Weakest Beast Tamer Gets All SSS Dragons

Chapter 543: Chapter 543 - Taming the Fourth Year: Connections - Less Emptiness

Ren considered the question for several moments, forcing himself to think analytically despite the emotional turmoil and no longer having the vast information he had previously at his disposal for comparison.

”The creatures don’t seem to have much need to level up because they hadn’t done so before. They don’t seem to need to be in that high mana zone to live either, but they do need it to reproduce by consuming low-level monsters,” he explained slowly.

”There are too many and they seem vengeful... Although the fact that they’re mostly Silver ranks will surely help prevent things from getting completely out of control... As long as they don’t have too many of the large ones or level up en masse...”

He rubbed his temples, trying to organize thoughts that felt much less clear than they used to.

”The problem might not be their individual power for now. Silver 1 creatures can be handled by trained guards, even in small groups. The problem is they seem to operate like a hive, with collective intelligence. If they manage to cross the breach en masse...”

”Could they stop scratching the wall and surround the city instead?” Min asked, his usual lightness replaced by genuine concern.

”Eventually, I think so. But not soon... from what Julius told me, they still insist on breaking through one specific point of the barrier,” Ren shook his head. ”The soldiers there are high-level, and there are thousands of guards maintaining the structure. Julius’s estimate is that it would take years for them to find a way through since they move too little from the spot.”

”And after that?” Liu pressed.

Ren was quiet for a long moment, considering implications that were deeply disturbing.

”After that, we’ll have to find a way to eliminate them effectively en masse. Or...”

He didn’t finish the sentence, but everyone understood the implication. If the chimeras eventually broke through containment, the surface world would have to face a threat like none before.

The room fell into contemplative silence.

Min fidgeted with his amphibian’s crest, which seemed to sense the tension in the air.

”You know what?” he said finally, trying to inject some optimism into the conversation. ”Maybe this is temporary. Maybe your little guy just needed to... to cocoon himself for a bit. And when he comes back, he’ll be stronger than ever and tell us in a clever way what to do.”

Ren looked at Min, appreciating the attempt at comfort even though he wasn’t sure he believed it.

”Maybe,” he murmured. ”Hopefully.”

Liu cleared his throat.

”Meanwhile, we have to focus on what we can control. Classes continue, cultivation continues. Julius put you on light duty, but that doesn’t mean you will stop growing.”

”That’s right,” Taro agreed. ”And you still have your hydra and wolverine. They’re still incredibly powerful and rare, even without those extra bonuses you told us to keep secret.”

Ren nodded slowly, appreciating his friends’ attempts to bolster his spirits.

Then he sighed and cleared his throat, interrupting the conversation about the chimeras. His companions looked at him with curiosity when he stood up, clearly preparing to say something important.

”Before anything else,” he began, his voice softer than it had been in recent years, ”It’s not fair that only Min apologises today... I want to apologize to you too. For everything.”

Min, Taro, and Liu exchanged glances. It was the first time they had seen Ren so vulnerable since he had returned from the war’s end.

”I’ve been acting like a complete idiot,” Ren continued, nervously rubbing the back of his neck. ”With you guys, with the girls, with everyone. Stress isn’t an excuse for treating the people who care about me badly...”

The admission was difficult but necessary. Without the seed’s influence clouding his judgment, he could see clearly how his behavior had affected those around him.

”Ren...” Taro began.

”No, let me finish.” Ren raised a hand. ”Min, when we fought with elemental control, I was being completely arrogant. I wasn’t trying to help you improve, I was just... showing off. And that was wrong.”

Min shrugged with a smile.

”I already knew you were a show-off since you destroyed us in the first-year tournament. It’s nothing new.”

Taro lightly hit Min in the back of his head.

”Liu,” Ren turned toward his most observant companion, ”I know you noticed something was wrong much earlier than the others. I should have listened when you tried to talk to me.”

Liu simply nodded, his expression suggesting he had been waiting for this acknowledgment.

”And Taro, when I was being aggressive during training, I shouldn’t have used so much force with you even though you had better defense than the others. It’s just... I don’t know, I felt like I had to prove something all the time... I’m sorry.”

His three companions remained silent for a moment, processing the apology.

Ren’s ears were completely red, so much that they were lost in his hair, but he breathed deeply, emboldening himself to maintain respect in the apology despite how awkward he felt.

Finally, Min stood up and gave him a pat on the shoulder.

”It’s okay, brother. We’ve all had difficult times. Besides,” he smiled with mischief, ”now that you’ve lost most of your power, maybe I can finally beat you in a fair fight.”

”Not even in your dreams,” Ren laughed, and although it was a small and uncomfortable laugh, it was genuine amusement for the first time in a long while.

Liu cleared his throat.

”Maybe Min should go with you to learn a similar lesson about humility. It would do him good to lose all his power for a while.”

”Hey!” Min protested with fake indignation, dramatically puffing out his chest. ”I’m perfectly humble!”

”Yes, as humble as a Goldcrest,” Taro mocked.

Everyone laughed, even Ren feeling a small part of the weight in his chest lift. It was comforting to know his friends could forgive him so easily.

Although in reality it hadn’t been easy, it was everything Ren had demonstrated first... and it became a sealed deal when he returned from his latest experience and apologized, especially when they could see he had learned something from the experience.

”Thank you,” Ren murmured, feeling genuine relief. ”Seriously, thank you for not hating me despite everything...”

”Well,” Liu smiled smugly, ”now that you’ve finished apologizing to us, you have to go see your girlfriends so they can punish you appropriately.”

Ren immediately blushed.

”They’re not my girlfriends!”

”Oh, of course not,” Min joined in the fun. ”Just two pretty girls from famous families who care enough about you to visit when you’re suffering.”

”And whom you clearly couldn’t push away even with your enhanced ’Goldcrest’ attitude from recent months,” Taro added with a smile.

”You guys are insufferable,” Ren protested, but he was smiling too.

”Go,” Liu gestured toward the door. ”And this time, remember not to be an idiot.”

♢♢♢♢

After leaving the dormitory, Ren headed toward where he knew he could find some extra advice. He wasn’t ready to directly face Luna and Liora yet, especially after how he had acted during the incident with Leopold.

He found Jessy at her exchange post, as always. She was one of the few ladies at the academy with whom Ren had a genuinely uncomplicated friendship. There was no tension, no complex expectations, just a direct and honest relationship.

”Jessy,” he approached her desk, ”I need your help.”

She looked up from her record book, studying his expression carefully.

”You look better than when I saw you last week,” she observed. ”Less... intense.”

Ren sighed deeply.