When we stepped inside, Miss Star greeted us with a knowing smile.

"As promised," she said warmly, "food is ready for you two."

I reddened slightly but nodded. "Thanks. I can set up the table—I’m sure the others will be here soon."

Thea grinned. "I don’t know anyone who would miss a good meal."

Miss Star chuckled. "You two are sweet," she said as we all made our way to the dining room.

I headed straight for the cabinet where I’d seen Sia grab the bowls before, pulling them out and setting the table. Thea and I took our seats, and within moments, Miss Star returned from the kitchen with a large loaf of bread and a steaming pot of Packclaw soup, rich with vegetables.

She served us first, then grabbed a bowl for herself and settled in.

As I dug in, a thought crossed my mind. Since she lived here, she might know something useful.

"Miss Star?"

"Hm?" She smiled, glancing up from her soup.

"Is there any way to get in contact with other facilities or people?"

She paused, considering. "I can, but only citizens can use the mail, and you can only contact other citizens."

"Oh." I frowned, staring at my half-empty bowl as the reality sank in. So much for reaching Trevor through normal means.

A comforting hand rubbed my back. I didn’t need to look to know it was Thea.

Before I could say anything else, the front door creaked open, followed by the sound of footsteps as three more people joined us.

Elric, Sia, and Lyra settled in after greeting everyone.

"How was the healing tent with the girls?" I asked between bites.

"It went alright," Lyra said. "I let them know about my guild since neither yours nor mine have exclusivity."

Sia chimed in next. "For now, since they’re new, they’re staying in the recruit camp. But it looks like more and more people are being sent in for training."

"So… they may need housing soon," Elric added, rubbing his temple. "Which we can’t provide just yet."

"The only way to get housing is to have enough points to pay for it," Thea commented. "We should try recruiting and selling our method to as many people as possible."

I tried to think of ways to offer more benefits. As of now, even the training center we had couldn’t fit a large number of people. I shook my head. "I think the only way we can recruit people is by displaying our strength."

I remembered the ranking board from the Hall of Heroes, the one tracking wins and losses. I was already strong enough to take on knights—though, if I was being honest, only if I caught them off guard. Thea was even more impressive.

"Let’s increase our ranks in soldier battles." I looked to Elric, Sia, and Lyra. "Once you go through the next transformation, you can join us."

I didn’t know if I was overestimating our potential. The system was nothing to laugh at. Just because I’d beaten a few fresh system users—people who had just received their blessings and likely had the most basic ones—didn’t mean there weren’t others like Thea. People with unique blessings. People who could wipe the floor with us.

But if we wanted to grow, we had to act.

The guild wasn’t just about power—it was our key to survival in this world. Or at least, in this camp.

“We registered for an exploration mission,” I said casually. “We just need to go somewhere, check it out, and report our findings.”

Miss Star visibly tensed at those words. “Exploration?”

Thea, noticing the shift in her tone, nodded slowly. “Yeah… is something wrong?”

Miss Star hesitated. “Where exactly are you going to explore?”

“A cave that ‘appeared,’” I told her.

Her expression darkened. “If there’s any sign of danger—any at all—leave. Do not stay.” Her voice was deadly serious.

Sia frowned. “Can you be more specific, Mom? Please?”

Miss Star exhaled, her posture stiff. “They’re usually nothing special, but those caves appear and disappear randomly. And sometimes… they transform into something else.”

Silence settled over the group.

“We’ll be careful, I promise,” Elric said, his voice reassuring. He turned to me. “The mission just says we have to take a look and report back, right?”

I nodded quickly.

“That’s exactly what we’ll do then,” he finished firmly.

Miss Star sighed, some of the tension leaving her shoulders.

It was already getting dark, and tomorrow I had to meet the prince again. But I still wanted to do more before calling it a night. Deciding to shift the mood, I turned to Thea.

“Thea, want to practice Body Refinement?”

She lit up immediately before nodding quickly. “Of course! Let’s go!”

She quickly finished the rest of her food. “You guys can join us after you finish,” she said to Elric, Sia, and Lyra. Unlike us, they were enjoying their meals at a normal pace, chatting idly as they ate.

Elric nodded. “No problem. I’m pretty close to finishing, maybe tonight… or tomorrow,” he said after some thought.

“We’re both getting close too,” Sia added. “We’ll head down there soon.”

Sia’s mother, who had been listening silently, finished her own meal just as Thea and I were leaving. “Don’t stay out too long.”

We entered our room as usual.

“You go first this time,” Thea instructed. “I’ll keep an eye on you.”

I obeyed, focusing on my energy. The Grand Channel was stable now, filled to the brim with my own internal force.

I felt the world energy around me and took a deep breath. It flowed inside me like a torrent.

The nausea I had felt so long ago hit me again. The force passed through my body, though only a small part actually stuck.

But the heat… it no longer burned. Instead, it felt comfortable.

I kept taking in more. Then more.

The feeling was intoxicating—oddly euphoric, and so easy to keep going.

This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

“—er… PETER!”

My eyes shot open.

Thea was looking at me, her expression frantic. “Peter, you weren’t hearing me.”

I blinked at her, then looked down at my skin. The red tint was pronounced, and white blotches of blisters littered my arms.

I looked back at Thea, meeting her worried stormy eyes. “Sorry… it was just so easy. The nausea disappeared so quickly.”

She let out a relieved breath. “It’s okay. We definitely can’t do this alone.”

I chuckled. “No, doesn’t seem like it.”

Shifting slightly, I bumped my shoulder against hers. “Guess that means we’ll be spending more time staring at each other. Isn’t that nice?” I added with a bit of sarcasm.

Despite her effort to resist, I saw the faintest crack of a smile form on her lips.

“Creep,” she muttered.

“Yeah, yeah. Your turn.” I adopted my most unsettling tone and locked eyes with her. “Just relax, Thea. I’ll keep an eye on…” I paused for dramatic effect. “A real close eye.”

She rolled her eyes, but the smile widened before she started.

At first, everything seemed fine. Just like last time. Then her skin started to redden.

As soon as it turned deeper than a light pink, I decided to stop her. Maybe this wouldn’t be the most efficient way to refine, but letting her blister up and get lost in the feeling like I did? That couldn’t be smart.

“Thea,” I shook her gently. No response.

I spoke louder. “Thea!”

Nothing.

This isn’t good.

It was just like with—the pleasant, hypnotic feeling. It was almost as if the world wanted us to poison ourselves.

“THEA!” I shook her harder this time, enough for her to fall over.

Her skin was splitting now, blood seeping out.

Panic rose in me.

This isn’t working. What do I do?

“Thea!”

My energy roiled inside me, circulating faster and faster.

She was getting worse. I could see raw muscle where more of her skin peeled away.

Then, something unexpected happened.

My internal force flowed out—unintentionally—and entered her.

I felt it, but I didn’t stop it.

And then… I noticed something.

I wasn’t like Elric. I didn’t know how to inject my energy to heal or harm.

But I had enough awareness to see what was happening inside her.

It was hard to describe internal force in terms of color. It was just… there, almost shapeless. But for simplicity’s sake, let’s say our internal force was blue, while world energy was gold.

But now, there was something else. Some small… corruption within the gold. It circulated with every ounce of world force Thea took in, increasing, twisting, flowing around her focus point just above her stomach.

I acted without thinking, injecting my force.

At first, I was clumsy. Only then did I realize just how difficult it must have been for Elric to learn how to do this with the precision needed to heal—or harm—people.

But I didn’t need precision.

I forced my energy through, crude but effective, surrounding the corrupted energy—let’s just call it purple.

"Thea!"

Her eyes shot open, and instantly, the purple sliver broke free of my hold and… fled. It left her body, dissolving back into the world.

Then she let out a groan of pain.

She was in bad shape.

"It’s alright, Thea. You’re okay," I said quickly, trying to reassure her. "I’ll get Elric. You’re fine."

I had no idea how close she had been to the infamous "popping," but while I’d been focused on her internal force, more of her skin had sloughed off, revealing the sinew underneath.

I started to stand, but she grabbed my arm with impressive force, whimpering.

She opened her mouth to speak but struggled to form words.

My voice cracked a little. "Thea, I’ll be right back. I need to get Elric."

Before I could move, the door swung open.

Sia and Lyra walked in, chatting about something—until they saw us.

They froze.

"Peter, what happened?!" Sia yelled.

"Get Elric. Now." I said frantically.

Sia’s shock disappeared instantly as she ran off. Lyra rushed forward, casting a low-level healing spell that began repairing Thea’s body.

Bands of light flowed over her, closing wounds, but it wasn’t enough. It couldn’t fully heal her.

"Lyra, what about the pain? Can you do something for that?"

Lyra nodded, hands trembling as a soft glow wrapped around Thea’s body.

Thea passed out, but her breathing—finally—became more stable.

Elric arrived soon after, with Sia right behind him, both freezing at the sight.

He moved quickly, walking to her, but rather than casting a spell, he simply placed a hand on her. The effect was immediate. Skin began to regrow, stretching outward from the healthy areas.

I had no idea when Elric had learned this skill, but judging by the lack of glowing lights that usually accompanied system magic, it seemed he had either developed something new on his own or was tapping into something beyond the system.

Soon enough, she was resting peacefully.

Then they all turned to me.

"What the heck happened?" Sia asked.

"We were just practicing Body Refinement… she wouldn’t stop." I took a breath, forcing myself to calm down. There had been a buzzing in my ears I hadn’t noticed until now.

"There was something inside her… attached to world energy," I added.

As cultivators, they understood the difference between internal strength and absorbed world energy—how they mixed like oil and water.

"What do you mean, 'something else'?" Elric asked.

I wasn’t sure how to explain it, but with the person who probably had the best understanding of energy flow in the body standing right here, I figured showing would be easier than explaining.

"Let’s spar first. I need to get rid of…" I glanced at my red, blistered skin. "This."

It felt a bit off to fight right now, but I needed to solve this problem as quickly as possible. Lyra and Sia carefully moved Thea to the side while Elric stepped forward.

He hadn’t gone through his second transformation yet, meaning he lacked the lighter, refined body, but knowing him, he’d still put up a fight.

I was right.

The moment we started, he matched my speed.

I barely registered the movement before he appeared in front of me, reaching out a hand—something I definitely didn’t want touching me. I moved to dodge, but before I could shift, his right leg shot up, slamming into my side.

The impact wasn’t the worst part. The pain came after—sharp and sudden, like my bones were grinding against each other.

I stumbled back, adjusting my stance to a more aggressive one, but Elric didn’t let up.

Even though I no longer needed to fuse with world energy, it seemed that physical activity was still necessary for recovery. Already, my skin had started to heal as I circulated energy through my hands.

I thought back to the light breeze that had frozen the Packclaw in midair before it fell. It hadn’t been as effective at harming it as my Air Lance, but I wasn’t trying to harm Elric.

I gathered energy in my palm as he closed in and lifted my hand.

It worked.

Elric’s expression shifted slightly as a stiff breeze rolled over his chest. He froze—not completely, but his movements slowed significantly, and his eyes widened in realization.

That was all I needed.

I threw a hook straight for his ribs.

But, ever the genius, Elric reacted instantly, throwing his arms down and lifting a leg to block. My punch still toppled him, sending him to the soft ground with a thud.

He rolled to his feet, looking ready to continue—then glanced at me, lowering his hands.

"I think you’re fine now," he said, nodding at my body.

I looked down. The redness was gone. The blisters had disappeared.

"What the heck was that skill you used?" Elric asked, still catching his breath.

I smirked. "I should ask you the same thing. How were you able to keep up with my speed? That makes no sense. Did your stats increase?"

He chuckled. "You first."

I sighed. "I just did a much… breezier version of my imitation fireball. What did it do?"

Elric thought for a moment. "It was strange. Since I was using my MP for my new skill and cultivation for the—"

I cut him off. "Torture?"

"Attacks," he corrected, then continued, "But it didn’t just stop me. It cut me off. My MP, I mean. The movement stopped too, but for that moment, my magic was completely shut down."

He paused, checking something.

Then his brows raised slightly.

"I can use it now… so it must only last for a moment," he concluded.

"So?" I asked.

"So what?"

"The speed?" I pressed.

Elric gave a casual shrug. "Well, I may have taken a look at one of Thea’s books. The one you gave her."

I narrowed my eyes. "And?"

"And… I just took some inspiration and created my own version."

I stared at him, still shocked despite knowing his talent. "And you’ll teach us?"

Elric paused. Then, slowly, a terrifying smile spread across his face.

"Only once I reach Perfect Conversion."

I blinked. "What—?"

"Oh, and the girls already learned it," he added casually. "But the system didn’t keep the book’s name. Instead, the system called it Swift Stride."