Extra's Ascent

"Was Saldrich supposed to be this powerful at this point in the original novel?!" Aldrich gasped, sprawled on the unforgiving ground as waves of agony radiated through his battered frame.

He pushed against the dirt, trying to lift himself, but his trembling limbs buckled beneath the weight of pain and exhaustion, dropping him back to the earth.

"I don't have time for this… damn it!"

The fog painstakingly summoned as part of his strategy was thinning prematurely, and the allotted four minutes hadn't even passed. Worse still, the overwhelming surge of mana radiating from her body was warping the very environment. The haze, once a shield for Aldrich's movements, now twisted and recoiled, unable to retain its shape under her influence.

Malakaih, ever loyal, trotted to his side. The familiar's coarse tongue brushed his cheek, a grounding touch meant to keep him conscious.

"Good boy," Aldrich murmured with a strained breath. Gratitude flickered in his eyes as he reached out and stroked the creature's snout. "But I can't keep you here any longer."

He had no choice. Maintaining Malakaih's physical form demanded mana he no longer had to spare. With a reluctant sigh, Aldrich severed the link. In a shimmer of dissolving energy, the familiar returned to familiar realm.

Aldrich remained motionless for a moment longer, giving in to the pain so he could relax his joints with intention to exert them in one full strain and rise as demanded.

"Are you alright?" Fiona's voice broke through the noise, calm but tinged with concern. She approached carefully, observing the wounds he made no effort to hide.

"Do I look alright?" he snapped, still staring at the sky, the sting of humiliation more painful than the injuries he bore. "Shouldn't you be helping your own teammates right about now?"

Despite the sarcasm, there was no anger in his tone, only weary acceptance. He wasn't throwing in the towel; he simply understood that this battle, at least, was already lost.

Opius was out cold. Valeria, likely in the same state. And Aldrich? He knew deep down that rising now to charge back into the fray would change nothing. Until he figured out how to counter Saldrich's newfound strength, this was just the beginning of their downfall.

If they didn't adapt soon, their defeat wouldn't just be assured, it would be a spectacular delight to witness.

Saldrich Aldaman, with her awakened three-leaf clover, had become a force beyond what they'd prepared for. And until Aldrich found a way to match or surpass her, every plan would crumble beneath the weight of her advance.

Still, Fiona stood by, offering her hand.

"I think she'll be just fine without me," she said softly.

He eyed her hand with suspicion. "You do know you're helping someone from the opposing team, right? Doesn't that violate a rule or something?"

"We'll call it a one-time exception," she replied with a half-smile, nudging her hand closer.

He hesitated, blinking up at her. "You sure?"

Her grip didn't waver.

With a grunt, Aldrich clasped her hand, allowing her to haul him to his feet. He winced at the pain that followed but said nothing. He wouldn't let it show.

"Are you really okay?" Fiona asked again once he was standing, studying him carefully.

"I'll manage. Just sore. Nothing permanent."

She didn't buy it. "I meant up here," she tapped her temple lightly. "Not the body. I know you're tough enough to handle a few bruises. I'm asking about what just happened."

Of course. She meant the fact that he had just been overwhelmed and utterly outclassed by none other than his younger sister.

"I'm... I should be fine," he said, though his voice lacked conviction.

She had three leaves. He had two. That gulf between them wasn't symbolic, it was real. The difference wasn't merely in talent or effort; it was a visible, magical hierarchy, and Saldrich had proven that superiority without hesitation.

But Aldrich wasn't going to surrender to it.

She was stronger, yes. But not invincible. Not untouchable. He just had to find an unconventional way to take her down. Normal tactics had failed, which meant it was time to discard normalcy altogether. Even now, his mind was racing, seeking loopholes, forming strategies, dreaming of anomalies he could use to flip the board.

"Are you really sure?" Fiona asked again, gentler this time.

She knew his habits. Knew how easily he shouldered guilt, how prone he was to second-guessing himself in defeat.

"I'm sure. This isn't over yet," he replied with renewed clarity.

His attention shifted. Something was off. Why hadn't the bell rung yet? Saldrich should've scored by now. No one stood in her way. Unless—

"Is she... showing off?" Aldrich muttered under his breath.h

That sounded like her. Who could stop her anyway?

Certainly not Dickins. The guy is strong yes but alone with Saldrich? She would eat him for breakfast, save some for lunch, take him as dinner and then leave a spare as light refreshment.

That is how easily Dickins would be toyed with when up against Saldrich.

Heck, even Valeria would have one over Dickins anytime.

"I think that's enough bonding for now," he said, brushing past Fiona. "I need to wake the others. You should regroup with your team too."

Losing a round didn't mean the match was over.

This skirmish had provided valuable data. Saldrich's strength, her mana output, the limits of her aggression, it had all been observed. Now came the next phase: crafting a counterstrike.

But he couldn't do it alone. Everyone, Opius, Valeria, even Dickins had to be involved.

"R-Right," Fiona nodded, stepping back. "We'll talk again soon?"

"Yeah, sure," he said, eyes already focused ahead. There was no time for distractions.

---

On the other side of the field, the air trembled.

"Here I come, Keeper! Do your best to stop me, alright?" Saldrich's voice rang with playful menace.

She knew Dickins wouldn't stand a chance but letting him try added flavour to her impending triumph.

The ball lay motionless before her, a silent testament to her control. Her eyes locked on the goalpost, her expression serene yet electric.

Dickins's muscles tensed. Where was everyone else? Why had he been left alone to face this monster of a player?

He planted his feet, unwilling to flee. He'd stand his ground, even if his legs trembled beneath him.

Saldrich sprinted.

Each step thundered as her footfalls slammed against the ground, her momentum building to an impossible crescendo. She struck the ball, her right leg swinging in a clean, devastating arc.

The shot tore through the air, a blazing comet wrapped in mana, ripping through the atmosphere with howling force.

"Earth Art! Earth Wall! Earth Mud Wall! Earth Fortress!" Dickins shouted in rapid succession, conjuring every layer of defence he could muster.

First came the earthen wall, shattered instantly, fragments scattering like dust in a storm. Next, the mud wall cracked and crumbled under the relentless advance of the ball. Finally, the Earth Fortress, a towering shield, stood between the goal and the projectile.

The ball, while still ferocious, had slowed. Her shot had lost a fraction of its energy breaking through the previous defences. But was it enough?

Dickins held his breath. Everything came down to this final wall.