Chapter 31: Chapter 31: System's New Squad

Elio's team fanned out in a semicircle, facing the monstrous creature that had just breached their defenses.

The beast, a four-armed giant insect of the same species Elio had battled before, roared defiantly, its compound eyes gleaming with predatory fury.

At the forefront, Elio raised one of his two spears. "Remember the plan!" he commanded, his voice steady despite the adrenaline coursing through him. "We alternate every two seconds. Aim for the joints and eyes. Zara, maintain your distance and observe!"

Zara nodded, taking a few steps back but keeping her gaze locked on the scene, eager to learn from her more experienced comrades.

"Now!" Elio shouted, hurling his weapon with pinpoint accuracy.

The spear whistled through the air, embedding itself deep into the joint between the monster's thorax and one of its upper arms. The creature shrieked in pain, staggering backward.

"Micah!" Elio called out, his hand extended as he summoned his lance back with magnetic control. The weapon flew to his grasp, humming with residual energy.

Without missing a beat, Micah stepped forward and launched his own weapon. His aim was equally precise, striking one of the insect's compound eyes. The monster thrashed its head violently, disoriented by the impact.

Ren was next. His throw, though powerful, veered slightly off course, grazing the monster's exoskeleton without causing significant damage. However, demonstrating quick thinking, Ren adjusted his control over the lance mid-flight, managing to slam its blunt end into the creature's mandible on its return path.

"Nice adjustment, Ren!" Kriz shouted, his excitement palpable.

Kriz took his turn, his lance spinning once before lodging itself in the joint of one of the monster's lower arms. The insect stumbled, momentarily losing its balance.

Brok, wearing a confident smirk, hurled his weapon straight at the center of the monster's thorax. The impact was so forceful that the creature reeled back several steps, screeching in agony. The sound of chitin cracking echoed across the battlefield.

Elio watched with pride as his team executed the strategy they had tirelessly practiced. Every two seconds, a new attack assailed the monster, preventing it from advancing or counterattacking effectively.

"Keep up the pace!" Elio ordered, readying himself for his second attack.

The team maintained their relentless assault. Each lance that flew towards the monster was immediately retrieved, and the siege continued with the next team member.

The creature, overwhelmed by the speed and precision of the attacks, could barely react. Its movements became increasingly erratic, its defenses crumbling under the coordinated assault.

For his second throw, Elio aimed at the base of one of the upper arms that hadn't been damaged yet. The lance penetrated deeply, nearly severing the appendage from the body. As it returned, Elio manipulated its trajectory so that the sharp end struck the same wounded area, amputating the arm completely.

The limb fell to the ground with a sickening thud, then it started to disappear.

Inspired by Elio's maneuver, Micah attempted something similar. He launched his weapon towards one of the damaged eyes and, on its return, made it spin so that the flat side struck the monster's head, further disorienting it.

Determined not to miss again, Ren carefully calculated his shot. This time, his lance lodged perfectly in the joint between the insect's head and thorax, causing the creature to convulse violently.

"Fantastic, Ren!" Zara exclaimed from her observation post, impressed by the precision of the attack.

On his second turn, Kriz decided to target the monster's legs. His lance cleanly pierced one of the joints, further limiting the creature's mobility. The Locus stumbled, its movements becoming increasingly labored.

Not to be outdone, Brok directed his second attack at the base of the insect's antennae. The impact was devastating, ripping off one of the antennae and leaving the monster clearly disoriented. It thrashed about, unable to coordinate its movements effectively.

The battle raged on, its attempts to advance towards the team were easily countered by the constant barrage of attacks. The once-mighty creature was being reduced to a battered, struggling mass.

Seeing that victory was within their grasp, Elio decided to call for the team to hold their ground and keep pushing with the concentrated assault. "Hold your positions for the third round!" he shouted to his team.

With intense focus, Elio launched his weapon directly at the center of the monster's head. The lance penetrated deeply, piercing through the exoskeleton and embedding itself in what appeared to be the creature's brain.

Lucien continued, "I've been preparing the necessary resources to equip new teams with this technique. The spears are already being exchanged, and logistical preparations are underway. We're on the cusp of a major shift in our defensive capabilities."

"You mean there will be more teams like ours?" Micah asked.

"Exactly," Lucien confirmed. "But we'll need instructors capable of teaching the magnetic retrieval technique. And that's where you come in."

Elio felt pride at the prospect. "We'd be honored to share our knowledge, sir."

Lucien smiled, pleased with the response. "Excellent. Now, as for the practical details..." He walked to a nearby cabinet and opened it, revealing a series of gleaming spears.

"To start with, you can keep your level 4 spears. Additionally, each of you will receive an extra spear of the same level." He began distributing the weapons among the team.

When he reached Zara, he paused. "Zara, I understand you're new to level 3 and haven't had the chance to practice the technique yet. But I trust Elio's judgment, so I'll provide you with two level 4 lances so you can catch up quickly."

Zara took the weapons with reverence, her eyes shining with excitement. "Thank you, sir. I won't let you down. I'll train harder than anyone to master this technique."

Finally, Lucien turned to Elio. "And for you, Elio, I have something special." He pulled out a spear that seemed to radiate power. "This is another level 5 lance, to match your current one. I trust you'll use it wisely."

Elio took the weapon, feeling its weight and balance, noting it was a bit light. He'd have to add some nickel layers. "It's an honor, sir. I'll use it to protect our people."

Lucien nodded approvingly before continuing. "Now, regarding your new responsibility as instructors, this is what I need from you. You'll train the groups I assign to you in the magnetic retrieval technique. It's crucial that they master this skill fast."

Ren, always attentive to details, asked, "What will the training schedule be, sir?"

"I'll give you the schedule tomorrow, but it will be in the afternoon, so conserve your mana," Lucien replied. "To allow you to focus fully on this task, all soldiers participating in the training will receive 5 payment points daily and will be exempt from contributing to the turret. This will allow them to use their mana almost exclusively for training."

Brok's eyes widened. "Exempt from contribution? That's... incredible."

Lucien smiled at the reaction. "Indeed. And for you, as lead instructors, the compensation will be even greater. You'll receive 10 points daily, the same salary as the patrols controlled by the families."

A murmur of excitement ran through the group. Ten daily points was a considerable sum, especially for young people their age. Since they had been training with Elio, their points were almost completely lost in training.

"Additionally," Lucien continued, "you'll also be temporarily exempt from paying the turret. I want you to dedicate all your energy and mana to perfecting and teaching this technique."

Elio, feeling the weight of responsibility, asked, "How long will this training period last, sir?"

Lucien leaned on his desk. "As long as necessary. The safety of our city depends on developing capable and well-trained defenders. We won't skimp on resources or time to achieve this."

Ren, always thinking ahead, interjected, "Sir, will there be armor for the new teams?"

Lucien shook his head. "For now, no. Armor requires additional resources that we're allocating to the spears. The strategy is based on keeping monsters at a distance, so mobility will be more crucial than heavy protection. We may revisit this decision in the future, but for now, speed and agility are our priorities."

The team nodded, understanding the logic behind the decision. They had demonstrated that with proper execution, the monster couldn't easily approach. Still, Elio made a mental note to work on evasive maneuvers in their training regimen, just in case.

"One last thing," Lucien added, his tone becoming more solemn. "What you're about to undertake is not just a job, it's a crucial mission for the survival of our city. You'll be forming the next generation of defenders. The responsibility is enormous, but I have full confidence in your abilities."

Elio looked at his companions, seeing the resolve in their eyes. "We won't let you down, sir. We'll give our best to train these new teams."

Lucien smiled, satisfied. "I know you will. Now, take the rest of the day to rest and process all of this. Tomorrow we'll begin with the detailed preparations for the training program."

As the team prepared to leave, Lucien added, "And Elio, stay for a moment. There's something else I want to discuss with you."

The others left, casting curious glances at Elio. Kriz stuck out his tongue, winked, and gave a thumbs up before closing the door.