Transmigrated as The Forgotten Extra-Chapter 96 One Step Forward, Part 02.

Adler strode into the arena. His presence was like a sharpened spear that pierced Louise’s consciousness. The boy’s slanted eyes narrowed, emitting a sharp glint which made her skin crawl.

Louise took a deep breath; hearing his voice was enough to cloud her vision, throwing her off balance. Her stomach began to cramp, churning as if trying to expel gastric acid.

She raised a hand to shield her quivering lips, preventing them from opening up. The girl’s jade-like eyes stared at the dummy spear in her opponent’s hand.

Noticing her gaze, Adler raised his spear, then twisted his wrist to perform a few spins as he danced gracefully in the arena, showing off to the crowd. With one heavy swing, Adler pointed his spear forward, taking a stance, ready for combat.

On the other hand, Louise’s vision started to sway. The words and fragments of her past began to mingle in her brain. It created a storm that shredded her mind from within.

The girl shook her head furiously. Her knees started to tremble, weak as jelly she used to eat at lunch with her friends. The sounds around her faded, leaving an emptiness that shrouded the world in silence.

’No... I’m fading.’

"Louise!"

When her mind was on the breaking point, a loud voice jolted Louise and the world around her. She turned toward the source, her eyes widening in shock as she saw her four comrades lining up on the side of the arena.

"You guys ready?"

Rika, who stood on the far left, glanced at the other four. Her gaze was sharp, as if not wanting to hear rejection from others. The three boys nodded, helpless in the face of the raging lioness.

She parted her lips in joy, watching as the other boys agreed. The girl faced forward, inhaling a deep breath, and let out a thunderous cheer.

"One, two, our Louise is..."

Cain stepped forward, crossing his arms on his chest. His calm voice sent chills down everyone’s spine.

"...The strongest."

Abel stood beside Cain, punching his fist forward as he couldn’t hide the glee on his face.

"...She is the prettiest."

Last but not least, Peter walked forward. His blue eyes stared straight at Louise’s eyes. He puffed his chest, then roared.

"...She is the deadliest in our team, so!"

"Fight, Louise! You can do it!"

Rika joined the fray, shattering the thick atmosphere mingling in the arena. Their chorus pulled everyone’s attention, especially the male cadets, as they found the thing amusing, yet also interesting.

"Go, Louise, show our seniors what we got."

"Yeah, don’t lose."

"You’re cute, Louise!"

One by one, cadets who had spent their days training together began to shout. The room rumbled with intensity, their spirits swirling into a heat like a raging vortex with Louise at its center.

Louise stared at her comrades. All four raised their thumbs-up, telling her not to get distracted by anything and just enjoy the fight. Fire began to gather in her cheeks, but she didn’t mind it because the heat kept her mind clear and could make her lift her chin high.

She bowed her upper body ninety degrees toward her teammates, then to the others, before shifting her position to face Adler. Her green eyes shone brighter than stars.

The girl flicked the spear in her hand, letting it twist around her palm several times. With both hands, Louise clenched the shaft as she prepared her stance, ready to face her opponent, no, past self.

"I’m ready."

Adler’s brows twitched upon seeing the change in Louise’s demeanour. The darkness that loomed over her expression had dispersed, but it didn’t disappear completely. His lips twisted into a hideous grin as he watched the brown-haired girl tighten the grip on her spear shaft.

’Seems someone needs to be reminded where she belongs.’

A flicker of madness flashed in his slanted eyes. But it soon disappeared, blending perfectly into his trained expressions. He took a deep breath, lowering his stance.

"I’m ready."

"Start!"

With that as a cue from the general who stood on the side. The arena erupted into thunderous roars as they anticipated the coming battle. As Cain’s comrades, the cadets hoped Louise would prepare an unforgettable battle.

Louise inhaled, then dashed forward. Her opponent mirrored her, both keeping expressions still as they tensed the grips on their shafts. However, Adler was a step behind. Louise saw him enter her spear range with what seemed like an awkward stance.

The tip of her spear thrust forward, cutting through the atmosphere. Adler tilted his head sideways, dodging her attack, and used his footwork to enter deep into his opponent’s range.

Louise choked on her breath after seeing an unfamiliar technique used by her fellow students at the same school.

’This!?’

Adler shifted his grip forward, planning to stab Louise in her chest at close range. As the tip of her opponent’s dull blade came inches away from her middle chest. Louise’s hands moved faster than her thoughts could.

She tilted her upper body while pulling her spear straight to deflect the incoming attack. However, the girl’s awkward position made her stance crumble, and with a little push, Louise’s body fell.

Not wanting to become an easy target, she started to roll around on the floor, getting as far away from her opponent. Noticing her opponent didn’t chase her, Louise pushed her body from the floor and got up on her feet.

Louise resumed her stance again, her eyebrows furrowed. Many questions popped into her head.

What technique had he used earlier?

Why didn’t he launch a follow-up attack when she was falling to the floor?

Not wanting to wallow in uncertainty that could disrupt her momentum. Louise inhaled a deep breath. She kicked the ground and began to rain attacks on her opponents.

Her speartips blurred, leaving several afterimages that aimed at Adler’s vitals. The boy calmly assessed his opponent’s strike, then adjusted his footwork, dodging and sometimes deflecting Louise’s attack with ease.

The flurry of thrusts created a fearsome image of a gale, ready to shred anything that stood on its path. Louise stepped back to dodge an attack that came for her feet.

Taking that as an opportunity, Adler began to press forward. His spearmanship was not as sharp and precise as Louise’s earlier. But each thrust he launched made the air twist before exploding into tiny shockwaves that fluttered Louise’s silky brown hair.

After several moments, the two were still in a stalemate. Adler stomped his feet hard; the sound echoed in the arena. He then followed with a heavy thrust that forced Louise to leap back.

Louise exhaled a short breath, her jade-like eyes staring straight at her opponents. Sweat streamed down her temples, but her breathing remained steady. The two locked eyes for a moment before Adler opened his mouth.

"Well, aren’t you loved, Louise?"

His voice was soft, yet it echoed in her ears like a distant echo. It kept repeating like recorded audio, breaking her concentration. Louise clamped her eyes shut, wanting to rid herself of the unnecessary thoughts by shaking her head.

"It’s such a shame. In the midst of battle, why are you closing your eyes?"

Louise’s eyes snapped wide open; her opponent was gone from her sight. A tingling sensation tugged her left side, where Adler was standing. He thrust his spear straight, aiming at Louise’s ribs. She tensed the muscles around her body, trying to move aside.

’Move!?’

"Too late!"

As if he could read her mind, Adler responded. The dull spear tip struck her left ribs, the impact sending her flying several meters.

Louise coughed the air from her lungs. Each time she tried to inhale, her throat felt like it was burning. She placed a hand on her ribs, her body flinching and her face contorting in agony.

Adler loosened his body’s tension, straightened his posture, and watched Louise writhing on the floor. The sight put a sneer on his lips.

’That’s it. That’s where you belong.’