Chapter 343: Striped Tiger Lola watched the entire display with her mouth slightly open in shock. She had seen countless combat techniques throughout her long career, but the raw, destructive potential of what Noah had just created was exceptional even by peak archmage standards. The way the wind prison adapted to the tiger’s attempts to escape, constantly adjusting blade positions and rotation speeds to maintain perfect containment, demonstrated a level of elemental control that should have been impossible for someone who had only recently reached adept rank in wind manipulation. That technique could kill master-rank practitioners despite Noah’s level, Lola realised with growing amazement. The combination of area denial, sustained damage, and crowd control makes it devastatingly effective against single, powerful opponents. The whirlwind prison continued its work for approximately thirty seconds before finally dissipating, the compressed wind returning to normal air currents. The tiger collapsed onto the forest floor, its body covered in so many cuts that its fur appeared more red than its original colour. The beast was still breathing but clearly defeated, unable to rise or continue fighting. Noah approached cautiously, his blade ready to deliver a finishing strike if necessary. But the tiger simply lay its head down in submission, recognising that further resistance would only result in more suffering. The intelligence in its eyes showed acceptance of defeat. Noah turned back toward Lola with a satisfied expression, dismissing the immediate threat before him. "The Striking Eagle technique worked better than I expected for a first attempt. Though the casting time definitely needs improvement before I can use it reliably in difficult combat situations." Lola nodded with an approving smile, her earlier shock at the technique’s power having settled into appreciation. "With dedicated practice, it will become as natural as breathing. The foundation is already solid, you just need repetition to reduce the casting sequence from conscious effort to muscle memory and instinctive channelling." Noah agreed with the assessment before turning his attention back toward the wounded tiger, genuinely unsure what to do with the intelligent creature. Killing it felt wasteful now that it had surrendered, but simply releasing it wasn’t an option either. "Lola, what is the potential of this species?" Noah asked, studying the tiger’s powerful frame despite its current injuries. Lola examined the beast more carefully, her extensive knowledge allowing her to assess its bloodline and natural capabilities. "If I’m not mistaken, this is a striped tiger variant. Their maximum potential should reach grandmaster rank if they possess exceptional talent and receive proper resources. However, most specimens typically plateau at master rank due to limited access to advancement opportunities." "Interesting," Noah mused, an idea forming as he considered the possibilities. "What do you think about adopting this tiger? Do you think it would provide Leo and us some companionship during our travels?" Lola’s eyes widened immediately with obvious excitement at the suggestion, her expression brightening considerably. "Another kitty? I mean, if you can successfully tame it, then absolutely. Leo and I would—I mean, Leo would definitely enjoy having another kitty around." Noah smiled at her obvious slip, finding it endearing how she tried to play off her own enthusiasm about having another large feline to dote on. He had noticed her affection for Leo and suspected she would be equally attached to any other powerful creature that joined their group. Walking toward the defeated striped tiger, Noah reached into his storage ring and retrieved a piece of beef jerky. The carrot and stick approach was often the most effective method for establishing relationships with intelligent creatures—demonstrate overwhelming force, then immediately follow with unexpected kindness and resources. The tiger’s eyes tracked the movement warily as Noah approached, its body tensed despite its injuries in case this was some kind of trick or attack. But when Noah knelt down and offered the premium enhancement item, confusion replaced the defensive posture. "Here," Noah said calmly, holding out the beef jerky within easy reach. "This will help with your injuries and restore some of your strength." The tiger hesitated for several long moments, clearly torn between hunger, pain, and suspicion about accepting anything from the human who had just defeated it so decisively. Finally, the survival instinct and the enticing smell of the food overcame its wariness. It carefully took the beef jerky from Noah’s hand with surprising gentleness, its massive jaws capable of crushing bone instead of closing delicately around the offered item. The tiger consumed the enhancement food quickly, and almost immediately its wounds began closing at visible rates as the item’s regenerative properties took effect. As the healing progressed, Noah began speaking directly to the intelligent creature, though he remained uncertain whether it could actually understand human speech or respond in any meaningful way beyond basic body language. "I’m going to be direct with you," Noah said, maintaining eye contact with the tiger to establish the seriousness of the conversation. "You’re clearly intelligent enough to recognise when you’re outmatched, which suggests you’re smarter than most beasts at your rank. I’m offering you a choice here." "You can either return to this forest and continue your solitary existence, hunting for survival and constantly facing threats from other powerful beasts. Or you can come with us, receive regular access to enhancement items like what you just consumed, and have the opportunity to advance beyond what you could achieve alone in your lifetime." The tiger’s intelligent eyes studied Noah carefully as the beef jerky continued working through its system. The wounds that had covered its body were closing rapidly, deep gashes sealing into pink scars before fading entirely. More importantly, the beast could feel something fundamental changing within itself—the enhancement item wasn’t just healing injuries, it was strengthening its very constitution in ways that natural cultivation could never match. 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮 This human possesses resources that could transform my potential entirely, the tiger thought with growing awareness. That single piece of food contained more concentrated energy than weeks of hunting and consuming normal prey. Noah watched the creature process the choices, recognising the exact moment when calculation replaced the wariness in those intelligent eyes. "I’m not asking you to become a servant or slave. You provide companionship and protection when needed, and in return, you receive access to resources that will help you reach heights your species rarely achieves." The tiger’s gaze shifted toward Lola, assessing the other powerful presence nearby. The archmage’s aura alone confirmed that these two operated at levels far beyond normal practitioners. Aligning with such strength made sense from a pure survival perspective. They defeated me easily, but chose mercy when killing would have been simpler. Then they provided healing and enhancement when exploitation would have been expected. These actions suggest honour rather than simple dominance, the beast reasoned inwardly. "You’ll have freedom to move and act as you choose when we’re not facing danger," Noah added, sensing the tiger’s internal deliberations. "I won’t chain you or force obedience through magical compulsion. But I will expect loyalty and cooperation when it matters. Can you accept those terms?" The tiger remained silent for several moments longer before finally lowering its head in a gesture of acceptance that transcended language barriers. The movement carried dignity rather than submission—acknowledgement of a reasonable offer rather than surrender to overwhelming force. This arrangement provides advancement opportunities I could never achieve alone. Pride matters less than survival and growth, the tiger concluded, its decision made with the calculation of an intelligent predator recognising favourable circumstances. Noah smiled and reached out slowly, placing his hand on the tiger’s massive head in a gesture of acceptance and greeting. The beast tensed momentarily before relaxing into the contact, recognising it as confirmation of their new relationship rather than a threat. "Good. Welcome to our group," Noah said warmly. "We’ll need to figure out a proper name for you eventually." Lola approached now that the situation had clearly resolved peacefully, her expression showing satisfaction at the successful recruitment. "Do you want to establish a blood pact with it? That would ensure absolute loyalty and create a magical bond that prevents betrayal." Noah immediately shook his head, his expression becoming more serious. "No. The tiger has been defeated by me fairly, and it will stay in the shop with us based on that understanding and the mutual benefits we discussed. I don’t want to earn its loyalty through magical compulsion or forced binding." He looked down at the tiger, which watched the conversation with obvious interest. "The tiger doesn’t seem unreasonable from what I’ve observed. It understood when it was beaten, accepted mercy gracefully, and made a smart decision to join us rather than being forced. By spending time together and building genuine trust, it will naturally become part of our family without needing artificial bonds." Lola considered his reasoning for a moment before raising a practical concern. "What if it attacks you or Leo when you’re vulnerable? Blood pacts exist specifically to prevent that kind of betrayal. It’s not necessarily a bad thing; everyone knows of blood pacts, and it’s a normal thing." Noah laughed at the suggestion, his confidence evident in his casual dismissal of the threat. "In front of you? You’re present in the shop almost constantly. If this tiger somehow proves stupid enough to attack either of us despite everything we’ve discussed, then... You can deal with it appropriately." The implicit threat was clear—betrayal would result in immediate and permanent consequences from an opponent the tiger had no chance of defeating. The arrangement relied on mutual self-interest rather than magical enforcement, which Noah found far more appealing in this scenario. Lola laughed as well, recognising the logic even if she remained slightly more cautious about trusting a beast so quickly. "Fair enough. I suppose having another large cat to watch over does sound enjoyable. Though I’m going to need more premium items if we’re feeding two kittys regularly."