Mana Pool Connection!  

Alison and Sophia wanted to attack the trio below while the banshees were distracting them but they had different motives. Alison was afraid of their potential but Sophia was motivated by anger and pride. Giselle was a bit disappointed by their suggestion but still patiently dealt with the issues they raised.

Giselle shook her head and said, "These pendants can only hide us and teleport us once. Once we use high-level spells to attack, we will permanently lose the cloaking function that protects us from the banshees. That means when we do attack, it has to be during a decisive moment. Let's let them tire out first. I doubt they can defeat all the waves of banshees. The first wave is the smallest one, but with each incoming wave, the number of banshees increases with time. Stronger ones will eventually come and will tire them out. If all it took to dominate wave tactics was a large amount of mana and powerful skills, then cultivation would not be this difficult. Not to mention that there is still one more variable that hasn't joined the party."

Giselle's words reminded the women that Lyra and Achilles weren't the only ones worth paying attention to. Will, who was meditating on the side, had been able to order Lyra and Achilles around, indicating his strength and power. The respect that Lyra and Achilles had for Will was obvious and hard to hide. Such respect could only come from personally believing in the strength of the other party.

Since the start of the banshee swarm, Will had remained seated in a state of cultivation while Lyra and Achilles protected the area around him. But none of the observing maidens believed him to be wasting his time. They knew that this swordsman they only knew as 'Solitary' had more to him than meets the eye. Especially after he had claimed to be able to deal with an Agonised Banshee alone.

Lisa, who tried to maintain a level head, chimed in, "Sophia, I understand your frustration at being defeated by Solitary but do not forget, he is not an ordinary swordsman. Solitary Sword Sovereigns are mavericks among mavericks. Ordinary battle tactics are useless against them. We can't even tell what class he possesses. Until we have more information on either one of these men, don't take action."

Sophia grunted in approval and kept quiet. She was unsatisfied, but she had to admit that there was merit to Lisa's words. Meanwhile, underneath the ladies, changes occurred, and the situation was about to escalate.

The second wave of banshees did not take long to appear. This wave however was slightly different and was led by Mournful Banshees, increasing the difficulty by quite a bit.

Their large frames and tricky set of skills made Achilles lick his lips in anticipation. Achilles liked to feel like he was in control of a battle. He wanted to know what his opponent's weakness was, and if he could not find one, he loved to create one by hook or by crook.

Achilles stood firmly in the midst of the banshee swarm, his shield raised high and his voice booming. A surge of energy radiated from him, as he unleashed his mainstay defensive skill, Guardian's Call once more. In an instant, the banshees' attention shifted, their haunting gazes fixated solely on Achilles, and their need for destruction intensified.

With each banshee fixated on him, Achilles seized the opportunity, his instincts honed and battle-hardened. He pivoted on the balls of his feet, his sword unsheathed and gleaming with a brilliant, ethereal light. As he swung his blade, slashing through the air, the sword released potent qi attacks in the form of crescent moon-shaped lights, soaring through the night like shooting stars.

The beautiful yet deadly crescents tore through the banshee horde, their glowing trails rending ethereal flesh and searing through the air with deadly precision. Achilles flowed like water, his movements fluid and graceful, despite the onslaught of attacks from all directions.

As Achilles danced through the battlefield, Lyra's voice rang out, his tone charged with urgency. "Mana Pool Connection!" he shouted, his words resonating with power. In that moment, the duo's bond and understanding of each other reached a new height, transcending the physical realm. Lyra's druidic magic surged forth, tapping into the ambient world energy, and forming an intangible mana pool that interwove with Achilles' very being.

Although Achilles was a warrior, Mana Pool Connection allowed him access to qi as well. Before he could access the mana, it would be converted to an energy source he could use. All of Will's high-tier locals from Tsimikas were specialists capable of fusing mana and qi, but their mastery over multiple energies was still in its infancy.

A surge of energy coursed through Achilles, his senses heightening to incredible levels as he absorbed the converted world energy. He became more attuned to the ebb and flow of battle, his agility heightened, his reaction speed unparalleled. With a renewed vigour, he struck with precision and finesse, his every slash a deadly dance that sliced through the banshees like a conductor leading an orchestra of destruction.

The banshees howled in anguish as Achilles' onslaught continued unabated. Their numbers dwindled, fading away like whispers in the wind, but still, they pressed on, unwilling to relent.

The Mourning Banshees were especially a problem. Their long-distance sonic attacks often caused Achilles no lack of stress. They also used weaker Wailing Banshees as shields and only attacked if he revealed an opening. Their defences could not be broken down by weak skills so Achilles had to kill each one with a full-powered True Strike. He was only able to do this thanks to Lyra's Buffs, but even he had a limit.

Lyra, sensing the impending danger, began a suspenseful chant, his voice unwavering, carrying a melody imbued with the very essence of magic itself. The banshees, though dwindling in number, sensed the threat Lyra posed and surged forth, their spectral forms swirling with malice.

But Achilles, true to his role as guardian and protector, remained steadfast. He leapt from one Mourning Banshee to another while he smoothly dealt with weaker Wailing Banshees mid-movement, his sword ablaze with the radiant sword lights, felling the ghosts that dared to encroach upon Lyra's concentration.

With every banshee slain, Achilles' connection to the mana pool grew stronger and more potent. The energy surged through him, invigorating his every movement, his attacks gaining even more intensity and precision.

In the heart of the battle, the duo fought as one, their camaraderie and shared purpose were an unbreakable bond. Lyra's chant reached its crescendo just as Achilles launched his final assault, a storm of sword lights that blazed like a meteor shower, decimating the remaining banshees in a whirlwind of ethereal destruction.

Silence descended upon the once-chaotic clearing, and the banshee threat was neutralized. Achilles and Lyra locked eyes, panting but triumphant, their shared victory etched upon their faces. Without a word, they understood the significance of their partnership, and the harmony in their actions.

As they regrouped to assess the aftermath and recover from their fatigue, they knew that they stood on the precipice of even greater challenges. But with their combined strengths, the power of the Mana Pool Connection, and an unwavering determination, the duo prepared to face the trials that awaited them. Tightening their resolve, they would persevere, forging ahead on their path to safeguard the realms from encroaching darkness. Because the third wave was only going to be worse, and they knew it.