Chronicles of Forgotten Extra

The silence after Yuna's body fell was absolute.

Gravius smiled, amused. "That look… ah, the moment a hero snaps. Beautiful."

He didn't get to finish.

Alden's body slipped through the chains as if intangible.

[MONARCH OF MANA HAS BEEN ACTIVATED]

As soon as he slipped past the chains, Alden vanished.

Shadow Steps.

The spot where he stood tore into darkness.

He appeared behind Gravius mid-air, his blade already transforming mid-swing—Sword of Chaos honed into a slender, black katana radiating lethal energy.

CLANG!

Gravius caught it with his gloved hand, grinning. "Is that all? Disappointing"

Alden didn't care. He wasn't finished. Shadow mana rippled.

His emotions were a mess somehow held together by Voidheart.

A child has been killed… a child he had sworn to protect.

She died mercilessly.

He was going to kill the disciple.

It wasn't because he was blinded by vengeance.

No.

His Voidheart made sure his actions wouldn't be emotional. Instead, it was because he didn't have any choice.

His Pendant Of The Wanderer had betrayed him at the most important point.

He couldn't escape even if he wanted to.

Unless he defeats Disciple, he couldn't survive. So he had no choice but to defeat the disciple to survive.

If he didn't kill this disciple—he would die.

So, he didn't hesitate.

Alden didn't wait.

Flicker Steps.

He blinked again, this time sideways, his blade slashing towards the disciple's leg—Ruinous Severance igniting briefly.

"Too slow." Gravius didn't even flinch.

He lifted his leg slightly, and just as the sword passed by it, he turned.

His fist pulled back as he unleashed a devastating punch aimed at Alden.

Alden sensed the punch coming at him, but sensing didn't mean reacting.

He had defeated someone of a whole major rank higher than him previously, but that was only because of some important factors.

That enemy had underestimated him. And more importantly—they were an apprentice.

Gravius wasn't an apprentice.

He was an expert. Two whole major ranks higher than Alden.

As the rank increases, the difference between their strength also increases.

The difference between Apprentice Rank and Expert Rank was at least ten times that of the difference between Apprentice Rank and Initiate Rank.

Alden's face was blank. He knew he couldn't dodge the attack completely.

He activated his flicker steps as he barely managed to dodge the punch.

A shockwave shattered the air where he'd just been.

Alden appeared several metres away, boots skidding across stone.

Calm on the outside.

But his mind was racing—calculating, planning, burning through options.

Gravius hadn't even sweated.

His body melted within his shadows.

Alden's next step came faster than thought—Dance of Chaos twisting his angle mid-swing.

His katana curved through the air, a black crescent aimed at Gravius's spine.

It should've worked.

It didn't.

Gravius didn't dodge. He simply turned, letting Alden's blade scratch across his shoulder.

The impact rebounded off his body like striking steel.

Alden's eyes narrowed.

No mana shield.

No enchantment.

Just a raw, monstrous physique.

I can't pierce his body normally.

Before he could think anything more.

Gravius moved.

BOOM.

A fist connected with Alden's gut, doubling him over.

He felt his ribs bend. Not crack—bend.

His body was flung backwards, bouncing across the stone plaza like a skipping stone.

His limbs twitched as blood dripped from his mouth.

He stood.

He had to.

There was no choice.

He forced himself upright. Shadow mana crackled.

He didn't use his Light mana. His mastery over his light element was very low.

It would pull him down rather than help him.

Gravius sighed like a disappointed father. "You're boring me, boy."

He blurred.

Alden reacted by instinct—Shadow Steps activated, relocating him to the far left.

He reappeared behind a pillar, panting.

Slight blood droplets blinding his vision.

He clenched his fist.

"Think, Alden. THINK!"

His mind raced—calculating every possible variable, recalling every move, every opening.

None existed.

Gravius was too fast. Too strong. Too casual.

His speed was blurring. His strength was dangerous, and more importantly, his defence.

His defence was something Alden couldn't pierce.

Still, Alden didn't give up.

Not yet.

A rumble behind him—he twisted too late.

CRASH.

Gravius burst through the pillar like a meteor. Alden brought up his sword—

CLANG!

His weapon met with Gravius's fist.

No—Gravius caught the katana with two fingers.

And then flicked it.

The Sword of Chaos was flung away by pure force.

Alden stumbled back, barely summoning and reforming the weapon into a heavier greatsword to brace for the next blow.

He couldn't hold it for long.

His mana was running out.

Just then-

Another one of Gravius's kick connected with him in the chest.

Bones broke.

Alden's body spun through the air like a ragdoll and crashed into a far wall.

His back flared with pain.

He coughed blood.

More than blood—bits of flesh. The inside of his mouth had been torn by the impact.

Still, he got back up to his feet.

Gravius didn't even chase. He walked.

Leisurely. Patiently. Like this wasn't a fight—it was a lesson.

He was playing with Alden.

For Gravius Alden was an entertainment before the ritual completion. A short timepass before he rises through power.

Alden limped, dragging his sword.

His legs trembled.

His thoughts blurred.

He felt his consciousness slipping.

What was the point of all this training? The planning? The suffering?

Was I always just pretending to be strong… while praying no one noticed how fragile I really was?

His mind was drawing a blank. Hundreds of thoughts passed through his mind. But he couldn't think of any ways to survive this.

He couldn't escape.

He couldn't resist.

He couldn't even defeat.

Even after activating the [Limit Break], it didn't help at all.

Still, he didn't give in to despair.

Flicker Steps.

Shadow Steps.

Fake-outs. Shadow feints. Ghost swings.

Nothing worked.

Each time he tried something clever, Gravius anticipated. Countered. Punished.

Alden was powerful. He had powerful and refined technique. He had broken skills.

But in front of the gap in stats, he couldn't do anything.

Again he felt the gap in his skills and his mastery.

He felt regret.

If only I had mastered my skills.

If only I had trained more.

Would things have changed?

The only reason he hadn't died yet was because of his sheer unpredictability, the Dance of Chaos weaving erratic momentum, and his artifact–pendent of the wanderer saving him once from a life threatening attack at just the right moment.

But even Chaos had its limits.

And Alden had reached his.