My Tribrid System.

The Viper captain's voice came through the comms, subdued. "We surrender. Look, we're just a small faction under the Stormbound Order. They expect a tax, and time's running short. We needed a way to meet the quota, so we aimed for a weaker ship."

Tahir's expression didn't change. "And you thought that was a good enough reason?"

After a pause, the captain said, "I'll take responsibility. Just… please, don't destroy us."

Tahir glanced back at his crew. "I'll take half of your beast crystals," he said, voice steady. "Then tell the Order you're short because a new faction has risen. Devil's Dune has claimed its share."

The comms went silent. Then, with a quiet acceptance, the Viper captain replied, "Understood. We'll spread the word."

Tahir's friends exchanged looks. Devil's Dune had just sent its first message to the world.

As they continued their journey, Tahir gathered his friends in one of the ship's training rooms, a spacious area with reinforced walls and a floor designed to absorb impact. He paused for a moment, then turned to them, a grin on his face.

"There's something I've been meaning to show you all," Tahir said, walking toward a set of armor neatly displayed at the far end of the room.

The armor gleamed, a mix of sleek black and silver with intricate designs etched into its surface. "This is something I made a while back," he continued. "It's not just for show. I crafted it with my skills in mind, and it's built for agility. Figured it could be useful down the line."

Jude walked up to the armor, running his fingers over the surface. "This is impressive, man. You really outdid yourself."

Kris raised an eyebrow, a playful challenge flickering in his eyes. "So, we're just admiring the armor, or do you have something else planned?"

Tahir smirked, stepping away from the armor. "Actually, I was thinking we could spar a bit. I've been itching to get in some practice, and you two are just the right opponents."

Kris and Jude exchanged a look, both nodding as they assumed stances.

"Alright, let's see what you've got," Kris said, flexing his shoulders.

Tahir nodded, his focus sharpening. He didn't need the armor for this. His skills alone would be enough. With a swift move, he closed the distance between him and Kris, throwing a quick punch. Kris blocked it but was pushed back by the force. Jude lunged from the side, attempting a clean shot, but Tahir ducked low, sweeping his leg out to knock Jude off balance.

The spar turned into a flurry of movements. Tahir moved like a shadow, combining precise kicks and punches in quick succession, each hit flowing seamlessly into the next. Kris tried to regain his footing but found Tahir's movements unpredictable. Tahir feinted a punch to the chest, then swiftly transitioned into a spinning kick aimed at Kris's midsection.

Jude tried to close in from the other side, but Tahir was already on the move, dodging his attack with a fluid shift. He blocked Jude's punch with a swift parry before landing a blow to his ribs, forcing him to stagger back.

Jude growled, taking a step back to reset his stance. This wasn't going how he planned. The speed and fluidity with which Tahir moved was unlike anything he'd experienced. It was clear his friend had grown much stronger.

Then, an idea hit him. Jude's eyes flickered with determination as he shifted his stance. Drawing on the new skills he'd honed recently, he focused, gathering his energy.

Tahir noticed the change immediately. "What's this? Got something new?"

Jude smirked, his hands glowing with energy as he pressed them to the floor. "Time to test something," he said, focusing intently.

Suddenly, the ground beneath Tahir's feet cracked as two large stone hands shot out from the floor, massive and solid, aiming to grab him by the ankles. The Golem Creation skill was in action, and it was fast.

Tahir reacted quickly, leaping back just as the golems reached for him, narrowly avoiding their grasp. He landed in a roll, coming up on his feet with a determined look. "Nice move, Jude, but you'll have to do better than that!"

Before Tahir could fully recover, Jude's eyes flared with focus, and he slammed his hand into the ground. In a split second, jagged stone spikes erupted from the earth, shooting up toward Tahir like a barrage of spears. Earth Spike was in play.

Tahir's instincts kicked in, and with a swift sidestep, he dodged one spike, then another, the sharp rock narrowly missing him. He spun, his feet sliding over the floor, but a third spike was already hurtling toward him. He couldn't dodge in time.

Just as the spike was about to strike, Tahir raised his arm, using his Shin technique to push his energy into his arm, reinforcing it like a barrier. The spike hit, but it was absorbed by the solidified life energy in his arm, shattering the stone against his skin. He gritted his teeth, pushing forward to close the distance between them.

Jude, now feeling the heat of the battle, quickly commanded the golem hands to shift positions, attempting to trap Tahir's feet once more. The stone hands moved with surprising speed, but Tahir was already airborne, launching himself into a flip to avoid their grasp, landing gracefully behind Jude.

"You're getting faster!" Jude called out, impressed by Tahir's reflexes.

Tahir grinned, wiping a bead of sweat from his forehead. "You're not bad yourself," he said, stepping into his next stance. He shot forward, aiming for Jude's exposed side.

Jude raised his hand to counter, his palm glowing again with the familiar energy. He braced for impact, but just before Tahir reached him, Jude shot another Earth Spike directly beneath his feet, launching the spike upward in a surprise attack.

Tahir twisted mid-air, narrowly avoiding the spike, and landed in a crouch. He shot a look at Jude, who was visibly panting, his energy spent but his will unwavering. "This is getting interesting," Tahir said, nodding approvingly.

The two stood off for a moment, each recognizing the other's growth. Jude was still new to his abilities, but the power he wielded now was undeniably formidable.

Jude grinned, wiping the sweat from his brow. "Alright, you're not bad either. But next time, I'll catch you."

Tahir chuckled, his eyes bright with adrenaline. "Looking forward to it. Just don't expect me to go easy."

As the spar wound down, both friends stood there, catching their breath and exchanging knowing looks.