Post-Battle Analysis

The journey back was faster than the trip out.

They left the swamp forest behind as the sky gradually darkened, but the four of them kept walking. Only when the moon was high overhead did they find a rock face sheltered from the wind and stop to rest. Xie Yue built a fire, and Yan dug some rations out of his ring. This time, no one mentioned roasting meat; they were all tired. The four sat around the fire, each gnawing on a flatbread, and no one spoke first.

At last, Yan couldn't hold it in. "Things almost went terribly wrong today."

His words broke the silence.

"I'll go first." Xie Yue put down his flatbread and looked at Ning Buhui. "When the lead wolf pounced on you, I was careless. I should have kept some of my attention on you. We had to clear out the lesser wolves, but the lead wolf was the real key. Two lesser wolves drew me away, and I nearly made a terrible mistake."

"Same here." Hu Liena passed over a waterskin, a rare note of self-reproach in her voice. "When that two-thousand-year lesser wolf tied me up, all I could think about was how to bring it down. I didn't pay attention to what was happening behind me. You were closest to me; I should have kept a closer eye on your side."

"It wasn't your fault." Ning Buhui took the waterskin and had a drink. "I was slow to assess the situation too. When the lead wolf moved, I should have called out sooner. By the time I noticed, it was already fewer than ten steps away from me."

"Your first reaction was good," Xie Yue said. "The tower blocked it in time and bought you a moment. Otherwise, forget Warp-you wouldn't even have had a chance to raise your hand."

Ning Buhui nodded. He knew perfectly well that half the reason he'd escaped unscathed today was luck. The lead wolf's pounce had been far faster than he'd expected. If he'd reacted a fraction slower, or if his Soul Power had run dry and he hadn't been able to use Warp, the consequences would have been unthinkable. His lack of actual combat experience had led to his slow judgment.

"And Yan." Xie Yue turned to look at him.

"I know." Yan shoved his flatbread into his mouth and spoke indistinctly. "I placed my Fire Wall too far forward. I drove the lesser wolves back, but I also ended up seven or eight steps away from you. If the lead wolf had pounced on you or Nana instead of junior brother, I wouldn't have made it back in time."

"Mm." Xie Yue didn't lecture him further, only nodded. "Your Lava Body can take a beating, but don't treat yourself like a city wall. We're a team, not fighting on our own. If you charge too far ahead, the people behind you will be left out of step."

"I'll watch it next time," Yan said.

"There was actually one thing we did well today." Hu Liena tapped the ground with a branch. "Junior brother told us beforehand what the lead wolf intended: keep the little ones alive to lure out the big one. The plan was a success, just as expected. Even at the end, the lead wolf never thought of running away."

"And Static Counterattack," Xie Yue suddenly added. "When the lead wolf pounced on me, it triggered paralysis. It only lasted a moment, but at a critical point in a fight, an opening that lasts a moment is vital. Without that paralysis, the lead wolf might not have gone down so quickly."

Ning Buhui was startled. He'd almost forgotten that Wind Thunder Wing Shadow had that effect. The chance of triggering it wasn't high, but when it did, it was an advantage picked up for free.

Yan suddenly leaned over and nudged him with an elbow.

"Junior brother, let me ask you something."

"Go ahead."

"How many people can you use that support Soul Skill on at once?"

"Four is no problem right now," Ning Buhui said. "When my spiritual power grows, I'll be able to do more."

Yan smacked his lips and glanced back at Hu Liena and Xie Yue. It was as if words he'd held back for ages finally came pouring out. "Do you remember the last time the three of us went after that thousand-year Rock Rhinoceros? Without a support, I held the front and took three charges. My bones nearly fell apart. Xie Yue circled it, hacking away for ages without leaving much of a wound. Nana tried to control it with Charm twice, but neither attempt worked. She was almost caught by its horn."

Hu Liena sighed. "Don't remind me. My head hurt for two days after I got back. I overtaxed my spiritual power so badly that Teacher scolded me too."

"And this time?" Yan grew more animated as he spoke. "Junior brother hit me with a beam of golden light, and my fists felt a good three parts harder than usual. Xie Yue's Moon Blade seemed to have eyes of its own, chasing after the wolves and hacking at their backsides. I didn't even see him out of breath."

Xie Yue didn't turn around, but he chimed in. "My speed and strength did receive a considerable boost. In the past, my Soul Power would be nearly exhausted after a fight. Today, I barely had to exert myself against those lesser wolves."

"The most important thing was the speed boost." Hu Lina grew interested too. "My reactions are usually a little slow, but today I actually managed to keep up with that two-thousand-year lesser wolf. Once Buhui's blue-purple lightning pattern appeared on me, I felt nimble all over."

Yan nodded emphatically. "The key is that it takes a load off my mind. On missions before, without a support, I had to calculate how many hits I could take, when to retreat, and when to stand my ground. Now, with junior brother watching from behind, a boost to all my attributes, vine armor protecting me, and much greater speed, all I have to do is charge forward."

"We gained a lot from today's battle." Hu Liena used the branch to cross out the circles and crosses on the ground.

"Mm." Xie Yue nodded. "We completed the mission itself. There's nothing wrong with the materials; once we turn them in, we'll get the points. We also gained experience and recognized our shortcomings."

"What difficulty should our next mission be?" Yan asked.

"We can choose a harder one next time," Xie Yue said. "This grade-B mission was somewhat difficult, but not very. We worked together reasonably well. Next time, let's take an easier grade-A mission and try dealing with a more complicated situation. But-" He glanced at Ning Buhui. "We'll have to wait until I've obtained my Fourth Soul Ring. Missions will be easier then, too."

The other three nodded in agreement.

"Then it's settled." Yan stood up and stretched. "We'll rest for a few days after we get back. Once Xie Yue gets his Fourth Soul Ring, we'll check the Mission Hall for a suitable grade-A job. This time I want to be the main attacker. Fighting with a support feels amazing."

The fire gradually died down. Wrapped in a blanket and leaning against the rock face, Ning Buhui sorted through everything they'd discussed that night, point by point. He closed his eyes and committed it all to memory before slowly drifting off to sleep.