Weakest Beast Tamer Gets All SSS Dragons novel Chapter 98

Daylight filtered through the mine entrance. Too bright after so long in darkness, he didn’t exit, his eyes would need time to adjust to the harsh change.

He stopped several meters from the exit, keeping to the shadows. His beasts tensed, detecting something they couldn’t fully identify.

The silence was unnatural. Not even the wind seemed to dare blow.

’Too easy,’ his training screamed warnings. An academy doesn’t evacuate its mines without reason. Doesn’t leave its entrances unguarded for students to do foolish things.

The hydra’s core weighed next to many others in his bag, a constant reminder of his partial failure.

The egg remained lost, stolen by some fortunate thief who had stumbled upon his experiment.

’Should go back,’ he considered while studying the entrance. The mission was clear: find and secure specific beast cores. The egg was extra, and he could obtain it again.

But pride...

He had spent months preparing everything. Finding the right hydra, manipulating it to this vein, waiting for the egg to form. All ruined because he grew overconfident, because he hadn’t considered someone else might find such a small vein.

’The mission,’ he reminded himself. ’Focus on the mission.’

The core was enough. He could find another hydra. The depths were full of them, with time and patience...

’But the thief is here,’ a voice whispered in his mind. ’Close. With my egg.’

His beasts stirred restlessly, sensing his inner conflict.

’Return,’ his training insisted. ’Something is wrong. Go back and plan better.’

He took one step back, determined to retreat.

Then another.

’It’s the right thing,’ he thought. ’The sensible thing.’

He turned toward the protective darkness of the tunnels.

And then...

"To hell with it," he muttered, turning sharply. "Nobody steals from me!"

He took a step toward the light.

The massive fireball consumed him instantly.

♢♢♢♢

The shelter was an impressive structure located behind the academy. Spacious chambers connected by well-lit tunnels now housed dozens of confused and nervous students.

"Min!" Taro waved his arms upon seeing his friend. "Over here!"

Min approached. "Anyone know what’s happening?"

Ren watched as Luna was immediately surrounded by the two noble girls who always accompanied her. A second group of nobles joined them, exchanging quick whispers before dispersing as if they had never spoken.

"It’s obvious, isn’t it?" Taro began, his voice adopting a conspiratorial tone. "All this is because of Ren’s mad scientist experiments."

"What?" Min blinked in confusion.

"Think about it!" Taro raised an accusing finger toward Ren. "Our room always smells like death and strange processing products!"

"That’s because of the cultivation..." Ren began.

"The mushrooms in his hair glow unnaturally!"

"They’re naturally luminescent..."

"And today he went down to the depths!" Taro was on a roll. "He must have activated some ancient device! The mine must be glowing right now, about to explode!"

Liu arrived just in time to hear the last part. "What’s going to explode?"