Extra's Ascent-Chapter 127: Hector First, Marvelous Later!

What do I do?! The question tore through Eric's mind like a thunderclap, relentless and demanding.

He stood frozen at the heart of a storm he hadn't chosen, forced into a moment of brutal decision. The situation was clear. Marvelous had shown her hand. She had chosen herself over everyone else, willing to barter their lives for her survival. That gamble had failed spectacularly.

Now the burden of choice rested on Eric.

Was she worth saving?

He was already stretched thin trying to protect Ramprandt alone. Bringing Marvelous into that equation would strain him past the breaking point.

On the other hand, Hector wasn't alone, he had brought with him armed folks, some of which are mystics. That tilted the scales heavily against them.

"You have to save me too!" Marvelous pleaded as if reading the silent war raging in Eric's mind.

He clenched his jaw. I don't owe you anything, not after you were willing to sacrifice us to save yourself. The words burned behind his lips, begging to be spoken. But he swallowed them. This wasn't the time.

He was right to hesitate. Marvelous had shown her priorities and he wasn't on the list.

Just then, Ramprandt stepped forward, sensing the direction things were heading. He wasn't a fighter, but he had the sharp instincts of a seasoned negotiator. If brute strength wasn't enough, maybe money would be.

"How does a million sound?" Ramprandt offered, voice calm despite the tension. "In exchange for calling off the contract on her and us."

There was no change in Hector's expression. Not a flicker.

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"Scratch that, make it five million," Ramprandt continued quickly. "I'll wire it to you now. What do you say?"

Still nothing.

The tension in the room rose as hope withered. Hector stood unmoved, arms crossed, wearing an amused smirk like a badge of honour.

"Ten," Ramprandt said firmly, desperation now creeping into his tone. "Ten million to forget this ever happened. And I'll include a binding clause promising we won't seek retribution against your client. That should be more than enough."

But Hector's silence persisted. The offer, no matter how generous, wasn't tempting to him.

Because money wasn't what drove Hector.

He was a sadist, yes, but he was also disturbingly principled. He took pride in his work, in fulfilling the expectations of his clients. He saw himself as a man of honour, however, twisted that honour may be.

A killer with ethics.

"You see, Mister…" Hector paused.

"Dravin Ramprandt," he replied, straightening his posture.

"Yes, that," Hector said dismissively, waving a hand. "I appreciate the generosity. Truly, I do. But my answer is no."

The finality in his voice left no room for further negotiation.

This was it.

No more bargaining. No more appeals. The time for talk had passed.

"Words have been spoken. Intentions made clear. A shame, really. It could've ended so neatly. But now, we're past that." He tilted his head, lips curling into a grin. "So then, among the three of you… who wants to go first?"

He wasn't mocking them. In his twisted way, he was offering mercy. A final moment of dignity before the bloodshed began.

Eric's gaze sharpened. There was no longer any doubt. He wasn't going down without a fight and as long as he stood, no one would touch Ramprandt.

But Marvelous…?

He hesitated. Saving her now might earn him another enemy in the future, but leaving her behind might make him no better than she was moments ago.

Damn it… This isn't the time to be weighing grudges.

There was only one enemy in this room, and that was Hector.

Marvelous's betrayal? That could be dealt with later.

Right now, survival comes first.

"Oh? I see a decision's been made." Hector's eyes gleamed as he caught the subtle change in Eric's stance.

Up to that point, Eric had conserved his mana, waiting for the perfect opportunity. But now, with no other path left, he began to reinfuse. Quietly. Carefully.

He intended to strike first, to use surprise as a weapon, disrupt their formation, and create a chance.

But Hector wasn't fooled.

Even before Eric finished channelling, Hector's gaze locked onto him with eerie precision.

He'd noticed.

"Hmmm… Mana infusion?" he said, feigning disappointment. "So you've chosen to reject my kindness? Pity, I was trying to keep things civil."

You really thought I'd go down without a fight? Eric scoffed internally. Hector wasn't dumb. Just straightforward, a man who operated on a twisted logic but one you could at least predict.

The mana had settled. Power surged through Eric's veins, bringing with it a rush of clarity.

He lunged, targeting the nearest of Hector's men, intent on disabling him with a bare-handed blow

But- He was immediately stopped.

Ice.

A thick block of it erupted into existence before him, nearly trapping him mid-step.

If Eric hadn't reacted instantly, if he hadn't thrown himself backwards, he would have been frozen solid.

The chill in the air was unnatural. Not elemental in instinct, but forged through mastery.

"Nice reflexes," Hector chuckled, clearly entertained. "This might be more fun than I expected."

Eric stared at the ice, heart pounding.

So he was right, Hector wasn't just a mystic. He had achieved something far more advanced. The conjuration of ice meant he had successfully fused two primary elements: Water and Wind.

The product of that fusion? A secondary elemental art, Ice.

Only mystics who owned by birth and were capable of controlling both elements could merge them to form a higher expression of power. And Hector had done just that. Effortlessly.

Eric has had the chance to learn other primary arts using the abilities of his second clover. However, he lacked behind the fusion of primary elements being that he never owned more than one primary element.

If Hector can achieve the daunting task of primary element fusion? Temper mana and the elements involved to vibrate on the same wavelengths, it meant one thing and one thing alone?!

He wasn't a novice, nor even an adept. He was operating at a level far above that. Perhaps equivalent to an assistant professor… or worse, a full-fledged professor-tier mystic.

A fight with someone like that?

It wouldn't be easy. Victory was far from guaranteed.

But did that matter?

No.

This was a fight for survival. And Eric wasn't about to fold.

His mind sharpened. Muscles coiled like springs. He scanned the battlefield and evaluated positions, strengths, and weaknesses. The path ahead was clear:

Face Hector.

Protect Ramprandt.

Deal with Marvelous later.