Weakest Beast Tamer Gets All SSS Dragons

Chapter 1266 - Taming the Old World - Shadow Dragons - 13

Selphira and Julius rapidly finished assembling the leaving team.

Liu was staying… That decision became obvious immediately: the scout was far too valuable right here alongside Ren, who served as the central pillar of the entire operation. His unique ability to transmit sound across vast distances made him the perfect tactical liaison, capable of feeding Ren urgent intelligence at any given moment without breaking the young general's fragile concentration.

Pulling him away would equate to severing the commander's primary communication line right in the middle of a warzone.

Julius and Taro, based on their tactical analysis, were the ideal candidates for the city; their supreme earth manipulation could reinforce heavy walls better than anything else.

Selphira herself would have been incredibly useful back home as well… But ultimately, they decided to dispatch exactly four operatives: Taro, Julius, Min, and Wei.

The logistical puzzle came together piece by piece. Taro and Julius were selected for their earth control, specifically to fortify the inner wall alongside Arturo. Min was chosen for his devastating area-of-effect explosions, which were perfect for shattering the dense enemy formations a siege naturally produced.

Besides, Selphira was already more than enough of a dedicated healer for a squad containing several opportunistic support tamers.

And Wei was selected not for his raw power, since the golden mushroom and its supplemental memory storage didn't seem strictly necessary on either front right now, but purely for his aerial mobility. He could carry Taro, Min, and Julius, transporting them back to the capital exponentially faster than if they traveled on foot.

They were not sending the golden mushroom's host for his combat strength, but for his wings.

They also deliberately left the senior maid Maria and the elite guards Kira and Hana behind, just in case Ren ended up requiring a bit of extra fungal assistance later on the ring mountain. It was a small tactical cushion they likely wouldn't need, but it was better to be safe.

Selphira quickly dispatched a few coded messages to Arturo, notifying the logistical commander exactly who was coming and their estimated time of arrival, allowing him to seamlessly integrate the four reinforcements into his defensive grid without any chaotic surprises.

♢♢♢♢

The group exchanged their quick farewells.

"Watch your backs," Selphira warned them, wielding the distinct brevity of an ancient warrior who had sent far too many people into far too many battles. "And listen to Arturo... He is the only one holding the complete tactical map in his head right now."

Julius nodded with a serious, composed smile. Taro offered a different expression, beaming with his usual warm sincerity.

Min, on the other hand, immediately started complaining.

"They pull me out of the main event once again..." He pointed an accusing finger up at the sky, gesturing wildly toward Ren's epic struggle against the burning guardian. "All the good stuff is happening right up there... A blazing dragon, a giant laser beam, high-stakes drama! And you are sending me away just to squash ugly beasts against a brick wall? Everyone is constantly trying to steal my spotl..."

Liu did not utter a single word; he simply severed all sound radiating around Min.

The explosive tamer's mouth kept moving at a frantic pace, but nothing came out. Not a single syllable escaped, leaving only the highly indignant physical gestures of a young man aggressively complaining into an absolute sound vacuum.

Taro laughed out loud.

"I have always loved that trick," the earth tamer admitted. "You really should use it more often, Liu."

Min gesticulated with pure fury. He pointed desperately at his own throat, then jabbed a finger directly at Liu, his face painting a vivid portrait of ultimate betrayal. Liu offered his usual half-smile and smoothly restored the ambient sound just in time for everyone to hear the very end of the rant:

"...and I am not even allowed to COMPLAIN in peace... Traitors, every single one of you!"

♢♢♢♢

Wei summoned his now bigger beast thanks to the 1000 days method as mount, hauled the other three aboard, and took off rapidly toward the capital.

Selphira watched them fade into the clouds, remaining firmly planted on the ground alongside the three girls and Liu.

Between her and the scout, the remaining ground support was more than adequate, blending tactical awareness with raw firepower. Liu could fly, making him immensely useful for navigating the battlefield and maintaining clear communication. Selphira commanded power to spare; she might also be required to help suppress the sprawling swamp fires if the blazing inferno slipped even further out of control.

She certainly would have been invaluable back in the city too, but she consciously chose to stay. Just in case… A burning sovereign shadow dragon that actively grew stronger from its own agonizing pain could be tricky and was not an enemy Selphira was willing to leave entirely to the youth, regardless of how powerful they had become.

High above them, the clash of raw power was on the verge of a conclusion.

Ren's squad had practically won the duel of elemental beams. The volatile point of contact, which had cost them so much effort just to halt and reverse, was now hovering dangerously close to the black dragon. It was inches away from exploding right in the creature's face.

The three-headed Hydra, steadily fed by Ren, Luna, and Larissa, drove the burning breath back toward its source. It moved centimeter by centimeter, pushing until there was virtually no empty space left between the jade beam and the monster's jagged maw.

Just a little further…

A tiny bit more, and the dragon's own fire, combined with the crushing brilliance of the Hydra, would detonate directly against the guardian.

Ren ground his teeth together, held his energetic flow at the exact perfect threshold, and pushed through that final, agonizing stretch.

Ren's Hydra finally won the clash.

The point of impact collapsed against the dragon's maw, and the shadow guardian exploded.

But the beam that struck it this time was not just light. Ren had altered it: instead of heat, it carried cold energy, light mingled with ice, in hopes of dampening the inferno near the mountain.

If he could cool the terrain while defeating the dragon, the entrance to the ruins would be far easier to reach afterward.

The explosion shook the air.

And the dragon fell back to the foothills of the massive crystal mountain.