Extra's Ascent-Chapter 104: Veilbourne Episode 2: A Clan’s Legacy (ii)

"Harnessing the natural components of his mana to heal…? The very same technique Dwayne uses!"

The second form of the Clover Eyes known as the Second Clover had awakened in Aldrich.

To Aldrich, its timing was nothing short of providence. Trapped in this chaotic spiral, surrounded by danger, the manifestation of the Second Clover was a lifeline... Could be a lifeline if utilized well enough.

Everything in his vision sharpened.

Crystal clear. Unmistakable.

It was no longer just a battle. It was a dance of energy where Aldrich could see the rhythm and flow of it all.

Kyle's heartbeat pounding steadily in his chest, and the pulsing current of mana coursing through his veins, enhancing his physical strength to near-superhuman levels.

Through the Second Clover, Aldrich wasn't just watching; he was measuring. Tracking. Calculating. The mana flow, the energy patterns, the surge before an attack, all of it laid bare before him. And with every passing moment, he learned to emulate and worked to reach the stage of surpassing his former self.

No longer confined to instinct, Aldrich's perception elevated him to a battlefield strategist with divine sight. He didn't need to fight harder. He just needed to think bigger. Beyond logic. Beyond limitation.

Across from him, Kyle raised his sword for a vertical swing, summoning a technique that allowed his blade to traverse space and strike across distance.

The tip of the sword tore through the air and then, suddenly, there it was.

Inches before Aldrich.

But the boy didn't flinch. Relaxed, composed, as though this wasn't a battle but a mere formality, he sidestepped gracefully.

In a fluid motion, he placed his palm against the blade, not to block, but to connect.

A flicker of mana travelled from Aldrich's hand into the weapon, forming a tether. It was subtle and precise, an instant of connection, no more.

Then, with that temporary link established, he activated a spatial art technique. Exchange.

In the blink of an eye, Aldrich traded places with the sword.

He now stood where the blade had appeared, and the weapon materialized harmlessly at his former position. The switch was clean, seamless.

Kyle's eyes widened.

'He... he infused mana into my sword and proceeded to exchange places with it.'

Staggered by the manoeuvre, Kyle instantly teleported to safety. He needed space to regroup, to keep his head from spiralling into panic.

Aldrich remained unshaken. With a calm presence, he vanished and reappeared at the spot where his bow had earlier fallen.

"My eyes see it all now," he murmured, lifting the weapon from the ground. "I can see the movement of your mana, the space forming before your blade even breaches it. Techniques like that… it won't work on me, not anymore."

Kyle tensed.

He's not bluffing.

The glow in Aldrich's eyes, his Second Clover was unmistakable. Kyle had seen that same radiance in Dwayne's gaze. He'd witnessed firsthand the devastation such sight could wreak.

And now, Aldrich possessed it.

'If he really has full access to the second stage of the Clover Eyes… dragging this fight any longer will end in my defeat.'

He exhaled, grounding himself.

"As someone who knows and has witnessed in practice the extent of the two clover in action," Kyle called out, his tone even and honest, "you're right. My usual tactics won't work against you. And delaying the outcome is pointless. So what do you say we end this already, clean and clear?"

There was no arrogance in his voice. Only mutual recognition.

Aldrich gave a slight nod. "I agree. Prolonging this… would only be foolish."

His voice remained cool, though a tinge of pride flickered in his tone.

"I won't claim equality here. Mana-wise… I believe I surpass you. But I also know better than to underestimate your experience. That's not a gap easily bridged." Aldrich confessed.

He was right. Aldrich's mana pool is far off of Kyle's, but experience could make up for that in the long run.

Reliance on mana difference alone? That would be the calling of a fool.

Kyle respected the words. No boast. Just truth.

No more waiting.

As Kyle re-armed himself, charging forward with his sword raised, Aldrich equipped his bow and simultaneously drew back an arrow.

It might've looked like Aldrich acted first.

But no, the second clover had already picked up the subtle flare of mana within Kyle, the minute intention, the whisper of action before it took form. Aldrich responded, not with anticipation, but with knowledge.

Kyle surged toward him, blade primed to kill.

But Aldrich vanished.

Exchange.

He swapped positions with an arrow he had shot earlier, positioning himself at a safe distance and, from there, let loose another arrow.

The projectile zipped toward Kyle, but the shot was too clean, too readable. Kyle dodged with ease.

What followed was more than a fight, it was an exhibition of mastery.

Both opponents now wielded spatial art not just as tools of attack, but as foundations of their movement, offense, and defense. It became a duel of minds, each attempting to outwit the other, each refusing to yield even a sliver of ground.

The air shimmered around them as they blinked across space, clashing and vanishing in rapid succession.

Arrows rained. Sword slashes sliced through fabric and air alike.

At one point, Kyle's blade skimmed Aldrich's hairline, a breath away from drawing blood. Arrows littered the battlefield, each a potential anchor for Aldrich to escape to.

He used one now, teleporting behind Kyle, arrow already notched.

Thud!

The arrow flew.

Kyle, still facing the opposite direction, braced. He bent his knees, grounding himself, and shifted his body weight. With a sharp pivot, he swung his sword backwards, catching the arrow mid-flight and knocking it aside.

But he wasn't done.

Using the momentum, he activated Blink, a spatial technique that let him appear anywhere his eyes could see.

He chose a direct line straight to Aldrich.

The blade came screaming forward, aimed at Aldrich's heart.

Too fast to evade.

But not fast enough.

The sword missed its mark by a wide margin yet still grazed Aldrich's side, tearing through cloth and slicing into flesh.

Pain bloomed. Blood spilled.

Aldrich gritted his teeth and teleported away, clutching his side. He began healing immediately, pouring mana into the wound.

Kyle's brows furrowed.

Again?! He's healing so easily…

Wounding Aldrich was starting to feel pointless. Each slash was just undone in moments.

Still, Kyle wasn't blind to the cost.

Healing like that drains mana. No matter how large his reserve is, if he keeps patching himself up, he'll burn out faster.

That, at least, gave Kyle a strategy.

Aldrich's strength was clear but it wasn't limitless. His reliance on healing would eventually tip the scale.

And Kyle knew his advantage, experience. Battle-hardened instincts. That's how he'd been keeping the fight from tilting fully in Aldrich's favour.

But if Aldrich kept healing, the tide could change.

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Kyle needed to act. And fast.

One move. One clean, decisive strike to push him into a full-blown healing sequence. Force him to burn more mana than he's comfortable with.

He drew a deep breath, steadying himself. His tendons screamed from overuse, his muscles quivered at the edges.

But this was it.

The moment to flip the script.

The pressure in the air thickened, the silence heavy with anticipation.

The battle wasn't over, not yet. Only? Changes were about to be made, one that could tilt the balance to any side greedy enough to take it when it came.