Chương 441: Chapter : 441

Laxmi grinned. She tossed a tiny orange spark between her hands.

"A big wolf? That is easy. I will just roast it. Fire beats fur."

"That is the primary problem, Laxmi," Sayma corrected her. She pushed her glasses up again.

"These creatures do not have exposed fur. Command reports that they are exhibiting significantly enhanced physical durability. Their outer skin is literally composed of hardened magical minerals." Zinia frowned deeply. The strong earth mage crossed her arms over her chest.

"Hardened minerals? You mean they have natural rock armor?"

"Yes," Sayma nodded firmly.

"The preliminary reconnaissance data confirms it. Standard physical attacks are bouncing completely off their hides. Normal swords cannot cut them. Basic magical blasts are scattering against their armor. Their defensive capabilities are unprecedented." The room went very quiet. The elite girls realized the massive challenge ahead of them.

"If our weapons cannot cut them, how do we stop them?" Naomi asked. Her green eyes narrowed with intense tactical focus. She mentally reviewed her dagger techniques. Ira stared blankly at the photograph on the table. Her pale face showed zero emotion.

"Statistically speaking, armored targets possess significant vulnerabilities at their joint connections. The armor cannot cover the knees or the neck without restricting mobility. We must target the gaps."

"Ira is absolutely correct," Princess Iris agreed. The Princess looked at her vanguard.

"We cannot use wide, sweeping attacks. We must use precision. We have to coordinate our strikes perfectly." Sayma picked up a piece of chalk. She walked over to the large chalkboard on the wall. She drew a quick, neat diagram of the battlefield.

"We are establishing preliminary combat strategies right now," Sayma announced. She drew a tight circle on the board.

"We cannot fight these monsters in an open field. The report states they exhibit unprecedented aggression. They hunt in large, coordinated packs. If they surround us, their physical weight will crush our defensive lines." Zinia cracked her knuckles. She stared at the chalkboard.

"We need to control the environment. I can build solid earth walls. I can create narrow funnels. If I force the wolves into a tight path, they cannot surround us."

"Excellent plan, Zinia," Sayma praised politely. She drew two straight lines on the board to represent the funnels.

"Zinia will alter the terrain. Naomi, you will use your wind magic to bait the wolves into the funnels. You are the fastest. You must keep their attention." Naomi smiled a confident, brave smile.

"I can outrun a rocky wolf. They will chase me right into the trap." Laxmi leaned forward. She looked very eager.

"What about me? Where do I punch them?"

"Your fire magic is crucial, Laxmi," Princess Iris explained gently.

"But you cannot throw large, scattered fireballs. The fire will just wash over their stone armor. You must concentrate your flames into tight, focused beams. Aim directly for their eyes and their open mouths. You must hit their soft tissue." A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. Laxmi pumped her fist.

"Got it! Concentrated fire punches! I will blast them right in the teeth!" Luna let out a massive, dramatic yawn. She rested her chin on the table.

"What is my job? Do I just stand in the back and wait?"

"You and Ira will provide crowd control," Sayma instructed. She drew two dots behind the funnels.

"Ira will use high-pressure water whips to trip the wolves when they enter the funnels. Luna, you will strike the wet targets with lightning. The water will bypass their outer armor and shock their nervous systems directly." It was a brilliant, flawless tactical plan. The elite girls worked together perfectly. They analyzed the threat profile. They established the optimized defensive formations. They knew exactly how to engage the monsters. Ken Eliot sat quietly at the end of the table.

He listened to the entire briefing. He slouched his shoulders. He rested his cheek on his hand. He looked incredibly bored by the complex strategy.

"This sounds like a massive amount of physical labor," Ken complained loudly. He let out a long sigh.

"You guys are talking about running, punching, and building walls. That is exhausting. I have a much simpler strategy." Naomi turned her head. She looked at him with a highly amused smile. She playfully bumped his foot under the table.

"Alright, slacker. Let us hear your brilliant plan. How do you defeat an armored wolf?" Ken sat up just a tiny bit. He pointed a lazy finger at the photograph.

"We just ask them to leave," Ken stated casually. He offered a big, goofy grin.

"We politely tell them that the border is closed. We put up a very large, very clear 'Do Not Enter' sign. Wolves are basically dogs, right? Dogs understand rules. If we give them a stern look, they will probably just go home." Laxmi burst out laughing. She slapped her hand on the wooden table.

"A sign?! You want to put up a sign for a giant monster? Ken, you are totally ridiculous!"

"I am a firm believer in peaceful communication," Ken argued lazily. He shoved his hands deep into his pockets.

"If a sign does not work, we can just dig a really big hole in the dirt. We put a nice, soft blanket over the hole. We put a piece of meat on the blanket. The wolf steps on the blanket and falls in. Boom. Threat neutralized. And it requires zero cardio." Luna giggled softly. She rubbed her sleepy eyes.

"I actually like the hole idea. It is very classic. I saw it in a cartoon once."

"We are not digging cartoon traps, Ken," Sayma chuckled politely. She shook her head. She closed her notebook.

"We are sticking to the established combat formations. But I appreciate your creative input."

"My genius is always ignored," Ken pouted dramatically. He slouched back down into his chair.

"Fine. But when you guys get tired of running, do not say I did not offer a perfectly good alternative." Princess Iris smiled warmly. She looked at her chaotic, wonderful team. They were fully prepared. They understood the hostile threat. They had a solid plan. And Ken's silly jokes kept the mood light and confident.

"The tactical briefing is concluded," Princess Iris announced softly. She stood up from her chair. She looked very proud.

"We have finalized all operational details. The unit is ready." Grandmaster Finlay walked back into the strategy room. His heavy boots clanked against the floor. He looked at the team.

"The transport carriages have arrived at the front gates," Finlay stated firmly.

"Gather your bags. We depart for the border immediately." The girls stood up quickly. They pushed their chairs in. They walked out of the strategy room with focused, determined energy. They were ready to face the unprecedented monster attack. Ken Eliot was the last one to leave the table. He stood up very slowly. He stretched his arms high above his head. His back popped quietly. He dragged his shoes on the floorboards. Scuff. Scuff. Scuff. He walked out to the sunny courtyard.

The transport carriages waited by the open iron gates. The team grabbed their backpacks from the hallway. Naomi tossed Ken his green canvas bag. It was completely stuffed with potato chips and cookies.

"Catch, farm boy," Naomi smiled playfully.

"Do not drop your precious snacks."