Chronicles of Forgotten Extra

Alden calmly looked at the black-haired boy.

'He looks strong.'

Too strong.

Will I be able to defeat him?

He felt doubt creep in on him. But the doubt was overwhelmed by the excitement he felt.

His ability urged him to win.

_

Ren also scanned Alden with a playful smirk.

'He is interesting.' Ren thought.

Ren was never defeated by anyone of his age in his life….Well, except his sister.

Most of the people of his age couldn't even dodge a single attack from him properly.

But the boy in front of him dodged his attack, and with ease at that.

"What's your name, my friend?"

This was the first time Ren had even bothered to ask the name within this whole trial.

Alden looked at him like he was seeing a weirdo. "What does it matter?" He answered.

"Yeah, it's true it doesn't matter," Ren said. "But isn't it courtesy to reveal the name of someone who has done the same?"

Alden recalled the warning Gretta had given him. She strictly said to not reveal anything,

What will even happen if I reveal my name?

But still…Alden decided to heed her warning.

"Damien," he said in a plain voice. "You can call me Damien."

"Which clan are you from, Damien?" Ren asked curiously, as he hadn't heard of anyone similar to him before.

"I believe it's enough chit-chat." Alden said as a faint smirk appeared on his face.

"Yeah, you are right." Ren also matched his smirk.

They blurred into motion, leaving afterimages in their wake. They weren't using any abilities. It was pure physical speed.

'Boom'

Their weapons crashed as a loud boom echoed with a shockwave.

None of them were getting pushed back.

But Ren vanished mid-clash as he appeared right behind Alden, his dagger gleaming with cold light.

Alden had already sensed the movement in the air and mana as he quickly ducked.

The dagger sliced through the air where Alden's neck had been just a moment ago.

If not for Alden having [Spirit Domain] and [Monarch of Mana], he would have died ten times over since the battle began.

Ren was that strong.

Alden didn't give Ren any time.

He punched Ren from his crouched position. The punch connected with his abdomen.

Ren flew behind like a rag doll, but before he could crash into a tree, he vanished again using his teleportation.

"Man, I think I should get serious as well." Ren muttered as the whole atmosphere around him shuddered.

His blue eyes turned abyssal black as he had activated his ability.

Alden felt an ominous feeling as Ren swiped his hands in a downward motion calmly.

'Swish'

The space was torn as invisible blades flew at Alden. He had sensed them, but they were far too many to dodge.

'F*ck, is that a space magic attack?'

Alden quickly activated his [Abyssal Soul] for the first time since he got that skill.

Silence.

The blades that touched Alden's body vanished, devoured by something unseen

as if they were never there to begin with.

They were stored in Alden's soul. He didn't feel anything except his mana being consumed.

He exhaled as he looked at Ren.

Ren still stood a few steps away, his now abyssal-black eyes were locked onto him in shock.

"W–What…did you do?" Ren said…For the first time in this trial, he looked serious.

"You…" Ren muttered, his voice low.

Alden tilted his head. "What?"

Ren's fingers twitched. The attack contained nearly half of his current mana pool. And the attack vanished without even doing any damage.

But the shock was not just because Alden managed to survive a technique that was difficult to dodge but also because of the ominous feeling that spread out of him for a moment.

That energy, no, that presence, it wasn't just strange.

It was wrong.

For a moment, it felt like something had swallowed Alden's whole presence, erasing him from existence.

Ren knew no one else in this world would have noticed that presence.

Even if they had witnessed it firsthand, they would have only seen Alden standing there, doing nothing.

But Ren saw it.

Because of his ability —[Eyes of Ruin]

That was the ability Ren had. It allowed him to see beyond the surface, to perceive things that others couldn't. And right now, those very eyes were warning him.

This was dangerous.

He had seen something momentarily shifting. Something beyond mana and beyond magic.

'What the hell was that?'

He looked at Alden, who stood there calmly, as if nothing had even happened. That's what made it even more terrifying.

Ren had never felt anything like that energy. It was enough for him to feel instinctual fear.

Alden, on the other hand, felt nothing except his mana consumption and an instinctual feeling that he could unleash the spell whenever he wanted.

Should I unleash the spell immediately?

Nah.

It would just consume more mana.

His mana pool was already down to only 50%, and using that spell would just make it empty.

But he was sure Ren's condition was not that good either after using that attack.

__

Although Ren was shocked, he gripped his daggers tighter.

And then,

He vanished. But this time, it wasn't just normal teleportation. It was even faster than before.

Alden barely registered the spatial disturbance before,

CLANG.

He barely blocked it.

Just in time.

Ren's daggers clashed against Alden's sword, sparks flying between them.

But the pressure, it was heavier.

Much heavier than before.

'Did his strength increase?'

Another attack.

Then another.

Ren's daggers became blurred, striking Alden from angles impossible to follow.

Alden's [Spirit Domain] and [Eyes of Supreme] were helping him keep track of movements, whereas his [Monarch of Mana] was helping him sense disturbance in mana.

But it wasn't enough. Because Ren wasn't just fast—He was adapting to Alden's ability.

Each attack grew sharper and more precise.

Ren's daggers blurred again. This time it was different.

One aimed for Alden's ribs.

The other—for his throat.

'Damn it.'

Alden twisted his body at the last second, feeling the cold steel graze past his skin.

Blood splattered.

Ren grinned.

"You're keeping up well, Damien."

Alden wiped the blood off his cheek. "…Hah." A chuckle escaped his lips.

Because despite the pain,

He was excited.

A deep and raw thrill was surging through his body.

Fighting strong enemies.

Breaking limits.

This was what he was made for.

He knew he couldn't keep with Ren's strength in his current state so he activated [Limit Break]. His mana surged as his strength also increased by a minor level.