Chapter 496 -496 – Taming the Third Beast The group divided to attend to multiple urgent responsibilities. Some headed to handle the situation of prisoner soldiers in the mines, ensuring they were appropriately managed and interrogated. Others focused on the logistical management of moving the crystals, a process that required specific beasts. The selection of candidates for double potions also required immediate attention, evaluating loyalty, competence, and strategic potential. Ren decided to stay with Luna, Larissa and Liora, awaiting the arrival of his egg and his teachers. It was an opportunity to plan his next development steps while writing a new guide. After a few hours, while the Wolverine tamers continued extracting crystals, something unexpected began to be seen. “Is that part of a mural?” asked one of Julius’s half-sisters, pointing toward where crystal removal had revealed carved patterns on the wall. A small section of strange information had become visible, symbols and designs that were clearly part of something much larger. The discovery immediately changed extraction priorities. “We planned to extract few crystals,” Arturo commented when reporting the finding, “but now we need to extract those necessary to free the complete mural.” The decision wasn’t trivial. Extracting more crystals meant distributing enormous wealth that couldn’t be stored in the castle’s space, but the historical information could be invaluable for understanding the systems that had been operating beneath their feet. These murals could contain information about the ancient civilization that had built these systems, possibly revealing secrets about their operation or purpose that could prove crucial. Selphira, upon learning of the situation, offered an elegant solution. “I can freeze a water wall in a zone of the chamber,” she proposed. “That way we would only have to remove a section of crystals and could see the mural without affecting the rest of the crystals.” It was a perfect compromise between not extracting too many resources and satisfying archaeological curiosity. “Brilliant,” Dragarion agreed. “We can make a wall for extraction only in front of the mural.” ♢♢♢♢ While selective excavation work began, Ren’s things arrived along with his teachers. Yang appeared first, carrying Ren’s backpack with the container protecting the Wolverine egg. He approached and handed it over with a stoic pose very characteristic of the Rock Behemoth tamer. Wei arrived moments later, accompanied by Lin, who looked significantly different after her transformation and prolonged nap. Her presence had a new density, but also a slightly disoriented quality that suggested adaptation was still in process. Wei quickly launched into the new book Ren was writing to devour the knowledge while the boy stood up. “How do you feel?” Ren immediately asked Lin. “Like I’ve been dreaming for days,” Lin answered honestly. “My perception of time is… confused.” It was exactly the type of symptom Ren had anticipated, confirming his suspicions about recovery patterns from mana cycles. Lucid dreams seemed more common when the mana system was reorganizing. The interrupted cultivation had created complications that would require careful management. “I’m going to evaluate your condition completely,” Ren assured her. “And then we’ll decide the best course of action for the thousand-day cultivation.” Luna and Liora observed the reunion with fascination, seeing how Ren handled both the arrival of his resources and the medical evaluation of their auxiliary teacher with competence that transcended his age. “When will you take the egg?” Liora asked. “I should be able to do it now,” Ren responded. “I just need to make a small change to the rune…” He took some materials from the backpack. “This could be a good occasion to demonstrate the rune engraving process…” It was a complex and precise task. But if they could learn it, they could write the type of flow in the core that decided the beast type, like its genetic key. The technique was both art and science, requiring not just knowledge of the symbols but understanding of how mana flowed through different patterns to create specific biological outcomes. It was knowledge that could revolutionize beast breeding if properly understood. While Wei closely examined Ren making notes, the mural ‘excavation’ work continued. The revealed symbols promised information that could change their understanding of what was happening. The timing of these discoveries felt almost prophetic, as if the ancient builders had intended for this knowledge to be revealed at exactly this moment of crisis. Ren extended his hands, feeling how the mana patterns found their recipient. The egg glowed and cracked with a sound like crystal breaking softly. Yang watched with fascination while Wei took mental notes about the unusual process he had witnessed. When the process was completed, Ren immediately felt the difference. 50% extra Regeneration flowed through his system like a warm current, promising accelerated healing and improved resistance. 50% in all elements gave him a sensation of balance in his mana control that he hadn’t experienced before, as if he could feel the world’s elemental currents flowing around him. The additional 30% general increase brought his physical strength to an impressive 500% over normal. “This is… extraordinary,” he murmured, controlling elemental flows that felt like new extensions of his body. “A Fire Wolverine would have given you 50% Attack and 50% specialized control,” his fungus explained, analyzing the internal changes. “An Earth one, 50% defense and control of its element. Each element has its specific bonuses.” Ren nodded, consulting his knowledge. “They all also have regeneration increased by 50% as a base. Yours sacrificed the extra body bonus for a broad elemental bonus… but much more useful in the long term.” It was a very advantageous trade-off considering the elemental increase in the other 6 nodes at the cost of a single enhancement. “I have my general elemental control at 100%,” Ren calculated, murmuring, feeling the currents of power he could now manipulate. “Nothing to be dismissed for someone of my level.” Wolverines were Tier 3 beasts, which meant Ren finally seemed like a strong double according to conventional standards. Although in many people’s eyes, he still had a somewhat strange beast selection that could have been more impactful in terms of raw power or unique abilities. Ren closed his eyes, focusing on the connection with his new beast. The fusion was easier and the flow in his core smoother than he had anticipated, as if the Wolverine had been waiting for this moment to guide him. What followed left all observers breathless. Multi-elemental energy lines began to appear along Ren’s fused body, creating patterns that constantly changed between different colors and textures. Golden currents of earth intertwined with silver veins of wind, while touches of blue water and red fire danced between green lines of wood and purples of darkness. “That’s not normal,” Wei murmured, his experience telling him that what he was witnessing defied conventional understanding. “In Iron, a Wolverine should be neutral until its tamer decides the element in Bronze 1,” Larissa explained, clearly confused by what they were seeing. “But Ren already seems to have control at Bronze 2 Wolverine level, and not in a single element.” The control Ren was demonstrating was equivalent to what they would expect from a beast that had undergone specialized elemental selection and evolved twice, not a creature that had just hatched. Other abnormal changes for a common Wolverine were in Ren’s eyes. His natural green eyes looked more intense, with a jade glow that intensified the original color until it became something that seemed to shine with its own light. “Jade eyes,” whispered Selphira, who had arrived to check on the kids and Lin. “I never thought I would see that in my life.” “What does it mean?” Liora asked, noticing the reverence in the older woman’s voice. “It’s a mark of those who have integrated the elemental power of various nodes in perfect balance,” Selphira explained. “Legends speak of ancient tamers who could manipulate all elements simultaneously, but it was thought to be impossible under modern understanding.” Ren closed and opened his eyes, testing his new perception. The world looked different now… he could see the elemental composition of everything around him, the way different energies flowed and interacted, patterns that had been invisible before. Ren extended a hand, and flames danced across his palm. With a thought, the fire transformed into swirling water, then crystallized earth, then became cutting wind, cycling through transformations with a fluidity that made the observers catch their breath. “This shouldn’t be possible,” Wei murmured. “Each element requires different mental frameworks, different types of control…” “Unless you have something that unifies all those frameworks,” Ren interrupted, talking about his mushroom’s contribution to his understanding. “Something that lets you see the underlying patterns instead of just the surface differences.” Lin, who had been quietly observing, stepped forward with an expression of growing pride. Like it ? Give it a power stone! ┻━┻ ︵ヽ(`Д´)ﾉ︵ ┻━┻ – It’s free and you help me a lot Have some idea about my story? Comment it and let me know. Thank you so much for reading! (∿°○°)∿ ︵ ︵ ︵ ︵ ︵ ǝʌol