ã€ŠEveryone Has A System But Me!ã€‹


 Chapter 1: The Late Bloomer

    It all started on my third-to-last day of high school.

    I consider myself a normal kid¡ªliving my life, not studying much, playing video games, and hanging out with friends. My grades were never terrible or overly impressive. Just Mr. Normal.

    It was a normal day in our typical cafeteria for our typical high school. Am I sounding repetitive yet? Good, because that¡¯s exactly how it felt.

    I was halfway through one of those cafeteria burgers¡ªyou know, the ones with a suspiciously gray patty tucked between damp bread. The kind you can eat four or five of without ever actually tasting anything. The chatter of students buzzed around me, trays clattered, and someone in the corner was filming some sort of video for some online platform.

    Then the crack came.

    It started with a faint vibration under my feet, like someone had dropped a bowling ball in the room below. But it grew stronger. Trays rattled. Someone shouted, ¡°What the heck is that?!¡±

    In the middle of the cafeteria floor, tiles split. Like some invisible force had drawn a jagged line through reality itself. The fissure glowed faintly from within¡ªpulsing, shimmering, alive. It was too real, too there, to be a special effect.

    For one horrible moment, the world went silent. My half-eaten burger hovered inches from my mouth.

    Then everything exploded into blinding white light.

    Next thing I knew, I was here. Alone.

    The damp air clung to my skin, cold and heavy. A faint smell of mildew and smoke burned my nostrils, and somewhere in the distance, water dripped in slow, uneven intervals. Drip¡­ drip¡­ drip¡­

    I sat up, my palms scraping against rough stone. My head throbbed, and every muscle in my body felt like it had been wrung out like a damp towel. When I glanced down at myself, my stomach twisted.

    Scratchy brown rags clung to me¡ªrough cloth that smelled faintly of sweat and dirt.

    "Okay¡­ cool. Totally normal," I muttered, my voice sounding thin and fragile in the cavernous silence.

    The light here came from torches flickering in sconces along moss-covered stone walls. Shadows danced across uneven stone blocks, making the tunnel feel¡­ alive.

    Somewhere ahead, footsteps echoed¡ªheavy boots striking against stone in a slow, deliberate rhythm.

    I pushed myself to my feet, legs wobbling like overcooked spaghetti, and stumbled toward the light.

    As I turned a corner, I came face-to-face with someone who definitely didn¡¯t belong in my high school cafeteria.

    A soldier.

    He stood there, armored from head to toe, the metal plates scuffed and faintly reflecting the flickering torchlight. His helmet obscured most of his face, but I could see his narrowed eyes glaring at me from beneath the shadow of the visor. In his hands, he clutched a halberd¡ªits long blade smeared with dark, reddish stains I really hoped weren¡¯t what they looked like.

    "Who are you?!" he barked, his voice sharp enough to cut through the stillness.

    "Peter?" I blurted out instinctively, my voice cracking on the syllable. Classic¡ªalways answering questions like they¡¯re pop quizzes. If he¡¯d asked me what 2 + 2 was, I¡¯d probably stammer out, "Four?" like I was worried it might be a trick question. Honestly, if survival depends on confidence, I¡¯m already doomed.

    The soldier¡¯s scowl deepened. "Peter, what are you doing out of formation? Do you think it¡¯s funny to skip out on morning training?"

    His tone was pure drill sergeant¡ªsharp, loud, and intimidating.

    "I¡ªI¡¯m not in the army, sir. But thank you for your service!"

    The words spilled out before I could stop them.

    For a moment, the soldier just stared at me, his head tilting slightly to the side. Then, with an irritated grunt, he sighed.

    "Th¨Cthank you? Now fall back with the others in your status. I know it¡¯s your first day, but no more goofing off."

    He turned and marched away, boots clanking against stone as he disappeared into the shadows.

    I let out a long, shaky breath.

    "Okay¡­ I¡¯m probably going crazy."

    "Now, where do I actually go? Well¡­ this way seems like a good start," I muttered, turning on my heel and heading down the dim hallway, deliberately walking away from where the armored officer had disappeared.

    "Aw man, where the hell are my shoes?" I glanced down at my feet. The cold stone floor was paired with¡­ let¡¯s call them sandals. Beautifully meager sandals, woven together from what I could only assume was grass or straw¡ªor maybe some other plant.

    My sneakers weren¡¯t some overpriced, limited-edition designer shoes signed by, I don¡¯t know, some famous basketball player or soccer star. But still¡ªfor the love of all things sacred¡ªwhat is on my feet?!

    No trainers, no tennis shoes, no walkers¡­ Heck, I would¡¯ve settled for wooden clogs at this point. But this? This was almost criminal.

    I shook my head and kept walking, sandals scraping against the uneven stone floor with every step.

    "Don¡¯t panic. Don¡¯t panic," I chanted internally, like a mantra. I¡¯ve read light novels, I¡¯ve watched anime, and I¡¯m familiar with the concept I seem to have fallen into.

    But still¡­ wandering through a strange medieval stone compound, completely alone, no friends, no family, no clue where I¡¯m going? Yeah, that¡¯s a recipe for an anxiety attack.

    Suddenly¡ªBoom!

    An explosion echoed from somewhere above. My head snapped up, and before I could think, my feet carried me toward a narrow spiral staircase carved into the stone.

    Jogging upward, I emerged at an archway to my left, catching my breath as I peeked through.

    Inside was a large open hall filled with teenagers¡ªpeople my age. At the front stood a massive man, practically radiating authority, with one arm extended toward a charred, bristly straw target still smoldering from some kind of attack.

    ¡°This is what you can hope to accomplish in the future!¡± the man bellowed, his voice reverberating off the stone walls like a thunderclap. ¡°You have now all reached the age of conscription and will be taught how to wield the blessing of your System!¡±

    I froze, half-hidden behind the archway. The guy radiated authority, like a mountain made of muscle and barked orders. This was clearly someone in charge, and whatever was happening here¡­ I definitely didn¡¯t belong.

    My brain scrambled for a plan. Do I sneak away? Do I just¡­ stand here and hope no one notices?

    Then¡ªclank clank clank.

    Heavy footsteps echoed from behind me, drawing closer with the sound of metal scraping stone.

    Panic surged through me, and my brain made the executive decision to just¡­ wing it.

    "Screw it," I muttered under my breath and strolled casually past the room, eyes glued to the floor in what I hoped was a ¡°nothing-to-see-here¡± kind of way. Just act natural. Totally normal. Yep, just another random teen in grass sandals, nothing out of place at all.

    ¡°Recruit, you!¡± a deep voice barked.

    Nope. Definitely not talking to me. I kept walking, my feet shuffling across the uneven stone floor.

    But before I could make it three more steps, a rough, iron-grip hand clamped down on my shoulder.

    "I just called out to you. What are you doing out here? Get inside, now!"

    His voice practically rattled my spine, and a shiver surged from the top of my head to the soles of my sad little straw sandals.

    Resistance felt¡­ unwise.

    I shuffled awkwardly into the hall, eyes darting around as I scanned the group of teens already assembled. Everyone seemed to have a purpose, a direction. Meanwhile, I was just trying not to hyperventilate.

    From my left came a sharp sigh.Stolen story; please report.

    "I swear, these recruits get worse every year."

    The man addressing me wasn¡¯t wearing heavy armor like the soldier from earlier. Instead, he had on fitted training clothes¡ªclean, sharp, and professional, the kind of uniform that looked comfortable yet screamed "Don¡¯t mess with me." His expression was carved from equal parts irritation and exhaustion.

    "Your parents teach you nothing these days, do they? Stand over there."

    He jabbed a finger toward the back row, at the end of four uneven lines of teenagers.

    "Yes, sir." I nodded stiffly and shuffled over, sliding into place and trying very hard to look like I belonged.

    The sergeant turned back to the front and clapped his hands together sharply.

    "Alright! Now that everyone is here,"¡ªhis eyes flickered over me with a pointed stare¡ª"we can begin recording everyone¡¯s blessings and scores."

    He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small orb.

    The thing looked otherworldly¡ªa swirling sphere with a deep, unending black point at its center, like someone had bottled up a tiny black hole. Its edges shimmered faintly, pulling light inward like it was swallowing it whole.

    "This will confirm your status. Since most of you are all at least eighteen this year, all you need to do is pull up your status and touch the orb. I will then take it back and record the information."

    Before I could process what that meant, a resounding chorus of ¡°Status!¡± erupted around me. Voices overlapped, echoing off the stone walls as glowing screens of text popped up in front of every single recruit.

    All except¡­ me.

    My stomach plummeted. My skin felt cold.

    Okay, okay, no big deal. Just¡­ say it. Maybe I just need to say it too.

    Clearing my throat, I muttered under my breath, ¡°Status.¡±

    Nothing.

    Alright, louder. Confidence is key!

    I puffed out my chest slightly, cleared my throat again, and shouted, ¡°Status!¡±

    Still. Absolutely. Nothing.

    And now¡­ now everyone was staring at me. Their glowing screens floated in front of them, casting pale light on their confused, curious faces. A few whispered. Others just stared.

    My cheeks burned. I wanted to melt into the floor.

    The sergeant paused mid-step, glanced up at me, then shook his head with a sigh.

    "Another one," he muttered under his breath, rubbing his temples.

    Then, like nothing had happened, he kept walking and continued recording stats.

    I stood there, motionless, my heart hammering against my ribs. My mind raced. What happens when they realize I¡¯m different? What happens when they figure out I don¡¯t have a status at all?

    But then¡ªsalvation. A lifeline tossed from the heavens themselves.

    "Another late bloomer," the sergeant grumbled as he stopped in front of a girl a few spots ahead of me. "That¡¯s already two of you. Go stand over there to the side."

    The girl, clearly embarrassed, shuffled away from the group, her head hung low.

    An out.

    Without overthinking, I raised my hand. Like an actual student. Like I was back in algebra class and somehow knew the answer to x = y + z.

    The sergeant¡¯s eyes locked onto me, his brow furrowing deeply. ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡±

    I flinched. ¡°Uh¡­ I just wanted to ask a question?¡±

    "Then ask!"

    Okay, mental note: Raising your hand is not how you ask a question in medieval boot camp.

    "Well¡­ if I¡¯m a late bloomer, can I stand over there with them?" I gestured vaguely toward the other recruits who¡¯d been singled out.

    "You don¡¯t have your status yet?"

    "No, sir."

    "Wait until I get to you. You¡¯ll still need to confirm it with this." He held up the swirling black orb again.

    I swallowed hard, my throat suddenly bone dry.

    I watched, tense, as the sergeant made his way down the line. Time stretched out endlessly, like I was waiting for a bomb to detonate.

    Finally, after what felt like hours, he stood in front of me, orb in hand. His gruff face stared down at me, unimpressed.

    "Just touch it if you have no status."

    My hand trembled slightly as I extended my index finger and pressed it lightly against the orb¡¯s cold, smooth surface.

    And¡­

    Nothing.

    No glow. No hum. No flicker of light or magic.

    The sergeant sighed deeply, rubbing his temples as if fighting off a migraine.

    "This is¡­ not a great generation."

    "So¡­ can I go stand with the others now?" I asked hesitantly, my voice small.

    He gestured vaguely toward the side group with a dismissive flick of his wrist. ¡°Yeah, yeah. Go on.¡±

    I shuffled over, shoulders tense and heart still racing, joining the small group of so-called late bloomers. The girl beside me glanced up briefly before dropping her gaze back to her feet. The boy just scratched the back of his head awkwardly, his eyes darting around like he was trying to figure out how he ended up here.

    Before I could think too hard about what had just happened, the sergeant clapped his hands sharply, the sound slicing through the nervous silence.

    ¡°Alright, come in please. We¡¯re done.¡±

    From the hallway, four figures stepped into the room. They moved with a weight of authority that made the air feel heavier. Two of them leaned heavily on canes, their steps deliberate but steady. The others, though aged, stood tall, their presence commanding attention.

    ¡°These will be your class instructors,¡± the sergeant barked, pointing at each in turn.

    The first was an ancient woman, hunched over and wrapped in flowing red robes. Her eyes glimmered faintly with magic, and her gnarled cane seemed almost fused to her skeletal hand. ¡°This is the instructor for magic blessings. Leave with her if you are in the mage-class.¡±

    The next instructor was a sturdy older woman, her back straight and her sharp gaze scanning us like she could see into our souls. Her face carried a strange mix of motherly warmth and stern authority, like she could either bake you cookies or scold you into tears. ¡°This is the instructor for healer-class.¡±

    The third was an old man with sharp eyes and a crooked cane. His wiry frame seemed frail, but his gaze held an edge of steel¡ªa sharpness that made him feel unbreakable despite his aged appearance. ¡°This is the instructor for warrior-class.¡±

    And finally, a massive man stepped forward. His shoulders were so broad they seemed to block out the flickering torchlight behind him. Even under his loose robes, the outline of decades of rigorous training was evident. His voice rumbled like distant thunder. ¡°And this,¡± the sergeant said with a grunt, ¡°is the instructor for tank-class.¡±

    The four instructors stood in silence for a moment, their gazes sweeping across us recruits with the sharp efficiency of hawks assessing their prey.

    I shifted uncomfortably under their collective scrutiny, already dreading what came next.

    Late bloomer. Right. That was me now. But even as I stood there, staring at these intimidating figures, one thought gnawed at the back of my mind:

    What happens when they realize I¡¯m not just a late bloomer¡ªbut someone completely outside their System?

    ¡°Now, everyone, follow your instructors. And you three,¡± the sergeant said, pointing at our awkward trio, ¡°follow the Tanks. You¡¯ll train to harden your bodies until your status appears.¡±

    The crowd shuffled into roughly organized lines, each group trailing behind their respective instructor. The warriors marched off with sharp discipline, the mages followed in a haze of whispered excitement, and the healers walked with measured, careful steps.

    Our group¡ªthe Tanks¡ªlingered a little longer as we waited for our instructor¡¯s cue. I ended up at the back of the line, standing just behind the nervous-looking girl from earlier.

    For the first time since arriving here, my heart wasn¡¯t racing quite so hard. Maybe it was the dull repetition of following orders or the fact that nobody was actively yelling at me anymore, but I felt¡­ almost okay.

    Trying to distract myself from the swirling anxiety, I tapped the girl lightly on the shoulder.

    "Hey, I¡¯m Peter. Do you have any idea what we¡¯re supposed to be doing?"

    She turned her head slightly, her voice barely above a whisper. ¡°Following the instructors.¡± She shook her head with a faint sigh. ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear the knight?¡±

    Noted: Drill sergeant equals knight.

    "Obviously," I whispered back, trying to keep my voice steady despite the irritation creeping in. "But what are we following them to?"

    She turned slightly, giving me a sidelong glance that mixed confusion and mild disbelief. ¡°We¡¯re going to learn how to use our systems from them. How do you not know this?¡±

    Before I could defend myself from her very condescending question, a sharp bark from the instructor cut through the air.

    ¡°You two in the back¡ªquiet down!¡±

    Both of us flinched and clammed up immediately.

    We followed the instructor down a series of dimly lit corridors, the flickering torchlight casting long, wavering shadows across the cracked stone walls. At various points, smaller groups splintered off with their instructors¡ªmages disappeared behind a heavy wooden door, healers into a softly glowing chamber, warriors down a hallway lined with weapon racks.

    Eventually, our group¡ªthe Tanks¡ªarrived at what I could only describe as a medieval gym.

    There were no machines, obviously, but the place had a certain rugged charm. Wooden benches sat scattered throughout the space, weights forged from rough iron and stone were piled in corners, and heavy wooden shields lined racks against the walls. The air was thick with the scent of aged wood and faint sweat.

    The Tank instructor turned to face us, his deep voice reverberating through the chamber.

    ¡°Alright. You¡¯ll train here. Those of you with status should already have your first missions. Everything in this room is enough for you to progress through the beginning stages and increase your stats. Work hard and train. After some hours, I¡¯ll return to lead you to the dorms.¡±

    With that, he turned and strode out, his heavy steps echoing as he left us standing in awkward silence.

    The other recruits wasted no time splitting into small groups, pairing off with people they clearly already knew. Even the other late bloomer boy drifted away, leaving only me and the girl standing awkwardly in the middle of the room like two mismatched puzzle pieces.

    I shifted on my feet before trying again. ¡°So¡ªyou never said your name.¡±

    For once, she answered without snark or irritation, her voice soft but steady.

    ¡°Thea.¡±

    I smiled faintly. ¡°I¡¯m guessing you don¡¯t know anyone here either?¡±

    She shook her head lightly in response.

    "Well, we can stick together then. Uh, can you explain what the teacher meant by ¡®quests¡¯?"

    Her brows furrowed slightly, and she looked at me as if trying to decide whether I was joking. ¡°What do you mean? Quests are quests. Stop being so strange. Let¡¯s grab some materials first.¡±

    She turned and walked toward a large chest in the corner of the room. I followed behind her, feeling oddly like an oversized duckling trailing its mother.

    Inside the chest, to my surprise, were stacks of books. Actual books.

    "What are those?" I asked, leaning closer.

    She rolled her eyes but gave a faint chuckle. ¡°What do they look like? Books, obviously.¡±

    She plucked one up and skimmed the cover before pausing. After a moment, her voice softened.

    ¡°They¡¯ll tell us about the possible quests in each class, ways to use techniques more efficiently. Just normal books with information.¡±

    Then, with a faint glimmer of excitement, she held up one specific book.

    I squinted at the cover and Thea read the faded title aloud:

    "Fundamentals of Cultivation: Inner Strength and Breathing."

 Chapter 2: The First Step is the Hardest

    I squinted at the strange characters on the page, a cold realization sinking into my stomach.

    ¡°I can¡¯t read this¡­¡±

    The letters¡ªor symbols, whatever they were¡ªlooked like a chaotic mess of swirls and sharp angles.

    A sigh came from Thea. She straightened her back, puffed out her chest, and pointed to herself with exaggerated pride.

    ¡°Lucky for you, I can!¡±

    Her smile was so bright I thought it might rival the torches on the wall.

    I grumbled softly. ¡°I can read, just¡­ not this.¡±

    Her eyebrow arched slightly. ¡°Oh? And what can you read then?¡±

    I froze for a second. Does English exist here? Or is this one of those ¡®everyone magically speaks the same language¡¯ situations? I decided to skip the mental rabbit hole.

    ¡°Well, cultivating sounds fun. Can you just¡­ read it to me?¡±

    Thea hesitated. ¡°I mean, sure, but it¡¯s just the basics. Most people know this already.¡±

    I gave her a sheepish smile. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t. So¡­ does that mean everyone cultivates?¡±

    She snorted softly, her face scrunching up in mild disbelief.

    ¡°What? Why would you cultivate when you could just use the system? Cultivating can be useful, especially at the beginning to strengthen the body, but it¡¯s boring, takes resources later on, and obviously, there are no quests associated with it. So increasing stats is much more difficult.¡±

    Her voice carried a certain passion, her explanation flowing without hesitation. Is she some kind of cultivation nerd? Not that I was complaining¡ªI needed information, and she was handing it out for free.

    ¡°On top of that¡ª¡±

    I raised a hand, cutting her off gently. ¡°Thea, really, thanks. I know I asked, but can we just start from the beginning?¡±

    I swear I heard her tongue click softly, but she flipped open the book anyway, holding it like it was some sacred artifact.

    ¡°Alright. The first steps are pretty simple¡­ deceptively simple, actually. But they¡¯re hard to get right in practice. First, you need to sense your inner strength.¡±

    She paused, giving me a quick once-over, her lips twitching slightly like she was holding back a comment.

    ¡°Usually, someone assists with this the first time. It¡¯s easier that way.¡±

    She continued, her voice calm and measured, not even glancing down at the book as she spoke. It was clear she already knew the basics by heart.

    ¡°After that comes meditation¡ªclearing your mind through rhythmic breathing. Honestly, this is the hardest part, especially¡­¡± She gestured to the chaotic mess of other recruits clanging weights and stomping around the gym. ¡°When you have zero privacy.¡±

    I nodded slowly, absorbing her words.

    ¡°Once you can sense and control your inner strength, you pick a location in your body to store it. The most common spot is right above your stomach¡ªit¡¯s where you¡¯d form something called a core eventually. But I don¡¯t know much about that part yet.¡±

    She paused, clutching the book slightly tighter. ¡°Right now, we¡¯re still in the refining stage. We use the energy we sense to make our bodies stronger temporarily¡ªpreparing for the system or¡­ whatever else might come next. That¡¯s what I¡¯ve been focusing on.¡±

    Her voice had softened slightly at the end, like she was revealing a little more than she intended.

    "Alright. I¡¯ll try it." I hesitated for a moment before adding, "Uh, you couldn¡¯t¡­ help me sense my inner strength, could you?"

    Thea blinked at me, then let out a small groan.

    ¡°Fine. Sit down. Close your eyes.¡±

    I plopped down cross-legged on the stone floor. Thea knelt behind me, her movements careful but deliberate.

    A warm, gentle hand pressed lightly against my upper back. It wasn¡¯t forceful, more like a guiding touch.

    ¡°Why are your clothes so dirty?¡± she asked flatly.

    "Rude," I muttered. Now realizing she wasn¡¯t being gentle out of care¡ªshe was avoiding touching my grimy rags any more than necessary. Honestly, I couldn¡¯t blame her.

    ¡°Alright, focus.¡±

    And then¡­ I felt it.

    It was like a faint ember sparking to life deep within me. A warm sensation, spreading slowly from where her hand rested on my back. It grew stronger, swelling into a steady current that raced through my limbs¡ªarms, legs, fingertips¡ªall the way to the top of my head.

    My breath hitched. It felt¡­ incredible. Like something had woken up inside me¡ªsomething that had been dormant for as long as I¡¯d been alive. Maybe existing inside me even back home.

    And then, just as quickly as it appeared, it vanished.

    "Wow. That was¡­ amazing! That power was incredible. I must have some kind of talent for this."

    Thea rolled her eyes so hard I thought she might sprain something.

    ¡°That was my power, genius.¡±

    My jaw dropped. ¡°Wait, seriously? All of that was you? That¡¯s¡­ insane. You¡¯re telling me everyone¡¯s like this? Everyone¡¯s carrying around that much energy?¡±

    She sighed, her face softening slightly.

    ¡°I told you, most people only do the basics. I¡¯ve been training even without my system, so I¡¯ve advanced further than most.¡±

    Her cheeks had the faintest pink hue, and it wasn¡¯t from exertion.

    "Well, thanks. I¡¯ll¡­ try it myself now."

    I closed my eyes again, focusing on the memory of that sensation¡ªlike tracing the outline of a shadow after the light had faded.

    Slowly, faintly, I felt it.

    It wasn¡¯t like Thea¡¯s torrent of power¡ªit was more like a faint trickle, a slow-moving stream barely noticeable against the hum of my pulse. But it was there.

    It started at my fingertips, flowed down my arms, into my chest, then spread out again¡ªlike blood carrying warmth throughout my body.

    My lips twitched into a faint smile.

    I can feel it. It¡¯s faint, but¡­ it¡¯s there.

    Without Thea¡¯s help, I realized, I never would¡¯ve noticed it.

    This¡­ is going to take a while, isn¡¯t it?

    ¡°Oh great master Thea, um, I feel it, so what now, how do I move it, do I get energy from the outside?¡±

    Hopefully, my flattery would yield answers only and not a mix of snark and vague advice.

    ¡°The next part is clearing your mind, then focusing on the flow and trying to guide it. Then yes, just like how you sensed your own inner power, you can sense the particles in the world. But be careful¡ªif you absorb too much, you¡¯ll pop.¡±

    I chuckled at her joke, but she didn¡¯t.

    Wait¡­ was she joking? Or worse¡ªwas she not joking?

    Maybe she¡¯s just someone who doesn¡¯t laugh at her own jokes. Oh god, what if I¡¯m not funny? I laugh at my jokes. A crushing thought hit me like a bag of bricks.

    No, no¡ªfocus! Of course, I¡¯m funny. I¡¯m hilarious.

    Alright, focus, Peter. No noise, no thoughts. Just¡­ energy flow.

    Easy.

    CLANG!

    I winced as someone across the room slammed a weight onto the floor. Seriously? That¡¯s just bad gym etiquette.

    Okay, deep breath. In. Out. No distractions.

    Wait¡­ was there supposed to be something special about breathing?

    ¡°Thea?¡±

    Her head snapped toward me, her brow creased, her voice carrying that distinct I¡¯m-trying-to-focus-so-don¡¯t-annoy-me tone.A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°About breathing¡­¡± I hesitated, feeling incredibly stupid. ¡°Is there, like¡­ anything special I should be doing? Like a pattern or¡­ I don¡¯t know, special breathing magic?¡±

    Thea froze. She stared at me, unblinking, for a few excruciatingly long seconds.

    Then, her lips twitched. Her shoulders started shaking. And before I knew it, she was bent over, clutching her sides and laughing so hard tears welled up in her eyes.

    ¡°Did you just¡ª¡± she wheezed between gasps, ¡°Did you just ask me¡­ how to breathe?!¡±

    Her laughter echoed in the stone gym, cutting through the background noise of clanking weights and distant chatter.

    See? I knew it. I am funny.

    ¡°No!¡± I sputtered, my face practically glowing red. ¡°You said meditation with breathing patterns. Patterns! Is there anything special about it, or do I just¡­ do normal breathing?¡±

    She wiped at her eyes, still chuckling.

    ¡°Just¡­ just find something relaxing and keep it consistent. Slow breaths in, slow breaths out. Don¡¯t hold it too long, and don¡¯t gasp like you¡¯re trying to win an award in hyperventilation.¡±

    ¡°Oh. Okay. That makes sense.¡±

    Thea sighed, shaking her head with a faint smile still tugging at the corner of her lips.

    ¡°I swear, you¡¯re going to be the death of me, Peter.¡±

    ¡°Glad I could brighten your day.¡±

    With that, I closed my eyes again and focused.

    Inhale.

    Exhale.

    Slow and steady.

    The sound of Thea¡¯s lingering giggles gradually faded away, and for the first time since arriving in this bizarre world, I felt¡­ still.

    The warmth of that faint energy trickled through me again, like a thin stream flowing gently through my body.

    It wasn¡¯t strong. It wasn¡¯t dramatic. But it was there, it had always been there.

    And for now, that was enough.

    There were faint sensations tickling the surface of my skin¡ªlike soft pinpricks of warmth, buzzing and shifting just at the edge of my awareness.

    Is this the outside world''s energy?

    Its warmth felt eerily similar to the faint trickle of energy I¡¯d felt inside me earlier.

    But one thing at a time.

    I chose to focus on my inner energy first. Moving it felt¡­ unnatural, like trying to redirect a slow-moving stream with nothing but sheer willpower. It resisted at first, stubborn and unyielding, but eventually, it shifted¡ªjust slightly.

    A small victory.

    Time blurred as I focused, breathing steadily and imagining the faint trickle gathering in the spot just above my stomach, like Thea had explained. It pooled there briefly, but no matter how hard I concentrated, it wouldn¡¯t condense or solidify.

    When my focus wavered, it simply dispersed, trickling back into its usual sluggish flow, around the point I focused on.

    Well, that tracks.

    Even Thea¡¯s torrent of energy¡ªthe overwhelming force I¡¯d felt earlier¡ªwasn¡¯t enough to form a core yet. And she¡¯d been at this for a while.

    My attention drifted to the prickling sensation on my skin¡ªthe external energy.

    Could I¡­ pull it in? Like how I¡¯d gathered my own energy?

    I hesitated. Thea had warned me to be careful, but asking her now would mean breaking my concentration. Besides, it felt right.

    Tentatively, I focused on the warmth outside me, imagining it sinking into my skin, drawn inward like water soaking into a sponge.

    To my surprise¡ªand relief¡ªit worked. The external energy flowed inward, merging with my inner strength.

    But it wasn¡¯t seamless. The two energies mixed awkwardly, swirling together like oil and water.

    I kept at it, breathing steadily, drawing more energy in, trying to coax it to blend with my own.

    For a while, it felt like I was making progress.

    Then nausea hit me.

    A heavy, queasy sensation settled in my stomach, like I¡¯d eaten five cafeteria burgers dipped in cement. My head swam, and sweat beaded on my forehead.

    ¡°What¡¯s¡­ happening¡­?¡±

    ¡°Peter!¡±

    Thea¡¯s voice cut through the haze, sharp and panicked.

    ¡°What?¡± I croaked, my voice weak.

    She was kneeling beside me now, her face scrunched in alarm.

    ¡°I told you to be careful or you¡¯d pop! Look at you¡ªyou¡¯re turning red! Just how much energy did you absorb for your first time?!¡±

    I paused, glancing down at my arms.

    She was right. My skin wasn¡¯t flushed¡ªit was red. Like boiled-lobster red.

    My eyes darted back to Thea. ¡°You were serious about that popping thing?¡±

    She pinched the bridge of her nose.

    ¡°Why would I lie about that? You asked me to teach you!¡±

    ¡°Oh. Right. Yeah. Sorry.¡±

    I sat back, still feeling queasy but slowly starting to recover. Honestly, if Thea hadn¡¯t snapped me out of it, I might have ended up as a Peter-flavored energy smoothie.

    ¡°Thanks, Thea. Seriously. So¡­ now that I¡¯ve done all that¡­ am I, like, stronger now?¡±

    Thea let out an exasperated sigh, her eyes rolling so far I thought they would get stuck in the back of her head.

    ¡°The energy you gather isn¡¯t just magic power that sits in your belly and turns you into a legendary hero. You need to work it¡ªlike dough in a baker''s hands. First, you gather the ingredients. Then, you hammer it into your muscles, your bones, your everything. Think of it like trying to force molten metal into the shape of a sword. And trust me, it burns.¡±

    I scratched my head, trying to process her metaphor.

    ¡°Okay, so let me get this straight. Breathe. Feel energy. Do squats until my legs are jelly. Then¡­ breathe again. Got it.¡±

    She snorted softly, crossing her arms.

    ¡°When you put it that way, it sounds stupidly simple. But try holding a proper stance for two hours while energy feels like lava pooling in your gut.¡±

    ¡°That¡­ sounds awful.¡±

    ¡°And working out is fine, but the best way to refine energy is through techniques and real fights. Which hurt even more, by the way.¡±

    I groaned, letting my head fall back as I stared up at the stone ceiling.

    ¡°Great. So it¡¯s not just breathing and sitting cross-legged. It¡¯s breathing, fighting, and burning.¡±

    Thea smirked.

    ¡°Welcome to cultivation, Peter. You signed up for this.¡±

    ¡°Signed up? I don¡¯t remember signing anything¡­¡±

    She chuckled softly, and despite the lingering nausea and the weird sensation of energy still buzzing through my body, I felt¡­ okay.

    No, more than okay.

    I felt alive.

    This was going to be hard. Like, really hard. But for the first time since arriving here, I felt like I had a direction¡ªa path forward.

    And if that path involved lava gut and collapsing in stances until my legs turned to noodles¡­ well, I¡¯d figure it out.

    One step¡ªand one breath¡ªat a time.

    ¡°Well, since we¡¯re both up, how about we spar?¡± Thea asked with way too much joy on her face.

    ¡°No. How about some weight training?¡± I countered weakly.

    ¡°Nope. I haven¡¯t had a good practice partner in, well, ever. Let¡¯s go.¡±

    Thea grabbed a few thick cloth mats, dirtied with dust¡ªand what I hope was just dirt¡ªand laid them on the stone floor.

    Well, at least I won¡¯t slam into the ground. Last thing I need now is a concussion from this girl.

    ¡°Alright, try to focus on your energy again. It¡¯s more difficult than when you meditate, so you won¡¯t be able to use it as efficiently, but bend it to your will¡ªto your legs, your arms. It can increase your strength and agility stats.¡±

    I nodded, not telling her that I would never be able to see a physical increase in my stats.

    ¡°Alright,¡± I responded. ¡°I feel it.¡±

    And it began.

    Several grueling minutes of being thrown into¡ªnot nearly soft enough¡ªgrimy cushions.

    But on the bright side, although I felt much of the world¡¯s energy leaving me, some of that ¡®oil and water¡¯ mixture began to feel¡­ smoother.

    More like water.

    I could actually feel myself getting better at this too. But Thea was just so much faster than me¡ªhonestly, much stronger too.

    The world of numbers was truly unfair.

    Although she couldn¡¯t see her screen yet, so we were in the same boat. At least for now.

    ¡°I think that¡¯s enough,¡± I groaned out.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± she gasped, somehow still looking much more energetic than me as she sat down beside me.

    ¡°I was curious about another thing,¡± I began. She looked back at me. ¡°What kind of techniques can I train? How do I get them?¡±

    She kept looking at me.

    ¡°What do you mean? The techniques and skills we get come from completing quests from our system. I can¡¯t wait to get mine and fuse them with cultivation.¡±

    She kept explaining other details as my mind went blank with the realization that I would never receive techniques from a system.

    I looked at her, deciding to let her continue her excited rant about cultivation and system fusion¡ªinformation that, honestly, I did not need.

    It was the first time I actually really looked at Thea.

    She had an athletic yet lean build that hinted at a life spent in disciplined training. She wasn¡¯t overly muscular, but her posture carried an air of confidence and control that made her presence hard to ignore. Her skin was lightly tanned, the kind of tone earned from long hours spent outdoors.

    Her hair was a deep chestnut brown, cascading just past her shoulders in loose, slightly uneven waves¡ªas if she trimmed it herself with a small blade. A few rebellious strands always seemed to fall over her forehead, no matter how often she pushed them back.

    But it was her eyes that stood out the most. Sharp, almond-shaped, and an intense shade of stormy gray. They carried an observant stare that seemed to peer straight into people¡¯s intentions, as if she could strip away any fa?ade with just a glance.

    I was about to make some snarky comment¡ªprobably about her looking like she¡¯d walked straight out of a fantasy hero poster¡ªwhen heavy footsteps echoed behind us.

    ¡°Sparring, are we? How about we join?¡±

    The voice wasn¡¯t friendly, and the way the words were delivered¡ªhalf challenge, half sneer¡ªset off every internal alarm I had.

    I glanced over my shoulder at the approaching group: three recruits, all broader and taller than me, with smug looks plastered across their faces.

    Oh great, I thought. Here comes the medieval gym bro squad.

    But to my surprise, Thea didn¡¯t rise to meet the challenge. In fact, she seemed to shrink back slightly, her confident aura dimming.

    ¡°No,¡± she said curtly, her voice clipped. ¡°We¡¯re done. You can use the mats yourself.¡±

    One of the recruits scoffed, his lips curling into a smirk. ¡°Go away then. We¡¯ll be taking them.¡±

    Thea didn¡¯t say another word. She just turned, grabbed my arm, and led me toward another section of the room¡ªa quieter corner, more secluded from the bustling crowd.

    Once we were out of earshot, I broke the silence.

    ¡°Not that I mind avoiding a beating, but¡­ why didn¡¯t you fight them?¡±

    She sighed, her shoulders slumping slightly.

    ¡°I told you¡ªcultivation is slow. They¡¯ve probably already completed a few missions. Their stats are higher than mine. It wouldn¡¯t help either of us to get involved.¡±

    Her words hung in the air, heavy with an unspoken truth.

    If they were too strong for Thea, where did that leave me?

    Even if I cultivated relentlessly, if Thea¡ªwho was so much more skilled and disciplined than me¡ªcouldn¡¯t keep up with system users, how fast could they progress?

    And how slow would I be?

    A gnawing sense of dread settled in my stomach, but at the same time, a stubborn ember of determination flickered to life.

    I wasn¡¯t about to quit now.

    ¡°Alright,¡± I said finally. ¡°Then we train harder, not smarter, right?¡±

    Thea gave me a sideways glance, her lips twitching faintly into a smirk.

    ¡°Exactly.¡±

    We sat in that quiet corner for a few moments, letting the noise of the gym fade into the background.

 Chapter 3: Running on Empty

    When we sat down together, I found myself staring at the stone floor, wondering what to do next.

    ¡°Should I absorb more world energy?¡±

    Thea glanced at me briefly, her stormy gray eyes sharp with thought.

    ¡°You could, but I think it¡¯s better to focus on consolidating your energy first. After fusing with external energy, it¡¯s important to get used to moving that new volume of energy around. You won¡¯t be able to immediately control it like your original amount.¡±

    I nodded. ¡°That makes sense.¡± I paused, smirking slightly. ¡°But I wasn¡¯t exactly used to my original energy either, you know, before you dragged me to the floor.¡±

    Thea chuckled lightly. ¡°Well, think how much better you¡¯ll be at it now.¡±

    She smiled at me, and for a brief moment, I forgot about the cold floor and the exhausting training.

    Alright, back to focusing. No more gym bullies. No more crazy girls itching to fight me. Just me and this cold stone floor.

    So cold¡­ no, no. Forget it.

    Breathe.

    I felt it again¡ªthat faint hum of energy, fuller than before. Some of the world¡¯s energy had escaped during the fight, but some of it had fused with my own.

    I focused on it, starting from my fingertips, guiding it toward my center. I circulated it throughout my entire body, letting it flow naturally. After a few minutes, I pushed harder, forcing it to flow in the opposite direction.

    It felt¡­ weird.

    Kind of like trying to force yourself to pee after being trained your whole life to hold it in until you get to a bathroom. Trust me, way harder than it sounds.

    When I finally opened my eyes, my energy felt restored. And when I stood up, I actually did feel stronger. Like I could take on the world¡ªor at least jog across the room without collapsing.

    ¡°Alright,¡± I muttered to myself. Now what?

    More cultivation? Weight training?

    I glanced over at Thea. She was completely absorbed in her own meditation, her brows slightly furrowed, her lips pressed into a firm line.

    Better not bother her.

    But before I could decide on my next move, heavy footsteps thundered from the doorway.

    Our instructor¡ªthe hulking old man¡ªwas back.

    The room fell silent as everyone froze in place, all eyes snapping to the towering figure in the doorway.

    He walked to the center of the room, his deep voice rumbling like distant thunder.

    ¡°I hope you trained hard. Tomorrow we will begin endurance training, so I hope your stamina stat has been raised enough to handle it.¡±

    A collective shiver ran through the room. Some recruits visibly flinched, while others broke out into nervous sweat.

    That¡­ concerned me.

    If the system kids¡ªwho presumably had been pumping stats into stamina¡ªwere nervous about what was coming, what chance did I have?

    The instructor¡¯s gravelly voice cut through my spiraling thoughts.

    ¡°Now, follow me. We¡¯re heading to the dorms.¡±

    Without another word, he turned and began walking away. Around a dozen recruits fell in line behind him, shuffling forward with quiet obedience.

    I glanced at Thea, still sitting cross-legged with her eyes firmly shut.

    Should I wake her up?

    Yeah, probably.

    I crouched down next to her and gave her shoulder a gentle shake.

    ¡°Thea. Grandmaster Thea. Wake up.¡±

    Nothing.

    ¡°Hey, Thea!¡± I shook her a little harder. ¡°Come on, we have to leave!¡±

    Her stormy gray eyes shot open, sharp and piercing. For a split second, she looked like she was about to unleash some vicious insult or possibly throttle me where I stood.

    Before she could say anything, I raised my hands in surrender.

    ¡°Relax! Look¡ª¡± I pointed toward the doorway, where the last few recruits were slipping out. ¡°We¡¯re heading to the dorms.¡±

    Thea blinked, her scowl softening into groggy confusion.

    ¡°Oh¡­ right.¡±

    She pushed herself to her feet, wobbling slightly before regaining her balance.

    Together, we shuffled toward the doorway, falling into step with the last of the recruits as we followed the instructor¡¯s broad back through the winding halls.

    My thoughts buzzed with fragments of what Thea had said earlier about consolidation, about energy, about tomorrow¡¯s endurance training.

    The path ahead felt impossibly steep, but¡­ at least I wasn¡¯t walking it alone.

    We all walked through the twisting corridors and up several flights of stairs. I was really glad I¡¯d started cultivating¡ªotherwise, this climb would have been exhausting.

    After a long stretch of silence, boredom started gnawing at me. I glanced over at Thea, who looked equally bored, and decided to break the silence.

    ¡°So¡ªwhy don¡¯t you have your system yet?¡± I asked casually.

    ¡°The same reason as you, Late Bloomer,¡± she said with a chuckle. ¡°Well, not exactly. I¡¯m still only seventeen. Next week, I should finally be able to see it. How about you? Any special reason?¡±

    My palms started sweating a little. ¡°Haha, no¡­ just an actual late bloomer, I guess. I scream out status every day just to check.¡±

    She smirked at that, but before the conversation could continue, we stepped outside.

    And I froze.

    ¡°Holy¡ªjust¡ªwow.¡±

    Under the moonlit sky, countless stars stretched across the heavens. Tiny specks of light glittered against a velvet-black canvas, more than I¡¯d ever seen in my entire life.

    Back home, light pollution choked the stars into near-oblivion. Sure, I¡¯d seen photos of galaxies and breathtaking nightscapes, but seeing it with my own eyes?

    It was¡­ something else entirely.

    ¡°You okay?¡± Thea asked, her voice pulling me back to the moment. She tilted her head slightly, clearly puzzled by my wide-eyed stare.

    ¡°Better. This is amazing!¡± I said, maybe a little too loudly, earning a few curious glances from the recruits ahead of us.

    ¡°What is?¡± she asked, genuinely confused.

    ¡°The stars! So many of them. I mean, really! There are just¡­ so many. I never knew¡ªI mean, I¡¯ve seen stars before, but not like this. Not like this.¡±

    Thea chuckled, her gray eyes softening slightly. ¡°What, are you crazy? They¡¯re just stars.¡±

    I paused, realizing something. If you saw a sky like this every night, it wouldn¡¯t be anything special. To her, this was just¡­ normal.

    But to me? It felt like a miracle.

    We kept walking, the night air cool against my face, until we reached two large tents set up near the edge of a forested area.

    I turned around, expecting to see some grand castle looming behind us. Instead, I was greeted by a squat, cubic stone-brick structure. It wasn¡¯t glamorous¡ªit was¡­ functional.

    Guess most of the structure is underground. Explains the maze of hallways and torches.

    Speaking of torches¡­ I remembered all the ones flickering in the gym earlier. That can¡¯t be good for anyone¡¯s lungs, right?

    ¡°Alright,¡± the instructor¡¯s deep voice boomed, pulling me back to the present. ¡°Girls, you get the tent closer to the building.¡± He pointed sharply to the two tents in a clearing a few dozen meters away. ¡°Boys, take the other. Go in, stay out here, but don¡¯t wander around. Anything else is fine.¡±

    With that, the hulking man turned and walked away, his massive silhouette fading into the shadows.

    The other recruits shuffled toward their assigned tents without hesitation, a few yawning, others muttering quietly to themselves.

    I turned to Thea. ¡°So, I guess¡­ I¡¯ll see you tomorrow?¡±

    ¡°Yep,¡± she said with a small stretch. ¡°I¡¯m getting pretty tired. Besides, tomorrow¡¯s training is going to be rough. We should get some sleep.¡±

    I nodded. ¡°Yeah¡­ sleep sounds good.¡±

    We exchanged a brief smile before heading toward our respective tents.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    As I ducked into the tent, I glanced back once, catching sight of Thea disappearing into hers.

    The tent was pretty simple¡ªbarebones, really. No furniture other than the ten or so bunk beds crammed inside. Honestly, it felt unnecessary considering there were only around eight boys and four girls in total.

    I expected trouble, maybe a repeat of the gym bullies or some awkward stares. But to my surprise, everyone just ignored me. They went about their business¡ªchatting quietly, yawning, or settling into the thin sheets and straw mats that passed for beds here.

    Maybe they really did just want to use the mats at the gym earlier.

    With a shrug, I chose the bottom bed near the back corner of the tent and lay down.

    The thin sheet felt rough against my skin, and the straw mat underneath wasn¡¯t doing my spine any favors. I stared up at the wooden slats above me and thought about what I¡¯d left behind.

    Honestly? Not much.

    Sure, I¡¯d miss my foster brothers and sisters. They were good people. But I was already on my way out because of my age. My life had been¡­ fine. No major complaints.

    But, man, I was really starting to miss a proper comforter and a mattress that didn¡¯t feel like someone had crammed hay into a sack and called it a day.

    Time passed slowly, and eventually, the tent filled with the sound of deep, resounding snores.

    Loud ones. Invasive ones. Ones that rattled in my skull like someone revving up a chainsaw next to my ear.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to lose my mind,¡± I muttered out loud.

    With a huff, I threw off the thin sheet, grabbed it in frustration, and slipped out from the bottom bunk. I shuffled past the rows of sleeping recruits, careful to step quietly.

    Freedom.

    The night greeted me with open arms. The stars above were still impossibly bright, and the crisp breeze brushed against my face.

    The world felt¡­ quieter out here.

    I walked a short distance away from the tent until the chorus of snores was finally drowned out by the stillness of the night.

    Once I was far enough, I sat down on the cold ground, pulling the sheet over my shoulders like a makeshift cloak.

    The stars twinkled above, countless and brilliant.

    They really are something else.

    For a moment, I silently thanked whatever forces were listening that it wasn¡¯t winter¡ªor if it was, that it wasn¡¯t a cold one.

    The ground was hard, the sheet was thin, and tomorrow promised exhaustion and endless training.

    But at least, for now, under this infinite blanket of stars, I felt¡­ at peace.

    The sharp blare of a horn yanked me out of sleep so violently that I nearly threw the thin sheet over my head in protest.

    ¡°Everyone, get up! Move it! You have two minutes!¡±

    The instructor¡¯s voice boomed across the clearing with all the subtlety of a wrecking ball through glass.

    I groggily blinked away the tiredness, feeling the weak warmth of the rising sun brushing against my face.

    Around me, boys and girls stumbled awkwardly out of their tents, forming into surprisingly neat lines despite looking like they¡¯d just been ejected from a malfunctioning toaster.

    Okay, I noticed this before, but this feels way too intense for a training camp about unlocking personal stats. This feels¡­ organized. Too organized.

    Pushing the thought aside, I stood up and fell in line, sliding in next to Thea.

    She glanced at me sideways, trying¡ªand failing¡ªnot to roll her eyes.

    ¡°Did you seriously sleep out here?¡±

    ¡°Quieter than the tent,¡± I replied, stretching my arms over my head. ¡°And not much less uncomfortable. No wonder they stuff hay into the beds¡ªit¡¯s like they expect a herd of cows to bunk down in there.¡±

    Thea snorted softly, a smirk tugging at the corner of her mouth. ¡°Fair point.¡±

    Before I could follow up with another quip, the big man in charge barked out again.

    ¡°Follow me. Do not fall behind!¡±

    With that, he turned and jogged into the nearby woods.

    The collective groan of every sleep-deprived recruit echoed behind him as we started moving.

    I glanced at Thea as twigs snapped under our boots and branches scratched at my arms. ¡°This feels a little¡­ over the top, doesn¡¯t it? The tents, the strict rules, the shouting. Are we training for something?¡±

    She gave me one of those looks¡ªthe kind that screamed, Are you being serious right now?

    ¡°You¡ª¡± she started, then hesitated. ¡°Where are you from?¡±

    The question caught me so off guard that I nearly tripped over a tree root.

    ¡°Where?¡± I repeated, blinking at her.

    ¡°Yeah. Where?¡±

    My brain scrambled for an answer. Something believable, something clever, something that wouldn¡¯t make me look like an absolute fool.

    But my mouth had other plans.

    ¡°No idea.¡±

    Thea stumbled slightly this time, her stormy gray eyes wide as she shot me a look. Honestly, it gave me a chance to slow down, which was a win in my book because running is the worst.

    ¡°What do you mean no idea?¡± she asked, her voice low but sharp.

    I shrugged, trying to look casual while also gasping for air. ¡°Did the language change just because I slept outside? I mean no idea. No idea where here is, no idea where I came from, no idea about¡­ well, anything before yesterday.¡±

    Thea¡¯s eyebrows knitted together, and for a moment, I thought she might press me further.

    But instead, she let out a sharp breath, muttering something under her breath that I was pretty sure wasn¡¯t a compliment.

    We kept jogging, the instructor¡¯s voice barking commands ahead of us, and the line of recruits slowly stretched and curved along the dirt path.

    I could feel Thea glancing at me occasionally, her curiosity practically radiating off her.

    Well, that could¡¯ve gone smoother.

    But hey, at least I¡¯d bought myself a few extra seconds of slow jogging.

    And for now, that was victory enough.

    Until it wasn¡¯t.

    How long have we been running? I¡¯m pretty sure I¡¯ve aged five years.

    Honestly, who would ever think this is a good idea?

    Thea glanced at me, her stormy gray eyes narrowing slightly. Was that¡­ worry? Or was it shame?

    ¡°Are you using your inner strength?¡±

    ¡°Oh! Oh right! Thanks, I forgot.¡±

    Now there was no mistaking it¡ªshe was definitely looking at me with worry. But not the kind of gentle, nurturing worry. No, this was the ¡°Oh no, he¡¯s hopeless¡± kind of worry.

    But seriously, could I be blamed? Cultivation was just a fantasy word in my vocabulary until yesterday. I barely remembered I wasn¡¯t at home when I woke up this morning. Honestly, if it weren¡¯t for the instructor¡¯s magnificently loud horn skills, I probably would have rushed off to pack my backpack and head to school.

    Thanks to Thea¡¯s gracious reminder¡ªof which I made a mental note to suck up more to her later¡ªI managed to focus and let my inner energy trickle into my legs, easing the burning sensation somewhat.

    Okay, okay. This is better. Slightly better.

    But first, I had a question.

    ¡°So¡ªconsidering my total absence of knowledge¡ª¡±

    Thea cut me off under her breath, her voice dripping with sarcasm. ¡°I believe that to be literally true.¡±

    I chose to ignore that, as the mature one in this dynamic.

    ¡°What exactly are we doing?¡±

    ¡°Training,¡± she said flatly.

    I blinked. ¡°Uh-huh¡­ and training for what, exactly?¡±

    ¡°After three years here, we¡¯re off to battle.¡±

    I froze mid-step. My foot caught on a root, and I nearly became one with the forest floor.

    Thea grabbed my arm, yanking me forward before I could become a Peter-shaped pancake on the trail.

    ¡°Battle? You can¡¯t be serious.¡±

    She didn¡¯t say anything, just kept jogging, her expression unreadable.

    ¡°For who? For what?¡± I pressed.

    Here¡¯s the thing: it¡¯s really hard to feel patriotic for a country¡ªor state, or empire, or whatever this place is¡ªwhen I know literally nothing about it.

    Thea sighed, finally giving me a sideways glance.

    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ complicated. Look, not everyone here gets drafted into fighting. Some people stay back, some take non-combat roles. But if you¡¯re here¡ªif you¡¯re training like this¡ªthen you¡¯re probably being prepared for the front lines.¡±

    The front lines.

    Oh, that¡¯s great. That¡¯s just fantastic.

    After another forever¡ªand by forever, I mean an eternity that probably rewrote the laws of time and space¡ªI stumbled forward, barely lifting my feet off the forest floor.

    ¡°Thea¡­ it¡¯s over. I can¡¯t go on,¡± I wheezed, clutching my chest dramatically. ¡°Go on without me. Tell my story. Make sure they know I was¡­ moderately brave.¡±

    Thea gave me a look that was somewhere between disbelief and pity.

    ¡°It¡¯s barely been over an hour, Peter. Relax, focus, and keep moving. We¡¯re probably almost done anyway.¡±

    Her confidence felt like an insult.

    But then, like the voice of an angel descending from above¡ªor rather, a very loud, very cranky angel¡ªthe instructor¡¯s shout cut through the trees:

    ¡°Halt!¡±

    Oh, sweet merciful relief.

    I immediately complied, bending over with my hands on my knees and gasping like a fish flopping on land.

    ¡°Peter?¡± Thea said, her voice cautious.

    I raised a shaky hand. ¡°One sec. Dying. Busy.¡±

    I sucked in a final gulp of air and glanced at her. ¡°Thea?¡±

    ¡°What now?¡± she sighed, already bracing herself.

    ¡°Food?¡±

    ¡°What?¡± she asked, blinking in confusion.

    ¡°When¡­ do we eat? I¡¯m starving.¡±

    ¡°How should I know? Everyone¡¯s first day was yesterday!¡±

    I muttered something about survival rates and my odds of becoming forest mulch when the instructor¡¯s voice rose again.

    ¡°You will now get your food!¡±

    For a brief, fleeting moment, I almost forgave him for the time of forced jogging. Almost.

    Until he kept talking.

    ¡°This forest has plenty of edible plants and animals. A tank¡¯s job is more than just protection on the battlefield. We protect the squad at all times. You will work alone, in groups, or together to hunt and forage. After today¡¯s results, I will group you based on ability and instruct those who need it. You will try again tomorrow. And the day after that. Until everyone can feed themselves daily.¡±

    I stared blankly at him.

    ¡°Monster,¡± I whispered under my breath.

    I turned to Thea for guidance, wisdom, or maybe even comfort. Instead, I found her frozen in place, staring at the trees like they were filled with ghosts.

    ¡°Thea?¡± I prompted.

    ¡°Yeah?¡± she replied, her voice a little shaky.

    ¡°You don¡¯t happen to know¡­ anything about hunting or edible plants, do you?¡±

    Her head turned toward me, her expression one of pure dread.

    ¡°Do you?¡± she asked weakly.

    ¡°No.¡±

    She let out a long, defeated sigh and dropped to her knees, as though she could absorb energy directly from the forest floor if she stayed there long enough.

    ¡°Maybe someone else will help us?¡± I suggested hopefully.

    We both turned to look at the other recruits.

    Everyone was already splitting into groups¡ªgroups that, judging by their smooth coordination, had clearly been formed yesterday.

    Each team moved purposefully into the forest, weapons and makeshift tools in hand, like they actually knew what they were doing.

    We were officially alone.

    I slowly turned back to Thea, dread creeping up my spine.

    ¡°We¡¯re gonna starve,¡± I said flatly.

    ¡°Yep,¡± she muttered.

    We sat there in silence for a moment, the sounds of distant chatter and crunching leaves filtering through the trees.

    ¡°So¡­ berries, maybe?¡± I ventured.

    She glared at me.

    ¡°Don¡¯t. Eat. Anything. Unless you know what it is.¡±

    ¡°Noted.¡±

    We remained kneeling there, two clueless recruits with no plan, no knowledge of survival, and approximately zero confidence in our ability to not die in the next 24 hours.

    Well, I thought, at least I won¡¯t die alone.

 Chapter 4: Fangs in the Forest

    Some of the others were already heading into the woods beyond the clearing, walking with purpose and obvious confidence in their scavenging and hunting skills. Meanwhile, Thea and I stood there like two kids who¡¯d forgotten their permission slips for a field trip.

    Back home, I didn¡¯t know much about the woods beyond what I¡¯d seen in movies. Had I ever been dropped into a forest and told to survive, it probably would¡¯ve ended with me eating something toxic and hallucinating colors until I met an unfortunate end.

    And this wasn¡¯t even Home¡ªfor all I knew, this planet could have plants that screamed when you picked them and squirrels the size of bears. Sure, the trees looked like trees, and the grass was¡­ grass-ish, but I hadn¡¯t seen a single animal since arriving.

    We probably looked pitiful¡ªThea kneeling on the forest floor in defeat and me standing awkwardly beside her, shifting from foot to foot like a guilty toddler.

    ¡°You two!¡±

    The no-longer-angelic instructor¡¯s voice cut through the air like a whip. Honestly, I should probably start calling him Commander instead.

    I froze, my spine snapping straight as I tried¡ªand failed¡ªto catch my breath. Beside me, Thea shot up like a spring, standing rigidly.

    ¡°Yes, sir!¡± she said with all the enthusiasm of someone about to be sentenced.

    ¡°Come here.¡±

    We exchanged a brief look that said, Oh no, before shuffling forward like two kids called into the principal''s office.

    The instructor¡¯s glare bore into us, his face carved from stone, his eyes gleaming with barely restrained annoyance.

    ¡°You two¡ªdo you not know anything about the plants and animals here?¡±

    Thea hesitated, her lips twitching as if trying to form an answer. Seeing her nervous made me feel even worse, so I stepped up.

    ¡°No.¡±

    It came out so shaky it was practically a squeak. I cleared my throat and tried again, straightening my back.

    ¡°Ahem. No, sir. I am confident in saying I know absolutely nothing about gathering any plants that are safe to eat.¡±

    For a long moment, the instructor just¡­ stared at me.

    He rubbed his temples, muttering something that sounded suspiciously like, ¡°Why me?¡± before pulling a small book from somewhere within his oversized coat.

    ¡°Take this.¡±

    I accepted the book with both hands, bowing slightly like it was some sacred artifact.

    ¡°Thank you, sir!¡±

    With a sharp nod, he turned and stomped off, leaving Thea and me standing there holding what I could only assume was our lifeline to not starving to death.

    The silence between us was broken by Thea holding out her hand.

    ¡°Book.¡±

    I handed it over immediately, grinning. ¡°Yes, of course, Grandmaster. Grace me with your knowledge and literacy.¡±

    ¡°Could you quit that already?¡± she said, though she was laughing as she flipped open the book. ¡°You sure know a lot of words for someone who can¡¯t read.¡±

    ¡°I told you, I can read!¡± I huffed. ¡°Just¡­ not whatever swirly hieroglyphics is written here.¡±

    ¡°Right, right.¡± She smirked before squinting at the book¡¯s title. ¡°Herbal Remedies for Health and Comfort Food: A Collection of Plants in the Western Continent.¡±

    I blinked. ¡°That entire thing is the title? What is this, a light novel?¡±

    Thea frowned. ¡°Light novel?¡±

    ¡°Never mind. Cultural reference. Moving on¡ªare we going to find anything edible in there, or am I about to start chewing on bark out of sheer desperation?¡±

    She skimmed through the pages as we started walking into the woods. The leaves crunched softly beneath our boots, and every distant rustle made me flinch slightly.

    ¡°I mean, we should find something,¡± she said, her finger tracing a page filled with rough sketches of plants. ¡°Why else would the commander give it to us?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the spirit. Confidence! Leadership!¡± I said with mock enthusiasm, spreading my arms. ¡°And if all else fails, I¡¯m sure one of these trees looks somewhat appetizing.¡±

    Thea snorted but kept walking, the book clutched tightly in her hands.

    ¡°I mean, actually,¡± Thea said thoughtfully, tapping the book with her finger, ¡°one of the trees around here should have some soft plant threads under the bark if you really want to try it.¡±

    I made a face. ¡°And¡­ anything else? Roots, berries, food that doesn¡¯t taste like recycled lumber?¡±

    ¡°Well¡ªthere are some roots that grow from a small shrub that looks like this.¡± She pointed to one of the illustrations in the book. ¡°But we¡¯d have to be careful because there¡¯s a poisonous plant that looks almost identical.¡±

    I squinted at the two sketches. To me, they looked like the same plant cosplaying as itself.

    ¡°So¡­¡± I said slowly, ¡°you can tell the difference, right?¡±

    Thea flashed me a confident smile. Then¡­ she turned the page.

    ¡°How about berries instead? They¡¯re rare but easy to identify, and they grow low in the brush, so most people miss them.¡±

    My smile twitched.

    ¡°Berries it is. Anything else we should keep an eye out for?¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Thea scanned the page, her finger tracing across the illustrations. ¡°Looks like there are also some edible herbs. Basically grasses you can eat.¡±

    ¡°Oh, so¡­ nettles. Delicious,¡± I said flatly.

    She snorted but kept walking, her eyes still glued to the book.

    It took about an hour of chatting, stumbling over roots, and scanning the ground before Thea stopped in her tracks.

    ¡°Look!¡± she said, pointing ahead.

    There it was¡ªa small shrub tucked beneath some overhanging branches, dotted with bright red berries. They glistened in the dappled sunlight filtering through the canopy.

    Like tiny, edible rubies.

    ¡°Oh sweet nectar of the gods,¡± I whispered reverently.

    We crouched beside the bush, and I carefully plucked each delicate berry, splitting them evenly into two small handfuls.

    ¡°Fifty-fifty?¡± I asked.

    Thea nodded quickly, already eyeing her share with an intensity that bordered on reverence.

    When I bit into one, my eyes nearly rolled back into my head. They tasted like cherry tomatoes fused with the tart sweetness of raspberries. Juicy, sharp, and perfect.

    ¡°Amazing,¡± I said around a mouthful.

    Thea nodded vigorously, cheeks puffed out like a chipmunk hoarding treasure. Her chestnut hair fell across her eyes, and for a second, I couldn¡¯t help but think¡ª

    Cute.

    We sat there savoring every last berry until our handfuls were empty. I let out a satisfied sigh and leaned back against a tree.

    ¡°So,¡± I said casually, ¡°about cultivation?¡±

    Thea glanced up at me, her cheeks still faintly pink from eating. ¡°Yeah?¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t there something about taking the world¡¯s energy as nutrients?¡±

    She froze mid-chew and stared at me, her shoulders trembling slightly.

    ¡°Don¡¯t make me laugh while I¡¯m eating,¡± she said, her voice strained.

    But it was too late. Her shoulders shook, her cheeks puffed, and then she burst out laughing, nearly choking on the memory of the berries.

    ¡°How¡ª¡± she gasped between snorts, ¡°do you think we¡¯re plants? Just soaking up energy from the sun or something?¡±

    Wait¡ªthey know about photosynthesis? Huh. Probably just common knowledge about plants. Not important.If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    ¡°Okay, okay, you can stop now!¡± I said, waving my hands. ¡°But seriously¡ªis there really nothing like that? You¡¯re sure?¡±

    She wiped tears from her eyes, her laughter finally fading into soft chuckles.

    ¡°Not that I know of,¡± she said, her voice still trembling with leftover giggles.

    Well, she didn¡¯t roll her eyes. Progress.

    Thea sighed. ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t know much past what¡¯s in the cultivation book. It ends with core formation, and it only really instructs you on sensing and moving energy to increase your stats.¡±

    She paused, her expression thoughtful. ¡°But¡­ I do have some ideas of my own. Stuff that isn¡¯t in the book.¡±

    I perked up at that. ¡°Oh? Do tell, Grandmaster Thea.¡±

    She ignored the jab, her stormy gray eyes lighting up with excitement as she continued. ¡°I¡¯ve thought about temporary storage¡ªlike focusing energy in your hands or feet to use it more readily in battle.¡±

    Something clicked in my brain. My eyes widened, and I snapped my fingers. ¡°That! That¡¯s what I wanted to talk about!¡±

    She tilted her head, clearly intrigued. ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°What if we could store energy not just in a single core, but¡­ all over? Like¡ªwhat if, instead of just circulating energy, we could refine it into tiny reservoirs across our whole body? Like micro-cores, or checkpoints, permanently increasing our stats rather than just temporarily boosting them through circulation,¡± recalling the step name from novels in my mind, "Real Body Refining.¡±

    Thea froze, her expression shifting from curiosity to something sharper, something brighter. Her lips parted slightly as if she was trying to process what I¡¯d just said.

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ actually brilliant,¡± she said softly, her voice almost reverent. ¡°It¡¯s like creating little anchors throughout your body. Not only would it increase your baseline strength, but you¡¯d have easier access to stored energy during combat.¡±

    ¡°Yes! Exactly!¡± I said, the words spilling out of me in excitement. ¡°Think about it¡ªif your core is like a deep well of water, then these reservoirs would be like smaller basins or channels spread throughout your body. You wouldn¡¯t have to pull everything from one spot; it would already be where you need it.¡±

    Her stormy gray eyes widened slightly, her focus sharpening even more. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ that¡¯s perfect. Like creating streams branching off from a river. Instead of trying to pull water all the way from the source every time, it¡¯s already there. Accessible, ready.¡±

    ¡°Right?!¡± I grinned, my hands gesturing wildly. ¡°And those streams¡ªor checkpoints, or whatever we want to call them¡ªthey wouldn¡¯t just make energy easier to use in combat. They¡¯d also reinforce the body itself, permanently increasing its capacity to handle more energy. Like¡­ like carving pathways into stone so the flow becomes natural over time.¡±

    Thea nodded vigorously, her chestnut hair falling into her face as she leaned forward, her excitement mirroring mine. ¡°And if one stream¡ªor, reservoir¡ªruns dry, the others could redirect their flow. It could make controlling energy smoother overall.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    We both fell silent for a moment, staring at each other like we¡¯d just unlocked some hidden truth about the universe.

    ¡°Well,¡± I said after a long beat, grinning wide, ¡°there¡¯s nothing to do but try it, right?¡±

    Thea grinned back, her confidence infectious. ¡°Yeah. But we should start small. Target one area first¡ªsee if it even works.¡±

    I tapped my chin thoughtfully. ¡°We¡¯re in the middle of endurance training. What if we start with the skin? It¡¯s the largest organ, covers the whole body, and¡ªit just seems practical, right? Like layering armor, but with energy.¡±

    She smiled with excitement. ¡°Let¡¯s do it then.¡±

    Just as I was about to sit down, a thought hit me like a brick.

    ¡°Wait. Is it safe here? We¡¯re in the middle of the woods, after all.¡±

    Thea paused, her brow furrowing slightly. ¡°There shouldn¡¯t be any dangerous animals around here. Besides, we¡¯re not going to take too long.¡±

    Her tone was confident, but¡­ shouldn¡¯t isn¡¯t exactly the most comforting word in this context.

    Still, she was the Grandmaster here. I trusted her judgment.

    I sat down next to her, crossing my legs on the uneven forest floor. It was surprisingly easier to clear my mind here¡ªthe rustling leaves, the distant calls of birds, the faint hum of energy in the air.

    I closed my eyes and let myself sink into the stillness.

    The stream of energy within me flickered to life¡ªa faint ember growing into a steady current. I focused on moving it downward, directing it to my feet. The sensation was subtle at first, like warm water trickling through tiny cracks.

    Focus.

    I willed the energy to condense, to form a point of concentration in the skin of my left foot. It resisted me at first, slipping through like trying to cup water in my hands.

    Compress it. Hold it steady.

    Slowly, I felt it: a tiny nodule of warmth embedded in the core of my foot, but it didn¡¯t reach the skin. From there, faint threads of energy began spreading outward like fine cracks on glass. They didn¡¯t venture far¡ªjust a shallow network of tiny energy pathways feeding back into the node.

    It wasn¡¯t what I¡¯d imagined as a core, but it was something¡ªa beginning.

    But there was something¡­ off. The threads felt fragile, like they could snap if I pushed too hard. And the energy was¡­ leaking. Trickling back into my central flow no matter how hard I tried to hold it in place.

    I gritted my teeth, focusing harder. Was this because my body wasn¡¯t used to holding energy in such a specific way? Did I need to train this tiny network, reinforce it like a muscle?

    Do we need to train this channel? Like how we absorbed the world¡¯s energy?

    The process felt unstable, unrefined¡ªlike building a dam out of twigs and hoping it held back a river.

    The faint warmth in my foot started to sting. Just slightly, like tiny pinpricks needling my skin.

    I risked a glance at Thea. She was still focused, her brows furrowed in deep concentration. A faint shimmer of light danced along her arms, almost like the energy within her was visible beneath her skin.

    She¡¯s doing it.

    No, not just doing it. She was thriving in it. Her control over her energy was leagues beyond mine. Where my energy felt like a frantic scribble, hers moved like an elegant painting, flowing with precision.

    But then¡­ something shifted.

    A ripple ran through the forest air¡ªa pulse coming from Thea, faint but wrong. Like the pressure before a storm.

    My chest tightened.

    ¡°Thea,¡± I whispered sharply. ¡°Something feels¡­ off.¡±

    She didn¡¯t respond, her focus locked into herself.

    I thought back to how the small branches felt like they would snap if I tried adding more energy and my heart sped up.

    ¡°Thea! Stop!¡± I shook her violently.

    ¡°What,¡± she responded with a bit of frustration.

    ¡°Where did you store your energy,¡± I scanned her body, and saw her right hand, red like a cooked lobster. ¡°Thea, you got carried away I think.¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± she agreed, her voice trembling slightly.

    We sat in silence for a moment, the forest feeling both peaceful and unnerving at the same time.

    I broke the silence first. ¡°It worked¡­ sort of. I managed to concentrate the energy, but it felt unstable. Like it didn¡¯t want to stay put.¡±

    Thea nodded thoughtfully. ¡°I felt something similar. My network held, but it wasn¡¯t¡­ permanent. The energy wants to return to the main flow.¡±

    I tapped my fingers against my thigh, thinking. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s not just about placing the energy. Maybe it¡¯s about binding it. Like tying knots to hold it in place.¡±

    Thea¡¯s eyes lit up with recognition. ¡°Yes! Or weaving it into the existing structure¡ªlike stitching fabric together, maybe we can start closer to the main flow at our center, then spread out from there.¡±

    ¡°Exactly!¡±

    We stared at each other, excitement mixing with the lingering unease from whatever had happened earlier.

    ¡°So¡­ what now?¡± I asked.

    Thea leaned back against the tree behind her, her face thoughtful. ¡°We refine it. Test it. Carefully. Whatever happened just now¡ªit might happen again if we push too hard, or too fast.¡±

    ¡°No, I meant about food. I¡¯m still hungry.¡±

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you cultivate and eat that,¡± she responded sarcastically.

    ¡°Helpful.¡±

    ¡°Your master is always here to help,¡± she said, not yet dropping her sarcasm.

    We were about to continue our banter when a rustling sound cut through the morning stillness.

    Both Thea and I froze.

    Something shifted in the underbrush behind us¡ªa heavy presence, slow and deliberate. My skin prickled with cold anticipation, every nerve in my body screaming at me to run.

    When I turned around, I nearly screeched like a banshee.

    Standing in the clearing was a creature unlike anything I¡¯d ever seen. Its sleek black carapace armor glistened faintly in the pale sunlight, segmented like overlapping plates across its hulking form. Six powerful limbs, each ending in hooked claws, braced against the ground as if ready to pounce.

    Its head was flat and triangular, jaws hanging slightly open to reveal rows of jagged, needle-like teeth that seemed almost too numerous to fit in its mouth.

    But the worst part? Its eyes¡ªpale, glowing orbs that shimmered with an unnatural light as they locked onto us.

    ¡°Thea¡­¡± I croaked, my voice barely above a whisper. ¡°What is that?¡±

    She didn¡¯t answer. Her stormy gray eyes were locked on the creature, her body tense, her breathing shallow. She looked scared¡ªbut poised. Ready to fight.

    My mind raced. We had no weapons, no tools. What were we supposed to do¡ªpunch it to death?

    ¡°Thea, we should¡ª¡±

    ¡°Peter,¡± she interrupted, her voice low and firm, ¡°I¡¯ll draw its focus. Circle around and hit it from behind. Be quick. This thing moves¡ª¡±

    The creature lunged.

    A blur of black and silver shot forward, claws tearing into the ground where Thea had been standing a split second earlier. She dove sideways, rolling to her feet with a sharp breath.

    I stumbled backward, nearly tripping over my own feet. Focus, Peter!

    Thea was keeping its attention, darting in and out with quick, controlled movements. Her attacks were faint, her energy focused into short bursts of speed. But she couldn¡¯t hold out forever.

    I crouched low and began circling the beast, trying to keep my breathing steady.

    Energy. Circulate.

    To my surprise, there was still a faint ember of energy in my left foot¡ªthe remnants of our earlier experiment.

    It would have to be enough.

    With a sharp inhale, I lunged.

    I slammed into the creature¡¯s side, wrapping my arms around its midsection and throwing my weight into it. The impact was jarring, the carapace cold and unyielding beneath my grip.

    The creature screeched¡ªa chittering, ear-piercing noise that rattled in my skull.

    ¡°Thea!¡± I yelled. ¡°Now!¡±

    Thea didn¡¯t hesitate. She leaped forward, her fists slamming down on the creature¡¯s head and neck with brutal precision. Each strike was accompanied by a faint shimmer of energy flowing down her arms.

    But the creature was strong.

    Its back legs kicked out, claws scraping against my arm and forcing me to release my grip. It twisted violently and wriggled free, letting out a shriek as it bolted into the underbrush.

    Silence fell over the clearing, broken only by our ragged breathing.

    I collapsed onto the ground, clutching my arm where its claw had grazed me. Thea stumbled back, her chest heaving.

    ¡°You okay?¡± I managed between gasps.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± she said weakly, her voice trembling slightly. ¡°But¡­ we really need weapons. Maybe next time it¡¯ll be our meal.¡±

    She let out a soft, breathless laugh.

    I managed a weak chuckle in response, pushing myself upright. ¡°Agreed. But honestly, a meal made from world energy is sounding pretty good right now. As long as we eat it in safety.¡±

    Thea smirked, standing up and brushing the dirt from her clothes. ¡°You know what? That sounds delicious.¡±

    We exchanged a glance¡ªequal parts relief, exhaustion, and shared understanding.

    Without another word, we turned and began walking back toward the clearing where the commander was.

    The forest behind us was quiet again, but I couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that those pale, glowing eyes were still watching us from somewhere deep in the shadows.

 Chapter 5: The Hall of Heroes

    Thankfully, we both made it back in one piece. The towering figure of the commander stood near the camp¡¯s edge, his shadow stretching long under the setting sun. Honestly, the guy was starting to feel less like a man and more like some kind of divine sentinel.

    ¡°Back already,¡± he grunted, his voice rumbling like distant thunder.

    I stepped forward, holding my hands behind my back in what I hoped was an appropriately respectful pose. ¡°We got some berries, sir. Decided to focus on training instead. If that¡¯s alright with you?¡±

    His gaze bore into me for an uncomfortable moment before he nodded once, a motion so slight it might have been mistaken for a breeze. ¡°That¡¯s fine. But keep in mind¡ªyour survival score will suffer today. Tomorrow, you¡¯ll both be attending survival classes.¡±

    Honestly, that sounded like a win to me. A bit of structured instruction on not dying horribly in the woods sounded far better than me squinting at berry bushes and being attacked by horrifying monsters.  I glanced sideways at Thea, and judging by her faint nod, she wasn¡¯t complaining either.

    ¡°Alright, both of you¡ªstay quiet,¡± he said, his voice low but firm. ¡°Don¡¯t be a bother to me.¡±

    We both nodded, our heads bobbing like two perfectly synchronized puppets, before shuffling a few steps away and plopping onto the cold, hard ground. Dirt¡ªmy new favorite chair.

    Thea didn¡¯t waste any time. She cracked open the borrowed survival guide like it was some sacred grimoire holding the secrets to eternal life. Meanwhile, I took a long, steady breath, trying to focus.

    She broke the silence first, her voice a low murmur. ¡°I don¡¯t think we can focus on skin or muscles for now. It seems¡­ too advanced. Like building a house without laying the foundation. For now, it feels like all we can do is create smaller channels branching from the main one.¡±

    I nodded thoughtfully, scratching at the back of my head. ¡°Yeah, ideally, I want to store the energy in the body itself¡ªto strengthen it permanently. But having quicker access during fights feels like the smarter starting point.¡±

    She gave me a quick smirk¡ªalmost proud, like a teacher whose least-promising student finally answered a question correctly. ¡°Exactly.¡±

    With that, we both fell into silence again, our focus shifting inward.

    I closed my eyes and let the night air fill my lungs. The world¡¯s energy felt like faint whispers brushing against my skin¡ªsoft and fleeting, like trying to catch smoke with bare hands. I pulled it inward, letting it pool in the familiar spot above my stomach.

    But then, like before, the familiar pressure started to build¡ªan uncomfortable heat crawling up my chest, curling in my throat like bad cafeteria food making a second appearance. I hesitated, then tried something different. Instead of forcing more world energy into that single reservoir, I let it branch outward, guiding it upward to my chest. Forming a new node from world energy, rather than my own.

    It was delicate work¡ªlike threading an impossibly thin needle. But eventually, the energy settled into place, spreading out like a spider web woven across my ribs. And unlike the earlier attempt at my foot, which had vanished faster than my willpower during math class, this one stayed.

    Stable. Steady.

    I cracked one eye open and glanced at Thea. She was still deep in concentration, her expression calm and focused, a faint sheen of sweat glistening on her forehead. Good. She was fine.

    Maybe¡­ if we practice physical activity now, we can permanently anchor these reservoirs. Make them part of us, rather than fleeting lines of energy in the dark.

    But one thing at a time. For now, I focused on guiding more of the world¡¯s energy into that fragile web at my chest, fusing it carefully into my main channel.

    Inhale. Exhale. Steady.

    When I finally opened my eyes, Thea was staring at me with an excited glint in her storm-gray eyes. It was the kind of look that said, I have a terrible idea, and you¡¯re coming along for the ride.

    ¡°Shall we spar?¡± she asked, her voice practically vibrating with excitement.

    I groaned internally. ¡°The instructor said to keep quiet,¡± I muttered, glancing over my shoulder. To my absolute dread, the man himself was still nearby, looming like a storm cloud with arms crossed and an expression that suggested mild amusement.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± he said, his gravelly voice cutting through the air. ¡°As long as you don¡¯t bother me, more training is never a bad thing.¡±

    Thea¡¯s smirk could have powered a small village. ¡°See? No problem. Now get up.¡±

    With a world-weary sigh that I felt in my bones, I pushed myself to my feet. My knees cracked like dry twigs, and I couldn¡¯t help but long for those flimsy gym mats from earlier. At least they cushioned the blows slightly.

    And once again, just like before, I was utterly, completely demolished.

    But this time¡­ it was different. The energy flowed easier through me, responding to my focus with far less resistance. The sharp pangs of pain didn¡¯t stack up as aggressively, and every time Thea knocked me flat on my back, I could feel the oil-like world energy fusing into my internal strength. Sure, a good chunk of it still slipped away like sand through my fingers, but more stayed than before.

    When I finally collapsed onto the cold stone floor for the last time, bruised, battered, and utterly spent, Thea plopped down beside me.

    ¡°I think we¡¯re both done here. At least, I am,¡± I said, rubbing my sore ribs and squinting at a bruise already forming on my arm.

    Thea stretched her arms behind her head and sighed, her smile as smug as ever.

    ¡°You know,¡± I said, tilting my head toward her, ¡°we¡¯ve just invented¡ªat least as far as we know¡ªa completely new system of cultivation. And yet, we forgot the most important part.¡±

    She quirked an eyebrow, leaning her head against her hand. ¡°Oh? And what¡¯s that?¡±

    I grinned, despite the dull ache in my jaw. ¡°The name, obviously.¡±

    Thea¡¯s lips twitched, and she bumped her shoulder into mine lightly. ¡°You have a point. Hmm¡­¡± She furrowed her brow, her expression growing serious. ¡°What about¡­ Spiritual Reservoir Formation? Your ¡®Body Refinement¡¯ sounds cool, but let¡¯s be honest¡ªwe¡¯re nowhere near that level yet.¡±

    I let out a mock gasp. ¡°I was thinking Checkpoint Pool System! But fine, yours is¡­ adequate, I suppose.¡±

    She gave me a pity laugh¡ªjust a single, breathy ha¡ªand rolled her eyes. ¡°Alright, Spiritual Reservoir Formation it is.¡±

    It felt¡­ right. The name carried a sense of purpose, of direction. Like the first brushstroke on a blank canvas. But before I could bask in the glow of our tiny accomplishment, the sharp blare of a horn shattered the moment.

    ¡°Gather back!¡± the commander¡¯s voice roared from somewhere behind us.

    I winced and scrambled to my feet, Thea already pulling herself up with far more grace. Slowly but surely, recruits emerged from every corner of the camp, dragging their feet and clutching whatever pitiful food hauls they¡¯d managed to scrounge up. The sun hung directly overhead, beating down on us like it had a personal grudge.

    One by one, recruits stepped forward to present their findings. Some held bundles of berries, others had small critters they¡¯d managed to trap, and one kid had an armful of what suspiciously looked like tree bark. Anyone who had eaten their haul¡ªlike Thea and I¡ªwas assigned survival lessons the next day. Everyone else would continue their usual scavenging routine.

    The instructor finally stepped forward, his voice carrying across the clearing with the weight of absolute authority.

    ¡°Now, we will head to the Hall of Heroes. There, you will be taught how to structure the rest of your day. Every morning at sunrise, you are expected to report to the tents. If you fail to do so, there will be punishment. At noon, you will proceed to the Hall.¡±

    I was already half-smiling, ready to follow along at a leisurely pace when the dreaded words reached my ears.

    ¡°Keep up!¡±

    Oh no.

    ¡°No,¡± I whispered under my breath, a prayer to whatever cosmic forces were listening. ¡°Not again.¡±

    Beside me, Thea groaned softly and then clapped me on the shoulder with all the sympathy of someone watching a puppy try to climb stairs. ¡°Come on, Peter. You¡¯re stronger now, remember? And¡ªplease¡ªuse your inner strength this time.¡±If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    She was right, though. The run was easier. Only a bit¡ªbut I¡¯d take every tiny victory I could get.

    Unfortunately, ¡°easier¡± didn¡¯t mean ¡°shorter.¡± The route dragged on just as long as before, and when we passed the familiar cube-shaped building that led into the underground tunnels, I instinctively started to slow down, assuming we were finally done.

    Nope.

    Thea grabbed my arm and yanked me forward with the strength of someone who clearly still had energy reserves. ¡°Not yet, Peter. He¡¯s still moving!¡±

    The commander, who seemed forged from iron and pure spite, didn¡¯t even glance back as he jogged past the stone structure and continued onward.

    Eventually, after what felt like an eternity (and roughly six internal monologues about the futility of cardio), I spotted something in the distance¡ªa colossal circular building rising from the landscape like some ancient titan had decided to drop their crown into the middle of the camp.

    It looked¡­ familiar. Like a postcard come to life. Massive stone archways framed its circular shape, wide entrances gaping open like the jaws of some stone beast. I¡¯d never seen the Colosseum in person, but I¡¯d seen plenty of photos. And this? This was definitely inspired by that.

    Other groups were arriving too, streaming toward the enormous entrance in messy lines¡ªmages with faint flickers of light at their fingertips, warriors clanking in mismatched armor, and healers huddled together like a nervous flock of birds.

    Our group slowed to a halt beside the healers, and I took a moment to gulp down air and clutch a stitch in my side. My stomach felt like it was tying itself into a balloon animal.

    A familiar voice rang out, sharp and commanding. The knight from yesterday strode into view, his armor, replacing his training outfit, gleaming faintly in the sunlight, his presence radiating authority.

    ¡°Welcome to your real training!¡± he boomed, his voice reverberating off the stone walls of the structure. ¡°Here, you will take on challenges¡ªagainst beasts and each other. This place contains facilities and resources that will push you to your limits and force you to grow stronger.¡±

    I perked up slightly. Challenges? Resources? This actually sounded kind of cool. Maybe I¡¯d misjudged the vibe here. Training coliseum, rewards, battles¡­ this might actually be¡ª

    ¡°However,¡± the knight continued, his sharp gaze sweeping across the crowd, ¡°resources are limited. Especially the best ones.¡±

    Ah, there it was. The catch. I should¡¯ve known.

    He reached into a pouch at his side and pulled out a smooth, glowing white orb. Inside, faint green numbers shimmered¡ª100, clear as day.

    ¡°You will purchase resources using these. Each of you will start with one hundred points. They can be earned through proof that you are worth raising.¡±

    Oh no. A caste system. Based on merit. And power. In a world where everyone else had a system. Except me.

    Fantastic.

    The knight continued, his voice sharp and unyielding, carrying across the gathered recruits with commanding authority. ¡°Challenges between recruits can be issued at a cost of ten points each¡ªthe winner takes all. Outside of these personal duels, you will participate in one official battle every day. These daily battles cost no points. Win, and your ranking will rise while earning you additional points. Lose, and your ranking will fall. As for beast challenges, each attempt will cost twenty points, with twenty-five rewarded upon victory. However, you may only face a beast four times per month.¡±

    He paused, letting that sink in. Around me, murmurs rippled through the crowd. The mages exchanged knowing glances, the warriors grinned at the thought of a fight, and the healers¡­ well, they mostly just looked stressed. Same, honestly.

    ¡°Lastly,¡± the knight added, raising one armored finger for emphasis, ¡°at the start of each month, every recruit will receive one hundred points. Within these walls, you will learn more about how to spend them. And as you rise through the ranks, special privileges will be granted.¡±

    The way he said special privileges carried a weight that felt just shy of ominous. What kind of privileges? Extra food rations? Private rooms? The ability to skip running day? (Please let it be that last one.)

    The knight stepped back, folding his hands behind his back in a way that made his armor creak slightly. ¡°Inside, you¡¯ll find the information you need.¡±

    The colossal archway of the Hall of Heroes loomed ahead, sunlight glinting off its ancient stone carvings. But before we could cross into that overwhelming world of noise and energy, our instructor planted himself firmly in front of the group, his sharp gaze cutting across us like a knife through butter.

    ¡°Before you enter, each of you will receive this.¡± He reached into a pouch strapped to his side and withdrew a handful of small, smooth white orbs, each faintly glowing with a number etched inside¡ª100.

    ¡°These are your point orbs,¡± he said, his voice low but carrying over the murmurs of the recruits. ¡°They are bound to you as soon as you touch them. If you lose them, you lose your points. If they break, you lose everything. Treat them as if they are your life¡ªbecause here, they might as well be.¡±

    One by one, he handed out the orbs. When it was my turn, the cool surface of the smooth white sphere sent a shiver through my palm. The faint glow of the green 100 felt almost mocking.

    ¡°Points will allow you to grow here,¡± he continued. ¡°Spend them wisely. Hoard them if you must. Earn them, challenge others, fight beasts. Or lose them¡ªand fall behind.¡±

    With that, he stepped aside, his broad figure no longer blocking the grand entrance. The group shuffled forward cautiously, and Thea and I followed, our orbs clutched tightly in our hands.

    The second we crossed the threshold into the Hall of Heroes, the sheer scale of the place hit me like a hammer to the chest.

    The air buzzed with life¡ªshouts, cheers, the sharp ring of steel against steel, and the faint crackle of magic. Everything echoed off the towering stone walls, turning the coliseum into a massive, chaotic symphony of energy and ambition.

    But before I could fully take in the chaos, something caught my eye.

    To the left of the entrance stood an enormous glowing board mounted on the wall. Names¡ªat least, I assumed they were names¡ªwere etched in brilliant gold against a dark surface, each paired with a glowing green number. The numbers pulsed faintly, as if alive.

    At the very top of the list, one number practically screamed at me: 1.

    Was it a ranking?

    I squinted at the name beside it, trying to make sense of the swirling script. It looked vaguely familiar, like something I might¡¯ve seen in the cultivation book or plant textbook.

    ¡°Do you recognize any of these names?¡± I asked Thea, nudging her gently with my elbow.

    She tilted her head, her sharp storm-gray eyes scanning the board. ¡°No¡­

    The Hall of Heroes wasn¡¯t just one arena; it was an entire city packed into a massive stone coliseum. Grand archways opened into separate wings, each alive with distinct activity. Above, colorful banners fluttered from balconies, marked with symbols I couldn¡¯t read. Sunlight streamed in through high, narrow windows, casting golden beams across the polished stone floors.

    To our left, market stalls lined a wide corridor. Wooden carts overflowed with weapons¡ªgleaming swords, curved daggers, and massive war axes displayed like trophies. Shelves sagged under the weight of ancient books, their leather bindings cracked and runes faintly glowing. Potions bubbled in glass vials, and powders shimmered in small silk pouches.

    Merchants barked out their deals: ¡°Blades sharper than dragon¡¯s teeth!¡± ¡°Mana potions! Stamina elixirs!¡± ¡°Rare spellbooks¡ªonly ten points!¡±

    Thea¡¯s eyes lit up as she took in the stalls. ¡°It¡¯s like a treasure vault.¡±

    I nodded mutely, my gaze snagging on a merchant displaying enchanted orbs that sparked faintly with lightning. Behind him, racks of armor glimmered faintly, each piece marked with intricate runes.

    To our right, another massive wing crackled with magic. Sparks flashed in mid-air as recruits hurled spells at dummies made of obsidian. Fire bloomed in roaring pillars, ice shards hung suspended in mid-air, and gusts of wind howled through narrow stone channels.

    A mage floated a glowing orb of water above his head, reshaping it into delicate spirals. A small crowd watched in silent awe.

    ¡°Whoa,¡± I breathed.

    But nothing compared to the central arena.

    Before us stretched a massive, multi-tiered amphitheater filled with dozens of battle platforms. Each was surrounded by shimmering barriers of pale light. Some hosted brutal duels between armored warriors, their swords clashing in rapid exchanges. Others had mages firing off blinding spells, their robes whipping around them like banners in a storm.

    On one distant platform, a recruit squared off against a beast¡ªa creature with claws like scythes and horns that could skewer a truck. The recruit dodged, spear flashing in their hands, while the beast roared loud enough to rattle my teeth.

    Above the platforms, floating screens displayed glowing numbers and unfamiliar names¡ªreal-time updates on scores, winners, and ranks.

    Maybe this place wasn¡¯t so medieval, or maybe the screens worked off magic, but it was incredible either way.

    Thea let out a long, slow breath. ¡°Peter¡­ this place is unbelievable.¡±

    I could only nod. ¡°It¡¯s like¡­ like someone built a theme park for gladiators. With a side of magical chaos.¡±

    We continued walking, weaving through the packed crowd. Everywhere we turned, there was something to see¡ªsparring recruits, intense instructors shouting corrections, merchants flaunting their wares, and even tiny restaurants tucked into archways, their chalkboard menus offering things like "Warrior¡¯s Stew" and "Mana-Boosting Tea."

    ¡°Look!¡± Thea said, nudging me and pointing at a training platform. Two fighters¡ªa swordsman with a greatsword and a rogue with twin daggers¡ªmoved in perfect rhythm, their weapons flashing like silver lightning.

    My stomach twisted slightly. These people weren¡¯t just strong¡ªthey were skilled. They moved with precision, confidence, and an ease that screamed experience.

    I glanced down at the glowing orb in my hand. 100 points. A drop in an ocean.

    ¡°Come on,¡± Thea said softly, her voice steady despite the chaos. ¡°We¡¯ve got a lot to figure out.¡±

    As we stepped forward, deeper into the Hall of Heroes, the noise, the light, and the sheer weight of the place pressed down on me.

    But somewhere, deep in my chest¡ªjust above my energy reservoir¡ªI felt something stir.

    Excitement.

 Chapter 6: Paths Unfolding

    There was a desk in front of us with letters written above it¡ªletters I still couldn¡¯t read. Honestly, I was just thankful I could speak the language here. Small victories, right?

    Before I could squint at the incomprehensible script any longer, Thea grabbed my arm. ¡°Come on, we can sign up for matches later. Let¡¯s check out the bookstores.¡±

    And just like that, I was being dragged through the bustling market stalls. Merchants shouted over each other, their wares stacked high on makeshift counters. Bottles of glowing potions rattled against each other, herbs tied into bundles swung in the air, and the metallic glint of weapons peeked out from wooden crates.

    The smell hit me next. Oh, the smell. Warm, savory, cooked food drifted toward me like a divine messenger. My stomach let out a growl so loud I was surprised no one turned to look.

    ¡°Thea?¡± I croaked out, my voice trembling with the weight of hunger.

    ¡°Yeah?¡± she replied without slowing down.

    ¡°Food,¡± I gasped, trying not to let my mouth flood with drool. ¡°Let¡¯s check it out first.¡±

    She paused mid-step, sniffed the air, and her stern expression softened. ¡°Yeah, okay. But we¡¯re just looking. Who knows how many points it¡¯ll cost?¡±

    We followed the scent into what I could only describe as a medieval canteen carved into the stone wall. Long wooden tables stretched across the dimly lit space, packed with teenagers laughing and eating with loud abandon. Skewers of sizzling meat filled the air with smoke and spice, and mugs overflowed with frothy liquid, leaking onto stained tablecloths.

    Honestly, it smelled like paradise.

    At the front, behind a rough wooden counter slick with liquid of some sort, stood an older man. His scraggly gray hair framed a face lined with age, but his bright, sharp eyes carried a lively glint. He didn¡¯t look like a recruit. No, this was someone who had worked here for years, serving hungry trainees day in and day out.

    Before we reached the counter, a sudden thought struck me. I stopped Thea with a hand on her shoulder.

    ¡°Thea¡­ if we¡¯re conscripted into the military, how long do we have to serve?¡±

    She didn¡¯t glance back, her answer coming quick and sharp. ¡°Three years. After that, we¡¯re citizens. Free to go off on our own.¡±

    Three years. Somehow, that number felt both short and impossibly long.

    We stepped up to the counter, and Thea leaned on it with an air of casual confidence that I could never hope to replicate. ¡°How much for your cheapest meal?¡±

    The old man looked up, his grin wide and toothy beneath his tangled hair. ¡°Just ten points for a skewer of Carapace Hound Meat!¡±

    The words sunk in slowly. Carapace Hound. My mind flashed to that armored six-legged nightmare from the forest with enough teeth to stock a dentist¡¯s office.

    But¡­ I was hungry. Too hungry to care.

    I turned to Thea, activating my deadliest technique: Puppy Eyes Level 10.

    Her face twisted like she¡¯d swallowed something sour. ¡°Ugh, stop looking at me like that.¡±

    But a smile twitched at the corner of her lips, and she sighed. ¡°Alright. One skewer.¡±

    We both held up our glowing point orbs. The old man plucked a larger skewer from behind the counter, our orbs flashed, and our bright green numbers flickered¡ª100 dropping down to 95.

    ¡°Here you are, enjoy!¡± he said cheerfully, passing over the skewer.

    Thea handed it to me with an amused smirk. ¡°Here. You take the first bite.¡±

    Six cubes of grilled meat glistened on the skewer, each one slightly charred around the edges. I didn¡¯t hesitate. I popped the first piece into my mouth and¡­ oh.

    Oh.

    The meat was tough, stringy, and clearly from a creature built more for survival than culinary delight. But to me? It was perfection. Savory, smoky, and real food. I let out an involuntary groan of pleasure.

    Thea¡¯s eyebrow twitched upward, and without warning, she snatched the skewer back and bit into a cube herself. Her expression went through at least five stages of emotion¡ªsuspicion, surprise, joy, regret, and finally¡­ something close to bliss.

    We shuffled over to an empty spot near the wall and slumped down, passing the skewer back and forth until every last bite was gone.

    When the final cube disappeared, we just sat there, backs against the cool stone wall, staring at each other with matching wide-eyed expressions.

    And then we broke into laughter. Loud, unrestrained, ridiculous laughter that echoed through the canteen.

    Maybe it was the exhaustion. Maybe it was the bizarre reality of eating grilled alien dog meat in a medieval cafeteria. Or maybe it was just the simple joy of having something¡ªanything¡ªto eat.

    Whatever it was, for that brief moment, everything felt¡­ okay.

    And honestly? That skewer of Carapace Hound Meat might as well have been a feast fit for kings.

    ¡°Alright, thanks. Now we can head to a bookstore and look for cultivation information,¡± I said, pushing myself up and dusting off my pants.

    Thea nodded, and we started walking at a more casual pace this time¡ªno more weaving through crowds like caffeinated squirrels. The chaos of the Hall of Heroes buzzed around us, but we stayed focused, navigating through narrow alleys and past noisy vendors until we reached a store tucked beneath a carved stone archway.

    The sign above the door was written in the same swirling script I still couldn¡¯t read, but the rows of books visible through the wide glass windows made it clear enough: bookstore. And not a tiny one either. Shelves packed with leather-bound tomes and stacks of paperback books stretched up to the ceiling. Hundreds of them.

    Honestly, the sheer volume of knowledge here made the world feel a little less medieval and a little more¡­ well, modern. Or at least functional.

    Thea walked in first, her boots clicking softly against the wooden floor as she approached the counter. Behind it sat an attendant¡ªprobably in her late twenties¡ªwith her nose buried in a thick book. Her messy black hair partially covered her face, and her bored expression said she¡¯d rather be anywhere else.

    ¡°Are there any books about cultivation?¡± Thea asked, her tone sharp and businesslike. ¡°Core formation and the basics?¡±

    The attendant didn¡¯t even glance up from her reading. ¡°Sure, but no one in any store is gonna let you browse, including this one.¡±

    Her voice was flat, her tone drenched in the kind of boredom usually reserved for teenagers forced to work weekends.

    I stepped up beside Thea, irritation seeping into my voice despite my best efforts. ¡°Alright, how much then?¡±

    ¡°Fifty points for the basics, eighty for the core formation book,¡± she said bluntly, still not looking up.

    I clenched my jaw but managed to keep my voice even. ¡°Right.¡±

    I turned to Thea, lowering my voice so the attendant couldn¡¯t hear. ¡°The basics might have some information other than what we know, but it might just be stuff we¡¯ve already seen in the training room book. If we¡¯re spending points, we should make it count.¡±

    Thea frowned, her brows pulling together as she mulled over the options. She didn¡¯t like wasting resources any more than I did, and with only 100 points per month and beast fights capped at four per month, every choice felt like a gamble.

    Before she could speak, I raised a hand. ¡°Let¡¯s get one. We need information if we¡¯re going to refine our new methods. We can¡¯t afford to stumble blindly.¡±

    She gave me a small, thoughtful smile¡ªthe kind that said she¡¯d been thinking the same thing but just needed to hear it out loud. ¡°Yeah, okay. Then let¡¯s go with Core Formation. Back home, I never saw much past gathering enough inner strength to form a core in the basics. I really do think we¡¯re already on our own path here.¡±The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    I nodded. She was right. Whatever weird system (or lack thereof) I was working with, we needed as much information as possible to keep moving forward.

    Together, we held up our glowing point orbs. The attendant finally¡ªfinally¡ªlooked up long enough to pluck a heavy, leather-bound book from behind the counter and hand it to Thea. The faint green numbers in our orbs flickered and dropped from 95 to 55.

    Thea hugged the book close to her chest like it was a sacred artifact. I couldn¡¯t blame her¡ª80 points was no joke.

    ¡°Thanks,¡± I said dryly to the attendant.

    ¡°Mmhm,¡± she replied, already back to reading her own book.

    We turned and walked out of the shop, the heavy tome in Thea¡¯s arms and the weight of our diminishing points sitting heavy in my gut.

    ¡°Well,¡± I said with a weak grin, ¡°let¡¯s hope this thing has the answers we need. Otherwise, we just bought the world¡¯s most expensive doorstop.¡±

    Thea snorted, hugging the book tighter. ¡°Then let¡¯s make sure it¡¯s worth every point.¡±

    We began walking again, weaving through the bustling chaos of the Hall of Heroes. At one point, we passed what looked like a makeshift clinic. Rows of thin sheets were laid out on the stone floor, each one occupied by someone injured¡ªbruises, bandages, and pale faces everywhere. A group of teenagers, most wearing light robes with faintly glowing runes stitched into the fabric, moved between the patients, hands glowing softly as they worked.

    Healers, I guessed.

    It struck me then¡ªthis was probably how they earned points. Not through fights, not through beast hunts, but through healing.

    ¡°Maybe there are other ways we can earn points, Thea,¡± I said, watching one healer press a glowing hand against a nasty-looking wound.

    Thea glanced up briefly from the heavy tome in her arms before looking back down, her attention clearly split. She stepped closer to me, using me as an impromptu shield against colliding with the crowd. ¡°What could we possibly have to offer that people would want?¡±

    ¡°Cultivation lessons?¡± I suggested, completely serious.

    She stopped in her tracks and stared at me like I¡¯d just suggested starting a circus with trained squirrels.

    ¡°Hear me out!¡± I continued. ¡°If we actually succeed in developing Spiritual Reservoir Formation¡ªthen progress to a body refining technique that gives a permanent boost to stats¡ªwouldn¡¯t people be interested? It could make cultivation more appealing. More accessible.¡±

    Thea¡¯s brow furrowed as she considered it. Cultivation, as she¡¯d explained before, was common at the start but became exponentially harder to maintain. It required an intense focus and a constant supply of resources. I now knew firsthand that while it was one thing to circulate energy calmly during meditation, it was something entirely different to maintain that circulation in the chaos of combat. And once you stopped focusing, the energy simply drifted back to its gathering point, doing absolutely nothing until you focused again.

    ¡°I mean, Spiritual Reservoir Formation already seems like a huge step forward,¡± I continued. ¡°It makes energy way more accessible. I¡¯m not constantly having to will it to my hands and feet¡ªit¡¯s already closer, like it¡¯s waiting for me to call on it.¡±

    Thea raised a hand, stopping me mid-ramble. ¡°I get it. And you¡¯re not wrong. But let¡¯s make sure we actually have something first. It¡¯s already going to be hard enough convincing people to focus on cultivation instead of just relying on their systems. If all we have are theories¡­¡± She trailed off, letting the weight of that hang in the air.

    She was right. I was getting ahead of myself, letting my imagination leapfrog over the realities in front of me. The clinic, the rows of injured people, the looming threat of fights¡ªall of it had wormed its way into my head. But still¡­ I had no choice. We had no choice. If we wanted to survive, I had to get stronger¡ªtogether with Thea.

    ¡°Maybe we can rent a training room for cheap,¡± I said after a pause. ¡°Just somewhere quiet where we can cultivate without distractions.¡±

    She nodded thoughtfully, but I wasn¡¯t finished.

    ¡°Oh! Also¡ªI noticed something when I was forming my reservoir earlier,¡± I said, excitement bubbling into my voice. ¡°I was able to use world energy, not just my own inner strength. It let me cultivate for way longer without feeling like I was about to, you know, explode. First, I gathered enough energy in my focus point, and then I transferred the overflow into the reservoir.¡±

    Thea¡¯s storm-gray eyes lit up, her face breaking into a wide smile. ¡°I can¡¯t believe I didn¡¯t think of that!¡±

    I chuckled softly at her enthusiasm. ¡°Well, you¡¯ve got way more inner strength than me. You¡¯re close to core formation, and you¡¯ve been focused on refining your own energy this whole time. You weren¡¯t as focused on gathering world energy as I was.¡±

    She rolled her eyes but didn¡¯t lose her grin. ¡°Yeah, yeah. Fair point.¡±

    We continued walking, the tension between us easing into something lighter. For all the uncertainty, all the looming challenges ahead, moments like these reminded me why we made such a good team.

    We weren¡¯t just trying to survive anymore.

    We were trying to thrive.

    We found ourselves back in a familiar hallway lined with training rooms. Through glass windows, we could see people firing spells at stationary dummies and swinging weapons in controlled arcs. The faint hum of magic and muffled shouts seeped through the walls.

    At the front desk sat an attendant¡ªmid-to-late twenties, maybe¡ªwearing the same tired expression as everyone else who worked in this place.

    I stepped forward, clearing my throat. ¡°Can we get a practice room?¡±

    For once, someone actually responded without an air of complete disinterest. The attendant straightened slightly and spoke with something close to professionalism. ¡°What type? We¡¯ve got basic, intermediate, and advanced. And how long?¡±

    ¡°Um¡­¡± I stammered, caught off guard by the sudden barrage of options.

    Thea stepped in smoothly. ¡°Which one is quiet? And what¡¯s the cost per hour?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re all quiet,¡± he replied flatly. ¡°But the basic rooms have no practice dummies, clear windows, and no system assistance. That means no damage numbers, no feedback on technique¡ªjust a quiet space for training. Ten points per hour¡­ plus five more if you¡¯re sharing.¡±

    It made sense. If everyone could share rooms endlessly, resource management would fall apart, and privacy during training would become nonexistent. Plus, I could only imagine how competitive people here were about their stats and techniques.

    Thea nodded, taking over again. ¡°Alright. One hour. Two people. Basic room.¡±

    We held up our orbs, and the numbers ticked down¡ªThea¡¯s glowing 50 and mine glowing 45. The attendant handed us an old brass key, his tired eyes narrowing slightly.

    He gave us a key, ¡°No fooling around you two, remember, there¡¯s a window,¡± he called out as we walked away.

    ¡°Weirdo,¡± I muttered as we walked away, earning an agreeable nod from Thea.

    ¡°Room forty-two¡­ here we are,¡± Thea said as we stopped in front of a glass-paneled door.

    Inside, the room was¡­ well, plain. Just four stone walls, a smooth floor, and a faintly glowing rune in each corner. But when the door closed behind us, the silence was absolute. It was almost unnerving how well the room was soundproofed.

    ¡°For the sake of every mage¡¯s eardrums, I hope they sell earplugs around here,¡± I muttered. ¡°Because one magical fireball in this confined space and someone¡¯s going deaf.¡±

    Thea snorted but didn¡¯t reply as she carefully set our heavy cultivation book on the floor and sat cross-legged. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s continue with the Spiritual Reservoir Formation method,¡± she said, her voice carrying a mix of pride and excitement, like she was savoring every word of a technique she could finally call her own.

    I mirrored her position and nodded. ¡°We could try making multiple at once, but I still need to solidify my first one.¡±

    Thea frowned slightly, considering. ¡°We could, but spreading our focus might weaken the foundation. If we form them all poorly, it¡¯ll hold us back later. It¡¯s better to focus on one, make it as solid as possible, then move on.¡±

    She was right.

    ¡°Yeah, solid foundation first,¡± I agreed. ¡°The thicker we can make the reservoir veins, the more energy will be readily available. And if we can pull it off¡­ the better we¡¯ll be at refining our bodies overall.¡±

    With a mutual nod of understanding, we both closed our eyes, sinking into silence and focusing inward.

    I felt the faint hum of energy around me¡ªthe world¡¯s essence brushing against my skin like a faint breeze. I drew it inward, focusing on my core, letting it pool in that familiar gathering point above my stomach. The sensation was warm, but as it grew heavier, nausea crept in.

    Carefully, I channeled the excess energy upward into the reservoir in my chest.

    The web-like threads began to expand, branching out toward my shoulders and collarbone, glowing faintly in my mind¡¯s eye. The reservoir felt fragile at first¡ªlike a glass sculpture under pressure¡ªbut as I concentrated, something clicked.

    The energy stabilized. The web locked into place.

    The excess world energy no longer leaked away; instead, it traveled back down into my focus point, ready to circulate again. And even better¡ªa portion of my inner strength stayed in the reservoir, ready to be called upon at a moment¡¯s notice.

    When I opened my eyes, Thea was already staring at me with the wildest grin I¡¯d ever seen on her face. Her excitement lit up the room.

    I braced myself.

    ¡°Spar?¡±

    I let out a groan as I pushed myself to my feet. ¡°I think I succeeded. Something¡¯s¡­ different. Like it clicked into place. The reservoir feels complete¡ªor as complete as I can make it right now.¡±

    Thea practically exploded with energy, her smile infectious. ¡°I know! Same! I think we actually did it. Our own method. And once we get our systems, we¡¯ll be stronger than everyone else!¡±

    I couldn¡¯t help but smile too, though there was a pang of bittersweetness in my chest. She¡¯d get her system. I wouldn¡¯t.

    But that was a problem for another day.

    Thea took a fighting stance, her grin turning sharp. ¡°Alright. Now we refine it. I think we should stick with the same path¡ªmake sure there aren¡¯t any issues before branching out.¡±

    She lunged at me, her energy moving smoothly through her body, faster than before. I was thrown down so fast my head spun.

    ¡°Ugh. Yep,¡± I groaned, pulling myself upright. ¡°I agree. The next question is: where do we form the next reservoir? Around our core focus point to make diffusion easier? Or do we focus on the arms or head for battle prowess?¡±

    I lunged toward her in an attempt to tackle, but Thea sidestepped with frustrating ease, her hand swiping out to grab me. This time, though, I actually managed to dodge.

    Her eyes widened slightly, impressed.

    ¡°I think,¡± she panted, dodging another clumsy tackle, ¡°we should focus on battle prowess. We need to win fights for points.¡±

    ¡°Arms it is,¡± I replied, grinning as we both paused to catch our breath.

    Eventually, we collapsed onto the cold stone floor, panting heavily, sweat dripping from our brows.

    ¡°You¡¯re getting much better, Peter,¡± Thea gasped, wiping her forehead.

    ¡°Only thanks to Grandmaster Thea,¡± I replied with mock reverence, earning a breathless laugh from her.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you forget it.¡±

    Her laughter echoed warmly through the quiet room, cutting through the exhaustion hanging heavy in the air.

    And as we sat back and began circulating our energy, consolidating the reservoirs we¡¯d worked so hard to form, one thought settled firmly in my mind:

    We were actually doing it.

    Step by step, reservoir by reservoir, we were carving our own path forward.

    And nothing¡ªnot systems, not beasts, not arbitrary point systems¡ªwas going to stop us.

 Chapter 7: Strength Without a System

    Thankfully, unlike the endless cultivation sessions I¡¯d read about in web novels back home, our training didn¡¯t take hours¡ªor days¡ªfor a single breakthrough. At least, not at our current level.

    After our first session, sparring match, and a bit of energy consolidation, I had the vague sense that only about half our time had passed.

    ¡°Should we start on the second reservoir? I think our right shoulder would be a good spot. It¡¯ll connect naturally to the chest reservoir and branch out toward our hands. Then, our third can be centered on the hands themselves,¡± I suggested.

    ¡°Yeah, that sounds like a great plan. Let¡¯s begin!¡± Thea replied, her voice carrying that same gleeful spark she always got when cultivation was involved. Total cultivation nerd.

    We settled back into our positions, closing our eyes and sinking into focus. Just like before, I began drawing in world energy, guiding it to my main channel first, letting it build and saturate until nausea started to creep in. Then, carefully, I directed the excess upward, weaving it into a new web-like reservoir in my shoulders.

    The process felt smoother this time¡ªlike my body was slowly getting used to it. But I could tell this shoulder reservoir wasn¡¯t fully stable yet. Another session would be needed to solidify it properly.

    I opened my eyes, finding Thea already staring back at me with a satisfied grin.

    Neither of us said a word¡ªwe both knew what came next. With a heavy sigh, I pushed myself up and fell into a sparring stance once again.

    By the time we collapsed back onto the floor, chests heaving and muscles aching, the sharp crackle of a voice echoed from a hidden speaker above.

    "Time¡¯s up. Leave now or you will be charged for another session."

    ¡°I guess we should go register for battle,¡± I said between breaths, pushing myself upright. ¡°I can¡¯t imagine skipping registration ends in anything good.¡±

    Thea nodded, and we trudged back to the front desk to return our key.

    We made our way back to the Hall''s entrance, weaving through the ever-present crowd of recruits and vendors. At the far end of the grand archway, another desk stood, the one Thea identified as registration earlier, was tucked under a stone alcove. Behind it sat yet another tired-looking attendant, her posture slouched and her expression utterly uninterested in life itself.

    Her hand was already outstretched as we approached. ¡°Orbs?¡±

    We handed over our glowing point orbs. The faint green numbers flickered softly from our earlier transactions.

    ¡°Names?¡± she asked, her eyes still glued to the glowing interface in front of her.

    ¡°Peter.¡±

    ¡°Thea.¡±

    She tapped something on her desk with mechanical precision, her fingers dancing across the glowing symbols. After a brief pause, she handed our orbs back. A faint shimmer passed across their smooth surfaces as if sealing some unseen agreement.

    New information glowed faintly in green lettering across the surface of both orbs.

    Unfortunately¡­ I couldn¡¯t read any of it.

    I leaned slightly closer to Thea, keeping my voice low like we were hatching some grand conspiracy. ¡°Thea?¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡± she replied, squinting at her orb with sharp focus.

    ¡°Teach me how to read. Please.¡±

    She glanced up at me, her mouth already forming what I could only assume was going to be a sharp-witted, sarcasm-drenched retort.

    But before she could unleash it, the attendant¡¯s voice cut through the space between us.

    ¡°Wait for your names to be called. It shouldn¡¯t take long.¡±

    We both fell silent, stepping aside to make room for the next pair of recruits.

    Around us, names were called one by one, each followed by the soft shuffle of boots and murmured conversations.

    I turned my orb over in my palm, its green letters glowing faintly in the dim light. It felt heavier somehow, like it carried more than just numbers and letters¡ªit carried expectation. Somewhere within these unreadable symbols was the next step, the next challenge.

    And whatever it was¡­ it was coming.

    ¡°So¡ª?¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Thea asked, confused. ¡°Oh, right. Um, sure, I can teach you. But we¡¯ve only got a few books to practice with, and they¡¯re all about cultivation and plants. Not exactly packed with daily conversation material.¡±

    ¡°How about just the characters first?¡± I suggested with a laugh. ¡°I just need to know the sounds. I think I can pick it up pretty quickly that way.¡±

    At least, I hoped they were phonetic symbols and not some overly complicated pictograms that could represent entire words¡ªor worse, entire concepts.

    Before we could talk more, a sharp voice crackled through a speaker above us, echoing across the hall.

    "Peter!"

    My heart practically punched me in the ribs. But before panic could fully settle in, a firm hand landed on my shoulder.

    ¡°You got this,¡± Thea said softly, her storm-gray eyes steady and reassuring.

    I managed a nervous smile, took a deep breath, and walked up to the front desk.

    The attendant looked me over and raised an unimpressed eyebrow. ¡°Good, you didn¡¯t run away. Happens more and more these days. Honestly, I still think opening the arena to spectators was a mistake.¡±

    She gestured vaguely to an opening behind her, an indent in the stone wall that looked suspiciously like a doorway. ¡°Through there.¡±

    I stepped into the narrow space, and before I could so much as adjust my stance, the floor jolted beneath me. A stone wall slammed shut behind me, and then¡ªI shot upward.

    The world blurred around me, and my feet scrambled for balance on the smooth stone floor. My stomach tried to stay three feet below me, and I was pretty sure I let out an embarrassingly high-pitched noise at least once.

    Just as abruptly as it started, the elevator slammed to a halt. I stumbled forward, catching myself against the wall. A moment later, the stone door in front of me slid open with a faint grind.

    I stepped out into the center of the massive coliseum-like Hall of Heroes.

    The noise hit me first¡ªa chaotic storm of shouting, clashing steel, and bursts of magical energy. Battles raged all around me in smaller arenas, recruits clashing in duels while floating numbers and glowing ranks hovered over their heads.

    I instinctively tried to spot Thea in the crowd, but it was hopeless. There was just too much happening.

    A booming voice echoed from above, projected by some unseen magical force.

    "Present Systems!"

    Across from me, a guy who looked about my age stepped forward. He raised his head confidently and shouted, ¡°System!¡±

    ¡°Confirmed: Warrior Class. Blessing: Clubist. Waiting for opponent.¡±

    The glowing words shimmered into existence above him.

    Right. That was my cue. Embarrassed and feeling incredibly out of place, I mumbled the word under my breath.

    ¡°System.¡±

    The air around me crackled faintly.

    ¡°Confirmed: Late Bloomer.¡±

    The words rang out like a bell tolling doom.

    The guy across from me visibly relaxed and then¡ªcheered up. He was nervous before, but now? Now he looked like he was about to have a nice afternoon stroll.

    The voice overhead continued, unfazed by my existential dread.

    "When an opponent cannot continue, the fight will end. Killing the opponent will result in punishment."

    Wait¡­ punishment? That didn¡¯t sound nearly serious enough. Shouldn¡¯t there be something like ¡®severe consequences¡¯ or ¡®eternal imprisonment¡¯? My heart thundered in my chest again.

    "If you would like, shout ''surrender'' to forfeit the match. However, doing so will cost you five points. If you have no points, you cannot surrender."

    This system was ridiculous. I thought back to my earlier assumptions. The fact that the guy across from me looked so visibly relieved meant he probably wasn¡¯t planning to actually kill me.The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

    But still. Fighting until one of us couldn¡¯t continue? How did the arena decide what counted as ¡®cannot continue¡¯? Was it based on blood loss? Unconsciousness? Emotional damage?

    Before I could spiral further into panicked theories, my opponent pulled out a heavy, wicked-looking metal club.

    A weapon.

    A real weapon.

    Something I had completely forgotten about in my wild overthinking.

    The voice thundered overhead again.

    "Begin!"

    My opponent charged.

    Although still panicked, I forced myself to focus. After all, that club didn¡¯t exactly look like it was painted to resemble metal¡ªit was metal. Heavy, unforgiving metal.

    I pulled energy from my chest reservoir, letting it flow lightly into my shoulders and arms. My legs, though¡ªthey felt distant, unresponsive. Circulating energy into them felt like trying to thread a needle during an earthquake. The reservoirs we¡¯d built had become too good as shortcuts. Without one in my legs, I couldn¡¯t guide energy there properly.

    No time to fix that now.

    The warrior lifted his club high above his head, the metal glinting faintly under the arena lights. I dove backward just as it came crashing down.

    BOOM.

    The impact shook the ground, leaving behind a jagged dirt crater. The cracked earth around the impact looked like someone had tried¡ªand failed¡ªto grow a miniature forest with dynamite.

    He didn¡¯t stop. With me on the retreat, he charged again. This time, his swing came with less force but far more speed. And unlike the first time¡ªit hit.

    The moment the club collided with my side, it felt like I¡¯d been struck by a freight train barreling down a mountain. My breath vanished in an instant, ripped away like a rug pulled out from under me.

    Thea had been right. So right. Yesterday, she¡¯d refused to fight, and now I understood why. The stat boosts from these systems weren¡¯t just arbitrary numbers¡ªthey were real. Tangible. Devastating.

    My ribs felt like they were folding in on themselves, and every attempt to breathe felt like inhaling shards of glass. If not for Thea¡¯s and my cultivation method¡ªif not for the thin thread of energy I kept circulating in desperation¡ªI would¡¯ve collapsed then and there.

    But even with that¡­ breathing was still painful.

    The edges of my vision darkened. My head felt light, my chest hollow. Yep. Definitely blacking out.

    Before I could recover, another swing came. Faster this time.

    I had no time to think. Instinctively, I threw up my arms to block it.

    Which¡­ bad idea.

    CRACK.

    The sound was sharp, sickening, and final. Pain flared up my right arm, racing to my shoulder in an instant. My arm went limp, hanging uselessly at my side.

    Somewhere, faintly, I heard a scream.

    At first, I couldn¡¯t place it. Then the realization hit me: Oh. That¡¯s me.

    I stumbled back, my breaths coming in short, shallow gasps. My chest burned. My vision wavered. My ears rang with the aftermath of that brutal impact.

    Even if I wanted to shout ¡°surrender,¡± even if my pride would allow it, which it totally would, it wouldn¡¯t have mattered. My throat was locked, my lungs empty. I couldn¡¯t pull in enough air to form the word.

    This arena system was ridiculous. How could anyone forfeit if they couldn¡¯t even speak? Was I supposed to tap dance in Morse code? Raise my hand politely while a giant metal club flattened me into the dirt?

    He charged at me again.

    Alright, focus.

    Instead of trying to dodge backward, I leaned into his swing, narrowly slipping past the ridiculous speed of his club. It felt like dodging a falling piano in slow motion¡ªexcept the piano was angry, fast, and actively trying to murder me.

    I summoned every ounce of energy I had left into my left arm, planning for something¡ªanything¡ªthat might resemble an explosive comeback. Some epic move that would leave the crowd cheering, my opponent unconscious, and me looking vaguely competent.

    When my fist connected, it did have an effect. My guess? Endurance, stamina, or whatever stat this guy had poured points into gave him enough natural armor to shrug off a blow that should¡¯ve put him on his knees.

    Still, he staggered. His breath hitched, his eyes widened slightly, and for one glorious moment, I thought¡ªthis is it!

    Unfortunately¡­ he recovered. Quickly.

    And now he looked¡­ how can I put this delicately? Visibly annoyed.

    ¡°Fun¡¯s over,¡± he said flatly, his voice carrying an edge of genuine irritation.

    But my punch¡ªand his little victory speech¡ªhad given me something far more valuable than damage: a second to breathe.

    Air filled my lungs in a ragged gasp, and a surge of defiance flared through me. I used my moment wisely.

    I raised my hand¡ªmiddle finger proudly extended.

    His expression shifted from annoyance to¡­ confusion? Oh. Right. Maybe flipping someone off didn¡¯t mean anything in this world.

    But that didn¡¯t matter, because with the last shred of air left in my aching lungs, I croaked out the word:

    ¡°Surrender.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t loud. It wasn¡¯t heroic. Honestly, it sounded more like a dying cat being dragged over a chalkboard.

    But it was enough.

    The speaker above crackled to life.

    ¡°Continuing the fight will result in severe punishment. If able, return to the room you entered from. Five points will be deducted from the loser upon exiting.¡±

    The tension in the air cracked and fell away like shattered glass.

    I let out a shaky breath, my legs trembling beneath me. My opponent stood there, still holding his club, frozen in place. Slowly¡ªalmost reluctantly¡ªhe lowered his weapon.

    I was alive. Bruised, broken, humiliated, but alive.

    I walked back into the strange elevator, this time choosing to sit on the cold stone floor rather than try to stay upright. As the platform began its slow descent, the adrenaline faded, and I noticed just how much everything hurt.

    I¡¯m not ashamed¡ªokay, maybe just a little¡ªto admit that my eyes started to well up. Not crying, mind you. Just¡­ a bit of water pooling in preparation for the kind of sobbing usually reserved for toddlers who¡¯ve lost their favorite toy.

    When the door finally creaked open, three figures were waiting for me¡ªtwo holding a stretcher, and the ever-exhausted attendant standing between them.

    Before I could say anything, the attendant reached into the tattered pocket of my ragged shirt. Let me tell you, having someone dig into your chest pocket while your ribs feel like shattered glass? Not fun.

    She plucked out my glowing orb, tapped something on it, and handed it back to me, now flashing 40 instead of 45.

    ¡°Move him quickly,¡± she said to the stretcher carriers, her tone flat, like she was giving directions for moving a sack of potatoes. And they did, gently placing me on the cloth stretcher and draggin me away.

    The younger healer stepped closer, his face lined with worry. ¡°Ten points for beginner healing.¡±

    The older one¡ªprobably in his early twenties, with sharp eyes and an air of confidence¡ªglanced down at my arm, his lips curling into a knowing smirk. ¡°Twenty for my services. But you¡¯ll be back on your feet before you know it. Plus, you won¡¯t have to rest that arm of yours.¡±

    Until then, I¡¯d been carefully not looking at my arm. But now, thanks to his helpful observation, my gaze zeroed in on the mess of flesh and bone that used to be straight.

    My right arm was bent in a way that could only be described as wrong. Like, cartoon characters after an anvil drop wrong.

    Panic spiked in my chest, sharp and dizzying.

    ¡°Peter!¡±

    The familiar voice cut through my haze, and I turned just enough to see Thea rushing over, her storm-gray eyes wide with worry¡ªno, actual worry, which was a rare sight from her.

    ¡°Why did you choose to fight, you idiot?!¡±

    Not exactly the warm, heroic welcome I was hoping for.

    ¡°Points are valuable,¡± I said weakly, offering a half-hearted shrug that immediately sent a fresh wave of pain down my shoulder.

    ¡°And now,¡± she said, crossing her arms as her eyes flicked briefly to my mangled limb, ¡°we¡¯re going to have to spend more.¡±

    She turned sharply to the older healer, her expression somewhere between stern and desperate, and thrust her glowing orb at him. ¡°Hurry up.¡±

    He nodded, tapping his orb against hers. His flashed with a number I couldn¡¯t read, and hers dipped down to 25.

    Before I could mutter a weak protest, the older healer extended his hand.

    A faint hum filled the air¡ªa low, resonant note that seemed to reverberate somewhere deep in my chest. His fingers began to glow softly, and from his palm, thin threads of white light began to unravel into the air, weaving delicate trails around me.

    The light wasn¡¯t harsh or blinding¡ªit was soft, gentle, like moonlight filtering through a canopy of leaves on a summer night. The threads of energy swirled lazily around my broken arm, wrapping it in a cocoon of shimmering light.

    Warmth flooded through me¡ªnot the sharp, artificial warmth of a hot pack, but something deeper. It felt like a quiet campfire on a freezing night, the kind of warmth that sinks into your bones and chases away the cold.

    The pain, which had been screaming in every nerve ending, dulled to a faint throb. My breath came easier, my chest no longer feeling like it was filled with gravel and glass shards.

    For a brief moment, the world felt still. Quiet. Peaceful.

    The glowing threads of magic finally settled, fading away like fireflies blinking out one by one. The healer exhaled softly, lowering his hand.

    ¡°There. You¡¯ll still be sore for a bit, but it¡¯s set properly now. Don¡¯t push it too hard.¡±

    I flexed my fingers experimentally, and while it still hurt, the sickening wrongness of my arm was gone.

    Thea let out a long sigh, her shoulders slumping as the tension drained from her frame.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go back to camp,¡± she suggested softly.

    I pushed myself to my feet, the lingering ache in my arm a faint reminder of my earlier failure. Shame pooled in my chest, heavy and suffocating. What was I thinking, going up against someone with stats like that?

    The healers had already dispersed, the younger one casting a brief glance back at me as he walked away. His expression¡ªuneasy, maybe even nervous¡ªlingered in my mind. He was probably a new recruit, not hardened to injuries like mine. Not yet, anyway.

    As Thea and I began our slow trek back to camp, she must¡¯ve noticed how quiet I¡¯d gotten. The familiar rhythm of our banter was gone, replaced by an awkward silence that clung to the air.

    She bumped me lightly with her shoulder, her voice carrying a forced cheerfulness. ¡°I told you stats are too hard to catch up to with just cultivation.¡±

    I didn¡¯t respond, keeping my eyes fixed on the uneven ground beneath my boots.

    She hesitated for a moment, her smile faltering slightly before she tried again. ¡°But with our Spiritual Reservoir Formation, we¡¯ll be tougher than anyone once we get ours.¡±

    That was supposed to cheer me up. It should have cheered me up. But instead, it felt like a knife twisting in my chest.

    I stopped walking.

    Thea took a few steps before realizing I wasn¡¯t beside her anymore. She turned, her storm-gray eyes narrowing slightly in confusion. ¡°Peter?¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± she asked, her brow furrowing.

    ¡°I won¡¯t get a system...ever¡±

    The words hung in the air between us, heavy and unyielding.

    For a moment, Thea just stared at me, her expression unreadable. The distant murmur of the bustling Hall of Heroes filled the silence, a stark contrast to the quiet, fragile space that had formed between us.

 Chapter 8: When the Horn Blows

    Thea broke the silence with a nervous laugh, her voice trembling slightly. ¡°Peter, it¡¯s not that rare to be a late bloomer¡ª¡±

    ¡°Thea, stop.¡± My voice cracked, frustration bleeding through despite my best efforts. ¡°You have to find it strange. I don¡¯t know anything past two days ago. I can¡¯t read when it seems like everyone else can. I didn¡¯t even know about mandatory conscription, about the war, about¡­ anything. Stuff that should be common knowledge.¡±

    I paused, realizing how sharp my words had become, how much I¡¯d let my fear slip through. ¡°Thea, I¡¯m not from here.¡±

    The weight of my words settled between us, heavy and unyielding. The wind stirred around us, carrying faint whispers from the forest nearby.

    I swallowed hard and looked down at my hands¡ªhands I recognized, hands that felt like mine. I didn¡¯t know what exactly happened in the cafeteria that day, but I knew, deep in my bones, that this was my body. My height, my build, my scars. No possession, no swapped souls¡ªit was me.

    And yet¡­ I was an alien here.

    Thea¡¯s storm-gray eyes searched mine, her expression torn between confusion and concern. ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re saying, Peter. You mean¡­ you¡¯re from another country?¡±

    ¡°No.¡± I let out a shaky breath, steeling myself. ¡°I don¡¯t know if you¡¯ll believe me. Honestly, it¡¯s hard to believe myself. But, hey¡ªmagic exists here, so maybe it¡¯ll help make this easier to swallow.¡± I forced out a dry chuckle, but judging by Thea¡¯s tight expression, I¡¯d failed spectacularly at lightening the mood.

    ¡°I¡¯m not from here, Thea. Not this country, not this world, not even this¡­ reality or whatever this place counts as. This is all¡ª¡± I gestured weakly at the distant Hall of Heroes, at the chaotic energy of the world bustling around us, at the distant glow of star-light cutting through the early night¡ª¡°it¡¯s like something out of a fantasy novel. Magic, cultivation, systems. It¡¯s something I¡¯ve only ever read about in books or seen in games back home.¡±

    Thea didn¡¯t respond right away. Her arms crossed over her chest, her eyes flicking downward as she processed everything I¡¯d said. I braced myself for disbelief, for rejection, for laughter. But none of that came.

    She shook her head softly. ¡°Peter¡­ I¡¯m trying. I really am. It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t believe you¡ªit¡¯s just¡­ I don¡¯t understand.¡±

    Her voice wavered at the end, and the quiet vulnerability in her tone made something tighten in my chest.

    Slowly, I stepped closer and placed my uninjured hand on her shoulder. She flinched slightly at the contact but didn¡¯t pull away.

    ¡°I know it¡¯s a lot,¡± I said softly, my voice steady despite the whirlwind of emotions in my chest. ¡°But it doesn¡¯t change anything, does it? I¡¯m still me. You¡¯re still you. I won¡¯t ever get a system, but I¡¯ll still do everything I can to keep up with you, Grandmaster Thea.¡±

    The corner of her lips twitched upward in the faintest smile. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t have caught up to me with one anyway.¡±

    I let out an exaggerated gasp, clutching my chest like she¡¯d struck me with her words. ¡°Rude! Here I am, bearing my soul to you, and this is the thanks I get?¡±

    She let out a soft laugh, one that felt like a breath of fresh air after being underwater for too long. ¡°Let¡¯s go back and I¡¯ll teach you how to read¨Csomething.¡±

    We walked back together in silence¡ªnot the awkward, heavy kind, but something quieter, something comfortable. The kind of silence you could wrap around yourself like a warm blanket. It was¡­ nice. Just walking beside her, knowing she was there. Someone to confide in, someone I trusted.

    But speaking of trust¡ªI realized I knew so little about her. Thea was sharp, stubborn, and had a knack for throwing me face-first into the dirt during sparring. But past that? Nothing.

    ¡°So, Thea,¡± I started, breaking the calm, ¡°why are you so obsessed with cultivation? I mean, nobody else here seems to care about it half as much as you do.¡±

    She raised an eyebrow, her lips quirking into a smirk. ¡°Obsessed?¡±

    I cleared my throat, trying to recover. ¡°Uh, yeah. Obsessed. It¡¯s a compliment, I swear.¡±

    Her smirk softened into something more thoughtful as she looked ahead. ¡°I guess there¡¯s no grand reason. My parents both practiced cultivation¡ªthey made it to core formation, actually. They always said having that extra reservoir of energy made everything easier¡ªspells, techniques, even healing.¡±

    She paused for a moment before continuing. ¡°But¡­ I think I just like it. No one seems to really understand it. The information past core formation is all fragmented¡ªjust scraps of knowledge passed around like rumors. Nobody knows the limits, or if there are limits.¡±

    Without warning, she punched me lightly in the shoulder. Playful, sure, but ouch. It still stung way more than I was ready for. I tried¡ªand probably failed¡ªnot to flinch.

    ¡°But I love it,¡± she said, her voice carrying that spark of excitement she always got when talking about cultivation. ¡°I want to figure it out. I want to see just how far we can go with it.¡±

    I nodded, her words settling into the quiet space between us. There was something so Thea about her drive¡ªsteady, determined, unshakable.

    By now, we were passing the stone building leading underground, our boots crunching softly against the gravel path. The tents were just up ahead, their canvas shapes glowing faintly under flickering lantern light.

    ¡°Maybe¡­¡± I hesitated, then decided to just say it. ¡°Maybe we can put reading on hold for now. I mean, you¡¯re basically my walking, talking translator anyway. We can go over a little bit each day, but improving cultivation feels¡­ more important right now.¡±

    Thea considered my words, her brows pulling together as she thought. After a moment, she nodded, her expression softening.

    ¡°I turn eighteen in four days,¡± she said, her voice quieter now. ¡°That¡¯s probably when I¡¯ll get my system. If that happens¡ªand unless I end up being a tank or something¡ªwe¡¯ll probably be split up in the mornings and evenings. We¡¯ll still meet in the Hall, but¡­ time will be tight.¡±

    She glanced over at me, her eyes sharp yet uncertain. ¡°Maybe tomorrow we can buy some paper and ink. I¡¯ll write down the letters, teach you what they sound like, and you can practice on your own when we¡¯re apart.¡±

    I let out a small breath, relief settling in my chest. ¡°That sounds good to me. Thanks, Thea.¡±

    She smiled¡ªsmall, but warm. For a brief moment, the lantern light caught in her eyes, turning them into molten silver.

    We fell back into silence again, walking side by side. It wasn¡¯t heavy or uncomfortable; it just was. A simple, shared quiet.

    The tents were just ahead now, the glow of campfires flickering in the distance, casting shadows that danced along the ground.

    ¡°Hey, Thea¡­¡± I said quietly, the words slipping out before I could stop them.

    She turned to look at me, her head tilted slightly, curiosity sparking in her storm-gray eyes.

    ¡°Thanks. For everything.¡±

    Her smile softened further, and for a brief second, it felt like the world slowed down around us.

    ¡°Anytime, Peter.¡±

    And just like that, we walked into camp together¡ªside by side¡ªunder a sky scattered with stars.This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

    Thankfully, my pillow and blanket were still in the same spot outside. Maybe a bit dustier, sure, but no worse for wear.

    ¡°Wait a sec,¡± Thea said, scrambling off toward the girls'' tent. She reappeared moments later, her own sleeping gear tucked under one arm. ¡°Trust me, they probably aren¡¯t any quieter than the guys.¡±

    I snorted at that, adjusting my blanket on the uneven ground. ¡°Maybe we should move behind the tents. Last thing I want is to wake up to someone accidentally stepping on my face.¡±

    She nodded, her lips twitching into a smirk. ¡°Good point. I¡¯d rather not get trampled either.¡±

    We shuffled our things a bit farther back, finding a quieter spot nestled between two tents and partially shielded by some low bushes. It wasn¡¯t exactly cozy, but it felt a little more private¡ªand less prone to foot traffic.

    Once we settled in, I broke the silence. ¡°More cultivation? We could finish up the shoulders, and if we¡¯ve got time, maybe even start and finish a reservoir in our hands.¡±

    Thea glanced at me, her brows raising slightly. ¡°If you feel any resistance, stop. Who knows if there are consequences for moving too quickly? After we consolidate our gains, it should be fine, but it¡¯s best to tread carefully.¡±

    ¡°Agreed,¡± I said with a nod, already settling cross-legged on the blanket.

    We both closed our eyes, sinking into focus.

    I started as usual, drawing in the world¡¯s energy and letting it gather at my central channel before guiding the excess upward. It flowed through the chest reservoir, weaving outward into the shoulder reservoir like threads of liquid light. Slowly but surely, the web of energy expanded, threading its way down to my upper arms, elbows, and finally, the tips of my fingers.

    There was a faint pop¡ªa subtle internal shift, like something locking into place¡ªand I knew the shoulder reservoir had stabilized. The energy web felt solid now, no longer fragile or fleeting.

    But before I could enjoy the sensation, I felt it. That look.

    You know the one.

    The intense, burning gaze of a cultivation maniac staring holes into the side of my head.

    I sighed heavily, cracking one eye open. Sure enough, Thea was sitting there, eyes locked on me, practically vibrating with energy and itching for a fight.

    ¡°Alright, fine,¡± I groaned, pushing myself up with all the enthusiasm of someone heading to a dentist appointment. ¡°Stop staring. I¡¯m getting up.¡±

    Thea¡¯s grin was downright predatory as she sprang to her feet, bouncing lightly on her toes.

    ¡°Don¡¯t hold back this time, Peter. You¡¯ve got reservoirs in your chest and shoulders now¡ªyou should be able to keep up better.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, yeah,¡± I muttered, rolling my shoulders and wincing slightly at the lingering stiffness. ¡°Let¡¯s just get this over with.¡±

    Thea darted forward, and the sparring began.

    This time, though, it felt¡­ different. Better.

    The energy circulating through my reservoirs flowed smoother, faster. It didn¡¯t feel like I was trying to scoop water out of a well with a leaky bucket anymore. When Thea lunged, I could react quicker. When she struck, I could absorb the impact better.

    For once, I wasn¡¯t just desperately flailing to survive.

    Don¡¯t get me wrong¡ªThea still wiped the floor with me. But I managed to dodge more, block more, and even land a couple of hits that made her blink in surprise.

    Eventually, we both collapsed back onto our blankets, gasping for breath and staring up at the starlit sky above us.

    ¡°You¡¯re getting better,¡± Thea said between breaths, her voice softer now, almost proud.

    ¡°Thanks, Grandmaster Thea,¡± I said with a tired grin, earning an eye roll and a laugh from her.

    The night sky stretched above us, stars twinkling faintly in the vast dark expanse. The distant crackle of campfires and quiet murmurs from the tents around us drifted through the air as we focused on consolidating our cultivation.

    Eventually, Thea spoke again, her voice quieter now. ¡°You know¡­ I¡¯m glad we¡¯re in this together, Peter.¡±

    I turned my head to look at her, finding her already staring up at the sky, her chestnut hair spilling across her blanket like a cascade of shadows.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± I said softly, my chest tightening with something warm. ¡°Me too.¡±

    No one had come back yet, which I suppose made sense¡ªthe instructor hadn¡¯t specifically told us to return to camp for sleep, just to be here by dawn. The quiet of the night stretched around us, broken only by the distant occasional chirp of some unseen creature.

    ¡°Let¡¯s try forming another,¡± I suggested softly.

    Thea nodded, closing her eyes with that sharp focus she always had during cultivation. ¡°Let¡¯s do the right fist first.¡±

    We both fell into our breathing patterns, drawing in the faint hum of world energy around us. I guided it into my main channel, letting it pool in my chest before carefully redirecting it into the reservoir in my shoulder. From there, I threaded it further, weaving it into the fine, fragile structure forming in my fist.

    The process felt smoother now, more intuitive, like my body was adapting to this method with each attempt. But as the energy solidified into delicate web-like threads in my hand, I could feel it¡ªresistance. Not in forming the reservoir, but in my ability to pull in more energy into my main channel. It felt stretched thin, strained under the weight of the constant flow.

    The sensation reminded me of when Thea had first guided me, her energy like an overwhelming river coursing through me. The flow now wasn¡¯t nearly as vast, but it was approaching that same weight, that same saturation.

    It still baffled me that people found this method slow. Maybe it spoke more about how absurdly efficient systems were, rather than how effective cultivation itself was. If this energy saturation meant I could theoretically form a core soon¡­ then why did I still feel so weak? So far behind?

    The memory of my earlier opponent came rushing back¡ªthe way his swings carried bone-shattering force, the way his stats turned him into a juggernaut. If this was the difference between someone with a system and someone without, then Thea and I had our work cut out for us.

    Systems weren¡¯t just powerful¡ªthey were a completely different playing field. And once Thea got hers, it would elevate her to a level that felt almost unreachable to me.

    But despite the faint sting of that thought, I smiled faintly. Because even if we were on different levels¡­ we¡¯d still be fighting side by side.

    The same process resumed as earlier¡ªenergy flowing, reservoirs forming, and another brief sparring match that ended with both of us sprawled on the dusty ground, panting like we¡¯d run a marathon. Thea was definitely more skilled, but power-wise, we were starting to feel evenly matched.

    ¡°I¡¯m done for tonight,¡± I gasped, my arms spread wide as I stared at the night sky. ¡°I still don¡¯t know much about this place. You said we become citizens after our service, right? How did your parents feel about you being taken away?¡±

    Between tired gulps of air, Thea responded, ¡°They were¡­ fine?¡± Her questioning tone caught me off guard.

    ¡°I thought most parents would be sad sending their kid off to war,¡± I said, tilting my head to glance at her.

    ¡°Hm.¡± She stared up at the sky, her chestnut hair splayed out on the ground. ¡°I don¡¯t know how it is where you¡¯re from, but this is just¡­ expected of us. It¡¯s part of life. They went through it, and now we do too. Brothers, sisters, family dying in battle¡ªit¡¯s not that uncommon.¡±

    Her words carried a blunt honesty, but there was something hollow underneath.

    I frowned. Even though I¡¯d grown up in a foster home, her words felt so devoid of warmth that it unsettled me. ¡°So¡­ parental love? Like hugs and stuff?¡±

    At that, Thea¡¯s face turned an impressive shade of red, and she sputtered. ¡°No! That¡ªthat¡¯s just crazy!¡±

    I laughed despite the ache in my chest. ¡°Relax! Didn¡¯t realize this place was so¡­ reserved. Back where I¡¯m from, most families are really close. Lots of hugs. Lots of¡­ affection.¡±

    She went quiet, her gaze shifting upward to the moon hanging low in the sky. Its pale light caught in her eyes, turning them silver and distant. For a moment, she looked lost in thought¡ªsomewhere far away from this camp, this night.

    ¡°Not here,¡± she mumbled softly. ¡°Parents are more like instructors than anything else. Like I said, they told me about cultivation¡ªits benefits, why I should practice it. So I started about a month ago. Slowly building it up, learning the steps.¡±

    I hesitated, unsure what to say. Sorry didn¡¯t feel right. It wasn¡¯t pity she needed, and honestly, I wasn¡¯t even sure if she wanted whatever version of family I was picturing in my head. Maybe she didn¡¯t hate the way things were¡ªmaybe she just didn¡¯t know any different.

    So instead, I asked, ¡°Siblings?¡±

    She gave a small nod, her lips curling into something halfway between a smile and a frown. ¡°A little sister. Five years younger. In a bit, she¡¯ll be here too. But by then, we¡¯ll both be gone. If we¡¯re alive, we¡¯ll nearly be done with our service.¡±

    Her words hung heavy in the air, and it took me a moment to realize she was waiting for me to answer the same question.

    ¡°How about you?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Me?¡± I paused, thinking back. ¡°I guess I had plenty of brothers and sisters¡­ but they came and went.¡±

    Thea sat up slightly, leaning on her elbows, her brow furrowed in confusion. ¡°Did they¡­ die?¡±

    My eyes widened. ¡°What? No! They were adopted into families or aged out of the home. I was on my way out too, actually. It¡¯s just how the process works back there for kids without parents.¡±

    She stared at me for a beat, then snorted lightly. ¡°Weird.¡±

    I raised an eyebrow. ¡°I¡¯m weird? You¡¯re the one who thinks hugs are some alien concept.¡±

    She laughed, the sound soft and genuine, and I couldn¡¯t help but join in.

    The weight in the air seemed to lift slightly, and for a brief moment, everything felt¡­ lighter. A campfire flickered in the distance, and the forest whispered softly in the night breeze.

    Eventually, the gentle hum of the night, the faint glow of moonlight, and the quiet rustle of leaves lulled us into an unplanned sleep. Neither of us noticed it happening¡ªwe were just¡­ still. Comfortable.

    But then, the pale light of dawn pierced through my eyelids, sharp and unyielding, followed immediately by that horn. That horrible, dreadful horn, blaring through the silence like a war cry.

    Another day had come.

 Chapter 9: The Scholar

    On the bright side, Thea and I were the first to line up, groggily crawling out from behind the two tents. Everyone was present, so thankfully, no one got to find out what ¡®reprisals¡¯ meant for not showing up on time.

    Although I¡¯d been expecting it, I still let out a groan when the familiar gruff voice barked, ¡°Keep up.¡±

    Another hour of marching later, we arrived at the same clearing as before¡ªthis time, a little less ragged than yesterday. Behind the instructor stood a row of plants, and beside them, several creatures in cages. One was the now all-too-familiar Carapace Hound, and another looked like a rabbit, if rabbits were armed with claws better suited for a grizzly bear than their small frames. The third was¡­a squirrel. A completely normal-looking squirrel. Suspiciously normal.

    ¡°Alright,¡± the instructor began, his gravelly voice carrying across the clearing. ¡°Those who managed to bring back food yesterday, step forward.¡±

    A handful of the tank recruits walked up, their shoulders squared with something that almost looked like pride.

    ¡°Present your point orbs.¡±

    The recruits held out their glowing orbs, and the instructor pulled out his own¡ªits number carefully obscured by his massive hand. When he tapped his orb against theirs, each recruit¡¯s number ticked upward by ten points.

    The collective gasp from the group was almost comical. In an instant, the attitude around camp shifted. What had felt like just grueling survival drills suddenly carried the weight of potential rewards. These classes weren¡¯t just some random obstacle course; they were a real chance to earn resources.

    I didn¡¯t know if this was unique to our commander or if all instructors did this, but I suddenly felt far more motivated to pay attention to his lessons.

    ¡°Now,¡± the instructor continued, after distributing the points. ¡°If you want, you can stay, and I will teach you about the woods. About plants you can eat and those you can use to treat your wounds,¡± he gestured behind him to the rows of strange greenery. ¡°What not to eat, and how to avoid¡ªor catch¡ªdangerous creatures.¡±

    He shifted slightly, the massive bulk of his frame casting a longer shadow. ¡°But I know some of you are more eager. You will not be forced to stay. You can head into the woods again. Hunt. Gather. Bring something back. You¡¯ll be rewarded based on your haul.¡±

    Then he added, his tone sharp as stone striking flint, ¡°Those who stay to learn will get nothing.¡±

    Nothing¡­ but a better chance of survival.

    I turned to Thea. ¡°I¡¯m staying. I think we both should.¡±

    Although we were both desperate for points, Thea nodded in agreement, her storm-gray eyes flicking toward the row of plants thoughtfully.

    Apparently, we were in the minority. The rest of the recruits scattered almost immediately, disappearing into the trees with barely a glance back. Boys and girls alike, their faces full of determination¡ªand more than a little desperation.

    The instructor¡¯s sharp eyes settled on us, and for a moment, I thought I saw something that almost resembled approval tugging at the corners of his stern mouth.

    ¡°You two again?¡± he said, his gruff voice softer than usual. ¡°Well, come over here.¡±

    I leaned slightly toward Thea and whispered, ¡°Maybe he likes us.¡±

    Thea rolled her eyes, though a small smirk tugged at her lips. ¡°I think he just likes hard workers. Now be quiet and listen.¡±

    And with that, we stepped forward, ready to learn.

    The instructor stood with his arms crossed, a towering figure that made the Carapace Hound beside him look almost¡­manageable. The creatures and plants arranged neatly behind him gave the scene an odd balance, like some bizarre classroom from a survival horror story.

    ¡°Alright, listen up,¡± he said, his voice sharp and commanding. ¡°These are just a few of the creatures and plants you¡¯ll encounter in the wild. If you want to survive out there¡ªand not waste all your points on healers¡ªyou¡¯ll need to understand them.¡±

    He pointed to the Carapace Hound first, its armored six-legged form lying still, jaws slightly parted to reveal sharp rows of teeth. Its segmented back plates glistened faintly in the morning light.

    ¡°This here is a Carapace Hound. Ambush predator. They rely on stealth and patience, attacking prey when it¡¯s vulnerable¡ªmost commonly when it¡¯s resting or distracted.¡± His sharp gaze swept over Thea and me, lingering for just a second longer than I was comfortable with. ¡°You two should know about that firsthand, I¡¯d wager.¡±

    I shifted uncomfortably wondering how he knew about our encounter.

    ¡°They prefer single targets and will avoid groups if possible. Their armor¡¯s thick, but not invincible. Aim for the joints, the neck, or if you¡¯re lucky enough to get above them, the underside of their plates.¡±

    The hound let out a low growl, and I instinctively tensed. The instructor silenced it with a single sharp look before moving on to the next creature.

    The rabbit-like beast¡ªif you could even call something with bear-like claws a ¡®rabbit¡¯¡ªtwitched nervously in its cage, its long ears flicking toward every tiny sound. Its wide eyes seemed perpetually alert.

    ¡°This one¡¯s a Pack Claw. Don¡¯t let the size fool you¡ªthey¡¯re vicious, especially in groups. They¡¯re pack hunters, coordinated, and surprisingly intelligent. Their claws can tear through light armor without much trouble, and they¡¯ll target ankles, hamstrings, and wrists to disable larger prey.¡±

    I swallowed hard, imagining a dozen of those little horrors swarming around me, claws flashing like knives in the dark.

    ¡°They¡¯re skittish alone, though. If you see one by itself, you can usually scare it off. But if you see two¡­¡± He let the silence hang for a beat, his dark eyes scanning the recruits. ¡°¡­run. Because there are always more nearby.¡±

    The Pack Claw let out a high-pitched chittering noise that sent an unpleasant chill down my spine.

    ¡°And finally¡­¡± He gestured to the squirrel. A squirrel¡ªnot exactly the most unassuming death machine I¡¯d ever seen. It sat calmly in its cage, chewing on something and staring at us with soulless little eyes.

    ¡°This is a Tree Rodent.¡±

    I blinked. That was¡­ underwhelming.

    ¡°Don¡¯t let the name fool you,¡± he continued, his tone sharp. ¡°This little menace is one of the most dangerous creatures in these woods¡ªnot because it¡¯s fast or strong, but because people underestimate it.¡±

    The creature cocked its head, its tail flicking once as if in response.

    ¡°It¡¯s venomous. Its bite won¡¯t kill you outright, but within an hour, you¡¯ll wish it had. Fever, nausea, hallucinations¡ªsometimes even paralysis if the venom hits your bloodstream fast enough.¡±

    Thea shifted uncomfortably beside me, her gaze locked on the tiny animal.

    ¡°But that¡¯s not the worst part. It¡¯s poisonous too. If you mess up while trying to prepare one for eating¡ªif you so much as nick the poison gland hidden near the spine¡ªyou¡¯ll contaminate the meat. One bite and you¡¯re dead in minutes.¡±

    The instructor leaned closer to the cage, and the Tree Rodent froze, its tail curling slightly.

    ¡°And lastly, they¡¯re fragile. Their poison sac bursts with the slightest mishandling. Skin it wrong, hold it too tight, startle it¡­ pop. That venom sprays everywhere. Your skin, your eyes, your food. If you¡¯re unlucky enough to have an open wound, well¡­¡± He let the silence hang, his sharp gaze sweeping over the recruits. ¡°¡­you¡¯ll find out exactly how fast toxin can travel through your bloodstream.¡±

    The silence stretched uncomfortably long. The creature stared back at us, utterly unbothered, munching away on whatever it was holding.

    ¡°Bottom line,¡± the commander said, straightening up, ¡°avoid them if you can. If you have to catch one, don¡¯t mess up. And if you kill one, don¡¯t eat it unless you know exactly what you¡¯re doing.¡±

    I leaned slightly toward Thea and muttered, ¡°Still think Puffer Squirrel is a better name.¡±

    She blinked at me, her brow furrowing. ¡°Puffer¡­ what?¡±

    I sighed, realizing too late that the joke didn¡¯t land. ¡°Never mind. Just¡ªnever mind.¡±

    The commander¡¯s sharp eyes snapped to me again. ¡°Something amusing, recruit?¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­ no, sir.¡±

    He gave me a long, unreadable look before turning back to the row of plants and creatures.

    ¡°Pay attention, both of you. Every one of these can kill you if you¡¯re ignorant. Knowledge is your first line of defense in the wild. Ignore it at your peril.¡±

    The commander launched into a rapid-fire explanation about plants, and I tried to keep up. Honestly, I did. But the second he started pointing out subtle differences between leaves that could either save your life or turn your insides into soup, I felt my brain start to fog over. I¡¯m no botanist¡ªone leaf looks pretty much like another to me.

    Thea was doing better, or at least she was trying harder. Her brows were furrowed in fierce concentration, and she squinted at every plant like it had personally wronged her. But even she seemed to struggle with identifying the minute details he was highlighting.Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.

    When the focus shifted to edible and medicinal plants, though, I perked up. These felt¡­ practical. Tangible. Something I might actually remember when it counted. I forced myself to pay close attention, mentally filing away every detail. These plants could mean the difference between survival and a slow, painful death in the wild, and I wasn¡¯t about to let that knowledge slip away.

    After a while, the commander had gone over all the plants. With a final glance at the rows behind him, he tapped his trusty horn, the metal catching the light briefly.

    ¡°If you want, you can head off, but there won¡¯t be much time left before you''re expected back,¡± he said, his gravelly voice carrying over the clearing.

    Thea and I exchanged a quick look, silently reaching the same conclusion. Stepping forward, I straightened my posture in what I hoped looked respectful. ¡°We¡¯d like to train here again, sir, if that¡¯s alright.¡±

    He gave a small shrug, his expression neutral. ¡°Go for it. But don¡¯t get too caught up in cultivating. It¡¯s good for building a foundation, but once you both get your systems, it¡¯ll be better to focus on what your blessing can actually do for you.¡±

    I nodded, his words settling uneasily in my chest. There it was again¡ªthat casual dismissal of cultivation. But honestly, if the system was as powerful as it seemed, and if the cultivation methods here really were as bare-bones as they appeared, he was probably right.

    If only I could actually get a system.

    Thea and I found a quiet spot in the clearing and resumed our training together. I definitely couldn¡¯t fit any more world energy inside my main channel, a clear sign that by this world¡¯s standards, I was ready to start forming a core like Thea. But now, neither of us wanted to rush ahead. Our method was working, and we wanted it solid before taking the next step.

    Once I felt the familiar pop from the reservoir in my right hand, I stood up, rolling my shoulders and preparing myself for yet another sparring match with Thea.

    As usual, she wiped the floor with me. And honestly? It was starting to get frustrating. Theoretically, we were at equal levels now since she had to slow down and adapt to our new cultivation method, but every time we clashed, she dismantled me effortlessly. It was like trying to punch water¡ªit didn¡¯t matter how hard I swung; she just flowed around me.

    Suddenly, a booming voice cut across the clearing. ¡°Stop being so reckless!¡± the commander barked, his gravelly tone silencing everything around us. ¡°Look at the girl¡ªshe¡¯s using short bursts of movement, conserving her strength. You, on the other hand, are swinging wide like you¡¯re trying to hit five people at once. And tackling with your head down? Are you trying to get yourself killed?¡±

    I froze mid-step, glancing over at Thea, who had the decency to smother a grin behind her hand.

    ¡°Focus up!¡± the commander continued, his voice sharp. ¡°Tighten your defenses. You might not be one for long, but right now, you¡¯re a tank. Act like it. Stay on guard, keep your stance strong, and wait for an opportunity.¡±

    I wanted to ask, What happens if we both just stand there on guard forever? But as if reading my mind, the commander cut me off.

    ¡°And if you¡¯re both too stubborn to make the first move, use feints. You two aren¡¯t far apart in strength¡ªit shouldn¡¯t be so one-sided.¡±

    I nodded stiffly, glancing at Thea. She gave me an encouraging nod back, her smirk finally fading into something more focused.

    As we squared up again, I found myself really starting to like our commander. Sure, he was massive, intimidating, and his voice could probably shatter glass¡ªbut beneath all that roughness, he was sharp and genuinely helpful.

    Well¡­ mostly friendly. At least when we weren¡¯t making fools of ourselves.

    Once we finished consolidating our gains, Thea and I agreed to target the other shoulder next. Reaching the halfway point in forming the new reservoir, we stood, stretched, and began the familiar cycle again: cultivation, sparring, consolidation. It was a rhythm now¡ªsomething natural, almost meditative in its repetition.

    An hour passed before the heavy crunch of boots signaled the commander¡¯s approach. His sharp gaze flickered between the two of us, curiosity etched into the hard lines of his face.

    ¡°You two!¡± he barked, and we both stiffened instinctively. ¡°You¡¯re moving your internal strength way too smoothly. And the way you¡¯re cultivating¡­ it¡¯s odd.¡±

    Thea, ever the cultivation enthusiast, perked up immediately. ¡°Do you know about cultivating, sir?¡±

    Of course, she couldn¡¯t resist. The moment someone so much as hinted at the topic, she was ready to dive in headfirst.

    The commander¡¯s expression softened slightly, his voice losing some of its usual gruffness. ¡°I covered the basics back when I was your age. I never tried to form a core, though. The extra energy was useful, sure, but as I advanced, the focus it took to move the energy became too much of a distraction in battle.¡± He paused, his eyes distant, as if replaying old memories. ¡°Eventually, I stopped.¡±

    Thea inhaled sharply, clearly ready to launch into a full explanation of our method. But before a single word escaped her mouth, I slapped a hand over it, muffling her entirely.

    ¡°Sir,¡± I said, doing my best to sound confident and not like a kid trying to haggle with an adult. ¡°I can guarantee that what we¡¯re doing isn¡¯t in any book you¡¯ve ever read. It¡¯s¡­ new. But we¡¯re not going to give it away for free.¡±

    The commander raised an eyebrow, his gaze sharp as it pinned me in place. There was no hostility there, but the weight of his presence was enough to make me shift nervously. Behind those rugged features, though, I could see something else¡ªa spark of interest, a hunger for knowledge. Maybe, buried beneath all that armor and muscle, was the heart of a scholar.

    ¡°It¡¯s not some grand secret,¡± I continued, swallowing thickly. ¡°But if you haven¡¯t formed a core, this method could definitely improve your control. It¡¯s still just the basics, sure, but it¡¯s worth something.¡±

    The commander considered me for a moment before shrugging off the massive pack that was always slung across his broad shoulders. From it, he pulled out a rolled piece of parchment and a feather pen¡ªthough oddly, no ink accompanied it. Sitting cross-legged on the ground, he glanced back up at me, his expression unreadable.

    ¡°How much?¡±

    My heart skipped a beat. I shot a quick glance at Thea, who looked like she was ready to practically give away the secret just for the chance to talk about cultivation. Nope. Not happening. I subtly leaned closer to block her from speaking.

    The commander sighed, his lips twitching into something almost like amusement. ¡°You kids should think more before offering up secrets. For something this low-level, the usual price wouldn¡¯t be very high. But¡­ if you¡¯re not lying about its usefulness, I¡¯d say three-hundred points is fair.¡±

    Three hundred. That was no small number, especially for something he considered low-level. I hesitated, glancing at Thea again. Was this the right call? Would he spread the method to others? Would it even matter if he did?

    No¡ªprobably not. More ready to use inner strength didn¡¯t magically close the gap between cultivation and systems. And besides, the commander had earned some trust. He¡¯d been teaching us, guiding us, and he wasn¡¯t the type to cheat kids out of their hard-earned knowledge.

    I cleared my throat. ¡°Um¡­ each. Three hundred points each.¡±

    His brow lifted slightly, but he didn¡¯t argue. Instead, he extended a hand. ¡°Hand ¡®em over.¡±

    Thea and I both held up our glowing orbs, and the faint green light flickered as the numbers shifted. When the exchange was done, my orb glowed with 340, while Thea¡¯s displayed 325.

    The commander tucked the parchment back into his pack, rising to his full, intimidating height. ¡°Well then,¡± he said, his voice low but steady, ¡°show me.¡±

    I turned to Thea, who looked like she might actually implode if she didn¡¯t start talking immediately. Her storm-gray eyes were practically glowing with excitement, and I knew there was no stopping her.

    ¡°Okay!¡± she began gleefully, clapping her hands together. ¡°It¡¯s really not that complicated. We¡¯re basically taking the concept of condensing a core and applying it¡­ well, everywhere. Multiple smaller cores¡ªkind of. Although they¡¯re not exactly solid cores either.¡±

    I winced internally. Oh no. She was in full Cultivation Nerd Mode.

    ¡°As I¡¯m sure you know,¡± she continued, turning her full attention to the commander like he was her new favorite student, ¡°a core is essentially a condensed form of inner strength¡ªa solidified storage point for an enormous amount of energy. It acts almost like a bigger, more powerful main channel. A storage point and generator of internal force, if you will. But Peter and I had an idea: what if we didn¡¯t stop at just one?¡±

    The commander¡¯s brow furrowed slightly, but he said nothing, his sharp eyes locked on her.

    ¡°What if instead,¡± Thea continued, her hands gesturing animatedly, ¡°we created smaller channels, web-like structures that could store smaller pockets of spiritual energy? These would act as reservoirs. Immediate access points scattered across the body. We weave them starting closest to the focus point of our main channel, and from there, we spread outward¡ªcarefully, systematically. Admittedly they are different from a core in almost every way, but the reservoirs are still incredibly useful.¡±

    I watched the commander¡¯s expression closely. His eyes were locked on Thea, and though his face was hard to read, there was a glimmer of something there¡ªcuriosity, maybe even respect.

    Thea finally paused for breath, her cheeks flushed and her hands frozen mid-gesture as if she¡¯d forgotten where to put them.

    ¡°And¡­ yeah. That¡¯s the gist of it,¡± she finished a bit lamely, glancing at me for backup.

    She instead continued, ¡°After we finished making the ones in our chest, shoulders, and fists, we¡¯d move to our groin, knees, and then feet. And here¡¯s the best part¡ªwe would then fuse them into¡ª¡±

    I clamped my hand over Thea''s mouth mid-sentence. ¡°The rest is theory,¡± I said firmly, glancing at the commander with a mix of caution and confidence. ¡°It¡¯s not something we¡¯ve confirmed yet. If you want the rest, you¡¯ll have to pay.¡±

    Thea let out a muffled protest behind my hand, her wide eyes glaring at me, but she didn¡¯t fight it. I removed my hand cautiously, shooting her a look that said, Please, just let me handle this one.

    The commander, meanwhile, hadn¡¯t stopped writing the entire time. His thick fingers gripped the feather pen with surprising precision, the ink flowing seamlessly from the tip without the need for a well. His focus was absolute, brows furrowed as he etched our words into the parchment.

    When he finally stopped, he looked up at us, sharp eyes glinting with curiosity and something else¡ªsomething close to respect.

    ¡°If you have more to offer that isn¡¯t theoretical,¡± he said slowly, his deep voice carrying weight, ¡°tell me. And I will pay.¡±

    With that, he stood, grabbed his horn, and¡ªhaving learned my lesson¡ªI quickly clamped my hands over my ears. The sharp blast cut through the air, scattering birds from the treetops and making a few recruits flinch.

    One by one, everyone trickled back into the clearing, carrying whatever they had managed to scavenge or hunt. The commander moved down the line with practiced efficiency, counting their spoils, tapping his orb to theirs, and distributing points with little ceremony.

    Once the final recruit had received their points, the commander raised his voice. ¡°Dismissed! Head back to the Hall of Heroes.¡±

    Thea and I exchanged a glance, silent but full of meaning, before falling into step with the others. The path back to the Hall was filled with the crunch of boots on gravel and the faint murmur of tired voices.

    But my mind wasn¡¯t on the road or the setting sun ahead. It was on what had just happened. We¡¯d done something no one else here had, something that felt¡­ important.

    We¡¯d sold knowledge. Our knowledge.

    Thea had practically been glowing when explaining our cultivation method to the commander, and even now, she walked beside me with a satisfied expression. We¡¯d just earned points¡ªnot by fighting, not by scavenging, but by teaching. By sharing something we¡¯d created.

    And the commander paid. Without hesitation. Without doubt.

    It hit me then¡ªthis wasn¡¯t just a fluke. If one person valued what we knew, others might too. Selling our cultivation method might actually be¡­ viable.

    A chill ran down my spine, not from fear, but from the sheer weight of possibility.

    The Hall of Heroes came into view, its massive silhouette framed against the fading light of the sky.

    And as we walked through its towering gates, one thought settled in my mind:

    This was just the beginning.

 Chapter 10: Steam and Secrets

    As we neared the massive Hall of Heroes, I glanced at Thea, who was practically glowing with excitement.

    ¡°Already more proud of your second disciple, huh? I might just betray you and steal your secrets out of sheer jealousy, you know,¡± I said, grinning as I recalled the classic web novel trope.

    Playing along, she smirked. ¡°My second disciple is so much stronger than you, he¡¯ll avenge me before you even get the chance to use my secrets.¡±

    I let out a laugh, the kind that shook off some of the exhaustion clinging to me. But it stopped as we reached the Hall''s grand entrance. Standing awkwardly near the massive archway was a familiar face¡ªthe younger healer who¡¯d offered to patch me up after my fight.

    He was glancing around nervously, his hands clutching his point orb like it was some fragile lifeline. The moment his eyes landed on me, his shoulders sagged in relief, and a smile crept onto his face.

    ¡°He¡¯s coming over,¡± Thea said out of the corner of her mouth.

    The healer hurried toward us, gasping for breath, clearly not the poster child for cardio excellence¡ªunlike myself, of course.

    ¡°How are you feeling? Is everything¡­ alright?¡± His voice carried genuine concern, his brow creased as he scanned me up and down.

    ¡°Uh¡­ fine? Your partner healed me up just fine,¡± I replied hesitantly.

    The moment I spoke, his expression tightened. His eyes darted around, scanning the crowd as if he expected someone to jump out and tackle him.

    Sensing his unease because, naturally, I am excellent at reading people, I stepped in to ease the tension. ¡°How about we head inside first? We can talk there.¡±

    ¡°NO!¡± he shouted suddenly, loud enough to make several recruits nearby glance our way.

    I blinked, taken aback, and even Thea stiffened beside me. His face paled as he realized how loud he¡¯d been, and he opened his mouth to explain¡ªonly to freeze at the sharp voice that cut through the crowd like a whip.

    ¡°Elric! What are you doing?¡±

    The older healer from yesterday strode over, his face twisted in fury. His sharp gaze flicked to me, then back to Elric.

    ¡°You¡ªwhat did you tell them?!¡± He raised his hand, fully intending to strike Elric across the face.

    Before he could, Thea stepped forward, her storm-gray eyes narrowing with a sharp edge I¡¯d only seen in our spars. ¡°You¡¯re hiding something so serious that you¡¯d hit him for it?¡±

    The older healer froze mid-motion, his hand trembling slightly in the air. His jaw tightened, and his lips curled downward into something between anger and frustration.

    I couldn¡¯t help but notice the way his shoulders tensed, like a cornered animal. The thought struck me¡ªhealers probably weren¡¯t built for combat. My guess? Their stats leaned heavily into mana, intelligence, or magic power. Maybe they even avoided fights entirely.

    The older healer let out a sharp exhale, his chest rising and falling rapidly before he spoke again, his voice low and venomous.

    ¡°Do not come back, Elric. You¡¯re not welcome in the Healers¡¯ Guild anymore. And I¡¯ll make sure everyone knows what you did.¡±

    Elric flinched as if struck, his mouth opening and closing as he tried to protest. ¡°I didn¡¯t say¡ª¡±

    ¡°Shut it!¡± The older healer spat, his face a twisted mess of anger. Without another word, he turned on his heel and stormed away, disappearing back into the crowd milling near the Hall entrance.

    Elric stood frozen in place, his shoulders trembling slightly as his head hung low.

    I glanced at Thea, and our eyes met briefly. The weight of what just happened settled heavily in the air.

    It wasn¡¯t hard to piece together the basics. Healers were probably allocated roles to heal different people¡ªfairly or unfairly distributing work based on skill, connections, or whatever arbitrary system they had in place. They had to sign up for fights as well, but maybe they had some deal to prevent too much injury, or maybe they could just get healed by their colleagues for free. Either way, being an outcast couldn¡¯t be good for him. No guild support, no easy access to resources, and likely no protection if something went wrong.

    ¡°Elric is it? I don¡¯t know what you were about to tell me, but it seems like it''s too crowded to do it secretly, let¡¯s head inside, we can get a training room for some privacy.¡± He must have been hiding something that healers did not want getting out too far, maybe some already knew about it but kept quiet, either way for a complete stranger like me, he had gotten himself in serious trouble.

    He nodded and shuddered looking like he was about to start crying.

    Elric stood a little shorter than me, his frame wiry and lean, built more for precision than brute strength. His shoulders had a slight inward slope, like he was used to avoiding attention rather than commanding it. His black hair fell unevenly around his face, the strands hanging just above sharp, observant aquamarine eyes¡ªeyes that flicked between nervousness and quiet resolve.

    There was a delicate sharpness to his features: a straight nose, a defined jawline, and thin lips that often seemed pressed together in thought or hesitation. His skin was pale, not sickly, but like someone who spent more time indoors under lantern light than outside under the sun.

    His hands, though, told the real story¡ªlong fingers, steady despite the tremor in his shoulders, nails kept clean, and faint calluses on his palms from hours of careful work. These were healer¡¯s hands¡ªmeant for stitching wounds, crushing herbs, and channeling energy with precision.

    We walked into the Hall of Heroes, and I could already feel the weight of more than a few sideways glances. It wasn¡¯t subtle either¡ªpeople weren¡¯t even pretending not to stare. I wasn¡¯t sure if it was because of Elric walking with us or because we still looked like we¡¯d been rolling around in the woods for a week. Honestly, could¡¯ve been both.

    I started heading towards the training area, but Thea grabbed my arm and stopped me mid-step. Her face was¡­ hesitant? Embarrassed? Nervous? That wasn¡¯t like her at all.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± I asked, a flicker of concern creeping into my voice.

    She shifted uncomfortably, avoiding eye contact. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to waste our points before, but now¡­¡±

    ¡°What? Thea, we¡¯ve got plenty of points. Just tell me.¡±

    Her lips pursed into a tight line before she finally said, ¡°You smell.¡±

    There was a pause.

    I blinked. ¡°Wait¡­ I smell?¡±

    She blushed slightly and quickly added, ¡°We smell. Both of us. And it¡¯s¡­ bad.¡±

    Oh. Oh no.

    Now that she¡¯d said it, I couldn¡¯t unnotice it. Days of training, sweating, sparring, and no actual bath had left me¡­ ripe. The bathroom situation had already been a whole other circle of discomfort, but this? This was something else entirely.

    ¡°Right,¡± I said, rubbing the back of my neck as my ears burned with embarrassment. ¡°A bath. Yeah, that¡¯s probably a good idea.¡±

    Elric, who had been quietly trailing behind us, popped up with an awkward half-raise of his hand. ¡°I can show you where they are, but¡­ I can¡¯t go in. I don¡¯t have enough points. Registering with the healer¡¯s guild took all I had.¡±

    I glanced at him, then at Thea, then back at him. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. I¡¯ll cover it. Just¡­ let¡¯s go before someone starts spraying us with perfume.¡±

    Elric gave a tiny, grateful nod and started leading the way, while Thea shot me a look that said, See? I was right.

    I sighed, already dreading what the point cost for basic hygiene was going to be in this place.

    Eventually, we arrived at another alcove tucked into the coliseum¡¯s stone walls. Two separate hallways stretched out behind it, one on the left and one on the right. I could only assume they led to the respective bath areas for boys and girls. The faint scent of soap and something floral lingered in the air¡ªit was almost enough to make me forget how much I probably smelled.This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    Behind the small desk sat yet another attendant. She was, predictably, disinterested and radiating the universal aura of someone who had long since stopped caring about their job. Before we could even ask anything, she pointed wordlessly to a sign propped up in front of her.

    I squinted at it, but yeah¡­ reading wasn¡¯t happening. I turned to Thea with what I hoped was my most pitiful, pleading expression.

    She chuckled into her hand, her storm-gray eyes sparkling with amusement. ¡°It says, ten points per person for full access to soaps, showers, baths, and perfumes.¡±

    I perked up at that. ¡°And other courses¡­?¡±

    ¡°Nope,¡± Thea said firmly. ¡°We¡¯re getting this one.¡±

    ¡°Princess,¡± I muttered under my breath.

    ¡°Rube,¡± she shot back without missing a beat.

    Rolling my eyes, I held up my orb to the attendant. ¡°Two, please. Me and my buddy here.¡± I nodded towards Elric, who was still half-hiding behind me like he expected someone to toss him out at any moment.

    Thea followed suit, holding up her own orb.

    The attendant sighed dramatically, like we¡¯d just asked her to move a mountain, then tapped our orbs against her own. Twenty points drained from mine and ten from Thea¡¯s, leaving our glowing numbers at 320 and 315 respectively.

    As Thea turned toward her hallway, she gave me a sharp glance over her shoulder. ¡°I¡¯ll see you in a bit. Don¡¯t rush.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, yeah,¡± I waved her off. ¡°Go get cleaned up, Princess Grandmaster. You¡¯re stinking up the place.¡±

    She froze mid-step, slowly turned her head back toward me, and narrowed her eyes in a way that sent an icy chill down my spine.

    Oh no. Mistake. Big mistake.

    For a second, I thought she might actually tackle me right there in front of the attendant. Instead, she just shook her head and disappeared down her hallway without another word.

    ¡°Okay,¡± I muttered to Elric as we turned toward our side. ¡°Note to self: Avoid hygiene-related comments with Thea. Ever. Again.¡±

    Elric nodded solemnly, his face serious despite the faint smile tugging at his lips.

    We entered an area filled with nozzles hanging off the wall.

    ¡°Communal style,¡± I muttered.

    To be honest, it didn¡¯t bother me too much¡ªwe were both guys here, after all. But then I started peeling off my clothes, and yes, I mean peeling. The grimy rags I¡¯d appeared in this world with had fused to me like some cursed glue made from sweat, dirt, and who-knows-what else. As for undergarments¡­ the less said, the better.

    ¡°Elric?¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡± he responded, his voice a little too jumpy, like he thought I was about to attack him.

    ¡°You know where a clothes store is?¡±

    ¡°What? Oh¡ªoh yeah, of course. I can show you and Thea after.¡±

    I nodded and stepped in front of a nearby mirror.

    Yep, it was me. Same black hair¡ªmessy, sticking out in odd directions like it had declared war on every comb I¡¯d ever owned. Same brown eyes, sharp but a little tired, like I¡¯d been surviving on sheer stubbornness for a while now. My face was the same too¡ªdirty, smudged, but unmistakably mine. No sudden chiseled jawline, no mysterious scar that hinted at a dark, brooding past.

    I ran a hand through my hair, grimacing as my fingers caught on grit and tangles. The dirt clung stubbornly to my face and neck, and the smell¡­ let¡¯s just say it wasn¡¯t great.

    But under all the grime, under the exhaustion etched into my face, it was still me. Not some hero, not some larger-than-life protagonist. Just¡­ Peter. The same average height, lean build, and unruly hair I¡¯d always had.

    Well¡­ except dirtier. A lot dirtier.

    There were two handles for what I assumed were the water controls, and in the corner, a neat little collection of bottles sat waiting. Soaps, probably.

    ¡°Elric, which one¡¯s for hair, body, and¡­ whatever else?¡±

    Elric handed me bottles one after another. ¡°Body, hair, and this is perfume for after.¡±

    I rolled my eyes before I even realized it. Oh no. Is Thea infecting me? ¡°I know what perfume is, thanks.¡±

    I plopped myself down on one of the small stools placed in front of the faucets and turned a handle.

    Then it happened.

    A squeal. A high-pitched, glass-shattering squeal that, if recorded, could probably double as a car alarm.

    Cold. So cold. My soul briefly left my body, and I¡¯m pretty sure Elric had to physically hold back a laugh.

    ¡°Hot water is the other one,¡± he commented, his face twitching with barely-contained amusement.

    Well, at least I¡¯d cheered him up a bit. Just like with Thea, I was confirming¡ªI¡¯m funny.

    I turned the other faucet cautiously.

    And oh. Oh.

    Some things, you just don¡¯t know how good they are until they¡¯re gone. The warm water poured over me like liquid gold, seeping into every pore, washing away the grime and exhaustion, and wrapping me in an embrace so soothing I could¡¯ve cried.

    I might have cried. We¡¯ll never know for sure.

    Anyway, I¡¯m pretty sure I used up half the bottles scrubbing myself down¡ªhair, face, arms, legs¡ªevery inch of me practically shining by the time I was done.

    And then I realized a very important detail.

    My clothes.

    My ragged, tattered, biologically hazardous clothes. Could they even still be called clothes at this point? Wouldn¡¯t it have been smarter to buy something before cleaning up?

    Wait¡­ did Thea have anything to change into? Did anyone?

    Now that I thought about it, most of the recruits I¡¯d seen were wearing pretty much the same worn-out basics. Maybe they stripped everyone down to even the playing field at the start¡ªmake sure nobody had an unfair advantage.

    But only at the start.

    Those of us who proved ourselves worth the investment got the benefits¡ªthe gear, the resources, the opportunities. The others? Well¡­

    I pushed that thought aside and let the warm water run over me for just a little longer, savoring every drop.

    One step at a time, Peter. One step at a time.

    Unfortunately, I did eventually don my cursed rags again after drying off with a rough-but-effective towel. I gave myself a couple of spritzes from the perfume bottle¡ªno point in going overboard when my clothes smelled like¡­ well, despair. It seemed like Thea hadn¡¯t come out yet, so I thought of something.

    ¡°Is the clothing store close by?¡± I asked Elric.

    ¡°Yeah, just across the hall there,¡± he said, pointing across the corridor.

    Figures. Probably set up this way intentionally to milk us for points after bathing. Clever.

    I stepped into the store and was immediately surrounded by rows of neatly folded training clothes¡ªcomfortable, breathable, and infinitely better than the fabric-based horror currently clinging to my skin. I grabbed a pair of pants, a belt, and a shirt for both Thea and myself. For me, I added five sets of underwear. As for Thea¡­ well, let¡¯s just say I wasn¡¯t brave enough to pick those out for her.

    After a total of forty points¡ªleaving my orb reading 280¡ªI changed into my new clothes in one of the small fitting rooms. The scratchy, cursed rags were officially dead to me, and as if by design, you could dispose of them here. I might have actually held a ceremony later. But for now? Better to be swift about it.

    I felt like a new man.

    Returning to Elric, I realized Thea still hadn¡¯t come out. A small pit of worry grew in my stomach.

    ¡°She¡¯s not¡­ sitting there refusing to put on her old clothes, is she?¡± I said aloud.

    Elric blinked at me.

    I sighed, already knowing the answer. ¡°Never mind.¡±

    Walking up to the attendant at the bathing hall, I held out the neatly folded clothes I¡¯d bought for Thea. ¡°Could you give these to the girl who went in earlier?¡±

    The attendant glanced up at me, then back down at¡­ well, nothing. Apparently, I was the least interesting thing she¡¯d seen all day. I sighed again and fished out my orb.

    ¡°Five points?¡±

    Suddenly, her face lit up with the kind of enthusiasm usually reserved for free cake. ¡°Absolutely!¡± she chirped, holding out her orb with lightning speed.

    The transaction complete, she snatched the clothes and bolted off with surprising agility.

    So¡­ tipping is a thing here, or at least, attendants really want it to be.

    A few minutes later, a faint commotion echoed from the women¡¯s bathing area. There was a muffled yell, something like, ¡°He¡ªnot¡ª!¡± but the words got lost in the acoustics of the stone walls.

    Moments later, Thea emerged, and¡­ yeah. Wow.

    Gone were the dusty, tattered rags, replaced by clean training gear that actually fit her properly. Her chestnut hair, usually tied back in a loose ponytail, was still damp and clung to the sides of her face in soft waves. Her storm-gray eyes looked brighter, clearer, and her skin¡ªnow free of grime and dirt¡ªglowed faintly under the warm light of the hall.

    For a second, I forgot how to blink. Or breathe, really. It was like seeing a different person entirely. No, not different¡ªjust¡­ more her.

    Unfortunately, my moment of stunned silence was cut short by a firm shove from Elric.

    ¡°You can stare at each other later,¡± he muttered, voice low but firm. ¡°We need to talk about the healer¡¯s guild.¡±

    Thea paused mid-step, her brows raising slightly as a faint blush crept across her cheeks. Whether it was from the hot water or my unintentional staring¡ªI wasn¡¯t sure.

    Snapping out of my daze, I cleared my throat awkwardly and nodded. ¡°Right. Uh, yeah. Let¡¯s¡­ let¡¯s talk.¡±

    Elric glanced between the two of us, his delicate features set with a rare seriousness. Whatever he had to say, it wasn¡¯t going to be good. ¡°Can we go somewhere private first?¡±

    Thea nodded without hesitation. ¡°Sure, let¡¯s go. But¡­ one thing first.¡±

    I followed her gaze as it flicked toward the clothing store across the hall.

    ¡°That way,¡± I said with a smirk.

    Before I could blink, she was gone, practically sprinting toward the store. Clearly, whatever final piece was missing from her wardrobe wasn¡¯t something she planned to delay any longer.

    She returned just as quickly, a small bag clutched tightly in her hand.

    Once that was sorted, we reserved a basic room for an hour. Thea handled the points this time, her orb flickering as it dropped to 290 after her earlier shopping trip.

    Inside, the door clicked shut behind us, muffling the constant noise of the bustling Hall. The small, dimly lit room felt almost too quiet after the chaos outside.

    Elric took a deep breath, his delicate features tense with uncertainty as he looked between Thea and me.

    ¡°The healers aren¡¯t actually helping anyone.¡±

    The words dropped into the silence like a stone into still water, sending ripples of unease through the air.

 Chapter 11: The Cost of Survival

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Thea asked, her brows knitting together.

    Elric hesitated, his aquamarine eyes flickering with uncertainty as he chose his words carefully. ¡°Well¡­ they do heal people¡ªfor the right price, and only for those they know can afford it.¡± He paused, letting that sink in before continuing. ¡°But for others¡ªfor people like you¡­¡± He pointed at me, his voice quieter now. ¡°They¡¯ll use spells with side effects.¡±

    He let that hang in the air for a moment before explaining, ¡°Most healers pick up these techniques after their first few missions. Powerful healing spells that work fast, like the one used on you. But they come with a cost¡ªlasting damage if you don¡¯t take a long time to properly rest afterward. I didn¡¯t want to offer something like that, so I was offering healing at a cheaper price, using safer methods. But, like yesterday¡­ most people choose the faster option, even if it costs them more.¡±

    ¡°Like I did,¡± Thea said softly, her voice laced with regret.

    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault,¡± I said quickly, hoping to reassure her. ¡°You didn¡¯t know. Besides, it¡¯s not permanent damage, right?¡±

    Elric nodded, though his expression remained grim. ¡°He¡¯s right¡ªit¡¯s not permanent¡­ yet. But if you keep fighting hard, get injured again, and rely on those same quick-fix spells to patch yourself up? That¡¯s when it starts to stick. Bone density drops, tendons lose elasticity, muscles stop working properly. And all the while, you¡¯re burning through every point you¡¯ve earned just to stay on your feet.¡±

    His words hung heavy in the small room, each one painting a clearer picture of just how dangerous this hidden cost really was.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± I broke the silence, my voice steady but soft. ¡°For telling us. That couldn¡¯t have been easy. I promise we¡¯ll do our best to help you.¡±

    Elric let out a sigh, his shoulders slumping slightly. ¡°Not much you can do. I¡¯ll just have to survive for now. I can patch myself up if¡ªwhen I lose my matches. And I¡¯ll have to save up points to surrender if things get too bad.¡±

    I frowned, thinking about his situation. Most people don¡¯t like accepting pity or handouts without giving something in return. An idea sparked in my mind.

    ¡°Thea?¡± I said, glancing at her.

    ¡°Yeah? What is it?¡± she asked, her storm-gray eyes meeting mine with a flicker of curiosity.

    ¡°What do you think of having our first real disciple?¡± I said, letting the suggestion hang in the air.

    Elric¡¯s head snapped up from where he¡¯d been staring at the ground, confusion etched across his sharp features.

    ¡°Wha¡ª¡± Thea started, her brow furrowing. Then, almost like a light bulb flicked on above her head, her expression shifted, and a smirk tugged at her lips. ¡°Ohhh. Yeah, I think it¡¯ll work.¡±

    With acting skills that deserved at least some kind of award, she added with mock concern, ¡°But Peter, how could he possibly pay us?¡±

    I picked up her cue, stroking my chin thoughtfully. ¡°If only there were some service he could exchange with us¡­ Something valuable after fights, maybe something¡­ essential.¡±

    I glanced at Elric, raising my eyebrows meaningfully, trying to nudge him into catching on. But instead of realizing what we were doing, he froze. His aquamarine eyes darted between us nervously, and he took a cautious step back towards the door.

    ¡°Are¡­ are you two alright?¡± he asked, his voice trembling slightly.

    Thea pinched the bridge of her nose, exhaling slowly. ¡°This is what I get for following your lead.¡±

    ¡°Admit it,¡± I said with an exaggerated huff, crossing my arms over my chest. ¡°It was fun.¡±

    She rolled her eyes but couldn¡¯t quite hide the small smirk tugging at her lips.

    ¡°Alright, Elric, listen,¡± Thea said, her voice taking on a steady, serious edge. ¡°We¡¯ll teach you our new method of cultivation. Down the line, it¡¯ll let you take care of yourself¡ªeven as a healer.¡±

    ¡°Ideally,¡± I added with a shrug. Body refinement was still just a distant goal, hovering beyond the current limits of the Spiritual Reservoir Formation stage.

    Thea continued, ignoring me. ¡°In return, you¡¯ll heal us properly when we need it. We¡¯ll help you with any missions from your system if they¡¯re too tough to handle alone. And if we have the points to spare, we¡¯ll cover your surrender fees in fights

    Elric hesitated, his sharp features creased with uncertainty. ¡°Cultivation?¡± he repeated, the word heavy with skepticism and curiosity.

    I leaned forward slightly, my voice calm but firm. ¡°Listen, Elric. None of us¡ªespecially you¡ªhave many choices here. This helps all of us. You get stronger, we stay alive, and together, we¡¯ll have a much better chance of surviving whatever this place throws at us.¡±

    The room fell into a heavy silence, the weight of the offer settling into the air like a stone dropped into still water. Elric¡¯s eyes flicked between Thea and me, his brows furrowed in thought, his lips pressed into a thin line.

    For a moment, I thought he might refuse. But then, he let out a small breath and gave a faint, determined nod.

    ¡°¡­Okay. I¡¯m in.¡±

    A smile crept across Thea¡¯s face, and I let out a slow breath, relief washing over me.

    ¡°Welcome aboard, disciple number one,¡± I said with a grin, holding out my hand.

    Thea practically jumped toward Elric, her storm-gray eyes alight with excitement. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s get started!¡±

    ¡°Fair warning, she¡¯s a cultivation freak¡ªow!¡± I recoiled as Thea¡¯s fist connected with my arm. It definitely wasn¡¯t a playful punch; internal strength was absolutely involved. ¡°Okay, okay, point taken. I¡¯m gonna cultivate over there. You two have fun.¡±

    Leaving them to it, I settled down a short distance away. Thea launched straight into the basics, her voice carrying that sharp enthusiasm she always had when talking about cultivation. I caught snippets¡ªforming a focal point for internal strength, pulling in world energy, and the very real danger of popping your body if you rushed things. And our new discovery of using reservoir formation as the solution to that little nightmare.

    Having already finished forming the reservoir in my left shoulder earlier, I got a head start on my left fist. The world energy flowed steadily through me, weaving into delicate, thread-like structures until I reached the barrier of the first half. I opened my eyes, flexing my hand experimentally, and glanced over.

    Elric was sitting cross-legged, his brows furrowed in concentration as he meditated. Thea, just moments later, stirred from her own cultivation and stretched her arms over her head.

    ¡°Ready?¡± she asked, her smirk sharp with anticipation.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± I said hesitantly. ¡°But shouldn¡¯t we keep quiet? Elric¡¯s cultivating, after all.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine,¡± Elric interrupted without opening his eyes. ¡°In fact, I probably need to join. It¡¯ll help me fuse the world energy into my main channel.¡±

    ¡°Great,¡± I muttered, rising to my feet and preparing myself. ¡°Another round with the mighty Princess Grandmaster.¡±

    Following the commander¡¯s earlier advice, I fared way better this time. I kept my stance tight, avoided wild swings, and¡ªdare I say it¡ªheld my ground. I even managed to take Thea down a couple of times, though her bruised ego would probably never admit it.

    Elric watched us spar with wide eyes, his gaze darting between our movements like he was trying to memorize every step. By the time Thea and I finally collapsed onto the ground, gasping for air, he spoke up.

    ¡°I have to fight you two?¡± he asked, his voice a mix of disbelief and dread.

    Through ragged breaths, Thea grinned. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. We¡¯ll be easy on you.¡±

    She stood, brushing dust from her pants. ¡°We can¡¯t let our first student fall too far behind. Come on, get up.¡±

    I silently cursed myself for not finding a shop that sold training mats. Elric¡¯s hesitant, jittery stance mirrored my own first spar with Thea, and what followed could only be described as a painfully familiar process. Thea was relentless but instructive, and Elric¡­ well, he survived. Which was impressive in its own right.Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

    Before we began consolidating our gains, Thea turned to him. ¡°Any missions on your system right now?¡±

    Elric shifted uncomfortably. ¡°My current one is to heal a moderate injury, but it¡¯s hard to get someone to agree with me doing it. The guild doesn¡¯t allow freelancers.¡±

    ¡°Well,¡± I cut in, ¡°we can just see after my match today. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be able to complete it quickly.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Thea interrupted sharply. Her voice carried an edge I hadn¡¯t heard in a while. ¡°What if you get yourself killed? Even I¡¯m surrendering all my matches. We should just wait until we get our sys¡ª¡±

    She stopped abruptly. Elric raised an eyebrow at the odd pause, glancing between the two of us.

    I sighed, locking eyes with Thea. ¡°Okay, I get it. But we¡ªI can¡¯t keep turning down matches forever. Eventually, I¡¯m going to have to fight.¡±

    She held my gaze for a long moment, her brows drawn together in something close to worry. Finally, she nodded.

    ¡°Fine. But let¡¯s at least finish this step first. Please.¡±

    Her voice was quiet but firm, and for once, I had no argument against it.

    ¡°Deal,¡± I said softly.

    Elric glanced between us again, his brows furrowed in confusion, but he didn¡¯t press. Instead, we all settled back into position, the quiet hum of world energy filling the small training room once again as we consolidated our gains.

    Soon enough, the familiar sound of ¡°Time¡¯s up¡± echoed through the training room. With heavy breaths and sweat clinging to our skin, we packed up and left, heading straight for the registration desk.

    I glanced over at Elric. ¡°You have enough points to surrender?¡±

    He nodded, though his shoulders sagged slightly. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll be okay today¡­ but tomorrow¡ª¡±

    I held up my hand to stop him. ¡°We¡¯ll take care of it. Just¡­ take care of us when we need it, alright?¡±

    Elric gave me a weak smile, the kind that didn¡¯t quite reach his tired eyes.

    Thea and I walked to the registration desk while Elric hung back. He¡¯d sign up after our fights were done, just in case we needed him immediately afterward. It wouldn¡¯t do any good if he was stuck in his own match when we needed patching up.

    As we handed our orbs over to the attendant, Thea turned to me, her storm-gray eyes sharp with concern. ¡°Peter?¡±

    ¡°Hm?¡± I responded, distracted by the green flicker of my orb being scanned.

    ¡°You promised, alright? Just surrender.¡± Her voice was firm, but I could hear the quiet tremor beneath it.

    ¡°Yeah, no problem.¡± I patted her shoulder lightly.

    But even as I said the words, I couldn¡¯t meet her eyes. The promise felt heavy in my chest¡ªheavier than it should¡¯ve been.

    Before either of us could say more, my name was called.

    It happened so much faster than the last time. My stomach clenched, and I turned away from Thea, unable to let her see the look on my face. I didn¡¯t want to lie to her, but¡­ I was different. I had to be. If I couldn¡¯t get used to fighting people with systems¡ªpeople stronger, faster, and better equipped than me¡ªthen how could I survive here?

    Besides¡­ now we had a healer. Now we had Elric.

    The stone elevator stood waiting, and I stepped in without looking back. The doors clanged shut behind me, and the descent began. The platform jolted slightly as it moved, the dim light of the shaft casting eerie shadows across the stone walls.

    I sank to the floor, knees pulled up, hands pressed against my thighs, trying to steady my breathing. The elevator shuddered to a stop, and the doors ground open with a low creak.

    The artificial arena stretched out before me¡ªa familiar imitation forest with dense trees, uneven ground, and the faint smell of damp earth lingering in the air. Across the way, my opponent was already waiting.

    He held a metal polearm¡ªa spear-like weapon with a broad, flat clubbed end gleaming faintly in the arena¡¯s lights. His eyes met mine, sharp and assessing.

    The same system announcement from before echoed overhead.

    "System!" we both called out in unison.

    "Confirmed: Warrior class. Blessing: Spear Guard. Confirmed: Late Bloomer."

    The moment the words finished, something shifted in him. His posture straightened, his grip on the polearm tightened, and his gaze locked onto me like I was prey.

    "Begin."

    He charged, and when close enough, he lunged.

    The blunted tip of the spear shot forward in a blur of silver, slicing through the air with terrifying speed. I barely managed to sidestep, feeling the wind of its passing brush against my cheek. My feet found the uneven ground, and I forced energy from my main channel into my legs, flooding them with strength. My reservoirs in my shoulders and arms pulsed faintly with readiness.

    He didn¡¯t let up. The spear flicked upward in a sharp arc, aimed for my ribs. I twisted my torso just in time, feeling the cold metal graze against my shirt. He was relentless, pressing forward with quick thrusts, each one forcing me back step by step.

    But then¡ªan opening.

    Maybe because he didn¡¯t expect much from me, he overextended slightly on a downward strike, the pole digging into the soft earth. I didn¡¯t think. I just moved.

    I lunged forward, closing the gap faster than he expected. My hand shot out, grabbing him by the throat, my fingers pressing into the hollow just beneath his jaw. With all the force I could muster, I pulled him downward.

    He hit the ground hard, his polearm slipping from his grasp as I landed on top of him.

    My fist came down.

    The first punch connected with a dull thud, skin meeting skin, knuckles scraping against cheekbone. The second followed, then the third. My breath came in sharp, ragged gasps, my vision narrowing until all I could see was his face¡ªhis wide, panicked eyes, his bloodied nose, the growing bruises spreading across his skin.

    I couldn¡¯t stop. My arms kept moving, fists crashing down over and over, each strike accompanied by a sickening crack or muffled groan.

    Then, a sound¡ªa sharp, brittle snap¡ªcut through the fog in my mind.

    I froze.

    My hands trembled where they hovered in the air, blood smeared across my knuckles, dripping slowly onto his swollen face. His eyes were still open, unfocused, barely conscious.

    I stumbled back, my breath catching in my throat as I stared down at him. Blood pooled under his nose, tiny droplets sprayed across the dirt beneath him.

    What did I just do?

    My hands shook as I looked down at them¡ªshaking fingers stained crimson. This wasn¡¯t my blood. It wasn¡¯t an accident. It wasn¡¯t self-defense anymore¡ªit was me. I did this. I caused this.

    My stomach twisted painfully, and I staggered backward, nearly tripping over my own feet. My chest heaved, and for a moment, I thought I might vomit right there in the arena.

    But before I could, a sharp whistle cut through the air, followed by an impact that felt like a sledgehammer slamming into my side. Pain exploded across my ribs, and I heard it¡ªa sickening crack.

    I hit the ground hard, my breath wheezing out in a sharp gasp. My vision swam, and for a moment, all I could process was pain. White-hot, blinding pain blooming across my torso like wildfire.

    The boy was standing¡ªstanding!¡ªpolearm in hand, blood dripping from his nose and mouth, staining the collar of his clothes. His swollen eye was nearly shut, his breathing ragged, but his expression was clear and sharp. The haze that had clouded his gaze before was gone. Whatever fog I¡¯d put him under had cleared, and now he looked at me like I was an actual threat.

    His grip on the polearm tightened, his knuckles white around the shaft of the weapon. His eyes were locked onto me¡ªnot with anger or hatred, but with something colder. Determination.

    Move, Peter. Move!

    I forced my legs to obey, rolling to the side just as the polearm came down, embedding itself into the dirt where my head had been moments before. Dust scattered into the air, and I coughed violently as I scrambled back to my feet.

    Pain flared up my side again¡ªevery breath, every movement sent sharp spikes of agony radiating through my chest. But I couldn¡¯t stop. Not now.

    He pulled his weapon free with a grunt, his feet shifting with practiced ease as he reset his stance. For a brief second, neither of us moved. We just stared at each other across the uneven forest floor, the tension between us sharp enough to cut steel.

    He lunged again, the polearm sweeping horizontally with a blur of motion. I ducked low, the blade passing inches above my head. Using the momentum of my crouch, I surged forward and slammed my shoulder into his chest.

    It wasn¡¯t graceful. It wasn¡¯t clean. But it worked.

    He stumbled back, his footing breaking for just a second. It was enough.

    I grabbed his polearm with one hand and shoved it downward, locking it against my hip. With my other hand, I balled up my fist and swung upward, catching him under the chin with a sharp, desperate punch.

    His head snapped back, and he staggered, but he didn¡¯t fall.

    Why won¡¯t he fall?! Are stats really this ridiculous?

    I focused. With a shaky inhale, I pulled at the energy in my shoulder reservoir, feeling it flood into my arm like liquid fire. My muscles burned as the power surged through them, and for one fleeting moment, I felt strong.

    He lunged at me again, polearm stabbing forward like a snake. But this time, I was ready.

    I sidestepped, grabbed the shaft with both hands, and yanked.

    The polearm slipped free from his grip and clattered uselessly to the ground. His eyes widened in shock, and in that brief moment of hesitation, I stepped forward.

    My knee drove into his stomach with every ounce of strength I could muster.

    He doubled over with a sharp gasp, his knees hitting the ground. I could see the fight leave his eyes¡ªsee the exhaustion, the pain, the reality of his injuries catching up to him all at once.

    I stumbled back, clutching my ribs as every breath felt like dragging shards of glass through my lungs. My vision blurred around the edges, and my legs trembled with the effort of holding me upright.

    He stayed down.

    A  horn blared above us¡ªa sharp, final sound that signaled the end of the match.

    Continuing the fight will result in severe punishment. Winner: Late Bloomer. Please return to the elevator and the result will be recorded on your orb.

    I struggled to my feet, every movement sending sharp, fiery jolts of pain through my ribs. My breaths came shallow, each one barely pulling enough air into my lungs.

    Stumbling backward, I glanced one last time at the crumpled, unmoving form of the boy lying in the dirt behind me. His chest rose and fell faintly, proof that he was still alive. But the image of his bloodied face, swollen and smeared with red, was burned into my mind.

    The stone doors of the elevator slid shut with a dull thud, sealing me away from the arena. The world outside disappeared as the platform began to ascend.

    I slumped down against the cold wall, my legs giving out beneath me as I stared down at my trembling hands¡ªhands still stained with his blood.

    In this world, this is normal. One day, I¡¯ll go to war. One day, this might not even bother me. But right now¡­ this felt so wrong. And yet, it was just the beginning. The first step down a road I wasn¡¯t sure I wanted to walk.

    A hollow chuckle escaped me, sharp and humorless. ¡°Thea¡¯s gonna be pissed,¡± I muttered, wincing as the motion jarred my ribs.

    I let my head fall back against the wall, eyes fluttering shut as exhaustion threatened to pull me under.

    ¡°At least Elric can finish his mission.¡±

 Chapter 12: Shattered Ribs and Quiet Nights

    Before the door opened, I pulled out my orb in preparation for the attendant.

    When the doors slid apart, two healers were already standing beside the attendant, their expressions set in thinly veiled annoyance. With an extremely manly grunt, definitely not a whimper, I stood and hobbled over.

    I handed over my orb to the attendant while shaking my head at the healers, refusing their services before they could even offer. They exchanged exasperated glances but backed off, muttering under their breath as they walked away.

    ¡°Since you are bottom rank, you win ten points for your victory. Nine more wins, and you advance to the next rank,¡± the attendant droned, tapping my orb before handing it back.

    The glowing green numbers flickered¡ª285.

    ¡°Peter?¡±

    I turned and spotted Elric approaching, eyes wide with concern. With his slightly ethereal features and the light behind him, he looked suspiciously like some kind of angelic figure.

    ¡°You need some help?¡± he asked softly.

    As the epitome of strength and resilience, I responded, ¡°Yes, please. It really hurts.¡±

    Two pairs of sharp eyes snapped toward us¡ªthe healers who had been about to leave froze mid-step and turned back.

    ¡°Elric? What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± one of them snapped, their voices sharp with disdain.

    Before Elric could respond, they surrounded him. I tried to step forward, but my ribs reminded me just how fragile I was at the moment.

    ¡°You think you can just go around stealing our work? Offering charity healing like some kind of saint?¡±

    They stepped closer, their voices dropping to angry whispers. But before things could escalate, the attendant¡¯s voice cut through the tension.

    ¡°If you start a fight outside of a challenge, you will be heavily punished. Go back to whatever you were doing.¡±

    The healers hesitated, weighing their options, before letting out a synchronized huff and storming away.

    ¡°Elric¡­ help,¡± I croaked, clutching my ribs.

    Before Elric could step in, an elevator nearby dinged, and the doors opened to reveal a steely-eyed Thea stepping out.

    ¡°Oh¡­ crap,¡± I muttered under my breath.

    She was spotless, confirming my suspicion that she had immediately surrendered her match. Her orb flickered as she handed it to the attendant, dropping her total to 285, matching mine.

    Her storm-gray eyes locked onto me as she strode over, and for a second, I wasn¡¯t sure if the emotion in them was anger, worry, or a fun mix of both.

    ¡°You promised,¡± she said firmly before her gaze dropped to my hands. Her shoulders relaxed slightly, her voice softer now. ¡°Are you okay?¡±

    I swallowed hard and avoided looking at my hands, still smeared with drying blood. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s um¡­ not mine. But I can barely stand.¡±

    She sighed heavily, stepping beside me and offering her shoulder for support. ¡°Next time, don¡¯t lie to me.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I promise,¡± I said with a weak smile.

    ¡°Is that supposed to be funny?¡± she shot back, her eyes narrowing. Considering I¡¯d already broken one promise today, fair point.

    Wisely, I decided not to respond.

    Elric finally spoke up, a flicker of annoyance crossing his delicate features. ¡°I¡¯m done watching you two flirt¡ª¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re not¡ª¡± Thea and I said in unison.

    He held up a hand, cutting us off. ¡°Whatever. Let¡¯s move. I can treat Peter now, but then I need to sign up for my own match. I only have one effective healing spell, and it¡¯s¡­ not pleasant. You won¡¯t be okay for a couple of days, at least.¡±

    He glanced down at my side and then at my hand. ¡°Your ribs are probably cracked, and you¡¯ve definitely busted up a couple of knuckles. Continued treatment will help, but you¡¯re sitting out your next few matches.¡±

    His expression sharpened, turning downright demonic despite his angelic face. ¡°And if you refuse to surrender next time¡ªno healing.¡±

    His smile was bright and sweet, but it held all the warmth of an ice storm. I gulped and nodded while Thea openly snickered beside me.

    We found a quieter spot against a side wall, away from most of the foot traffic. Elric motioned for me to sit, and I did¡ªgratefully.

    He raised both hands over me, his palms glowing with a pale white light. The soft sparkles of energy danced around me, gentle and warm at first. But then¡ª

    ¡°Gah! Ow!¡± I yelped as a searing, grinding pain spread through my ribs and hand. It felt like my bones were rearranging themselves, grinding together like rusty gears. My breath hitched, stolen from me entirely.

    And then, just as suddenly, it stopped.

    ¡°Elric!¡± I wheezed. ¡°What was that?!¡±

    He gave me a polite, unbothered smile¡ªsomehow both angelic and completely demonic. ¡°Look forward to two more days of that. And thanks for letting me finish my mission.¡±

    Yep. Definitely a demon in disguise.

    Thea, on the other hand, seemed far more relaxed now. ¡°Thanks, Elric. Go ahead and register. We¡¯ll wait here.¡±

    She turned her storm-gray gaze back to me. ¡°And you¡¯re not going to be dumb enough to try fighting again anytime soon¡­ right?¡±

    Elric nodded and walked off toward the registration desk, leaving me sitting against the wall like some discarded ragdoll.

    Thea plopped down beside me with a smug grin. ¡°You looked like one of those red berries about to pop.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, yeah, laugh it up,¡± I grumbled. ¡°I deserved it for lying. Now, help me up.¡±

    She hauled me upright, and I leaned against the wall for support.

    ¡°I actually want to buy a couple of things while we¡¯re here,¡± I said, changing the subject. ¡°Hopefully, they¡¯re not too expensive.¡±

    ¡°Like what?¡± Thea asked, tilting her head slightly.

    ¡°An actual blanket, a pillow, and¡ªif this world has something similar¡ªa sleeping bag.¡±

    Her eyes lit up at that. ¡°Oh! And a tent, maybe¡ªbecause if it rains, sleeping outside won¡¯t be fun. Oh, and bags to carry our stuff.¡±

    She started rattling off a growing list of items. A desk somehow made it onto her wishlist, and honestly, I was starting to lose track.

    ¡°¡­and paper and a pen,¡± she finished. ¡°That way, I can write out the letters for you, and you can study them on your own.¡±

    I gave her a flat look. ¡°You¡¯re planning on turning our campsite into some sort of inn, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    She grinned innocently. ¡°You say that like it¡¯s a bad thing.¡±

    I sighed, rubbing my temple lightly. But honestly? A good blanket didn¡¯t sound half bad right now.

    And with that, we leaned against the wall together, letting the faint hum of the Hall¡¯s bustle wash over us while waiting for Elric to return.The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

    Pretty soon, Elric returned¡ªlooking completely unharmed, not a scratch on him. Honestly, it was a little unfair. I was still leaning against the wall, trying not to breathe too deeply in case my ribs decided to remind me of their current fragile state.

    Naturally, I asked the most important question I could think of: ¡°So, if I¡¯m recovering, I shouldn¡¯t spar anymore, right?¡±

    Elric paused mid-step, blinking at me as if I¡¯d asked whether water was wet. His aquamarine eyes flickered toward Thea, then back to me, and his lips curled into that wickedly angelic smile that somehow always seemed to carry the faintest hint of evil.

    ¡°As long as it¡¯s light sparring, you can handle it,¡± he said cheerfully.

    ¡°Oh¡­ great,¡± I muttered. Meanwhile, Thea grinned like she¡¯d just won the lottery.

    ¡°On that note,¡± I continued quickly, hoping to shift topics before Thea dragged me into another round of bruised ribs, ¡°we should probably buy some things.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s alright, you two go ahead,¡± Elric said, raising his hands slightly like he was surrendering. ¡°I need to take care of some business back at the healer''s camp.¡±

    I squinted at him, suspicion prickling at the back of my mind. ¡°You gonna be okay? Those guys didn¡¯t seem particularly friendly before.¡±

    Elric laughed lightly, and despite the charming sound, I refused to be tricked by that pop-star smile. I could see through it now.

    ¡°With the instructor around? No one¡¯s going to try anything. Messing with her or breaking her rules¡­ well, let¡¯s just say it¡¯s not something most people would risk. You two have fun shopping. Bye!¡±

    And with that, he turned and walked off, his dark hair catching in the soft light filtering from above.

    I crossed my arms and watched him go, only to notice something else¡ªa subtle pattern in the crowd. Specifically, the number of girls watching him.

    Wait¡­ were they giggling? Were they actually¡ªoh come on!

    ¡°Are there¡­ maybe too many female recruits looking at him?¡± I said slowly, my voice tinged with disbelief.

    Thea¡¯s smirk was instant, and far too satisfied. ¡°I think there are a couple of other reasons he¡¯s safe at camp¡­ and why the guys aren¡¯t exactly friendly toward him.¡±

    I let out a small grumble, something unintelligible and vaguely caveman-like, as I watched yet another girl sneak a glance at Elric before whispering something to her friend.

    Look, it¡¯s not that I was jealous or anything. It¡¯s just¡­ okay, fine. Maybe I was a little annoyed. Why did Elric get to float around like some ethereal angel while I was here, covered in bruises and barely able to stand straight without wincing?

    ¡°Come on,¡± I said with a sigh, nudging Thea forward. ¡°Let¡¯s buy what we need before Elric starts collecting love letters or something.¡±

    Thea snorted at that, but thankfully, she didn¡¯t press the subject further.

    We wandered around the outer ring of the coliseum, passing by tightly packed market stalls and larger storefronts built directly into the stone walls. Everything was bustling with activity¡ªrecruits haggling over gear, attendants carrying boxes of supplies, and a few street food vendors grilling up skewers of something that smelled amazing but probably wasn¡¯t anything I¡¯d eaten back home.

    We managed to check off most of our shopping list¡ªblankets, pillows, basic camping supplies, and even what passed for a sleeping bag in this world.

    Oh, and food.

    Glorious, glorious food.

    After absolutely starving all day, we stopped by one of the vendors and bought more skewers than was probably reasonable. Meat, vegetables, some sort of grilled fruit that tasted way better than it looked¡ªit was all incredible.

    For a while, we didn¡¯t talk much, just ate and walked, the sounds of the bustling market filling the air around us.

    It was one of those rare, fleeting moments of peace. And honestly? I was starting to realize just how much I appreciated them.

    But something told me this calm wouldn¡¯t last forever.

    ¡°Alright,¡± Thea said around a mouthful of whatever delicious mystery meat was on her skewer. ¡°What¡¯s left on our list, Rube?¡±

    I rolled my eyes but smirked anyway. ¡°Paper and a pen. Apparently, you¡¯ve taken it upon yourself to become my personal tutor.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I have,¡± she said confidently. ¡°You¡¯re going to know how to read if it kills me.¡±

    ¡°Or me,¡± I muttered under my breath.

    She laughed, and for a brief moment, the tension of the day melted away.

    It was nice.

    We made one last stop to buy the writing materials, simple parchment and a pen, and finally left the Hall of Heroes with our orbs showing an even 200 points each.

    Honestly, I was still struggling to understand how people managed to survive here as beginners. Everything cost points. Breathing probably cost points if you did it wrong. Maybe those guilds were worth looking into¡ªif they actually offered real benefits. But then again, after seeing how the Healer''s Guild operated¡­ yeah, hard pass for now.

    Once again, we found ourselves walking back to camp under a sky blanketed with stars, their light scattered across the night like shards of glass. No matter how many times I saw it, the sheer depth of it all left me feeling small, in the best way possible.

    The packs on our backs felt heavier with every step, despite my best efforts at circulating internal strength to ease the burden. My ribs still protested every breath¡ªcracked, bruised, or outright broken, I couldn¡¯t tell. Elric had been clear: proper healing wasn¡¯t a simple thing, and it wasn¡¯t instant. But even so, this was still miles faster than recovery back home.

    I flexed my hands, glancing at the faint outline of my knuckles in the dim light. I¡¯d washed them back at the Hall, and what I found beneath the crusted blood wasn¡¯t pretty. They were raw, swollen, and bruised¡ªprobably way worse before Elric¡¯s spell. Note to self: get some wrappings and gloves tomorrow before the fight. The fight I will definitely surrender, I reminded myself firmly.

    Thea¡¯s voice pulled me from my thoughts. ¡°Wanna finish up the upper body reservoirs tonight?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± I said, adjusting the weight of my pack with a wince, ¡°but let¡¯s at least set up our luxurious bedding first.¡±

    A thought struck me, and I glanced at her. ¡°Actually, considering we¡¯re all new recruits¡­ maybe we shouldn¡¯t flaunt our, uh, wealth.¡±

    We both stopped walking, standing in the quiet chill of the night as the two tents loomed in the distance.

    Woods?¡± Thea offered after a beat.

    ¡°Is it safe, though?¡± I countered. ¡°Plus, we¡¯d need to figure out how to wake up on time for morning training.¡±

    She frowned thoughtfully. ¡°Okay, maybe it¡¯s better to just keep our stuff hidden under the beds and use those sleeping bags on the hay. Keep it subtle, you know?¡±

    I nodded slowly. ¡°That could work. But¡­ I didn¡¯t get any earplugs. So unless we want to get jolted awake by every snorer, sneezer, or sleep-talker in camp, I¡¯m leaning toward the edge of the woods, right next to camp. We¡¯ll still hear the horn easily. Unless it rains. Then I¡¯ll brave the snores.¡±

    Thea smirked slightly and nodded. ¡°Edge of the woods then. We can cultivate, avoid the snores, and keep our method secret.¡±

    ¡°Well, until you get your system in a few days,¡± I reminded her. ¡°Speaking of which¡­ when exactly is your eighteenth?¡±

    ¡°After today, just two more days,¡± she said, her voice softer than usual. ¡°Then, unless I¡¯m actually a Late Bloomer, I¡¯ll get my system. And unless I somehow get a tank blessing, I¡¯ll be heading out.¡±

    I nodded, feeling a knot tighten in my stomach at the thought. ¡°Then let¡¯s try to finish the Spiritual Reservoir Formation stage before that. See if we can push further.¡±

    ¡°Sounds good.¡±

    The edge of the woods was quieter than camp, the distant sound of crackling fires and faint murmurs just background noise here. It felt secluded but not isolated¡ªa perfect balance.

    I was too exhausted to deal with setting up my tent. Instead, I just dropped my pack, kicked out my sleeping bag, and flopped onto it with zero ceremony. Thea, on the other hand, went all out. She unrolled her sleeping bag neatly, arranged a pillow, set up her tent properly, and even fluffed it up a bit before sitting down cross-legged beside it.

    ¡°Showoff,¡± I muttered from my sprawled position on the ground.

    ¡°Lazy,¡± she shot back with a smirk.

    Once we were both settled, we started cultivating. The familiar hum of energy settled over us, and I sank into the focused rhythm of forming reservoirs¡ªdelicate, thread-like structures weaving under my skin, locking into place, and then being refined through spars, and consolidated over and over again.

    It was exhausting and painstaking work, but the difference it made was undeniable.

    Several hours passed like that¡ªThea and I both finishing the first lower body reservoir, one entire leg and moving on to the knee of the other. It felt tangible now, the end of this stage was in sight, and with it, the start of something entirely new.

    We finally let ourselves collapse back onto the ground, panting softly in the cool night air. My muscles ached, and every breath still twinged my ribs, but the progress felt real.

    Between gasps, I spoke, ¡°So tomorrow, we¡¯re going to have to invent the next step.¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Thea replied between her own breaths, her gray eyes glinting faintly in the moonlight. ¡°I can¡¯t wait. Making our own cultivation method. One that could actually change our stats permanently.¡±

    She started to ramble, her excitement bubbling over into a half-coherent string of theories and possibilities¡ªmerging systems with cultivation, manipulating energy flows in ways no one else had thought of, maybe even creating hybrid skill sets.

    Honestly? I didn¡¯t catch all of it, but I didn¡¯t mind. Listening to her enthusiasm, seeing how her eyes practically glowed when she spoke about cultivation, made it worth it.

    But eventually¡­ eventually, I grew tired. Just a little, I swear.

    ¡°Thea?¡± I called out from my sleeping bag, my voice muffled slightly by the fabric.

    She stopped mid-sentence. ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Can you show me the letters now?¡±

    ¡°Oh¡ªright!¡± She scrambled for the parchment and pen from her pack. ¡°Yeah, let me write them out. I¡¯ll show you how they sound, and there are accent marks to change the sounds too.¡±

    She began sketching out the letters on the parchment, explaining each one and how they were pronounced. It felt oddly peaceful¡ªthe quiet forest around us, the faint crackle of distant fires, and Thea¡¯s steady voice breaking down something so simple yet entirely foreign to me.

    The night passed like that¡ªme clumsily repeating the sounds she made, her correcting me with patient amusement, and the two of us getting caught up in the small moment of normalcy.

    Before I knew it we passed out and a sharp, blaring horn split through the air, dragging us both roughly back into reality.

    The sky was streaked with faint hues of dawn, and the chill of morning crept into my sleeping bag.

    I groaned into my pillow, clutching it dramatically. ¡°Noooo, five more minutes.¡±

    Thea kicked the side of my sleeping bag. ¡°Up. Now. Don¡¯t make me drag you.¡±

    And just like that, the day began again.

 Chapter 13: Beyond the Breaking Point

    The morning unfolded in a familiar rhythm: the usual run to the forest clearing, followed by the daily choice¡ªscavenge for resources in the woods or take another lesson in survival. Once again, the only ones opting for the latter were Thea and me.

    The commander¡ªI really need to figure out if he has a name or if family names are even a thing here. Mental note: ask Thea about that¡ªanyway, the commander taught us more about identifying useful plants and starting fires.

    Fire-starting, by the way? Way harder than it looks. Sure, I was stronger and faster now, which definitely helped with using a fire drill, but without a proper thread to keep the spindle steady, it felt like I needed turbo-charged hands just to make a spark. And tinder? Turns out it¡¯s a lot easier to prepare when you have a knife¡ªsomething neither Thea nor I currently owned.

    Add that to the ever-growing shopping list.

    The commander dismissed us early, leaving Thea and me with plenty of time to focus on finishing the final stages of our cultivation method.

    ¡°Thea?¡± I started as we walked back to our usual spot. ¡°What¡¯s your last name?¡±

    She blinked at me, tilting her head. ¡°Last name?¡±

    ¡°You know, like a family name¡ªsomething everyone in your family shares. Do people here have those?¡± I clarified.

    Her face lit up with realization. ¡°Oh, yeah! Sort of. We have them, but they¡¯re only adopted after becoming citizens. You need them for things like buying a house or having kids, so only citizens are allowed to hold family names. Most people take their parents¡¯ name, but if they don¡¯t have one, the state assigns it.¡±

    That was¡­ horrifying. ¡°So, after military service?¡±

    ¡°Yep.¡±

    ¡°Great. Love that. Let¡¯s cultivate.¡± I decided to shut down that train of thought before it spiraled.

    The lesson had been shorter than usual, which gave us extra hours to refine our method. We settled into our cycle¡ªreservoir formation, completion, sparring, and consolidation. Over and over again, we repeated the grueling process, pushing ourselves to the limit as the interconnected reservoirs expanded and solidified within us.

    But as I was finishing the final reservoir in my foot, something¡­ happened.

    For a brief moment, I felt it¡ªa flicker of something beyond the reservoirs. The vast network of energy pathways stretched through my body like veins glowing with internal strength.

    And then¡ªpain.

    It wasn¡¯t the dull ache of overexertion or the sharp sting of injury. No, this felt like my reservoirs were straining¡ªevery thin thread of energy inside me vibrating violently, teetering on the edge of snapping. It was as if the pathways themselves were trying to expand beyond their limits, forcing energy through too-narrow channels like water pressurized against a cracking dam.

    And then, they did expand.

    The thin, thread-like structures began to widen¡ªnot just the larger main pathways, but the tiniest venules stretching to my fingertips, to the tips of my toes, and every inch of my body. They grew until they were as wide as the central channels I¡¯d painstakingly formed earlier. The energy flowed differently now¡ªnot trickling, not pulsing, but flooding, rushing with terrifying speed through a network suddenly too vast to be contained.

    Beside me, Thea¡¯s sharp, ragged gasps were punctuated by what I could only describe as choked-off screams. I didn¡¯t dare glance over; I couldn¡¯t. If I lost focus for even a second, I felt like my body might shatter into a thousand glass shards under the force of whatever was happening inside me.

    Heavy, thundering footsteps approached. They were distant and muffled, as if the world had been wrapped in cotton. I could only assume it was the commander, but his words¡ªif he spoke¡ªwere lost to the chaos inside my head.

    And then¡­ the final extremity expanded.

    The flood of energy reached every corner, every capillary-like thread in my reservoirs. And with it, the pain vanished.

    It was like surfacing from beneath deep water and taking my first desperate gasp of air. My lungs filled fully, easily, as if every breath carried more oxygen than it should.

    Sound sharpened¡ªnot louder, but clearer. The distant hum of insects, the faint rustle of leaves in the wind, the rhythmic thud of my own heartbeat¡ªthey layered together, distinct yet harmonious. Somewhere nearby, a droplet of water fell from a leaf, and I swear I could hear it splash against the soil.

    But it wasn¡¯t overwhelming. It wasn¡¯t chaos. It was¡­ calm. A stillness wrapped in clarity.

    I opened my eyes, blinking against the sudden sharpness of the world.

    Colors weren¡¯t just colors¡ªthey were vivid, alive, etched into my vision with impossible detail. Every leaf on every branch seemed unique, their edges razor-sharp against the pale morning light. A tiny insect I couldn¡¯t identify crawled along a nearby rock, and I could see the glimmer of its antennae twitching in the light.

    For just a moment¡ªso brief it could have been a heartbeat¡ªeverything slowed. A single leaf drifted down from a tree branch above, twirling in the faint breeze. I followed its path with perfect clarity, every rotation, every tiny bounce as it hit the air currents below.

    And then the world resumed its natural rhythm.

    I gasped softly, my breath fogging faintly in the cool morning air. My body felt stable, the energy flowing smoothly¡ªno longer a chaotic flood, but a steady river coursing through channels reinforced by whatever had just happened.

    Slowly, I flexed my fingers, watching as the muscles responded with perfect precision. I could feel the subtle shifts in tension, the faint vibration of each tendon beneath my skin.

    Beside me, Thea let out a shaky exhale, her voice quiet but sharp. ¡°What¡­ what was that?¡±

    I swallowed hard, still staring at my trembling hands, feeling the faint hum of energy thrumming beneath my skin.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± I said softly. ¡°But I think¡­ we just finished the first step.¡±

    The commander stood over us, arms crossed and an eyebrow raised. His sharp eyes flicked between Thea and me, taking in our exhausted forms and, no doubt, the bewildered looks on our faces.

    ¡°Are you two okay? Those screams didn¡¯t sound particularly pleasant.¡±

    Thea was the first to recover, nodding firmly despite the faint tremor in her voice. ¡°We¡¯re fine, sir. Thank you for¡­ watching over us. I think¡ªI think the method we invented changed something in us. And unfortunately, it wasn¡¯t very pleasant.¡±

    ¡°Changed?¡± The commander¡¯s brows furrowed. ¡°You didn¡¯t mention anything about change yesterday.¡±

    I cleared my throat and stepped in before Thea could respond. ¡°We didn¡¯t know about it until now. We thought we were just forming reservoirs, building pathways for internal strength.¡± I hesitated, trying to piece together the right words for something I barely understood myself. ¡°But it feels¡­ different now. Like there¡¯s this massive, main channel running through us¡ªsomething bigger than before. Everything feels sharper, more¡­ connected. I can¡¯t explain it.¡±

    I let out a slow breath, my chest rising and falling as the residual tension faded. Then, an idea sparked, and I couldn¡¯t help the sly grin that crept across my face.

    ¡°Maybe, sir, if you get to this point soon, you¡¯ll understand. And trust me, you¡¯re definitely going to want the next step.¡±

    The commander¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, and for a moment, I thought I might have overstepped. But instead of anger, his lips twitched upward into something dangerously close to amusement.

    ¡°You already have the next step figured out?¡± he asked, his tone sharp but playful.

    I froze. ¡°Uh¡­ um¡­¡± Words failed me as I scrambled for something¡ªanything¡ªto say.

    And then, the commander did something I absolutely did not expect.

    He threw his head back and roared with laughter.

    It wasn¡¯t a polite chuckle or a reserved smirk. No, this was full-bodied, uproarious laughter that echoed through the clearing and probably scared away every bird within a hundred yards.

    ¡°You kids are something else,¡± he said, wiping a tear from the corner of his eye as he caught his breath. ¡°Inventing methods, pushing yourselves to the edge, and now trying to bargain with me about the next step. I like it.¡±Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

    He paused, his smile softening just slightly. ¡°But listen here¡ªyou¡¯d better come up with that next step soon. I¡¯ve got plenty of free time to train, and trust me, I¡¯ll catch up to you faster than you think. And if you don¡¯t have anything by then¡­ well, let¡¯s just say there¡¯ll be no payment for your little invention.¡±

    Thea and I snapped to attention instinctively.

    ¡°Yes, sir!¡± we said in unison, our voices loud and clear.

    ¡°Get back to it then,¡± the commander said, his grin lingering for a moment longer before he turned on his heel and began walking away, his boots crunching lightly against the forest floor.

    ¡°Let¡¯s explore the change first,¡± I said, looking over at Thea, who was practically vibrating with excitement. Her storm-gray eyes were alight with the curiosity of someone who had just discovered a new world. ¡°I know you¡¯re excited, Grandmaster Thea, but we should first make sure nothing¡¯s, you know¡­ wrong.¡±

    She deflated slightly, crossing her arms, but after a brief pause, nodded. ¡°Fine. Safety first.¡±

    We both resumed our steady breathing, slipping back into the familiar rhythm of focus and circulation. But as soon as I felt the flow of energy within me, I noticed two things: one very good and one very bad.

    Good news? The energy moved effortlessly now, gliding through me like a river on a clear day. It was miles¡ªno, galaxies¡ªeasier than before. Bad news? The Spiritual Reservoir Formation method was designed to create storage points¡ªnodes of condensed internal strength meant for quick bursts of power during a fight. It was supposed to allow us to stop focusing on energy flow during combat.

    But now? Now everything had changed. The reservoirs we had spent hours painstakingly crafting were gone¡ªreplaced by a vast, singular pathway. A Grand Channel. Yeah, that had a nice ring to it. I¡¯d ask Thea later, it was my turn to name something after all.

    The Grand Channel was smooth, uninterrupted. Energy flowed easily, but the problem was clear: if I stopped actively directing it, the energy just¡­ settled. It went right back to circulating aimlessly around the focus point, as if our hard work had been wiped clean.

    ¡°Thea?¡± I said, my voice low.

    ¡°Yeah, I know.¡± Her usual spark had dimmed, her shoulders slumping slightly.

    We sat there in silence, two geniuses stumped by our own brilliance. For every step forward, it felt like we¡¯d taken another right back.

    ¡°You know,¡± I started, trying to sound more confident than I felt, ¡°maybe we could just¡­ try making our cores. I mean, that¡¯s the next logical step, right?¡±

    She mulled it over, biting her lip. ¡°I guess that¡¯s fine. The energy moves so much easier now, and theoretically, we both have enough to start forming one. But¡­ I don¡¯t want to abandon this path just to move forward faster. This transformation¡ªit¡¯s new. I¡¯ve never read about anything like this before. We could be on the edge of something huge.¡±

    She was right. I nodded. ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right. We shouldn¡¯t rush it.¡±

    ¡°Maybe we could just try to pool the energy again?¡± she suggested. ¡°Maybe reservoirs are just¡­ harder to make now?¡±

    It wasn¡¯t a bad idea. And honestly, I didn¡¯t have a better one. ¡°Sure, we can try,¡± I said, though I wasn¡¯t feeling particularly optimistic.

    We closed our eyes, settling back into meditation. The familiar pulse of world energy surrounded us, thick and ever-present. I reached out for it, drawing it into myself.

    And then¡ªsomething strange happened.

    The nausea I had come to expect from absorbing too much world energy didn¡¯t hit me. Instead, the energy flowed in smoothly, seamlessly merging into my Grand Channel. My internal strength didn¡¯t resist it; it just sank in, spreading outward, filling me like water pouring into an endless reservoir.

    It was spreading.

    My eyes flew open. ¡°Thea!¡± I shouted.

    She flinched, her concentration breaking. ¡°I know, it¡¯s pointless. I can¡¯t use my internal strength to make a new rese¡ª¡±

    ¡°No!¡± I cut her off, shaking my head so hard my neck almost protested. ¡°Just cultivate. Absorb world energy.¡±

    She hesitated, her brow furrowed in doubt. ¡°But we¡¯re at our limit, Peter. We can¡¯t grow our internal strength any further right now.¡±

    ¡°Trust me,¡± I said, and something in my face¡ªor maybe just the manic energy radiating off me¡ªmust have convinced her.

    She closed her eyes, focused, and then¡ª

    Her head snapped back up, her mouth wide open in shock.

    And then she screamed.

    Loud enough to shatter glass, loud enough to wake whatever ancient forest spirit might¡¯ve been napping nearby.

    ¡°WE ARE A RESERVOIR!¡± she yelled, her voice cracking with equal parts joy and disbelief.

    The commander glanced at us one last time before letting out a chuckle, a sound I could clearly hear despite the growing distance as he walked back to whatever he was doing.

    ¡°Peter! This is amazing!¡± Thea practically vibrated with excitement, her storm-gray eyes wide. ¡°We can just sit, absorb world energy, train to fuse it, and fill our, um¡ª¡±

    ¡°Grand Channel,¡± I supplied with a grin.

    She smiled brightly, nodding. ¡°Right! Fill our Grand Channel to the max.¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s great that we have something,¡± I said, already settling back into position. ¡°Let¡¯s see how much we can take in.¡±

    We both resumed cultivating, letting the world energy pour into us. But the strangest thing? It didn¡¯t stop. Not once did I feel like I was reaching my limit, not even the faintest sense of that dreadful popping feeling.

    Eventually, though, it did stop¡ªnot because of discomfort, but because my Grand Channel was completely full. There wasn¡¯t an ounce more energy I could absorb. It felt¡­ heavy, in a good way, like being filled with pure potential energy silently moving around the body, and it was circulating on its own, with no focus required.

    The original internal strength circulated nearer to the focus point¡ªwater compared to the oil-like world energy now packed around it. But I already knew how to fix this. And for once, filled to the brim with power, I was thrilled at the thought of sparring.

    I jumped to my feet, and Thea was already standing there, practically bouncing on the balls of her feet.

    ¡°Still injured,¡± I reminded her, holding up a finger. ¡°Elric said gentle sparring.¡±

    She nodded sagely¡­ but the manic grin on her face told me the message might not have landed. Not that it mattered¡ªI was lying anyway. Whatever transformation we¡¯d undergone had healed me. I felt brand new, like every bruise and ache had been smoothed over by molten gold.

    What followed was insane.

    We clashed¡ªfaster, harder, and sharper than ever before. Every step, every strike, every dodge felt explosive. I didn¡¯t have to think about moving energy through my body; it was already there. The power responded to my instincts instantly, without delay.

    But there was a catch.

    Despite our ferocity, despite the sparks that practically flew between us as we exchanged blows, only some of the world energy was fusing into our internal strength. Some. Not all. Not even most.

    Eventually, we collapsed onto the grass, panting, sweat dripping from our brows.

    Thea spoke first, her voice breathless. ¡°How much did you retain?¡±

    I frowned, closing my eyes and focusing inward. The reservoir-like sensation of the Grand Channel was still there, but it felt¡­ emptier.

    ¡°If I had to guess, my Grand Channel¡±¡ªI said the name proudly, savoring how it rolled off my tongue like fine honey. Thea rolled her eyes, but the small grin gave her away¡ª¡°now feels about¡­ ten percent full. Just barely spreading past the focal point.¡±

    She nodded, wiping a strand of chestnut hair from her face. ¡°Same. Although it isn¡¯t exactly a new technique, it is a new stage. Let¡¯s call it the Energy Gathering Stage.¡±

    ¡°Simple,¡± I said with mock disappointment.

    ¡°Descriptive,¡± she shot back, raising an eyebrow.

    And¡­ well, she wasn¡¯t wrong.

    It wasn¡¯t a perfect step forward. But it was something. And something was better than nothing.

    Before we could discuss more, the horn blared¡ªa sharp, grating sound that felt ten times worse with my newly enhanced hearing. I winced, clapping my hands over my ears. Thankfully, it seemed my eardrums had toughened up as well, because they didn¡¯t immediately shatter from the force.

    The tank instructor made his rounds, quickly allotting points for the day and dismissing us without much ceremony.

    As we made our way back toward the Hall, a nagging worry crept into my chest. Elric had said camp would be fine, but what about the outside? Inside the arena, there were attendants keeping everyone in line, but out here? It was just recruits and whatever fragile power dynamics existed between them.

    But contrary to my expectations¡ªand my anxiety¡ªElric wasn¡¯t in danger. No, in fact, he was standing near the Hall entrance, very clearly being protected.

    Two girls, both in healer robes, stood in front of him, blocking a group of three guys who looked just about ready to start throwing punches. Elric, for his part, hovered behind the girls, looking meek, though his aquamarine eyes flickered with a quiet kind of patience.

    ¡°You¡¯re just mad because Elric¡¯s a nicer person than all of you combined!¡± one of the girls shouted, her voice sharp with righteous fury.

    ¡°Not to mention, you¡¯re jealous,¡± the other added, her arms crossed tightly over her chest as she leaned into the confrontation.

    ¡°He broke our rules!¡± one of the guys snapped back, his face red with frustration.

    The taller girl stepped forward, her voice cold and razor-sharp. ¡°Oh, you mean that rule? The one where you don¡¯t talk about causing more harm than good? Please. You¡¯re a disgrace to the Healers'' Guild.¡±

    Oof. That hit hard enough to leave bruises.

    The three guys hesitated, glancing at each other and then at the crowd forming nearby. They must¡¯ve realized they weren¡¯t going to win this particular argument, because they turned on their heels and walked away in a huff.

    Elric sighed and smiled at the two girls. ¡°Thanks, Penny, Sam. I really appreciate it.¡±

    I swear the two of them almost fainted at that deceptively angelic smile of his. I could practically hear the mental squee! from where I was standing.

    I¡¯m not saying it got under my skin or anything, but we had things to do, and it felt like a good time to remind Elric we existed.

    ¡°Elric!¡± I called out, waving an arm. Definitely not ruining a moment. Absolutely not interfering with whatever sparkly aura he seemed to generate around these girls.

    Both Penny and Sam turned their heads sharply in my direction, and I was pretty sure they were glaring at me. Could¡¯ve just been my imagination. Could¡¯ve also not been.

    Elric¡¯s face lit up when he saw us, his eyes practically glowing. ¡°Peter! Thea! I¡¯m so happy to see you.¡±

    We walked over, and Penny¡ªstill a bit tense¡ªtilted her head toward us. ¡°Are they your friends?¡±

    Elric nodded, his voice soft but warm. ¡°Yeah, they¡¯ve helped me a lot. Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll talk more back at camp. You two should get back to your guild duties.¡±

    They looked visibly disappointed, their shoulders drooping just a bit. But when Elric gave them one of his signature smiles and waved, they managed a weak goodbye before walking off, stealing glances back at him as they disappeared into the crowd.

    Thea leaned over to me, whispering under her breath, ¡°I knew he had a fan club.¡±

 Chapter 14: A Lesson in Stone and Blood

    The three of us headed inside to grab a training room and start another cultivation session.

    ¡°So, Elric,¡± I started, tilting my head toward him, ¡°since you finished your last system quest by torturing me, have you gotten anything new?¡±

    He shook his head, that annoyingly angelic smile creeping across his face. ¡°No, not yet. But I¡¯m sure when I level up my abilities more, they¡¯ll come. So let me keep torturing you.¡±

    There it is again¡ªthat smile. It¡¯s like a puppy trying to convince you it didn¡¯t just destroy your couch.

    He continued, ¡°You two are Late Bloomers, right? Any idea when you might get your systems?¡±

    ¡°No clue,¡± I said with a shrug.

    Thea chimed in, ¡°I should get mine in a couple of days, hopefully.¡±

    At the training desk, I paid this time, dropping my total down to 180.

    Once inside, Thea turned to Elric. ¡°How¡¯s your cultivation progress coming along?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve finished the first reservoir in my solar plexus, so nine to go. I think I¡¯ll focus on my lower body next since I don¡¯t plan on fighting anytime soon.¡±

    Thea nodded approvingly. ¡°As long as they stay connected from the focus point, I don¡¯t think you need to rush into the shoulders and fists just yet. Peter and I formed ten reservoirs, and honestly, I don¡¯t think there¡¯s much point in going beyond that.¡±

    She then explained the transformation Elric would undergo once he completed all ten reservoirs¡ªthe heightened senses, improved strength, and enhanced reflexes.

    ¡°You mean¡­ you¡¯re physically transformed? Better senses, speed, and strength?¡± Elric asked, his aquamarine eyes wide with interest.

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± I said, stretching my shoulders slightly. ¡°But now, we¡¯re in uncharted territory. Since we are the reservoir, and we can completely fill our body with energy, there¡¯s not much point in focusing on improving circulation anymore. Instead, I¡¯ve been thinking¡ªwhat if we find a way to make the energy more powerful where we need it most?¡±

    Thea crossed her arms, her expression thoughtful. ¡°We could try exploring ways to fuse it into our bodies to refine them, but honestly, that idea feels impossible to me. The Grand Channel is¡­ it¡¯s like its own organ. We can use it like a muscle¡ªit flexes, it contracts¡ªbut we can¡¯t just merge it with our bones or our skin. It doesn¡¯t work that way.¡±

    I nodded slowly, the same frustration gnawing at me. The idea of permanently fusing our internal strength into our physical body felt like trying to grip smoke. No matter how hard we focused or how much energy we pushed, it just wouldn¡¯t stick.

    ¡°It¡¯s like¡­¡± I paused, trying to find the right words. ¡°It¡¯s like the Grand Channel is a dam, holding back a lake of energy. If we draw water from that lake and pour it over a patch of dry ground¡ªlike, say, our arms or legs¡ªit¡¯ll soak in for a moment, but eventually, it evaporates. It doesn¡¯t stay. The energy needs the channel to remain stable. Outside of it, it disperses.¡±

    Thea spoke next, ¡°Well, for now, we can just focus on completing the Energy Gathering phase. We¡¯ll think about other techniques while cultivating it.¡±

    And so that¡¯s what we did. Elric practiced his reservoir formation, while Thea and I focused on cultivating¡ªgathering energy into our bodies until they were full. The same routine repeated: spar, consolidate, cultivate again. By the end of the hour, Elric had completed another reservoir, and Thea and I had increased our personal energy in the channel to around twenty percent, filling the rest with world force as an emergency reserve.

    While walking around afterward, a thought struck me. ¡°So, do you think we should get some weapons or tools? Honestly, the arena fights are starting to feel pretty unfair when everyone else has them.¡±

    Elric didn¡¯t stop walking as he answered. ¡°If you join a guild, they usually provide equipment for a monthly fee. But to buy one outright? It¡¯s incredibly expensive. I mean, a basic metal club might not cost more than a couple hundred points, but a magical tool, like a crystal ball¡­¡±

    He trailed off, his voice fading slightly. The unspoken weight of those words hung between us. It wasn¡¯t just about the price¡ªit was about access. He wouldn¡¯t get one, not after being kicked out of the guild. And, honestly, I couldn¡¯t blame him for feeling bitter about it.

    ¡°Alright, we probably have enough points, but it¡¯s best to hold onto them. We need to make sure you can drop out of fights if needed,¡± I said, nodding toward Elric. ¡°Speaking of which¡­¡± I glanced at Thea cautiously. ¡°We¡¯re much stronger now, and we can hold more energy. I think we can stand our ground against bottom-rankers¡ª¡±

    Thea¡¯s sharp glare stopped me mid-sentence, freezing the words in my throat. But then she sighed, her expression softening slightly. ¡°I think you¡¯re right. We should be able to hold our own against fighters and tanks now.¡±

    I grinned, silently celebrating her permission like I¡¯d just been handed the keys to a sports car.

    ¡°But,¡± she continued, and my grin froze in place, ¡°you have to be extremely careful against mages. I¡¯ve heard they cause the most accidental deaths out of anyone.¡±

    Elric nodded, his voice calm but serious. He was quickly becoming my go-to encyclopedia for anything related to the Hall. Honestly, I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if he had done some serious research before arriving here.

    ¡°It depends, really. I mean, it¡¯s hard to cure an icicle spear through the heart¡­ or a bad case of ¡®charred beyond recognition.¡¯¡± He gave a small, dry chuckle. ¡°Some magic is more dangerous than others. But low-rank mages shouldn¡¯t be too deadly. Painful, sure¡ªbut deadly? Less so. Then again, ¡®fire hurts¡¯ isn¡¯t exactly surprising news, right?¡±

    ¡°Well, let¡¯s get it over with then. We can train more, shop, or¡ªmost importantly¡ªeat after the match,¡± I said as we reached the battle registration desk.

    Thea tapped her orb against Elric¡¯s, her points dropping to 195 while his rose to 5. The difference was a little amusing.

    Elric stayed behind as Thea and I registered for our fights. He¡¯d wait until we were done before entering his match¡ªor more accurately, surrendering.

    We sat in silence until Thea¡¯s name was called.

    ¡°Good luck,¡± I said as she stood.

    ¡°Thanks.¡±

    And just like that, she was gone, leaving me alone with Elric in the increasingly stale waiting area.

    ¡°Man, this is taking forever,¡± I groaned, leaning back against the cold stone wall. ¡°I wish we could watch the fights.¡±

    ¡°Oh, we can!¡± Elric said brightly, like he¡¯d just revealed a hidden treasure map.

    ¡°Oh, sweet! Then¡ª¡±

    ¡°For a price.¡±

    Of course.

    I sighed and trudged over to the attendant desk. ¡°How much to watch a bottom-rank fight?¡±

    ¡°Thirty points,¡± she replied curtly, not even looking up.

    I turned right around and plopped back down next to Elric.

    ¡°Too expensive?¡± he asked, his eyes sparkling with amusement.

    ¡°No, I¡¯m sitting down because the prices were reasonable,¡± I deadpanned.

    He let out a light chuckle, and despite everything, I couldn¡¯t help but smirk.

    I heard my name called, and soon I was stepping onto a rocky plateau arena. Jagged spires of stone jutted out at uneven angles, the air sharp with dust and the faint scent of iron. Across from me stood my opponent¡ªa wiry girl clutching an obsidian disk. Her expression was sharp, focused, but beneath it, there was something else. Fear, maybe? Uncertainty?

    ¡°Status!¡± We both called out.

    ¡°Confirmed: Mage Class. Blessing: One with Stone. Confirmed: Late Bloomer. Begin.¡±

    A stone mage. In an arena like this? My odds didn¡¯t look great. I remembered the commander¡¯s advice¡ªobserve, wait, don¡¯t rush in¡ªbut the ground beneath my boots felt far too unstable for patience.This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

    The girl didn¡¯t move. Instead, she lifted the obsidian disk. From this distance, my enhanced sight picked up faint ripple-like etchings carved into its surface. Patterns. Not random scratches¡ªdesigns.

    Should I approach? Would charging her give her less time to set up whatever she was planning?

    Before I could decide, glowing brown orbs of light manifested around the disk. They hovered like suspended droplets before streaming toward the etchings, racing along the patterns until they reached the center. As they traveled, they accelerated, like water rushing down narrowing grooves.

    When the disk¡¯s center flared with light, the girl slammed her free hand into the ground.

    The disk went dark.

    And the earth screamed.

    A jagged stone spire erupted inches from where I had been standing, slicing clean through the air as I dove sideways. The shockwave hit me like a hammer, rattling my bones.

    Patience is a luxury I don¡¯t have here.

    I roared and charged, energy coursing through me like molten steel. Either she¡¯d need time to prepare another attack, or I¡¯d die trying to stop her. She wasn¡¯t prepared for speed. My tackle hit her square in the chest, and we crashed to the stone ground. The disk skittered away, landing a few feet to our left.

    She screamed¡ªraw, terrified¡ªand her hands shot up in a pitiful attempt to shield her face. My fist was raised, ready to strike, but I froze mid-swing.

    Tears streaked her dusty cheeks, her lips trembling as she let out a small, choked sob.

    This wasn¡¯t a hardened killer. This wasn¡¯t some adrenaline-pumped warrior. She was terrified.

    ¡°Surrender,¡± I said firmly, my voice sharp but steady.

    She shuddered violently. ¡°I can¡¯t. I don¡¯t have any points left.¡±

    I let out a long breath, feeling the anger bleed out of me. Pushing myself off her, I stood and turned to the unseen sky above us.

    ¡°The match is over! She can¡¯t fight anymore!¡± I shouted.

    Silence.

    I waited, but there was no response¡ªnot from the mechanical voice, not from the arena staff. Nothing.

    ¡°She¡¯s done!¡± I barked again, frustration bubbling up like bile. ¡°What, am I supposed to beat her bloody just so you sick freaks can get your entertainment?¡±

    The silence that followed felt heavy, oppressive. Then, finally, a voice¡ªnot mechanical, but resolute and cold¡ªechoed down from somewhere unseen.

    ¡°We will determine when she is unable to fight.¡±

    The girl¡¯s small frame trembled as she clutched her arms to her chest, but she didn¡¯t move.

    I turned back to the sky¡ªor whatever cameras were watching me from above. ¡°She¡¯s obviously lost! What, do you want me to break her bones? Crush her spirit? Are we training soldiers or monsters here?!¡±

    The metallic clunk of an elevator filled the silence. Its stone doors opened, and a tall man stepped out. His stride was deliberate, his expression unreadable. He approached the girl first.

    ¡°Pick up your tool,¡± he said flatly.

    She scrambled for the obsidian disk, clutching it tight like a lifeline.

    ¡°Leave through the exit.¡±

    She did. Without hesitation, she fled through the stone archway, leaving just me and the man alone in the arena.

    ¡°So¡­ do I win?¡± I asked, my voice uncertain.

    He didn¡¯t answer. His gaze remained locked on me, expression as hollow and cold as stone. And then¡ª

    He moved.

    One moment he was ten feet away, the next he was inches in front of me. His fist slammed into my stomach like a piston. My vision shattered around the edges, my lungs convulsed, and I staggered back, clutching my abdomen.

    ¡°What¡ªwhat are you¡ª¡±

    Before I could finish, a black baton appeared in his hand, a blur of motion arcing downward. It connected with my ribs in a meaty crack. The force buckled my knees, and I collapsed to one side, choking on a strangled gasp.

    I didn¡¯t have time to recover before his hand closed around my jaw. Fingers like iron clamps locked me in place as he slammed my head against the rocky ground. Stars exploded behind my eyes, static filled my ears, and the world twisted into something surreal and unrecognizable.

    For a brief, fleeting moment, there was silence.

    My head lolled to the side, my cheek pressed against the cold stone. But then his voice cut through the haze, sharp and biting.

    ¡°If we say fight, you fight.¡±

    His boot connected with my ribs¡ªagain. Something deep inside me shifted, a jagged pain radiating outward from the impact point like splintering glass.

    Another kick.

    Another crack.

    Every nerve in my body felt raw, exposed, like live wires stripped of insulation.

    By the time the punishment stopped, I couldn¡¯t tell if seconds or hours had passed. My breath came in shallow gasps, my chest hitching painfully with every inhale. Darkness clawed at the edges of my vision, but consciousness clung to me stubbornly, refusing to let go.

    The last thing I remembered was the sharp sting of gravel digging into my cheek, the distant echo of the elevator doors sliding open¡­ and then silence.

    When I came to again, the world was sharper this time¡ªstill hazy around the edges, but shapes and colors started to settle into something familiar. Above me, the leaves swayed gently against a sky painted with streaks of orange and pale blue. My ribs ached deep and dull, and every breath was tight, but at least I could breathe.

    ¡°Peter?¡± Thea¡¯s voice came softly from beside me, careful and trembling around the edges. Her face hovered into view, her storm-gray eyes filled with worry that she wasn¡¯t even trying to hide. Her hair was a mess, a few loose strands stuck to her forehead, and her lips were pressed tight together as if she¡¯d been holding back tears.

    ¡°You¡¯re awake.¡± Relief softened the tension in her shoulders.

    ¡°Barely,¡± I croaked, wincing as my throat scraped out the word.

    ¡°Don¡¯t talk too much,¡± she said, glancing over her shoulder. ¡°Elric¡¯s almost ready.¡±

    I turned my head slightly¡ªit felt like trying to move a sack of stones strapped to my neck. Elric was kneeling nearby, his palms glowing faintly with pale light as he muttered something under his breath. His expression was pinched with focus, beads of sweat trailing down his temples.

    When he finally looked up, his lips pressed into a thin line. ¡°Peter, I¡¯m going to start now. It¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s going to hurt, but I promise, it¡¯ll help.¡±

    There was something in his voice¡ªa faint tremor, a hesitation. I realized then that the sight of me laid out like this had shaken him.

    Elric exhaled slowly, steadying himself before he pressed his glowing hands gently over my chest. Warmth spread outward¡ªnot the comforting kind, but sharp, invasive warmth that dug deep into every fracture, every bruised ligament and cracked bone. It was an ache that didn¡¯t flare so much as it spread, pulling at the edges of each wound, stitching them together with deliberate, agonizing care.

    My jaw clenched tight, and my hands dug into the earth beneath me, but I didn¡¯t make a sound. Through the haze of pain, I felt Thea¡¯s hand on my shoulder tighten slightly as if she were trying to share even a fraction of the weight.

    Elric¡¯s hands trembled slightly as he worked, the glow pulsing faintly with every deliberate motion. He was careful, impossibly so, his breaths shallow with concentration as he guided the energy where it needed to go.

    Eventually, the pain ebbed¡ªnot gone, but duller, manageable. My ribs felt wrapped in something heavy, almost like an invisible brace. I let out a shaky breath, feeling air move freely through my chest for the first time since the beating.

    ¡°It¡¯s done,¡± Elric said softly, leaning back on his heels, his face pale from exertion.

    Thea helped me sit up against a nearby tree, her hands steady but her expression tight with concern.

    ¡°What happened?¡± she asked quietly. ¡°I walked out and saw a knight dragging you out of the Hall.¡±

    Elric filled in the gaps. ¡°They pulled him out of the elevator. Then they showed him off, yelling about ¡®not following the rules.¡¯¡±

    I took a deep breath, wincing as my ribs protested, and explained everything¡ªthe girl, the obsidian disk, her fear, my refusal to beat her when she was clearly unable to fight.

    When I finished, silence settled over us, heavy and uncomfortable. Thea¡¯s storm-gray eyes were clouded with thought, her brows drawn together in a tight line.

    Finally, she spoke. ¡°Peter, we have to follow the rules. When we join the military, we¡¯ll have to follow orders. If they wanted you to continue, you could¡¯ve just knocked her out. Someone would¡¯ve healed her after¡ª¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s insane!¡± I snapped, cutting her off. ¡°She couldn¡¯t fight back, Thea. She was helpless. And what? Just so whoever¡¯s watching can confirm I can ¡®follow orders,¡¯ I have to beat some defenseless girl into the dirt? No. Absolutely not.¡±

    Thea flinched slightly at my tone, and I immediately regretted snapping at her. But I couldn¡¯t bring myself to apologize¡ªnot yet. The raw edge of my anger was still too sharp.

    ¡°The answer is no,¡± I said firmly. ¡°I refuse to do that.¡±

    Silence settled again, only broken by the faint rustle of leaves above us.

    I sighed, running a hand through my hair. ¡°Elric, how many more days of treatment will I need?¡±

    Elric hesitated. ¡°I¡ªI¡¯m not sure. You¡¯ve recovered way more than I expected. Maybe your transformation helped more than just your senses and physical attributes. I think¡­ maybe one more treatment tomorrow morning, and you¡¯ll be fine.¡±

    I nodded, feeling some relief at the prospect of not spending more days in pain.

    ¡°One more thing,¡± I said, shifting the topic. ¡°Elric, do you know anything about a disk-like tool for magic? Black, kind of obsidian-looking, with spiral etchings?¡±

    He shook his head, looking apologetic. To my surprise, Thea spoke up instead.

    ¡°It¡¯s used to accelerate the flow of magic,¡± she said, her voice clear and confident. ¡°It¡¯s made from a rare material that acts as a conduit for elemental energy¡ªwhich is different from world energy and internal strength. The spirals etched into it form a lattice that controls the flow.¡±

    I stared at her, mouth slightly open. ¡°How do you know that?¡±

    Her gaze flickered away for a moment. ¡°My mom was a magician¡­ Anyway,¡± she continued quickly, ¡°you gather energy onto the disk, and it runs along the grooves. The shape of the spirals speeds up the flow, focusing it toward the crystal in the center. From there, the mage can draw it into their body or release it outward as a spell.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t help but grin as an idea sparked in my mind. ¡°Thea, the grooves¡­ their shape. The magical energy flows through them like water and speeds up. If inner strength circulated faster, what would happen?¡±

    She froze, her eyes wide as realization dawned. ¡°If you circulate it quicker, you could diffuse more energy into your body at once. That would mean bigger stat boosts¡ªmore strength, more speed, everything.¡±

    ¡°Exactly,¡± I said, feeling excitement bubbling in my chest.

    ¡°But¡­¡± she added, her voice hesitant, ¡°if you circulate it faster, you¡¯d burn through your energy much more quickly.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± I admitted. ¡°But right now, how long would it take for us to recover if we used up most of our internal strength?¡±

    She thought for a moment, her brows furrowed in concentration. ¡°Well¡­ if you used everything, you¡¯d probably die. But if you used most of it, it would recover naturally over time. If we eventually filled the entire Grand Channel with internal strength and used it all in one burst¡­ maybe it would take an entire day to recover fully.¡±

    I nodded thoughtfully, leaning my head back against the tree bark. The idea was taking shape in my mind

 Chapter 15: Quiet Conversations

    ¡°Can you help me up? We should probably head back to camp.¡±

    I had finalized my thoughts on the next transformation for the Grand Channel and the Energy Gathering stage, but it felt like an idea too big to sit on for long.

    ¡°Yeah, alright. Come on,¡± Thea said, crouching down and guiding my arm over her shoulder. ¡°Up we go.¡±

    We started toward our campsite, the faint sounds of the forest filling the gaps in our tired breaths. My mind buzzed with questions, theories, and half-formed plans I needed to run by her.

    ¡°Thea?¡±

    ¡°No more Grandmaster now?¡± she said with a teasing grin.

    ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t like it,¡± I said, raising an eyebrow.

    ¡°It¡¯s grown on me. What¡¯s up?¡±

    ¡°You finished that book by now, right? Did it cover core formation?¡±

    She nodded, her storm-gray eyes flickering with curiosity. ¡°Yeah, I finished it. It covered the theory of forming a core¡ªhardening your inner strength by stopping its flow and condensing it. It¡¯s a lot more dangerous than it sounds, though.¡± Her face lit up slightly. ¡°Wait, are you thinking we could etch patterns into the central core once we finish this stage?¡±

    I shook my head, frowning slightly. ¡°No, not yet. I think you were right earlier¡ªwe shouldn¡¯t rush into core formation. But¡­ what if we carved into the Grand Channel itself, just like the magic tools?¡±

    Her eyes widened, and I could practically see the gears turning in her head. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ that¡¯s brilliant. But how exactly do we carve into it?¡±

    I hesitated, organizing my thoughts before speaking. ¡°If someone fails core formation, and they stop the hardening process midway, does their energy re-liquefy?¡±

    She froze mid-step, her brow furrowed. For a moment, she seemed troubled, but then¡ªlike clockwork¡ªher expression shifted into the gleaming look of someone who¡¯s just stumbled upon a golden puzzle piece.

    ¡°No¡­ not exactly,¡± she said slowly. ¡°The reason most people never attempt it¡ªother than the fact that with a system, a small energy generator doesn¡¯t offer that much benefit¡ªis because if you fail, you lose everything. Every ounce of energy you used trying to form the core just¡­ evaporates. Most people aiming to form one want the biggest core possible, so they funnel all their energy into it. Could you imagine spending a day¡¯s¡ªor even several weeks¡ªon cultivation, only for all of that to vanish in seconds?¡±

    I winced at the thought. Yeah, losing so much progress sounded like a nightmare scenario. But the seed of an idea had already taken root, and I couldn¡¯t let it go.

    ¡°What if we just used a tiny bit of internal strength?¡± I said, my voice low and deliberate. ¡°Just enough to harden a thin thread of energy¡ªsolidify it into something temporary. Like¡­ like a carving needle.¡±

    Thea stopped walking entirely, her hand tightening on my arm as she processed the thought.

    ¡°A needle,¡± she whispered, her eyes unfocused as if she were staring straight into the blueprint of an idea etched across the sky. ¡°Not an entire core, not a complete transformation¡­ just enough energy to create something stable for a few seconds. And if it fails, we lose almost nothing.¡±

    ¡°Exactly.¡±

    She let out a breathless laugh, a sound caught somewhere between exhilaration and disbelief. ¡°So, we carve spiraling patterns like the ones on magical tools to increase flow? Sure, it could help for devastating attacks, but if we carve that everywhere, we¡¯d lose a significant amount of control over our own circulation.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, that wouldn¡¯t be good,¡± I agreed, grimacing at the thought of my energy rushing out of control like a broken dam.

    She kept supporting me as we walked, our steps slow but steady. Above us, the stars stretched endlessly across the sky¡ªa shimmering blanket of cosmic wonder. It was the kind of sight that made you feel both incredibly small and infinitely important at the same time.

    A thought struck me, sharp and sudden. ¡°What about other patterns?¡±

    ¡°Other patterns¡ªwait, exactly!¡± Thea¡¯s voice pitched upward with excitement, her storm-gray eyes practically glowing in the moonlight. ¡°We could design them to increase flow between specific points¡ªlike our fists, or maybe our legs for bursts of speed¡ªand at those points, um¡­ we could make¡­¡±

    She looked at me, eyebrows raised, eyes dancing with expectation. Clearly, she wanted me to finish the thought.

    ¡°Maybe something like foci. Small dimples or indentations in the flow¡ªplaces where the energy could collect, even if only slightly.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡± she shouted, her voice breaking into a giddy laugh. ¡°Exactly! We could create small points like that, essentially allowing the energy to pool just enough for quick bursts. Not full reservoirs, but functional, concentrated hubs of energy.¡±

    ¡°Well,¡± I said, smirking despite the dull ache radiating through my ribs, ¡°just like last time¡ªnothing to do but try it, right?¡±

    Thea beamed, her smile wide and unrestrained. ¡°That¡¯s right!¡±

    For a moment, it looked like she might drop me entirely, start bouncing around, and squeal in excitement like a kid on their birthday. But she didn¡¯t. Instead, she tightened her grip on my arm, her steps light and filled with an energy I couldn¡¯t help but feel myself.

    Thea and I trudged back to our little corner of the Tank camp, far enough from the snorers, sneeze-shouters, and general chaos to actually get some sleep. Our gear was still where it was before, hidden under Thea¡¯s set up, tucked carefully away from curious eyes. I flopped onto my sleeping bag without ceremony, groaning as my ribs protested the sudden movement.

    Thea set her pack down a little more gracefully, though her shoulders slumped from exhaustion. She glanced at me, one eyebrow raised. ¡°You look like¡­ like you¡¯ve been trampled.¡±

    ¡°Flattering,¡± I muttered, shifting to prop myself up on one elbow. ¡°I think I¡¯ve officially transcended pain and entered the realm of permanent discomfort.¡±

    Thea smirked faintly as she lowered herself onto her sleeping bag with a sigh. Above us, the stars glittered across the night sky¡ªsharp, cold, and scattered across the vast expanse like shards of glass. For a moment, neither of us spoke. The faint crackle of distant fires and the rustling of leaves filled the silence.

    ¡°You know,¡± Thea said softly, breaking the stillness. ¡°We¡¯re doing something crazy¡ªcarving our own path¡­ literally.¡± She chuckled lightly into her hand, the sound almost shy before fading into a thoughtful pause. ¡°No one¡¯s ever been as obsessed with cultivation as I am. And even though you didn¡¯t really have a choice¡­ I can¡¯t remember the last time I had this much fun.¡±

    Her words hung in the cool night air, and I let them linger as I stared up at the endless sky. ¡°Me too. Back home¡ªwherever that is now¡ªeverything was so¡­ I don¡¯t know, empty. Monotonous. Wake up, school, eat, sleep¡­ repeat. Don¡¯t get me wrong, there were tons of great things, I miss toilet paper. And speaking of which¡ªyou need a shower.¡±

    I laughed, but Thea¡¯s gasp of indignation cut me off as she grabbed one of her precious books from her tent and hurled it at me.

    ¡°Ow!¡± I yelped as it hit my shoulder and bounced onto the grass. ¡°Violence! Abuse!¡±

    But honestly, I just ended up laughing harder, clutching my sore ribs as I gasped between chuckles.

    When I finally caught my breath, I continued, my voice quieter this time. ¡°But really¡­ with you and Elric, it¡¯s the most alive I¡¯ve felt in years. It¡¯s only been a few days, but¡ªit¡¯s like I have a family. A real family.¡±

    When I glanced over, Thea was already watching me. Her storm-gray eyes softened slightly, shadows of thought swimming in their depths. For a long moment, neither of us said anything. The firelight from distant campfires reflected faintly in her gaze, flickering like tiny stars caught in a storm cloud.

    ¡°Do you regret it, back at the arena?¡± she asked softly.

    The image of the girl from the arena flashed through my mind¡ªtear-streaked cheeks, trembling hands clutching that obsidian disk, the quiet shuffle of her feet as she walked away.

    ¡°No,¡± I said firmly. ¡°But it¡¯s going to make things harder for me, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Probably.¡± Thea¡¯s voice was steady, but the weight behind her words made my chest feel tight. ¡°I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s because I was raised in this place, but¡­ it¡¯s normal here. To take down your opponent, to not hesitate. But Peter¡ªwhat you did, the choice you made¡ªit made me think. Why are we doing this? Why are we trained to beat down people who have nothing against us until they can¡¯t stand?¡±

    Her voice trembled slightly, but she pressed on.

    ¡°We¡¯re going to war. After three years in this place, we won¡¯t have the¡­ luxury of stopping. The enemy, the Northern Continent¡ªthey won¡¯t show mercy. And yet¡­ shouldn¡¯t we hold on to something? Some kind of sympathy? We¡¯re training to fight alongside people we¡¯ve competed against for years. People we might one day have to rely on with our lives.¡±Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

    She paused, her brows furrowing. ¡°And what if¡­ what if this point system doesn¡¯t stop? Even in war, will we still be fighting against each other? For glory, for contribution¡­ for something that doesn¡¯t matter in the end?¡±

    Her voice faded into the quiet of the night, carried away by the soft wind filtering through the trees.

    For a while, there was nothing but the faint rustle of leaves. Her storm-gray eyes met mine again. There was something raw there¡ªopen and vulnerable in a way I had never seen Thea act.

    I wanted to say something¡ªto reassure her, to give her some kind of answer. But the words stuck in my throat, heavy and unmoving.

    After a beat of our eyes locked, I sat up, wincing slightly as my ribs protested. ¡°I¡¯m starving.¡±

    Thea rolled her eyes but reached for her bag. ¡°I figured you would be. After I won my match, I bought these.¡± She pulled out two skewers of the familiar Carapace Hound meat, still faintly warm and glistening with juices.

    ¡°Thanks,¡± I said, taking the skewer she offered and biting into it. The smoky flavor hit instantly, and for a moment, everything else faded away. ¡°How¡¯d your match go?¡±

    ¡°It was quick,¡± she said, chewing thoughtfully. ¡°Honestly, that transformation we went through¡ªit¡¯s something else. When I circulated my energy, the world slowed down. Just for a moment. But that axe-wielding brute? I had him in the palm of my hand.¡±

    I paused, remembering that fleeting moment during our evolution when the falling leaves had seemed suspended mid-air. I hadn¡¯t been able to replicate that since. ¡°Knowing you, Thea, I bet you were the brute in that fight.¡±

    he tossed a small piece of meat at me, which bounced harmlessly off my forehead. ¡°You¡¯re impossible.¡±

    We fell into a comfortable silence, the skewers slowly emptying as the distant firelight flickered faintly across her face. It painted soft golden lines along her cheekbones and jaw, catching in the strands of her chestnut hair. The moment felt¡­ peaceful. In a way I hadn¡¯t realized I needed until now.

    I checked my orb and frowned at the glowing numbers. 175. Five points lower than before. I guess my refusal to fight counted as a loss.

    ¡°Seriously?¡± I muttered under my breath, letting the orb flicker off in my palm.

    Thea, noticing my expression, pulled out her own orb and held it up with a triumphant little smirk. The soft glow revealed her total: 185.

    ¡°Winning and feeding your sorry face,¡± she said, shaking the orb slightly for emphasis. ¡°Honestly, Peter, I¡¯m starting to think you¡¯re dragging the team average down.¡±

    I sighed dramatically, leaning back against my sleeping bag. ¡°Hey, I saved a life today! That has to count for something, right?¡±

    ¡°Mm-hmm,¡± she replied, her smirk widening. ¡°It counted for negative five points, apparently.¡±

    ¡°How do you think Elric is doing?¡± she asked after a while, chewing through another cube of meat.

    I paused, mid-bite. ¡°Elric? Honestly¡­ I think he¡¯s tougher than he lets on. Scary, even. Maybe a little manipulative. Smart, though. And those two girls¡ªPenny and Sam¡ªthey hover over him like guard dogs in love. He¡¯ll be fine.¡±

    Thea smirked. ¡°Fan club perks.¡±

    ¡°Must be nice,¡± I said, dramatically placing a hand over my heart. ¡°Meanwhile, I¡¯m out here getting painted across coliseum arenas by knights.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t forget being dragged out like a sack of vegetables,¡± she added so helpfully.

    ¡°Ah yes, my favorite activity¡ªcosplaying as a corpse.¡±

    ¡°Cosplaying?¡±

    ¡°Nothing,¡± I said, waving a hand. ¡°Another cultural difference. It means my favorite activity is pretending to be a corpse.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± she laughed¡ªa soft, genuine sound that felt warmer than the firelight. For a fleeting moment, everything felt normal. We weren¡¯t two teenagers in a brutal fantasy boot camp preparing for war. We were just two friends, sharing a joke after a long day, camping under a sky full of stars.

    ¡°Your birthday¡¯s in a couple of days, right? Anything you want?¡±

    ¡°Want?¡± she repeated, tilting her head slightly. ¡°You mean from my blessing?¡±

    ¡°Um¡ª¡± I faltered. Do they not do birthday presents here? Perfect. Makes it easier to surprise her, then. ¡°Yeah, exactly.¡±

    ¡°Some kind of warrior blessing, I think. Something powerful.¡±

    ¡°Figures,¡± I said dryly.

    ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± she retorted, mock offense painting her features.

    ¡°Oh, nothing. Just that it¡¯s the most ¡®Thea¡¯ answer you could¡¯ve given.¡±

    She rolled her eyes, but there was a lightness to her expression that hadn¡¯t been there earlier.

    We bantered back and forth until the night wrapped around us like a heavy blanket. The distant hum of others arriving in camp faded into background noise, and above us, the stars shimmered in their endless vigil.

    A warmth stirred in me¡ªnot from the fire, not from the food, but something softer, quieter.

    Thank you. Whatever brought me here¡ªthank you for letting me meet her first.

    Once again, as usual, the fragile peace was shattered by the blare of the violent morning horn.

    The day kicked off in the familiar routine¡ªlining up in formation, jogging to the woods, and starting survival class. Today felt different, though. Less instruction, more prove you were paying attention. Basically, it was quiz day.

    We were tasked with identifying poisonous plants from their safer, edible counterparts. The subtle differences¡ªleaf shape, texture, even smell¡ªfelt like tiny puzzles, and honestly, I think I did pretty well. If I were stranded in the woods right now, I¡¯d have about a seventy percent chance of not accidentally turning myself into a human biohazard.

    Thea, naturally, did better. She would have an impressive eighty percent chance of survival. She seemed to approach every leaf and berry with the focus of someone studying for the final exam of her life.

    Starting a fire, while still challenging, had also become easier with our improved strength and repeated practice. Turns out, when your hands are faster and your grip is steadier, rubbing two sticks together becomes slightly less miserable.

    ¡°You two are making steady progress,¡± our hulking commander said, his deep voice carrying easily through the forest air. ¡°As am I.¡±

    He looked at us with an expression that always caught me off guard¡ªa mix of scholarly curiosity and quiet respect. It was strange how such an imposing figure could carry himself like a thoughtful professor.

    ¡°When do you plan to tell me the rest?¡± he asked, his brow raising slightly. ¡°I¡¯ll be finished with the Spiritual Reservoir Formation very soon.¡± He paused, a small smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. ¡°I can pay quite handsomely. You were right¡ªI haven¡¯t been able to find anything like this in my library, nor have I seen it mentioned in any other resource.¡±

    Of course he had a library. Somehow, that didn¡¯t surprise me at all.

    ¡°We have an idea of our next step, sir,¡± I said carefully, exchanging a glance with Thea. ¡°But we need to test it first. As soon as we confirm our theory, we¡¯ll share it¡­ for a fee.¡±

    The commander let out a rumbling chuckle, his broad shoulders shaking slightly. ¡°Good. I look forward to it. Go on, then¡ªI¡¯ll let you two head out early. Soon, we¡¯ll be receiving new recruits, and you won¡¯t be able to camp here anymore.¡±

    That bit of news caught me off guard. ¡°What are we meant to do then, sir?¡±

    ¡°At that time, I¡¯ll show you personally. But it will be a few days yet. Don¡¯t worry¡ªI won¡¯t let you starve just yet. You two have far too much to offer.¡±

    His tone was light, but there was a sharpness beneath it, a weight to his words.

    ¡°Now, head out,¡± he continued. ¡°Some quiet in a training room will help you progress more. I expect great news tomorrow.¡±

    With a final nod, he turned on his heel and walked away, his heavy boots crunching over the forest floor. Whether he was off to cultivate or inspect more recruits, I wasn¡¯t sure.

    ¡°Well,¡± I said, adjusting my pack over my shoulder, ¡°let¡¯s go then. He said we could.¡±

    Thea nodded, her expression thoughtful as we started walking back toward camp. ¡°Do you think Elric will be there already?¡±

    ¡°Probably,¡± I said, glancing at the distant silhouette of the coliseum. ¡°It feels like the healer class has a completely different schedule from us. They always seem to be there before we arrive. Last time, Elric was already waiting for us.¡±

    ¡°Do you think the other classes are the same way?¡± Thea asked, her storm-gray eyes flickering with curiosity.

    ¡°No clue,¡± I admitted with a shrug. ¡°Guess we¡¯ll find out eventually.¡±

    ¡°Good point. Come on, let¡¯s hurry up.¡±

    And then Thea did something that made me seriously question our friendship. She ran. No, sprinted. And judging by how she blurred into motion, I was pretty sure she was funneling every ounce of her internal strength into her legs.

    Roughly an excruciating several hours later¡ªalthough, if you asked Thea, she would firmly deny it was that long, quarter of an hour she says¡ªwe arrived at the coliseum.

    As expected, there was Elric. And, as expected, he was surrounded by admirers. Two new girls flanked him, both walking with an air of practiced nonchalance while shooting daggers at anyone who so much as glanced his way.

    ¡°God, are they in shifts or something?¡± I muttered under my breath.

    ¡°Maybe they all wanted a turn,¡± Thea said, smirking.

    ¡°Ugh.¡± Nope. Not jealous. Totally not jealous.

    ¡°Elric!¡± I called out, waving an arm.

    He turned toward us, his face lighting up with a smile so bright I was momentarily worried about the sun losing its job. The two new girls accompanying him went beet red. One actually wobbled on her feet like she might faint.

    Yep. Pop star. Definitely a pop star if he lived in my world.

    Wait¡­ Can Elric sing? That¡¯s a million-dollar question. Could we hold concerts for points? Sell tickets? Make a fortune?

    ¡°Thea?¡± I whispered just before we reached Elric. ¡°Do you have concerts here? Musical performances people pay to see?¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­? What, you wanna go to one? It¡¯ll be tough here in training.¡±

    ¡°Awesome.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± She gave me a look that was equal parts confusion and suspicion.

    But before I could explain my absolutely brilliant business venture, Elric and his entourage met us halfway.

    ¡°So, we doing the usual today?¡± Elric asked, his voice pleasant, his smile effortlessly charming. But then his aquamarine gaze flicked to me, and something else crept into his expression¡ªa glint sharp enough to cut glass.

    ¡°Also, Peter,¡± he said, his voice taking on a sweetness that could only be described as demonic, ¡°we still need to finish your treatment.¡±

    I swallowed hard.

    Yep. Definitely a demon in disguise.

 Chapter 16: Needles and Patterns

    A short but excruciating Doctor Elric visit later, I was officially cured of cracked ribs and every lingering injury. It still felt like my insides had been tenderized by a particularly vindictive chef, but at least I could breathe without wheezing.

    Elric turned to the two girls who¡¯d accompanied him. ¡°These are my friends, Peter and Thea. Thanks for walking me here, but I¡¯ll be fine now. You two should focus on your guild duties.¡±

    The two exchanged glances, disappointment flashing across their faces. The one with sharp, calculating eyes crossed her arms. The other, softer and more reserved, fiddled with the hem of her sleeve.

    ¡°Neither of us have anything to do,¡± the sharper one said. ¡°Why don¡¯t we all just¡­ hang out?¡±

    Her gaze flicked to me and Thea, lingering on us like we were suspicious strangers loitering near her best friend.

    Elric looked like he was about to politely decline, but before he could, I blurted out, ¡°I think it¡¯s a good idea, but we¡¯ve got some secrets we want to keep. If you want to come along¡­ you¡¯ll have to pay.¡±

    I flashed what I hoped was a winning smile.

    It was not.

    Both girls gave me a look that could only be described as deeply unsettled. Like I¡¯d just offered them candy out of an unmarked van.

    ¡°Peter,¡± Thea said flatly, pinching the bridge of her nose. ¡°Stop smiling like that. It¡¯s not a good look.¡±

    I coughed awkwardly and let my face fall back into something resembling neutrality.

    Thea continued, ¡°What he means is that we¡¯re teaching Elric a cultivation technique. Since he¡¯s already our healer, we don¡¯t exactly need two more. But if you¡¯re interested, and you¡¯ve got points to spare, we¡¯re not opposed to sharing.¡±

    Both girls let out a collective sigh of relief, and I tried not to take it too personally.

    ¡°We¡¯re not running some scam, I know cultivation isn''t exactly popular¡± I added quickly. ¡°But even our Tank instructor bought the technique from us. You can ask him if you want¡ªhe¡¯d vouch for it.¡±

    Elric stepped in then, his voice soft yet confident, and his smile¡­ well, if charisma were currency, Elric would be swimming in gold. ¡°Sia, Lyra¡ªI trust them. The technique they taught me is incredible. My spells flow smoother, my healing is faster¡ªit¡¯s like everything¡¯s finally in sync. I¡¯m sure it could help both of you, too.¡±

    The sharper girl¡ªSia, apparently¡ªcrossed her arms tighter but nodded. ¡°Fine. We¡¯ll pay.¡± Her voice carried an edge of determination, but her suspicion had softened. ¡°Also, I¡¯m not a healer. I¡¯m a flame mage.¡±

    Flame mage. Right. The class responsible for half the burned recruits limping around the Hall. But Sia didn¡¯t look reckless¡ªher eyes carried the focus of someone who knew exactly where every spark would land.

    The softer girl spoke up next, her voice light, almost melodic. ¡°I¡¯m Lyra. I¡¯m a support healer. I can cast spells to boost combat effectiveness.¡±

    Elric turned to her with a fondness that was borderline unfair. ¡°Lyra¡¯s skills are incredibly rare. Her buffs are the kind of magic you feel¡ªstrength, speed, clarity. She can turn an average fighter into someone who feels unstoppable. It¡¯s¡­ amazing, honestly.¡±

    Lyra turned pink almost instantly, her gaze dropping to her boots.

    Feeling like an intruder at a fan club meeting, I cleared my throat. ¡°Right. Well, the cost is the same as what our commander paid¡ª300 points.¡±

    Three voices, including Elric¡¯s, shot out at once: ¡°What?!¡±

    ¡°You guys gave me something like that just for healing,¡± Elric muttered, disbelief plain on his face.

    ¡°Elric, are you sure about this?¡± Sia asked seriously, her sharp eyes narrowing as if trying to read him.

    He nodded firmly. ¡°It¡¯s the real deal. I¡¯ve seen the difference in their bodies after they completed it. And Sia, for someone with your control, this could be groundbreaking. You might not even need a conduit tool to cast smaller spells.¡±

    Sia¡¯s lips parted slightly, and something flickered in her eyes¡ªhope, maybe? Curiosity?

    ¡°I know it¡¯s a lot of points,¡± Thea said cautiously. ¡°But¡ª¡±

    Lyra cut her off softly but resolutely. ¡°We¡¯re not new recruits. We¡¯ve been saving up points for a while. If Elric says it¡¯s worth it, I trust him.¡±

    Wait¡­ How long have they been here? These two weren¡¯t fresh-faced rookies¡ªthey had the weight of experience in their expressions. Older girls, one not even from the healer class, hovering around Elric like protective older sisters.

    It almost feels like he¡¯s the protagonist of this world. The golden boy with angelic looks, natural charm, and a fan club trailing behind him. Then again¡­ he is my¡ªwell, Thea¡¯s and my¡ªstudent¡­ technically.

    ¡°Great!¡± Thea shouted, practically bouncing on her toes. Whether it was the thought of having more people to discuss cultivation with or the idea of officially becoming some kind of Grandmaster of Cultivation, I couldn¡¯t say. Either way, she was glowing with excitement, and honestly? That was good enough for me.

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s head inside first. We¡¯ll grab a training room,¡± I said, glancing around at our suddenly much larger squad. ¡°Maybe a beginner room won¡¯t cut it anymore. Once we¡¯re settled, we can exchange the points, and Thea here¡ªour local cultivation nerd¡ªow!¡±

    She smacked my arm hard enough to make me wince, and judging by the sharp ache, she definitely channeled her inner force into that one.

    ¡°Will enthusiastically demonstrate the technique,¡± I finished with a sheepish grin.

    Thea huffed but didn¡¯t bother to argue, instead turning to our new recruits. ¡°It¡¯s good timing, honestly. Peter and I are working on developing the next step. You¡¯ll be able to try out the first technique, and if you find it worthwhile, we¡¯ll continue teaching you as we refine the next phase.¡±

    ¡°Wait¡­ making the next step?¡± Sia¡¯s eyebrows shot up, suspicion and curiosity battling across her expression. ¡°You two invented this technique?¡±

    Thea¡¯s chest practically puffed up with pride as her lips curved into a self-satisfied smile. ¡°Yep! Peter and I created it from scratch, and you two are officially our first-generation disciples.¡±

    I wasn¡¯t entirely sure how thrilled Sia and Lyra were about being referred to as disciples, but they seemed to let it slide. Thankfully.

    We made our way inside the Hall, the cool air and faint hum of magical machinery welcoming us. At the training desk, I learned about the medium rooms. Apparently, they came with a system assistant that could display damage numbers, monitor energy flow, and offer tips on improving techniques. They also came with a heftier price tag¡ªtwenty points per session, plus an extra five points per additional person.

    We decided to split the cost among ourselves, except for Elric, whose fee Thea and I insisted on covering as part of our ongoing deal. After all, he was our personal healer, and let¡¯s face it¡ªhe¡¯d earned his spot in our little group.

    Once the transaction was complete, I checked my orb: 145 points left.

    As we stepped into the medium training room, Sia spoke up, her voice sharp and confident. ¡°I¡¯ve already reached the peak of the initial stage of cultivation. Lyra¡¯s at the same point.¡±

    ¡°Good,¡± Thea said with an approving nod. ¡°That means I won¡¯t have to explain the basics. We can get right into the good stuff.¡±

    She pulled out her orb, and I followed suit. The two girls did the same, cupping their hands around their orbs like they were shielding precious gemstones. I noticed the commander had done something similar before, so I guessed it was common practice when handling point exchanges.

    The transaction was smooth, and in a moment, my orb ticked up to 445 points, while Thea¡¯s glowed with 485 points.

    ¡°Alright, now that the business part is done, Thea can teach you, and I¡¯ll¡­ uh¡­ go sit over there and cultivate,¡± I said, motioning vaguely to a corner of the room.The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    Thea wasted no time launching into her explanation, her storm-gray eyes alight with enthusiasm as she detailed the reservoir formation method. She moved her hands as she spoke, drawing invisible pathways in the air, her voice clear and confident.

    ¡°Always excited to teach, isn¡¯t she?¡± Elric said quietly beside me.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± I replied, watching her work. ¡°At least when it¡¯s about cultivation. She¡¯s passionate about this stuff. It¡¯s¡­ impressive, honestly.¡±

    I glanced at Sia and Lyra, who were leaning forward slightly, hanging on every word Thea said. It was clear they were taking this seriously.

    ¡°Speaking of which,¡± I said, turning back to Elric with a sly grin, ¡°how exactly do you have so many followers? What¡¯s your secret, oh wise and sparkly one?¡±

    Elric¡¯s face immediately shifted into what I could only describe as the politest version of avoidance I¡¯d ever seen. ¡°It¡¯s too bad you don¡¯t have your system yet. By now, you probably would¡¯ve gained some kind of blunt damage resistance.¡±

    Oh, you¡¯ve got to be kidding me. Resistances? Another system-exclusive perk?

    Trying not to let too much bitterness slip into my voice, I asked, ¡°So, I¡¯m guessing the more damage I take of a specific type, the system rewards me with resistance to it?¡±

    ¡°Spot on, buddy,¡± Elric said with a bright smile. ¡°In fact, one reason mages end up racking up so many points is that people pay them to get hurt. Like, on purpose. Just to build up their resistance levels. Can you believe that?¡±

    I blinked. ¡°I pay you to hurt me.¡±

    Elric gave me a slow nod, his angelic smile turning just a shade too smug. ¡°Yeah¡­ weirdo.¡±

    We both burst into laughter. Across the room, Sia and Lyra both glanced over at us, starry-eyed and practically glowing at the sound of Elric¡¯s laugh.

    I could practically hear the mental chorus of Ahhh¡­ echoing in their heads.

    Honestly? I couldn¡¯t even blame them. The guy could probably charm a dragon into giving up its hoard with that smile.

    ¡°Bastard,¡± I muttered under my breath.

    ¡°Jealous?¡± Elric asked, his grin widening like he already knew the answer.

    I paused, pretending to think of a witty comeback. When it finally hit me, I smirked and delivered it like a seasoned pro.

    ¡°¡­Maybe. So what?¡±

    Elric cracked up, and for a second, the polished, refined facade he always seemed to carry shattered completely. In that moment, he wasn¡¯t the angelic healer surrounded by a fan club¡ªhe was just a guy, laughing like we were old friends hanging out after school.

    And honestly? That made me laugh.

    We sat there, doubled over, our shoulders shaking with barely contained chuckles. Elric¡¯s easy grin was infectious, and for a fleeting moment, the weight of our reality didn¡¯t exist.

    Unfortunately, peace is fleeting, and so was our laughter.

    ¡°Peter?¡±

    Thea¡¯s voice cut through the air like a blade dipped in ice.

    I froze mid-laugh, my head snapping toward her like a deer caught in headlights. ¡°Ye¡ªYes?¡±

    Her smile was sharp, cold, and¡ªoh no¡ªit was an Elric smile. ¡°Since you¡¯re obviously finished cultivating, how about we spar?¡±

    Every survival instinct I had screamed at me to tread carefully.

    I sighed dramatically, placing a hand over my heart. ¡°Thea¡­ you shouldn¡¯t learn bad habits from Elric.¡±

    Beside me, Elric completely lost it. His laughter came out in loud, wheezing gasps, tears forming at the corners of his eyes. From across the room, I caught Lyra and Sia¡ªstill sitting in their meditative positions¡ªgiving me two very enthusiastic thumbs-ups.

    But Thea? Oh no, she wasn¡¯t happy.

    Her smile widened, but her storm-gray eyes glinted with the kind of promise usually reserved for villains in horror stories. Step by step, she began walking toward me.

    ¡°Thea, it¡ªit was just a joke. You know that, right?¡± I stammered, backing away slowly.

    ¡°Of course¡­¡±

    She lunged.

    What followed could only be described as a slapstick routine straight out of a cartoon. I bolted, skidding across the training room floor, with Thea hot on my heels. Round and round we went, her laughter mixing with Elric¡¯s uncontrollable wheezing and the quiet, amused smiles from Lyra and Sia.

    I¡¯d like to say I had some shred of dignity left by the end of it, but honestly? No. Absolutely not.

    Thea and I collapsed onto the floor, drenched in sweat and utterly spent. Across the room, Elric, Sia, and Lyra sparred with varying degrees of grace. Mages and healers made surprisingly balanced opponents when they actually worked together.

    I let out a shaky breath, speaking between gasps. ¡°So¡­ to condense a core¡­ we just need to compress some energy. How much are we talking?¡±

    Thea wiped her forehead with the back of her sleeve, exhaling heavily. ¡°Well, I¡¯d say about as much as we had at our max before finishing the Spiritual Reservoir Formation stage. So¡­ maybe ten percent of the Grand Channel¡¯s capacity. Only with that amount can you condense it enough to form a solid shape.¡±

    Ten percent. An entire session¡¯s worth of cultivation, sparring, and consolidation¡ªjust to form one tiny, fragile needle. A single tool I could use to carve patterns into my Grand Channel.

    I glanced at her. ¡°What do you think? Should we carve the foci into the same points where the reservoirs used to be, or just focus on the hands and feet?¡±

    Thea tilted her head in thought, her storm-gray eyes sharp even in exhaustion. ¡°Hmm¡­ I¡¯d say we stick to the reservoir points. They were the most effective places for pooling energy before, and it doesn¡¯t make sense to change what already works.¡±

    ¡°Agreed,¡± I said with a nod. ¡°Once we¡¯ve marked those, I can etch spiral patterns around each focal point to improve the flow throughout the Grand Channel. Let¡¯s start with the sternum¡ªit¡¯s central, and it¡¯ll let us feel out if the idea works. Spirals can come later.¡±

    She gave a tired smile and nodded, determination flickering in her eyes as we both pushed ourselves upright. The sparring noises in the background faded into white noise as we focused inward.

    I closed my eyes, turning my attention to the Grand Channel within me. The vast, smooth conduit stretched through my body like an intricate pipe system, twenty percent of it filled with my own internal strength and the rest brimming with world energy.

    Focus.

    I began to gather ten percent of my internal energy at the center of my chest. It started as a slow trickle, then a whirlpool, swirling tighter and tighter as I compressed it into a single point. The sensation was dense, almost suffocating, as if the energy resisted the very act of being confined.

    It was like swallowing a lump that refused to go down.

    Then¡ªit worked.

    A needle. Long, thin, sharp¡ªa perfectly condensed sliver of pure internal strength.

    A needle. Long, thin, sharp¡ªa perfectly condensed sliver of pure internal strength.

    The moment it formed, I felt a flicker of triumph. But that flicker was immediately smothered by sharp, biting pain.

    ¡°Agh!¡± I let out a sharp gasp, my chest tightening as if someone had stabbed me with an actual needle from the inside. The pain wasn¡¯t unbearable, but it was raw and invasive, like getting a tattoo etched into the lining of my lungs.

    My eyes shot open, and everyone in the room froze. Thea¡¯s storm-gray eyes locked onto me, wide with worry.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Did something go wrong?¡± she asked urgently, her voice tight.

    I exhaled shakily, forcing a weak smile through the discomfort. ¡°No¡ªno, I don¡¯t think so. But turns out, carving structures into an organ designed to circulate energy hurts. A lot.¡±

    Her brow creased, worry etched into every line of her expression. ¡°Is it¡­ bad enough to stop? Should we stop?¡±

    I shook my head firmly. ¡°It¡¯s painful, yeah, but I think it¡¯s manageable if we go slow. I just wasn¡¯t expecting it, that¡¯s all.¡±

    She stared at me for a long moment, scanning my face for any sign of hesitation. Finally, she nodded. ¡°Alright. But if something feels wrong¡ªanything¡ªyou stop immediately. This isn¡¯t something we can afford to mess up.¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    With a deep breath, I closed my eyes again and refocused.

    The carving process was slow, deliberate, and painstaking. Each movement of the needle felt like dragging glass shards across the inside of my chest. Every dimple, every etched groove, required precise control and an almost meditative focus.

    Ten minutes. Ten agonizing, sweat-soaked minutes for a single carving.

    And even then, the needle itself was fading. Bit by bit, the energy I¡¯d condensed into this impossibly sharp form was breaking apart, leaking out into my body. It coursed outward, seeping into my bones, tendons, and organs, threading itself through every inch of me. Like a sandcastle being slowly washed away by the tide, it was dissolving back into the ocean of the world''s power.

    I opened my eyes, meeting Thea¡¯s storm-gray gaze. She had finished her carving and was watching me closely.

    ¡°It¡¯s gonna take a while,¡± I said through a shallow breath. ¡°We¡¯ll need more time in the room.¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± she agreed with a tired nod.

    Sia and Lyra stirred from their meditative states, exchanging glances before each handed Thea five points. She left to extend our reservation while I slumped back against the wall, catching my breath.

    When she returned, we resumed our painstaking work. The carving process didn¡¯t get any less painful, but my control over the needle improved. Each precise movement, every careful stroke, became slightly easier. I was learning to guide the needle with less resistance, bending it to my will as it etched into the invisible walls of my Grand Channel.

    After what felt like hours, I gasped softly as the final pattern clicked into place. The carved indentations hummed faintly with energy, faint pools forming in the dimples I had painstakingly created. It wasn¡¯t much yet, but the difference was undeniable¡ªthe energy settled more readily, like water pooling in tiny wells along a riverbed.

    The needle, now completely spent, dissolved into a faint ripple of energy.

    A moment later, Thea opened her eyes. Her chest rose and fell with deep, steady breaths, sweat plastering strands of chestnut hair against her forehead.

    ¡°Success,¡± she whispered, her voice trembling slightly from the effort.

    ¡°Thea,¡± I said, pushing myself upright with a wince. ¡°The most important part is left.¡±

    She blinked, realization dawning across her tired face before she gave me a small, triumphant smile. ¡°I guess it¡¯s my turn.¡±

    She paused, her brow furrowing thoughtfully. ¡°How about¡­ um¡ªGrand Carving? It combines Grand Channel and, well¡­ carving.¡±

    I smiled faintly, nodding. ¡°Sounds perfect. But I think I¡¯m done for now. We¡¯ll need to cultivate more energy anyway.¡±

    She nodded in agreement, leaning back against the cool stone wall with a sigh.

    The remaining time passed in our familiar cycle¡ªcultivate, consolidate, spar. The lost energy slowly trickled back into our Grand Channels.

    By the end of the session, everyone had made noticeable progress. Elric was nearing the completion of his Spiritual Reservoir Formation stage, Thea and I had filled about thirty percent of our Grand Channels, and Sia and Lyra had successfully formed their first two reservoirs.

    Our little group was taking shape¡ªfour cultivators, each walking their own path, but somehow intertwined with one another.

 Chapter 17: Books, Beasts, and Bold Ideas

    ¡°You know, why don¡¯t you go ahead, Thea? I¡¯ll register after you,¡± I said as our group walked toward the combat center.

    I had a plan brewing in the back of my mind¡ªa little something for her birthday, whether birthday gifts were a thing in this world or not.

    ¡°Alright!¡± Thea said confidently, her chest puffed out like a victorious general. ¡°I¡¯ll see you after I win.¡±

    ¡°Good luck. I¡¯m going to buy a few things. Maybe some food¡ªwant anything?¡±

    ¡°Dried fruit and other rations, please. I¡¯m starting to feel like Carapace Hound meat is going to come crawling back out of me in my sleep.¡±

    ¡°Got it.¡± I turned to Elric. ¡°You mind showing me around, my first disciple?¡±

    The glint in Elric¡¯s eye was downright unsettling. ¡°Sure, oh great master. We can also talk about my new system mission. Looks like I might be unlocking a new spell. An effective one.¡±

    Oh great. New and effective? That definitely sounded like it would hurt.

    Lyra turned to Elric with her usual gentle tone. ¡°We¡¯re going to head out too. We need to earn back our points.¡± She smiled softly. ¡°It was nice meeting you all. Bye, Elric.¡±

    With a quick nod, Sia and Lyra left, heading off to¡­ whatever it was they did to earn points.

    Thea gave us a small wave before heading to register for her match, leaving Elric and me to explore the marketplace.

    The marketplace was busy as always, filled with the clatter of wooden carts, the hum of conversation, and the occasional bark of a vendor hawking their wares. I ended up spending forty points on supplies¡ªa mix of dried fruits, meats, and nuts.

    As I browsed through one particularly chaotic stall, I mulled over the idea of a gift for Thea. Something meaningful, something¡­ her.

    ¡°Elric,¡± I said, turning to him as we walked, ¡°do you know anything about the beast fights?¡±

    He tapped his chin thoughtfully. ¡°Hmm¡­ I think they¡¯re ranked, just like our compulsory matches. You only get five points per win, and you can only enter four times a month.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s good to know,¡± I said, nodding. ¡°If they have their own ranking system, it might be worth looking into. Maybe we can earn more points the higher rank we are.¡±

    We walked a little further until we reached a familiar storefront¡ªthe bookstore from before.

    I let out a small sigh of relief. Thank whatever mystical forces decided the spoken language here sounded like English. Reading, though? That was still rough. The characters were different, but at least they matched the same phonetic pronunciation.

    I could read most things now¡ªslowly, sure¡ªbut I¡¯d gotten better.

    ¡°Come on, Elric,¡± I said, pushing open the wooden door. ¡°Let¡¯s see if we can find something interesting.¡±

    The faint smell of parchment and ink greeted us as we stepped inside. Rows of wooden shelves lined the small shop, each overflowing with leather-bound tomes and fragile scrolls. A small bell jingled above the door, and somewhere in the back, the shopkeeper gave a faint grunt of acknowledgment.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t picture you as much of a reader. Why are we here?¡± Elric asked, his tone light but curious.

    I ignored the jab. ¡°I¡¯m not, but Thea seems to like it. Unfortunately, cultivation information is sparse. Last time we checked, there were only books on the basics and some vague theories about core formation. I¡¯m wondering if there¡¯s anything else we can find.¡±

    Elric¡¯s eyes lit up with a knowing grin, far too wide for my taste. ¡°You¡¯re getting a book for Thea?¡±

    I cleared my throat, choosing not to dignify his smirk with a direct answer. Instead, my mind turned to an idea that had been nagging me¡ªmartial techniques. The system granted people techniques, sure, but there had to be rules, right? Some internal logic for how those abilities worked. If the system could teach them, surely there was a way to figure them out manually. Reverse-engineer them, maybe.

    Before approaching the counter, I paused to ask Elric another question, this time keeping my voice low. ¡°Hey, do you know anything about martial techniques people can learn without a system?¡±

    Elric gave me a look like I¡¯d just asked if fish could breathe fire. ¡°Without a system? Why would anyone know about something like that?¡±

    ¡°What? You¡¯ve never heard of late bloomers wanting to shoot fireballs? Trying to get a head start?¡±

    He squinted at me, suspicion creeping into his expression. ¡°I mean¡­ I guess someone must have tried. But most people would just wait until they got their system. Obviously.¡±

    I sighed and shifted tactics. ¡°Okay, fine. What about system techniques¡ªcan people copy or learn each other''s moves?¡±

    Elric tilted his head thoughtfully. ¡°For melee fighters, yeah. If you understand the concepts behind the energy flow and the movements, it¡¯s possible to mimic them. But spells¡­ that¡¯s different. They require an understanding of the world. Like, the laws behind how the spell works. It¡¯s not something you can just copy. The system¡­ it sort of teaches you that. Instinctively, I mean. You¡¯d understand if you had a system already.¡±

    ¡°Right. As long as it¡¯s possible,¡± I muttered, more to myself than to him.

    With my theory still buzzing in my head, I walked up to the counter. The attendant, a thin man with ink-stained fingers and an expression like I¡¯d personally offended him by walking in, gave me a tired look.

    ¡°I¡¯d like to see books on warrior, tank, and mage techniques.¡±

    The attendant¡¯s brows shot up, and he sighed dramatically, like I¡¯d just asked him to haul an entire library uphill. ¡°We can¡¯t just show you those. Even seeing the titles might give you insights you haven¡¯t earned yet.¡±

    I held up my orb and let it hover in front of him. ¡°Twenty points. If you bring them out.¡±

    Suddenly, it was as if I¡¯d flipped a switch. The man¡¯s expression smoothed into a pleasant, professional smile. ¡°Right away, sir.¡±

    He pressed his orb against mine, and the points drained away. Without another word, he vanished behind the shelves, moving with a speed and energy I hadn¡¯t thought possible from someone who looked like they spent their days hunched over dusty ledgers.

    Elric leaned in, whispering as we waited. ¡°You know, for someone who¡¯s supposedly bad with books, you sure are committed to this.¡±

    ¡°Desperation breeds creativity,¡± I replied with a shrug, my eyes already scanning the shelves, anticipation thrumming in my chest.

    If I was right¡ªif martial techniques had patterns or principles that could be mirrored with cultivation¡ªthen Thea¡¯s birthday gift might be something far more valuable than just a book.

    The shopkeeper returned, balancing a small stack of books in his arms. ¡°Here you are, sir.¡± He set them down carefully on the counter, their worn covers catching the dim light of the shop.

    I squinted at the titles, mouthing the words silently as I deciphered the text.

    The warrior books read: Spiral Fang, Dancing Leaf, and Last Stand.

    The first two caught my attention immediately. From what I knew about martial arts tropes back home, Dancing Leaf sounded like some kind of evasive movement technique, graceful and quick. Spiral Fang had the sharp edge of an attacking skill¡ªsomething fast and deadly. As for Last Stand¡­ well, Thea had already explained how burning through all your energy could be devastating, both to your opponent and yourself.

    The two tank books were Bark Skin and Shield Fortification. Shield Fortification sounded situational¡ªprobably only useful if you had an actual shield. But Bark Skin¡­ body fortification, maybe? Could I use that concept to reinforce the body with cultivated energy?This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

    Finally, the mage book stood out with its refreshingly simple title: Fireball. Straightforward, explosive, and something I could definitely picture Thea grinning about as she hurled one across an arena.

    ¡°How much for each book?¡± I asked, already bracing myself.

    The attendant gave a faint shrug. ¡°Twenty points apiece.¡±

    ¡°Peter¡ª¡± Elric started, but I cut him off with a wave of my hand.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take these four,¡± I said, pointing at Spiral Fang, Dancing Leaf, Bark Skin, and Fireball.

    With a faint ding and a draining sensation in my chest, my points dropped from 145 to a measly 65. The shopkeeper tucked the books into a cloth bag and handed them over with surprising care, as if he respected the weight of the knowledge they held.

    Before heading out, I made one more stop to grab some writing materials, dropping my balance to 45 points. I had a lot of reading¡ªand experimenting¡ªahead of me.

    As we stepped back into the sunlit street, Elric gave me a sidelong glance, his brow furrowed with doubt. ¡°Are you sure that was a good idea? Once you and Thea get your systems, those books might be as good as garbage. The system will teach you those techniques when you need them.¡±

    I shook my head, clutching the bag tighter against my side. ¡°I¡¯m not looking to just learn the techniques, Elric. I want to understand them. If I can figure out how they work¡ªhow the energy flows, how they shape power¡ªthen I can combine them with cultivation. I can create something new.¡±

    He sighed, his lips twitching into a faint smile as he shook his head. ¡°Learning isn¡¯t that easy, Peter. You could¡¯ve just waited for your system. But¡­ well, I guess I can¡¯t argue with your stubbornness.¡±

    We walked back to the registration area, the sounds of combat echoing faintly from nearby arenas. As we approached, I spotted Thea sitting on a bench, a few fresh bruises coloring her arms and cheek. Elric hurried over to start healing her, his hands already glowing with faint light.

    ¡°How was it?¡± I asked as I crouched beside her.

    She winced slightly as Elric¡¯s magic started knitting her bruises together but managed a triumphant smile. ¡°I won. But the fight was harder. My opponent actually had some real skills¡ªtechniques, even. It wasn¡¯t just brute force and flailing. But in the end¡­¡± Her smile turned sharp and confident. ¡°¡­I pulled through.¡±

    ¡°Good,¡± I said, grinning back. ¡°You¡¯ll need those skills. We¡¯ve got work to do.¡±

    Thea raised an eyebrow, glancing at the bag tucked under my arm. ¡°What did you buy?¡±

    ¡°Surprises,¡± I said smugly, clutching the bag tighter. ¡°We can talk about it later.¡±

    As Thea gave me a curious look, I thought about the ranking system. It took ten victories to rise from bottom rank to beginner rank.

    This made two victories for her. Eight more, and she¡¯d climb up the ladder.

    ¡°That¡¯s great,¡± I said with a nod. ¡°I¡¯ll sign up for my match now. You can wait out here.¡±

    Leaving Thea and Elric behind, I walked toward the registration counter. The familiar attendant was there, head bent over a stack of paperwork, her pen scratching lightly across the surface.

    ¡°Welcome back,¡± she said without looking up. ¡°Ready to listen this time?¡±

    I hesitated, the phantom ache of cracked ribs and bruised pride bubbling up for a moment. Then I took a breath, pushing the memory away. ¡°Yeah¡­ but first, I want to fight a beast.¡±

    That got her attention. She looked up sharply, one eyebrow arched high. ¡°Are you sure you want to do that?¡±

    I nodded, firm. ¡°Yes.¡±

    She studied me for a moment, her eyes sharp and assessing, like she was trying to gauge whether I was brave or just stupid. ¡°There will be no stopping this fight, recruit. Even if you¡¯re¡­ losing. Many new recruits die fighting beasts. They¡¯re not like humans. They don¡¯t stop. They don¡¯t hesitate. Are you sure?¡±

    Her words carried weight, and I let them settle in my chest. I thought of the Carapace Hound, the way its claws had shredded the air, its jaws snapping with ruthless hunger. Beasts weren¡¯t bound by fear or hesitation¡ªthey just attacked.

    But I also remembered the rewards.

    ¡°What are the rewards for ranking up?¡± I asked. ¡°And how many victories do I need?¡±

    She sighed, setting down her pen as if this conversation had already drained her patience. ¡°You already know the cost: twenty points to fight a beast. You¡¯ll earn twenty-five if you win. It also counts as your compulsory fight for the day, so you won¡¯t need to fight again. But you can only do this four times a month.¡±

    She paused, letting the weight of her words settle before continuing.

    ¡°Like regular matches, after ten victories, you¡¯ll rank up from Bottom to Beginner. The cost will remain the same, but you¡¯ll earn a net of ten points per victory instead of five, and you¡¯ll be allowed to fight up to ten times a month.¡±

    Relief flickered through me. If this worked, I could skip the grim spectacle of beating down another recruit just to prove I could follow orders. A beast fight would be ruthless, sure¡ªbut it would be clean. Honest, even.

    ¡°I¡¯ll sign up.¡±

    She extended her hand, palm up. ¡°Orb.¡±

    I handed it over. With a few quick taps and the faint glow of magic pulsing through her fingertips, she handed it back to me.

    The orb felt warm in my palm as I glanced down at the smooth surface. A new line of text had appeared:

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Peter</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Soldier Battles ¡ª Rank: Bottom, Victories: 1</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Beast Battles ¡ª Rank: Bottom, Victories: 0</li>

    </ul>

    The letters glowed faintly in the dim light of the registration hall.

    ¡°Good luck, recruit,¡± the attendant said, her voice flat but not unkind, before turning back to her paperwork.

    I tucked the orb securely into my pocket and turned on my heel, walking back to where Thea and Elric waited.

    My pulse was steady. My focus, sharp.

    A beast fight. No rules. No hesitation. Just survival.

    I could handle that.

    ¡°Are you really not going to tell me anything about what you bought? And just how much did you spend?¡± Thea asked, her storm-gray eyes narrowing as she crossed her arms.

    Before I could come up with a suitably vague and non-damning answer, Elric decided to help.

    ¡°Upwards of three hundred¡­ maybe three hundred fifty points.¡±

    ¡°WHAT?¡± Thea¡¯s voice cracked slightly as her arms flew into the air in disbelief.

    ¡°Thea, listen¡ª¡±

    ¡°We just recovered most of what we¡¯ve been spending, and you went and dropped everything? Are you out of your mind? We could¡¯ve at least discussed it!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s for cultivation!¡± I said, holding my hands up in surrender. ¡°I promise, it was well spent. Plus¡­¡± I reached into the bag and pulled out a pack of dried fruit, holding it up like it was a peace offering. ¡°I got some food for us. Stuff that isn¡¯t just charred mystery meat on sticks.¡±

    She stared at the fruit, her glare softening just a fraction. ¡°Hmm¡­ Well, if it¡¯s for cultivation, you should¡¯ve led with that. Honestly, Peter¡­¡±

    Elric chimed in, ever the instigator. ¡°Oh, he led with it all right¡ªled with his points straight into financial ruin.¡±

    ¡°Not helping,¡± I smirked, clutching the bag tighter. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Tomorrow, it¡¯ll all make sense. I promise. But for now, it¡¯s a surprise.¡±

    Thea squinted at me, then at the bag, clearly torn between suspicion and curiosity. ¡°Fine. But this had better not be one of those ¡®I¡¯ll explain later¡¯ things that turns into never explaining at all.¡±

    I placed a hand over my heart dramatically. ¡°You wound me. Have I ever let you down?¡±

    She raised an eyebrow. ¡°You want me to make a list?¡±

    Before I could defend my honor, the sharp voice of an attendant echoed through the air.

    ¡°Peter.¡±

    I froze, my stomach doing a tiny somersault.

    Thea¡¯s irritation melted into a warm smile, and Elric gave me an encouraging nod.

    ¡°Good luck,¡± they both said in unison.

    ¡°Thanks.¡±

    I walked towards the elevator, my footsteps steady despite the knot tightening in my stomach. The familiar hum of machinery filled the air as the doors closed behind me, sealing me into the stone box. When they reopened, I stepped into an arena drenched in emerald hues¡ªanother forested battleground.

    But something was different. There was no opponent waiting for me, no eager stance, no mechanical voice asking me to confirm my status.

    For a moment, I stood in confusion, the silence pressing against my ears like a heavy weight.

    And then¡ª

    ¡°Begin.¡±

    A second elevator groaned open on the far end of the arena.

    At first, all I saw was shadow¡ªa hulking silhouette framed by flickering fluorescent lights. But then it stepped forward, and my breath caught in my throat.

    It was as if a tree and its twisted roots had decided to sprout legs, crawl out of the depths of a nightmare, and audition for the lead role in an eldritch horror movie.

    The creature was just taller than me, standing on four muscular legs that seemed carved from gnarled tree trunks. Its hide was a patchwork of dark, bark-like plates and sinewy flesh that pulsed faintly with an eerie bioluminescence. Massive, jagged antlers, twisted like cruel branches, extended skyward from its elongated skull. Its eyes¡ªdeep pits of glowing amber¡ªlocked onto me, unblinking and hungry. From its mouth, rows of needle-like teeth jutted out, glistening with strands of thick, black saliva that dripped onto the forest floor and sizzled where they landed.

    What is that?

    I forced myself to breathe, but my lungs felt constricted, like someone had cinched a belt around my chest.

    The beast took another step forward, the ground trembling under its weight, leaves scattering with each calculated movement.

    Its mouth opened wider, a guttural sound reverberating from somewhere deep in its chest¡ªa sound that wasn¡¯t quite a growl, nor a hiss, but something ancient and awful in between.

    I tightened my fists, my mind scrambling to piece together a plan.

    For now, though, there was only one thought repeating in my head.

    This¡­ is going to be a problem.

 Chapter 18: The Mechanics of Power

    The beast roared, charging toward me with a ferocity that froze every muscle in my body. I forced myself to move, diving sideways as its jagged antlers swept past, close enough that I could feel the air shift. The landing was brutal¡ªI hit the dirt hard, scraping my palms and knocking the breath out of me. Scrambling to my feet, I tried to shake off the panic clawing at my chest.

    This wasn¡¯t sparring with Thea. This wasn¡¯t a human fight with predictable moves or hesitation. This was something raw, something primal. It wasn¡¯t here to win. It was here to kill.

    My heart hammered in my chest as the beast turned, moving with an unnatural grace that belied its massive frame. Before I could steady myself, it lunged again, claws slicing through the space where my legs had been just seconds before. I jumped, barely clearing the strike, and landed awkwardly, my legs wobbling as pain shot through my ankles.

    It snarled, its needle-like teeth snapping together in frustration. My limbs felt heavy, my breathing ragged. Every dodge was a fraction of a second too slow, every movement clumsy. This wasn¡¯t a fight¡ªit was survival. Pure, desperate survival.

    The beast charged again, and instinct overrode fear. I stepped forward rather than back, channeling every ounce of energy I had into my fist as I aimed for its side. The impact was sharp and jarring, pain exploding up my arm as my knuckles cracked against its bark-like hide. A fissure formed, but it was small¡ªtoo small. The beast staggered but didn¡¯t fall. Its amber eyes flared with fury, and it swiped at me with a massive claw. I stumbled back, the wind from its attack throwing me off balance.

    My knuckles throbbed, the skin split and raw. This isn¡¯t working. It¡¯s too strong. I can¡¯t brute force this.

    I gritted my teeth, forcing the panic to the edges of my mind. ¡°Come on,¡± I muttered through clenched teeth, my voice shaking. ¡°Think.¡±

    The energy in my Grand Channel churned, circulating faster as my breathing steadied. My senses sharpened¡ªthe faint rustle of leaves, the flicker of light across the beast¡¯s hide, the rhythmic thud of its steps. For a fleeting moment, it felt like the world slowed. And then I saw it¡ªa tree, splintered and leaning precariously from the beast¡¯s earlier charge.

    The beast lunged again, its antlers gleaming. I sidestepped, narrowly avoiding the blow, and lured it toward the fallen tree. It charged with a deafening roar, smashing through the splintered wood. The impact left it momentarily stunned, its massive body shaking off debris as it tried to regain focus.

    I didn¡¯t hesitate.

    With a roar of my own, I charged, driving my fist into the fissure I¡¯d created earlier. Pain shot up my arm, but I didn¡¯t stop. I struck again and again, the energy coursing through my limbs, amplifying each blow. The beast howled, a sound so raw and guttural it sent shivers down my spine. Its claws lashed out wildly, but I clung to its side, my fists pounding into the crack like a hammer on stone.

    The bark-like armor began to splinter, giving way under the relentless assault. Blood¡ªits dark, tar-like ichor¡ªsplattered across my arms and face. My own blood mixed with it as the skin on my knuckles tore further with each strike. My breaths came in ragged gasps, my vision narrowing to the task in front of me.

    The beast buckled, its massive legs trembling as it fell partially onto its side. But it wasn¡¯t done¡ªit wouldn¡¯t go quietly. Its claws flailed, raking across my back, searing pain spreading like wildfire across my skin. I screamed but refused to let go.

    With a guttural yell, I planted my feet against its trembling body and plunged my hands into the fissure. The warmth of its pulsing flesh made bile rise in my throat, but I didn¡¯t let myself think. I grabbed at sinews, tearing chunks free with a primal desperation. The beast thrashed beneath me, its wails warbling into something almost pitiful, almost human.

    My fingers slick with blood and ichor, I drove my fist deep into its exposed side one last time. Something brittle snapped under my grip¡ªits ribs? Its spine? I didn¡¯t care.

    The beast¡¯s movements slowed, its cries fading into a weak, rattling wheeze. Finally, its massive body sagged against the forest floor, motionless.

    I stumbled back, falling to my knees as my legs gave out. My chest heaved, my arms trembling, my entire body screaming in protest. My knuckles were raw, the skin torn and bleeding, the pain a dull, persistent throb.

    I stared at the lifeless creature, its amber eyes now dim and empty. Relief didn¡¯t come. Triumph didn¡¯t come. All I felt was exhaustion, a hollow ache settling in my chest.

    ¡°Well¡­¡± I rasped, my voice hoarse. ¡°That sucked.¡±

    An emotionless voice sounded from above. ¡°You have won. If you can, return through the way you came.¡±

    My entire body screamed in protest, but I forced myself upright, limping toward the stone elevator. The clashes and cries of other battles echoed faintly in the coliseum, a haunting reminder of the brutal world I¡¯d been thrust into.

    When the elevator descended, I handed my orb to the waiting attendants. Their glances flicked over me, no doubt noting the dark ichor and sinew plastered to my body. The healers hovering nearby moved toward me with professional annoyance, but I brushed them off. My orb now displayed an extra five points, bringing my total to a measly fifty.

    I trudged toward the familiar spot where Thea and Elric waited, mentally preparing for the inevitable torture that would come with Elric¡¯s ¡°healing.¡±

    Thea noticed me first, her storm-gray eyes widening in shock. She rushed over, Elric hot on her heels. ¡°What are you covered in?¡± she asked, recoiling slightly at the sight of the blackened gore clinging to my clothes and skin.

    ¡°You should see the other guy,¡± I said, attempting a grin. No one laughed. ¡°What? Really, that thing was horrifying. You should¡¯ve seen it. Oh, by the way¡ªI fought a beast.¡±

    Both of them froze, their expressions shifting from surprise to disbelief.

    ¡°Why?¡± Elric asked, his brow furrowing. ¡°You didn¡¯t think you could take anyone else on?¡±

    I hesitated. ¡°No, I¡­ I needed a break. From hurting people, I mean.¡± My voice dropped slightly before I cleared my throat and continued. ¡°Plus, there are rewards for ranking up in both beast battles and regular fights. I think we should try doing both. Who knows what we¡¯ll get as we move further up.¡±

    Elric nodded slowly, his thoughtful expression returning. ¡°Alright. I can ask around and see what others know about beast rankings. But first¡ª¡± He broke into the kind of smile that sent chills down my spine. ¡°Let¡¯s get you patched up. Lie down.¡±

    ¡°Oh no¡ªwait¡ª¡±

    Before I could protest further, I was laid out on the bench, and Elric got to work. His energy flowed into me, searing and soothing all at once. It was effective, I¡¯d give him that. Still, the sensation of bones knitting together and skin sealing shut never got less unsettling.

    When he finally stepped back, his expression shifted to something closer to awe. ¡°Wow.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡± Thea asked, leaning closer.

    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ you two. You¡¯re healing so fast, I can barely believe it¡ªeven seeing it myself.¡± He gestured faintly toward me. ¡°The energy flowing through your body is¡­ purer somehow. Stronger. It¡¯s like it¡¯s helping the process along.¡±

    ¡°Well,¡± Thea chimed in, ¡°we did change quite a lot. Before, I could barely stand against anyone. Now, I can hold my own against bottom rankers, even without a system.¡±

    Elric shook his head, his expression still incredulous. ¡°It¡¯s not just that. My own energy¡ªwhen I channel it to heal you¡ªit feels different. Like your cultivation method is improving it. Maybe there are still benefits we don¡¯t know about.¡±

    I sat up with a groan, wincing at the lingering aches. ¡°Just wait until you make your Grand Channel, Elric. You¡¯ll be the first healer to not surrender and win fights without hurting anyone. Just cure them mid-battle. All you¡¯d have to do is get close enough to heal them.¡± I smirked. ¡°They¡¯d be doubled over in pain, perfectly intact but miserable.¡±

    Thea chuckled softly, but Elric froze, his eyes narrowing slightly as if deep in thought.

    ¡°Elric¡ª¡± I waved a hand, trying to snap him out of it. ¡°I was joking. Don¡¯t turn your healing magic into some twisted form of torture.¡±

    He blinked, shaking off whatever idea had been brewing in his mind. ¡°Right,¡± he said, though I wasn¡¯t entirely convinced.This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    Desperate to change the subject, I asked, ¡°Did you already finish your match?¡±

    Elric turned back to me, his expression softening. ¡°Yeah. Thea paid for my surrender. But¡­ the mage I fought? They were almost desperate. They almost had time to fire a spell before I yielded.¡±

    I paused, considering his words. ¡°You don¡¯t think the Healers¡¯ Guild¡ª¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s possible,¡± Elric cut in, his voice calm but edged with unease. ¡°Some people might be targeting me where I can¡¯t be¡­ protected.¡±

    ¡°You mean fawned over,¡± Thea said with a sly smirk.

    ¡°Well, either way,¡± Elric continued, brushing her comment aside, ¡°I¡¯m safe out here. I have some ideas I want to work on.¡±

    I prayed to whatever forces governed this world that those ideas weren¡¯t inspired by my earlier sarcastic suggestion. ¡°Alright, man, stay safe. Try to find some fangirls to walk you back,¡± I said, offering a half-hearted salute as he waved goodbye and headed off.

    Thea turned to me, wrinkling her nose as she eyed my tattered, bloodstained clothes. ¡°You need new clothes¡­ and a bath.¡±

    ¡°Rude,¡± I shot back, before flashing her my most exaggerated pleading face. ¡°You paying?¡±

    She rolled her eyes but smiled. ¡°Yeah, yeah. Come on, let¡¯s get you some clothes first. And this time, we¡¯ll see if we can get them cleaned too.¡±

    We made our way to the clothing shop, where we found basic training outfits that fit well enough. The shopkeeper offered a cleaning and repair service for less-destroyed clothes, but mine were too far gone. Thea handed over her old clothes along with some additional items for cleaning while changing into her new outfit. I followed suit, the fresh fabric feeling like a blessing after the day¡¯s events.

    From there, we headed to the bathhouse, parting ways to clean ourselves up thoroughly. The warm water worked wonders on my aching muscles and grimy skin, washing away layers of dirt, blood, and beast ichor. By the time we regrouped outside, we both looked and felt far more human. Thea¡¯s points were now sitting at 400, a small price for the much-needed refresh.

    There was still time before sunset, but my mind was elsewhere. I glanced at the bag of manuals I¡¯d purchased earlier, their weight a constant reminder of my plan.

    With the prospect of keeping everything a surprise, I resolved to stay up after Thea fell asleep. If I could figure out something meaningful from the skills in these manuals, it would make the perfect gift. If not¡­ well, she¡¯d still appreciate the books. Either way, I was determined to try. For now, though, I turned to her. ¡°You want to get a room to cultivate for a bit? Feels too early to head back.¡±

    She raised an eyebrow, smirking. ¡°I assume I¡¯m paying?¡±

    I grinned. ¡°Like you¡¯d ever complain about a chance to cultivate. Plus, I want to try more of the Grand Carving technique. We should experiment with spiral patterns¡ªsee if they really increase the energy flow.¡±

    Her storm-gray eyes lit up as she beamed. ¡°You¡¯re right. Let¡¯s go.¡±

    We headed to the training area and got a beginner room. Once inside, I settled into a meditative stance and focused inward, sensing the structure of my Grand Channel and the energy coursing through it. After a few deep breaths, I began forming another needle. The process was still challenging, but my previous experience made it feel slightly more natural this time.

    The needle formed, sharp and precise, as I began the painstaking task of carving a corkscrew pattern into my channel. The pain was still there, raw and biting, but my focus drowned it out. The grooves of the spiral took shape, leading up to the reservoir node in my chest. Each movement of the needle required deliberate precision, but I could already sense the effect as I worked¡ªthe energy within the channel flowed faster, riding the carved grooves like water in a newly carved canal.

    Eventually, I finished the pattern leading to the chest node. The result left me stunned. The energy rushed through my Grand Channel with a speed and smoothness I hadn¡¯t experienced before, pooling briefly in the chest node before dispersing outward. With this enhanced flow, I could diffuse more energy into my body without constant focus, allowing me to concentrate on battle instead of micromanaging my internal force. My combat potential had undoubtedly risen.

    But the needle was still intact. I wasn¡¯t finished yet.

    ¡°Thea?¡± I called softly, opening my eyes just enough to see her in focus. She stirred slightly, a faint sheen of sweat on her forehead, but her breathing remained steady. I figured she was listening. ¡°I¡¯m going to start a reservoir pattern in my right shoulder now. I should be able to finish before the needle fades.¡±

    She nodded silently, and I returned to my work, deciding not to disturb her further. The room was quiet except for the faint hum of energy, and I let myself become completely absorbed in the task ahead.

    I barely finished the node in my shoulder before the needle vanished, its energy surging through me one last time¡ªcoursing through my bones, tendons, and organs like a river carving its way through stone. My Grand Channel was back at twenty percent, so I decided to start refilling it, figuring Thea would make the same decision. Once the world energy fully saturated my Grand Channel, I opened my eyes and found her gaze fixed on me, intense and unwavering.

    ¡°Ready?¡± Thea asked.

    ¡°Yep, let¡¯s start.¡±

    And so, we began the cycle again, repeating it over and over. By the time we were kicked out of the training hall, we had both carved the new node, spiral pattern, and reached fifty percent of our internal strength capacity in the Grand Channel. It seemed even cultivation moved faster with the spiral patterns.

    Walking back to camp, we chatted all the way.

    ¡°That sparring session was insane!¡± Thea bounced on her feet like a kid who¡¯d just discovered the world¡¯s biggest candy store.

    I smiled, catching her contagious enthusiasm. ¡°I¡¯ve never felt my force move like that before. Every fight¡ªit had so much power behind every attack.¡±

    ¡°I know! And all of this, every step¡ªwe¡¯re making it together.¡± She glanced at me, her eyes shimmering with gratitude. ¡°Thank you, Peter. Without you, none of this would¡¯ve been possible. I could¡¯ve reached core formation without ever realizing I could carve my own path.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re a team, Thea. I don¡¯t think I would¡¯ve survived this long without you. There¡¯s no need to thank me.¡±

    The sunset painted the horizon in vibrant hues of gold and crimson as we strolled back to our spot near camp, the warm glow wrapping around us like a comforting blanket.

    ¡°Tomorrow you¡¯ll be eighteen, huh? Are you excited to get your system?¡± I asked. ¡°Finally combining the benefits of our methods with the boosts from stats and techniques?¡±

    ¡°Yep!¡± She beamed, practically glowing with excitement. ¡°As long as I¡¯m not a late bloomer, tomorrow morning I should wake up to my first system notification. I just hope I get a warrior blessing.¡±

    ¡°No kidding. You¡¯d make a terrible healer. Probably causing more harm than¡ªow!¡± I flinched as her playful punch landed squarely on my arm. ¡°Hey, I was just agreeing with you!¡± I said, rubbing the spot and glancing over to see her smirking at me.

    ¡°Sure you were,¡± she replied, rolling her eyes.

    I chuckled as a thought struck me. ¡°I guess we¡¯ll have to revise your full title.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± she asked, raising an eyebrow.

    ¡°Right now, you¡¯re Princess Grandmaster Thea. But if you become a warrior,¡± I paused, grinning at my own comedic genius, ¡°you¡¯ll be Warrior Princess Grandmaster Thea.¡±

    The silence that followed was so thick it might as well have taken on a physical form.

    Thea sighed, the sound heavy with resignation. ¡°Are you ever going to drop that?¡±

    I looked at her, schooling my face into mock seriousness. ¡°Thea?¡±

    Her expression shifted, expectant.

    ¡°Never. I will never drop it,¡± I declared, bursting into laughter.

    She shook her head with a faint smile as we continued talking, the sun dipping lower, casting long shadows. Other recruits were filtering back to camp as the moon began to rise, its silver glow softening the edges of the world around us. Over time, Thea¡¯s words became slower, her voice softer, until eventually, her breathing evened out and she drifted into quiet sleep.

    I stood, careful not to wake her, and walked a short distance away for privacy, carrying the bag of books. Settling onto a flat patch of ground, I decided to start with Bark Skin.

    The manual was the shortest¡ªonly three pages long¡ªand seemed manageable despite my slow pace with the unfamiliar characters. Besides, it had images, though they turned out to be disappointingly unhelpful. One depicted a hulking figure in heavy armor, possibly included for style rather than instruction.

    The technique described the ability to envelop oneself in a thick, hide-like barrier of energy. It was a defensive enhancement that grew stronger as the ability leveled up. It increased both defense and endurance stats¡ªconcepts that meant little to me since I had no system screen of my own.

    Still, my focus wasn¡¯t on stats. I was hunting for something specific: the logic underpinning the technique. Surely whoever had written this manual had included some hint of how it worked.

    Skimming wasn¡¯t an option. I still struggled to read the unfamiliar symbols. After painstaking effort, I finally found it¡ªa small section near the end offering the writer¡¯s interpretation of the technique:

    "The system imparts knowledge not just through words but through impressions¡ªa convergence of image, sensation, and instinct, etched into the mind like a waking dream. In the case of ''Bark Skin,'' it presents a vivid mental image: energy welling up from deep within, emerging as a force that coats the body in a protective sheath.

    This force, as I interpret it, is externalized through the skill, bonding to the skin as if it were an extension of the body itself. Early in my practice, this energy dissipated quickly, leaving me utterly drained, my reserves depleted until I rested. Over time, as the ability matured, the energy adhered more efficiently, though it brought an unusual side effect¡ªa pungent odor clinging to my skin after each advancement, requiring thorough cleansing to remove.

    Yet, with each repetition, the technique refined itself, allowing my body to retain more of this energy, growing stronger as it adhered more seamlessly."

    My heart thudded as I reread the passage. It sounded familiar. Too familiar to ignore.

    The mention of energy dissipating completely¡ªleaving nothing behind until rest replenished it¡ªtriggered a realization. Memories of our training surfaced, those moments when Thea and I traded jabs about who needed a shower more. I¡¯d assumed it was just sweat from the relentless pace of cultivation, and it was¡­ but not just sweat. There had been something else.

    During intentional core failure, the energy didn¡¯t dissipate in a simple burst¡ªit flowed outward, coursing through every part of me. Bones, tendons, organs¡ªit reached everywhere before vanishing.

    This was the same process described in the book. The more the writer used their skill, the more it leveled up. And as it leveled, the energy stuck to their skin more effectively.

    But ours was different.

    When I expelled energy, it didn¡¯t stop at the skin. It went deeper, flooding every fiber of my body. The implications were staggering.

    This wasn¡¯t just Bark Skin.

    I drew in a sharp breath, the words forming in my mind like a revelation carved in stone.

    ¡°Body Refinement.¡±

 Chapter 19: A Crude Beginning

    ¡°All this time, we¡¯ve been purifying our bodies, and the more we fail at core formation, the more we cleanse ourselves.¡±

    ¡°Who¡¯s out here?¡± A familiar gruff voice cut through the stillness behind me, pulling me from my thoughts.

    My heart jumped. I suddenly remembered the commander¡¯s stern instruction not to wander after dark. So much had happened over the past few days that I¡¯d let it slip my mind. Clearing my throat, I called out, ¡°It¡¯s me, sir. Over here.¡±

    He stepped into the faint light, irritation etched across his face. ¡°What are you doing out here, Peter?¡±

    I scrambled to my feet, brushing dirt off my knees. ¡°I was training, sir.¡±

    His gaze fell on the book in my hand, his brow furrowing. ¡°You¡¯ve got my book? You don¡¯t even have a class yet.¡± His eyes flicked to the pile of books scattered at my feet. ¡°What exactly are you training for? It¡¯s not bad to study, but stuffing your head with too much can do more harm than good.¡±

    ¡°Your book?¡± I glanced at the cover and saw the author¡¯s name: Griffin Ironscribe.

    ¡°Should I call you Commander Ironscribe?¡± I asked, a grin tugging at my lips. It seemed fitting, given how his scholar¡¯s mind contrasted his rugged, commanding presence. He¡¯d mentioned having a personal library¡ªa rare luxury in a world like this I imagine¡ªand now I knew he was an author, too. Did he pick the name himself?

    ¡°Answer my question, recruit,¡± he barked, his tone sharp enough to straighten my posture.

    ¡°I¡ªI¡¯m experimenting,¡± I admitted, words tumbling out faster than I could think. ¡°I want to create skills without using the system. I mean¡ªwho knows how long it¡¯ll take me to get one?¡±

    He frowned, the weight of his gaze making my pulse race. ¡°What do you mean? At most, late bloomers only take a month to gain their systems.¡±

    My stomach dropped. Panic crept into my voice as I stammered, ¡°Uh¡ªyeah, of course! But still¡­ I want to be prepared.¡±

    For a moment, he studied me like I¡¯d grown a second head, and I thought for sure he¡¯d press further. After all, my behavior practically screamed ¡°out of place.¡± But then he sighed. ¡°Good timing anyway. I just finished the Spiritual Reservoir Formation stage. Now I¡¯ve got this¡­ large system running through me¡­by the way not pleasant,¡± he added. ¡°Anyway, as you said, I¡¯ve changed.¡±

    I tilted my head, curiosity piqued. ¡°How worthwhile is the change for someone like you? With such a high level¡ª¡± I hesitated, guessing at his rank based on his commanding role.

    ¡°Had I been your age, it would¡¯ve been massively useful,¡± he admitted. ¡°But now? The only real benefit is the improvement to my senses.¡± He paused, his tone shifting. ¡°Do you have another step in mind?¡±

    I nodded slowly. ¡°I do. I also came up with a theory from your book, but it¡¯s just a theory. You could wait until I¡¯ve tested it.¡±

    He shook his head. ¡°No. I know your ideas hold merit, I¡¯ll take it now.¡±

    I hesitated. Pricing was still a mystery to me, and I wasn¡¯t sure how to balance fairness with profitability. After all, Thea and I had charged him six hundred points for something we¡¯d only asked three hundred for from others. ¡°Can you tell me what would be a fair price?¡± I asked.

    The commander sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. ¡°You need to start learning the value of these things, Peter. But I won¡¯t trick you¡ªI¡¯ll let you know what it¡¯s worth.¡±

    My tone softened as I tried to explain, hoping I didn¡¯t sound like a complete idiot. ¡°Okay, so¡­ first, the new structure holding your internal strength¡ªit¡¯s something I¡¯m calling a Grand Channel. It¡¯s kind of like a new reservoir, but also a path for cultivation. You can store world energy in it and use it way more efficiently. Plus, it holds a lot more energy than anything you¡¯ve had before.¡±

    As I spoke, the commander was scribbling on a piece of paper with his inkless feather pen, his eye glowing faintly from the light of a strange instrument attached to it. The steady scratch of his pen filled the silence between my words.

    ¡°But Thea and I invented a technique,¡± I continued, ¡°something we call Grand Carving¡­ Oh, and the stage you¡¯re at? We¡¯re calling it the Energy Gathering stage. Anyway, for the Grand Carving, Thea and I use about ten percent of our stored internal strength to¡­ intentionally fail core formation.¡±

    He stopped writing and looked at me, startled. ¡°You waste energy for nothing? Why would you do that?¡±

    ¡°No, not waste,¡± I corrected quickly. ¡°We form a needle-shaped core and, using inspiration from mage tools, carve patterns into our Grand Channel. At the points where the reservoirs used to be, we carve foci to create pseudo-reservoirs. Then, for now, our plan is to carve spiral patterns to increase flow speed and improve energy diffusion into our bodies.¡±

    ¡°This is all non-theoretical?¡± he asked, his tone sharp.

    ¡°Yes.¡± I hesitated, weighing the value of telling him the rest. There was danger in revealing too much. But this man had been a good teacher, guide, and¡­ well, customer. He hadn¡¯t given me any reason to distrust him¡ªyet. Taking a deep breath, I pressed on. ¡°My goal has always been to strengthen the body permanently, not just by diffusing internal force into it only for that force to disappear later. I wanted something tangible.¡±

    I paused, watching for his reaction, but all I got was a simple, ¡°Go on,¡± as he grabbed another sheet of paper.

    Clearing my throat, I continued, ¡°Using your book, I came to a realization. One that people might have reached if they failed core formation enough times.¡± I hesitated again, knowing how unlikely that was. ¡°Though honestly, most people would abandon cultivation after wasting all their energy on failed attempts. They don¡¯t have a Grand Channel, so they¡¯d have to start over. And, well, systems are easier.¡±

    He nodded slightly, still writing. ¡°What realization?¡±

    I shifted my weight, gathering my thoughts. ¡°In your book, you mentioned how leveling up Bark Skin in the system causes the body to give off an odor. I think it¡¯s from removing some sort of impurity that prevents system energy from sticking to the skin.¡±

    ¡°I thought the same thing,¡± he agreed, his eyes narrowing in focus.

    ¡°Right,¡± I said, feeling a little more confident. ¡°And when I fail core formation by creating the needle, the same thing happens. But I think it¡¯s because the dissipated energy runs through my whole body, not just the surface. I don¡¯t know how yet, but I¡¯m pretty sure the trick is learning how to send internal strength into my body itself. Maybe it¡¯ll happen naturally over time as the energy diffuses more deeply. Then, once it¡¯s purified enough¡­ maybe it won¡¯t leave.¡±

    He didn¡¯t respond right away, and the silence made my heart pound. Finally, he spoke, his tone low and deliberate. ¡°Peter.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir?¡±

    ¡°Who have you told about this?¡± His piercing gaze locked onto mine, serious enough to make my chest tighten.

    ¡°Ju¡ªjust you, sir,¡± I stammered, caught off guard by the weight of his question.

    He let out a long sigh, the sound almost one of relief. ¡°I think your ideas hold up. You might actually achieve your goal. When you do, tell me. But until then¡­¡± He leaned forward slightly, his voice grave. ¡°Be very careful who you tell. If this works, it will change the world. I¡¯ll keep this a secret¡ªfor now. It benefits me to do so. But until you¡¯re strong enough, I advise against giving away more information than you have today.¡±

    ¡°Understood, sir,¡± I said quickly, my voice steady despite the storm of thoughts racing in my mind.

    ¡°Good.¡± He straightened, his tone shifting back to practical matters. ¡°As for the value of the basic information about Energy Gathering, I probably could have reached the same conclusion myself¡ªbut Grand Carving¡ªintentionally failing core formation to carve patterns into your Grand Channel, I don¡¯t know if I could have. I¡¯d put this information at four hundred points.¡±This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

    He paused, and I could feel the weight of his next words. ¡°As for the rest¡­ even in theory, I would say it¡¯s worth five hundred. And if you discover the principle behind achieving it¡ªif you can make it work¡­ I¡¯d easily pay one thousand points for what is essentially Bark Skin permanently activated across my entire body.¡±

    My jaw practically hit the floor at the idea of such a number.

    Without hesitation, he pulled out his orb, carefully shielding his point total. I followed his example, mimicking the motion as best I could. Then, without batting an eye, he transferred nine hundred points to me. My orb now glowed with a bright green 950.

    I blinked, trying to process the sheer magnitude of the exchange. Nine hundred points!

    As my mind reeled, a new thought struck me¡ªif Thea became a warrior, wouldn¡¯t it be amazing if she could use Fireball? And here I was, standing before someone who could probably explain a skill in such detail that even someone like me could understand it.

    I hadn¡¯t even looked at the other books yet, but who knew how well they were written? Inspiration hit like a lightning bolt.

    ¡°Sir, can I pay you for information?¡± I blurted out.

    He raised an eyebrow. ¡°It depends. I am your tank instructor. If it¡¯s about skills or knowledge related to that, you don¡¯t have to pay.¡±

    He really is a pretty decent guy.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s not that,¡± I said, trying to keep my excitement from spilling over. ¡°I want to learn how to use Fireball. How does the energy behind it work? Do you have any idea?¡±

    He scratched the back of his head, giving me a look that suggested I¡¯d asked him to explain quantum mechanics. ¡°That seems like a fool¡¯s errand.¡±

    But I just stood there, looking at him expectantly.

    Finally, with a resigned sigh, he said, ¡°Hand me the Fireball book. I¡¯ll see what it offers and explain it. If the book explains enough, I won¡¯t ask for any points.¡±

    Grinning, I handed him the book. He flipped through it at a speed that almost gave me whiplash, grumbling and muttering under his breath. I caught snippets of his commentary: ¡°Amateur¡­ doesn¡¯t even know his own system¡­ idiot.¡±

    Finally, he sighed and snapped the book shut. ¡°Most of what it says is useless. It¡¯s mostly bragging about how destructive the ability is, with only a sliver of theory on how it might actually work. But¡­¡± He paused, tapping the cover with a thoughtful expression. ¡°I do have some ideas on it. Three hundred points, and I¡¯ll tell you what I know.¡±

    I nodded without hesitation, and we quickly completed the exchange. As the glow of the transaction faded from our orbs, he began to explain.

    ¡°Alright, Peter,¡± he started, leaning back slightly as if settling into teaching mode. ¡°Fireball is simple on the surface, but like most system-driven abilities, it¡¯s built on layers of automated processes that the system handles for you. Here¡¯s what¡¯s really going on.¡±

    I leaned forward, eager to absorb every word.

    ¡°The first step is energy generation and compression. Your system taps into your reservoir of mp and pulls raw energy. For Fireball, it compresses that energy into a small, unstable sphere. The compression is what gives the spell its destructive force. The more energy you compress, the more powerful the Fireball¡ªbut also the more dangerous it becomes to control.¡±

    ¡°Compression¡­¡± I repeated, trying to picture it. ¡°So it¡¯s like¡­ packing a snowball?¡±

    He raised an eyebrow. ¡°Sure, if that snowball could explode in your face the moment you handled it wrong.¡±

    ¡°Got it. No snowball fights with Fireball.¡±

    He sighed but continued. ¡°Next comes elemental conversion. Your system converts the raw energy into fire-attribute energy, it tags it somehow. This process aligns the energy with the properties of fire¡ªheat, combustion, and expansion.¡±

    I nodded along, trying to imagine the complexity of doing all of that manually.

    ¡°The system stabilizes the energy during this process,¡± he said, tapping the Fireball book. ¡°That¡¯s the tricky part. Compressed, fire-attributed energy is inherently volatile. It¡¯s like holding a lit torch over a barrel of oil¡ªone wrong move, and boom. The system ensures the energy remains stable until you¡¯re ready to release it. That¡¯s why mages can cast Fireball without accidentally blowing themselves up.¡±

    ¡°That¡­ sounds terrifying,¡± I admitted.

    ¡°It should. It¡¯s not a toy,¡± he said firmly. ¡°Once the Fireball is formed, the system gives you control over its trajectory. You can aim it in a straight line, launch it in an arc, or even guide it slightly mid-flight if your affinity with the system is high enough. But remember, the further it travels, the less stable it becomes. That¡¯s why Fireball always detonates on impact or after a set distance.¡±

    He paused, giving me a moment to process. ¡°And that brings us to the explosion. When the Fireball hits its target¡ªor destabilizes in midair¡ªthe compressed energy rapidly expands. This triggers an explosive release of heat and force, the very essence of its destructive power. The system calculates the exact timing to ensure maximum damage.¡±

    I frowned. ¡°So, without a system, none of this is possible?¡±

    He gave me a measured look. ¡°Possible? Sure. But practical? Not really. Without a system, you¡¯d have to master energy compression, elemental alignment, stabilization, and precise control. And even then, the chances of something going wrong are¡­ high. After all, some ice mages can cast fireball, but once they learn, the skill is implemented in their system, no longer forcing them to manually perform it. And of course, you need to be in the right class to use it¡­I won¡¯t be using a fireball anytime soon for instance.¡±

    I leaned back, feeling a mix of awe and frustration. ¡°So the system does all the heavy lifting. But¡­ is there anything I can do to understand it better? To replicate it?¡±

    His gaze sharpened. ¡°If you want to experiment, focus on understanding the fundamentals. Energy compression is key. Start small¡ªlearn how to condense a stable sphere of energy. From there, work on adding fire properties. But Peter,¡± he added, his tone serious, ¡°this isn¡¯t a game. One mistake, and you¡¯ll be lucky if you only lose a limb.¡±

    I swallowed hard, the weight of his words settling over me. ¡°Understood, sir. Start small. Don¡¯t blow myself up.¡±

    With that, he walked away, leaving me alone with my thoughts¡ªand the growing realization that my journey into understanding energy manipulation was just beginning.

    The night was still young, and it seemed I had permission to stay here. ¡°Right¡­ compression. That sounds easy enough. But how do I expel it? Not to mention, how do I turn it into fire?¡±

    I shook the thought away. I should start by learning how to expel my internal strength in a condensed form¡ªa sort of blast of invisible cultivation energy. I didn¡¯t need to replicate Fireball. A simple long-range attack would benefit me¡ªand if Thea became a warrior, it would benefit her too.

    I kept my focus steady, drawing the energy upward. It moved sluggishly, like water through a narrow pipe, until it settled into my palms. The sensation was faint, almost like an itch beneath the surface of my skin.

    ¡°Compress,¡± I whispered again, trying to mimic the idea of forming a core, but without the sheer force or permanence it required. I visualized the energy coiling into a tight point where the reservoir in my hand used to be. A tingle spread through my palm, followed by a slight pressure, as if the energy was resisting.

    But now came the part I hadn¡¯t figured out¡ªwhat to do with it. Up until now, everything I knew about cultivation had been about circulating energy, diffusing it into my body, and using it to strengthen myself. Expelling it? That was uncharted territory.

    The pressure in my palm started to waver, the energy threatening to unravel. Think, Peter. I remembered how world energy seemed to leak out when I lost focus during training,  or when I sparred with Thea. Maybe¡­ maybe the answer was in letting it escape, but in a controlled way.

    I adjusted my stance slightly, anchoring myself. Slowly, I willed the energy to gather again, pulling it into my palm and compressing it as much as I could. The tingle turned sharper, almost like a gentle burn, as the energy pushed back against my control.

    ¡°Alright,¡± I murmured. ¡°Let¡¯s try this.¡±

    Instead of forcing it out, I focused on releasing it, like letting air escape from a balloon. I relaxed my grip on the energy and visualized it surging outward, flowing in the same direction as my palm.

    A faint ripple burst from my hand, scattering loose dust and grass. The release was clumsy and weak, more like a sigh of air than a blast, but it was something. My heart raced as I stared at my hand.

    ¡°Okay¡­ okay, that¡¯s progress.¡±

    I tried again, this time compressing the energy tighter, holding it longer. The sensation grew stronger, the tingle almost numbing. With a slow exhale, I released it, visualizing the energy shooting out from my palm.

    The ripple was slightly stronger this time, spreading in a wider arc before fading into nothing. Still weak, still crude¡ªbut undeniable. I could feel the energy leaving me, however briefly.

    I repeated the process over and over, each attempt refining the motion. Sometimes the energy fizzled out before I could release it; other times, the pressure rebounded, leaving my palm aching. But the more I tried, the more consistent the results became.

    By the time the first light of dawn painted the sky, I was drenched in sweat, my arms trembling with fatigue. But I could do it¡ªbarely. A crude, unrefined burst of energy, like a shotgun blast at close range. It wasn¡¯t powerful, and it didn¡¯t travel far, but it was real.

    Panting, I flexed my fingers, feeling the dull ache in my palms. ¡°It¡¯s not perfect,¡± I muttered, watching the faint disturbance in the grass where my last attempt had landed. ¡°But it¡¯s a start.¡±

    Exhausted but exhilarated, I stood and stretched, the sky glowing faintly with the promise of morning. For the first time in this world, I felt like I had something truly mine.

    I sat down and grabbed the papers and ink, quickly scribbling down everything I¡¯d discovered, hoping Thea could understand and use it. Once finished, I bundled the notes with the books and stuffed them into the bag, making a mental note to split the points with her later as well.

    Shuffling back to camp, weighed down by exhaustion after staying up all night, I placed the bag where Thea would see it when she woke. On top, I added a small note written in this world¡¯s characters that simply read, Happy Birthday, Warrior Princess Grandmaster.

    Finally, I lay down, knowing I¡¯d only get a couple of hours of rest at most.

 Chapter 20: Strategy in the Alley

    The familiar but grating sound of the horn startled me awake, pulling me from the haze of exhaustion. Regret hit me immediately. Staying up all night might¡¯ve seemed worth it at the time, but right now, I wanted nothing more than to dive back under my blanket.

    Honestly, birthday gifts don¡¯t even seem to be a thing here. But sleep? Sleep is infinitely more valuable. And I¡¯d wasted it¡ª

    Something hit me like a train.

    In my groggy stupor, I thought I was being attacked, only to realize there was no force, no violence in the embrace.

    I yawned and let out a chuckle. ¡°Thea? I can barely breathe.¡±

    Her arms tightened briefly before she pulled back, brushing a stray strand of hair away from her face. For a moment, her stormy eyes softened in a way that was almost startling. ¡°Thanks,¡± she said, her voice quiet.

    ¡°No problem,¡± I said, though the words felt woefully inadequate.

    We fell into step with the others, the silence between us almost comfortable as we joined the line for morning training.

    ¡°So¡ªuh, what blessing did you get?¡± I asked after a beat.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t checked yet,¡± she replied. ¡°I was going to do it after we got to the Hall.¡±

    Before I could press further, Commander Griffin¡¯s voice cut through the air, sharp and commanding.

    ¡°The new recruits are arriving earlier than expected. It is unfortunate for you, as usually, you¡¯d have more time to save points. I suggest, if you haven¡¯t already, you join the tank guild soon. Today, I will lead you past the Hall of Heroes. You will no longer be staying at camp. Your competition is about to change¡ªand become much fiercer. I will explain more when we arrive at our destination. For now¡­¡±

    ¡°Oh no,¡± I groaned, already knowing what came next.

    ¡°Keep up!¡±

    ¡°Where do you think we¡¯re going?¡± Thea asked, falling in step beside me.

    ¡°Hopefully, a bed,¡± I muttered, still shaking off the remnants of sleep.

    She frowned slightly, her concern slipping into her voice. ¡°Did¡ªdid you stay up all night writing the technique down?¡±

    I shook my head. ¡°No, writing it only took a few minutes. Figuring out how to do it? That¡¯s what kept me up all night.¡± I smiled, though I felt the fatigue settle deeper into my bones.

    I could¡¯ve sworn I heard her click her tongue in irritation. ¡°You know what I meant,¡± she said, rolling her eyes. ¡°It¡¯s incredible, though. Something like this¡­ I¡¯ve never received a gift on my birthday.¡±

    Wait, are birthday gifts a thing? Could Thea¡¯s family just be uniquely¡­ un-familyish? I made a mental note to ask Elric later.

    ¡°It¡¯s hardly incredible,¡± I said dismissively. ¡°It¡¯s barely even a gift, considering I did it for myself too.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± she said firmly, her tone almost scolding. ¡°It¡¯s not just the technique. You gave me the gift of knowing we can go further with cultivation. Not just by inventing a new method, but by proving we can even make up for the flaws in the system. Elric and the others can be fighters, using skills outside of their own classes. This changes everything.¡±

    I met her gaze, her stormy eyes filled with a mix of awe and determination. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll be counting on you in the future then. You¡¯ll have to spill all the secrets of your system.¡±

    She raised an eyebrow, a sly smile creeping onto her lips. ¡°Who said I plan to do that? I am the master, after all. I should keep the best techniques for myself.¡±

    I nearly rolled my eyes, catching myself at the last second. This girl had definitely infected me with something.

    We arrived at the Hall of Heroes but didn¡¯t stop. Instead, we ran past it, continuing only a short distance further. When I saw what lay ahead, I stopped in my tracks, completely astounded.

    A town stretched out before us, vibrant and bustling with life. People strolled through the cobblestone streets, their laughter mingling with the melodic calls of merchants hawking their wares to eager passersby. Brightly colored awnings adorned market stalls, fluttering in the gentle breeze, and the rich smell of baked bread and sizzling meats filled the air. Children darted between the buildings, their games echoing with carefree joy.

    The architecture was humble but beautiful, with buildings neatly lined up along streets laid out in a perfect grid. Each structure was crafted from a harmonious mix of finely cut stone and sturdy wood, the colors of the materials blending naturally with the surrounding landscape. Despite its smaller scale, the town felt alive, a heart beating strong and steady in this corner of the world.

    But what truly captured my attention was the building that loomed at the back of the town.

    It didn¡¯t rival the Hall of Heroes in size, but it matched it in majesty. The structure seemed almost otherworldly, a testament to craftsmanship beyond mortal hands. The entire building appeared to be carved from a single, solid piece of pristine white marble, its surface gleaming softly in the morning light. The walls were seamless, as if the building had been born from the earth itself, shaped and polished by some ancient force.

    Ornate carvings adorned the facade¡ªintricate spirals and runes that seemed to shimmer faintly, as though infused with a quiet magic. Massive columns framed the entrance, each one impossibly smooth and perfectly symmetrical, supporting a grand archway that invited both awe and reverence.

    It felt alive somehow, humming with a subtle energy I could almost feel in my bones. This was no mere building; it was a symbol, a place of power and history, and it left me breathless.

    ¡°This,¡± the commander said, gesturing to the magnificent sight behind him, ¡°is the Town of the Fallen, and that,¡± he pointed to the glorious marble building, ¡°is the Grand Hall.¡±

    His voice carried a weight that silenced even the recruits who usually whispered during his speeches. He cleared his throat, letting the awe sink in. ¡°You will stay here from now on.¡±

    A ripple of murmurs spread through the group, most recruits visibly relieved. The promise of their own rooms, separate from the snore-ridden tents of the camp, seemed like a dream come true. A few even smiled, clearly imagining the luxuries of a proper roof over their heads.

    But, in true Ironscribe fashion, the commander quickly crushed those dreams.

    ¡°Staying in any building that functions as an inn will cost points. At least twenty per night,¡± he said, his tone blunt and unforgiving. ¡°I was hoping you would all have a couple more weeks to rank up, but¡­¡± He trailed off, letting the weight of his words settle on the group like a hammer.

    The air grew heavy with tension, and a few recruits glanced nervously at one another.

    ¡°But,¡± Ironscribe continued, his tone shifting slightly, ¡°you can head to the Tank Guild.¡± He pointed toward a sturdy building near the town¡¯s center. ¡°For a percentage of your points, you can stay there. The more you contribute, the more benefits you¡¯ll receive. I can guarantee that the one in charge won¡¯t scam you. Unlike¡ªwell, let¡¯s just say they¡¯re fair.¡±

    He paused, letting the tension hang.

    ¡°Sleeping outside on the streets is forbidden,¡± he added firmly, his eyes narrowing as if daring anyone to challenge him. ¡°And let me remind you¡ªif you think the woods are dangerous during the day, they¡¯re far worse at night. I don¡¯t recommend testing your luck.¡±

    The recruits seemed to visibly relax, probably because most, if not all, had already joined the guilds in the Hall of Heroes.

    ¡°Another thing,¡± the commander continued, his tone sharp, ¡°your responsibilities have increased. You will still be required to complete your daily battles, but now, every month, you must also complete one mission from the Grand Hall. That includes this month. If the mission takes more than one day, you will be expected to make up your daily matches within a time limit set by the Hall of Heroes¡¯ attendants. Dismissed.¡±

    And just like that, he went about his own business, striding confidently toward town.

    The group quickly dispersed, heading in all directions. Before Griffin disappeared entirely, I called out, ¡°Commander!¡±

    He turned, raising an eyebrow.

    ¡°If I need to find you, for¡­ business, where can I find you?¡±

    ¡°The Tank Guild,¡± he replied. ¡°I¡¯m in charge of supervising there. During the day, you¡¯ll find me at the guild. At night, I stay at the new recruit camp, keeping an eye on them.¡±

    I nodded, though questions nagged at my mind. How had he been able to find me that night in the woods? How had he known about the Carapace Hound Thea and I encountered?

    ¡°If I discover anything new,¡± I said, my voice steady, ¡°I¡¯ll sell it to you first¡ªas my first customer.¡±This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    He glanced at Thea, his expression serious. ¡°Keep an eye on each other. You were safe at the camps, but the town is not so well watched. Accidents happen all the time, especially on missions. Recruits are found dead all the time¡±¡ªhis next words came slow, deliberate¡ª¡°caught by monsters while sleeping out in the forest.¡±

    The weight of his words settled heavily over us. We both replied in unison, ¡°Yes, sir.¡±

    Satisfied, he turned and walked away, presumably heading to the guild.

    Thea looked at me, her expression lightening just a little. ¡°Let¡¯s go meet up with Elric and the girls.¡±

    ¡°You think it¡¯ll be Lyra and Sia?¡± I asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure it will be. Elric knows they¡¯re our students too now. He probably requested them personally from his fan club,¡± she added with a small smirk.

    We walked back toward the coliseum, leaving the town behind us for now. It didn¡¯t take long to reach the entrance, but something felt¡­ off.

    Sia and Lyra were waiting for us, but Elric wasn¡¯t there. The two girls looked visibly worried, their expressions tight with unease.

    Thea and I broke into a jog. She was the first to speak. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Where¡¯s Elric?¡±

    Sia¡¯s panic was evident in her wide eyes as she answered, ¡°He¡¯s not with you? He went with the other recruits to town. We¡¯ve been waiting here for him, but it¡¯s been a while, and he hasn¡¯t come back.¡±

    My heart thudded painfully in my chest, Griffin¡¯s earlier warning ringing in my ears.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go back to town,¡± I said quickly, my voice tight. ¡°Let¡¯s hurry.¡±

    The four of us doubled back and sprinted toward the town with everything we had. Surprisingly, Sia and Lyra managed to keep up with Thea and me. Maybe system stats weren¡¯t as simple as just picking something and upgrading it.

    When we arrived, Lyra immediately began casting a spell.

    ¡°What is she doing?¡± I asked, glancing at the glowing runes forming around her hands.

    ¡°She¡¯s casting a skill,¡± Sia explained, her voice tight with worry. ¡°It¡¯ll enhance my sight.¡±

    Thea interjected before the spell could finish. ¡°Cast it on me! Our eyesight is already enhanced from cultivation. Trust me¡ªit¡¯ll be more effective.¡±

    Sia hesitated for a moment but seemed to decide against arguing. She gave a quick nod, and Lyra finished the spell. A faint glow surrounded Thea¡¯s eyes as she scanned the town, her gaze sharp and focused.

    I couldn¡¯t tell what she was seeing, and the minutes that followed felt agonizingly slow. I tried to keep my breathing steady, but each passing second only tightened the knot in my chest.

    Finally, Thea pointed to a section of the town. ¡°There! He¡¯s in an alley.¡±

    Her words spurred us into overtime. We tore through the streets with Thea leading the way, dodging carts, pedestrians, and stray animals. My heart pounded in my chest, a mix of fear and adrenaline fueling me.

    ¡°Thea, is he hurt?¡± I asked between gasps for air.

    ¡°He didn¡¯t look good,¡± she replied, her tone clipped.

    ¡°Lyra!¡± I shouted as we neared our destination. ¡°Do you know any basic healing spells?¡±

    She nodded, her face pale but determined. ¡°Yes, but they aren¡¯t very strong. Just what I could learn from books.¡±

    ¡°Good enough,¡± Thea said over her shoulder. ¡°Be ready.¡±

    As we closed in on the alley, the air grew heavier, thick with dread. I clenched my fists, bracing myself for what we might find.

    There he was. Elric lay crumpled beside a couple of wooden barrels, his body a horrifying sight. His face was swollen and bruised, one eye completely shut, the other barely visible under the blood trickling down his temple. His arm twisted at an unnatural angle, and his chest rose and fell with shallow, ragged breaths that sounded like crumpling parchment¡ªeach one a painful wheeze. His shirt was torn and soaked with a mix of dirt and crimson, revealing bruises that mottled his torso in shades of deep purple and black. His legs, one of which looked visibly broken, lay awkwardly beneath him, and every inch of him seemed to scream agony.

    ¡°Elric!¡± I shouted, rushing to his side. Panic clawed at my throat. ¡°Lyra, hurry¡ªLyra!¡± My voice broke as I turned to her, jolting her out of her stunned silence.

    She stumbled forward, her hands trembling as she crouched beside him, her fingers brushing against his chest. Tears streamed down her face as she took in the full extent of his injuries.

    ¡°Will your spell be strong enough?¡± I asked, desperation cracking through my voice.

    Lyra paused, her lips quivering as she shook her head, sputtering, almost breaking into a full sob.

    I turned to Thea and Sia, pulling out my orb and thrusting it toward them. ¡°Here! Find someone who¡¯s good. Elric said for the right price, some healers will actually help. Use whatever you need to! With all our points combined, there¡¯s no way we can¡¯t heal him!¡±

    They both nodded, their shock at the sight of my orb and its contents quickly replaced by grim determination. Without hesitation, they sprinted off into the town.

    I turned back to Lyra, her hands glowing faintly as she channeled her trembling energy into Elric¡¯s broken body. ¡°Lyra, just focus. You¡¯re doing great,¡± I said, my voice as steady as I could manage, though the sight of Elric threatened to betray my words.

    She nodded, still visibly shaken, her tears falling onto her glowing hands as she desperately tried to stabilize him. The faint light of her spell flickered, her energy wavering as she poured everything she had into keeping Elric alive.

    Thankfully, it didn¡¯t take long for Thea and Sia to return, a young man trailing behind them.

    ¡°Oh, you were talking about this moron.¡± His voice was casual, almost amused, but his sneer was anything but. He glanced at Elric¡¯s battered body and added, ¡°Judging by his state¡ªand, well, the fact that I don¡¯t like him¡ªdouble the price.¡±

    Thea¡¯s expression darkened in a way I¡¯d never seen before. Her steely eyes flashed with barely restrained fury, and for a moment, I thought she might actually kill the man on the spot.

    ¡°Enough,¡± I said quickly, cutting off whatever she was about to say. I glared at him, my voice low and sharp. ¡°Give him what he wants. But if you don¡¯t help him,¡± I stepped forward, my tone darkening into something I didn¡¯t know I had in me, ¡°I promise you¡ªyou will regret it.¡±

    The man raised an eyebrow at me, utterly unfazed. ¡°Relax. Just give me the points.¡± He waved a dismissive hand, as if my threat was nothing more than a child¡¯s tantrum.

    Without hesitation, we handed him the points. Thea looked ready to spit fire, but she didn¡¯t argue as my orb glowed faintly, transferring what looked like four hundred points to the healer. My points dropped to 250, but I didn¡¯t care.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± he said, his tone now unnervingly polite, a charming smile suddenly gracing his face. ¡°Now, if you¡¯ll excuse me, I must treat the patient.¡±

    He approached Elric, waving Lyra aside with a flick of his hand. She hesitated but stepped back, her lips moving as she chanted another spell. White tendrils of light coiled around the healer¡¯s hands, the energy forming faster and more efficiently.

    ¡°Oh¡ªthank you, miss. That¡¯s very helpful,¡± he said, his smile softening.

    Then he placed his glowing hands on Elric¡¯s broken body, and a sickening series of cracks filled the alley. Bones realigned, sinew and tendon knitting themselves back together, and Elric groaned in pain as his body was put back in order. It was gruesome to watch, but it worked.

    After only a few minutes, the healer stood and dusted off his hands. Elric¡¯s breathing had steadied, his chest rising and falling evenly. His eyes flickered open briefly before falling closed again.

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s that,¡± the healer said, turning to us with a satisfied smile. ¡°Thank you for your patronage.¡± He then turned to Lyra, inclining his head slightly. ¡°And thank you for your help.¡±

    As if the sneering man who mocked Elric moments ago had vanished entirely, he gave us a slight, courteous bow before turning on his heel and walking out of the alleyway.

    A faint murmur broke the tense silence.

    ¡°Mmm¡ªwhere am I?¡± Elric rasped, his words barely audible between shallow gasps.

    I crouched beside him, placing a hand on his shoulder as gently as I could. ¡°You¡¯re safe, Elric. Just breathe. Tell me what happened.¡±

    He struggled to speak, each word punctuated by strained breaths. I knew from his earlier comments that true healing would take time. My quick recovery had been an exception¡ªonly possible because of my recent transformation.

    ¡°They surrounded me¡­ after the instructor left,¡± he said, his voice weak but steady enough to continue. ¡°Dragged me here. A warrior came with them and then¡ª¡± He paused, his chest rising unevenly.

    He gave a hollow laugh, one that quickly turned into a pained cough. ¡°Thanks to your advice¡­ I heard that warrior scream while I was healing him.¡± His lips curled into a faint, almost self-satisfied smile. ¡°Too bad the system wouldn¡¯t let me¡­ arrange his bones how I wanted. But he had some old injuries¡­ from improper treatment.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle at the sight of that familiar, devilish grin. Relief washed over me as the others visibly relaxed too. ¡°Glad you got him to squeal. Do you know who it was? What was his rank?¡±

    Before Elric could answer, Thea interjected. ¡°Peter, we need to let him rest.¡±

    ¡°He will, after he tells me,¡± I replied, my tone firm. I locked eyes with Elric, silently urging him to finish.

    He shifted slightly, his head moving in what I assumed was a nod. His voice was barely a whisper. ¡°Rorik¡­ bottom rank.¡±

    His eyes fluttered closed, and sleep claimed him once more.

    ¡°Rorik,¡± I repeated, the name heavy on my tongue. My fists clenched as I stood. ¡°Let¡¯s find him. I¡¯ll challenge him and make him regret it. I¡¯ll parade him around the coliseum to make sure no one ever tries this again.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll do it,¡± Thea interjected firmly. ¡°Now that I have a system, it¡¯ll be easier than before to fight. Just give me a day or so to get used to it.¡±

    ¡°No!¡± I shouted, my voice sharp enough to make her flinch. ¡°Who knows if he¡¯ll even agree to fight you? But turn down a challenge from a Late Bloomer?¡± I gave a humorless laugh. ¡°No way. That¡¯s just free points for him. And when he accepts, I¡¯ll shut his mouth during the fight, make sure he can¡¯t surrender¡­ and ensure that he ¡®can¡¯t continue,¡¯ as those ridiculous announcers like to put it.¡±

    I turned to Sia next. ¡°It was never specified how much we could bet on a challenge. Only that there¡¯s a minimum, right?¡±

    Sia nodded, catching on to my thoughts. ¡°There¡¯s no limit.¡±

    ¡°Good.¡± I allowed myself a small, grim smile. ¡°He won¡¯t refuse a fight with a Late Bloomer offering up hundreds of points for all of his. Fighting you, Thea, he might wonder why you¡¯d be confident enough to challenge him. But me?¡± I gestured to myself. ¡°He¡¯ll think I¡¯ve gone crazy with anger.¡±

    I turned back to Thea. ¡°It¡¯ll look strange if I suddenly have hundreds of points, so take all my points first. Then, pretend to try and convince me against fighting him, and let me borrow everything¡ªbut make it clear that you¡¯ll only agree if it leaves me just short of a full orb. Like, say, lending me 400 points out of 405.¡±

    I paused, meeting her eyes. ¡°That way, Rorik will think you expect me to need to surrender. It¡¯ll make him overconfident, and he¡¯ll likely borrow from others to match us if he can¡¯t alone. If Sia and Lyra offer too, it might seem odd, but since plenty of people see us together, it won¡¯t be suspicious if you¡¯re the one lending me points.¡±

    Thea nodded, though doubt flickered across her face. ¡°Are you sure? What if you can¡¯t beat him?¡±

    I smiled, letting my confidence show. ¡°If I can put you on the ground every now and then, a bottom-rank warrior? I¡¯ll be able to take him.¡±

    Her expression hardened into determination. ¡°Alright.¡±

    Sia and Lyra exchanged glances before nodding. Without hesitation, they each pulled out their orbs, the glowing numbers showing an even 100. ¡°Take ours now too,¡± Sia said firmly. ¡°That way you can use more for the challenge.¡±

    Thea nodded, quickly making the transfer. Her orb now glowed with a total of 835 points.

    ¡°Good,¡± I said, my tone resolute. ¡°Let¡¯s find Rorik.¡±

 Chapter 21: The Cost of Life

    As I hefted Elric onto my back, his weight a grim reminder of his injuries, a thought struck me. ¡°Will he have to fight today?¡±

    Sia shook her head. ¡°Considering his condition, they¡¯ll probably either ask for a small fee or require him to complete an extra battle later.¡±

    We raced off toward the arena, the place most recruits seemed to gather during the day, and where we figured Rorik would be.

    By the time we arrived, I saw the crowd and realized this might be more difficult than I¡¯d anticipated. The noise was overwhelming, recruits packed into every corner of the space, but luck was on our side. A cluster of healers stood near the edge of the arena, and among them, I recognized faces¡ªsome belonging to those who had harassed Elric before.

    And there, next to them, stood a man wielding a massive axe. Like most melee weapons here, it was blunted, but a chunk of metal that size could still wreak havoc. I knew that all too well.

    Putting on my angriest face and summoning a voice laced with rage¡ªhardly difficult given the situation¡ªI bellowed, ¡°RORIK!¡±

    The man turned, confirming that we¡¯d found our target.

    Surprisingly, his initial reaction wasn¡¯t arrogance. Instead, he seemed cautious, as if he was bracing for retaliation. But after a few murmured words from the healers beside him, his confidence returned. He smirked, his stance shifting slightly.

    ¡°What? Do you need something from me?¡±

    I dropped my voice into a low growl. ¡°I am challenging you. Now. Let¡¯s go register.¡±

    Before Rorik could answer, Thea stepped forward, launching into a performance that was teetering on the edge of absurdity¡ªthe kind of overacting you¡¯d expect in a melodramatic stage play where a farmer¡¯s wife sobbed uncontrollably as her husband went to war, a war he would never come back from.

    ¡°Peter!¡± she gasped, her voice quivering with dramatic flair. She paused, as though summoning tears. ¡°You can¡¯t¡ªyou don¡¯t even have a system!¡±

    Oh, sweet creators of this world, please let this work.

    If the situation weren¡¯t so serious, I might¡¯ve laughed. I decided not to tell her that later. Wait¡ªmy line.

    ¡°No!¡± I snapped, turning my glare back to Rorik. ¡°Rorik, do you agree?¡±

    His expression shifted to one of pure delight, as if he¡¯d just hit the jackpot. Though he did cast an odd look at Thea¡ªprobably trying to figure out if she was just way too into me. Honestly, let¡¯s hope he thought that. It¡¯d only make sense for some obsessed fan to throw away her points for a guy like me, rather than a reasonable girlfriend.

    ¡°Fine,¡± Rorik said, his smirk widening. ¡°If you want to hand over ten points, let¡¯s go.¡±

    ¡°No!¡± I resumed my yelling phase, spinning toward Thea. ¡°How much?¡±

    ¡°Darling?¡± she said sweetly, dropping the overdramatic tone just long enough to hit me with such an endearing term that I nearly froze. Nice touch. I might¡¯ve underestimated her. Maybe she knew exactly what she was doing.

    Now starting to look like the incompetent one, I snapped myself out of it. ¡°How many points do you have?¡±

    ¡°I¡ªI¡­¡± she stammered, looking up at me with wide, watery eyes.

    ¡°How much!¡± I barked, doing my best to sell it.

    ¡°Eight hundred and thirty-five!¡± she finally blurted, her voice trembling as though she was on the verge of tears. Good god, she can act. Now there were actual tears glistening in her eyes.

    Rorik hesitated, his smirk faltering. ¡°I don¡¯t have that much. Are you insane?¡±

    ¡°Wait,¡± a healer behind him interjected, grabbing Rorik by the arm and pulling him aside.

    Good, I thought, watching as they whispered back and forth. Hopefully, he¡¯s about to take out a big loan.

    When Rorik returned, his grin stretched wider than I thought possible. ¡°Fine. Eight hundred and thirty-five.¡±

    ¡°NO!¡± Thea shouted, and for a moment, I imagine Rorik thought she might refuse the absurd request. But then she turned to me, her voice quivering with despair. ¡°Eight hundred and thirty¡ªleave him five¡­ please.¡±

    Now she was actually crying. Even Rorik, the man who had nearly killed Elric, looked like he might feel bad. For a second, anyway.

    He nodded, his tone softening just a bit, though his confidence seemed to double. ¡°Fine,¡± he said, this time with a more measured, assured tone.

    Thea pulled out her orb, transferring the entirety of the points into mine as we walked to the front desk. The entire way, she sobbed theatrically, shifting between uncontrollable wails¡ªduring which Sia and Lyra gently comforted her and, occasionally, suggested she rethink her taste in men¡ªa touch I thought was entirely unnecessary¡ªand silent sobs, which I could swear were just muffled chuckles. But what do I know?

    When we reached the attendant, Rorik explained the situation. She looked at both of us skeptically. ¡°You are aware this does not count as your daily match?¡±

    I wasn¡¯t aware, but it made sense. Friends could theoretically challenge each other repeatedly to skip their dailies otherwise.

    ¡°Yes,¡± we said in unison, depositing the full 830 points each into her orb. I handed Elric off to Thea, who, as I glanced back, was practically grinning behind a cloth she¡¯d taken from Lyra.

    ¡°Alright. Proceed back there,¡± the attendant instructed, pointing toward two side-by-side elevators.

    We entered silently and descended to the arena.

    The entrance announcements blared overhead, and before I could take a proper breath, a resounding ¡°Begin!¡± echoed through the space.

    Following the commander¡¯s advice, I held my ground, waiting for an attack. My focus turned inward, circulating my energy as efficiently as possible. It rushed through the spiral patterns in my Grand Channel, diffusing into my body with speed. Some of it pooled in my chest and shoulders, ready to be unleashed.

    Rorik, filled with misplaced confidence, charged immediately. He closed the gap in moments, his massive axe swinging wide in a ridiculously telegraphed arc. Did he take this fight seriously? Or had he relied too long on brute force? Don¡¯t tell me he took on his previous job for points to surrender.

    Without thinking, I stepped into his swing, cutting his momentum short before his axe could come down. Placing my foot behind his, I shoved him with all my strength.

    He fell hard, the impact loud enough to echo in the arena. His weapon clattered to the ground, leaving him defenseless.

    Before he could recover, I climbed on top of him, pulling out a cloth I¡¯d borrowed earlier and gagging him.

    I locked eyes with him as he struggled, his expression shifting from shock to desperation. I wasn¡¯t strong enough to resist those struggles so, my fist struck his throat with precision. His body convulsed, choking as he tried and failed to draw air through his nose. His flailing weakened, giving me the advantage to reposition and pin him more securely.

    Once again, I locked eyes with him, the weight of my rage settling over me like a storm. ¡°You should have never targeted my friend,¡± I growled.

    The rage consumed me. My fist collided with his face over and over, the sickening crunch of bones breaking and flesh tearing barely registering in my ears. The world blurred into a haze of red and static. Only the announcer¡¯s voice cut through, pulling me back.You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

    ¡°---tinuing will result in severe punishment.¡±

    I froze, my breath heaving. Slowly, I stood, my vision still tinged with red. Before they could order me to the elevator, I grabbed Rorik¡¯s ruined body, yanking the gag from his mouth. A weak gurgle escaped his lips, barely audible over his ragged, wet breaths.

    I dragged him to the elevator with me.

    No soldiers appeared to stop me. Either it wasn¡¯t against the rules, they didn¡¯t care, or maybe they were just happy I was doing their job for them¡ªas long as I didn¡¯t hurt him more.

    When the elevator doors opened, gasps rippled through the gathered crowd. Faces turned toward me, a mix of horror and indifference painted across them. Some recoiled at the sight of Rorik¡¯s battered, bloodied form. Others seemed unfazed, perhaps accustomed to the gruesomeness of these battles.

    I marched directly to the attendant¡¯s desk, dropping Rorik unceremoniously at my feet.

    ¡°What is the punishment for killing another recruit?¡± I asked, my voice sharp and cold.

    She blinked, visibly taken aback by my question. ¡°Outside the arena, it is¡­ severe. An accidental death in battle results in a loss of five hundred points.¡±

    I leaned forward, locking eyes with her, my voice low and deliberate as I emphasized each syllable. ¡°What is severe?¡±

    She hesitated, her face pale. ¡°One thousand points.¡±

    A laugh bubbled up from my throat, sharp and humorless. It spilled out uncontrollably, leaving me trembling. I could only imagine how insane I looked. ¡°One thousand points,¡± I repeated, the absurdity of it twisting my expression into a bitter grin. ¡°That¡¯s the value of a life here?¡±

    I shook my head, disgusted, and turned toward the group of healers responsible for this mess. Their faces ranged from uneasy to outright fearful as I approached, dragging Rorik¡¯s limp form behind me.

    ¡°I have more than a thousand,¡± I growled, my voice cutting through the tense silence. ¡°Do not bother us again.¡±

    They simply paled, nodding wordlessly before gathering around Rorik. Working collectively, they began to heal him, their hands glowing faintly as they restored his mangled body. Then, without so much as a glance in my direction, they carried him away¡ªno doubt to discuss the loss of their investment.

    I turned back toward the desk, holding out my orb. Its faint green glow displayed only 5 points, which then jumped to an astounding 1,665.

    I didn¡¯t want to face the others. I could feel their gazes on the back of my head, burning with unspoken questions and emotions. I was sure none of them held anything against me¡ªnot truly¡ªbut my appearance, which I imagined was a mess, couldn¡¯t have helped what I could only assume were shocked expressions.

    ¡°Sign me up for my daily,¡± I said flatly. ¡°A beast fight.¡±

    The attendant nodded, her movements mechanical as she gestured toward the elevator behind her. After depositing the required points, I stepped in without another word.

    Inside, I took a moment to examine myself as best I could. My hands were smeared with blood, unbroken for the most part but dotted with scratches from striking bone. My clothes were spattered, the dark stains stark against the fabric. The metallic smell told me my face hadn¡¯t fared much better.

    The elevator stopped, the doors sliding open to reveal an unfamiliar arena. This one was made to resemble a snowy landscape, the air biting cold and the ground beneath me crunching faintly with frost.

    I waited, my breath visible in the icy air.

    It didn¡¯t take long for the beast to appear.

    Even after everything I¡¯d seen, the creatures of this world still took my breath away.

    The beast emerged from the snowy expanse like a ghost, its white fur blending seamlessly with the terrain. The only thing that betrayed its presence was the faint shimmer of frost clinging to its pelt, catching the dim light and making it glisten like freshly fallen snow. Its body was sleek and powerful, the rippling of its muscles visible beneath the dense fur with every measured step it took.

    Its eyes were the most striking feature¡ªa piercing, unnatural blue that seemed to glow faintly, as though they contained shards of ice. They locked onto me with a predatory intensity, cold and calculating, sending a shiver down my spine that had nothing to do with the frigid air.

    The beast¡¯s breath misted in the icy arena, curling around its sharp, almost jagged fangs that jutted from its maw. Its long tail swayed behind it, tipped with an icicle-like barb that dripped with frost. Claws, curved and razor-sharp, scraped against the frosted ground, leaving shallow grooves in the ice.

    It moved with an unsettling silence, its paws barely making a sound as it prowled closer, circling me. Every step felt deliberate, like it was sizing me up, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

    I took a deep breath, focusing on the cold seeping through my boots and the air stinging my lungs.

    The panther let out a low growl, the sound reverberating through the frozen air like the groan of ice under pressure. Its breath puffed out in bursts of frost as it crouched low, preparing to lunge.

    ¡°Alright,¡± I muttered to myself, tightening my stance. ¡°Let¡¯s see what you¡¯ve got.¡±

    I barely had time to react before it lunged, closing the distance in a blur.

    I dove to the side, narrowly avoiding its claws. The beast skidded on the icy ground, turning with unnerving agility to face me again. My heart raced as I scrambled to my feet, my breath misting in the cold air.

    ¡°Okay,¡± I muttered, circling cautiously. ¡°Fast. Got it.¡±

    The panther growled low, stalking me with slow, deliberate steps. I could feel its gaze piercing through me, calculating, waiting.

    It feinted to the left before lunging to the right, claws outstretched. I managed to block with my forearm, but the impact sent a jolt of pain through my body. The reinforced energy I¡¯d diffused into my arm held, but the sting reminded me how fragile my defense really was.

    I stumbled back, my footing slipping on the frost-coated ground. The panther didn¡¯t give me time to recover, closing in with another swipe. I leaned back, barely avoiding its claws as they tore through the air inches from my face.

    ¡°Come on, Peter,¡± I muttered, forcing myself to focus. ¡°You¡¯ve got this¡­ probably.¡±

    The beast lunged again, but this time I sidestepped clumsily, my boots skidding on the icy surface. I reached out instinctively, grabbing hold of its fur as it passed me. The panther snarled, twisting violently to shake me off.

    Before I could think, I wrapped an arm around its neck, clinging to it as it bucked and thrashed. My grip was loose at first, and the beast managed to claw at my side, tearing through my clothes and drawing blood. Pain shot through me, but I held on, my arms tightening as I adjusted my position.

    ¡°Just¡­ stop already!¡± I grunted, my muscles burning as I struggled to stay on its back.

    The panther¡¯s movements grew wilder, its tail lashing out and its claws raking against the ground. I could feel its strength waning, but it was still far stronger than I was.

    I tried to remember what the commander had said about conserving energy, about staying focused, but all I could think about was not letting go.

    The panther reared up, nearly throwing me off, but I used the momentum to tighten my hold around its neck. My arms ached, my fingers screaming for relief, but I grit my teeth and held on.

    Slowly, its struggles began to weaken. Its growls turned into labored hisses, its movements sluggish and uncoordinated. Finally, with a final wheeze, it collapsed onto the icy ground, its body heaving with shallow breaths.

    Panting, I released my grip and rolled away, lying flat on my back as I tried to catch my breath. My body felt like it had been through a grinder, every muscle screaming in protest.

    The panther lay motionless a few feet away, its glowing eyes dim but still open. I could see its chest rising and falling steadily, a sign that it was still alive.

    Finally, I sat up, wincing as the pain in my side flared. My hands were bloodied and scratched, my clothes torn and stained with a mix of my own blood and the beast¡¯s frost-dusted fur.

    I turned my gaze to the panther, its massive body rising and falling with slow, labored breaths. A beast trapped in a situation it had no control over. I knew it was foolish to sympathize with it, but how could I not?

    We were the same, weren¡¯t we? Forced into a system that gave us no choice, fighting battles we didn¡¯t ask for. But its situation was even worse. Would it even survive until tomorrow? Or would it be dragged back here, only to face another recruit in a vicious, endless cycle? At least I got points, progress, a reason to keep fighting. For it, there was nothing. No reward for victory¡ªjust survival until the next fight.

    ¡°What a life,¡± I murmured, resting a hand on its massive side. Its fur was cold to the touch, but I could feel the faint rhythm of its breathing. ¡°I¡¯d wish you luck, but I¡¯d only be wishing for the death of others. I guess¡­ I hope you can escape one day¡ªgo back wherever you came from.¡±

    The panther didn¡¯t respond, of course. Its eyes were dim, half-closed, and its body was too exhausted to react. But something in its stillness felt like an acknowledgment, or maybe that was just my imagination.

    The announcer¡¯s voice echoed distantly, a sharp contrast to the quiet moment. I ignored it, rising unsteadily to my feet and limping toward the elevator.

    When the doors closed, I leaned against the wall, my chest still heaving as I replayed the fight in my mind.

    The elevator descended smoothly, and when it stopped, I stepped out and approached the desk. I handed over my orb, collecting my five points, and watched as the number on it rose to 1,670.

    Without a word, I turned and walked toward my friends, the echoes of the battle still rattling in my bones.

    I felt hollow, the rush of adrenaline replaced by a gnawing emptiness. The thought of meeting their eyes filled me with unease, but before I could dwell on it, someone wrapped their arms around me.

    ¡°This feels familiar,¡± I chuckled weakly, trying to lighten the mood.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Thea said softly, letting go just as quickly as she¡¯d embraced me. Her expression shifted, and before I could react, she punched me in the arm¡ªhard.

    I winced but resisted the urge to say anything.

    ¡°We shouldn¡¯t have let you do that,¡± she scolded, her voice trembling with a mix of frustration and concern. ¡°But why did you go to another battle without saying anything?!¡±

    Her words hit harder than the punch. I looked at her, seeing the worry etched across her face, and then to Sia and Lyra, who stood nearby with matching looks of concern.

    ¡°I just¡­ needed to clear my head,¡± I admitted, my voice quieter than I intended. ¡°Thought it¡¯d be better to come back covered in animal blood than¡ªwell, you can see how that turned out.¡± I rubbed the back of my head.

    ¡°Anyway,¡± I added quickly, trying to shift the mood, ¡°what¡¯s your new blessing?¡±

    Her eyes flickered with something¡ªhesitation, excitement?¡ªbefore she answered.

    ¡°You¡¯re not going to believe this.¡±

 Chapter 22: Storm and Threads

    ¡°I¡¯m a warrior!¡± Thea jumped up and down gleefully.

    ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I believe that? You¡¯re a brute.¡± I smirked as she swung at me. This time, I was ready and dodged easily.

    ¡°It¡¯s not just that,¡± she said, her excitement bubbling over. ¡°My blessing is unique.¡±

    Sia and Lyra leaned in closer as Thea dropped her voice to a whisper. ¡°It¡¯s not like a swordsman or spear wielder. My blessing applies to any weapon.¡±

    Sia and Lyra¡¯s jaws dropped in unison, their shock evident. Meanwhile, I, who didn¡¯t know much about blessings, shrugged. ¡°That¡¯s it?¡±

    Thea rolled her eyes, clearly disappointed at my lackluster reaction. ¡°Actually, no. My blessing is called Storm Heart. As I level up, all my attacks will be infused with lightning energy.¡±

    Oh, sweet heavens. She¡¯s going to tase me during sparring, isn¡¯t she? Fear must¡¯ve flashed across my face because Thea grinned mischievously.

    Lyra and Sia, however, seemed far more affected. Lyra¡¯s usual melodic tone was now laced with disbelief. ¡°Thea¡­ that shouldn¡¯t be possible. Warriors can¡¯t possess magical attributes.¡±

    Thea shook her head, her grin fading into something more thoughtful. ¡°I don¡¯t really know how it happened, but this is the reality of it.¡±

    ¡°Well,¡± I clapped my hands together, breaking the tension and pulling everyone back to the present. ¡°You guys should complete your dailies now. I¡¯ll keep an eye on Elric. Let¡¯s head into town afterward and find a place to rest. Oh, and your orbs¡ªlet me return your points.¡±

    We all exchanged points. I handed Sia and Lyra two hundred points each. They nearly argued against it, but I held up my hand to stop them. ¡°Without you, we wouldn¡¯t have won so much. Just take it.¡±

    Thea nodded in agreement. ¡°We¡¯re in this together. Just help us out again if we need it.¡±

    They nodded reluctantly and headed to the reception desk. Once they were out of earshot, I split the remaining points with Thea, leaving us each with 635.

    ¡°Did you ask about Elric having to fight?¡± I asked.

    She nodded. ¡°They said he can skip today. He¡¯ll just have to do two fights tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll wait here with him. Good luck in your fight.¡±

    ¡°Thanks,¡± Thea said with a grin before heading off toward the elevator for her match. No doubt she¡¯d win.

    After a while, Elric began to stir beside me, rustling against the wall where we leaned. His voice was groggy but stronger than before. ¡°Where am I?¡± he yawned, sounding far less like he¡¯d just escaped death.

    ¡°We¡¯re at the coliseum,¡± I said. ¡°How are you feeling?¡±

    ¡°Better than ever,¡± Elric replied, though a cough followed, betraying his words.

    ¡°Sure¡ªjust rest up, man. You shouldn¡¯t have to worry about any of the morons again. At least the weaker ones,¡± I said, leaning back against the wall.

    He laughed, a little rasp in his voice. ¡°It¡¯s only the weaker ones that bother me. Also¡­ what happened to you? You look like you just came from a slaughterhouse¡ªand took a bath there.¡±

    ¡°Oh, this?¡± I glanced down at myself, my clothes torn and caked with dried blood. ¡°I bought a bunch of berries and thought I¡¯d try making juice.¡±

    ¡°Idiot.¡±

    ¡°Whatever, pretty boy.¡± I smirked. ¡°You should¡¯ve seen the two girls. If I didn¡¯t step in, Rorik might¡¯ve gone missing in a few days.¡± Though thinking about it, with the debt he took on, his fate wasn¡¯t looking great anyway. Then again, maybe they¡¯ll put him to work. No point wasting resources on disappearing someone who owes you that much.

    Elric shook his head and leaned back, his expression growing serious. ¡°I need to cultivate.¡±

    ¡°What? You need to rest.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll recover as soon as I transform, right? And after that, I¡¯ll recover even faster.¡±

    I looked around the bustling coliseum. It had quieted down after my earlier theatrics, but there were still recruits coming and going, running to stalls and chatting. Not exactly the most peaceful place to focus. ¡°I¡¯ll get us a training room, but we should wait until the others come back. It shouldn¡¯t take long.¡±

    I glanced over at him, but he was already closing his eyes, attempting to cultivate right there and then. Maybe his focus was stronger than mine.

    Barely a few minutes passed before a sharp yell tore through the air. I turned quickly to see Elric crumpled over, his hands clutching his knees. Pained grunts escaped him, but then, just as suddenly, the sound stopped. Bruises that had stubbornly clung to his body began to vanish before my eyes, fading so quickly it was like watching time reverse itself.

    He must have succeeded in entering the Energy Gathering stage¡ªfaster than I expected, though I suppose it only took Thea and me a couple of days too.

    Elric opened his eyes, staring at me before his pupils darted around the room, taking everything in. ¡°Wow,¡± he whispered, astonishment plain in his voice. ¡°This is¡­ different.¡±

    ¡°Now how are you feeling?¡± I asked.

    He straightened, bouncing lightly on his heels as if testing his renewed body. ¡°Better than ever. Everything feels¡­ faster, like it¡¯s all flowing at once. This is insane!¡±

    I extended my hand. ¡°Hand me your orb then. You can sign up for a match.¡±

    He nodded, fishing it out and handing it over. I deposited two hundred points. ¡°Now you can surrender whenever you want.¡±

    Almost as if on cue, the elevator doors opened, and the three girls stepped out, all looking spotless. Sia and Lyra immediately ran over, throwing their arms around Elric in an unrestrained embrace. If he had leaned in just a little, I swear they might¡¯ve gone further. Instead, he lightly pushed them away with a polite smile.

    Bastard.

    ¡°You¡¯re alright!¡± Sia exclaimed, joy lighting up her face.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Elric said with a grin. ¡°Now just wait here. I¡¯ll sign up and be back in a moment.¡± And with that, he was off, leaving the two girls watching after him with barely hidden disappointment.

    Sia turned back to us, clearing her throat as if to shake off the moment. ¡°Here,¡± she said, holding out a piece of paper. It was a rough map of the town with a small square circled and a name scribbled beside it. ¡°My mom owns this inn. Hand her this and tell her I sent you. She¡¯ll give you a good price to stay there. We live there too.¡±

    Thea chuckled, her tone teasing as she said, ¡°Excited to live in the same building as Elric? You might even catch a glimpse of his bedhead.¡±

    Both girls turned beet red, sputtering as they tried to compose themselves.

    ¡°We have to go,¡± Sia said hastily, ¡°Lyra¡¯s got work to do.¡±

    Lyra chimed in, her voice calmer but no less determined. ¡°We¡¯ll head back to the inn later. Maybe we can cultivate together there. Thanks to your method, I can give out far more blessings than before. We¡¯ve been making back our savings quickly, so you can expect our next payment for the technique soon.¡±

    The two of them smiled warmly before heading off. I watched as they disappeared into the crowd¡ªLyra poised and professional, while Sia exuded a protective air that practically screamed, mess with her at your own peril.Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

    ¡°How¡¯d the match go?¡± I asked Thea, turning my attention back to her.

    ¡°Annoying, but not too difficult,¡± she replied with a hint of irritation. ¡°Some sort of control mage¡ªkept popping up barriers. As soon as I got within striking distance, he surrendered. But it took forever to close the gap.¡±

    I nodded thoughtfully. ¡°Alright. I need to tell you something else about cultivating¡ªsomething I didn¡¯t include in your gift.¡±

    Her expression shifted immediately, her stormy eyes lighting up with eager curiosity. ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°I think I found it,¡± I said, letting the weight of my discovery sink in. ¡°Body Refinement. Real Body Refinement.¡±

    She gasped audibly, her excitement barely contained. ¡°That¡ªthat¡¯s amazing! How do we do it?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know yet,¡± I admitted, trying to temper her enthusiasm, ¡°but I think we¡¯ve already started the process¡ªor at least laid the foundation. I¡¯ll explain everything, I promise. Let¡¯s wait until Elric gets back so we can go over it together.¡±

    Her shoulders slumped slightly in disappointment, but she nodded. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll hold you to that.¡±

    I took a moment before continuing, watching her closely. ¡°I also want details on the system,¡± I said, my tone serious. ¡°I want to know how stats work¡ªwhat stats exist, how you increase them, skills, levels, missions¡­ everything. I want to know it all.¡±

    She tilted her head slightly, curiosity replacing her earlier disappointment. ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m hoping it can help me understand how to bridge the gap between cultivation and the system,¡± I explained.

    I didn¡¯t tell her, but I couldn¡¯t shake the question lingering in my mind¡ªwhere does the energy come from? People talk about MP like it¡¯s just part of the system, but it has to come from somewhere, right? It works kind of like cultivation energy, but it¡¯s separate. Different.

    I glanced toward the elevators. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t Elric be back by now?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t think he fought, do you?¡± Thea asked, her brows furrowing slightly.

    As if on cue, the elevator doors slid open, revealing Elric. He wasn¡¯t in pristine condition, but he didn¡¯t look terrible either. Definitely a step down from his earlier recovery.

    Jogging over with a grin, he called out, ¡°Guess which healer just won his first match legitimately? Didn¡¯t even pay anyone off.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m guessing you?¡± I replied, though something about it tugged at my thoughts. How? Even after my transformation, I was still clumsy in fights. Could Elric really be more competent than me?

    I was starting to feel like I was surrounded by main characters.

    Elric¡ªthe raven-haired pretty boy with a hidden cruel streak to unleash on enemies, but a soft, protective side for his allies. A natural manipulator and fighter, already inventing his own techniques.

    Thea¡ªthe stormy-eyed cultivation prodigy with a unique system blessing that elevated her above the rest. A seamless fusion of raw power and precision.

    Sia¡ªa fire mage, terrifying enough with her system alone, and now with cultivation? Who knew what kind of destruction she could unleash?

    Lyra¡ªa rare support healer with abilities that had already begun to surpass expectations thanks to cultivation.

    And then there was me. Hopefully, my knack for comprehension and invention would measure up to their growing strength, because it certainly didn¡¯t feel like my power alone would.

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Elric said, clearly enjoying the moment. ¡°I forced a surrender with my new technique. Unfortunately, the system doesn¡¯t let me cause any real harm.¡±

    I raised a brow at him, watching his excitement. Elric¡¯s understanding seemed high¡ªtoo high, maybe. If he could already sense the energy flowing through other people¡¯s bodies well enough to manipulate and torture them¡­ What would he be capable of once he mastered cultivation?

    A new thought hit me: maybe Elric could be in charge of inventing techniques for us. His potential might be even greater than I¡¯d realized.

    I stood up, brushing off the lingering ache from the battle. ¡°Congrats on the win, but before heading back, I really need to get cleaned up.¡±

    Thea rose too, a smirk tugging at her lips. ¡°You don¡¯t think the inn will have a bath?¡±

    ¡°I bet it does,¡± I replied, glancing down at my blood-stained clothes, ¡°but did you see those kids on the street? Imagine walking around looking like this. They¡¯d freak out.¡±

    ¡°Good point,¡± Elric said, flexing his arm as if noticing his own scratches for the first time. ¡°I could use a clean-up too.¡±

    With a collective nod, we headed off. I went ahead to clean and repair my clothes, pulling out a fresh set I¡¯d picked up during my last shopping trip with Thea. Then I made my way to the baths.

    When I arrived, Elric was already there, scrubbing at his arms, the faint pink of healing skin still visible beneath the water. I sat at the nozzle beside him, letting the warm spray pour over me, washing away grime and dried blood¡ªa sight I was, unfortunately, getting too used to.

    ¡°Elric?¡± I asked as we both leaned back under the cascading water.

    ¡°Hm? Yeah?¡± He tilted his head slightly, glancing at me through the steam.

    ¡°Are birthday presents a thing here?¡± I kept my tone casual.

    ¡°Here? As in training camp?¡± He gave me a curious look. ¡°Not really. But parents usually give them out.¡±

    I hesitated. Should I finally tell him I¡¯m not from this world? This interaction was starting to feel a bit strange without that context.

    ¡°Thea told me she¡¯s never gotten one,¡± I said instead. ¡°Is that¡­ normal?¡±

    Elric looked up at the tiled ceiling, his expression thoughtful. ¡°Well, I wouldn¡¯t say it¡¯s unheard of. Some families are a bit¡­ traditional. A lot of upbringings are less about celebrating and more about preparing. For, well¡­¡± He gestured around vaguely. ¡°This. And war. Her family might¡¯ve been like that.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡± I mulled over his words before glancing at him. ¡°What about you?¡±

    ¡°Me?¡± He shrugged nonchalantly. ¡°I was raised here, actually.¡±

    ¡°Here? You mean the Town of the Fallen?¡±

    ¡°Yep.¡± He nodded. ¡°My parents used to live there, but they were reassigned somewhere else before I was sent to training.¡± His voice was steady, but his eyes drifted to the wall, unfocused, like he was searching for something invisible.

    ¡°You¡­ you know where they are, don¡¯t you?¡± I asked gently.

    He let out a quiet sigh. ¡°Most people never see their parents again after being sent here. It¡¯s just how it works. There are very few exceptions¡ªsentimental families, mostly.¡±

    I thought of Sia, her mother¡¯s inn, and the invitation she¡¯d extended to us. ¡°You mean like Sia? She told us we could stay at her mom¡¯s place.¡±

    Elric nodded, a faint smile playing on his lips. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s rare.¡±

    We finished up, and I used up a good amount of soap and a few spritzes of the perfume. Elric and I left together, waiting only a short while before Thea emerged, looking refreshed.

    ¡°Ready?¡± she asked, her stormy eyes bright. ¡°Let¡¯s head to the inn. Then we can cultivate some more¡ªafter discussing your new ideas.¡±

    ¡°We can talk on the way,¡± I said quickly, hoping to avoid any unnecessary jogging.

    Following the map Sia had given us, we walked toward town. As we moved through the bustling streets, I shared my theories with Thea and Elric. I explained how intentionally failing core formation to perform the Grand Carving technique seemed to purify our bodies¡ªbones, tendons, and even organs¡ªallowing cultivation energy to adhere to them. The only problem was that I still didn¡¯t know how to make the energy stay. Even now, it dissipated after diffusion.

    I also told them about the technique I¡¯d invented, inspired by the Fireball system skill, though I admitted it was still crude and barely usable.

    ¡°Wow¡ªwe¡¯re so close,¡± Thea said, her voice tinged with admiration. ¡°I don¡¯t think we need to worry too much about refining the body right now. Let¡¯s just focus on purification and filling our Grand Channels. Maybe there¡¯ll be another transformation along the way that will give us more clues.¡±

    ¡°That makes sense. I think you¡¯re right,¡± I agreed.

    Elric chimed in, his tone thoughtful. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you come to me¡ªor Sia¡ªfor the Fireball technique? You¡¯re focusing too much on condensing it inside your body.¡±

    I frowned, crossing my arms. ¡°What else am I supposed to do? Isn¡¯t that the point? Build it up, then release it?¡±

    ¡°Yes and no,¡± Elric said, shaking his head slightly. ¡°The problem isn¡¯t the buildup¡ªit¡¯s how you¡¯re imagining the release at least from what I read in what you gave Thea. You¡¯re treating the energy like it¡¯s supposed to explode outward, separating from your source of energy. It¡¯s not. You have to guide it, give it direction.¡±

    I tilted my head. ¡°Okay¡­ guide it how?¡±

    Elric crossed his arms and leaned against the wall, his tone shifting to a more instructional one. ¡°To guide it, you¡¯ll need to maintain your focus on the energy even as it leaves your body. Start by visualizing the energy forming a thread or line extending outward. As it moves, keep your mind tethered to it¡ªlike you¡¯re leading it to where you want it to go.¡±

    Thea chimed in, her eyes lighting up with understanding. ¡°So instead of just shoving it outward and hoping for the best, you¡¯re essentially staying connected to it, shaping its path as it moves.¡±

    I nodded slowly, the concept beginning to take shape in my mind. ¡°Alright, but how do I stay connected once it¡¯s outside me? Isn¡¯t it just¡­ gone?¡±

    Elric shook his head, his expression firm yet patient. ¡°Not if you¡¯re doing it right. Think of it like throwing a rope. The moment it leaves your hand, it doesn¡¯t disappear¡ªyou¡¯re still holding one end. You just have to get good at telling that rope where to go. It¡¯s all about focus, extending your awareness beyond yourself. Of course,¡± he added with a shrug, ¡°you could always let the system handle it for you if you wanted.¡±

    I was struck by how clearly he broke it down. His explanation shifted my understanding completely. Form a thread with the energy, keep it tethered to my body. The idea of guiding its direction and force to cause actual damage suddenly seemed more plausible. Though, a shotgun blast of force still sounded cool to me.

    Thea interrupted my thoughts as we approached a modest yet inviting building. The warm glow of lanterns illuminated a wooden sign hanging above the door, etched with the name Gathering Flame.

    ¡°Hello¡± Thea announced, pushing the door open. The faint hum of conversation and the comforting scent of baked bread spilled out.

    As we stepped inside, a woman with kind eyes glanced up from behind the counter. Her gaze flicked to me, taking in my slightly battered appearance, and her smile wavered for a moment.

    I felt a twinge of unease, but before I could speak, the woman said, ¡°Welcome.¡±

    I exhaled, feeling the weight of the day start to lift. But even as I followed the others inside, the thought lingered: if I could master this, really master it, what could I do with it?

 Chapter 23: A Room Full of Promise

    ¡°Uh¡ªhi. Um,¡± I fumbled, suddenly feeling uncharacteristically nervous as such a bright, beaming smile greeted us. Sia¡¯s mother looked just like her¡ªso much so that, if she were slightly younger, I might¡¯ve assumed they were twins.

    Her fiery red hair cascaded down her back in soft waves, faint streaks of silver woven through the strands like embers glowing among vibrant flames, enhancing her beauty rather than detracting from it. Almond-shaped eyes, a deep and piercing emerald green, radiated both warmth and an undeniable wisdom, as though they had seen and endured much yet refused to lose their kindness.

    High cheekbones framed her face, their definition lending her an air of quiet elegance. A gently pointed chin softened her features, giving her an ageless grace. Her fair skin was dotted with light freckles¡ªa trait Sia must¡¯ve inherited¡ªfurther softening her otherwise sharp and commanding presence.

    Even standing behind the counter, her posture was straight and confident, exuding a quiet strength that felt welcoming yet unwavering. There was something about her¡ªa mix of poise and warmth¡ªthat made me feel like we¡¯d stepped into a safe haven, albeit one guarded by someone who could handle any challenge with ease.

    Finally, I remembered the paper map crumpled in my pocket. Pulling it out, I held it up. ¡°Sia told us to come here,¡± I said, handing her the note.

    Her face lit up instantly. ¡°Wow! Sia has more friends now!¡± she exclaimed, her smile so bright it was almost blinding¡ªElric might finally have some competition in outshining the sun. ¡°Lyra is such a sweet girl, but Sia is so closed off. She never talks to anyone but her.¡±

    I opened my mouth to reply but quickly realized I had no idea what to say. So, I just waited.

    ¡°Sia has always been so gentle and shy,¡± she continued, the warmth in her voice making it clear how deeply she cared. ¡°I¡¯m always worried about how she¡¯ll handle training. But she¡¯s already been there for a full year! Can you believe that?¡±

    I blinked, trying to reconcile her description of Sia with the girl I knew. Gentle? Shy? The Sia I¡¯d met was more like an intimidating guard dog, fiercely protective of Lyra. A far cry from the soft image her mother was painting.

    ¡°She always had this way of looking out for others,¡± her mother continued, her emerald eyes sparkling with pride. ¡°Even as a little girl, she¡¯d step in when she thought someone needed help¡ªnever mind if they were twice her size.¡±

    I hesitated, unsure of how to respond. The Sia her mother described sounded almost unrecognizable, yet¡­ maybe there was truth to it. Perhaps the intimidating strength I¡¯d seen in her wasn¡¯t just an act of dominance but a deeper reflection of her protective nature.

    Her mother suddenly paused, her expression shifting as if she realized she¡¯d been talking too much. ¡°Oh dear, listen to me rambling on,¡± she said with an apologetic laugh. ¡°You didn¡¯t come here to hear an old woman brag about her daughter.¡±

    She reached under the counter, pulling out a thick leather-bound book with the word Residents embossed on the cover. The pages inside were lined with neat rows of handwritten names, presumably of past and current lodgers.

    ¡°Now, how will you all be staying?¡± she asked, her tone warm and professional.

    ¡°Is it okay if we¡¯re all together?¡± I asked cautiously.

    She nodded, her smile never wavering. ¡°Of course. All of you in one room is perfectly fine. Both floors have a bathroom and shower, and meals are served in the mornings and evenings. Just remember, no fights are permitted here.¡± Her eyes twinkled with subtle authority as she added, ¡°And it will cost twenty-five points per person.¡±

    She pointed across the street. ¡°There¡¯s a practice hall if you need a place to train or spar. It¡¯s a bit more expensive than the basic rooms in the Hall of Heroes due to the payment method, but the facilities are excellent¡ªtop-notch, really. I go there for exercise myself and take Sia and Lyra there for training when I can.¡±

    Her voice softened, a fond look crossing her face. ¡°You should see those two¡ªSia is always so focused, pushing herself to do better. And Lyra, she¡¯s just the sweetest thing. Always helping out, always so polite.¡±

    She sighed with a smile. ¡°I can¡¯t tell you how proud I am of them both. Lyra¡¯s talent is remarkable, and Sia? Well, she¡¯s got that fire in her. Sometimes I think she works harder than anyone else in the hall.¡±

    She caught herself rambling again and let out a laugh, shaking her head. ¡°Oh, listen to me going on about them. I just can¡¯t help it. They¡¯re such good girls, you know?¡±

    We nodded along, exchanging glances. The warmth in her words was hard to ignore, but I wondered if she knew how fierce Sia really was.

    Finally, she returned her focus to us, her professional demeanor slipping back into place. ¡°Now, would you like me to show you to your room?¡±

    We all nodded, and she led us upstairs. She motioned to the first two rooms on each side of the hall. ¡°This is the women¡¯s bath and restroom,¡± she said, gesturing to one side. ¡°And the opposite side is the men¡¯s.¡±

    Continuing down the hall, she stopped at the very last room. ¡°Here you are,¡± she said, her tone warm. ¡°There¡¯s one bed in the room, so you¡¯ll have to handle the bedding for two of you on your own.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Thea said politely.

    Sia¡¯s mother gave a nod and a kind smile before turning to leave us to our business.

    ¡°Shall we head in?¡± Elric asked.

    I opened the door, greeted by a modest yet cozy room. A single bed with neatly tucked white linens stood against the far wall, its wooden frame sturdy and unadorned. A small desk and chair were set beneath a window, its pale curtains fluttering slightly in the breeze. A potted plant rested on the windowsill, adding a touch of life to the space. The air smelled faintly of lavender and freshly polished wood.

    Thea¡¯s eyes lit up as she stepped inside. ¡°This is perfect!¡± she exclaimed, her stormy eyes darting around the room.

    Near the bed, the floor had enough space to easily fit two sleeping bags. It wasn¡¯t luxury, but it had everything we needed: functional, simple, and welcoming.

    We all put down our things before I mentioned, ¡°Thea, we need to get our supplies from camp. We left them there.¡±

    She groaned at the thought. ¡°Alright, but then we check out the training rooms across the street. I want to see what they have to offer.¡± She paused, her tone growing more serious. ¡°And we need to cultivate. Increase the carvings on our body and practice techniques using cultivation.¡±

    ¡°And,¡± I added, ¡°I need information on systems.¡±

    She groaned again, exasperated. ¡°Can¡¯t we do that tomorrow? We haven¡¯t done a bit of cultivating today.¡±

    Elric turned his gaze toward me, his expression curious. ¡°You seem to know very little about systems¡­ even for a Late Bloomer.¡±

    Thea and I froze, exchanging uneasy glances. ¡°Uh¡ªyeah.¡± I hesitated, then sighed. Screw it. Why am I even trying to hide this from him? ¡°Look, Elric, it might be¡­ well, honestly, near impossible to believe, but I¡¯m not from this place, this world. I just kind of appeared here a few days ago. And I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll ever get a system. That¡¯s why I want to focus on cultivating so much.¡±

    I braced myself for disbelief or shock, but instead, Elric just said, ¡°Weird.¡±

    ¡°Weird?¡± Thea repeated, her brows furrowing. ¡°That¡¯s it?¡±

    ¡°If I deny it, what would come from that? Plus, I can¡¯t think of a reason for you to make up a lie like that,¡± Elric reasoned, his tone calm and measured.

    His response left both Thea and me blinking in surprise, but it was oddly reassuring.

    ¡°Um, alright then,¡± I said, shaking my head as if to clear the surreal moment. ¡°Thea, let¡¯s get our stuff and stop by the training hall across the street. Though I doubt it¡¯s cheap.¡±

    Thea smirked, a mischievous glint in her eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll race you.¡±Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

    ¡°I¡¯ll stay here and study,¡± Elric said, settling into the room like it was already his. ¡°I want to figure out how exactly my skills work.¡±

    We both nodded and headed out, met with a warm goodbye from Sia¡¯s mother. Unfortunately, Thea took the idea of a race seriously, and we sprinted all the way to the campsite and back, much to the amusement of passersby.

    When we returned, panting and red-faced, we collected Elric and made our way across the street to the training hall. The building stood tall and solid, a medieval structure of stone and wood with cleanly swept steps and well-maintained shutters. The wooden sign above the door was etched with the name Greats Training, its lettering bold and precise. Despite its utilitarian appearance, it was clear the place was kept in excellent condition¡ªno signs of neglect or wear.

    As we stepped inside, the warm scent of polished wood greeted us, mingling with the faint tang of metal and leather. A booming voice followed almost immediately.

    ¡°Welcome!¡± A large man with a bushy brown beard called from behind a sturdy desk. His wide grin and enthusiastic tone were far more welcoming than anything we¡¯d encountered at the Hall of Heroes. ¡°This is Greats Training. What can I do for you all?¡±

    Thea strode up to the counter confidently, her voice steady and authoritative. ¡°We¡¯d like a room for training¡ªone that can fit at least five people.¡±

    The man stroked his beard thoughtfully, his eyes narrowing in calculation. ¡°Hmm¡­ we only have one room that size¡ªthe six-person training hall. But to rent it, you¡¯ll need to sign a contract. A month minimum.¡±

    Before we could even process the words, let alone pretend to refuse, he began speaking again, his tone picking up speed with every word. ¡°But the price is unbeatable, and the facilities are top-notch! All-day access, full stat and class analysis, damage tracking¡ªyou name it! We¡¯ve got a complete encyclopedia of monsters from across the continent, information on class basics, and even a book on core formation.

    His face grew steadily redder as his voice climbed higher in pitch, and for a moment, I was genuinely worried he might pass out from lack of air.

    Thankfully, Elric stepped in, his signature calming smile cutting through the man¡¯s frantic sales pitch. ¡°Why don¡¯t you explain the clauses in the contract before anything else?¡± he suggested, his tone polite yet firm.

    The man blinked, clearly caught off guard, before nodding quickly. ¡°Ah¡ªyes, yes, dear customers. Right away.¡±

    He pulled out a large sheet of parchment from beneath the desk and laid it flat before us. The writing was dense, lines of small text crammed into every inch of space. I could read, but much slower than Thea or Elric, so I let them handle it. I still had plenty of studying to do, and thankfully, the characters were phonetic¡ªmanageable, even if it wasn¡¯t my native script. At least they weren¡¯t some complex pictograms or hieroglyphs.

    ¡°So basically,¡± Thea began after scanning the document, ¡°we agree to pay for an entire month upfront¡ªthirty points a day¡ªand get full access to all the facilities?¡±

    ¡°Yes, miss, that¡¯s the gist,¡± the man replied eagerly. ¡°It¡¯s far cheaper overall than the Hall of Heroes, but,¡± he hesitated, ¡°you must be able to pay the entire amount upfront.¡±

    He glanced at us, his expression a mixture of hope and doubt, as though he¡¯d had this conversation countless times with newer recruits. ¡°Nine hundred points, in total,¡± he finished, his tone slightly resigned.

    I glanced at the others. ¡°I think it¡¯s a good idea. Especially for you two since you already have your systems. This place could really help.¡±

    I turned back to the manager. ¡°The six-person room¡ªdoes it have spaces for quiet study? And are nights allowed?¡±

    He nodded, his beard twitching slightly as he spoke. ¡°It has two separate areas. One is a study space filled with books¡ªfighting is strictly prohibited there, so please refrain. The other is for sparring and training. The rooms occupy half of the second floor together. As for staying overnight¡­ while it¡¯s allowed occasionally, please don¡¯t treat it as a sleeping area. If it becomes a regular occurrence, I¡¯ll have to investigate its usage.¡±

    I nodded thoughtfully before holding out my orb. ¡°I need points, guys.¡±

    Without hesitation, Thea and Elric extended their orbs. After a few adjustments, the glowing green numbers added up to a perfect 900. We handed over the total, draining our combined reserves. Once we paid for the inn and now this training hall, Thea and I would be completely emptied, our orbs showing a haunting zero. Elric¡¯s orb still glowed faintly with 170, which might cover us at the inn for a couple days, but it was clear we¡¯d need to start earning points fast.

    The man¡¯s brows raised slightly as I handed him my orb. For a moment, he looked almost guilty, as if he wasn¡¯t sure we could afford it. But he quickly pulled out a larger, official-looking orb from beneath the counter. Its surface was smooth, polished, and opaque¡ªits number concealed. He tapped it gently against mine, and I felt a strange pull as the energy drained from my orb.

    The glowing number on my orb dimmed to zero.

    ¡°I¡¯ll show you to your room then,¡± the large man said, squeezing his bulk through the narrow gap between the counter and the wall. He had to turn sideways and rise onto his tiptoes, his movements almost comically delicate for someone of his size. By the time he was free, his face was slightly red, and he cleared his throat awkwardly. ¡°Right this way.¡±

    We followed him upstairs to a door near the top of the landing. A little further down the hall was another door, but he stopped at the first one. When he opened it, I nearly fell to my knees in gratitude.

    ¡°Mats,¡± I whispered, reverence in my voice.

    ¡°What did you say?¡± Thea shot me an odd look.

    ¡°Plush mats,¡± I clarified, my tone bordering on worshipful. ¡°I¡¯ve never made a better purchase in all my life.¡± Finally, no more being slammed onto hard floors by Thea. Now I just had to figure out how to avoid being electrocuted to death during our spars.

    ¡°Uh, yes, sir,¡± the man said, clearly unsure how to respond to my strange enthusiasm. ¡°The floor is covered in thick padding. It¡¯s fireproof and can withstand most elements¡ªearth, wind, and water. The walls, too.¡± He pointed toward a rack of evenly distributed dumbbells along one side of the room. ¡°And the weights are over there. The study room is through that door.¡± He gestured to a door on the far side. ¡°Both rooms are soundproof, so you don¡¯t have to worry about noise.¡±

    He left us with a polite nod, and we stepped inside.

    ¡°Oh, sweet merciful ruler of this world,¡± I groaned as I sank onto the mats. ¡°Thank you for creating such a comfy material.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re an idiot,¡± Thea said with a laugh.

    ¡°Your fault,¡± I shot back, smirking at her.

    ¡°Alright, you two,¡± Elric interrupted, his tone exasperated. ¡°Before you get into it, teach me the Grand Carving technique. Then I¡¯ll head out to tell the owner and Sia¡¯s mom to send them here when they return.¡± He gestured vaguely at Thea and me. ¡°Then you can resume¡­ whatever this is.¡±

    ¡°This?¡± I asked, feigning confusion.

    ¡°Shh,¡± Thea cut in, slipping into teaching mode. ¡°Go cultivate over there,¡± she commanded, pointing to the corner.

    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡± I gave her a mock salute. ¡°Have fun in class, Elric.¡±

    ¡°I will,¡± he said with a grin, mimicking a sing-song tone.

    I settled into a corner and decided to work on more patterns. If Thea joined me after teaching Elric, we could cultivate together and analyze her stats and system details. That would be helpful¡ªalthough with how unique her blessing seemed, she might not be the best example to study.

    Since the effects of the spiral pattern had been so strong before, I decided to make another, this time extending from my chest to my shoulder. I also successfully finished a foci pattern in my fist. The needle still hadn''t disappeared so I managed to complete the spiral pattern from my fist to my shoulder.

    As usual, I lost about ten percent of my energy in the process, but it didn¡¯t take long to refill my Grand Channel to full using world force. I figured I¡¯d only need a sparring session to get back to my original peak.

    When I opened my eyes, Thea was seated across the room, her expression calm but with a faint crease between her brows¡ªthe telltale sign of her managing the pain of the Grand Carving technique.

    Just as a test, I took a small whiff of myself. Oh no. That smell wasn¡¯t just from the earlier race. The technique¡¯s dissipating energy had definitely done something to our bodies. Hopefully, it was purifying us as we¡¯d theorized, and not just making me smell like sunbathing garbage.

    Thea opened her eyes a moment later, catching me mid-sniff with my face practically buried in my armpit. Her expression shifted immediately, her tone tinged with¡­ was that shame? Disbelief? ¡°Peter? What are you doing?¡±

    My face instantly turned beet red. Think fast. Say something smart.

    ¡°It¡¯s for science, I swear!¡± I raised my hands in surrender, like I¡¯d just been caught committing a heinous crime.

    Thea stared at me, utterly unimpressed, before rolling her eyes. ¡°You¡¯re unbelievable.¡±

    ¡°Hey,¡± I said defensively, dropping my hands. ¡°If we¡¯re purifying our bodies, shouldn¡¯t we figure out all the side effects? For all we know, this could lead to another important discovery!¡±

    ¡°You smell yourself and call it a discovery?¡± she deadpanned, staring at me a moment longer before breaking into hysterical laughter. ¡°Let¡¯s start sparring,¡± she said between giggles, standing up.

    And we did. Thankfully, either her skills weren¡¯t active or her blessing hadn¡¯t developed enough yet, because there were no electric shocks coming from her hands. Just good, old-fashioned brute force. And right as I was slammed onto the blessedly padded mat yet again, the door opened, and Elric, Lyra, and Sia walked in.

    Sia, normally stoic unless she was around Elric, looked as red as her hair.

    ¡°Sorry,¡± Elric said, chuckling as he walked in alongside Lyra. ¡°I got to the inn just as they arrived, and Sia¡¯s mom¡ªwell, we had a nice, long chat.¡±

    He was clearly enjoying himself, and Lyra wasn¡¯t far behind, her quiet laughter joining his.

    I groaned from the floor. ¡°Please tell me she didn¡¯t share her theories about Sia¡¯s nonexistent gentleness again.¡±

    Elric grinned. ¡°Oh, she did, and more.¡±

    They laughed a bit longer, their amusement echoing around the room until I interrupted, dragging myself upright. ¡°Alright, alright, let¡¯s get to work. Elric, you should start the carving, and the rest of us need to do some good old cultivation.¡±

    And so we did. Thea and I pushed ourselves, filling our Grand Channels to about eighty percent, while Elric managed to carve one pseudo reservoir before diving into his own cultivation. Meanwhile, Lyra and Sia sat on the brink of their transformations, the tension in the air promising a breakthrough soon.

    ¡°Alright,¡± Thea said at last, breaking the silence as she walked to a dark, black sphere mounted at the end of the room. She placed her hand on it, her stormy eyes gleaming with excitement. ¡°Let me show you all my blessing.¡±

    She pressed her palm firmly against the ball, her voice steady and full of purpose. ¡°System.¡±

 Chapter 24: Beyond the Grand Channel

    On the wall behind her, which turned out to be some sort of display, a set of glowing information appeared:

    Class: Warrior

    Blessing: Storm Heart

    Stats:

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Strength: 20</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Agility: 20</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Stamina: 20</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Endurance: 10</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Magic: 5</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">MP: 10/10</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">SP: 10/10</li>

    </ul>

    Techniques: N/A

    Titles: N/A

    Missions:

    Bottom Rank Level 1:

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Objective: You have become a warrior. You will be in battles for the rest of your life. Prove yourself capable by participating in real sparring matches. 2/10</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Rewards: A greater understanding of your Storm Heart, 5 stat points.</li>

    </ul>

    ¡°How is that¡ª¡± Elric trailed off, his voice tinged with disbelief.

    ¡°You have both SP and MP?¡± Sia asked, her brows furrowed in confusion.

    Lyra followed, her tone equally shocked. ¡°You really are an anomaly.¡±

    Thea glanced back at the display and then at the others. Her expression was a mixture of pride and uncertainty. ¡°I told you my blessing was different.¡±

    ¡°Alright, we can all congratulate Thea later,¡± I said, waving off the lingering awe in the room. She shot me a look that screamed I was interrupting her moment of glory, but I ignored it. ¡°First, I need an explanation.¡±

    Sia and Lyra looked at each other before turning back to me. ¡°Of what?¡± Sia asked, her tone cautious.

    ¡°Oh, Peter isn¡¯t from this world.¡± Elric¡¯s voice was casual, as if he¡¯d just commented on the weather.

    The room froze, and all eyes turned to me.

    There was a long silence before I finally spoke. ¡°Elric. Why would you say that?¡±

    ¡°...Was that still a secret?¡± His horrifying grin, which seemed to light up the entire room, only made the situation worse. ¡°Come on, you had to tell them at some point.¡±

    Lyra broke the tension with an unexpected chirp. ¡°I don¡¯t really get it, but you¡¯re our friend Peter.¡± She said brightly, ¡°Just explain.¡±

    I looked at her and Sia and gave them the same story, how I appeared here recently, came from another world, and more than likely, will never get a system.

    Sia looked shocked but not in disbelief, ¡°you have been saying some strange things, so I guess it makes sense. Either way, I don¡¯t think Elric would lie.¡± She hardly spared me a glance as she spoke, eyes focused on Elric instead. I decided to take the win¡ªbeing accepted without a long explanation was a relief. Thank goodness for star power.

    ¡°Alright,¡± I said, exhaling slowly. ¡°I guess it¡¯s out now. So, I need a full explanation of the system.¡± I paused briefly, raising a hand to stop any unnecessary elaborations. ¡°I can guess what the stat points are for, but explain MP, SP, and what the average bottom ranker¡¯s stats look like when they first get their system.¡±

    Thea stepped forward, her expression shifting into her classic teaching face. I half-expected her to adjust imaginary glasses. ¡°First, the average starting stats for most people are around fifteen points for most things¡ªexcept for magic. A person¡¯s physicality affects these numbers. In other words, if you stay in shape, you¡¯ll have a better start.¡±

    I nodded, thinking it over. ¡°Makes sense. Can¡¯t run far if you¡¯ve never done it before.¡±

    Sia chimed in, her voice carrying a hint of curiosity. ¡°Mages and healers usually start with around ten magic power, but you having that stat at all as a warrior¡­¡±

    Thea lit up a bit from the indirect praise, her pride shining through before she continued. ¡°MP and SP are used up when performing spells and techniques. As for missions¡­¡± She hesitated, glancing at Sia for guidance, her confidence faltering for a moment.

    Instead, it was Lyra who answered, her melodic voice calm and measured. ¡°Every time you complete a mission, you get rewards. You start at the bottom rank, and after it levels up, the next mission appears¡ªassuming you¡¯ve met the requirement.¡± She smiled, though the revelation that followed was less comforting. ¡°The problem is, you don¡¯t know what the requirement is.¡±

    Her smile stayed fixed, even as I raised an eyebrow at the troubling vagueness of her explanation. Thea looked equally concerned, but before she could speak, Lyra continued, her voice rising slightly with enthusiasm. ¡°Each rank in missions has ten levels: Bottom, Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced, and, um¡­¡± She trailed off, her cheeks flushing slightly as her confidence wavered. ¡°I don¡¯t know the next one.¡±

    Elric cut in smoothly, his tone steady and reassuring. ¡°Most people never even complete the unlock requirement for the second level of Intermediate. For now, you don¡¯t need to worry about ranks beyond that.¡± He gave me a small, knowing smile, as if to say we¡¯d have plenty of time to deal with such things later.

    ¡°As for titles,¡± he continued, ¡°I mentioned how people pay for Sia¡¯s¡­ services. You can gain resistance titles and other similar perks through persistent training or specific achievements.¡±

    ¡°That clears up a lot, thanks, everyone. So¡ªwhat¡¯s your mission, Elric?¡± I asked, curious.

    He shook his head. ¡°After finishing level two, I haven¡¯t seen a new one yet.¡±

    I glanced at Sia and Lyra, who exchanged knowing looks before offering identical answers. Sia shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m waiting for my level five mission.¡±

    ¡°Same here,¡± Lyra added with a soft smile.

    ¡°Alright then, I suppose we¡¯ll focus on Thea¡¯s progress for now,¡± I said, glancing at her. She beamed at the thought of advancing, her excitement evident.

    But the others shook their heads in unison. ¡°It¡¯s getting late,¡± Sia pointed out. ¡°Mom¡¯s going to have dinner ready soon, and trust me, you don¡¯t want to miss out on a real meal here.¡±

    Almost on cue, a loud grumble echoed through the room. Who it came from was anyone¡¯s guess¡ªthough definitely not me. Probably Thea. Yeah, let¡¯s go with that.

    I shot Thea a look, and she returned it with mock daggers in her gaze. ¡°Yep, food sounds good. We can always come back later.¡±

    With no complaints, we all made our way back to the inn. As we stepped through the entrance, I couldn¡¯t hold back my reaction. ¡°Oh sweet god,¡± I muttered, the words slipping out unbidden as the warm, inviting scent of cooking hit me.

    Sia stepped ahead, gesturing down the hall. ¡°This way,¡± she instructed, leading us to a side door in the entrance that opened to reveal a dining table large enough to seat ten people comfortably. Reverently, I followed her and took a seat. Thea settled in on my right, while Elric took the seat across from us, flanked by our companions.

    ¡°Mom! We¡¯re back,¡± Sia called out, her voice carrying easily into what I assumed was the kitchen.

    A clatter of activity followed from the room beyond, and soon enough, Sia¡¯s mother appeared. Her beaming smile was almost as radiant as her daughter¡¯s. ¡°Welcome back,¡± she greeted warmly. Her eyes landed on Elric, and her expression brightened even further. ¡°Oh, you brought the boy with you again! Such a charming young man.¡±

    Elric leaned back in his chair slightly, his signature grin lighting up the room as he replied. ¡°You flatter me, ma¡¯am. But it¡¯s no wonder Sia turned out to be so extraordinary¡ªwith a mother like you, it¡¯s clearly in the bloodline.¡±

    Her face softened, her cheeks flushing with delight. ¡°Oh, stop it, you¡¯ll make an old woman blush,¡± she said, though her smile suggested she didn¡¯t mind one bit.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

    ¡°Well, then I¡¯d say my work here is done,¡± Elric quipped, his tone smooth and playful.

    He really can¡¯t turn it off, can he?

    With a little skip, Sia¡¯s mother returned, a large pot in hand. ¡°Grab some bowls, darling. Tonight we have soup.¡±

    Sia got up and pulled a stack of wooden bowls and some spoons from a nearby cabinet, tossing them onto the table with all the grace of someone who wanted to disappear into the floor. Whether it was her title weighing on her or the way her mother acted around Elric, I couldn¡¯t tell. Maybe both.

    The warm atmosphere was a welcome change. I glanced around the table at the chatting group. Elric seemed to be murmuring something to Sia that I couldn¡¯t quite catch, though her softening expression made it clear it was something comforting. Lyra, meanwhile, was fully engaged in conversation with Sia¡¯s mother about how wonderful Sia was¡ªa mutual hobby of theirs, I assumed.

    I turned to Thea, who looked¡­ stunned. Her expression was tight, her gaze darting around the room like she couldn¡¯t quite process what she was seeing.

    ¡°You alright?¡± I whispered.

    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ just so different,¡± she answered, her voice barely audible.

    I thought back to what Elric had said about her upbringing. A traditional, cold, military-focused family, most likely. No warmth, no laughter¡ªjust a cold efficiency preparing their children for war. This must¡¯ve been like stepping into another world.

    ¡°What¡¯s so different?¡± I asked, leaning in slightly. ¡°You called me darling not too long¡ª¡±

    I didn¡¯t finish. My words turned into a muffled scream¡ªor, let¡¯s call it a manly grunt¡ªas pain shot through my side. Thea had delivered one of the worst pinches of my life. In that moment, I understood that her control over her lightning powers was far better than I¡¯d realized. She just chose not to use it in our previous spar.

    But a good joke must never die. Through gritted teeth, I finished, ¡°¡­ ago.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Thea asked, her tone dripping with fake concern. Her voice was loud enough to catch the rest of the table¡¯s attention. ¡°You look like you¡¯re tearing up.¡±

    ¡°You alright, buddy?¡± Elric called out, his grin infuriatingly knowing. He¡¯d heard everything¡ªI¡¯d bet on it. His enhanced senses had picked up my suffering loud and clear.

    ¡°Yep, yep,¡± I said quickly, trying to salvage some dignity. ¡°Just so happy. I haven¡¯t had a good meal in so long.¡±

    Then a thought hit me¡ªa bad one, in retrospect. Revenge.

    ¡°I was just talking about how when Thea called me¡ª¡±

    Revenge was indeed a terrible idea.

    I was now almost certain my training shoes needed replacement, and I¡¯d definitely need Elric to heal me later. Thea must have emptied her MP reserves because I felt shocks ripple through my entire body from my toes like a punishment from the heavens. I gritted my teeth through the pain, determined not to collapse into a twitching heap.

    ¡°Oh, what did she call you?¡± Sia¡¯s mother asked, her curiosity piqued.

    Persevere. She¡¯s got to be out of MP by now, right? No way she has more left in the tank. I stole a glance at Thea, who was watching me with an expectant glare, daring me to say something stupid.

    ¡°She called me over to spar earlier today. Battle freak,¡± I said quickly.

    Can you blame me? I know nothing about her limits, and I wasn¡¯t about to test them further.

    Everyone but Thea looked disappointed. Elric even piped up, ¡°You shouldn¡¯t call her a freak¡­ maniac, sure, but freak?¡±

    The room eased with his joke, small chuckles spreading among us. Though, in hindsight, someone might mistake my laugh for quiet sobs¡ªit wasn¡¯t. I wasn¡¯t crying.

    Sia¡¯s mother chimed in with her warm, ever-present smile, ¡°Alright, eat up and rest. Tomorrow¡¯s another day of training.¡±

    We all nodded and dug in. I scooped up a spoonful of the thick soup and let it hit my tongue. Oh. My. Every fiber of my being felt assaulted by a medley of divine flavors¡ªdried fruit, tender bits of meat, creamy butter, hearty flour, and a hint of something like sweet corn. The juicy fat from whatever noble beast had been sacrificed for this heavenly concoction melted into an ambrosial bliss that tickled every nerve I had.

    I couldn¡¯t help it¡ªa low groan escaped me, unbidden.

    ¡°My, no one¡¯s had that look on their face since my husband,¡± Sia¡¯s mother said with a chuckle. ¡°I¡¯m glad you enjoy it, but maybe keep the groans down. Your friends are looking at you strangely.¡±

    I froze mid-spoonful, glancing around. Everyone was staring at me. Concern? Amusement? Offense? I couldn¡¯t tell, but I hoped for the second.

    ¡°What? It¡¯s good!¡± I defended, shoving another bite into my mouth for emphasis.

    Then I glanced at Thea, who looked like she was on the verge of cracking up completely. Oh, that¡¯s it.

    In a single breath, leaving no room for retaliation, I blurted out, ¡°Thea called me darling! We all remember!¡±

    The shock on her face was worth every risk. Before she could recover, I switched to a chair further away and shoved another spoonful of soup into my mouth, savoring both the food and my small, victorious moment.

    Everyone started laughing¡ªwell, everyone except Thea.

    ¡°Darling,¡± she said, mimicking that overly dramatic tone from earlier, ¡°we should rest, but let¡¯s do a couple more spars next door, across the street.¡± Her smile dripped with faux sweetness, but her eyes? Her eyes told a completely different story. I¡¯d swear she¡¯d swapped personalities with Elric for a moment¡ªcold and calculating steel beneath that stormy hue.

    ¡°I¡¯m actually feeling a bit tired¡­ maybe tomorrow?¡± I tried, hoping a good night¡¯s sleep might dull whatever storm I¡¯d stirred up.

    ¡°Oh, I think we can finish up our current stage tonight,¡± she countered, her voice shifting to something mockingly hurt and soft, like a rejected character in a soap opera. Somehow, her ridiculous acting was more effective than I wanted to admit.

    Sia¡¯s mother, ever helpful, chimed in. ¡°She just wants to spend a little more time with you. You¡¯ll still get plenty of rest if it¡¯s only a little bit. Eat up, then have some training time together. Then straight to bed,¡± she added with a smile, as if dispensing sage wisdom.

    I could hear the snickers from the others, and I didn¡¯t need to look to know who was enjoying this the most. Elric. His face was already turning crimson, and his shoulders were shaking from holding in his laughter. If he laughed any harder, I feared he¡¯d pass out from lack of oxygen.

    Quietly, I muttered under my breath, ¡°Bastard.¡±

    Elric, ever quick with his retorts, whispered back, equally quiet, ¡°Idiot.¡±

    Once we all finished eating, I was promptly dragged outside by Thea. Fortunately, the meal seemed to have calmed her down quite a bit, much to my relief.

    ¡°I think I have an idea about how to get our internal force into our bodies,¡± Thea said, her tone thoughtful.

    I raised an eyebrow, taking a deep breath for dramatic effect. ¡°Oh? Please enlighten me, Lightning Warrior Princess Grandmaster.¡±

    She gave me a look, somewhere between amused and exasperated. ¡°That title is getting too long,¡± she said, though her smile lingered. ¡°I think we need to get the Grand Channel completely full and then¡­¡± She made a popping sound with her tongue.

    ¡°Pop?¡± I stopped walking for a moment, turning to her with a mix of concern and curiosity. ¡°You don¡¯t mean¡ª¡±

    ¡°I do,¡± she interrupted, her expression growing serious. ¡°The only time I¡¯ve ever felt energy force its way into my body¡ªother than during the failure of core formation¡ªwas when I overfilled my early on. If we push beyond our limit, even just slightly, we might be able to replicate that effect. But,¡± she emphasized, her voice low and firm, ¡°we have to be extremely cautious. We¡¯ll start by gathering just a little more than our maximum and observing how it affects us. Only then can we decide how to proceed.¡±

    I stared at her, genuinely impressed. I would never have thought of something like this¡ªessentially pushing our bodies to the brink to force energy into them. But as reckless as it sounded, it also made sense. Now that I thought about it, those moments when we turned red weren¡¯t just from overexertion; they were a sign of excess cultivation energy being temporarily stored in our bodies.

    ¡°It¡¯s brilliant,¡± I admitted after a moment. ¡°Dangerous, but brilliant. I wouldn¡¯t have figured that out without your knowledge of cultivation.¡±

    She smirked. ¡°Glad to see you finally appreciate my genius.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯ve always appreciated it,¡± I shot back. ¡°I just don¡¯t say it too often. Don¡¯t want you getting a big head.¡±

    She laughed, and for a moment, the tension between us eased. But as her expression turned thoughtful again, I could tell she was already planning the next step. Despite the risk, I couldn¡¯t help but feel a surge of excitement at the idea of pushing our limits in a whole new way.

    As we walked into the training hall, we were greeted by the burly man from earlier. He looked up from his desk and grinned. ¡°Ah, you two! Since I know you¡¯re staying with Ms. Star, feel free to stay as long as you like now that I know you won¡¯t be using this as a living space.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡ªuh, thanks,¡± I replied, caught off guard by his kindness. ¡°We¡¯ll be heading up, then.¡±

    He gave us a nod, and we made our way upstairs, opening the door to the familiar room.

    ¡°Let¡¯s postpone the Grand Carving for now and just test your idea,¡± I suggested.

    ¡°Alright,¡± Thea agreed, settling onto the mat and beginning her rhythmic breathing.

    I followed suit, closing my eyes and focusing on the process. Unfortunately, our Grand Channels could now only accommodate about twenty percent more world energy, making it much harder to transmute all that energy into internal strength. The silver lining, however, was that the channel filled much faster due to the reduced capacity we were working with.

    After six grueling sparring sessions, both of us collapsed onto the mats, panting heavily.

    ¡°Alright,¡± I said between gasps, staring up at the ceiling. ¡°I think we¡¯re done, right?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Thea replied, equally breathless. She took a deep breath and pushed herself into a sitting position. ¡°Let¡¯s get started. You keep an eye on me, and if I start looking a bit too... cooked, shock me awake.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re going first?¡± I asked, sitting up to face her.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± she said, nodding with determination. ¡°I¡¯m more familiar with this feeling than you are. My first few days cultivating were full of it. My parents made me push past my limits repeatedly so I¡¯d never make a mistake during cultivation.¡±

    I frowned at that, the image of a younger Thea enduring such harsh training twisting something in my chest. It felt cruel¡ªbut at the same time, it was a form of care. They¡¯d ensured she wouldn¡¯t die from some careless accident, after all.

    ¡°Alright,¡± I said, shaking off my thoughts. ¡°You get started. I¡¯ll keep an eye on you.¡±

    She nodded, her stormy eyes steady with resolve. Then, without another word, she closed them and began. Her breaths evened out, and the air seemed to grow heavier, charged with an almost tangible energy as she pushed herself further and further beyond her limits.

 Chapter 25: Price of Purity

    I watched her closely, not even blinking as she sat and absorbed world energy. At some point, the signs of stress began to show¡ªa faint flush rising on her skin, her breathing growing slightly uneven. She was ignoring the nausea now, pushing past the body''s warning signs like we¡¯d discussed.

    After a few moments, her skin began to turn a faint pink, indicating the strain she was placing on herself. As the moments dragged on, that pink deepened into a darker red, like the embers of a fire growing hotter. I could see faint bubbles forming on her skin, tiny blisters rising from the heat of the energy surging through her.

    ¡°Thea!¡± I shook her hard, my voice snapping her out of her trance. Her eyes shot open, slightly unfocused at first. ¡°Doing alright? I think that¡¯s the limit.¡±

    She blinked a few times before looking down at herself, her expression thoughtful despite the faint sheen of sweat on her forehead. ¡°It¡¯s really hard to stop once you ignore that initial feeling,¡± she admitted, her tone distant. Her voice carried an edge of strain, but there was also something else¡ªa flicker of determination.

    ¡°Did you find anything out?¡± I asked, leaning in slightly, hoping for some breakthrough.

    She paused, her brow furrowing as she placed a hand on her chin, biting the side of her lip lightly in thought. ¡°Yes¡­ but it¡¯s not exactly what I wanted to find.¡± Her voice was tinged with frustration, but she continued, her stormy eyes narrowing in concentration. ¡°The force does enter the body, but it¡¯s not stopping for long on anything¡ªnot really. We want it to stay in our bodies: bones, tendons, organs¡­ somewhere. But it just flows away after a moment.¡±

    She looked down at herself, brushing her fingertips over the red, overheated surface of her skin. ¡°But I noticed something. As it touched the innards, it stuck for almost no time at all, like it was just passing through. Then, when it hit the bones, it moved a bit slower. And now¡ª¡± she gestured to her flushed, blistering skin¡ª¡°on the surface, it¡¯s lasting quite a bit longer.¡±

    I nodded, my mind racing. There was something in her observation, a pattern that seemed crucial, but I couldn¡¯t quite grasp it. ¡°The more important question,¡± I said, half-joking to break the tension, ¡°will we be red forever if we make it stick for real?¡±

    Thea stared at me for a moment before a small, amused huff escaped her lips. ¡°You¡¯re impossible.¡± But then her expression softened into something more serious. ¡°If it does stick¡­ it¡¯s going to change us in ways we can¡¯t predict.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the point, isn¡¯t it?¡± I replied, shrugging. ¡°My guess is this is the way to go, but we haven¡¯t purified our bodies enough through the Grand Carving technique.¡±

    We looked at each other for a long moment, the weight of what we¡¯d discovered settling between us. ¡°Thea, I think you just saved my life,¡± I said, my voice steady with sincerity. I meant it¡ªthis was the final step I needed to stand a chance against the system. I didn¡¯t know how long I could hold out, but at least now I had a way forward.

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± she said, brushing it off with a smile. ¡°We did this together. In fact, you came up with most of the ideas. I just got lucky with this one.¡±

    She paused before adding with renewed determination, ¡°Let¡¯s do some carving before we head back. Like you said, we probably need to purify our bodies more anyway.¡±

    We sat near each other, bracing ourselves for the pain that always came with carving. By the end, we¡¯d each used up about twenty percent of our energy, but we had completed the entire upper body. The room was thick with the sour, acrid smell of purification sweat, and we were both drenched.

    ¡°You reek,¡± I commented, grimacing slightly.

    ¡°My MP¡¯s back,¡± she shot back without missing a beat.

    ¡°Reek like¡­ roses,¡± I amended nervously, trying to salvage the moment.

    She smirked, shaking her head. ¡°I think it¡¯s getting late. We should head back and clean up.¡±

    I nodded, relieved. ¡°Agreed.¡±

    But then she stopped, a glimmer of curiosity sparking in her stormy eyes. ¡°But first, let me check something.¡±

    She walked over to the display, placing her hand on it and calling for her status. As the glowing information appeared, I felt my jaw slacken, and hers dropped as well.

    ¡°Thea?¡± I asked cautiously, not entirely sure what I was looking at.

    ¡°It worked¡­ IT WORKED!¡± she screamed, her voice rising into a banshee-like wail that I hadn¡¯t thought possible. Her excitement was contagious, though, and I couldn¡¯t blame her for the outburst. We¡¯d theorized that this would work, but seeing the proof felt surreal. The best part? Her skin wasn¡¯t even red anymore¡ªshe looked completely normal.

    The display glowed, showing:

    Class: Warrior

    Blessing: Storm Heart

    Stats:

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Strength: 20</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Agility: 20</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Stamina: 20</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Endurance: 11</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Magic: 5</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">MP: 10/10</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">SP: 10/10</li>

    </ul>

    Techniques: N/A

    Titles: N/A

    Missions:

    Bottom Rank Level 1:

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Objective: You have become a warrior. You will be in battles for the rest of your life. Prove yourself capable by participating in real sparring matches. 8/10</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Rewards: A greater understanding of your Storm Heart, 5 stat points.</li>

    </ul>

    Her Endurance stat¡ªher defense¡ªhad risen by one point. Proof that the energy wasn¡¯t dissipating anymore. It was sticking.

    ¡°You¡¯re not diffusing your energy right now, are you?¡± I asked, my voice careful, trying not to let my excitement get ahead of me.

    ¡°No,¡± she said, her voice almost trembling with joy. ¡°Peter¡­ we did it. We¡¯ve changed everything.¡±

    We both took a deep breath, trying to calm ourselves and steady the whirlwind of emotions. ¡°Okay, okay,¡± I started, running a hand through my hair. ¡°Let¡¯s just call this a day. We¡¯ve got a path forward now, but we can¡¯t get overzealous. The process is still dangerous, and we¡¯ll need to watch over each other. That means it¡¯ll be slow.¡±

    She nodded, her enthusiasm tempering slightly. ¡°You¡¯re right. Let¡¯s get back, shower, and rest. Tomorrow, we can finish our carvings and see if there¡¯s any purification left to happen. If not¡­¡± She grinned, the excitement returning to her stormy eyes. ¡°Then we go all out on Body Refinement.¡±

    I grinned back, feeling the weight of the day lifting just a little. ¡°Deal.¡±

    As we left the room, we waved goodbye to the large attendant downstairs, who was clearly doing his best not to notice the pleasant¡ªor not-so-pleasant¡ªodor wafting off of us. His polite smile strained ever so slightly as we passed.

    ¡°It¡¯s too bad there wasn¡¯t a transformation when we filled our Grand Channels to the max,¡± I said, my tone carrying a hint of disappointment. The transformation that came after forming the spiritual reservoirs had been unparalleled so far¡ªsomething that made me feel truly alive, truly changed.

    ¡°Maybe it¡¯ll happen after we finish purifying completely?¡± Thea mused, her voice thoughtful as we stepped into the cool night air.

    ¡°Maybe,¡± I replied, a small spark of hope flickering inside me. If today had proven anything, it was that breakthroughs could come when you least expected them. For now, rest was the next step. Tomorrow, the path to Body Refinement awaited us.

    We each went our way to clean up, ridding ourselves of the stench of sweat and purification. Returning to the room, I fell asleep almost as soon as I hit the bed. For the first time in days, I didn¡¯t wake up to the blaring horn that usually signaled the start of the day in training camp. Instead, a gentle knocking came at the door, followed by Ms. Star¡¯s warm voice.

    ¡°There¡¯s breakfast downstairs. Come soon if you want some.¡±The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    Her words sounded like heaven to me. An actual meal in the morning¡ªsomething cooked by a competent chef. I shot up at the sound of her voice and glanced around. Elric was already stirring, but Thea remained peacefully sleeping, entirely unaffected by the soft knock or voice. Maybe she¡¯d grown too accustomed to the horn¡¯s harsh wake-up call, and now, anything gentler just couldn¡¯t rouse her.

    ¡°Thea,¡± I said softly, shaking her shoulder.

    ¡°Mmm.¡± She mumbled, shifting slightly as her hand moved to cover her eyes.

    ¡°Wake up, Grandmaster,¡± I said with a grin, giving her shoulder a firmer shake this time.

    Her stormy gray eyes blinked open slowly, her expression groggy and confused. ¡°Peter? What¡¯s up?¡± she mumbled, her voice still thick with sleep as she looked around, momentarily disoriented. I guessed she¡¯d forgotten we weren¡¯t sleeping in the woods anymore.

    ¡°Food,¡± I said simply.

    She shot up immediately, much to my amusement. I couldn¡¯t help but laugh.

    ¡°Elric?¡± I called, checking if he was still half-asleep.

    ¡°Up,¡± he replied curtly, his usual calm demeanor fully intact, even this early.

    ¡°Could you cover today¡¯s staying cost?¡± I asked him sheepishly. Not that Thea and I weren¡¯t broke or anything¡­ okay, we were broke.

    ¡°No problem,¡± Elric said with a slight nod as he got ready to head downstairs.

    When we arrived in the dining room, Sia and Lyra were already seated, looking bright-eyed and fully prepared for the day ahead. Their poise and readiness were both impressive and mildly irritating.

    ¡°Morning,¡± they offered in unison.

    ¡°Hey,¡± I replied, still trying to rub the sleep out of my eyes. Thea and Elric greeted them as well, though Thea¡¯s voice carried a touch of that lingering grogginess. I couldn¡¯t blame her; mornings weren¡¯t exactly her specialty.

    The scent of something delicious wafted through the room, and my stomach growled audibly. Today, I thought, was off to a good start.

    We enjoyed a short, pleasant conversation while eating fresh bread drizzled with something like honey and a large egg from a creature I didn¡¯t recognize. The combination was unexpectedly delightful, making for a hearty breakfast. As we finished, we waved goodbye to Ms. Star, who returned the gesture with her ever-warm smile. Elric paid the fee for our stay, leaving his orb with just ninety-five points. It was a reminder that we¡¯d need to earn more soon, but for now, training took priority.

    As we left the inn, we collectively decided to head straight to the training hall. Lyra and Sia were nearly done with their Spiritual Reservoir Formation, and Thea and I wanted to finish the Grand Carving technique. I also hoped to confirm whether further purification would follow. A thought struck me as we walked toward the Greats Training building.

    ¡°Thea,¡± I began, catching her attention. ¡°Once we complete purification, what happens if we try to form a small core? Can we still force a failure?¡±

    She stopped just outside the building, prompting the rest of us to halt as well. Her expression turned thoughtful, her gray eyes focused. ¡°As long as we don¡¯t try to stabilize the core at our focal point¡­ it should be fine,¡± she said. Her tone carried a hint of uncertainty, but the confidence behind it reassured me.

    If it turned out differently, we¡¯d handle it when the time came.

    We entered the training hall, greeted briefly by the burly attendant at the desk, and made our way upstairs. Once inside the familiar room, everyone settled into their respective spots, ready to begin their routines. I turned to Thea.

    ¡°I think we should finish the Grand Carving technique first,¡± I suggested. ¡°Then we can check what happens next.¡±

    She gave a simple nod, her usual resolve shining through as we prepared ourselves.

    For hours, we worked in relative silence, enduring the sharp, searing pain that came with each carve. By the time I had used up forty percent of my Grand Channel, I was nearly finished. The energy surged through me like a flood breaking a dam, rushing into the intricate patterns I¡¯d painstakingly carved into my body and pooling in the small foci I had created.

    And then¡­ nothing.

    No transformation. No immediate sign of progress. That is, until my very last needle began to dissolve.

    Suddenly¡ªa wave of warmth coursed through me, starting deep in my chest and radiating outward to every corner of my body. It wasn¡¯t the searing, overwhelming sensation I¡¯d feared; instead, it was gentle, almost soothing, like sinking into a perfectly heated bath after a long, exhausting day.

    The warmth seemed to wrap around my bones, threading through my tendons, and curling into the very core of my being. Each pulse felt as if it were squeezing something out of me¡ªdense, heavy, and deeply buried. I couldn¡¯t see it, but I could feel it, like shedding a second skin I hadn¡¯t even known I was wearing.

    A faint pressure built just under my skin, and then, in tiny bursts, it released. There was no pain¡ªonly an odd, rhythmic sensation of something being purged. This wasn¡¯t just sweat; it felt deeper, more fundamental, like every impurity my body had clung to was being forced out from its very foundation.

    As the warmth began to fade, it left behind a calm stillness. I didn¡¯t feel drastically different¡ªnot yet¡ªbut something had undeniably shifted. My breaths came easier, my chest expanding fully with every inhale, as though I¡¯d been given more room to breathe.

    And then¡­ the smell hit me.

    ¡°Oh. Oh no,¡± I muttered, my voice cutting through the silence of the room as my nose wrinkled. The air around me reeked of something foul¡ªrancid and metallic, mixed with a sour, earthy undertone. ¡°What is that?¡±

    I glanced down, half-expecting to see grime coating my skin. Instead, there was nothing visible, but the stench clung to me like a thick, invisible fog. Whatever my body had expelled, it hadn¡¯t gone quietly.

    Thea¡¯s eyes fluttered open, and almost instantly, she recoiled. ¡°Peter,¡± she choked, waving a hand in front of her nose. ¡°What did you¡ªoh.¡± Her expression twisted as the smell hit her. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s disgusting.¡±

    ¡°Speak for yourself,¡± I countered, pointing at her clothes, which were just as coated in grime as mine.

    ¡°Oh man! Both of you, get out,¡± Elric said, his voice a mix of amusement and exasperation.

    ¡°Please,¡± Lyra and Sia chimed in, nodding as they pinched their noses, clearly awakened by our¡­ changes.

    I didn¡¯t feel much embarrassment, but Thea, ever the princess when it came to hygiene, went bright red. Without warning, she shot up at a speed that, without my heightened senses, I almost didn¡¯t catch.

    ¡°Thea¡­ that was¡ª¡±

    ¡°Hurry up!¡± she shouted, her face flushed as she marched toward the door.

    I took her meaning and stood as well, but the moment I got up, the realization hit me. Oh man. I¡¯ve heard people say they feel weightless, but this¡ªthis was real. Real weightlessness. I don¡¯t know if Thea was too preoccupied with the grime or her hygiene obsession to notice, but it was undeniable. This was a transformation, no less significant than the first one.

    Sure, my physical strength didn¡¯t feel any different, and my senses didn¡¯t seem sharper than they were after the last transformation, but the speed¡­ I could feel it in the way my body moved, how effortlessly I adjusted my stance. I mean, the formula for force is straightforward, right? Mass times acceleration. And right now, I was ready to test just how much faster I could move.

    ¡°PETER!¡± Thea called from the door, her tone sharp and impatient.

    ¡°Coming, Grandmaster!¡± I called back, grinning as I followed her out. I was eager to test what this new lightness could really do.

    We bolted across the road back to the inn and straight to the bathrooms, not even stopping to greet anyone. Probably for the best¡ªat the speed we were moving, the smell wouldn¡¯t hit anyone until we were long gone. If we¡¯d stopped, we would¡¯ve been revealed as the source of that stench.

    Man, the grime was something else. It wasn¡¯t just dirt and oil¡ªit clung to my skin like threads of velcro sticking into every pore. I had to scrub like my life depended on it and practically drown myself in soap to get rid of it. After what felt like forever, I was finally clean. My clothes weren¡¯t so lucky; I¡¯d have to burn them and somehow scrape together enough points for replacements. For now, my last spare set would do.

    I stepped out, feeling like a new person, and waited for Thea. Soon enough, she emerged, looking as though she¡¯d been through a war.

    ¡°Feeling better?¡± I asked.

    ¡°That was horrible,¡± she muttered, her expression dangerously close to tears.

    I laughed. ¡°It¡¯s no big deal, Thea. We¡¯re all friends, and hey¡ªno more grime. I still want to try making one more false core, just to be sure, then we can cultivate back to max and see how long it takes to finish body refining.¡± I smiled at her. ¡°Want to relax in the room for a bit? The rest will be fine without us.¡±

    She nodded, still looking like a sad puppy.

    ¡°Come on,¡± I said, bumping her shoulder lightly. ¡°If it makes you feel better, you smell amazing now.¡±

    She smiled despite herself. ¡°Don¡¯t smell me, weirdo.¡±

    ¡°Says the one who noticed the smell first,¡± I countered.

    ¡°And you still do,¡± she said, giving me a playful shove as she giggled.

    We headed back to the room, and as soon as we sat down, I turned to her. ¡°I¡¯ll go for one last needle. You wait. No reason for both of us to risk anything.¡±

    She frowned. ¡°I have a system to support me. I should be the one to take the risk.¡±

    I shook my head. ¡°I won¡¯t ever be as strong as you in this world, no matter what,¡± I admitted. Saying it out loud stung a bit, but I had accepted it. ¡°I¡¯ll need a bodyguard in the future. The last thing I need is a lightning princess with a defect.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re a defect,¡± she muttered, smirking. As the mature adult between us¡ªtechnically older, anyway¡ªI ignored her.

    Closing my eyes, I focused on forming a core, but the energy resisted. Really resisted. I could barely condense it. It was denser, thicker, almost unyielding, like it had transformed. I was sitting at thirty percent of my Grand Channel¡¯s capacity after all the carvings and without recultivating, but now? There was barely ten percent. That amount was enough to form a needle before, but now it wasn¡¯t even close.

    I exhaled and opened my eyes. ¡°Thea, something¡¯s different.¡±

    Her expression immediately grew concerned. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s bad¡­ or at least, not yet,¡± I replied, trying to put my thoughts into words. ¡°The energy¡ªit feels more potent. Thicker, denser. It¡¯s almost like it¡¯s condensed but stayed in liquid form. And¡­¡± I hesitated, ¡°I can¡¯t form a core.¡±

    ¡°What?!¡± Her eyes snapped shut, and she focused. Moments later, her nose crinkled¡ªa reaction so unguarded that part of me wanted to poke it, but I wisely chose not to. Charred toes are hard to walk on.

    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± she said, opening her eyes. ¡°But this is good. Our internal strength must be much more potent now, right? Maybe we can perform techniques much more effectively.¡± Her tone shifted from worry to curiosity as she mulled it over.

    I nodded, her enthusiasm infectious. ¡°If that¡¯s true, we¡¯ve taken a huge step forward. For now, no more digging grime out of our pores.¡±

    She grinned, the earlier discomfort fading. ¡°Deal.¡±

 Chapter 26: Same but Different

    ¡°What do you think?¡± I asked, breaking the comfortable silence. ¡°Should we keep cultivating or head to the arena and finish our dailies?¡±

    She tilted her head, considering it. ¡°Let¡¯s find the others first. Then we can figure it out.¡±

    I nodded, though part of me didn¡¯t want to get up. It had been too long since we¡¯d had a moment like this¡ªjust the two of us. I missed it. We used to sit under the stars, talking until we fell asleep. Although it was only a couple days ago.

    She was staring at me, her stormy eyes curious, and I quickly looked away, hoping she hadn¡¯t caught me being sentimental. Think of something clever. Say something cool.

    Before I could stop myself, the words tumbled out: ¡°Your taser powers suit your stormy eyes.¡±

    The silence was deafening.

    ¡°What¡¯s a taser?¡± she asked, her tone genuinely confused.

    Great. Brilliant. At least she ignored the ¡®stormy eyes¡¯ part. ¡°Uh¡­ it¡¯s like an arrow that shoots lightning at you.¡±

    Her brows rose, and she leaned a little closer. ¡°That sounds¡­ practical.¡±

    ¡°Not if you¡¯re on the receiving end,¡± I said, laughing nervously. ¡°But, I mean, your attack last night? Definitely more effective than any taser.¡±

    ¡°Oh, so you¡¯re still upset about that?¡± Her lips curled into a mischievous grin. ¡°It was barely a spark. You acted like your toe was being roasted alive.¡±

    ¡°I did not!¡± I shot back, feeling the heat rise to my face. ¡°I had a very dignified reaction. Completely composed.¡±

    ¡°Uh-huh.¡± She drew out the words, her tone dripping with mock skepticism.

    I groaned and covered my face with my hands, which only made her laugh softly. Her laughter was warm and contagious, and I found myself smiling despite my embarrassment.

    ¡°Okay, maybe it was a little undignified,¡± I admitted, lowering my hands. ¡°But you didn¡¯t have to do that in front of everyone. I¡¯ve got a reputation to maintain, you know.¡±

    Her grin softened into something gentler. ¡°Reputation as what? The guy who never backs down from a challenge, no matter how ridiculous?¡±

    ¡°Exactly!¡± I said, pretending to puff up with pride. ¡°It¡¯s an art form, really. The challenge of finishing a goo¡ªwell a joke must always be met.¡±

    She chuckled, her shoulder brushing against mine as she leaned back slightly. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll admit¡­ it¡¯s entertaining.¡±

    We lapsed into a comfortable silence, sitting side by side. The quiet felt like an unspoken agreement, a truce from the teasing. Her arm brushed against mine, just barely, but neither of us moved away. The faint warmth radiating from her grounded me, pulling me into the moment.

    Slowly, almost imperceptibly, we shifted closer. My hand moved slightly, and hers did too, until they overlapped. Her fingers hesitated, just for a breath, before settling lightly over mine. The touch was subtle but electric, sending a strange, thrilling calm through me.

    For a few minutes, neither of us spoke. We just sat there, hands lightly resting together, our arms still brushing as the rhythm of our breathing aligned. The stillness wasn¡¯t awkward¡ªit was comforting. Peaceful. As though the world beyond this moment didn¡¯t matter.

    Finally, Thea broke the silence, her voice softer than usual. ¡°We¡ªwe should head back.¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± I said, standing up slowly. ¡°We should.¡±

    As the moment faded, a sense of awkwardness crept in. We exchanged the occasional glance but quickly looked away each time. ¡°You think the girls are done? You know, with the reservoirs?¡± I asked as we headed down the stairs.

    ¡°Huh? Oh¡­ maybe. They must be close by now,¡± she replied, her voice thoughtful.

    Ms. Star was nowhere to be seen as we exited into the bustling street. The walk back was quiet except for a brief, polite greeting to the attendant at the training building¡¯s entrance. Even then, the air felt heavier with something unspoken between us.

    When we opened the door to the inn, Elric greeted us first, his grin as sharp as ever. ¡°Hey, what took you two so long?¡±

    Thea walked past him, sitting down beside the girls with a simple, ¡°Nothing, just getting clean.¡±

    I took a seat next to Elric, who immediately leaned in close. ¡°Something finally happen between you two?¡± he whispered, his tone brimming with mischief.

    I hesitated. I thought it had only been a little awkward, but now it felt more pronounced. Maybe Thea was just shy. Not that I was an expert¡ªI had a grand total of zero relationships to my name. ¡°I think¡ªI don¡¯t know. She seems a bit off. Maybe she¡¯s not used to affection, you know, with her fam¡ª¡±

    ¡°Peter,¡± Thea¡¯s stern voice cut through the room like a blade, making me freeze mid-sentence. ¡°You really need to remember that whispering isn¡¯t very effective when we all have¡­ improved senses.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡ªyeah, sorry, Thea,¡± I said, my words fumbling as I tried to recover. ¡°You¡¯re not angry, right?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± she replied, her voice softening. ¡°We can talk later. Really, I¡¯m not.¡±

    Maybe she was just shy, and her version of shy just happened to look a lot like being annoyed. Not that I¡¯d ever admit that thought out loud.

    ¡°While you two were¡­ well, whatever that was,¡± Elric interrupted, his grin widening, ¡°those two actually completed the first stage.¡±

    Sia, who had been sitting quietly, suddenly perked up, her teasing instincts sharpening. ¡°Can we talk about the real issue here?¡± she said, turning to me with a wicked glint in her eye. ¡°Peter, you¡¯re terrible at being smooth. I mean, really? Asking about a girl while she¡¯s in the same room?¡±Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.

    Lyra, who had been sitting quietly, suddenly perked up, nodding vigorously in agreement.

    ¡°I told you, you need to aim higher,¡± Sia continued with exaggerated flair, her sing-song tone unmistakably reminiscent of her performance in front of Rorick. ¡°Why settle for a degenerate gambler?¡±

    ¡°Hey!¡± I objected, sitting up straighter. ¡°That was acting!¡±

    Lyra slid to Thea¡¯s other side, patting her back in mock sympathy. ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± she said, her voice dripping with faux pity¡ªsomething I didn¡¯t even know she was capable of. ¡°We¡¯ll find you someone else. Someone better.¡±

    Elric doubled over, clutching his stomach as he roared with laughter, clearly delighted by the scene. The two girls shared a conspiratorial look, clearly pleased with themselves.

    Meanwhile, I sat there struggling to find the humor in any of this. Thea¡¯s ears, on the other hand, had turned crimson. She shot to her feet, her voice louder than before. ¡°Let¡¯s check my stats! Then I¡¯ll teach you all the next step in cultivation.¡±

    The two girls collapsed into a fresh wave of giggles, their teasing echoing through the room as I sat back, defeated.

    Thea got up and resolved to show her stats. ¡°Status,¡± she called, placing her hand on the orb in front of the monitor.

    What appeared immediately stopped all the laughter in their collective throats as they stared at the monitor.

    Class: Warrior

    Blessing: Storm Heart

    Stats:

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Strength: 20</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Agility: 50</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Stamina: 20</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Endurance: 11</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Magic: 5</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">MP: 10/10</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">SP: 10/10</li>

    </ul>

    Techniques: N/A

    Titles: N/A

    Missions:

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Bottom Rank Level 1</li>

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Objective: You have become a warrior. You will be in battles for the rest of your life. Prove yourself capable by participating in real sparring matches. 8/10</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Rewards: A greater understanding of your Storm Heart, 5 stat points.</li>

    </ul>

    </ul>

    ¡°Thea?¡± Elric¡¯s voice trembled. ¡°Did your agility raise by thirty points?¡±

    Her eyes were wide, locked on the number. ¡°That¡¯s impossible,¡± she whispered.

    ¡°I mean, I can tell that¡¯s a lot, but how major is it?¡± I asked.

    Sia chipped in. ¡°That¡¯s something most people won¡¯t get until near the end of bottom rank missions¡­ and as Elric said, most never get past second-level intermediate. Other than working out¡ªsomething that becomes less effective over time due to human limits¡ªmissions are the only way to earn stats.¡±

    Lyra spoke after a pause. ¡°Keep in mind, we¡¯ve trained for a full year and are waiting for our fifth-level mission. Most third years who leave just touch on the beginner rank¡­ Thea, that level of speed is unreal.¡±

    There was a long pause before I spoke. ¡°So what you¡¯re saying is we now have very tangible proof for selling our cultivation method.¡±

    Sia spoke up immediately. ¡°I¡¯ll buy whatever you guys offer.¡±

    I shook my head. ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Lyra asked, her voice tinged with surprise, maybe even a little hurt.

    ¡°No, I mean, you don¡¯t have to pay,¡± I added quickly. Before they could protest, I continued, ¡°Not just because you¡¯re our friends¡ªbut because you¡¯re more connected here. You¡¯ve been around longer, and because of the services you both offer, I bet a lot of people know you.¡±

    I quickly said. ¡°You¡¯ll help with recruitment for us¡ªbut only to people you trust. The last thing we want is someone spreading our knowledge before we¡¯ve reaped enough benefits from it.¡±

    ¡°You should start a guild, then,¡± Sia suggested. ¡°There are lots of smaller ones, and the contracts are¡­ let¡¯s just say, binding. But most smaller guilds get bullied into submission by the main class guilds.¡±

    ¡°Especially the good healer ones,¡± Elric grumbled.

    ¡°We can make guilds?¡± Thea and I asked simultaneously, sharing a surprised look.

    Lyra nodded. ¡°It¡¯s a complicated process, but it¡¯s possible. All the guilds were started by recruits at some point and handed down to successors when the founders left. The instructors technically supervise the main class guilds, but they hardly interfere. Their roles are more symbolic¡ªto make sure no one goes too far. Some guilds grow and thrive, while others get bullied into destruction or submission.¡±

    ¡°Complicated, huh?¡± I wondered aloud. ¡°I know someone we can talk to. You three can stay here or go to the Hall of Heroes. If these contracts are really binding¡ª¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re connected to your system,¡± Elric cut in. ¡°There¡¯s no breaking them. If you do, the consequences can be disastrous.¡±

    ¡°Then how did you manage to break yours by telling us the healer guild¡¯s secret?¡± I asked.

    ¡°One, it¡¯s not a well-kept secret. Most healers who use those quick-heal spells with long-term side effects are lower-level ones who don¡¯t have fast effective options. Two, I was never technically in the guild. There¡¯s a¡­ temporary vetting process required, and I failed. Miserably, I might add.¡±

    Lyra chirped in cheerfully, ¡°I¡¯m part of a smaller healer guild. They help me with gear, but they don¡¯t force healers into horrible practices like that.¡±

    ¡°Alright then, I¡¯ll go with Thea to meet our instructor,¡± I said. I wanted to talk more with Thea, and she must have felt the same since we both stood and left the others to their own business.

    As soon as we walked out, I asked gently, ¡°Are you okay?¡±

    She turned slightly. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m just¡­¡± She paused, clearly searching for the right words. ¡°It feels different. Just a moment of change, and I feel like I don¡¯t know how to act.¡±

    I understood that. It was definitely a different situation after our time in the room. ¡°It is, but I think it¡¯s good.¡±

    Thea¡¯s ears turned red as she hurriedly interrupted, ¡°It¡¯s good¡­ for me too, I mean.¡±

    We stood there for a moment longer, the bustling crowd flowing around us. Her voice softened. ¡°You¡¯re right, though, about my family I mean. Do you remember when we first met, in the gym? I stood alone, just like you. I never talked to people outside my family. Not really. Not unless it was some formal function for military preparation or training.¡±

    I thought about how lonely that sounded, how horrible it must have been to have no friends. Honestly, it was a miracle how socially developed she was. Maybe her parents and sister had been social enough with her that she¡¯d learned some behaviors. The sarcastic eye-rolling had to come from somewhere, right?

    ¡°Thea, this is new to me too¡­ really. Let¡¯s just act the same. We can be different, but still act like usual. You know, rolling your eyes so hard you break something, and shocking me when I embarrass you.¡±

    She laughed at that, and it made me happy¡ªa glimpse of her usual self shining through. ¡°So, different but the same? You really say the dumbest things. I still have dreams about you asking me how to breathe.¡± She began shaking her shoulders uncontrollably, trying to stifle an obvious, large laugh.

    I smiled, sensing an opportunity. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you dreamt of me.¡± Adopting her over dramatic tone, I mimicked, ¡°Darling.¡±

    But instead of punishment or sarcasm, she fell silent and went red. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go see how to start a guild,¡± she said quietly.

    As we walked, the silence between us was no longer heavy. Occasionally, our fingers brushed as our arms swung, and before I knew it, our fingers had stopped swinging and stayed connected.

    ¡°Same but different, huh?¡± she added quietly.

    ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right¡ªthat was dumb to say¡­ how could this be the same?¡± I replied with a small laugh.

    I could barely imagine what people around us thought¡ªtwo humanoid tomatoes walking down the street, or something like that¡ªbut I didn¡¯t care. My heart was racing faster than ever before, yet I was happy. The warmth of her hand in mine grounded me, and as we continued forward, I couldn¡¯t help but glance at her, catching a faint smile on her lips.

    It wasn¡¯t perfect, but it was us.

 Chapter 27: Contracts

    As the initial shyness began to fade, we shifted our hands into a more comfortable position. The awkward, mismatched grasp of loosely tangled fingers gave way to a deliberate interlocking of hands. The change was small but felt monumental, a quiet acknowledgment of something neither of us wanted to say out loud.

    We walked closer together now, the gap between us shrinking as though the space itself no longer felt necessary. Each step felt lighter, as if the weight of the moment was shared evenly between us. I couldn¡¯t help but glance at Thea from the corner of my eye. Her expression was calm, but there was a softness there that wasn¡¯t usually present¡ªlike she, too, was trying to figure out what this all meant.

    I focused on the sensation of her hand in mine, warm and steady, and let the silence stretch comfortably between us. The occasional brush of our shoulders was enough to make my pulse quicken, but I told myself to relax. For once, I didn¡¯t want to ruin the moment by overthinking.

    As we turned a corner, the familiar hum of the city surrounded us¡ªmerchants haggling, the clatter of armor, and the faint chatter of other recruits heading to their next tasks. Thea finally broke the silence, her voice quieter than usual. ¡°Do you think this guild idea will work?¡±

    The question caught me off guard, but I was grateful for the chance to focus on something practical. ¡°I think it could,¡± I said after a moment. ¡°It¡¯s a good way to protect what we¡¯re building.¡±

    Thea didn¡¯t respond right away, but she gave my hand a slight squeeze. That simple motion sent a wave of reassurance through me. She might not have said much, but it was enough to let me know she understood.

    ¡°We should go to the Grand Hall at some point too,¡± Thea added, her voice thoughtful.

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m curious how those missions work,¡± I responded. ¡°Will we be able to leave the training camp? Are they dangerous? This whole world still feels like a total mystery to me.¡±

    ¡°I was born here, and it feels the same to me.¡± She laughed lightly, the sound soft and comforting.

    ¡°You two seem a lot closer than I remember,¡± an amused and gruff voice said from behind us.

    We both turned to see our former instructor standing there, a knowing grin on his face. Thea quickly pulled her hand from mine, much to my dismay.

    ¡°Don¡¯t stop on my account, girl,¡± he laughed loudly, ¡°you¡¯re making him look so sad.¡±

    I hadn¡¯t realized my disappointment was so obvious, but I didn¡¯t want to push her, so I quickly changed the subject.

    ¡°I have something to offer you, sir,¡± I said, straightening up. ¡°Something that could unlock the rest of the value you said Body Refinement holds. We¡ªor rather, Thea¡ªfigured it out. For real this time.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± he said, raising an eyebrow. ¡°Good. I was just heading to the Tank Guild to train. Why don¡¯t you come along?¡±

    ¡°And something else,¡± Thea added, her tone steady. ¡°We need information. Maybe even help¡­ We want to start a guild.¡±

    ¡°What kind of guild?¡± he asked as we began walking.

    Thea paused, clearly choosing her words carefully, before glancing at me. ¡°A cultivators¡¯ guild. One we can use to teach others for a price¡ªbut bind them with system contracts.¡±

    He mulled this over for a moment. ¡°Hmm. Well, the transformation after your Spiritual Reservoir Formation stage is impressive, not to mention the Grand Channel itself. But convincing people with just that might not be enough.¡±

    ¡°What about a thirty-point stat increase?¡± I offered.

    He froze mid-step, his eyes going wide. ¡°You¡¯re sure about that?¡±

    ¡°Positive,¡± Thea said firmly.

    He took a moment to think, his expression growing serious. ¡°Let¡¯s hurry,¡± he finally said. ¡°We need to talk about this now. If that¡¯s really the case, people will be lining up to learn from you. You¡¯ll need an airtight system contract¡ªsomething ironclad. Even the State might take an interest.¡±

    My heart skipped a beat at his words, but his next ones were surprisingly reassuring. ¡°Relax, recruit. The State won¡¯t rob you. Not for something like that. It¡¯s world-changing, sure, but only at the beginner stage of missions. Body Refinement has its limits if it¡¯s just thirty points.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± I said, confused. ¡°That¡¯s not Body Refinement. Body Refinement seems to upgrade our endurance...so far. This was another transformation. We haven¡¯t even started Body Refinement yet.¡±

    He stopped dead in his tracks, his expression unreadable, before suddenly breaking into a jog. Over his shoulder, he barked the words I hated to hear: ¡°Keep up! We need to talk now!¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± I grumbled under my breath.

    ¡°Come on, lazy. This should be easy now,¡± Thea said with a laugh.

    We both began jogging. ¡°It¡¯s not the difficulty¡ªit¡¯s the principle,¡± I complained.

    ¡°The principle of what?¡± she asked, rolling her eyes in that signature way of hers.

    ¡°Of¡­ not wanting to run?¡± I replied, though it sounded more like a question than an answer.

    ¡°Are you asking me or telling me?¡± she countered.

    ¡°What? No,¡± I said quickly. ¡°Anyway, I just hope this whole thing¡ªspreading our method¡ªdoesn¡¯t end up being dangerous.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t help but think about the stereotypes I¡¯d read about in stories: the protagonists who hoarded all their secrets, guarding them to stay safe. I didn¡¯t have that luxury. If I had endless resources and points at my disposal, maybe Thea and I could keep our method under wraps, only sharing it with our group. But we weren¡¯t that lucky. Not yet.

    ¡°I think the instructor¡¯s reliable,¡± Thea said, her voice steady. ¡°He¡¯ll help us.¡±

    Before I could respond, we stopped in front of a large building¡ªone that could only be the Tank Guild. Its towering structure seemed imposing, but not unwelcoming.

    ¡°Thanks for the vote of confidence, girlie. Now, let¡¯s head inside,¡± the commander said, gesturing for us to follow.

    I sighed and muttered, ¡°We really need to get used to this whole ¡®whispering doesn¡¯t work for cultivators using our methods¡¯ thing.¡±

    Thea chuckled softly as we stepped through the doors.

    The moment we stepped through the doors, the atmosphere shifted. The room was filled with towering figures¡ªboth men and women¡ªwho looked as solid as the shields they carried. Their builds ranged from broad and muscular to lean but intimidating, each radiating a presence that demanded attention.

    Heavy shields rested casually against walls, some almost as tall as their owners, while massive weapons were slung over shoulders or propped near tables. Axes, war hammers, and blades far too large for any normal human to wield gleamed in the dim light.

    Commander Griffith walked straight ahead, his presence just as commanding as those around him, though in a quieter, more self-assured way. He ignored everything and everyone, his pace steady and purposeful. No greetings, no acknowledgments, just a single-minded focus as he led us deeper into the guild.This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.

    I swallowed hard, keeping my face neutral as Thea walked beside me, her steps unshaken.

    We entered a room, and as the door closed, the outside noise disappeared into complete silence. The space resembled the private training room we¡¯d used before¡ªbare but functional, with enough room to work but no distractions.

    The instructor turned to us, his expression unreadable. ¡°First, tell me the information. I said before that the complete method would be worth one thousand points. I¡¯ve already paid you five hundred for the theory, but with this new transformation, I may need to offer more. Speak.¡±

    I glanced at Thea, confident she would take over. She was much better at teaching than me, and I patiently waited for her to explain. Instead, she turned to me with an expectant look.

    There was an awkward pause.

    ¡°Peter,¡± she said, her tone dry, ¡°how would I know what you¡¯ve told him or not?¡±

    ¡°Oh¡ªoh right,¡± I stammered, the realization hitting me.

    ¡°Impossible,¡± she muttered, shaking her head.

    The instructor laughed loudly, the sound echoing through the room. ¡°You¡¯ve got your work cut out for you, girl.¡±

    I sighed, only slightly hurt. ¡°So¡ªThea discovered how to store energy in the body, but first, let me explain the transformation. When you finish carving¡ªor maybe after, it might depend¡ªeither way, when the body purification is complete, you release a bunch of impurities all at once.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s horrible,¡± Thea said with a shiver, her voice low. I patted her shoulder in comfort.

    ¡°Anyway,¡± I continued, ¡°your body feels much lighter afterward, and I imagine the force will now stick to the skin much more effectively. Based on how it worked for Thea, I think the process refines the body in this order: skin, bones, then organs...other than skin, and maybe there are more that are refined.¡±

    ¡°Peter,¡± Thea interrupted, ¡°you forgot something about the transformation.¡±

    ¡°What? Um¡ª¡± I looked to her for guidance. ¡°Why don¡¯t you take over¡­ please?¡±

    She sighed, her voice tinged with exasperation but steady. ¡°The density of internal strength increases¡­ massively. I haven¡¯t tested it myself yet, but I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if it¡¯s two or even three times as potent. That increased potency, however, means cultivation will take longer.¡±

    The instructor raised an eyebrow as he scratched notes onto a piece of parchment. ¡°Longer cultivation, but greater potency. Go on.¡±

    ¡°As for how to perform Body Refinement,¡± Thea said, her tone serious now, ¡°I highly, highly suggest having someone you trust help you.¡±

    The instructor paused, his pen hovering over the parchment. ¡°Help? Why?¡±

    ¡°You have to get close to popping,¡± she said bluntly. ¡°The energy needs to build to the point where it¡¯s forced out through your body. You stop yourself just before your skin starts to blister. In my experience, that¡¯s¡­ difficult to judge on your own. Having someone stop you instead is much safer. Unfortunately, it¡¯s another reason cultivation slows significantly.¡±

    The instructor nodded slowly, his expression contemplative. ¡°That¡¯s a risky method, but I can see the reasoning. Anything else?¡±

    ¡°We haven¡¯t seen exactly how the stats are affected by Body Refinement yet,¡± Thea added, her tone thoughtful. ¡°But I imagine once it reaches the muscles, tendons, and bones, endurance won¡¯t be the only thing increasing.¡±

    ¡°Naturally,¡± the commander responded with a slight nod.

    ¡°That should be everything,¡± Thea said, folding her arms. ¡°Once we complete Body Refinement, we¡¯ll have a better idea of how to progress.¡±

    ¡°Hmm.¡± Griffith paused, his expression unreadable as he seemed to ponder something. ¡°How about this¡ªI¡¯ll show you how to create a guild and set up contracts in the system. If you run into trouble with other guilds, I can provide¡­ some help. But I can¡¯t get too involved. The most I can do is keep the really big guys off your back until you get on your feet.¡±

    ¡°And I¡¯ll hand over the five hundred points to complete the transaction from before,¡± he added, holding out his orb. Thea and I quickly brought ours out, taking two hundred fifty points each.

    ¡°Alright,¡± Griffith continued, slipping the orb away, ¡°but before we go any further, you need to figure out what kind of benefits you¡¯re offering.¡±

    ¡°Benefits?¡± I asked, glancing at Thea. ¡°We¡¯re offering stats. Isn¡¯t that already better than most guilds?¡±

    Griffith raised an eyebrow. ¡°Stats are great, but most guilds include exclusivity clauses for a reason. They¡¯re investing in their recruits¡ªproviding weapons tailored to their blessings, specialized gear, housing, and food. Those kinds of resources aren¡¯t cheap, and spending that much on recruits without loyalty to the guild? That¡¯s a losing game.¡±

    Thea chimed in, her voice steady. ¡°What if we skip exclusivity entirely? For instance, we could create a contract with your guild. That way, your recruits could join ours without leaving.¡±

    ¡°And pay for both?¡± Griffith countered. ¡°Most guilds already take a percentage of their recruits¡¯ points. Adding your fees on top of that? You¡¯d need to prove it¡¯s worth the cost.¡±

    ¡°We can,¡± Thea replied confidently. ¡°Even graduating recruits could use an extra thirty points from the second transformation. And who knows how much they¡¯ll gain from Body Refinement?¡±

    Griffith nodded slowly, rubbing his chin. ¡°That¡¯s a compelling offer. But you¡¯ll still need to keep costs manageable for bottom-rank recruits.¡±

    ¡°We can charge a flat fee based on the tier,¡± Thea suggested, her tone quickening with enthusiasm. ¡°For now, we¡¯ll offer up to the first transformation at a much lower price than most guilds charge. We¡¯ll teach the method, and they¡¯ll pay us. But unless they join the guild, they won¡¯t receive any additional guidance.¡±

    Griffith raised an eyebrow. ¡°So, a store and a guild?¡±

    ¡°Exactly,¡± she said with a grin. ¡°We won¡¯t take a percentage unless they choose to join the guild. And honestly, Commander, most of these recruits are still bottom rank. The change they¡¯ll experience after completing the Spiritual Reservoir Formation stage? They¡¯ll be hooked.¡±

    Griffith chuckled, a low rumble in his chest. ¡°Ambitious. You might be onto something.¡±

    Thea¡¯s smirk grew, a mischievous expression that I swore she¡¯d picked up from Elric. It was almost uncanny¡ªexcept, on her, it was actually cute rather than scary.

    ¡°Okay, so how do we form a guild¡­ and a contract?¡± I asked, leaning forward slightly.

    ¡°You can form a guild at the Grand Hall,¡± Griffith said. ¡°The fee¡¯s only a hundred points. As for the contract, it¡¯s straightforward. Simply say the word, and your system will handle it. You decide the clauses and the punishment. The system enforces it.¡±

    ¡°What kind of punishment?¡± I asked.

    ¡°I¡¯d suggest something severe,¡± Griffith said, crossing his arms. ¡°A seal on all learned techniques, for one. And a massive debt¡ªthousands of points. No one¡¯s going to breach it if they know what¡¯s waiting for them.¡±

    Thea gasped. ¡°Isn¡¯t that¡­ too far?¡±

    Griffith shrugged. ¡°Not if they don¡¯t break the terms.¡±

    I nodded slowly. ¡°Then the clauses will be a ban on sharing the teachings, reverse-engineering, or sharing any insights gained individually from it without consulting the guild heads.¡±

    ¡°Fair,¡± Griffith said. ¡°Anything else?¡±

    Thea tilted her head. ¡°How do we give the contract to someone else?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s simple,¡± Griffith explained. ¡°Have physical contact with a person and say, ¡®Contract transfer.¡¯ The system will guide the process from there. The individual you¡¯re transferring it to will need to say ¡®agree¡¯ or ¡®disagree¡¯ for confirmation.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± I asked, curious.

    ¡°To ensure the signer means it,¡± Griffith said, his tone firm. ¡°The system also doesn¡¯t allow contracts to be made under duress¡ªphysical or mental. If the individual is coerced, the system will refuse to transfer the contract. No forcing anyone into an agreement.¡±

    Thea nodded, her expression softening. ¡°That¡¯s fair.¡±

    ¡°Exactly,¡± Griffith said with a smirk. ¡°The system¡¯s strict, but it keeps things balanced.¡±

    ¡°Great, thanks, sir,¡± I said, standing up. ¡°I think we¡¯ll be going. Good luck with the training.¡±

    He gave a short nod. ¡°Alright, go on now. Don¡¯t forget to complete your dailies.¡±

    Thea and I left the building, stepping out into the bustling street. ¡°Should we go and make the guild first, or complete our dailies?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Let¡¯s make the guild first,¡± she replied. ¡°We can check the monthly missions too while we¡¯re there. Knowing Elric and the others, I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if they went to the Hall of Heroes to advertise and already have a bunch of fans lining up to learn from us.¡±

    I laughed. ¡°Pays to be an idol, I suppose.¡±

    The Grand Hall wasn¡¯t far, so the walk wouldn¡¯t take long. The streets were alive with recruits heading in various directions, their chatter and hurried steps adding to the energy of the training grounds.

    ¡°I guess you¡¯ll have to be the master,¡± I teased as we walked. ¡°I can¡¯t make contracts, after all. You¡¯ll really be a grandmaster.¡±

    Thea rolled her eyes, though her smirk betrayed her amusement. ¡°I guess I will.¡±

    The Grand Hall was only a short walk away, its majestic architecture looming ahead. We continued in a comfortable silence, broken only by the sound of our boots against the cobblestones. My gaze flicked to her hand, and my heart started pounding. Screw it, I thought, reaching over.

    ¡°What¡ª¡± Thea started as I grabbed her hand, lacing my fingers with hers.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go now,¡± I said, trying to sound casual despite the heat rising to my face.

    She chuckled, her blush betraying her teasing tone. ¡°Are you going to be clinging to me all the time now?¡±

    ¡°Yep. Is that a problem?¡±

    Her reply was quiet but clear. ¡°No.¡±

 Chapter 28: Bad Debt

    We walked in together, the echoes of our footsteps swallowed by the vastness of the Grand Hall. Surprisingly, it was almost empty. The marble floor beneath us gleamed under the soft glow of hanging lanterns, their light reflected in intricate patterns on the smooth surface. Ahead of us stood a desk with an attendant.

    ¡°Missions or guild first?¡± I asked, glancing at Thea.

    She let go of my hand and strode forward with purpose, addressing the attendant. ¡°Where can we check the missions?¡±

    The attendant, far friendlier than the gremlins masquerading as clerks in the Hall of Heroes, looked up at us with an expression that could almost be described as neutral. Progress. ¡°You¡¯ll find the missions on the board to the left,¡± she said, pointing to a large, grid-like board covered in neat columns of text and categories. It had the overwhelming presence of a high-stakes spreadsheet, and I was already too tired to even glance at it.

    ¡°They¡¯re separated by rank,¡± the attendant continued, her voice patient but firm. ¡°If you¡¯re new, you¡¯ll need to register at the desk behind me first. Once you find a mission you want to take, come back here to confirm. We highly recommend tackling missions in groups. Just keep in mind that the completion only counts for one of you per month. Each member of your group will need to complete their own mission to satisfy the our requirements.¡±

    Thea nodded, absorbing the information with her usual focus. ¡°Thank you. And where do we go if we want to create a guild?¡±

    The attendant shifted her gaze to the right and gestured with a vague wave of her hand. ¡°Over there. Good luck.¡±

    Her tone was polite, but the slight raise of her eyebrows hinted at just how uphill this process might be. My stomach twisted at the thought of more bureaucracy, but Thea didn¡¯t hesitate, her confidence dragging me along like an over-ambitious mountain climber pulling their hapless partner.

    We approached the guild counter together, and this time, I took the initiative. ¡°I¡¯d like to make a guild.¡±

    The man behind the desk barely glanced at me before grabbing something from behind the counter. He plopped it down with a resounding thud, and I immediately regretted speaking. A stack of papers, as thick as my fist, stared back at me like a challenge issued from the depths of bureaucratic hell.

    ¡°We have to read all of that?¡± I asked, staring at the stack with a mix of dread and disbelief.

    The man looked up, his expression unimpressed, as if I¡¯d asked whether water was wet. ¡°Well, you could ignore them, I suppose, and just register your identities and pay the fee.¡±

    Suddenly, I didn¡¯t care about his attitude. This man was a saint. A beacon of hope in an otherwise soul-crushing process. ¡°Great! We¡¯ll¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡ªbe back once we go through them, thanks.¡± Thea¡¯s hand shot out, snatching the stack of papers before I could finish. Her tone brooked no argument.

    ¡°At least one of you isn¡¯t a moron,¡± the man muttered, smirking faintly.

    I ignored him as we moved toward the desk for mission registration. ¡°I¡¯ll handle the papers,¡± Thea sighed, hugging the stack like a reluctant librarian. ¡°Just don¡¯t agree to anything without thinking it through, alright?¡±

    ¡°Right.¡± I didn¡¯t argue. She was volunteering to do the hard work, after all. ¡°I¡¯ll make it up to you.¡± Maybe I could make some techniques for her¡­or ask Elric to and just pretend like I did it.

    When we reached the next desk, Thea didn¡¯t waste time. ¡°We¡¯d like to register.¡±

    ¡°Orbs,¡± the attendant said, holding her hands out expectantly.

    This process was mercifully simple. She added a new line to each of our orbs before handing them back.

    Mission Rank: Bottom (0/10)

    ¡°You can only take on one mission at a time,¡± she explained. ¡°You are required to complete at least one per month.¡±

    ¡°So, we grab the missions from back there and¡­ what? Pull them off the board and bring them to you?¡± I asked.

    She nodded. ¡°That¡¯s exactly right. A mission can only be assigned to one orb at a time. I¡¯d suggest a group register for just one mission at first. Missing a deadline isn¡¯t something you want to deal with.¡±

    ¡°Thanks. We¡¯ll be back soon,¡± Thea said, her tone crisp as she turned us toward the board.

    We approached the mission board, and I focused¡ªcarefully and slowly¡ªon the section labeled Bottom Rank. My eyes skimmed the options, and one in particular caught my attention.

    ¡°Plant collection?¡± I glanced at Thea, raising an eyebrow. ¡°Our instructor might¡¯ve prepared us for some of these already.¡±

    She pointed a bit lower on the board, to a different mission. ¡°Some are hunts for things like pack claws. Looks like all the bottom-rank missions come from people who work around here.¡±

    ¡°Are there rewards for these?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Yeah, some better than others,¡± she replied. ¡°The highest one gives thirty points.¡±

    ¡°Should we take one now?¡±

    She nodded, tapping the mission description for the pack claws. ¡°I think so. This one gives us three days to finish.¡±

    ¡°Alright. You can register the mission first then we can read the paperwork and make the guild,¡± I said.

    ¡°Alright,¡± she replied with a smile, then laughed softly. ¡°But seriously, don¡¯t worry about the paperwork.¡± That smile of hers was getting better and better. ¡°Catch up with the others. They¡¯re probably still training or signing up for battles.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure? I can stay.¡±You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

    ¡°You¡¯d just keep making dumb jokes while I¡¯m reading.¡±

    She¡¯s not wrong. ¡°My jokes are great.¡±

    She snorted. ¡°Sure, believe whatever you want.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I will,¡± I said with mock seriousness. ¡°I¡¯ll head to the Greats¡¯ Training Hall first. If they¡¯re not there, I¡¯ll swing by the Hall of Heroes. I¡¯ll leave a message with Miss Star so you can stop there first.

    ¡°Alright, go on. I¡¯ll meet you later.¡± She nodded firmly.

    I grabbed her hand and gave it a quick squeeze. ¡°Thanks.¡± We exchanged a brief goodbye, and I headed out into the streets.

    Of course, I wasn¡¯t in any rush. Taking my time, I wandered through the city, admiring the scenery that looked like it had been pulled straight out of a fantasy novel. The cobblestone streets gleamed faintly in the sunlight, lined with stalls selling everything from glimmering potions to ornate weapons. The air carried a mix of exotic spices and fresh bread, with a distant hum of chatter and laughter from nearby shops and taverns.

    It was a world both strange and familiar, and for a moment, I let myself enjoy it. After all, it wasn¡¯t every day you got to stroll through a place like this.

    But the calm didn¡¯t last.

    Someone bumped into me, jostling my arm. ¡°Oh, sorry,¡± I called, barely turning before another person brushed past me, harder this time.

    Then another.

    Before I could process what was happening, a firm grip latched onto my arm. ¡°Hey, let go!¡± I snapped, twisting to pull free.

    They didn¡¯t.

    Whoever it was, they were strong¡ªunbelievably strong. My heart pounded as another hand clamped over my mouth, muffling my shout. Panic surged through me as I felt a third set of fingers fumbling at my waist. My orb.

    ¡°No! Stop!¡± My words were swallowed against the hand silencing me. I struggled, thrashing against their hold, but it was like trying to move a mountain. My breaths grew shallow, the world around me closing in.

    The crowd pressed tighter. Faces blurred into indistinct shapes. Shadows flickered across my dimming vision.

    My chest burned. Time slowed to a crawl.

    And just as the edges of my vision began to fade, I caught a fleeting glimpse¡ªa familiar face.

    Was that real? Or just the last thought slipping through my mind before everything turned black?

    When I started waking up, everything felt off. My senses were blurred, and my head throbbed. The setting was hazy, but as things started to clear, I noticed trees towering above me, their leaves swaying gently in the breeze.

    ¡°¡ªto get him here. Our job is done.¡±

    ¡°What, so you¡¯re leaving?¡± another voice said sharply. It sounded vaguely familiar, but I couldn¡¯t quite place it.

    Were they arguing? Also¡ªwho are they?

    The voice spoke again, this time colder, more measured. ¡°Alright, give me the orb. Just leave behind the second-year recruits. I may have paid you to grab him, but the others¡­ I paid for the rest of the fun.¡±

    The rest? I¡¯m no scholar, but that really didn¡¯t sound good.

    Stay calm. Eyes closed. Play dumb. I¡¯m just a guy taking a very deep nap. Focus.

    Something rough was digging into my wrists. Ropes. My back pressed against something solid¡ªa tree, judging by the bark scraping through my shirt. Perfect.

    ¡°Here, you three stay with them. I¡¯m heading back,¡± the voice continued, taking on a threatening edge. ¡°We expect payment over the next couple of months¡­ do not miss an installment.¡±

    Focus. I shifted my attention inward, trying to steady my breathing. Circulation, externalize my force just like Elric taught me. It¡¯s like a cord, a connection. I began to gather my energy, aiming to create my non-fireball shotgun blast. Slowly, I extended the energy to my palm, maintaining a thin wisp of internal force.

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s wake him up. I want him to know who did this.¡±

    Wait. That voice¡­ Rorik? Really? I mean, sure, I probably ruined his life, but this? This was extreme.

    Focus, Peter. Keep the energy¡ª

    ¡°Ugh!¡± A sharp kick to my stomach sent all my careful concentration flying out the window. The energy dissipated in an instant, leaving me breathless. My eyes snapped open just as the boot landed again.

    Yep. That was Rorik. Standing there, looking smug, with three other guys I didn¡¯t recognize. Why again did this place seem totally fine with what I could only assume was attempted murder?

    ¡°Rori¡ªAgh!¡± Another boot to the ribs from a burly man whose idea of fun clearly involved kicking helpless people. ¡°Quit that!¡± I gasped, doubling over as much as the ropes would allow.

    The burly guy laughed, his deep chuckle sounding like it belonged to a second-rate villain in a cartoon. Meanwhile, Rorik stepped closer, his face twisted in frustration. ¡°This is all your fault! Do you know how much more I had to borrow to hire these guys? But it¡¯ll all be¡ª¡±

    ¡°You borrowed more points?¡± I interrupted, disbelief cutting through his monologue. ¡°Dude, that¡¯s actually insane.¡±

    I glanced up at the kind gentleman who seemed determined to provide me with a firsthand understanding of his shoe size. ¡°How much did he pay you? If it¡¯s only one installment,¡± I paused for effect, ¡°I guarantee this guy isn¡¯t good for it.¡±

    Thankfully, this time I wasn¡¯t immediately kicked¡ªprogress. They actually seemed interested in what I had to say¡­ or so I hoped.

    ¡°SHUT UP!¡± Rorik barked, his face flushed with anger. He turned to the other three, trying to rally them. ¡°I¡¯ll just borrow more to pay you.¡±

    To my dismay, they shrugged as if this was entirely reasonable. Big Foot even chimed in, his voice a low rumble. ¡°Just make sure to pay us first. Otherwise, you¡¯ll be the one strapped to a tree.¡±

    ¡°Come on, Rorik! Are you really going to kill me over¡­¡± I trailed off, the realization hitting me like a boulder. This guy had almost killed Elric with his bare hands¡ªwhy would he care about me?

    ¡°What? The fear setting in?¡± Rorik sneered, stepping closer. The moonlight caught the gleaming blade of a dagger as he pulled it out. And this one was sharp. Definitely not training equipment.

    Wait¡­ moonlight? How long had I been out?

    ¡°Hey, let¡¯s just relax. We don¡¯t have to do anything drastic,¡± I said, my voice edged with false calm. Keep him talking. Keep him distracted. My hands were already in position, aimed at the rope binding me to the tree.

    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry. We¡¯ll take it slow,¡± he said with a sadistic grin, raising the dagger. He dragged the blade across my face in a shallow cut, the sting sharp and immediate.

    I winced, my eyes watering involuntarily. It did hurt. A lot.

    ¡°Are you crying?¡± Big Foot asked, his tone both mocking and curious.

    ¡°N¡ªno, you¡¯re crying,¡± I shot back, my voice cracking slightly. Definitely not crying. Just¡­ tearing up a little.

    ¡°Wh¡ªwhat?¡± Big Foot looked genuinely confused, his massive brow furrowing. Guess I¡¯d invented a new form of insult in this world.

    And then it happened.

    The explosion tore through the air behind me, shattering the bark and splitting the ropes into fine, frayed threads. Splinters and shards of raw wood blasted outward, scattering in every direction like a storm of jagged needles. The force reverberated through the ground, a shockwave of raw power that left the others momentarily stunned.

    That¡­ was very different from my first attempt at this move. Back then, it had barely done anything. Now, the tree was obliterated, and I was free.

    Definitely going to thank Elric for this.

 Chapter 29: No Choice

    I moved to run but hesitated¡ªmy orb. Did that degenerate murderer-slash-loanshark-borrower actually think far enough ahead to stop me from escaping by taking it?

    ¡°Don¡¯t stand there¡ªgrab him!¡± Rorik screamed.

    Before anyone could make a move, I reached out toward Rorik. Big Foot, the closest, wasn¡¯t stunned for long. These three weren¡¯t like Rorik; they were used to dangerous battles and whatever other chaos this camp threw at them.

    An axe swung down toward my arm, and I barely yanked it back in time to avoid the blow. I stumbled backward as the other two flanked me, their short swords glinting ominously. Rorik, not wanting to be left out, drew his own axe, his face twisted with frustration.

    I¡¯d gotten faster, sure, but these weren¡¯t bottom-rank rookies. They moved with precision and speed, much faster than Rorik had in our encounter, and they were coordinated. This open area was too dangerous for a group fight. Forget the orb. My life wasn¡¯t worth the risk.

    Circulating my energy into my legs, I sprinted away, my feet pounding the uneven ground. Rorik roared furiously behind me, but I didn¡¯t care.

    As I ran, the wind shifted above me. Instinct kicked in, and I dove to the side just as a massive axe slammed into the ground where I¡¯d been. ¡°Hey, he said catch me, not kill me!¡± I shouted.

    I scrambled to my feet and sprinted again, zigzagging as the axe kept narrowly missing me. This guy was relentless. I kept running, glancing over my shoulder as Big Foot stuck close while the others fell behind.

    That¡¯s when it hit me: He¡¯s the only one keeping up.

    I kept running, letting the gap widen between me and the others. My breath burned in my chest, but I forced myself to push harder. It wasn¡¯t long before I heard only Big Foot¡¯s heavy steps behind me.

    Finally, I skidded to a halt and turned.

    Big Foot stopped too, towering over me with a smug expression. ¡°Done running?¡±

    ¡°Well, we¡¯re alone now¡­ so yeah?¡± Gotta work on that habit.

    I shifted into a defensive stance, forcing my breath to slow. The internal strength was building in my hand, tethered to my Grand Channel by a thin thread. Splitting my focus between gathering energy and fighting wasn¡¯t easy, but I had to try.

    Big Foot charged, swinging his axe in a wide, telegraphed arc. I ducked it easily, raising my hand as if ready to release an attack. He flinched, stepping back instinctively, his guard dropping just slightly.

    That was my chance.

    I surged forward, ducking under his next swing and darting behind him. Before he could react, I leaped up, locking my arm around his throat. My free hand gripped my wrist tightly, and I braced my legs against his torso, anchoring myself as he thrashed wildly.

    ¡°What the¡ªlet go!¡± Big Foot roared, twisting and flailing like a bull. His wild movements made it harder to hold on, every muscle in my body screaming to maintain the chokehold. His strength was waning, but not fast enough.

    Just as I thought he¡¯d keep panicking, his movements shifted, becoming deliberate. His hand fumbled at his belt, and I heard the dull clatter of his axe dropping. My heart seized when I saw the gleam of a dagger.

    ¡°No!¡± I growled, tightening my hold on his neck as the blade swung upward. I shifted, keeping one arm locked around his throat while the other grabbed his wrist. I forced my leg to lock his other arm down at his side. I barely stopped the blade as it nicked into my side.

    ¡°Agh!¡± Pain flared, sharp and hot, as blood began seeping from the wound.

    Big Foot gritted his teeth, summoning strength I didn¡¯t think he had left. The dagger edged closer, its point pressing into my flesh, sending fresh waves of agony through me. ¡°Just stop!¡± I snarled through clenched teeth, but he ignored me, his muscles surging with one last burst of defiance.

    The dagger plunged deeper, and I gasped as my vision blurred momentarily from the pain. His fist trembled, the blade wavering slightly, his strength beginning to falter. Just a little more¡­

    I didn¡¯t know what took over me. Instinct? Desperation? My grip on his neck loosened as his on the dagger did the same, and in one fluid motion, I wrenched the blade from his hand and plunged it into his throat.

    The fight drained from his body instantly, his choking gasps wet and ragged as blood poured from the wound. His hands clawed weakly at mine, but I didn¡¯t stop. The blade plunged again, and again, the warm spray of his blood coating my face and arms until his body went still.

    I shoved the lifeless corpse aside, his pale form crumpling against the dirt. His massive axe lay nearby, gleaming faintly in the moonlight, but I barely registered it. The adrenaline coursing through my veins drowned out any coherent thought.

    Then I heard the footsteps¡ªseveral of them.

    A glint of metal in the air caught my eye. A spear hurtled toward me, and I dove to the ground just as it whistled past, embedding itself in the dirt. The impact sent dust and debris flying, stinging my eyes. Before I could recover, one of the swordsmen closed the distance, his blade slashing in a brutal arc.

    I twisted away, barely avoiding a strike that would¡¯ve gutted me. The sword nicked across my chest, the searing heat of the wound trailing from my collarbone to my lower ribs. A sharp line of pain stretched across my chin and down to my lower lip as the blade¡¯s edge scraped against my face.

    Blood dripped steadily as I staggered backward, my breath ragged and uneven. The swordsman advanced, his face twisted in rage, his next strike already swinging toward me.

    It was ready.

    I raised my hand, the force tethered to my Grand Channel surging outward. A guttural scream erupted from my enemy as the energy blast tore into him. When I lowered my hand, I wished I hadn¡¯t looked.

    There weren¡¯t neat, cauterized holes or anything remotely clean. The entire front of his torso was¡­ gone. A jagged, raw wound left his chest hollow, his ribs shattered and protruding at odd angles. He collapsed forward with a sickening thud, his lifeless body thankfully landing face down.You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

    ¡°Kaen!¡± A mournful cry pierced the night, raw and filled with fury.

    Wiping blood from my eye, I turned toward the sound. The other swordsman, the one who had thrown the spear, stood there. I couldn¡¯t see Rorik yet, but I knew he was close behind.

    I had to end this. If this guys ran and found his boss, I¡¯d be out of options. He was not someone I could face judging by strength when he took me.

    They forced this. They took me. It¡¯s not my fault. I repeated the thought like a mantra, trying to steady myself. ¡°It¡¯s not my fault!¡± I shouted, as much to myself as to the night around me.

    Grabbing the fallen sword, I bolted toward the remaining man¡ªthe final threat. His eyes widened in shock, but before he could react, the blade was already at his neck. The instant I felt it bite into his flesh, I hesitated, pulling back instinctively.

    But it was too late.

    The sword had already gone halfway in. Strangled, wet gurgles escaped his lips as blood poured down his front. His legs buckled, and he slumped to his knees, his eyes wide with terror. That expression of disbelief¡ªof fear¡ªetched itself onto his face for the rest of his short, miserable life.

    ¡°FUCK! DAMN IT!¡± I yelled, staggering back. I pointed the bloodied sword at his lifeless body, my voice cracking under the weight of my rage. ¡°Why did you do this? Why can¡¯t you just leave people alone? Who the hell came up with this fucked-up place?!¡±

    The words poured out, one after another, growing incoherent as fury overtook me. I didn¡¯t even know what I was saying anymore. My chest heaved, my hands trembled. But the rant ended abruptly as I heard footsteps¡ªcalculated, deliberate.

    Like a predator, my head snapped toward the sound.

    Rorik.

    This was all his fault. He had attacked my family first. He hadn¡¯t learned his lesson. This¡­ this was his fault.

    He froze when he saw me, his usual arrogance replaced by something far weaker. Fear.

    ¡°H¡ªh¡ªhey,¡± he stammered, his voice trembling. ¡°W¡ªwe c¡ªc¡ªcan talk about this.¡±

    He dropped to his knees, his hands raised in surrender. The short sword still gripped tightly in my hand, I didn¡¯t stop advancing.

    ¡°I can lead you out!¡± he blurted, the words catching my attention like a lifeline in the chaos.

    It stopped me cold. I don¡¯t even know where I am.

    I stepped closer, my grip tightening on the sword. ¡°You know how to get out?¡± The words escaped me, low and hollow. I barely recognized my own voice¡ªempty, devoid of anything but exhaustion and numbness.

    Rorik¡¯s face shifted as if he¡¯d just regained some sense of control. He chuckled nervously, his trembling subsiding. ¡°We¡¯re in the forest. Pretty deep,¡± he said, his tone suddenly laced with unwarranted confidence. ¡°You¡¯ll nee¡ª¡±

    He clutched his throat, choking on his words as blood dribbled from his lips.

    I didn¡¯t even remember moving.

    The rage¡ªsharp and blinding¡ªsurged the moment I heard that tone. That confidence. After everything, after all the blood spilled, he had the audacity to act as if he still held the upper hand. As if he could manipulate me like a pawn.

    They were all dead because of him. Everything I¡¯d done, every drop of blood on my hands, was because of him. And now, what? He¡¯d lead me out and walk away? Or worse, he¡¯d lead me somewhere else¡ªinto another trap?

    This man was heartless. I couldn¡¯t trust a single word he said.

    I was alone now, only the night breeze accompanying me. ¡°Okay. Okay. Breathe. It¡¯s fine,¡± I whispered to myself, forcing my chest to rise and fall slowly. The buzzing in my ears, which I hadn¡¯t even noticed until now, began to fade. The heat that had engulfed my entire body seemed to focus, like a magnifying glass on my wounds. One in particular¡ªmy side¡ªwas bleeding profusely.

    I wasn¡¯t a doctor, but I knew enough to recognize a bad wound when I saw one. ¡°Okay, one step at a time.¡±

    I leaned down to Rorik¡¯s lifeless body, suppressing the bitter taste rising in my throat. Stripping a corpse wasn¡¯t exactly on my bucket list, but survival came first. I grabbed everything I could: his satchel, his axe, his dagger, and both our orbs. Both were empty of points, but that wasn¡¯t my priority right now.

    Rummaging through the satchel, I found trinkets and tools¡ªsmall knives, cutlery, even a little bowl. Nothing immediately useful. He had been like me, just another new recruit. The only difference was, I had far more points than he¡¯d ever managed to scrape together. Dumping the contents onto the ground, I kept the satchel itself, tossing his orb somewhere into the darkness.

    One item caught my eye: a small cloth. I grabbed it, pressing it hard against my side. ¡°Agh!¡± The pain shot through me like a spike, but I kept the pressure steady. My strength, for once, was not a blessing...I mean it was, but the pain was really bad.

    The other three bodies lay nearby, their twisted forms illuminated faintly by the moonlight. I hated the thought of picking through them, but I didn¡¯t have a choice. The wound needed more than a strip of cloth to keep me alive.

    I staggered toward the kneeling man. His lifeless eyes stared into the distance, still wide with terror. Gritting my teeth, I grabbed his sword and secured it at my waist alongside the others. Pain rippled through me as I balanced the growing weight of two daggers, an axe, and two short swords. They clanked noisily against each other, so I tied them together with a piece of rope still hanging from my wrists.

    Searching his pockets, I came across another orb and¡ªfinally¡ªtwo small vials. My breath caught as I recognized them. Herbal health remedies. I¡¯d seen vendors selling these when Thea and I first entered the Hall of Heroes. Back then, they were just another curiosity I¡¯d ignored. Now, they felt like salvation.

    ¡°Do I drink it or¡­?¡± I mumbled, my vision starting to blur. Nausea hit me hard, and I had to lean against the tree for support. My legs trembled, threatening to give out.

    No time to overthink.

    Uncapping one of the vials, I poured its contents directly onto the wound in my side.

    To my relief, the bleeding slowed almost instantly, the jagged edges of the injury knitting together slightly. It was like the magic I¡¯d seen healers use¡ªeffective. I exhaled shakily. Maybe plants in this world are magical too.

    Rather than risk drinking the second vial, I stuck with what had worked. Pouring the contents over the wound sent a fresh wave of sharp, burning pain coursing through me, but I gritted my teeth and endured. The bleeding slowed, and the nausea ebbed slightly as my body stabilized. But the wound hadn¡¯t fully closed¡ªblood still trickled from it in a sluggish, ominous stream.

    I staggered toward the man whose torso had been flayed open by my pseudo-fireball¡ªno, my inner force shotgun blast. The destruction I¡¯d caused was something I wasn¡¯t ready to face, so I refused to turn him over. Instead, I rifled through what was left of his clothes, my hands trembling slightly.

    His pockets were nearly as ruined as he was. I found nothing but his orb, which I pocketed without a second thought.

    Now, for the biggest threat of the night¡ªBig Foot. His massive body lay crumpled nearby, his axe gleaming faintly in the moonlight. I pulled the weapon free and added it to the awkward, bound pile of weapons hanging from my side. Rummaging through his pockets, I found his orb¡ªand to my enormous relief, a map.

    The map was crude, the lines and symbols completely meaningless to me. Still, it seemed simple enough. No matter which direction I chose, I¡¯d either end up back in town or in a large clearing nearby.

    The elixirs had bought me time, but I could feel their limits pressing against me. My side throbbed with every step, the makeshift bandage damp and sticky with blood.

    I pulled out the orbs I¡¯d gathered and checked the points. Six hundred. Pressing the orbs to my own, I transferred the points and discarded the emptied ones.

    Clenching my jaw, I chose the direction I¡¯d been running before and started forward. My steps were uneven at first, my body screaming at me to stop, but I forced myself into a steady rhythm. The forest loomed dark and quiet, broken only by the crunch of my footsteps and the faint rustling of branches.

    Each stride sent a stabbing pain through my side, and my vision blurred more than once. The warm, sticky feeling of blood reminded me I was on borrowed time.

    Just keep moving. It became my mantra. The trees blurred together as I ran, and I prayed silently that the blood loss wouldn¡¯t betray me before I reached safety.

 Chapter 30: A Fragile Rest

    ¡°Oh, thank the heavens,¡± I wheezed, my voice barely audible over my labored breaths. The row of trees parted, revealing the glow of lanterns from the Town of Fallen. The soft light cascaded over me, blurring as tears of relief stung my eyes. Against all odds, I¡¯d chosen the right path. I even recognized the area¡ªit wasn¡¯t far from Miss Star¡¯s inn.

    The sight should have filled me with triumph, but instead, it drained me. The presumed safety sapped the last remnants of adrenaline coursing through my veins. My internal force was already at its limits, and Thea¡¯s warnings about overexerting it still rang loud and clear in my head.

    I took a step forward, but my knees buckled beneath me. The world tilted, and my vision darkened. ¡°Dang,¡± I muttered bitterly. Passing out here would be a death sentence. Maybe if I could just make it to the main street near the inn, someone might find me. That had to be enough, right?

    ¡°Come on,¡± I groaned, forcing myself to drag my body upright. My limbs screamed in protest, but I pushed forward, teetering dangerously close to emptying my reserves completely. I couldn¡¯t afford to find out what would happen if I did. Death from depletion didn¡¯t sound like the kind of experiment I wanted to run.

    ¡°Come on¡­¡± My voice cracked as I staggered forward. The edges of my vision blurred, the buzzing in my head returning with a vengeance. I could barely remember how I got there, but suddenly I was in front of a door. Muscle memory? Instinct? Either way, I¡¯d made it.

    My hand trembled as I tried to lift it to knock, but it wouldn¡¯t move. My arm hung limply at my side, unresponsive. My mind was a flurry of static, the lines between reality and delirium blurring with each second.

    Behind me, I thought I heard someone scream my name, the sound faint and distorted, like it was coming through water. But honestly, I couldn¡¯t tell if it was real or just another fragment of the chaos swirling in my mind.

    Suddenly, I felt hands grab me. A voice reached my ears, muffled and distant. ¡°¡ªer? Is th¡ª you?¡±

    The words didn¡¯t make sense. ¡°Come i¡ª. Elr¡ª.¡± And then¡­ nothing.

    I woke to the sound of Elric¡¯s voice, sharp with concern. ¡°It took longer than I thought. I had to reopen the wound. I can¡¯t believe he poured that right on it¡­¡±

    Footsteps shuffled nearby. ¡°Lyra, can you get Thea and the rest? She¡¯s probably still freaking out down stairs,¡± he said, his voice quieter now. A door creaked open and closed.

    ¡°I thought¡ª¡± I tried to speak, but a sudden coughing fit wracked my body. Pain ripped up my side, leaving me gasping. ¡°I thought you couldn¡¯t do things like¡­ open wounds with the system.¡±

    Elric turned toward me, his face a mix of relief and frustration. ¡°Man, what the heck happened to you?¡± he asked, his voice tight. ¡°You looked like you took a bath in blood.¡±

    ¡°Not helping,¡± I groaned, my words a strained rasp. He wasn¡¯t wrong, though. There had been so much blood¡­ too much. My gaze dropped to check my current state. To my surprise, I was bandaged up¡ªand naked except for my boxers under the sheets. Even my skin had been scrubbed clean.

    ¡°Seriously?¡± I muttered, my cheeks warming despite everything. Ignoring the heat creeping up my face, I continued, ¡°Why¡ªand how¡ªdid you open me up?¡±

    His shoulders relaxed slightly, and he chuckled, though it didn¡¯t quite reach his eyes. ¡°Because you¡¯re an idiot,¡± he said, shaking his head. ¡°You poured a sealing remedy on your wound instead of drinking it. Blood was pooling inside you. You were this close to dying¡­¡± He paused, wiping at his face before continuing softly, ¡°I couldn¡¯t just stand there and let that happen.¡±

    The sincerity in his tone caught me off guard, but I wasn¡¯t about to let him off the hook. ¡°So, what? You used some terrifying new skill on me?¡± I said, trying to mask my unease with sarcasm.

    He gave me a crooked smile. ¡°I used cultivation to imitate my healing spells¡ªbut in reverse.¡±

    ¡°God, you¡¯re such a main character,¡± I muttered, too drained to stop myself.

    ¡°What does that even mean?¡± he asked, frowning at the odd phrase.

    ¡°Nothing,¡± I said quickly. ¡°But seriously, that¡¯s terrifying. You can just open people up now? Psycho.¡±

    ¡°Better than being an idiot,¡± he shot back, the tension easing slightly as he laughed.

    I tried to sit up, but he immediately pressed a hand to my shoulder, holding me down. ¡°Don¡¯t make me heal you more,¡± he warned gently.

    ¡°What kind of healer uses medical care as a threat?¡± I grumbled.

    ¡°The kind who knows how to make it extra painful,¡± he said, his angelic smile now carrying an edge of mischief. ¡°Besides, I wasn¡¯t finished. You know how the system records skills when someone learns them?¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡± I replied warily.

    ¡°Well¡ª¡± he drew out, clearly enjoying the moment, ¡°turns out when you invent a skill, even with cultivation, the system records that too. Now I can use Skinweaver¡±¡ªhe stretched out the word like it was honey in his mouth¡ª

    ¡°God, Elric, just get on with it,¡± I groaned, already regretting the conversation.

    ¡°---with my MP, not just cultivation,¡± he finished.

    I let out another groan. Yet another reminder of how ridiculously unfair the system was. And Elric? He was just as ridiculous. The guy had invented a whole new technique by reversing his own spells. I didn¡¯t know whether to be impressed or terrified¡ªor both.

    ¡°Who ended up finding me?¡± I asked, my voice still hoarse.

    ¡°Miss Star,¡± Elric replied. ¡°We were all out looking for you. Thea found us at the fight hall, but since you weren¡¯t with her. She saw you right after Miss Star did¡­pretty sure she thought you were dead for a moment. We¡ª¡±

    The door burst open with a loud bang, cutting him off. ¡°PETER!¡± came Thea¡¯s voice, frantic and sharp.

    Oh no. Why is no one stopping her?

    ¡°Oooow. Thea,¡± I groaned as she threw herself onto me, ¡°what part of this situation screams ¡®great time to jump on Peter¡¯?¡±

    She hiccupped, her voice shaking. ¡°Shut up.¡±

    Great. Not even dating for twenty-four hours, and I¡¯d already made my first girlfriend cry. Awesome.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    I turned my head toward Elric, forcing a small grin. ¡°See? You¡¯re not the only one who makes girls freak out just at the sight of you.¡±

    Elric rolled his eyes as the others stepped into the room¡ªSia, Lyra, and Miss Star. Thea stayed where she was, clinging tightly to me, her face buried against my chest.

    ¡°Why are you joking about this?¡± she demanded, her voice muffled. ¡°You were covered in blood. Who did this to you? Where are they?¡±

    ¡°Just let him relax, dear,¡± Miss Star interjected gently. ¡°We can ask questions later.¡±

    Lyra rushed to my side, her hands already moving as she began chanting something under her breath. A soft glow surrounded Thea and me, warm and soothing.

    ¡°It¡¯ll speed up your healing¡­ safely, of course,¡± Lyra said, her voice carrying its usual singsong warmth.

    ¡°Thanks,¡± I replied, offering her a tired smile. Then I glanced down at Thea, still latched onto me, her grip unrelenting. ¡°And it¡¯s fine. I can explain.¡±

    She tilted her head just enough for me to catch her gaze. Her eyes were stormy grey, but now tinged pink from tears. ¡°Your eyes are pink,¡± I murmured.

    She looked back down, her voice trembling. ¡°You¡¯re lucky I can¡¯t hit you right now.¡±

    ¡°Rorik hired some guys to kidnap me and take me to the woods,¡± I began, keeping my tone steady, though the memory scraped against me like shards of glass.

    ¡°Him again?¡± Sia cut in, anger rising in her voice. I imagined she was thinking of the time Rorik had nearly killed Elric.

    I tried to nod, but the motion faltered, leaving me shifting my head slightly instead. ¡°Some big guy, really strong, grabbed me. Then I woke up¡­ tied up. He left three of his goons behind with Rorik.¡±

    Elric was next to speak, his voice firm but laced with worry. ¡°We can¡¯t let this go this time. Who knows what he¡¯ll try next? I¡¯m just glad you managed to escape.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t escape, I¡ª¡± The words stuck in my throat. A flood of images crashed over me like a tidal wave: the blood, the gurgling, the lifeless bodies. I saw the terror etched into their faces, the red pooling beneath me. My chest tightened, and my breath hitched as my vision blurred.

    ¡°I¡ª¡± My voice cracked, shaking under the weight of it all. Everyone stared at me in confusion, except Miss Star. Her gaze softened, understanding something the others didn¡¯t.

    ¡°I ki¡ª¡± The words wouldn¡¯t come. I was choking on them.

    ¡°Everybody out,¡± Miss Star commanded, her tone leaving no room for argument.

    All attention shifted to her. ¡°Mom, we¡ª¡± Sia began.

    ¡°Now,¡± she repeated, her voice firm yet calm.

    The others exchanged uneasy glances but obeyed, filing out of the room reluctantly. ¡°You too, Thea,¡± Miss Star said gently.

    But Thea shook her head, burying her face into my chest. Miss Star¡¯s eyes flickered with resolve, but before she could insist, I cleared my throat, forcing out the words. ¡°I¡ªit¡¯s okay.¡±

    I exhaled a shaky breath. ¡°But seriously, Thea¡­ maybe shift to my side. It¡¯s hard to breathe.¡± To my relief, she adjusted, curling into my side instead. Only her head rested against me now.

    ¡°If I didn¡¯t know any better,¡± I said weakly, forcing a small smile, ¡°I¡¯d think you liked me.¡±

    Thea didn¡¯t reply, but I swore I heard a faint crackling, like distant lightning.

    ¡°Peter,¡± Miss Star began, her voice soft but steady, ¡°you have to know it¡¯s not your fault. Whatever happened¡­ I¡¯m sure you didn¡¯t have a choice.¡±

    ¡°I¡ªI know¡­¡± I replied, though the words felt hollow. Something sharp clawed at my throat, threatening to spill out everything I was holding back.

    ¡°What happened?¡± Thea finally spoke, her voice quiet but resolute.

    Miss Star offered me an out. ¡°You don¡¯t have to say yet.¡±

    I shook my head slowly, my hands trembling. ¡°No.¡± My voice cracked, and my vision blurred again. ¡°They¡¯re dead.¡± Tears welled up, spilling down my cheeks. ¡°They¡¯re all dead, and I¡ªI killed them.¡±

    Thea¡¯s arms wrapped around me tighter, her warmth grounding me. I leaned into her, my chest heaving with tears I couldn¡¯t hold back anymore.

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t fast enough,¡± I choked out. ¡°He kept coming for me, and then¡­ it all just happened.¡±

    Silence followed, thick and suffocating.

    ¡°They would¡¯ve killed you, Peter. They¡ª¡± Thea started.

    ¡°No.¡± I muttered, cutting her off. ¡°Not all of them. Only one was really a threat, but I couldn¡¯t stop. What if they came back, just like Rorik? I couldn¡¯t let it happen, I¡ª¡±

    ¡°Peter!¡± Miss Star raised her voice, firm but not unkind. Her presence commanded the room, and her words, though soft, carried a weight I couldn¡¯t ignore. ¡°That¡¯s how life is here,¡± she said, her tone steady but tinged with something I couldn¡¯t quite place¡ªexperience, maybe, or resignation. ¡°It¡¯ll be even harder when you leave. Just rest for now. Don¡¯t dwell on it.¡±

    She stood, her shadow moving across the walls as she walked to the candles. One by one, she blew them out, leaving only the one closest to the bed.

    Without another word, she left the room, closing the door softly behind her.

    Thea stayed by my side, her head resting against me, her arms refusing to let go. Her presence, her warmth, was the only thing keeping me from drowning completely in the darkness.

    We lay there in silence for a while, the stillness almost comforting¡ªuntil I realized just how awkward this situation really was. As usual, my coping mechanism kicked in: humor.

    ¡°Thea?¡±

    ¡°Hm?¡± she murmured, her voice soft and muffled against me.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d get into my bed while I¡¯m naked so quickly into our relationship¡ªow!¡± I winced as she pinched my arm. ¡°I¡¯m injured already, you know?¡±

    ¡°You deserve that,¡± she replied, but I could hear her laughter bubbling beneath her words. She pressed her face down against my arm, and I didn¡¯t miss the way her ears turned a deep shade of red.

    ¡°You must be cold. Want to get under the blankets?¡± I teased, grinning despite the dull ache in my side.

    Now she laughed outright, her voice ringing out like a melody. ¡°You really need to stop. I will hurt you,¡± she said between giggles.

    ¡°I¡¯m just saying, if you¡¯re going to stay¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll just use my own sleeping bag.¡± she cut me off, her tone playful but firm.

    ¡°So you are staying?¡± I asked, maybe a little too hopefully.

    ¡°It¡¯s our room, what, you want me to leave?¡± she teased, sitting up on the edge of the bed.

    Okay, I didn¡¯t think I was this much of a wimp¡­ but I really, really didn¡¯t want to be alone. My face must¡¯ve betrayed every thought running through my mind because she laughed softly into her hand.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be back,¡± she said, standing and heading toward the door. ¡°Don¡¯t look so sad.¡±

    She left, and with her absence came the grueling weight of my thoughts. Alone, the silence was suffocating, and the memories clawed at my mind. Every second dragged on like an eternity.

    The door finally creaked open, and I called out, ¡°Thea?¡±

    ¡°Sorry to burst your bubble,¡± came Sia¡¯s frank tone. She stepped into the room carrying a tray. ¡°Just bringing up some food. Meat with roots. Simple enough, right?¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­ thanks,¡± I muttered, feeling my face turn red as she set the tray down beside me.

    ¡°Make sure to eat, alright?¡± she said with a laugh, walking back out of the room before I could say anything else.

    I picked up the fork with great effort, exhaustion weighing down on me like a lead blanket. Even mostly healed, my body still felt heavy and weak. I¡¯d barely managed a few bites when I heard Thea¡¯s familiar voice from the hallway: ¡°We won¡¯t!¡±

    The door opened, and there she was, carrying her tray of food, her cheeks flushed and her expression soft.

    She scampered across the room quickly, settling down beside me as I continued stuffing my face. ¡°What¡¯d Sia say?¡± I asked between bites.

    ¡°Nothing, she¡¯s just being nosy,¡± she replied. Then her eyes shifted and lingered on the food with a look that gave her away.

    ¡°Did you eat today?¡± I asked, raising an eyebrow.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, I¡ª¡±

    I spoke without hesitation. ¡°I¡¯m already eating, don¡¯t let me keep you.¡±

    She nodded gratefully, grabbing a bit of everything and stuffing her mouth with the same gusto I had earlier. Then, after a moment¡¯s pause, she lowered the plate¡­reluctantly.

    I couldn¡¯t help but laugh. We stayed like that, side by side. Though she did steal a bit of my, let¡¯s just call it chicken, trading me some of her roots. She called it a fair trade, but I mean, really?

    It was peaceful, the kind of quiet that didn¡¯t need filling, a welcome distraction from the thoughts from earlier tonight. Thea tucked her blanket around herself, as she went to her sleeping spot on the floor right next to the bed.

 Chapter 31: Boundaries

    I blew out the candle, plunging the room into a darkness so complete it felt like the walls themselves had closed in. The quiet pressed down, too heavy for sleep. After the chaos of today, pleasant dreams felt about as likely as finding a healer who worked for free.

    ¡°Thea?¡± I called softly, my voice cutting through the stillness.

    ¡°Yeah?¡± she answered, the faint rustling of blankets letting me know she¡¯d shifted to face me¡ªor at least I assumed she had. In this void, she could¡¯ve been doing cartwheels for all I knew. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±

    ¡°Um¡­ how did the guild-making go? Did you finish?¡±

    ¡°You want to talk about that?¡± Her tone carried a hint of surprise, like I¡¯d just asked her about tax law at a party.

    ¡°Actually, yes. Did you have fun reading all the documents?¡± I teased, letting a small grin creep onto my face. If I couldn¡¯t sleep, I might as well get some mileage out of annoying her.

    ¡°Ha,¡± she huffed, her tone dry enough to wilt plants. ¡°Not exactly my idea of a good time, but yeah, I finished. I¡¯m now officially the guild master of the first Cultivators¡¯ Guild. Only cost me a hundred points.¡±

    ¡°A real grandmaster, huh?¡± I said, letting the grin spread despite the ache in my side. ¡°I¡¯ll start bowing in your direction from now on.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Thea replied, the faintest trace of pride sneaking into her voice. ¡°You¡¯re the vice-head, by the way. Elric, Sia, and Lyra all have the authority to bring in new members and sell the first step of our method.¡±

    ¡°I was wondering about that, actually,¡± I said, leaning back against the wall. ¡°How much are we selling the Spiritual Reservoir Formation method for? We¡¯ve been going for three hundred points, but¡­¡±

    Thea jumped in before I could finish. ¡°No new recruits could possibly afford that.¡±

    ¡°Exactly,¡± I agreed. ¡°So, did you come to any conclusions?¡±

    She sighed. ¡°We still need to convince someone to actually finish the Spiritual Reservoir Formation first,¡± she explained. ¡°But honestly, I don¡¯t think we have much of a choice. We¡¯ll have to sell it dirt cheap and hope they join after their first transformation.¡±

    I thought back to what the commander had said about transformations. Had he been a recruit like us, one our age, the transformation would¡¯ve been life-changing. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s just keep it simple and cheap. Something like¡­¡±

    ¡°Five points?¡± Thea suggested.

    I groaned, and she laughed. ¡°I guess that¡¯s probably for the best. Still, it might annoy Sia and Lyra, considering we asked them for so much.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯ll be fine,¡± she said, her tone reassuring. ¡°We¡¯re all part of the same group now¡ªno more secrets.¡±

    I let her words hang in the air for a moment, the silence wrapping around us like a heavy blanket. Then, another piece of the commander¡¯s advice surfaced in my mind, sharp and insistent.

    ¡°Thea, one more thing,¡± I said, my tone more serious than before.

    ¡°Yeah?¡± she replied, her voice soft, almost wary.

    ¡°When they reach Grand Carving,¡± I began carefully, ¡°and we teach them the purification that comes with it¡ªthen Body Refinement after that¡ªwe need to make sure the contracts are airtight. Advertising the methods before those is fine, as long as it doesn¡¯t reveal the ¡®how.¡¯ But after they complete Grand Carving, even talking about the next part can¡¯t be allowed.¡± I paused, my voice lowering. ¡°The punishment has to be severe¡­.¡±

    She hesitated, the silence stretching between us. When she finally spoke, her voice was cautious, almost fragile. ¡°Are you sure about that?¡±

    I shook my head, though I knew she couldn¡¯t see me. ¡°No,¡± I admitted, the word heavy in my mouth. ¡°But I trust our instructor. He heavily implied that it could be dangerous if knowledge of Body Refinement gets out.¡±

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll make sure that¡¯s in there¡­if anyone ever signs up,¡± She cuckled. ¡°Oh one more thing from me.¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    ¡°We need a hundred points a month to keep the guild,¡± Thea said flatly.

    There was a long silence. Too long. ¡°So¡­ missions?¡± I ventured, filling the void.

    ¡°Missions, customers, and guild members,¡± she completed, her tone carrying that ¡°obviously¡± edge I was getting used to.

    ¡°Hey?¡± I asked again after a beat.

    ¡°Peter, we actually need to sleep,¡± she groaned, the exhaustion thick in her voice.

    ¡°Yeah, yeah,¡± I dismissed with a wave she couldn¡¯t see. ¡°This is important.¡±

    She groaned louder this time. ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°Where are my clothes? That was my last pair.¡± I paused, trying to sound nonchalant despite the very real problem. ¡°I mean, I¡¯ll need them eventually. Walking outside like this with so many ladies in the building¡ªnot to mention other residents¡ªdoesn¡¯t exactly scream ¡®upstanding new tenant.¡¯¡±

    ¡°How should I know?¡± she retorted, sharp as ever.

    ¡°Well, someone had to take them. Elric said you and Miss Star were here, so¡­¡±

    Her tone turned sarcastic in a heartbeat. ¡°What, you think I cleaned you?¡±

    ¡°Elric said you were here,¡± I pressed. ¡°So it was either you or Miss Star.¡±Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.

    ¡°Maybe it was Elric,¡± she suggested dryly.

    ¡°Oh sure. That¡¯s much better¡ªhim hovering over me while I¡¯m naked and vulnerable.¡± I paused, considering. Then again, he probably did, considering he¡¯s the only other guy.

    ¡°Did you want me to clean you?¡± she shot back, her voice dripping with mockery.

    ¡°I mean¡­¡± I dragged the word out, leaving room for her answer, even though I knew exactly what was coming.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to hit you, recovering or not,¡± she said evenly, like it was a scheduled appointment.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t hear a no,¡± I replied, grinning into the darkness. Before she could follow through on her threat, the door creaked open, spilling light into the room and blinding me in the process.

    ¡°Oh good, I didn¡¯t interrupt anything,¡± Elric announced, grinning like he¡¯d just walked in on the world¡¯s funniest sitcom. The light from the hallway¡ªor maybe his obnoxiously bright smile¡ªstabbed at my still-adjusting eyes.

    ¡°What would you even be interrupting?¡± Thea asked, completely oblivious to the implication.

    ¡°You thought you might interrupt and didn¡¯t bother knocking?¡± I asked incredulously, shielding my eyes.

    ¡°I thought it¡¯d be funny,¡± he said with zero remorse.

    ¡°Wh¡ªwhat is wrong with you, man?¡± I demanded, waving at him vaguely as my eyes adjusted. ¡°How could interrupting a tender moment between a man and a woman possibly be funny? Either way, Thea and I haven¡¯t¡ª¡±

    I stopped mid-sentence. Elric was smirking, fully enjoying himself.

    ¡°Peter?¡± came Thea¡¯s cold, unmistakable voice from somewhere beneath the bed.

    ¡°Yes, Thea?¡±

    ¡°Stop talking,¡± she commanded, her tone sharp enough to cut steel.

    Did he plan this? Did he know I¡¯d take the bait and talk myself into a hole? His level of foresight was downright terrifying. But I relented to Thea¡¯s command, figuring I¡¯d teased her enough for one day. ¡°Jerk,¡± I muttered under my breath.

    ¡°Idiot,¡± Elric shot back instantly, as if he¡¯d been waiting for it.

    And then the one in charge, our self-appointed guildmaster, ended the exchange with a single word: ¡°Bed.¡±

    That was the last word spoken before we all settled into our respective spots¡ªElric commandeering my sleeping bag for the night while I shifted uncomfortably on the bed, every movement sending sharp protests from my side.

    The forest was endless, a sea of shadow and shifting shapes. Figures emerged from the darkness, chasing me relentlessly. I tried to fight, but for every one I took down, more took their place. Their faces were expressionless, eerie masks devoid of life, each one wielding a mismatched assortment of weapons. Blades flashed, clubs swung, arrows whistled past. No matter what I did, they kept coming, overwhelming me. My breath hitched as I turned to face them¡ª

    I woke with a sharp gasp, pain stabbing into my side. The phantom sensation of a knife plunging into my ribs lingered as I cried out, ¡°Ah!¡±

    ¡°Quit screaming. It can¡¯t hurt that much,¡± Elric said, his tone as casual as if he were commenting on the weather.

    ¡°Elric?¡± I sighed in relief, the dream fading but leaving behind an edge of unease. ¡°Dude, there are so many problems with this.¡±

    He looked genuinely confused, as though I¡¯d just insulted his sacred healing craft. ¡°I¡¯m just treating you in the morning. You¡¯re honestly pretty much mine, though.¡±

    I blinked at him, caught between amusement and disbelief. ¡°You think the best time to, uh, force yourself on me,¡± I paused, reconsidering my wording and clearing my throat, ¡°to heal me¡­ is while I¡¯m asleep?¡±

    ¡°I figured you wouldn¡¯t resist,¡± he replied blankly, removing his hands and apparently finishing up. ¡°Clearly, I was wrong.¡±

    ¡°Boundaries, man. That¡¯s all I¡¯m saying. Boundaries.¡±

    Our bickering was interrupted by Thea stepping into the room, her tone sharp. ¡°Elric, I told you not to.¡±

    ¡°I told you it would be faster,¡± he replied with a grin, casually strolling out as if he hadn¡¯t just violated all rules of personal space.

    ¡°Morning, Thea,¡± I greeted, my voice hoarse but accompanied by a grin.

    ¡°How are you feeling?¡± she asked, concern evident in her tone.

    ¡°Other than being violated by that monster disguised as an idol, totally fine,¡± I said, waving it off. I wasn¡¯t sure if she knew what an idol was or just decided not to ask, but she ignored the comment entirely.

    ¡°Good. We should get to the Fighting Hall soon,¡± she said, shifting into business mode. ¡°We all either have fines to pay or fights to make up.¡±

    ¡°Right.¡± I stood up, intent on getting dressed, only to be interrupted.

    ¡°Peter!¡± Thea yelped, spinning around so fast she almost tripped.

    ¡°Oh, right,¡± I muttered, glancing down at my current attire¡ªor lack thereof. So, about my clothes?¡±

    Without a word, Thea bolted from the room, a faint blush creeping up her neck. ¡°Elric! Peter¡¯s clothes!¡± she shouted somewhere down the hall.

    And so, I stood there. Alone. Waiting. Slightly chilly.

    Eventually, Elric strolled in, holding out my training attire with a smirk. ¡°Here.¡±

    I took it with a nod, resisting the urge to say something snarky. He left without another word, and I quickly threw on the clothes before heading downstairs, where the heavenly aroma of breakfast greeted me. Sia¡¯s mother had outdone herself.

    Sliding into the seat next to Thea at the table, I found the rest of the group already waiting. Before me was a spread that could make a noble salivate: a large white roll of bread, something that looked like¡ªand turned out to be¡ªroasted tomatoes, and the most golden eggs I¡¯d ever had the pleasure of witnessing.

    Or tasting. Oh, the taste.

    I dove in, shoveling food into my mouth like I hadn¡¯t eaten in weeks. Conversation buzzed around me, but I tuned it out, letting the others chat while I focused on the masterpiece before me. By the time I finished my plate, they were still only a quarter through theirs.

    ¡°Should I go ahead?¡± I asked, glancing up at the group. The silence that followed was deafening, and they all turned to me with looks that ranged from disbelief to outright judgment.

    Lyra was the first to break the silence, shaking her head and speaking in her signature soft, comforting tone. ¡°Peter¡­ you want to go alone? Again? After what happened to you and Elric?¡±

    Her expression wasn¡¯t just concern¡ªit was the kind of look you give a kid who declares they¡¯re going to fight a bear with a butter knife. I could admit, in hindsight, it was a stupid suggestion.

    ¡°You sure you¡¯re okay with this guy?¡± Sia added, her tone dripping with mock disbelief. Then she placed a hand over her heart, switching to her dramatic voice. ¡°Oh, how can I, Sia the gentle and concerned, allow such recklessness to continue? Peter, the fool who would charge into danger with no system, you must reconsider Thea!¡±

    I groaned, recognizing her callback to that absurd performance she¡¯d put on in front of Rorik. ¡°Are we doing this act again?¡± I muttered.

    ¡°Act?¡± she asked sweetly, dropping her exaggerated tone just long enough to flash an innocent grin.

    Thea, barely holding back laughter, cleared her throat. ¡°Alright, enough. We all go together. No more splitting up without another person. Agreed?¡±

    Everyone nodded in agreement.

    I glanced over at Thea, who seemed to sense my gaze immediately. Her expression softened. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Peter?¡± she whispered, though the whisper wasn¡¯t much use¡ªeveryone could probably hear her. We really needed to figure out a solution for that.

    Her concern was genuine, but I couldn¡¯t resist breaking the moment. ¡°You going to eat all that?¡± I asked, nodding toward her plate.

    She answered swiftly, pulling her plate closer with a look that could¡¯ve rivaled a dragon guarding it¡¯s hoard. Oh, are dragons real here? That would be a fun thing to find out.

    So, I sat there, defeated and discontent, waiting for the others to finish. The morning light filtered through the windows, painting the room in soft golds and oranges. It wasn¡¯t quite the heroic start to the day I¡¯d envisioned, but with my side aching, my stomach growling, and my friends bickering, it felt¡­ normal.

 Chapter 32: Sponsor and Worship

    I waited for them to finish eating, and with a quick wave, we all set off for the Hall of Heroes. ¡°You sure you don¡¯t want to squeeze in some training first?¡± I asked as we walked.

    Lyra answered, ¡°I think we should try signing up for a match as soon as possible. None of us did them yesterday, so the sooner we handle it, the less trouble we can get in.¡±

    I nodded. ¡°Alright, but then cultivation after?¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t mind,¡± Thea chimed in. ¡°But what about the mission? I¡¯ve only got a couple of days left to finish it.¡±

    ¡°The one to hunt Pack Claws?¡± I asked. ¡°What exactly do we need to do for that?¡±

    ¡°Bring at least three to the Grand Hall. Each one is worth 10 points, depending on their quality,¡± Thea explained.

    ¡°So¡­I guess we can¡¯t blow them up.¡± I lamented.

    ¡°Probably for some food stall somewhere,¡± Sia added with a shrug.

    After a little more back-and-forth, we arrived at the Hall and headed straight to the battles desk. The attendant barely glanced up as we approached.

    ¡°So,¡± I started, deciding to summarize things quickly, ¡°I got kidnapped and almost killed.¡± I pointed to my friends. ¡°They were out looking for me, so none of us got to do our battles yesterday.¡±

    She finally looked up, her expression flat. ¡°Congrats on making it back.¡±

    ¡°Um¡­thanks?¡± That¡¯s it? Really? Then again, considering a person¡¯s life here is worth a thousand points¡ªif their murderer is even caught¡ªI shouldn¡¯t be surprised.

    ¡°Just complete two matches,¡± she said. ¡°I won¡¯t penalize you since it was out of your control.¡±

    That was kind of her¡­or at least not as heartless as I expected. But, of course, I had to ruin the moment. ¡°What if I¡¯m lying?¡± I blurted.

    She locked eyes with me, her gaze bored but unwavering. I immediately regretted everything. ¡°Are you lying?¡± she asked, her tone making me feel like an absolute idiot.

    ¡°N¡ªno! Of course not! Definitely kidnapped. Nearly killed. All true. Promise.¡± Smooth, right? That had to sound believable.

    I glanced back at my companions. Most of them had their heads down, faces buried in their palms. That had to be about something else¡­ right?

    The attendant sighed, a long, slow exhale, as if I¡¯d personally ruined the nothing she was busy with before we arrived. ¡°Orbs,¡± she commanded, holding out her hand.

    I handed her mine first, making a split-second decision to request a human fight first and assess my condition afterward. I still had two more beast fight for the month.

    Behind me, Thea¡¯s voice cut through the moment. ¡°When did you get so many points?¡± Her tone carried a mix of surprise and curiosity as she caught a glimpse of my orb, glowing faintly with the number 600.

    My heart jumped at her question. My breath quickened without meaning to. ¡°I¡ª¡± The words crumbled before I could finish, fragments drowned by the memories flooding back. Images of last night slammed into me like a cold wave.

    Then, her hand found mine. She squeezed gently, her voice soft but steady. ¡°It¡¯s fine. Never mind.¡±

    I smiled at her, grateful, but the actions¡ªmy actions¡ªfrom last night left a deeper mark than I realized. Whenever the images returned, they froze me in place, the weight of them difficult to bear.

    The others finished signing up, and we waited off to the side for our names to be called. The hall was quiet here, only a handful of people loitering around. Most were waiting for their matches, their eyes fixed on their orbs or the distant hum of the arena terrariums. It struck me how few of us there were. Not nearly enough for everyone to be matched at the same time. And the elevators¡ªthere weren¡¯t nearly enough of those, either.

    A thought struck me, and I turned to Thea. ¡°Hey, Thea?¡±

    ¡°Yeah? What¡¯s up?¡± she asked, a hint of concern creeping into her voice, probably still thinking about my earlier stumble.

    ¡°Are we going to have to fight each other in there?¡± I pointed toward the sprawling arenas, floating in their massive glass terrariums like suspended ecosystems.

    She shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s unlikely. Why?¡±

    I gestured vaguely at the sparse crowd. ¡°There aren¡¯t exactly a ton of people here.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± she said, laughing softly. ¡°Sometimes I forget¡ªyou¡¯re not from here.¡±

    Sia, overhearing, paused her conversation with Lyra and Elric to chime in. ¡°Those things?¡± She pointed to the elevators, a faint smile tugging at her lips. ¡°They send you to arenas across the State.¡±

    ¡°Wait,¡± I said, frowning. ¡°So, teleportation?¡±

    ¡°Basically,¡± Sia replied with a shrug. ¡°Sometimes you¡¯ll face someone from here, but it¡¯s rare. Unless it¡¯s a personal challenge.¡±

    I nodded slowly, my mind swimming with questions. Teleportation? What about the up-and-down motion we felt when we used them? Did they still physically move through space? Whose blessing made something like this even possible? The more I learned about this place, the more it felt like a chaotic blend of the fantastical and the medieval, simultaneously advanced and impossibly archaic.

    Thea nudged me lightly. ¡°Deep thoughts?¡±

    ¡°More like weird ones,¡± I admitted with a small grin. ¡°This place keeps finding new ways to confuse me.¡±

    She opened her mouth to respond, but before she could, our names were called in quick succession. ¡°Good luck,¡± I said, giving her a small wave as we headed to our matches.

    The others waved us off absentmindedly, barely sparing a glance as they remained deep in conversation. I couldn¡¯t help but wonder¡ªwhat were they talking about so intently?

    I stepped into the elevator¡ªor teleporter, or whatever it was¡ªand settled into the center. Taking a deep breath, I focused on preparing myself for the match. One thing was clear: I couldn¡¯t use my force shotgun blast. With Elric¡¯s advice and my significantly stronger internal energy, it was far too risky.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    Either way, this should be straightforward. According to Sia, Thea¡¯s agility stat wasn¡¯t far from mine, and she mentioned it was where most third-years left off. If that was considered impressive, taking care of a bottom rank opponent shouldn¡¯t be too difficult.

    The door opened, revealing a rocky arena bathed in dim, artificial light. Across from me stood my opponent¡ªa guy in gleaming metal armor, wielding a longsword and shield. He was the picture-perfect tank archetype, his gear bulky and practical.

    The usual announcements followed, listing his status¡ªtank class with some defensive blessing¡ªand then mine, flashing the familiar Late Bloomer. I caught a brief flicker of confusion on his face at that which turned to obvious joy.

    Finally, the announcer¡¯s voice rang out: ¡°Begin.¡±

    I knew I¡¯d been taught to hold my ground and wait for my opponent¡¯s move, but that advice was for fights on equal footing. The moment this guy started charging, I could tell this wasn¡¯t going to be one of those fights. His movements were painfully slow, his armor weighing him down like an anchor.

    It wasn¡¯t just that my reflexes had improved¡ªI was faster, sharper, almost hyper-aware. Watching him lumber toward me felt like a scene from a slow-motion replay.

    I waited for him to close the gap, but boredom got the better of me. Circulating energy to the focal point in my right fist, I decided to test my strength. I rushed forward, meeting him halfway.

    My punch landed squarely against his breastplate. I barely felt the impact before the armor crumpled inward like tinfoil. He flew backward with a grunt, crashing into the ground several feet away. His sword and shield clattered uselessly to the ground beside him.

    ¡°Oh man,¡± I muttered, jogging over to his crumpled form. ¡°Please be alive¡­¡±

    My heart raced as I knelt beside him, pressing two fingers to his neck. Relief washed over me when I found a steady pulse. He was out cold but breathing. That was enough for me.

    I stood, brushing dust off my pants, and glanced around, waiting for the announcement to call the match. But nothing came. The silence was unnerving. Was I supposed to keep going? That didn¡¯t make sense¡ªthis guy was clearly out.

    ¡°Are you serious?¡± I muttered under my breath. ¡°He can¡¯t continue. What more do you want?¡±

    Finally, the announcer¡¯s voice crackled through the arena, sounding unusually hesitant: ¡°C¡ªcontinuing to fight will result in severe punishment. Please exit.¡±

    ¡°There it is,¡± I said, exhaling as the tension in my chest eased. I turned and made my way toward the exit, sparing one last glance at my opponent.

    The door slid shut behind me, and before I knew it, I was handed my ten points and another victory added to my soldier battles tally. Not bad for a quick match. Leaning against the wall, I waited for the others.

    Before long, Thea emerged, but instead of heading toward me, she stopped at the battles desk. The attendant leaned over and said something I couldn¡¯t hear from my spot against the wall.

    Concern prickled at the back of my mind. Jogging forward, I called out, ¡°Anything wrong, Thea?¡±

    The attendant turned her gaze on me with surprising intensity. ¡°It¡¯s not your business, recruit,¡± she said, her tone uncharacteristically sharp for someone usually so uninterested in¡­ anything.

    She then turned back to Thea, her voice softening slightly. ¡°Nothing to worry about. Just enter again.¡±

    Thea gave me a reassuring smile, but the fear in her eyes told a different story. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll be right back,¡± she said before stepping into the elevator.

    I watched helplessly as the doors closed, sealing her inside. The uneasy feeling in my chest tightened. Turning to the attendant, I asked, ¡°Can you tell me anything?¡±

    ¡°Go sit down,¡± she commanded without looking up.

    ¡°Twenty points,¡± I offered, desperate to get something out of her.

    She scoffed, her attention still on whatever she was fiddling with under the desk. ¡°You¡¯re way off the mark if you think I¡¯ll reveal anything about the State for some measly bribes.¡±

    ¡°So it does have to do with the State?¡± I asked, catching the slip.

    Her hands froze, and she glared up at me. ¡°I am warning you. Go away. Now.¡±

    The chill in her tone left no room for argument. Reluctantly, I stepped back, pacing near the wall as I waited. My mind raced with possibilities, none of them comforting.

    To my surprise, Thea returned before the others only after a short time. She emerged from the elevator with a bright smile on her face, jogging toward me.

    ¡°You okay?¡± I asked, scanning her expression for any sign of the earlier fear.

    ¡°Better,¡± she said in a hushed tone. ¡°A State representative wanted to speak with me.¡±

    ¡°Is that good?¡± I asked, noting the difference between the fear she had earlier and her current excitement.

    She shook her head, then quickly nodded. ¡°It¡¯s usually very, very¡ªvery bad. But this time, they noticed my blessing. I¡¯m still bottom rank, but the woman¡­ she offered to sponsor me.¡±

    Her words didn¡¯t immediately click. ¡°Thea¡­ explain.¡± My voice carried just a hint of exasperation¡ªwho could possibly understand what ¡®sponsorship¡¯ meant without context?

    Rolling her eyes, she elaborated, ¡°For now, she¡¯ll cover my¡ªwell, our¡ªliving expenses.¡±

    ¡°You mean Miss Star¡¯s inn?¡± I clarified.

    She nodded eagerly. ¡°I told them where we¡¯re staying. She said she¡¯d pay for the room, and if I prove myself further, well¡­ she trailed off, but it can¡¯t be bad, right?¡±

    I nodded, feeling a wave of relief. ¡°Keeping an extra seventy-five points is definitely a good thing.¡± Honestly, I¡¯d been growing increasingly worried about how we¡¯d manage to pay for the inn without making some drastic choices.

    ¡°Should we do our next match or just wait for the others?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Let¡¯s wait. I¡¯m sure it won¡¯t take long,¡± Thea said.

    As if on cue, Elric emerged, looking a little worse for wear but far from beaten. Oddly, four other people followed close behind. Judging by their physiques and the attire they wore, they were all healers¡ªand all girls.

    The way they looked at him was different from his usual pop-star aura. This wasn¡¯t admiration or infatuation¡ªit was reverence. Before, they might¡¯ve loved him. Now? This was pure worship.

    Elric waved them over, and they flocked to him like disciples to a messiah.

    ¡°Elric, you¡¯re going to make Sia and Lyra sad,¡± Thea quipped, eyeing the group with a smirk.

    He shook his head and laughed¡ªa sound that, somehow, elicited an audible sigh from his entourage. ¡°This was part of their idea. We pooled some points and paid for them to watch my match¡ª¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s amazing!¡± one of the girls interrupted, her voice a squeal. She was younger than the others, probably newer than even us. ¡°What kind of healer can move like him!¡± Her exclamation drew fervent nods and murmurs of agreement from the rest.

    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± I dragged out the word, still processing what I was witnessing. ¡°He¡¯s great¡­ Elric?¡±

    He turned to me, all innocence. ¡°What?¡±

    Thea sighed. ¡°Continue, please.¡±

    ¡°Oh, right, sorry. I thought they might have more to say.¡± The sheer arrogance¡ªhe loved hearing his own praises, didn¡¯t he? Turning back to the group, he smiled, the kind that could sell ice to someone living in a snowstorm. ¡°Anyway, all of this is possible because of our guild. The Cultivators¡¯ Guild.¡±

    The girls exchanged hesitant glances, clearly skeptical. Their expressions betrayed what most people thought about cultivation¡ªnot worth the effort. Elric, undeterred, turned up the charm. ¡°Trust me. I wouldn¡¯t fool any of you. If you¡¯re unsure, you can try the first technique. We¡¯ll sell it for¡ª¡± He glanced at Thea, who whispered something under her breath, five points.

    ¡°Thirty points,¡± he announced smoothly.

    Thea inhaled sharply but didn¡¯t argue. I nodded¡ªElric certainly knew how to leverage his blessings.

    One of the girls, a blonde with bright eyes, stepped forward. ¡°We¡¯ll join your guild. If you say we can do all that, I believe you.¡±

    Elric¡¯s expression shifted to one of fierce gratitude, his voice dropping into an almost reverent tone. ¡°Thank you so much, Mia.¡± As he approached her, his gaze locked onto hers, and she practically glowed under his attention. ¡°Sign the contract, and I promise it¡¯ll be worth it. I¡¯ll even show you my own techniques.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll join!¡± another girl chimed in.

    ¡°Me too!¡± added a third.

    The fourth hesitated for only a moment before nodding, ¡°I¡¯m in.¡±

    Elric¡¯s face looked like he might cry. I¡¯d definitely recruit him for my next play. ¡°Thank you so much,¡± he said, his voice laden with emotion. ¡°I promise I¡¯ll live up to your expectations.¡±

    And just like that, we had four new guild members.

 Chapter 33: Old Friends

    Sia and Lyra both returned soon after. Lyra looked a bit worse for wear, her first fight leaving some visible marks, while Sia appeared untouched¡ªjust a little drained.

    One of the girls turned to Lyra, her tone bright. ¡°You were right. It was amazing to watch. Thank you for telling us he was asking for people to come.¡±

    Lyra gave her a motherly smile. ¡°Of course. Did you join our little group?¡± Her tone was as warm as her expression.

    Thea leaned in to whisper to me, ¡°Do you think she¡¯s in charge of the fan club?¡±

    ¡°Has to be,¡± I murmured back.

    Raising my voice, I addressed the new recruits. ¡°Alright, Thea here¡ª¡± I gestured toward her ¡°¡ªwill prepare the contracts. We¡¯ll take a portion of the points you earn daily¡­after you finish the first step, in exchange for training, support, and, of course, protection.¡±

    ¡°If the Healers¡¯ Guild gives you trouble for practicing your skills or offering treatments, let us know,¡± Elric added, her tone steady but inviting.

    Considering that healing services were often monopolized by the guilds, our offer was bound to ruffle feathers. But we had a point to prove. ¡°We¡¯ll make sure you don¡¯t have to rely solely on your blessing to get by. You¡¯ll be able to use your own abilities, and before long, you¡¯ll be strong enough to fight warriors toe to toe. Elric, as you saw, is proof of that.¡±

    I turned to Lyra. ¡°Judging by your new battle scars, I take it you chose to fight?¡±

    She nodded, brushing a strand of hair out of her face. ¡°They were just a mage, but I managed to force them to surrender.¡± Her pride was evident, further validating our methods.

    An idea struck me. ¡°For training, we have a room in the Town of the Fallen.¡±

    One girl, probably newer than the rest, tilted her head in confusion. I clarified, ¡°It¡¯s a small town a bit out from here. If you don¡¯t know where it is, just ask. The place is called Great¡¯s Training. We¡¯ll show you all how to get there later.¡±

    After a pause, I outlined the details. ¡°The room fits six people and has two areas¡ªone for sparring, one for quiet study. Battles are only allowed in the sparring room, and staying overnight isn¡¯t permitted.¡± I let that sink in before continuing. ¡°Because of the space limits and the fact that we all have to share, we¡¯ll make a schedule for you to sign up. For just¡­¡± I did a quick mental calculation. ¡°Five points. No price changes based on time of day, and you can train for three hours per session.¡±

    Sia stepped in, her expression serious. ¡°I strongly suggest you don¡¯t go into town alone. It can be¡ªdangerous. I¡¯ll show you where we stay, in case you need to find us or leave a message.¡±

    The recruits exchanged glances, their initial hesitation slowly giving way to cautious interest. The foundation of our guild was solidifying, one step at a time.

    ¡°For now,¡± Elric said, gesturing to Thea. ¡°Stay here with her. We all have an extra match today. I¡¯m so happy to have new teammates.¡±

    They smiled back and nodded, turning to Thea next. She looked a bit overwhelmed, so I leaned closer and murmured, ¡°Good luck, Grandmaster. I¡¯ll be out soon, then you can finish your match.¡±

    She nodded, a small smile playing on her lips. ¡°Don¡¯t beat anyone too badly.¡±

    We went to sign up for our matches, and I chose another recruit fight. Sia and Lyra both informed us they¡¯d surrender their matches this round, citing exhaustion. I didn¡¯t blame them¡ªfighting back-to-back was no joke.

    Our names were called almost immediately, and I stepped into the teleporter, ready for my next battle. When the door opened, I found myself standing in a grassland arena, tall blades of grass swaying gently in a nonexistent breeze.

    Before long, my opponent appeared on the opposite side. Something about him caught my attention right away. As our statuses were announced, the same title rang out for both of us: ¡°Late Bloomer.¡±

    I looked closer. Blond hair, brown eyes, and an exhausted expression that spoke of countless struggles. His shoulders were slumped, his movements sluggish, as though every step was a battle. No¡­ it couldn¡¯t be. ¡°Trev?¡± I called softly.

    He didn¡¯t respond, his fear-filled gaze darting around as if searching for an escape. ¡°Trevor!¡± I called louder, my voice slicing through his haze. His eyes finally cleared, and recognition dawned on his face as I jogged toward him.

    ¡°Peter. Holy¡ªPeter!¡± He sprinted toward me, throwing his arms around me in a tight embrace. ¡°How¡ªwhy? I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re here, man!¡±

    I pulled back slightly, taking in his appearance. He was in bad shape, his body littered with scabbed wounds and fresh scars. None of the injuries seemed infected, but they told a story of relentless suffering. Scars on his arms and face that hadn¡¯t been there before now stood out starkly.Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

    ¡°What happened, Trev?¡± I asked, my voice low and steady.

    He looked down, his expression heavy. ¡°I just showed up one day in this horrible place,¡± he said, his voice cracking. ¡°They won¡¯t let me rest, man. Every day, I have to step in here. At least I¡¯ve got somewhere to sleep, but¡ªI¡¯m running out of points. Soon, I won¡¯t even be able to surrender. I can¡¯t heal, and no one¡¯s going to loan me anything. I¡¯m stuck.¡±

    Hearing his words felt like looking at a darker version of myself. If I hadn¡¯t met Thea and the others, is this how I would¡¯ve ended up? Or worse?

    I pushed the thought aside, knowing we didn¡¯t have much time before the announcement would demand action. ¡°I don¡¯t think we have long,¡± I said quickly, urgency lacing my tone. ¡°They¡¯ll ask us to fight any moment now.¡±

    ¡°One of us can just surr¡ª¡± Trevor started.

    ¡°No,¡± I interrupted, shaking my head firmly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that. Do you know where you are? The name of this place?¡±

    He hesitated, then said, ¡°Some coliseum-looking thing. They called it the Hall of Victors.¡±

    A different name. Good. I only hoped each of these places had unique identifiers. If I could find a way to him, I needed to remember every detail.

    ¡°Okay, sit,¡± I urged, my words coming out rushed. I had to get this out before we were interrupted. ¡°Focus on this feeling. I¡¯ll try to show you more if I can, but you need to be very careful when practicing this. I mean it¡ªone mistake here could kill you.¡±

    Channeling a fraction of my energy, I reached out and transferred it to him, just as Thea had done for me back when I first arrived. The glow spread faintly across his body, and he tensed briefly before relaxing with a deep exhale.

    ¡°W-wow,¡± he stammered, his voice tinged with awe. ¡°That¡¯s amazing.¡±

    ¡°Cultivation,¡± I explained quickly. ¡°You can absorb energy from the world. You just need quiet and physical activity. I¡¯ll teach you the rest, but¡ª¡±

    The announcement interrupted, sharp and final: ¡°Begin fighting or be severely punished.¡±

    We were out of time. ¡°Give me your orb,¡± I said, my voice firm.

    Trevor hesitated, fear flickering in his eyes. ¡°Trevor, I¡¯m not stealing it. Give it to me. Now!¡±

    His hand trembled as he reached into his worn pocket and produced the orb. I pressed mine to it, transferring 400 points into his. The glowing numbers on mine dropped to 210. I wanted to give him more, but I¡¯d need points if I had any chance of finding a way to contact him later.

    Before I could step back, a knight appeared, materializing from one of the doors with. His polished armor caught the light, a stark contrast to the shadows that seemed to cling to him. He exuded authority, every inch of him radiating control.

    ¡°Return the points to each other. Now.¡± His voice was a command, cold and absolute, with no room for negotiation.

    Trevor glanced at me, panic flickering across his face. ¡°Peter, it¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll¡ª¡±

    I didn¡¯t let him finish. The decision had already been made the moment I saw Trevor. The energy I¡¯d been gathering in my hand thrummed with readiness, my path clear. This knight wasn¡¯t expecting resistance¡ªno one disobeyed orders.

    I darted forward, closing the distance in a blur. The knight¡¯s helmeted head snapped toward me, his body shifting as though to intercept, but it was too late. For a fraction of a second, disbelief flickered in his stance¡ªa crack in his impenetrable facade. He hadn¡¯t anticipated this. He couldn¡¯t.

    My hand shot up, energy humming at its peak. I didn¡¯t hesitate. I slammed my palm directly against the side of his helmet and unleashed the force shotgun.

    I didn¡¯t know how much stronger these knights were compared to the recruits I¡¯d fought before, but remembering the speed of the first one, I knew they weren¡¯t pushovers. Still, this was a point-blank release of the most powerful¡ªand only¡ªskill I had.

    The force hit with a resounding crack, and his helmet caved inward, hugging his face rather than breaking bone or muscle. He staggered backward before collapsing to the ground. Without wasting a second, I climbed on top of him and pressed my other hand to the opposite side of his helmet. I released the same technique again.

    The second blast sent a jolt through my arm, nearly depleting my internal strength. My chest heaved as exhaustion set in, and I struggled to gather more energy. I didn¡¯t know the state of the man beneath me¡ªif he was unconscious or worse¡ªbut one thing was certain: no one would be focused on Trevor anymore.

    Another door opened and I turned just in time to see another knight charging toward me. His speed was blinding, his hand extended as though to grab me. I dove to the side, just barely dodging as his hand grazed my hair.

    We both came to a stop, facing each other. He glanced briefly at the downed knight before turning his gaze to Trevor. ¡°Return to your door,¡± he commanded.

    Trevor hesitated, looking at me as if to say something. I nodded quickly, urging him to leave. His shoulders slumped, defeat written across his face, but he stood and made his way to the elevator. The doors closed behind him, and his figure disappeared.

    The knight and I were now alone. His piercing gaze fixed on me. ¡°You are a mage? Why did you appear as a late bloomer?¡± he asked. His tone was calm, authoritative, but not angry. There was a tinge of curiosity, as though he found me more intriguing than threatening.

    Adrenaline pumped through me, clouding my thoughts. I struggled to process his question, my mind racing for an answer. Before I could speak, he vanished¡ªand then reappeared right in front of me. I tried to run, but his hand clamped firmly onto my shoulder, holding me in place. He didn¡¯t hurt me, but his grip was unyielding.

    ¡°I asked you a question, recruit. Answer,¡± he said again, his voice sharper this time.

    I didn¡¯t want to tell him anything about cultivation. The commander¡¯s words and implications were clear.

    He must have sensed my resistance because his next words struck like a dagger. ¡°Answer, or I will kill the man you just helped.¡±

    My heart thumped so loudly it drowned out all other sounds. These people¡ªevery single one of them¡ªwere insane. How could they be this cruel, this callous?

    Panic clawed at my mind as I searched desperately for something to say. I could claim I was bound by a contract not to speak, but that might make them target Thea or the commander. I could lie and say it was an error in their system, that I had a unique blessing, but that could unravel just as quickly.

    He released me, his cold eyes boring into mine. ¡°It seems you¡¯ve made your decision,¡± he said flatly. He glanced upward. ¡°Bring back the¡ª¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s cultivation!¡± I shouted, my voice trembling. The words escaped before I could stop them. I¡¯d relented.

 Chapter 34: The State of Stars

    He stood there, looking at me. ¡°Just cultivation? Nothing else?¡±

    ¡°Nothing else,¡± I said, defeated.

    He glanced at his fallen colleague before doing something that shocked me. I¡¯d been able to track his movements earlier because his stats were focused elsewhere¡ªprobably strength. He grabbed the crumpled helmet and peeled it off like a wrapper, revealing an unconscious man bleeding from the ears.

    ¡°Still alive, huh?¡± he muttered, almost disappointed, before calling out above, ¡°Send in some healers. He¡¯s fine.¡±

    He turned back to me. ¡°Come with me.¡±

    I hesitated, wondering if there was a way out of this. He must¡¯ve noticed, because he added, ¡°Relax, you¡¯re not in trouble.¡± His tone was casual, like he was sure of that without needing to ask anyone.

    I followed him into the compartment as the doors closed behind us. The silence was awful. He stood behind me, his presence looming like a reminder of how powerless I was in this world.

    The doors opened, revealing a strange room. It was bright and clean, well-lit and¡­ modern, for lack of a better word. A sturdy table and chairs sat in the middle, flanked by a potted plant and neatly arranged stationery¡ªbottles of ink and quills. A glowing monitor and a large orb rested in one corner, similar to what I¡¯d seen in the Greats Training room.

    Counters lined one side of the room, forming a compact kitchen area. There were stoves that pulsed with a strange light. Polished wooden cabinets hung above, and a sleek sink sat in the middle, trickling water as if fed by an invisible source, or maybe he just forgot to shut it off.

    Other doors lined the room¡¯s edges¡ªprobably leading to private spaces. It felt¡­ homey, like a living room you might find in my world.

    ¡°Come in,¡± he ordered, stepping out from behind me as he removed his mask. His hair was a dark brown, almost black, cropped neatly on the sides but a little longer on top. His sharp, angular features gave him an air of authority, and his eyes¡ªlight gray with faint flecks of blue¡ªseemed to pierce through me. He looked like he might¡¯ve been in his mid-twenties, just a bit older than me.

    I followed, tracing his footsteps as he sat at what must have been a combined dining and office table. Papers were scattered across it, along with the remnants of a meal off to one side. He must¡¯ve liked to eat while he worked.

    ¡°Take a seat there,¡± he said, pointing to the other side of the table.

    I did as instructed, sitting awkwardly and trying to find somewhere¡ªanywhere¡ªto focus my gaze besides on him.

    ¡°So¡ª,¡± he started, leaning forward slightly, ¡°how did you get cultivation to make you a mage?¡± He smiled at me. It slightly resembled Elric¡¯s, though, honestly, Elric¡¯s was scarier in a way I couldn¡¯t quite describe.

    ¡°I¡¯m not a mage,¡± I responded. He didn¡¯t look quite satisfied with that answer, so I glanced around the room again, buying time before continuing.

    This guy had to be someone important, right? And like Commander Ironscribe, he seemed curious. Whether it was for knowledge or power, I could use that. ¡°It¡¯s an ability I made from reading a fireball book. I don¡¯t have my system yet, so I needed something to survive here. You saw my friend¡¯s state, right?¡±

    He nodded thoughtfully. ¡°Learning from a mage¡¯s skill is impressive, but¡­ that¡¯s not what I meant.¡±

    ¡°You mean how I got so much power into the ability?¡± I asked, testing the waters.

    ¡°Yes,¡± he said, his tone firm but not harsh. ¡°And your speed¡ªhow did you manage that as a Late Bloomer?¡±

    I hesitated. This didn¡¯t feel like a good idea, but¡­ screw it. ¡°I won¡¯t tell you for nothing.¡±

    His smile froze. For a moment, he just stared at me, his expression stunned. ¡°You,¡± he said, pointing at me, ¡°want to bargain with me?¡± He pointed to himself, then broke into laughter.

    I sat there, watching him laugh like a lunatic.

    ¡°If you knew who I was¡ª¡± he started, but I interrupted.

    ¡°I don¡¯t care. I¡¯ll tell you everything, but I won¡¯t do it for free,¡± I said firmly.

    He stopped laughing abruptly, his gaze sharpening. ¡°I could just kill your friends,¡± he said, his smile returning.

    My heart raced, but I nodded. ¡°You could, but then I definitely wouldn¡¯t tell you.¡±

    ¡°I could torture you,¡± he added casually.

    Sweat dripped down my brow, and I was sure he could see it. ¡°Then I¡¯ll tell you just enough to get yourself killed through mistakes.¡±

    His demeanor shifted slightly, curiosity flashing in his eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll just have others try it first.¡±

    ¡°And share the power?¡± I countered, betting that his interest was personal. He didn¡¯t seem like the type to want others gaining the same advantage.The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

    He paused, the silence hanging heavy, before smiling again. ¡°I¡¯m Drake,¡± he said, extending his hand.

    I cautiously reached out and clasped his hand. ¡°Peter,¡± I replied. We shook briefly, then let go.

    ¡°What do you want, Peter?¡± he asked, his tone calm but probing.

    ¡°Secrecy, for one. I don¡¯t want you telling anyone about my techniques,¡± I said.

    He nodded. ¡°No need to worry about that. I won¡¯t tell anyone¡­ but I can¡¯t guarantee it with a contract,¡± he responded.

    ¡°Why not?¡± I asked, curious. I¡¯d already planned to try and get him to sign a contract with Thea, guaranteeing our safety and secrecy.

    ¡°Well, it wouldn¡¯t look great if word got out that a prince formed a contract with some random non-citizen,¡± he said bluntly.

    I froze. He smiled. ¡°A prince?¡±

    ¡°You said you didn¡¯t care who I was. Were you lying?¡± he asked teasingly, but his teasing carried an edge that made my skin crawl.

    ¡°Why does a prince need power?¡± I asked, trying to mask the unease creeping into my voice.

    ¡°Because this prince,¡± he said, pointing to himself, ¡°is the fifth prince. The only way I gain more backing is through shows of power.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s a prince doing managing bottom-rank matches anyway?¡± I asked exasperated, hardly believing this encounter.

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t managing matches,¡± he answered, his voice calm but clipped. ¡°I was handling a situation¡ªspecifically, my subordinate being nearly killed. Someone who graduated from your little camp was taken down like it was nothing.¡± His expression darkened. ¡°As for being assigned clerical work like this? It doesn¡¯t pay to be born last and be the weakest.¡±

    I hesitated, but an idea was already forming. ¡°Alright. I can make you stronger. You can keep the techniques a secret. What about sponsorship? I have a guild and¡ª¡±

    He held up a hand to stop me. ¡°I¡¯m not made of points despite my status,¡± he said flatly, then leaned forward, his tone more serious. ¡°If you¡¯re already spreading these techniques to a bunch of trainees, why not to me?¡±

    ¡°Because I¡¯m not giving them everything,¡± I replied, locking eyes with him. ¡°Namely, Body Refinement. My new technique. It lets you increase your stats without requiring system rank-ups.¡±

    His mouth opened, but before he could speak, I added, ¡°And yes, I¡¯m sure of it.¡±

    ¡°How much?¡± he asked, narrowing his eyes.

    I thought of the training room and the guild. ¡°A thousand points every month.¡±

    Now he looked at me like I¡¯d grown a second head. ¡°What could someone like you possibly need with that many points? Is your guild as big as the major four?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± I said simply. ¡°But that¡¯s the price.¡±

    He leaned back, staring at the table as though weighing the offer. Finally, he looked up, his expression shifting. ¡°You¡¯ve made a powerful ally today, Peter.¡± He leaned in close, so much so that I could feel his breath. ¡°If your techniques prove valuable. If not¡­¡± He trailed off, leaving the threat hanging in the air. My imagination filled in the blanks.

    ¡°Your orb,¡± he commanded, holding out his hand. Reluctantly, I handed it over.

    I watched as he pulled an orb from his pocket, touching it to mine. My points shot up from 210 to a staggering 1,210. He handed it back, his expression unreadable.

    He pointed at the elevator? Teleporter? No¡ªa spatial gate. That sounded better. ¡°Leave through there,¡± he instructed. ¡°You¡¯ll return to your arena. I¡¯ve let them know you won. Tomorrow you will come again.¡±

    I nodded and did as he said, stepping into the spatial gate. The door closed behind me, the box shifting slightly before opening again to reveal the familiar sight of the Hall of Heroes.

    I handed my orb to the attendant, gaining an extra ten points, then walked off to find the others. Thea stood against the wall, her face tight with worry. When she spotted me, her relief was immediate and palpable.

    ¡°What took so long?¡± Thea asked. ¡°I already finished my fight.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m alright. I have a lot to say, but I¡¯ll explain when everyone¡¯s here,¡± I reassured her. ¡°Did they head to train?¡±

    Thea nodded. ¡°Elric took his flock to teach them the first steps by getting them to sense their inner strength after I explained the basics. Sia and Lyra went along to help.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve raised our apprentices to have apprentices of their own,¡± I teased. ¡°You¡¯re already delegating as a guild leader¡­¡± I took a single breath and added, ¡°Lightning Warrior Princess Grandmaster Thea.¡±

    As we started walking toward Great¡¯s Training, she shoved me lightly. ¡°You never turn it off, do you?¡±

    ¡°What? It rolls off the tongue so well,¡± I teased. Her hand swung lightly as we walked, and on a whim, I reached out to hold it. The next stretch of our walk was spent in blushed silence.

    The quiet lingered until I broke it. ¡°Thea, is there a way to contact other Halls?¡±

    ¡°Other Halls? Umm¡­¡± She paused, her brow furrowed in thought. ¡°Maybe. I don¡¯t know. I¡¯ve never needed to. Why?¡±

    ¡°I saw my friend,¡± I said plainly.

    She tilted her head. ¡°You have friends?¡± she asked, her tone dripping with sarcasm.

    I held up our joined hands. ¡°What? You¡¯re not my friend?¡± I squeezed her hand, a grin tugging at my lips.

    She rolled her eyes. ¡°Alright. Explain, please.¡±

    I stopped walking, which made her pause too. ¡°I mean a friend from before¡­ before I came here.¡±

    Her eyes widened slightly. ¡°Oh. Oh!¡± A second later, realization hit. ¡°Peter, that¡¯s¡­ great, right?¡± she asked, her tone careful.

    I nodded. ¡°It¡¯s nice to know there are people I know here. I don¡¯t know what the odds are that we¡¯d meet, but they can¡¯t be high.¡±

    I thought back to Trevor¡¯s state. ¡°He¡ªhe wasn¡¯t okay, Thea. I came here and had you, but he¡¯s alone, with no way to progress. I only barely managed to teach him the basics of cultivation.¡±

    She looked at me as we resumed our walk and gave my hand a reassuring squeeze. ¡°I¡¯m sure there¡¯s a way. We¡¯ll find a way to contact him.¡± She smiled brightly. ¡°Maybe we can even make a branch of the guild.¡±

    I laughed. ¡°I think it¡¯s a bit early for expanding. What an ambitious grandmaster I found myself under.¡±

    She stood taller and struck an exaggeratedly arrogant pose. ¡°Of course. Ambitious and powerful.¡±

    I laughed again, but another thought struck me. ¡°Your system mission should be done now, right?¡±

    She nearly bounced with excitement. ¡°Yeah! I¡¯ll tell you what I learned with everyone¡­ after you explain first,¡± she added as we reached the training center.

    Walking in, I couldn¡¯t help but feel slightly concerned about the number of people inside. The large man at the desk noticed and waved me over, assuring me that as long as it wasn¡¯t a regular occurrence, we could briefly exceed the intended capacity of six in the room.

    I thanked him and turned back to Thea. Hand in hand, we walked to join the others, ready to share my encounter with the nation¡¯s prince.

 Chapter 35: Perfect Conversion

    We all sat there, everyone¡¯s eyes fixed on me¡ªexcept for the four newcomers, who were still engrossed in their idol.

    ¡°Well?¡± Sia prompted, breaking the silence.

    ¡°Um¡ªso, we have a sponsor,¡± I said vaguely.

    ¡°Peter,¡± Thea said, her tone exasperated.

    ¡°Yeah¡­ so this place,¡± I gestured around the room, ¡°it¡¯s paid for, along with the guild fee¡­ every month.¡±

    Thea¡¯s stormy eyes widened. ¡°A thousand points! A month?¡±

    Well, now the four girls were staring at me too.

    ¡°Peter¡­ what the heck did you do to get a sponsor like that? Do you even know who they are?¡± Elric asked, clearly shocked.

    I nodded. ¡°I know them. You probably all do too,¡± I added with a smile.

    That didn¡¯t make anyone feel better. If anything, the mood grew more tense. Not quite afraid, but definitely¡­ cautious.

    Thea looked at me, her voice serious this time. ¡°Peter, who is it? Why would we know them?¡±

    Rather than blurt it out, I leaned closer and whispered it to Thea, making sure only those of us who have formed a Grand Channel could hear. ¡°The fifth prince.¡±

    She froze halfway to sitting down, and for a moment, the room seemed to freeze with her. Lyra¡¯s voice trembled as she asked, ¡°A¡ªare you sure?¡±

    I nodded. ¡°Yeah. Positive.¡±

    ¡°What did he want?¡± Sia asked, the same fear creeping into her voice.

    ¡°Well, he wanted cultivation, and¡­ he was willing to do almost anything to get it,¡± I said, remembering the encounter.

    Elric shook his head, his expression grim. ¡°No, Peter. You are very, very¡ªvery wrong. If it was anyone other than the fifth¡­¡±

    He trailed off, leaving the weight of his words hanging in the air.

    I frowned. ¡°What do you mean? This guy was brutal. He threatened to¡ª¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s just it, Peter,¡± Elric interrupted. ¡°He only threatened you¡­ and you¡¯re still here.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡± The realization hit me like a brick. Maybe this guy was a saint compared to the other princes¡ªor anyone else in power in this country.

    Lyra cleared her throat, glancing toward the newcomers. ¡°Why don¡¯t you girls go and offer your services at a healing tent? You won¡¯t get as many points as offering them to people, but the guild will ignore you. We¡¯ve gone over the basics, so you can practice outside if you want.¡±

    Sensing the tension, they didn¡¯t argue. They stood quietly and left, closing the door behind them.

    When the room was empty, Lyra spoke again, her voice softer now. ¡°Peter, the royals here¡­ they¡¯re brutal. Merciless. If they wanted something, they wouldn¡¯t bargain, or threaten. They¡¯d just¡­¡± She paused, her gaze distant, as if remembering something painful.

    Sia placed a comforting hand on Lyra¡¯s back, while Elric moved to her side as well.

    After a moment, Lyra continued, her tone steadier. ¡°The fifth prince¡­ he has the worst reputation. Because he¡¯s soft. Weaker in blessing than his brothers and sisters. If he threatened you, then¡­ maybe he never actually intended to follow through. His reputation is poor because he¡¯s known to be kind.¡±

    I would¡¯ve thought she was joking, but her expression told me otherwise. The man who threatened to kill Trevor¡­ kind? It was hard to believe. But maybe she was right. I wasn¡¯t exactly an expert negotiator, and now that I thought about it, he let me do most of the talking. He¡¯d reluctantly agreed to nearly everything I said.

    ¡°Okay, so if he¡¯s kind, what¡¯s the problem?¡± I asked.

    Thea sighed helplessly. ¡°Because we¡¯re now one of his instruments, Peter. A pawn. He may be kind, but now that we¡¯re involved with him¡­ we¡¯re part of the royal family¡¯s struggles.¡± She paused before adding, ¡°A small part, anyway. But the more we help him, the stronger he gets, and the more attention will be on us.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no helping it now,¡± Lyra said, her tone resolute. ¡°We can only move forward and focus on the bright side of this. Our most expensive costs are covered. Now we can focus on developing the guild and the skills we can offer. Plus, we still have weapons from¡­ your time in the forest, so we can provide recruits with some equipment too.¡±

    Everyone nodded at her determination. I broke the silence. ¡°So, cultivation?¡±

    Thea¡¯s serious expression melted into a bright smile. ¡°Sounds good to me. We can do the mission later.¡±

    She seemed happy¡ªhappier than usual, even when cultivation was mentioned. ¡°Thea?¡± I asked cautiously.

    ¡°Hmm?¡± she replied in a sing-song tone, her cheerful mood undeniable.

    ¡°Your mission completion wouldn¡¯t have anything to do with a new technique you can use in a spar, would it?¡± I asked, a hint of dread creeping into my voice.

    Thea practically bounced in her seat, her excitement barely contained. ¡°I guess you¡¯ll find out.¡±

    As if that wasn¡¯t ominous enough, I remembered that her mission also granted her stat points. Did she get to choose where to put them, or were they assigned? The thought lingered, but I didn¡¯t ask just yet.

    With her cryptic statement hanging in the air, the room fell silent as we all began cultivating. The other three bore the pain of the Grand Carving technique, while Thea and I focused on collecting world force.Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    As expected, the amount we needed to absorb for conversion had increased¡ªthanks to the denser internal strength we¡¯d developed. It took time, but eventually, we were ready to spar. I filled my Grand Channel up to around eighty percent with world energy in preparation.

    ¡°Now, Thea,¡± I started nervously, taking up a stance. ¡°There¡¯s no reason to shock me, okay? This is about conversion, not beating me up.¡±

    The smile she gave in response wasn¡¯t exactly comforting. Cute? Sure. But comforting? Not even close.

    And then she moved¡ªfast. One second, she was across the room; the next, she was in front of me, her step punctuated by a sharp crackle. I didn¡¯t even see her move before she jabbed me in the stomach.

    Despite circulating my internal force and bracing for impact, the hit still left me breathless. She was faster than I¡¯d ever seen.

    ¡°Did you get some sort of movement skill?¡± I grunted, dodging her follow-up blows while keeping a tight defensive stance.

    ¡°No, not really,¡± she said casually, her voice calm even as she advanced on me. ¡°The system called it a ¡®deeper connection to the element.¡¯ I can use MP to increase my speed.¡±

    At that, I stopped trying to talk. All my focus shifted to surviving the spar. Once again, I was reminded of the ridiculous advantage systems gave their users over cultivators like me.

    When it was over, we collapsed onto the floor, panting. I was frustrated¡ªnot at Thea, but at the disparity between us. Just as I was starting to feel powerful, that feeling was shattered.

    If this gap stayed the same, how could I ever keep up? And worse, when we were forced into war, they¡¯d have to waste their efforts protecting me.

    Thea must¡¯ve noticed something off because she asked, through heavy breaths, ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±

    I shook my head, trying to brush it off. ¡°It¡¯s nothing, really. Just thinking.¡± After another deep breath, I added, ¡°So, what¡¯s the deal with your speed?¡±

    As we spoke, the other three had started sparring, their conversations filling the room with a low buzz.

    ¡°It¡¯s as I said,¡± Thea explained, still catching her breath. ¡°After completing my mission, the system gave me¡­ insights into my blessing. I can¡¯t really explain it yet. It¡¯s hard to put into words, but I¡¯ll figure it out.¡±

    She sighed, her expression turning hopeful before continuing. ¡°Basically, it¡¯s like an unnamed skill.

    I nodded, still processing her words. Part of me felt awe at how seamlessly she¡¯d adapted, but another part burned with the need to close the gap. There had to be a way¡ªsomething only I could do.

    As we resumed gathering energy, something strange caught my attention. None of the world energy I collected had dissipated. I realized I was now at eighty percent internal force in my Grand Channel.

    ¡°Thea?¡± I called, opening my eyes as she did the same.

    ¡°The purification must have¡­¡± She trailed off, her voice full of wonder.

    I nodded, finishing the thought. ¡°We may be slower at cultivating, but now we have¡ª¡±

    She cut me off, her eyes lighting up as she leapt at the chance to finish it herself. ¡°Perfect conversion!¡± she screeched.

    Elric glanced over as Sia and Lyra clamped their hands over their ears. ¡°Thea, ears¡­ please,¡± he begged, drawing a laugh from me and momentarily easing my earlier frustration.

    She ignored him completely, her enthusiasm bubbling over. ¡°Peter, this is great! We can start Body Refinement almost immediately!¡± Her voice pitched higher, her excitement infectious to me and painfully shrill to everyone else.

    Chuckling, I said, ¡°Well, let¡¯s finish the Energy Gathering stage first.¡±

    She nodded eagerly, settling herself right next to me as we resumed gathering the rest of the energy we needed.

    Not long after, we both stood, fully charged, and prepared to spar again. As we exchanged blows, we both froze mid-bout. Something had clicked¡ªan undeniable shift.

    It wasn¡¯t a transformation, but the feeling was strikingly similar to the solidification of the spiritual reservoirs. The Grand Channel had locked in place within my body. It was complete. Thea and I had officially finished what we¡¯d self-dubbed the Energy Gathering stage.

    We shared a triumphant smile, basking in the satisfaction of our efforts. Brimming with energy, we were ready for the next step.

    ¡°Want to try out the mission?¡± I asked, already needing a change of pace. I could tell she wanted to keep cultivating, but honestly, I needed some air.

    She paused, considering, before agreeing. ¡°Sure.¡± She turned to the others. ¡°You guys want to come along for a hunting mission?¡±

    Elric shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m close to finishing here¡ªa few more hours, and I think I¡¯ll be done. Besides, I want to check on the girls.¡±

    Sia stood. ¡°Will you be okay by yourselves? Packclaws aren¡¯t a joke in groups.¡±

    I thought back to the instructors¡¯ teachings on Packclaws. They were dangerous, but with Thea and me working together, it felt like we could escape almost any situation if things got too bad. ¡°We should be fine, I think,¡± I said with confidence.

    Lyra chimed in, her tone cautious but firm. ¡°Just make sure to stay together. No one should separate. Got it?¡±

    We both nodded, silently agreeing to her advice.

    ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll see you later tonight then.¡± I waved while stepping out of the room, Thea following closely behind.

    Once outside, I turned to Thea. ¡°Is there a map or compass we can get? The last thing we need is to get lost in the forest.¡±

    ¡°Maybe we can ask Miss Star about a shop nearby?¡± she suggested.

    Already heading toward the inn across the street, I nodded. ¡°Good idea. She must know¡ªliving here and all.¡±

    We entered the building and saw her behind the counter. She looked up and smiled. ¡°Oh, you two are back a little early. Something you need?¡±

    Thea stepped forward. ¡°We¡¯re going on a hunt. Do you know a good place to get some tools for navigation?¡± She paused briefly before adding, ¡°And maybe the best place to find Packclaws around here?¡±

    Miss Star¡¯s smile brightened. ¡°There¡¯s a stall not far from here, but you can just use some of my old tools. One second.¡± With that, she disappeared through a side door.

    Thea and I stood there, waiting only a moment before she returned, holding two items: a small white cube, about the size of a palm, and a circular object with a needle.

    Miss Star held them out. ¡°Here. Just open your system with this one, and it¡¯ll handle the rest.¡± She handed the circular object to me. ¡°And you can use this compass, just in case you lose the tool.¡±

    I turned the compass in my hands, watching the needle stay fixed in one direction. I had no clue how magnetic poles worked here¡ªor even if cardinal directions were a thing¡ªbut it was clear this would be helpful.

    Thea called out her system and gasped. ¡°This is amazing!¡± Her eyes widened as she looked at Miss Star with a hint of worry. ¡°Are you sure I can borrow this?¡±

    Miss Star nodded. ¡°You can have it.¡± She smirked, looking more like a sly businesswoman than the kind mother we were used to. ¡°Your sponsor asked for my prices on your stay, but I didn¡¯t mention the discount I gave you. So, he paid in full for a room for three.¡±

    I already knew she¡¯d given us a discount because of Sia, but I didn¡¯t dare ask. Instead, I said, ¡°Thank you¡­ By the way, what¡¯s for dinner?¡±

    Miss Star chuckled softly. ¡°Coincidentally, Packclaw soup with some vegetables.¡±

    I didn¡¯t know what Packclaw tasted like, but if she cooked it, I already knew it would be good. As if on cue, a stomach growled.

    I glanced at Thea, raising an eyebrow at her in silent accusation.

    ¡°Oh no, you¡¯re not blaming me this time¡ª¡±

    A louder growl interrupted her, echoing through the room and leaving her red-faced.

    I grinned. I knew it. She was as much of a glutton as me.

    Miss Star laughed, shaking her head. ¡°You two go off now. When you get back, there¡¯ll be plenty of food waiting.¡±

    As we stepped outside, Thea pouted, her cheeks still red. ¡°That was your fault. You just had to ask her about food.¡±

    Laughing, I reached out and took her hand. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go. Explain that cube to me on the way.¡±

    Thea glanced down at our hands, her pout softening, and then she nodded, a faint smile breaking through her embarrassment.

 Chapter 36: Lances and Bunnies

    ¡°Hey, I¡¯ve got a question before you explain that cube,¡± I said to Thea as we walked.

    ¡°Yeah?¡± she replied.

    ¡°About your system,¡± I started, mulling over the thought. ¡°I remember you got five stat points. When you got those, do you get to decide how to use them?¡±

    ¡°I kept them,¡± she answered. ¡°I can assign them myself whenever I want.¡±

    ¡°Must be nice,¡± I muttered, falling silent for a moment. Thea was leading the way, seeming oddly confident about our destination. ¡°So¡ªthe cube?¡± I prompted.

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s amazing!¡± She turned to me with a bright smile. ¡°It shows me a map of the area. In my system, I can see the entire town and the forest around us.¡±

    That sounded oddly futuristic, even for the system. It was literally a minimap. ¡°Who makes things like that?¡± I asked, my thoughts wandering. The spatial gates came to mind too¡ªwhat kind of technology or magic powered them?

    As we reached the edge of a forest near the town, Thea let go of my hand and began stretching. I joined her, copying her movements. ¡°I don¡¯t know for sure,¡± she said, ¡°but I heard when I was young that there are unique classes outside the main four. Maybe they make stuff like this.¡±

    I nodded but didn¡¯t dwell on it. If these tools required a system to use, they were useless to me anyway. Still, for things like the sealing remedies¡ªthose strange pills and elixirs¡ªI wondered if we could make some money from them. Maybe if we recruited someone with a unique class, we could reverse-engineer their skills.

    ¡°Thea? Why did you pick this forest?¡± I asked, curiosity creeping into my voice.

    ¡°Oh, I forgot to mention,¡± she said, pausing mid-stretch. ¡°The map is labeled.¡±

    ¡°Okay¡­¡± I prompted, sensing the catch.

    ¡°This one is called the Forest of Monsters.¡±

    ¡°And you chose it willingly?¡± I groaned, running a hand down my face.

    ¡°It sounded promising,¡± she said with a mock pout, as if I¡¯d insulted her judgment. ¡°You don¡¯t think so?¡±

    That face was so unfair. ¡°Ready?¡± I asked, brushing off my hesitation.

    ¡°Ready,¡± she confirmed, her tone brimming with excitement.

    I recalled the commander¡¯s teachings about the creatures we were hunting. Alone, they were supposed to be skittish, but if we chased one, it might lead us to the rest of the group. Perfect for our mission.

    Thea and I walked through the forest in silence, staying hyper-aware of our surroundings. We spotted a few tree rodents¡ªor, you know what? Let¡¯s just call them puffer squirrels¡ªbut decided not to bother with them.

    Then, behind a bush, a little rabbit appeared. Except this one had claws like a bear. It just stood there watching us. It¡¯s beady eyes screaming with hunger.

    ¡°Thea?¡± I whispered, my voice low. ¡°Aren¡¯t they supposed to be skittish?¡±

    She shifted into a defensive stance, and I felt her circulating her energy. ¡°Not if they¡¯re in groups,¡± she replied.

    ¡°Oh.¡± As if on cue, another rabbit¡ªsimultaneously cute and terrifying¡ªhopped into view. Then another. And another. And another¡­

    You get the idea.

    We needed three of these monsters for our mission, so it wasn¡¯t necessarily bad that they just kept appearing. More than ten had surrounded us before they finally stopped popping up.

    A thought struck me. ¡°So¡­¡± I dragged the word out, my voice a mix of disbelief and amusement. ¡°Should we have brought some weapons?¡±

    Before Thea could respond, several of the small creatures leapt at us, their speed catching me slightly off guard. I had to admit, they were faster than I¡¯d expected.

    Still, this wasn¡¯t as bad as I¡¯d feared. Sure, keeping an eye on my back for surprise attacks was tricky, and their coordination was annoyingly good, but this? This was the mood booster I needed. After sparring with Thea, I¡¯d almost forgotten how fast I was in comparison to most things.

    We moved instinctively, splitting in opposite directions. Thea was a blur, faster than me by a wide margin, darting toward one of the Packclaws. With alarming precision, she grabbed it by the scruff of its neck. It squirmed for half a second before twitching violently and going limp.

    That was just unfair. And honestly, I really needed to make sure I didn¡¯t get on her bad side. The way she channeled lightning through her touch was downright terrifying.

    Two of the small critters lunged at me, their claws slicing through the air where I¡¯d been a moment earlier. I stepped aside smoothly, dodging with just enough room to spare.

    Okay, come on. I have to do more than just dodge. My mind raced for options. I could grab them and try to snap their necks, but that felt... unpleasant. Besides, I had no clue how much force was needed for something like that. Breaking necks wasn¡¯t exactly in my skillset.

    Another Packclaw charged, forcing me to roll away and stumble awkwardly into a shrub. Meanwhile, Thea dispatched another with ease, though I noticed beads of sweat forming on her forehead. Was she starting to run out of MP?This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

    Alright, focus. My shotgun force blast was too powerful for these small creatures. But¡­ if I could condense a needle in my Grand Channel, why not try to shape something similar outside? A more refined bullet.

    I shifted my stance, dodging another swipe, and concentrated. The battle wasn¡¯t so overwhelming that I couldn¡¯t spare some focus for this. Gathering energy was second nature by now: pull it in, condense it, and shape it. I could feel it starting to form¡ªfaster, requiring less force.

    A sharp nick on my neck broke my concentration as I sluggishly avoided another clawed attack. These little beasts weren¡¯t aiming to just injure us¡ªthey were clearly going for the kill.

    Thea took down yet another one, her strikes precise but slowing. She had to be running low on MP now.

    Focus. Extend a thread of energy, refine it, and¡ª

    Another Packclaw lunged at me, its claws aimed right for my chest. I raised my hand instinctively, releasing the energy I¡¯d been shaping.

    There was no visible projectile¡ªjust a subtle ripple in the air. The creature froze mid-leap, its momentum arrested by the sudden force. For a moment, it just hung there, suspended in midair.

    I swear, if a bunny could look confused, this one did.

    The small blast of air gently rustled its floppy ears as the Packclaw dropped to the ground with a soft thud, then it stood up unharmed. My breath caught for a second. It worked.

    ¡°Magnificent,¡± I muttered, unable to suppress a grin.

    ¡°Peter? What are you doing over there?¡± Thea called out, her voice tinged with disbelief. She was panting, surrounded by a clearing of chaos that probably looked like I was playing with a rabid, bear-clawed, man-eating bunny.

    Sure, I hadn¡¯t exactly harmed the creature¡ªyet. Honestly, it probably appreciated my actions so far. But all I needed was a bit more oomph. On top of that, this technique was something I could perform much faster and far more times than the shotgun blast. A win in my book.

    Refocusing, I divided my attention between dodging the lunges of the remaining creatures and gathering more energy. My movements became sharper as I fell into the rhythm of the fight. Dodge, sidestep, gather. Dodge again.

    One of the little critters lunged at me just as I finished preparing. This time, I raised my hand with more confidence. The result was immediate. A sharp, invisible force pierced the creature¡¯s head¡ªa clean, precise strike. It didn¡¯t fully penetrate, but it was enough. The rabbit plummeted to the ground, motionless.

    ¡°I did it!¡± I yelled triumphantly, glancing over at Thea. Then I froze.

    There she stood, surrounded by six motionless Packclaws. Six. Compared to my one. The rest of the pack had scattered during the battle¡ªclearly terrified of me, obviously. Yeah¡­ that had to be it.

    We stared at each other for a moment, then glanced down at our respective "bounties," and back up again.

    ¡°Nice work,¡± Thea said, her smirk sharp enough to cut through steel.

    The silence stretched as I puffed out my chest, adopting the most prideful look I could muster. ¡°I¡­¡± I paused dramatically, savoring the moment. ¡°Have just invented a new skill. Air Lance.¡±

    Thea let out a low whistle, feigning admiration. ¡°Sounds powerful.¡±

    I gestured toward my lone fallen Packclaw. ¡°One-shotted. Interested in learning?¡±

    This time, she nodded wholeheartedly, laughing at our little play. ¡°Yeah, and I still need to figure out that ¡®birthday present¡¯ you gave me too. Why don¡¯t you teach me later?¡±

    ¡°I wonder if the system will try to outdo my names?¡± I mused aloud as we picked up the rabbits, splitting them evenly.

    ¡°Well¡­¡± She dragged out the word, eyeing me teasingly. ¡°I¡¯m not sure I like your new one, but the other¡ªwhat was it? Shotgun¡­ something?¡± She paused, tilting her head as we walked back. ¡°I mean, what even is that?¡±

    ¡°You know what a crossbow is?¡± I asked.

    She shook her head.

    ¡°Uh¡­ well¡­ hm.¡± I hesitated, realizing that explaining modern weapons to her might take longer than just renaming the skill. ¡°Maybe just having a new name is better than explaining this.¡±

    I could¡¯ve called it Scatter Shot or something similar, but that didn¡¯t feel like it did justice to the weapon. I¡¯ll just see what Thea¡¯s system comes up with.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go over it together once we get back,¡± I said instead.

    It was a little awkward carrying the limp, clawed rabbits through town and into the Grand Hall, but no one questioned it. Once inside, Thea completed her first mission, earning seventy points for our efforts.

    Not bad for a casual afternoon of bunny hunting.

    I took it upon myself to select another mission, scanning the wall until something caught my eye. ¡°Exploration?¡±

    I turned to Thea. ¡°Has this area not been explored?¡±

    She shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ but the State is a big place.¡±

    That confused me. Sure, this world might be difficult to map out given the apparent time period, but they had tools like minimaps. If the planet were roughly the same size as my home, gravity should be the same¡ªunless its composition was vastly different. Fantasy world logic.

    I shook my head, pushing away thoughts of school. Physics was never my strong suit.

    ¡°What are you shaking your head for?¡± Thea gave me a suspicious look.

    ¡°I was thinking. What?¡± I grinned and added sarcastically, ¡°You don¡¯t randomly move your body while thinking?¡±

    She rolled her eyes. ¡°So, you¡¯re taking the exploration mission? It could take a few days.¡±

    I raised an eyebrow. ¡°And you don¡¯t want a break from this place?¡±

    She paused before nodding. ¡°Good point.¡±

    I registered the mission, noting the week-long time limit and the reward structure based on discoveries.

    As we started toward the inn for dinner, Thea studied the mission details. ¡°I think we should bring everyone,¡± she said, pointing at the paper.

    ¡°No problem with that. But why?¡±

    She turned the paper toward me, showing a rough map drawn onto it. ¡°The area we need to explore is a cave a few hours from here¡­ though, for us, we could probably run¡ª¡±

    I cut her off before she got too excited. ¡°No running.¡±

    She looked at me in amusement.

    ¡°You know¡ªto conserve energy,¡± I added.

    Thea sighed, shaking her head. ¡°Do you even get tired anymore from a simple run?¡±

    I thought about it. ¡°Well¡­ no,¡± I admitted, scrambling for an excuse. ¡°But, we could spend the time chatting.¡± I threw in a little extra sweetness, trying to make it sound romantic.

    She rolled her eyes. ¡°Right.¡±

    I smirked but let it go as she continued. ¡°Anyway, the route cuts through the forest pretty deep. It¡¯s a bottom-rank mission, but¡­¡± she trailed off.

    ¡°We aren¡¯t exactly experienced with everything that¡¯s out there,¡± I finished for her. ¡°Maybe we should check the Greats for more information.¡±

    ¡°Maybe,¡± she agreed.

    We kept talking as we walked, our conversation shifting between plans and idle banter. Before long, we reached the inn, the warm scent of fresh food wrapping around us the moment we stepped inside.

    After the day¡¯s hunt, it was exactly what we needed.

 Chapter 37: Combat Genius

    When we stepped inside, Miss Star greeted us with a knowing smile.

    "As promised," she said warmly, "food is ready for you two."

    I reddened slightly but nodded. "Thanks. I can set up the table¡ªI¡¯m sure the others will be here soon."

    Thea grinned. "I don¡¯t know anyone who would miss a good meal."

    Miss Star chuckled. "You two are sweet," she said as we all made our way to the dining room.

    I headed straight for the cabinet where I¡¯d seen Sia grab the bowls before, pulling them out and setting the table. Thea and I took our seats, and within moments, Miss Star returned from the kitchen with a large loaf of bread and a steaming pot of Packclaw soup, rich with vegetables.

    She served us first, then grabbed a bowl for herself and settled in.

    As I dug in, a thought crossed my mind. Since she lived here, she might know something useful.

    "Miss Star?"

    "Hm?" She smiled, glancing up from her soup.

    "Is there any way to get in contact with other facilities or people?"

    She paused, considering. "I can, but only citizens can use the mail, and you can only contact other citizens."

    "Oh." I frowned, staring at my half-empty bowl as the reality sank in. So much for reaching Trevor through normal means.

    A comforting hand rubbed my back. I didn¡¯t need to look to know it was Thea.

    Before I could say anything else, the front door creaked open, followed by the sound of footsteps as three more people joined us.

    Elric, Sia, and Lyra settled in after greeting everyone.

    "How was the healing tent with the girls?" I asked between bites.

    "It went alright," Lyra said. "I let them know about my guild since neither yours nor mine have exclusivity."

    Sia chimed in next. "For now, since they¡¯re new, they¡¯re staying in the recruit camp. But it looks like more and more people are being sent in for training."

    "So¡­ they may need housing soon," Elric added, rubbing his temple. "Which we can¡¯t provide just yet."

    "The only way to get housing is to have enough points to pay for it," Thea commented. "We should try recruiting and selling our method to as many people as possible."

    I tried to think of ways to offer more benefits. As of now, even the training center we had couldn¡¯t fit a large number of people. I shook my head. "I think the only way we can recruit people is by displaying our strength."

    I remembered the ranking board from the Hall of Heroes, the one tracking wins and losses. I was already strong enough to take on knights¡ªthough, if I was being honest, only if I caught them off guard. Thea was even more impressive.

    "Let¡¯s increase our ranks in soldier battles." I looked to Elric, Sia, and Lyra. "Once you go through the next transformation, you can join us."

    I didn¡¯t know if I was overestimating our potential. The system was nothing to laugh at. Just because I¡¯d beaten a few fresh system users¡ªpeople who had just received their blessings and likely had the most basic ones¡ªdidn¡¯t mean there weren¡¯t others like Thea. People with unique blessings. People who could wipe the floor with us.

    But if we wanted to grow, we had to act.

    The guild wasn¡¯t just about power¡ªit was our key to survival in this world. Or at least, in this camp.

    ¡°We registered for an exploration mission,¡± I said casually. ¡°We just need to go somewhere, check it out, and report our findings.¡±

    Miss Star visibly tensed at those words. ¡°Exploration?¡±

    Thea, noticing the shift in her tone, nodded slowly. ¡°Yeah¡­ is something wrong?¡±

    Miss Star hesitated. ¡°Where exactly are you going to explore?¡±

    ¡°A cave that ¡®appeared,¡¯¡± I told her.

    Her expression darkened. ¡°If there¡¯s any sign of danger¡ªany at all¡ªleave. Do not stay.¡± Her voice was deadly serious.

    Sia frowned. ¡°Can you be more specific, Mom? Please?¡±

    Miss Star exhaled, her posture stiff. ¡°They¡¯re usually nothing special, but those caves appear and disappear randomly. And sometimes¡­ they transform into something else.¡±

    Silence settled over the group.

    ¡°We¡¯ll be careful, I promise,¡± Elric said, his voice reassuring. He turned to me. ¡°The mission just says we have to take a look and report back, right?¡±

    I nodded quickly.

    ¡°That¡¯s exactly what we¡¯ll do then,¡± he finished firmly.

    Miss Star sighed, some of the tension leaving her shoulders.

    It was already getting dark, and tomorrow I had to meet the prince again. But I still wanted to do more before calling it a night. Deciding to shift the mood, I turned to Thea.

    ¡°Thea, want to practice Body Refinement?¡±

    She lit up immediately before nodding quickly. ¡°Of course! Let¡¯s go!¡±

    She quickly finished the rest of her food. ¡°You guys can join us after you finish,¡± she said to Elric, Sia, and Lyra. Unlike us, they were enjoying their meals at a normal pace, chatting idly as they ate.

    Elric nodded. ¡°No problem. I¡¯m pretty close to finishing, maybe tonight¡­ or tomorrow,¡± he said after some thought.

    ¡°We¡¯re both getting close too,¡± Sia added. ¡°We¡¯ll head down there soon.¡±

    Sia¡¯s mother, who had been listening silently, finished her own meal just as Thea and I were leaving. ¡°Don¡¯t stay out too long.¡±

    We entered our room as usual.

    ¡°You go first this time,¡± Thea instructed. ¡°I¡¯ll keep an eye on you.¡±

    I obeyed, focusing on my energy. The Grand Channel was stable now, filled to the brim with my own internal force.

    I felt the world energy around me and took a deep breath. It flowed inside me like a torrent.

    The nausea I had felt so long ago hit me again. The force passed through my body, though only a small part actually stuck.

    But the heat¡­ it no longer burned. Instead, it felt comfortable.

    I kept taking in more. Then more.

    The feeling was intoxicating¡ªoddly euphoric, and so easy to keep going.This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

    ¡°¡ªer¡­ PETER!¡±

    My eyes shot open.

    Thea was looking at me, her expression frantic. ¡°Peter, you weren¡¯t hearing me.¡±

    I blinked at her, then looked down at my skin. The red tint was pronounced, and white blotches of blisters littered my arms.

    I looked back at Thea, meeting her worried stormy eyes. ¡°Sorry¡­ it was just so easy. The nausea disappeared so quickly.¡±

    She let out a relieved breath. ¡°It¡¯s okay. We definitely can¡¯t do this alone.¡±

    I chuckled. ¡°No, doesn¡¯t seem like it.¡±

    Shifting slightly, I bumped my shoulder against hers. ¡°Guess that means we¡¯ll be spending more time staring at each other. Isn¡¯t that nice?¡± I added with a bit of sarcasm.

    Despite her effort to resist, I saw the faintest crack of a smile form on her lips.

    ¡°Creep,¡± she muttered.

    ¡°Yeah, yeah. Your turn.¡± I adopted my most unsettling tone and locked eyes with her. ¡°Just relax, Thea. I¡¯ll keep an eye on¡­¡± I paused for dramatic effect. ¡°A real close eye.¡±

    She rolled her eyes, but the smile widened before she started.

    At first, everything seemed fine. Just like last time. Then her skin started to redden.

    As soon as it turned deeper than a light pink, I decided to stop her. Maybe this wouldn¡¯t be the most efficient way to refine, but letting her blister up and get lost in the feeling like I did? That couldn¡¯t be smart.

    ¡°Thea,¡± I shook her gently. No response.

    I spoke louder. ¡°Thea!¡±

    Nothing.

    This isn¡¯t good.

    It was just like with¡ªthe pleasant, hypnotic feeling. It was almost as if the world wanted us to poison ourselves.

    ¡°THEA!¡± I shook her harder this time, enough for her to fall over.

    Her skin was splitting now, blood seeping out.

    Panic rose in me.

    This isn¡¯t working. What do I do?

    ¡°Thea!¡±

    My energy roiled inside me, circulating faster and faster.

    She was getting worse. I could see raw muscle where more of her skin peeled away.

    Then, something unexpected happened.

    My internal force flowed out¡ªunintentionally¡ªand entered her.

    I felt it, but I didn¡¯t stop it.

    And then¡­ I noticed something.

    I wasn¡¯t like Elric. I didn¡¯t know how to inject my energy to heal or harm.

    But I had enough awareness to see what was happening inside her.

    It was hard to describe internal force in terms of color. It was just¡­ there, almost shapeless. But for simplicity¡¯s sake, let¡¯s say our internal force was blue, while world energy was gold.

    But now, there was something else. Some small¡­ corruption within the gold. It circulated with every ounce of world force Thea took in, increasing, twisting, flowing around her focus point just above her stomach.

    I acted without thinking, injecting my force.

    At first, I was clumsy. Only then did I realize just how difficult it must have been for Elric to learn how to do this with the precision needed to heal¡ªor harm¡ªpeople.

    But I didn¡¯t need precision.

    I forced my energy through, crude but effective, surrounding the corrupted energy¡ªlet¡¯s just call it purple.

    "Thea!"

    Her eyes shot open, and instantly, the purple sliver broke free of my hold and¡­ fled. It left her body, dissolving back into the world.

    Then she let out a groan of pain.

    She was in bad shape.

    "It¡¯s alright, Thea. You¡¯re okay," I said quickly, trying to reassure her. "I¡¯ll get Elric. You¡¯re fine."

    I had no idea how close she had been to the infamous "popping," but while I¡¯d been focused on her internal force, more of her skin had sloughed off, revealing the sinew underneath.

    I started to stand, but she grabbed my arm with impressive force, whimpering.

    She opened her mouth to speak but struggled to form words.

    My voice cracked a little. "Thea, I¡¯ll be right back. I need to get Elric."

    Before I could move, the door swung open.

    Sia and Lyra walked in, chatting about something¡ªuntil they saw us.

    They froze.

    "Peter, what happened?!" Sia yelled.

    "Get Elric. Now." I said frantically.

    Sia¡¯s shock disappeared instantly as she ran off. Lyra rushed forward, casting a low-level healing spell that began repairing Thea¡¯s body.

    Bands of light flowed over her, closing wounds, but it wasn¡¯t enough. It couldn¡¯t fully heal her.

    "Lyra, what about the pain? Can you do something for that?"

    Lyra nodded, hands trembling as a soft glow wrapped around Thea¡¯s body.

    Thea passed out, but her breathing¡ªfinally¡ªbecame more stable.

    Elric arrived soon after, with Sia right behind him, both freezing at the sight.

    He moved quickly, walking to her, but rather than casting a spell, he simply placed a hand on her. The effect was immediate. Skin began to regrow, stretching outward from the healthy areas.

    I had no idea when Elric had learned this skill, but judging by the lack of glowing lights that usually accompanied system magic, it seemed he had either developed something new on his own or was tapping into something beyond the system.

    Soon enough, she was resting peacefully.

    Then they all turned to me.

    "What the heck happened?" Sia asked.

    "We were just practicing Body Refinement¡­ she wouldn¡¯t stop." I took a breath, forcing myself to calm down. There had been a buzzing in my ears I hadn¡¯t noticed until now.

    "There was something inside her¡­ attached to world energy," I added.

    As cultivators, they understood the difference between internal strength and absorbed world energy¡ªhow they mixed like oil and water.

    "What do you mean, ''something else''?" Elric asked.

    I wasn¡¯t sure how to explain it, but with the person who probably had the best understanding of energy flow in the body standing right here, I figured showing would be easier than explaining.

    "Let¡¯s spar first. I need to get rid of¡­" I glanced at my red, blistered skin. "This."

    It felt a bit off to fight right now, but I needed to solve this problem as quickly as possible. Lyra and Sia carefully moved Thea to the side while Elric stepped forward.

    He hadn¡¯t gone through his second transformation yet, meaning he lacked the lighter, refined body, but knowing him, he¡¯d still put up a fight.

    I was right.

    The moment we started, he matched my speed.

    I barely registered the movement before he appeared in front of me, reaching out a hand¡ªsomething I definitely didn¡¯t want touching me. I moved to dodge, but before I could shift, his right leg shot up, slamming into my side.

    The impact wasn¡¯t the worst part. The pain came after¡ªsharp and sudden, like my bones were grinding against each other.

    I stumbled back, adjusting my stance to a more aggressive one, but Elric didn¡¯t let up.

    Even though I no longer needed to fuse with world energy, it seemed that physical activity was still necessary for recovery. Already, my skin had started to heal as I circulated energy through my hands.

    I thought back to the light breeze that had frozen the Packclaw in midair before it fell. It hadn¡¯t been as effective at harming it as my Air Lance, but I wasn¡¯t trying to harm Elric.

    I gathered energy in my palm as he closed in and lifted my hand.

    It worked.

    Elric¡¯s expression shifted slightly as a stiff breeze rolled over his chest. He froze¡ªnot completely, but his movements slowed significantly, and his eyes widened in realization.

    That was all I needed.

    I threw a hook straight for his ribs.

    But, ever the genius, Elric reacted instantly, throwing his arms down and lifting a leg to block. My punch still toppled him, sending him to the soft ground with a thud.

    He rolled to his feet, looking ready to continue¡ªthen glanced at me, lowering his hands.

    "I think you¡¯re fine now," he said, nodding at my body.

    I looked down. The redness was gone. The blisters had disappeared.

    "What the heck was that skill you used?" Elric asked, still catching his breath.

    I smirked. "I should ask you the same thing. How were you able to keep up with my speed? That makes no sense. Did your stats increase?"

    He chuckled. "You first."

    I sighed. "I just did a much¡­ breezier version of my imitation fireball. What did it do?"

    Elric thought for a moment. "It was strange. Since I was using my MP for my new skill and cultivation for the¡ª"

    I cut him off. "Torture?"

    "Attacks," he corrected, then continued, "But it didn¡¯t just stop me. It cut me off. My MP, I mean. The movement stopped too, but for that moment, my magic was completely shut down."

    He paused, checking something.

    Then his brows raised slightly.

    "I can use it now¡­ so it must only last for a moment," he concluded.

    "So?" I asked.

    "So what?"

    "The speed?" I pressed.

    Elric gave a casual shrug. "Well, I may have taken a look at one of Thea¡¯s books. The one you gave her."

    I narrowed my eyes. "And?"

    "And¡­ I just took some inspiration and created my own version."

    I stared at him, still shocked despite knowing his talent. "And you¡¯ll teach us?"

    Elric paused. Then, slowly, a terrifying smile spread across his face.

    "Only once I reach Perfect Conversion."

    I blinked. "What¡ª?"

    "Oh, and the girls already learned it," he added casually. "But the system didn¡¯t keep the book¡¯s name. Instead, the system called it Swift Stride."

 Chapter 38: Scholarly Genius

    "Alright," I said, turning more serious. "I¡¯ll absorb the energy, and you can observe it. Then isolate it. Hopefully, that¡¯s all we need to do to solve this problem. Otherwise¡­ we might need you every time we cultivate."

    I sat down, ready to start, but Elric stopped me.

    "Wait," he said.

    I looked up at him, confused.

    "There are too many variables still," he continued. "What if I have to be at the Perfect Conversion stage to see it?"

    I froze.

    If I had started and Elric was right¡ªand Thea didn¡¯t wake up¡­

    Pop.

    Elric must have noticed my expression because he laughed.

    "I could be wrong," he said, shrugging. "How about this¡ªwe wait. You two hold off on cultivating until I reach your stage. Then, once I do, Lyra will test if she can sense it in the Energy Gathering stage while I check at your stage. That way, we remove variables and know for sure if it''s something only I can see."

    I nodded, agreeing, as Lyra blushed in the back from the compliment. Sia whispered something in her ear, and suddenly, she turned the same shade as Sia¡¯s hair.

    Apparently, retaliation was warranted because Lyra whispered something back¡ªresulting in both of them turning red.

    ¡­Wait.

    I can¡¯t hear them.

    I turned to Elric. "Did you, by any chance, find a way to¡­ whisper?"

    Elric sat down next to me, completely relaxed. "Why, you wanna whisper sweet nothings into Thea¡¯s ear?" he teased.

    I stared at him seriously. "What, jealous?"

    I thought I finally had one over on him¡ªbut his next statement stopped me in my tracks.

    "Why would I be jealous?" He paused, as if I was supposed to understand something.

    Then he stood with a sigh.

    "Why don¡¯t you get Thea in bed? I¡¯ll cultivate with Sia and Lyra."

    I nodded, standing as well. "I¡¯ll see you tomorrow. Or later tonight, I guess."

    "Tomorrow," he confirmed.

    As I carefully picked Thea up, I walked toward the exit¡ªbut something caught my attention.

    Elric was talking to the girls.

    I wasn¡¯t paying attention to the words¡­ but he seemed different. More genuine, maybe? Not like how he was with his fans. Not even like when I first saw him with Sia and Lyra when we met.

    It couldn¡¯t be¡­

    He caught me looking and winked.

    "What a¡ª"

    Main character.

    That was the only thing that came to mind.

    Then again, it seemed like Sia was being targeted by both of them in some whispered teasing. Just as I left, I could¡¯ve sworn she turned redder than her hair¡­ I really gotta learn his trick for that.

    I walked down the stairs but didn¡¯t see the usual attendant.

    Just as I opened the front door¡ªcausing Thea¡¯s legs to shift slightly in my arms¡ªshe stirred a bit since I had her in my now official Princess Grandmaster carry¡­it was a normal princess, but you know¡­she¡¯s the grandmaster.

    I don¡¯t know if Lyra¡¯s spell was similar to those numbing medicines that make you act all silly back home, but immediately, that cute grin of hers stretched even wider than usual.

    "Morning, Grandmaster," I said brightly, looking down at her. "You feeling okay?"

    No response.

    Now that smile is sort of freaking me out.

    "Thea?"

    Then, she hugged me.

    Hard.

    Her arms wrapped tightly around my chest, her face pressed against me, and suddenly¡ªshe erupted into a fit of muffled giggles.

    Like a little kid.

    I actually started laughing too.

    "Mff mfm mfm," she mumbled into my chest. Then she continued her important speech, "mmfmf mfm mm mff fffm."This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    "Oh yeah?" I pretended to understand, barely holding back my own laughter as I carried her toward the inn. "What else is going on?"

    She lifted her head, her smile now more natural, though her eyes were still a little hazy.

    "I¡¯m sleepy," she murmured.

    "I bet," I chuckled.

    Then, half-lidded eyes blinking at me, she added in a sleepy, brutally honest but sweet tone¡ª

    "You''re really warm¡­ and I like it. But if you drop me, I¡¯m making Elric my new servent."

    "So I¡¯m your servant?" I asked, amused.

    She shook her head but then¡ªoddly¡ªnodded at the same time.

    "Yes."

    I opened the door to the inn. The front desk was empty, so I started up the stairs.

    "You¡¯re holding me like this," she continued, waving her hands vaguely toward me. "So you are my servant."

    I laughed again. "So you¡¯d leave me if I dropped you? That¡¯d make me so sad."

    She paused, like she was seriously thinking about it.

    "I¡¯ll just shock you," she finally decided. "I like you more."

    Then she hugged me tighter¡ªmaybe to soften the next blow¡ªbefore adding,

    "But he is muuuuuch, muuuuuuch, muuuuuuuch prettier than you."

    Yep. I may hate Elric. I can admit that now.

    "Maybe," I said. "But I¡¯m the one holding you. So who wins?"

    "Me," she said resolutely. "Neither of you get carried."

    I opened the door and gently placed her onto the bed, the door shutting behind me, leaving us in darkness.

    I grabbed some blankets, but before I could cover her, she started laughing again.

    She¡¯s kinda strange¡­ I should ask Lyra to do this again.

    I draped the blanket over her, and she immediately tucked herself in, cocooning herself tightly.

    "Goodnight, Thea," I said, heading for the door.

    "You¡¯re going alone?"

    Her voice was noticeably more sober now, and I guess she took our don¡¯t travel alone anymore rule pretty seriously. Rightfully so. The last thing I wanted was to be kidnapped again.

    "I¡¯ll go straight to Greats and get someone," I reassured her.

    She shifted slightly on the bed but said nothing. I took that as acceptance.

    I moved quickly back toward Greats, jogging lightly across the street. Just as I reached for the door, I heard a noise.

    At first, I thought I imagined it.

    Then, a low murmur. A soft, breathy sound. A quiet giggle.

    Another voice, hushed, followed by something that definitely wasn¡¯t words¡ªjust a sound.

    Oh.

    Oh¡­ no.

    Oh heck no.

    My brain caught up a second too late.

    My feet, however, acted immediately.

    I slowly¡ªvery carefully¡ªturned right back around and walked straight outside.

    Guess I wouldn¡¯t be asking for company.

    I hated to do it¡ªbreaking our rule¡ªbut I needed to tell someone about the near disaster of the cultivation session. Commander Griffith.

    Now, for something I hated even more.

    I sprinted as fast as I could toward the old campsite Thea and I used to call home.

    It didn¡¯t take long.

    I stopped just outside the tents, catching my breath, when¡ª

    "What are you doing here, Peter?"

    I nearly jumped out of my skin.

    How does he always know where I am?

    I ignored that train of thought for now. "There¡¯s something I need to tell you. About Body Refinement."

    He raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Found something new?"

    I nodded. "Yeah¡ªbut it¡¯s¡­ not good. I think."

    He didn¡¯t speak, just stared expectantly, waiting for me to explain.

    "It¡¯s not enough to have someone with you when you cultivate," I said, trying to piece my words together. "You know, um, when you¡¯re doing it."

    Gotta work on my teaching skills.

    "What do you mean?" he asked, frowning slightly.

    "Well¡ªit¡¯s hard to explain. It¡¯s like¡­ something else. Another energy is invading while we cultivate. It¡¯s almost hypnotic. Euphoric, even. The first time or two, we could pull each other out of it, but¡­"

    I hesitated, thinking back to Thea¡¯s condition earlier.

    "What happened to the girl?" he asked, his voice sharp with concern.

    I held up a hand. "She¡¯s okay. But I think it was almost really bad. Disastrous."

    "Deadly?"

    I nodded. "I think so."

    He exhaled, rubbing his chin, but I caught the subtle relief in his posture.

    "I¡¯m glad you two are okay," he said. Then, after a pause, "Another energy, separate from world energy and internal force¡­"

    He trailed off, deep in thought.

    Then his eyes widened.

    "Could it be¡ª" He glanced at me. "Keep up."

    I groaned. Maybe I should¡¯ve just let him figure it out on his own.

    Still, I followed him¡ªthankfully not far¡ªto a private tent, which I assumed was his.

    He rummaged through a chest at the foot of a massive sleeping bag, pulling out a journal.

    "Here," he said, flipping through pages before pointing to a passage.

    "I thought about this long ago but never pursued the theory further¡­ there was nothing to support it."

    It took me a second to process the words.

    Then, my jaw dropped.

    I should¡¯ve realized this sooner.

    The writings didn¡¯t explain why the energy seemed hostile, but it did describe what it might be.

    We use our systems as if they are a given¡ªan immutable part of life. But though it has been asked countless times, and countless answers given¡­ where does the energy come from?

    SP and MP. The fundamental forces of combat and magic. Are they truly separate? If so, why? If not, why do they behave differently?

    All energy must have a source. The system does not generate power from nothing. We see this most clearly in magic tools, which absorb and store nodes of light to fuel their abilities. Likewise, healers manipulate visible strands of light, transforming them into restorative force.

    Yet, despite these differences in form, all these energies must originate from somewhere.

    A system that grants power must also draw power from something.

    It shocked me how deep his thoughts went.

    It was easy for me to grasp the concept¡ªenergy can¡¯t be created or destroyed¡ªbut for someone from what I¡¯d consider a rudimentary time period, where people could bend energy to their will without understanding the mechanics behind it¡­

    Griffith Ironscribe was no ordinary commander.

    He was a true genius.

 Chapter 39: Crazy Smiles

    I looked up at him.

    "This¡­ if this is true, and we can harness its power¡ª"

    "We could increase MP or SP," Griffith finished.

    I nodded. But it was more than that. If this was real, we wouldn¡¯t just be increasing our energy reserves. We¡¯d have access to the precursor of the system¡¯s energies.

    I had no idea what that actually meant.

    But it couldn¡¯t be bad.

    "I tried surrounding it with my own power," I continued. "It stopped its influence on Thea, but as soon as she woke up, it broke free. Easily."

    Griffith shook his head.

    "Forget about harnessing it," he said. "At least for now, focus on safety. Make sure you can consistently cut off its influence first."

    I frowned. "Is there anyone who can help you with isolating it? I ca¡ª"

    He held up his hand, cutting me off. "I¡¯m not at that stage yet. And I¡¯ll wait until a mutual benefactor of ours reaches it. Then, we¡¯ll help each other."

    "Mutual bene¡ª"

    Oh.

    I looked up at the man wearing a knowing smile.

    "The Fifth is a weird man," Griffith said. "I¡¯m glad you met him, but I would¡¯ve introduced you two soon enough."

    "You know about Drake?" I asked cautiously.

    He nodded. "Careful calling him that. Or rather, don¡¯t even mention his title around anyone except him or me."

    "Understood."

    I thought about my upcoming exploration mission tomorrow and hesitated. "Is it possible to meet with him today? He wants to see me tomorrow, but I have a mission."

    Griffith shrugged.

    "Make a scene at the Hall of Heroes. He¡¯s in charge there. He¡¯ll show up."

    ¡­Did I just get permission to break the rules?

    I turned, ready to leave, when a bulky hand stopped me.

    I looked back to see his orb in his palm.

    "You gave me information. Valuable information," Griffith said. "I thought you were a better merchant than that, kid."

    He grinned at me.

    I rubbed the back of my head awkwardly, pulling out my own orb with my other hand. "I wish I could live up to your expectations, but I don¡¯t even know the worth of information."

    "Guess I won¡¯t help, then," he said. "I¡¯ll negotiate if it¡¯s too high. Name a price."

    I took a deep breath.

    Alright.

    Spiritual Reservoir Formation was originally three hundred points, though I was now selling it for thirty, not that it mattered, since it was old info now.

    Grand Carving and Grand Channel had been worth four hundred to Griffith.

    Body Refinement, once completed, was one thousand.

    And I had just saved his life by warning him about the danger¡­

    I mean, a thousand points can literally buy you the right to commit murder here.

    I guess that¡¯s the value of a life.

    "A thousand points," I offered.

    He stared me down.

    For a moment, I felt smaller than usual.

    Then¡ª

    "Deal."

    We did the exchange, and just like that, I was another thousand points richer.

    Wait¡­

    Didn¡¯t the prince say he isn¡¯t made of points?

    Either he lied¡­

    Or, something even more likely, Griffith isn¡¯t just some normal tank.

    As I turned to leave, he called after me.

    "A valuable life is worth much more than some recruits," he said. "You made a mistake."

    ¡­Yep.

    He¡¯s special, alright.

    I stepped outside and took off, ready to take in the nightlife of the Hall of Heroes.

    I arrived before long, and honestly, it wasn¡¯t much different from usual, just lit up with lanterns and most stalls closed. It was not as empty as I expected, though. I looked up at the board I hadn¡¯t paid the slightest attention to.

    The ranking board.

    In small text, the screen read the names of a hundred different recruits. These were my targets. I didn¡¯t know how many of us were here at once, but it was not a small number. And these were the top among the third-year recruits. Who knew¡­ maybe even someone younger like me was up there.

    I didn¡¯t bother reading them. I was too low down to care¡­for now. Instead, I simply registered for another fight.

    Soon enough, my name was called, and I entered the spatial gate, its doors sealing shut behind me. I rolled my shoulders, getting ready for a battle.

    It probably wouldn¡¯t be too difficult.

    As soon as I stepped inside, my opponent stood on the other side of¡ª

    "I surrender."

    My thoughts short-circuited.

    ¡­What?Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!

    Oh. Must be a healer.

    Without waiting, I returned and registered for another fight.

    Most people would be thrilled to fight a healer. Free win, easy ranking boost.

    But honestly? I wanted to make a scene, and waltzing into the Hall of Heroes just to rack up wins against people who immediately forfeited wasn¡¯t the kind of scene I wanted to make.

    I would look insane.

    Thankfully, when I got called for my next match, the guy in front of me did not look like the surrendering type.

    He grinned when he saw my status, or rather, my lack of one.

    I glanced at his. Didn¡¯t look like the usual warrior classes.

    Barbarian.

    Either way, I wanted this over fast, so I ran up to him just as he charged at me, club raised high.

    The fight was over before it even started.

    His eyes widened at my speed.

    I raised my hand, using my new skill, Silencing Current was a fitting name, I think, and pointed it at him. A stiff breeze rushed over his chest, and for a moment, he froze in place.

    I yanked the club from his grip, shoved him down, and sat on him.

    It didn¡¯t take long.

    "Continue the fight or face serious consequences," a terminal droned from above.

    I smiled sweetly. "No."

    "You have been wa¡ª"

    A different voice interrupted.

    "Move, idiot."

    I immediately recognized that voice.

    "Alright, stop messing around. Go through the door," Drake commanded.

    I sighed and got up, stepping off the poor guy beneath me.

    "Uhhhh, sorry, man," I muttered, handing him his club back.

    He looked at me, stunned, then awkwardly raised a hand. "No problem," he mumbled before turning and stepping back into his gate.

    I sighed and entered my own, ready to meet with the Fifth Prince again.

    The small box shifted, and when the doors opened, I stepped into a familiar-looking room. Same table. Same man.

    Drake sat calmly, watching me.

    "Is there something you need, Peter?"

    "I, uh. Yeah, your majes¡ª"

    "Don¡¯t." He cut me off smoothly. "I introduced myself to you as Drake. Use it."

    I swallowed. "Well¡­ Drake, I plan to go on an exploration tomorrow, so I can teach you the methods now¡­ or you could just ask Griffith."

    He nodded thoughtfully. "Why don¡¯t you teach me? Give us some time to¡­ change our opinions of each other."

    Something about the way he said that made me wary, but I ignored it. He motioned toward the training area on the side.

    "You¡¯ve cultivated before?" I asked as we moved.

    "Only a bit. Enough to sense and absorb external energy and make it my own," he admitted.

    "Alright."

    I hoped he was sharp enough to follow along because I was about to give him the worst explanation in history.

    I started with Spiritual Reservoir Formation, breaking down its uses, purpose, and how it eventually led to the formation of the Grand Channel.

    ¡­Or at least, I tried.

    I fumbled through my words, backtracked on key points, and at one point, I think I might have contradicted myself completely.

    Drake didn¡¯t stop me once.

    When I finally managed to piece together something that vaguely resembled a coherent lesson, I rubbed the back of my head awkwardly.

    "Uh, does that make sense?"

    To my surprise, he picked it up fast. In just a few moments, he had already formed a reservoir, then looked at me expectantly.

    Oh no.

    "Alright, Peter," he said, standing up. "Enough playing around with those bottom-rankers. Let¡¯s do some real fighting."

    I immediately tried to think of an excuse.

    "Um, well, you¡¯re a royal. I can¡¯t hit one, can I?"

    He laughed. "You think you can hit me?"

    There was silence.

    I could hit him.

    No. I would hit him.

    That smile on his face¡­it was familiar. Too familiar. Arrogant. Charming. Not in a good way. Something about it felt¡­ demonic.

    I shifted into a defensive stance as he walked to the other side of the room.

    "So, what¡¯s your blessing?" I asked, noting how he wasn¡¯t approaching.

    Drake smirked. "Something that barely makes me qualified to be a legitimate son."

    Overshare.

    But before I could respond, he rushed me.

    Immediately, he was already in my face.

    I had already forgotten. This guy didn¡¯t just match my speed, he exceeded it.

    He threw a quick jab at my face, followed by a hook to my side. I moved back, just barely fast enough for his fist to graze past me.

    The way he moved. It felt¡­ strange.

    Like this room.

    Modern.

    He was hopping lightly on the tips of his feet, weight shifting smoothly with every step.

    The fight continued, with me constantly backing away, dodging his advances. Every time I tried to counter, he was already closing the gap, keeping me from setting up a technique.

    I needed an opening.

    Finally, as I sidestepped another quick jab, I lifted my hand, releasing Silencing Current.

    The air rushed toward him, and for a brief moment, his momentum slowed. His face twisted in confusion, his steps hesitating.

    But just as I moved in to strike, he snapped his leg up.

    A front kick.

    I barely saw it before it slammed into my chest.

    The force flung me backward, my feet leaving the ground.

    I crashed hard onto the floor, the impact rattling through me.

    "Yep," I grunted. "I''m done."

    A hand extended down toward me.

    "Not bad for someone who doesn¡¯t even have their system yet," Drake said.

    I grabbed his hand, and he pulled me up with effortless strength. My chest still ached as I dusted myself off.

    "For the next steps, I can explain them now, or you can ask the commander when you get there," I said.

    "I¡¯ll just focus on one thing at a time," Drake replied nonchalantly. "I¡¯ll be finished with this stage in a couple of days anyway."

    Suddenly I remembered something. "Actually, I just thought of something else."

    Drake raised a brow. "What¡¯s up?"

    "Do you have a way to contact my friend?" I asked hopefully.

    Without hesitation, he walked over to what looked like his kitchen and pulled something from a cupboard.

    "Yeah, shouldn¡¯t be a problem," he said, tossing it in his hand. "As long as he signs up for a match, I¡¯ll just have an alert set on his name."

    "Oh." That was¡­ surprisingly accommodating.

    "Yeah, that¡¯d be great. Thanks."

    "You hungry?"

    "Huh?"

    "Are you hungry?" Drake repeated. "I¡¯m gonna make some food."

    I blinked. "One. Always. Two, a prince that cooks?"

    He chuckled. "You don¡¯t seem to know much about nobility here. Just like you, I had to go to battle. My brothers and sisters did too. We¡¯re not totally helpless."

    "So you all have to take care of yourselves?"

    Drake paused, grabbing a knife and cutting something I couldn¡¯t see past the counter.

    "No¡­ not all of us," he admitted. Then he gestured toward the table. "You can sit."

    I took him up on the offer.

    "So, I heard some things about you," I said casually.

    Drake didn¡¯t look up. "Oh?"

    "A kind and soft prince. Not a great reputation."

    "Soft? Me?" He laughed. "I guess compared to my family."

    "You got any non-crazy family?" I asked.

    He hummed in mock thought, then shook his head resoundingly.

    "Nope. Even the nice ones are pretty crazy."

    Then he glanced at me.

    "You¡¯re pretty familiar with that, right?"

    I frowned. "What?"

    He looked up, expression unreadable. "Oh, you don¡¯t know."

    I sat up straighter. "Know what?"

    "I figured he was trying to reenter noble society, considering how much time he''s been spending with Lyra again."

    Something cold settled in my stomach.

    "Who?"

    Drake¡¯s smirk widened.

    "Elric."

    I froze.

    "Yeah," he continued, cutting something on the counter again, completely casual. "Lyra got along with him so well when they were young. A shame about what happened to her family, though."

    My head was spinning.

    "Hold on. Back up." My voice turned sharp now. "Elric is¡ª?"

    Drake finally turned to face me, and in that moment, I saw it.

    The smile.

    They both had it.

    Then he said it.

    "My baby brother."

 Chapter 40: Nights Together

    ¡°Elric,¡± I said, stating the name in disbelief.

    He¡¯d told us his family had been in town at some point, but I guess he was hiding his identity.

    But Lyra knew.

    Was she a noble? Considering how close they were, I doubted she was royalty.

    Drake nodded. "Yeah, he was pretty popular when he was a kid. But¡­ his blessing, Common Hand? With no argument, he was removed from the line of succession."

    His voice held a strange note of defeat.

    Now, he was casually grilling something over the stove.

    "He never really said anything about you," I admitted. "Just that royals are dangerous, and I''m lucky I ran into you."

    Drake sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I don¡¯t mind. I doubt he wants anything to do with us."

    We fell into silence as he cooked.

    A few moments later, he placed a plate of grilled vegetables in front of me.

    The fragrance of warm, refreshing food hit me instantly.

    I dug in with a quick, ¡°Thanks.¡±

    We continued eating, neither of us speaking until I finished the meal.

    "He¡¯s a monster, by the way."

    Drake chuckled. "I saw. I watch all his fights. A healer with the most basic of blessings, making his opponents beg for mercy¡­ just for an end." His eyes seemed to light up as he spoke of Elric.

    If the words weren¡¯t so messed up, this would¡¯ve been a sweet moment.

    Drake looked genuinely proud of Elric. Whether or not Elric felt the same way, I had no idea.

    After a moment, Drake leaned back in his chair. "You should head back. It¡¯s late. When you return from your mission, we can talk about your friend."

    I nodded and stood. ¡°It was¡­ actually nice coming here. Thanks.¡±

    Drake didn¡¯t say anything, just gave a small smirk.

    I turned toward the spatial gate, stepping through just as his voice called out behind me.

    "Raise your battle rank!"

    Then I was back at the coliseum.

    I collected my points, then froze.

    Without thinking, I dove beneath the counter, making the attendant jump in surprise.

    "What are you doing?" she asked, sternly. "Get away."

    "Twenty points," I whispered. "Let me hide for a moment."

    She stopped a moment then quietly called. "Fifty."

    Her voice was suddenly a lot sweeter.

    I sighed. "Fine."

    A man approached the desk, signing up for a match.

    I recognized him immediately.

    His build. His voice. His face.

    But mostly, I remembered what I did to his subordinates.

    This was the guy who kidnapped me.

    I held my breath behind the counter, waiting.

    Then, the terminal called out:

    "Ortra."

    The man entered his gate.

    I exhaled slowly.

    Finally.

    I stood, handing the attendant my orb. "Thanks."

    She studied it for a second¡­longer than usual.

    For the first time ever, an attendant actually spoke with something akin to concern.

    "How does a bottom-rank get involved with that guy?" She raised an eyebrow. "You must be new, right? You shouldn¡¯t need to hide from any third-year recruits."

    I gave a half-smile. "I¡¯m new, yeah. But it¡¯s a long story."

    She didn¡¯t push.

    Instead, she smiled slightly. "Watch out for yourself."

    I took off running back toward town, moving at top speed. Only to run into an odd sight.

    By now, I had assumed everyone was already in bed. But three people were stepping out of Greats.

    They heard me approach and turned.

    Sia immediately moved behind Elric, patting down her hair.

    Lyra, meanwhile, just laughed softly at her, both of their hair was definitely not in its usual pristine condition.

    I ignored it and focused on Elric.

    "Heading to bed?" I asked casually.

    Elric gave me a look, one I think was gratitude. Maybe he had expected me to pry.

    "Yeah, we were just heading back," he said.

    Then, he turned to Sia and Lyra. "I¡¯ll be up in a bit. Why don¡¯t you go ahead?"

    "O-Okay¡­ we¡¯ll see you toni¡ªtomorrow!" Sia blurted out, catching herself mid-sentence.

    Lyra laughed again, the soft sound echoing in the quiet street, before she grabbed Sia¡¯s wrist and pulled her through the inn¡¯s front door.

    I smirked at Elric. "I guess I¡¯ll have a private room tonight?"

    Elric shook his head, chuckling as he swiped his hair back with one hand.The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    "Yeah, aren¡¯t you happy? Some privacy with Thea."

    "Yeah¡­ sooo?" I looked at him expectantly.

    He stared at me.

    I stared back.

    Then we both burst into laughter, the ridiculousness of the situation settling in.

    After a few moments, we sat on the steps outside the inn, letting the night air cool us.

    Elric leaned back slightly. "It just kind of happened," he admitted. "You two were getting close and kept leaving us alone. We got more time to chat, then¡­"

    "Yep." I nodded knowingly. "Serious?"

    He exhaled. "I hope so. I used to be surrounded by¡­ well, not great people. It was hard to trust anyone. But they¡¯re just easy to talk to. To be with."

    I tilted my head back, taking in the night sky. Vast, endless, filled with more stars than I had ever seen back home.

    The distant chirping of fantasy crickets filled the silence.

    "I talked to your brother."

    Elric froze.

    A second later, he relaxed, though his voice held a hint of worry. "Yeah?"

    I smirked. I didn¡¯t care about his past. It¡¯s not like I¡¯m from here anyway.

    Instead, I leaned in with mock suspicion. "So you¡¯ve been working on Lyra for a while¡­ but how¡¯d you rope Sia in?"

    "Idiot."

    "Jerk." I shot back.

    Elric sighed, rolling his shoulders. "Try not to go out alone. I¡¯m tired of healing you." His voice dripped with fake annoyance.

    "Yeah, sorry. It was an emergency, but I should have just waited."

    I decided not to mention the identity of my kidnapper just yet.

    No need to drag us into more trouble than necessary. When I remembered his strength, all thoughts of retaliation fled my mind.

    Elric glanced at me. "What¡¯d Drake tell you?"

    I thought back. "Not much. Just some small history. He likes you a bunch, though."

    Elric shook his head. "He''s too kind for that house."

    "And you¡¯re not?"

    "No." His voice was serious. "I was just too weak." His expression darkened slightly.

    I punched his shoulder lightly trying to lighten his mood. "You should try that expression on the girls, might earn you even more points with them."

    He let out a breath, untensing a bit as a small smile formed.

    I shrugged. "I don¡¯t know much about what happened between you and Lyra, but you guys are my family. I¡¯ll stick by you all."

    Then, after a pause, I added, "Drake also said you¡¯re not a fan of your family¡­ I¡¯m guessing, other than him, you¡¯re not close with your brothers either. So¡­"

    I hesitated, feeling a little embarrassed about my next words.

    "We can be brothers."

    Elric shifted slightly. "Never had such a stupid brother." He paused. "Drake¡¯s close, but¡­"

    "Hey! I¡¯m pouring my heart out here, man."

    He broke out laughing. "Alright, brothers then¡­ but who¡¯s older?"

    I thought about it and realized my mistake. "Who knows? I don¡¯t even know how the years are divided here. But if you have four seasons, I was born in the cold one, late into it."

    Elric smirked victoriously. "I was born early winter, the start of our year."

    I sighed dramatically. "I shouldn¡¯t have offered brotherhood without confirming this first."

    Elric nodded with mock seriousness. "Dumber than Drake. But at least you¡¯re my little brother."

    I snorted, then laughed along with him.

    "Come on, it¡¯s freezing out here. Let¡¯s head in."

    We climbed the steps to the inn. Elric passed our room, giving me a wave before heading to his.

    I stepped inside, shutting the door softly behind me.

    The room was dimly lit, and although Thea was curled up in bed, I could tell from the way her breathing wasn¡¯t totally even that she was still awake.

    "Thea?"

    A pause.

    "¡­No."

    I smiled. "Back to normal."

    There was a faint crackle of electricity, and the room lit up slightly with a soft blue glow. I turned to see a fully cocooned mass of blankets and sleeping bags on the bed.

    "Forget what happened," she muttered from inside her fabric fortress.

    I didn¡¯t answer. Instead, I walked over and wrapped my arms around the cocoon, giving it a big hug.

    A small yelp of surprise came from within.

    "I can¡¯t."

    She let out a long groan of embarrassment.

    I laughed, settling against the cocoon.

    "I¡¯m cold, Thea."

    "Too bad. Get your own blankets."

    She squirmed against my hold. Not seriously enough to actually escape.

    I pulled her back in. "One of those sleeping bags is mine¡­ but you tangled it in this mess."

    Her head poked out from the mass of blankets. My eyes had adjusted enough to see her outline, but not the details.

    "What happened?" she asked, her voice quieter now. "I can¡¯t remember anything before¡­ I was acting weird. Just you screaming."

    I let out a slow sigh. "Something¡¯s up with the cultivation process. There¡¯s another energy interfering, causing us to, well¡­ pop, I guess."

    I hugged the cocoon closer. "I don¡¯t think you were far from it."

    She went quiet for a moment. Then, "Oh. So what, we can¡¯t continue?"

    I shook my head. "I don¡¯t know. I think we can¡­ but the influence seems to get stronger the more we use Body Refinement. Seeing as it was deeper in you this time, that¡¯s not a good sign."

    I hesitated before adding, "I can isolate the energy¡¯s influence myself for now, but maybe we should tread more carefully. If it gets bad enough, where even for a moment it¡¯s hard to control, we should wait for Elric to advance as well."

    "Okay. Let¡¯s continue tomorrow on our way to the cave," Thea said. "We just have to be more careful."

    A calm silence followed.

    "How are you not hot in there?" I asked, breaking it.

    "I run cold-blooded." She joked with a neutral tone.

    Before I could respond, a brief blue flash flickered from beneath the blankets, illuminating the room for an instant. In that moment, her face peeked out from the mountain of fabric, her eyes locked onto mine. Stormy gray lit by the glow.

    I snorted. "I know you were going for scary, but that was just cute."

    She shuffled around.

    "Did I make you blush?" I teased.

    "No."

    I smirked. Liar.

    I spotted a seam in her blanket fortress, a break in the barrier.

    Before she could react, I slipped under the covers in one quick movement, pressing close.

    She gasped sharply and froze.

    I paused. "Want me to leave?"

    She didn¡¯t answer, but after a moment, I felt her shake her head. Then, slowly, she relaxed.

    "You did say I was warm earlier."

    "Now you can leave." She playfully huffed.

    I ignored her, adjusting my position until I was perfectly comfortable beside her.

    "This is where I want to be."

    She didn¡¯t argue.

    After a beat, she murmured, "Elric¡­? He¡¯ll be back soon."

    "No, he won¡¯t."

    Another silence followed, this one deeper, softer.

    I stayed still, holding her close until her breathing evened out again.

    At some point, I drifted off too.

    When I woke, a soft orange glow slipped through the window, painting the room in early morning light.

    I felt warm, comfortably so, buried beneath the tangled mess of blankets. Thea had shifted in her sleep, now curled up facing me, her head resting near my chest.

    Her hair was a little frizzed from bedhead, strands sticking up in different directions.

    And¡­ oh.

    She was lightly drooling.

    I grinned. Never gonna let her live this down.

    Strangely, despite staying up so late, I didn¡¯t feel all that tired. Maybe it was the cultivation. Maybe it was just¡­ being here.

    Thea stirred not long after. Her breathing changed, and after a moment, she blinked up at me sleepily.

    "Morning."

    Her eyes met mine for half a second, then she immediately turned away, burying her face into the blankets.

    I saw the tips of her ears reddening.

    I chuckled. "You know, yo¡ª"

    "Don¡¯t say it."

    I was definitely saying it later.

    Smirking, I decided to spare her¡­for now. "We should get ready. We¡¯re heading out for the exploration today, right?"

    She chirped out her response, muffled by the blanket. "Okay."

    Honestly, I was probably red too, but something about being here, being around her, felt right.

    So, I just nodded and slid out of bed, stretching.

    "I¡¯m gonna head downstairs for food," I said.

    From beneath the blankets, her voice was soft but steady. "I¡¯ll be done soon."

    I paused for a moment at the door, glancing back at her small, bundled form.

    Then, I stepped out, shutting the door gently behind me.

    Today was the day.

    We were leaving this brutal place.

 Chapter 41: Idol No More

    I walked downstairs, rubbing the sleep from my eyes, and despite the early hour, everyone had already gotten up before Thea and me.

    As I entered the dining room, Elric greeted me with a smirk. ¡°You look like you slept well.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t,¡± I shot back.

    Sia, sitting beside him, choked on her drink, while Lyra, on his other side, offered me a small smile. ¡°Good morning.¡±

    Miss Star came out of the kitchen, a cast-iron skillet in hand, eggs and fatty meat sizzling inside. ¡°Are you heading out soon?¡± she asked.

    ¡°I think we should. Thea was saying the trip will take a few hours.¡± I glanced at Elric, Sia, and Lyra. ¡°Though, maybe you guys can finish the purification step first.¡±

    Elric raised an eyebrow. ¡°Is this for the skill?¡±

    There was a pause. ¡°¡­Maybe,¡± I admitted. ¡°Also¡­ that voice projection thing you did.¡±

    He chuckled. ¡°Alright. I think with the morning, we can all finish. I¡¯ll go first, then Sia and Lyra.¡±

    Sia swallowed her food and added, ¡°The whisper skill, Phantom Whisper, is pretty difficult to learn. I have to use it through my system now. The control required is really high.¡±

    Before I could respond, Thea came downstairs.

    Still groggy, she plopped down beside me and started eating in silence.

    Miss Star, seeing we were all present, set down the pan and wiped her hands. ¡°Oh, good, now that you¡¯re all here¡­¡± Her tone became oddly serious. ¡°I wanted to give you all a warning.¡±

    ¡°About the exploration?¡± I asked curiously.

    She shook her head. ¡°No. About you all getting¡­ friendlier.¡±

    Sia nearly choked on her food again. ¡°Mom¡ª¡± she coughed between words, ¡°do not¡ª¡±

    ¡°Just know that having children as a recruit is¡­ complicated,¡± Miss Star finished, completely ignoring her daughter¡¯s protests.

    Lyra lit up like a flame, and Thea, now suddenly very awake,stammered, ¡°W¡ªwe haven¡¯t even¡ªit¡¯s not. It¡¯s not there yet!¡±

    Elric, of course, remained completely unfazed, flashing Miss Star his usual charming smile. Meanwhile, Sia had buried her face in her arms, probably trying to will herself out of existence.

    ¡°We¡¯ll be careful,¡± Elric said simply.

    Yet?

    ¡°Yet?¡± I echoed before I could stop myself.

    Bad idea.

    The moment the word left my mouth, a familiar crackle filled the air.

    A jolt of electricity coursed through my body, making every muscle seize up.

    For a moment, all I could do was sit there, twitching.

    Elric leaned forward, watching me curiously. ¡°Are you¡­ crying?¡±

    ¡°No!¡± I blurted, but the watery eyes probably weren¡¯t helping my case.

    They all stared at me.

    I swallowed. ¡°N-no.¡±

    I wasn¡¯t crying.

    Just¡­ tearing up.

    Maybe a stray drop here and there. But come on, the moment had been so touching.

    After we finished breakfast, an idea struck me. ¡°Let¡¯s head to the training hall. The four girls should be there in the morning, right? You three can join them for a bit. I have some questions for the attendant.¡±

    They all nodded, except for Sia, who was grumbling words I couldn¡¯t make out. Judging by the way Lyra was rubbing her back in comfort, Lyra could.

    Thea, despite arriving last, finished her meal second, just behind me. Meanwhile, the others took their time, eating at a more leisurely pace.

    It was time to start moving.

    Thea and I waited for the others to finish and waved goodbye to Miss Star as she wished us luck.

    We walked across the street, and while Elric, Sia, and Lyra headed upstairs, I approached the large man behind the counter. He greeted me with a friendly smile.

    ¡°I wanted to see if there was any way to increase the number of people we could have in a room,¡± I started.

    He let out a sigh and shook his head. ¡°For your room, the max is six people. I don¡¯t have the authority to change that.¡±

    I nodded, expecting this, but I was still a little disappointed.

    Thea spoke up next. ¡°What about a smaller room? Just for two or four people?¡±

    The attendant perked up. ¡°On the bottom floor, we have two types of rooms. One for two people and another for three. However, the facilities aren¡¯t as inclusive as the larger rooms. No library. No skill analysis.

    Just a basic padded room with some exercise equipment.¡± He paused. ¡°You could also rent the other large room upstairs, another six-person space.¡±

    I looked at Thea. ¡°I mean¡­ I could get another large room. If new recruits use it every day for five points at three hours each, we¡¯d need twelve new recruits daily to sustain both rooms.¡±

    She frowned.

    I dragged out my next word, ¡°Buuuut¡­ my sponsor is already covering one. So, we¡¯d only need two more recruits using it every day.¡±

    From the corner of my eye, I could¡¯ve sworn the attendant gave me a thumbs-up. Maybe he gets a commission?

    Thea thought for a moment before sighing. "Fine. I think this will be sustainable. But eventually, we¡¯ll have to figure out housing. Otherwise, recruits might not want to join us."

    I turned back to the beaming mass of a man behind the counter. "I¡¯ll take the other large room, then."If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.

    "Yes, sir!" He grinned, pulling out an orb. "As a bonus for your purchase, I¡¯ll let you renew both rooms at the same time. Easier for you that way."

    "Appreciate it."

    I deposited nine hundred points into the orb, leaving me with just 1,320 displayed on my own.

    As we headed upstairs, Thea glanced at me. "Where¡¯d you get another thousand points?"

    "I helped the commander. Warned him about Body Refinement."

    She nodded, seemingly satisfied, and opened the door.

    Inside, the four healers, the newest members of the guild, were sitting with our group. Elric stood in the middle, explaining something about cultivation. Everyone was listening intently.

    I hated to interrupt.

    Actually, no. No, I didn¡¯t.

    "Hey, I just got the room next to this one, so we can use them whenever we want."

    The whole group turned toward me.

    "Really?" Sia asked in disbelief. "That¡¯s great, but how can you afford all that?"

    I shrugged. "Well¡­" I turned to the four girls, shifting my focus. "I¡¯m trusting you to help spread the word to new recruits. Once you experience how effective our methods are firsthand, can you help me?"

    They didn¡¯t look particularly interested.

    I looked at Elric for backup.

    "Please," he finished for me.

    Immediately, their expressions turned serious. They nodded. Not to a guild leader, not even to a vice leader, but to a senior member.

    "We won¡¯t let you down."

    ¡­Did they practice that? It was way too in sync.

    "Are you enjoying the room?" I asked them.

    One of the girls, the youngest, spoke first. "It¡¯s much better than the basic rooms. And we can train for much longer for less cost."

    Another girl, standing near Sia, chimed in. "How much more is there to learn after the Spiritual Reservoirs?"

    Thea spoke up before I could answer. "I can tell you only the next step¡­ Truthfully, there are only two more for now. The final stage is a secret, and if you want to learn it, you¡¯ll need a new contract¡­an exclusive one."

    I didn¡¯t argue with the new information.

    "After you finish the first step, you form the Grand Channel¡­" Thea continued, explaining each stage in detail while I made my way over to Elric.

    "So, Phantom Whisper?" I asked casually.

    His voice echoed directly in my ear. Show off. He was already using the skill.

    "It¡¯s gonna be more difficult for you, I imagine," he said smugly. "The three of us have decent control, and once we succeed, the system lets us use it more easily. But you¡­"

    "Yeah, yeah, just teach it to me. I¡¯ll practice over time."

    He laughed. "Let¡¯s wait for Thea to finish first."

    It took a while. By the time she wrapped up, the girls looked like their heads might¡¯ve been spinning. Thea let out a stifled sigh.

    "We¡¯re heading out today," she reminded them. "If you need anything, ask Miss Star. We shouldn¡¯t be gone for more than a few days at most."

    They nodded, looking both tired and maybe slightly regretful.

    We left them to their training and moved to the next room, identical to the one we had just been in.

    "Alright," Elric said, turning to face me. "Let¡¯s teach you Swift Stride first."

    I raised an eyebrow. "I thought you were waiting until you were on our level."

    He scoffed. "I was obviously joking. Plus, it¡¯ll help us all get back sooner."

    Then he continued, "Dancing Leaf was a pretty terrible book, but I figured it out."

    I clapped sarcastically. "Elric, the great combat genius¡­"

    Everyone gave me a look.

    I cleared my throat. "Continue, please."

    Elric smirked, then launched into his explanation.

    "Anyway, once I used it successfully, I figured out how it works with MP in our systems." He started moving around as he spoke, demonstrating without breaking stride. "Basically, it generates a current of energy that circulates around your feet. It doesn¡¯t just increase power. It also reduces the pressure you put on the ground. It¡¯s like¡­ gliding."

    "So, reducing friction?" I asked. "How do you not slip and wipe out?"

    "That¡¯s the tricky part," he admitted. "Think of it like skipping a stone across water. If you hit the ground too hard, you sink, that¡¯s what the technique prevents. But if you¡¯re too light, you¡¯d just keep skipping uncontrollably."

    Thea, ever the teacher, frowned. "How would a stone become too light? Gotta work on your metaphors, Elric."

    Elric grinned. "Did you understand it, though?"

    "Well, that¡¯s not¡ª" She let out a long sigh. "Please continue."

    Oof.

    My team wasn¡¯t doing so well.

    Zero to two on calling him out.

    I patted Thea¡¯s shoulder in sympathy. We blunder together.

    Elric ignored us. "So, the trick is knowing exactly when to touch down. You have to slow the circulation of energy to a crawl for an instant, then immediately resume it. And you have to do this for every step."

    My eyes widened. "Every step? That kind of focus is ridiculous."

    "Exactly," he said with a nod. "That¡¯s why even I had to use the system when fighting you. Circulating energy just to diffuse in one part of the body is already hard enough. But splitting your focus, circulating energy for an attack and maintaining two separate energy flows in your feet, stopping and starting them constantly? That¡¯s nearly impossible."

    I sighed in defeat. I might be able to do it, but a lot of sleepless nights were in my future. ¡°So, how about for Phantom Whisper?¡±

    ¡°That one¡¯s much easier to explain.¡± Elric stretched lazily before continuing, ¡°Think of the fireball coming out of your mouth, but instead, you''re speaking and obviously not as much force. You have to maintain a clear, constant, unchanging flow of energy while also forming words.¡±

    He gave me a pointed look. ¡°Normally, that¡¯s tough. Most people struggle to control energy while thinking about what to say, but¡­¡± He smirked. ¡°You don¡¯t think when you speak.¡±

    ¡­I hate him.

    Thea, who was supposed to be on my side, burst into laughter.

    ¡°Thea!?¡± I spun toward her, betrayed.

    ¡°What? It¡¯s true. Aren¡¯t you happy?¡± She grinned. ¡°This skill is gonna be easy for you.¡±

    ¡°Alright, alright.¡± I rolled my eyes. ¡°Hey, you remember how you were acting earlier?¡±

    Thea¡¯s amusement vanished instantly. ¡°Peter.¡± Her voice dropped in warning.

    ¡°Lyra, I need you to use whatever that spell was on her again,¡± I called out dramatically. ¡°She was so adorable, giggling like a little kid, snuggling up next to m¡ª¡±

    The sharp crackle of electricity made me realize now was a great time to start practicing Swift Stride.

    I took off running, trying to keep the technique stable.

    Behind me, I called out, ¡°What are you so mad about? It was adorable!¡±

    Then, because I was obviously an expert at this technique, I immediately lost control.

    My foot slipped.

    The ground rushed up to meet me.

    And Thea, who had been moving to zap me, tripped right over me.

    We both crashed to the floor.

    Elric and Sia, who had been sparring nearby, turned to look.

    Elric smirked. ¡°Save it for your room.¡±

    A beat passed.

    Then he added, ¡°We do.¡±

    Sia, who I had never seen truly angry before, froze.

    The temperature in the room skyrocketed.

    Above her palm, a massive fireball flared to life.

    Thea and I both stared at it, stunned.

    I leaned toward her. ¡°I didn¡¯t know she would attack her idol.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s not her idol anymore,¡± Thea panted. ¡°He¡¯s her boyfriend.¡±

    She wiped some dust off her shirt and sighed.

    ¡°We¡¯re allowed to hurt you.¡±

    That didn¡¯t sound quite right to me. But she was the Grandmaster, I guess.

    Before things could escalate, Lyra opened her eyes and stood. ¡°Elric, stop being so¡­ public. Apologize to her.¡±

    Elric rubbed the back of his head, some sweat forming on his brow. I mean, I couldn¡¯t blame him. No matter what level of cultivation we were at, Sia was an advanced mage, and that was¡­ well, fire. Dangerous. Surprise, surprise. Or maybe he was just hot.

    Before Sia could react, he dashed up to her and whispered something.

    She blushed, and just like that, the fireball vanished.

    "Wait until your roo¡ªow!"

    "Do you want her to attack you?" Thea chastised.

    I sighed and stood. "Let¡¯s keep practicing. Once Elric advances, we¡¯ll try Body Refinement again."

    We got back to training, running around the room together, chatting, slipping, and laughing. Eventually, Thea managed to obtain Phantom Whisper, and I was getting much better at Swift Stride.

    A solid start.

 Chapter 42: Precursor

    A rancid smell filled the room, and we all instinctively turned to Elric, who had just opened his eyes and jumped up.

    "This is¡ª"

    "Disgusting," Lyra finished, clutching her nose.

    Sia gagged beside her. "Go away."

    Elric grinned. "Why don¡¯t I give you a hug first?" He turned to Sia, mischief in his eyes. "You too, of course."

    They both stood and backed away in sync. "Elric, don¡¯t you¡­AHHH!"

    Lyra screamed as Elric moved.

    And I mean moved.

    Fast was an understatement. Thea must''ve been taking it easy on me while I was still learning, but Elric? He was on a completely different level.

    Another shriek echoed through the room, Sia''s, this time, as she, too, fell victim to the tainted embrace.

    I turned to Thea, expecting amusement, but instead, I found her wide-eyed, stunned.

    "That was way faster than me¡­" she muttered. "I could barely see him."

    Elric must¡¯ve heard her because he called out, "No one said you can¡¯t use MP and inner force at the same time, Thea."

    Her eyes widened further, and then, as if testing his words, she sprinted forward.

    For just a few steps, she moved with the same blinding speed.

    And just like that, I was once again left behind by the existence of systems.

    I shook my head.

    No.

    I already made the decision not to be left behind. This just meant I had to work harder, advance faster, and create techniques that worked with my talents¡­ whatever those talents were.

    Okay, that smell is unbearable.

    "Stop flirting, you three. Just leave. Please," I begged.

    They all nodded and walked out, the stench thankfully leaving with them.

    I slumped down, exhaling. I needed a break.

    Thea finished her sprinting, like a total maniac, and walked over. "What''s wrong?"

    I smiled up at her. "Nothing."

    She sat beside me, gaze turning serious. "You know, without you, none of this would be possible."

    I let out a small laugh. "You would''ve figured it out eventually, cultivation nerd."

    "No," she said firmly, eyes filled with something deeper¡­concern, maybe. "I was getting ready to form a core, Peter. You''re the reason we can do this. All of it. Don¡¯t think you¡¯re holding us back. You¡¯re pushing us forward."

    I blinked.

    For some reason, hearing her say that meant more than I expected.

    "Thanks," I said, grateful. Then, deciding to change the mood, I grinned. "Wanna try whispering?"

    She smirked. "Sure. I¡¯m tired of running, and my MP needs to recover anyway."

    I turned to her and circulated my energy near my mouth, already familiar with how Air Lance worked. If I just reduced the energy further and kept it steady, I should be able to.

    "How long does it take for MP to recover?"

    Thea tilted her head. "What?"

    ¡­Guess I failed at Phantom Whisper.

    I tried again, focusing harder this time. "How long does it take for your MP to recover?"

    She squinted at me, then gasped in realization. "Ohhh!"

    Then, with complete seriousness, she asked, "Why would I go undercover?"

    I stared.

    "What."

    "Like, to find the group who kidnapped¡ª"

    I held up a hand. "Not what I said, Thea."

    She at least looked a little guilty. "Oh. Well, it kinda sounded like that."

    I sighed, already resetting my energy flow. Third time''s the charm, right?

    I took a breath, concentrated, and whispered again.

    "How long does it take for your MP to recover?"

    This time, her eyes lit up in recognition. "Half an hour or so."

    I pumped my fist in the air. "Yes! Finally!"

    Thea smirked. "Now you try."

    She spoke first. "When will you eat?"

    I thought about it. "Dunno. When do you want to eat?"

    She shook her head. "No."

    Then, as if to completely crush my sense of achievement, she nailed it on her second try.

    "When do you want to leave?"

    I groaned. "Seriously?"

    She shrugged.

    "Alright," I said, shaking off my wounded pride. "Soon. Let¡¯s see how Body Refinement works with Elric, then we can head out."

    "Sounds good."

    We spent the next few minutes practicing. Thea didn¡¯t use her system, conserving her remaining MP for the trip, and we ended up turning it into a weird game. Trying to see if we could understand each other through barely-whispered words.

    Before long, the door creaked open.

    Lyra entered first, her face slightly red, followed by Elric and Sia.

    "Ready?" I asked, standing. "Let¡¯s see if you guys can observe the energy. I¡¯ll go first."

    Thea hesitated but eventually nodded. Everyone placed a hand somewhere, my back, my side, my shoulder, wherever there was space.If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.

    It was a little distracting.

    Still, I closed my eyes and focused.

    I sank into my internal force, letting it guide me.

    The nauseous feeling hit for only a moment before a deep, calming warmth took its place. But something felt off. This wasn¡¯t enough.

    I could tell.

    This amount of world force wouldn¡¯t stick to anything.

    I might have Perfect Conversion in the Grand Channel, but that meant nothing for my skin.

    I kept pushing forward.

    ¡­and wow.

    This is nice.

    Feels like I¡¯m relaxing with Thea.

    So warm. Comforting.

    I wonder what¡¯s gonna happen to us.

    War is coming.

    A few years, and we¡¯ll be on the battlefield.

    I need more power.

    Much more.

    This¡­ this isn¡¯t enough.

    And it¡¯s so easy.

    The world around me suddenly twisted.

    My skin burned.

    My eyes snapped open.

    Pain.

    I gasped, looking down.

    Thin cracks lined my arms, blood seeping out between them.

    The others looked pale, beads of sweat forming on their foreheads.

    I forced the words out through the pain. "So? What did you see?"

    Lyra and Sia both shook their heads.

    Elric and Thea, however, exchanged glances.

    "The same foreign energy as before," Elric said. "It moved away the second you woke up."

    Then he placed a hand on my shoulder, casting a healing spell. One that stung way more than it needed to.

    I clenched my teeth as the pain dulled.

    Same thing happened to me before.

    I exhaled, steadying myself. "Next thing to test¡­ let¡¯s see if its influence grows the more we use Body Refinement."

    I turned to Thea.

    "You wanna try?"

    She met my gaze, nodding resolutely.

    "Yes."

    Elric and I got into position while Sia and Lyra moved off to finish their Body Purification alone.

    Thea began cultivating, her face slowly reddening. Then more.

    I sent in my energy and waited. At first, I saw nothing.

    But then, just like before, the violet force swept in.

    It started small, almost subtle.

    Then, in an instant, it expanded within her. Not because more world force was being absorbed, but as if it had been dormant before entering, only now fully awakening.

    "I¡¯ll try isolating it myself first," I told Elric. "Step in if I say I need help."

    It wasn¡¯t any bigger than before like I thought it might be, but it was definitely brighter glowing like an ominous light. Its brilliance had grown alongside our progress in Body Refinement.

    I wrapped my energy around it, more practiced now, more confident with the others here. My hold solidified, but an idea struck me.

    I sent in more energy, slowly, gently, without cutting off its connection to her just yet.

    She hadn¡¯t started injuring herself, so I had a bit of time.

    I pushed in a large portion of my internal force and attempted something I couldn¡¯t do before.

    A thin sphere began forming. A fragile, translucent core within Thea¡¯s body.

    It was weak. Brittle.

    But solid.

    It took far more of my power than I expected. Nearly thirty percent of my internal force was gone just to make this thing, but Thea¡¯s body didn¡¯t seem to struggle against it.

    The moment it fully formed, Thea¡¯s eyes snapped open.

    She looked like a cooked lobster.

    I briefly wondered. Could a core only form when the Grand Channel was full? Or did something change when the energy locked into place?

    She looked at me expectantly.

    I nodded. "It definitely increased, so maybe more people will be needed eventually¡­ but not anytime soon. I¡¯d suggest keeping two people on standby at all times. If two are ever required, make sure three are present."

    They nodded in agreement as Thea and I stood.

    "For now, let¡¯s spar and check your stats," I said.

    So far, she didn¡¯t seem to notice the core yet.

    But as soon as we exchanged a few blows, she stopped.

    "Something just left my body."

    I smiled. Good. My human experiment had worked.

    "I formed a core around the energy," I admitted. "Sorry I didn¡¯t tell you first, but I figured you could crush it easily."

    Elric¡¯s eyebrow shot up.

    "You can form cores¡­ objects inside other people?"

    Then he smiled.

    A slow, delighted smile.

    ¡­Why did that smile look so terrifying?

    "Thea sat down, closing her eyes. A moment later, she opened them again.

    "It¡¯s gone," she said. "The core shattered on its own. That weird energy must¡¯ve broken it."

    I let out a breath. "I don¡¯t think we should make it any stronger. Last thing I want is for something permanent to form inside your Grand Channel."

    She nodded.

    "Let¡¯s just finish this spar," I added. "We can check how much your endurance has raised afterward."

    We moved again, exchanging blows, circling the room.

    Elric, meanwhile, sat off to the side, completely focused on something of his own.

    Probably some cruel new skill.

    ¡­Like clogging someone¡¯s arteries with his internal force.

    I really, really didn¡¯t want to ask.

    Thea and I were still catching our breath as she walked over to the monitor, tapping a few commands until her updated stats displayed on the screen.

    [Thea]

    Class: Warrior

    Blessing: Storm Heart

    Free Stats: 5

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Strength: 20</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Agility: 50</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Stamina: 20</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Endurance: 15</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Magic: 5</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Precursor Energy: 15/22</li>

    </ul>

    Techniques: Swift Stride, Phantom Whisper

    Titles: N/A

    Missions:

    Bottom Rank Level 2

    Objective: None

    She froze.

    ¡°Where is my MP and SP?¡±

    The room went silent.

    Everyone turned their gazes to the monitor.

    I felt my pulse quicken as I scanned the numbers.

    Thea had ten MP and SP before, right? But now¡­ they fused. And not only that, there was an extra amount added on top with a new name.

    ¡°It worked.¡±

    I barely spoke the words out loud.

    They all turned to me.

    Thea¡¯s expression twisted in confusion, still staring at the screen.

    I swallowed and elaborated, ¡°Thea¡­ I think you absorbed the foreign energy.¡±

    Elric took a step closer, eyes narrowing with intrigue. ¡°So it combined her two stats and renamed them?¡±

    ¡°It must have,¡± I said.

    Lyra, still glued to the screen, muttered, ¡°But MP can¡¯t just increase. Even free stats can¡¯t be assigned to it. It only rises when you advance a system rank¡­¡±

    She trailed off, realization settling over her.

    We all just stood there, staring at the screen.

    Something big had just happened.

    And none of us knew how it would affect each of us¡­ yet.

    Not all of us had both SP and MP. Would the system grant it upon gaining Precursor Energy? Maybe not, but I was guessing our resident healers and mage had more MP than Thea to begin with anyway.

    And also¡­ what would it do to me?

    "Okay," Sia spoke up, snapping me from my thoughts. "So, should we go?"

    "Yep, I think so," I replied.

    We all stood and stepped out into the streets. I glanced at Thea as she pulled the cube from her pocket, muttering, "Status."

    "Where are we heading?" I asked.

    She spun around slightly, adjusting her bearings, then finally pointed toward the edge of town, toward the trees. "That way."

    Before we left, Lyra and Sia stopped at a nearby store to grab camping supplies. The load was split between Thea, Elric, and me.

    Then, just as we were about to take off, Thea turned toward me, flashing a cute, knowing smile.

    "Keep up," she said, voice laced with mischief.

    Ah. Payback for outing her behavior under Lyra¡¯s spell.

    I exhaled. "Yep."

    Everyone took off at a steady jog.

    I set off after them, Thea lingering just enough to let me catch up.

    We kept a fast pace, Lyra and Sia using their MP to keep up with the rest of us.

    The noon sun hung high at first, but as time passed, it began its slow descent, casting longer shadows across the trees.

 Chapter 43: Noise

    We slowed down once Lyra and Sia ran out of MP, and soon after, everyone started feeling the strain. Eventually, we decided to stop for the day.

    Thankfully, either this area wasn¡¯t particularly dangerous, or we had been moving too fast for anything to catch us. Either way, nothing had attacked.

    We found a clearing and began setting up our camp.

    ¡°Should we keep watch at night?¡± Thea asked.

    Sia, working on a tent, nodded. ¡°We could split into two watches. One group takes the afternoon to sleep, the other takes the night.¡±

    ¡°Anyone feeling particularly tired?¡± I asked.

    Thea and Elric both shook their heads. Honestly, I felt fine too. I mean, I could sleep, just because it¡¯s nice, but¡­

    I glanced at Thea, and at the same time, she looked at me.

    ¡°Actually, I haven¡¯t felt tired in a while,¡± she admitted. ¡°A few days, at least.¡±

    ¡°¡­Same,¡± I added after a pause.

    ¡°Well, that just means more sleep for us.¡± Lyra smirked as she glanced at Elric, who had yet to actually help with the tents. ¡°Why are you just standing around?¡±

    The guy, who had been enjoying the breeze while casually brushing back his raven hair like some kind of action star, sighed dramatically. ¡°Fine, fine, I¡¯m coming.¡±

    Thea finished setting up one of the tents with neat precision and walked over to the supplies. I approached her from behind, noticing that she was rummaging through the bags with a troubled expression.

    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± I asked.

    She pushed aside some pillows and sheets. ¡°There¡¯s only this. No more tents or sleeping bags.¡±

    ¡°Huh.¡± I looked around, checking if Elric had stashed supplies somewhere else. But all I found were pouches filled with rations and water canteens.

    ¡°Hey, Sia!¡± I called out. ¡°Are there any more supplies?¡±

    She glanced over. ¡°We¡¯re saving our points, since a certain someone thought it was necessary to spend an extra nine hundred every thirty days.¡±

    Thea turned toward me. ¡°So someone has to sleep outside?¡±

    Lyra smiled sweetly. ¡°You¡¯d really kick poor Peter out all alone?¡±

    Thea turned back to me, and I immediately put on the biggest pair of puppy-dog eyes I could muster.

    Her reaction? ¡­Was that disgust?

    ¡°Yes, I would,¡± she replied without hesitation.

    Elric burst into laughter.

    Lyra chuckled as well. ¡°Don¡¯t be so mean. I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll behave.¡±

    I gave her a thumbs-up.

    She ignored me, turning to Elric. ¡°We all will.¡±

    Elric nodded obediently. ¡°Of course.¡±

    I grabbed a pillow, handing one to Thea and whispering, ¡°There are two tents. We¡¯re not all sleeping at the same time.¡±

    She took the pillow, grabbing another one as well, before muttering, her cheeks slightly pink, "Grab the blankets.¡±

    Though I wouldn¡¯t exactly call it an angry mutter.

    I did as she asked, skipping, no, walking in a very manly way, behind her.

    Happily.

    We all heated up some water from a nearby stream and dumped in dried meat and fruit, making a somewhat hearty soup.

    I was starving, so I ignored the heat and took a bite.

    Immediately, I regretted it.

    "I miss your mom¡¯s food," I complained to Sia.

    Thea, having taken a bite just a moment after me, didn¡¯t speak. Instead, her shoulders trembled.

    Wait.

    "Thea?" I asked carefully.

    "W-what." Her voice wavered.

    I mean, I couldn¡¯t blame her. Compared to Miss Star¡¯s cooking, this was just¡­ awful.

    I gave her a side hug. "It¡¯s alright. We¡¯ll be back soon enough."

    She nodded in quiet appreciation.

    "You two are just ridiculous," Elric called out, taking another spoonful of his meal like it wasn¡¯t complete and utter torture.

    "Hey!" I retorted. "This is serious stuff, man."

    He rolled his eyes while Thea and I grudgingly forced down the rest of the gruel.

    Before we knew it, night had settled in. None of us had actually slept yet, but Lyra and Sia looked exhausted.

    "Why don¡¯t you guys head in first?" I suggested. "Thea and I will keep watch."

    "I don¡¯t feel tired ei¡ª"

    Elric was cut off as Lyra stood up, grabbed his shirt, and dragged him toward the tents. Sia followed close behind without a word.

    I glanced up at the sky, the stars already shining brightly against the moonless night.

    "You really like them, huh?" Thea asked.

    I nodded. "Yeah. Back home, there aren¡¯t any visible stars¡­ anywhere. Just some fake sky built by humans."

    "A fake sky?" she repeated, sounding confused.

    "Yeah. Hm, how do I explain this?" I paused, thinking. "You know the screens for your status? And the monitor in the training hall?"

    "Of course."

    "Well," I pointed upward, "imagine enough of those to cover the entire sky. Way, waaay, waaaaaay up there."

    "That¡¯s amazing," she said in awe.

    I laughed. "I guess if you grew up with this, our technology is impressive to you. But trust me, nothing beats this. The real thing."

    She stared up at the stars, lost in thought. "I wonder if your home is out there."If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    "Maybe," I admitted. "But if it is¡­ then I might never go back. It would be impossibly far."

    She hesitated. "Sorry."

    "Don¡¯t be. I¡¯m happy here. I mean, sure, it¡¯s got some serious problems." I stood, extending a hand to help her up. "But it¡¯s got my friends. And you."

    Her cheeks flushed slightly as she took my hand. "Anything you want to do?" she asked.

    "Want to learn my ¡®not a fireball¡¯?" I smirked.

    She nodded, finally perking up. "Of course! Show me what you got!"

    I walked her through the mechanics of my techniques. The Air Lance and Silencing Current.

    I remembered something. ¡°Hey, let me see your orb.¡±

    She handed it over without question, and I transferred all my points, leaving only a hundred for myself.

    "Why¡ª" she started to protest, but I cut her off.

    "The guild master should have the funds, after all." I scratched the back of my head. "I¡¯d probably waste it on something eventually."

    She smirked. "You''re right, you probably would."

    We got back to practicing. I kept refining my Air Lance, and once I could punch a decent-sized hole through a tree, I finally sat down to cultivate my Grand Channel again.

    I tried forming another thin core.

    It failed.

    "Thea?"

    She stopped practicing Air Lance, turning toward me. "What¡¯s up?"

    "I can only form a core when the Grand Channel is completely filled," I told her.

    "Weird." She scrunched her nose slightly, thinking. "You know, maybe after all this, we should look for a different way to advance¡­ Cores don¡¯t feel like anything more than a tool."

    I nodded. "Agreed. Let¡¯s keep carving our own path."

    She smirked. "Also, your skill is not Shotgun Blast, it¡¯s Blasting Wave."

    Neat. I guess that was an alright name.

    We kept training until I suggested a spar, using the fight to convert all the world force into my own. By the time we stopped, I was back at full capacity.

    "Feeling tired yet?" Thea asked, panting slightly.

    I felt physically drained, but¡­ not sleepy. "Not really. How long do you think we can stay up?"

    She shook her head. "No idea. We can test it when we get back. I don¡¯t want to push our luck outside of safety."

    "Yeah," I agreed.

    Then.

    A sound.

    Something moving fast in the distance.

    Thea and I immediately ducked behind a tree, waiting.

    Then, a voice.

    "I swear I saw smoke from around here," a young woman said.

    "Good," came a gruff reply. "Quiet down. They might not all be sleeping."

    Another voice, lighter, more excited. "It¡¯s been over a week since we¡¯ve seen anyone. Hopefully, they¡¯ve got something good on them."

    A third voice. Calmer, controlled. "Let¡¯s head that way."

    I followed his gesture. He was pointing straight toward our camp.

    ¡°Get Elric¡±, I whispered to Thea using Phantom Whisper. ¡°You two are faster, come back quickly.¡±

    She nodded and sent back, ¡°I¡¯ll be fast. Be careful.¡±

    Then, she vanished into the dark, taking a wide route away from the intruders'' sight.

    I stepped out.

    Three heads turned toward me.

    I raised a hand, waving casually. "Hey. Nice night."

    Yeah. They were not here to make friends.

    Weapons were drawn instantly.

    The youngest, a guy who looked just a few years older than me, gripped a crystal orb. The tallest, likely the leader, nocked an arrow with an expressionless face. And the girl? She pulled two long daggers from her pouch, their edges glinting under the stars.

    I forced some fear into my voice, hoping for a peaceful way out. "W-w-what¡­ what are you trying to do?"

    The girl smirked.

    Then she lunged.

    Not even bothering with an answer.

    She was fast. Faster than any recruit I had fought. Faster than the mercenaries Rorik hired to take me¡­except maybe Ortra.

    She was on me in an instant.

    I started to lift my hand.

    An arrow whistled through the air. I barely jerked back in time, the wind of its passing brushing against my cheek.

    The girl struck. A dagger sliced across my abdomen, shallow, but I felt the sting. The second blade came straight for my chest.

    I twisted, barely escaping.

    The ground shifted beneath me. A wall of earth shot up behind me, cutting off my retreat.

    "He¡¯s a mage!" the leader shouted.

    I grit my teeth.

    The girl didn¡¯t hesitate, and the others spread out behind her, positioning themselves to strike without getting in her way.

    No room to escape.

    Fine.

    I circulated the force in my feet, splitting it into two separate currents, and bolted toward the youngest. His eyes widened.  He hadn¡¯t expected me to be this fast.

    I slammed my fist into his gut.

    Or at least, I tried.

    The blow landed, but Elric had been right, maintaining Swift Stride and attacking at the same time was near impossible. My strike lacked the force I needed to send him flying.

    He grunted, doubling over, but still clutched the orb in his hands.

    From the corner of my eye, I saw another arrow flying straight for me.

    I barely dove out of the way, clumsily. Too slow. The girl was already closing in again.

    I lunged for the orb before she could reach it.

    Pain.

    A searing, burning pain tore through my back.

    Something had pierced me.

    I staggered, a sharp breath ripping through my throat.

    The girl was already there.

    My mind blanked.

    "You fucking psychopaths!" I roared, pushing myself to my feet.

    My thoughts blurred into static.

    I surged forward, my energy roaring through my limbs.

    The girl braced, daggers ready, but I cut off Swift Stride at the last moment and channeled everything into my arms.

    She swung, fast, but not fast enough.

    I caught her wrist mid-strike.

    Her other dagger slashed toward my ribs. I caught that one too.

    An arrow whistled from behind. At the same time, something sharp glinted from the trees, an icicle.

    Still gripping her wrists, I twisted, but not fast enough to use her as cover.

    The arrow struck my shoulder. Pain burned through me, but I bore through it.

    The icicle shot past, narrowly missing both of us.

    The girl''s eyes widened.

    She realized it now.

    She wasn¡¯t getting away.

    I lifted my foot and poured everything I had into it.

    My grip loosened just as I sent the full force of my kick into her gut.

    A ripping sound filled the night.

    Her body jerked violently, her scream sharp and raw.

    I barely noticed something give way beneath my grip. Only that she collapsed, and her weapons were still in her hands when I pried them free.

    Shouting.

    A name being screamed.

    I turned, my gaze locking onto the trees.

    The ground trembled. Spikes of earth jutted up. Another arrow shot toward me.

    I didn¡¯t stop.

    I ignored the pain still searing through my body as I moved away, still scanning the near-pitch-black forest.

    There.

    I hurled a dagger. The shattering sound of ice echoed through the trees, followed by a sharp gasp. I summoned my speed, launching myself straight toward the target.

    No one stopped me. Behind me, a tortured scream tore through the night, followed by a burst of crackling light and searing heat.

    I arrived in front of a second girl, older than the first, gripping a staff, terror flooding her wide eyes.

    ¡°Please¡ªI¡¯m sor¡ª¡±

    I clamped a hand over her mouth.

    Pulled in energy.

    It was slow using Blasting Wave, but she was just a mage. Weak. Helpless against my power.

    I locked eyes with her.

    ¡°You attacked first.¡±

    Her pupils shrank. She trembled. And just as I released the strike, something slammed into me. Hard.

    I crashed back, breath leaving my lungs as a tree behind me splintered apart from the force of the missed blow.

    I reacted instantly, dagger flashing toward my attacker. Flesh met steel.

    But my wrist stopped.

    A second hand, strong, unrelenting, wrapped around mine, holding it back.

    What?

    I fought against the grip, muscles straining. Just as strong as me. Maybe stronger.

    A voice.

    ¡°¡ªer!¡±

    No.

    Someone else grabbed my other arm. My grip wavered.

    ¡°PETER!¡±

    The shout pierced through me.

    I blinked.

    The haze in my vision flickered, Thea?

    Elric was pinning my body, holding down my free hand with unmovable force. Thea¡¯s fingers dug into my wrist, the one still gripping the dagger.

    My heartbeat pounded in my ears. I could hear my own breathing now.

    I looked at my weapon.

    I dropped it. Immediately.

 Chapter 44: Execution

    The forest was quiet now. A gentle breeze passed through, carrying the scent of earth and blood. The noise around me, the noise inside me, finally faded.

    ¡°I¡ªI¡¯m¡­ Elric, I didn¡¯t mean¡ª¡± My voice came out hoarse, thick with regret.

    Elric let out a deep sigh. Then, to my absolute disbelief, he grinned. ¡°What are you talking about? I think that¡¯s a normal reaction after a beauty like me pins you to the floor.¡±

    Thea raised an eyebrow. ¡°To stab you?¡±

    I didn¡¯t even react. Just stared at him.

    He rolled off me with a chuckle. ¡°Really, it¡¯s alright, Peter. You were in a deadly situation, and then, out of nowhere, someone tackled you to the ground.¡± He shrugged before smirking. ¡°I¡¯d be way more concerned if you were dumb enough to just let that happen without fighting back.¡±

    I groaned as I pushed myself up, every nerve in my body screaming. My back, my shoulder, it all felt like it was on fire.

    ¡°Let¡¯s heal you up before you pass out,¡± Elric said, already preparing a spell.

    Thea took a sharp breath as she caught sight of my shoulder.

    I tensed. ¡°Is it bad?¡±

    She shook her head, but Elric, ever the blunt one, answered honestly. ¡°It¡¯s a damn good thing your body¡¯s gotten tougher. This could¡¯ve killed you otherwise.¡±

    I exhaled. ¡°Where are Sia and Lyra?¡± I asked, glancing around.

    The ice mage was slumped unconscious against a tree, her staff lying forgotten beside her.

    ¡°They¡¯re watching the others,¡± Elric said, his tone casual, but his gaze sharp.

    I saw the blood seeping through Elric¡¯s shirt and frowned. ¡°Are you alright?¡±

    He glanced down at his side, expression casual. ¡°It didn¡¯t go too far.¡± Then, he nodded toward Thea. ¡°She acted quickly.¡±

    His fingers pressed against the wound under his shirt. He grimaced slightly, then let out an exaggerated sigh. ¡°Totally cured now.¡± His smirk widened. ¡°Now, let¡¯s get to you.¡± He cracked his knuckles. ¡°Time for a little revenge. Thea, hold him down.¡±

    I turned to Thea, eyes narrowing. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t¡ª¡±

    She shoved my uninjured shoulder lightly. ¡°I would.¡± Her voice was steady, but I caught the faintest tremble in it.

    Before I could protest, Elric placed his hands on me. A familiar burning heat flared across my body, hotter than before. I tensed, biting down on a groan as the pain intensified.

    It didn¡¯t last long, but every second felt stretched.

    Finally, the pain dulled. I let out a slow breath and sat up.

    Elric stretched, looking completely unbothered. ¡°I¡¯m going to check on Lyra and Sia.¡± Without waiting for a response, he strode toward the clearing.

    I turned to Thea, guilt settling in my chest. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡ªI just lost it.¡±

    She shook her head. ¡°I should¡¯ve stayed. We could¡¯ve handled them.¡±

    I grabbed her hand before she could pull away. ¡°Maybe¡­ maybe not. At least not without getting pretty injured.¡±

    She didn¡¯t respond. But she didn¡¯t let go either.

    We both stood.

    ¡°I¡¯ll carry her,¡± I said, nodding toward the unconscious ice mage.

    I slung the girl over my shoulder and followed Thea toward the others.

    The clearing came into view.

    Two more bodies lay on the ground, both unconscious. One of them looked¡­ cooked.

    Elric stood over the burned one, shaking his head as he spoke to Sia.

    Sia¡¯s face drained of color. She covered her mouth with a shaking hand, nearly stumbling before Elric caught her. Lyra moved in, steadying her from the other side.

    The leader, still breathing but unconscious, lay nearby.

    I scanned the area.

    Where was the other girl?

    Then, I saw her.

    My breath caught in my throat.

    I wished I hadn¡¯t looked.

    She was pale. Her eyes, still open, stared blankly at the night sky. No light existed in them anymore.

    Blood had pooled beneath her. The dark liquid seeped into the uneven ground, staining the dirt around the raw, jagged stumps that had once been her arms.

    The sound came back to me.

    That tearing noise.

    The scream.

    My grip tightened on the girl slumped over my shoulder.

    Thea wasn¡¯t looking. She was very deliberately avoiding that side of the clearing.

    I swallowed and shifted the unconscious ice mage in my arms, then gently placed her into Thea¡¯s arms.

    ¡°Go over to Elric,¡± I said quietly.

    ¡°You¡ª¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, Thea,¡± I cut her off, forcing a small smile. ¡°I¡¯ll be back in a moment.¡±

    She hesitated, her grip tightening around the girl, but after a moment, she turned and walked toward the others.

    I exhaled.

    Then, I walked toward the corpse.Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.

    The closer I got, the heavier my steps felt.

    I crouched beside her.

    My hands trembled as I reached down.

    Her arms, severed, opened from the objects they once held.

    I picked them up first, then I reached for her.

    My fingers curled around what was left of her body.

    My breath hitched.

    The memory came back, clearer now.

    The resistance against my grip.

    The way her body twisted unnaturally in my hands.

    The sound of flesh tearing, bones snapping.

    My stomach twisted.

    I had done this.

    But the regret, the horror, any feeling at all, really only lingered for a moment. Then¡­ nothing.

    I was affected, sure. But not like before. Not like the first time.

    The shock, the weight of what I had done. It should¡¯ve hit harder. It should¡¯ve clung to me.

    Instead, all I felt was a strange, cold numbness.

    Almost as if someone else had done it.

    I exhaled slowly, adjusting my grip. The weight in my arms felt unnatural, too light, too still. The warmth had already begun to fade from her skin.

    Then, without another thought, I carried her deeper into the woods, away from the others.

    The forest around me felt heavier than before. The distant hum of insects and rustling leaves seemed muted, as if the world itself recoiled from what had happened.

    I found a spot beneath a thick tree and placed her down. My hands lingered for a second too long before I pulled away.

    More footsteps approached. I turned to see Elric, carrying another body wrapped in a blanket. The charred remains of the earth mage.

    "Couldn''t heal him?" I asked, my voice quieter than I expected.

    Elric shook his head. "I could¡­ but why would I? They tried to kill us, right?"

    I nodded, understanding. "Sia?"

    He sighed. "She''ll be fine. She¡¯s got all of us to support her."

    "You?"

    He let out a dry chuckle. "It¡¯s gruesome, sure. But my family put me through worse. Though¡­ I can never get used to seeing it."

    He laid the body beside the girl. For a moment, neither of us moved.

    "I''ll search her," I said after a pause, uncomfortable but knowing it had to be done. It still felt wrong to rummage through the belongings of the dead, but Elric nodded and did the same with the other body.

    We found a couple of orbs, nothing else.

    I picked up the girl¡¯s daggers from where they had fallen, one edge still slick with blood. Elric took the magic tool from the earth mage, turning it over in his hands before slipping it into his pouch.

    ¡°We¡¯re getting a pretty good armory set up,¡± I muttered. ¡°I guess we can at least provide our members with some resources.¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­ I got two hundred points here," Elric commented, checking the orb, holding it out to me.

    I glanced at the one I took, ignoring the name and details except for the soldier¡¯s battle rank, high in beginner. "Only a hundred."

    I transferred the points into my own orb before tossing the empty ones deep into the forest.

    Without another word, we turned back toward camp, walking in silence.

    The three girls sat together, voices hushed as they chatted. The two unconscious attackers had been stripped of their belongings, their bodies eerily still in the dim light. I sighed, sinking down next to Thea. Exhaustion weighed on both of us, not just physically, but mentally. Without thinking, we leaned against each other.

    "Here." I held the orb out to her. She took all but a hundred, and apparently, she had also collected another three hundred from the two still-breathing ambushers.

    "Not a great start," Lyra murmured.

    "We could just say we explored the entrance and go back?" I offered.

    Sia shook her head. ¡°I think we should go. We can finish the mission. The exploration might help¡­ take our minds off things.¡±

    She hugged herself slightly. A second later, Thea and Lyra each placed a hand on her shoulders, quiet reassurances in the heavy night air.

    Thea stood. ¡°Why don¡¯t we head out now? I don¡¯t really want to stay here. It won¡¯t take much longer to reach the cave.¡±

    One by one, we all got to our feet, a collective sigh running through the group.

    "Why don¡¯t you guys go ahead?" Elric suggested. "I¡¯m going to see if I can wake them."

    No one believed him.

    I certainly didn¡¯t.

    Still, no one questioned it either.

    As the others started moving, packing up the gear and heading off, I stayed behind, watching Elric.

    He extended a hand toward me. "You have an extra dagger?"

    I hesitated. "I do."

    I wasn¡¯t sure I liked where this was going.

    Rather than let ourselves partake in what I suspected he was suggesting, I raised my palm toward the unconscious leader¡¯s temple.

    A moment later, a thin bolt of energy lanced through him.

    No sound. No resistance. No hesitation.

    Just a clean, instant kill.

    I turned to the remaining mage.

    ¡°Peter, wait.¡±

    Elric met my gaze. "You don¡¯t have to do both."

    I hesitated again.

    Then, ever the genius, Elric simply copied me. He lifted his hand, his expression unreadable, and cast his own Air Lance.

    It struck true.

    He exhaled and turned away. "Let''s go."

    We caught up quickly with the girls.

    Once we reached them, our pace picked up, and before long, we arrived at the cave.

    Or more accurately¡­a hole.

    A perfectly circular hole, carved into the side of the mountain.

    I squinted. ¡°This is it?¡±

    Thea nodded. ¡°At least, I think so. This is the cave that appeared.¡±

    I studied the entrance. Something about it felt¡­ off. Too smooth. Too precise.

    I exhaled. ¡°Should we wait until morning and¡ª¡± I glanced at Sia. ¡°Maybe grab some torches?¡±

    The mood had been thick with tension the whole way here, and honestly, I was struggling to lighten it.

    ¡°Or¡­we could spend the rest of the night,¡± I paused dramatically. Held the pause. Held it even longer as everyone just¡­ stared.

    ¡°Peter?¡± Thea asked slowly, concern creeping into her voice. ¡°Are you¡ª¡±

    ¡°Comforting each other,¡± I finished, cutting her off.

    Thea rolled her eyes. ¡°You¡¯re an idiot.¡±

    Elric, however, was fully on board, already rummaging through one of the packs, pulling out tents and sleeping gear.

    ¡°See?¡± I gestured toward him. ¡°He¡¯s up for it.¡±

    I leaned closer to Thea and whispered, ¡°I could really use a good rest.¡±

    She met my gaze, those storm-colored eyes searching mine before she sighed. ¡°Alright.¡±

    And so, for the second time in one night, we set up camp. The stars gleamed above, the wind rustled through the trees, and insects chirped in the underbrush.

    The other three offered to take watch, retreating into their own tent.

    I stepped into ours with Thea, sliding into the sleeping bag together and pulling a few extra blankets over us. The warmth was immediate, comforting.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡± she asked softly, worry evident in her voice.

    I nodded. ¡°Yeah.¡±

    Her eyes told me she didn¡¯t quite believe me.

    I smiled, shifting closer. ¡°Really, I am. With you here. With them, too.¡±

    A slow breath left me, tension unwinding, replaced by something calmer. Safer.

    ¡°I¡¯ll help next time,¡± Thea murmured, her voice quiet. ¡°With¡­ you know.¡±

    I wrapped my arms around her, pulling her closer. ¡°I don¡¯t know much about the war here, but¡­ the future¡¯s going to be hard, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    She shifted slightly, adjusting beneath me, then carefully pulled one of my arms out from under her, maybe having been uncomfortable. But she left the other where it was, her fingers lightly resting over it.

    ¡°Honestly¡­ I don¡¯t know much,¡± she admitted. ¡°My parents never talked about it. They taught me how to fight properly, told me about this place, and that there was war, but¡­¡±

    ¡°No details?¡± I asked cautiously.

    She shook her head. ¡°If I ever asked, they¡¯d just tell me not to think about it.¡±

    Maybe they had wanted to spare her from the weight of it for as long as possible. Or maybe there was something else. Something they didn¡¯t want her to know. I didn¡¯t know them. I couldn¡¯t say for sure.

    But I did know that whatever came next¡­ we¡¯d face it together.

    ¡°Good night, Thea.¡±

    ¡°Good night.¡±

 Chapter 45: Hidden Garden

    "Alright, you two," Lyra¡¯s sweet, teasing voice rang from outside the tent. "Enough snuggling."

    I groaned. "Ugh, Lyra, I miss it when you were shy."

    "We¡¯re friends now. No need to be shy!" she chirped back. "Come on, we¡¯re all waiting out here."

    I sighed and shook Thea lightly.

    "Mmm," she grumbled, burrowing deeper into the blankets.

    "Get up." I nudged her more firmly.

    "You get up," she muttered, pushing me half-heartedly.

    I laughed. "Alright." With some effort, I wriggled out from under the sleeping bag and blankets. "Sleep okay?"

    She shifted halfway out, still dragging most of the blankets with her. "You move a lot."

    "I do not!" I gasped in mock offense. "At least I don¡¯t drool."

    She scoffed and lobbed a pillow at me. It hit my side with all the force of a lazy morning.

    I chuckled as I pulled on my boots and stepped outside.

    The morning light filtered through the dense tree canopy, casting patches of golden warmth over our small clearing. The air was crisp, cool, and carried the faint scent of damp earth.

    "Thea?" Sia turned to me as she stretched.

    "She¡¯ll be out¡­ I think," I replied, heading toward the cave entrance.

    The others had gathered there, staring at the perfect, circular hole carved into the mountainside.

    "So¡­anyone got any ideas on why this exists?" I asked, pointing at the unnatural-looking cave.

    "So all we know is what Miss Star told us?" I clarified.

    Nods all around.

    "Should we head in?" Thea asked, emerging from the tent while rubbing her eyes.

    "Let¡¯s pack up first," Lyra suggested. "Who knows how deep it goes? Last thing we want is to get trapped in there with no food."

    Good point.

    We all moved quickly, our hands working on autopilot as we packed up camp. At this point, we were getting pretty efficient at setting up and taking down our modest setup.

    I stepped up to the cave entrance, glancing around, the pitch black innards almost seeming to move.

    ¡­Wait. Why am I in the front?

    I cleared my throat and side-eyed Sia. She met my gaze with a perfectly blank expression.

    She¡¯s gonna make me say it, isn¡¯t she?

    A sigh came from beside me.

    "Sia, can you lead the way?" Thea asked, saving me from my own awkwardness.

    I stepped aside and gave an exaggerated bow. "After you, oh great flame mage. Walking Torch, bring us light."

    Thea rolled her eyes so hard, I swear I could feel it. I may not have seen it, but trust me¡­she did.

    Sia ignored me and chanted something I couldn¡¯t understand, summoning then sending three small but bright balls of fire ahead. They floated forward, illuminating the passage just beyond the entrance.

    The opening itself was unnaturally smooth, like something had cut it rather than formed it naturally. But past that¡­

    Honestly? It looked like a regular cave. Damp walls, uneven ground, and jagged formations hanging from above, glistening in the flickering firelight.

    It was eerily silent. Only the soft echo of our footsteps filled the cavern. But before we moved any deeper, a thought struck me.

    Caves were extremely dangerous. Even a few steps in, we already faced two identical branching paths. The last thing we needed was to get lost in some unnatural abyss.

    ¡°Soooo uh, maybe we should use some rope?¡± I suggested.

    Thankfully, instead of getting a blank stare or regretful silence, Lyra immediately moved to the pack Elric was carrying and pulled out a long coil of rope.

    ¡°Sia and I bought some before we left.¡±

    I let out a relieved sigh. Smart. At least someone was prepared. I know I wasn¡¯t.

    Lyra grabbed one end and tied it to a stalagmite. The sturdy rock formation anchored the rope securely, ensuring we had a way back.

    Seeing the flames ahead of us, I offered, ¡°Since you can send those things ahead, I¡¯ll take the lead. Thea and I should have the highest endurance anyway.¡±

    Sia nodded. ¡°Thanks. I¡¯ll keep the way lit.¡±

    I took the first step down the left path, moving cautiously as the others followed behind, Elric now holding the extending rope.

    It took a while of careful walking, but then¡­light.

    Which made no sense.

    We were heading deeper underground, not up or toward an opening. The moment I stepped through, I gasped.

    ¡°What is it?¡± Thea jogged forward, concern lacing her voice.

    I could only breathe out one word. ¡°Amazing.¡±

    We stood at the edge of a cliff, gazing down at something I could only describe as¡­ a hidden world.

    A landscape, untouched, untouched by time, by people, by anything.

    The air hummed with life, thick with some unseen energy. Everything here felt vibrant, like it had been preserved in an eternal moment of existence.

    Sparse trees with pink and golden leaves dotted the landscape, their branches swaying.. Beneath them, fields of impossibly blue grass danced in gentle waves, responding to some unseen current that moved through the cavern.

    At the heart of it all lay a pool of emerald liquid, perfectly clear. Untouched, undisturbed, like it had been waiting for something.

    The air shimmered faintly around it. Almost glowing.This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

    I kept scanning the space, taking it all in. Until I suddenly noticed something.

    Wait.

    I looked around.

    A perfectly smooth roof.

    Or more like¡­a dome? No, a half-sphere. Yeah, a half-sphere. Whatever, the point is that it was weird.

    And adding to the oddity of structure, it was silent. I mean, dead silent. Other than the sound of the wind brushing the grass and trees, it was void.

    Even with my enhanced hearing, I picked up nothing, no distant rustling, no chirping of underground creatures, not even the usual trickle of water seeping through stone.

    The only sounds came from us.

    Our footsteps. Our breaths.

    The loudest thing here¡­ was us.

    "Well," Sia spoke from behind me, her voice almost hesitant, "I wouldn¡¯t necessarily call this dangerous¡­ but we could head back."

    "Your mom was pretty worried about this," Lyra added.

    But even with their words of caution, Sia herself didn¡¯t seem convinced. Her gaze stayed locked onto the impossibly serene landscape before us, completely transfixed.

    "Let¡¯s do as she said," she finally decided. "First sign of danger, we turn back."

    "You sure?" Elric asked.

    She nodded.

    I looked down. The drop wasn¡¯t far. We could easily climb down to the grass below. But then I glanced behind us¡­ and something felt off.

    "Hey, look." I pointed at the way we came from.

    What had once been a normal cave entrance¡­ was another perfect, round circle.

    Lyra and Elric, who had been standing just behind it, looked confused. Maybe from that side it just looked like rock. The rest of us had moved forward without realizing just how perfectly shaped it was from this side.

    "Strange," Thea commented.

    Elric and Lyra exchanged a glance before stepping forward to inspect it.

    Then.

    Click.

    Something slammed shut.

    Fast.

    I mean, seriously, instantaneous.

    From one side of the circular entrance, no, the door, a massive stone slab shot across the opening and locked us inside.

    No cracks. No seams. Nothing to pry open.

    We were trapped.

    For a few long seconds, no one moved.

    We all just stood there, staring at the place where our exit used to be.

    I blinked. Then again. Nope, still there.

    Elric took a slow, deep breath. "Let¡¯s not panic¡­" His voice was steady, but I could tell his mind was racing. Probably mirroring my own tangled thoughts.

    Then, I looked down at the rope.

    Severed.

    Cleanly. As if whatever door had shut wasn¡¯t just meant to trap us, but to cut off all options for escape.

    Elric continued, his voice quieter now, "We have to be extra careful. We still have food, water, and the rest of our supplies."

    We all took a few moments to mentally recover, swallowing down the creeping panic before Thea finally broke the silence.

    "So¡­ we head down?"

    I glanced back toward the still, unnaturally quiet biome below us.

    "I¡ªI guess so. Nowhere else to go."

    "I¡­ I¡¯m so sorry." Sia¡¯s voice wavered. Her eyes shined with tears that hadn¡¯t yet fallen.

    Thea turned to her, calm but firm. "We were already past the door before we even decided to move forward. Even if we wanted to go back, we might''ve all stepped through.¡±

    Lyra gave Sia¡¯s back a reassuring pat. "How could this be your fault? Let¡¯s just focus on getting out, okay?"

    Sia nodded, though her shoulders still sagged slightly. But just from those few words, I could tell she felt at least a little better. Or at the very least, more focused.

    I took the lead again, carefully climbing down the rocky slope until I reached a flat stone ledge, just before the grass.

    Then, I stopped.

    Something felt wrong.

    A deep, instinctive feeling. Not quite fear, but more like a warning.

    Call it animal instincts. Or maybe more likely¡­

    I still heard nothing.

    No distant insects. No rustling in the grass.

    Not even the faintest sound of something digging beneath the earth.

    Nothing.

    The rest of the group landed around me, one by one.

    But no one took another step forward.

    I leaned down slowly and reached out a hand.

    I had to admit, I felt pretty ridiculous being so cautious about grass.

    Blue grass, sure, but still... grass.

    ¡°Peter.¡± Elric said urgently, ¡°Maybe we should¡ª¡±

    Before he could finish, I let out a high-pitched¡­uh, manly shout.

    The grass pulsed just as my hand moved toward it, shimmering with silver-blue iridescence before scattering away, leaving nothing but dirt behind.

    Yeah¡­ the grass moved away.

    I looked back at my friends.

    They were smirking.

    Thea¡¯s shoulders were shaking. Sia, who had been upset moments ago, now looked far too entertained at my expense.

    ¡°Really, Thea?¡± Sia said with a teasing grin. ¡°I think you can do better.¡±

    ¡°Glad I cheered everyone up,¡± I grumbled.

    That was all it took.

    Thea tried to hold back. She really did.

    But then she snorted.

    And that was it. She completely lost it.

    Her light chuckles spiraled into full-on laughter, shoulders shaking harder, breath hitching between giggles.

    ¡°Oh, come on,¡± she gasped between laughs. ¡°Don¡¯t be mad. I think it was cute.¡±

    ¡°Adorable,¡± Elric added, because apparently, my pride hadn¡¯t suffered enough.

    I ignored them and poked at the dirt.

    Nothing happened.

    I grabbed a handful.

    ¡°¡­Dirt.¡±

    My voice may have sounded a little too astonished, because this time, Thea nearly fell.

    She doubled over, clutching her sides, gasping for air between fits of laughter.

    ¡°What?¡± I asked, incredulous.

    She could barely breathe. ¡°Nothing¡ª¡± she wheezed. ¡°You just sounded so amazed.¡±

    That only made her laugh harder.

    ¡°It reminded me of when you asked me how to breathe.¡±

    And just like that, she was gone again, using me as support before she could fall over entirely.

    Silence fell.

    ¡°You asked her what?¡±

    Lyra¡¯s voice was a mix of concern and amusement. Like someone who just saw a small child make a harmless, but ridiculous mistake. Except she was looking at me, at eighteen years old, like that.

    She was biting the inside of her cheek, clearly trying not to laugh.

    ¡°I did not!¡± I protested immediately.

    ¡°He did.¡± Thea, having somehow regained her composure, stated it flatly.

    No hesitation. No mercy.

    Sia held up her hands, as if trying to diffuse the situation. My foolish assumption.

    ¡°Okay, okay. I was joking before, but really, Thea¡­ you can do better.¡±

    Elric sputtered, then let out a low chuckle at my expense.

    I turned to Thea, utterly defeated, only for her to lean in and whisper with a smirk.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. No one is better. No one else asks me questions that make me laugh this much.¡±

    For just a second, I felt¡­ warmer.

    Her words made my face heat up, but more than that, they made me happy.

    But of course, I couldn¡¯t get a break.

    ¡°Ugh,¡± Elric recoiled dramatically. ¡°Dude, that smile does NOT work for you.¡±

    Lyra and Sia nodded in unison.

    I ignored them and got up, dragging Thea with me.

    Then, I turned back to the grass, which had already returned to its original position. Like nothing had happened.

    This time, I stretched out a careful foot, watching as the blades gently parted, shifting away just before I placed my weight down.

    ¡°Yeah¡­ I don¡¯t wanna know what happens if we step on them.¡± I said, stepping forward again. ¡°Let¡¯s be careful.¡±

    It took time and patience, but we all made it across without crushing a single blade of shifting blue grass.

    Step by step, we moved forward, passing next to a golden-leaved tree.

    Then¡­I froze.

    A split second later, everyone else did too.

    My eyes locked onto something.

    Small. Spherical.

    It could fit in the palm of my hand easily.

    And I recognized it instantly.

    Before I could even react, the grass pulsed violently, scattering even further away, leaving behind nothing but barren earth.

    The tree shuddered.

    And there, lying at its base.

    Someone¡¯s orb.

    Faint glowing lines of text and numbers shimmered across its surface.

 Chapter 46: Colorful Battle

    The crack of splintering wood echoed like a gunshot, sharp and violent. The tree in front of us convulsed, its golden leaves trembling before snapping inward, crushing into itself. The bark twisted unnaturally, curling inward, warping.

    And then it moved.

    Branches contorted, knotting together into a grotesque, sinewy form. The thick trunk compressed and shifted downward, sprouting four jagged, gnarled limbs that slammed against the ground, kicking up dirt. Its back was lined with golden leaves, but now they looked more like razor-sharp, plated scales, catching the dim glow of the cavern.

    It wasn¡¯t a tree anymore. It was a beast.

    I sucked in a sharp breath, my body tensing instinctively. The air felt different, like it had thickened with something perverse, against nature¡­wrong.

    ¡°Thea,¡± I started, noticing she wasn¡¯t moving.

    Her breathing had changed when I spoke, a sharp inhale, controlled but not steady. Her hands twitched slightly as she stepped back, a defensive stance forming out of sheer instinct.

    But her voice trembled when she spoke, ¡°S¡ªstay together!¡±

    Behind us, two more trees from a group of five shuddered violently, these with pink leaves. Their trunks split apart in wet, organic cracks. Branches unraveled like severed tendons, limbs twisting as knotted wood reshaped itself into long, spiked legs.

    The second one lurched forward, its movements uncanny. Too fast, too jerky, too unnatural. It had no eyes, no visible mouth, just a deep, hollow indentation in its "face", something like a twisted knot of wood pulsing faintly, almost like it was¡­ breathing.

    Then it screamed.

    A grating, inhuman noise. Like two sheets of metal grinding together, amplified until it scraped against my skull. It wasn''t just loud. It disoriented. Like my ears couldn''t fully process the sound, my balance tilted, and my vision blurred at the edges for just a moment.

    I barely got my bearings before my mind caught up.

    Fire.

    I turned to Sia, instincts clicking into place. They were made of wood, or something like it, and she was a fire mage. That meant¡­

    Too slow.

    The beast didn''t charge.

    Instead, its golden leaves vibrated, a shimmer rippling across its scales. Its jagged limbs clicked inward, tightening, then in one sharp motion, it pointed.

    Not at me.

    At Sia.

    Even though I was closer.

    I bolted, the horrible sensation of wrongness clawing at my gut. I didn''t know why, but I knew, I knew, whatever it was about to do, it would hit her directly.

    I barely had time to throw myself in front of her before her eyes widened at my sudden movement.

    Then, fire.

    Not hers.

    Mine.

    A sharp, searing pain exploded across my back.

    I gasped. No scream, just air stolen from my lungs.

    Those jagged leaves had pierced into me, burrowing through skin like molten needles, and suddenly it felt like something was crawling under my flesh.

    I staggered, vision fracturing at the edges. Sia¡¯s blurred form wavered in front of me, her mouth moving. Was she shouting?

    "Peter!"

    Ah. That made sense.

    I tried to answer.

    Only nothing came out.

    The venom was gnawing at my mind, I could barely think through the pain.

    The world flickered. My thoughts stretched.

    Then¡­ oh.

    The air was so sparkly.

    Lyra was touching my arm, saying something. Something¡­chanting maybe?

    The pain vanished.

    Wow. That is nice.

    I blinked at Sia, who still looked so serious all of the sudden for some reason. She was making¡­ fireworks? That was a really big fireball.

    ¡°Hey, Sia,¡± I mumbled. My voice sounded far away. ¡°Thea said if I dropped her, she¡¯d shock me. Isn¡¯t that cruel?¡±

    Now she just looked annoyed. Maybe she¡¯s in a bad mood. ¡°Did Elric do something wrong, he was probably just teasing?¡±

    Lyra¡¯s hands glowed brighter. ¡°Peter, focus. Just a bit more! Elric can¡¯t move like that for long!¡±

    I frowned, glancing at Elric, who was moving like an ice skater, slicing through the battlefield with inhuman speed.

    Showoff.

    Two of those gross tree monsters were turning toward Sia, but he kept slashing at them, with my skill. Can you believe the arrogance.

    Something had to be done about this.

    I stopped hugging Sia, and circulated energy into my legs, ready to bolt forward and save the day.

    One brilliant step.

    Why am I looking at the ceiling?

    ¡­Oh.

    Right.

    No more Swift Stride.

    Fine. One more time.

    I pushed forward, still feeling weirdly stiff.

    Huh. Why is the grass moving toward me?

    Focus. Not important.

    Elric was hogging the limelight.

    Something screamed.

    Not sure what, though.

    A blinding ball of flame boomed behind me, Sia and Thea? Huh. That rhymed.The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    Anyway, they probably handled it.

    I finally reached one of the pink-leafed freaks, gathered all my inner strength into my hands, and tackled it to the ground.

    Oh.

    That was not smart.

    Sharp scales dug into my arms, piercing deep. I was bleeding again.

    But I shoved my hands in ready to release the ultimate attack, Blasting Wave¡­I miss my name.

    And¡­Oh wait, this takes a while. Forgot.

    I flailed, annoyance creeping up. The scales kept biting, resisting my grip.

    But then¡­

    I was ready.

    From the inside of the sinew, there was a brief expansion, the pulsing wood beneath my fingers convulsing.

    A sound escaped from it. Something like a whimper.

    ¡°Boom.¡±

    Nothing actually made noise, so I made one.

    ¡­Oh.

    The roof again.

    Also, I¡¯m pretty sure something just went deeper into my back.

    "Hey guys, the grass is tickling me!"

    I shouted at the weird sensation of something wrapping around my arms. The little strands hugged my skin, shifting against me, pressing into the open wounds.

    Some of them squirmed.

    I blinked. They were trying to get under me.

    That seemed¡­ mildly concerning.

    Another loud explosion rang out, followed by a wave of heat.

    I lay there impatiently as my little leafy friends danced around my wounds.

    Starting to feel a bit queasy now.

    I turned my head sluggishly.

    "Also, there¡¯s new grass! This one isn¡¯t blue!"

    Someone grabbed me, lifted me up, carried me away from my tickling little buddies.

    "Elric, I blew one up."

    I grinned at the guy carrying me.

    "How¡¯s that for a little brother?"

    His response?

    He dropped me face-first onto stone.

    Which, honestly, felt holy unnecessary.

    Then the group crowded around me, and before I could process what was happening, I felt tugging.

    Someone was pulling things out of my back.

    I¡¯m no expert, but isn¡¯t that usually a bad ide¡ª

    There was a sudden, deep tugging inside me.

    Oh. Right.

    Elric¡¯s a healer.

    I groaned as my head was shifted to the side, freeing my face from its firm friendship with the rock.

    And suddenly.

    Thea.

    Her hair was a mess, strands falling loose in front of her face, partially covering her eyes.

    Beads of sweat dripped down her neck, slipping beneath her collar.

    She looked focused. Worried.

    Battle Mode Thea was kinda¡­

    "Hot."

    She frowned slightly, confused by whatever was going on in my head.

    Someone handed her a pouch of water, and she brought it to my lips.

    I shook my head.

    "No."

    She hesitated.

    My vision started to darken.

    ¡­

    I exhaled.

    A dull ache pulsed in my skull, a steady, annoying throb that felt like someone had taken a hammer to the inside of my head.

    My body was heavy, my limbs reluctant to move. The air was cooler than I expected, carrying the faint scent of damp earth and lingering smoke.

    I shifted, feeling the rough canvas floor of the tent beneath me.

    I groaned, rubbing my temples as my vision adjusted to the dim lighting.

    When did I fall asleep?

    I must¡¯ve passed out cold.

    "My head kills."

    The words came out in a mutter as I blinked up at the tent ceiling. The familiar shape of Thea sitting beside me came into focus, her silhouette outlined by the faint glow filtering in through the fabric walls.

    Her eyes sharpened the moment I spoke.

    "How you feeling?" she asked, voice soft but steady.

    I twisted my waist, stretching, rolling my shoulders, feeling the faint pull of sore muscles. Everything felt stiff, but functional.

    I lifted my arms, flexing my fingers experimentally.

    "I¡¯m good. My head still kills, though."

    Then, a flood of memories hit me like a motorboat.

    I stilled.

    My behavior. My actions.

    Slowly, I looked down at my arms.

    The wounds were closed, but unlike Elric¡¯s usual healing, faint white scars remained, barely visible, but there.

    Thea must¡¯ve noticed my reaction.

    "Elric thinks it was the grass," she explained, her voice laced with something unreadable. "Something in them prevented him from closing the wounds as effectively as usual¡­ and it kept you bleeding."

    I exhaled slowly.

    "Vampire grass."

    "What?"

    I looked up. Thea was staring at me, brows furrowed.

    "Are you still loopy?"

    I shook my head. "No. A monster from my world. Drinks blood."

    She hesitated. "You have monsters on your world? How does that work with no system or cultivation?"

    "Huh? Oh, no. They¡¯re from storybooks." I frowned, then added quickly, "I hope."

    She sighed, rubbing her temples. "Anyway, we¡¯re back up on the cliff. Nothing has bothered us up here. Your ¡®vampire grass¡¯ only seemed to go for you."

    I raised an eyebrow. "Great. I¡¯m a delicacy."

    "I think they work in unison with the tree beasts." Thea continued. "When you bleed, they move in."

    I clicked my tongue. "That¡¯s good news."

    Pushing myself up, I moved toward the tent flap, ready to step outside.

    Only to nearly walk straight into another tent.

    I blinked.

    Frowned.

    Then glanced back at Thea.

    She met my gaze, already anticipating my question.

    "Not a lot of space up here. We put the tents next to each other."

    I grumbled and awkwardly twisted my body to fit into the tiny gap between the tents, diving out onto the rock.

    The cool stone pressed against my hands, solid and grounding after everything that had happened.

    Across the clearing, Lyra and Sia sat with furrowed brows, obviously deep in focus as they practiced the Grand Carving technique.

    Elric, meanwhile, was perched at the cliff¡¯s edge, legs dangling off the side as he watched over the beautiful yet deadly garden below.

    I plopped down next to him, mirroring his posture.

    "So, we¡¯ve all agreed to deal with the stench they¡¯re about to cause, right?" I asked, nodding toward Lyra and Sia with a smirk.

    Elric turned his head slightly. "Careful. If you get them upset, I won¡¯t be able to save you."

    I chuckled, watching the shimmering grass sway below us.

    "Thanks."

    The quiet sincerity in his voice made me glance at him, though I didn¡¯t turn my head fully.

    "For?"

    Elric pulled one knee up to his chest, resting his arm on it.

    "You saved Sia¡¯s life," he said simply. "Those petals¡­if you hadn¡¯t reached your current level¡­ she would¡¯ve been dead before any of us could¡¯ve done anything about it."

    I let that sit for a moment, the weight of his words pressing against the silence.

    Then, movement caught my eye.

    Thea squeezed through the tent opening, awkwardly maneuvering the tight space like I had. When she spotted me watching, she blushed slightly, tucking a few loose strands of hair behind her ear before sitting beside me.

    "I think we should focus on body refinement before going back down," Thea suggested, her tone thoughtful.

    I nodded. "Maybe we should teach Sia the Air Lance?" It wasn¡¯t exactly a long-range attack, but it had more distance than Blasting Wave.

    Elric gave me a weird look.

    "Peter¡­ man, it comes from Fireball¡­ she already knows how to use it."

    ¡­Oh.

    I ran a hand through my hair, exhaling. "I¡¯m not making myself look great today."

    "Can she hit things from up here by channeling cultivation and her MP?" I asked.

    Thea tilted her head. "You want to light this place up?"

    I shrugged. "Why not? I mean, sure, not all the trees seemed like monsters, but I¡¯d rather burn a few normal ones than get hit by those leaves again."

    I glanced between them.

    "By the way, have either of you gotten any missions?"

    Both shook their heads.

    Elric¡¯s eyes lingered on Thea. "Nothing past your first one¡­ That¡¯s strange."

    "How often do you check your status?" I asked.

    "Every day," Thea answered, shifting slightly before leaning her head against my shoulder.

    Elric, never one to be left out, leaned his head against me too, but with way too much enthusiasm.

    "Only when I develop a new skill," he said, voice sickly sweet, as if trying to one-up Thea.

    I pushed him off immediately. "Get off."

    Then.

    The smell hit.

    A strong, pungent stench drifted over, sharp enough to make my eyes water.

    A moment later, Sia and Lyra emerged.

    Transformed. Renewed. Powerful.

    But, man¡­ did they look uncomfortable.

 Chapter 47: Traitors

    I opened my mouth to say something, but Lyra smiled.

    Not just any smile.

    I thought Elric¡¯s was the worst, but no.

    Those amber-colored eyes held a fire in them. One that screamed severe consequences if I dared to speak. It contrasted sharply with her otherwise soft features, the cute way her braided black ponytail fell to the small of her back.

    So, I chose to stay quiet.

    For now.

    But it was really hard not to scrunch my nose or clip it shut entirely.

    "Okay." Elric stretched as he stood. "Now that we¡¯re done, we can test a couple things."

    He took a breath before continuing. ¡°We can check how long we can stay awake comfortably, and how far we can continue Body Refinement without it getting too dangerous."

    No one disagreed.

    Without a word, Lyra and Sia settled in, closing their eyes as they began absorbing world force, their breathing deep and steady. After a few minutes, they transitioned into light sparring, experiencing Perfect Conversion for the first time themselves.

    I glanced toward the green pool in the distance while waiting for them to fully fill their Grand Channel.

    Maybe it wasn¡¯t deadly¡­

    Maybe it was just regular water but, you know, green.

    Used for totally normal things like drinking, cooking, and, most importantly,bathing.

    I sighed, sitting down in the tight circle everyone had formed after the two girls finished, trying my best to ignore the putridity that came after the transformation.

    "So who goes first?" I asked.

    "I think we should let the newest ones go," Thea suggested, pointing toward Elric. "You, Lyra, or Sia."

    Then she turned to me.

    "You mentioned you created a thin core around the Precursor Energy, right?"

    I nodded. "That¡¯s right. Why?"

    Thea puffed out her chest with pride, as if she had just come up with the greatest idea known to humanity.

    "Well," she started, pausing for dramatic effect. She opened one eye to make sure everyone was listening.

    Man, I loved that so much.

    "What if we all make thin cores¡­ in a single person?"

    Thea finished, letting the words hang in the air.

    "But you wake up as soon as one is formed," Elric pointed out.

    She nodded. "Yes, which is why you''ll condense it to just barely before forming an actual core."

    That was¡­

    "Genius."

    Thea smirked at my compliment. "Of course. I came up with it."

    She was pushing me too far.

    "Confidence looks goo¡ª"

    "Flirt later," Elric interrupted, "Let¡¯s start with Sia."

    Thea explained the process, outlining what would happen as Sia closed her eyes in preparation.

    "Let¡¯s form one at a time," I suggested, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Last thing we want is to overwhelm her with our own internal force."

    The group nodded, settling into focused silence.

    We waited. Patient. Attentive.

    Then.

    A faint shift in the air.

    I sensed it first. The familiar pulse of Precursor Energy.

    "I¡¯ll go first."

    Without another word, I sent my force in, carefully guiding it to wrap around the foreign substance. I condensed it, just enough to be a step away from forming a core, leaving space for the next energy.

    Immediately, another force followed.

    It was sharp, precise, calculated. It navigated the Grand Channel with grace, settling above mine effortlessly.

    I¡¯ll let you figure out who that was on your own.

    It followed my example, wrapping around my near-core, forming a condensed sphere of its own.

    Then another energy.If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    Then one final one.

    "Now," I said.

    The moment we all solidified the core, Sia¡¯s eyes snapped open.

    "Okay." I stood up immediately. "Spar with someone. I don¡¯t know for sure, but I¡¯m guessing it¡¯s converted the same way as any other form of world energy."

    Sia took a battle stance, rolling her shoulders, testing the new energy flowing through her.

    Before I could move, Elric pushed me back down.

    "I¡¯ll take care of it." He chuckled. "Just make sure we don¡¯t fall off the ledge, please."

    Thea and I moved closer to the edge, standing guard, making sure no one would accidentally step too far.

    Elric moved with effortless precision, leading the friendly battle not by overwhelming Sia, but by guiding her through each exchange.

    He didn¡¯t strike first.

    Instead, he let her attack, watching her movements carefully, adjusting his positioning just enough to force her into better footwork. When she threw a punch, he¡¯d shift his stance, subtly nudging her to follow through correctly. When she kicked, he¡¯d let her land it, but with just enough resistance for her to feel the impact without actually hurting him.

    At times, he¡¯d parry her strikes with open palms, redirecting rather than countering, making her recover from unstable positions. Testing her adaptability.

    He wasn¡¯t trying to win. He was trying to teach.

    Much nicer than he was to me.

    He didn¡¯t even use any skills.

    But I suppose that was to be expected. I mean, if I could go easy on Thea¡­

    ¡­No, never mind.

    I definitely wouldn¡¯t risk such an action.

    The two finished when Sia¡¯s pallor returned to normal, and we all moved in to observe her.

    "Let¡¯s see what¡¯s going on inside there," Elric said, stepping closer.

    "I bet that¡¯s not the first time he¡¯s said that to her," I muttered, chuckling to Thea.

    She swung at me instantly, but I was ready. I dodged deftly, grinning as I darted away toward Sia before she could land a hit.

    Before I reached them, Elric gasped.

    His eyes widened.

    "What¡¯s wrong?" Lyra asked, concern creeping into her voice as she stepped forward.

    Elric shook his head. "Nothing, but¡­"

    That hesitation made us all uneasy.

    We gathered around, each of us placing a hand on Sia.

    She looked¡­ uncomfortable about that, but no one let go.

    Inside her, the core was still there, cracked but whole. The rest had been shattered and lost, scattered somewhere beyond reach.

    But that wasn¡¯t what shocked us.

    Something else remained.

    The purple energy.

    No longer radiant, no longer brilliant. It had been drenched, smothered, bathed in the color of Sia¡¯s internal force.

    "Sia," Thea instructed, voice steady. "Form a needle core and shatter the one in there."

    She nodded, sitting back down, eyes closing in deep concentration.

    What happened next¡­ none of us will ever forget.

    We understood the moment when she shattered the pseudo core, the energy rushed into her. Absorbed completely.

    Because of what happened next.

    A rumbling.

    It started beneath us, low and deep, vibrating through the rock itself.

    Then came the howl.

    A guttural, primal roar of rage, anger, and loss.

    It tore through my skull, blinding every sense, the world going white in an instant.

    I fell to my knees, clutching my head as my ears rang with a chorus of blurred voices¡­whispers, echoes, wails.

    One became clearer than the rest.

    Not just a voice.

    A presence.

    "You will not be forgiven."

    The words weren¡¯t spoken. They were commanded.

    The weight of them sank into my bones, radiating authority so vast, so absolute, that for a moment. I felt like a mere speck before it.

    Silence.

    The noise vanished with the final word.

    I looked up.

    We all did.

    And in each other¡¯s eyes, I saw it, the same shock, the same horror.

    But Sia, Sia looked the worst of all.

    Her eyes were bloodshot, her face pale, frozen, terrified. As if she had seen something beyond comprehension.

    She collapsed.

    Her body fell limp, tilting toward the ground.

    Elric lunged, catching her just in time, his own breath ragged, his skin drenched in sweat.

    He was shaking.

    Still reeling.

    I swallowed, forcing air into my lungs.

    "Wha¡ª" I exhaled heavily.

    Then again. "What the hell was that?¡±

    ¡­

    Elric emerged from the tent after checking on Sia. "She¡¯s fine, just passed out."

    "Good," Lyra said as we all exhaled in relief.

    "Alright, sooo, anyone ever heard of what just happened?" I asked, hoping, but not with high expectations.

    Blank stares.

    I sighed. "Yep. Figured."

    "Another obstacle to Body Refinement," Thea lamented.

    "Maybe¡­" Elric mused. "Let¡¯s wait for Sia to get up. In the meantime, we should refill our Grand Channels."

    We all agreed, sitting down and taking turns sparring lightly to maintain focus while replenishing energy.

    Eventually, Sia woke up, thankfully only out for a bit less than an hour.

    We all heard a rustling from the tent, and moments later, she stepped out.

    She looked far better than before, The fear in her eyes was gone.

    Actually¡­

    She looked almost excited.

    "Sia?" Lyra called, watching her carefully. "Are you alright?"

    She nodded quickly. "I feel fine."

    "What happened to you?" Thea asked cautiously. "You looked terrified."

    Sia walked up and sat with us, her expression still unsettled.

    "Eyes," she said. "Someone was staring at me¡­ they were so angry. Then the voices. They kept talking, calling me a traitor, a criminal¡­ then they were drowned out by the eyes. But you all heard his words. He was talking directly to me."

    A flicker of fear returned to her eyes.

    Silence settled over the group.

    "Well¡­ let¡¯s all be criminals then."

    They all turned to me, confused.

    I shrugged. "I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a mystery that this happened because you absorbed the entire Precursor Energy. At least, all that we can for now."

    "Plus¡­ it was trying to kill us anyway." Thea added, voice steady. "Who knows? Maybe if we had only delayed it, eventually we would¡¯ve been consumed by it."

    I glanced around.

    Everyone had the same look in their eyes now.

    Determined. Unwavering.

    "No one thinks we¡¯re rushing into this?" I asked, wanting to confirm one more time.

    "That ¡®you will not be forgiven¡¯ didn¡¯t exactly sound like a joke." Thea said.

    I looked around one last time.

    "Alright¡­ traitors and criminals it is."

 Chapter 48: Rejoice!

    Sia frowned. "I felt nauseous¡­ but that was it."

    Nausea returning wasn¡¯t great, but much better than a hypnotic death chant from beyond.

    "Still," Thea said, voice firm. "I think we should be cautious. At least one person should be nearby to stop you."

    We all nodded.

    To check for changes, Sia called out, "Status."

    And froze.

    Her breath hitched, just barely, almost imperceptible. Her fingers twitched at her sides, pressing against the rock like she needed something solid.

    "I¡­uh, guys?"

    She swallowed hard, like something was lodged in her throat.

    A tense silence stretched between us.

    When she finally spoke again, her voice was steadier, but no less unnerved.

    "Something¡¯s up with the system."

    A stiff breeze stirred through the cavern, rustling the edges of our clothes. The cool air did nothing to shake the tight grip settling in my chest.

    "Is it bad?" Elric asked.

    "I don¡¯t know," she murmured, still staring at her status screen. "My system rank is gone."

    Her gaze moved up and down, scanning, processing something.

    "I have a new category." She hesitated, voice laced with confusion. "Species."

    Thea leaned in slightly. "What¡¯s weird about that?"

    Sia squinted. A bead of sweat traced down her temple.

    "It¡¯s¡­" she trailed off.

    I grinned. "What? Is ''natural redhead'' a species now?"

    Her eyes snapped to me.

    Not amused.

    Not even close.

    Annoyance? Maybe.

    Disbelief? Definitely.

    Still, she answered.

    "Not human¡­ Unbound."

    Another brief silence stretched between us.

    "Mine hasn¡¯t changed." Thea¡¯s voice broke the quiet as she called out for her status.

    Yet another thing the Precursor Energy had changed.

    "Feel anything different?" I asked curiously.

    Sia shook her head.

    "Good."

    I paused, letting the moment settle over us all.

    Then, I took a breath.

    "I feel like there¡¯s something important that needs to be said."

    They all turned to me. Serious. Focused.

    Perfect.

    I cleared my throat.

    "Elric¡­" I glanced around, making sure I had everyone¡¯s undivided attention.

    They waited.

    Then, with all the gravity I could muster.

    "Is dating a subhuman."

    ¡­Man, there were a lot of silences today.

    I saw Sia¡¯s fingers twitch toward the ground.

    Small movements. Calculated.

    Oh.

    She was grabbing pebbles.

    "Now, Sia," I started, hands raising defensively.

    Too late.

    Dirt filled my mouth.

    Pebbles bounced, offensively but harmlessly, against my clothes.

    I sat there, sputtering out the taste of damp rock and regret, thankful I had at least closed my eyes in time.

    Through my own coughing and spits, I barely caught Sia¡¯s final words.

    "You¡¯re subhuman."

    I shot her a defeated look, still trying to clear the dirt from my mouth.

    Thea sighed, patting my back gently before shifting gears. "What do you mean your system rank disappeared?"

    She handed me a flask of water, which I took gratefully, leaning on her while Sia seemed to be choosing her next words carefully.

    "I mean, the category is gone," she said simply.

    Lyra frowned. "That¡¯s it? Just gone?"

    Sia shook her head. "Actually¡­ I have a new mission. But there¡¯s no system rank, no level¡­ just a mission."

    I raised my hands before this conversation spiraled into a headache.

    "Alright, I think we¡¯ve discussed this enough for now. It¡¯ll be much easier to understand what¡¯s happening once it happens to everyone, right?"

    I glanced around. There was silent agreement in their expressions.

    "Cool. Then let¡¯s make you guys not human."

    No one argued.

    We all sat down, letting Lyra be the next to face off against whatever thing was watching us from the abyss.

    The process played out just like before.

    She refined. We formed half-cores. Then, at the final moment, we solidified them together.

    Then she sparred with Elric.

    And again, he was far more patient and gentle than he had been with me.

    I squinted at the injustice.

    But soon, Lyra sat back down, closing her eyes to shatter the last remnants of her pseudo-core.

    A voice.

    Not furious. Not howling. Just¡­ watching. Waiting.

    "I see. You have all made your choice."

    The words resonated through the air, not a whisper, not a scream. Just a presence.

    There was no shaking.

    Just a resounding observation of our determination.

    Even Lyra¡¯s eyes only widened for a brief moment before the fear vanished.

    She exhaled. "I saw the eyes."

    We all nodded.

    The pattern had been established.

    And now, we all knew, there was no turning back.

    I stretched, rolling my shoulders. "Who¡¯s next?"

    The group moved, focusing on restoring our Grand Channels to optimal levels.

    "I¡¯ll go," Elric stated.

    "Then Thea," he added, glancing at me. "Then you. I want everyone at their peak when you start. Without a system, who knows how you¡¯ll change?"

    I chuckled. "Maybe I just get to stay human, unlike you four."

    Thea arched a brow. "Who said you were human in the first place?"

    I blinked.

    "Hey!" I protested. "Tha¡ª"

    "All the humans I¡¯ve ever known had systems," she interrupted, smirking.

    I opened my mouth but no argument came at the moment.

    The others had already begun sparring.

    I rushed toward Thea, ducking a wide swing from her arm. "I guess you¡¯re the only one here dating a real freak of nature then." I grinned only centimeters away from her.

    She returned the smile.

    "You¡¯re right about that¡­ freak."

    With a light push, she sent me back before darting forward to keep the match going.

    We moved together, exchanging blows and steps in focused silence, the rhythmic dance of combat keeping us locked in motion.

    Eventually, we collapsed onto the stone, panting.

    My mind was starting to swirl.

    We had been at this for a while now. No breaks, no time to breathe, but the circumstances demanded progress.

    And despite my feeble, protesting brain begging for mercy, we kept going.

    We all sat in a circle again. This time, focusing on Elric.

    The same process played out.

    Refining. Half-cores. Completion.

    It ended when Elric finally spoke. "It only stared at me."

    I perked up, hopeful. "Maybe you charmed him, and we¡¯re off the hook?"

    A small laugh came from beside me.

    Didn¡¯t have to look to know it was Thea.

    Finally. Someone laughing at my jokes besides me.

    I opened my mouth, ready to double down on my comedic gold.

    A hand covered my mouth.

    Gently.

    "Peter," Thea said with patient exasperation, "let¡¯s get started. I¡¯m next."

    That, apparently, was funnier than my joke.

    A round of giggles erupted from the group, far too entertained by the sight.

    Yeah. I guess it probably looked a bit strange from the outside.

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    Like a teacher politely asking a child to stop fooling around in class.

    With a dramatic groan, I slouched closer to her.

    "I need a break."

    Lyra¡¯s voice was soft, but firm. "Let¡¯s wait until we all finish."

    I nodded begrudgingly.

    A hand squeezed my knee.

    "Just a bit more."

    ¡­Fine.

    And so, again, seriously, how many times had I said that today? We followed the process.

    Gathering energy. Converting it.

    And sitting in a cute little circle like children.

    Finally, Thea exhaled and spoke.

    "Just stared at me too."

    I sagged. "Okay. Please, let¡¯s¡ª"

    "Nope."

    Thea cut me off gently, but firmly.

    "Last one."

    I immediately went for a tactical retreat. "How about we talk about your systems now?"

    Seriously. How did they have so much focus?

    I looked around, desperately hoping someone, anyone, would back me up.

    To my shock, everyone actually looked interested.

    Thea opened her mouth, no doubt to shut down my escape attempt, "I think we should fini¡ª"

    "Actually¡­ Thea, I could use a break from this."

    Lyra¡¯s voice was soft but resolute, a faint trace of exhaustion creeping in.

    Sia and Elric nodded, rolling out their shoulders and stretching.

    I guess just because we could stay awake longer didn¡¯t mean we could train forever without consequence.

    Thea lowered her head beside me, pouting.

    Oh?

    An opportunity.

    I leaned in slightly, voice casual but teasing.

    "We still need to make plans outside of Body Refinement."

    She didn¡¯t lift her head.

    Yeah. She was fishing.

    I smirked. "I¡¯ll need a ner¡ªgrandmaster to discuss the next steps with."

    A long, dramatic sigh.

    Then she shifted lower, lazily resting her head on my lap.

    I froze.

    Her hair, soft and slightly damp from sweat, slid over my knee and thigh as she adjusted herself, getting way too comfortable.

    "I was getting tired too," she murmured, still pouting slightly as she settled in.

    But seriously. Was she trying to make me¡­

    "Status."

    Three voices from across the circle cutting off my thoughts.

    I guess no one felt like indulging our theatrics anymore.

    I glanced down expectantly as Thea muttered the same word, her breath barely brushing against the fabric of my pants.

    My right arm hovered awkwardly in the air, fingers twitching slightly. What was I even supposed to do with them?

    Before I could decide, a soft sigh came from my lap.

    "I have to teach you how to cultivate, breathe, and now this?"

    She grabbed my hand with her smaller one and pulled it down herself, placing it exactly where she wanted it.

    There were a few quiet snickers from the others.

    Naturally, I had to retaliate.

    "I¡¯m sure I can teach you some things myself."

    She scoffed, voice barely above a murmur. "Like what?"

    I bent down, lowering my voice just enough for only her to hear.

    Her entire body tensed.

    Her fingers twitched slightly in my hand.

    Then, her face went beet red.

    Oh. I actually feel bad now.

    She didn¡¯t move. Didn¡¯t speak. Just lay there, processing.

    With how sheltered she was, I was probably corrupting her innocent mind a little too much.

    ¡­Just a little.

    Elric groaned. "Time and place, Peter."

    I sat up immediately. "Says the guy who sullied the training room."

    Silence.

    They were definitely not looking at me shyly like Thea.

    Just glares.

    I cleared my throat quickly. "So, uhhhh, the mission?"

    Hoping, praying, to shift the fire away from me.

    ¡­Literally.

    "Clear or Escape the Labyrinth."

    Elric¡¯s voice was flat as he read from his system.

    "Rewards¡­unknown."

    I blinked. "That¡¯s it?"

    Four heads nodded in turn.

    "So¡­ new stat, new race, system rank completely gone, and now you¡¯ve all got a mystery mission with unknown rewards?"

    Another round of nods.

    "And," Lyra added, glancing around for confirmation, "we all have the same mission."

    That¡­ didn¡¯t sound normal.

    I exhaled slowly. "Otherwise, your system is the same?"

    "Seems like it," Thea mumbled, still resting comfortably on my lap, her voice laced with drowsiness as she yawned.

    "Okay. Simple then. We continue as usual and handle problems as they come."

    I deepened my voice slightly giving it that decisive, leader-like tone.

    A beat of silence.

    "You mean like we did with those tree monsters?"

    Sia, arms crossed, tone dry.

    A mutiny. Already.

    I stared at her. Then at the others.

    Blank looks.

    A snicker from my lap.

    "¡­Maybe." I stated simply, casually ignoring any possible flaws in my logic.

    More blank stares.

    Thea, not even bothering to lift her head, let out another quiet giggle.

    I sighed. "Fine. We prepare first. Then we take problems as they come."

    I glanced around the group, scanning for any more potential uprisings.

    "Let¡¯s finish off with you," Elric instructed.

    A collective groan rippled through the group, except for Thea, who suddenly looked wide awake.

    She sat up immediately, eyes sharp with anticipation.

    I groaned again, slower this time, dragging myself to my feet. My body protested every movement, the fatigue from nonstop cultivation finally clawing at my limbs.

    Still, there wasn¡¯t much choice. One more time.

    Eventually, we circled up for the final time.

    One by one, hands settled on me.

    I closed my eyes, inhaling. The energy flooded in.

    At first, it was... nausea then bliss. A rushing, euphoric sensation. Like sinking into something warm and endless, as if the very air around me was breathing life into my veins.

    It was gone. Ripped away.

    I snapped my eyes open, the sudden emptiness leaving behind an almost painful stillness.

    Still, I had to finish.

    I stood, faced Thea.

    We took position. A light spar.

    But even she was slower than usual. Her movements lacked sharpness, her usual flow dulled with exhaustion.

    "Finally getting tired?" I teased.

    She didn¡¯t answer immediately. Our movements were clumsy, half-hearted, more like a lazy dance than actual combat.

    "Even I can¡¯t cultivate forever," she admitted.

    A quiet laugh left my lips. "I¡¯d like to sleep soon for sure."

    She nodded softly, and just like that, we were done.

    I sat back down, ignoring the dull ache in my body.

    One last thing.

    I focused. The remnants of the core hovered within me, waiting. I condensed a thin needle of energy, guiding it to pierce the center.

    Then.

    Black.

    The world vanished.

    No sound. No breath. No air. No anything.

    The nothingness stretched infinitely, swallowing everything whole.

    I turned. Nothing.

    I moved. Nothing.

    My voice barely scraped the silence. "Hello?"

    Movement.

    A presence. A great and terrible presence.

    From the abyss, something shifted.

    Slow. Purposeful. Colossal.

    Something impossibly vast stirred in the dark, the very space around me trembling as if reality itself feared its awakening.

    They opened.

    Gargantuan eyelids, peeling apart, revealing a pair of crimson suns.

    No.

    Not suns.

    Eyes.

    Focused. Piercing. Absolute.

    The very instant their attention centered on me.

    A weight fell.

    A force beyond comprehension crashed into me, crushing, suffocating, pressing into my being in a way that defied existence itself.

    I hit the ground.

    Or, at least, what should have been ground.

    The void itself folded under the sheer intensity of that gaze, flattening me into it as if it were something tangible.

    Every part of me, flesh, mind, soul, unraveled.

    My heart thundered. No¡­it slammed against my ribs, beating like a war drum trapped inside my throat.

    I wasn¡¯t breathing.

    I wasn¡¯t anything.

    A voice.

    A command.

    "You do not belong here."

    The words tore through me.

    They were not spoken. They were not heard. They were felt.

    A decree, woven into the very fabric of my being.

    Something deeper than sound, more powerful than thought.

    Something primordial. Unquestionable. Absolute.

    And I, I was nothing before it.

    A mere whisper in the wake of a storm.

    A speck drowning in an endless, cosmic abyss.

    And it knew me.

    "AGHHHHH!"

    A detonation of pain.

    A white-hot, all-consuming eruption inside my skull. Blinding. Deafening. Drowning.

    My body, if I even had one, convulsed. But there was no ground, no air, no reality to anchor me.

    Nothing but pain.

    My own screams ripped through the void, but they didn¡¯t exist. I didn¡¯t exist.

    The agony was not just felt. It was injected, burned into me, raw and endless.

    I couldn¡¯t breathe. I couldn¡¯t think. I couldn¡¯t escape.

    Flashes.

    Not light. Not visions.

    Memories.

    Forced into me at once. Not one after the other.

    All of them.

    Collapsing into my mind like an avalanche, crashing down with a force beyond reason.

    My home, the exact color of the chipped paint on my childhood walls.

    The scent of morning dew from my old neighborhood.

    The sound of my foster home mother¡¯s voice, not a memory, not a thought, real, alive, as if she was whispering in my ear.

    Laughter. Tears. A million moments I had long since buried ripped back to the surface, too much, too fast. Too real.

    I couldn¡¯t process it.

    I couldn¡¯t bear it.

    The food I ate the day before I left. The exact taste of every single bite, every grain of the hamburger bun, the warmth of the meal now turned to searing iron melting my tongue.

    The touch of my school desk under my fingers, a sensation so precise, so hyper-real, I felt every grain of wood press into my skin.

    My first step onto the streets that morning. The weight of my shoes against the pavement, the dull chill of the air, the rhythmic thrum of passing vehicles.

    Living all of it.

    I thrashed more.

    But the pain, the sheer, mind-splitting weight of sensation, kept going, fracturing me into pieces.

    I prayed for an end.

    But none came.

    Memories folding into each other, layered and layered, until my mind was suffocating beneath the weight of everything that I ever was.

    And then.

    Relief.

    Like a blade was lifted from my skull.

    The storm vanished.

    The void returned. Empty.

    But the pain, the truth of it, was burned into me.

    Tattooed onto my very existence.

    A wound not on my body, but on my soul.

    I shuddered. I would never forget that pain.

    Never.

    And just when I thought nothing could be worse.

    The voice.

    Colder than before. Stronger. Heavier.

    And this time¡­final.

    "A weak world with no one to guide it."

    A slow, horrible realization began to curl through my bones.

    Laughter.

    Not warm. Not human.

    Mocking. Twisting. Tearing.

    It blasted into my ears, each note of amusement slicing through me like shattered glass. My form vibrating so violently that I thought I would break apart, unravel into nothing.

    "I¡ªI should reward you."

    The voice was booming, dripping with amusement. Mocking. Teasing.

    It was playing with me.

    It was savoring the moment¡­drawing it out, because it already knew how much its next words would hurt me.

    "I will reward your entire world."

    The void froze.

    My mind froze.

    No.

    No, no, no!

    A pause.

    Not for thought.

    Not for hesitation.

    For effect.

    For me to realize.

    For the terror to settle.

    For it to seep into my core like poison.

    "Yes¡­ I will visit them myself. And bless them. Rejoice.¡±

    "NO!"

    It tore from my throat like a primal scream.

    My world, it wasn¡¯t perfect, it wasn¡¯t great, but it was mine.

    And nothing, nothing this thing would bring could be anything good.

    I felt its smile before I saw it.

    A slow shift in the void.

    His face revealed itself.

    Not emerging from the darkness, no. It was the darkness.

    The ruby eyes flared, their cruel radiance drowning the void in red light.

    Silver hair, shimmering, perfect, reflecting the glow like polished metal.

    His skin was so pale it was sickening. Drained. Hollow. A perfect vessel, lifeless inside.

    A body sculpted into the peak of beauty, yet somehow so cold, so empty, so utterly devoid of soul that the sight of him alone made me want to scream.

    Then he smiled.

    A fatherly smile.

    Gentle. Warm. Loving.

    And filled with more cruelty than anything I had ever known.

    "Most will perish."

    The void shook.

    "The beasts will kill them."

    I gasped, but no air filled my lungs.

    "My power will corrupt the others to slime."

    No. Please!

    The ruby eyes flared again, illuminating the void in searing, burning light.

    And then, as if bestowing a great mercy, he spoke again.

    "But the worthy will survive."

    I felt it coming before he even said it.

    I already knew.

    And yet, it still shattered me.

    "I will tell them who is responsible."

    My entire being seized.

    "Peter. Your image seared into them."

    "The weak will curse your name."

    The words settled into me. Burrowed deep.

    A weight I couldn¡¯t hold. A burden I couldn¡¯t carry.

    "The strong will worship you."

    I was shaking.

    But his voice. It softened.

    Not in mercy. In cruelty.

    "I say again."

    A pause.

    Just enough time for the moment to fester.

    For the horror to sink deeper.

    "Rejoice."

 Chapter 49: Dream

    "NO!"

    My eyes snapped open.

    Arms, warm and trembling, wrapped around me.

    "I''m here, Peter," Thea whispered, her voice shaking.

    My breaths came sharp and erratic. My body ached, my mind burned, but the real pain, the unbearable weight, settled deep in my chest, crushing, suffocating. My eyes darted around, sluggishly piecing together my surroundings.

    The tent.

    I¡¯d been moved.

    How much had I projected into the real world? The answer struck the moment I registered Thea clinging to me, her shoulders trembling, her eyes red and swollen.

    Most of it. If not all.

    "I''m sorry," I croaked, my throat raw.

    "Peter!" Thea¡¯s grip tightened, relief spilling into her voice. "You were¡ª" Her voice hitched, cracking mid-sentence. She looked at me, her expression tangled between relief and lingering horror.

    I wanted to comfort her. I wanted to tell her I was fine, that it was nothing, but millions.

    No.

    Billions.

    All of them, in danger. Most would die. My home, my world, my friends, the kids I grew up with, my classmates, every single person I had ever known.

    I could do nothing.

    Thea¡¯s warmth pressed against me, anchoring me to the present, but the weight of what I had learned, what I had caused, sank deeper and deeper, like my body was trying to reject the truth itself.

    Maybe this planet had once been like mine. Maybe it had thrived, had peace, had normal lives before¡­before it was cursed.

    Before it fell to ruin.

    I curled inward, pressing my forehead against my knees.

    "I''m sorry," I whispered again, hollow. Empty.

    Thea wiped at her eyes with the sleeve of her tunic, forcing a difficult, shaky smile. She wrapped her arms around me, gently, like she was afraid I¡¯d break. "I was just worried. You don¡¯t have to be sorry. You kept screaming, struggling¡­" Her fingers wove through my hair, slow, grounding. "One moment, you passed out. We brought you here, then¡­"

    She hiccupped. Once. Twice. Still recovering from whatever horror I had shown.

    "No." I shook my head more forcefully.

    Outside, there was a rustling.

    The tent flap shifted, revealing another open tent right next to ours. Elric, Sia, and Lyra were crouched there, peering in from the small space between.

    Their faces were drawn, concern pooling in the way they hovered, uncertain if they should step in.

    I barely spared them a glance before shutting my eyes.

    I wanted to forget.

    I couldn¡¯t.

    Because I knew.

    And knowing meant I couldn¡¯t ignore it.

    Billions of lives in danger.

    Most of them would die.

    And I would be blamed.

    Because I was to blame.

    The tent flap shifted closed again. Soft footsteps. A quiet rustling of fabric.

    Thea lay beside me.

    She didn¡¯t speak, just breathed. Her presence steady, unwavering. A quiet comfort.

    "Peter," she murmured after a while, voice barely above a whisper. "You don¡¯t have to be sorry. Really, I¡¯m just glad you¡¯re okay."

    I shook my head again, harder this time. My fingers rose to my hair, gripping tight. Too tight. Nails digging into my scalp.

    I couldn¡¯t.

    I couldn¡¯t handle this.

    Not the gentle comfort.

    Not the soft words.

    Not the undeserved warmth.

    "Peter?!"

    Thea grabbed my wrists, her fingers curling around them, firm yet careful. "What¡¯s wrong?"

    I let out a slow, shuddering breath. My grip loosened. My hands fell uselessly into hers.

    She held them. Squeezed lightly.

    "You can tell me, Peter."

    Her voice trembled.

    "Please."

    I swallowed, my throat burning.

    I opened my eyes.

    She was looking at me, really looking at me. And it was then that I noticed the fresh tears welling at the edges of her storm-gray eyes.

    "I¡ª"

    "No." She shook her head, cutting me off. "Don¡¯t apologize."

    She pulled me closer, her head resting against my chest. Her fingers curled into the fabric of my shirt, gripping tightly.

    I felt her warmth.

    Her breath.

    Her heartbeat.

    And for the first time since waking up, since him¡­since the nightmare, I could breathe.

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    But the weight didn¡¯t leave.

    Activating Phantom Whisper, I let my voice slip between reality and thought, threading only to Thea.

    "He¡¯s going to kill them all, Thea." My own words burned. "He tore through my memories, my existence like it was nothing."

    Thea looked up, confusion flickering in her tired eyes.

    "The eyes. That man. Whatever he is. He knows where I¡¯m from."

    Her grip on me tightened slightly. "But¡­ how could he go there?"

    I swallowed hard. "He can."

    She flinched at the certainty in my voice.

    "He was mocking me, Thea. Like it was just a step away. Like my world is nothing to him, just another weak place to be devoured. Maybe it¡¯s already..."

    The words strangled themselves before I could finish.

    A deep, hollow pit formed in my stomach.

    Thea pressed closer, her warmth barely reaching through the icy feeling settling inside me. "Peter, I¡¯m so sorry."

    I shifted, pulling her in, not because I expected comfort, because I needed an anchor.

    "He¡¯s going to ¡®bless¡¯ them, whatever that means. Unleash the beasts all over. He said most would die. Gloated about it."

    The tent felt smaller. My body felt heavier.

    Thea was silent for a long moment before she spoke. "The System?"

    I exhaled shakily. "Probably. Maybe¡­I don¡¯t know. It hardly matters. I can¡¯t stop it."

    I let Phantom Whisper fade.

    The air between us settled, our breathing syncing, matching pace.

    "Cold?" I asked, reaching for the blankets nearby.

    She didn¡¯t answer, just took them when I held them out, spreading them over us. I adjusted the pillow under her head, then placed one beneath mine.

    We settled in. The fabric of the tent whispered with our movements, the soft murmur of voices drifting in from next door.

    Elric, Sia, and Lyra.

    They must have realized I wasn¡¯t in immediate danger and started talking among themselves.

    "How long was I out?" I asked, voice quieter now.

    "Not long. But after you passed out, we figured we should rest for a few hours."

    Thea¡¯s voice was softer now, heavier. Drowsiness tugging at her words.

    I felt it too. A quiet exhaustion curling around me.

    Being next to her, talking, eased the pressure in my chest.

    "Goodnight, Thea¡­ and thanks."

    For everything.

    The reserved girl, the one raised with no friends, no real social interaction outside her family, stunned me with what she did next.

    Her ears burned red as she shifted slightly.

    Then¡­soft, fleeting, her lips pressed against my lower cheek.

    Just as fast, she pulled away, burying her face against my chest.

    I short-circuited.

    For the briefest moment.

    Everything else disappeared.

    No looming apocalypse. No unbearable weight.

    Just warmth.

    I chuckled. ¡°Maybe I won¡¯t be the one teaching you after all.¡±

    "Mm mmhhm mhm mm," came the muffled response.

    I laughed again. "What?"

    She shifted just enough to peek up at me. ¡°You always ruin it.¡±

    "I do?"

    She nodded.

    I tilted my head slightly, resting my chin near the top of hers. ¡°How¡¯s this?¡±

    I pressed a kiss to her forehead, lingering just a moment longer than she had.

    Immediately, she buried her face against my chest again, this time refusing to emerge.

    That didn¡¯t stop her from mumbling before we both drifted off.

    Her last words were something like, ¡°mm mmh m hm hmm.¡±

    "Enlightening," I muttered.

    Eventually, she fell asleep like that, and I must¡¯ve followed soon after.

    Though I wish I hadn¡¯t.

    ¡­

    I had the most vivid and memorable dream of my life.

    Monsters fell from the sky.

    A storm of destruction. Large, small, winged, crawling. They riddled the landscape as they landed, tearing through everything in their path.

    A beast the size of a skyscraper crashed into a city block, its grotesque form shaking the earth like an earthquake. The force of impact sent cars flipping through the air like pebbles, streets splitting open, entire buildings collapsing like sandcastles kicked over by a child.

    From the oceans, serpentine horrors slithered onto land, their slick, muscular bodies coiling around bridges, tightening until steel beams snapped like twigs. Their fanged maws unhinged, swallowing entire buses in a single, effortless gulp.

    In the suburbs, smaller, faster creatures, things with elongated limbs and too many eyes, crawled along walls, slipping into windows, doors, tearing through homes like paper, leaving nothing but screams and blood in their wake.

    Overhead, shadows blotted out the sky. Winged monstrosities with razor-edged feathers, their talons snatching people straight off the ground, lifting them high, then dropping them.

    And then came the swarm, hundreds of insect-like abominations, each no bigger than a human, but fast, ravenous, relentless. They poured through the streets, devouring flesh down to the bone in seconds, leaving only red-slick pavement where people once stood.

    A laugh echoed through my skull.

    Low. Mocking. Endless.

    And beneath it¡­screams. So many screams.

    ¡°All this is my reward to you, Peter.¡±

    The voice slithered through my mind. Amused. Pleased.

    ¡°For having the skill to devour my will¡­ enjoy the worms squirming.¡±

    But then he spoke again.

    Not to me.

    To them.

    ¡°The one responsible for all of this¡­ is this man.¡±

    I didn¡¯t need to see it to know. They were all being shown my face.

    Children, clutching at their parents, sobbing, trembling, until something snatched them away. Parents, watching helplessly, their mouths open in silent horror as their families were torn into bloody pieces before their eyes.

    Somehow, my vision zoomed in, locking onto the worst of it. As if something wanted me to see every detail.

    Wanted me to feel it. Wanted me to break.

    ¡°But do not fear¡­ I will save you.¡±

    The voice softened, gentle, almost sorrowful. But the amusement still slithered beneath his words, poisoning them.

    ¡°I cannot save all of you,¡± he sighed, like a benevolent god lamenting his own limitations. ¡°But I can save some.¡±

    Lies.

    ¡°Receive my blessing. Accept my blood.¡±

    Men, women, children, all clutching their heads, writhing and screaming, until their bodies began to melt.

    Their skin boiled, liquefied, sloughing off in thick, oozing rivulets as drops of blood they couldn¡¯t escape touched them. Their bones softened, dissolved, until there was nothing left but pools of quivering, gelatinous remains.

    They were gone.

    The two red suns shifted, focusing on me.

    ¡°Feast on our work, Peter.¡±

    His voice dripped with satisfaction.

    He was pleased.

    ¡°What we have created together¡­ You should be proud of your people¡¯s potential.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t speak.

    ¡°Over a million have risen above mere scum.¡±

    Over a million.

    Out of billions.

    The world was falling apart in front of me, crumbling, collapsing into something grotesque. And

    I couldn¡¯t look away.

    I tried. I fought. I strained to close my eyes, to pull back, to wake up, but I was forced to watch.

    Every detail. Every second.

    There were still voices. Whispers, cries, prayers.

    I could hear them thanking their savior.

    I could hear them cursing me.

    Swearing revenge.

    But their voices faded beneath the roar in my skull, a swarm of bees, buzzing, screaming, deafening.

    The ruby stars turned toward me once more.

    ¡°It is done.¡±

    A pause. A smirk woven into the words.

    ¡°What do you think?¡±

    Almost casually he spoke to me, ¡°I had to use an enormous amount of power to show you this, you know. I won¡¯t be able to show you how they develop, unfortunately.¡±

    The buzzing grew louder.

    My chest tightened, my vision blurred at the edges, everything narrowing down to a single, crushing certainty.

    ¡°I will find you.¡±

    A flicker of something¡­satisfaction? Anticipation?

    His final word came next.

    ¡°Good.¡±

    Not in a gloating tone.

    Not in mockery.

    But in seething, quiet rage.

    Not the howling, monstrous voice we had all heard before.

    A calm, calculated, eternal hatred.

    A hatred so deep, so ingrained, that it drove him to show me all of this.

    To break me with it.

 Chapter 50: Trade of Billions

    Thea¡¯s gentle breathing calmed the storm raging in my head. The noise softened, my vision returning to normal.

    But the sights remained.

    The fall of my planet, etched into my mind, never to fade. My people¡¯s regrets, their terror, everything they lost.

    I sat there, suffocating under the weight of it, before forcing myself to stand.

    Beside me, Thea stirred, her fingers catching my wrist. ¡°Peter?¡± she yawned groggily, voice thick with sleep.

    ¡°Just using the bathroom,¡± I murmured. ¡°Go back to sleep.¡±

    I placed my hand over hers, a brief reassurance. She nodded, releasing me without hesitation.

    I stepped outside, squeezing past the tents, the cool cavern air biting against my skin.

    My vision went white.

    A sudden flare of sensation exploded in my mind, my breath hitching as my internal force surged to life. My body locked up, muscles tensing instinctively.

    Something inside me had changed.

    Something new existed where nothing had before.

    The realization struck me with a jarring certainty. I was at the center of it. A radius. A sphere of awareness stretching six feet, two meters, on either side of me.

    Even with my eyes open, I could see it.

    Every crevice in the rock. The canvas of our tents. The pulsing red glow of my friends¡¯ life forces, warm, steady, unmistakable.

    The world had no edges anymore. No boundaries. It all bled together. Sensation and sight and something deeper, something raw.

    The cavern breathed around me, pulsing, every shift of air whispering against my mind like it was alive.

    I flinched as I felt Thea shift in her sleep.

    I staggered, gripping the bridge of my nose, squeezing my eyes shut, but the sight didn¡¯t vanish.

    It wouldn¡¯t stop.

    My mind lurched, trying to process two versions of the world at once, one seen, one felt, and for a moment, it was unbearable.

    This¡­ this was my trade.

    Billions of lives, given for this.

    The noise in my skull grew louder.

    I exhaled sharply, pushing forward.

    Before I knew it the blue grass was beneath me, shimmering with a faint red glow, its presence undeniable. Most of the trees showed nothing in my sight. Just silent, unmoving shadows.

    Except for one, another creature pulsing with a red life.

    Its pink flowers glistened, as I approached.

    The shift was immediate.

    Creaking. Twisting. The grotesque sound of transformation.

    Before it could lunge, before it could even finish reshaping itself, my hands lifted on instinct. Power surged.

    A blast tore through the air.

    Wood splintered. A shriek of agony pierced the silence as its glow flickered then vanished entirely from my sight.

    I inhaled, my chest expanding as the pressure in my skull finally loosened. My breathing steadied, my heart slowing.

    ¡°What the hell are you doing!?¡±

    Elric¡¯s voice crashed into me like a tidal wave, echoing from above.

    Before I could even turn, I sensed them. Several objects hurtling toward me from behind.

    Easily visible.

    A gift from the Precursor Energy.

    I moved away quickly, but just as I did, the sphere flickered. A searing heat exploded in my skull. My breath hitched as I clutched my head, my legs carrying me instinctively toward safety until they failed me.

    I stumbled.

    Elric caught me just before I hit the ground.

    The sight was gone. The red glow. The sphere. All of it, vanished in an instant. But the pain, it burned hotter, unbearable, hammering against my skull, threatening to drag me into unconsciousness.

    "Peter, are you insane?!" Elric¡¯s voice echoed, laced with frustration and worry. He hauled me onto his back, his grip steady despite my weight. With measured steps, he climbed toward our mini campsite.

    The pain clawed at me, growing worse by the second. I clenched my teeth, shutting my eyes, forcing my focus inward.

    There.

    A disturbance in my core.

    A flickering strand of violet fire, twisting, burning, writhing at my focal point like a living thing. It wasn¡¯t my internal force. It was something else. Separate, taking no space, ethereal even.

    I steadied my breath, isolating it, preventing my energy from flowing around it.

    Immediately, the pain eased. The nausea faded, leaving behind only exhaustion.

    I opened my eyes just as Elric climbed the final bit and set me down.

    The others were emerging from their tents.

    Lyra was the first to reach me, her gaze sharp with concern. "Did you get injured?" She knelt beside me, scanning me with practiced efficiency. Sia and Elric hovered close, waiting for an answer.

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    I shook my head. "I¡¯m fine."

    Thea appeared next, pushing past them, her eyes locked onto me. She didn¡¯t hesitate, didn¡¯t stop. She dropped to her knees beside me. "What happened?"

    I met her gaze. My lips parted then stalled.

    "Everyone is dead¡­"

    The words barely escaped. Barely felt real.

    "He showed me."

    Silence.

    For a moment, she didn¡¯t react. None of them did. Thea¡¯s lips parted slightly, but no words came. Her brows knit together, confusion, disbelief warring in her storm-gray eyes.

    Then she shook her head. "Peter, it was just a bad dream. No one could do something like that in a few hours."

    A bad dream.

    I could¡¯ve yelled at her. Told her she was wrong. That I saw it. That I felt it. That I watched it happen in real time, the screams, the blood, the devastation, all of it.

    But if I hadn¡¯t seen it, hadn¡¯t lived through it, wouldn¡¯t I have thought the same?

    My fingers curled into the fabric of my tunic. "No," I said, voice hollow. "He spoke to me. He used his own power to show me¡­ everything."

    My voice sounded wrong. Empty.

    Elric crouched beside me, his expression unreadable. "Can you explain, Peter?"

    His voice was careful. Measured.

    "I don¡¯t want to push you," Elric continued, his voice steady, unwavering. "But I can¡¯t help if I don¡¯t understand."

    I let out a hollow laugh, one without humor. One that sounded foreign, even to me.

    "There¡¯s nothing to help," I said, my voice barely my own. "My world is gone. Billions of lives, wiped out in minutes. By a cruel god we pissed off."

    Silence.

    Lyra and Sia looked frozen, their expressions locked in disbelief. A number that vast, so incomprehensibly large, seemed impossible. Fantastical in the cruelest sense of the word.

    Elric grabbed my shoulders, grounding me. His hands were firm, steady, his gaze piercing. "I can¡¯t imagine what you¡¯re feeling, Peter," he said, his tone softer now. "But I wasn¡¯t talking about helping them." He gave my shoulders a slight squeeze. "I¡¯m talking about you."

    He paused, letting the words settle. ¡°You¡¯re my friend. My brother."

    The lump in my throat swelled.

    "But you need to stop doing things alone." His grip tightened, grounding me, anchoring me. "What can you do to him, that monster, if you die?"

    I stared at him.

    Lyra and Sia sat beside me.

    Lyra reached out, her fingers wrapping around my hand, her warmth cutting through the cold, hollow space inside me. "I¡¯m so sorry, Peter," she whispered. "But we¡¯re here for you. Don¡¯t shut us away."

    Something cracked inside my chest.

    I had held it back for hours.

    Sia¡¯s hand landed atop Elric¡¯s, gripping my shoulder. "We¡¯re in this together anyway," she said, voice firm, resolute. "Criminals and traitors. Together." She met my gaze, unwavering. "If you want to burn something to the ground, you don¡¯t have to do it alone."

    The stinging behind my eyes intensified.

    Thea¡¯s arms wrapped around me from behind, her embrace warm, steady, anchoring me further. "Don¡¯t leave alone, Peter, please."

    She added, "Or do you really want me to follow you every time you use the bathroom?"

    I let out a single, involuntary laugh. Small. Brief.

    And it was that, the smallest break in my armor, that shattered me completely.

    A single tear slipped down my cheek, burning hot against my skin.

    My chest tightened, too much, too fast. Like something inside me clenched into a fist. I tried to swallow it down, force it back, but the stinging only sharpened.

    A sob, Raw and unbidden.

    Tearing through me, breaking past the dam I had desperately tried to hold.

    Arms tightened around me. A weight pressed into my back. My sides.

    I was surrounded.

    Tears came in waves, spilling freely, soaking into my sleeves as I clutched at myself, arms wrapped tight around my middle, like if I let go, I might fall apart completely.

    But I wasn¡¯t alone.

    I never was.

    Warmth surrounded me. The steady, unwavering weight of my friends, my family pressing close, their arms encircling me.

    Thea¡¯s presence behind me, her embrace unshaking. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Peter,¡± she whispered, voice soft, reassuring. ¡°I¡¯m here.¡±

    I kept going until exhaustion settled deep in my bones.

    And yet, the fear still lingered. Curling in my chest, gnawing at my ribs. The fear of closing my eyes again. Of falling asleep and seeing it all over again.

    Thea must have felt the way I trembled.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be here when you wake up,¡± she murmured. ¡°I promise.¡±

    A fresh wave of emotion swelled inside me, but this time there was something steadier.

    Elric shifted beside me, looping an arm around my back, guiding me gently upward.

    ¡°Come on,¡± he said. ¡°Let¡¯s get you to bed.¡±

    My body felt impossibly heavy, drained from everything, but I let him lead me. Thea stayed close, her warmth never leaving my side as we made our way back to our tent.

    Lyra moved ahead, pressing her hands together. A soft glow bloomed from her palms, washing over me in a gentle, soothing warmth.

    It settled into my skin, weightless, hazy, like a lull in a storm.

    Sia smirked as we reached the tent. ¡°Get some sleep, Peter,¡± she said. ¡°Tomorrow, we burn this garden together.¡±

    I exhaled a weak laugh, barely able to keep my eyes open now.

    I let myself sink into the bedroll, Thea¡¯s presence still beside me.

    I closed my eyes.

    And let myself rest.

    ¡­

    I woke up feeling refreshed, but I didn¡¯t want to open my eyes just yet.

    The stillness of the moment was comforting.

    I lay there, breathing in the quiet, until Thea, still in my arms, sweetly interrupted it.

    "Peter¡­ I¡¯m bored."

    I let out a sigh. "What¡¯s the plan?"

    "Get up first," she stated matter-of-factly. "Body Refinement, then burn some trees and blue grass if necessary."

    I opened my eyes just as she started shifting against me, squirming free from my grip and standing.

    "The others are already outside," she said, bending down to stretch, touching her toes with an easy fluidity. "How¡¯d you sleep?"

    "Fine. Just normal. Dreamless," I replied, sitting up and lifting my arms in a long stretch, feeling my back loosen with a satisfying pop.

    "Good," she said, sounding genuinely pleased. She turned to head for the tent flap, but just as she passed me.

    I grabbed her wrist and pulled her down.

    A short, startled yelp escaped her lips as she landed beside me. Before she could react, I leaned in and pressed a quick kiss to her cheek.

    "Thank you," I murmured.

    She squeaked¡­actually squeaked, her ears turning red before she scrambled away, nearly tripping over herself as she hurried out of the tent.

    I smirked, taking my time stretching one last time before getting up.

    Now, it was time to see the limits of Body Refinement at our current stage.

    When I stepped outside, Elric, Lyra, and Sia were already sparring. Sia and Lyra were working together against Elric, both of them sporting the telltale red skin of Body Refinement, though the glow was already dimming.

    "You think they¡¯re ahead of us?" I asked, stepping up next to Thea.

    She crossed her arms, giving me a mock-critical glance. "Thanks to your sleeping? Probably."

    Her teasing was light, but before she could say anything else, her stomach growled.

    I grinned as she instantly stiffened, her confidence vanishing as embarrassment crept up her face.

    "Food first, I think," I said, turning toward the bags.

    She nodded silently, looking like she wanted to bury herself.

    Unfortunately, breakfast was nothing special, just dried rations. The others soon finished sparring and joined us, their skin returning to normal as they caught their breath.

    Elric sat down across from me, rubbing his chin, his usual curiosity sparking in his expression. "Sooooo, how did the Precursor Energy affect you?"

    The others perked up, waiting for my answer.

    I thought for a moment. So far, I had only one real change, one ability that stood out. I needed a name for it. Something fitting.

    A smirk tugged at my lips.

    "Precursor¡¯s Sense."

 Chapter 51: Tent Again

    "What?" Sia stared at me. "A new skill?"

    I shook my head. "I don¡¯t think so. It¡¯s¡­ hard to explain." I exhaled, running a hand through my hair. "From my body, I have the violet energy in my focal point."

    Thea''s gaze sharpened, her curiosity flaring like a scientist stumbling across an undiscovered element. Before I could react, she placed a hand on me, sending her energy in, examining¡­without permission or warning, I might add.

    Kinda seems like consent should factor into this¡­anway.

    "Whoa." She pulled back, eyes gleaming with awe. "That must be the raw form of the energy."

    I shrugged as she removed her hand. "Maybe. Either way, it lets me see in a sphere around me. Highlights living creatures in red¡­ at least, I think so."

    "Is that what nearly made you pass out?" Elric asked, his brows furrowed.

    I nodded. "It seems like my limit is pretty low. I was already getting a bad headache by the time you dragged me back up here."

    "So ours fused with the System," Lyra murmured, thinking aloud, "while yours is inside your body?"

    "Seems like it," I admitted. "But it doesn¡¯t feel solid like the Grand Channel or internal strength." I searched for the right words, trying to pin down the sensation. "It feels¡­ spiritual."

    I thought back to the voice, the raw force of the being we all heard. "He said we devoured his will, the man, or whatever he was." I swallowed the last piece of jerky I''d been struggling to chew through.

    "So¡­ is he the Precursor?" Thea wondered, her head tilting in thought.

    "No idea." I lay back, staring at the cavern ceiling. "Doesn¡¯t really matter. If it was still his power, I don¡¯t think he¡¯d be this pissed."

    Even now, the energy didn''t feel like his. It was mine. Something I could command.

    Elric clapped his hands together. "Alright, let¡¯s get back to it."

    I sat up, nudging Thea¡¯s knee with mine. "You first?"

    "Alright."

    Hours passed. I could feel the changes in my body, my skin growing tougher, more resilient. Our spars became fiercer, the impact required to temper our bodies requiring more and more aggression. It was taking a chunk of energy just to land a scuff on each other.

    Thea and I flew at each other with a ferocity beyond our normal matches, moving faster, hitting harder. I used the opportunity to practice Swift Stride, slipping around her movements, my footwork weaving through her attacks.

    Then, mid-exchange, I activated Silencing Current

    Thea staggered, her movements slowing to a crawl, her connection to the System stuttering, disrupted.

    For just a moment, I had the upper hand.

    And she knew it.

    Thea staggered, blinking rapidly as the lingering effects of my technique faded. A breeze stirred between us, the only remnant of what had just happened, lifting strands of her dark hair.

    "Wh¡ªwhat the heck was that?" She looked at me, eyes wide.

    I shrugged. "A weaker version of Blasting Wave."

    Her mouth opened, then shut. "And it just¡­ shuts off my abilities?"

    "Seems like it."

    She exhaled sharply, rubbing her arms. "And you never showed me this because?"

    I hesitated. "Hmm." I tried to come up with a decent excuse. But as usual, my mouth worked faster than my brain. "Dunno. Never came up."

    Her stare flattened. "I have to ask you to teach me every skill you learn?"

    "...Yes."

    She stared at me.

    I stared back.

    Her storm-gray eyes were so¡­shiny.

    "Peter?"

    "Hmm?" My thoughts scattered, broken by her voice. "Yeah, what¡¯s up?"

    She let out a slow, measured sigh. "Can you teach me the skill?"

    I grinned. "Oh, yeah, sure. It¡¯s pretty simple. Just make Blasting Wave but weaker. I think it¡¯s just my internal force overwhelming someone¡¯s MP or SP?"

    Her smirk returned. "Are you asking me?"

    Before I could answer, Elric groaned, running a hand down his face. "For all that is sacred, you two have the weirdest interactions ever."

    Lyra nodded solemnly beside him, while Sia put on an exaggeratedly refined tone. "Thea¡­ you really should stop conversing with such a brute."

    I raised a brow. "What, do you want to be a professional actress or something?"

    Sia gasped, placing a hand over her heart like I had mortally offended her. "And if I did?"

    I stroked my chin, adopting all the knowledge I had gathered up until now. "Then we make a play. Elric¡¯s the star, and you¡¯re the co-star."

    "What?" Lyra burst into laughter.

    I nodded, fully committed. "Yeah, it¡¯ll be a hit. We can even advertise for the guild!"

    Sia blinked at me like I had grown two heads. "You think a bunch of maniacs who already have to scrounge for points will spend any on a play?"

    Elric rubbed his chin, considering it. "I mean¡­ if I¡¯m the star."

    Lyra smirked. "Won¡¯t you be happy being his co-star, Sia?"

    Sia instantly looked down, her confidence faltering as she mumbled, "Let¡¯s get back to training."

    We all laughed lightly, but we did as she instructed.

    At first, things progressed normally. Each of us throwing ourselves into Body Refinement, testing limits, pushing boundaries. But then something shifted.

    The process slowed. Painfully slow.

    The world force I had been forcefully pushing out of my body had hit a saturation point. I could feel the energy pressing outward, sinking into my skin, but it refused to go any deeper. My muscles absorbed some, but the moment I engaged in physical movement, it faded.

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    It wasn¡¯t potent enough to stay.

    "What now?" Sia asked, arms crossed, her usual sharp confidence slightly dampened by the stagnation.

    I tried to think of possible avenues. Until now, things had always seemed to fall into place, the path revealing itself step by step.

    But this time¡­ something felt off.

    "I don¡¯t think purity is the issue," Thea said, thoughtful. "I didn¡¯t feel any changes when the needle I formed dissipated."

    I nodded. "Same¡­ I don¡¯t know¡­ maybe we try a full core with all the energy?"

    But the moment I said it, something felt wrong.

    It had been pursued by countless people before us.

    And more than that. It felt like a dead end.

    I let out a slow breath, settling onto the cold stone floor, my gaze drifting to the garden below.

    Thea sat beside me, brushing a few loose strands of hair behind her ear. "Maybe, just like with the Grand Carving technique, inspiration will come as we go."

    I frowned, mulling over her words. She wasn¡¯t wrong.

    Sometimes, forcing an answer wasn¡¯t the way forward.

    But¡­ what if we were missing something obvious?

    "How much are everyone¡¯s endurance and agility?" I asked abruptly.

    Thea blinked, then opened her system.

    "Agility first, fifty."

    Her expression froze. Her eyes widened, flicking over the rest of her stats as if she couldn¡¯t believe what she was seeing. "Forty endurance. Oh and thirty Precursor Energy."

    She finished speaking, but everyone else had already gone rigid.

    Simultaneously, as if they had practiced it, they all opened their systems and went completely slack-jawed.

    Silence.

    I raised an eyebrow. "Uhhh, anyone wanna fill me in?"

    Sia was the first to recover. "I have the same," she said slowly. "For endurance and agility, at least."

    "Same here," Elric muttered.

    I turned to Lyra. She simply nodded, confirming it.

    A creeping realization settled over me.

    "This is what the system did," I realized aloud.

    Elric frowned. "What do you mean?"

    I exhaled, gathering my thoughts. "You guys told me Thea¡¯s stats were high for agility, but not unheard of outside our age group." I paused, choosing my words carefully. "The system let you break the natural limits of the body."

    Thea¡¯s expression tightened. "You mean¡­ we¡¯re done? Our missions are different now¡­¡±

    "I don¡¯t think the system is controlled by that maniac," Elric said, voice steady. "I mean, we still have it. We might still get stats as mission rewards."

    I nodded. "I bet those five free points you have can still be put anywhere, Thea."

    Rather than reassured, she looked even more concerned. "Th¡ªthen what about you?"

    I took a slow, steady breath. "I don¡¯t know¡­ but there has to be a way to move forward."

    My hands curled into fists.

    "I mean, we¡¯ve already pushed past the limits of what I thought was possible." My voice steadied as I thought aloud. "All we need to do is find a way to increase our natural limits."

    Elric tilted his head. "Any ideas on how to go about that?"

    I exhaled. "Maybe you guys would be better at figuring that out." I gestured around. "This world has elixirs that close wounds when you pour them on¡ª"

    "Though you really should drink them," Lyra chipped in with a small giggle.

    I cleared my throat, remembering my mistake from days ago. "Yeah¡­ drink them. Then there¡¯s the glowing blue grass, the green water that shines like emeral¡ª"

    "In our defense¡­ I¡¯ve never seen water like that before," Sia added, before I cut in.

    "My point is, this place is filled with all sorts of miraculous items, flora, and fauna." I looked at each of them. "There has to be something here we can use. Something that can at least give us a clue on how to unlock our next step. To break our limits."

    Thea nodded. "If the system can force us through, then we have to be able to do it ourselves."

    ¡°Soooo,¡± Sia stretched out the word with exaggerated longing. ¡°Who wants to burn down some trees?¡±

    I raised my hand.

    ¡°I can even spare the ones that aren¡¯t terrifying monsters,¡± I added helpfully.

    "Oh." Sia¡¯s face fell slightly.

    Wait was she¡­ disappointed?

    ¡°Elric, your subhuman girlfriend likes setting things on fire,¡± I warned, shaking my head.

    Sia turned to me, slowly adopting a grin that, while unnerving, didn''t quite match Elric¡¯s level of menace. She clasped her hands together, her expression unsettlingly sweet. ¡°Who wants to burn some Peters?¡±

    To my utter shock and betrayal, everyone raised their hand.

    I turned, scandalized. "Thea!"

    She blinked at me innocently. "What?"

    "Why is your hand up?" I clutched my chest in mock heartbreak, putting all my effort into looking wounded.

    "Because if she¡¯s subhuman, so am I." She pursed her lips, adopting a pair of steely, almost pitiful puppy-dog eyes.

    I groaned, dragging myself toward the ledge. ¡°You¡¯re all subhuman. Let¡¯s just take care of these things and see if we can find an exit.¡±

    I started climbing down the rock without waiting for a response, though I heard them following close behind. When my feet touched the ground, right outside the edge of the blue grass, I focused inward, circulating my power around the flame, preparing for the layered sight.

    A deep breath.

    I heard my friends settle beside me.

    ¡°I¡¯m ready.¡±

    When I opened my eyes, the world burst into layered hues. The crimson glow surrounded them. The same pulse of life that coated the shifting, retreating grass in my sphere of awareness.

    "I don¡¯t know how much time I have, but it isn¡¯t long. Let¡¯s move quickly," I warned, stepping forward onto the dirt. The grass recoiled at my approach.

    ¡°Ready your techniques,¡± Elric ordered as Lyra muttered an incantation over Sia. My guess? She was boosting the speed at which Sia could sling her beloved flames.

    I stepped forward, eyes scanning the ring of trees. My hands filled with energy, a Blasting Wave forming in both palms. At the edge of the circle, two masses of red pulsed within my range, just a couple of meters away.

    ¡°Those two,¡± I pointed.

    I froze mid-step.

    They hadn¡¯t reacted yet.

    Sia¡¯s flames moved first.

    The orbits of fire around her shifted, three blazing spheres, two launching forward with deadly precision.

    The moment they struck, a familiar shriek tore through the cavern.

    The creatures burned away in an instant. Flesh and bark curled and blackened before they disintegrated entirely, nothing left but smoldering ash.

    I stared.

    ¡­Maybe I should tease Sia less. That skill was ridiculous.

    "Did you use Precursor Energy and internal force?" Lyra asked, eyeing the flames that still flickered in the air.

    Sia smirked, flicking a glance in my direction. "That¡¯s right."

    Before I could respond, movement caught my eye.

    Further into the ring of trees, two figures stirred, branches creaking, limbs twisting as they reshaped into monstrous forms.

    I moved before I even registered it.

    One second, I was standing at the edge of the circle.

    The next, I was in front of them.

    My hands lifted. Blasting Wave surged from my palms, obliterating the creature before me in a flash of sinew and splinters.

    Beside me, a terrifying wave of fire swallowed the second.

    The fight was over before it had even begun.

    ¡°Peter¡­¡± Elric¡¯s voice carried an edge of astonishment. ¡°Did you just use Swift Stride and your attack skills at the same time?¡±

    I blinked.

    "I¡ª" I hadn¡¯t even noticed. My body had acted before my mind. "I did."

    ¡°Could it have to do with your new ability?¡± Thea asked, stepping forward.

    I didn¡¯t answer right away.

    Instead, I focused inward.

    I could feel it, energy flowing in multiple streams at once, dividing seamlessly. When I¡¯d attacked, I¡¯d split my force. Two circulations. One in my feet, one in my hands.

    It moved like ink bleeding into paper. Spreading, shifting, forming shapes before I even willed it to. Effortless. Intuitive.

    I can control it.

    My mind was clear. My body felt light.

    I wanted to take it further.

    I turned my focus to my fingertips, directing my internal force outward, splitting it, guiding it, threading it into five separate branches.

    Delicate. Controlled.

    A spark of excitement shot through me. Just before the pain did.

    A sudden, blinding pressure swelled in my skull.

    The world tilted.

    Everything blurred.

    ¡­

    I opened my eyes to canvas.

    A tent.

    I exhaled, shifting upright. My head ached, but the clarity of what I¡¯d felt still lingered.

    ¡°Thea?¡± I called.

    She wasn¡¯t inside.

    But a second later, her voice came from just outside. "Out here."

    I stepped forward, ready to describe what had just happened. The control I had felt, how my Precursor Sense had expanded.

    Though, maybe I¡¯d also mention¡­

    Some minor side effects.

 Chapter 52: Elixir of Perception

    "I''m getting pretty tired of dragging you up here," Elric sighed dramatically, brushing a hand through his raven hair.

    I strolled over to the group, shaking off the traces of grogginess. "You should be grateful to touch me so intimately," I said, feigning indignation.

    Thea rolled her eyes. "What happened? Did you overuse your power?"

    I nodded. "I really pushed the limits of my control. It was unbelievable."

    Sia stepped forward, intrigued. "What do you mean?"

    I exhaled, still processing it myself. "I could split my internal strength into multiple branches, enough for each finger. I don¡¯t know exactly what the Precursor Energy did to me, but my ability to manipulate energy when my sense is activated¡­"

    I trailed off, letting the words settle over them.

    Elric squinted at me. "Wait, you¡¯re telling me you¡¯re better at control¡­than me?"

    He looked almost offended, hurt even.

    I puffed out my chest, standing taller. "That is exactly what I am saying." Every word was crisp and pronounced, crafted to inflict maximum damage.

    Elric smirked. "Well, that¡¯s fine. At least I can stay awake while controlling my energy."

    Ouch.

    I turned my gaze to the forest below. Something felt off.

    There were definitely fewer trees than before.

    I glanced at the others, but before I could say anything, Lyra spoke up.

    "We figured you were safe, soooo"

    "We finished up without you," Thea completed.

    ¡°Glad you could clean up.¡± I let out a defeated breath. "And the green pool of water?"

    "We waited," Elric said, crossing his arms. "Figured you could check it with your Precursor Sense first."

    Well, at least I was still a little useful.

    I twisted my waist, stretching out the creeks. "Alright," I said, rolling my shoulders. "Let¡¯s go see if it''s just pretty water or something alive."

    The walk over was quiet and peaceful. We all arrived quickly with me at the lead.

    I stared at the pool, its surface pristine save for a few ripples from some unseen current drifting through the cavern.

    It was¡­ mesmerizing. The way it glittered, the way it seemed to call to me, pulling me forward.

    "Peter?"

    "Huh? Oh, yeah, right." I snapped out of the strange stupor and activated my sense.

    The familiar red hues of the grass, trees, and my friends flared to life. But the pool¡­nothing. No pulse, no glow. Just a pool of glittering green liquid.

    I cut off the circulation around my inner flame, returning my senses to normal.

    "It''s clean. Or rather¡­ not alive," I said.

    "Let¡¯s take a closer look." Sia¡¯s voice held an almost reverent tone. A little odd.

    None of us argued, stepping forward. One step. Then another. And anoth¡ªwow. It really was pretty.

    My throat suddenly felt drier than I remembered. Green or not, that water looked downright refreshing.

    My hands moved on their own, cupping toward the surface, breaking through its perfection. Ripples spread out, met by four more.

    Guess everyone else got thirsty too.

    Cool. Crisp. Like drinking the very essence of a fresh breeze. A spring morning in liquid form.

    I groaned, utterly content.

    "Peter, stop groaning. It¡¯s distracting."

    "You¡¯re distracting," I shot back at Thea.

    I looked up to really sell the comeback, but something else stole my attention.

    The buzz.

    A hum filled the air, a shifting, endless dance. Particles swirled in chaotic harmony, like a galaxy in motion, flowing through, well¡­everything.

    The rocks. The soil. The funny vampire grass. Even the cavern walls pulsed with an invisible current.

    "Incredible," Elric whispered.

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    "It¡¯s¡­it¡¯s world energy. Everywhere." Thea sounded breathless.

    But it was more than that. The world energy we absorbed had always been constant. The same density, the same hue, the same feel.

    This was something else entirely.

    "Did you know there were so many colors?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

    A rainbow of streams twisted through the void like chains wrapping around reality itself.

    "I didn¡¯t know. How could there be this much?" someone murmured.

    I extended my hand, focusing, trying to pull it in¡­but nothing.

    "Thea!"

    She turned to me, beaming with excitement. "Peter! This is¡ªnothing has ever been written about it. Nowhere I hav¡ª"

    ¡°THEA!¡± I shouted interrupting her, ¡°Cultivate.¡±

    ¡°Wha¡ª¡±

    ¡°Cultivate Thea.¡± I repeated, trying to steady my breathing. "I want to see what kind of energy moves toward you."

    "You cultivate." She pouted. "I want to see it."

    I rolled my eyes, mimicking the habit I had picked up from her, as I sat down and focused on drawing in any amount of energy. It flowed in easily, but soon, I hit a limit. No matter how much I tried, I couldn¡¯t take in any more.

    I opened my eyes and stared expectantly at Thea. "So?"

    She scrunched her nose, lips shifting side to side. "Only one type of energy moved toward you."

    "Great." I turned to Sia. "Can you cast a fireball using your cultivation energy?"

    Then at Thea. "And¡ª"

    "Lightning, got it!" She jumped in excitedly, already guessing my idea.

    She stepped next to me, practically vibrating with energy.

    "Thea?"

    "Hm?" She looked up, eyes bright with anticipation.

    "What are you doing?"

    "Well¡­" She put on an innocent face. "I don¡¯t have any skills learned for my element. So I just have to hit something instead."

    I took a step back as she inched closer. "You never practiced any attacks using your lightning?"

    "Relax, Peter." Her tone was far too casual, too teasing, for the situation. "I¡¯ll be gentle¡­I promise."

    That didn¡¯t sound convincing in the slightest.

    I turned to Lyra and Elric for backup, but they were already looking away, gathering around Sia, who also pointedly ignored me.

    Traitors.

    Before I could react, Thea lunged. I twisted to dodge, but she was too fast.

    A full-body tackle sent me sprawling onto the cavern floor, pinned beneath a giggling maniac bent on electrocuting me.

    "Thea, don¡¯t you dare," I warned.

    But the warning came too late.

    Sparks flickered in her palm. Blue-yellow nodes of energy, dying other points of world energy, gathered around her.

    Well¡­I guess my theory was right.

    A sharp jolt.

    A yelp.

    The sound echoed through the cavern.

    Pain. Extre¡ªwell, I mean not extreme. More like a sharp pinch. Still, very disrespectful.

    Almost as disrespectful as the laughter-filled girl rolling across the ground, sending poor vampire grass scattering in every direction.

    "Over here," Elric called from behind us. Sia, Lyra, and he had apparently moved away from the pool after Sia cast her fire spell.

    I sighed and reached down, grabbing my still-prone girlfriend. "Come on, Taser Princess." I held out my hand, and she took it with a smirk.

    "You scream like a girl," she kindly observed.

    "...You scream like a gril," I shot back with absolute conviction.

    Brilliant comeback. As always.

    She stifled a laugh, gripping my hand as she got up.

    We made our way to the others. "So why¡¯d you move over here?" I asked.

    Lyra answered first. "Something about that water pulled us to drink it¡­ thankfully, it wasn¡¯t harmful."

    That¡¯s right. With everything that happened after drinking it, I had totally forgotten about the strange compulsion we all felt near the pool.

    "Too much of anything can be harmful, and we don¡¯t know how much is too much of¡­" She gestured toward the emerald pool. "That."

    "Good point. Thanks for getting us over here," Thea added.

    I turned to Sia. "Any special types of world force show up when you used your ability?"

    She nodded. "Yeah, some dark reds surrounded me when I was casting."

    The colors were already fading from my vision. I assumed the same was happening for the others.

    "You thinking of something?" Elric asked, probably noticing the shift in my expression.

    "I don¡¯t know¡­ maybe we¡¯ve been thinking about this all wrong," I told them.

    "What do you mean?" Thea asked.

    "What if Body Refinement wasn¡¯t the next step but just another path?" I explained. "What if we hit a bottleneck because our limits have been met on two separate branches of cultivation? Energy Gathering and Body Refinement. The only reason we got so far on either is because the two paths pull each other forward."

    Thea¡¯s eyes lit up with realization. "Then¡­ we should advance another way! A third branch."

    "Exactly."

    "Something we¡¯re lacking¡­ something we just experienced," she mused, excitement growing in her voice. "Our perception!"

    Deciding to interrupt our moment, Elric crossed his arms. "Soooo, how do we do that?"

    "Drink more special water?" I offered.

    "No," Lyra and Sia answered in perfect sync before Lyra continued. "At least not for a few hours after the effects wear off."

    I caught Thea staring at me with a strange glint in her eye.

    I stepped back. "What? You¡¯re not thinking of shocking me again, are you?"

    She took a slow step forward, and my heart jumped. "You already know how to increase perception¡­ maybe not the same way as that water, but with your Precursor Sense."

    All eyes shifted to me.

    "Uhhh. Yeah, I guess?"

    Elric put a hand on his chin, contemplative. "Our Precursor Energy moved into our systems, but yours settled into your focal point."

    Oh. Ooooh. I got it now.

    "Then we have two different tasks," I started. "I have to figure out how to use the energy to let us perceive the different kinds of world force, and you¡ª"

    "Figure out how to pull it from our system and use it as something other than a replacement for MP and SP," Elric finished for me.

    "Then after?" Sia asked.

    I shrugged. "No idea."

    "Either way," Thea said, her bright smile unwavering, "there¡¯s nothing wrong with discovering different ways to cultivate! It¡¯ll work out eventually."

    "Great! One final question then."

    They all turned to me again.

    I gestured toward the glowing pool.

    "How do we bottle that sweet, sweet green nectar, and keep it from seducing us into drinking it?"

 Chapter 53: Pre-Domain

    "Stop moving it like that," Elric growled.

    I could tell his patience was wearing thin.

    "Listen, it''s not my fault you thought using our flimsy tent poles for this was a good idea," I shot back, just as irritated.

    At the end of a long, wobbly pole, a canteen dangled precariously over the pool, our brilliant method of collecting the liquid.

    The girls stood off to the side, having wisely suggested we just wait until Lyra decided it was safe to drink again.

    But noooo, I had th¡ªElric had the brilliant idea to engineer this masterpiece of a contraption, which was about as stable as balancing on a slick bar of soap. Not my best metaphor, but I¡¯m frustrated.

    "Forget it!" Elric snapped, dropping his end first, which meant I won by default. "And what do you mean my idea!?"

    "Uh¡­" I let the pole fall. "You kno¡ª"

    "Alright, that''s enough," Sia interrupted, striding over. "We told you two geniuses it was a dumb idea. I mean, wouldn¡¯t you just end up drinking it when the canteen gets close?"

    We both froze.

    Then looked at each other.

    An unspoken agreement passed between us.

    Elric sighed, defeated. "Sia, it was a great idea¡­just poorly executed."

    "Exactly," I nodded, backing him up without hesitation. "If we just had sturdier material."

    Behind me, Thea scoffed. "You mean like the literal wood, vines, and sinew all around us? Why not try those?"

    The sarcasm dripped from her voice like she was made of it.

    I cleared my throat. Awkwardly. "I think we should rest before making any rash decisions."

    Elric nodded sagely. "No need to rush into anything."

    Lyra sighed, crossing her arms in disappointed mom mode. "I told you we should just wait until it¡¯s safe to drink again. In a few hours, it''ll be completely¡­processed by our bodies."

    I exhaled, scanning the group. "I¡¯m not really in the mood to keep figuring this out. Want to just try looking for an exit?"

    After a brief pause, Thea shrugged. "Why not?"

    "Not like we have anything better to do," Sia added.

    The others nodded, and just like that, the decision was made.

    ¡°Let¡¯s search the perimeter first,¡± I said. ¡°There¡¯s a breeze coming from somewhere, so look for anything that could be a passageway.¡±

    Thea¡¯s and the others¡¯ mission was to escape or complete the labyrinth, but so far, we hadn¡¯t run into anything remotely maze-like.

    We split up and started searching.

    As expected, it didn¡¯t take long. Hidden behind a cluster of trees, a familiar circular gateway was carved into the cavern wall.

    "Looks like the only way forward," Elric observed.

    "Unless there¡¯s another hidden exit," I added. "And I¡¯m sure we all know not to walk through that door unless we¡¯re ready to move on."

    Everyone nodded.

    That said¡­there was nothing stopping us from taking a peek.

    We approached cautiously. I activated my new ability, bracing for anything. Step by step until...

    A small, dimly lit room came into view, empty except for a stone casket covered by a smooth black slate. Behind it stood a statue, its stoic expression frozen in time.

    No movement. No life. Nothing within my range of influence.

    I let my ability fade.

    "Wonder who it is," Thea mused out loud, studying the statue.

    "No clue. But one thing¡¯s for sure." I gestured to the perfectly groomed beard stretching down from the carved figure¡¯s face. ¡°That is a killer beard.¡±

    "So, what¡¯s the plan?" Sia asked ignoring my remark, singing her words like this was barely a discovery.

    Elric turned to her. "We pass the time, bottle as much of the green liquid as we can, then come back here."

    I clapped my hands together. "Alright. So who wants to learn Silencing Current?"

    "Yeah!" Thea practically jumped at the chance, her excitement immediate.

    Elric, however, didn¡¯t share her enthusiasm. His expression tightened.

    I raised an eyebrow. "What¡¯s up?"

    "I want to test something, but I can only do it with someone who has a system."

    I shrugged. "Alright. You kids have fun." Settling onto the ground, I exhaled and focused. "I¡¯m going to try something else¡­for the seductive liquid."

    Behind me, Thea let out a soft groan and I could sense her rolling her eyes. "Have fun, but be careful. I don¡¯t want to keep worrying about you losing consciousness for the rest of our lives."

    I liked that phrasing. And I wanted her to know it.

    Before closing my eyes, I shot her a smirk. "You plan on staying around me for the rest of our lives?"

    Elric let out a sharp whistle. "Quite the proposal, Thea."

    And just like that, everyone turned on her.

    "So direct," Sia teased, grinning. "You really know how to take charge, Thea."

    And for the final nail, Lyra tilted her head thoughtfully, placing a finger on her chin. "I wonder if we can hold a ceremony before we become citizens."

    If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    Thea, now a very distinct shade of red, wasn¡¯t one to go down without a fight. I¡¯d learned that much.

    "Yeah¡­so what?" she shot back. "You planning to ditch me?"

    And just like that, the spotlight shifted to me.

    "How awful," Sia gasped, slipping into actress mode, voice full of melodrama.

    "Unredeemable," Elric added, betraying me completely.

    Lyra sighed, shaking her head. "Peter¡­you can do better. I believe you¡¯ll make the right choice."

    The warmth in my face spread. "...Of course not."

    They laughed as they finally left me alone to concentrate on my next task.

    I hadn¡¯t told them what I was planning yet.

    But I had an idea.

    Precursor Sense already functioned like a domain, so could I replicate it with internal strength alone?

    The requirements? No concrete clues, but I had some ideas.

    First, extend my internal force outward like an attack.

    Then, hold it.

    And finally, embed my awareness into it, like I did when injecting force into someone else.

    It sounded simple in theory.

    But in practice? It was probably going to fry my brain without my new power.

    I had to circulate my energy, send it outward, keep it tethered, control it so it didn¡¯t release randomly or worse...explode on its own. And, of course, I had to supply a constant stream of internal force the entire time.

    That alone was enough of a mental challenge, but now I also had to extend my awareness into it.

    Baby steps.

    First, extend it outward, just like Blasting Wave or Silencing Current.

    The goal wasn¡¯t full sensory expansion. Not yet. Instead of spreading my awareness everywhere, I needed to target a single sense. My guess is the pool¡¯s pull wasn¡¯t from sight or sound. It had to be smell.

    Alright, focus. Circulate the cultivation around my inner flame.

    Good.

    My mind cleared. Next is t¡ª

    "Peter! Something¡¯s wrong!"

    Thea¡¯s voice cut through my concentration, sharp and irritated.

    "Kinda busy, Thea!" I shot back.

    I swear I heard her groan.

    Fine. Refocus.

    Now that I was paying attention, I could actually feel how well I was splitting my focus. My mind locked in, free from distractions, completely absorbed in control.

    I circulated the energy upward, stretching it through my chest, then directing the flow to my head before forcing it outward, held in place by a thread of energy.

    Next, I focused on creating something like Silencing Current around my nose, condensing the energy into a barrier. A strange pressure built up.

    Okay¡­let¡¯s try not to blow my nose up.

    Now, how do I cut off a sense?

    Smells were just particles attached to gases, right? So a filter should work.

    I spread the energy further, shaping it into a thin, invisible membrane, condensing it more and more.

    I took a breath.

    Not bad. The air felt cleaner, lighter somehow.

    But there was a problem.

    Breathing through my nose was getting harder. As if I was cutting off air circulation entirely.

    And poisoning myself by breathing out? Not exactly my idea of a good time.

    Alright, time to divide my focus even further.

    Keep the filter stable with a constant flow of internal power.

    Condense it enough to let breathable air pass, but not block it completely.

    And one more thing¡­

    Using Silencing Current, I forced a controlled air current through the filter. Otherwise, I¡¯d end up suffocating myself.

    I opened my eyes.

    It seemed to be working. Only clean, odorless gas passed through the area around my nose. No scent, no interference.

    But then the headache hit.

    Yeah, probably best not to keep this running for too long.

    I let my abilities dissipate and stood up, turning to see what was wrong with Thea.

    The others were still behind me, practicing Silencing Current, and from the looks of it, pretty successfully.

    The moment Thea saw me, she bounded over.

    "Are you sure the technique is just a weaker version of Blasting Wave?" she asked, frustration creeping into her voice. It wasn¡¯t aimed at me, but something else.

    I frowned. "Yeah? At least, that¡¯s how I use it. Why? Is it not working?"

    Sia came up behind her. "No, it¡¯s working like a charm, actually. The moment we use it, it immediately cuts off our access to the system. The range is short but," she gave a thumbs up, "that is one heck of a skill."

    I blinked.

    "Soooo¡­the problem is?"

    "The system isn¡¯t registering it!" Thea huffed.

    Elric walked over, brows furrowed. "I might have a couple of ideas why."

    I motioned for him to continue.

    "Well," he started, "it could be that the system can¡¯t sense it as a skill. After all, it cuts off access to it. Or¡­" he glanced at all of us before continuing, "it¡¯s not technically a skill at all. It doesn¡¯t deal damage, and it doesn¡¯t offer any passive benefits."

    I nodded, remembering how the Pack Claw I had used it on earlier looked briefly comfortable from the cool breeze the skill provided.

    I turned to Thea. "Maybe you could register it by adding some firepower."

    Then to Sia. "You both already have access to elements. The new version of your systems might not hand out techniques anymore, you probably should get used to making your own. Try adding fire and electricity to the skill. That way, we can test Elric¡¯s theory."

    I sat down on the dirt, ready for the show as I focused on recovering my inner flame, which I noticed had dimmed significantly.

    "Plus, Thea, you could use this chance to figure out how to cultivate with your unique element."

    At the idea of exploring cultivation further, her frustration melted into excitement.

    "Good idea! I¡¯ll try it now!"

    I watched as the four of them moved around, testing my skill in fusion with their own abilities.

    Eventually, I leaned back. My eyes grew heavier as their movements blurred together.

    I had no idea how much time passed. The cavern¡¯s dim, mysterious glow never changed, always accompanied by the faint silver shimmer of the Vampire Grass, retreating from every slight shift of movement.

    At some point, as I drifted between awareness and sleep, Thea sat beside me.

    "You aren¡¯t cold?" Her voice was soft.

    "Why?" I smiled, eyes still half-closed. "You want to warm me up?"

    "In your dreams."

    "Yeah, exactly. Reality would be better." I yawned, eyes fully shut now. "Any success with the skill?"

    I felt her shift, lying down next to me. She moved closer, and I instinctively adjusted until we were both comfortable.

    I could tell she wasn¡¯t too tired. I felt that her gaze was still on me, scanning.

    "Yeah, the system gave it the same name as yours. I guess you did an alright job at naming this time. It also looks like Elric¡¯s second guess was right, it was an unfinished skill before."

    "The system is kinda rude." I frowned, feeling slightly cheated. "I worked hard on that. How¡¯s it unfinished?¡±

    "Only Sia and I managed to register it. All it took was adding a bit of elemental power. Elric¡¯s still trying to figure out how to inject his energy into someone from a distance."

    A shudder went through me.

    Elric. Inflicting internal wounds. From a distance.

    That was not a comforting thought. And worse, if his target couldn¡¯t even resist with their systems¡­

    "Knowing him, he¡¯ll do it." My voice came out hollow, resigned to my fate. Someday, I''d have to face Elric again in a spar. A merciless god of pain.

    One of my sparring partners, my personal rival¡­don¡¯t tell him that.

    And unfortunately, my ''older'' brother by promise.

    "Yeah."

    A comfortable silence settled between us.

    Of course, she broke it.

    "Peter?"

    I was really starting to drift off now. Using the inner flame actually took more out of me than I realized.

    "Y¡ªyeah?"

    "I¡¯m cold¡­and I don¡¯t really want to sleep next to blood-sucking grass."

    I groaned. She softly chuckled at my laziness.

    But we both stood, my vision blurry from exhaustion, and made our way toward the tents on the cliff. Elric and the girls were already up there.

    We settled in for the nig¡ªwell, we settled in for sleep.

    After waking, I¡¯d finally test my mini nose barrier against the glistening emerald pool.

 Chapter 54: The Next Room

    I woke with a yawn, Thea still asleep beside me.

    I nudged her gently.

    Nothing.

    I should have known better. She really doesn¡¯t wake up easily.

    "Come on, Thea," I hummed. "Time to get uuup."

    A muffled groan came from under the blanket as she shifted slightly.

    Hmmm.

    I had an idea.

    Extending a single stealthy finger, I slowly approached her cheek, inching closer and closer to my target.

    Soft.

    I barely tapped her cheek before she lazily brushed my hand away with an annoyed huff, still deep in her sleeping stupor.

    One more time.

    I leaned in, finger poised for another strike.

    "Peter, I swear, if you poke me again¡­"

    "You aren¡¯t going to finish that, Sleepy Grandmaster?" I teased, bestowing her with a new honorary title.

    "I¡¯m leaving it to your imagination," she mumbled before shoving the blanket over her head, leaving my head all alone in the cavern air.

    I decided to make the smart choice and wait before bothering her again. It was hard, but I managed.

    Wriggling free from our cocoon of warmth, I sighed, already dreading the next challenge, awkwardly squeezing between the tents again.

    "I¡¯m heading out, Thea."

    She moved slightly, but since I couldn¡¯t see her, I decided to take that as acknowledgment rather than the more likely truth¡­her ignoring me.

    Shimmying out, I made my way to the cliffside, taking in the view of the now monsterless garden. Well, aside from the Vampire Grass, but it was mostly harmless.

    I found myself wondering. How many people had come here before?

    I only saw one orb.

    Could this grass last a long time without nutrients?

    And more importantly¡­did it have any uses?

    A rustling behind me broke my thoughts. I turned as I greeted, "Good morning."

    Elric nodded. "Morning."

    "Want to try something with me?" I asked.

    "We¡¯re not making another pole," he stated flatly.

    "What? No." I sighed, already heading down. "I made a new technique using my Precursor Sense as inspiration."

    "Oh?"

    "Come on, I¡¯ll show you when we¡¯re down there," I called up, already halfway down the cliffside.

    Elric followed, and soon we reached the center of the terrarium, where the emerald pool sat, still and inviting.

    "You going to explain?" Elric asked, his voice tinged with curiosity as he started stretching.

    "Sooo, basically, I made an air filter." I leaned against a tree. "It¡¯s kinda complicated, but you can probably use it if...Are you able to use multiple skills in the system at once?"

    While bending down to touch his toes, he let out a light groan.

    "Yeah. It¡¯ll use up quite a bit of M¡ªPrecursor Energy. But I can."

    I nodded. "Good. Because this is going to take a ton of control and focus."

    I then explained the key steps to forming the internal force barrier, detailing the risks and potential dangers that came with it.

    Elric sat down, eyes closing in deep focus.

    At first, his face remained neutral, but soon, his expression tightened. His body stiff with intense concentration.

    "You alright?" I asked.

    "No talking." He whispered, voice strained with effort.

    I sighed and twiddled my thumbs, waiting.

    Eventually he spoke again.

    "Got it." He exhaled, resolute.

    "Y¡ªyou did it?" I blinked, astonished. I honestly didn¡¯t think it was possible for anyone else to pull it off.

    He shook his head. "I only made the air barrier. It has a passive effect, so it¡¯s registered as a skill."

    He paused before speaking its name, "Sensory Veil."

    Then, reading the description, he continued,

    "A rudimentary shield against outside influences. Greater mastery results in more sensory protection. The more Precursor Energy used, the wider the scale."

    "So you still have to use Silencing Current manually?" I asked.

    "That¡¯s right. I¡¯d actually prefer it the opposite way since I bet it costs less energy than this." Elric sighed. "Seriously, man, I¡¯ll only be able to use the Veil for a few minutes at a time."

    A random thought struck me now that it was just the two of us.

    "I forgot to mention, we need to tell your brother about Precursor Energy...and the consequences of it."

    "At least, the consequences we know of..." Elric added, his voice carrying a note of apology.

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    I shook the memory of home from my head. Nothing could be done about it for now. All I had to do was get stronger. Much stronger.

    "Also, don¡¯t let me forget to tell Thea to inform the commander as well."

    "Sure." He nodded.

    I glanced over at the pool and realized something.

    "I¡ªI, um, forgot the canteens." I admitted, sheepish and slightly embarrassed.

    We both sighed.

    "Should try waking Sia up again," Elric suggested. "I¡¯m sure Lyra¡¯s already up."

    I hesitated. "I¡¯m a little scared to try on Thea."

    I mean really, getting shocked all the time hurt. It wasn¡¯t exactly unbearable, but still if I could avoid it, I would.

    Elric started heading back toward the cliff, laughing as he called out, "Try anyway. Maybe offer her some snacks."

    That¡­actually wasn¡¯t a bad idea.

    I followed him up and crawled into my tent, grabbing a bag full of dried rations.

    "Theeaaa," I sang.

    "Mmm, mmm mh mmhm." Came the unmistakable response from beneath the covers.

    "Yeah, I know." I held up the bag. "But I brought breakfast."

    Movement.

    That was a good sign.

    Then, like a coiling snake, her hand shot out from her blanket burrow, waiting expectantly.

    I scooted closer, pulling out two strips of dried meat. One for her, and one for me.

    I really, really, reeeaaalllly missed Miss Star¡¯s cooking.

    Soft nibbling and chewing sounds came from the mound.

    "I want to try grabbing that liquid and checking out the other room today." I explained.

    "Ok." A swallow, then another hand slipped out from the sheets.

    I made another offering.

    "I want to try figuring out how to use our Precursor Energy," Thea said between bites.

    "Alrighty. We have a plan then." I forced the last strip of jerky down my throat. "Ready to get up?"

    I moved closer to her barrier of fluff, grabbing the edge of the blanket.

    Slowly, I peeled it down¡­revealing a small, sleepy, curled creature, more resembling a gerbil nibbling on a snack than an actual human girl.

    "Yes." She paused briefly from her meal. "We need to leave here¡­I miss Sia¡¯s mom¡¯s cooking."

    I wanted to offer words of comfort, but really, what could I say?

    What words could possibly fill the void in our stomachs the same way a home-cooked meal could?

    Instead, I just grabbed her free hand, sharing in her grief as one.

    But unfortunately, the day had to go on.

    Once she finished her snack, we both made our way out, spotting the others waiting by the water. Their tent was already gone, packed up.

    Before I forgot again, I checked our packs, but Elric had already thought ahead. He¡¯d gathered any spare flasks.

    Without another word, Thea and I packed our things and raced down to meet them.

    "Ready for the test?" Elric asked as soon as I arrived.

    "Test?" Thea blinked, confused.

    "Peter here came up with a new skill."

    He placed a condescending hand on my head, rubbing it like I was a child.

    "All by himself."

    Lyra wiped an imaginary tear from her eye.

    "They grow up so fast."

    Sia finished off their three-pronged attack like it was rehearsed.

    "Really put yourself together, Peter. I¡¯m proud of you."

    "Ha. Ha. Ha." I brushed off Elric¡¯s hand, then explained to Thea, "It¡¯s called Sensory Veil, and it is not an easy skill to pull off. But you can ask my dad here," I gestured toward Elric, "to explain how to use it. I¡¯m sure he can do it more easily."

    I held out my hand. "Flask, please."

    Elric handed one over.

    I walked closer to the pool, activating my inner flame and circulating my internal force around it. Then, I activated Sensory Veil in tandem with Silencing Current.

    Step by step, I moved forward.

    Then, summoning all the creepiness I could muster, I took a long, deliberate inhale.

    "Gross!"

    A familiar voice stabbed me from behind.

    Thea cuts deep sometimes.

    But¡­nothing.

    No pull, no euphoria, no urge to drink.

    So I was right. Smell really was the cause of the problem.

    I uncapped the canteen and dipped it gently into the glistening pool, sending small ripples across its surface.

    Something about the shimmering water bothered me. I couldn¡¯t see more than a meter below.

    What¡¯s under there?

    ...A problem for later.

    I capped the bottle and made my way back safely to the others.

    "P¡ªPeter, that was incredible," Elric said, mocking Thea¡¯s voice. "Won¡¯t you teach me?"

    I immediately noticed the danger in Thea¡¯s expression.

    "You¡¯re in a real jokey mood today, huh?" she remarked, eyes narrowing.

    "Oh, Thea, of course I¡¯ll teach you¡­personally, privately," I teased back looking straight into Elric''s eyes.

    She rolled her eyes.

    "Alright, that¡¯s enough teasing," Lyra cut in. "Let¡¯s see if we can learn this new skill. Elric will teach us, and while we practice, you two can take turns filling the canteens."

    Seemed fair.

    I grabbed a couple more bottles and managed to fill them before the headache hit. At that point, I took a break while everyone else attempted to learn the skill.

    I eventually joined them, watching as Elric moved back and forth between the center of the small forest.

    Honestly?

    Trying to replicate my own skill without using my Precursor Sense was exhausting.

    My energy wasn¡¯t moving the way I wanted it to. And when it did? Fusing the two techniques together felt next to impossible.

    After a while, Elric returned from his last trip.

    "Alright, unless we want to empty our own water reserves, this is it."

    "I don¡¯t want to run out of normal water." Sia shook her head, eyeing the six containers filled with our special green soup. "Let¡¯s just check out the other room. I¡¯m not having much luck with this skill right now."

    "Me neither." Thea chimed in.

    Lyra added the finishing touch. "Same."

    I stood up. "Let¡¯s head out then."

    With that, we all got to our feet and returned to the room with the casket, the statue standing watch over it.

    We paused before stepping through the round corridor. The deceptive doorway that was ready to seal behind us.

    "Two options here, I think," Elric theorized. "It could be like the last one and only close when all of us step through. Or it might close the second one of us enters."

    "We¡¯ve only got one example to go by," Thea pointed out.

    "Let¡¯s stick together for now," I suggested. "Last thing we want is to be separated."

    They all nodded, and we lined up.

    Then, with a single large cautious step forward, we breached the passage.

    Just like before, a stone slab slammed into place behind us, blocking any return to the garden.

    The room was just like before. Not very big, essentially a stone box, embarrassingly large enough for a few more people to comfortably laze around in.

    But our eyes were collectively fixed on one spot.

    The casket in front of the statue.

    Treasure? A tomb? Something horrifying?

    "I wanna open it," I announced simply.

    "...Me too." Thea admitted, a hint of desire in her voice.

    The other three glanced around the otherwise bare room before Lyra let out a resigned sigh.

    "Not much else we can do."

    Together, we moved forward.

    I activated my sense, and with a unified push, we shifted the smooth black stone cover, its surface grinding against the container beneath it.

    It exhaled.

    A hail of red mist sprayed from its mouth, unfurling like living vines, twisting and writhing upward. The tendrils of vapor crawled hungrily, slipping behind the statue¡¯s frame. Vanishing before we could even flinch.

    Then the veins took life.

    Like blood through arteries, a deep red glow surged through the etchings, carving their way through the stone¡¯s weathered flesh. The energy moved deliberately, careful to dance around the cracks, like a patient hand tracing the lines of an old wound.

    Then it reached the eyes.

    The carved sockets drank in the glow, and suddenly...the room was cast in a new, foreign terror, a hue neither warm nor inviting, but one that belonged to things best left undisturbed.

 Chapter 55: Alone

    There was shifting in the stone, faint crumbs of mineral tumbling down as the body etched in eternity came to life.

    But rather than some grand, menacing awakening, some earth-shattering emergence that would launch us into yet another battle¡­it rolled its neck?

    A slow but audible crack echoed through the square chamber. Then another, as it tilted its head the other way, sending more fragments of dust cascading down its carved form.

    "Oooooh. That is nice."

    The deep voice was weathered, ancient, something stretched thin through time itself, crackled and frayed at the edges. A voice that had spent an eternity asleep, and yet somehow still carried warmth beneath its worn-out weight.

    To my growing disbelief, the statue proceeded to stretch.

    It lifted one arm, rolling its shoulder, a fine waterfall of sand cascading from its joints. A low groan of pleasure rumbled from its chest, accompanied by a series of eerily satisfying pops.

    Not that I knew exactly how a statue should wake up. But this? This felt¡­wrong.

    The others stood as still as I was, half-ready for an attack, half-processing the absolute absurdity of what we were seeing.

    The eerie red glow pulsing from its body no longer seemed like a threat. It was ironic now, the perfect horror-movie touch to what was otherwise just¡­

    An old man working through his stiffness after a long nap.

    "Ahh. Much better."

    The content sigh drifted through the room like a creeping wisp, curling into the corners of the chamber as the statue tilted its head side to side, finally noticing us.

    Its lips curled into a genuine smile.

    The scene, already absurd, tipped further into the surreal.

    A towering stone-carved figure, veins glowing with streaks of red, standing inches from a tomb, stretching like some old man waking up on his porch.

    This wasn¡¯t a monster.

    This was a man receiving guests. Only lacking the snacks and drinks required for such an occasion.

    "Hello."

    The voice was gentle now, lined with something almost welcoming.

    "I haven¡¯t had any guests in so long. I¡¯m sure it was difficult to come here. You all did very well."

    His tone was almost grandfatherly, comforting and reassuring. If not for the sheer strangeness of the situation, I could almost believe it.

    But no one answered right away.

    Elric shifted slightly, glancing at me, his hands tensing at his sides.

    Thea¡¯s gaze flicked between me and the sealed exit, her mind already calculating. My guess it was something like...Could we break through? Gain distance? Would fighting even be an option?

    Lyra, on the other hand, stood still, quiet and unmoving, her eyes locked onto the statue as if captivated by something deeper.

    Sia took a step closer to her, fingers twitching slightly, ready to pull Lyra back if needed.

    The statue must have sensed the tension in the air because he stepped forward, his movement unnatural in its grace, light despite his size, as if he was bound to different laws than the rest of us.

    "You can relax," he assured, voice even, almost reassuring in its certainty.

    "I won¡¯t hurt any of you. For clearing the garden¡­I should reward you."

    His gaze shifted first to Elric.

    His expression softened.

    The flickering red glow in his eyes did not dim, but something behind them shifted, like he was seeing something beyond the surface.

    Familiarity. Recognition. Pride.

    "Such talent¡­" the statue murmured, voice dipped in something almost wistful.

    Then, with absolute certainty, "You will be unparalleled in the future."

    Elric''s brow furrowed, but before he could respond, the statue was already moving.

    His focus landed on Lyra next. The smallest change in his smile. A twitch at the corner of his lips, an approval that felt less general, more¡­personal.

    "So unique," he mused.

    His glowing gaze flickered, briefly glancing toward Elric again before settling back on her. "Your power will be a magnificent accent to his."

    Lyra¡¯s fingers twitched at her sides, her posture straightening subtly, but she didn¡¯t speak.

    The words lingered. Unspoken meaning hanging between them.

    The statue sighed.

    "If only I still lived," he murmured.

    His voice dipped into something deeper, something edged with regret. "I would have taken you both as my apprentices."

    Then, he shifted to Sia. His tone changed immediately. Less nostalgia, more direct approval.

    "Raw power. I like it." A simple statement. A clear judgment.

    Sia smirked. "I do too."

    A light chuckle rumbled through the chamber.

    Finally, his gaze settled on Thea.

    She tensed under the weight of his attention.

    The way he looked at her wasn¡¯t the same as the others. It wasn¡¯t admiration or raw approval. It was study. Analysis. Observation. As if she were a puzzle to be solved.

    A long moment passed before he finally spoke. "Curiosity." Then, after a beat, "An excellent path to power."

    Thea blinked. She must have enjoyed the praise since she grinned shyly.

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    "¡­Thank you."

    The moment stretched, his expression shifting.

    He sighed, his shoulders sinking, his gaze growing heavy.

    "Just like last time¡­all of you. My de¡ª"

    The words stopped mid-breath.

    His entire form stiffened. The glow in his eyes faltered, and for the first time, uncertainty bled into his features.

    ¡°¡­Oh.¡±

    A slow step forward. Cautious. Measured. "Y¡ªyou are new."

    The warmth in his voice dimmed, just slightly. Like someone who had found a stranger in their home, standing where a loved one should have been.

    Something in my chest tightened. I took a step back before I even realized it. My heart pounded against my ribs.

    "What?"

    A deep, slow chuckle rumbled through him. Not mocking. Not cruel. Just¡­curious.

    "Don¡¯t worry."

    He lifted a hand, the motion deliberate, as if calming a startled animal. "I don¡¯t mean to scare you. It¡¯s just been so long. Since I found an outsider make their way here.

    My stomach dropped.

    "How do you know I¡¯m not from this world?"

    The words left before I could stop them. The moment they did my energy stirred, reacting on instinct, my body ready to defend itself.

    The glowing stone eyes widened.

    Not in anger. Not in threat.

    But in shock.

    ¡°Not fro¡ª¡± He caught himself. ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    A hesitation crept into my breath. My cultivation stilled. "...Uh, what do you mean by ¡®outsider¡¯?"

    A slow, thoughtful hum left him.

    His gaze swept over me again, as if truly seeing me for the first time.

    Then, almost with a hint of pity, he sighed. "Well¡­ you came far on your own. Despite your weakness."

    Weakness. My brain stuttered. Did¡­did he just diss me?

    "Sir?"

    Thea¡¯s voice cut through the moment, clear, respectful¡ªbut firm.

    The statue¡¯s gaze snapped to her.

    "Without him, none of us would be what we are."

    He turned and the others nodded in agreement.

    He studied me again.

    Expression shifting. Reassessing. Then, a slow, knowing smile returned.

    "So a natural leader is your talent, then?"

    I blinked. "Uhhhh. Maybe?"

    A pause, a long, drawn-out pause.

    Then, as if the very concept was physically painful to process.

    A deeply etched look of doubt settled into his features.

    Pure. Unfiltered. Doubt.

    He exhaled heavily. "Very well." There was exhaustion in his tone now. One that wasn¡¯t there before.

    A weariness that clung to his words, "I cannot keep awake for much longer. I will impart you with my gift."

    A slow breath of release.

    The aura that inhabited the statue left the stone.

    The figure, once so alive, stilled, its body shifting with a mechanical finality, returning robotically to its alter.

    The glow dimmed. The joints locked back into place.

    It was no longer a man. Just a statue.

    "If I was successful in my final spell¡­"

    The voice remained, even as the body became motionless.

    A soft, resigned laugh.

    **"Perhaps we will meet again one day. **Though I won¡¯t recognize you."

    And with those words, the aura split.

    Five streaks of red, each one sharp and fast, flickering like living embers.

    "Is that com¡ª"

    Before Elric could finish, the particles shot toward us, moving with a speed I could barely track.

    A sharp pulse struck my chest.

    And then¡­nothing.

    No transformation. No sudden system messages. No strange new sensation rippling through my body.

    I definitely saw the energy enter me. I could feel it, pulsing beneath my skin like a quiet drumbeat, separate from my inner flame. Something new, something unfamiliar. But whatever it was supposed to do¡­either the old man hadn¡¯t been able to, or more likely, considering his lighthearted attitude, he just didn¡¯t feel like explaining it.

    I looked to my side. ¡°Thea.¡±

    She didn¡¯t respond.

    ¡°Theaaa.¡± I sang out, ready to throw some teasing remark her way.

    She still didn¡¯t react.

    Her storm-gray eyes were open, but they weren¡¯t looking at me. They were glazed over, staring far into the distance as if seeing something I couldn¡¯t.

    I looked at the others.

    Elric. Sia. Lyra.

    All the same.

    Still. Silent. Their eyes locked onto some invisible sight beyond my understanding.

    ¡°Guys?¡±

    No reaction.

    Alright. Don¡¯t panic.

    There shouldn¡¯t be anything wrong. Maybe the system was updating them, explaining whatever new abilities they got.

    I shook my head, chasing away any dangerous thoughts, then turned my focus back to Thea.

    She looked so vulnerable like this. Completely unaware of her surroundings.

    ...I really wish I had some ink.

    I could draw something right on her forehead. Maybe on all of them. A little message, some artistic expression to remind them that leaving me like this hurts my feelings.

    Next time, for sure. I¡¯ll pack a marker or something.

    Then, just as I was scheming my brilliant plot into reality, Thea¡¯s eyes cleared.

    She blinked. ¡°Whoa¡­¡± her voice trailed off, wonder still fresh in her tone.

    I straightened. ¡°Sooo, I didn¡¯t see anything. Can you explain?¡±

    Sia behind her, having also woken up, opened her mouth, then frowned. ¡°Mission complete. Our rewards are being¡­generated?¡±

    Her voice carried deep confusion, as if the words barely made sense to her.

    Elric suddenly stiffened. His head jerked slightly as he read whatever had just appeared in his system.

    ¡°Wait.¡± His eyes widened. ¡°I can¡¯t stop it. I can¡¯t prevent accepting it.¡±

    Thea summoned her own system menu, reading the message. Her expression changed.

    Her gaze snapped to me.

    Something was wrong.

    Something was very, very wrong.

    Her hand shot forward, gripping my wrist. Tight.

    ¡°Peter w¡ª¡±

    Light erupted.

    It didn¡¯t build up. It didn¡¯t pulse and glow softly like the way system menus appeared.

    It consumed them.

    Blinding flickers of white encased their bodies, bursting from within like an executioner¡¯s blade had been brought down in an instant.

    Thea flinched, panic spilling into her voice.

    ¡°Peter! I¡ª¡±

    Her grip tightened for a fraction of a second then slipped away.

    Gone.

    Vanished.

    Her warmth, her weight, her presence. All gone in a flash of light.

    I lunged forward on instinct, my hands clawing at the empty air where she had just stood.

    Nothing.

    No sound. No trace. No scent of movement.

    Just air. "THEA!"

    I turned wildly. ¡°Elric! Lyra! Sia!¡±

    Light swallowed them one by one.

    Elric barely had time to widen his eyes before his body dissolved into flickering embers.

    Sia, for all her usual bravado, managed to say half a word."

    ¡°Se¡ª.¡±

    Then she was gone, the light stripping her from existence in an instant.

    Lyra, the last, held a tear in her eye, her expression distant.

    I ran toward her.

    Too late.

    The light devoured her before my fingers reach her.

    Silence.

    I stood alone in the empty chamber, hands trembling, breath coming fast and uneven.

    No movement. No presence. No lingering warmth of bodies that should have still been there.

    I turned to the statue, dread clawing up my throat.

    ¡°HEY! WHERE ARE THEY?!¡±

    Silence.

    The life in it was gone. The stone was still.

    It was just a statue again.

    No life. No voice. No answers.

    A deep grinding echoed from behind me. I spun toward the noise.

    The stone passage had reopened, revealing the garden beyond. The only place left for me to go.

    And with that final gut-wrenching realization...

    I was alone.

 Chapter 56: Grass Can Talk

    Alright, alright. Breathe. Just think.

    I took a breath, trying to calm my frayed nerves, firing off signals in my head like there was something to celebrate.

    The exit.

    The door had opened, so the way out must be open too.

    I ran to the cliff, scaling it faster than ever before, only to be met with immediate, crushing disappointment. Still sealed.

    Alright. No big deal.

    I shifted everything into my right hand, activating my inner flame, moving the energy with precision. Gathering it, slowly, building.

    I was ready.

    I raised my hand, near direct contact with the stone wall, and released.

    An explosion rocked the cavern, sending tremors through the earth, pebbles on the floor humming in response.

    The strongest Blasting Wave I had ever formed surged like a tide, colliding with the door head-on. But like a handshake between indifferent strangers, they barely acknowledged each other before drifting apart. Unbothered, unaffected¡­unchanged.

    I stepped closer, ignoring the dull ache in my right hand. Searching for a crack. A dent. Anything, any proof I could escape. I could return.

    A scratch.

    Barely visible. Like an old scar, no larger than my thumb.

    Impossible.

    Even if I did this for a hundred years, I wouldn¡¯t make a dent.

    And if they needed me? If they were in danger?

    I¡¯d be useless.

    What if t¡ªNo. No.

    I took another deep breath.

    Elric mentioned the system reward. It shouldn¡¯t do anything to harm them. Who knows, maybe it just sent them outside.

    I tried to reason my way through it, the creeping panic dimming. But then...a deep rumble.

    The earth beneath me groaned, the foundation of the garden quaking in protest.

    The cliff trembled, and I lost my footing, crashing to the ground. Instinct took over. I pressed my hands to the rock, steadying myself against the violent tremors.

    It only got worse.

    The shaking grew fiercer, wilder, an earthquake tearing through the cavern¡¯s bones. It felt like the entire place was about to cave in on itself. My teeth rattled in my skull as I forced my head up, trying to make sense of what was happening.

    While trying to control my eyes, threating to roll from their sockets, I saw the terrarium.

    Motionless.

    The trees, the shimmering blue grass, the still emerald pool.

    Untouched.

    The only movement came from the bits of gravel tumbling around me, but the garden? Silent. Unbothered.

    The shaking continued, stretching time thin, until it finally faded. Slowly, like the last tremors of a dying heartbeat.

    I exhaled sharply, pushing myself up on unsteady legs. My ears still rang, my body swayed slightly, but after a moment, I conquered my inner ear and regained balance.

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s just breathe. Relax. They¡¯re safe.¡±

    Before I could process anything else, my stomach betrayed me with a deep grumble.

    Right. The supplies.

    I had given them to Thea when we packed up.

    Soooo, I guess I¡¯m fasting until I figure something out.

    I ran a hand through my hair, glancing at the only other living thing in the cavern, the Vampire Grass.

    Not exactly a feast.

    I eyed the plant warily. I had no idea how nutritious bloodsucking grass was¡­though I figured it was probably rich in iron.

    I sighed and walked toward the cliff eager to test the viabi¡ªwait.

    What are they doing?

    My little Vampire Grass friends had abandoned nearly the entire forest. Instead, they had gathered around the pool, clustered together like travelers huddled around a fire.

    And rather than their usual luminous blue glow, they had turned the silver they adopted when they retreated.

    They pulsed in perfect sequence, flashing over and over again, a synchronized rhythm. A heartbeat as if one organism.

    Then, as if guided by some unseen will, their glow shifted.

    Emerald.

    The exact shade of the pool.

    Had I not just watched them gather, I would¡¯ve thought they were part of it.

    Slowly, from the outer ring to the center, the green hue traveled, flowing through them like a current.

    Then, at the very core, the most central blades of grass bent forward, trembling.

    And from their tips, several tiny drops fell into the pool.

    My breath caught in my throat.

    It wasn¡¯t just the discovery of where the water came from that left me speechless.

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    It was the way it felt intentional.

    I¡¯m no botanist, but this wasn¡¯t random.

    This was deliberate. Primal.

    Something about it reeked of a hint of intelligence.

    The beginning of a civilization.

    Sure, they worked together with the tree monsters before, but plenty of creatures in my world cooperate out of instinct. This...this was different.

    As the green glow faded, the Vampire Grass began to pulse again with blue and silver. Alternating independently, each blade dancing in the cool breeze.

    I¡¯m no expert on communication or the evolution of societies, but I¡¯m preeeetty sure these little guys are talking¡­ at least, their flashy, glowy version of it.

    ¡°I gotta get down there.¡±

    I moved quickly, nearly jumping down the cliff before steadying myself on the dirt. As I made my way toward the festival of grasses, I grabbed one of the sharp petals from the dead tree monsters.

    Please don¡¯t let there be any leftover toxins.

    Taking a deep breath, I dragged the petal across my thumb, a small but thick drop of blood welling up instantly. And to my undying gratitude, no vein-melting poison coursed through my veins.

    I promise I didn¡¯t whimper like a wounded animal when I cut myself by the way.

    Instinctively, I raised my head, waiting for the inevitable insult...oh. Right. No one was here to call me an idiot for this.

    Maybe there was a little toxin left. This hurt way more than I expected.

    I ignored the sting and took a few steps forward, stopping just before the bantering weeds.

    I knew this idea had some risk. The scars still lingering on my arms, a courtesy of my first encounter with these guys, were proof of that. Even Elric couldn¡¯t heal them perfectly.

    But this was just a small cut.

    Couldn¡¯t be too bad, right?

    At first, nothing happened. Maybe they were too busy celebrating their little glowy grass festival. But eventually, one blade shook. Maybe as hungry as I was from all its movement and conversation.

    It approached me, slowly, cautiously.

    Then it latched onto my wound.

    A tickling sensation spread through my finger, light but unmistakable.

    At that moment, something else moved inside me.

    The moment the grass touched my blood, it reacted.

    Something inside me surged, ravenous. The red energy.

    The gift from the old statue shot outward, meeting the tiny plant like a starved beast lunging at fresh prey.

    Half the pulse exited, entering the Vampire Grass.

    And my vision blurred.

    That was a pretty good meal¡­what was I doing again? Oh yeah, getting out of here. But no¡­I was celebrating. Hmmm.

    I pulsed with confusion, something about this felt off. I knew there was something important I had to do, but¡­it was hard to focus.

    I looked up at the ceiling. My perfect little home. It seemed¡­much, much higher, didn¡¯t it?

    No, definitely not. Just my mind playing tricks.

    I turned, expecting nothing, but instead, I saw them. My friends, faintly glowing.

    That didn¡¯t make sense. They weren¡¯t here. They had disappeared, leaving me alone. But then¡­there they were, just finishing the ritual. I guess we¡¯d all be heading back soon. Back to Miss Star¡¯s inn.

    Wait¡­what¡¯s an inn?

    Stop. Stop. STOP!

    I flung myself backward, landing hard on my tailbone and, okay, maybe letting out a small shriek.

    ¡°What?! Whe¡ª¡± I whipped my head around.

    The terrarium was exactly as I remembered. The ceiling hadn¡¯t stretched, the room hadn¡¯t shifted. But the grass¡­

    Were definitely not any friends I knew intimately.

    They were retreating, shifting back toward the voided soil. All except for one.

    It was gazing at me.

    I know it has no eyes. But trust me, it was gazing.

    What was that?

    I was the grass. And the grass was me.

    Our memories blurred together, and in my humble opinion? I had severely underestimated the brainpower of a blade of grass.

    ¡­Or worse, overestimated my own.

    Thea would lose it if she knew how much willpower this grass was wrestling over with me right now.

    That experience had felt dangerous, not because it was trying to take over, not because it was resisting me. At least, not in any way I could understand.

    All I felt in that moment was sharp confusion.

    Two minds. Two completely different goals.

    Two identities, crashing into each other like waves against a stubborn cliff.

    I took a slow breath and looked inward.

    The red energy coiled around my violet inner flame like a snake made of lightning.

    It was depleted, but not significantly. And I could feel it leeching off my Precursor energy, feeding, growing, replenishing itself like a parasite with a taste for something new.

    I looked down at the lonesome, curious, thumb-sized creature in front of me and made a decision.

    "Alright, if you won¡¯t give up, I won¡¯t either."

    The cut on my finger still bled lightly, but nothing that spelled danger. I lowered it back down. My new brain brother, because what else could I call this thing? Approached, but instead of feasting on its favorite iron snack, it only touched me.

    Again.

    "Wow. So massive. What are you?"

    Excitement pulsed through me. The communication was instant, raw, something that bypassed words entirely.

    "Why can I speak to you?"

    "I don¡¯t know...I¡¯ve never seen any of you guys glow like me before. Didn¡¯t know you were that smart either. I mean, who attacks those tree guys?"

    I turned my gaze away, abandoning the massive creature and moving toward the pool.

    "I never attacked anything. What are you talking about?"

    "No, not you," I pulsed violently, frustration rippling through the bond. "ME! Or wait...you? Ummm."

    "Stop with your questioning glows! Do you talk to everyone like that?"

    "Sorry, bad habit. I like to put emphasis on my statements when I¡¯m confused."

    Statement must have been its version of glows.

    "It is."

    I shook my hea¡ªmy edges? My body? The frills at my sides tensed in annoyance.

    "This was a terrible idea. No privacy in my own mind."

    "Hey! I thought it was worth a shot."

    Think. Think more.

    "How much could a weed possibly think?" I teased myself sarcastically.

    "I know what a weed is. I¡¯m in your mind. And I am a beautiful blade of..." I hesitated. "There are no words. One second."

    A bloom of bright silver washed over me. Then teals, turquoises, shifting shades blending and bleeding together like the sky melting into the sea.

    "That¡¯s me."

    "Amazing! Love the name. Vampire Grass it is!"

    "What? NO!"

    "Well...name me, then. Using your own colors," I huffed, irritated at the rejection of my clearly perfect moniker.

    "It is not perfect!"

    A flash of shifting hues, an array of lights dancing through the bond.

    "That is perfect."

    ¡°Hold on. Let¡¯s take a break. We need to work on this.¡± I took a breath, steadying my form, our form. It felt incredibly familiar, like it had always been mine. I mean, it was my bod¡ªnope. No, Peter. I am Peter.

    It¡¯s¡ª ¡°I¡¯m not an it¡¯s.¡± I interrupted my own thoughts.

    I cleared my roots. Our body was easy to move, so, just as a test¡­

    I flashed a brilliant array of colors.

    ¡°HEY! Don¡¯t go saying things like that, there are saplings around!¡±

    ¡°Uhhh¡­sorry?¡± I don¡¯t know exactly why that was offensive bu¡ª¡±Yes you do. I can tell your words, you should be able to tell mine.¡±

    BUT I ignored it for now.

    ¡°Of course you will.¡±

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll let you speak first. Introduce yourself, using my way of speaking.¡±

    ¡°I already am speaking.¡± I replied. ¡°Seriously, wha¡ªwait, no, I am.¡±

    I flashed a beautiful sequence of colors. ¡°I am.¡±

    Again.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯m Peter, and I am also¡­¡± A flash of colors. ¡°Now. I, Peter, will stay quiet. While I,¡± another brief but quick sequence, this one tinged with slight irritation, ¡°will talk.¡±

    ¡°Deal?¡±

    I flickered a hesitant hue of gold. ¡°Deal.¡±

    ¡°Wait¡­ I can do more than three colors?¡± I asked, astonished.

    ¡°I said I would be quiet.¡±

    Now a tinge of red was stirring from my core.

    ¡°I¡¯m right¡­ sorry. Please, go on.¡±

 Chapter 57: Ancestral Land

    I shook off my frustration. I hadn¡¯t hit a mental wall like this in a while.

    "Let¡¯s see¡­ I suppose we can call me Bloodroot."

    "That¡¯s not a name. That¡¯s like me saying my name is ¡®Human.¡¯"

    "Kevin?"

    "...No."

    "I thought it was a good name¡­ Luna."

    I¡ªno, we shuddered. A pulse of excitement rippled through us. Yes. This was it. The name in the intruder language that I wanted.

    "Fine. And I¡¯m not an intruder. This is my bod¡ª"

    "No, it¡¯s not. Remember? You¡¯re the big thing."

    Wait. Who said that?

    I exhaled. "Maybe I should go back."

    "What, I as in Lu¡ª"

    "PETER. Obviously."

    I focused inward, willing myself like the time before to exit, but now I was not panicked.

    I opened my eyes. It seemed like my body had sat down on it¡¯s own and not moved the entire time I was in Luna¡¯s mind.

    Luna was still there vibrating and flickering in a variety of colors.

    I smiled. I guess I wasn¡¯t totally alone¡­but I was never going to tell my friends that I became buddies with a piece of grass while they were gone.

    "Alright, Luna¡­I guess you probably can¡¯t understand me like this, but let¡¯s get along."

    With literally nothing better to do, I searched inward, noticing that the red energy hadn¡¯t fully extinguished yet. So, I reached out.

    Luna met me, and we fused consciousness once more.

    "Okay. Let¡¯s work on getting better at telling who¡¯s who."

    I blinked a few times, my vision shifting to turquoise hues, then nodded. Our body lit up, lightly swaying in the wind.

    "Soooo, what now? We just stay rooted, glowing at each other?¡± I asked, curious to know more about the other.

    I thought for a moment. Neither of us knew much about the other, though we had connected through each other¡¯s languages surprisingly well.

    "How about this? How did you get here? This is my body, but somehow you left the big beast and ended up here." I flashed bits of silver, my interest growing.

    I wondered what my friends would think of me...blinking so erratically. I was already an outcast. Now I probably looked even weirder.

    "You''re an outcast?"

    I tried to imagine how a society of grass could even have outcasts, but nothing came to mind.

    "I want to go to the ancestral land. No one wants to leave, soooo" Luna responded.

    "Hey, wait! I could tell that was you!"

    It seemed like practice was already working.It hadn¡¯t been long. Or maybe it had. Hard to tell. But I was starting to occasionally distinguish our hues.

    "You just thought in colors," I respon¡ªnever mind. More practice needed.

    "Ancestral land?"

    "Yeah, one sec."

    Luna¡¯s roots sliced through the soil, smooth as a sprout splitting rotted bark.

    "Weird metaphor," I commented. At least that was easy to differentiate. I would never say something that ridiculous.

    I ignored Peter and gazed through the generations of work. A lifelong ritual, passed down over and over. I had done it since I was born. I knew nothing else.

    "So the pool is your ancestral land?"

    "What? No¡­Is your entire species this dumb?" Luna pulsed in disbelief.

    "I¡¯m one of the smartest," I replied confidently, without missing a beat.

    A long pause. Luna¡¯s glow dimmed slightly, like a candle questioning its own existence.

    "..."

    "Anyway, it¡¯s under it. Far under. Just look," Luna finally muttered, clearly deciding this conversation wasn¡¯t worth continuing.

    "How could I possibly see through all of thi¡ªoh man."

    It hit me. In Luna¡¯s form, I could see it. Everything.

    "See what?"

    "You don¡¯t understand. I don¡¯t see anything like this."

    The currents of energy swirled like streams in the sky, shifting colors, each representing a different form of cultivation energy.

    This was what I glimpsed after drinking the emerald liquid. But now¡­I could see it through Luna.

    "Wait. You did what? Please tell me you didn¡¯t drink that stuff."

    Luna turned a shade I hadn¡¯t seen before, a wilting brown-orange.

    I nodded, the tip of my blade tilting. "Yeah, why?"

    "Better we never think about it."

    Luna shut that thought down immediately, and I decided not to press it. Instead, I peered further down. Even with enhanced sight, I could barely make out anything past a few stalks of weeds.

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    "How deep is it?" I asked.

    "How should I know? You¡¯re way bigger than me. You tell me!" Luna huffed.

    Hmmm. Maybe I could use my sensory veil on my entire body and jump down. If there really was something below, I should go. There were no other exits anyway.

    Then again¡­I could just wait for my friends to help.

    "You mean the other ones that left?" Luna pulsed in color.

    "Yeah, they¡¯re like my family," I explained.

    "Um, well¡­they won¡¯t be coming here if they left the garden."

    Luna¡¯s glow dimmed slightly as she sent the thought back to me.

    "Wait. What? Why?"

    "It moves. You felt it before."

    There was finality in her tone, something unexpected from something smaller than a leaf.

    "YOU''RE A LEAF!"

    "Sorry."

    Luna ignored me, clearly unimpressed by my serious breach of our small trust.

    "I didn¡¯t mean it, I really am sorry. But¡­how do you know that it moves? It¡¯s not like our size is impressive right now."

    I glanced at my reflection in the pool. Small. Insignificant compared to our surroundings.

    "Well, I guess I don¡¯t. It¡¯s just legend," Luna softly pouted.

    The flickers of energy swirled around me. Reds, golds, blues, shifting in countless shades and vibrancies.

    I made my decision.

    "Do you want to come?"

    "You mean¡­down there?"

    We stared at the unknown below, uncertainty pooling between us.

    "A-are you sure?"

    "You wanted to go, right? But are you really okay leaving everyone behind? Outcast or not, you still have your own friends and family."

    We spoke firmly, ensuring there were no regrets.

    Luna turned toward the huddle of grass, the others spreading further and further. Everyone I had lived and grown with. From a small seed to what I was now.

    "I¡¯ll say goodbye. I want to go. There has to be more than this. You came from outside, after all."

    I studied the work of my ancestors, but now, I saw it with ambition.

    "Who knows? Maybe I¡¯ll return one day¡­and show my people where we came from."

    "Take your time. I need to make sure I can pull this off first. All we can hope is that it isn¡¯t too deep."

    I willed myself away from Luna¡¯s body, my normal vision returning.

    Alright, now just gotta practice a bit.

    Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Luna shift away. I let her go, giving her the space she needed. She may never see her family or friends again. This may be the final goodbye.

    I wasn¡¯t sure exactly how much time it would take to restore my internal flame to full, but I knew there was still some left.

    I activated my Precursor Sense, immediately reading my control ability, then began using Sensory Veil. Modifying it came easily, like pushing a stone to release a dam. My energy moved exactly how I wanted, in the way I wanted.

    I surrounded myself in the veil, keeping Silencing Current running to avoid unintentionally suffocating myself.

    Then, my head went fuzzy.

    I shut off my abilities. Everything faded away into nothing.

    Okay, maybe just a quick nap. I needed my energy back fully. Drowning in an emerald pool wasn¡¯t on my to-do list.

    I shifted away from the soil, settling onto a fairly uncomfortable rock just outside the pool¡¯s edge.

    Cold.

    I missed my supplies. A tent and some blankets would be really useful right now. Plus I got used to sleeping next to Thea.

    At least there was one benefit to burning through my Violet Flame, it took everything out of me and I knocked out almost immediately.

    When I woke up, a single blade of grass was tilted slightly on its side, almost as if waiting.

    Does Luna sleep?

    I guess she must¡­or she¡¯s dying. But I really doubt it.

    I reached out, extending my arm to the tiny creature I dwarfed, pressing down lightly as I entered her mind.

    "Luna, are you ready?"

    A pulse flashed through us, surprise crackling as my consciousness shot up.

    "Huh? Oh. Oh yeah. Ready!"

    "Awesome." I responded, then hesitated. A question hit me.

    "How exactly am I bringing you? Should I grab some soil?"

    "What do you mean? I don¡¯t need it. The food I need is in high quantities in your angry juice."

    "Angry jui¡ªoh, cause it¡¯s red. Wait, how do you know ''juice'' but not ''blood''?" I asked, glowing slightly in disbelief.

    "I thought you understood jokes?" Luna fired back, equal disbelief pulsing through us.

    She had a point.

    I really should know better than to overanalyze comedy¡­as a master of it.

    I left our body and returned to mine.

    "Alright, focus. Control the energy."

    I concentrated on the red lightning-like energy inside me, extending my hand, forcing it to stay still rather than shoot out on instinct.

    Could you imagine jumping into a herd of pack claws, slipping into one¡¯s body just as the others tear yours into ribbons fit for a party?

    It worked.

    The energy responded to my intentions, and as my hand hit the soil beneath Luna, I muttered, "Don¡¯t drink too much." Not that I expected her to understand me right now.

    I pulled out my small-scale blade, cutting lightly across the top of my wrist, then carefully brushed the dirt away from Luna as delicately as I could.

    She pulsed a pinkish hue, vibrating slightly, shaking off the last bits of soil. Pink was¡­anxiety? How long had Luna been in the same place, never knowing anything else?

    I placed her over the cut, and to my relief, she wrapped around it, almost like a bandage, sealing the wound.

    Now I had an actual mood band around my wrist. Everyone''s gonna be so jealous.

    I was probably still bleeding underneath her, but I  only felt the tickling sensation for a moment before it faded.

    I took a deep breath and walked to the edge of the emerald pool. Precursor Sense. Sensory Veil. I activated both, surrounding myself with protective energy.

    "Let¡¯s go."

    Without another second of hesitation, I jumped in feet first.

    The thin barrier wrapped around me like a full-body dry suit, keeping me safe.

    ¡­Except I didn¡¯t sink.

    For a second, I just floated awkwardly, forcing me to flounder like a maniac until the water finally pulled me downward.

    I fell further and further.

    The surface disappeared. Visibility? Still garbage.

    My heart pounded against my ribs, panic creeping in as I dropped like a stone into the abyss.

    Then. Contact.

    I touched something. Or¡­nothing?

    I wasn¡¯t sinking anymore. My feet were hanging in the air.

    That made no sense.

    I waved my arms to push lower...

    And suddenly, I was falling again.

    A startled yell escaped me before I landed a second later on my feet.

    Totally safe.

    I blinked, staring upward.

    A massive crevice of green hovered above me, floating like a mirage. Something was keeping gravity from pulling the liquid further.

    And when I turned to the side¡­whoa.

    This place, no...this world, was something else.

    A deep blue light bathed everything, like a sun illuminating an alien land. The warmth here was different, comforting but charged.

    I stood on a cliff¡¯s edge, staring at a vast expanse of shifting forests not just moving¡­walking.

    Vibrant trees and strange plants roamed the landscape below, gilding around like animals on the prowl rather than the flora they were. The air buzzed with unknown scents, colors blurring at the edges of my vision, an entire fantasy ecosystem in motion.

    I barely had time to process it before...

    A small surge of red energy slipped from me into Luna from my lost focus.

    "PETER!"

    I snapped my gaze down to my wrist. Wait, yeah, my wrist. I needed to figure out why I wasn¡¯t leaving my own b¡ª

    "Stop thinking, you idiot!" Luna¡¯s voice flashed through me, urgent.

    "Something¡¯s coming. I can see it. You have to MOVE!"

 Announcement

    I have made the decision to rewrite the first 10 or so chapters of this story. I have been debating on a new title as well. My question, of which I will post a pole is, would you prefer to read on this story, or would you consider following on a relaunch of a different title? I would like honest input if you would be so kind. I realize something like a re-launch would slow the story down, but my solution would be posting 2-3 chapters a day to catch up quickly to the current chapter. As of right now, the re-write will arrange the chapters differently, so ch 5 for example may become ch 8 or 9. I will of course keep updating everyday. And if I relaunch, the original will update regularly until it catches up, in which case, I will switch over to the new version.

    If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    Thank you for the time.

 Chapter 58: Danger in Caves

    Without stopping to question Luna, I scanned the cliff¡¯s edge for a way down. Maybe I could sure, I could climb down bu¡ª

    Something wet and slimy snapped around my neck, yanking me backward into the cave.

    G-force slammed into me as I was dragged at high speed.

    I couldn¡¯t breathe. The muscular grip was crushing my throat.

    I barely managed to twist my head just enough to see the thing that had me.

    A frog?

    I mean, it had a circular mouth filled with serrated teeth, more like a carnivorous leech than anything remotely like a cute amphibian, but yeah, that''s a frog.

    With Precursor Sense still active, I forced my internal energy into my fingers, barely managing to overpower the pull yanking my arm forward.

    Hot breath seared my skin. The beast reeled me in, its gaping maw inches from my throat.

    No time.

    I willed my energy to peak at my fingertips and fired.

    Four Air Lances shot from my hand, slicing through the tongue.

    The creature shrieked, a high-pitched, ear-splitting sound that rattled the cavern walls.

    I wasn¡¯t exaggerating this time. I may sometimes stretch the truth slightly, but seriously, my eardrums were a hair¡¯s breadth from popping like a balloon.

    Gravity reclaimed me.

    I slammed into the rocks below, pain exploding up my spine as my rear collided with a jagged edge.

    My eyes stung. My nose burned. My entire body felt like I had just been shaken like a ragdoll.

    "Are you crying?" Luna asked, her tone soaked in mockery.

    She already knows what crying is, huh? Wait. ¡°MAYBE!¡± I shot back in my mind.

    "Be careful, the ¡®world force¡¯, as you call it, is gathering around that thing."

    I grit my teeth, blinking rapidly. The monster was still hanging from the cave ceiling, its hind legs clinging above while the others dangled awkwardly.

    Its amber eyes locked onto me with pure ferocity as it opened its mouth.

    MOVE.

    I shoved every ounce of strength into my legs and feet.

    Simultaneously, I activated Swift Stride, already preparing eight Air Lances across my ha¡ª

    UGH.

    My vision blurred.

    The cavern roof somehow appeared above me and my stomach twisted.

    Too much. I over-micromanaged my internal force.

    "What are you doing?! MOVE!" Luna¡¯s voice flashed through my head, sharp with urgency.

    Her shout snapped me out of my daze, and I launched myself forward, no longer using my internal flame.

    I poured everything into Swift Stride, bolting toward the cliff just as a purple mist curled into my nose.

    I barely inhaled a fraction of it, and instantly, my chest boiled like a furnace.

    My mind dissolved into a haze of color. My vision swam like a drowning fish.

    But I kept running.

    The moment I reached the cliff¡¯s edge, I heard something bounding after me, fast.

    So, naturally, I did the most responsible thing possible in this situation.

    I jumped.

    "Yeah, jump!" Luna cheered in my mind.

    ¡­Grass really doesn¡¯t have to worry about fall damage, huh?

    Hopefully, I live.

    "What?"

    I ignored her question.

    The last tip of my toe blasted off the rock, and for a brief second, the wind kissed my face as I soared through the air.

    Then gravity, which I was really getting too familiar with, embraced me once again.

    Falling.

    Familiar, isn¡¯t it?

    "You¡¯re not gonna die, are you?" Luna actually sounded worried.

    I wondered what color she was right now.

    Suddenly, my mind cleared and I noticed the ground rushing toward me at an alarmingly rapid pace.

    "I drank whatever got in you, so do something!"

    I didn¡¯t need to be told twice.

    The rapidly approaching thorn-covered brush did not look inviting.

    I threw every ounce of internal force into my hands, prayed, and unleashed the biggest blast of wind I could through Silencing Current.

    "Uggghhh."

    I won¡¯t describe the horrible noises I made as every last bit of air was forcefully expelled from my body on impact, but just know¡­

    A lot of noise was made.

    No tears, though. Never tears.

    "You cried." Luna corrected me, so helpfully.

    "¡­I did not. My eyes were just wet from the wind. Yeah. That."

    I took several breaths, recovering from both the outrageous accusation and, you know, the fall.

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    "How could you tell there was danger?"

    I glanced down at Luna, pulsing faintly on my wrist.

    "The way the world force moves," she said. "It gathers around certain things when they attack or make specific movements¡­like the tree monsters when they transform."

    A forest stretched around me¡ªwhat I¡¯d call average, if not for the grasses casually walking about.

    Under normal circumstances, I¡¯d be shocked. But¡­

    "I exist." Luna finished for me.

    The trees were vibrant, their bark flushed with reds, pinks, and even some greens, but they stood still for now.

    My gaze drifted to the cliff I had just dove from.

    How did I survive that?

    I stared up at the ridiculous height I¡¯d just fallen from. Dozens of meters. And with my own abilities, the worst I got was a few seconds of heavy breathing.

    "Stay alert," Luna warned. "There¡¯s too much world force movement. I can¡¯t tell if anything here means harm."

    I tensed. Not exactly comforting.

    "Alright¡­wait. How can you even talk to me right now?"

    I wasn¡¯t inhabiting her body anymore, but we were still connected somehow, which was proving ridiculously useful.

    "How should I know? Maybe because our bodies are attached, right?" she pondered, glowing a thoughtful lime green.

    I considered it. Made sense. Not that it mattered much right now.

    The biggest proble¡ª

    A deep, guttural growl rumbled through the mystical woods.

    Luna flashed in a rapid sequence of colors, nearly all at once.

    "Danger! We should get out of here!"

    I flared red.

    "Hey! You said you didn¡¯t communicate by glowing!"

    The accusation felt out of place, given the apparent danger, but I could feel her intense surprise.

    "It¡¯s not danger¡­I just need food."

    Silence.

    "...You glow red when you¡¯re hungry." Luna pulsed once. "Interesting."

    I ignored her scientific curiosity and started scanning the area for anything remotely edible.

    Unfortunately, Commander Griffiths¡¯ survival lessons didn¡¯t exactly cover "fantasy walking plants."

    "Wait!" I suddenly remembered something. "When we were falling, you said you drank the gas that entered me?"

    "Yeah." Luna replied simply, still seemingly more interested in my ability to glow.

    "Does it hurt you? The poison?"

    "I have to release it eventually, but it isn¡¯t harmful. I store any unneeded nutrients in my stalk and release them over time." Luna gave me a surprisingly casual lesson in her biology.

    "Goo¡ª"

    A rustle behind me.

    I snapped my attention to it immediately.

    I prepared for battle, circulating my internal force.

    But instead of some terrifying monster, a pig-like animal emerged from the underbrush.

    It stood up to my chest, covered in thick, bristled, bright red fur.

    Well¡­that¡¯s convenient.

    The creature was moving cautiously, barely acknowledging me.

    It was focused on something else, its body tense with extreme vigilance...or at least, as vigilant as a pig could look.

    The horns nestled on its head twitched, moving like antennae, sweeping over the shuffling grass before each careful step.

    Wait. Was it blind?

    I guess those weren¡¯t horns after all. Despite how sharp they looked, they had to be some kind of sensory antennae.

    I took a slow step forward, Air Lance forming in each hand.

    The moment I shifted, it froze, locking onto me at last.

    Its shock surprised me, making me feel a little bad¡­

    But I was really hungry.

    The animal wasn¡¯t stupid. It must¡¯ve realized my continuing approach wasn¡¯t friendly, because it stepped back and bumped into something.

    The moment its thick hide brushed against the green bark behind it, the tree moved.

    Like an iron maiden slamming shut, the bark snapped open, revealing rows of jagged, tooth-like protrusions that impaled the pig in an instant.

    It let out a horrified squeal, a sound drenched in pain and confusion as its body thrashed violently against the bear-trap like monster.

    And I just stood there, horrified, in pain, and filled with regret. Not because of the brutal kill, but because my meal was stolen from me.

    The tree bent forward, almost unnaturally. If it had toes, it would be touching them.

    Its leaves rotated, a mechanical hum filling the air as they shimmered like blades.

    Oh.

    They were blades.

    They spun faster, slicing through flesh and bone in an instant.

    The rotating leaf-blades blocked my view, but the guttural shriek, the wet splatter of liquid, and the tearing sinew told me everything I needed to know.

    I watched, equal parts fascinated and horrified, as the tree processed its kill.

    Then I slowly, carefully, let my gaze drift around the forest.

    More green-barked trees. A lot more.

    The odds of this color bark being the only man-eating tree?

    Unknown.

    But I wasn¡¯t about to stick around and see how the rest of them felt about me.

    I could still see the cliff, which meant sticking to the rocks was a better idea than staying in this death trap of a forest.

    But before that...

    I stared at the grass shifting around me.

    "Luna, can you communicate with other grass?"

    A pale red glow pulsed against my wrist...annoyance, I¡¯m guessing.

    "Can you talk to all big animals?" she shot back.

    "I don¡¯t look like all big animals, but you do look like other grass."

    Silence.

    A breeze swept through, sending a cold shudder down my spine.

    The blue glow of the world seemed to be dimming slightly as time passed.

    "Luna?"

    Nothing.

    Was she angry?

    "Sorry."

    Still nothing.

    I glanced down at my wrist. The Luna-band pulsed frantically between reds and pinks.

    So yeah, definitely mad, but...

    I focused inward and immediately realized the real problem.

    The red energy, which had once coiled like a snake around my center, was now as thin as sewing thread.

    It flickered faintly, pulsing in rhythm with my internal flame which had also simmered significantly.

    Alright then. Priorities, food and shelter.

    I glanced at the trees and immediately shook that thought away.

    No way.

    Just touching one was dangerous enough. Sleeping in one? Not happening.

    Back to the rocks.

    With every step, smaller plants shifted away from me. Clearly, they were used to larger animals passing through.

    I moved carefully, keeping as much distance from the trees as possible.

    Eventually, I reached the white stone cliff.

    Left.

    Right.

    Wow.

    The thing stretched endlessly, disappearing into the underground horizon.

    Though at least here, I only had to watch one side. The one with the meat-munching, venus fly trees.

    I exhaled slowly and started a light jog.

    Running was easy for me now, but after a while or however long "day" lasted here, I could feel the sweat building.

    The dark blue haze that had settled over the landscape was draining, a blanket of darkness replacing it.

    And my hand, pressed against the rock for guidance, was starting to go raw.

    Then finally, I hit an opening.

    A cave.

    Inside was pitch black, except for a faint orange glow at the back.

    The light flickered from clusters of moss, clinging to the jagged stone walls.

    Learning from my last cave experience, I kept my guard high, eyeing every shadow like it was out to kill me.

    I stepped in carefully, trying, and failing to avoid the damp puddles dotting the floor. Each step sent a small splash echoing through the dead silence.

    The air littered with a familiar scent I couldn''t place.

    At the corner of my eye, movement.

    I turned instantly, force already gathering in my feet, ready to move.

    "¡ªy!"

    What?

    A sound from behind me.

    Stone scraping against stone.

    "HEY! THERE¡¯S TWO OF THEM!"

    Luna¡¯s shout rang through my head just as the cave plummeted into darkness.

    I now remembered what the odor was, acrid, metallic.

    Blood.

    The last thing I saw in that fleeting crack of dim blue light was teeth.

    Glittering. Drooling. Lots of them.

 Announcement

    I have made a discord. It isn''t the best, but I spent a couple hours fiddling around with it. Unless there is a major announcement, I will just be using the discord from now on. If you would like to join, the link is in the pre and post chapter note. Thanks for the suggestions in the last announcement and poll responses!

    I also will continue working on this story while writing the relaunch. My plans have changed pretty significanlty for the early sections of the story, and it may end up feeling wholly different than EHAM. Systemless will follow the same characters and contain the same plot points, but with some fixes to my writing such as adding more concrete goals, utilizing the economy (points) in a better way...I hope, and so on. Thanks to everyone who is continuing to support me. Once again, I will still be continuing EHAM.

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 Chapter 59: Clarity

    I can¡¯t see.

    I can¡¯t see two creatures strong enough to move a stone to block the entrance to this cave. Sure the opening was only a little taller than me but still, strong enough.

    I froze, muscles locked, straining every heightened sense for movement. The floor was littered with puddles. If they moved, I¡¯d hear it.

    I waited¡­waited more.

    ¡°Peter, what are you doing!? It¡¯s about to attack yo¡ª¡±

    Luna¡¯s voice cut off as my mind reeled, slamming shut any input from her.

    A sudden impact caved into my gut. Hard.

    I rocketed backward, the impact knocking the breath from my lungs as I crashed into the stone ground.

    Then breath. Hot, wet, and hungry.

    Right at my throat.

    Instinct screamed, and I moved without thinking, hands flying up, releasing two blasting waves to mess up whatever was above me.

    Nothing. No recoil, no surge humming through the air.

    Something was wrong. Did I not release the blast?

    No. I felt it. I fired, and the energy was gone¡­and so were the creatures that had been inches from bleeding me dry.

    I can¡¯t hear.

    Anything.

    ¡°Peter. I can see them,¡± Luna¡¯s voice cut through the emptiness. ¡°There¡¯s a circle of energy surrounding them both.¡±

    At least I could still hear her in my head.

    ¡°I can¡¯t, Luna. That¡¯s the problem. And you can¡¯t do much more than warn me.¡±

    I scanned my internal flame. It burned a little brighter, but not enough. Not nearly enough. If I activated my Precursor Sense now, I¡¯d get a few moments.

    Then I¡¯d pass out. And passing out meant dying.

    ¡°Move now!¡±

    I dove. Blind.

    Following her voice. Trusting instinct.

    I wanted to ask which way, but how could she even explain it? She saw the world differently. Left, right, forward. They didn¡¯t mean the same thing to her.

    Unfortunately, she was right. There were two.

    I felt the rush of something lunging past me as I hit the ground, landing deftly on my hands and feet.

    Pain.

    A jagged, biting pain ripped through my ankle.

    It pulled, and my flesh tore. Probably making my foot resemble party decorations

    I yelled but nothing came.

    I¡ªI don¡¯t have a choice. I¡¯ll die like this.

    A dome of sensation burst to life around me.

    And suddenly, I saw them.

    Glowing with a pulse of red.

    One latched onto my foot, jaws clamped tight, a crushing pressure like bone caught in a vice. And another figure closed in behind me.

    They were small, hooved, on all fours. Quick. Unrelenting.

    I grabbed the one still latched onto my foot, one hand on its upper jaw, the other on the lower, twisting awkwardly to avoid its approaching companion.

    Summoning everything I had, I pulled.

    Resistance.

    The beast thrashed violently, flinging its body around in a desperate struggle to stay attached.

    Its teeth sank deeper.

    A bolt of pain cracked through my ankle, sharp and brutal, like something had fractured under the pressure. A full-body shudder tore through me.

    But I refused to let go.

    I summoned more power from somewhere, forcing the jaws to unclamp.

    More thrashing. More struggling. But I kept stretching. Wider. Wider. Much wider.

    There was no sound.

    But if there had been¡­

    Let¡¯s just say I was glad I couldn¡¯t hear it.

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    I felt it, though.

    Ever torn apart an order of chicken wings? That pop when the joints separate? The slow pull of tendons stretching, fraying under pressure?

    Yeah. That.

    "Except, you know¡­raw. Unfiltered. Not softened by cooking.

    Flesh ripped. Bone snapped apart. Small bits cracked under pressure.

    The thing shuddered.

    "You can see them now?" Luna''s voice rang through the silence, relief threading her words.

    I didn¡¯t answer. My head was pounding.

    And once again, my options were running out.

    I had to shut off the ability.

    Otherwise? Naptime.

    And naptime now¡­was permanent.

    I plunged myself into sensory deprivation.

    And waited.

    Had to take a hit. Then I could act.

    I braced but¡­nothing came.

    No impact. No attack.

    I couldn¡¯t even tell if the surviving one had fled.

    I needed to retreat to a wall. Reduce the angles. Control the fight.

    But even shifting my weight sent sharp, burning pain lancing through my ankle.

    I could stand...barely. But moving? I¡¯d have to hop.

    And if I lost my balance here, it was over.

    "¡ªer i¡ª m¡ªing."

    Luna''s voice barely broke through the fog.

    But I knew she wouldn¡¯t speak unless something was coming.

    I prepared myself, guarding whatever felt the most vital. But instead of another bite, I was knocked off my feet.

    The force nearly flipped me. I hit the ground, stone slamming into my spine.

    But I managed it.

    Something was in my grip.

    ¡°¡ªO! ¡ªER ON¡ª¡±

    Luna¡¯s broken shouts barely registered.

    It would be fine after this.

    A thin, hairy leg.

    I pulled, hard. Gripping with both hands, preparin¡ªwarmth.

    Spreading from my gut. At first, oddly numbing, then just...warm.

    Then fire.

    Boiling. Searing.

    I felt my blood flowing like ink from the punctures. The teeth painting a picture of splintering pain across my side.

    I couldn¡¯t even scream. It wasn¡¯t that kind of pain.

    Only a breath escaped. But it carried everything inside me.

    My grip loosened.

    I tried to aim at the third beast, but the moment I reached, teeth clamped down on my free arm.

    My vision blurred.

    I felt something tear. The pain should¡¯ve been worse. But it wasn¡¯t.

    That felt like a problem.

    I let go of the leg but my hand didn¡¯t move.

    It flopped down uselessly.

    I still had plenty of internal force left.

    The fight had barely started before I was already losing

    But my mind was fogged with exhaustion.

    My limbs rooted. Or maybe they were just being torn apart. Honestly, it¡¯s getting hard to tell anymore. My body felt distant, like I was barely inside it.

    Move.

    Come on!

    MOVE!

    I tried focusing. Reached for anything. Tried to summon resistance.

    But the weight of blood loss was crushing me.

    Another numb pressure in my gut.

    It was too much.

    My fingers twitched, raw with pain.

    They scraped at the wet stone and soil beneath me. It felt like tundra.

    Was the cave actually that freezing, or was I just slipping away?

    Thi¡ªthis is how? Really? No fight? No final quip?

    No, that wasn¡¯t me. I would laugh last, especially if I was the creator of the punchline. Who would dare to think this is the way I go?

    I wouldn¡¯t take it. If this was it...it was it.

    Clarity struck like lightning.

    Suddenly, my energy flowed freely, and the fog lifted.

    Screw it. Thea warned me never to do it, but what did that matter now?

    Fighting against my own fading body, I summoned everything.

    Everything.

    My Precursor Sense slammed back to life.

    I roiled with my last effort.

    The entirety of what I had left exploded outward.

    There was no echo. No explosion that I could sense.

    But I still had that last bit of feeling in my limbs.

    The cave trembled, vibrations pulsing beneath me. Sand and loose pebbles rained down, speckling my face.

    I couldn¡¯t even tell if I had won.

    My vision swam. My head lolled to the side. The last specks of warmth seeped from my body.

    A numbness crept in, slow, inevitable.

    My limbs hardened, like stone blocks sinking into the earth.

    But...the moment after I released the world filled with color.

    The auras, the ones I had come to recognize through **Luna¡¯s eyes, **danced.

    Twisting in patterns I couldn¡¯t comprehend. Curling. Merging. Breathing.

    There was a flow to it. A rhythm. A pulse.

    One that was far beyond me.

    For a moment, I wondered, had I somehow entered Luna¡¯s body again?

    Did I earn a brief reprieve from the inevitable fate?

    But no. I still had the wherewithal to barely feel my own limbs.

    I let out a chuckle, and realized that I could hear again.

    My voice, rattled, but there.

    "I guess it¡¯s not such a bad sight."

    I stared up, trying to glean some hidden secret locked in a plane that existed beyond my reach.

    My vision blurred and the patterns fused together. Colors merged. Forming a blur of distinct power, vast and omnipresent.

    Flowing into everything.

    I felt ice slithering through my veins as my eyelids fought to stay open. Something was moving in there¡­

    Not that it mattered.

    Weightless comfort carved its way into my mind and sank deeper, further into an abyss I knew I couldn¡¯t come back from.

    And worse than the pain, worse than the cold creeping in...was the realization of my failure.

    My world would never be avenged. I would never find the monster who sent billions to their graves.

    I could never deliver fury. Retribution.

    Nothing.

    He would live contented and unbothered. By me, anyway. No scars, no wounds, not even a passing thought of the destruction he left behind.

    I thought I heard Luna¡¯s voice, but I couldn¡¯t tell if anything was real anymore.

    My vision vanished.

    Elric.

    Sia.

    Lyra.

    Thea.

    "I just¡­want to see you all again."

 Chapter 60: Fusion of Power

    "Hey..."

    "HEY! WAKE UP."

    Luna¡¯s voice cracked through the darkness in my mind.

    "You died too?"

    "Died? What are you talking about? Just ¡¯cause I took a bit of blood?" Luna sounded annoyed.

    I tried moving, but it felt like a group of large men had decided to make me their sofa. "Ughhh." I groaned and took a shaky breath. "What do you mean you took my blood?"

    "Why don¡¯t you ever finish any shows?" she grumbled, completely ignoring my question.

    "Wh¡ªwhat?" Shows? I hadn¡¯t watched anything in a while. Not since coming here anyway. "You answer first."

    A thin pulse of red flickered, followed by shades of orange. "I needed to grow my roots deeper in you. I patched up your wounds¡­but I needed a lot of energy."

    "Thanks. Soooo, how exactly did you patch me up?" I tried moving my arm to feel my side, but neither limb wanted to obey. Heck, even my eyelids felt glued shut.

    "You answer my question first." Luna pulsed with expectation. "I had nothing but time in your head while you were sleeping and crying about whatever nonsense."

    There was an array of colors I couldn¡¯t quite pin an emotion to. My guess? Mocking¡­sarcasm?

    "Anyway¡ª" she interrupted my thoughts, "that big explosion you did connected our senses even more than before. Had to remind myself who I was more than once. Your body is so weird."

    "You''r¡ª" I coughed then changed my mind, "yeah, we both are."

    "Thankfully, you actually have some pretty entertaining things in your head. Seriously, did Shimakuro ever get together with Maria?"

    Soft pink glows flickered around her. Fangirling?

    "I¡ªI think I read somewhere they did." I was still astonished at her ability to so concisely see my memories¡­or maybe they were just blurred fragments.

    She must have been satisfied with my answer because she switched back to my question. "I covered your wounds with my roots¡­I guess nothing vital was hit since you¡¯re alive. Some of you is barky now, by the way."

    There was a short pause before she added, more reluctant this time, "I didn¡¯t know if it would work¡­I just hope it doesn¡¯t affect you too much."

    "Barky?" I ignored her uncertainty in order to get to the interesting bit.

    "Like bark. From a tree. Although more flexible, I guess. At least, I hope¡­The point is, it¡¯s going to be really hard to separate us now."

    "Oh¡­So I¡¯m part plant now?"

    I mean, honestly? Kinda neat. I¡¯m already a freak of nature on this world, everyone else got to be a new species. Why not me too?

    "I guess?" Luna¡¯s tone wavered with uncertainty, like she didn¡¯t quite get why I was so okay with this. But I decided to take that as a solid yes.

    I struggled to open my eyes. Like rusty gears forced into motion, I pushed through the resistance, shaking off the crusty mess sealing them shut.

    A soft orange glow greeted me. Moss.

    Turning my head was still too much, though.

    I couldn¡¯t see much, but at least there wasn¡¯t any immediate danger. A quiet sigh of relief escaped my lips. "I can already feel some strength returning."

    "Good." Luna replied. "You should be safe for now too, since the cave entrance is blocked."

    "Yeah."

    Next, I focused inward. Both the red energy and inner flame had regenerated.

    I looked around, trying to make sense of my situation before I had die¡ªwell, before I thought I had died.

    My heart pounded with the realization.

    "It nearly ended. All of it."

    The words came out in a dull whisper before I even meant to speak them.

    "Not like much could¡¯ve been do¡ª" Luna started, her voice threaded with hesitant support, sending out soft, sympathetic pulses.

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    "No."

    I tried shaking my head vigorously, but yeah, that wasn¡¯t happening right now. "I¡¯ve been too reckless. And even more than that¡­too weak."

    Up until now, I¡¯d had no real goal. No clear target to strive toward. And my current one? So high above me that aiming for it felt foolish.

    Survival was one thing. But I needed something real. Something concrete.

    Before, when I blacked out, it wasn¡¯t just exhaustion.

    The cold had crept into everything...into every fracture of sinew, deep into my bones. It wasn¡¯t just my body hibernating. I felt myself slipping. My body. My mind. My existence.

    And if I had died?

    The world wouldn¡¯t have even flinched. It would¡¯ve wiped away every trace of me. My friends would move on. Who knows? Maybe they already think I¡¯m dead.

    If the cave really did shift somewhere else...

    "If it weren¡¯t for you, I¡¯d be dead. And if there had been anything else dangerous in the cave, I¡¯d be done for too."

    I was sure it was difficult for Luna to grasp my perspective. We didn¡¯t calculate strength the same way.

    But there was something she was miles ahead of me on.

    "Hey, Luna, what exactly did you feel when I released everything? When I could see through my eyes and yours?"

    She hesitated. "It was...I don¡¯t know. Usually, your power enters my body, but this time there were other things."

    "Other things?" I frowned. "Was it more of my red force?"

    Her glow flickered with uncertainty. "Yes, but that wasn¡¯t all."

    Silence stretched between us as I thought.

    There were still lingering effects on her end, at least for now.

    While I was unconscious, she had been watching everything in my head. My memories. My thoughts. The things even I couldn¡¯t recall clearly, she saw with clarity.

    But now?

    Now, I felt nothing from her. No extra awareness. No connection.

    Maybe...I fused my forces together?

    I activated my Precursor Sense with ease and moved my internal force to my center.

    But something felt wrong.

    Sluggish. Off.

    My heart pounded. Of course, there had to be repercussions. Using everything in one go, something Thea had warned could kill me.

    At least it was still moving.

    I pushed my focus into my Grand Channel.

    Then I noticed it.

    Cracks.

    Lots of them. Fracturing the flow of the carvings I had etched into myself what felt like forever ago.

    And that wasn¡¯t the only problem.

    My internal strength was leaking, flowing into my body only to vanish, dissipating back into the world unseen.

    It wasn¡¯t enough that I couldn¡¯t recover it with my Perfect Conversion, but the way the flow kept shifting? That was a problem. A serious one.

    I exhaled sharply, centering myself. One thing at a time.

    I wove my internal force into my red en¡ª

    It needs a name.

    Beast Force. It interacts with creatures, borrowing their abilities, fusing into their minds.

    Anyway.

    I braided my internal force into the Beast Force, carefully threading it together using the enhanced control of my Precursor Sense.

    A fusion of gold and red lightning sparked in my core, bouncing erratically in its space like it was begging to move.

    ¡°Get ready, Luna.¡±

    ¡°Ready for wh¡ª¡±

    The sound cut off.

    Instead, colors flooded from her. Bursts of surprise, shock, and, of course, a deep, deeeeeep red. Anger.

    A breath passed.

    ¡°WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?!¡±

    Luna¡¯s rage was practically tangible. But¡­

    I succeeded.

    I blinked, and the world opened to me.

    I won¡¯t bore you with the details again, dancing lights, swirling colors, energy everywhere, you get it.

    "Amazing."

    "WHAT¡¯S AMAZI¡ªoh¡­more shows."

    Luna vanished somewhere deep in my mind.

    I could feel the anger simmering, but thankfully, the distractions were enough to keep her busy.

    "Luna?"

    Silence.

    "Luuuuuuunaaaaaaa!"

    "Busy. Leave me alone."

    That was the last response I got from her.

    I miss Thea.

    With another sigh, I closed my eyes.

    I sensed the world energy around me. All of it. But, of course, seeing wasn¡¯t the problem.

    Absorbing it was.

    My friends could use different types through abilities, sure, but storing them in the Grand Channel? Impossible right now.

    But before I had nearly disappeared from this world...I saw it.

    The fusion. The true vision of these tangled strands of power. The pure white version of world force.

    I knew the next step we had to take¡­

    I just had no idea how.

    Thea and I weren¡¯t totally wrong about core formation. Not totally right either. It was a tool, yes. But also, a stage.

    If we could store every ounce of energy into a core, we¡¯d free up space in our Grand Channels.

    We could refill them with common world energy again, which is probably where everyone in this world stopped.

    Maybe forming a second core after that was impossible.

    Maybe no one had ever tried. Even if they did, they formed something solid which acted as a generator of sorts.

    Either way, that wasn¡¯t the path we should take.

    I knew that. I was absolutely certain. Our group, once reunited, will cultivate every form of power.

    We will form cores that store energy.

    Hollow ones that act as barriers.

    And in the final stage¡­

    Shatter them.

    Then?

    Ideally, something new.

    Maybe a transformation¡­

    Or ruin.

    But this is the only way I can think of to fuse the energies.

 Chapter 61: Talents of Grass

    Well, my plan is made.

    First, figure out a way to absorb other forms of energy.

    Next, store them.

    Then fuse them together.

    And finally¡­hope I don''t explode.

    I opened my eyes, shutting off my internal flame, then tried to move. Something shifted. My fingers twitched. That¡¯s progress.

    I circulated my energy only for some of it to leak out like a busted pipe. Great. And if that wasn¡¯t enough, my movements were about as dexterous as a slug.

    But the real problem? My internal force was barely responding thanks to the fissures in my grand channel messing up the flow.

    Not good.

    I needed a fix. Fast.

    Maybe I could make miniature cores to plug the gaps¡­but those wouldn¡¯t last. Eventually, they¡¯d fizzle out, and I¡¯d be back to bleeding energy every second. Not to mention the recovery of the force I would lose.

    And speaking of things I didn¡¯t have¡­

    Hunger. Thirst.

    I was drained. I mean, dangerously drained. I couldn¡¯t even move properly, let alone fix it. My throat was so dry I was debating licking the cavern walls.

    And for hunger...is orange moss deadly? Hmmm. Probably best not to find out.

    Before I could spiral any further, the cave shook with the deep, ground-rattling roar of some massive creature.

    ¡­I don¡¯t need to explain that joke. You get it.

    Alright. Back to moving.

    I activated my half-domain, forcing the sluggish energy delicately through my channel, sinking it into my legs and arms first.

    Something was off.

    The moment energy hit my arms, something pulled.

    It wasn¡¯t just leaking.

    It wasn¡¯t natural dispersion.

    It was being absorbed.

    I tensed. A pressure clamped down on my forearm. Tight, solid, unyielding.

    Not painful. Just¡­different.

    Energy pushed through me, slow but steady. I lifted my arms, flexing my fingers, then rotated them in slow circles. Moving like this while lying down felt a bit odd, but I wasn¡¯t about to try standing yet.

    My right arm was the focus of that ¡®off¡¯ feeling. Heavier, but solid. Sturdy.

    Should I say¡­barky?

    My hand felt mostly the same except for my thumb.

    I exhaled in acceptance. Guess those monsters took more than just a chunk of my energy.

    My toes tingled, like tiny needles were pricking them. A good sign, right? Or maybe just poor circulation. Either way, I took it as progress and began lifting each toe, one by one.

    I circled my arms, lifted my legs, rolling each joint carefully while still lying down.

    Must¡¯ve been a sight to behold. If the others were here¡­what would they say? Guess I''ll never know.

    Moving like this actually helped. I felt a little better, and so far, the mental strain wasn¡¯t unbearable. Still, I had no idea what would happen if I used any abilities.

    Some testing is probably better left well¡­untested.

    I forced a bit more energy around my body and there it was again. A tightening around my sides.

    It must¡¯ve been the root Luna injected into me. The one that saved my life.

    I swayed side to side, like an off-balance rowboat, trying to warm up my muscles. Eventually, I was ready.

    Sitting up.

    I got this.

    Okay.

    One¡­Two¡­and...

    ¡°THREE!¡±

    I¡ªI did it.

    ¡°¡­Oh. Oh no.¡±

    A second later, I was leaning to the side, violently emptying the last remains of my stomach.

    My sides constricted, not painfully, but with a firm, stabilizing pressure.

    The roots? Were they reacting to my stress? Holding me upright, keeping me steady?

    ¡°You can make liquid too!¡±

    Luna chimed in, glowing way too brightly for the situation.

    Apparently, she got done with her soap op¡ªI mean...she got done with her totally mature shows meant for all people. Yeah¡­

    ¡°We really aren¡¯t that different. You can change colors like me, and we both also produce fluids!¡±

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    I coughed, steadying myself in my seated position with my arms. ¡°This is not a pleasant thing.¡±

    ¡°It never is,¡± Luna pulsed, glowing solemnly.

    ¡°No, I me¡ªugh, forget it. Humans don¡¯t normally make releasing¡­fluids a big deal.¡±

    ¡°Weird.¡±

    ¡°I know, right?¡± I agreed with feigned solidarity.

    Communal release. Some culture back home had to do that, right?

    I shuddered before forcing myself to refocus.

    ¡°You need water, right, Luna?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, of course.¡±

    ¡°Then aren¡¯t you getting thirsty?¡± I mean, it had been a long time since she had a good sip from the ground.

    ¡°What? No. I get everything I need from you.¡±

    If there were crickets, they¡¯d be chirping right now.

    ¡°Well¡­I am not. So I need water.¡±

    Luna hummed thoughtfully. ¡°I think there¡¯s plenty on the ground.¡±

    I felt around the damp cave floor, my fingers brushing against the pools riddled with what I only hoped was just rock, sand, and dirt.

    ¡°I need to clean it first. Humans can get pretty sick if we take in too much bad stuff,¡± I explained.

    ¡°Roots.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°YOU HAVE ROOTS,¡± she thrummed, flashing a shade of green that screamed ¡®Idiot.¡¯

    ¡°Did you struggle to make friends?¡± I asked, genuinely curious.

    There was a slight shift in the grass wrapped around me, and a second later, my stomach twisted and my vision hazed.

    ¡°Luna! Stop, you¡¯re gonna kill me!¡±

    ¡°I was thirsty,¡± she stated simply, radiating pure indignation.

    Great. I just pissed off the sentient leaf attached to my bloodstream.

    ¡­She started it, though. No regrets.

    ¡°You told me you absorb everything and store what you don¡¯t need, right?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Yeah. Then later, I remove the waste.¡±

    ¡°And where do you store the toxins and other stuff?¡±

    ¡°The roots.¡±

    That was all I needed.

    If this worked, I¡¯d basically have a built-in filtration system. A safe, clean, and viable IV drip running straight through my hands. Any harmful stuff would get stored in the roots themselves¡­hopefully released later, never touching my body.

    Maybe I could even figure out how to control it.

    Ideally, the water goes in, diffuses into my bloodstream, and boom¡­no more thirst.

    I took a breath.

    ¡°Alright, how exactly does this work, Luna?¡±

    There was a pause.

    Then, a glittering rainbow erupted, lighting up the entire cave for several moments.

    That¡­would¡¯ve been immensely helpful during the fight.

    Maybe it was involuntary? I suppose if there was a predator, the normal reaction would be to hide, not light up like a set of holiday decorations.

    ¡°Ar¡ªare you laughing?¡±

    I couldn¡¯t believe it. This situation. It was too familiar.

    ¡°You did not just ask me how to drink water,¡± she echoed in my mind.

    I smiled a bit at the memory. ¡°You¡¯d get along with Thea.¡±

    ¡°Oh, and also, yes. I¡¯m not a plant. How should I know how to drink like one?¡±

    ¡°Just shove your hand in and wait, genius.¡±

    The light show didn¡¯t stop, though. Apparently, I had just said the funniest thing she¡¯d ever heard.

    Or she found a comedy I watched at some point.

    Alright. Just put my right hand he¡ªugh.

    There was a squish.

    Definitely a squish.

    I started to move my arm somewhere else, but Luna chimed in, much to my great sadness.

    ¡°What are you doing? That¡¯s the best place for my roots.¡±

    Oh.

    That¡¯s a corpse, isn¡¯t it?

    Gross.

    ¡°I don¡¯t need iron,¡± I muttered.

    I knew she said excess iron was stored. I just really, really hoped that applied to me. I¡¯m no scientist, but the last thing anyone needs is too much metal in their blood.

    ¡°I absorb water from blood much faster. Stay there.¡± She ordered me.

    ¡°I separated from your roots a while ago, but they should still work the same,¡± she added.

    Time passed.

    I sat there, hand submerged in vile meat, contemplating the choices that led to this moment.

    ¡°This is slow.¡±

    Luna huffed. ¡°Drink it with your mouth, then, if they¡¯re so great.¡±

    ¡­I went quiet after that.

    The roots had reacted to my internal strength earlier.

    Maybe I could try something with that.

    A pump.

    Constrict the roots in sections so they absorb the juices faster.

    Without thinking too much, I tried it. Of course, my Precursor Energy was required, but it wasn¡¯t too demanding so no headaches yet.

    I couldn¡¯t really tell if it was working super well, but I was definitely feeling less lightheaded. My throat was still dry¡­but less than before.

    One of my few instant successes.

    I let out a low chuckle. Can¡¯t wait to tell the others of my genius.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Luna asked, genuine curiosity in her voice.

    ¡°Using my power to absorb water more quickly.¡±

    She pulsed a deep purple. ¡°Wow¡­can you show me?¡±

    I guess that was the fusion of awe and curiosity.

    ¡°Yeah. You should be familiar with world force, right? Can you absorb world energy?¡±

    Silence.

    I guess not.

    Just because I could see the visible spectrum didn¡¯t necessarily mean I could control any part of it. Maybe it was the same for her.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll inject a bit of my internal force into you.¡±

    Wait...she didn¡¯t exactly have a center like I did. No core, no chest, no standard spots for reservoirs. Maybe she could follow my path in her own way?

    One way to find out.

    ¡°I¡¯m ready.¡± She informed me.

    I felt the tension around my wrist, but I started slow, careful not to overwhelm her small form.

    I pushed a thread of my energy toward her.

    Silence.

    ¡°I¡­don¡¯t feel anything,¡± she admitted. Her glow dimmed slightly.

    ¡°Huh.¡± I frowned. ¡°Okay, try thinking about it like water. You absorb that fine, right?¡±

    Luna pulsed in thought.

    I sent another pulse of energy, this time a bit stronger, guiding it gently into her form.

    ¡°Focus on the feeling. This is sort of what you see. Just my altered version of it. Everything should have their own. Sense yours through mine.¡±

    No response.

    I amped up the energy just a bit more before...

    ¡°Amazing! All of this, around me, in me. And I, my family. None of us even knew.¡±

    Luna pulsed with wonder as I pulled my energy back.

    ¡°Normally, I¡¯d try to teach you how to sense world energy, but¡­yeah, I don¡¯t think that¡¯s necessary.¡±

    ¡°I started by creating web-lik¡ªroot-like structures in special points around my body. Eventually, that caused a change.¡±

    ¡°Got it. Let me try to take in the force,¡± she responded.

    Just out of curiosity, I injected her with a fresh batch of the cocktail beast and internal force as the energy paths were almost completely gone.

    I¡¯m glad I did.

    She didn¡¯t absorb the default golden energy.

    No.

    Luna was something else.

    I had no idea how I was supposed to guide her.

    Because she didn¡¯t just absorb it. She took everything.

    A vast rainbow of power folded into itself, merging into one solid path of pure, colorless¡ªno, color-overloaded light.

 Chapter 62: Beards Again

    Every stream moved toward her.

    Not blending. Not layering. Just effortlessly becoming one.

    My eye twitched.

    I had been grinding my soul into dust trying to figure this out. And here she is, doing it like it¡¯s breathing, or photosynthesis¡­whatever.

    I swallowed down the mild irritation bubbling up in my throat.

    ¡°Luna.¡±

    ¡°Hmm?¡± She pulsed a soft gold, ending her absorption.

    I hesitated, searching for the right words. ¡°Do you know what you just did?¡±

    A beat of silence. Then she pulsed again. Brighter this time.

    ¡°¡­Drank?¡±

    I let my head fall into my hand. The clean one, of course. The other was still finger-deep in a corpse I was glad not to see.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t just drink¡­I¡ªLuna, how the heck did you do that?¡±

    ¡°Do what? You said to think of it like water, so I did. Easy.¡± She happily explained, giving me all the credit.

    Can a person hate a plant? Because I am currently in that debate.

    ¡°How the heck did you take everything!?¡± I exhaled in one breath.

    She shifted uncomfortably on my wrist. ¡°What¡¯s up with you? No need to get so upset.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right¡­sorry. But really, I can¡¯t take all these trails of power. Just the one without, well, elements.¡±

    She pulsed in thought.

    I could tell she didn¡¯t quite get it. It was instinctual for her. Maybe it was just a Bloodroot ability. Maybe she herself was special.

    ¡°You reused your abilities. I can hear your thoughts.¡± Luna interrupted mine.

    ¡°Seems unfair¡­I couldn¡¯t hear yours,¡± I shot back.

    ¡°You could tell I didn¡¯t understand. I don¡¯t think the same way you do. But you still understood me¡­¡±

    Ignoring that line of thought. At least I know it¡¯s possible. To store energy of different types was definitely possible.

    ¡°Luna?¡± I called in my mind.

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    ¡°You said it¡¯d be hard for us to separate, right?¡± I asked curiously.

    ¡°I cut myself off from your roots in your body, but mine have already entered you. Important ones.¡±

    She hesitated, pulsing with anxious light. ¡°Is there a problem?¡±

    I shook my head. ¡°No. I just wanted to enter your mind again. As confusing as it was, maybe becoming you will help.¡±

    ¡°¡­Do we have to?¡± she pleaded, unwillingly.

    ¡°Well, no. And even if I wanted to, I don¡¯t know how. It only worked when you were separated from me.¡± I relented.

    I could feel her version of a sigh. ¡°Maybe the power reacts to your will. You haven¡¯t wanted to fuse recently, just share our communication and abilities.¡±

    ¡°Then why did we fuse at first?¡± I asked, as if she were an expert.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± She gave her version of an annoyed huff. ¡°You didn¡¯t give instructions, so it went all out. It''s not my ability. You try."

    ¡°For a wee¡ª¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare.¡± She warned.

    I cleared my throat. Completely pointless, considering we were talking in my mind.

    ¡°You never stop doing pointless things.¡± She interjected.

    ¡°As I was saying, for a grass, you¡¯re pretty smart.¡± I attempted, finishing my compliment.

    A hue of altered red. ¡°...We can try it.¡±

    With her permission, I focused. I fused my internal force into the Beast Force once again, this time pushing more into it. Then, with the intent to fuse minds, I shot it into Luna.

    A pulse of discomfort surged through me.

    My body shifted and warped, no longer interpreting light as it once did. Patterns of energy waved around us, shifting and reforming, becoming something more natural as I¡ª

    ¡°Us!¡±

    Luna snapped, breaking through the chaos with her individuality.

    ¡°Not this again. Okay¡­one at a time. Luna, you talk.¡±

    We sighed. ¡°Okay, but I can only absorb a bit more. I¡¯m starting to feel weird.¡±

    Oh.

    Oooooooh.

    ¡°I forgot to mention something.¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡± We said, confused.

    The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    ¡°If you absorb too much power without making it your own¡­well, can plants pop? Anyway, just don¡¯t do it. If you feel sick, stop and exercise.¡±

    ¡°Exercise?¡± Luna asked.

    ¡°You know, move around¡­I guess shift your roots, or stretch, or do¡­whatever plant exercise looks like.¡±

    Luna pulsed with determination as she moved our body, stretching her roots in erratic, unsettling patterns.

    I immediately regretted everything.

    I had discovered the massive downside of inhabiting a body that wasn¡¯t mine.

    ¡°I¡¯m getting exhausted,¡± I muttered, trying to pant but unable. My color pulsed a pale lime.

    ¡°I barely started!¡± Luna huffed in frustration. ¡°I can feel it, though. Some is leaving, but some is also staying in our blade!¡±

    Our body lit up, pulsing with an assortment of chaotic, exciting frequencies.

    ¡°Alright, Luna. Now that you can convert your force, can you absorb a bit more? Just like before?¡±

    Our body shifted slightly in agreement as we both went silent.

    I let Luna take full control, focusing entirely on the feeling, anything that might help me unlock the secret to different energy absorption.

    I could see the paths flowing, coming closer, finally merging.

    Like a breath from a ghost, the wisp seeped into the blade of grass that was us.

    Then it hit.

    "AGHHH!"

    A surge of sensory overload.

    Freezing. Burning. Buried alive. And something in between and even something beyond.

    Something in me, my being that somehow even with a shared mind was individual, rejected it.

    Whatever shielded her mind, I didn¡¯t have that blessing.

    Every source slipped into me, and my mind snapped back violently. I forced myself out, panting hard.

    ¡°Are you okay? What happened?¡± Luna asked, her worry pulsing through me.

    I was soaked in sweat. My body was leaking all the water I had absorbed through my roots, as if trying to flush the sensation out.

    I took shallow breaths, trying to push through the phantom pain before answering, ¡°It¡ªit¡¯s nothing. I can¡¯t do it like you, but¡­¡±

    I was shaking, violently trembling, like I had been freezing to death just moments ago. My muscles ached, every hair on my body standing at attention.

    I pressed my hands into the pools of liquid around me, and a fleeting portion of that feeling returned. The dampness leaking between my fingers. Tracing across every groove of my skin. The way it flowed through me so violently at the moment Luna absorbed it.

    The nature of liquids.

    That was it.

    It wasn¡¯t about simply knowing energy existed. It wasn¡¯t about scientific logic or the physical world¡¯s rules.

    It had to be felt. Examined. Pulled apart.

    It was something beyond.

    Something almost¡­spiritual in nature.

    I may not be able to do it all at once. I¡¯m not Luna, but that''s alright. I have my own path.

    I will borrow from hers, as I will share mine back.

    I didn¡¯t know how yet. But maybe my abilities could sense more than just the surface of reality that I could see. Precursor Sense was proof of that. But there had to be a way to take it further. Like I did with Beast Force and internal strength.

    But there was a problem.

    I needed to heal.

    I could use my Precursor power to help circulate my energy, but to perform something as delicate as Sensory Veil in this state?

    Impossible.

    I understood that without even trying.

    I could feel Luna shifting on my arm¡ªexercising, stretching, moving.

    Unfortunately, I could also feel something wriggling in my veins.

    Her roots.

    I shuddered.

    Don''t think about it...Alright.

    "Time to stand."

    Alright. Breathe.

    I got this.

    "And UP!"

    I wobbled at first, my balance shaky, but circulating my energy constricted my sides, and the roots stabilized me.

    I wasn¡¯t queasy anymore. Either the water helped, or due to my cultivated state, I had recovered quicker than expected.

    Probably both.

    There was only one source of light which was the faint glow of orange moss.

    I moved toward it.

    My adjusted eyes burned slightly, watering at the corners as I approached. In my domain, the moss pulsed faint red, the color tracing their forms.

    Clusters of world force surrounded them, small red wisps mixing with other bright, but faint, colors.

    They didn''t seem particularly special. Essentially just glowing accessories to the cave, casting dim light on jagged rock and filthy water pools.

    But as I got closer, I realized something.

    It wasn¡¯t the moss that caught my attention.

    It was a hallway.

    And yes, I know...it¡¯s a cave.

    But this was not natural.

    This was intricately carved. Well built.

    Or at least, I hoped.

    A long corridor leading into the unknown.

    Hopefully, an unknown that didn¡¯t involve any more sensory deprivation monsters.

    I listened.

    Silence.

    Not a single noise from within.

    Then again, it¡¯s not like I noticed the first ones until it was too late.

    ¡°Luna?¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    ¡°Can you keep an eye out for anything?¡± I asked telepathically.

    ¡°How?¡±

    ¡°What? What do you mean, how?!¡±

    What wasn¡¯t understandable about my request?

    ¡°I don¡¯t have eyes.¡±

    I could feel the faint trembling of the blade on my wrist. She was snickering.

    Apparently, Luna had a sense of humor.

    Honestly? It wasn¡¯t bad. Not as good as mi¡ª

    ¡°You¡¯re not that funny.¡±

    ...Yes. I had found my answer.

    You could, in fact, hate grass.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be so dramatic. You called me a weed a few times already. I¡¯m only teasing.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, alright. That¡¯s fair. Anyway?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll keep an ¡®eye¡¯ out. No problem.¡± Luna¡¯s pulse carried amusement but also a hint of reassurance.

    I took a step forward letting all my abilities fade. But immediately stopped.

    A breeze drifted through the corridor.

    Not stale air. Not a damp cave draft.

    Something deeper like a breath.

    A slow exhale from something ancient, pressing against my skin.

    Pulling me forward.

    I stepped into the pitch-dark passage.

    For a brief moment, I considered igniting True World Sight through Luna again.

    But I resisted.

    Not yet. I shouldn''t use it until something dangerous came. Then I could at least tell where they were.

    My footsteps echoed, the soft patter of damp leather on smooth-cut stone.

    The corridor felt endless in my slow, cautious pace.

    But eventually I reached the end.

    I froze.

    ¡°¡­That¡¯s¡­why is he here?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?! Danger?!¡± Luna¡¯s pulse sharpened with apprehension.

    I couldn¡¯t answer.

    Because standing in front of me was something impossibly familiar.

    A carving of black stone. Dark and gleaming like onyx.

    A man with a killer beard.

    The one who rewarded me with Beast Force.

 Chapter 63: The First

    ¡°Who¡¯s that?¡± Luna asked, curiosity fluttering through her voice.

    ¡°He¡¯s¡­¡± I hesitated, searching for the right words. ¡°A moving rock that gave me powers.¡±

    Perfect.

    ¡°Huh¡­ I thought only plants and fleshy things like you and I could move.¡± She pulsed with excitement. ¡°The world is amazing. Without you, I never would¡¯ve seen this. Thank you.¡±

    Now I felt a bit bad for my crappy description.

    Might as well take the praise though.

    ¡°No problem.¡±

    The words rolled out with such confidence that you might''ve thought I performed some great service.

    Before our exchange could continue, the statue lit up just like last time. But instead of the slow cracking of stone followed by an old man stretching after a long nap, a deep red glow seeped from the statue¡¯s core, swirling outward and taking shape.

    A ghostly, translucent version of him.

    ¡°Freaky.¡±

    His glowing eyes locked onto me with instant recognition, but something was¡­off. His expression wasn¡¯t warm, nor was it the same amused approval I remembered.

    There was something else. Something I couldn¡¯t place.

    ¡°You again.¡± His voice was sharper, tinged with exhaustion. ¡°Doesn¡¯t seem like much time has passed.¡±

    Distant. Dismissive. Even annoyed.

    How could he have changed so much?

    His gaze flickered to Luna, eyes narrowing slightly. ¡°Seems like you brought something moderately useful with my gift.¡± His voice echoed unnaturally against the stone walls, cold and ethereal. ¡°How¡¯s your pet been treating you?¡±

    A smile curled his lips. A smile that shook me.

    This didn¡¯t feel like the same man at all.

    "WHAT DID HE SAY?!"

    Luna¡¯s fury exploded in my mind, her glow shifting to a crimson so deep it looked like blood seeping through my skin.

    ¡°Wh¡ªwhat happened to you?¡± The words slipped out before I could stop them, my expectations crumbling.

    A sneer.

    Yeah. That was definitely a sneer.

    ¡°Looks like you got torn up too.¡± He ignored my question, his tone laced with dry amusement. ¡°I don¡¯t know what I saw in you so long ago, but to reward you¡­¡±

    He sighed, as if the very thought sickened him.

    ¡°I was¡­so soft.¡±

    ¡°He said pet, didn¡¯t he?! Break the rock! Maybe he¡¯ll disappear! That¡¯ll show this gross-looking monster!¡± Luna barked, practically vibrating with rage.

    I almost laughed at the unintentional insult toward me. Other than age, the statue and I weren¡¯t all that different. Both human-shaped, at least.

    The hall pulsed with a deep crimson light, the cavern itself trembling as the old man¡¯s presence filled the space.

    ¡°Tell that whining child to be silent. I won¡¯t address it myself.¡±

    The words carried weight, enough that I felt them in my bones.

    ¡°Luna, I think we need to stop.¡± My heart pounded in my chest, muscles locking in place. Even the roots wrapped around me tensed like coiled springs.

    He never had this kind of influence before¡­ or at least, he never showed it.

    Luna still pulsed with fury, her glow a deep, vengeful red, but at my urging, she quieted in my mind.

    ¡°Finally.¡± The old man exhaled, as if shedding an immense burden. His translucent fingers pressed against his equally translucent temples, rubbing them like an exhausted parent. ¡°I suppose I will send you to the trial ground. Despite your¡­ deformed state.¡±

    Did he just¡­ smirk? I could¡¯ve sworn I saw the corner of his mouth twitch.

    And trial?

    I wasn¡¯t ready for anything like that.

    ¡°Silence.¡±

    The word cracked through the space like a command from something greater than mortal.

    The worst part? I hadn¡¯t even been talking.

    ¡°You will both go. I don¡¯t want such a wretched creature here.¡± His spectral hand gestured toward Luna, my only real friend these past few days.

    He waved his hand, and the world broke.

    Not an earthquake. Not a shift in gravity.

    Something shattered.

    Space itself cracked in front of me, stretching wider and wider like a wound in reality.

    And I knew this sight.

    I had seen it once before. The same tear that first pulled me into this world.

    "NO! You can¡¯t send me away!" I forced my body to move, to resist, pushing what little energy I had left into my limbs. If I could just activate Swift Stride.

    A rusted red light erupted from the old man¡¯s form, locking me in place.

    I was frozen.

    The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

    He drifted toward me, his translucent form flickering like a dying ember.

    ¡°I can do as I please.¡± His voice was a whisper, a growl, a judgment all at once. ¡°And I¡¯ll take this crutch away. The competition must be fair, after all. Pass, and you will be rewarded¡­ otherwise.¡±

    A low chuckle. Cold. Cruel.

    Something physical pushed against my back. A solid hand.

    And a ripping pain, like something was torn from me.

    Then I was gone, falling, tumbling through the shattered void.

    For a single, time-warped moment, I turned and caught one last glimpse of myself.

    My body. Motionless. Slumped to the ground.

    My stomach flipped like an acrobat as I spun through the abyss, limbs weightless, vision twisting.

    I tried to orient myself, to focus, but my eyes refused to stay still. Everything blurred and twisted, an endless pull dragging me deeper.

    I spiraled and rolled until I slammed into a pool of glittering stars causing a violent ripple to fly outward from my impact.

    ¡°Pathetic.¡±

    Some guy scoffed at my elegant landing.

    Snickers followed his announcement of my station.

    A clique leader. Had to be. The kind of guy who thought he was much muuuch cooler than he actually was.

    But at the moment, I couldn¡¯t care less.

    My ears twitched in shock.

    Other people.

    Jerks, apparently. The kind that would fit right in with high school politics. But still people.

    Real, breathing people.

    My heart hammered at the realization, the sheer unexpectedness of another human voice rattling through me.

    And just as I was processing that monumental discovery, Luna hit me with, ¡°What¡¯s high school? Is it fun? Did you watch any shows about it?¡±

    I blinked.

    Out of everything happening right now, this was what she focused on?

    ¡°I read a lot of stories about it,¡± I sent back. ¡°You can read them later. Plus, I lived through most of it.¡±

    I moved to brush myself off, only to pause.

    Hm.

    I didn¡¯t remember being see-through.

    Or¡­ purplish.

    I think I¡¯m getting dangerously close to a heart attack.

    Though¡­ I didn¡¯t currently have a heart.

    And despite the very real sensation of sweaty palms, there was no moisture on me.

    Yeah. Definitely a problem for later.

    ¡°I can¡¯t see much here. There¡¯s so much power scattered about,¡± Luna lamented.

    I scanned the space, trying to get a better read on things, then froze.

    There were more of them.

    Despite just hearing them moments ago, seeing them was another thing entirely.

    More translucent figures. More ghost-like, purplish forms, all sitting in their own respective groups.

    A social hierarchy of spirits.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± I forced confidence into my voice. ¡°I¡¯ll be the eyes here.¡±

    And then, as if scripted, one of them locked eyes with me.

    A guy. Center of his group. Sitting like a king on an invisible throne. His translucent, purplish eyes bored into me with pure disgust.

    ¡°I hate when beggars are let in here.¡± From the voice, I could tell this was my previous critic.

    Wow.

    ¡°...No idea what makes you think I¡¯m a beggar,¡± I shot back, tilting my head. ¡°But seriously, what gem-encrusted staff got shoved up you and made you so high and mighty?¡±

    A snicker from another group.

    Good. Someone here appreciated the gold that flowed from me.

    ¡°You think so much of yourself¡­ it¡¯s a little sad.¡± Luna chimed in, unimpressed.

    Rude.

    Then, at the exact same moment, two people stood.

    One, obviously pissed, his color darkening from purple to a near-black as his posture screamed ''I¡¯m about to throw hands.'' His underlings, because of course he had them, rose with him.

    But from behind me, movement.

    A different figure rushed forward, his squad trailing behind.

    A savior?

    I instinctively stepped back, slipping into what I hoped was my accepted new group.

    Successfully blending in with my new purple buddies.

    ¡°You¡¯re going to protect a stranger?" Angry Guy sneered.

    The friendly leader, my new favorite person, puffed out his chest. ¡°Anyone who messes with you has gotta be good. So¡­¡± he paused and looked at me.

    ¡°Peter.¡±

    ¡°So Peter here is my friend now.¡±

    I like this guy.

    He¡¯s got a code.

    Follows it.

    And, most importantly¡­

    He protects me.

    ¡°Hey,¡± I whispered from behind my personal guard. ¡°What¡¯s your name, man?¡±

    He didn¡¯t answer.

    But the girl next to me did, her tone dripping with pure, unfiltered dreaminess.

    She practically sang his name.

    ¡°Calum. Isn¡¯t he brave standing up to Dain like that?¡±

    I nodded, as if deeply considering this. ¡°Yeah. Brave for sure.¡± I made sure to say it loud enough for Calum to hear.

    Luna, unimpressed as always, chimed in. ¡°Dain is right. You are kinda pathetic.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. But I am safe and pathetic.¡± I corrected.

    Priorities.

    Dain took a step forward, his posse falling in line.

    Oh, great.

    It looked like we were about to start a brawl.

    I took a breath and tried to circulate my energy through my Gran¡ªNope.

    Something¡¯s wrong.

    This is not a Grand Channel.

    Oooookay. Ummmm.

    ¡°Luna?¡±

    ¡°Hm?¡±

    ¡°Can you absorb energy the same way¡­ or move it?¡±

    There was a pause. A slight shift of energy as the tension outside my mind thickened.

    ¡°Yep!¡± she said cheerfully. Completely unaware of my current existential predicament.

    I wanted to analyze my new form further, maybe figure out what the hell I had instead of my normal channels. So, logically, I tried to activate my inner flame.

    Nothing.

    Tried again.

    Nothing again.

    Okay. Fantastic. Just peachy.

    Unfortunately, I didn¡¯t have time to spiral about it because a sharp sound broke me from my internal crisis.

    Knuckles cracking.

    The kind that meant someone was about to charge.

    ¡°WELCOME!¡±

    A voice boomed across the void, cutting off the impending battle.

    A familiar voice.

    The entire galactic pool trembled as its source revealed itself.

    Oh. It¡¯s him again.

    ¡°Some of you have patiently waited for this month¡¯s trial,¡± he announced, his voice carrying across the endless space. ¡°Others¡­ took their time in travel. But it is finally time to start.¡±

    ¡°GREETINGS, ANCESTOR!¡±

    The entire crowd responded in unison.

    I nearly jumped out of my not-quite-corporeal body.

    They all bowed, hands at their sides, at the same time.

    Like this was a regular thing.

    Luna, meanwhile, was having her own minor crisis. ¡°What¡¯s happening?! All the paths are moving at the same time!?¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­ maybe they rehearsed while they waited?¡± I offered weakly.

    It really was something to witness.

    And there I was, standing like an idiot.

    Not that it mattered. No one was paying attention to me anyway.

    All eyes were locked onto our announcer, the one who brought me here.

    He lifted a hand, voice steady and final.

    ¡°Control of your energy. Knowledge of different foundations. Your methods. All will be tested.¡±

    A single pause.

    A single, simple statement.

    ¡°The first trial begins now.¡±

 Chapter 64: Teamwork

    A low hum built in the air, rising into a deep, vibrating force that crashed down on everyone present, including me, forcing us to our knees.

    The pressure was overwhelming, so intense that I could feel my form unraveling, like I was on the verge of fading completely.

    ¡°Bear the pressure. If you fade, you fail. Hurry¡­ soon the next phase will begin.¡±

    The floating overseer¡¯s final decree echoed through the space before he simply vanished, leaving us to fend for ourselves.

    I gritted my teeth, body trembling under the crushing weight.

    ¡°L¡ªLuna, are you okay?¡± I managed to think through the suffocating force.

    ¡°Hm? Yeah, I¡¯m fine. How are you?¡±

    Her chipper response hit me so hard that I face-planted straight into the shimmering sky pool.

    ¡°HOW?!¡±

    ¡°How what?¡± she huffed. ¡°I¡¯ve just been gathering energy while you listened to that horrible man.¡±

    I twitched.

    Cultivation.

    That¡¯s it. That¡¯s what I had to do.

    If I didn¡¯t adapt, this new body was going to break apart under the force.

    I forced my consciousness inward, ignoring the outside world.

    Inside me was a delicate, intricate web. A thin, vein-like system of energy circuits, completely different from my old Grand Channel, which had been more like a massive pipeline running through my body.

    It was fragile, but it was what I had now.

    Even without Precursor Sense, my control had improved, enough that I could at least use techniques like Swift Stride, something that would have been close to impossible before.

    I just needed to focus.

    The center was the same as before, but unlike my Grand Channel, the energy didn¡¯t flow naturally. It just sat there, motionless.

    I had to guide it manually.

    I clenched my fist, forcing the energy to move, threading it through the delicate web of circuits inside me. I started small, forming a loop in the largest path, gradually increasing the flow.

    Little by little, the energy spilled into the smaller capillaries, and as it did, they began to respond on their own.

    It was working.

    The pressure lifted as my internal strength diffused through me, reinforcing my form.

    Just as relief washed over me, the impact slammed into my ribs.

    A pulse of raw energy, cold and unrelenting, ripped through my side, shattering my focus and yanking me out of my trance. My balance wavered, the crushing pressure of the trial rushing back in full force.

    Pain bloomed in my torso. A searing, phantom ache.

    I staggered, vision flickering. Sabotage.

    My gaze snapped to the culprit. One of Dain¡¯s little lapdogs, standing with his hand still raised, fingers twitching from the aftershock of the blast.

    The bastard was already charging another one.

    ¡°Are you insane?!¡± I snapped, my breath ragged.

    No answer. Instead, a scream tore through the air.

    Across the battlefield, another group had turned on itself. A young girl let out a strangled cry as her leader shattered her form with ruthless efficiency.

    I barely had time to process it before Luna¡¯s voice spiked in my mind.

    ¡°Peter, dodge!¡±

    I threw myself to the side just as a colorless bolt of energy detonated where I had stood, sending a violent shockwave rippling through the shimmering sky pool.

    I hit the ground hard, rolling into a crouch.

    ¡°Hurry up and return!¡± Dain¡¯s voice barked from the chaos.

    I barely glanced at him, but I could see Callum already locked in battle, his strikes clashing hard against Dain¡¯s. The rest of their groups were desperately fighting to break through. A full-scale war erupting across the battlefield while I was busy.

    Meanwhile, the guy in front of me just nodded to himself, as if confirming that he¡¯d take me out personally.

    ¡°You bastards.¡± I exhaled sharply, dropping into a stance.

    I was done trying to reason with the people here in this world. If they wanted a fight, fine. I¡¯d give them one.

    Swift Stride was too unstable to use mid-circulation, but Air Lance? That was easier to manage.

    I bolted forward, closing the distance between us in a flash. My opponent didn¡¯t flinch. If anything, he welcomed the aggression. His stance lowered, his lips curling into an arrogant grin.

    He thinks I¡¯ll fight him head-on.

    Good.

    Just before we were an arm¡¯s length apart, he moved, snapping his leg up for a kick. At the same time, I threw out my palm, Air Lance firing straight from my hand.

    His grin twisted into wide-eyed shock.

    Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

    He must¡¯ve felt the shift in the air, because he tried to pull his leg back.

    Too late.

    The spear of pressurized force punched clean through his leg.

    ¡°AGHHH!¡± His scream cracked through the battlefield. His body lurched, balance completely wrecked, and he started to fall.

    I dived after him, slamming into his falling form, pinning him hard against the energy-woven floor.

    He thrashed beneath me, rage and panic in his eyes. ¡°GET OFF, YOU WOR¡ª¡±

    Didn¡¯t let him finish.

    My fist drove into his jaw.

    Then again.

    And again.

    It was unnatural.

    No crack of bone. No tearing flesh. Just a dull thud, followed by a spray of flickering purple light bursting from his shifting form.

    He was fading.

    Fear flashed in his eyes.

    ¡°ST¡ª¡±

    I punched him again.

    His body flickered violently, the edges of his form unraveling like smoke. He wouldn¡¯t last much longer.

    I lifted my fist for the final blow...

    ¡°MOVE!¡±

    Luna¡¯s voice screamed in my head.

    It must have been difficult with all the energy around here because she had seen it too late.

    And by the time my body reacted it was already there.

    A polearm slammed into my back like a wrecking force, sending me hurtling off my victim.

    My mind fractured under the impact. My vision warped, too blurry to make out anything but the fading trails of light leaking from my form.

    I didn¡¯t know what would happen if I faded.

    But the fear clawing at my throat from instinct hinted to the truth.

    I gritted my teeth, trying to regain control, but something was wrong with that strike.

    It wasn¡¯t a bolt of energy or some weird, hardened limb.

    It was a staff.

    A weapon.

    Doesn¡¯t matter.

    I needed to move, to stabilize, but my circuits were freezing up, the energy inside them locking down.

    I just wanted to forget about all of this. Honestly a nap would help. Just laying beside Thea comfo¡ª

    ¡°No! I won¡¯t let you!¡±

    Luna¡¯s voice pierced through my fading consciousness, vibrating through my mind.

    If I disappeared, she probably wouldn''t stand much of a chance alone.

    ¡°Sorry,¡± I tried, forcing my will to push the energy forward.

    Nothing.

    It wouldn¡¯t follow my command.

    ¡°Sorry isn¡¯t go¡ªoh. Oh!¡±

    Luna¡¯s tone shifted, suddenly bright, almost amused.

    ¡°You¡¯re fine. Stop being dramatic and get up.¡±

    ¡­What?

    But she was right.

    Just like that, my senses snapped back, circuits flowing without my effort, my body solidifying instantly.

    I blinked. "Luna?"

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, maybe it¡¯s because we¡¯re in these forms.¡± A pause. Then, matter-of-factly, ¡°Anyway, I¡¯ll circulate for you. Just focus on keeping us alive.¡±

    A breath. Then I laughed.

    A quiet chuckle at first, but it grew as I took in the stunned expressions of my attackers as I doubled over.

    My previous victim barely holding himself together and the other mystery ambusher, a girl, gripping a polearm, which contained the same appearance and energy as her body.

    It hardly seemed fair. Somehow she must''ve been able to create a solid weapon from her own energy.

    Then again¡­

    I had Luna now.

    With her controlling my circulation, I could recover my full speed.

    I diffused power into my feet and sprang forward, closing the distance before they could react.

    ¡°Ho¡ª¡±

    The half-dead lackey barely choked out a sound before my foot slammed into his head.

    A muffled groan, his translucent form flickering, turning even more transparent.

    The girl¡¯s breath hitched as she raised her staff, preparing to fight.

    ¡°Uh-uh.¡±

    I pressed harder, feeling the lackey shudder beneath my foot.

    She hesitated.

    Her hands trembled slightly as she lowered her weapon, deep concern etched into her face.

    ¡°¡­Stop. Please.¡±

    Her pleading shocked me.

    She wasn¡¯t asking... she was begging.

    But her voice was just a distant hum, drowned out by the humming already echoing in my ears.

    He attacked me. He deserved to be crushed like an insect. One more ounce of effort. Just a little more weight.

    She couldn¡¯t stop me. I could just run. Or I could take her o¡ª

    ¡°Would you get over it?! Why don¡¯t you ask some questions? And don¡¯t use too many skills at once. Moving energy around your body is harder than I thought.¡±

    Luna¡¯s voice cut through the haze, slicing straight through my tangled thoughts.

    I exhaled slowly, forcing the fire in my veins to settle.

    She was right. There were more important things to handle.

    I loosened my stance slightly. ¡°What happens if I crush him?¡±

    My voice was calm, though the adrenaline still simmered beneath it.

    The lackey gritted his teeth, eyes burning. ¡°I die, you son of a¡ª¡±

    ¡°And you think now is the time to mouth off?!¡±

    Man, these people were seriously nuts. I could respect the dignity, but what was the point of having any if I crushed his skull like a rotten fruit?

    A voice barked through the battlefield, sharp and demanding.

    ¡°Synthia, what are you doing?! Kill hi¡ª!¡±

    Dain.

    I didn¡¯t glance over, but the fact that he didn¡¯t finish his sentence told me everything I needed to know.

    He was still locked in battle.

    I watched Synthia carefully, searching for any sign of movement.

    But she didn¡¯t budge.

    She was still, but not out of fear.

    Her focus was entirely on the man beneath me. Someone important to her.

    Family? Or something more intimate?

    I studied her for another second, then asked, ¡°Alright, Synthia. Can you leave this place?¡±

    She nodded, her eyes never leaving the lackey beneath my foot.

    ¡°After each round, you can leave or stay. But if you¡¯re forced out¡­¡±

    She trailed off.

    I gave a slight nod, then looked down at my unfortunate victim.

    ¡°I¡¯m assuming Dain asked you to kill me?¡±

    He looked like he was about to say something stupid, but Synthia spoke first.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    I let the word hang for a second, then sighed making my decision. ¡°Well¡­ I guess you won¡¯t have to worry about him anymore.¡±

    While we¡¯d been talking, I had been gathering power in my hands, slowly charging two **blasting waves **just in case things went differently.

    His eyes flickered in confusion. ¡°What?¡±

    Synthia stiffened, but I was already done with them.

    I turned, spotting Dain, still too consumed in his fight to notice me slipping behind him.

    His back was wide open.

    I lifted my hands, both palms glowing.

    And grabbed his skull with both hands.

    ¡°How dar¡ª¡±

    I was so sick of this arrogant, drawn-out way of speaking.

    An explosion of light burst through the battlefield, swallowing him whole before he could finish his words.

    The entire realm fell silent.

    All eyes turned toward me.

    Whispers shimmered across the pool, hushed, uncertain.

    Glances were exchanged.

    And finally.

    ¡°P¡ªPeter. You don¡¯t know what you just did.¡±

    Callum¡¯s voice cut through the silence, his words ringing in the air like a funeral bell.

 Chapter 65: Memory of Youth

    ¡°Exactly what he tried to do to me.¡±

    I wasn¡¯t the smartest person in the world, b¡ª

    ¡°You can say that again,¡± Luna cut in.

    I ignored her. ¡°But I wasn¡¯t about to start holding back against someone who was obviously trying to kill me.¡±

    ¡°Peter, you don¡¯t understand¡ª¡± Callum started, but I held up a hand.

    ¡°Thanks.¡±

    ¡°Thanks?¡± His expression shifted to confusion.

    ¡°I mean¡­¡± I glanced around at the battlefield, now eerily still, opponents standing awkwardly as if they had forgotten why they were fighting in the first place. ¡°You didn¡¯t start fighting for nothing, right? I don¡¯t know many people who¡¯d protect a stranger.¡±

    ¡°I¡­¡± He hesitated, rubbing his tensed arms before sighing. ¡°It¡¯s no problem.¡±

    Then his gaze sharpened, his posture stiffening with something heavier. ¡°Even like this,¡± he gestured to our ghost-like forms, ¡°too many people know your face, Peter. I don¡¯t know where you are, but if you ever find yourself in the Kingdom of Voxter, look for the Bal family. Any branch will do. Tell them your name and then mine.¡±

    Something about the way he said it made my instincts bristle. Callum and Dain weren¡¯t just anyone.

    ¡°Thanks,¡± I said, committing the name to memory. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure to do that.¡±

    Wherever Voxter was, my name was about to start spreading. Whether it was as Peter, the stranger who participated in the trial, or as the guy who killed Dain¡­ that part wasn¡¯t exactly clear to me yet.

    Callum turned away, addressing his group. ¡°Get back over here. The fight¡¯s over.¡±

    His people moved, separating from their former opponents.

    I exhaled and shifted my focus inward. ¡°Luna, how you holding up?¡±

    ¡°Better,¡± she responded, her tone lighter. ¡°I¡¯m getting used to this. It seems like our systems are connected through a thin barrier.¡±

    ¡°Oh? Is that just in here?¡±

    A pause.

    Callum¡¯s group returned, and just before I thought she had forgotten my question, Luna finally answered.

    ¡°Maybe.¡±

    I sat down, letting Luna rest while I resumed control of my own circulation. Something felt off.

    The pressure. It was increasing.

    Steadily.

    Heavily.

    Callum sat next to me, settling into his own concentration, though his boredom must¡¯ve been getting to him, because he suddenly spoke.

    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen someone use cultivation like that¡­ well, maybe just a couple of people.¡± He eyed me. ¡°You¡¯re not a Bloodless, are you?¡±

    ¡°Bloodless?¡± I frowned. ¡°Never heard of anything like that.¡±

    His expression didn¡¯t change, but suspicion grew behind his eyes.

    ¡°What Kingdom are you from?¡±

    His tone had changed.

    Caution?

    ¡°I, uhh¡­¡± I stalled. ¡°I¡¯m not really from anywhere, but¡­ The State of Stars.¡±

    The shift in the group was instant.

    Tension rolled through them like a ripple in a still lake.

    The previous friendliness drained from their faces. Callum stiffened, his unease suddenly mirroring the rest of them.

    "Something wrong?"

    ¡°You said you¡¯re not really from there? Then where?¡±

    His voice had darkened, and I was really starting to get the feeling I should start moving away.

    I held up my hands. ¡°Just relax, guys. I¡¯m from somewhere really far away. I was just kinda¡­ I wouldn¡¯t say captured, but¡­ anyway, I just found myself there.¡±

    The tension in Callum and his group eased slightly. Then another wave of pressure crashed down on us, and all of them tensed again.

    ¡°I¡ª¡± Callum gritted his teeth. ¡°You know of the Northern Continent?¡±

    That sounded¡­ familiar. Like something on the edge of my mind, just out of reach.

    Wait. ¡°Luna?¡±

    ¡°Yeah? What¡¯s up? There¡¯s a ton of energy here, I want to focus on absorbing it.¡±

    Could she even keep any of this power? Could I?

    I shook the thoughts away. ¡°How much of my memory did you see?¡±

    ¡°Mostly just entertainment. Some of your life too, but it was boring, so I hardly bothered.¡±

    Rude. I sighed. Resigned to my fate of having zero privacy with this sentient piece of grass.

    I probably looked a bit weird to everyone else right now, but at least they weren¡¯t interrupting.

    ¡°Anything you remember about the Northern Continent?¡±

    ¡°Hmmm¡­¡± A thoughtful hum. ¡°Something about war?¡±

    I spoke out loud with the realization. ¡°Oh.¡± I adjusted my posture against the pressure. ¡°Oooh.¡±

    I turned straight to Callum.

    ¡°We¡¯re, I mean not we personally, but we¡¯re at war.¡±

    Another spike of pressure crashed down. Somewhere in the distance, someone screamed then shattered.

    Just gone. Lost forever.

    I forced myself not to think about it.

    ¡°Luna, can you help?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m having a bit of trouble just with my own body,¡± she called back.

    The pressure was getting unbearable. Callum and I abandoned the conversation entirely, redirecting all our focus inward.

    If I had my Precursor Sense¡­ or even my Grand Channel¡­ this would¡¯ve been uncomfortable, sure, but manageable.

    But these circuits with their thin, intricate venules running through every inch of me, lacked auto circulation. Lacked efficiency. And that was a serious problem.

    The pressure kept mounting.

    Screams. Agonized and unwilling.

    I couldn¡¯t even tell how many of us were left.

    I was forced to close my eyes at some point in an attempt to block out any distractions.

    Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

    Luna trembled in my mind, on the verge of breaking, and I wasn¡¯t far behind.

    Then it stopped.

    Vanished suddenly and my body was freed.

    Collective breaths echoed in the silence, relief crashing down on everyone at once.

    ¡°You have done well.¡± The old man had returned.

    I opened my eyes and scanned the area.

    It was obvious that many had perished.

    But some remained. Flickering figures, barely holding themselves together. Some looked like a single breath would be enough to shatter them completely.

    One of them was Synthia¡¯s friend. She, however, looked fine.

    ¡°To have this many survive¡­ I am impressed.¡± The old man¡¯s voice carried through the space, cold and distant. ¡°Each of you will receive a reward for passing the first test.¡±

    A collective gasp rippled through the remaining participants.

    I leaned toward Callum, lowering my voice. ¡°Is it special to receive a reward?¡±

    He shot me a quick look, like a studious kid annoyed at being pestered while trying to listen to the teacher. ¡°I don¡¯t think so. Just wait, man.¡±

    Then he turned his attention back, uninterested in explaining further.

    Alright then. Maybe they were just gasping from happiness. Who knows.

    Before I could dwell on it, a massive orange bolt of energy erupted from the old man, splitting apart in perfect, precise lines.

    The fragments hovered in the air, swirling around him like they had a will of their own.

    I barely had time to react before a smaller bolt shot straight into me.

    The world shifted. I blinked.

    A cabin.

    ¡°Luna?¡±

    No response.

    Something was wrong.

    I couldn¡¯t move, couldn¡¯t blink and couldn¡¯t talk.

    Not even a twitch.

    I could only watch as a prisoner behind someone else¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°Kazriel!¡±

    A voice called from outside the small hut, followed by the sound of hurried footsteps.

    The door swung open, and a boy no older than a junior high student rushed inside.

    "Are you sure you want to do this? Once you step in, there''s no going back.¡±

    I felt the body I was inhabiting nod.

    "I am confident. Give me a bit more time. Make sure everyone knows I won¡¯t run.¡±

    The boy hesitated, uncertainty flashing across his face. But he gave a sharp nod before turning and sprinting off.

    I felt myself move, no, Kazriel moved, sitting down and closing his eyes.

    I could feel everything but I couldn¡¯t control a thing.

    His energy was different. Unlike the circuits or my Grand Channel. It flowed in a way that was entirely foreign.

    Organized branches stretching from the single focal point, spreading outward like the roots of a vast, unseen tree.

    It moved fast. Just as fast as my energy did when I carved inscriptions.

    But then he did something strange.

    He started gathering it in a way I knew was dangerous. Pulling in as much as he could, forcing it toward his extended hand.

    I felt his body waver. Nausea clawed at his consciousness, trying to drag him under.

    But he fought to stay awake.

    The energy remained tethered to his body by a single, delicate thread, and somehow, through that thread, he began to condense the energy.

    Folding it. Refining it.

    Forging it.

    And as I watched, unable to look away, it began to change.

    It became denser.

    Sharper.

    And eventually it became a blade.

    A flawless, golden saber.

    As long as his arm.

    Perfectly smooth and transparent, like a still lake, gleaming with a power I could barely comprehend.

    "They will regr¡ª"

    Static.

    My mind warped.

    Dizziness crashed into me like a tidal wave.

    I barely had time to brace before everything shifted again.

    The next thing I saw was a tiled arena, its surface smooth like polished marble, gleaming under a searing sun.

    Across from me, a young man, probably not even old enough to be in high school, glared at me with an intensity far beyond his years.

    Way too much hatred for a child.

    His silver blade gleamed as he pointed it at me.

    "The fact that something like you was ever allowed in here is a stain on this academy. I will correct its mistakes."

    Kazriel stepped forward, up the smooth stone steps and onto the stage.

    "I will not forgive you. You will regret what you did to Fresyn"

    The response was immediate.

    Laughter. Jeers. Mockery.

    Curses thrown like they would make you money, the kind of slurs that stung deep, laced with a venom only meant to cause pain.

    Even the adult standing to the side looked as if he might break down with laughter in sheer disbelief at what he heard.

    The boy sneered, his long, silky black hair shifting with the tilt of his head. "Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re upset about that worm."

    The moment he said it, something broke inside Kazriel.

    I felt it.

    A change in the presence of the body I inhabited.

    A fury unlike anything I had ever known. A tangled mess of grief and rage, grief so deep it threatened to drown me, so thick it burned my essence inhabiting his being.

    The adult stepped forward, ignoring the insult, his voice steady. ¡°You have both signed the contract. The arena will be sealed. Only one can step out. I will ask again. Do you agree?¡±

    What?! These are kids. Is he insane?!

    The opponent smirked. ¡°I agree.¡±

    Kazriel didn¡¯t hesitate. ¡°Agree.¡±

    The referee stepped out.

    The moment he did, a massive dome shimmered into existence around them. A low hum of power vibrated through the air, its sheer force distorting reality, mirages echoing around its edges.

    It was as if even air itself would struggle to pass through.

    "You made a mistake." Kazriel¡¯s voice resonated in a low growl.

    Before another insult could be lodged, he reached into himself.

    The blade from before erupted back into existence.

    He had drawn it from somewhere deep within. Pulled from his very being. It was formed instantly, condensed perfectly.

    His opponent¡¯s eyes went wide.

    ¡°Ho¡ªThat¡¯s impossible!¡±

    His gaze flickered, sharp and panicked. ¡°You. THIEF! HOW DARE YOU STEAL THAT MANUAL!¡±

    Kazriel didn¡¯t answer.

    Instead, he charged.

    The young noble wasn¡¯t an amateur. His sword flicked up in an instant, bracing for impact.

    CLANG!

    The moment the blades met, I sensed the impact.

    It rattled through Kazriel¡¯s arms, the shock traveling deep through his bones.

    But his opponent''s face twisted in something close to horror and pain.

    The force from Kaz''s saber didn¡¯t just hit the opposing blade, it struck something inside him.

    His sword shuddered under the strike, a hairline crack forming near the edge.

    Kazriel smiled. ¡°Do you regret it?¡±

    "Shut up!" The boy lunged with a roar.

    A sharp, brutal kick slammed into Kazriel¡¯s ribs.

    I felt the air rush from his lungs.

    Pain shot through my chest, my vision blurred for just a moment, but Kazriel held firm, even as his feet slid back across the marble.

    A blade was already swinging down at him.

    ¡°A beast like you deserves to die!¡±

    Kazriel moved.

    With a breath and a few lost strands of hair, he barely slipped out of the way. He stumbled twice before catching himself from falling.

    His opponent followed through, twisting the strike, blade flicking toward Kazriel¡¯s throat.

    Kazriel ducked low, pivoting on instinct. His free hand flashed out, internal strength already settled into it.

    Wind roared as a pulse of energy exploded outward.

    The noble¡¯s feet slipped from under him.

    He crashed onto his back, hard.

    From outside the dome, the instructor pounded on the barrier.

    "STOP THIS! STOP THIS RIGHT NOW!"

    He threw himself at it, hands shaking, but nothing gave.

    ¡°The duel is over!¡± Despite his corruption, the fight had to continue.

    Kazriel didn¡¯t stop. He sprinted forward and his blade sang through the air, slicing toward the boy¡¯s legs.

    The noble twisted away, but not fast enough.

    A clean strike. A gut-wrenching cry and a red crescent splattered across the pristine marble.

    The boy screamed.

    A sound that pierced the air, shaking with agony, thick with disbelief.

    Kazriel¡¯s fury shifted and something seemed to break in his mind.

    His rage had blinded him, but now, in the aftermath, in the silence following that one brutal strike, he wasn''t sure anymore.

    The boy gasped, his breath shaky, his eyes wild.

    "Stop!" His voice cracked, half sob, half desperation. "If you cont¡ª" He sucked in a sharp breath, adrenaline the only thing keeping him sober and awake.

    Kazriel hesitated.

    His grip tightened, then loosened.

    Just for a second.

    Then the noble sneered through the pain.

    "Good. If you don''t, I¡¯ll have your family kil¡ª"

    The blade pierced his throat.

    Silence.

    His opponent¡¯s eyes went wide with disbelief. The last sound that escaped his lips, a gurgling choke.

    The final, shuddering exhale of someone who didn¡¯t expect this would be the end.

    I closed my eyes to avoid the grim sight of someone so young snuffed out in an instant.

    The air shifted around me.

    I opened my eyes.

    I was back.

    Staring into the strange rift of the trial once more.

 Chapter 66: My Weapon

    I looked up. The old man still loomed above, watching like a king surveying his domain.

    ¡°Oh?¡± His gaze flicked to me, curiosity laced in his tone. ¡°Was your skill so simple that you finished this early?¡±

    I hesitated. What I had just witnessed felt anything but simple. It was dangerous, deadly even. I knew well enough the risk of pushing all my internal force at once.

    Yet he continued to stare, as if peeling back every layer of my existence with his eyes.

    ¡°Spiritual Weapon¡­ it¡¯s been so long.¡± He sighed, looking past me as if recalling something distant. ¡°You will have until everyone wakes to practice. Be quick, the next trial will begin as soon as they do.¡±

    Offering advice now? His mood swings were getting ridiculous.

    As if reading my thoughts, he muttered, ¡°Time changes many things.¡±

    Then, just like that, he turned away, dismissing me entirely.

    ¡°Luna?¡±

    Silence.

    I guess she got a reward too. Though, I had no idea how a plant was supposed to use someone else¡¯s memories.

    Not my problem.

    But that¡­ Spiritual Weapon.

    A technique that allowed me to create and summon a blade at will.

    I had felt the process, experienced it through him. I had a good idea of how to achieve it. But this body? It wasn¡¯t as refined as my real one. If I made a weapon using this form, could I reforge it?

    ¡­Doesn¡¯t matter.

    This reward was already insane. What else could I gain if I continued?

    And if I did, I¡¯d need every ounce of extra power I could get.

    I took a slow breath, stretching my arm forward, preparing to gather everything this body had to offer.

    I replicated the process I had witnessed, channeling the force into one point.

    More.

    More.

    Purple energy flickered from my form, shimmering like fractured light.

    Then, the strain set in.

    The effects of using every last drop of my internal strength began to weigh on me.

    But I forced myself to stay awake, pushing past the cold embrace of whatever waited beyond.

    The real challenge began now.

    Control.

    Exerting my will over the energy in this state was unlike anything I had done before.

    It was similar to forming a core inside my body, but also¡­ not.

    Here, everything was foreign. The energy didn''t flow naturally; it fought back. The air itself was dense, thick with interference. Other energies clashing, pushing, pulling, trying to scatter my own like a tide against sand.

    But I could do this.

    I had done it before inside my body. I had felt it in the memory.

    Focus.

    The handle first.

    It took time, but there it was.

    I stole a glance. A hazy, barely-there form, floating just in front of me.

    Good.

    Next, the guard.

    More effort.

    Success.

    Now, the blade.

    Something inside me responded, pulling the energy inward. The weapon felt real, like an extension of me, whole and complete.

    It w¡ª

    Pain exploded through my chest.

    I lurched forward, coughing, my entire body shuddering as the weapon shattered in my grip.

    A breath. Then another. My vision blurred for a second, consciousness wavering.

    Every ounce of effort, wasted.

    Gone in an instant.

    Yep, I was missing something.

    I had no idea what, but I was sure everything was going perfectly fine up until now.

    A sigh echoed from above.

    ¡°Honestly, boy. What are you even doing? Did you learn nothing from that memory?¡±

    I looked up, still catching my breath. ¡°What more could I have learned? There wasn¡¯t much besides you making the weapon and killing some poor kid.¡±

    Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

    The old man paused at that, his gaze drifting and distant.

    ¡°Poor kid?¡± He muttered, as if rolling the words over in his mind. Then, with a shake of his head, he forgot it entirely. ¡°I can¡¯t remember. There have been too many.¡±

    His eyes snapped back to me.

    ¡°The technique is not difficult.¡± His voice was calm, steady, but carried weight. ¡°But a weapon is not something you choose so flippantly.¡±

    I frowned. ¡°What does that mean?¡±

    ¡°Why did you pick a sword?¡± he pressed. ¡°What was unique about the way you formed it?¡±

    I didn¡¯t answer.

    His gaze lingered a second longer before he sighed again. ¡°Think harder¡­ but recover first. It shouldn¡¯t take long.¡±

    I gave a slight nod and forced myself to refocus.

    I gathered the scattered force, pulling it back into this strange body.

    I then came to a realization.

    This ¡®circuit¡¯ system may not have moved on its own, but it had an undeniable advantage over my Grand Channel.

    It didn¡¯t just absorb energy, it trapped, molded, then refined it all on its own.

    Where my Grand Channel relied on circulation and quantity, this system captured the energy like a vice, transforming it before letting it move through me.

    More effort? Yes.

    But in a way this was a factory for internal force.

    Good. More tim¡ª

    ¡°AHHHHHHH!¡±

    I jumped to my feet, scanning the area for the source of the scream.

    But¡­ nothing. No one had moved. The only reaction came from the old man, who gave me an odd glance before returning to his usual indifference, staring at well, nothing, I guess.

    A brief word cut off my search.

    ¡°Sorry.¡± Luna¡¯s voice rang in my mind, small and sheepish.

    I exhaled, shoulders untensing slightly. Of course it was her.

    ¡°What the heck? What happened?¡±

    ¡°...Nothing.¡±

    Oh, no, she was not getting away with that.

    ¡°Seriously. Why the freak-out?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s¡ªyou try living in a plant¡¯s body for years, then suddenly getting tossed back into your old one. It¡¯s¡­ jarring.¡±

    Wait. Years? She spent years in a human body? I was only in there for a few minutes.

    ¡°You alright? What¡¯d you learn?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine now,¡± she assured me. ¡°I learned a transformation technique¡­ and experienced it. I don¡¯t think I can use it the same way since I¡¯m not like you, but I¡¯ll find a way to make it work.¡±

    I nodded to myself. ¡°Alright, practice up. I plan to keep going, and having you is a big advantage. Figure out whatever you can.¡±

    ¡°Alrighty.¡± She sounded more confident now, and with that, our conversation ended.

    I let out a breath and turned my attention back to my problem.

    Why a sword?

    I guess because that¡¯s what I saw in the memory.

    But¡­ it¡¯s not like I had ever used one.

    I fiddled with a dagger before. Ugh, nope, not digging that up. Bury that memory way waaay deeper.

    Until now, it¡¯s always been a beat down with my fists. Power behind a punch, occasional ranged attacks, which were also from my hands.

    So¡­ something on my hands?

    That would feel more natural. Maybe that¡¯s what I was missing.

    No rush to experience the nausea again, but no choice either. Let¡¯s try.

    I steadied my breathing and visualized something that would work.

    Something sturdy. Not just knuckle guards, like a cestus, but something more.

    Gloves.

    No... gauntlets.

    Yeah. I could work with that.

    Alright same process as before. Pull the energy out.

    Good.

    Now, shaping. I suppose if they extended up my forearms, they¡¯d offer more protection. Wait¡­ do I have to make two? Would splitting them weaken the structure?

    I flexed my fingers instinctively, hesitating.

    Well, one of my arms is a tree¡­

    No. Having both would be better.

    Swords could chop through tree arms, but maybe not energy-forged ones.

    Flexible at the joints. Last thing I want is my hands cramping from being locked in a fist. I needed mobility, fingers able to move, a palm that could open and close.

    I split the force evenly.

    Elongate.

    Harden.

    Not too much.

    A sharp pang of resistance surged forward. The energy suddenly fought against my will. My lack of control showed itself all at once.

    AGH! Dang it, too firm!

    The structure locked up, stiff and unyielding.

    I scattered the essence before it collapsed on its own.

    Okay. Reset.

    Thankfully I was not so far gone that I couldn¡¯t start again. The energy was still within my control.

    This time slowly. Carefully. I let the energy breathe, shaping it with more patience.

    Perfect.

    Now, the moment of truth.

    With my hands trembling and consciousness barely holding together, I extended both arms.

    It felt... natural. They slipped on like, well, gloves. The energy melded seamlessly from my elbows to my fingertips, fitting like a second skin.

    Like lost pieces of myself finally returning, not something new, but something I had always been missing.

    Then, just as effortlessly, they vanished, retreating into me. Still there. Still mine. Just intangible, waiting to be called again.

    "This is incredible."

    "Hm?" Luna¡¯s voice cut in, distracted.

    "Nothing." I shook my head, still feeling the lingering weight of my new weapons. "I think I¡¯m ready for what¡¯s next. You need anything?"

    "Just time," she said. "I¡¯ll be focusing now, so don¡¯t get us killed."

    "Roger."

    From the memory, I already understood how to summon them again. Just like any technique, it was a matter of guiding the energy and pushing it outward. Like magi¡ªor cultivation I guess.

    I took a breath and glanced around. Callum and the others'' faces scrunched in deep concentration. Scattered throughout, some groups were trapped in the serenity of the dreamlike memories.

    There was still time.

    I summoned my spiritual weapons again. They materialized instantly, glowing with my power. But there was a problem.

    These things devoured my internal force like it was their favorite drink. I wouldn¡¯t last more than a few seconds if I kept them active. And fair enough, most fights didn¡¯t last long anyway, but if one did...

    I needed a solution.

    This body required constant, manual energy circulation. Now, I just had to layer another task on top of that. Absorption while moving. If I could pull that off, prolonged combat would actually be possible.

    I was just about to start practicing when a voice cut in.

    "Welcome back!"

    The ghost¡¯s voice boomed across the space, his gaze sweeping over us.

    "You now have two options. Continue," He flicked his hand, tearing open a fissure in the rift. "Or return." Another wave, and a second portal split open in the void.

    Callum stood next to me. "What¡¯re you gonna do?"

    He didn¡¯t seem directly hostile, which was nice. I mean, really, I had zero investment in whatever war was going on here.

    "I''m going to continue," I said.

    He nodded. "With your strength, it should be fine¡­ even if you are a Bloodless."

    There it was again. Bloodless. I seriously needed to figure out what that meant.

    Callum turned to his crew. "The rest of you, return to the family. Tell them the news. Share the rewards."

    Then, without another word, we walked in the opposite direction.

    I glanced at him. "Do you have any idea what¡¯s next?"

    He opened his mouth. Closed it. Thought about something. Then finally spoke. "Historically? Battle."

 Chapter 67: The Sun

    It seemed like he was about to explain more, but we were interrupted.

    ¡°No, sto¡ªahhhh!¡±

    ¡°What are you doing? STAY AWAY!¡±

    Another scream.

    Then one final, ¡°I won¡¯t say anything. Synthia, plea¡ª¡±

    I turned just in time to see the last girl fade from existence with hardly a yell to accompany her.

    I didn¡¯t know what had happened on her side, but I could guess. Probably had something to do with not stopping me from killing her leader.

    Not that she had the ability to.

    From the return portal, only she and her companion remained from their original group.

    I glanced up at the old man, but he seemed completely disinterested, not even sparing a glance.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go, Peter.¡±

    Callum¡¯s voice pulled me back.

    My last look at Synthia showed her companion disappearing back to wherever he came from and her rushing forward towards our side.

    Then I stepped through my own portal.

    The environment was mostly the same as before, though many had chosen to progress. Callum and I, of course. The first girl who had turned on her companions in the first trial. And Synthia arriving last.

    There were also two other complete groups standing off to the side, exchanging whispers I could barely make out.

    Most of it was pretty normal. ¡°Be careful.¡± ¡°Stay prepared.¡±

    Some of it bordered on arrogance, the same kind Dain had carried before his death.

    Nothing of real value that I care to repeat.

    Then, a cruel chuckle echoed from above.

    ¡°To have made it this far¡­¡± The ghostly eyes in the void pulsed with amusement. ¡°You are far more useful than the worms that came before you.¡±

    The old man had once again adopted a new personality.

    And a level of arrogance that suited the statue that had sent me here, even refusing to reveal his full form. Just a pair of ghostly, red, orbs to banter with us.

    ¡°This trial¡­ you may notice something. Your spirits have been restored, along with your abilities.¡±

    I searched inward.

    He was right.

    My Grand Channel. My Beast Force. Even my Precursor Energy, all of it was back. Thankfully no cracks either.

    But I only let out a true sigh of relief when I felt the gauntlets.

    My effort hadn¡¯t been wasted.

    The old man continued.

    ¡°This is a trial of battle. You may be better than worms, but only just. There will be four levels. If you finish one, you may proceed to the next¡­ or you can join those who retreated before.¡±

    His gaze loomed over us with thinly veiled disappointment.

    ¡°You pass if you complete the third level.¡±

    ¡°Begin.¡±

    The void shifted.

    Darkness spun around me, twisting and unraveling like ink in water. My vision snapped, the weight of reality reasserting itself. I blinked, my feet now planted on solid, well, something. The space around me wasn¡¯t empty, but it wasn¡¯t whole either.

    I was alone.

    Then, the first shimmer.

    A small rift tore open just ahead, spilling out flickering blue light. A single armored leg stepped through. Heavy, plated, glowing with an eerie luminescence.

    Then another.

    A figure emerged fully, its armor smooth and almost too perfect, like polished, glowing, blue-glass shaped in the outline of a warrior. A massive greatsword rested against its shoulder, jagged and pulsing like it had been forged from moonlight.

    A person. Or at least something pretending to be one.

    So, just like an arena battle then?

    Five levels, right? Best to conserve my internal force for now.

    Still, having access to my actual body or spirit, whatever this was, felt so much better than before. My energy flowed smoothly, circulating like it was supposed to.

    Alright. First fight. Let¡¯s get to it.

    I activated Swift Stride, the familiar surge of power kicking through my limbs. The moment the technique flared, I launched forward, crossing the space between us in a breath.

    But to my surprise, the knight reacted.

    It moved backward in one swift step simultaneously swinging that block of steel in a wide arc.

    I dropped to my knees, cutting off my movement skill instantly. If I hadn¡¯t, I¡¯d be two halves of a person right now.

    The Air Lance gathering in my arm shot out, aimed straight for the knight¡¯s chest. But before it could connect, the knight immediately lifted its blade, catching my attack with a dull ring.

    Either it could sense my energy¡­ or it could see the power.

    When the blade lifted, I noticed something.

    You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

    Its free hand was raised behind it... pointed straight at me.

    Oh. Yeah. Maybe he couldn''t see my attack. Obviously a hand pointed at you in a world like this? That¡¯s never good.

    I moved, rolling away swiftly.

    An invisible blast tore through the space I had just been standing in, sending a shockwave rippling through the galactic water.

    But it wasn¡¯t just a hit. The water splashed up, droplets suspended midair before being sucked back in the pool, like they were struggling to exist out of it.

    I didn¡¯t have time to focus on that, though because he wasn¡¯t done.

    The knight adjusted his aim, hand still raised, and fired again. This time in rapid bursts.

    Less powerful than the first blast, but fast.

    I pushed myself to my feet and took off running, moving in a circular path, trying to close the distance.

    Of course, he noticed.

    He immediately cut off the projectiles and lifted his chunk of metal with both hands again.

    Then, he charged, meeting me head-on.

    A powerful thrust of his blade tore through the space between us.

    For something that large, you¡¯d think it would be slower than a normal saber, not that I had an enormous amount of experience with that but trust me¡­ It was fast enough to make me want to jump out of my skin.

    The sword whistled past me, missing my torso by the width of a hair.

    Yeah. No. That thing is way too dangerous.

    The sword? Too deadly to mess with. The rapid-fire projectiles? Also a problem.

    I had to get in closer no matter what, so I finalized my approach.

    I had a single Blasting Wave ready.

    The moment the phantom recovered its weapon, I jumped forward, landing square on its chest.

    I thrust my palm forward aiming for the head but, of course, the knight resisted.

    It grabbed for my hand, forcing me to release the blast early straight into its chest.

    *Thud.*

    The knight¡¯s body convulsed, spasming under the impact. It didn¡¯t dissipate, but it stopped moving for a moment.

    Then¡­ rustling.

    Nope. Not dealing with that.

    I did the most power-conserving thing I could think of.

    I beat it into a pulpy, force-filled mess.

    Fist after fist, sparks of energy burst from its form.

    Its glow dimmed and faded bit by bit until I felt my fist sink a little deeper.

    *Crack.*

    The problem shattered and the first round cleared.

    Eyes opened in the sky.

    ¡°Congratulations. You have proven yourself worthy to face the next challenge. Phase two will begin in one minute.¡±

    With a blink, they vanished, leaving me in silence.

    I exhaled and sat down, focusing on recovering as much as I could. But I couldn¡¯t automatically convert the force here into my own anymore.

    Great.

    Guess that meant just breathing for now.

    ¡°Luna?¡±

    A shift on my bracelet.

    ¡°...What?¡± Her voice was strained. ¡°I¡¯m almost there, but it¡¯s difficult. Is this an emergency?¡±

    ¡°Noooo, but I¡¯d like you to test if you can control this version of my power as soon as possible.¡±

    ¡°Later.¡±

    She didn¡¯t say anything after that.

    I let out a breath. Ghosted by a weed. Fantastic.

    Now that I¡¯d caught my breath, I stood up, summoning two Air Lances in each hand, bracing myself for whatever came next.

    One minute really isn¡¯t a long time.

    Two figures emerged. I barely noticed until they took several steps from the portals behind them.

    This time, they weren¡¯t heavily armored or wielding massive weapons.

    The first, a lithe figure in robes, a disk in one hand, a staff in the other, and the second, a ghostly thin assassin, twin curved daggers gleaming under the void¡¯s blue-tinted light.

    Just the thought of those blades rifling through my guts made my stomach twist.

    I would become minced meat. Literal minced meat.

    I inhaled, ready to charge, but I didn¡¯t have to as the assassin had decided to strike first.

    I shifted my stance, adopting Commander Griffith¡¯s style. Wait for the right moment.

    Last time, I was too obvious. The knight saw my attack coming and hid his counter behind his own blade. Nearly causing me some serious damage.

    Can¡¯t make it so clear this time. I had to wait. Time it perfectly.

    Just before he closed in, he threw a dagger at my foot, driving me away from any thoughts of strategy.

    I stepped back on instinct just as the second dagger swung wide, aiming to split me open.

    That was an oddly nostalgic feeling.

    No ice mage shooting spears at me from behind this time at least. He was fast but I could keep up. Not easily, but I could plan now.

    My eyes flicked toward the mage in the back.

    The disk glowed, the staff raised, but¡­ nothing yet. No immediate threat.

    Maybe these ghosts had some sense of camaraderie? No friendly fire allowed, apparently. Though something was happening.

    I should keep an eye out when possible.

    Honestly, the fight felt easier than the last one.

    For a smaller, supposedly faster enemy, he was calm.

    Swing. Dodge. Stab.

    Jab with an unarmed fist.

    Front kick.

    Swing.

    Stab.

    You get it.

    Predictable. Slow.

    The pattern formed in my mind.

    He threw another weak jab after a failed swing... the perfect opening. I landed a heavy blow to his face, deciding to trade blows in order to deal some damage of my own.

    The assassin recoiled, stumbling backward several steps.

    I raised my hand, preparing to release an Air Lance.

    Then a surge of heat slammed into me.

    A thin wave of fire cut across my vision as I released the attack.

    I had to move. Dove out of the way, twisting mid-air, arm still extended, locked into my attack.

    It hit the rogue, but when I recovered, all I saw was a thin hole burned into his side.

    And he looked unfazed.

    He charged again, not giving me a second to glance at the mage.

    But now I knew one thing: while the dagger-wielding ghost was near me, the mage wouldn¡¯t strike.

    That was important.

    Except something was different.

    He was faster now.

    Before, I could keep up, but now? My dodges barely missed.

    The kicks and jabs that followed hit harder, each one snapping through the air with a force that made me reevaluate my durability.

    Taking a hit to land one of my own hurt more than before.

    But I could still keep going. I could still see the pattern forming.

    It wouldn¡¯t matter how fast he was if I knew where he¡¯d be.

    Wait.

    Longer.

    Fists. Slashes. Kicks. Blades.

    Non-fatal blows traded, neither side giving ground.

    Now.

    The slowest attack. A thrust toward my head.

    I shifted to the side, my eyes locked on his front leg, waiting for the expected kick.

    At the same time, I grabbed his bladed arm and pulled.

    My free palm shot up under his chin, ready to end this with a final Air La¡ª

    "AGH!"

    A deep gash split across my wrist.

    No blood, just a splatter of purple energy, the pain searing through my body.

    I kicked out, sending the assassin flying backward.

    He landed and stood, now holding two daggers instead of the one.

    Somehow, he had summoned the other into his hand, waiting until now to reveal the ability.

    But that wasn¡¯t the worst part.

    I could feel it now.

    A heat, I previously thought was just from combat.

    It was above me, radiating with power.

    The mage had never been holding back for the sake of its ally.

    It had been charging up its ability... a miniature sun.

    Already large and still growing rapidly.