Chapter 217: A better way

Noah got to the back and immediately _ A familiar floral scent cut through the stench of sweat and antiseptic. Sophie. Her arms wrapped around him from behind, her cheek pressed against his shoulder blade. Normally, her embrace would melt the tension from his muscles, but now her touch felt distant, almost foreign. "Noah..." Her voice trailed off as she circled to face him. The usual warmth in her eyes had cooled, replaced by something Noah couldn't quite place—concern? Fear? Her fingers trembled slightly as she reached up to touch his face. "What was that?" "What was what?" Noah's voice came out harsher than intended. Sophie flinched. "You know exactly what. That wasn't you out there." She gestured toward the platform where medical staff still hovered over Elias. "You broke him, Noah. Not just beat him—broke him." Before Noah could respond, Kelvin approached. His usual exuberant energy was conspicuously subdued. No whooping, no victory dance, no bombastic commentary about Noah's performance. Instead, he offered a measured fist bump. "Nice win," Kelvin said, his voice uncharacteristically flat. His eyes darted between Noah and Sophie, sensing the tension. "Good to see you in one piece." Noah returned the fist bump mechanically. The absence of Kelvin's typical enthusiasm felt like an indictment. "Thanks," Noah muttered, unable to summon more words. Sophie's hand slipped from his, fingers lingering for a heartbeat before falling away completely. "I should get back to my seat," she said quietly. "Next one starts soon." She walked away without looking back, her shoulders rigid with unspoken words. Kelvin shuffled his feet awkwardly. "She'll come around," he offered lamely. "Just give her—" "Eclipse." Lucas's voice cut through the corridor, commanding attention without raising its volume. The senior approached with measured steps, his expression neutral but his eyes sharp as scalpels. "A word." Kelvin took the cue, backing away with an awkward salute. "I'll, uh... catch you later." Lucas guided Noah to a quieter alcove, away from prying ears. For a long moment, he simply studied Noah's face, as if searching for something hidden beneath the surface. "What happened out there?" Lucas finally asked, his voice deadly calm. Noah's jaw tightened. "He tried to kill me." "Explain." "This may sound crazy but I see white lines. And today, the white lines appeared," Noah said, keeping his voice low. "Same as during the Harbinger incident. They only show up when something or someone is actively trying to end my life." Lucas's expression darkened, a storm gathering behind his eyes. "You're certain?" "Absolutely. Every strike was aimed at a vital point—throat, temple, solar plexus. He wasn't fighting to win a match; he was fighting to end me." Lucas's fist clenched, knuckles whitening. "Jayden Smoak," he hissed, the name itself a curse on his lips. "This has his stink all over it." "Without question." "And your response was to systematically dismantle Elias in front of everyone." It wasn't a question. Noah met his gaze unflinchingly. "He tried to kill me," he repeated. "I responded accordingly." Lucas exhaled slowly, mastering the rage that had momentarily surfaced. "Listen to me carefully, Noah. I understand your position—better than most. If someone tried to take my life, I'd want blood too." He placed a hand on Noah's shoulder, his grip firm. "But we're representing Academy Twelve here. Our actions reflect on everyone. If the officials decide your response was excessive, they could eliminate you. And you are too valuable to lose," The weight of Lucas's words sank in. Noah hadn't considered the broader implications, too focused on his immediate survival. "The school comes first," Lucas continued. "Always. You can put the hurt on anyone who deserves it, but not at the expense of our collective goal. Understood?" Noah nodded slowly. "Understood." "Good." Lucas's expression softened marginally. "For what it's worth, I can't wait to get my hands on Jayden myself. That manipulative bastard has been pulling strings for too long." Lucas checked his watch, then glanced toward the arena entrance. "I need to get back. Year Three matches are ending too quick and I don't wanna miss my call up when it happens. We don't need to be at the tunnel like you all," He studied Noah's face once more. "You coming?" Noah shook his head. "I have an appointment." Lucas raised an eyebrow but didn't press. "Alright. Sophie, Kelvin, and I will be watching the remaining matches. Find us when you're done with... whatever this is." ___ Thirty minutes later, Noah approached Training Ground Seven in the Nexus Arena complex. The protective gear he'd worn during the match had been replaced with a simple gray training uniform, his hair still damp from a quick shower. Lila was already there, perched on the edge of a meditation stone. She'd changed as well, trading her academy uniform for form-fitting black training clothes. Her blonde hair was pulled back in a tight ponytail, emphasizing the sharp angles of her face. The training gear strifing for control against her large chest. "You came," she observed, a hint of genuine surprise in her voice. "You doubted I would?" She shrugged one shoulder. "After what happened with Elias... thought you might be busy with damage control." Noah approached, stopping a few paces from her. "So, did you just want to gawk at the circus, or was there an actual reason for this meeting?" A slow smile spread across her lips. "Straight to business. I like that." She slid off the stone with fluid grace. "I told you yesterday—your chi technique. It's good, but ultimately weak. I can help with that." Noah crossed his arms. "What exactly do you mean by 'weak'? I just used it to send Elias to the medical bay." "And it nearly drained you completely." Lila circled him slowly, assessing. "I was watching closely. Your reserves were critically low by the end of that match. One more Exploding Palm and you'd have been running on fumes." Noah frowned. She wasn't wrong, but how could she possibly know that? "What does Master Anng teach you about chi?" she asked abruptly. "Why does that matter?" "Humor me." Noah sighed. "Chi is the vital energy that flows through all living beings. It circulates through meridians in the body, can be cultivated through meditation and proper breathing, and can be directed through training to enhance physical abilities or project externally for attacks and defense." Lila laughed—a sharp, dismissive sound that set Noah's teeth on edge. "What's so funny?" he demanded. "Sit." She gestured to the meditation stone she'd vacated. "I didn't come here to be mocked." "I'm not mocking you," she countered, though her smirk suggested otherwise. "I'm offering you something better than Anng's basics. But if you're satisfied with parlor tricks..." Noah hesitated, then reluctantly sat cross-legged on the stone. Lila mirrored his position on the ground before him. "Let me guess," she began, her voice taking on a singsong quality. "Anng tells you that accessing chi requires inner peace, quiet meditation, harmonious balance, and all that spiritual mumbo jumbo, right?" Noah's silence was confirmation enough. "What if I told you there's another way? A method with no drawbacks, allowing you to do more, control better, and access an infinite pool rather than the limited reservoir in your own body?" "I'd say you're selling beast oil." Lila's eyes gleamed. "The chi Anng teaches you to use is merely your body's internal energy—the same energy all living beings possess. But what if you could draw that same energy from external sources?" Noah's skepticism must have shown on his face because Lila's smile widened. "Watch," she instructed. She closed her eyes, her breathing steady and measured. Noah expected the familiar soft glow of chi energy to manifest—the pale white luminescence he'd seen countless times during Master Anng's classes. What emerged from Lila's palms was different. Darker, more intense. Where normal chi emitted a gentle, ephemeral light, this energy pulsed with deep red undertones hidden within the white, as if something else lurked beneath the surface. "This," she whispered, eyes still closed, "is advanced chi manipulation." The energy coalesced into a perfect sphere between her palms, then split into multiple smaller orbs that orbited her body like miniature planets around a sun. Each orb left a faint afterimage, a visual echo that lingered in the air. Noah leaned forward despite himself. "How are you doing that? I mean, it's so condensed. I could never get mine to cooperate like that," The orbs condensed back into a single mass that Lila shaped into various forms—a cube, a pyramid, a spiraling helix—all with effortless precision. Then, without warning, she thrust her palm toward Noah. The energy surged forward, not as an attack but as an offering. It enveloped Noah's right hand, sinking into his skin with a sensation like plunging into a hot spring—sharp, almost painful heat followed by a rush of power that made his fingertips tingle. "That's..." Noah stared at his hand, watching as veins of that same red-tinged energy raced beneath his skin. "Impressive?" Lila supplied. "That's just a taste." The foreign chi dissipated, leaving Noah with an odd emptiness, as if something essential had been briefly supplied then abruptly withdrawn. "If you can do this," Noah asked, "why rely on telekinesis in combat? Why not use this technique?" Lila's expression darkened momentarily. "It's not particularly necessary for my fighting style. Besides..." She glanced toward the main academy building in the distance. "Masters like Anng frown upon students who progress beyond their teachings. They hate seeing their precious methodology questioned or improved upon." Noah's eyes narrowed. "So you're teaching me some hidden technique that I need to keep secret?" "Not exactly." Lila rose in one fluid motion. "Learning the basics is one thing. Using them effectively is another. Our fighting styles are different, but I can show you how to adapt this approach to suit your needs." She gestured for Noah to stand. "Try it yourself. Clear your mind, but instead of looking inward for your energy source, reach outward. Feel the energy all around you—in the air, the ground, the living things nearby." Noah closed his eyes, attempting to follow her instructions. Minutes passed in silence as he reached with his senses, searching for this external wellspring she described. Nothing happened. "I don't feel anything," he admitted finally. "You're thinking too hard," Lila said. "Forget Anng's teachings about calm and peace. Try something else." Noah tried again, and again. Each attempt yielded nothing but growing frustration. After the fifth failure, he clenched his fists. "This is pointless," he growled. "Is it?" Lila's voice held a note of anticipation. "Look at your hands." Noah glanced down. Thin wisps of energy curled around his fingers—not the pure white of his usual chi, but something darker, shot through with those same red veins he'd seen in Lila's demonstration. "How...?" he began. "Remember when I said the source could be anything?" Lila stepped closer, her voice dropping to a near-whisper. "Emotions are powerful conduits—anger, frustration, hate... even lust," she paused for a brief moment to stare at him flatly. "They connect you to energies beyond your limited internal reserves." Noah stared at the energy swirling around his hands, watching as it responded to his thoughts, expanding and contracting with his breath. It felt different—hotter, more volatile, yet paradoxically easier to control. "This is..." he searched for the right word. "Advanced," Lila supplied. "Master Anng teaches basics. I'm showing you what lies beyond." They practiced for over an hour, Lila demonstrating techniques for drawing and shaping this new energy source. Noah couldn't consistently replicate her results, but each small success brought a rush of satisfaction that bordered on intoxication. "That's enough for today," Lila eventually declared. "We should head back. The matches will be wrapping up soon." Noah reluctantly allowed the energy to dissipate. "You're right." They walked in companionable silence through the training grounds, the distant roar of the crowd growing louder as they approached the main arena complex. The sound reminded Noah of the day's earlier events—the match, Elias, the white lines. And suddenly, he remembered his original purpose in meeting with Lila. "Wait." Noah stopped walking, causing Lila to turn with a questioning look. "There's something else we need to discuss." "Oh?" Her eyebrow arched. "Yesterday," Noah said carefully, "you mentioned something about your parents making you do terrible things. You never explained or should I say I never gave you a chance?" The change was instantaneous. Lila's entire demeanor shifted, her expression shuttering like windows before a storm. "I told you to forget about that." "If it was terrible enough to warrant my attention yesterday, it's terrible enough to remember today." Lila's eyes darted left and right, as if checking for eavesdroppers in the empty corridor. She opened her mouth to speak, then suddenly clutched at her head, her face contorting in pain. "Lila?" Noah stepped forward, alarmed by the abrupt transformation. She staggered backward, both hands now pressed against her temples. "No," she gasped, her voice strangled. "Not now—" "What's happening? What's wrong?" Noah reached for her arm, but she jerked away. "I'm being—" Lila's knees buckled. "Being shut down—" "Shut down? What does that mean? Lila!" She collapsed fully now, curling into herself on the cold floor, her body wracked with tremors. Blood trickled from her nose, bright red against her pale skin. "Help," she whispered, her eyes wide with terror as she stared up at Noah. "They're in my—" Then her eyes rolled back, and she went completely still.