Weakest Beast Tamer Gets All SSS Dragons novel Chapter 298

"They've studied every movement pattern of the cousins."

Indeed, each jump, each rescue attempt, seemed anticipated by Klein's team. They moved with a coordination that suggested hours of analysis and specific preparation for this confrontation.

Maria tried to resist, but the combination of the cobra's acid and the rhinoceros's piercing impacts was too much. The armadillo finally gave in, vanishing in a flash of light.

Maria fell to her knees, stunned by the broken connection.

"No!" exclaimed Liora, her concern for her friend momentarily overcoming her discipline.

That instant of distraction was all Klein needed.

"Being emotional," he murmured, a confident smile on his lips as he launched an attack. "Is a bad idea in battle."

Liora retreated with a jump just in time to avoid being severely injured, only a small scratch on her shoulder, but the situation had changed dramatically. With Maria out of combat, the numerical advantage clearly favored Klein's team.

"Let's regroup!" ordered Larissa, executing another spatial jump to reunite with her cousin.

The two positioned themselves back to back, a defensive posture that acknowledged their new disadvantage. Three against two, with Klein and his team now controlling the rhythm of combat.

"You must admit it," commented Klein, advancing confidently while his companions flanked him on both sides. "We've taken a weight off your shoulders... That girl isn't at the level of our blood."

Larissa didn't respond verbally, but her expression hardened.

In the stands, spectators observed with renewed interest. What many had anticipated as a more even battle had quickly tilted in Klein's team favor.

"Do you think they can recover?" asked Min, his antipathy toward Klein evident in his concern that the girls who had won individually might lose and in his childish grimace of disgust. "Won't his bragging get much worse if everyone thinks that only thanks to him the situation went completely different?"

Ren studied the situation in the arena, his mushrooms pulsing as he analyzed the situation.

"It's still possible for them to win," he responded after a moment. "Larissa and Liora still have hidden resources... But although I hate to admit it, Klein has accomplished something important..."

"He's countered the fire that seemed unavoidable," added Taro. "Without that advantage..."

The battle continued below. Liora tried to keep Feng controlled by eliminating his venom with will-o'-wisp, while Larissa used defensive spatial jumps to avoid the rhinoceros's charges and move away from the group's advance to avoid being near Klein's claws.

Klein maintained a central position, coordinating his team to keep them together while his phantom claws tried to reach the cousins or cut any significant attack they might launch.

"Without that advantage they'll run out of mana, plus..." Taro began.

"Plus the boys are three and have higher-ranked beasts," completed Ren. "But Liora's fire could be unstoppable again..."

The battle had entered its decisive phase, with the balance of power clearly tilted toward Klein's side. Two nobles cornered against three opponents of similar level.

And as the combat continued, in a discreet corner of the stands, Kassian Goldcrest observed with a barely disguised smile. His younger brother was finally demonstrating something at the level of the true heirs of their lineage... And he still had a new secret card to demonstrate.

♢♢♢♢

Liora and Larissa were forced into a purely defensive strategy, keeping themselves in constant movement to avoid being cornered.

"We can't continue like this," murmured Larissa during a brief moment of respite, her eyes evaluating the enemy formation. "They're too close together."

Klein still directed his team in a very tight formation. The three moved as a single entity, always maintaining a maximum distance of 2 steps between them, as the effective range within which Klein could intercept any attack with his phantom claws was only 3 meters.

"Watch out!" warned Liora, executing another spatial jump to avoid a jet of venom from Feng's cobra.