Chapter 327: Show off 1

The morning light filtering through Noah’s quarters felt different somehow—warmer, softer. He couldn’t quite shake the smile that had been lingering since last night, and judging by the way Sophie was humming while she got ready, she seemed to be in a similarly good mood.

“You’re awfully cheerful for someone who’s about to have his girlfriend watch her boyfriend get embarrassed by a wyvern,” she said, catching his eye in the mirror as she braided her hair.

Noah moved behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist and resting his chin on her shoulder. “We both know Storm’s going to show off,” he murmured against her ear. “The question is whether Lucas can handle the humiliation.”

Sophie leaned back into him with a contented sigh. “God, I missed this,” she said softly. “Things have been so crazy lately, we barely get moments like these anymore.”

She was right. Between missions, training, and the general chaos of their new lives at Vanguard Base, their relationship had taken a backseat to survival. They’d been together since his first weeks at the Academy—the brilliant third-year medical student who’d taken pity on the overwhelmed first-year and somehow ended up falling for him. But lately, they’d been more like teammates who happened to share a bed than the couple who used to steal kisses between classes and spend hours talking about everything and nothing.

Last night had felt like coming home.

“Well,” Noah said, pressing a kiss to her temple, “we’ve got all day. No missions, no emergencies. Just us and whatever chaos Kelvin manages to create.”

Sophie laughed, turning in his arms. “Speaking of chaos, are you ready for this race? Because I have a feeling your teammates are going to turn it into a spectacle.”

“When have they ever not turned something into a spectacle?”

They made their way to the cafeteria together, fingers intertwined, drawing knowing looks from other personnel they passed. The weekend atmosphere on base was noticeably more relaxed—conversations were louder, laughter came easier, and the usual military precision had softened into something more casual. Saturday mornings were sacred at Vanguard Base, a brief respite from the constant state of readiness that defined their lives.

Their team had claimed their usual corner table, with Kelvin already halfway through what appeared to be his second helping of everything. The guy ate like he was storing up for hibernation, but somehow never gained an ounce. Noah had long since stopped trying to figure out the physics of Kelvin’s metabolism.

“Morning, lovebirds,” Kelvin called out cheerfully, not bothering to look up from his plate. “You two are glowing. It’s actually kind of disgusting how cute you are.”

“Jealousy doesn’t look good on you, Kel,” Sophie shot back, sliding into her seat.

Lucas was reviewing something on his tablet while nursing a cup of coffee that smelled strong enough to strip paint. “Race day jitters?” he asked Noah with a grin. “Because I’ve been thinking about strategy all morning.”

“Strategy for getting your ass kicked by a dragon?” Diana asked dryly from across the table. She seemed slightly more approachable than usual this morning, though her trademark frost was still firmly in place.

“Hey, I’ve got moves you haven’t seen yet,” Lucas protested.

“We’ve all seen your moves,” Lyra said, not looking up from her own tablet where she was apparently reviewing tournament footage. “I’ve watched every Academy race you’ve ever been in. Twice.”

The casual admission made everyone pause. Lyra had joined their team only recently, but her dedication to understanding her new teammates bordered on obsessive. Noah found it endearing in a slightly concerning way.

They were settling into the usual breakfast banter when a young soldier appeared at their table—a private Noah didn’t recognize, looking nervous and determined in equal measure. The kid couldn’t have been more than nineteen, with the kind of fresh-faced earnestness that screamed “new recruit.”

The soldier walked directly to Diana, placed a folded piece of paper beside her tray with hands that were definitely shaking, and bolted without a word.

Diana stared at the paper like it might spontaneously combust.

“Well, that wasn’t suspicious at all,” Kelvin observed, pausing mid-chew. “What do you think it is? Orders? Death threat? Marriage proposal?”

“It’s nothing,” Diana said quickly, but her hand moved to cover the note protectively. For someone who prided herself on unflappable composure, she looked remarkably flustered.

“It’s definitely something,” Lucas said, leaning forward with interest. “People don’t hand-deliver ‘nothing’ during breakfast while looking like they’re about to pass out.”

Lyra’s romantic soul had apparently activated, because her eyes lit up with sudden understanding. “Oh my god, Diana. That’s a love note, isn’t it?”

“It’s not—I don’t—” Diana’s composed facade cracked like ice under pressure.

But Lyra had already moved with surprising speed, snatching the paper before Diana could react. Her expression shifted from mischievous to genuinely touched as she read, her free hand moving to her heart.

“Diana,” she said softly, “this is actually really sweet.”

“Give it back,” Diana demanded, but her voice lacked its usual arctic authority.

“‘I’ve watched you lead with grace and strength,'” Lyra read aloud, ignoring Diana’s increasingly frantic protests. “‘Your dedication inspires me every day. I know someone like you would never notice someone like me, but I had to tell you how I feel. You’re incredible, and I hope someday I’ll be brave enough to say this to your face. -Your Secret Admirer.'”

The table fell into stunned silence. Even Kelvin seemed at a loss for words, which was frankly unprecedented.

“That’s…” Sophie started, clearly struggling for the right response.

“Actually kind of romantic,” Noah finished, surprised despite himself.

Diana had gone completely red, a fascinating contrast to her usual pale complexion. “This is ridiculous. I’m not interested in some schoolboy crush from—”

“Oh, you absolutely are,” Lyra interrupted, carefully folding the note and sliding it back across the table. “Look at you! You’re blushing!”

“I don’t blush,” Diana protested, which only made her blush deeper.

“This is amazing,” Kelvin said, his enthusiasm returning in full force. “Diana Frost, ice queen of Vanguard Base, has a secret admirer! This is like finding out that winter has feelings!”

“Shut up, Kelvin,” Diana muttered, but there was less venom in it than usual.

“We have to figure out who it is,” Lyra declared, pulling out her tablet with the determination of someone embarking on a sacred mission. “This is basically a real-life romance novel situation. Operation: Find Diana’s Secret Admirer is now officially underway.”

“We absolutely do not have to do anything,” Diana said firmly.

“We absolutely do,” Kelvin argued, warming to the idea. “This is like a mystery! We need to analyze handwriting, investigate suspects, maybe set up some surveillance—”

“If you set up surveillance, I will freeze you solid and use you as a paperweight,” Diana threatened.

“Kinky,” Kelvin replied without missing a beat, earning a grape thrown at his head.

The conversation devolved into an animated discussion about investigation strategies and potential suspects, with Diana growing more mortified by the minute. Noah found himself genuinely entertained by watching his usually unflappable teammate reduced to flustered silence. It was humanizing in a way that made him like her more, not less.

After breakfast, the team began to disperse to their various weekend activities. Kelvin and Lyra headed off together, already deep in conversation about sensor placement and data collection protocols for the race. Their excited chatter faded as they disappeared around a corner, but Noah caught fragments about “optimal measurement angles” and “aerodynamic analysis.” He had a feeling they were going to turn his simple race into some kind of scientific expedition.

[New Mission Available: Saturday Speed Trial]

[Objective: Participate in recreational race with teammate Lucas Grey and summon Storm]

[Reward: +10 attributes to agility & Personal satisfaction +???]

[Accept? Y/N]

‘Accept,’ Noah thought with amusement. Leave it to his system to gamify a friendly competition.

“I’m going to hit the training center,” Sophie announced, stretching her arms above her head in a way that made Noah temporarily forget how to think. “Need to get some cardio in before this becomes a complete circus.”

“I’ll join you,” Lucas said, standing and rolling his shoulders. “Been too long since I’ve done proper hand-to-hand practice. Sophie, you’re still ranked second on the team for close combat, right?”

Sophie’s expression shifted to something predatory. “Second-best? Oh, Lucas. Sweet, naive Lucas. I’m going to enjoy reminding you why that ranking exists.”

“Bring it on,” Lucas grinned. “I’ve been working on some new techniques.”

“So have I,” Sophie replied sweetly. “Several of them are technically illegal in sanctioned matches.”

They headed off together, already discussing training routines and sparring techniques with the kind of enthusiasm that suggested someone was going to end up in the medical bay. Noah watched them go with fond amusement—Sophie was competitive enough to turn a casual workout into a full-contact demonstration, and Lucas was just cocky enough to underestimate her. Again.

That left Noah with several hours to kill before the race. He considered joining them in the training center, but his attention kept drifting to his damaged armor. The Knight’s Grace had served him well during the battle on Nebular, but the crystalline impacts and Harbinger claws had left their mark. Several plates were cracked, the power distribution network needed recalibration, and one of the shoulder pieces was making an ominous grinding sound whenever he moved.

He made his way back to his quarters and settled into his desk chair, activating his system interface with a thought.

[System Interface Activated]

[Current Void Coins: 97,842]

[Beast Cores Available: ×582 remaining (Various Grades) including 12 category 5 Fragments]

[Void Forge Status: Ready]

[Repair Options Available]

The familiar blue glow filled his vision as he accessed his void storage, reviewing his available resources. Nearly a hundred thousand void coins—more than enough for the repairs he needed, with plenty left over for future upgrades. The beast cores he’d collected from recent battles would provide the raw material for the forge to work with.

‘Time to pay a visit to the domain.’

Opening a portal was as natural as breathing now.

His domain stretched out before him in all its impossible glory. Rolling hills covered in emerald grass that never needed cutting, beneath a sky that shifted between dawn and dusk without ever quite committing to either. The air tasted of possibilities and felt like home in a way that nowhere in the real world ever had. His small cabin sat maybe a quarter-mile away, its simple log construction somehow perfectly suited to the timeless feel of this place.

He somewhat regretted not bringing Sophie here last night. Then again when he thought about it, this was the place he and Lila…well. It just didn’t feel right to do that to either of them.

But his attention was immediately drawn to the two massive forms resting near a grove of trees that definitely hadn’t been there last week. His domain had a habit of evolving based on his subconscious needs, apparently deciding that his companions required more sophisticated accommodations than open grassland.

Nyx lay stretched out like an enormous cat, his deep red scales catching the perpetual golden light. Even at rest, the Red Death Dragon radiated power—the kind of barely contained force that made reality nervous. Storm was curled up nearby, considerably smaller but no less impressive. The black and blue patterns of his hide created an almost hypnotic display as they shifted with his breathing, ice crystals occasionally forming and melting around his nostrils.

Both dragons sensed his arrival immediately—heads lifting, eyes focusing on him with intelligence that predated human civilization. But instead of their usual enthusiastic greeting, they simply acknowledged his presence with dignified nods before settling back down.

Noah couldn’t blame them for the subdued welcome. Between the Harbinger incursions, training exercises, and general chaos of their new lives, his companions had been putting in serious work lately. They deserved their rest, and he was honestly relieved to see them taking it.

He made his way to the cabin, where he then activated his forge. The device looked like someone had crossed a medieval anvil with a high-tech fabricator, all purple surfaces and geometric patterns that made his eyes water if he looked directly at them. It was beautiful and alien and completely impossible, which made it perfect for his needs.

[Void Forge Activated]

[Place damaged items on input platform]

[Select repair parameters]

Noah placed the damaged armor pieces on the input platform and began feeding beast cores into the material processors. The cores dissolved into pure energy, their essence absorbed by the forge’s crystalline matrix. It was like watching solid matter become light, then reshape itself into something stronger.

The repair process was almost meditative. His system guided the work, highlighting stress points and recommending improvements, but the actual crafting required his attention and intent. Void coins flowed like digital currency, purchasing time and energy from forces he still didn’t fully understand. But the results spoke for themselves—within an hour, the Knight’s Grace was not only repaired but subtly enhanced, its protective matrices stronger and more efficient than before.

[Repair Complete]

[Knight’s Grace – Enhanced]

[Durability: +15%]

[Energy Efficiency: +12%]

[New Feature Unlocked: Adaptive Plating]

‘Adaptive plating?’ Noah examined the armor more closely, running his fingers over plates that now seemed to shift slightly under pressure, redistributing impact force more effectively.

[Adaptive Plating: Armor automatically adjusts density and configuration based on incoming damage type]

[Effectiveness increases with combat experience]

With the armor work complete, Noah settled into his meditation routine on the cabin’s small porch. The domain’s endless peace made it the perfect place for this kind of internal work, free from the distractions and tensions of the outside world.

He began with the fundamentals, focusing on the white chi that flowed around his core—the pure energy that enhanced his physical capabilities. Drawing it through his body in careful patterns learned through months of practice, he felt muscles relax and strengthen simultaneously, felt his nervous system optimize its responses. The energy moved like liquid light through his meridians, reinforcing the pathways that connected his human physiology to impossible abilities.

Then came the more challenging work: the dark chi he’d learned from Lila.

The memory of her brought a familiar pang of worry and longing. His former classmate and complicated love interest was somewhere out there, hunting the Purge terrorists who were unfortunately her parents, the Rowes. The red-and-white-tinted energy she’d taught him was dangerous, volatile, designed for destruction rather than enhancement. But under careful control, it could provide incredible offensive capabilities.

Noah practiced containing it, shaping it, preparing it for the moments when controlled destruction would be necessary. The dark chi felt different from his natural white energy—hungrier, more aggressive, like holding a caged predator that constantly tested its bonds. But he was getting better at managing it, at channeling its destructive potential without letting it overwhelm his natural balance.

The meditation session lasted nearly two hours, leaving him feeling centered and energized in a way that only this kind of deep internal work could provide. As he opened his eyes, he noticed Storm watching him from across the clearing with obvious curiosity. The wyvern had apparently decided that Noah’s activities were more interesting than his afternoon nap.

Noah stood and walked over to his companion, running his hand along the sleek black and blue scales of Storm’s neck. The texture was fascinating—smooth as glass but warm with internal fire, each scale edged with patterns that seemed to shift between ice and lightning depending on the angle.

Storm was built for speed where Nyx was built for power. Only about thirty feet from nose to tail compared to Nyx’s massive bulk, but every line of him spoke of velocity barely contained. Where Nyx was all controlled violence and big dog energy, Storm was pure kinetic energy wrapped in dragon form—younger, more impulsive, always ready for action.

“Hey, buddy,” Noah said softly, enjoying the way Storm’s eyes tracked his movements with obvious intelligence. “Got a question for you. Feel like showing off today?”

Storm’s head tilted slightly, curiosity evident in his bright blue eyes that sparked with inner electricity.

“There’s going to be a race,” Noah continued, grinning at his companion’s immediate interest. “Me, Lucas, and…” He paused for dramatic effect. “Well, you, if you’re interested. Think you can handle a couple of humans trying to keep up?”

The reaction was immediate and spectacular. Storm’s head snapped up, his wings spreading wide as electricity began crackling along his wing membranes. Frost started forming in the air around him as his dual elemental nature flared to life—lightning dancing between his claws while ice crystals swirled around his horns like a miniature blizzard. His whole body seemed to vibrate with excitement, and Noah was pretty sure that if dragons could grin, Storm would be wearing the biggest, most mischievous smile imaginable.

The message was clear as day: ‘Heck yeah!’

New novel!! New novel!!