Ren's mantis wasn't physically stronger than other beasts here, actually way weaker in terms of pure base statistics... The distinction mattered significantly for understanding combat dynamics.
In theory, a Silver 1 beast was approximately five times stronger than a Bronze 2 in terms of base power metrics. The bonuses that tamers received didn't differ as dramatically when comparing a Bronze 2 fused tamer versus a Silver 1 fused tamer... that progression was more gradual in how it affected human combat capability.
And that was Yano's model of combat: A chivalrous knight-like style where the tamer of higher rank threw away their biggest advantage, their beast's raw overwhelming power, to instead use their 'smaller' advantage of personal enhancement bonuses.
Fighting fused with beast rather than commanding it separately was a cultural preference that 'disadvantaged' higher-rank tamers in some ways.
