An Extra’s Rise in an Eroge

"Very well," Samantha said, stepping into the center of the hall, her voice carrying authority. "This will be a friendly duel. Keep it controlled, and no unnecessary aggression. No weapons, no magic. Focus on technique and awareness. Remember, this is a practice session."

"Yes, Instructor," the two responded in unison, stepping forward to the middle of the training area.

The students formed a wide circle around the two combatants, the air crackling with anticipation. Whispers of speculation rippled through the crowd, and the tension was palpable as the first and fourth-ranked students prepared to face off.

Arthur and Alex squared off, both assuming a combat stance. The training ground grew silent, every pair of eyes fixed on the impending clash.

Samantha raised her hand and brought it down sharply. "Begin!"

Alex wasted no time, surging forward with a barrage of punches and kicks. His movements were quick and aggressive, clearly designed to overwhelm him. Arthur, however, remained calm and composed, focusing solely on evasion and defense.

'Huh, is this all he's got? I was worried for nothing,' Alex thought, his confidence swelling as he pressed on. Blow after blow, he tried to corner Arthur, but the latter effortlessly dodged or parried each strike with precise, fluid movements.

To the untrained eye, Arthur appeared to be on the back foot, dodging frantically. But to those paying closer attention, it was clear his movements were deliberate, measured, and entirely in control.

"Is this all you've got, first ranker?" Alex taunted, a smug grin spreading across his face. "I expected more from someone with your reputation. Maybe you're not cut out for real combat after all."

Arthur remained silent, his face unreadable, his focus unwavering.

"Feeling helpless, aren't you?" Alex pressed, emboldened by the lack of retaliation. "You're just hiding behind your rank. I bet you've never been in a real fight before."

The crowd began to murmur, some students siding with Alex.

"Look at him! Alex is dominating!"

"Yeah, Arthur's just dodging—where's the fight in that?"

"First rank? Ha! I could take him down!"

Alex smirked as the murmurs reached his ears. The growing support from the crowd bolstered his confidence further. 'The crowd is on my side,' he thought triumphantly.

Meanwhile, Arthur remained unshaken, his movements as precise as ever.

[Hey, what are you doing? Why are you only evading? You could beat this punk in your sleep,] Sol's voice chimed in Arthur's mind, laced with irritation.

'I'm gauging our hero's strength,' Arthur replied calmly. 'I want to see how he performs when he isn't controlled by a player.'

[And? How long are you going to keep dodging? His smirk is seriously starting to annoy me,] Sol grumbled.

'Don't worry,' Arthur reassured, a faint smile tugging at his lips. 'It won't last much longer. I'm almost done.'

'Laugh as much as you want. It doesn't matter to me,' Arthur thought, his sharp eyes tracking Alex's every movement. His stance remained defensive, his footwork smooth and deliberate. 'Because I already know how this ends.'

Unbeknownst to Alex or their classmates, Arthur wasn't being overwhelmed—he was studying. Each punch, each kick, and every shift in Alex's balance was cataloged and analyzed. Arthur was waiting, biding his time for the perfect opportunity to strike.

'Now!'

As Alex threw a wide right hook, his stance briefly overextended. Arthur's eyes lit up, and in that instant, his movements transformed. He stepped inside Alex's attack range with surgical precision, his left hand deflecting Alex's arm while his right moved to strike.

The sudden shift from defense to offense was seamless and so swift that Alex barely registered it. Arthur's first strike connected with Alex's chest, disrupting his balance and forcing him to stagger back.

The class gasped, watching the unexpected reversal as Arthur's movements became fluid and relentless. Each strike was calculated, pushing Alex further and further on the defensive. For the first time, Alex faltered, his earlier confidence shaken.

'What the hell just happened?!' Alex thought, gritting his teeth. 'I need to recover or I'll lose face!'

Summoning his remaining strength, Alex countered with a desperate flurry of punches, hoping to reclaim the upper hand. His movements became wild and aggressive, driven more by frustration than strategy.

Arthur saw through it immediately. 'Sloppy. Predictable. This is the end.'

As Alex threw a wild punch, Arthur smoothly stepped to the side, turning on his heel to get behind him. With quick precision, Arthur crouched down and swept Alex's legs, sending him tumbling to the ground. Discover stories at empire

The crowd erupted in gasps as Alex crashed to the ground, but Arthur wasn't finished. Before Alex could recover, Arthur delivered a precise chop to the side of his neck—a controlled strike designed to incapacitate without causing serious harm.

Alex's body stiffened for a brief moment before going limp, his consciousness slipping away. The training hall fell silent, the murmurs and cheers from earlier replaced by stunned disbelief.

Instructor Samantha approached, her sharp eyes scanning Alex's unconscious form before looking at Arthur. Her lips twitched upward in the faintest hint of a smile.

"Impressive control," she remarked, her tone neutral but carrying a note of approval. "You could have inflicted serious injury, but you didn't. Well done."

Arthur bowed slightly, his demeanor calm and respectful. "Thank you, Instructor."

The silence in the training hall was broken by a few students whispering in awe.

"Did you see that? He didn't even break a sweat!"

"He's on a completely different level…"

"So this is why he's the first ranker…"

Arthur turned and walked back to his position, his expression unreadable.

[That was anticlimactic. You could've made it more dramatic,] Sol quipped, though there was clear satisfaction in her voice.

'No need to drag it out,' Arthur replied inwardly. 'The hero needed a reality check, and I delivered it.'n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

As Alex was carried off by a few students, Instructor Samantha clapped her hands, snapping everyone's attention back to her.

"Let this be a lesson to all of you," she said, her voice firm. "Technique, patience, and composure win battles, not wild aggression. Take what you've seen here and apply it to your own training. Now, back to your practice!"

The students dispersed, though many cast lingering glances at Arthur, their respect and wariness of him now evident.

Arthur ignored the stares, a faint smirk playing on his lips. 'This was just the beginning.'