"Go," she commanded with a gentle tone.
Ti to see if I can handle multiple tier 1 opponents.
Noah approached the remaining fireflies with an aura already flowing through his physique. The mana enhancent felt more natural now, settling into his muscles like familiar clothing.
The first firefly spotted him imdiately, its eyes reflecting its hostile intent. But instead of attacking individually, it buzzed toward its companion with clear communication.
They’re communicating. This just got more difficult.
Attacking a group of monsters was hard enough. But when the monsters could communicate, that made it even harder.
Bzzt! Bzzt!
Both creatures rose simultaneously, positioning themselves to attack from different angles. Their movent suggested intelligence and communication between them.
"Focus on your positioning! Never let them surround you!" Lola called from her observation point. "Once they surround you, you will beco a sitting duck waiting to be slaughtered."
Okay, so the first rule of fighting multiple opponents is positioning.
Noah moved toward the rocky cover that would limit their approach angles. Wind manipulation swirled around his blade while aura continued flowing through his combat-ready physique.
If they have their own environntal advantages, then I will make my own environntal advantage too. Use terrain to limit their options.
The fireflies adapted imdiately, one diving high while the other approached low. Their assault was designed to overwhelm single-target defences.
Here they co.
"Prioritise! Choose your target and commit!" Lola’s instruction cut through the buzzing noise.
"Don’t try to fight both simultaneously. Focus fire."
Noah targeted the lower firefly with concentrated wind magic, launching compressed air balls while closing the distance. His aura-enhanced speed carried him forward faster than the creature expected.
I will conduct an aggressive approach. Force them to react to my timing.
The targeted firefly attempted defensive manoeuvres, but Noah was able to track its movents. His blade, enhanced by both aura and wind magic, carved deep gashes across its natural armour.
First blood. But the second one—
Bzzt!
The second firefly’s fla breath forced Noah into a desperate evasion, his jacket smoking from the near miss. But Lola’s voice provided guidance even as he rolled for cover.
"Use the wounded one as a shield! Make them interfere with each other!"
That’s smart. How did I not think of that?
Noah manoeuvred so the wounded firefly was between him and its companion. When the second creature attempted another fla attack, it had to adjust its aim to avoid friendly fire.
Perfect. Their team play is limiting their options.
The wounded firefly attempted a desperate pincer strike, but Noah’s aura-enhanced reflexes allowed perfect timing. His counter-attack removed one wing completely, grounding the creature permanently.
One down, one to go.
Bzzt! Bzzt!
The remaining firefly increased aggression, diving repeatedly while maintaining fla breath pressure. But fighting solo removed its tactical advantages.
Back to single combat. I can handle this.
"You are not executing to finish, your combinations should end their lives! Don’t just wound, eliminate the threats completely!" Lola instructed.
Noah’s final assault combined everything he’d learned. Aura flowed through enhanced muscles while wind magic concentrated around his blade. The Zealous Quickblade carved through the firefly’s defences with devastating power.
Noah had achieved victory.
Two fireflies were defeated through Lola’s guidance.
[You killed a tier 1 beast, firefly]
[You killed a tier 1 beast, firefly]
Silence settled over the thermal vents as the last buzzing faded. Two more firefly corpses joined the battlefield’s growing collection.
Multiple opponent combat is significantly different from solo encounters.
Clap! Clap! Clap!
Noah turned to find Lola applauding him with genuine approval on her face.
"Excellent adaptation. You learned positioning, targeting priority, and tactical use of terrain."
"Thank you for your help," Noah said, taking a few deep breaths. He was breathless from the fight.
Her guidance made the difference.
"Group combat is about controlling chaos. Individual skill matters less than battlefield awareness," she continued, approaching him.
Noah felt the difference in his understanding. Multiple opponents required completely different ntal fraworks than single target elimination.
This kind of instruction is invaluable.
...
After the successful two-firefly encounter, Noah felt satisfied.
Although he was exhausted, he was still happy with the results. His aura manipulation had stabilised during the fight, becoming more intuitive.
That’s enough training for tonight. Ti to celebrate progress with so magical food.
"I think that’s sufficient for today. Want to join for so bread and tea back at the shop?" Noah announced, wiping sweat from his forehead.
Lola’s ruby eyes sparkled with obvious interest. "I thought you’d never ask."
The Ed brothers exchanged uncertain glances as the group prepared to depart. Their expressions showed their confusion, unsure of what they were ant to do next.
They don’t know if they’re supposed to follow us or not.
Lola noticed their hesitation imdiately, turning toward them.
"What are you doing standing there like statues? You’re his guards. You protect him from when he opens the shop until he’s finished for the day." Her tone carried enough pressure to make them straighten.
She’s establishing their duties. Good. I wasn’t sure how this arrangent worked.
"If he tells you’re not doing your job properly..." Lola slowly muttered, glaring at them.
The death glare she delivered made all three brothers visibly shiver. Despite being bound by a magical oath that would destroy them once broken, the additional threat made it worse.
"We will! We will!" they chorused imdiately.
The ssage was received, either protect him at all tis, or suffer her wrath. And the Ed brothers didn’t want to suffer a master-level succubus’s wrath.
They could only bla themselves as they walked back to the shop alongside Noah and Lola.
The walk back to Sin City passed in comfortable silence, Noah’s thoughts processing the evening’s developnts while Lola moved beside him with a satisfied smile.
The Ed brothers maintained their formation around them, clearly taking their duties seriously after Lola’s clarification.
From robbers to professional security. So career transitions happen too quickly.
Inside his shop, Noah settled into his ergonomic chair with relief that transcended re physical comfort.
He retrieved food for himself and Lola, then considered his new employees with genuine appreciation. Despite their criminal origins, they’d be his bodyguards from now on, and he wanted to treat them well.
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