Actions are not always as straightforward as they appear

Adrian felt the familiar rush as he halted his time compression, his heightened perception snapping back to normal. Landing softly a few paces back, he straightened, quickly resuming a nonchalant stance as if he had done nothing out of the ordinary. In a calm voice, he called out, "Be careful."

The girls turned, visibly startled by his sudden warning. The green-haired one stumbled slightly, nearly caught off-guard by a lunging beast. She regained her balance just in time as a ball of concentrated aether energy, which Adrian had deftly thrown, collided with the beast, sending it crashing to the ground.

For a fleeting moment, the two girls exchanged glances, a mixture of surprise and relief flashing across their faces.

They took the opportunity to catch their breath, noting the swift arrival of Adrian's guards and captain, who were already wading into the fray to help fend off the remaining creatures.