The Extra's Rise

The Heart of the Crown erupted with competing energies as the final phase of the challenge descended into chaos. Arthur had already moved to engage Jack and Lucifer at the far side of the chamber, the three highest-ranked students locked in their own battle for supremacy. Meanwhile, Ren and Seol-ah had begun their own duel near the entrance, their techniques sending shockwaves across the arena floor.

But in the center of the vast chamber, a contest of equal significance unfolded—four exceptional young women, each with her own reasons for fighting, each unwilling to yield.

Rachel stood with perfect posture, golden light gathering around her form as she surveyed her three rivals. The Saintess's Gift manifested as radiant energy that cast sharp shadows across the marble floor. Her eyes, typically warm and compassionate, now held resolute determination.

"This wasn't part of my plan," she said quietly, "but perhaps it's better this way. Clear the field before he returns."

Cecilia's laughter echoed through the chamber as crimson magic swirled between her fingers. "Always so noble, Rachel. At least be honest—you want him to yourself." The Slatemark princess's Gift of Witchcraft gave her magic its distinctive blood-red hue, chaotic and unpredictable where Rachel's was ordered and precise.

"As if any of you have claim," Rose interjected, blue petals materializing around her in a protective cyclone. Her Gift of Blue Rose allowed her to conjure these supernatural flowers seemingly from nowhere, each petal containing magic that belied its delicate appearance.

Seraphina remained silent, her silver hair contrasting sharply with her ice-blue eyes as frost crystals formed along her blade. Her Gift of Ice Crystal Jade Body had transformed her internal energy into something inhuman—cold, perfect, and unyielding.

Four White-rankers, evenly matched in power if not in temperament, each determined to prove herself superior.

Cecilia struck first, her fingers tracing complex patterns in the air. Tendrils of crimson energy snaked across the floor, splitting and multiplying as they reached for her opponents. Her expression showed no strain, only calculated enjoyment, as if this were merely an entertaining diversion.

Rachel responded without words, a simple gesture creating a dome of golden light around her. Where Cecilia's crimson magic touched the barrier, it hissed and dissipated like water on hot stone. In the same fluid motion, she transformed the barrier's excess energy into a dozen spears of condensed light, each targeting her opponents with unerring precision.

Seraphina moved in perfect form, her sword tracing the distinctive pattern of Violet Divine Mist's first movement—Violet Sunset Genesis. Her blade left trails of crystalline ice in its wake, forming structures that intercepted Rachel's light spears and froze them mid-flight. The Grade 6 art manifested as both offense and defense simultaneously, ice spreading outward in a pattern reminiscent of a sunset's rays.

Not to be outdone, Rose extended her arms outward, thousands of blue petals responding to her will. The petals accelerated to near-invisible speed, becoming razor-sharp projectiles capable of penetrating stone. Unlike conventional attacks, these followed no predictable trajectory, instead adapting mid-flight to target vulnerabilities in her opponents' defenses.

The four techniques collided at the center of their formation, creating a momentary stalemate before exploding outward in a shockwave of competing energies. None of them staggered—each had anticipated the discharge and anchored themselves accordingly.

"You've improved," Cecilia said to Rose, genuine appreciation in her voice despite the circumstances. With subtle movements of her fingers, she created three crimson spheres that hovered above the battlefield, each pulsing with barely contained power.

"As have you," Rose responded, blue petals reforming around her. "Though not enough to win this."

Rachel stepped forward, light gathering around her hands and coalescing into a longbow of pure energy. "This contest doesn't need to continue," she said, though her fingers were already drawing back a shimmering arrow. "We can discuss this rationally."

"There's nothing to discuss," Seraphina replied coldly, frost spreading from her feet in an expanding circle. "Only to prove."

Across the chamber, the clash between Arthur, Jack, and Lucifer intensified, their combined power creating a maelstrom of energy that threatened to destabilize the entire arena. Near the entrance, Ren and Seol-ah had escalated their duel, their martial techniques resonating with the focused intensity of dedicated warriors.

Yet these battles, impressive as they were, could not overshadow the confrontation unfolding at the center. The four young women moved with increasing speed and power, their techniques growing more elaborate as they tested each other's defenses.

Cecilia's crimson magic twisted and folded around itself, creating structures that defied conventional understanding. Reality seemed to bend within their influence, attacks changing direction mid-flight and defenses faltering at critical moments. Her Gift of Witchcraft allowed her to bypass the normal limitations of spellcasting, improvising effects that more rigid magicians could never achieve.

Rachel countered with the pure authority of her Saintess Gift. Her light magic established fields of ordered energy that negated Cecilia's chaos through sheer opposing force. Where others might have been overwhelmed by the unpredictability, Rachel's innate connection to light allowed her to perceive and counter the distortions before they fully manifested.

Rose couldn't match their area control, but her Blue Rose petals proved capable of finding gaps in both their techniques. The petals slipped through momentary weaknesses, targeting pressure points with surgical precision. Some formed shields around her, while others became extended whips of connected blossoms that she wielded with dancer-like grace.

Seraphina transitioned smoothly into the second movement of Violet Divine Mist—Fan of the Scattering Petals. Her blade moved in a precise arc, creating a spray of ice crystals that expanded outward like petals blossoming from a frozen plum blossom tree. Each petal contained concentrated freezing energy, capable of immobilizing whatever they touched. The Grade 6 art complemented her Gift perfectly, the ice formations growing more intricate and powerful than conventional techniques would allow.

"This is getting us nowhere," Rose observed after several minutes of escalating combat. Her control over the Blue Rose petals remained precise despite the exertion, thousands of glowing fragments orbiting her like a living constellation.

"Surrendering remains an option," Cecilia suggested, though her breathing had become slightly labored. The continuous manipulation of her chaotic magic was taking its toll, even on her exceptional reserves.

Rachel shook her head, light constructs forming and dissolving around her as she conserved energy. "This isn't about defeating each other. It's about proving who best complements him."

"Then prove it," Seraphina said, ice crystals reforming along her blade as she settled into a defensive stance. "Words are meaningless without action."

The momentary dialogue ended as all four launched their strongest techniques simultaneously.

Rachel's light magic manifested as a dozen weapons of pure energy—swords, spears, hammers, and axes, each moving with the precision of a master. The weapons attacked from multiple angles, coordinated by Rachel's perfect tactical awareness.

Cecilia's crimson magic warped space around her, creating impossible geometries through which her opponents' attacks had to navigate. Their trajectories became unpredictable even to their creators, while her own counterattacks emerged from unexpected directions.

Rose filled the air with so many Blue Rose petals that they appeared as a solid wall of azure light. Some formed protective barriers while others became blades of extraordinary sharpness, all controlled with the precision that had earned her respect despite her lower ranking.

Seraphina performed the second movement of Violet Divine Mist art again, creating crystalline structures of perfect form that intercepted attacks from angles that should have been impossible to defend. Her Gift of Ice Crystal Jade Body enhanced the Grade 6 art beyond its normal capabilities, each ice formation holding power that belied its delicate appearance.

The four techniques collided with catastrophic force. Light and chaos, nature and ice, all competing for dominance at the exact same point in space. For a moment, the very fabric of the arena seemed to strain under the pressure, reality itself protesting this concentrated expression of contradictory powers.

Then the collision point collapsed inward before exploding outward in a shockwave that forced all four combatants back several steps, their defensive techniques barely maintaining integrity.

As the magical discharge dissipated, they faced each other again, each showing clear signs of exertion but no decisive advantage. Cecilia's crimson magic flickered more erratically now, though perhaps with greater potency in its unpredictability. Rachel's light constructs had diminished in number but increased in density and resilience. Rose commanded fewer petals, but each glowed with more concentrated power. Seraphina's ice formations had become more precise, focusing quality over quantity.

"It appears we are evenly matched," Rachel observed, dismissing her remaining light constructs to conserve energy.

"For the moment," Cecilia replied, though her usual confidence was tempered by the reality of the situation. Despite her chaotic magic's versatility, she couldn't overcome the combined defenses of her rivals.

Rose lowered her hands slightly, the blue petals settling into a gentle orbit around her. "This could continue until we all collapse from exhaustion, and Arthur would still be dealing with Jack and Lucifer."

Seraphina remained in stance for a moment longer before finally relaxing her posture marginally, the ice on her blade not melting but reconfiguring into a more efficient formation. "Inefficient," she stated simply.

The four regarded each other with newfound respect. Each had demonstrated tremendous skill and power, yet none had proven decisively superior.

They were in a complete slatemate.