Extra's Ascent

"Nice one, Valeria!" Opius exclaimed, pumping his fist into the air with triumph.

A surge of pride swelled in his chest as he watched her reclaim possession of the ball from the infamous Selina Von Degure. Just the thought of besting someone of that calibre filled him with elation. Valeria had done the impossible and with such grace.

But she wasn't basking in glory. Not for a second.

"It's not over yet, let's go!" she called out, eyes locked forward, her voice sharp with determination.

She was absolutely right. The game had only just begun. Only now, the tide had shifted in their favour. Valeria and Opius were no longer on the defensive. This time, they were setting the tempo, scripting their own attack.

Valeria led the charge, the ball under her control, while Opius followed closely behind, ready to lend his strength when the moment called for it. He knew the importance of support in this coming storm.

They hadn't advanced far when a shadow raced behind them?! Aydin.

"Damn it!" Opius cursed under his breath, recognizing the threat that now loomed over them. Aydin wasn't just another player, he was a storm in cleats.

"Don't panic, Opius! There's one of him and two of us!" Valeria called back, her voice infused with an optimism that hadn't quite worn off since her triumph over Selina.

The adrenaline still coursed through her veins, giving her an almost reckless confidence. She clung to the belief that if she and Opius synchronized their efforts, they might just outmanoeuvre Aydin the same way she had stunned Selina.

"I'm with you, Valeria!" Opius shouted, even if his legs wavered beneath the mounting pressure.

"Good. You're going to need it!" she responded with a smirk.

But before he could fully commit to their combined effort, Aydin closed the gap at an impossible speed. The distance between them, which should've bought them a minute, vanished in seconds.

Opius halted, planting himself like an anchor on the field. He knew what had to be done. He had to delay Aydin, even if only for a breath.

So Valeria would take that time to widen the gap, advancing ever forward.

"Out of my way," came Aydin's voice, low and commanding. It wasn't a plea. It was an ultimatum.

He didn't break stride. But neither did Opius. His stance was defiant, a wall unwilling to crumble.

As Aydin neared, Opius braced himself for a head-on clash. But instead of a blow, Aydin caught Opius's fist mid-air, effortlessly. And in a blur, chains wrapped around Opius's wrist like snakes springing from the void.

Before Opius could comprehend what had happened, Aydin was already gone, speeding toward Valeria.

Opius tugged violently at the restraint, eyes wide in disbelief. The chain was embedded deep into the brick beneath his feet, as though forged into the earth itself.

'Did he summon this out of nothing?' Opius thought, gritting his teeth as he struggled to break free.

"Now, on to you."

Valeria heard him, heard the proximity in his voice and knew the chase had reached its next stage.

She couldn't outrun him. That much was clear. So she stopped. Spun around. And faced him head-on.

A bold move. Risky. Maybe even foolish.

Opius had tried something similar and was taken out in an instant. But Valeria wasn't him.

She was A-ranked. And while that rank meant little in her earlier clash with Aydin, something had shifted. She'd revealed a piece of her arsenal, something that had allowed her to triumph over an S-class student like Selina.

If she played her hand right, she could replicate that victory.

Aydin's relentless sprint didn't falter. He leapt forward, reaching out to grab her but his hand slid off her like water slipping from glass.

Or did she phase through him?

She didn't wait to find out. Valeria manoeuvred backwards, widening the distance between them.

She had won that round. Barely. But Aydin was already advancing again.

Another attempt, another miss.

For the third time, he launched himself forward and this time, he passed through her entirely.

Like she wasn't even there.

Like she was...a ghost.

Realization flickered in Aydin's expression as he landed behind her. He turned slowly, observing his palms. Then clenched them into fists, then opened them again.

"I think I get it now," he muttered, locking eyes with her.

Valeria's chest tightened. The cautious glint in her eyes betrayed her resolve. Even though she held the upper hand for now, she knew her advantage was delicate. One mistake, and it would vanish like mist under the sun.

"I can't believe it took me this long to figure it out…"

His gaze lingered, almost analytical.

"You're Valeria… Inestar, are you not?"

Her brow twitched, ever so subtly, but it was enough.

He knew.

Not just her name. He knew her origin. Her bloodline. The source of the strange power she now wielded.

And if he knew that much… then he also knew how to stop her.

Her breath caught. Her eyes widened.

She turned on her heel and bolted.

There had been a chance however slim, before he identified her ability. But now that he knew? The game had changed. Her one trump card had been exposed.

Aydin wasn't just another opponent. He was from one of the three founding clans, clans with access to generations of knowledge, secrets, and countermeasures.

If anyone knew how to neutralize her, it was him.

She had no choice. She had to run.

"Not so fast, missy!"

Aydin's voice echoed ahead of her, chilling her to the core.

He was already there, waiting. Like a phantom.

She froze. Her sprint slowed to a jog, then to uncertain steps. Her confidence buckled.

Then, like a whisper in the wind, a voice danced past her ear.

"Don't stop. Push forward."

The words came with a gust, whipping through her hair, brushing against her skin. The air shifted, vibrating with something fast, something powerful.

Her eyes widened.

"Aldrich…" she breathed, hope rekindling in her chest like a dying ember catching flame.

He was here.