The Extra's Rise-Chapter 356: End of Inter-Academy Festival (1)

I didn't have the energy to argue as they filed into my luxurious dormitory suite. Cecilia immediately claimed the Italian leather armchair by the glass desk, sprawling in it with casual grace that somehow made the designer seat look like a throne. Her golden curls cascaded over one shoulder as she fixed me with those crimson eyes that had half the Academy's male population wrapped around her finger

Seraphina leaned against the floor-to-ceiling window, her silver hair catching the moonlight that silhouetted her tall, elegant figure. Her ice-blue eyes assessed my condition with clinical detachment. Unlike Cecilia's warmth, Seraphina's half-elven beauty was sharp, precise, dangerous—like the enchanted blade she wielded in combat.

Rose quietly closed the door behind them before taking a position near my king-sized bed, her calm presence a counterpoint to the others' more dominant energies. Her auburn hair was arranged in a practical braid, and her warm brown eyes held their usual gentle understanding.

Rachel made herself comfortable on the plush velvet couch in the corner, her golden hair arranged in a perfect cascade of curls that framed her heart-shaped face. Her sapphire eyes watched me with undisguised worry.

"We made an agreement," Cecilia announced, a mischievous smile playing at her lips. "Just for today."

"An agreement?" I repeated warily, lowering myself back onto the edge of my bed with its premium memory foam mattress and silken sheets—a stark reminder of how far I'd come from the village boy who'd arrived with nothing but determination.

"To put aside our... differences," Seraphina clarified, her tone suggesting this had not been an easy concession for any of them. The subtle emphasis wasn't lost on me; their "differences" largely centered around me.

"We decided you needed all of us tonight, not just whoever could argue their way to your door first," Rose added softly, her melodic voice carrying the slightest hint of embarrassment. The last time they'd all found themselves at my room simultaneously, the resulting argument had nearly leveled half the dormitory wing.

"I didn't agree to anything," I pointed out, trying to ignore the way my heart quickened at having all four of them in my space. "I appreciate the concern, but—"

"This isn't optional," Cecilia interrupted, leaning forward with that teasing smile that never failed to make me nervous. "We're here to cheer you up, whether you like it or not." The neckline of her blouse dipped dangerously with the movement, and I forced my eyes to remain fixed on her face. Her knowing smirk told me she'd noticed anyway.

I looked to Rose, usually the most reasonable of the four. She merely shrugged, a small smile on her face. "Sometimes the best medicine is knowing people care," she said simply, though the subtle flush across her cheeks suggested she was remembering our last private study session, which had involved considerably less studying than intended.

Rachel moved closer, perching on the arm of the couch. "Besides," she said, her melodic voice gentle yet firm, "your well-being affects us all. And I won't have you suffering alone when I could be helping."

"I'm fine," I insisted, though none of them looked convinced.

Rachel's eyes flashed with rare irritation. "You're not fine, Arthur."

Cecilia swiveled in the leather chair, her eyes never leaving mine. "We all watched the Challenge, Arthur," she said with unusual gentleness. "Every hit you took, every time you got back up." Her usual playfulness had faded, replaced by something raw and genuine that made my chest tighten.

"It was quite the show," she added, though her usual teasing tone held an undertone of genuine admiration. "Especially that last God Flash. I thought you had them for a moment there."

"So did I," I admitted, running my fingers along the silken edge of the duvet. The memory of that moment—the surge of power, the brief certainty of victory, followed by the crushing sensation of hitting the Aspect wall—still left me feeling hollow.

"I needed time to think," I added quietly, avoiding their concerned gazes.

"To brood, you mean," Cecilia corrected with a knowing look.

"Leave him be, Ceci," Rachel said sharply, the rare display of temper causing us all to look at her in surprise. She moved closer to me, her slender fingers almost—but not quite—touching my arm. "Not everyone processes defeat by immediately planning revenge like you do."

Cecilia's eyes narrowed at Rachel's proximity to me. "I wasn't—" she began, then caught herself, a rare flush coloring her cheeks. "Fine. But sulking won't help either."

"It's not sulking to acknowledge disappointment," Rose spoke up, her quiet voice carrying surprising authority. "Arthur has earned the right to feel what he feels." The protective edge in her tone made something warm bloom in my chest.

Seraphina pushed away from the window, approaching to sit on the sleek modern ottoman near the bed—and pointedly closer to me than Rachel stood. "The wall you hit," she said abruptly. "That's what's really bothering you, isn't it? Not just losing, but how you lost."

I met her gaze, slightly surprised by her perceptiveness. As always, Seraphina cut straight to the heart of things with surgical precision. "Yes," I admitted. "I've never experienced anything like it before. One moment I was reaching for Sword Resonance, just like Lucifer achieved, and the next... nothing. An absolute barrier."

Rachel's eyes softened with understanding. "The Aspect imbalance was inevitable."

"The Aspect wall is a fundamental limit," Rose explained, though I already knew the theory. She settled onto the plush area rug, her fingers tracing its intricate pattern. "When one Aspect lags too far behind the others, the imbalance creates a barrier to further progression until proper equilibrium can be restored."

"I know what it is," I said, perhaps more sharply than intended. "What I don't know is how to fix it."

"You can't, not quickly," Seraphina said bluntly. "There's no bypassing the natural growth of Aspects."

Her words stung because I knew they were true. The borrowed power that had accelerated my development had now become my greatest limitation.

"Magnus is still going to train you though," Cecilia said, changing the subject with surprising tact. She leaned back in the leather chair, crossing her legs with elegant precision. "That's what everyone's talking about. The Martial King doesn't take students lightly."

I looked up, genuinely surprised. "How do you know that?"

"The Commander of Nighthawks was in the observation chamber," she replied with a casual shrug that didn't quite hide her pride in her royal connections. "He questioned Magnus's decision, but he was quite firm about it. Said you interested him more than the actual winners."

Magnus, the legendary Martial King, still saw value in training me despite my failure. The knowledge pushed back against the hollow feeling in my chest.

"Don't look so shocked," Cecilia said, her fingers absently tracing the chrome armrests of the chair. "Anyone with eyes could see your potential today. The wall doesn't change that—it just means you need a different path forward."

"A harder path," Seraphina amended, never one to sugarcoat reality. Her ice-blue eyes held mine steadily. "But one that might ultimately make you stronger than if you'd won today."

"But not one you'll walk alone," Rose added, her gentle smile warming her usually reserved features. The sincerity in her warm brown eyes made my breath catch.

"Never alone," Rachel agreed, her hand squeezing mine with gentle possessiveness, her sapphire eyes holding a promise that made my pulse quicken.

I looked around at the four of them, so different in personality and approach, yet all here for the same reason. They had set aside their differences—for tonight, at least—to ensure I didn't face this moment alone.

Each offered something unique: Cecilia with her fiery passion and unwavering confidence, Seraphina with her steady strength and brutal honesty, Rose with her gentle wisdom and quiet dependability, Rachel with her healing touch and fiercely protective heart. Different pieces of what I needed, different facets that drew me to each of them.

"Thank you," I said simply, the words inadequate but sincere.

The four girls smiled together as their eyes met mine.

Seraphina checked her sleek platinum watch. "It's almost curfew anyway. Even with our royal exemptions, we'd be pushing our luck staying longer."

They reluctantly agreed, gathering their things to leave. As they filed toward the door, their individual parting gestures spoke volumes about our complicated relationships.

Cecilia approached boldly, leaning in to press a kiss dangerously close to the corner of my mouth. "Don't disappoint me by wallowing too long," she whispered, her breath warm against my skin. "I prefer you fighting."

Rose's farewell was subtler—a gentle touch to my hand, her fingers intertwining briefly with mine. "Call if you need anything," she said softly, the double meaning clear in her eyes. "Anytime."

Rachel lingered the longest, her eyes searching mine. "I'll come by tomorrow with proper healing herbs," she said, her voice brooking no argument. Then, she leaned forward and pressed a quick but unmistakably possessive kiss to my lips. "Rest well, Arthur."

Seraphina paused, turning back to fix me with her piercing gaze. "Just so we're clear," she said, her voice quiet but firm, "this doesn't change anything. You're still Arthur Nightingale. One defeat doesn't define you unless you let it."

With that parting wisdom, they left, their departure as impactful as their arrival had been.

When the door closed behind them, I turned to find Luna watching me as she manifested again in her chibi form.

"What?" I asked.

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"Nothing," she replied innocently. "Just observing that for someone who just suffered a devastating defeat, you have remarkably devoted... friends." The pause before the last word carried knowing emphasis.

I couldn't argue with that. Their visit had accomplished what it intended—the hollow feeling in my chest had receded, replaced by something warmer, more determined.

"I'm going to overcome this," I said, not as a boast but as a simple statement of fact. "The wall, the defeat, all of it."

I would beat them both, protagonist and antagonist of the Saga of the Divine Swordsman be damned. My story wasn't written by their roles or expectations.

It would be written by my will alone.