"So there are five types of battle styles," Thomas said, folding his hands over his chest.

"Five styles," Young Slime repeated, wondering whether frontal combat and sneak attacks would be classified as one—or separate.

"Can you guess?" the instructor asked. "What might be the five styles?"

Slime#47 replied after thinking, "Frontal combat must be one. Long-range like mages must be one. Sneak attacks must be one. Support must be one. And another—last—free style must be one."

"Free style?" Nobi asked, tilting her head. "How can you be so sure?"

Even Thomas fixed his eyes on Young Slime, waiting for his answer.

"I mean, some people would definitely not like fixed battle styles and might have created something like a free one," Slime#47 replied, spreading his hands wide.

The lion-headed instructor nodded. "You have guessed almost correctly. The five styles are—"

He was cut off as Nobi said with a grin, "Barbarian Style, Ancient Style, Assault Style, Arcane Style, and Immovable Style."

Thomas glanced at her coldly, then questioned Young Slime. "What do you understand by these five styles?"

The multicolored slime replied thoughtfully, "Barbarian Style must mean frontal fighting as you like. Ancient Style… I don't get it, because ancient means ancient."

He paused for a few seconds and continued, "I guess Arcane Style must mean fighting freely as one likes. Immovable Style must be for shield classes, and…"

He glanced at the curious duo—Thomas and Nobi—who nodded at him, before adding, "Assault Style… I think it's a sneak attack style."

Nobi said with a small smile, "Acrane Style is not the free style, it's the Ancient style."

"Ho.." Young Slime nodded.

Unlike Nobi, the lion-headed instructor praised him, grinning, "You almost guessed it from the names… Barbarian Style means battling with instinct—just go with the flow and don't think much—"

Nobi cut in with a grin, "Assault means attacking the opponent brutally while not caring about one's own defense, and…"

She glanced at Thomas, wanting him to continue, but he just looked at her with narrowed eyes. He wanted her to continue, since she interfered.

"Next," Nobi said, smiling playfully, "Immovable Style. It means standing still in one position and holding, provoking opponents to stop them from attacking teammates."

"It's a style suitable only for tanks and shield classes?" Young Slime muttered at her words, while Thomas sat back on his chair, crossing his legs comfortably.

Nobi nodded, continuing, "Right… only for tanks. Arcane Style—it's suitable for mages. It just means exhausting your opponents with long-range attacks."

"Next is Ancient," Young Slime said curiously, fully focused. 'The word ancient for a battle style seemed too extraordinary.'

He didn't want to miss any detail. He had been attracted to that battle style from the beginning.

"Ancient battle style," Nobi said, grinning as she sensed the multicolored slime's interest. "It's a battle style where you store your attacks beforehand—and fight freely."

"Freely as you like… and store my power," Young Slime muttered, holding his chin with his arm.

Both the instructor and the Nobi watched silently as Slime#47 thought deeply.

After a few seconds, Young Slime asked, "Then why wouldn't everyone choose this style? It seems too good—free combat movement, and power building during battle."

He glanced at the duo in front of him, voicing his doubts.

"Yes, you are indeed right," Thomas nodded. "This Ancient battle style seems too favourable to many due to its free style—"

Nobi cut in, "After all, it was the first battle style ever created. The remaining styles followed Ancient Style's outline."

Young Slime understood the specialty of the Ancient battle style. 'All four styles were created later from it.'

"And this is where the reason can be found—why everyone doesn't choose Ancient battle style," Thomas said, sipping a small amount from his beer bottle after he pulled another luxurious glass bottle from the air.

Taking another sip, he explained, "Not everyone is intelligent or capable enough to improvise their tactics in the middle of battle. For example—"

"The tanks," Nobi cut in, standing up with her arms behind her back. "In Ancient combat style, the tank can store some of the defence spells, but that's all the tank can do. But with Immovable battle style, the tank's shield spells get stronger and stronger while battling."

"Huh? What's the difference?" Young Slime asked. "Doesn't Ancient combat style also increase the power while battling?"

"It functions differently," Thomas answered this time, before Nobi could. "In other styles, the improvement is on the combatant directly, but the Ancient combat style is different. The spells/skills are stored first, and it's the skills/spells which get stronger while battling—"

Nobi added, "So you won't get stronger during battle if you pick Ancient style—but the more you fight, the stronger your stored spells and skills become—"

Slime#47 asked, "However, at the end, stored power can only be unleashed for once?"

He glanced at Thomas, who nodded. "Yes, you are right."

"Okay," Young Slime finally understood. 'In this way, everything clicks. Get free combat movement, but no improvement to your own power—only stored ones—while fixed style has direct growth.'

After a few moments of pause, he asked, "So which one do you think I should pick?"

"From what I observed, you seem to resonate with Ancient battle style," the lion-headed instructor replied, taking a sip from his beer.

Nobi didn't rush to answer this question, as she knew she wasn't experienced enough to teach others.

She knew her limits very well.

However, she warned, "Don't take this choice lightly. One's battle style is embedded in one's soul. Even reincarnation or rebirth can't change it."

"What?" Young Slime exclaimed.

He had been cautious about decisions after knowing the truth about loops, but knowing he would be fixed to one battle style forever made his core twitch—after all, he had changed and experienced multiple race and class evolutions.

The instructor nodded and said sharply, "It's your choice to make. Decide. I'll give you one hour."

He pointed at Nobi with his index finger. "Inquire more details about styles from her before deciding."

He then opened a small crack in midair, extending his right arm, and placed his beer bottle inside.

Then he closed his eyes, laying his head on his right palm as his right elbow rested on the chair's armrest—he started to snore lightly.

"Fell asleep and threw everything to me," Nobi muttered, sneering at the lion.

Thomas grinned lightly as he heard her. He purposely gave the task to her—after all, she was butting in when he was explaining.

'You shouldn't provoke me… young girl,' he mused, smiling widely.

'Which one should I choose?' Young Slime wondered. He wasn't a bit interested in the bickering of the duo.

His mind was already full of troubles, and the number of days remaining—along with the strongest white dragon—made him even more tense.

Thud!! Thud!

He went close to Nobi and inquired, "Can you explain the benefits of all styles?"

She nodded, folding her arms in front of her chest.

She began explaining, "Let's start with Barbarian battle style. It grants extraordinary instincts, allowing one to fight without thought or hesitation—and grow stronger while battling....But it doesn't mean they become idiots."

'Instincts,' Young Slime noted, as the vision of a certain fighter with white hair—white glowing form—flashed in his mind.

That memory brought a small smile to his face. He certainly enjoyed watching that white-haired warrior's fights and his other forms, which were just hair dye.

"Next—second—Assault battle style," Nobi continued, waving her hand to bring Young Slime's focus back. "This style converts the defensive skills and spells into power."

She explained slowly, "Stacking new power on top of original power...and they continue to grow in battle."

'A sacrificial combat style… suitable for sneak attacks…' Young Slime thought, noting the specialty of another battle style. 'Assassins might pick that battle style.'

"Third—Arcane Style," Nobi continued. "In this battle style, one gets all three energy reserves increased by giving up close-combat skills/spells, while getting stronger as battle continues."

'Yet another sacrifice battle style and a major handicap,' Slime#47 noted, nodding. 'Already, have a vast amount of reserves… and losing close combat—it's the first to get out of the list.'

His wisdom and vitality stats were 'B-' now due to powerful traits. He was powerful enough to look down on it. His demonic force reserves are also high due to immense reserves of aura and mana.

"Fourth—Immovable battle style," Nobi said, glancing at the calmly focused Slime#47. "This style increases the power of one's defensive spells and tanking spells as they keep holding the opponent's attacks or restricting them from attacking teammates."

"A strong punching bag," Young Slime muttered, causing her to giggle a little at his honest words.

'Finally, Ancient battle style,' he mused, calming his mind.

Taking a deep breath, Nobi said, "Ancient battle style—the final one. It stores your spells. They grow stronger as you fight—but your own power doesn't."

Young Slime nodded. 'After all, free style itself seems more powerful. There has to be a restriction.'

The next moment, he asked, "In exchange for a laissez-faire combat style, one only gains power growth for a few stored spells/skills?"

"Yes," she nodded.

'She knows the meaning of laissez-faire,' Slime#47 paused for a moment.

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