Weakest Beast Tamer Gets All SSS Dragons

Chapter 812 - Taming the Fifth Year - Titans - 5

The energy used had been significant, much more than Ren had spent on any previous attack during the entire exam.

But it had been necessary...

Against an opponent of this caliber, with defenses of this level, there was no way to win without committing significant resources.

The hydraʼs heads finally ceased firing, having emptied a portion equivalent to a fifth of its mana reserves much faster than normal. The internal glow that normally emanated from the beastʼs scales had diminished noticeably, leaving them looking opaque compared to their usual state.

Ren could feel through the bond that the hydra was exhausted at a level it hadnʼt experienced in previous battles.

But he also knew that in a few seconds it would begin spinning its internal system as heʼd taught it to recover its power. Not completely in the strict sense… going from the current 80% to 100% true total reserves would take minutes or even hours of proper rest, but recharging the quickly accessible external power (around 20%) would be simple. It still had more than enough to continue fighting if necessary.

Renʼs cultivation methods already included rapid recovery techniques that allowed beasts to extract mana from their cores faster, even during active combat.

However, those seconds of recovery were still a critical vulnerability that Taro wouldnʼt let pass without exploiting.

The dust cloud the final impact had raised still floated in the air, obscuring clear vision of the beetle. For a moment it seemed that perhaps the attack had been sufficient to bring down the golden titan.

Silence settled over the field while everyone waited to see what would emerge from the cloud.

And then a massive form stepped forward in a rush, a dark silhouette becoming visible through the dust before the complete creature revealed itself. The beetle emerged with heavy steps that made the ground tremble, its presence as imposing as ever despite the damage it had clearly received.

Its armor was slightly cracked now. Visible fissures running through sections of the golden carapace that normally looked immaculate.

They werenʼt deep fractures that completely compromised structural integrity, but they were clear evidence that the attack had done real damage. The golden exoskeleton had withstood the enormous impact, testament both to the beetleʼs natural defense and to the extensive cultivation Taro had invested in strengthening his beast.

But withstanding didnʼt mean emerging unscathed. The beetle moved with slight stiffness it hadnʼt shown before, a sign that pain or internal damage was affecting its mobility.

Ren sighed softly, a minor frustration touching his expression.

He still didnʼt master the balance between light and darkness well.

The attack had been powerful, yes, had penetrated the defenses and caused damage. But if heʼd achieved perfect balance between the two contrary elements, the penetration would have been even greater. The beetle would have received more significant damage or even been defeated instead of just these cracks.

It was an area where he still needed improving. Mental note for future practice when he had time to refine the technique without the present real battle pressure.

He didnʼt have time for additional contemplation because the beetle was already counterattacking.

Taro had recognized immediately that the hydra needed a brief moment to extract more energy. Like a diver who needs to take another breath of air.

Those few seconds of vulnerability were an opportunity he couldnʼt waste. The beetle struck the ground again, but this time it wasnʼt a direct attack but terrain manipulation around the hydra.

Stone walls exploded from the ground on three sides simultaneously, enclosing the hydra in a box of compact rock. At the same time, spikes emerged from multiple angles, not designed to impale but to restrict movement. It was an improvised cage created in less than two seconds, a trap designed to keep the hydra immobile long enough for the beetle to execute its next move.

And that move came immediately…

The beetle charged.

It wasnʼt refined elemental control or terrain manipulation that the hydra could counter afterward. It was simple brute force in its purest form.

The beetle knew it couldnʼt beat the hydra with direct elemental control when both shared earth affinity. It could defend itself appropriately and create useful structures, but in direct conflict of wills over the same element, the hydra had sufficient power to counter whatever it attempted.

And it couldnʼt bring down the hydra using elementally controlled earth either. Renʼs beast had a great defense too and was too rooted in its own control of the element to be damaged that way.

But if it couldnʼt crush the hydra with rocks, it could do so with its own body.

The beetle accelerated in the short distance, enormous mass gaining momentum impossible to stop once in motion. Its legs struck the ground with impacts like hammers, each step adding velocity until the creature was a living projectile of several tons aimed directly at the trapped hydra.

There were only 3 walls around the hydra…

The fourth wall wasnʼt necessary, it was the free front, the open door for the charge.

The impact resonated like an explosion when the beetle collided with the hydra and hence the walls of its own creation. The stone fragmented instantly under the force and weight of the two massive beasts, pieces flying in all directions. The spikes that had been restricting the hydra broke like dry twigs.

The beetle struck it with force that would have killed any lesser beast instantly. The sound of the clash between two massive creatures made several spectators flinch involuntarily.

An enormous dust cloud rose from the impact point, obscuring vision again and creating a moment of suspense where nobody could clearly see the state of either combatant.

♢♢♢♢

ARTUROʼS OFFICE

Julius had been pacing in Arturoʼs office for the last hour and a half, unable to stay still while his mind worked tirelessly over the problem of Victor.

The first half of todayʼs final exams had transpired without his presence in the stands, something that normally would have bothered him considering these were the most important confrontations of the year.

But on one hand, Larissa had already been eliminated by Ren in what everyone recognized as an expected but well-fought battle, so it didnʼt pain him as much to have missed todayʼs battles specifically.

However, on the other hand, he wasnʼt in a very good mood to observe student combats when the stress of not knowing about Victor was eating him from the inside like slow acid.