The Cursed Extra: Bloodline of Sacrifice - Chapter 69

Chapter 69: The Hidden Fourth Dummy – A True Challenge

Ed barely had a moment to catch his breath before a low, mechanical whir echoed through the training hall.

His instincts screamed at him.

He turned just in time to see it—the fourth dummy, rising from a hidden compartment beneath the floor.

Unlike the previous ones, this one was different.

Sleek, reinforced limbs. Darker wood reinforced with mana-infused metal.

And then—it moved.

Fast.

A sharp whoosh cut through the air.

Ed barely managed to throw himself to the side as a brutal strike shot toward his ribs.

The air shuddered with the force of the missed attack, a stark contrast to the previous dummies.

WHOOSH!

WHOOSH!

Another Strike

His mind reeled.

‘This one isn’t following a pattern,’ he realized.

The others had been predictable. Calculated.

But this dummy… it was fighting like a real warrior.

Arianna smirked from the platform above, arms crossed.

“This is the real test.”

Zareth leaned forward slightly.

Ed’s muscles burned, his breath ragged.

His body was already on the brink, and now he was facing something beyond his limit.

The dummy lunged again.

A faint shimmer of mana flickered across its joints—this one wasn’t just reacting to his movements, it was adjusting its speed based on his skill.

The better he fought, the faster and stronger it became.

“Unfair,” Ed thought bitterly, throwing himself into a desperate roll.

THUD!

The wooden fist smashed into the ground where he had stood a second ago, leaving a small dent in the training floor.

His vision blurred with exhaustion, but his mind raced.

Think.

Adapt.

Survive.

He couldn’t outmuscle it. He couldn’t outspeed it.

But maybe—

A reckless idea flashed through his mind.

Arianna raised an eyebrow as she watched him suddenly stop moving.

Zareth blinked. “What is he—”

The dummy lunged.

And in that instant, Ed collapsed forward—not out of exhaustion, but by design.

The dummy’s attack missed by mere inches, its arm swinging over his head.

And then, with all the strength left in his battered body, Ed used the momentum of his fall to kick off the ground and twist mid-air.

His leg snapped out—

Right into the dummy’s core.

CRACK

A deafening crack rang through the hall as Ed’s foot connected.

The dummy staggered.

For the first time, it hesitated.

Ed hit the ground, panting, his limbs shaking.

His mind spun, but he forced himself to stay focused.

One last chance.

He pushed himself up, ignoring the way his vision swayed.

The dummy recovered, but now it was predicting his movements again.

So Ed did the only thing it wouldn’t expect—

He charged straight at it.

Arianna’s eyes widened slightly.

The dummy prepared to counter—its wooden arms shifting, mana flickering—

But Ed, at the very last second, threw himself to the side in an unpredictable, chaotic movement.

A perfect feint.

The dummy reacted too late.

Ed twisted his body mid-motion and slammed his fist straight into its core.

This time—

The wood shattered.

Silence filled the training hall.

The broken dummy lay at Ed’s feet.

He stood there, swaying slightly, his body completely drained.

Then, his knees buckled, and he collapsed.

Zareth let out a low whistle. “Hah. He actually did it.”

Arianna said nothing.

She studied Ed’s motionless form on the ground, her expression unreadable.

Slowly, she walked toward him.

Ed barely had the strength to lift his head when he heard footsteps.

Arianna crouched beside him, tilting her head. “Tell me…”

Her voice was calm.

“Did you plan all of that? Or was it just desperation?”

Ed, barely able to keep his eyes open, forced a tired grin.

“Both,” he muttered. “But mostly desperation.”

Arianna chuckled. Then, to his complete disbelief—

She reached out and ruffled his hair.

“Well,” she said, standing up. “You pass.”

Ed blinked. What?

Zareth smirked. “Told you, didn’t I? You had nothing to worry about.”

Ed, still sprawled on the ground, groaned. “Screw you, Zareth.”

The last thing he saw before exhaustion fully overtook him—

Was Arianna looking at him with a thoughtful expression.

As if she had finally acknowledged him.

—

Aeloria sat in her private office, the soft hum of her computer filling the otherwise silent room.

Her screen displayed several windows—diplomatic reports, internal affairs, and a live feed from the training grounds.

Her fingers tapped against the desk rhythmically.

Then, without looking away from the screen, she pressed a button on her intercom.

<Arianna. Come to my office.>

A brief pause. Then, the instructor’s voice responded.

<Understood.>

.

Knock-Knock

“Enter,” she said.

Arianna stepped in, her posture composed, her expression unreadable as always.

She gave a small nod of acknowledgment before standing before Aeloria’s desk.

“You called for me, Your Majesty?”

Aeloria clicked something on her screen, and the video feed shifted, replaying Ed’s fight in high resolution.

She turned the monitor slightly, gesturing toward it.

“I want to hear your thoughts on this boy.”

Arianna’s eyes flicked toward the screen, watching as Ed moved through the battle.

She didn’t speak immediately, taking a moment to observe.

Then, she exhaled lightly.

“He passed,” she said simply.

Aeloria chuckled. “Yes, I gathered that much. But that’s not what I’m asking.”

Arianna crossed her arms. “He fights instinctively. That’s rare. Even among those with talent, there’s usually a gap between thought and action. But Ed—he moves like someone who has been forced to survive, not just trained to fight.”

Aeloria rested her chin on one hand. “Do you think he has been in life-threatening situations before?”

Arianna didn’t hesitate. “Yes.”

Aeloria tilted her head slightly. “How can you be so sure?”

Arianna’s gaze remained on the screen.

“Because he doesn’t hesitate,” she said quietly. “Not even when he’s exhausted. Not even when he’s outmatched. Most people flinch when they see an attack coming—whether they are skilled or not, there’s always a brief moment of hesitation. A natural instinct to protect oneself.”

She turned back to Aeloria.

“But Ed moves like someone who has already given up that instinct. As if fear is no longer a factor for him.”

Aeloria’s fingers tapped against her desk thoughtfully.

“…You’re not the first to notice that,” she murmured.

Arianna narrowed her eyes slightly. “What do you mean?” she asked.

Aeloria exhaled softly. “Zareth and Ed were being chased and fought off a terrifying six-legged beast,” she explained.

“And yet, they somehow managed to escape and it was ed who defeat and help Zareth to run-away with him.”

Arianna’s brows furrowed slightly. “A child surviving 6 legged beast?”

“Exactly.” Aeloria leaned Forward.

Arianna was silent for a moment, processing that.

“…That explains it.”

Aeloria raised an eyebrow. “Explain.”

Arianna’s voice was steady. “Fear isn’t something that just disappears. It’s must have been broken.” She met Aeloria’s gaze.

Aeloria studied her for a moment. “You make it sound like a bad thing.”

Arianna didn’t blink. “Because it can be.”

Aeloria smiled slightly. “And yet, you still want to train him.”

Arianna nodded. “Yes.”

Aeloria leaned back in her chair.

“Good”