*Crack!*
"Huh? What was that?"
Yamamoto looked at the liquid below, not quite comprehending.
The flame of his contract spirit surged, igniting it instantly...
In an instant, it was as if a scorching sun appeared beneath the flaming giant wolf's feet, its dazzling light blinding to the eye.
"Damn it! Lord Yamamoto's temper is really fiery!"
Someone's expression jolted, a spontaneous gasp escaping them.
Who would have thought it would ignite so quickly?
"Get away! Hurry and get away!!"
Another Golden-tier Beast Tamer's expression drastically changed as his contract spirit immediately sensed the energy's intensity!
As soon as the words fell, everyone instinctively activated defensive skills, perfectly blocking the terrifying shockwave.
Those who came to the ruins were at least Silver-tier Beast Tamers, with incredibly rich combat experience.
"Save Yamamoto!"
A Golden-tier Beast Tamer roared, his eyes filled with shocked anger.
In front of them, Yamamoto was enveloped in white light, and within it, the roar of his contract spirit could be vaguely heard.
In an instant, the explosion spread again, coming into contact with the nearby spatial portal.
*Sizzle sizzle sizzle!*
The two seemed to have a peculiar reaction. The previously stable spatial portal showed signs of collapse.
"Quickly use skills to block the explosion! The portal must not be destroyed!"
The Golden-tier Beast Tamers' expressions all changed drastically.
If the portal was gone, what use would the treasures from the ruins be if they couldn't get back?
For a moment, several sturdy shields flew out, directly enveloping the massive explosion...
"Young Master Yamamoto, everything depends on your destiny!"
A Golden-tier Beast Tamer sighed, his eyes filled with remembrance.
With the situation so urgent, they could only choose sacrifice.
*Boom boom boom!*
The terrifying explosion continued unabated, its intensity showing no sign of decay. Even the ruins began to tremble.
The expressions of the crowd gradually shifted. If the explosion were allowed to spread further, the consequences would likely be immense.
Time passed slowly.
The explosion finally subsided, and the intense light vanished, revealing the situation within.
Two Golden-tier contract spirits lay on the ground, their life force extinguished.
"Could it be that... Young Master Yamamoto is gone..."
Someone swallowed hard. To lose a Golden-tier Beast Tamer right at the start?
"It's moving! The contract spirit's mouth is moving!"
Someone exclaimed, watching as a bloody and mangled figure slowly crawled out, his eyes filled with terror.
"Yamamoto, are you alright?"
A Golden-tier Beast Tamer approached, a sense of relief washing over him. It was good that he was alive...
"Why, why did you abandon me!"
Yamamoto roared, his anger almost making him explode.
Given the intensity of the explosion, Golden-tier contract spirits should not have died.
But the problem was that the others had used defensive skills, compressing the explosion into a very small area, greatly amplifying its power.
"If we didn't do that, the spatial portal would have been destroyed..."
Upon hearing this, Yamamoto took a deep breath, his heart full of rage with nowhere to vent it.
One person spoke, "At least you're alive!"
"Alive?"
Yamamoto clenched his fists and said, "I lost two contract spirits! What use is being alive!"
"No wonder he survived..."
The crowd sighed. This was a devastating blow to a Beast Tamer.
"Who did it! Who exactly did it!"
Yamamoto's gaze turned cold as he looked at everyone.
Someone muttered, "Could it really be... your temper was too much..."
"En?"
Yamamoto's gaze immediately shifted towards the speaker, and he said word by word:
"Do you think you're very funny?"
"Alright!"
A Golden-tier Beast Tamer stepped forward to mediate, saying, "I suspect foul play!"
As soon as he said this, everyone looked at each other, suspicion and wariness in their eyes.
Could there be an inside job?!
"It wasn't one of us!"
The man riding the thunderous python said with certainty, "The nineteen of us basically arrived at the same time. There was no opportunity for any tricks!"
"You're saying... someone arrived earlier!"
At this, everyone frowned, finding it hard to believe.
They were actually planting a nuclear bomb at the entrance?
This was simply insane!
Another Golden-tier Beast Tamer said:
"Impossible. Our people have been guarding the spatial portal all along. Are you suggesting someone entered stealthily?"
"Perhaps there were means we couldn't comprehend!"
The man shook his head, a killing intent in his eyes. "If we encounter outsiders in the ruins, kill them directly. The family will back us up!"
The others nodded. They had planned for so long; they couldn't let anyone disrupt it!
"Takahashi, aren't we being too impulsive?"
Yamamoto, now seriously injured, felt his anger gradually subside and a hint of fear emerged. "If this matter is exposed, I'm afraid even the authorities won't protect us."
"As long as we obtain the treasures from the ruins, we'll deal with the rest later!"
Gaoqiao Chuan's expression was calm. The forces responsible for guarding the alternate spaces in the Sakura Country were not official organizations, but rather powerful families skilled in beast taming.
The Tianhe family, guarding the [Icefire Forest], received news of the ruins and directly took action without authorization.
If they had notified the Sakura Country's authorities, their family would have received nothing.
Seizing the initiative now was the only way to reap the greatest benefits!
"Move out!"
The nineteen individuals strode directly into the white mist ahead, leaving behind only a crater about ten meters wide.
...
At this moment, Chen Shu had no idea that the medicinal liquid he left behind had severely injured a Golden-tier Beast Tamer.
"This ruin is a bit strange!"
Chen Shu was currently lying in the mouth of a slime, only his head exposed, looking incredibly cunning.
Beside him were the heads of a dog and a rabbit, also observing their surroundings.
The slime's expression was simple-minded as it advanced fearlessly. It was surrounded by white mist.
Just then, the white mist ahead churned, and a dark shadow appeared.
"En?"
Chen Shu's eyes slightly widened with caution.
*Roar!*
A fierce beast with eyes burning with flames appeared, its gaze filled with coldness and dead silence.
"En? This thing?"
Chen Shu's eyes slightly widened. He immediately sensed that its level was Silver-tier, one-star.
But what puzzled him was that he had never seen such a fierce beast, nor did the information on the Icefire Forest mention it.
"Could it be a species from a thousand years ago?"
He mused, simultaneously patting the dog's head beside him.
"Ao!"
The husky yelped, and a [Giant Wind Blade] flew out, striking the head of the fiery beast.
*Sizzle sizzle!*
In an instant, the head fell, and the beast's life force vanished.
Chen Shu was about to decompose the corpse, but the next moment, the corpse turned into a wisp of smoke and merged into the white mist.
"En? Fake?"
Chen Shu's eyes widened. Just as he was confused, a part of the white mist ahead dispersed, revealing a stalk of red medicinal herb.
"Silver-tier Starfire Flower?"
Chen Shu raised an eyebrow and, using the spatial rabbit's skill, pulled it over.
"Is this the reward?"
He began to understand the rules of the Icefire Forest ruins, happily tucking it away.
"Slime, charge forward!"
"Giji!"
The one person and three beasts strode forward, heading towards the depths of the ruins...