This Beast-Tamer is a Little Strange - Chapter 789: The ’Truth’

Chapter 789: Chapter 789: The ’Truth’

Gasps echoed across the arena.

“Cassian Lysander has… collapsed?!” one of the announcers shouted, shock piercing their previously measured tone.

His contracts froze mid-action. The Dream Dragon flew completely out of its illusory pocket of space, its eyes wide and confused. The Ethereal Dragon, who had been gathering energy for another strike, hesitated. The Coronaflow Dragon instinctively moved toward him, rumbling softly. The Solar Dragon stopped mid-attack, weathering a strike from the Earthshatter Lion without resistance as it lurched in Cassian’s direction.

Even the Nightmare Dragon—lethargic but still conscious—began drifting toward him.

But only one of them kept fighting.

The Wooden Dragon.

Its large wooden form didn’t even glance in Cassian’s direction. Still locked in bloodlust, it lunged at the Windstrike Cheetah with a roar that split the air.

But every other dragon on the field had already shifted their attention. The battlefield stilled as Jade lowered her arm and her contracts fell back slightly, wary but watchful.

Cassian remained motionless.

Unmoving. Unresponsive.

The prince of the Empire, heir to the throne, now lay face-down in the middle of the battlefield, unconscious.

’Have we won? But how?’ Jade thought in puzzlement. She’d long felt that something was wrong with his condition, but never thought that the finale match that everyone had been anticipating would end so anticlimactically.

But Jade wasn’t the only one filled with questions.

For several long seconds, the announcers, the audience, and even Jade’s own contracts seemed unable to process what they were seeing.

Cassian Lysander—crown prince of the Celestial Empire, bearer of the imperial inheritance, undefeated heir to the throne—lay motionless in the middle of the battlefield. His dragons, confused and panicked, circled him protectively.

“…Did he—did he faint?” one announcer stammered at last, his voice uncertain, trembling.

The other commentator gave a helpless laugh that cracked halfway through. “This… this doesn’t make sense. He looked strained, but to collapse without warning? With his condition? How—?”

It’s one thing to be taken down in a fierce duel, but to be so incapable of managing his own condition that he’d collapse on his own…that did not reflect well on the prince…

The crowd was no better. Buzzing voices rose to a loud swell, thousands of spectators questioning, debating, demanding answers. Some shouted a question about whether their future Emperor had something wrong with him, fueling anxiety. Others cried out about unfair interference in the match, others muttered about overexertion. None of it was clear.

Then, cutting through the confusion—two glowing amber eyes appeared in the darkness behind Cassian’s fallen form.

A low, guttural growl rolled across the stage.

The Shadowstrike Jaguar emerged from the shadows, sleek muscles rippling beneath its black coat. It prowled low, eyes locked on Cassian’s back, fangs glinting under the arena lights.

The announcers jolted as if struck by lightning. Suddenly, they had their explanation.

“Of course!” one shouted, voice steadier now, seizing the chance to explain. “The Shadowstrike Jaguar—Jade’s forgotten contract, who had been in the shadows much of this match! It must have been lurking all this time, waiting for an opportunity, and finally struck Cassian down from behind!”

“Yes! Yes, that must be it!” the other announcer agreed immediately, relief flooding his tone. “It’s a bold move—a lethal ambush from the shadows. Typical of Dark Moon’s style to win at any cost, and entirely within the rules of the battlefield. Perhaps Cassian was so focused on launching another spiritual skill and directing his dragons that he left an opening, and the jaguar exploited it perfectly!”

“Ahh…although an impressive young man, it seems he is still too young. But this will definitely be a valuable lesson for him in the future.”

The atmosphere shifted on a dime.

Where there had been confusion and tension, now there was roaring energy. First Celestial’s supporters leapt to their feet, faces red with outrage.

“Shameful!” one noble bellowed. “A coward’s strike! To ambush a beast tamer from behind instead of his contracts—what disgrace!”

“Unworthy of the championship!” another cried, voice cracking with indignation.

Their protests, however, were quickly drowned out by Dark Moon’s supporters, who shouted back just as fiercely.

“All’s fair in love and war!” a woman yelled, waving her banner so hard the pole bent.

“A clean kill! Don’t whine because your team captain couldn’t protect his back!” another jeered.

“I have been waiting ten years for this!” yet another fan screamed, tears of excitement streaming down her face as he ripped open his shirt to reveal a large belly tattooed with the Dark Moon emblem. “Dark Moon! Dark Moon!”

The arena shook with the clash of voices. Cheers and boos mixed into a thunderous roar, but the confusion was gone. The narrative was set: Jade’s jaguar had landed the deciding blow and Cassian had been careless.

Yet while the rest of the Empire embraced this story, Jade herself remained still, her expression calm—but her eyes distant.

Through her mental connection, she touched the Shadowstrike Jaguar’s mind.

It told her the truth.

It had considered attacking Cassian, had stalked him for long minutes, but it had never acted. Cassian had collapsed before the jaguar had so much as flexed a claw.

It wasn’t me, the jaguar’s mind echoed, voice edged with frustration at not being the true hero of the match. I never struck him. I was waiting, but I never had the chance.

Jade’s brows furrowed, her eyes flicking back to Cassian’s unconscious form surrounded by dragons, and now healers.

Then why had he collapsed?

Her gaze lingered on him, but only for a heartbeat longer. Speculation could come later. Right now, the truth was irrelevant. The Empire had already decided what it believed. The people would remember this day as the day Dark Moon toppled First Celestial, the day that she, Jade Everbloom, struck the crown prince down.

She exhaled, slow and steady, then raised her arm to signal her contracts back to her side.

As the referee raised his trembling hand and announced Dark Moon College as the victor, Jade finally allowed herself a faint smile.

The crowd erupted.

For the first time in years, First Celestial College had been pulled down from their throne.

For the first time in nearly ten years, Dark Moon College had seized the Championship crown.

Dark Moon banners waved like black-silver storm clouds across the audience, drowning out even the loudest protests from First Celestial’s side. Students, alumni, professors—everyone from Dark Moon was on their feet, screaming themselves hoarse, tears in their eyes.

On the stage, Jade’s teammates rushed to her. Theo, Reece (Reed? Or was it Red?), Professor Mires, Kain, and Serena crowded around her, lifting her arm high.

The air was fevered, electric.

History had been written.

The Celestial Empire’s number one College—was Dark Moon.