Return Of The Supreme Beast Tamer
Chapter 116: Commander Zenith

Chapter 116: Commander Zenith

VOOOM!

Christopher’s spine straightened as ten crimson armored vehicles screeched to a halt before him, their imposing presence shattering the evening’s quiet.

"What happened here?"

A woman emerged from the lead vehicle, her appearance striking. In her late twenties, she possessed long, flowing blue hair that contrasted sharply with her intense black eyes. Her black Tamer Enterprise uniform was crisp and authoritative, with a white badge gleaming on her right chest.

’Hmm... A master level tamer,’ Christopher noted internally, his senses attuned to the subtle aura of power she exuded.

"Answer my question?" Her voice cut through the air, sharp and demanding. Her gaze flickered from Christopher to the centipede beside him, then snapped back to meet his.

"Shouldn’t you introduce yourself before yelling?" Christopher countered, his tone even, a hint of amusement playing on his lips.

The reaction was immediate and predictable. The ten soldiers flanking the blue-haired woman swiftly raised their weapons, the cold steel of their firearms glinting under the dim light as they aimed at Christopher.

"Hold your ground." the woman commanded, her voice firm.

A moment of tense silence hung in the air as the soldiers exchanged uneasy glances before slowly lowering their weapons.

Her piercing gaze locked onto Christopher’s:

"I am Commander Zenith of the Tamer Enterprise. We received reports of a battle between tamers occurring here. Do you, by any chance, have any information regarding this?" Her eyes narrowed, her suspicion palpable. "Or are you involved?"

Christopher met her scrutiny unflinchingly. "If I were involved in a way that mattered to you, you wouldn’t be standing here asking."

He casually rubbed the ring on his finger, and with a faint shimmer, Grim, dissolved into motes of light and vanished within the ring.

Christopher then turned his back on the commander and began walking towards his parked car.

"Who the hell are you to speak to the Commander with such attitude?!" a young, hot-headed soldier barked, his voice filled with indignation.

Christopher halted, glancing over his shoulder at the irate soldier.

"She is the commander, not a deity. And I fail to see where I was disrespectful."

With that, he resumed his walk.

".....?!"

Zenith watched him, a single eyebrow arched in intrigued annoyance as he settled into his car and started the engine.

BAM!!!!

Christopher’s head snapped forward, his eyes widening slightly as a colossal white tiger, easily five meters tall, materialized directly in front of his car, its massive claws resting on the vehicle’s hood.

He and Tiamat, who had materialized silently beside him, observed as Zenith approached his car. She leaned down, resting her arms on the open door, her gaze fixed on him, a predatory glint in her black eyes.

"Christopher Valhalla... First young master of the Valhalla family. Your family’s influence may be considerable, but we are still required to bring you in for questioning. You are currently our only suspect." Her lips curved into a smile that held no warmth.

’With the memories I possess regarding her... Zena, known as Zenith, is indeed a formidable figure within Cordelia. Her rapid ascent and high position indicate an almost untouchable status. But...’

A faint smirk touched Christopher’s lips. "There is nothing that connects me to this altercation."

’Let’s indulge in this little charade,’ he mused inwardly.

"We found you at the scene," Zenith stated, her voice leaving no room for argument.

"So, your standard procedure is to detain every individual present at any incident?"

"Yes," Zenith replied curtly. "That is the current directive." She straightened, her unwavering gaze boring into him. "That is the plan."

"Incoming," Tiamat murmured, her eyes remaining closed, seemingly unimpressed by the unfolding drama.

WHOOSH!!!!

Zenith, Christopher, and the massive tiger snapped their heads towards the group of soldiers. A swirling ball of incandescent flames hurtled towards them through the twilight air.

"Protection skills! Now!" Zenith bellowed, her command ringing with urgency.

The soldiers reacted instantly, dropping their firearms and extending their hands towards the approaching inferno. With a unified surge of power, a shimmering, translucent barrier of solidified energy materialized before them.

BOOOM!!!

The fireball slammed into the makeshift shield, the force of the impact rippling through the glass-like surface and shoving the ten elite soldiers back a full foot.

’Hmm... The entire Tamer Enterprise contingent here are tamers, with even the weakest exhibiting lower Expert level abilities. Who, then, possesses the power to push back ten Elites with such force?’ Christopher’s mind raced, analyzing the implications.

He pushed open his car door and stepped out. Both he and Zenith turned their attention skyward, their gazes drawn to a dark silhouette hovering approximately two hundred meters above the ground, its features obscured by the deepening night.

"A peak master tamer?" Zenith muttered, a hint of surprise coloring her usually composed voice.

"Oh well, that seems to be your concern now. That individual might very well be your culprit," Christopher remarked casually, stepping back into his car.

"Aren’t you going to assist?" Zenith asked, her brow furrowed in annoyance.

"Hey... I am a civilian, not some special operative. Why would I involve myself?" He started the engine, the powerful roar drowning out any immediate retort Zenith might have had, and drove away before she could react.

"That insolent brat!" Zenith spat, her eyes blazing with frustration. She whipped her head back towards the figure in the sky. "I won’t allow you to escape!"

With a burst of speed that belied her previous calm demeanor, she shot into the air, a streak of black against the twilight, flying directly towards the mysterious silhouette.

"You can’t escape!" she yelled, closing the distance rapidly.

She halted before the figure, her eyes narrowing as she took in the details, particularly the concealing mask. "Judging by your build... you are a woman. All you need to do is surrender, and your sentence will undoubtedly be lessened."

"Sentence? And who, pray tell, will be the judge of that?" the figure responded, her voice carrying a playful lilt despite the tense situation.

"The Tamer Council, of course," Zenith stated firmly, her stance radiating readiness.

’Who in the world is this woman? We are clearly at the same power level, yet the density of her life force is unnervingly high,’ Zenith thought, a prickle of unease running down her spine.

"My apologies, Commander, but there is only one entity in this world with the authority to judge me, and that individual is certainly not a member of your council. So..."

With a fluid gesture of her hand, the figure before Zenith vanished into thin air.

"....???"

Zenith and the soldiers below stood in stunned silence, their faces mirroring disbelief.

"Did... Did she just disappear?" Zenith muttered to herself, her composure finally cracking, replaced by bewildered shock.