Beyond The System-Chapter 287: Admission

After the naming ceremony, I explained what I’d learned about Animora, and about my transformation. But there wasn’t much I could offer that was truly concrete.

In reality, the moment I’d woken to Thea hovering over me, I’d only stayed in that state for about half an hour. And even within that, time had bled away into leisure instead of research with anything but disciplined study. Either way, it was obvious that if we wanted answers, poking at it together before we left was the most efficient way.

“So, there’s essentially two things you did,” Thea began, distilling my messy explanation into something clean. “You first touched the Animora, then you tied it together.”

I nodded. “That’s the gist. As for interacting with it…” I let the sentence taper off, leaving space for any of them to speak up about their Inner World.

Elric raised his hand like a shy kid in class, like he was scared of being wrong even when no one’s judging. “I’ve been able to move my pinky recently.”

I looked to the other two. Both shook their heads.

“Still gathering energy,” Sia said.

“Same,” Thea agreed.

Those crystals of elemental power along with Drybel really were a blessing. Compared to the others, at least inside my Inner World, I’d leapt ahead in a way that almost felt unfair. Still, a knot of worry stayed lodged in my chest for them. “To interact with it—the energy—I had to merge all my energies together.”

I met each of their eyes in turn, making sure they understood the problem.

“It’s not a big issue for you in how it was for me,” I said carefully, “considering Precursor Energy already resides within your Inner World, but—”

“Our System energy,” Elric sighed, brows drawing together as the implication landed instantly. “You’re saying it could be a problem.”

I hesitated, then nodded.

Silence settled between us in the small, dark room.

But eventually Thea shook her head.

“It doesn’t matter so much now,” she said. “If it becomes a problem, we’ll find out eventually, and if not?” She took a slow breath, steadying herself. “Then all the better. Either way, we haven’t really gotten to approaching that yet.”

Her eyes stayed on me, bright and unblinking, and then she made her request.

“Let’s isolate the two actions you made. Can you first interact with the rings? Only touch them.”

“Sure,” I said, forcing myself not to comment on the fever in her gaze. This could turn into a dangerous obsession. Nonetheless, I slipped into my Inner World. It had already been over an hour. Time enough for extracurricular activities before the meeting. Like I said… an obsession.

“There is still leakage,” Drybel said before I even had the chance to greet him.

Then came the good news. “But there is significantly less.”

“Thanks,” I called back. “Then maybe this isn’t the way to get more active conversion,” I theorized, the thought taking shape as I spoke.

There was a low hum of agreement from him before he answered, “Still, if the rate of conversion remains, efficiency has increased.”

I nodded and started toward my ring.

When exactly is this considered finished?

Is there an end point to the ring?

When are new ones formed?

Too many questions crowded in, stacking over one another even as I reached up and gripped the braided power. I held it for ten seconds, then offered Drybel a quick farewell. “Be back soon.”

I exited.

Eyes were glued to me.

Elric blinked. He opened his mouth like he was about to say something helpful, then his face went red. His head darted around, refusing to meet my gaze, shoulders already starting to shake.

You know, usually I don’t think I’d be offended. But I knew for a fact, Elric would never laugh with me. Only at me.

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“Guess that problem’s solved quickly enough,” Sia said, flicking him lightly, but it didn’t even slow the oncoming break.

Thea nodded, already lifting her hand, extending two fingers, about to pinch an ear between them.

Elric happened to clear up enough to turn at that moment, eyes widening at what Thea was about to do.

“Pfft…” He broke instantly. “HAHA—hahah!”

I rolled my eyes, only mildly annoyed—because the relief drowned everything else. The problem had been solved very quickly. Mei had said it was instinctual for her, but difficult for most. However, it seemed the process wasn’t truly complicated at all.

With access to the Inner World, her people would have far less reliance on luck for this ability. Still… she’d also mentioned suitability. Was I simply suited because of Bristle? Or was it something else entirely? I didn’t want to doubt her, especially when I knew her words likely came from Sei, an expert on the energy.

We tried to give Elric time to recover as he fought through half-gasping, half-choking, glancing up at me every few seconds, then again later, losing all composure every time he caught sight of me.

But it didn’t seem like it had an end.

Eventually, Sia just started talking over his wheezed laughter, shaking her head, already accepting he was hopeless.

“Have you had the chance to test any results?” she asked.

I shook my head. “No, there’s not much—”

“More speed,” Thea said absently, as if her attention had slid into some other realm deep inside her own thoughts. “And stamina… Longer hair.”

My body froze.

Everyone froze at the dreamy tone she used.

Even Elric stopped.

Only for a heartbeat.

Because in the next moment he clutched his stomach and folded, collapsing onto the packed-dirt floor, laughing so hard tears spilled down his cheeks—tears I knew were pure joy.

I cleared my throat, trying to cut the tension, staring slightly downward because I couldn’t bring myself to meet anyone’s gaze. “We could do a quick spar. Get some more tests.”

My mind flashed to Mei’s transformation and those neon-blue, plasma-like claws extending from her hands.

Could there be more abilities in this?

I glanced at Thea.

Her eyes.

Fixed. Focused.

…Maybe some hypnotic effect?

Sia looked to her side at her currently-occupied boyfriend. “Don’t think he’s in a state to do anything.”

“We’ve got about half an hour… a little more,” Thea said, still locked in, and I reached for her hand, gently gripping it and guiding it down to our side.

“What about you?” I offered.

Sia looked out through the open window toward the streets and shanties beyond, where life pressed in close and dry air carried the smell of dust and smoke. “When we hit some open area, it wouldn’t be a bad idea. But here?” She glanced back. “I don’t think anyone would be happy if I burned the entire place down.”

I chuckled, then caught Thea’s other hand just in time to stop her from reaching again.

“You’re that confident?”

She puffed out her chest. Behind her, Elric finally dragged himself upright, wiping at his eyes, still mumbling between soft chuckles—“more stamina…”—like some kind of junior high kid. It was… oddly refreshing, seeing him like that.

Annoying, but refreshing.

It was hard to read his thoughts most of the time, but sometimes I felt something darker underneath him, barely held back. I knew his upraising must’ve been brutal, so maybe it was just an influence, but still…

Before my thoughts could spiral any further, Elric spoke, snapping the room back toward business.

“Our next destination will also be a bordering town. Near Voxter.” He paused, letting the words settle into us, then added—probably for my sake, “Which means there will be a military presence.”

I didn’t interrupt, despite the questions crowding my tongue. I knew he’d elaborate.

And he did.

“We may have drawn my brother’s eyes away from the islands, but who’s to say it’s permanent?”

I sighed, letting the breath leave me slowly. “So, we’re going to be making a show?”

He nodded. “A big one. This isn’t just to show the Kingdom what we can do, but the soldiers, Voxter, and anyone else who’ll be there.”

I hesitated before speaking again. “And who exactly will we be performing this show on?”

He stopped, and his expression hardened as if something cold had settled behind his eyes. “It’s…” He exhaled through his nose. “If you’re hoping for a place like this, then don’t hold any high expectations.”

There it was. Reality.

Of course corruption existed. In small amounts, almost everywhere. But in to the degree of a place like this? A bordering town without name on the Kingdom’s outer edge that was made more for punishment than anything else?

If every town was like this, there wouldn’t even be a Kingdom.

I squeezed my eyes shut, and Thea’s grip tightened around my hands. Her warm pressure anchored me.

Stupor or not, I knew she would support me. So I had to do the same for her, for Elric, for Sia… for everyone.

“We’re strong enough,” I said, opening my eyes. “If we don’t have to kill them, then we won’t. But if it comes down to it, don’t let my feelings hold you back. Your lives are more important.”

“Of course,” Elric said immediately. “The point is to scare the heck outta them. Not cause a slaughter but awe. Fear and respect.”

I drew in a deep breath, and with his words, something inside my chest loosened. “Then we find the biggest, baddest general, captain, whatever, and…”

Elric’s mouth curved into a dark smile. “Humiliate them. One on one. In front of everyone.” He leaned into the thought like it tasted good. “Humiliate the Kingdom. Destroy the belief in their methods, and in the final bit—” He lifted a finger and pointed it straight at me. “You admit it.”

“Admi—Oh.” A smile crept across my lips as understanding snapped into place. “I’ll tell them all what I am,” I said.

“A Bloodless. Someone without a Blessing.”