The Extra's Reincarnation-Chapter 80: Royal Blade Finale

In the Grand Hall of Ziverard Zagata, all the nobles who had gathered to witness the emergence of the kingdom’s new royal blade had departed.

After Tiberius, the main contender, lost unexpectedly to Marcus Renfield, they considered it pointless to continue watching.

They were unfamiliar with Marcus, a low-ranked baron, was able to overcome such odds when a child like Tiberius was compared to have a potential to the likes of King Pyre’s Grand General Commander And Continental Mage Alencar Zaxphener.

However, for the person sitting alone with her knights standing on guard, who knew the outcome of the events, it seemed that everything was still going according to plan. There were just a few mix-ups with eliminations and some other outcomes, but overall, nothing drastic had changed so far.

Except for the final event.

Francine Aureus was watching through the system screen that Meredith had provided, and it even had a sound function that allowed her to hear what was said during the exchanges of the fights.

Her interest in Julian had grown even more, especially after witnessing his blatant disregard for the rules. To think he would so readily defy the established system, and for such a noble cause, no less. It was audacious, reckless even, but undeniably captivating.

But just as the fight between him and Cullen was about to go down, she realized what was coming next and the moment Marcus’s blade pierced through Cullen, she couldn’t help but worry about who was going to be with her for the next coming years.

As Francine watched the screen closely, waiting for Julian and Marcus to be teleported back, she knew they wouldn’t return until Meredith had fully healed Cullen of his injuries, just as she had done for all the other participants.

Francine kept her eyes fixed on the display, carefully listening to Julian and Marcus’s conversation.

"But now, I’m not so sure. Tell me, Julian, what are you really after? Why are you here?"

Marcus stared directly into Julian’s eyes, and the words Julian was about to say were something Francine would not have expected.

"I’m here... because I want to live. To have a future that’s my own."

"…!"

"W-What did I just hear?"

Sitting on the edge of her seat, the audio of Julian’s voice made Francine stand on her feet.

The very thought of his words sent shivers down her spine.

-Could it be? Was it possible that... he was a regressor too?

She put a finger on her chin, thinking of all the possibilities and reasoning for his words.

-But that can’t be possible; with each regression, there is a specific ’factor’ that alters every time I regress. It must be that he is the ’factor’ influencing the change in this life. Otherwise, I can’t help but wonder if he’s the one who’s in possession of ’that’ item.

Still, she couldn’t get the words out of her head.

"To have a future that’s my own..."

It was a sentiment that resonated deep within her, a yearning for agency, for control over one’s destiny. It was the very essence of regression, the desire to rewrite the past and to live in a new future.

Francine was well aware of the consequences of her regression, to even consider the thought of living her dreams was seemingly a naïve thought, especially when it came to her having a ’future of her own’.

Unfortunately, regardless of how many times she had died, her task remained unchanged. She needed to save the world at all costs. In each life she lived, whether by warning the world of impending events or by eliminating all the candidates for Varuna’s vessel, the outcome remained the same.

The world, it seemed, was determined to meet its end, regardless of her efforts.

But for him to be saying that at his age… it didn’t make sense…

Francine piecing together the fragments of information she had gathered, she took notes on Julian’s uncharacteristic maturity, his uncanny combat experience and his inexplicable actions.

It all pointed to a hypothetical conclusion… He was a regressor, just like her.

But how? How could he have acquired the ability to regress? And why had he chosen this particular timeline to make his moves now?

-Was it merely coincidence, or was there a deeper purpose behind his arrival?

Francine bit on her nails, racking in all her thoughts to figure out a conclusion, but to her avail, nothing came to mind.

"My lady, it seems your father wants you to return to the palace now…"

One of the royal guards whispered into Francine’s ear.

"Haah… I guess it can’t be helped."

With a soft sigh, Francine rose from her seat, her long gown rustling softly against the polished floor.

She gestured to her knights, indicating it was time to depart.

As she moved towards the exit, she cast one last glance at the screen.

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"Well, Julian… if you really are a regressor, then I’ll hope to see you at Aethel Academy,"

***

[The Royal 8 Challenge Finale]

Standing in a massive gated dome, both Julian and Marcus were transported to the place where the Royal Blade will be determined.

nside the dome where they stood, there were four gates evenly spaced around its perimeter. Behind each gate floated a medium-sized crystal resting on a pedestal.

As Julian and Marcus took in their new surroundings, Lady Meredith’s voice echoed through the dome.

"Welcome to the final stage of the Royal Blade Challenge. Before you stand the ultimate test, the trial that will determine who among you will claim the title of Royal Blade."

Julian’s eyes darted between the four gates and the floating crystals behind them. He could feel the hum of magical energy emanating from the crystals, their power palpable even from a distance.

"This, my esteemed finalists, is the Gauntlet, a battle of wit, skill, and determination."

She gestured towards the imposing gates and the shimmering crystals beyond.

"One of you will be the Guardian, the defender of the objectives, and the other will be the Challenger, seeking to seize those objectives."

Meredith proceeded to explain the rules, her voice clear and concise.

"At set intervals, one of the four gates will open at random. The Guardian must race to that gate and protect the crystal within. The Challenger, in turn, must attempt to capture that crystal before the gate closes."

"The first to score five points will be crowned the victor, the new Royal Blade of the kingdom..."

"Now, as for combat, a variety of styles are permitted. Hand-to-hand combat is allowed, but weapons and elemental weapons are strictly prohibited. However, magic spells are most certainly encouraged!"

Julian and Marcus exchanged a tense glance as Meredith finished explaining the rules. The stakes were clear... This final challenge would determine everything.

"Now then, we must decide who will be the Guardian and who will be the Challenger. As is tradition, we’ll leave this to chance." Meredith said, her eyes glinting with anticipation,

With a graceful wave of her hand, Meredith conjured a shimmering coin out of thin air. It hovered between her palms, one side shining gold, the other a deep obsidian black.

"Marcus Renfield, as the highest-ranked contestant, you have the honor of calling it," Meredith announced.

"Gold or black?"

Marcus’s eyes narrowed slightly as he considered his options. After a moment, he spoke confidently, "Gold."

Meredith nodded and, with a flick of her wrist, sent the coin spinning high into the air.

It tumbled end over end, flashing gold and black in rapid succession. Both boys watched intently as it reached its apex and began to fall.

With a soft chime, the coin landed in Meredith’s outstretched palm.

With a dramatic twist, Meredith opened her palm to reveal the coin.

The gold side glowed up at them.

"Gold it is," Meredith announced. "Marcus Renfield, the choice is yours. Will you be the Guardian or the Challenger?"

Marcus’s lips curled into a confident smirk. "I’ll take the role of Challenger," he declared without hesitation.

Julian nodded, accepting his role as guardian. He had a feeling Marcus would choose to be on the offensive - it suited his aggressive style.

"Very well," Meredith said. "Julian Uzziel, you will be the Guardian. Marcus Renfield, you will be the Challenger. Both of you will take your positions in the two circles towards the centre, and may the best mage win."

Julian took his position in the center of the arena, his heart pounding with a mix of anticipation and nervousness.

As the Guardian, he knew he would need to be constantly on his feet, ready to sprint to whichever gate opened at a moment’s notice.

Marcus stood across from him, his serious expression revealing just how far he was willing to go, truly he was determined to win here and now.

Lady Meredith raised her hand, her voice ringing out clear and strong.

"Contestants, are you ready?"

Both boys nodded, their bodies tensing in preparation.

"Then let the final challenge... begin!"