Weakest Beast Tamer Gets All SSS Dragons novel Chapter 372

The ground trackers converged at the point where the fugitives' footprints abruptly ended.

An Excavator tunnel opened before them like the mouth of some primitive beast, exhaling dense, humid air that smelled of fertile earth and something else... something none could identify but which provoked an instinctive wariness.

"Are you certain they entered here?" asked the leader, his tiger markings subtly intensifying as he studied the suspicious opening.

The lead tracker, a thin man with slight canine features, sniffed the air. "Without doubt. Their trail is clear to the entrance, then disappears underground." He crouched.

The six men exchanged uncomfortable glances. All were experienced hunters, all possessed beasts of Bronze 2 rank or higher, but none seemed eager to enter that hole.

"Tunnels are Excavator territory," murmured one of them. "Even with our beasts being more powerful, we would be at a disadvantage in such confined spaces and in their domain." His practical assessment gave voice to their shared reluctance. _{freēwebnovel.com}

The leader considered his options for a moment, weighing duty against caution.

"We'll send the beasts in first," he finally decided. "Let them explore and fight first... We can't afford to lose the targets." His tone brooked no argument, though his own reluctance was evident in his face.

Following his orders, the trackers continued advancing behind their bestial companions. Each summoned their contracted creatures, a varied collection of predatory beasts suited for tracking and combat.

What none anticipated was the effect of the golden spores that subtly covered the tunnel floor. The beasts, focused on following the fugitives' trail, didn't show the same care that Ren had taken when stepping. Their paws raised small clouds of spores with each step, the small particles swirling in the disturbed air like golden dust motes.

The first summoned beast began showing small signs of weakness barely fifty meters into the tunnel. The second and third soon exhibited similar symptoms.

"Something's not right," murmured the lead tracker, feeling discomfort through the bond they shared. "The beasts are losing energy here."

The leader advanced, cautiously observing his surroundings but saw nothing dangerous nor felt fluctuations in the mana, so they weren't under the effect of a distance ability. His own beast seemed less affected than the others, but even it moved with less vitality than usual.

"I can't understand what's happening... But we must continue or they might have a route to the other side of the border through here and we could lose them." His determination overrode his instinctive caution, the mission's importance outweighing the unexplained threat.

The beasts carried with them tiny golden particles adhering to their fur. Other small particles floating gently in the air around them fell on the trackers without them noticing.

"They don't appear to have wounds," observed the leader, examining the beasts with growing confusion. "They just... look weakened."

None of them perceived the minuscule golden spores already beginning to work on their bodies, imperceptibly absorbing small quantities of their mana and life energy.

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The tunnel narrowed until becoming a passage barely sufficient for an adult to pass through. Ren advanced without difficulty, while Lin followed with greater effort.

"We're almost there," announced Ren, pointing to what appeared to be a dead end. "The chamber is right above."

"Are you sure it's safe?" asked Lin, her usual confidence slightly diminished by the supernatural environment surrounding them.