Chapter 469 - Tamers War - Pure Goals

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Chapter 469: Chapter 469 - Tamers War - Pure Goals Everyone remained confused by what they had just witnessed, especially Dragarion, who clearly wanted to ask questions about the mysterious creature. The silence stretched uncomfortably as everyone processed what had just occurred. Healers exchanged glances, their professional composure shaken by witnessing something that defied their understanding of beast behavior and mana manipulation. Ren, with cold sweat beading on his forehead, breathed deeply and said with an awkward voice: "Now it’s much better for working." The words came out strained, as if he were trying to convince himself as much as everyone else. His hands trembled slightly as he reached for the next tentacle, the weight of royal attention still pressing against him despite Mooshito’s intervention. But he took a long breath, he had to save Zhao now. He immediately returned to the treatment, trying to ignore everyone present while concentrating on the delicate process. The work required absolute precision. Each movement of the tentacle had to be guided by the knowledge that flowed through him like an underground river. The crystallized mana responded more readily now, dissolving in gentle spirals of light that dissipated harmlessly into the purified air. Julius realized the tension had dropped thanks to the new pure energy and began explaining to his father about Ren, the battle they had fought before his arrival, and how he had lost his arm during the confrontation with Kassian and Ravenspire. He spoke quietly, his voice had a measured cadence that tried to avoid disturbing Ren. The story unfolded piece by piece: the desperate defense of the city, the appearance of the corrupted forces, Ren’s unexpected abilities, and the brutal use of even bio weapons to attain victory. Julius’s missing arm served as a constant reminder of how close they had all come to complete disaster. When Dragarion finished hearing the entire story from Julius POV, he looked clearly entertained by his son’s and the others’ adventures, but especially... "An eleven-year-old boy helping to defeat Kharzan," he murmured with amusement. "Interesting." His eyes lingered on Ren with new appreciation, seeing past the child’s small frame to something far more significant. The casual way the boy worked with materials that would challenge experienced healers and the confidence in his movements despite the royal scrutiny said a lot... But then he looked at Zhao lying on the treatment table, and his face changed completely. "I hope your strange child genius can cure him," he said with a seriousness that contrasted with his previous humor. "Zhao saved my life." The change in tone was immediate and absolute. Gone was the entertained monarch; in his place stood a king who understood the weight of debts that could never be repaid, the value of those rare individuals willing to sacrifice everything for duty. He moved closer to the table, observing the delicate work that Ren was now performing more calmly in a room with energy equally intense but more breathable. The King’s presence, no longer oppressive, seemed to settle around them like a protective barrier. "Let me tell you what he did a few months ago so that more people remember his bravery in the worst case scenario..." ♢♢♢♢ Zhao POV While Dragarion began his tale... Zhao, who was being treated but remained in a state of semi-consciousness, found himself relatively calm in the depths of his mind. He could barely sense the activity around his body, the gentle probing of healing energy, the careful manipulation of his damaged mana channels. If he had to die after what he had managed to accomplish, at least he would be happy to have reached where he had reached. A Silver Rank in the Platinum ring. The achievement felt surreal even in his current state. How many Silver Rank tamers could claim to have survived in territory meant for beings two full ranks above them? How many had walked among creatures that could erase them with a casual move and lived to tell the tale? He had fulfilled his most important mission, had saved the King when he was most needed, and had contributed to the kingdom through it. The satisfaction of duty completed was a warm weight in his chest, more comforting than any physical healing. Whatever happened now, whatever price his body demanded for the risks he had taken, it had been worth it. The only thing that saddened him was that he had never managed to go with Ren to see him directly explore those difficult places in the different ways he had told him about during their training sessions. Those conversations felt vivid in his memory now, more real than the medical procedures being performed on his body. Ren’s animated descriptions of beast ecology, his theories about mana flow patterns, the way his eyes lit up when discussing the interconnected relationships between creatures and their environments. He had remained with simple imagination from Ren’s accounts, never truly exploring with him the complex ecological theories he had described with such emotion. The regret was sharp but not bitter. At least his last mission had been extraordinarily extravagant. A few months ago... The decision crystallized in Zhao’s mind with the sharp clarity that only desperate situations could provide. He would find the King, even if it killed him. "Stupid," he muttered to himself while checking his supply pouches one more time. "I really am..." He knew he would most likely regret this. His Camouflage Raptor shifted nervously beside him, its scales rippling through muted browns and grays as it sensed his agitation. "Don’t give me that look," Zhao sighed at the beast. "You think I don’t know this is insane? But what’s the alternative? Go back and watch the kingdom tear itself apart while we sit on our asses waiting for a miracle?" The raptor’s only response was a low rumble that somehow managed to convey both loyalty and exasperation. Zhao appreciated that about the beasts... they never tried to pretend, but had to follow him anyway. His Mist Owl, still fused with him, provided a constant stream of sensory information that painted the world in shades of danger and opportunity. The enhanced perception was both blessing and curse; he could see threats coming from greater distances, but he could also see exactly how outmatched he was by everything around him. "Right then," Zhao said, shouldering his pack with grim determination. "Let’s go find a King in a mountain sized haystack." ♢♢♢♢ The journey through the first gold ring proved surprisingly manageable, though Zhao suspected that had more to do with Ren’s info than his skill. The lingering scent of Giant Cat Bear marking fluid continued to work its magic on the Golden Noses, keeping them locked in their defensive formations. Zhao moved between the towering creatures like a ghost, careful to maintain the slow, deliberate pace that wouldn’t trigger their predatory instincts. "At least the boy’s tricks are reliable," he murmured, pausing in the shadow of a particularly massive Golden Nose whose horn gleamed like a spear tip in the strange, mana-saturated light. The creature’s breathing was so slow and deep that Zhao could feel the ground vibrate with each inhalation. This close, he could see the intricate patterns in its fur, the way mana seemed to flow up and down through its body like a tree with luminous blood. It was beautiful in its own alien way, and utterly terrifying. His raptor shifted anxiously inside him. The beast’s natural camouflage abilities were impressive, but against Gold-rank creatures with enhanced senses, stealth became a difficult job. "Easy," Zhao whispered, more to himself than to his companion. "We’re just tourists here. Nothing to see, nothing to fear." The lie tasted bitter in his mouth, but lying to himself that all this mission was possible had kept him moving. Why stop now? As they moved deeper into the golden rings, Zhao began to notice changes in the landscape. The mana density was increasing gradually, like walking into deeper water. "No wonder Dragarion likes to rest here," he mused, watching a group of Golden Noses absorb mana with the patience of living statues. "It’s like a massive spa for anything that can handle the pressure." The thought brought him back to his mission. If the King had been here regularly, there had to be signs, traces of his presence that someone with the right skills could follow all the way to find him. Zhao activated his owl’s enhanced vision, scanning the ground for disturbances. Royal feet may have left distinctive marks, especially when carrying the weight of two Platinum beasts... The compressed earth, the subtle displacement of mana flows, the lingering scent of power... all of it could be read like a book if you knew the language. "There," he breathed, spotting a depression in the soft earth near a cluster of particularly large Golden Noses. The outline was old, but unmistakably human. And large enough to belong to someone carrying serious power in their steps. His raptor’s scales shifted to match the exact color and texture of the surrounding soil, a nervous habit that Zhao had learned to recognize as his companion’s way of saying ’we should think this through again.’ "I know," Zhao whispered. "But we’re committed now."

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