Absolute Beast Dominion

"If he won't be fine, then we should already lose hope of winning," Ronan said from the side.

Dhalia also supported him.

"That's right, Lily. I am sure Leo is more than capable of handling things alone. He dealt with all of us without bringing out a single beast, and I know for sure he has more than 1 beast... then there's Niri..." Dhalia still seemed to be in disbelief that Niri was actually a beast.

Lily finally agreed, and the new team was formed.

"I didn't know this girl... uh... Miho could heal?" Uraan asked curiously.

"Wasn't she an ice-element mage?" he asked.

"She is a spirit master, and you know they can wield all elements with a suitable talent... though I guess we will need to buy or hunt a wood-element beastcore for her to use healing magic," Kaelion explained.

Apparently, not even a beastcore was allowed to be brought beforehand. So, they would either need to hunt or buy one for Miho.

The others nodded in satisfaction. This surprise healer was indeed a pleasant surprise.

After that, Tavian spoke up.

"Leo, I think one unit should stay back and guard the resource unit. Their loss will be disastrous in the first phase."

After that, both simultaneously said,

"5th unit."

"Yes, that's what I am saying. Using me as fighting personnel is kind of a waste when I can craft arrays, talismans, and jade slips while staying back," Tavian said, and Leo nodded.

"In that case, Sylrael will need to join another team. It would be a waste not to utilise her strength, thinking she is just a healer."

Tavian agreed.

"Yes, and if the resource team lacks a healer, I am more than capable of using healing arrays that can be engraved in bodies."

At that, Lily thought of saying that Sylrael could be with Dhalia as a healer and she could join Leo. But then self-realisation hit her.

She was just trying to stay with Leo for the sake of it. Because Leo could indeed go solo. As a matter of fact, even she could go solo.

"Wait... Leo, I can also go solo now."

Everybody looked at her, and fact struck.

She was indeed capable. And even though no one knew about her new flying beast, they knew Lily could fly on her own with wind magic, so she could indeed go alone.

But then, the effectiveness of ice would be drastically reduced in the absence of wind.

Tsk, I guess compromise is necessary... Leo figured.

Since Sylrael was a wood-element specialist, her joining Ronan's fire unit was undesirable. That left Kaelion's aerial unit...

Wait...

Suddenly, Leo recalled Sylrael's special, heavy-hitting arrow attacks that she had demonstrated to him, which made her a prime candidate for the aerial unit. Leo had even tested Sylrael's ability to fire arrows while flying, and she always hit the bullseye.

With that, things were changed again. Miho was sent back to Dhalia's team to keep the ice's effectiveness at its maximum, and Sylrael was sent to Kaelion's team. Not to mention, her talent—[Unity Resonance]—would keep the flying beast's stamina and mana sustained, so they would be able to fly longer.

New Team formation:

1st unit: Leo.

2nd Unit: Lily.

3rd unit: Dhalia, Marco, Miho, Aaron, 1 scout.

4th unit: Kaelion, Uraan, Rhaegar (Eagleman), Sylrael.

5th unit: Ronan, Cecil, Thalvyr, Plato (healer), 1 scout.

Resource unit: Tavian, Lyra, Yano, Aeila, 1 scout, 3 brewers, 1 intellectual.

With the units divided, it was time to buy necessities.

Except for Leo, each unit's leader candidate was given a spatial ring costing 10 gold coins.

So, 50 gold coins for spatial rings.

2nd was obviously basic catalysts and agents for brewers that weren't available in the wild, whose cost went to 1000 Gold coins.

3rd was Tavian's array waypoints, parchments, special inks, and everything necessary for his work... 1800 Gold Coins.

"Damn... only around 2000 left so quickly..." Leo muttered. But he also knew that Tavian might as well be the only array expert in all of the academies.

Leo took out a separate 100 Gold coins to buy essential books for the intellectual to plan and map things out. He was going to be the team's main strategist.

Now, Leo was left with 1950 Gold Coins. But in the end, he was compelled to use 50 Gold Coins for food and utensils. Most of it was seasonings that would make bland food taste good in the wild; in other words, they would keep the team's spirit high.

With 1900 Gold coins left, he opted to buy magical protection gear for close-combatants like Ronan, Aaron, and Dhalia for 500 Gold coins each. This trio was famous for charging headfirst with complete disregard for their physical condition; in other words, they needed protection.

It was the same as that one spiritual armour Brant had given to Leo during the academy trial, with 2000 mana units required to fill one charge slot out of three.

Though these were upgraded and protected against Pseudo 4-star strikes, they also required 5000 mana units for a single recharge out of 5.

As for the last coins, Leo bought 5 devices at 10 Gold coins each. These devices were like cameras that could capture photos for intel, or simply record anything unrecognisable that the intellectuals or brewers knew or needed.

He then used 300 Gold Coins to buy a Peak 3-star wood element beastcore for Miho.

At last, he was left with just 50 gold coins, which were saved in case they remembered something.

"SOAP!" Lyra shouted.

"WE NEED THAT! GIVE THE REST OF THE MONEY—NOW!!"

Leo and the boys were startled and immediately handed the 50 gold coins to the girls.

Finally, the day came to an end as everybody ate their fill in the Aurelius Academy Private Building.

Tomorrow, they would come face to face with their competitors and finally know how the competition would proceed after the common first phase.

Because with other races, nothing would be as usual as in previous times.

In the end, Lily was indeed forced to change back into a black uniform to match the black light armour. She even forced Leo to change back because she needed to feel good, at least by wearing matching clothes like him. And apparently, Leo's gold trim was very similar to the Valencrest Royal Academy students', and neither Lily nor anyone else wanted Leo to look like the enemy team and be mocked by them.

Kaelion, feeling like the odd one, also changed back.

Katherine only giggled at the sight while changing them back because she knew this was going to happen.

"Come on, at least bring some joy to your teacher's dull life and remove that pissed expression. I was just playing around," she said to Lily while not stopping her laughter at all.

"Though it's true, outside the competition phases, you can wear your desired clothes. At that time, it won't be necessary. This dress code is necessary for ease of recognition during a fight. See? I also made it easy for you three to revert back to those clothes at will."

The three of them tried that, and Lily finally relaxed.

And just like that, the morning of the next day began with firecrackers blasting all across the sky.