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:

Strength: 20Agility: 20Stamina: 20Endurance: 10Magic: 5MP: 10/10SP: 10/10

Techniques: N/A

Titles: N/A

Missions:

Bottom Rank Level 1:

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. 2/10Rewards: A greater understanding of your Storm Heart, 5 stat points.

"How is that—" 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—being 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—except 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—assuming 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—what'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—though 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—with 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.

"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—a 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—just 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—"

I didn't finish. My words turned into a muffled scream—or, let's call it a manly grunt—as 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—I'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—a bad one, in retrospect. Revenge.

"I was just talking about how when Thea called me—"

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—it 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—dried 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—a 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—well, 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—cold 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—"

"I do," she interrupted, her expression growing serious. "The only time I've ever felt energy force its way into my body—other than during the failure of core formation—was 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—essentially 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—uh, 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—but 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.