Extra's Ascent-Chapter 125: Second Clover Revelation (iii)

"Think it through, Sal. How else would I know unless you told me? Unless I secretly developed mind-reading powers overnight and started poking around in your thoughts?"

Aldrich didn't hold back. He played the trump card.

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Maybe it was reckless. Maybe he'd acted too soon. But if there was ever a moment to be bold, this was it. Convincing Saldrich mattered and speed was key.

She paused, her brow furrowed, uncertainty playing across her features.

"That's true…" She spoke, to the idea of the mind-reading ability. "I can't believe I let it slip so easily," she admitted at last. "Something I even made sure to keep from Dad."

Aldrich felt a wave of relief wash over him.

"Well, what can I say? I've got one of those trustworthy faces. Practically built for secrets. So don't beat yourself up, dear sister. It's hardly your fault."

His grin widened as he teased, hoping to lighten the tension hanging between them.

"Oh, hilarious," Saldrich shot back, her voice soaked in sarcasm. "Truly, a comedic marvel."

A chuckle threatened to break from her lips, but she shook it off with mock severity.

"Alright, enough with your distractions. Let's get back to the real reason we're here."

He hadn't meant to derail the conversation, but fine, point taken.

Demonstrating the mana skin wasn't enough. Aldrich already knew that. As remarkable as the technique was, its origins were directly tied to Dwayne Aldaman and his three-leaf Clover Eyes. It didn't fully validate the breadth of the second clover's power. He needed more, something else. A real example.

Another Art, perhaps. But not a primary technique that could be learned through training. Nor a bloodline ability restricted to inheritance.

Fortunately, Saldrich had anticipated this.

"Breaker Orb!" she declared, her voice sharp and commanding.

At her words, five luminous spheres materialized, hovering around her in a tight orbit.

The moment Aldrich laid eyes on them, memories crashed down like waves.

That technique—

"Wait… is that—?!"

He blinked rapidly as if expecting the orbs to vanish. But they didn't. They circled her with an elegant, dangerous rhythm.

Just like they had when Kyle Dandada had used them.

Just like the day Aldrich almost lost everything.

"You bet it is," Saldrich confirmed with a smirk.

"As a spatial technique, it doesn't look like much at first glance. But its real value lies in its ability to bypass any form of defence. It cuts straight through protection and delivers pure damage. Now that," she added, "is what makes it dangerous."

"But… how?" Aldrich asked, his gaze locked on the orbs. "How did you get his technique?"

He barely heard her explanation, his focus was consumed by the impossible.

She had duplicated a spatial Art. Not just any spatial Art, but that one. The same technique that had almost ended his path as a student at Eldora.

"I told you already," she said coolly. "The second clover's ability to observe, copy, and replicate. I acquired it the moment Kyle used it in the arena. One glance was all I needed."

So it was back then…

The pieces clicked.

She'd been in the audience. Watching the match unfold. Not just spectating, she was also scouting. Identifying techniques worth acquiring. Calculating their potential. And while Aldrich had fought tooth and nail to survive, Saldrich had silently claimed victory of her own.

How ruthless…

But enough internal brooding. He needed answers.

"How exactly does the replication work?" he asked, voice laced with urgency.

Time wasn't on his side. Exams were approaching. The written section would be a breeze, but the practical evaluation? That was the true battlefield, and Aldrich needed every edge he could get.

Remaining in S-Class wasn't just a goal anymore. It was a necessity.

Saldrich smiled faintly as if the question itself was almost too simple.

"The process is straightforward. You don't do anything. Your vision handles it all."

That was it?

He blinked, unsure he'd heard her right.

Just observe, and the second clover takes care of the rest?

Apparently, yes. That was the starting point.

And so, it began, Aldrich's deep dive into the full potential of the second clover. An awakening that went far beyond illusions and flashy demonstrations.

Despite the allure of replication, the core of the Clover Eye remained unchanged: ocular illusion casting. That had always been its foundational strength.

With each new leaf awakened, that strength evolved. Not just in power, but in finesse. The illusions grew richer, more believable, more deadly. What began as basic visual misdirection had transformed into an arsenal of psychological warfare.

Aldrich decided to push further.

"What about Dwayne?" he asked. "That time he faced off against Dante. What illusion did he use? Do you know?"

Saldrich looked genuinely puzzled.

"I don't," she confessed after a moment. "Even I couldn't decipher what technique he used."

Aldrich frowned. They both had awakened three clovers. They shared the same ocular Art. Yet she still couldn't identify what Dwayne had unleashed on Dante, a technique so potent it had turned the arrogant mystic into a laughingstock, wildly attacking shadows of his own creation.

Could that mean it wasn't an illusion from the Clover Eyes at all?

Maybe Dwayne used an entirely different Art.

"Dwayne is... unique," Saldrich murmured, her tone more thoughtful now. "Even within the Aldaman clan, he's an anomaly. I doubt there's anyone quite like him."

There simply weren't enough examples to draw definitive conclusions. Too few Aldamans. Too little documentation. The full spectrum of the Clover Eyes remained shrouded in mystery.

Perhaps Dwayne's brilliance wasn't just genetic, it was personal. A manifestation of rare genius rather than inherited might.

"If only he had a bigger role in the original Chronicles," Aldrich muttered under his breath. "Or if there were more of us around…"

They might finally learn whether the legend was the result of lineage or one man's extraordinary aptitude.

"Don't chase Dwayne's shadow," Saldrich advised, firm yet kind. "He operates on a plane most of us can't even imagine."

She wasn't wrong.

He bore a title reserved only for monsters. And he earned it.

Still, Aldrich couldn't help the fire flickering inside his chest.

"I get it," he said quietly. "For now, I'll stick to my strengths. Build up from there."

She nodded, satisfied.

But what she didn't see, what he kept hidden behind a calm smile, it was ambition. A burning, relentless desire.

Aldrich had no intention of settling.

He would start where he stood. He would hone his craft, master his abilities, and push the limits of the second clover.

But one day…

One day soon…

He would stand on the same field as Dwayne Aldaman.

And when that day came, he wouldn't be looking up.

He'd be looking straight across.

At a rival.

That is who Paul was. An archer that sees to it that he rises to the peak of his craft, and earns superiority that triumphs over others