I Reincarnated as The Protagonist's Best Friend

Chapter 27: Meeting The Protagonist

Quash was reclined against the railing of a massive, golden ship. He was wating on the deck for Alan and Elina to arrive. He was looking towards the distance where clouds were dark and flashes of light going off from time to time. But no sound came.

The ship he was in was massive. With many protective formations and weapons. The front part has two layers, the deck area and the lounge area right below it. There is glass windows for people to chat while enjoying the view.

The back of the ship is where living quater is, supplies for the journey and the Core Power supplier is. People live in the upper layer of the ship, among the three floors.

Quash waited for Alan and Elina... feeling no excitement. His mood was still heavy. But the excitement of travelling to a new place and seeing new things was threatening to peirce through the heaviness. His mood was in a weird state where he was feeling sad and excited at the same time.

Making him almost sigh. But before he could let out a soul crushing sigh, an excited voice demanded his attention.

"YOOOO!!!! QUASH!!! HOW ARE YOU!?!?!?"

Alan waved at him with a bright smile. His smile radiant, innocent and devoid of any malice. His skin was pale, he had black hair and black eyes. Behind him, Elina walked with Alan with a But of awkwardness. Quash had confessed before they all practically separated for two months.

She felt a bit awkward facing him. She and Alan had bin in somewhat contact, purely because she couldn’t hold herself back from talking to Alan. But Quash had been absolutely out of contact. Never once texting or contacting her. She was out of the city training with her grandmother, who was somewhat of a mage but not that strong. She just taught her the basics while she did everything mostly on her own.

She was abit worried about her rejection of Quash, thinking if their friendship was ruined or not. But she pit those thoughts aside and trained hard. When she returned, she had heard of his parents death and she felt even more bad.

Especially Alan who almost went into self loathing because of his decision, they couldn’t be there for their friend when he needed them.

But after very long talk with him, she managed to stabilise him into acting normal saying that Quash wouldn’t like him to act all pitiful and sympathy about something so sensitive.

But in reality, she had no idea. She has no idea how them practically ignoring such sensitive topic will be taken by Quash.

But seeing him smiling and waving back with his same calm attitude. She relaxed a little and felt a bit at ease thinking she was worried for nothing.

But she she has to admit that Quash looks different... very different actually. He is like upgraded version of Quash. His looks have somehow changed but is still fundamentally the same enough to recognise.

But he has become undeniably good looking. But not as good looking as her Alan!

... Maybe he was a little bit more good looking...

As Elina was having these kind of thoughts, Quash on the other hand didn’t think much of her, nor Alan to he honest. They were his friends, and that’s the end of it. And the girl his naive self used to like just so happans to like his his friend. Nothing wrong with that.

Just cause he knows she will use his death to get together with Alan doesn’t mean he should avoid her or hate her.

That is honestly extremely pathetic way of thinking. Narrow mindedness at its peak.

He greated Alan back and also greater Elina. He has no romantic feelings for Elina anymore.

She is just another precious friend like Alan.

As for Alan, he was a good person that truly cares for him. He could feel how careful he was with his words. He was genuinely feeling guilty for suggesting to separately train. Because if they didn’t separate and go out of contact, he could have been there for him.

Quash simply chuckled at his naive but kind hearted friends consideration.

Slap!

"Chill out man. You don’t need to feel guilty for something you had no control over. Don’t you see I’m fine?"

He slapped Alan’s shoulder with a bit force to make his point.

"Ouch. What the hell? That hurt. What have you been doing these past months?"

Alan chuckled while rubbing his shoulders. Murmuring that is he that easy to read.

"Just some calisthenics. What about you two?"

As if a fuse in Alan has been lit, his eyes lit up with genuine excitement and he begun to narrate his training experience. The difficulties he faced and what he did to raise his stats.

Elina also joined in and shared her side of the story as well. How she experimented with magic and how her training went.

Quash also told his side and what he did. Traning with gym bros and some calisthenics. And occasional Aura Cultivation.

Alan looked at him weirdly when Quash said it. He still felt that sting from the earlier slap. That was noway result of normal training. From what he remembered, Quash’s Strength stat was 29. While his own Endurance was nearing 50 two months ago. Did Quash grow so much that his stats basically increased and neared the Class Limit like him?

Alan thought carefully and thought it wasn’t that weird because Quash was the Grundleas Protectors Grandson. It wouldn’t be weird for the Protector to have something that could make growth of that level possible.

They chatted for few more minutes to purely catch up. Quash continued to look at the dark clouds in the distance. Alan and Elina looked as well.

"Lightning Rain clouds?"

Alan asked absent mindedly.

"Mm~. Seems like it. And it is in our voyage path so..."

Quash answered but didn’t finish his sentence. He licked his lips while thinking of what he could do what that cloud of free recourse if they actually passed through.

Seeing everyone suddenly get quite and not understanding what these two friends of her found so interesting about some clouds, Elina decided to bring up the reason they went to train separately to begin with.