Chronicles of Forgotten Extra-Chapter 108: Crushing the Skullcrusher?

Just fantastic. As if fire wasn't bad enough, now it seems to have a mind of its own.

His eyes locked onto Skullcrusher, analysing her movements.

The fire clinging to her body wasn't normal. It was shifting unnaturally, responding to her will like a living creature.

He was sure it was a special ability.

The novel clearly mentioned that special abilities were rare.

So why?

Why are so many people with special abilities popping up?

Alden exhaled, steadying his stance.

His body ached, but pain was just another sensation for him.

Nothing he couldn't push past.

"You aren't getting nervous, are you?" she asked, tilting her head.

Alden didn't respond.

There was no point in wasting words.

Instead, he shot forward, closing the distance. He made a feint to the left, then slashed towards the right side, his katana flashing.

Skullcrusher reacted instantly, twisting her body with inhuman movement.

She counterattacked immediately; her dagger shot out.

It was covered with fire.

He barely managed to deflect it, but the impact sent a shockwave through his arm.

Damn it, her strength had increased.

She didn't stop.

The moment their weapons clashed, she flipped backward, landing on her feet.

The moment she landed, she shot forward again.

Alden's instincts screamed.

He jumped back, barely avoiding an attack aimed at his throat.

Her speed had increased as well but it was nowhere close to the speed of BloodFang Tyrant.

That monster specialised in speed after all.

But, Skullcrusher was relentless.

Alden's mind was racing.

He couldn't overpower her head-on. But he didn't need to.

He needed just one moment.

Alden vanished into the shadows.

He reappeared on her right, slashing.

She turned—but it was too late. His sword cut across her side.

It was just a shallow wound.

Before his sword could dig any further, a whip of fire attacked him.

Alden used [Shadow Steps] to evade the attack.

The crowd roared.

"He landed a hit!"

"No way!"

Skullcrusher touched her side, looking at the blood on her fingers.

Then, she grinned.

"Interesting," she said. "But do you think you can keep up?"

Alden had no time to react before the fire around her exploded outward, forcing him to step back.

When the flames settled down, she was different.

The fire wasn't just around her anymore.

It was flowing through her; her red hair had become fire, and her already orange-coloured pupil turned even darker.

She had became an embodiment of fire.

Her speed—doubled.

Alden barely had any time to think before she was in front of him.

He shadow stepped—

But she predicted his movements with ease this time.

The moment he reappeared, she immediately appeared there.

Her fist pulled back.

She punched.

Her punch connected with his stomach.

His mind blanked for a moment.

Air was knocked out of him as he coughed out blood.

He was thrown flying backward.

Shit.

He barely managed to cushion his fall with his shadows, softening the impact before he crashed into the wall.

His shirt was burnt, revealing his bare upper body.

Skullcrusher didn't give him any chance to recover.

She was already there.

A flaming dagger slashed toward his throat.

Alden strained his [Spirit Domain] to the limit.

He barely reacted.

He twisted his body mid-motion in an inhumane and chaotic way.

Well, the chaos dance Gretta taught me had some uses after all.

Skullcrusher pressed forward.

Her flames burned even more hot and her speed kept increasing as the battle went on.

She was adapting.

Alden's breathing was rough.

He wasn't sure how much longer he could hold out.

I need to end this quickly.

But how?

Alden didn't know exactly what her ability did, but it was making her stronger the more she fought.

It was getting harder for him to keep up even with his skills active to the extreme.

He would have been able to keep up if he activated his [Limit Break]

But here? In the Black Market?

The moment it ended, he'd be a dead man walking.

No, that wasn't an option.

Suddenly an idea popped into his mind.

Alden exhaled.

Then, he moved.

He dashed forward.

He attacked in the most predictable way possible.

Skullcrushers grin widened.

She met him head-on, her flaming dagger cutting through the air. She was confident.

Too confident.

Alden used her confidence against her.

Just as their weapons met mid-air. She pushed with all her strength to overpower him.

Just then shadows beneath her legs moved.

Dark chains raised upward, wrapping around her ankles.

Alden abandoned his sword mid-clash.

"What—?"

Her balance faltered for a split second.

That was all Alden needed.

He disappeared.

Reappeared directly in front of her—

And attacked with his knee into her gut.

The fiery membrane around her was burning through his knees.

But he had coated his knees in his shadow before attacking.

Still, the heat was no joke.

The impact knocked the air out of her.

Alden didn't stop.

His sword, which he had abandoned mid-clash, appeared in his hands.

He was sure this wouldn't look that suspicious. There were few artefacts with a recalling effect.

So at most, people would think his sword had a recalling effect.

Nobody would suspect it to be a soul weapon, especially since most of the people didn't even know of their existence.

He slashed downward, his blade cutting through her now weakened side.

Blood sprayed.

Her mind blanked with pain just for a moment.

But that moment was all he needed.

His sword was already at her throat.

Skullcrusher froze.

For a moment, there was only silence.

Then—she smirked.

"I give up." She muttered.

The announcer's voice boomed across the arena.

"UNBELIEVABLE.

"THE NEWCOMER WINS."

The crowd erupted into chaos. Most of them curse Skullcrusher for losing.

While some people who had bet on the underdog praised Damien.

Skullcrusher stared at Alden.

Then—

She laughed.

"Hahaha… That was truly fun."

"Damien, is it?" She continued, "We'll meet again soon."

Alden said nothing, lowering his sword.

The fight was over.

He had won.

Updated from freewёbnoνel.com.

Barely.

He didn't wait anymore as he turned around to leave.

__

The red-haired girl looked at Alden's back. She took out a healing potion and gulped it down.

She turned away, her steps light, almost careless.

Losing? It didn't matter.

If anything… It made things even more interesting.

She walked out of the arena before entering a vast room somewhere within the black market.

She sat on a couch.

"Hey," she muttered in empty air.

There was no one else present in the room except her.

But the moment her words left her lips, a cloaked figure appeared out of thin air.

His body didn't leak any mana. But that made him even more terrifying, as that could only be done by someone at Grandmaster rank or above.

"Yes, Young Miss." The cloaked figure knelt on the ground.

"Find out about that guy." She ordered without even looking at the figure.

"Yes, Miss." As soon as he responded, he vanished from his spot as if he was never there to begin with.

A smile appeared on her face. [Check the paragraph comment]

__

Unaware of the storm brewing in the shadows, Alden left the arena.

He had plans to have another match, but the fight with Skullcrusher had drained him.

He didn't wish to have another one.

His wounds had already healed due to the healing potion.

He had collected his rewards, which was ten times the money he paid.

[500,000 E]

But this wasn't anything. The real money would be with Cypher.

He was sure that he had made a fortune tonight. At least ten million or maybe even more.

Let's see how much money I made.