Weakest Beast Tamer Gets All SSS Dragons novel Chapter 17

Chapter 17: Chapter 17 - Taming the Entrance Ceremony

"Get out," Luna ordered. "All of you."

"This isn't over, rotting-boy," Jin growled. "We'll see you later."

While the bullies fled from Luna, Ren gently touched the mushrooms in his hair. The knowledge they provided was worth every taunt, every threat.

Though that didn't make things easier.

As the others hurried to obey, Luna looked at Ren for a moment. There was no sympathy in her gaze, only a kind of calculating curiosity.

Or so Ren thought, still...

"Thank you," Ren said when the others had left. "For helping me."

Luna looked at him as if he were a particularly annoying equation she needed to solve.

"I didn't do it for you," her voice was cold, practical. "I did it because I dislike those who abuse their power. Three Silver beasts against the weakest of all..." she shook her head. "It's pathetic."

Her shadow wolf watched her with its bright eyes, tilting its head as she continued:

"You'd do well to stay away from trouble. And frankly, you should consider keeping your spore separate from your body. Those mushrooms on your head only make you a more visible target."

"I won't," Ren's response was immediate, firm. "My spore isn't weak. And I'm going to prove it."

Luna raised an eyebrow, studied him for a moment...

"Interesting," she murmured, more to herself than to him.

She remembered this boy from invocation day, how could she forget the only one with a gray egg among so many bright colors, almost all children of rich and powerful families.

Luna hadn't understood why someone who could only buy that type of egg was at this school. The terrible result was even more unexpected.

He had been so visibly depressed that day, so defeated...

But now there was something different about him.

Not just the luminescent mushrooms in his hair, but something in his posture, in his eyes. He looked more... bright. And she didn't mean the mushrooms on his head.

"Delusion or courage?" she murmured, more to herself than to him. "Very interesting."

She turned to leave, but paused for a moment.

"We'll see if that confidence of yours lasts at least the first year," she said over her shoulder, her wolf vanishing into the shadows along with her. "Though I doubt it."

Ren watched her disappear before he could ask what was so 'interesting', the mushrooms in his hair pulsing softly... But he didn't need her to believe in him.

He didn't need anyone to believe.

Of course, to Ren the irony of the message sounded different.

"The professors will assign your dormitories and schedules. Classes begin tomorrow at first light."

The Director paused.

"One last thing: at the Imperial Academy, we value individual progress, but also contribution to society. We don't reward direct abuse based on beast rank, social levels depend on each other, so you'll lose points for misbehavior but gain points for contributing. Everyone has potential... Don't waste it."

This time, his gaze clearly stopped on the group that had beaten and threatened Ren in the carriage. The tiger boy shifted uncomfortably.

As the students began to disperse, Ren noticed something curious.

The mushrooms in his hair pulsed with a different rhythm near certain areas of the hall, as if responding to a powerful stimulus beneath the floor.

Knowledge flowed through his mind: perhaps the Academy had indeed been built on ancient ruins. Ruins where...

He might find the runes he needed without buying them if he was lucky.

"All first-year students, this way!" A professor's voice interrupted his thoughts. "It's time to assign dormitories!"

Ren followed the crowd, but his mind was already working. The Academy held more secrets than it appeared.

And he had eight years to discover them.