The Extra's Rise-Chapter 316: Dimensional Labyrinth (2)

His next obstacle was more sophisticated—a chamber where multiple versions of himself appeared, each mirroring his movements from slightly different angles. The disorientation would have been complete for most competitors, but Aaron had trained extensively in environments designed to confuse and mislead.

The third movement of Eclipse Cleaver—Shadow's Truth—allowed him to extend his perception beyond visual stimuli. Dark mana spread outward from his core, identifying the single path where resistance was lowest—the true way forward among dozens of illusions.

With a decisive step, he moved toward an apparently solid wall, passing through it as though it were merely mist. The illusions collapsed behind him, the chamber reverting to its actual configuration as he departed.

Aaron's progress continued at a steady, relentless pace. While other competitors might have been faster in certain sections or more creative in their solutions, none matched his consistent forward momentum. He wasted no movement, no energy, no time—each decision made with absolute conviction and executed with precision.

As he descended a spiraling staircase that occasionally inverted direction, requiring him to adjust his orientation multiple times, Aaron detected the presence of another competitor ahead. The signature was distinctive—multiple mana patterns layered with unusual efficiency.

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"Lopez," he identified, recognizing her unique approach to spellcasting. The Dark Knight allowed himself the faintest smile. Competition at last.

The central chamber of the Dimensional Labyrinth lived up to its importance. Unlike the corridors and intermediate challenges, this vast spherical space seemed to exist in multiple dimensions simultaneously. Sections of the floor, walls, and ceiling phased in and out of reality, while gravity shifted unpredictably across different zones. At the center, suspended in a column of light, floated sixty tokens—small crystalline objects that pulsed with inner radiance.

Clana emerged from one of the dozen entrances to the chamber, taking a moment to assess the situation. Several competitors had already arrived and were attempting to reach the tokens, each utilizing their own approach to navigate the chaotic environment.

"Fascinating design," she admitted, genuinely impressed by the complexity of the dimensional manipulations at work. Rather than rushing forward, she established a safe position near her entrance, layering observation spells to analyze the pattern of shifts occurring throughout the chamber.

From another entrance emerged Aaron Meriot, his dark armor absorbing the shifting lights of the chamber. He immediately assessed the situation, noting the positions of other competitors and the various hazards between himself and the objective.

Unlike Clana's methodical approach, Aaron relied on calculated risk. Dark mana surged through his body as he activated the fourth movement of Eclipse Cleaver—Void Traverse. His form seemed to blur slightly, not quite teleportation but a technique that allowed him to move through spaces other than the most direct path, temporarily stepping outside normal dimensional constraints.

With three powerful surges, he crossed the chamber, avoiding the worst of the gravitational shifts and phasing obstacles. He reached the central column seconds before anyone else, claiming one of the tokens with a decisive grab.

Just as he secured his prize, a massive dimensional shift rippled through the chamber. The gravity points reconfigured, what had been relatively stable zones becoming dangerous, while new paths opened where none had existed before. This was the expected escalation—the labyrinth adapting to the presence of competitors in its heart.

Clana observed the shift with clinical interest, noting how the patterns had changed. While other competitors scrambled to adapt, she had already layered her spells in anticipation of such alterations. With precise timing, she launched herself forward when a momentary alignment created an optimal path.

Her movement through the chamber appeared almost lazy to observers—floating rather than leaping, drifting rather than running. But each motion was perfectly calculated to conserve energy while ensuring progress. She reached the central column shortly after Aaron had departed, claiming her own token with a casual pluck.

"Now for the troublesome part," she sighed, knowing that exiting the labyrinth would prove more challenging than reaching its center.

The return journey confirmed Clana's assessment. While the path to the center had been difficult but relatively straightforward, the exit routes twisted reality far more aggressively. Corridors reconnected to unexpected chambers, staircases led to the same floor they'd started from, and in some sections, the very concept of direction became meaningless.

Aaron faced these challenges with the same methodical determination that had characterized his entire approach. When confronted with a corridor that seemed to extend infinitely, he applied dark mana to his token, causing it to resonate with the labyrinth's exit. The resulting harmonic revealed the true path—a nearly invisible doorway embedded in what appeared to be solid wall.

His progress, while steady, was not unchallenged. The labyrinth seemed to specifically target his reliance on direct approaches, presenting obstacles that required more subtle solutions than force or conventional navigation techniques.

In a particularly difficult section, Aaron found himself in a chamber where every surface was a perfect mirror, reflecting not just his image but his mana signature as well. Hundreds of identical Dark Knights moved in perfect synchronization with him, each reflection so perfect that distinguishing reality from illusion became nearly impossible.

For the first time, Aaron hesitated, his confidence momentarily shaken by the perfect disorientation. Then, with deliberate calm, he planted his axe on the floor before him, channeling dark mana through the weapon and into the chamber itself.

"Enough games," he stated, his voice even. The fifth and final movement of Eclipse Cleaver—Absolute Night—manifested not as an attack but as a negation. Darkness spread from his axe, temporarily absorbing all light in the chamber and, consequently, eliminating the reflections.

In that moment of perfect blackness, discernible only to him through his affinity with dark mana, Aaron identified the true exit—the single point where his energy connected with something beyond the chamber. With three purposeful strides, he reached it, emerging into a straightforward corridor just as light returned to the mirrored room behind him.

Clana's return journey presented different challenges, specifically designed to test the limits of her Spell Synergy Gift. In a section where the laws of magic themselves seemed to fluctuate, spells that should have functioned perfectly began to interact in unpredictable ways.

Rather than forcing her approach, Clana adapted. Where her layered detection spells became unreliable, she switched to sequential casting—less efficient but more stable in the fluctuating environment. When even that proved problematic, she fell back on fundamental magical principles, manipulating raw mana directly rather than through formalized spells.

"They're really making me work for this," she muttered, uncharacteristically impressed by the sophistication of the challenge. Her usually sleepy expression had given way to focused concentration, a rare sight for those accustomed to her perpetual state of apparent disinterest.

Her current obstacle was particularly devious—a corridor that responded to magical energy by actively redirecting it against the caster. Any spell she initiated was immediately reflected back, potentially trapping her in her own magical effects.

Clana considered the problem from multiple angles before arriving at an elegant solution. Rather than casting spells outward, she inverted her approach, creating a negative space within her own mana field—essentially casting a "non-spell" that the corridor couldn't reflect because there was nothing to redirect.

This technique required extraordinary precision and control, maintaining the perfect absence of energy rather than its presence. For most mages, such an approach would be impossible, but Clana's Gift allowed her to conceptualize and execute the complex manipulation.

She progressed through the corridor untouched by her own reflected magic, emerging into what appeared to be the final section before the exit. Ahead lay a straightforward path that nonetheless felt wrong to her trained senses.

"Too easy," she murmured, extending her perception. Sure enough, what appeared as a direct route was actually the most elaborate illusion yet—a false exit that would loop competitors back to an earlier section of the labyrinth, wasting precious time.

With careful probing, Clana identified the actual exit—disguised as a dead end to the right of the illusory path. A simple disruption spell revealed the truth, the false wall dissolving to show the real way forward.

Aaron Meriot emerged from the labyrinth first, stepping through the exit with the same composed demeanor he'd maintained throughout the challenge. His time was exceptional—nearly twenty minutes faster than the previous record for similar events. The crowd erupted in applause as he presented his token to the judges, confirming his successful completion.

"Impressive navigation, Mr. Meriot," Professor Valerie acknowledged. "Your direct approach served you well."

Aaron inclined his head slightly in acknowledgment but offered no comment. He moved to the designated waiting area for completed competitors, his focus already turning to analysis of his performance rather than celebration of his likely victory.

Seven minutes later, Clana Lopez emerged, her expression suggesting mild annoyance rather than the exhaustion most competitors displayed. She handed over her token with a casual gesture, stifling a yawn.

"That was more interesting than I expected," she admitted when prompted for comment. "Still troublesome, though."

As more competitors completed the challenge—many taking significantly longer or requiring extraction when hopelessly lost—the final rankings became clear. Aaron Meriot secured first place with his exceptional time and the challenges he'd overcome. Clana Lopez took second, her methodical efficiency proving nearly as effective as Aaron's more direct approach.

During the award ceremony, the two White-rankers acknowledged each other with professional respect. Aaron's slight nod met with Clana's half-interested glance—neither particularly celebratory, but both recognizing the skill the other had demonstrated.

"Your approach was... unexpected," Aaron commented during a brief moment when they stood side by side on the podium.

"Yours was predictable," Clana replied, her tone matter-of-fact rather than insulting. "But effective."

The Dark Knight's lips curved in the barest suggestion of a smile. "Next time, I won't underestimate your efficiency."

"Next time, I won't oversleep before the event," Clana countered, stifling another yawn.

Their exchange went largely unnoticed amid the festival's pageantry, but those with the perception to understand recognized it for what it was—a rare acknowledgment between two exceptional talents who approached their craft from opposite directions yet achieved remarkably similar results.

The Dimensional Labyrinth had revealed not just their individual capabilities but the validity of different approaches to the same challenges—a lesson that would serve competitors well in the events to come.

From the audience, Arthur Nightingale watched with focused interest. Clana had performed even better than he'd expected, her seemingly lazy approach concealing extraordinary magical precision. He made mental notes about both top performers, cataloging their strengths and potential weaknesses for future reference.

The festival continued to unfold according to schedule, each event revealing more about the exceptional generation that had gathered to test their limits against one another.