼ

ʼDonʼt mess this up. DO NOT mess this up. Luna needs this. Larissa and Liora worked so hard. If you screw this up after everything...ʼ

The music began with opening notes that signaled the start of the evaluation.

ʼFirst step is crucial. Sets the entire tone. If you start wrong everything else falls apart. FOCUS.ʼ

Luna instead was…

ʼHe looks so calm. HOW IS HE SO CALM? Iʼm barely holding it together and he looks like he does this every day.ʼ

ʼLook at him. Perfect posture. Perfect confidence. Like a dream knight from those romance novels Liora pretends she doesnʼt read.ʼ

ʼIʼm NOT going to mess this up. Iʼm not going to trip or freeze or do something embarrassing and ruin everything after all his work...ʼ

Renʼs hand tightened slightly on hers, not controlling but reassuring, a silent message that said ʼIʼve got youʼ... and something in Luna relaxed despite her spiraling thoughts.

The first step was executed with precision that looked effortless to observers who couldnʼt see the mental effort behind it.

Ren moved with Luna in a synchronization that appeared perfect, their bodies responding to signals that no longer needed verbalization. Days of intensive practice supported by the mantis ability had engraved the movements into muscle memory that bypassed conscious thought. Every turn. Every weight shift. Every transition from one step to the next.

Straight back. Relaxed shoulders that werenʼt loose. Positions accurate to the millimeter because anything less would be noticed by perception based judges trained to catch imperfections.

ʼGuide without forcing. Let her shine. Thatʼs what Larissa said. But also maintain frame. Donʼt let posture slip. Count the beats. One-two-three, one-two-three. Keep breathing steady so she can match it. Eye contact but not staring. Smile subtly. NOT A FULL SMILE. Subtle. WHY IS SUBTLE SO HARD?ʼ

ʼHe makes it look so easy. HOW DOES HE MAKE IT LOOK THIS EASY? He learned this in DAYS and heʼs guiding me like heʼs been doing this for years. Look at his face…ʼ