It took a few minutes for everyone to calm down again. Oric looked disappointed as the mantis had to be withdrawn for now until everything was fully settled.
"Young Clara, Young Elias, Young Lucien, and Young Theo caught ninety-eight in ten minutes," Oric said, making a few marks on his paper before looking up. "That's more than what you needed to qualify. You may now go to the next round."
He paused, then added, "But it was largely due to Young Theo's beast. Do you intend to use this same method inside the gate?"
Theo, Clara, and Elias nodded.
"Good. That's the optimal approach," Oric said. "But make sure your team members are comfortable with the presence of your beast. If they freeze while you are being attacked by a horde of beasts, the chances of someone dying will increase significantly."
He explained.
Theo glanced at his new teammates and sighed. They didn't look like they could easily adapt to the presence of his mantis, but he would have to make it work.
