Beyond The System
Chapter 138: Shattered Blade

The moon hung high overhead, showcasing again just how much longer my cultivation period had extended compared to the past. But the others, they shouldn't have taken this long.

“Why’s everyone still,” I motioned toward the carriage, “you know.”

Elric smirked. “They all failed their first attempt, so they’ve gotta recover everything.”

“And you?”

“I was practicing some skills. Wanted to see how everyone else handled it first.”

I lunged with a loose kick. “That’s sooo messed up.”

He ducked and swept my legs out from under me. “It’s not! I just wanted to observe. I’ll teach them how to do it right after I pull it off.”

I jumped to my feet. “So I didn’t do it right?”

We drifted from the carriage, our pace quickening naturally, without thought.

“Do you ever?” he teased.

Jerk. “Guess not.” I smirked, channeling force into my feet and stomping down. A wave of cold spread outward, freezing the grass and turning the dew slick.

He had already taken his step, unable to prevent his downfall. He slipped, only barely catching himself with his hands.

“So unfair,” he exaggeratedly pouted.

I offered him a hand. “Says the guy who created several abilities just to confuse me.”

“Not true,” he corrected. “Anyone with something like Precursor Sense will probably get scrambled too.”

“Whatever… wanna keep going?” The lingering energy that had blistered under my skin had already faded, but I offered anyway.

“Nah. I want to try making a weapon.”

“I’ll join. I made mine under some strange circumstances.” I summoned my golden gauntlets. “Wonder if I can reforge them, now that I’ve got Water Force. Maybe even add my Precursor Energy too.”

Elric shrugged. “Maybe, but based on your fight with Griffith, you’re good for now. I think you should just focus on finishing your foundation.”

I agree with him, Wyrem confidently chimed in.

“It seems like you’re already pulling in World Force way slower than before,” Elric added. “You really want to burn your reserves making a better weapon, especially when yours is already kind of ridiculous?”

I nodded. “Yeah, fair.”

If only I could mentor him… Wyrem mused wistfully.

He’d suffer just as much as I do, Luna snapped.

“Wait.” I squinted at Elric. “You’re not just trying to stop me so I don’t ever give you another chance to win in a serious battle?”

“...No.”

Not convincing.

“Pft!” He burst out laughing, clutching his stomach. “You’re already ahead. Imagine once you’ve actually got a completed foundation. With all the benefits it gives?”

He wiped his eyes after having his fun. “Have some confidence, bro.”

“Fine. Fine. I’ll be smart.”

He gave a satisfied nod, then glanced around. “Uh. Where are we?”

I looked too. Several broken branches and flattened bushes, but it seemed like we wandered pretty far off. “That way, probably.”

He shrugged.

“Well, the canopy’s not that high,” I said. We may not be able to fly, but we were both strong. "Jump?”

He crouched down, muscles tensing, and I mirrored him.

“Three. Two—”

“Winner gets the loser’s weekly ration,” Elric added, grinning. “ONE!”

Weekly?!

We jumped at the same time, launching skyward. “SHIT! HELP!” I screamed mid-air, catching Elric’s wide-eyed stare from below as he cleared the treetops with ease.

Well... At least I saw the carriage.

The trees weren't exactly towering, maybe five or six meters tall at most. Elric had cleared them, floating just past the peaks.

Me? I kept rising and realized something important. I don’t fear heights... but falling? Yeah. Definitely that.

Relax, Luna said. You survived a fall way higher than this.

That piece of advice did nothing to stop my lungs from squeezing out a scream. Also, I was a bit under the influence back then.

Thump! A cloud of leaves and dust exploded around me on impact.

“Ughh.” It didn’t hurt much, but the uncontrolled landing which was chest-first, definitely rattled me.

“You alright?” Elric jogged over and helped me to my feet.

“I… I get my ration, right?” I wheezed.

“Sure, man. Half a sandwich. All yours.” He kept the deal.

"We get half a sandwich a week?" I groaned. “How—why?”

“If Marcus and my brother think we'll last longer, we might not even get that. Food’s mostly for Thea's sister and Blondie.”

Maybe oppressive and nonsensical military training wasn’t the worst idea after all. At least there was food waiting at the inn after it all.

“I know where the cart is,” I said, brushing off my shirt. “I’ll watch you make your weapon once we get there.”

“Creep.”

“What?!” He watched everyone, if anything he was the creep. I ignored him and started the quick journey back.

I could feel it now too. Not some drastic change, but enough. The way my muscles tensed, compressing like springs and releasing more force than they used to.

It seems like the second step to Body Refinement was muscle enhancement. Either that, or Water Force specifically targeted musculature.

There was something else too, a subtle but noticeable change to the flow of my energy mix. It had become more stable, consistent, flowing without needing as much micro-management. It wasn’t dramatic, but using complex techniques like Swift Stride made it clearer.

Would the other elements do the same?

We reached the cart in almost no time and hopped into the back again.

Everyone else was still busy. Velea, leaning gently on her sister, had clearly fallen asleep. Bristle was curled in her lap, snoring softly.

It was quiet.

Elric took a seat at one end, distancing himself a bit. “I’m starting now.”

With no other words, his eyes shut.

It took a moment, but I started to see the golden particles flickering into existence, materializing from nowhere. With True Sight active, I could tell they were coming from him.

Each mote condensed, becoming solid shards that drifted through the air, aligning and locking into one another. Tiny glimmering cracks forming between each fragment.

Eventually, ten pieces melded into a small, thin knife.

Not exactly built for head-on combat.

Then… it shattered. Every piece blinking out of existence.

His eyes opened.

“You—you failed?” I blinked, surprised.

“You’re joking, right?” He looked at me like I’d asked the dumbest question he'd ever heard.

"But, it broke.”

He raised his palm. Instantly, a thin golden knife bloomed into shape.

“Okayyy… then why did it break?”

He didn't answer with words, but rather, through action.

From the knife’s tip, a shard broke off with a clear, chink, and then began orbiting his head. Another followed after the first. Then another.

“Rrg.” He grunted, straining, a final third shard peeling away. Each circling like obedient satellites as the sweat gathered on his brow.

Then, all at once, they vanished. Elric collapsed forward, bracing himself on his hands, panting. “See? It didn’t break.”

Holy…

Dear gods.

What'd I miss?

A dozen questions jostled for space in my brain, but one slipped out before I could catch it. “How the heck does something like that mean a lot to you?”

Still catching his breath, he looked up. “It doesn’t have to,” he said between breaths. “It doesn’t need to mean anything in terms of personal fighting style.”

It had just been a guess on my part, but a personal connection still felt right. “Then what does it mean?”

“Well… it’ll be useful in battle if I improve my control.” He exhaled again. “But I guess it’s just… a means to something else. So I think having purpose is required, not meaning.”

A thin, hidden, perfectly controlled weapon. Yeeeah… I could think of a few morbid ideas for that. Best not to push. "Hope you’re not planning on using it on any of us."

“Just you,” Elric chuckled, pushing himself upright. “You should get some training in too. I’ll help the others if they need it.”

I was about to, but a question slipped out instead. “You said you will work on your control, right?”

“Yeah. Why?”

“How have you been doing it?” Sure, he was naturally talented, but the way he was standing up with me? That wasn’t just luck.

“Well, just practicing skills helps, obviously, but I also work on other things.”

“Like?”

“Like splitting my force into random smaller circulations. Isolating a single bit of energy and moving it around. Trying to keep the speed, density—everything, consistent.”

I nodded. They all seemed like solid methods.

Transforming your body works too, Luna added. Great way to practice control while everything’s in motion.

No idea how to even start that yet.

You could try changing the nature of your energy, Wyrem suggested. You’re using Water Force, right? But it’s always freezing. My guess, either you’re subconsciously directing it that way, or something else is influencing it. Either way, something to think about.

“Hello?” Elric waved.

“Oh. Sorry, was listening to something.” I settled onto the floor. “If you want to absorb energy, now’s probably a good time.”

We were still in the wilderness, likely somewhere in the States’ territory, but I doubted anything was actively watching us.

Not that it mattered. I didn’t have much of a choice with this. Either feed the Void Seed so I could finally nourish my Nexus again, or stall here forever, stuck until we made it to the, not safety, of the Shattered Expanse.

I activated my domain, focusing inward, preparing to form a new branch and scar at once.

Internal Force moved toward the black hole, and as expected, it devoured everything. Then, like always, it stopped.

I felt the World Force rush in, surging through me, the usual effect of my unfortunate bounty activating... Did it feel stuffier?

Creeeak.