Extra's Ascent

Aldrich was determined to reach his destination swiftly.

Enhanced by mana, he pushed his pace, running faster with each step, all the while focused on the urgency of his journey.

As he sprinted, his sharp hearing picked up the distinct sound of growling. Initially, he feared the approach of animals, but that worry quickly faded as he reminded himself that he was no longer just a human.

Fear was a luxury he could no longer afford.

However, the thought of walkers, creatures with a deadly mix of animal instincts and mana still nagged at him.

Their threat couldn't be ignored.

"All the more reason to hurry," Aldrich muttered to himself, pushing forward.

He'd made a critical mistake by leaving his bow behind.

He had assumed he wouldn't need it, reasoning it would be odd to bring it to a party.

Also because a large part of him had planned on relying on Dante for any combat needs, letting the events unfold naturally.

But now, in this dangerous situation, he regretted his decision.

"A different scenario, and Dante's nowhere to be found," Aldrich mused darkly.

Alrdrich's absent-minded thinking had placed him in a perilous position.

Surrounded by the potential threat of walkers, without his preferred weapon, he found himself in a risky spot.

But he would make do, hoping that meeting up with others would ease the danger.

As Aldrich drew nearer to the source of the sounds, he began to hear murmurs, voices, low but distinct.

Had he arrived already? It seemed unlikely given the distance he had covered, but the surge of mana in his legs might have worked wonders, getting him here faster than he had expected.

Brushing aside the last of the foliage blocking his view, Aldrich froze when a sudden attack came flying at him.

A wind-type Art attack.

Instinctively, his body reacted before his mind could fully process the danger.

His clairvoyant eyes sharpened and alert, gave him perfect clarity on the trajectory of the incoming attack.

He adjusted his body to the side just in time, one wind razor missing him by inches.

The next razor grazed his chest, the air cutting past his body with a near miss that sent a shiver down his spine, severing a few strands of his silver hair.

Each razor seemed more dangerous than the last, but Aldrich's reflexes were honed by his mana-enhanced abilities, allowing him to evade them all.

"What the hell?! I almost died!" he exclaimed, catching his breath and stepping back.

From the shadows, a voice called out, "A human? Silver hair?! Are you the Aldaman kid?"

Aldrich straightened, his breath still heavy from the close call. "You know me?" He shot back, his voice laced with annoyance.

"How could you attack me like that if you knew who I was?" His heart was still racing from the shock of nearly being impaled.

Ian, watching the boy recover, raised a hand in apology. "That was my mistake," he said, his voice now less hostile. "I thought you were a wolf. It wasn't until the last moment I realized you were human."

"A wolf?" Aldrich's voice was incredulous. "What part of me looks like a—?" He was cut off as his eyes fell on the gruesome scene around him.

Carcasses of wolves, their bodies twisted and torn, lay scattered across the ground.

The brutal sight gave Aldrich his answer.

No wonder Ian had reacted as he did.

"Even so, try to show some caution next time," Aldrich muttered, though his voice held less anger now.

He couldn't deny that Ian's mistake had almost cost him his life.

Just then, a female voice broke in. "Aldrich Aldaman... right?"

Aldrich turned to see the girl from the treetops standing nearby. "You're the one I saw up there."

"That's me," she said, offering a small, apologetic smile. "Sorry about Ian's attack. We had just finished dealing with a wolf pack, and we're on high alert."

Aldrich scanned the area again, his eyes confirming the girl's words.

The number of dead wolves was more than enough to account for a full pack.

'They did all of this?'

Aldrich's admiration for both of them grew.

His evaluation of Camelia had already risen, but now, seeing the aftermath of their battle, he couldn't help but reassess Ian's capabilities too.

"We should get out of here," Camelia suggested, her voice serious. "With all this blood around, it won't be long before others come sniffing for it."

Carnivorous creatures had an uncanny ability to detect blood, and the scent would only draw more predators.

They needed to move quickly.

"Agreed," Aldrich said, his tone a bit more urgent. "And we should find some shade along the way. We don't know how long we'll be out here, and the sun is still beating down."

Aldrich wasn't expecting to finish this trial as easily as the last one.

The Find the Island trial had been difficult, but it had been straightforward.

This one, however, had no clear escape, and no signs of how they could move forward.

"If we don't find shelter soon, we'll be in trouble by nightfall," he muttered, scanning the surroundings.

"Sure," Camelia said, glancing down at Trevor, who was still lying under a nearby tree. "Can you help me lift him? I can do it if I have mana to spare, but right now, I don't want to waste any of it on something like this."

Aldrich's eyes widened in recognition as he saw Trevor lying there, still unconscious under the shade. "Trevor!" he exclaimed, rushing over to his friend.

"Do you know him?" Camelia asked, her voice curious as she watched Aldrich's reaction.

"Know him?" Aldrich replied, his voice rising in frustration. "He's my friend! The only reason I'm here in the first place!" He didn't need to elaborate; it was clear that Trevor was important to him.

As Aldrich knelt beside Trevor, Ian let out a soft groan. "Great," he muttered to himself, his face twisted in annoyance. "Another one dictated by emotions. Just what we needed."