Beyond The System
Chapter 172: At the Edge

“Move back,” the commander ordered, his voice firm as he led the way toward the shore.

We didn’t hesitate. One by one, we summoned our weapons. Thea with her spear, Griffith raising his massive shield, and Elric silently brandishing his broken blades, already circling him silently.

As soon as I brought out my gloves, the energy drain hit me. Hard.

Even just wearing them without motion or strikes, it was enough to feel the pressure. These things burned through Internal Force far faster than my old gauntlets ever had.

It was manageable for now, but just to be safe, I dismissed them, sending the gloves back into my Inner Realm. No point wasting energy until the monster slime actually showed itself.

The strange forest sounds didn’t stop. In fact, they seemed to grow louder the moment our feet touched the water. Griffith’s barrier dropped in the same breath.

Chitter. Rustle.

“Screeech!”

Click. Click.

A barrage of noises followed, none of them consistent, none of them natural. A wild chorus of alien sounds overlapping into a wall of broken, unending communication.

“Is something coming?” Thea whispered, glancing sideways at me.

Luna? I reached out mentally. My Spiritual Sense couldn’t push more than a few paces past the waterline. All I could get was faint hints of movement.

Nothing’s leaving the woods, Luna answered. There’s a lot of movement inside, lots of energy stirring, but I can’t push much further, not here.

We waited, breath held collectively. The sounds continued like a background hum of tension, until finally, Elric spoke up.

“Maybe the creatures are territorial?” he suggested. “It only came out when Peter went to grab the wood.”

There was a pause, then slowly, one by one, we began to dissipate our weapons. Even as he let his shield vanish, Griffith’s eyes stayed fixed on the treeline.

“Could be,” he murmured, “but it touched the beach. We don’t know how far their territory stretches if that’s even what it is. And of course, there’s always—”

“The death?” Thea interrupted softly.

He nodded. “Exactly. Even with no blood, that thing seemed to die. The way it twitched, the collapse. It didn’t seem staged.”

I looked toward the trees, where the sounds were starting to die down. “But it turned into slime and moved away. Maybe—”

The commander raised a hand to cut me off. “We shouldn’t speculate too much,” he said, voice calm but resolute. “There could be several explanations for that behavior. We simply don’t have enough information to form solid conclusions. What we do know is that it retreated. That much is clear.”

By now, the last of the strange chorus had faded away, leaving only the quiet lap of the water behind us.

“So what do we do?” I asked. “We can’t just stand in the shallows forever. You’ve got training to do. And sooner or later, we have to explore.”

There are a lot of those things in the forest, Luna added. But if we get closer, I should be able to see them better. You too, I bet.

Griffith exhaled slowly, casting a glance at the boat half-lodged in the shore. “Just like before,” he muttered. “Back when you scouted with Drake. A quick mission. In and out.”

He looked back at us, jaw tight. “The danger’s already here. Those things were small, sure, but those teeth? Pure predator design. Still, we’re bigger. We might be seen as a threat rather than prey.”

He emphasized the last part like he was forcing himself to believe it.

I shook my head. “The pressure gets worse the closer you get to the forest. I don’t know how much force you’ll need to use just to move, let alone fight or follow us.”

“Haaaaah…” He released a long, frustrated sigh, shoulders sagging slightly. “I’ll admit, I think we came too early. Whether we’re in a rush or not, this was a mistake.”

His gaze drifted back toward the sea for a moment, lost in some unspoken thought. But whatever idea crossed his mind, he let it go. His attention locked on me again.

“How good are you at escaping?” he asked bluntly.

I blinked. “Umm… I can jump pretty high, just with my body alone. Though I still need to dampen the landing. I’m fast—”

I paused, glancing at Thea as the memory of her sudden burst of speed came back to me. She’d caught me completely off guard.

She caught the look and filled in the silence. “I’m pretty fast,” she admitted, “but it’s not exactly stable. More like a burst than a sprint.”

Griffith turned his attention to Elric. “What about that ability of yours. The one that blocks out a target’s senses? How long can you maintain it?”

I recalled him using it briefly to counter my abilities. The thrown Sensory Veil.

Elric shifted his stance slightly. “Not long,” he admitted. “Even for me, it’s hard to sustain all its functions for extended periods. But with what you taught us about intent, I might be able to hold it a little longer if I balance it better between my system and cultivation energy."

He scratched his head. “So to answer your question.... A few minutes at most.”

Mister Ironscribe’s fist clenched. “Alright. You three go in just past the tree line. Get a feel for the pressure and the danger. If anything attacks, don’t fight back.”

He turned toward Elric. “Use that ability of yours and run. The point is just to test the aggression. Which means you’ll need to stay out there long enough to provoke it... If it even comes.”

We all nodded, understanding the risk even if we didn’t like it.

“What about you?” Thea asked.

He scratched the back of his head, eyes still focused on the woods. “I’ll keep a strong shield up with my system. Should hold long enough. I’ve only got a few Tuning Scars left to form, and a bit more of the root, too. If I work through the night, I could be finished by tomorrow.”

I didn’t like that plan. Not even a little. But the way he said it told me there was no point arguing. His mind was set.

“Let’s move, then,” I said, stepping forward.

Griffith returned to the fire, lowering himself into a seated position and closing his eyes in quiet focus.

I paused, then cast Phantom Whispers toward Thea and Elric, the silent mental message connecting between us.

"Do you really think it’s a good idea to leave him alone like that?"

They shook their heads immediately.

“Definitely not,” Thea muttered. “Shield or not, if something comes and he’s caught off guard…”

Elric added, “The problem is, he’s more worried about us than himself.”

I rubbed my chin, thinking. “Elric, can you stay back? Thea’s new speed is no joke, and I’ve already refined my body. I can move fast enough on my own.”

He blinked, surprised, then tilted his head slightly with curiosity. “It’s really that fast?”

He turned to Thea. “Can you teach it?”

She shook her head. “It uses my lightning and the one I got from the statue. If you can figure out how to make that, maybe. But mostly, I just stack it on top of Swift Stride.”

I turned back to Elric. “What about you? That offensive version of the Sensory Veil, how exactly does it work?”

He paused for a moment, like he was organizing the pieces in his head.

“It’s not really any different from the normal version,” he explained. "The only change is using the same principle in throwing a fireball. But you need precise control. You’re not just casting it, you’re anchoring it. To someone’s face. Their eyes. Nose. Ears... Mouth.” He paused grimly. “I didn’t use that last one on you.”

That boy is truly skilled in control, Wyrem said with something that almost sounded like reverence. Keeping a sensory-blocking skill locked to your opponent’s body mid-combat? Magnificent.

Then, anticipating Luna’s inevitable rebuttal, he added dryly, Of course, my student could easily accomplish such a task.

Of course, Luna chimed sweetly.

I tried to visualize the process—predicting someone’s movement in real time, spawning three or four separate versions of the same technique, each one pinned to vital sensory points, and keeping them locked in place mid-fight.

With Luna’s help stabilizing the connection and my domain to assist, I think I could do it.

But Elric’s implication landed hard. If he did manage to center it perfectly… he could suffocate someone.

And then, with a single touch, probably one he’d enhanced even further by now, cause enough pain to shut them down entirely.

“Did I ever mention how happy I am to have you as a close, friendly, kind, older brother?” I asked, voice dripping with overly dramatic admiration.

He chuckled. “I’m not going to kill you, man. Relax.”

But the glint in his eyes said something else entirely.

Then again, he always looks like that.

“Can you do it, Peter?” Thea asked, stepping closer. “Try it here, just once, before we go in.”

I nodded and raised a hand, pointing straight at Elric as I activated my Precursor Sense. The skill formed quickly. Even when stationary, it took focus to maintain.

At least I didn’t have to worry about managing their breathing like when I used it on myself.

Focusing my intent, I shaped the technique and launched it at the cooperative target. The skill settled around Elric’s eyes, forming just where I’d directed it.

He raised a hand and waved it in front of his face, confirming its effectiveness.

Then, because he wanted to ruin my moment of success, he took a single step to the side.

“I can see now,” he muttered flatly.

I glared. “I wasn’t ready, you jerk. You moved.”

Maybe I should suffocate him.

Thea sighed, shaking her head. “You two, honestly…”

He is being helpful, Wyrem noted in his ever-wise tone. Now you know to expect movement. Anticipate the shifts. Never drop your guard.

Yeah, yeah… A bunch of jerks.

Thea leaned closer and whispered, her voice softer now. “I think it’s incredible you could do it at all.”

Her face turned slightly, and her cheeks colored faintly.

Elric rolled his eyes. “Well then. Looks like I’m staying here after all.” His tone turned a bit more serious. “Just be careful. Stick to Griffith’s instructions. And if anything happens, you run. Got it?”

I squeezed Thea’s hand and nodded.

Together, we stepped forward, stopping right at the edge of the treeline. I activated True Sight, and immediately saw more than I had before.

There were a dozen or so of them. Creatures, skittering about. Some crawled up trees with jerky precision, others clung low to the ground. A few moved in unsettling formations, circling one another.

“Ready?” I asked quietly.

Thea gave a firm nod. “Let’s go.”

And we took a single step.

Cautious but prepared.