The Extra's Rise - Chapter 371

Chapter 371: Winter Break (11)
‘So she’s finally here,’ I thought, not particularly surprised. I’d been expecting this visit for some time now.

“Carrie Milton, correct?” I asked, watching as Reika blinked in surprise. Her carefully maintained composure faltered for just a moment, and I found that small break in her mask oddly satisfying.

“How did you know?” she asked, unable to hide her curiosity.

“It was rather straightforward to deduce,” I replied, leaning forward slightly in my chair. “The Redknot Guild is effectively disbanded since its exposure as a Red Chalice Cult front. Among their ranks, only the Vice Guildmaster, Carrie Milton, remained untainted by corruption. Her arrival now suggests she’s looking to settle a debt of honor.” The pieces had fallen into place weeks ago in my mind. “She wishes to join Ouroboros to repay me.”

Reika studied me for a moment, and I caught something in her violet eyes—a flash of admiration, perhaps? It disappeared too quickly to be certain.

“Understood,” she said with a slight inclination of her head. “I’ll bring her in immediately.”

As Reika exited the room, Kali abandoned any pretense of focusing on her paperwork. “So we’re potentially recruiting an Ascendant-rank member?” she asked, arching an eyebrow. “Won’t that create an awkward power dynamic? She’d outrank everyone in the guild—including you.”

“No, it won’t,” I replied simply, allowing a small smile to play across my lips. I knew things Kali didn’t—things that made Carrie’s power level irrelevant in the grand scheme of my plans.

Kali tilted her head, her expression a mixture of curiosity and suspicion. “Care to elaborate on that confidence, Guildmaster?”

Before I could respond, the office door opened again. Reika entered first, followed by a woman whose presence seemed to subtly alter the energy of the room.

Carrie Milton stood tall and poised, her vibrant red hair falling in a practical cut that framed sharp features. The last time I’d seen her, her face had been a mask of stoic boredom as she efficiently dispatched enemies with minimal effort—the hallmark of someone whose power far exceeded the challenges before them. Now, her expression carried something different: purpose, interest, perhaps even a hint of respect.

“Welcome, Carrie Milton,” I said, gesturing to the chair across from me. “Please, have a seat.”

“Thank you, Guildmaster,” she replied, her voice carrying the subtle resonance common to those who had reached Ascendant-rank. She settled into the chair with the fluid grace of a predator at rest—relaxed but never truly off guard.

I leaned back slightly, studying her with calm appraisal. “So, what brings you to Ouroboros?”

“I wish to join your guild,” she stated without preamble. Direct and to the point—I appreciated that about her.

“As you’re undoubtedly aware,” I noted, “Ouroboros currently holds only a Bronze-rank certification. You, on the other hand, are a seven-star adventurer—qualified to lead a Silver-rank guild or join any of the Gold or Diamond-rank guilds actively recruiting.” I kept my tone conversational, but the underlying question was clear: why step down in status?

Carrie’s lips curved in a slight smile. “I know, but Ouroboros won’t remain Bronze-rank for long.” She made a dismissive gesture, as if brushing away the current reality in favor of what she saw coming. “With one of the greatest young talents leading it, alongside the daughter of one of the most influential families in the Western Continent as Vice Guildmaster, this guild is clearly on an upward trajectory.”

I narrowed my eyes slightly, not entirely satisfied with her assessment. “Not just upward,” I corrected, allowing an edge of steel to enter my voice. “We will reach the absolute peak.”

Something in my phrasing made Carrie’s expression shift, a hint of surprise breaking through her professional demeanor. Good. I wanted her off-balance for what came next.

I leaned forward, placing my palms flat on the desk. It was time to cast aside the casual façade and show her a glimpse of my true intentions. “I need to confirm something with you before we proceed,” I said, each word deliberate and weighted. “My ambition is to sit atop the Empty Throne. Knowing that, are you still willing to join this guild?”

Carrie’s lips parted slightly, genuine shock registering in her eyes. I hadn’t expected to render an Ascendant-rank speechless, but the mention of the Empty Throne tended to have that effect.

I watched her process the implications. The Empty Throne wasn’t merely a symbol—it was a warning embedded in the very structure of the guild system. While other continents operated under centralized authority with hierarchical branches, the Slatemark Empire had deliberately maintained a decentralized approach. Even the Twelve Diamond-rank guilds at the pinnacle operated as collective equals, a balance of power carefully maintained for generations.

To speak of claiming the Empty Throne wasn’t merely ambitious—it bordered on heretical.

“I’m going to sit upon the Empty Throne,” I continued, holding her gaze without blinking. I wasn’t boasting or dreaming aloud; I was stating a future reality as I saw it. “That is the sole reason I created Ouroboros.”

The silence that followed felt charged with potential energy. From the corner of my eye, I saw Kali go completely still, her usual sardonic expression replaced with something more calculating as she reassessed me—her Guildmaster, suddenly revealed to have far greater ambitions than she’d suspected. Reika, standing near the door, showed no surprise. Either she had already intuited my true goal, or her loyalty ran deep enough that the scope of my ambition made no difference to her.

Carrie studied me for a long moment, her experienced eyes searching for any hint of youthful bravado or empty ambition. Finding none, she leaned back slightly.

“The guilds have maintained their balance of power for over two centuries,” she said finally. “The last attempt to unify them under single leadership ended with the Guildmaster Purge of 1842. What makes you believe you can succeed where so many others have failed?”

I didn’t hesitate in my response. “Because they sought to conquer through force or manipulation. I intend to build something that others will choose to follow.” There was no need for arrogance in my tone—only quiet certainty. “When the coming storm breaks, the guilds will need unified leadership. I’m merely preparing for that inevitability.”

Carrie’s eyes narrowed slightly. “Coming storm?”

“A discussion for another time,” I replied, maintaining steady eye contact. She didn’t need to know about Emma or the Cardinal threat yet. “First, I need your answer. Knowing my ultimate goal, will you still join Ouroboros?”

I watched as the Ascendant-rank adventurer considered me—barely sixteen by all accounts, yet I knew I carried myself with the assurance of someone far older. She had seen me in action in Redmond City, witnessed my tactical approach and unorthodox methods firsthand. What had impressed her most, I suspected, wasn’t my raw power—which was still developing—but my ability to see patterns and possibilities that others missed entirely.

A slow smile spread across Carrie’s face, transforming her severe features into something almost predatory. “Well,” she said, “it seems Ouroboros will be considerably more interesting than I anticipated.” She extended her hand across the desk. “I accept your ambition, Guildmaster Nightingale. Consider me at your service.”

I clasped her hand firmly, sealing our agreement. From the corner of my eye, I saw Kali and Reika exchange glances—both suddenly aware that they had allied themselves with something far more significant than they had initially realized.

They had pledged themselves to a vision that would either reshape the continent’s power structure… or end with all of us marked as traitors to the established order.

And somehow, I didn’t think any of us were particularly concerned about which outcome awaited us.

This was just the beginning. The Empty Throne had remained vacant for centuries, a symbol of distributed power and balanced authority.

Soon, it would have an occupant.