Master Of None

Chapter 2957. Mordant’s Team?

”Tamer, we have information-”

”You dumb dragon, the name is Briana and you will call me by my name or I will make that dark mana of yours a damn poison in your veins.”

The bickering between Mordant and the tamer he had gathered as a leader for the other dark affinity tamers to help here was nothing that Walker expected.

He knew that Mordant was somewhat reclusive and social skills might not be his key focus in life. Then again, most people with dark affinity had a more held back personality. Some even became uniquely odd as a whole.

But this? The hot headed loud mouthed tamer who clearly had much better skill levels and knowledge than the others she brought with her was unusual. But when she looked at the eggs and the monsters around, her entire demeanor shifted to entirely logical and ordering. It was what made Walker so shocked.

While he had dealt with the unruly merchant, he hadn’t expected the change in events when he returned.

”I am a royal-”

”Pain in my-”

”Hey! You two can butt heads later. If you both can’t get along and handle this I will make sure you both don’t have a second to breathe with all the work I give you.” Walker finally spoke up watching the pointed feline like ears twitch on Briana’s head. The demi-human aspects of her culture and upbringing might be the key to her changes in personality when faced with monsters in need of care and the orders of someone who was not their direct leader or captain.

From what Walker had heard from the tamers who came under her orders, she had been a military captain in the demi-human army. Specifically handling the monsters that were captured to be learned about with the idea of guiding them to become farm animals for food or other reasons.

Now that she had come to Genesis with the tamer’s guild, she has been able to branch out in to more opportunities. This being the most recent in a long list of rediscovery of monsters and also of researching the changes in monsters already within the world.

This chance was just one that would allow her to gather information and tame more monsters like those she already tamed.

While the situation kept everyone here from bringing their tamed monsters, it was well known for the intimidating tamer within the dark affinity side of tamers who tamed the crimson eyed wolf pack, a group of crimson eyes wolves of over fifty members that guarded one of the forests near the demi-human kingdom’s largest farm. She had her reasons for never bringing more than a couple where she traveled, now, she had none.

But the fact that she had tamed all of them was already a major bragging right.

”With her actions like this, we might as well lose this opportunity and give it away to another. I can not attempt to...” Mordant trailed off as he turned to see Birana already gaining the trust of two shadow horses that had kicked three of the pitch scaled dragons attempting to calm them and help heal their injuries from having the horns on their head harvested weakly.

It was an incredible sight to see. Just by instinct, Brianna was guiding them toward a more open space in their small pen allowing them to feel free instead of trapped. She also was tentatively checking the wounds while sneakily applying medicinal salves. It was an amazing flow of movement and slight trickery giving the two injured monsters care and calm that they had never possessed. It was stunning for those who had never seen them like this to witness.

The pitch scale dragons and few other races who had remained around to wish for these monsters to be safe and sound also found themselves equally amazed by the other tamers. Mordant had not requested for just anyone, he had asked for the best of the best and returned with them.

Whether he would have to pay a price to them or not for their help would be brought up later.

”You picked the right person, Mordant, but you might want to hold back a little. She is also a demi-human who was used to fighting in the coliseum with her partners. She wasn’t a general like Scylla but she has her own stubbornness like all dragons might have.” Walker knew that Mordant rarely got worked up so he was a little more delicate with his input.

When he glanced at Mordant though, he saw a greed flicker in his eyes. Mordant wasn’t looking at Brianna like he was genuinely angry or offended. He was looking at her like she was incredibly valuable and he had to make sure she was around.

This made Walker realize he didn’t need to waste his breath. Mordant wouldn’t do anything untoward, but he also expected Mordant to find excuses to keep the tamer all round. An interesting development, and one that he expected to keep pushing the two of them to improve this environment.

”S-sir.” The shaky voice that interrupted was guided by Ventus and Terron, both who had been working within their duties before they found this slimmer hollow eyed race trying to hide items and even more.

”I came to hand over some- some items and... and eggs I need returned to the nature outside of here.”

”Is that so? And Ventus and Terron had to escort you because of your just pride in ensuring their safe return? How admirable. Because of that I will let them decide what to do with you for harboring such items. I will also ask my fellow leader Mordant to decide what we will do with the eggs you were hiding.” Walker smiled softly but inspired true fear as he realized that Walker had just left him with two being powerful and unhappy with him.

In turn, the small crate brought to him truly had valuable materials. A few rare ores, some flowers dried and processed but dripping with purer dark mana. And then three eggs of different species of monster but also different affinities.

”Dark digger beetle. Earth digger beetle, and water digger beetle. All three species are of the same origin, weak little monsters but dormant by force so that they can be kept as a set.” Walker knew from the appraisals that these monsters would be simple prey monsters that hide by digging in to mana dense areas to hide from predators. They also had important uses for the natural order since they could help manas flow through areas of denser mana, basically a natural self balancing method for any ecosystem.

He also noticed that they only changed affinities and slightly changes shell size that protected their main bodies. The water affinity beetle had smaller head sizes with more streamlined figures. The dark was larger but it could cam fly in the shadows better since its outer shell was dull black. Then the earth digging beetle had shovel like legs that allowed it to dig quickly and easily.

All three were different but of the same ancestry.

”All three of these species of monster come from a beetle called the mana swapping beetle. Capable of shedding its shell and changing affinities once a year. It was once the most common beetle before the elemental war. With these three, the tamer’s guild may be able to help bring back the original species to the elemental planes and help with their natural balance. These beetles naturally help mana flow because they dig through mana dense areas and materials.”

Mordant nodded along and his voice rose as he became serious. ”Briana, I need you to lead the research and attempt to breed the three digger beetle species here. They have been dormant but they could be a way for Genesis to help every single elemental plane. Can you recommend others to assist? Can you be the key to this project moving forward?”

The serious tone that Mordant led with matched Briana and it was perfect. She immediately looked and began planning after she had walked away from the other monsters.

Besides the fact that so many of the tamers were already helping with the quests of those recently freed from contracts, this had just become an important way to connect to all the elemental planes.

Walker didn’t need to add input. Instead, he needed to step back again. Let everyone work as they need without causing more trouble.

The hollow eyed race was bringing their punishment. Those freed from contracts were on the way to Genesis. Those helping fix the problems here were working hard. And even better to top it all off, Walker believed that despite the shady attitude of the merchant he had seen again, that everyone would soon start to see a better future in terms of trade throughout the dark elemental plane.

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Repent now and go here,

Drop those golden tickets!