Weakest Beast Tamer Gets All SSS Dragons

One week after the negotiation and liberation of Kassian…

Arturo and Julius met with Selphira in one of the observation towers that dotted the city’s perimeter. From this vantage point, they could see the partially empty districts left behind after the Goldcrest migration.

“The first lower ranked noble families are already being relocated,” Arturo reported, pointing toward several locations where construction teams worked diligently, their earth and wood beasts creating new structures with impressive speed. “But reinhabiting the vacant districts will take time.”

“Time we may not have,” Julius added with concern, his fingers tracing the border markings on the map spread before them. The parchment showed various strategic points highlighted. “The plan must work.”

Selphira observed the city in silence for a long moment, her ancient eyes reflecting the setting sun. Finally, she turned toward the brothers, her expression resolute and unyielding.

“It will work,” she affirmed, her voice carrying the weight of certainty. “Because we have no alternative.”

Her gaze drifted toward the horizon, where Goldcrest territories expanded like a dark stain on the white city, their golden banners now visible even at this distance, flaunting their separation.

Julius and Arturo exchanged glances, uncertainty still shadowing their eyes. But faced with Selphira’s determination, they could only nod in agreement.

♢♢♢♢

If too many powerful people changed sides and the Goldcrests gained more power, Yino would finally have the perfect opportunity to strike. With another 20 or 25% more to reach 45 or 50% of the total nobles switching allegiance, the situation would become truly catastrophic for Yano.

But the Goldcrest campaign wasn’t having as clear a path as they had hoped.

Julius and Arturo had initiated meticulous propaganda about abyssal energy and its negative effects. The campaign contained about as much scientific basis as the last 500 years of cultivation methods: very little.

Nevertheless, it was working to influence general opinion, creating a climate of suspicion around the Goldcrest faction. Whispers spread through markets and taverns, of corrupted beasts and tamers who lost control of their bodies, of horrific transformations and monstrous appetites to eat your own children.

But such “unfounded disgust”, as the Goldcrest’s faction called it, wouldn’t last long among common people facing an increasingly evident threat of war and death.

Fear of the unknown would eventually give way to fear of the immediate… Survival trumping principles as it always had throughout history.

The true long-term strategy, however, was much bolder: giving lower-level people, who constituted 90% of the population, a “free” and infallible method to cultivate to the next rank.

“Are you completely certain about this?” Victor asked Selphira as they reviewed the final details of the plan in the strategy room.

“This would double the cost of the lower link,” added Arturo, manipulating figures in the air to illustrate his point, highlighting the economic implications. “The ten billion we’ve spent until now would become twenty billion.” He shook his head worriedly. “Twenty billion that we don’t have easy or quick access to. An investment that would further damage the opinion of powerful nobles against us.”

“Wei,” Selphira called, her voice calm but firm. “Explain the calculations with the new method.”

The professor stepped forward, adjusting his clothes with a nervous gesture. He had spent the last few days meticulously breaking down every aspect of Ren’s methods, verifying calculations and projections until he was certain of their accuracy.

“You see,” he began, drawing a visual diagram, “all common cultivation methods, without exception, waste a surprising amount of mana crystals. Between 60 and 80% extra because they take longer than 100 days.”

The Dravenholm brothers exchanged looks of astonishment.

“But that’s not all,” Wei continued with growing enthusiasm, his hands moving more animatedly as he warmed to his subject. “The materials most people use for processing are completely useless additives that make the methods much more expensive than they should be. Another significant percentage would be saved there, as you would have to purchase fewer subsidized materials.”

He paused, his expression becoming more serious. “And, finally, a large part of the population couldn’t use it because their cultivations are already ruined.”

Sirius, who had remained silent until now, stepped forward. The shadows at his feet seemed to fluctuate subtly, reflecting his unease.

“Then how would it help us if most people don’t care or can’t benefit?” His voice carried the cutting edge that had become more pronounced since the confrontation with Kharzan.

Selphira smiled. It was the smile of someone who has lived long enough to understand the true nature of social change.

“It will benefit their children,” she explained with patient wisdom. “That’s what will change the opinion of the vast majority. We’ll be helping their little ones, ensuring a better future for the next generation.”

Wei nodded vigorously. “In economic terms, we estimate the cost would be only one or two billion, and distributed over time. Many will wait to see results before committing to do it themselves.”

“And you truly believe this will stop the migration toward Goldcrest territories?” Julius asked, his diplomatic skepticism evident in his carefully measured tone.

“It’s already working with a simple announcement,” Selphira responded with confidence as she gestured toward the map’s illuminated indicators. “What had reached a 30% advantage for the Goldcrests and was gradually approaching that catastrophic 45%…” she paused dramatically, “has now returned to 28% and maintains a downward trend.”

Those present remained silent for a moment. A subtle shift from desperate planning to tentative hope.

“The plan is working,” Selphira confirmed again, satisfaction evident in the slight upward curve on one side of her lips.

Wei cleared his throat, drawing attention once more. “Of course, the real momentum will come when the first actual results become visible. When common families see their children evolving their beasts in record time…”

“And at a subsidized cost they can afford,” added Arturo, beginning to understand the brilliance of the plan. His fingers traced simple but multiple equations in the air, running calculations that confirmed the economic viability.

“Exactly,” Selphira nodded. “The Goldcrests offer vague promises of power and protection. We will offer something tangible.”

♢♢♢♢ Time Skip >>>

Six months had passed since the situation began to deteriorate.

The once-unified city now stood fragmented, divided by checkpoints and patrols that transformed the simple act of going to work into a daily odyssey. New barriers rose weekly, some physical, others bureaucratic, all designed to separate and control.

Reed observed through the window, his face haggard from months of accumulated worries. His clothes, cheap but always impeccable in the past, now hung loosely from his thinner frame. The opaque mature plant on his hair appeared more vivid than they were against his pallor, like green vines against a whitewashed wall.

Not far away, Fern prepared soup with the few ‘ingredients’ they had left. Her movements, though precise as always, lacked the energy that had once characterized her cooking. The leaves of her mature plant moved gently as she worked, duller than before…