Beyond The System
Chapter 176: Best Friends

The moment Elric’s hand dropped, I moved.

Sand exploded beneath my feet as I shot forward, pushing my speed to its limits, but Thea didn’t back off.

She launched forward even faster, spear extended, a bolt of concentrated lightning firing from its tip.

The attack flew ahead of her, moving too fast for most to track, but with my spiritual sense locked on her weapon, I barely caught it in time. I formed a thin barrier just ahead of me.

The gloves pulsed with a brief flash of purple light, and the barrier formed.

Next time, create the barrier away from yourself, Wyrem instructed, calm but firm. You already know you can with Sensory Veil. Don’t limit concepts to a single technique. Intercept the attack further away, don’t just block it.

But I barely registered his voice.

The barrier shattered, but I’d expected that. It was never meant to stop the attack, just weaken it, buy me enough time to test how much pressure it could really take.

Three Spirit Pellets fired from my fingertips with another pulse from the gloves just as the lightning reached me. The spear followed, aimed squarely at my chest.

Poof. Poof. Poof.

A burst of icy dust engulfed us both, and I moved, narrowly avoiding the brunt of her shock. The electricity grazed me, buzzing against my skin, cooking through my insides, but the earlier barrier had taken enough force off. The bolt’s density had dropped by nearly half.

Just enough to dodge the spear, still crackling with power.

I took a breath and cast the Sensory Veil, targeting her eyes and ears. At the same time, I closed the distance, reaching for her—only for her to vanish with a single step back.

How seriously did you take the fight the first time that technique was used on you? Wyrem asked, his voice edged with critique. Back then, you didn’t even know the cause. It’s effective, but only when the opponent doesn’t know how to counter it.

I responded with a silent pulse of Beast Force, carrying a single message. Criticize all you want after.

Helpful or not, hearing it mid-fight was still irritating.

I spotted her across the beach, panting. The first wave had drained her more than I expected, and I understood. My own head was already ringing from juggling so many techniques at once.

But her eyes? Still sharp. Still burning with focus.

She surged forward again, a deep hum announcing her next charge. For a second, she nearly vanished, and I still barely kept track. Reacting instinctively, I casted a Silencing Current around myself and forming two blunt energy needles in my hands.

But Thea wasn’t even affected, apparently not currently utilizing her system.

I caught her smirk a heartbeat before she struck. She spun, spear swinging wide like a bat.

Peter… sorry, Luna began, right as I moved, dodging the blow. I still felt the surge of power scrape past me, crawling into my bones. I think you’re doing great... but...

But? It’s fine. Just say it.

Wyrem told me to tell you, she continued, like we were passing notes behind the teachers back, stop focusing so much on skills. Just move. You’re faster and stronger. Don’t waste energy. Trust your body and senses. Not every opponent needs to be fought the same way.

I let that sink in.

They were right.

Wyrem. Marcus. Griffith.

The whole point of the training had been to strip away habits. Push Elric and Thea, really push them. But here I was, still stuck in the same cycle.

Thea came again, lightning roaring down the length of her spear, but this time, I didn’t intercept. Didn’t attack.

I just moved.

I couldn’t track her perfectly, but I didn’t need to. Without splitting my focus across multiple techniques, movement came easier.

The first thrust was fast, and I’d waited too long, lost time during my reflection. The blunt end of her spear slammed into me. I grunted from the hit, staggered back, and she followed without pause.

Sweat glistened on her forehead, dripping down her neck.

The next thrust came slower, her fatigue showing. I stepped aside, letting it slide past. I knew the stray arcs of lightning wouldn’t do much if they didn’t hit clean.

The buzz of strain still crept through my body, but I ignored it. I grabbed Thea by the shoulders and shoved her back hard.

I said I’d go all out, but come on... I wasn’t going to kill my girlfriend.

As she stumbled, I seized the moment. I formed the powder pebbles and fired one. It burst at her face with a soft—pop—of frost.

Before she could recover, I was already there.

I swung, real weight behind the clawed gloves, but to her credit, she blocked cleanly, catching the blow with the shaft of her weapon as sparks flew.

She stepped back, gritting her teeth as the force traveled through her spear into her arms.

Lightning arced from her weapon into mine, but the gloves flared purple, a barrier blooming between us. The bolts shattered harmlessly against it, shrinking into nothing.

I didn’t let go. I yanked her forward.

She crashed into me, and I caught her, gripping both arms.

We could’ve kept going. Technically, but we both knew that if this were a death match, she’d be down for good.

Clap. Clap… clap.

I turned. Elric stood, arms up, clapping with deliberate slowness.

Thea let the spear dissolve from her hands and dropped to sit, completely spent.

“Nice job, buddy. That was starting to look ridiculous for a bit,” Elric said. “But way more relaxed at the end.”

I let Wyrem speak again.

—a dragon such as myself, wise and all-knowing, ignored like a common scholar!

Peter, Luna interjected quickly, Wyrem says he’s sorry and won’t do it again.

Wait, no! I have my pride, Luna!

Just say sorry. Your pride is useless.

I would’ve interrupted, but hearing an apology for giving advice while I was having a serious match… Maybe I should apologize too.

I’ll let him talk, I told Luna, pretending I hadn’t heard the whole thing.

You did well… It wasn’t perfect, Wyrem began, making me think, for a second, he was skipping the apology entirely, but I should have let you finish first. My apologies.

My bad too. I shouldn’t have shut you out. Well… not for this anyway. It was good advice.

Of course it was.

“I thought I was doing good!” Thea shouted suddenly, flopping onto her back with a dramatic sigh.

She looked up at me. “What happened?”

I shrugged. “You got tired. I didn’t.”

Elric rolled his neck in slow, stretching circles. “My turn?”

I looked at the fine hairs still standing on my arms. “Sorry, man. I need a minute. Plus, someone’s gotta be at full strength to keep watch.”

He sighed but didn’t argue, settling down next to Thea. I joined them, forming a tight triangle in the sand.

“You know…” Elric started, glancing sideways. “I didn’t ask, but now I’m wondering. Where the heck did your shirt go?”

I looked down. Right. I’d definitely dropped it during the sprint away from that legged-snake.

Scooting closer to him, I leaned in, peering into his eyes. “Don’t you like it?”

“If you’ve got the energy to flirt, you’ve got the energy to fight,” he replied, raising an eyebrow. Completely unmoved by my charm.

Thea sat up, patting my back. “I’ll cheer you on, even if he won’t accept you right now.”

I hugged her dramatically, resting my head on her shoulder and shaking in exaggerated sorrow. “I just try so hard.”

“Shh. I know. I know,” she said, matching my play with sympathy.

When no one responded, I sat back as if nothing happened, and asked, “Think Griffith has any spares?”

Elric shook his head. “I think they’d be too big—”

“For me, obviously,” I interrupted with a grunt.

He chuckled. “I know. We’ll ask him. Worst case, you borrow one of mine.”

He tilted his head up toward the stars, a smirk teasing the corner of his mouth. “I'm the best looking one here, so it'd be fine.”

Can I talk? Luna asked.

“Flower wants to speak,” I announced to the group. Be good, please.

Define good.

…

Don’t be mean to Thea, I negotiated.

I like Thea. Why would I be mean? she said, then added with less certainty, Elric’s okay too… but I want to say something.

I didn’t pry. Whatever it was, I’d find out soon enough. Sure.

My awareness dipped, sinking into that quiet internal shift as Luna took over.

I told her she should be more considerate of you, Wyrem said before Luna could open her mouth. She felt bad last time, not hearing you.

Thanks. It was good to know Luna had taken that to heart. I only hoped it wasn’t a one-time thing.

“I think you’re funny, Elric! Your brother too,” Luna said through me.

Elric smiled. “Really?”

Luna nodded. “But you shouldn’t brag so much. You all look like weird fleshy meat bags to me. I’m the prettiest to look at. Not you.”

Elric’s eye twitched. His face held the shape of a smile, but his expression had frozen solid.

“Pfft,” Thea rolled backward, choking on laughter at the sudden shift in Elric’s mood. “That’s right, Luna. You’re the prettiest rose around.”

Luna beamed.

“What are you laughing at, fleshy meat bag?” Elric fired back at Thea, but his chest had started shaking too.

That smile on my face? Probably too bright for him to handle.

Luna, I thought, I think you’re my best friend.

I thought I always was, she replied, honestly confused.

…Of course.