Chapter 174 Experimenting in Battle

Chapter 174: Chapter 174: Experimenting in Battle

Caelia smiled as she watched Snow return to her side.

"Well done, Snow!"

The Frost Lynx let out a pleased cry, her tail swaying as she looked toward the next group of enemies.

Snow had also grown considerably stronger.

Her movements were faster, and her attacks had become more precise. She no longer wasted energy striking the thick armor of her opponents. Instead, she focused on their weak points, often bringing down beasts that were much larger than herself.

Damon’s advice had helped both of them improve.

He had taught Caelia to observe her enemies before attacking, to identify the parts of their bodies that were most vulnerable, and to use her Ice Arts to create openings rather than simply overwhelm them.

At first, she had needed to consciously follow every instruction. Now, those decisions were gradually becoming instinctive.

The improvement was clear in her fighting.

Her Ice Arts were developing rapidly, and she could feel the difference in her Aether control with every battle. Snow was improving alongside her, becoming more resilient and efficient with her attacks.

Caelia was beginning to understand just how much she could achieve by adapting rather than relying on raw strength.

"Caelia, to your left!"

Damon’s voice reached her.

She turned just as a Stormclaw Boar charged through the dust. Its enormous body was covered in thick scales, and its claws tore through the frozen ground as it approached.

Caelia immediately raised an ice wall.

The boar slammed into it, cracking the surface, but the brief delay was enough.

"Snow!"

Snow darted forward and released a burst of frost beneath the beast. Its front legs froze in place, causing it to lose balance and fall forward.

Caelia followed up with several ice spears, striking the exposed areas around its neck.

The boar roared, but before it could recover, Damon sent a bolt of lightning through the ice beneath it.

The attack spread across the frozen ground and struck the beast from below.

It collapsed with a final growl.

Caelia glanced toward Damon.

"Thanks!"

"You’re welcome. But you handled most of that yourself."

She smiled.

"Then I’ll take the credit."

"By all means."

Damon then turned toward the next wave, already looking for another opportunity to test a combination of his abilities.

Caelia shook her head with a small laugh before following him.

Shiro was also proving to be far more than a support spirit.

His control over ice had improved considerably, and Damon had found several ways to make better use of his abilities.

Frostbound Sanctuary spread across the battlefield, slowing the beasts and restricting their movements. Frost Chains followed, binding those that tried to escape and holding them in place for the others to attack.

But it was Shiro’s Ice Mirror that had become particularly useful.

Several mirrors appeared around a group of charging beasts, reflecting their surroundings and creating false images of the battlefield.

The monsters hesitated, unsure of which direction to take.

One of them released a powerful gust of wind, attempting to clear the area. The attack struck an Ice Mirror and scattered in a different direction, while another mirror reflected the image of Shiro standing farther away.

The beasts charged toward the false target.

Shiro calmly raised his head.

"Frost Chains."

Icy chains erupted from beneath the monsters, wrapping around their legs and bodies. Some struggled violently, while others were trapped before they could even react.

Damon immediately took advantage of the opening.

"Freya, send them my way!"

Freya’s silver lightning flashed across the battlefield, forcing the trapped beasts closer together. Sylphie followed with a powerful gust of wind, pushing the group toward the center of Shiro’s Sanctuary.

Damon raised both hands.

Ice spears formed overhead, but instead of launching them immediately, he allowed the wind to gather around them. He then coated their tips with lightning, adjusting their direction as the energy built up.

"Let’s see how this works."

He released the spears.

They accelerated through the air, twisting slightly as the wind guided them toward the trapped beasts. Each spear struck a different target, and the lightning spread through the frozen ground, hitting the monsters caught within Shiro’s Sanctuary.

A series of explosions followed.

When the smoke cleared, none of the beasts remained standing.

Damon nodded in satisfaction.

"Works just as expected."

Shiro gave a quiet cry, his tail swaying slightly.

"Your control has improved, too," Damon added. "You managed to hold the entire group in place without using too much energy."

Shiro looked pleased with the praise.

Caelia watched the exchange as she and Snow finished off another group nearby.

Damon didn’t simply have powerful Spirit Elementals at his disposal. He understood how each of them fought and knew how to bring out their strengths.

Under his guidance, even Shiro, whose abilities were mainly suited for support and control, had become a formidable fighter.

Every spirit had a role, and Damon made sure none of them were left behind.

Their abilities complemented one another, and their coordination continued to improve with every battle.

It was as if they had all found the right person to lead them.

Damon continued advancing, switching between his elemental arts as the situation demanded.

Sometimes, he used ice to block the beasts’ movements before allowing Freya to finish them with lightning. Other times, he let Sylphie gather the wind around a group of monsters, drawing them together so Shiro could trap them inside his Sanctuary.

He also began using his own Aether control to reinforce the ground beneath them, creating narrow paths through the frozen terrain and allowing Caelia and Snow to move more freely.

When a group of beasts attempted to surround them, Damon raised several ice pillars to split their formation.

"Caelia, take the right side. Shiro, keep the rest from moving."

"Understood!"

Caelia immediately moved with Snow, using ice walls to funnel the beasts toward a narrow opening.

Shiro’s Frost Chains shot out from the ground, restraining the monsters as they tried to escape. Sylphie swept down from above, cutting off their retreat with a powerful current of wind.

Freya rushed through the opening, her silver lightning striking the beasts one after another.