This Beast-Tamer is a Little Strange

Chapter 497: Chapter 497: The Crystal Guide

A figure emerged from the shadows, its movements slow and deliberate.

Its indistinguishable figure was pale and crystalline and its eyes glowed with a faint, eerie light. But what caught Kain's attention was its movements—they were too perfect, too mechanical. Its steps were precise, each one landing with the same force, the same rhythm. It was as if it were following a predetermined path, its actions guided by some unseen force.

Just as Kain was about to attack the creature, certain that it was another experimental product, its full figure came into the light produced in the chamber Kain was in.

"Huh?"

Before Kain was a small, rabbit-like creature that appeared to be made of translucent crystal, its body gave off a soft, calming glow as it reflected the lights hitting it. And its large, luminous eyes gave it an appearance of innocence.

The only unsettling aspect is that it seems to have no consciousness at all. If anything, it looked like an elaborate doll capable of walking…a very familiar 'doll'. One that cost Kain his very first chance at becoming the new sole rank 1 of their year.

Not to mention the unsuccessful scouting techniques of his contracts also began to make sense. During the competition, Bea suffered several losses against the contract's illusions that seemed capable of fading in and out of reality whenever they wanted, leading to Bea's threads just going straight through them, and it could also explain why no heat or spiritual power was detected by the Vespids previously either.

"Prismarin…what are you doing here?" Kain mumbled not expecting an answer.

But surprisingly, upon hearing Kain's voice, its eyes blinked languidly once…twice…and then upon the third reopening the previously soulless eyes were now far more energetic.

It looked curiously left and right, and then the Prismarin's luminous eyes locked onto Kain. For a moment, it simply stared at him, its head tilting slightly as if trying to place him. Then, with a soft, melodic chirp, it hopped closer, its movements no longer mechanical but fluid and alive. The eerie precision of its earlier steps had vanished, replaced by the natural and lively grace of a living creature.

Kain hesitated, his spear still raised but his grip loosening slightly. He recognized that that creature had the ability to manipulate light and create illusions so convincing they could fool even the most skilled beast-tamers, so he knew that this was likely one of its illusions. But what was it doing here, deep within the ruins of this ancient relic? And why had it been moving like a mindless machine just moments ago?

"Prismarin," Kain said again, his voice steady but cautious. "Are you… okay?"

The creature chirped again, its crystalline ears twitching as it took another hop toward him. Its movements were deliberate now, its glowing eyes filled with a strange mixture of curiosity and urgency. It stopped just a few feet away from Kain, its translucent body reflecting the faint purple light of the runes on the walls.

Kain lowered his spear slightly, his mind racing. If this was indeed Serena's Prismarin, then Serena herself shouldn't be far behind. But why hadn't she come with it? And why had the Prismarin been acting so strangely? The questions swirled in his mind, but before he could voice any of them, the creature let out another chirp, this one more insistent.

It turned and began to hop away, its movements quick but deliberate. After a few steps, it paused and looked back at Kain, its luminous eyes locking onto his once more. It chirped again, as if urging him to follow.

Kain hesitated, his instincts warring with his curiosity. The Prismarin was an ally—technically—but its sudden appearance and strange behavior were deeply unsettling. Still, if it was leading him somewhere, it might be to Serena or to something important within the ruins. Neither one of those options was something Kain would turn down.

"Alright," Kain muttered, then he joked. "But if we get in any kind of danger along the way, I'm holding you responsible."

The Prismarin chirped again, its tone almost playful, before turning and hopping down the passageway. Kain followed, his spear still at the ready, with Vauleth and the Vespid guards close behind.

As they moved, Kain couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched. The shadows seemed to shift and twist, their movements too deliberate to be mere tricks of the light. The Prismarin, however, seemed unfazed, its crystalline body glowing faintly as it led them through the labyrinth like tunnels with a surprising amount of familiarity.

After what felt like an eternity, the passageway opened up into another chamber, this one even larger than the last. The walls were covered in more of the glowing runes, their purple light casting an eerie glow over the room. In the center of the chamber was another massive, circular platform, its surface etched with intricate patterns that pulsed with the same purple light. Kain wondered if the platforms present in each chamber were connected in some way? What was their purpose? Some kind of formation?

Unfortunately, without being able to activate them all, it'll be hard to deduce their purpose. Not to mention, even if he could use Aegis to take them back to the Order to examine, there is no guarantee that they would work once removed. Perhaps the location was important to their activation as well. So Kain decided to leave the platforms he had no solution to alone for now.

What caught Kain's attention next was what lay on the platform. Unlike the previous platform, this one had a series of strange, mechanical devices, their surfaces covered in glowing sigils and symbols. They were unlike anything Kain had ever seen, their designs a blend of ancient and futuristic technology.

The Prismarin hopped onto the inactivated platform. It turned to face Kain, its luminous eyes filled with a strange mixture of urgency and determination. It chirped again, its tone insistent, before hopping closer to the platform.

"Aren't you supposed to be directing me to Serena? Why'd you bring me here?"

In response, the Prismarin just used its front paw to point more insistently at the objects on the platform.

"You want me to take them?"

Nod.

'I would have taken it away anyways…' Kain thought, but still put it away.