Min took advantage of the opportunity without hesitation...
His Amphib manifested outside the designated area for the arena, a massive creature that was larger than most Gold 1 beasts. With a movent that was almost delicate considering its size, the Amphib opened its enormous jaws and consud the beast that his companion had invoked specifically for that purpose.
The absorption process was visible even from a distance.
It wasn't pleasant to watch for every one...
The entire feeding process took maybe 10-15 seconds from the mont the water beast was summoned until it entirely disappeared into the Amphib's throat.
It was a maneuver that didn't violate any specific exam rules.
No restriction against invoking your beast outside the arena if you'd already been eliminated from active combat.
Match was over... What you did afterward was your business.
And no prohibition against permitting allied beast to consu yours if both agreed. It was your beast, your bond, your pain and your choice about what happened to it.
The rules focused on combat within the arena boundaries. On appropriate conduct during matches.
But feeding defeated beasts to allies outside the combat zone?
That wasn't addressed... Probably because nobody had thought of it before. Probably because no one had done it before at this level and age.
But anyway... technically legal.
The water beast boy turned out to be much more tenacious than Ren thought for a mont.
If not in combat... In willingness to sacrifice for the team's victory.
He'd entered knowing he'd lose. Had defended even if only a bit to make sure not to die and to extract information that could provide resources for his team. His beast wasn't a fighter in this match. Was a scout and consumable.
It was a losing situation for Ren's team arrangent. He had only used his Mantis against only 2 opponents and already would have to face it against Min.
Against Min who seed to have consud more than one beast to maximize his advantage before facing Ren's Mantis.
The feeding happened even outside Ren realised in the mana, but didn't seem excessive. Maybe 2 or 3 silver beasts... 15-25% buffs total.
And then Min entered the arena with his Amphiban already fully invoked and active, with the creature moving alongside him rather than being manifested after entry.
It was unusual because most tars preferred invoking beasts inside the arena to maintain them at absolutely one hundred percent energy and for the convenience of not having to navigate tight spaces with monster-sized creatures that almost every student of this generation possessed.
Walking from the waiting area to the arena entrance was maybe 30-40 ters. Not designed for creatures the size of Min's Amphibian...
The Amphibian had to crouch slightly to fit through the entrance archway. Had to move carefully to avoid scraping walls with its bulk. Made the ground vibrate subtly with each step as several tons of mass shifted position.
Uncomfortable... Definitely not the standard approach.
But nothing in the rules prevented it either. It was only a preference of convenience rather than a mandatory restriction. And Min had clearly decided that the advantage of having the Amphibian already ready and enhanced by recent assimilation was worth the discomfort of walking toward the arena with his beast manifested and making the ground shake slightly.
The officials hadn't stopped him. Master Yang had watched the entire process with a neutral expression, clearly evaluating whether any rule was being broken. After maybe 5 seconds of observation, he'd nodded slightly and allowed it to proceed. Technical legality confird.
Min entered the arena with a confident smile.
Not arrogant or cocky. Just... certain. The expression of soone who knew
their preparation had been thorough and their strategy sound.
Min smiled wider. Knew he had advantage. Knew Ren recognized it too.
"Cool strategy," Ren called across the arena... A genuine complint, frustrating to face but clever nonetheless.
"Thanks," Min responded cheerfully. "Took a while planning it... Wasn't sure you'd deploy Mantis first but figured it was likely if we sent enough silver team mbers."
"And if I'd deployed sothing else?"
"Then I'd have a-adjusted...."
'Of course they'd have.' Ren rolled his eyes.
Min laughed when he saw Ren's expression, a sound that carried genuine amusent at the success of the tactic he'd clearly planned specifically for this
mont.
It was the laugh of a friend who had managed to surprise another friend with an 'intelligent' maneuver, the celebration of the successful execution of a plan that had seed complex. Not malicious. Just... delighted. The pure joy of seeing a strategy work exactly as intended.
Ren sighed but couldn't avoid laughing as well, with his acknowledgnt of the approach surpassing the frustration of having fallen into a trap he should have. anticipated.
Because it was exactly the type of thing Min would do. Technically legal but ethically questionable.
The audience reacted with a mixture of laughter and excited conversations about the tactic's creativity, with their appreciation of the level of planning that had gone into executing such a specific maneuver without revealing it
prematurely.
So spectators applauded the approach's audacity while others debated whether it should be permitted in future exams.
But for now it was completely legal. And Min had an Amphibian that had been enhanced by recent absorption waiting in the arena, ready to face Ren's Mantis in a confrontation that promised to be considerably more interesting than it would have been without the additional preparation.
The enhancent was visible to anyone who knew what to look for. The mana radiating from it had a denser feel, like the air around it was heavier than it
should be.
Ren observed the Amphibian with renewed analysis, noting improvents to
its capabilities.
It was marginally larger, maybe 2-5% increase in total mass. Not dramatic but noticeable when you looked carefully. But more important was the density of mana it radiated, a concentration that communicated that its internal power had increased more significantly than its exterior size revealed.
Ren allowed a small smile to touch his lips as he prepared ntally for the exchange that would co. This was exactly why he'd anticipated the final battle with so much eagerness. Not only because of the raw power that would be deployed but because of the tactical ingenuity that his friends demonstrated when they were given the opportunity to plan.
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