The Extra's Rise - Chapter 452

Chapter 452: Deia Solaryn (2)
Wood met wood with a crystalline ring as Lucifer and Deia circled each other in the secluded courtyard. Though they wielded practice swords, both had infused their weapons with enough resonance to create the distinctive sound of true combat.

Deia struck first—a lightning-fast thrust aimed at Lucifer’s left shoulder. He parried with a controlled flick of his wrist, the economy of his movement betraying years of relentless training. They separated, reset, and engaged again.

“Your style is interesting,” Lucifer observed as they exchanged a series of probing attacks. His verdant eyes tracked her movements with calm precision. “Elements of traditional Eastern fencing, but with unique flourishes I haven’t seen before.”

Deia moved like flowing water, her footwork precise and light. “The Southern Sea Sun Palace preserved techniques that were lost when the Eastern schools standardized their approaches,” she replied, seamlessly transitioning from defense to offense with a diagonal slash.

Lucifer sidestepped rather than parrying, allowing her blade to pass harmlessly by. His movements carried the effortless grace of someone born to nobility but tempered through genuine discipline. “The diversity benefits you. It makes your patterns less predictable.”

For several minutes, they continued their dance of blades, each testing the other’s defenses without committing fully to an attack. Lucifer maintained a pleasant exterior, his expression open yet focused—a stark contrast to Deia’s intense concentration. There was something magnetic about his presence, a natural charisma that made even this combat exercise feel somehow lighter.

Deia’s golden eyes narrowed as she struggled to find an opening in Lucifer’s defense. His movements were frustratingly efficient, with no wasted energy or telegraphed intentions. Every time she thought she’d spotted a weakness, it vanished before she could exploit it.

“You’re holding back,” she accused after another exchange ended in stalemate.

A warm smile touched Lucifer’s lips. “So are you.”

Something shifted in Deia’s expression—a decision made. Her next series of attacks came faster, her blade humming with increased resonance as she channeled more mana into her strikes. The practice sword glowed faintly with crimson energy, leaving trailing arcs of light as it cut through the air.

Lucifer met her heightened intensity with his own, though his demeanor remained remarkably unruffled. His sword resonance manifested as a subtle shimmering along his blade, neither flashy nor overwhelming, but perfectly controlled. Each clash now released small bursts of energy, sparking between their weapons like miniature lightning storms.

As the spar intensified, Lucifer’s God’s Eyes activated naturally, a response to the increasing challenge. The legendary Gift of the Windward royal line shone through—his verdant eyes taking on a faint luminescence as their perceptive abilities sharpened dramatically. The world around him seemed to slow fractionally, details becoming crystal clear. He could track the minute adjustments in Deia’s footwork, the subtle shifts in her balance that telegraphed her next move before she made it.

Deia’s eyes narrowed. She quickly came to a conclusion. She would need her Gift.

With a sudden backstep, Deia created distance between them. A miniature sun formed—no larger than an apple, but burning with intense crimson energy that matched her eyes. The temperature in the courtyard rose noticeably as the tiny star pulsed with controlled power.

“The Solaryn Gift,” Lucifer observed, his voice carrying genuine appreciation rather than competitive assessment. “I didn’t expect you to reveal it in a practice match.”

Deia’s expression remained focused. “Consider it professional courtesy. You’ve shown me yours.”

The miniature sun orbited her like a satellite, its gravitational field subtle but noticeable in the way it affected the air around them. When she moved, it followed, maintaining a constant distance from her body.

Lucifer responded by activating his first Gift fully. The Yin-Yang Body was a rare Gift, considered among the best in the world. Black and white mana swirled around him in a double helix, the energies distinct yet perfectly balanced, reflecting his internal harmony.

“Two Gifts?” Deia couldn’t hide her surprise. “That’s ridiculous.”

Lucifer nodded, his expression modest despite the impressive display. “The Northern climate tends to foster unusual manifestations. The balance helps regulate my ice affinity.”

“Impressive,” Deia acknowledged. “The harmonization of opposing forces. Few can maintain such equilibrium.”

Their next exchange was on another level entirely. Deia incorporated her miniature sun into her swordplay, using its gravitational pull to alter the trajectory of her strikes in ways that would be impossible through physical means alone. Her blade would begin a predictable arc, only to curve unexpectedly as the sun’s gravity bent its path.

Against an ordinary opponent, such techniques would be overwhelmingly effective. But Lucifer’s God’s Eyes tracked not just the blade but the shifting gravitational fields themselves. The black and white mana surrounding him responded to his needs without conscious direction, strengthening his defenses where needed and enhancing his counters.

For a full minute, they engaged in a flurry of strikes too fast for an ordinary observer to follow. The practice swords, reinforced by their respective energies, withstood forces that would have shattered ordinary steel. Neither gained a decisive advantage, though both landed glancing blows that were deflected before they could score cleanly.

Then Lucifer saw it—the pattern in her movements, the slight hesitation when transitioning from her third form to her fourth. He waited, counting the rhythm of her strikes, and when the moment came, he moved.

A feint to her right drew her expected response. As she shifted to counter, Lucifer’s blade was already changing direction, slipping past her guard with millimeter precision. He stopped the edge a hairsbreadth from her throat, his control absolute.

Silence fell over the courtyard.

Deia froze, her golden eyes wide with disbelief. The miniature sun above her shoulder pulsed once, then dimmed slightly as she processed what had happened.

“How?” she asked, genuine curiosity replacing competitiveness in her voice.

Lucifer lowered his blade, his smile warm and free of condescension. “Your fourth form transition leaves a momentary opening. Almost imperceptible, but present.”

“No one has ever caught that before,” she said, stepping back and dismissing her Gift. The miniature sun compressed into a point of light before vanishing completely.

“Few would have the opportunity to study it closely,” Lucifer replied, his own God’s Eyes fading as he relaxed his stance. The black and white mana around him dissipated like morning mist. “Your skill is exceptional. With the right challenges, you could become truly formidable.”

Something flickered across Deia’s expression—a mixture of pride and what might have been longing. “The Southern Sea Sun Palace offers limited opportunities for growth through competition.”

“Isolation has its costs,” Lucifer agreed, his tone gentle rather than judgmental. “Even the strongest blade dulls without a whetstone.”

Deia moved to return her practice sword to the rack, her movements betraying a new awareness of him. The wariness remained, but it was now tempered with respect.

“Tomorrow is your final day of investigation,” she began, her voice becoming more practical. “You’ll have more important matters to attend to than training exercises.”

“Perhaps,” he acknowledged. “But we begin early. I could return here at dawn, before the day’s official activities commence.”

Deia considered the offer, her practical nature clearly weighing the benefits against potential risks. “Dawn,” she said finally. “One hour, no more. And we focus on practical application, not political discussion.”

“Agreed,” Lucifer replied with a slight bow, his natural grace making even this simple gesture seem elegant. “Though I find that blades often reveal more truth than diplomatic exchanges ever could.”

As he turned to leave, he sensed a shift in Deia’s demeanor—a subtle relaxation, as if some internal barrier had lowered fractionally.

“Lucifer,” she called as he reached the courtyard entrance. When he looked back, her expression was carefully neutral, but her eyes held a new intensity. “Whatever you and your companions discover tomorrow… proceed with caution. Even I don’t know what is being hidden.”

The warning was unexpected, especially from the daughter of the palace’s lord. Before he could respond, she had already turned away, resuming her solitary practice with renewed focus.

Lucifer paused at the threshold, watching her for a moment longer.