The Extra's Rise

Chapter 265: Bishop Vale (4)

Jin Ashbluff wasn't fond of Arthur's plans. They were too elaborate, too dependent on precise timing and multiple moving parts. But that didn't change the fact that they worked.

Usually.

As he watched three Redknot Guild members approach through the dimly lit corridor, Jin sighed. This part wasn't in the plan. Arthur hadn't accounted for the additional security on the east wing of the building. A minor oversight, but one that required improvisation.

"Ashbluff," Jin murmured to himself, feeling the familiar chill of his Gift stirring beneath his skin. "Remember who you are."

The guards spotted him, their postures shifting instantly from casual patrol to combat-ready. The one in front—tall, muscular, wearing the silver and crimson uniform of Redknot with practiced ease—pointed at Jin.

"Intruder! Halt!"

Jin didn't halt. Instead, he slid one hand into his pocket and activated his comm link with a single tap.

"Oversight in sector four," he said calmly, knowing Arthur would understand. "Proceeding with alternative approach."

The guards charged, mana flaring around them. Low Silver-rank. Insignificant. Jin didn't even bother drawing the ceremonial dagger at his hip.

"You're trespassing on guild property," the lead guard growled, astral energy gathering around his fists.

Jin tilted his head slightly. "Funny. I was thinking the same about you."

His shadow rippled, then stretched—not following the laws of light and perspective, but extending with purpose, with hunger. The guards faltered, sensing something wrong but unable to identify the source of their sudden unease.

Too late.

From Jin's shadow rose three specters, translucent figures formed of darkness and malice. They moved with unnatural speed, each targeting a guard with unhesitating precision.

The lead guard managed a half-formed shield of astral energy before the first specter reached him. For a moment, the barrier held—then shattered as the specter passed through it like smoke through a screen. The man screamed, dropping to his knees as the spectral entity invaded his shadow, corrupting it from within.

The other two fared no better. One tried to flee, making it three steps before his own shadow rose up and wrapped around his legs, dragging him down to the floor. The third attempted an offensive spell, gathering red-tinged mana between his palms, only for the energy to sputter and die as Jin's specter touched him.

In seconds, it was over. Three bodies lay unconscious on the floor.

Jin's comm link buzzed.

"Status?" Kali's voice, tense but controlled.

"Proceeding to checkpoint three," Jin replied, turning left at the next junction. "Minor resistance. Nothing significant. More cultists in Redknot uniforms, exactly where Arthur predicted."

"Arthur's engaged the Bishop," she said, the words tight. "Carrie's down."

Jin's steps faltered momentarily. That wasn't part of the plan. Carrie was supposed to distract the Bishop and then team up on him with the Knight Captain of Redmond while Arthur secured Reika and retreated to safety.

"How bad?"

"Unknown. But Arthur's fighting him alone."

Jin cursed under his breath. Arthur had contingencies for almost everything, but a direct confrontation with Bishop Vale this early wasn't ideal. Even with Erebus and his tactical brilliance, Arthur was still outmatched by several tiers.

"Is he using Reika?"

The comm link crackled with interference before Kali's voice returned. "Yes. But it won't be enough. We need the final piece."

Jin nodded to himself, increasing his pace. The final piece. Of course.

Jin hadn't questioned how Arthur knew Rachel was in Redmond City. Just as he hadn't questioned how Arthur knew which Redknot members were actually cultists in disguise. Arthur simply knew things, gathering information through a network so discreet that even Jin—with all the resources of the Ashbluff family—couldn't trace it.

The remainder of his escape from the Redknot building proved surprisingly straightforward. Arthur had mapped every exit, every patrol route, with obsessive precision. He'd even highlighted which Redknot members were genuine and which were cult infiltrators. The emergency response teams moved exactly as Arthur had predicted, gathering in sectors far from Jin's escape path.

Twenty minutes later, Jin emerged into a narrow alleyway six blocks from the guild headquarters, his clothing changed, his presence concealed beneath a subtle glamour that discouraged casual observation.

Now for the final part of Arthur's plan.

The rendezvous point was a small café in Redmond's commercial district. Busy enough to blend in, quiet enough for a private conversation. Arthur had chosen it because of its position relative to Rachel's likely patrol route—a calculated intersection designed to seem coincidental.

Jin arrived first, ordering a hideously sweet chocolate concoction that prompted the barista to raise a skeptical eyebrow. He took a seat by the window, positioning himself to be visible from the street while appearing casually engaged with his drink.

Arthur's timing was immaculate, as always. Jin counted down silently in his head. Three... two... one...

Rachel walked past the window.

Her pace was unhurried, her eyes scanning the street with practiced vigilance. She wore the standard Mythos Academy field uniform. Her honey-blonde hair was pulled back in a simple ponytail, practical for the mission she was supposedly here to complete.

Jin watched her pass, then deliberately knocked his spoon to the floor with a clatter that carried just enough to catch her attention.

Rachel glanced inside, her eyes passing over him once, then returning with a flash of recognition.

Perfect.

Jin nodded slightly, an acknowledgment between acquaintances. Nothing urgent. Nothing suspicious. Just enough to draw her in.

Rachel hesitated for only a moment before entering the café. Her movements were fluid, graceful, betraying the physical enhancements of her rank. She approached Jin's table, her expression politely curious but guarded.

"Jin Ashbluff," she said, her voice carefully neutral. "I didn't expect to see you in Redmond."

Jin gestured to the seat across from him, which Rachel took after a moment's consideration.

"A coincidence," Jin lied smoothly. "I'm here on a mission."

Rachel's eyes narrowed slightly. Jin could see the calculations behind them, the assessment of probabilities. She didn't believe in coincidences any more than Arthur did.

"A mission," she repeated. "In a city where Arthur happens to have his mission."

Jin sipped his drink, letting the silence stretch just long enough to be uncomfortable. Arthur had choreographed this conversation in advance, explaining exactly how to guide Rachel to the desired conclusion without appearing manipulative.

"Arthur," Jin finally said, as if the name had just reminded him of something. "You two are still... not speaking?"

Rachel's posture stiffened almost imperceptibly. "That's not your concern."

"Perhaps not," Jin agreed. He set his drink down, meeting her gaze directly. "Though it might interest you to know that he's currently at the Redknot Guild headquarters."

"I'm aware of his assignment."

"Fighting a Bishop. Alone."

The change in Rachel was immediate and dramatic. Her mana density spiked so suddenly that the air around her shimmered with suppressed energy. Several patrons nearby glanced over, sensing the disturbance without understanding its source.

"What did you say?" Her voice had dropped to a whisper, but there was nothing soft about it.

Jin leaned forward. "The Redknot Guild has been infiltrated by a Cult. Their Guild Master is Bishop Vale himself. Arthur confronted him directly to save a girl named Reika. He's outmatched, even with Erebus."

"Arthur knew you'd be in the city," Jin continued, ignoring her objection. "He didn't ask for your help directly because—"

"Because he's an arrogant, stubborn fool," Rachel finished, her fingers tightening around the edge of the table. A hairline fracture appeared in the wood beneath her grip.

Jin nodded. "He won't survive without assistance. Specifically, without your Gift. And the Knight Captain."

Rachel stood abruptly, her chair scraping against the floor. For a moment, Jin thought she might simply walk away—the one reaction Arthur hadn't predicted.

But then she looked down at him, and Jin felt a chill that had nothing to do with his own necromantic abilities.

Her Gift was activating even as she stood there, responding to emotions too powerful to contain.

"Rachel," Jin called after her, following the script Arthur had provided. "He didn't ask because he didn't want to endanger you."

She paused at the door, looking back over her shoulder. "I know exactly why he didn't ask."

Jin remained seated, taking another sip of his drink.

Everything was proceeding according to Arthur's design. The players were moving into their final positions. The trap was nearly complete.

Yet Jin couldn't shake the memory of Rachel's eyes in that last moment—the absolute, terrifying focus in them, the promise of something that even Arthur might not have fully calculated.

For the first time since joining Arthur's schemes, Jin felt a sliver of doubt.

Because those sapphire eyes sparkled with something too twisted.