"How about a spar to train?" Slime#47 asked, wanting to fill the growth meter.
"Not so fast…" Nobi replied, shaking her head. "There's another benefit for the Ancient combat style."
"And that is…" Young Slime muttered impatiently. "Free movement, no restriction?"
"No," Thomas shook his head with a wide grin.
Slime#47 asked, curious. "Then what is it?"
"It's the ability to keep the power even after the battle," Nobi replied with a wide grin.
"Keep after the battle…?" Young Slime muttered with a light frown.
"In battle, combat style increases the power. But that power increase only stays for the duration of the combat. After combatants disengage, the power falls back to normal," Thomas explained, taking a huge sip from his beer. "Meanwhile, the Ancient combat style keeps the power of the stored spells until they are used."
"Meaning I can bring my spells to maximum before the fight and unleash them as a devastating blow," Young Slime said.
The lion-headed instructor nodded.
Nobi said playfully, "It's a major advantage. All other combat styles have to engage in battle to get their maximum boost, but the Ancient combat style can already have full strength even before the battle starts."
"Do you get now why the slots are so low?" she asked, her eyes narrowing.
"Yes," Slime#47 nodded. "It's no wonder the slots are only two even at Grade One, Level Max. After all, it grants too much power."
It was like bringing loaded guns to a fight while the opponent was still researching them.
"Now," Thomas said sharply, as he placed his half-empty beer bottle in his storage spell, "you have to bring it to Level Max in five days."
"I'm ready to fight," Young Slime said. 'Only a spar can bring it to Level Max faster.'
The instructor turned his eyes to Nobi and nodded with a light smile. "You'll have to engage with Young Slime in combat—teach him the combat style and let him grow… don't use too much force."
"Easy peasy," Nobi muttered, cracking her knuckles. "I was waiting for this."
She cracked her neck, excited.
'This might be dangerous,' Slime#47 mused as he glanced at Nobi's battle-thirsty eyes.
"Appraisal."
He used his skill quickly.
[ Ding! Opening status! ]
[ —Status—
—Name: Nobi
—Race: Flowing Water-Blade Slime ★ ★ ★ ★ {Rare+}
—Class: HydroTorrent-Sword Master {Rare+}
—Titles: Sword Genius, True Demon, Rich Slime, Potion Genius
—Level: 139
—Tier: 3 ]
He quickly went through her status as a shimmering panel flashed through his vision.
'She's strong… and has a Rare+ class and race,' he thought.
"Done checking the status?" Nobi asked, folding her hands over her chest.
"Ye—" As Young Slime was about to nod, she added, "You aren't bad yourself… You have a title of True Language Creator… hmm, and a Saviour of the Oakfield Village?"
"It was just a little effort," Slime#47 said, rubbing his forehead, 'How are her titles so few while I read like a clean slate because of mine?'
"You know… You can hide titles," Nobi said, grinning as she noticed Young Slime's irritation.
"How?" Slime#47 uttered. 'It'll be a good one.'
---
"So that's how it is," Young Slime muttered, rubbing his forehead. 'How didn't I find this option?'
[ —Titles—
….
—True Language Creator (Rare)—
…. ]
A new notification appeared when Slime#47 held the title name for a few seconds.
[ Ding! Hide the title True Language Creator (Rare)? ]
[ Y or N ]
"Good," Young Slime muttered, smiling as he tapped on Y.
"They will stay in effect even if you hide them," Nobi said, as she glanced at Thomas, who had fixed the area and violet array by pouring in his mana.
After a few moments, Thomas stood in the left corner of the battle arena and kept an eye as Nobi and Slime#47 stood face to face.
"Don't worry. I'll go easy on you," Nobi declared, as she waited for Thomas to announce the start.
She positioned herself in a battle stance: right leg a little forward, knees bent a little, fists clenched—right fist in front and left fist at the back, like a boxing position.
"It's going to be one good fight," Young Slime took a deep breath. He was getting excited for the spar.
He took no stance whatsoever—standing unbothered like a normal person.
"Ready—go," Thomas announced the start.
"Demonic Surge. Fireball!"
Slime#47 wasted no time as he started off with a burst, casting two spells.
Dark demonic force wrapped around his body as he raised his right palm at Nobi; a basketball-sized fireball manifested in midair.
Whoosh!—Slime#47 hurled it at Nobi.
"Water Fist!" she yelled, as water flowed out, surrounding both her hands.
Boom!
She punched the incoming fireball, as fire dispersed into thin air from the large amount of water.
"Fireball. Fireball…" Young Slime kept casting the basketball-sized fire spheres in a row.
Boom!
Bang!
Smoke appeared, filling the area.
Grinning, Slime#47 hurled fireballs one by one.
"Hoo… purposefully creating a cover," Thomas muttered, narrowing his eyes.
Whoosh!
Fireballs rushed toward Nobi.
"Water Stream Slash," Nobi muttered calmly, as she drew her sword.
Slash!
Her blade was covered with dark blue energy as water gushed out from her sword when she swung it at the incoming fireballs.
Water flowed out like a raging ocean, wiping out all the fireballs in front of her, and water flooded the arena.
The smoke disappeared as Nobi flared with the crimson aura.
Water rose up to Young Slime's knees.
"That's a clever move," Thomas muttered—then shook his head.
"Sword Slash!" Nobi didn't stop after wiping out the fireballs.
She turned her sword to her back with the continued momentum as she spun.
Slash!
The multiple fireballs, which were rushing, were wiped out by her one clean slash.
"Water-based True Magic," Slime#47 muttered, as he focused his eyes on the dark blue energy on Nobi's sword.
"It's Tide True Magic," Nobi said, holding her sword on her right shoulder.
She grinned. "You are tactical, but smoke stops functioning as cover once one learns to sense energy."
Whoosh!
"Demonic Fist!" Young Slime flashed in front of Nobi, sweeping his right fist—wrapped in black demonic force—at her chest.
"Water Fist!" Nobi responded well, punching with her right fist.
Boom!
A fist of dark energy collided with a fist surrounded by water.