Weakest Beast Tamer Gets All SSS Dragons

Chapter 879 - Taming the Fifth Year - Attrition - 5

Liora got it too, she didnʼt want to read the handsome hero from her novels lose either… The impossible challenge gets stressful then and the miracle solution Luna desires feels harder to get.

Luna looked at her hands… They were steady and appeared calm despite internal turbulence.

Performance versus reality again. External composure masking internal chaos.

”Tomorrow,” she said, ”when we fight Ren. Do you think we can win?”

”Honestly?” Larissa considered. ”Maybe 50-50. Renʼs too good... But you and Min are also good. And two versus one is a significant advantage if you coordinate properly.”

”Min wants to win,” Luna said.

”So let him go first,” Liora said.

”Ren doesnʼt need to win tomorrow to be special… You should get some sleep,” Larissa advised while standing and returning to her own bed. ”Tomorrow comes whether youʼre ready or not. Might as well face it rested and once in front of him youʼll react by instinct anyway. Better let future Luna worry about it.”

”Wise advice,” Luna acknowledged.

”I know… Iʼm very wise. You should listen to me more often.”

♢♢♢♢

Finally the moment everyone had been anticipating for weeks arrived.

The arena was completely full. Every seat occupied by spectators not wanting to miss a single second of a confrontation promising to be the most spectacular battle of this entire insane generation.

Even when the other schools had lost already, they were watching today…

Difficult to count how many people precisely but definitely the largest audience Ren had seen for any exam match.

Cheering. Betting. Discussing probable outcomes with that common confidence that came from knowing nothing.

Morning had dawned clear and bright. The sun rising over the horizon with a golden light illuminating a field that had been repaired after the devastation that Ren and Lioraʼs battle had caused yesterday.

The repairs were impressive. Ground that had been churned was now smooth again. Walls that had been damaged were restored. Barriers that had been stressed were reinforced.

Academy maintenance staff had worked through the night. Maybe 20-30 earth-element Silver rank specialists reshaping terrain. Dozens of support staff cleaning debris and resetting the defense.

Ren stood at the entrance on his side of the arena, watching the opposite position where Min and Luna waited with their own teams.

Didnʼt know with certainty if Min or Luna would emerge first as initial combatant or if heʼd wait somewhat like theyʼd done with Taro… strategy of permitting weaker companions to enter first to see what beasts the stronger leaders would use first.

But in any case, it was convenient for him to do as heʼd done in previous battles and send a companion first to see exactly what Min or Luna would launch as an opening.

It was a reconnaissance tactic that had served well during the last battle, allowing him to observe without risking his most valuable beastsʼ order prematurely.

Ron was prepared beside him. Companion whoʼd accepted the initial scout role again with fresh enthusiasm coming from wanting to significantly contribute to their team victory and for gaining more prestige.

”Ready?” Ren asked while observing Ron one last time before entering.

”As ready as Iʼm going to be,” Ron responded with a smile that was half nerves, half anticipation. ”Iʼll give them my best and see what they reveal in response.”

It was all Ren could reasonably ask. Ron wasnʼt a prodigy whoʼd always win confrontations against superior opponents through pure skill. But he was competent and reliable. Exactly the type of companion needed when strategy depended on consistent execution rather than individual brilliance.

Solid performer who understood his role.

Professor Yang raised hand to signal the battleʼs beginning, mana amplified voice cutting through the audience noise.

”Let the fifth year examʼs final confrontations begin!”

But then something unexpected occurred making Ren reconsider his assumptions about how the opening would develop.

Min and Luna had apparently decided implementing a similar strategy. Sending someone first too instead of committing their main combatants immediately.

It was an interesting twist Ren hadnʼt completely anticipated.

He had assumed Min or Luna would want to establish early dominance through acting quickly with their superior beasts. Because both had absorption qualities, though lesser than Lioraʼs.

Minʼs Giant Amphibian could devour defeated beasts to increase its power. Had demonstrated this capability in previous matches. Each consumed opponent added maybe 5-10% to base stats. Three consumed opponents meant 15-30% stronger.

That was a significant advantage that grew larger the longer battles continued. Early aggression to start accumulation made strategic sense.

But apparently theyʼd reached a different tactical conclusion about optimizing approaches.

The combatant who emerged from Min and Lunaʼs side was a student Ren vaguely recognized from shared advanced classes but with whom heʼd never extensively interacted.

His beast was a wind creature. Silver 2 according to Renʼs quick analysis. Respectable but not particularly threatening to Ron if he executed appropriately.

Threat assessment: moderate. Ron could win but would need to work for it. 60-40 odds approximately.

The battle extended for several minutes. Neither gaining decisive advantage but both gradually wearing down as techniques accumulated mana cost.

Minute 1-2: Probing exchanges. Both testing the opponentʼs reactions. Ronʼs fire attacks versus wind beastʼs evasion. Neither committing fully.

Minute 3-4: Ron attempted forcing engagement through sustained pressure. Wind beast held distance, launching harassment attacks from range… A stalemate.

Minute 5-7: Mana depletion becoming visible. Both beasts got slower. Techniques less impressive... Endurance battle.

Minute 8: Wind beastʼs evasion timing error. Ronʼs fire projectile connected with a wing. Significant damage compromising flight capability.

With mobility reduced, the wind beast couldnʼt maintain the positioning advantage it had been exploiting.

Still mobile but not enough for its primary strategy of staying outside Ronʼs effective range.

Ron pressed aggressively. Forced exchanges on ground where his beast had superiority in direct combat.

And after additional minutes of attrition, achieved victory when the wind beast collapsed from accumulated damage and mana exhaustion.

Longer than Ren had expected but within acceptable range.

Ron won by a narrow margin communicating it had been genuine confrontation rather than easy elimination.

”Good work,” Ren commented with genuine approval while observing the development on the arenaʼs opposite side.

It seemed like the first important situation was won. Information extracted: enemy willing to sacrifice a piece for reconnaissance. Team composition included at least one Silver 2 wind specialist.

But it turned out that wasnʼt the case. Min or Luna still didnʼt emerge as the next combatant but another teammate instead.

A student with an earth beast... Silver 3 according to Renʼs evaluation. Slightly stronger than the first opponent Ron had faced. Ron would lose…