Weakest Beast Tamer Gets All SSS Dragons novel Chapter 58

"I suppose that’s why this zone is safe for students," Ren added. "The iron ring has nothing to attract more powerful beasts."

The impacts continued overhead, growing more erratic with each passing moment. The Shadow Stalkers, creatures that normally dominated the night in this zone with absolute authority, were acting as if something had fundamentally altered the natural order of the first ring.

Their behavior spoke of primal fear, an emotion these predators rarely experienced.

The assistant seemed eager to protest that they were taking a student seriously, but another pattern of impacts interrupted him, this one more urgent than the last. The rhythmic pounding against the tent’s protective fabric carried an unmistakable message of panic.

The impacts persisted above the tent, the Shadow Stalkers’ erratic behavior becoming increasingly evident. Each new pattern of strikes revealed more about their unnatural state of agitation.

"This is... too artificial," Ren frowned. "As if something had altered the natural cave structure. Or perhaps..."

"Perhaps?" Zhao pressed, his owl’s eyes focusing intently on Ren.

"Perhaps it isn’t natural at all," Ren looked at the professor meaningfully. "What if someone is deliberately controlling the stalkers?"

The assistant snorted with derision, but Zhao’s expression had turned serious.

"Someone?" the assistant insisted. "A cave could have collapsed... What kind of nonsense...?"

"Silence," Zhao ordered, his expression grave while studying Ren with newfound intensity.

"Continue."

"Geological changes aren’t unusual for them, this isn’t a volcanic zone," Ren explained, knowledge flowing naturally through his mushrooms. "The beasts would behave differently. And a large collapse would have caused vibrations we would have felt."

The impacts on the tent increased in frequency and force. Ren could picture the Shadow Stalkers, creatures that normally dominated the night without rival, fleeing in blind panic from something that terrified even them.

Zhao grasped something, his expression growing more serious with each passing second. "Someone is deliberately driving the Stalkers toward this area."

"But why?" Ren frowned, mind racing through possibilities. "Unless..."

He stopped, an idea forming.

The Shadow Stalkers were the reason why no one could move freely at night in this zone of the iron ring. If someone wanted to ensure that no one could escape...

"Professor," the assistant finally seemed to grasp the gravity of the situation. "Should we evacuate the camp?"

"No," Zhao shook his head decisively. "Such a move would only alert whoever is behind this. For now..."

Something changed in Zhao’s expression, a shift from concerned teacher to battle-ready warrior. His owl manifested completely, wings extending to their full impressive span, each feather gleaming with contained power.

"Ren," his voice was low but firm. "Stay here. Hide yourself."

"Professor, I can help. If someone is..."

"No," Zhao cut him off with gentle but unyielding firmness. "This is different from collecting materials or studying beasts. There’s a reason why I’m the professor of this class."

He turned to the assistant. "Alert the other guards. Have them keep their beasts manifested."

The assistant nodded, his own beast, a wind lynx, manifesting fully as he departed.

"But professor," Ren insisted, his mushrooms pulsing with urgency, "if I know how the Stalkers behave I could counter..."

A figure wrapped in black fabric stood motionless, its silhouette barely visible against the night. The fabric absorbed all light, all traces of mana, only the finest Shadow Stalker materials could achieve such an effect. _{freewebnøvel.com}