Chapter 123: Kitten "He’s just getting started," Noah replied, watching Leo prance around the paralysed fireflies with kitten-like satisfaction. And he’s only juvenile stage. What happens when he reaches adolescent growth? Leo approached the trembling fireflies with curiosity, his head tilted as he studied their fear response. "Papa, why are they shaking so much? " "Your roar is very... impressive, Leo. Maybe use it more carefully around friends?" Need to establish rules before he accidentally terrorises allies. Leo nodded with earnest understanding. "I’ll be gentle with Papa’s friends!" The Ed brothers began recovering their composure, though they maintained noticeably more distance from Leo than before. Professional bodyguards or not, instinctive fear was hard to override. One of the paralyzed fireflies attempted to crawl away, its wings still too unsteady for flight. Leo watched with interest but didn’t pursue. "Should I catch them, Papa?" "If you want to, go ahead." Noah smiled, curious to see his companion’s hunting instincts in action. Time to see what juvenile Golden Mane Lions do to finish opponents. Leo’s demeanour shifted immediately from playful kitten to focused predator. His movements became fluid and purposeful as he stalked the trembling fireflies with natural hunting grace. Bzzt... bzzt... The weakened sounds of their wings made pathetic attempts at escape, but Leo’s enhanced speed made evasion impossible. His Claw Sweep finished each creature with no effort, targeting vital points with instinctive knowledge. Three dead fireflies in under ten seconds. With the hunt completed, Leo bounded back toward Noah with obvious satisfaction. The juvenile lion launched himself through the air with perfect confidence that his Papa would catch him. Here he comes. Noah’s arms caught Leo, feeling the warm weight of magical creature settling into his arms. The lion’s purring vibrated through his chest as he stroked the impossibly soft golden fur. Still acts like a kitten despite being a lethal predator. "Did you enjoy yourself, Leo?" Noah asked, scratching behind ears that flicked with contentment. "Yes! Thank you, Papa!" Leo’s blue eyes sparkled with happiness. "That was fun! The flying bugs were scared of my voice!" Flying bugs. His innocent description of Tier 1 magical creatures. Noah set Leo gently back on the ground, watching his companion immediately begin exploring the thermal vents with curiosity. "Alright, it’s time for me to show you my skills," Noah announced, drawing the Zealous Quickblade with fluid motion. My turn to demonstrate. Leo’s ears perked up with immediate attention. "Show me, Papa! Show me your hunting!" Three fresh fireflies emerged from deeper thermal vents, their buzzing announcing their hostile intent as they spotted the intruders in their territory. Bzzt! Bzzt! Bzzt! "Watch carefully, Leo. This is how humans fight." 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶 Time to combine all my skills into coordinated combat. Noah activated his aura immediately, feeling mana flow through his enhanced musculature like liquid fire. He could feel his mana spread through his body, amplifying his strength and various attributes, increasing his combat effectiveness. Wind began swirling around his blade as elemental manipulation joined the enhancement matrix. The Zealous Quickblade hummed with contained atmospheric force that made the air itself seem more responsive. The first firefly dove with a pincer attack aimed at his head, but Noah’s combined enhancements made its assault seem sluggish. He sidestepped while launching a wind blade that carved deep gashes across chitinous armour. "Papa is fast!" Leo called from his observation position. The second firefly attempted flame breath while its companion attacked from the flank. Noah’s eyes tracked both threats simultaneously, his consciousness expanded to encompass multiple danger sources. They are performing a coordinated assault. This is the perfect opportunity to practise my new techniques. He rolled beneath the flame stream while channelling wind magic into a defensive barrier that dispersed the magical fire harmlessly. His counter-attack came in the form of an aura-enhanced leap that carried him within striking range. His blade, empowered by both aura and wind manipulation, carved through the firefly’s wing structure with no resistance. The creature crashed to the ground, its flight capabilities permanently disabled. With one opponent grounded, Noah gained an advantage against the fireflies. "Papa fights like the wind!" Leo’s commentary carried genuine admiration. The final firefly attempted a desperate charge, its pincers spread wide for a crushing assault. But Noah’s reflexes and speed made perfect timing possible. [Your Mana Control skill has levelled up to Level 6!] The notification blazed across his vision as his magical integration reached new heights. The sensation was immediate, and he felt his mana purity increase alongside his control over its effects. Level 6 Mana Control. Another threshold crossed. But the advancement wasn’t finished. As Noah’s wind manipulation reached peak coordination with his other abilities, another breakthrough occurred. [Your Wind Manipulation skill has levelled up to Level 5!] Level 5. Major milestone for elemental magic. The moment the skill advanced, Noah felt new knowledge flooding his consciousness. Not just improved control over existing techniques, but entirely new applications that had been locked behind the level barrier. Inherent skill unlocked. Something new to work with. Following instinctive understanding, Noah extended his hand toward the charging firefly and released a concentrated burst of wind that he somehow knew how to create. Gust. That’s what this technique is called. The wind burst struck the firefly with perfect timing, interrupting its charge and sending it tumbling through the air. The creature’s momentum was completely negated, leaving it vulnerable to Noah’s finishing strike. Short-range wind burst that knocks back enemies and interrupts attacks. Incredibly useful for combat control. His aura-enhanced blade completed the encounter, carving through the disoriented creature with devastating effectiveness. Victory. Three fireflies defeated through coordinated skill application. "Papa is amazing!" Leo bounded around the battlefield with obvious excitement. "You move like the wind and strike like thunder!" Wind and thunder. He’s developing quite the poetic vocabulary. Noah sheathed his weapon with satisfaction that transcended mere victory. The combat had demonstrated how his various skills were beginning to work in harmony rather than as separate abilities. Aura, wind magic, and swordsmanship integrating into a unified combat style. The Ed brothers approached with respect for their employer’s personal capabilities. "The Gust technique," Noah murmured, testing the name while feeling its potential applications. "Perfect for controlling enemy positioning."