The Extra is a Genius!? Chapter 620: Cycle’s End

The shadows clung tight. 'Eclipse Sun' hung over them like a dark decree pinned to the fake heavens, and under it, Roberto’s realm had dwindled to brief flares—ghostly scraps of earth engulfed by gloom and spat back only when brilliance ripped through. Roberto lingered just paces distant, obviously hurt at last. Crimson streamed from the deep gash slicing his torso and one leg, an arm sagging lower than its twin, breaths now labored and deep. Harm was authentic. Threat matched it fully.

Noel stayed vigilant. A fighter like Roberto didn’t turn harmless from mere bleeding. Not after countless loops he’d weathered. Not after defying death so long when fate demanded it. Noel held Revenant Fang high, stance poised evenly, gaze locked on the tiniest shifts in Roberto’s form.

Roberto observed it. 'You’re still cautious.' His tone sounded weary, yet sharpness lingered. A subtle, mirthless twist grazed his lips. 'Good.'

Noel offered no reply. He advanced first. 'Shadow Step.' Gloom consumed him and spat him out at Roberto’s injured flank, sword already slicing toward the ribs. Roberto pivoted with a light burst swift enough to cleave the void momentarily. 'Radiant Slash.' Metal clashed with glow in a snap that rattled the faint ground below. Noel shoved past regardless, ramming his shoulder to foul the spacing, then tore open a 'Shadow Rift' at Roberto’s unseen side and emerged swinging a follow-up blow. Roberto parried with reduced grace, yet parried still. Blades grated, arms braced firm, forces vying in the lock.

Suddenly radiance erupted between. 'Flashbind.' Noel’s sight blazed brilliant for an instant. Enough for Roberto. He wrenched loose and lunged via 'Sanctified Step,' closing in impossibly near, then rammed his sword’s crossguard into Noel’s hurt flank before chaining a brief light-empowered cut. Noel twisted tardily; the edge still carved his shoulder and chest top, sharp enough to flood heat across his entire side instantly.

For the first time in many exchanges, he yielded space.

Roberto pursued not in frenzy. That restraint heightened the terror. Wounded and lagging, he still picked his strikes with precision.

Warm blood soaked Noel’s garb. He sensed it, embraced it, clenched Revenant Fang harder without glancing.

This clash demanded a true conclusion.

Roberto initiated next with resolve over restraint. Prior doubt vanished. Not from healed hurts, but because wariness now meant nothing. Radiance amassed around him thicker than prior, no longer wide and controlled like before, but honed, squeezed tight, driven deep till encircling dark flinched away.

'Flashbind.' The surge struck fiercer now. Void ripped in savage white blaze, duel fracturing into shards therein. Roberto’s ashen resolute face. Noel’s sword in motion. Crimson on Roberto’s frame. Shattered pale earth underfoot. Then blur resumed ere dark reclaimed.

'Radiant Slash.' Once. Again. Noel dodged first via 'Shadow Step,' rent a 'Shadow Rift' past second, burst low from it with Revenant Fang arcing up. Roberto countered blade-to-blade and shoulder-to-shoulder, absorbing the hit poorly on his damaged side but holding core to unleash 'Sanctum Pulse.' Brilliance detonated in vicious circle; Noel couldn’t wholly escape. Impact hammered chest and limb, hurling him rearward through shadow till boots gouged dim terrain before regaining footing.

Noel’s breaths grew labored now. Deeper. Rougher. Flank seared. Shoulder pulsed. Speed endured, but toll mounted in flesh.

Roberto noted, advanced. 'Judgment Line.' Realm sundered beneath wordless assault; Noel sensed slash graze near enough to shear shadow and soil. He faded via 'Shadow Step' a heartbeat shy of obliteration, rematerialized anew, retaliated with 'Voltage Needle.' Slender bolt lanced at Roberto’s neck. Roberto shifted late, caught it across chest instead, frame convulsing from strike.

Noel denied respite. 'Glacialis.' Frost hammered same breach, Revenant Fang pursuing via 'Eclipse Rend' coiling ominous along edge, compelling defense over counter. Swords collided anew in white eruption, revealing fresh crimson.

Roberto’s injury deepened. One flank trailed slightly, breaths hitching ere next surge.

Yet Noel bore marks too. Limb weighed more. Flank throbbed per pivot. Bout transcended prior crisp fury. Now they scorched inward racing for decisive end.

Then came the shift. Roberto lifted sword once more, glow pooling for retort, first time power faltered visibly since onset.

Roberto dictated ensuing clash. Void gaped vast under 'Flashbind,' no mere test but savage gambit to settle all. Realm blinked white in pieces. Roberto’s form. Blood trailing flank. Sword’s path carving ether.

'Judgment Line.' Mute stroke rent black expanse with finality decreed. Noel knew that cadence. No pure evasion. 'Shadow Step.' Dark devoured him pre-impact, same instant weaving 'Cooling Veil.' Frost sheet swept low across void, honing air keen, blunting light’s pure edge just to flaw the morrow.

That flaw sufficed. 'Ice Spike.' Ragged frost erupted beneath Roberto’s hurt side.

Not to impale outright.

Merely to shatter stance at fatal juncture. Roberto riposted swift with 'Sanctum Pulse,' radiance bursting to pulverize ice into pale rubble, yet ring lagged a half-beat.

Noel surged. Shadow fissure yawned over and rear of Roberto. 'Shadow Rift.' Noel pierced silent, Revenant Fang plunging raw might first—steel on steel, frame on frame, mass battering mass.

Roberto endured bind briefly, sought reclaim with 'Radiant Slash,' but Noel nested true thrust below lock.

'Gravity Collapse.' Ether warped fierce round Roberto, crushing down. Frame buckled under unseen crush, knee brushing pale soil amid dark. Precisely the breach Noel forged from outset.

'Stormpiercer.' Thunder rent realm like severed sinew. Noel blurred white-blue bolt, piercing guard ere 'Lumina Veil' sealed fully. Blow bored upper trunk, flinging him back, wrenching air, blood, poise in one. Upright by will alone, gash now undeniable.

Noel kept Revenant Fang aloft too. Poised as Roberto reeled through gloom, crimson pouring freer, limb faltering, stride slowing. Truth dawned unspoken.

Fury ebbed from gap unbidden. Not by choice of truce, but clash’s verdict rendered.

Roberto endured upright, though 'upright' stretched kind. Crimson poured steady from Noel’s rent, thicker darker, dripping dim earth under eclipse in pulse syncing fading gasps. Sword gripped one-handed, hold slackening. Less mastery. Less purpose. Flesh knew finale ere ego.

Noel approached wary. Held position, Revenant Fang up, chest laboring, stare piercing Roberto lest final lunge arise.

Such survivor warranted wariness. Cycles-defier menaced till death loomed direct.

Then Roberto exhaled soft, nigh-laugh. 'So this really was the one.' Edge fled voice. Remnant thinned, eroded, yet purer. Sword dipped slight, gaze lifting to void overhead where 'Eclipse Sun' dominated shattered domain. 'This cycle... really was different.'

Noel held silent briefly. Bout’s burden, flank’s agony, shoulder’s drip—all lingered, yet eased. Reply emerged hushed. 'Yeah.'

Roberto’s faint smile bloomed true, small genuine. Mockery banished. Dispute too. Beyond proof’s need. Beyond self chained to inferno sans alternative.

'I think,' Roberto murmured deliberate, 'I knew it for a while.' Eyes met Noel’s. 'I just didn’t want to admit it.'

Noel eased Revenant Fang partway, signaling close. Bout resolved ere acknowledged.

Roberto staggered step nearer. Pain flickered face, unheeded. 'Come here, Noel.' Soft, unaccustomed plea. First duel-void sharpness absent.

Noel assessed lingering instant, habit-driven, caution-forged, bout-imprinted deep as marrow.

Then advanced.

Roberto bridged half-gap.

Clasp lacked might. Impossible otherwise. Too much life fled with blood, mass draining per breath. Yet authentic. Arm draped Noel’s back, tremulous languid, moment blotting ruined void.

Noel held steady, yielding.

Roberto murmured low at shoulder. 'I’m glad I met you.'

Words fell gentle. Heavier than strikes traded.

'I had good moments,' Roberto pressed post-pause. 'More than I expected.' Faint weary warmth laced tone, smile’s echo faded final. 'With you. With the others too. The academy. Class S. Even the stupid little things.'

Grip slackened, clung yet.

'I could say I’m sorry for what I did. But it wouldn’t be sincere, so I won’t. I did what I had to do.' Beat. 'I don’t regret it.'

Noel’s fist clenched faint.

Silent.

Roberto sighed worn, laugh’s ghost. 'So I’ll ask you one last thing instead.' Tone thinned clearer. 'Live a different life, Noel. You actually have the chance to do it.'

Breath lagged.

'Don’t hesitate.' Pause. 'You earned it.'

Arm trailed down.

Roberto drew back scarce for face-view. Wrath gone. Facade too. Mere fatigue, torment, subtle peace—belated enduring.

Then frame failed.

Noel seized ere collapse, eased descent tender beyond bout’s cruelty. Roberto’s gaze lingered open, locked beyond Noel’s shoulder, realms past gloom.

Then stilled. Peaceful. Unresisting.

Noel froze.

Kneeled earthbound, palm at back, other flat on chill soil. Bout’s hush engulfed. Voiceless. Motionless. Weight settling heavier in hold as resistance yielded to pull.

He lingered.

Time blurred.

Overhead, 'Eclipse Sun' quivered.

Dark stirred first. Pale domain-echoes followed. White fissures spidered black like glass veins, creeping then spanning bounds. Horizon chunks sheared bright, faded to silent motes, realm softening farewell.

Roberto departed.

Noel persisted, palm at back, domain disintegrating sans fanfare, as voids perish absent anchor.

Noel endured till dissolution touched.

No blast. Ill-fit. Realm unraveled like flawed crystal at brink—inevitable sans rage.

Dark eased foremost. Pale scaffold fractured under, white arcs silent through black ere horizon slabs detached, void-claimed.

No plummet. Mere erasure, domain forfeit sans shaper.

Only then Noel stirred.

Laid Roberto gentle, slumped on buckling limbs ere vigor fled total. Frame hit soil instants later, sprawled limp like fallen afar. Still he lay, eyes skyward as fractured canopy dissolved black-white. Chest surged. All throbbed. Eyes damp, origin unknown.

Long he respired sole.

Then whisper escaped, frail truer than shouts.

'I did it.'

Realm frayed on. Silence birthed pane afore eyes.

[You have slain Roberto, the First Pillar. Congratulations!! You did it!!]

Swift second.

[You have managed to kill all six Pillars, the Circle has ended. Elarin cannot manifest in this Dimension.]

Third chased.

[Unique Quest: Save The World has been completed, the cycle has ended, congratulations Noel. You can rest.]

Final:

[Reward available, do you want to claim it?]

Noel scanned motionless. Breaths evened gradual, weariness bone-deep eternal. Surrounds perished, rifts gaping, sky devouring self.

Rest awaited.

Not here.

Noel shut eyes one breath, reopened, uttered final into void.

'Spatial Shift.'