Insect Tamer's Ascension Chapter 440. A presence suppressing everyone

Theo calmly met their stares.

"As the leader, my duty was to grasp exactly what every member was up to," Theo stated, drawing a snort from Merek, who appeared openly irritated.

"Attendant Cassian, care to reveal the method you employed?" Theo inquired.

Cassian nodded with a wide grin, stirring a touch of approval in Lucien, as though the fellow had truly pulled off something noteworthy.

"I grabbed one of those sticks positioned by the rope area," Cassian described, displaying a sleek, blunt little stick.

All eyes turned to it, faces showing varied reactions.

"You seize a Mirewhisk normally, then give its head a gentle tap with this. Excessive strength kills it instantly; the goal is brief unconsciousness."

He showed the move by lightly striking one of his caught Mirewhisks with the stick.

The creature lay still for several seconds before its face jerked and its eyes fluttered open. It attempted to shift, yet its legs stayed securely knotted.

Cassian kept grinning assuredly until Lucien pointed at one of his catches.

He glanced over and spotted a Mirewhisk that had already wriggled a front leg free from the knot.

"HAHAAHHAHAH!" Oric exploded into laughter, jolting everyone present.

Yet the instructor focused solely on the method.

"Excellent work, but your knot-tying needs serious improvement. Practice hard!" Oric declared, slapping Cassian’s shoulders with excessive force.

"Instructor Oric, your thoughts on Clara and Elias?" Theo interjected, halting the praise before it dragged on.

Oric eyed Clara and Elias, then the direwolf, a steadier smile gracing his features this time.

"Flawlessly executed. You two pass the small beast extraction test right now. Well done!"

Still, his gaze returned to Theo, disappointment clouding his expression once more.

"I held high hopes for you, Young Theo. Yet you accomplished nothing."

Theo simply shook his head.

"Having assessed everyone's weaknesses and strengths, I can now devise the optimal strategy."

He flashed a smile, genuinely sparking excitement in Oric.

"Such confidence!" he exclaimed, clapping his hands sharply.

At his cue, workers hauled out a fresh cage, brimming with Mirewhisks scrambling and thrashing to escape.

"Everyone, step back for this round. I'll summon you shortly; come join me then," Theo instructed, straightening his collar as he advanced.

To say all attention fixed on Theo was an understatement, every look brimming with curiosity.

Instructors, teammates, and even nearby workers paused or watched intently, eager to see his approach.

A worker unlatched the cage, unleashing the Mirewhisks in a rush.

Theo’s forehead glowed intensely, summoning a beast in the blink of an eye.

Lucien swallowed hard, instantly identifying it, while Clara and Elias harbored firm guesses about Theo’s next move without needing words.

The mantis dropped into the midst of the Mirewhisks, and time itself appeared to halt.

Instructor Oric went rigid, as did the entire group.

From behind, other instructors rose instinctively, a chilling tingle creeping over their skin.

Lysara and Garrick stayed put, transfixed on the beast, their survival instincts urging them to flee the zone immediately.

The bird-beasts soaring overhead retreated to their tamers’ shoulders, perching there while eyeing the mantis.

All Mirewhisks halted motionless.

Only Theo pressed onward steadily.

He serenely lifted one creature, its breaths ragged like cornered prey awaiting consumption.

"Okay, everyone, let's round them up now. Bring your ropes and head over," Theo commanded in a tone carrying authority, still adjusting to his role as leader.

He settled down, placing the creature on his lap to start binding it.

Oric gaped, eyes glued to Theo’s actions, utterly captivated.

The spectacle felt otherworldly, the heavy silence conveying volumes beyond speech.

Clara moved first, snatching a rope and approaching, with Elias right behind.

Lucien gritted his teeth and followed suit shortly.

Sir Kaelor watched their advance, struggling against the oppressive aura to break free, but progress proved arduous.

Each step weighed heavily, yet he pushed on, hurrying to the ropes while averting his eyes from the mantis.

The rest of the group stayed paralyzed, gripped by shock or terror.

With collective effort, Theo secured nearly every creature.

The mantis, in the meantime, leisurely grabbed a handful of Mirewhisks for a snack as they bound the remainder.

Its portion was unavoidable.

Five minutes passed before Theo rose to his feet and drew in a profound breath.

Around sixty Mirewhisks were sprawled before them, securely bound, as Clara, Elias, and Lucien continued their efforts.

"These ought to suffice as samples, don't they, Instructor Oric?" Theo inquired, a faint smile playing on his lips that only the instructors caught. The rest were utterly fixated on the mantis.

Theo was fully aware of his feat, and his grin revealed it instantly to the instructors. Oric erupted into thunderous applause, his gaze sparkling with thrill.

Theo blinked in astonishment. The oppressive force no longer seemed to touch him.

"MAGNIFICIENT, YOUNG THEO! I SEE WHAT MY LORD SAW IN YOU! TRULY MAGNIFICIENT!" Oric bellowed, sounding nearly unhinged.

"Can I approach it?! Will you safeguard me?!" the instructor pressed with fervor, prompting a chuckle from Theo.

"I'd gladly do so, Instructor Oric. Regrettably, my teammates remain overwhelmed by my beast."

He motioned to the others in his group.

The rear instructors observed with equal fervor to Oric, yet they lingered under the influence, in contrast to him.

Theo swiftly withdrew the mantis, which emitted a frustrated screech, evidently irritated by the halt to its feast.

That piercing cry sealed the deal completely.

Theo observed as all present, save his attendants and brother, either summoned their tamed beasts or drew weapons, or just fled in panic.