Help! I'm just an extra yet the Heroines and Villainesses want me!-Chapter 30

Classes had returned to their usual routine after the expedition, and William was settling back into the grind of dawn combat training, lectures, and cultivation practice when Headmistress Nectaris made an announcement during the weekly assembly.

"In three weeks, Celestial Heights Academy will host the annual Inter-Academy Competition," she said while her voice carried across the packed auditorium. "Students from the four major academies will compete across multiple disciplines, and only the top performers from our institution will represent us." 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

The auditorium buzzed with excited whispers as students processed what this meant. William could hear various reactions around him—some students sounded eager and confident, while others seemed nervous about the prospect of facing competitors from other prestigious institutions.

"To determine our representatives, we will hold an Inter-House Competition starting next week," the Headmistress continued. "All students may participate, though only the top twenty will advance to the final selection round. The competition will test combat ability, essence control, strategic thinking, and theoretical knowledge."

William felt a mix of interest and resignation because mandatory competitions seemed to be a regular feature of academy life, and he couldn’t avoid them without drawing more attention than participation would. Besides, part of him was genuinely curious about how he measured up against the academy’s best students now that he’d made significant progress in his cultivation.

"House preliminaries begin Monday," Headmistress Nectaris concluded. "Speak with your house captains for registration details. That is all."

The assembly dispersed with students immediately forming groups to discuss strategy and speculation about who would make the team. William overheard several conversations as he made his way toward the exit—predictions about which upperclassmen would dominate, discussions about surprise candidates from lower years, and more than a few mentions of Liam Hemsworth as the obvious frontrunner.

William headed toward his next class and nearly collided with someone in the crowded hallway.

"Sorry," he said while stepping back, then recognized who he’d almost run into.

Liam Hemsworth stood there with an easy smile that seemed genuinely friendly rather than competitive. "William Cross, right? We fought in the tournament."

"I remember," William said while wondering what the protagonist wanted.

"That was a good match," Liam continued without any hint of arrogance despite having won. "You pushed me harder than I expected, and I heard you made significant progress during the Vale expedition."

"Word travels fast," William observed, somewhat uncomfortable with how much attention his performance had apparently garnered.

"People talk about interesting fights," Liam said with a shrug. "Listen, I was wondering if you’d be interested in some practice sparring before the competition starts. I could use a training partner who actually challenges me."

William considered the offer carefully. Training with the protagonist was either a terrible idea that would draw more attention or a practical way to improve his combat skills against top-tier opponents. The benefits seemed to outweigh the risks, especially since he’d need every advantage he could get for the upcoming competition.

"Sure," he decided. "When?"

"Tomorrow evening? Training ground seven is usually empty after dinner." Liam pulled out a small card and handed it over. "Here’s my contact crystal. Just send a message if the time doesn’t work."

"I’ll be there," William confirmed while pocketing the crystal.

Liam nodded and headed off toward his own class, leaving William staring at the contact crystal and wondering what he’d just agreed to. Training with Liam would certainly be beneficial, but it might also complicate things if other students started paying attention to their sessions.

The rest of the day passed normally with classes and cultivation practice, but William noticed something different when he pulled up his system interface that evening.

[Catastrophic Allure: Active]

[Alert: Proximity to multiple potential targets detected]

[Scanning...]

[New Target Identified: Mira Ashford - 12%]

[New Target Identified: Sara Whitlock - 8%]

[New Target Identified: Elena Marsh - 5%]

[Existing Targets:]

[Seraphina Ashenheart: 47%]

[Lyanna Stormweaver: 25%]

[Claire Hivolt: 43%]

[Note: Competition environment will accelerate influence growth due to increased interactions and emotional intensity]

William stared at the expanded list and felt a headache forming because apparently the system had decided to start tracking everyone instead of just the main characters, and the competition was going to make everything worse. The note about accelerated influence growth was particularly concerning—he didn’t need more complications in his life right now.

He dismissed the interface and tried to focus on the upcoming House Ascendant preliminary registration meeting that evening. There was nothing he could do about the system’s expanding target list except try to minimize unnecessary interactions during the competition.

The House Ascendant common room was more crowded than William had ever seen it when he arrived for the meeting. About forty students from various years had gathered, creating a buzz of conversation and nervous energy that filled the usually quiet space. A tall fourth-year student with sharp features stood at the front, waiting for everyone to settle down.

"I’m Adrian Vex, House Ascendant captain," he announced once everyone had settled. "For those who don’t know, our house has never placed more than three students on the Inter-Academy team. We’re considered the weakest house despite having some of the most unique talents."

He paused to let that sink in before continuing, his expression hardening with determination.

"This year, that’s going to change. We have several first-years who performed exceptionally during expeditions and tournaments, and I expect all of you to take this seriously."

Adrian’s eyes swept the room and landed briefly on William before moving on, making William wonder exactly how much attention his recent performances had attracted from the upperclassmen.

"Preliminaries are straightforward. Combat bracket, essence control demonstration, and a written theory exam. Top five advance to represent our house in the inter-house competition. Registration is open now, and if you’re not competing, you’re expected to support those who are."

Students began lining up at the registration table, and William joined the queue while overhearing conversations about various competitors and their chances. The atmosphere was a mixture of excitement and anxiety, with students clearly feeling the pressure to prove themselves.

"Did you see Cross during the first tournament?" someone whispered nearby. "He fought Liam to a stalemate."

"Yeah, but that was months ago. Other people have been training too."

"Still, making semifinals as a first-year is impressive."

William reached the registration table and filled out the form while Adrian watched with an assessing expression that suggested he was mentally evaluating each competitor who signed up.

"You’re the one who made semifinals," Adrian observed. "Good. We need strong showings from first-years."

"I’ll do my best," William said simply, not wanting to make any promises he might not be able to keep.

The meeting concluded with schedules and rules being distributed, and William headed back to his room to review the competition format. The preliminaries would take place over three days with different events each day, designed to test multiple aspects of a student’s abilities rather than just raw combat power.

Day one was combat brackets, day two was essence demonstrations, and day three was the written examination. Only students who performed adequately in all three would advance, which meant he couldn’t afford to neglect any area of preparation.

The next evening, William made his way to training ground seven where Liam was already warming up with practice forms that were both elegant and efficient. The movements flowed naturally from one stance to another, demonstrating the kind of refined technique that came from years of dedicated practice.

"You came," Liam said while setting down his practice sword. "I wasn’t sure if you’d actually show up."

"Why wouldn’t I?" William asked while drawing his own weapon.

"Some people find training with me... uncomfortable," Liam admitted. "They either treat me like I’m fragile because of my background or they get too competitive and make it weird."

"I’m not interested in either," William said. "Just practical training."

Liam smiled at that and moved into a ready stance. "Good. Then let’s see where you’re at."

They began sparring and William immediately noticed that Liam was holding back significantly from their tournament match, apparently testing William’s current level before committing to full speed. The first few exchanges were measured and controlled, giving both of them a chance to assess the other’s improvements.

"You’ve gotten faster," Liam observed after the first exchange. "And your essence control is more stable. What happened during the expedition?"

"Just focused cultivation practice," William said while deflecting a strike. "The Vale’s environment was good for development."

They continued trading blows with Liam gradually increasing intensity, and William found the practice useful because Liam’s fighting style was completely different from Seraphina’s aggressive precision or the intermediate group’s varied approaches. Where Seraphina overwhelmed with raw power and speed, Liam fought with an almost intuitive efficiency that wasted no movement.

After about thirty minutes, Liam called a break and they sat down to rest. Both were breathing hard but not exhausted, the session having been productive without pushing either of them to their limits.

"You’re using enhancement more efficiently now," Liam said while catching his breath. "Before you would burst with power but couldn’t sustain it. Now it’s more controlled."

"It’s still not as refined as yours," William pointed out.

"That’s just experience," Liam said with a shrug. "I’ve been fighting for survival since I was young. You’ve only been seriously training for what, a few months?"

"Something like that," William agreed.

They talked for a while about combat techniques and training methods, and William found Liam surprisingly easy to talk to without the usual social complications that seemed to follow him everywhere else. There was no hidden agenda or complex social maneuvering, just straightforward discussion between two fighters looking to improve.

"Want to make this a regular thing?" Liam asked as they were packing up. "At least until the competition? I need someone who can actually push me, and you’re one of the few people who fights unpredictably enough to keep it interesting."

"Sure," William agreed while seeing the practical benefit of training with someone at Liam’s level.

They parted ways with plans to meet again in two days, and William headed back to his dormitory feeling satisfied with the productive session. Training with the protagonist might draw some attention, but the improvement to his skills would be worth the risk.

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Pour those gifts....