Weakest Beast Tamer Gets All SSS Dragons

Chapter 913 - Taming the Fifth Year - Attrition - Final Battle - 12

Neither Yino with its prematurely completed corrupted ruins system nor Goldcrest with its rebellion fragmenting the kingdomʼs loyalties.

Even those whoʼd researched in the Ashenway detractor faction with Leonel until the end.

And in the end, even Leonel himself had been useful in that room Liora and Luna had found too late.

Because by the time heʼd been affected by Ravenspire, heʼd managed something unexpected despite having failed at the last moment. His final desperate research produced results he hadnʼt lived to see exploited.

Orionʼs allies had penetrated the area where the ”future prince” had conducted his final experiments. Allies and opportunists operating in shadows had already collected those results from his research on corruption.

Theyʼd salvaged data about Leonelʼs attempts to avoid what ended in his complete crystallization. Methods the prince had developed trying to escape from the secondary control of the puppeteer whoʼd bound him.

If only the poor fool had had access to the brain, he would have seen he was so close to freedom. So close to breaking the chains Ravenspire and Kassian had wrapped around him. But proximity without achievement was just another failure.

Yet what heʼd achieved had been perfect for Orion. Critical for his present plans.

Theyʼd unknowingly gotten information about new mutations of those same mutants that didnʼt end up crystallized. Mutations Leonel had been so close to understanding before that final battle, that finally took Dragarion out of the way, consumed him completely.

It was that something that was now allowing Orion to understand, and even now refine more and more, his own control over corrupt creatures. Capability to direct rather than simply attract or repel. That was the foundation of the new strategy he now executed.

All that had let him obtain the ”high hand” as some called decisive advantage in high-stakes gambling. Position where he controlled more resources and more information than his opponents. Where he could dictate the confrontationʼs terms instead of reacting to his enemiesʼ movements.

He only needed his coup fulfilling itself appropriately.

Only had to deal with Selphira and the remaining princes representing the kingdomʼs legitimate authority. Elimination or suppression then would be leaving a power vacuum he could fill.

And critical for long-term success: he needed eliminating the dangerous youth whoʼd demonstrated perilous capabilities through innovations nobody had anticipated.

Ren Patinder.

♢♢♢♢

While still fighting…

Ren saw a student freeze when a mutant charged him. Saw the creatureʼs claws rake across an inadequate barrier, then saw the student fall and saw his beast try desperately to defend its fallen tamer while other students rushed to provide aid just on time.

He saw Taroʼs Terror intercept 10 mutants simultaneously. Saw Larissaʼs lynx exploit that and take them down before they could recover.

He saw his parentsʼ plants entangle some mutants. Saw the creature struggle against roots too weak to kill it but strong enough to hold it. Saw a guardʼs Gold-rank beast arrive and end the mutant with a single devastating strike.

He saw Lunaʼs wolf and tiger still working in perfect synchronization. Saw her face set in grim determination that matched his own.

This was war. Real war.

The mutants kept coming. The earth kept trembling with new tunnels opening. And the defenders kept fighting because there was no other choice.

Hold the line and protect the vulnerable. Survive until reinforcements arrived or the invasion exhausted itself.

That was the mission now.

Everything else had become irrelevant the moment corruption had spilled into their world.

Now there was only the fight.

And Ren intended to survive it with every one.

No matter how much power it costs…

The seed started to vibrate slightly.

♢♢♢♢

Julius made his decision recognizing that there was no perfect option. Only a choice of which set of risks was more manageable considering the limited information they had available.

He would use the fusion himself along with some of his most compatible soldiers. Investment of power that would leave him incapacitated for days but that would provide the force necessary to break through a blockage that conventional methods hadnʼt penetrated.

And he would let Zhao take other soldiers when they managed to open the route. Better exploitation of the superior mobility his best soldier possessed.

Because Julius felt in his instinct that heʼd refined through decades that this wasnʼt coincidence or bad luck that had trapped them exactly when they found this empty ruin.

He was almost certain critical events were developing now on the surface.

He didnʼt know how theyʼd controlled the mutants. But it was too much of a coincidence. Had to be a deliberate trap. And that meant whoever had established it had specific reasons for wanting to have Julius neutralized during a long period.

Which implied something important was happening above. Situation perhaps requiring whatever support could reach the surface in time.

Zhao was who he should trust with delivering that support in time…

”Zhao,” he called while preparing mentally for the fusion process he was about to execute. ”When we open the path, you exit with half the force straight to the castle to see whatʼs happening. Your speed and flight ability will let you evaluate the situation and respond much faster than I could. Iʼll follow with the others to the surface and weʼll be protected by one of the groupʼs wolverines. Iʼll return to help once I recover enough to move, but donʼt wait for me.”

Zhao nodded with understanding, not requiring additional elaboration. Theyʼd worked together sufficient time that he could read the intention behind his orders without needing every detail explained.

”Understood. Iʼll see you in Yano when Iʼve resolved the situation. Whatever it is.”

It was a premature and simple farewell carrying the weight of recognition that they might not have time for goodbyes once outside. But it was essential if the situation was as bad as both suspected.

No time for sentimentality when each second they remained trapped was a second where they could be making a critical difference in some political or even real battle probably developing without them.

Julius activated the bonds with his two Gold-rank beasts simultaneously.