Path of the Extra

The sound of steel echoed through the cave, reverberating ominously.

Azriel blinked, taken aback—he had been parried.

This was the first time since arriving in this world that someone had managed to block his first move.

He didn't have a chance to catch his breath as the axe-wielding soldier pressed the attack, his movements fluid, each swing revealing his mastery of the weapon.

Azriel gritted his teeth, barely managing to block each strike, but it was clear—he was on the defensive, each blow pushing him closer to the edge of the bridge.

His arms began to go numb under the weight of the man's relentless onslaught.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the swordsman, his ear still bleeding, charging toward him with fury painted across his face.

'Curse it all…!'

Just as his foot hovered dangerously over the edge of the edge, Azriel parried the axe with Void Eater and launched a brutal kick into the man's abdomen.

The impact sent spit flying from his mouth as he stumbled backward.

Azriel wasn't finished.

Grabbing the man's hair, he yanked him toward the swordsman, forcing the latter to falter and cancel his attack.

But Azriel didn't stop there.

In an instant, he activated [Death's Blossom], disappearing from their sight.

He reappeared in front of them, Void Eater swinging through the air, but the swordsman managed to block with his blade.

Azriel pushed forward, sending the man staggering back, only for the axe-wielder to swing horizontally at his side.

Azriel twisted awkwardly, blocking the strike in time, sparks flying from the collision. The swordsman lunged, thrusting his sword at Azriel's eyes.

He ducked, narrowly avoiding the blade, and struck the man in the solar plexus with his left palm.

Before he could follow through, the axe-wielder kicked his legs out from under him, sending Azriel crashing to one knee.

Both soldiers brought their weapons down at him in unison.

Azriel raised Void Eater above his head, the katana straining under the force of their combined assault.

His bones felt as if they were about to snap from the pressure.

But he didn't give in.

He couldn't.

This was only the beginning.

Suddenly, red lightning crackled around his body—different this time.

It felt… charged, building in intensity.

The soldiers' eyes widened, and they instantly backed away from him.

A second later, red lightning discharged from his body in a small radius, forcing them further back.

Taking advantage of the moment, Azriel leaped to his feet, catching his ragged breath.

He glanced toward the gate where the Cradler and Instructor Benson were still locked in combat.

It was strange—they were clashing, but nothing more.

He could easily follow their movements now.

Neither was fighting seriously.

Azriel's face grew grim.

He had to deal with these two soldiers before the real fight began.

'[Death's Blossom] isn't fast enough for both of them...'

He could unleash a maximum of three strikes with the first move of [Dance of Death], but these Neo Genesis soldiers had already seen through it.

Just as he was formulating his next move, a gust of wind hit his face.

The swordsman was smirking.

Azriel's instincts flared as the hairs on the back of his neck stood up.

'Shit!'

He spun around just in time to block the axe aimed at his head.

The soldier had somehow appeared behind him, despite being next to the swordsman moments ago.

'What the hell?! How did he move so fast?!'

Azriel's mind raced.

But before he could process it, another gust of wind blew past him.

He kicked the axe-wielder back and spun again, narrowly intercepting the swordsman's strike.

But…

His luck was running out.

The axe-wielder swung again from behind. Azriel tried to dodge, but the swordsman held him in place.

The blade grazed his back, cutting through his ice shield just in time to prevent a deeper wound.

"Argh!" Azriel grunted in pain, his body shuddering.

His left fist was now encased in a gauntlet of ice, and before the swordsman could react, Azriel drove it into his face, sending him flying.

The ice shattered on impact, and Azriel quickly turned his attention back to the axe-wielder, who was struggling to free his weapon from the ground.

'Idiot...'

Azriel kicked him square in the face, sending him reeling.

His body crackled with lightning again, and he lunged forward, closing in on the dazed man.

But just as he raised Void Eater to finish him off, another gust of wind swept in from behind.

Azriel clicked his tongue in frustration as the swordsman appeared again, faster than before.

He narrowed his eyes.

'...Wind.'

The swordsman had to have some sort of wind affinity.

That much was clear.

Azriel's eyes darted around, but the axe-wielder had vanished again.

He was fast—too fast.

Then, in a blink, the axe-wielder reappeared at Azriel's side, swinging his weapon at his neck.

Azriel barely ducked in time, leaping back to safety.

'Wind affinity for the swordsman, but the axe-wielder… invisibility? I can't tell if it's an affinity, skill or a unique skill.'

Azriel gritted his teeth.

Fortunately, there seemed to be a limitation—otherwise, the axe-wielder wouldn't need to reveal himself while attacking.

If he could move freely, Azriel would've been dead by now.

But he wasn't out of the fight yet.

In the blink of an eye, the axe-wielder vanished again, and the swordsman, carried by a gust of wind, charged at Azriel.

"Annoying..."

They were relentless.

Azriel didn't hesitate.

Red lightning crackled around him, but he stood rooted in place, unmoving.

When he blinked, both of them flanked him, weapons raised to strike from either side.

And then...

Azriel parried both attacks at monstrous speed, leaving only red lightning trailing in the air.

The two soldiers stared wide-eyed, but they didn't retreat.

Instead, they pressed forward, attacking faster, stronger, and more relentlessly.

Azriel matched them, standing firm, parrying each blow with precision.

To an outsider—someone even of Awakened rank—it would have been impossible to track their movements.

From a distance, all that could be seen were three figures standing still, their arms moving like a blur, with red lightning illuminating the chaos.

Azriel gritted his teeth.

'Faster...!'

They pushed themselves too.

Azriel's muscles strained under the pressure, his body protesting with each movement.

Cuts began to appear on his face and body.

He tried to shield himself with ice before each strike could land, but he lacked the mana to reinforce it properly.

The ice shattered upon impact, unable to fully block their relentless blows.

The three fighters were relentless, blood splattering across the ground, painting a gruesome scene.

And then...

Azriel's lips twisted into a crooked smile, his bloodied face unnerving the two soldiers, who narrowed their eyes in apprehension.

'Finally...'

But by then, it was too late.

The outcome of this exchange had already been decided the moment they tried to match Azriel's speed.

Their mistake wasn't trying to be faster than him—after all, speed wasn't the deciding factor.

It was endurance.

And...

Which weapon would break first.

On one side was Void Eater, the soul weapon once wielded by the great king Joaquin Crimson. On the other side, a simple sword and axe forged by unknown hands, wielded by men of no renown.

The answer was obvious.

In a split second, Azriel's smile widened.

His lightning shifted from red to white, catching them both off guard.

Void Eater, now enveloped in crackling white lightning, clashed with their weapons.

In an instant, the sword and axe froze over, and then...

They shattered.

"...!"

Without hesitation, Azriel kicked the former axe-wielder aside and drove Void Eater into the swordsman's throat.

A sickening sound filled the air as the katana pierced flesh and windpipe.

Azriel could feel the resistance, the slickness of it.

It disgusted him.

The swordsman's eyes widened in shock as blood gurgled in his throat, his life quickly fading.

Azriel pulled Void Eater free, and with a dull thud, the swordsman collapsed to the ground.

"No! Vaan!"

The former axe-wielder's voice echoed through the cave, thick with anguish.

Vaan.

'So that was the swordsman's name.'

But Azriel couldn't dwell on it.

He approached the axe-wielder, who had fallen to his knees, despair etched across his bloodied face.

Gritting his teeth, the man glared at Azriel, his eyes full of hate.

"You... you demon! Killing without remorse!"

Azriel looked down at him, blood dripping from his body onto the cold stone floor.

"...The real demons are the ones fighting on the other side of this bridge—your boss and my instructor. He was going to kill me... and the other cadets."

"No!" The axe-wielder shook his head desperately, tears mixing with the blood on his face.

"It was only going to be you! He wasn't going to kill anyone else! But now... ah, shit!"

Azriel sighed as the man's gaze fell to the floor, tears streaming freely.

"What is your name?" Azriel asked.

The man lifted his head, glaring at him, voice hoarse and trembling.

"Go to hell..."

Azriel looked solemnly before plunging Void Eater into his throat as well.

Blood seeped from the man's lips, his eyes dulling as life drained from them. Moments later, he collapsed onto the cold floor, joining Vaan in death.

The fight was over.

Azriel stood victorious.

And in the end...

All Azriel felt was the euphoric rush from [Core Reaper].

Then it hit him.

"Oh..."

He had advanced a grade.