Chapter 8: Rethinking the StrategyElena stared into the distance, deep in thought about Lisa's suggestion. It wasn't a bad idea at all. While focusing on the three fundamental abilities—speed, defense, and attack—would create a solid bance, what if there was a better alternative?

  She sighed slowly before speaking. "After thinking it through, I don’t think Lisa’s idea is as bad as it seemed at first. Bance is important, but consider this carefully. What if you obtained a speed talent, but instead of focusing solely on defense and attack, you combined it with stealth? That would be an incredibly powerful combination."

  Lucas gazed at his older sister, contempting her words. "Stealth? You mean an ambush-based combat style?"

  Elena nodded. "Imagine having incredible speed while also being able to disappear or blend into your surroundings. That would give you a massive strategic advantage against both monsters and humans. Even if you're weaker than your opponents, you could escape easily or strike from the shadows and end the fight before it even begins."

  Lisa chimed in excitedly, "Exactly! That way, you wouldn’t need a defensive talent as much because you’d be avoiding attacks altogether!"

  Lucas remained silent for a few moments, seriously considering their suggestion. His initial impression was that speed, attack, and defense were the best choices, but what Elena and Lisa said made a lot of sense.

  "If we can find a good stealth talent..." Lucas began slowly, "it might be a better alternative to focusing on defense. However, stealth alone wouldn’t be enough. I’d need a way to deliver a deadly blow quickly; otherwise, I’d just become someone who runs away all the time."

  Elena nodded in agreement. "Of course, and that’s why we need to find a way to bance it. Maybe there are talents that allow you to enhance your attacks while hidden or even increase the lethality of your strikes. We need to investigate."

  Lisa raised her hand excitedly. "And what about a healing talent? I know it’s rare, but if we find one, it would be the perfect support ability for you!"

  Lucas chuckled. "Oh, sure. Imagine how much attention I’d attract if the academy found out I had a healing talent. Even the lowest tier of healing abilities is in high demand because of how rare they are. They wouldn’t leave me alone. I could end up restricted or, even worse, constantly monitored."

  Elena ughed softly. "But at least that wouldn’t be as bad as their impression of you if they discovered your true abilities. Think about it—if you had a healing talent, no one would suspect anything else. It would be the perfect cover for you."

  Lucas looked between his sisters, contempting their words. He had no intention of making himself a target, but if he could use something like a healing talent to hide his real strengths, it might be worth considering.

  "So, we now have several possible scenarios," Lucas said, thinking aloud. "Either I stick to the cssic bance of attack, defense, and speed, or I choose speed and stealth with a combat style focused on quick, surprise strikes. Or, I search for a healing talent and use it as a cover to conceal my real strengths."

  Elena nodded. "But the problem is that finding the right talents won’t be easy. We don’t know which monsters or people have them. That’s why we need a pn to search for these abilities intelligently, rather than relying on luck."

  Lisa added, "So, we should first look for monsters that have speed and stealth talents. We can start by hunting in the nearby areas and asking people in town if any unusual creatures have been spotted tely. We might gather useful information."

  Lucas nodded. "And once we find something interesting, I’ll decide whether to keep the talent or convert it into talent shards. That applies to any talent we find." He paused for a moment before continuing, "But there’s one more thing… We need to develop combat strategies for each possible scenario. If I rely on stealth, I need a fighting style that lets me maximize it. If I go with the traditional bance, I’ll need to strengthen my defense."

  Elena thought for a moment and then said, "That means we need to train you in multiple techniques so we can determine which one suits you best. You can’t rely on just one theory."

  Lisa grinned excitedly. "Which means we’re going to be working twice as hard in the coming days! No time for rest!"

  Lucas smiled in return. "I know, and I’m ready. From now on, we can’t afford to be careless. We’ll search for the best opportunities and take advantage of everything. This isn’t just about strength—it’s about survival strategy."

  Elena looked up at the sky, where the first light of dawn was beginning to break. "Then we start at first light. We have a lot of work to do."

  The three of them exchanged determined looks and nodded. The road ahead was long, but they were walking it together.