This Beast-Tamer is a Little Strange - Chapter 456

Chapter 456: Chapter 456: The Order’s Attention
The world outside the relic was a stark contrast to the chaos they had just left.

The air was crisp and clean, without the horrid smell of burning flesh.

The sky was a serene blue, and while the city was quiet, unlike the usual hustle and bustle of Brightstar City, the faint hum of life in the distance was a welcome reminder of the world they had fought to protect and a welcome change from the constant cries and screams ringing out around them.

The figures of Kain, Nadia, and the others stumbled out of the mirror that acted as a portal into the relic and returned back to the temple where everything began, their bodies heavy with exhaustion but their spirits lifted by the knowledge that they had succeeded in their mission.

But their relief was short-lived.

As the portal closed behind them, Kain’s eyes fell on three figures lying unconscious on the ground. They were ordinary civilians—two men and a woman—dressed in simple clothing that marked them as locals. Kain frowned, his mind racing. He vaguely recognized them, though he couldn’t quite place where he’d seen them before. But it was undeniable that, like him, they were native to Brightstar City, and most likely they had not awakened as beast-tamers.

“Who are they?” Nadia asked, her voice sharp with concern as she knelt beside one of the unconscious figures.

“Civilians,” Kain replied, his tone grim. “They must’ve accidentally entered the relic when it activated. Most of the others… didn’t make it.”

The memory of the grotesque flesh gate made from the other civilians to accidentally enter the relic made all of their stomach’s churn.

The abyssals had sacrificed countless civilians to create that abomination, which Kain and the others assumed was meant to form a stable channel between the Abyss, the relic and Brightstar City. These three had somehow escaped that fate, either by sheer luck or by being assigned identities within the relic that kept them away from the abyssals’ reach.

Nadia’s expression darkened, but she quickly composed herself. As the team leader, it was her responsibility to contact the Order and report their success. She pulled out a small communication device used by members of the Order to communicate on a secure, untappable line, and began speaking in low tones, her voice steady despite the fatigue etched into her features.

Kain, meanwhile, turned his attention to the unconscious civilians. He summoned his contract, Queen, and delicate wings fluttered as she hovered over the civilians, her antennae twitching as she assessed their condition and fed back the results of her assessment to Kain.

“No physical injuries,” Kain muttered, more to himself than to anyone else. “It’s probably a mental issue. Bea could’ve helped, but…”

He trailed off, his thoughts shifting to the small, silent presence currently resting in his star space. Kain’s chest tightened with worry, but there was nothing he could do for her now. She needed time to recover and to see if there were any long-lasting effects in her and Aegis due to their continuous intimate contact with the Abyssal energy.

Queen buzzed softly, her life energy flowing into the civilians in an attempt to stabilize them. But despite her efforts, they remained unconscious. Kain sighed, running a hand through his hair before relaying to the others, “It’s not working. Whatever’s wrong with them, it’s not something Queen can fix.”

Nadia finished her call and turned to Kain. “The Order’s sending a team to assist us. They’ll take the civilians for treatment. In the meantime, we need to head back to the headquarters for the debriefing.”

Kain nodded, though his mind was still preoccupied with Bea and the civilians. He couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more to their condition than simple exhaustion. But without Bea’s mental abilities, he was at a loss. As fellow members of the same city, Kain was extra worried about them. However, knowing the strong abilities of the Order, Kain was confident that they were in good hands.

———————-

The Order’s team arrived within minutes, their sleek, black vehicles cutting through the serene landscape like shadows. They moved with practiced efficiency, loading the unconscious civilians onto stretchers and whisking them away for treatment, while others stayed behind in order to continue guarding the entrance to the relic. Although without Nadia’s permission, due to her current control of the core, nobody should be able to enter or exit, in this strange world with all kinds of abilities and gifts, who knows what accidents could happen. Kain watched the unconscious civilians go, the knot of unease in his chest slowly unravelling

“They’ll be fine,” Nadia said, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder after seeing his lingering gaze. “The Order has the best healers in the empire. If anyone can help them, it’s them.”

The team returned to the Order’s headquarters, the journey passing in a blur of exhaustion and quiet reflection on all that occurred in the relic and what each of them wished to share (or not) with the Order as they sorted out their stories.

When they arrived, they were immediately ushered into a debriefing room.

Kain’s debriefing was the last to occur and was led by a high-ranking member of the Order, an 8-star beast-tamer with sharp features and piercing eyes.

He introduced himself as Commander Veylan and the man exuded an air of authority, his presence commanding respect and caution in equal measure.

“Your teammates have already given their accounts,” Veylan began, his voice calm but firm. “Now, I’d like to hear your version of events.”

Kain nodded, launching into a detailed recounting of their mission. He spoke of the extreme mental manipulation abilities of the relic that were capable of causing them all to forget their true identities. He spoke of the abyssals’ invasion into the relic via (what they assumed) to be another entrance connected to the relic but were never able to find, the flesh gate, and their desperate battle against the abyssal demigod.

Veylan listened intently, his expression unreadable. When Kain finished, the commander leaned back in his chair, his fingers steepled in front of him.

“Your story lines up well with your colleagues, but I am more interested in their accounts of your contracts’ abilities,” Veylan said after a moment. He had already heard the details of everything Kain said from his subordinates. That’s correct, Veylan was not responsible for interviewing Kain’s teammates. After all, as a high-level beast-tamer how could he have the time to waste on completing debriefing interviews. Most interviews are completed by 5 and 6-star members of the Dawnbringers, the counter-intelligence division of the Order, but when he received the report from his subordinates he was intrigued and decided to speak to Kain himself.

“Your contracts—Aegis and Bea, was it?—seem to possess abilities that defy conventional understanding. Aegis can manipulate abyssal energy—previously thought to be impossible for non-corrupted creatures— and Bea can control abyssals in a way that even Seraphina Mindshade, the empire’s sole 9-star beast-tamer specializing in the mental-attribute specialist, cannot.”

Veylan, as an 8-star beast-tamer and high-ranking figure of the Order, could naturally come into contact with the 9-star Seraphina Mindshade.

He recalled that from his discussions with her it was almost impossible to control abyssal creatures, unless as powerful as her. And even she wasn’t able to control abyssals similar or even slightly weaker than her in strength—limited to controlling low and mid-level ones and it took a great deal of effort

She said that this was because she could sense that there was a higher-level being that seemed to be connected to the mind of each abyssal and corrupted. A being that even filled her, as a 9-star beast tamer, with dread. But Bea was able to control those similar in level to her and, from the reports of Kain’s teammates, even spread her influence using the controlled—almost like a weaker version of the abyss.

Kain’s heart skipped a beat. He hadn’t expected the conversation to turn so quickly to his contracts and was instantly on guard. He wasn’t dumb, and he knew that his contracts were likely no normal. But until he fully figured out the reasons for their changes he didn’t wish to expose them to such powerful figures in case their abilities were exploited beyond what they could bear.

“They’re unique,” he admitted cautiously. “But they’re heavily damaged and exhausted right now. I can’t showcase their abilities at the moment.”

Veylan’s eyes narrowed slightly, but he didn’t press the issue, likely also receiving similar information from Nadia and the others. Instead, he leaned forward, his gaze piercing. “Tell me more about them then. How exactly did their abilities occur?”

Kain hesitated, choosing his words carefully. “I… I am not sure. But both of their abilities are not easy to use. It takes a lot out of them and may come with hidden dangers.”

Seeing Veylan’s unhappy expression, Kain immediately continued, “But once they recover their strength and awaken, I will definitely use the full extent of my abilites as a researcher to identify the reasons for the change” He said hoping that that reminder of his second identity as an accomplished researcher could give him the opportunity to lead the investigation himself.

The room fell silent, the weight of Kain’s words hanging heavy in the air. Kain could feel the tension building, the unspoken questions and suspicions lurking just beneath the surface.

As the debriefing continued, it became clear that Veylan’s interest in Kain’s contracts went beyond mere curiosity. The commander’s questions grew more probing, his tone more insistent. Kain did his best to answer honestly, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that his greatest worries may come true.

“Your contracts are… unusual,” Veylan said finally, his voice low. “If what you’ve told me is true, they could be invaluable in our fight against the Abyss. But we’ll need to see them in action to confirm their abilities.”

Kain nodded, though his stomach churned with unease. “I understand. But like I said, they’re in no condition to demonstrate anything right now.”

Veylan studied him for a long moment before nodding. “Very well. We’ll give them time to recover. But when they’re ready, I expect a full demonstration.”

The debriefing ended shortly after, and Kain was dismissed. As he left the room, he couldn’t shake the feeling that he was being watched. The Order’s interest in his contracts was both a blessing and a curse. On one hand, it could mean more resources and support for his team. On the other, it could put a target on his back.