Weakest Beast Tamer Gets All SSS Dragons novel Chapter 238

Moments before...

Zhao contemplated the devastation of the colony with mixed feelings. Dozens of shadow stalker bodies lay scattered across the ground, their translucent forms gradually losing luminescence as death claimed even the last particle of their essence.

His feathers were very effective in this territory, perhaps too much so.

’A necessary massacre,’ he told himself while evaluating the situation. ’But still...’

As an expert in this gathering ecosystem, Zhao understood the delicate balance. Shadow stalker colonies had their function in the natural order, keeping other more aggressive species at bay.

’At least the queen and her closest guards must still be alive,’ he thought, finding some comfort in that fact. The guardians of the royal chamber would have remained in position, protecting their monarch instead of joining the attack frenzy. It was typical behavior.

The colony would eventually recover. The widow queen’s pheromones would travel for miles, eventually attracting some wandering male that would allow the cycle to be reestablished. In a few months, the colony would thrive again.

His reflections were interrupted by Lin. Her normally serene face showed clear signs of concern.

"Professor Zhao," she said without preamble, the urgency evident in her voice. "There is much to explain, but right now the most important thing is to find Ren and Han."

"What has happened?" he asked, his owl markings intensifying instinctively at the tension.

"They fell through that hole," Lin explained quickly. "It was some kind of illusory trap."

The girls had probably already found Julius through the vibrations in the earth, although they didn’t know he was here... but most likely he would first take the students back to camp.

’Which means he’s far from where Ren might be now,’ Lin concluded.

Lin continued. "You’re the fastest option to rescue them."

Zhao understood the situation and without losing another second, headed toward the opening Lin had pointed out. The illusion had been deactivated, revealing a dark well that descended vertiginously into the depths.

"I’m going to find them," he declared. "Keep the students safe until I return."

Zhao launched himself into the void. Air currents enveloped him as he descended, his wings controlling the speed of descent. The darkness was almost complete, but his owl provided vision even in these conditions.

As he fell, his amplified senses detected something disturbing: a trail of abyssal energy, faint but unmistakable. It wasn’t a stable presence but rather an echo, as if something had been there just moments ago and was now rapidly fading.

’Abyssal creatures shouldn’t exist at this depth, much less in this area.’

The sensation briefly intensified as he continued his descent, only to dissipate completely, as if the source had disappeared or had been deliberately hidden upon sensing his power nearby.

The discovery put him on maximum alert. First the worm abnormally close to the surface, then the illusory trap, and now abyssal energy...

♢♢♢♢

Through his half-open eyelids, Han saw Zhao.

The gathering professor observed the scene with an indecipherable expression, his owl markings glowing intensely as he evaluated the situation. His gaze traveled across the destroyed chamber, the remains of the abomination’s segments, the pulverized crystals, the spear, the bow, and the abandoned backpacks.

Finally, his eyes settled on the two boys collapsed on the ground.