Quote Originally Posted by GLR
Attack Squall, Irvine and Zell a fev times to get them into critical and then use their limits. I was able to get the Tonberys down quite fast this way.
You're running the risk of lowering your SeeD rank if you do.

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The countdown restarts if you leave the ruins. BUT the Tonberry count does NOT. (I have tried this many a'time and it can be confirmed. Mo's word of honour.) So you can go in, beat up a few, come back out and save.