The Extra's Supremacy-Chapter 39: Alvida Vaelcrest [3]

"What are you waiting for?" Alvida asked, her voice calm but commanding. She raised a hand and gestured at him. "Come at me."

Alvin hesitated for a moment, teeth clenched.

’Why did it come to this?’

Still, he dashed forward, sword in hand, and slashed at her.

Alvida tilted her head slightly, just enough for the blade to whistle harmlessly past.

Then her fist drove straight into his gut.

"Argh!"

Air exploded from Alvin’s lungs as he staggered back.

He gritted his teeth and spun, swinging Rhizome in a wide 180-degree arc, but Alvida was gone.

BANG!

A punch crashed into his back, sending him flying. He slammed into the ground and rolled through the dust.

"Come on," Alvida called out. "Try harder."

Alvin groaned and pushed himself to his feet. His back throbbed.

’Tch... damn it.’

Wind began to swirl around him, wrapping around his limbs like a cloak. He shot forward again.

This time, he focused the wind into Rhizome.

The golden runes along the blade pulsed, the air itself bending around it.

With a roar, he slashed. novelbuddy.cσ๓

A crescent arc of compressed wind howled through the air toward Alvida.

It struck like a storm at her neck—fast, violent, and precise.

But Alvida didn’t dodge.

She didn’t even move.

BOOM

The impact hit her directly. Dust exploded upward, obscuring her figure.

Alvin narrowed his eyes, unmoving.

As the dust settled, his gaze locked onto her silhouette.

Her neck shimmered—crystallized, glinting like gem-stone armor where the attack had landed.

Alvida smiled, unbothered.

"You’re too slow," she said softly. "And you’re not even using your Half-Step powers. Why is that?"

She stepped closer, her eyes sharp with amusement.

"Maybe... you don’t even know what they are yet."

Alvin’s mind raced.

’How was that attack able to slice through a Tier-4 Aberration so cleanly?’

’It didn’t even scratch the crystal—wait... the crystal!’

His eyes widened as realization struck.

"You... it was you, wasn’t it?" Alvin asked, voice low with awe. "You’re the one who killed all those Tier-5 monsters."

Alvida gave a faint smile and nodded. "Sharp. Yes, that was me."

"But you know," she added, tilting her head, "when someone asks a question—don’t answer it with another."

Before Alvin could react, she vanished from sight.

But this time, he was ready—at least, he thought he was.

His instincts screamed. He swung his sword just in time to block the punch.

BOOM!

The impact was deafening. The force behind her fist was even greater than before. Alvin’s body went flying.

He crashed to the ground, rolling through dust and broken stone, until he slammed into the base of the black spire.

Gasping, Alvin staggered up. His arms trembled. He checked himself—no blood, no broken bones. Nothing.

He glanced around.

’.... I’m still in one piece?’

Looking back, he realized she was over a hundred meters away now.

’I blocked it... barely. If that hit had landed clean, I’d be dead.’

’And that was just her raw strength—she’s not even using half her power.’

’Wait... was my durability always this high? No. It wasn’t.’

Alvida slowly approached, her presence like a looming shadow.

"I’ll ask you again," she said calmly. "Are you even aware of your Half-step powers?"

Alvin steadied his breathing. "No... I don’t know anything about Primordial Steps or whatever they are."

His mind was spiraling.

’Goddamn it.’

’She’s on another level... maybe even strong enough to rival a Sovereign.’

’And the organization sent me to kill her?’

"Is that so?" Alvida folded her arms, resting one hand under her chin as she studied him.

Her gaze dropped to the sword in his hand—Rhizome—then slowly returned to him.

"I see. So that’s what happened," she murmured. "That’s why you awakened your Half-step power three years before expected period."

Alvin tensed. "Half-step power?"

Alvida looked directly into his eyes.

"Half-step power manifests differently for every Seeker."

She walked closer, her tone even. "Your Half-step will shape your future. It defines your path from here on out."

"You might be wondering why I’m telling you this," she continued with a wry smile. "Think of it like this—a puppet lending a hand to another puppet."

Alvin’s fists tightened. "If you’re this strong... why don’t you fight back? Why let him control you?"

Alvida stopped mid-step.

"I could defeat him," she said. "But at the same time... I can’t."

Her expression softened, not with fear, but with acceptance.

"Being his puppet isn’t the worst thing," she whispered. "Because under him, we can grow stronger than anyone else."

"And besides," Alvida said quietly, "he won’t let us die."

Alvin rose to his feet, narrowing his eyes. "How can you be so sure?"

A crystal sword shimmered into existence along Alvida’s arm. "Because I’ve lived through it."

She lunged forward, slashing.

Alvin reacted instinctively, raising Rhizome to block.

CLANG!

Their blades rang out, the clash sharp and violent as they moved in a blur—metal and crystal dancing through the air.

Alvin twisted his blade, pushing hers aside and stepping in close. But before he could follow through,

A swift kick drove into his gut.

He stumbled back, pain surging through his ribs as he skidded several meters across the ground.

Gritting his teeth, Alvin extended his hand. The Dark Marble began to take form, pulsing with energy.

Without hesitation, he hurled it at Alvida.

She caught it midair, her brow furrowing in curiosity—then it detonated in her palm.

A thick cloud of dust surged up.

As it cleared, her form emerged. One arm was completely crystallized, gleaming with fractures.

"I underestimated you," she said calmly, examining her arm. "That’s a nice skill. It’s original too, isn’t it?"

"But why only one?" she added, looking up. "You could’ve rained them down on me."

Alvin shook his head. "It’s incomplete... but thanks for the feedback. I’ll work on that."

Alvida locked eyes with him, her voice turning serious.

"You’ve earned two questions. Ask them."

Alvin’s eyes widened.

There was one question that had haunted him for the last three years. The moment she gave him the chance, he asked without hesitation.

"Who is he?"

Alvida’s smile was quiet. Almost wistful.

"He is... Lost One."