Weakest Beast Tamer Gets All SSS Dragons novel Chapter 268

The applause for Roran, Mira, and Trent's team continued as they left the arena. Their victory had set a high standard, especially considering they had defeated the monster in less time than Ron's team, who possessed beasts widely considered superior.

"The next combat will begin in three minutes," announced Yang, his voice cutting through the excited murmurs. "Team Two of Group A, prepare yourselves."

"This organization is confusing," Min commented, studying the announcement board with furrowed brows. "Why not simply number the teams from one to sixteen?"

"Tradition," Liu replied with a shrug. "Each group first competes with teams from their adjacent section to maintain competitiveness between classes. Someone told me that counting us together up to 16 would 'make us feel' like one group."

"What about your group, Liu?" Taro asked, looking around the crowded stands. "I thought they'd be with you."

"You're in Group D, right?" Ren also inquired.

"Since we compete in another stadium, they're waiting for their turn. They're probably not even with our group, just like I'm not with them." Liu explained, a shadow briefly crossing his face before he masked it with indifference.

"He prefers being with us," Min added in a low voice, leaning toward Ren and Taro. "Since he repeated a year, his classmates haven't been... kind. I think the same goes for the other two on his team."

The auxiliaries had finished preparing the arena for the next combat.

A new Big Stone Lurker, almost identical to the previous one, waited motionless in the center like a natural rock formation.

Team Two of Group A entered with expressions of forced determination. Two girls and a boy, all with air element beasts.

"Weapons," offered the auxiliary, presenting the rack with tools.

The three students exchanged glances and shook their heads, though there was hesitation in their movements.

"We trust in our beasts," declared one of them, though her voice betrayed a certain uncertainty.

What followed was sad to watch. The students attempted a mobility strategy, constantly running around the Stone Lurker, creating air blades and gusts that barely affected its rocky surface.

Their beasts weren't bad, but they lacked the necessary power to penetrate the monster's defense. They attacked from different angles, trying to find a weak point, but with no apparent success.

Each strike seemed to fade away against the creature's stony hide, like waves breaking against a cliff.

"They're not causing any real damage," Taro observed after ten minutes of fruitless attempts.

The Stone Lurker remained mostly unaffected, occasionally turning with its characteristic slowness to follow the students. Its mouth opened periodically, but the young tamers were agile enough to avoid its attacks.

Five more minutes later, the situation hadn't changed. The students showed obvious signs of fatigue, their attacks becoming less frequent and more desperate. Sweat streaked their faces, and their coordinated movements had deteriorated into individual, increasingly frantic efforts.

Finally, Yang raised a hand.

"Enough," he declared with a firm voice. "The trial concludes."

The auxiliaries activated their containment abilities, restoring the barrier around the Stone Lurker, which didn't even show significant marks after fifteen minutes of constant attacks.

The creature settled back into immobility, looking almost exactly as it had at the beginning.

"Team Two of Group A, you have failed to defeat the target," Yang announced, his tone neither harsh nor sympathetic. "However, you have demonstrated acceptable coordination and evasion technique. You will be evaluated on the obstacle course."

The three students left the arena with downcast expressions, their shoulders slumped in defeat. One of the girls seemed on the verge of tears, though she struggled to maintain her composure.

"They never had a chance," Min commented. "Three wind element beasts against a solid rock creature..."

"The element wasn't the only problem," Ren corrected. "It was their approach. There were many ways they could have used their beasts to win. They also seem unaware of two of their beasts' abilities."

"And they rejected the weapons," Min added. "At least they could have tried something different."

Ren nodded, his mushrooms also pulsing with agreement.