Insect Tamer's Ascension Chapter 452. Getting near the gate

Theo gazed at his brother, his face showing no emotion.

Yet, the pain still stung him deeply.

"Well, whether I can be a good leader or not... it doesn’t really matter right now, does it?" Theo shrugged as he spoke.

"I’ve been named the leader, and as leader, protecting the group comes first."

Lucien parted his lips to reply, but Theo interrupted him for the first time.

"Tell me, elder brother... was young master Merek right to flaunt his wolf’s abilities? And wasn’t it worse that he rushed forward without commands, ignoring everyone else’s safety, just to battle that beast? Do you think that’s okay?" Theo questioned.

Lucien paused, reluctant to confess it, yet the query caught him off guard. Indeed, the young master had acted that way, though memories were hazy.

"...But you had other choices to deal with it," he replied after a moment. "You could’ve benched him for a day or stripped his voting rights and decision input. Violence isn’t the sole answer, Theo," he added calmly.

Theo nodded in agreement. "I’ll grant you that. Perhaps the slap was a bit excessive... but in the moment, it seemed the right move."

Lucien let out a sigh, followed by a soft chuckle he couldn’t suppress. Theo laughed along.

"You’re way too unpredictable," Lucien remarked, shaking his head. "Perhaps I’m the one mistaken here. You’re a Merrick through and through... and you live it."

A grin spread across Theo’s face at those words before he answered. "But you can’t indulge like that. I get it, elder brother. Your ambitions are grand; no petty issue should tarnish your reputation."

Lucien offered a faint smile and went quiet.

"Whereas me?" Theo went on, grin unwavering. "I can stir up all the chaos I like. After all, I’m a Merrick, aren’t I?"

His remark prompted another headshake from Lucien, though without true censure.

When they rejoined the group, the burden on their hearts had lightened somewhat.

As Theo locked eyes with the others, certainty washed over him.

They all knew the events that unfolded during the beast capture.

Kaelor regarded him with a unique look among the group. Their gazes met, and Kaelor nodded faintly—so faint it might escape notice—leaving Theo puzzled about the intent.

Clara and Elias appeared anxious, while the rest showed varied feelings.

Yet Merek was absent.

"Alright, let’s kick off the meeting." Theo announced, drawing everyone to assemble and take seats.

Theo skipped any details or justifications for his actions, avoiding the earlier talk entirely.

It held no importance to him.

The focus now lay on collecting intel... and locating the exit gate.

"Having misjudged these beasts’ power, we should stick together moving forward. No more dividing forces and fretting over the separated team."

Agreement rippled through the group by the discussion’s close.

Theo eyed the nearby bushes and python remnants. Much of the meat was processed, extra smokers handling the remaining strips.

"You’ve all moved incredibly quick; I’m impressed," Theo admitted, astonished by the progress from those who stayed.

"Sir Kaelor excels at butchery, young master," Clara explained. "He even employed aura to speed it up and keep it neat."

Kaelor coughed lightly. "I didn’t squander my aura. Only a tiny bit from my stores."

Theo chuckled at the clarification.

The group watched him with conflicted looks, uncertain if he was a harsh leader or otherwise. No one could tell anymore.

"Let’s dig a pit and inter the python," Theo directed.

"Food stocks will hold us for days. Leave the remains in the earth for nature to break down, and we’ll retrieve the bones later."

Theo skipped noting they might unearth a decayed body upon return.

That twist could surprise even him later, feigned or not.

"Young master Theo, I could wrap up most butchery by morning. We mustn’t waste this hide," Kaelor pressed eagerly, arching Theo’s brows.

"The organs are beyond saving or removal... but hide, bones, and perhaps some meat remain viable," Kaelor continued.

Theo sensed the man’s growing zeal for the task.

He smiled. "If that’s your wish, we’ll assist, Sir Kaelor."

With that, Theo sampled the half-dried meat.

He slung another strip over the campfire, allowing it to cook quicker so the group could savor the rewards of their hard work sooner.

The taste turned out surprisingly delicious. Theo whipped up several more pieces for the others while they waited with patience.

Throughout it all, Lysara kept shooting him peculiar glances. Her eyes lingered on him frequently, and every time he glanced her way, she hastily straightened up, as though verifying her sitting posture.

Clara picked up on it and sensed a headache brewing. Theo hadn't even reached adulthood yet, but he was already charming women. She wavered between feeling proud or worried about the situation.

At the close of their talk, everyone had settled on processing the python properly first—an idea Theo endorsed without reservation.

All agreed... except that one fellow who'd chosen to avoid anything tied to the gate from now on, and strangely, it raised zero issues for the group whatsoever.