Weakest Beast Tamer Gets All SSS Dragons

Chapter 225: Chapter 225 - Taming the Finals (Unit 1) - 16

Chapter 225: Chapter 225 - Taming the Finals (Unit 1) - 16

The students rested while Shizu, Larissa, Umi (the guard with the coral), and Taro finished raising a second wall. 

Lin observed the situation with the cold calculation of a combat veteran. Two walls of furious shadow stalkers, two companions lost in the depths, and night approaching. The decisions they made in the next few minutes would determine who survived.

"We need to decide on teams quickly," she announced with a firm voice, immediately capturing everyone's attention. "One group must return to camp to alert Zhao, while another remains here to attempt rescuing Ren and Han."

"I'm staying," Taro declared instantly.

"Me too," added Larissa.

Lin nodded, but raised a hand to stop the chorus of volunteers that would follow. "I need the rescue team staying with me to be small and specific. Larissa, Taro, Umi, Matilda, Min, and Mira will stay with me. We'll work on creating a rope long enough to lower down the hole while keeping the walls strong."

Several voices began to protest, but Lin silenced them with a look.

"The rest," she continued, "I need you to form a team to reach Zhao as quickly as possible. And that means tunneling beneath the colony."

A tense silence followed these words. Creating tunnels in this area was a desperate tactic, something all gatherers avoided for good reason.

"But the tunnel could lead us directly to a larger shadow stalker hive," objected Hikari, her firefly trembling nervously on her shoulder, its light flickering with her anxiety.

"It's a risk we'll have to take," Lin responded, her tone making it clear there was no alternative. "Shizu with her wolverine will lead the tunnel team. Mako with the night ambusher, Hikari with the firefly, and Luna at the front. You need beasts with offensive capability to give Shizu time to quickly seal any breach into the main hive if you find one."

Luna stepped forward, her shadow wolf manifesting in a dark aura around her. "I'd prefer to stay and support you here. There are enough people to find Zhao. We won't all fit at the tunnel front."

Liora and Luna exchanged glances. "I want to stay too," argued Liora, her voice usually serene now laden with tension. "My fire could be useful in keeping shadow stalkers at bay if a wall here fails."

Lin observed them for a moment, her expression softening briefly before returning to her usual determination. "I understand how you feel, but reaching Zhao and bringing him quickly is the best way to help. Your abilities are particularly good because they don't take up much space and can make the tunnel-front efforts safer."

Larissa took her cousin's hands. "Go," she said with unusual firmness. "Bring Zhao as quickly as possible. Meanwhile, we'll keep the wall strong and prepare everything for the rescue."

After a moment of hesitation, Luna and Liora nodded, reluctantly joining the tunnel group, their shoulders tense with unspoken concern.

"Good," Lin turned to Shizu. "Start the tunnel about twenty meters down from here, where the softer ground begins. Maintain that medium depth, neither too shallow nor too deep. And if you reach another shadow stalker tunnel, seal it immediately and change course."