Weakest Beast Tamer Gets All SSS Dragons

Ren observed while the serpent appeared in the arena covered with roots the Wolverine had established. The creature seemed aware of the danger the vegetation represented, coiling cautiously in a defensive position rather than charging directly.

But cautiousness wasn’t sufficient when the complete field was so saturated with threats that couldn’t be avoided simply by being careful.

The roots responded to the serpent’s presence fast permitting no evasion by their sheer numbers. They coiled around the long coiled body, still with dozens of contact points, establishing simultaneously as the vegetation took advantage of every centimeter of exposed surface. Within seconds the serpent was surrounded almost as completely as the Amphibian had been, with constriction preventing movement while the roots began the parasitic drainage process.

It seemed that despite the weird color it would be a quick victory replicating the success against the Amphibian. Same element beast… Same fundamental weakness. So same inevitable result when facing complete wood dominance in a field now specifically prepared to exploit that vulnerability.

But then the serpent exploded.

Not figuratively in the sense of sudden ordinary, subjective or moral release. It literally detonated in fire in all directions, a heat liberation so violent and unexpected that the Wolverine instinctively retreated several meters.

It can’t be! Ren thought with shock. Can it do the same as the Amphibian? Had Min developed a similar explosive technique for his second beast, chemistry converting defense into counterattack?

NO!

Ren and the audience realized simultaneously as they watched the incinerated vegetation and processed what they’d just witnessed. It wasn’t a biochemical explosion like the Amphibian had used, no reaction of controlled secretions detonating under water manipulation. It was something different that explained the anomalous coloration Ren had noticed immediately.

The serpent, now clearly visible after the explosion had dispersed the roots that had tried trapping it, had a new elemental characteristic it definitely hadn’t possessed the last time Ren had seen it at Silver 3.

A strange film of red tissue crowned around its head like a lion’s mane but composed of fins instead of hair, a structure pulsing with energy. The fins were arranged in a circular pattern around the head and upper neck. They glowed faintly with internal heat.

And the explosion it had just executed hadn’t been water or any aquatic technique of any type. It had been a detonation of… fire. Genuine flames that had burned the plants in direct contact. Intense heat that had caused vegetation to wither and release its grip before parasitic drainage could even establish itself appropriately.

The roots within 3-4 meters of the serpent were charred… Blackened to the point where they crumbled when the serpent moved. The root network that had been attempting capture was destroyed in that single burst.

Ren slapped his face with the palm of his hand, a gesture communicating his new found exasperation, but maybe even reluctant admiration, and absolute recognition that of course this was exactly the type of thing Min would do.

Of course… It had to be Min. If anyone in their entire generation was going to force two completely opposing elements into a beast without appropriate balance between them, it would be Min without any doubt. The chaos agent who rejected convention simply because it was convention, who experimented without sufficient fear of consequences that would have stopped more sensible people.

Water and fire… Elements that opposed each other fundamentally in almost every aspect of the elemental interaction. Even worse than light and darkness in some respects because the opposition was messier, less direct and immediate.

Combining both in the same creature without having others as balance in the mana system was asking for problems on multiple levels. An imbalance that established theory said would result in instability that would eventually limit growth or cause a dozen other problems that texts warned against with emphasis bordering on hysteria.

Standard cultivation theory was extremely clear on this point. Opposing elements required multiple compensation mechanisms or mediating elements for stability. Water and fire needed earth to ground both, or some other moderating influence. Direct combination without mediation: not recommended. Probability of success in a stable system: maybe 1-5% according to historical records. Probability of failure causing permanent problems and some system damage: maybe 30-40%. Probability of subtle long-term problems: maybe 50-60%.

But Min had apparently decided warnings were optional suggestions rather than absolute limits. And after Ren used his mana eyes to take a good look at the now likely messy system of Min’s beast…

All seemed fine.

Somehow he’d managed to cultivate his serpent possessing both elements simultaneously, the capacity to generate water and fire without one completely canceling the other at all.

Or so it seemed for now. Ren would have to see if Min had truly managed to integrate them properly or if this was just a superficial combination that would collapse under pressure.

The serpent coiled in the center of the scorched zone it had created, with flames still flickering along parts of its body. Not consuming it but dancing across the scales while the water-blue coloration and fire-red tissue created a visual contrast that was striking if somewhat unnerving.

Min stood at his end of the arena with an expression that was equal parts pride and mischief. He knew exactly how shocking this revelation was for Ren. Had probably been waiting for the perfect moment to reveal it for maximum dramatic impact.

“Surprise!” Min called across the arena with a grin that suggested he was enjoying Ren’s reaction immensely. “Bet you didn’t see that coming!”

Ren lowered his hand from his face and stared at his friend with an expression difficult to parse. Exasperation certainly… Concern about potential long-term consequences definitely. But also… something else, something that felt like excitement despite the rational part of his mind screaming about how risky this was.

Why was he so animated and happy? Had Ren’s own adventurous spirit also been provoked by this?

Because objectively, this was terrible cultivation practice. Opposing elements without mediation. Specialization that risked permanent species divergence. Experimentation that could lock Min’s serpent forever if the balance collapsed.

But subjectively… It was working. Right now, in this moment, that chaotic serpent was functioning well. And that was fascinating in ways Ren couldn’t completely suppress despite knowing he should probably be more disapproving of the chaos his friend represented.