Alvida returned to the inner chambers.
Her three personal bodyguards stood at attention, along with Uncle Robert.
Scout had just arrived, nodding in silent acknowledgment.
Alvida's blue eyes swept over the five of them.
After a quiet breath, she spoke calmly.
"There are intruders in the castle."
She paused briefly, then added,
"The green-haired man who came earlier—he betrayed me. Tried to kill me. Fortunately, I used the ring he was wearing to disrupt his mana and eliminate him."
The reactions were immediate.
"W-what?!"
"How dare he!"
But to them, the true shock wasn't Crandell's betrayal, it was the fact that Alvida had managed to kill him.
They had all sensed it. Crandell was strong—likely stronger than any of them.
For Alvida to kill someone like that...
Robert glanced at her, a mix of pride and awe in his eyes.
'The Young Lady will definitely lead our family to the top,' he thought.
Seeing that none of them questioned her story, Alvida continued.
"He wasn't alone. His companions are still somewhere inside the castle. Find them—and kill them."
Her voice left no room for doubt.
"Uncle Robert and I will proceed to the destination. After eliminating your targets, locate us using the rings."
She turned and began walking, Robert silently falling into step behind her.
But after a few steps as if she recalled something, she paused.
Glancing over her shoulder, her voice sharpened.
"Use your full strength from the start. Don't underestimate them, I don't want any casualties on my first ruin exploration."
The scout and bodyguards straightened at once, responding in perfect unison.
"Understood, Young Lady."
Alvida gave a small nod.
"Good."
Without another word, she disappeared down the corridor.
"Just a few more days," she thought to herself. "And I'll finally be free."
***
Somewhere else in the castle, Lesley and Alvin moved cautiously through the decaying halls, their footsteps light, senses sharp.
Lesley suddenly paused, her expression tightening.
"Hm. One of their mana signatures just vanished."
Alvin considered that for a second.
"Maybe he left the castle."
Lesley gave a small nod but didn't relax.
"Perhaps. But I don't want a knife in my back later. So, let's assume there are still six of them."
Alvin sighed and muttered, "I know that—" but stopped midway.
"...Alright."
From what he knew about her, arguing with Lesley is last thing he had to do.
They continued moving, eventually stepping into what seemed to be an old living hall.
Everything inside was worn down and eroded, just fragments of the past clinging to existence.
Lesley picked up a necklace, it was silver and studded with dull diamonds.
While Alvin's attention was drawn to something else.
A book.
His breath hitched. Despite the thick layer of dust, the book looked surprisingly intact.
Unlike everything else in the room, it hadn't rotted away.
Alvin stepped forward and carefully picked it up, running his fingers along its cover.
Before he could inspect it further, Lesley called out, "Let's move."
Without hesitation, Alvin slipped the book into his storage bracelet.
"Yeah. Let's go."
But as he followed her, pain suddenly flared through his hand—sharp and biting.
Before he could react, the sword finally spoke in his mind, its voice cold and alert.
"Four people. They're coming this way, fast."
Alvin's jaw clenched, his grip tightening around his weapon.
Ahead, Alvida stopped mid-step. She had sensed it too.
"Four mana signatures," she said quickly. "They're rushing toward us. One more is walking in another direction."
But then the sword corrected her through Alvin's mind.
"No. Two are moving separately from the group. I can feel it through the vibrations."
Alvin's thoughts raced.
'A signature even she couldn't read… someone strong. Mid-tier at least. Maybe high-tier.'
His eyes narrowed.
'Crandell? Maybe. Too bad he's heading somewhere else.'
Alvin exhaled slowly, then turned to Lesley.
"Get ready. They might've sensed us too."
Lesley drew her twin daggers, sharp arcs of steel gleaming in her hands.
"Let's find a good place to fight," she said. "I use lightning. What about you?"
Alvin met her eyes. "I… won't be using any elements."
That caught her off guard. "What?"
He let out a breath. 'Explaining this is such a hassle.'
"Look, all you need to know is—I don't use elements. Or rather... I can't. I do have black mist and—"
Lesley cut him off, losing interest. "Whatever. Let's just find a decent spot."
She turned and took off, scanning the corridor ahead. But as her body moved, her mind surged with doubts.
'Tch. So much for a genius. He probably got here with connections.'
'Even if he has good instincts, they mean nothing against real power.'
'Early-stage Expert? Seriously?'
'Guess I'll have to handle this myself.'
'Speaking of which, where the hell is Crandell? He's a damn Savant'
Behind her, Alvin followed without a word.
He didn't need to hear her thoughts to know what she was thinking.
And honestly? He didn't blame her.
She was a late-stage Expert with elemental mastery over lightning. He was injured, elementless, and weaker on paper.
'No one in their right mind would think I could keep up.'
But Alvin didn't slow down.
He summoned a dagger into his good hand.
'Let actions do the talking, then.'
-----------------------
[This is an Unedited chapter, I will edit this chapter on free time]
Author Note:
Hey everyone!
I wanted to give you all a quick update and be honest about a few things.
Originally, Volume 1 was planned to be around 80 to 100 chapters. But due to various reasons, I had to shorten it down to about 35 to 40 chapters. Because of that, the pacing might feel a bit rushed at times, and I completely understand if it feels like a lot is happening too fast. I've been trying to weave in world-building through dialogue and short information drops, but I know it may not feel as balanced as it should.
That said I promise things will be much more stable from Volume 2 onward. The pacing, development, and buildup will all be smoother and more structured.
On the personal side, I'm a recent graduate currently job hunting. So, chapter uploads and bonus content will depend on the novel's performance in May. Yes, the novel is going premium starting from Chapter 31.
My goal for May is to release 60 chapters, with each chapter being 1,500+ words, which means you'll be getting around 3,000+ words daily.
However, I won't be able to provide bonus chapters in May, as I'll be juggling job applications at the same time.
But here's the good news: if the novel performs well and gains more popularity, I'll seriously consider putting job hunting on hold and focusing on writing full-time. That means better quality, more content, and deeper world-building moving forward.
Thank you so much for reading and supporting The Extra's Supremacy. Your comments, feedback, and votes keep me going!
Much love,– Author.