novelhk Chapter 155 Intensive Training and Team Collaboration
Chapter 155 Intensive Training and Team Collaboration
Chapter 155 Intensive Training and Team Collaboration
Inside the Eagle's Nest, Karen, Wesley, Fabian, and Ernesto stood in the center of the cleared area, their expressions focused.
"Alright," Karen clapped her hands, her voice particularly clear in the empty classroom, "last week's moving target practice went well; everyone's basic reaction speed and accuracy have improved. But that's not enough. In real combat, we rarely face single, stationary opponents or those that only move in a straight line. More likely, we'll be ambushed one by one, surrounded, and maneuvering in complex environments."
He glanced at his three roommates, his grey-blue eyes revealing a calm analysis. "Today's objective: simulate a scenario where you're surrounded by multiple people in a castle corridor. Key points: rapid target switching, utilizing environmental cover, and initial teamwork. The difficulty will gradually increase."
"Sounds exciting!" Wesley rubbed his hands together, a few strands of his reddish-brown hair seemingly standing on end in excitement. "How will this simulation go? We're not really going to fight, are we?"
“Of course not,” Karen said with a slight smile. “We’ll use this.” He waved his wand, and several worn-out terracotta pots and wooden targets of varying sizes flew out from a pre-prepared pile of junk. The pots and targets floated up and were precisely placed in different locations in the classroom—in corners, behind pillars, even beside a fallen bookshelf. “These are our ‘ambushers.’ They won’t move, but they will represent different points of threat, and then I’ll change them to different colors.”
He then told them that the items were red, yellow, and blue. "Your task is to move around the area," he said.
At the same time, use the Disarm Charm to hit the target of the specified color. I will randomly call out the colors, and you must immediately judge which is the nearest or most suitable target of the same color to attack. Meanwhile, "he paused, pointing his wand to the center of the arena, "I will use the Beam Charm, a derivative of the harmless Glow Charm, to simulate an attack beam, interfering with your actions and judgment. You need to avoid my beam and use these pillars, corners, and bookshelves as cover.
"Rules: If you are hit by my beam more than three times, or fail to hit the correct target three times in a row, you are 'out.' The goal is to 'survive' as long as possible and complete the mission accurately. Understand?"
"Understood!" the three answered in unison, gripping their wands tightly and sharpening their eyes. Ernesto habitually adjusted his glasses, Fabian took a deep breath to calm himself, and Wesley had already begun warming up with light jumps.
"Okay, Wesley, Fabian, you two go first. Ernesto and I will handle the interference and observation." Karen stepped back to the edge of the field, and Ernesto stood next to him.
"Get ready—it starts! Red!" As soon as Karen's voice fell, a bright, slightly warm beam of light shot out from the tip of his staff, heading straight for Wesley who had just rushed out.
"Whoa!" Wesley yelled, and with a wolf-fox-like but effective lazy roll, he hid behind a thick stone pillar.
The beam of light struck the stone pillar. He immediately peered out, his eyes scanning rapidly: "Over there, on the red side!" He spotted a red ceramic jar nestled in the shadows on the other side of the pillar. The red beam of the Disarming Charm struck the jar precisely, producing a crisp "squeak."
"Beautiful!" Ernesto whispered.
"Yellow!" Karen's command followed immediately, while two beams of light blocked Wesley's possible movements. Wesley retreated behind a pillar, looking somewhat impatient.
Just then, Fabian moved. He had been cautiously moving along a wall. A beam of red light struck a yellow wooden target hanging on a wall hook in the distance with pinpoint accuracy. "Hit!" he reported, as he quickly crouched down, dodging the beam of light Karen had fired at his previous position.
His movements weren't as swift as Wesley's, but he had the advantage of a steady rhythm and careful observation, always managing to find safe cover.
"Good, Fabian! Cover your teammates!" Karen commanded while continuing to apply pressure. "Blue!"
"Watch this!" Wesley, taking advantage of Karen's attention being on Fabian, suddenly burst out from behind the pillar and charged towards a broken blue stool in the center of the arena. A red glow from the spell flew out.
However, Karen's interference was faster. A beam of light grazed Wesley's heel, the burning sensation causing him to whimper. At the same time, Ernesto fired a disruptive beam, blocking Wesley's aim. Wesley's spell went astray, grazing the bench as it flew past.
"Damn it!" Wesley slapped his thigh in frustration and quickly searched for the next blue target. He reacted quickly and immediately spotted another blue mark peeking out from behind the pillar. This time it hit. But because of this recklessness, he was also hit in the corner of his robe by Karen's follow-up beam.
"Wesley, one hit!" Karen calmly counted. "Remember, don't charge in head-on, use the environment to disrupt the opponent's line of sight and firepower!"
'
Training continued. Karen's commands grew faster and faster, the colors shifted erratically, and the interference beams became increasingly cunning and dense. Fabian displayed surprising defensive awareness. When Karen and Ernesto's beams simultaneously attacked him, he leaned against a solid stone wall, choosing not to attack but instead quickly chanting, "Protego!" A semi-transparent shield instantly unfolded in front of him, firmly blocking both attack beams, sending sparks flying.
"Excellent protective charm!" Karen praised. "Fabian, your armor charm is incredibly sturdy! Effective defense is key to creating space for a counterattack when surrounded by multiple attackers! But be careful, pure defense will leave you vulnerable. Seize the opportunity to counterattack!"
"Understood, Karen!" Fabian replied. Just as the shield dissipated, Karen shouted, "Red!" He immediately slid to the side, using the corner of the wall to block any possible attack from the other side. His wand pointed diagonally upward at a small red jar hanging on the chandelier wreckage, hitting it again.
Wesley, on the other hand, made full use of his exceptional athletic talent. He nimbly weaved between pillars, overturned desks, and piles of clutter, like a nimble fox. In one high-speed movement, Karen shouted "Yellow!" while three anticipated beams of light blocked his three possible dodge routes. Wesley barely paused, his body suddenly tilting to the left, sliding between two broken chairs at an almost impossible angle, his wand already pointing at its target as he slid.
"Epelliarmus!"
The red light struck the yellow wooden block hidden behind the chair with pinpoint accuracy.
"Beautiful!" Even Ernesto couldn't help but cheer.
"Wesley, your reaction speed and athleticism are outstanding!" Karen praised. "But be careful to conserve your energy; such extreme dodges are very taxing. Also, ensure your own safety when attacking. If your opponent had a follow-up move, you would have been in danger."
"Hehe, got it!" Wesley wiped his sweat and grinned.
Next, Ernesto and Fabian partnered up, while Wesley rested and observed. Ernesto's style was completely different. He rarely used the wolf-fox evasion technique, relying more on precise concealment and positioning using the environment, showing that he had learned a lot.
When Karen shouted "Blue!" and shot a beam of light, Ernesto did not attack immediately. Instead, he tapped a half-full bucket next to him with his wand. This was something Karen had conjured up earlier to simulate the environment.
"Wingardium Leviosa!"
The bucket rose, perfectly blocking the beam of light. With a "whoosh," the beam was stopped by the bucket. At the same time, he calmly turned around, his wand pointing precisely at an inconspicuous blue mark at the top of the pillar.
"Brilliant!" Fabian exclaimed. "Ernesto, that was a brilliant move!"
Ernesto nodded slightly, a hint of barely perceptible smugness playing on his lips: "Utilizing the environment, creating obstacles, dividing the battlefield. This is one of the most effective counter-strategies. It's especially effective against those who just charge in recklessly." He gave Wesley a meaningful glance on the sidelines, who made a face.
As Fabian was cornered by Karen's beam, Ernesto immediately came to his aid, striking a loose stone slab at Karen's feet with a precise spell. The slab jerked up, disrupting Karen's aim for his next beam at Fabian. At the same time, he shouted to Fabian, "Fabian, three o'clock, red target!"
Fabian immediately understood and, taking advantage of the chaos created by Ernesto, released a disarming spell in the direction Ernesto indicated, successfully hitting the target.
Karen watched this scene, a hint of approval flashing in her eyes. Ernesto not only possessed outstanding individual skills and a clear battle strategy, but also knew how to create opportunities for his teammates amidst the chaos.
In the final stages, Karen began to gradually increase the intensity, and Wesley, who had rested well, joined in.
"Pay attention to coordination! Wesley draws attention on the left flank! Fabian defends the center! Ernesto supports on the right flank!" Karen calmly gave instructions even while moving quickly.
The three were pushed to their limits, their robes soaked with sweat, their breathing heavy, but their eyes grew ever sharper. Under Cullen's intense firepower, they began to try to coordinate. Wesley roared and charged recklessly to Cullen's left, drawing most of the fire; Fabian immediately erected a solid shield behind him; Ernesto seized this brief opening, his wand flashing out in quick succession, two beams of red light shooting out almost simultaneously, accurately striking the two most difficult targets Cullen had placed earlier—a yellow wooden target hanging from a rickety chandelier and a blue ceramic pot tucked into a gap in a bookshelf.
"Beautiful!" Wesley shouted excitedly, even though he had been tripped up by Karen's silent barrier spell while drawing fire.
Karen stopped her attack, a satisfied smile spreading across her face. "Stop! Well done!"
As Karen finished speaking, the tense atmosphere instantly relaxed. Wesley collapsed onto the floor, panting heavily: "Merlin—the.Beard. Karen—you—are—a…monster." Fabian slid down against a pillar, his chest heaving, but his face was flushed with excitement. Ernesto also adjusted his askew glasses and leaned against the wall to catch his breath.
Karen walked to the center of the field and looked at the three people who were exhausted but had bright eyes.
"To summarize," Karen's voice carried a hint of fatigue from training, but more so, satisfaction. "Wesley, your combat instincts and athleticism are excellent. Your explosive power and willingness to charge into battle are huge advantages. But your weaknesses are also obvious: you rely too much on your instincts."
You're prone to getting carried away, neglecting your own safety during attacks, and have poor stamina management, resulting in noticeably distorted movements later in the game. You need to learn to maintain composure when you're caught up in the heat of the moment, observe your surroundings more, and utilize cover, instead of blindly charging in. Your charges are valuable, but only if you don't get yourself killed first.
Wesley lay on the ground, raising one hand to indicate he understood: "Got it, Coach Cullen! I'll take it easy next time."
“Fabian,” Karen turned to him, “your defense is outstanding, your Ironclad Charm is fast and steady, and you remain calm under pressure.”
Your keen observation skills are the team's strongest asset. However, your problem lies in being overly cautious, sometimes causing you to miss fleeting opportunities for counterattacks. You need to be more decisive and trust your judgment. Also, your movement speed could be improved; quickly securing advantageous defensive positions is crucial.
Fabian nodded seriously: "Okay, Karen. I will try my best to overcome my hesitation and improve my movement skills."
"Ernesto," Karen said, looking at her last roommate, "You performed admirably today. Your combat strategy was clear, you were adept at utilizing the environment and creating opportunities, and your countermeasures were effective, elegant, and efficient. You even started to try to command and coordinate your teammates, which is excellent! Your weakness lies in the old problem of being too focused on elegance, occasionally resulting in some unnecessary, flashy little movements that might waste a fraction of a second in extreme situations. Also, how well do you handle pure burst attack spells? Sometimes you need the power to deliver the decisive blow."
Ernesto raised an eyebrow, seemingly slightly displeased with the "flashy" assessment, but accepted it nonetheless: "Understood. I'll streamline the movements and strengthen my practice of power-type spells. I'll continue to observe and learn carefully." He glanced at Karen, his meaning clear: I'll learn from you.
Karen smiled. "As for teamwork, it was our first time trying it today, so we were a bit rusty, but the last move was beautiful. Wesley's drawing, Fabian's defense, and Ernesto's precise strike were all indispensable. That's the power of teamwork. Remember that feeling and practice more in the future."
He walked to the center of the field, looking at the scattered shards of terracotta pots and wooden targets. "Each of us has our own characteristics and place. Wesley is the sharp spear, Fabian is the sturdy shield, Ernesto is the keen eye and skillful hand. And I," he paused, "hope to be the one who connects you, coordinates you, and fills the gaps at crucial moments. We are a whole; the 'Eagle's Nest' is the whetstone we hone together."
The afterglow of the setting sun elongated the shadows of the four people.