The Extra's Rise
Chapter 642 - 642: Dullahan (7)

Sixth movement of my Grade 5 art CQC: Zero-Inch Punch.

I had to get dangerously close to the Dullahan's massive frame, close enough to smell the grave-rot that clung to its ethereal form like a second skin. This technique was infinitely more difficult than even the One-Inch Punch—not just because of the proximity required, but because of the sheer complexity of the mana manipulation involved.

In my previous world, this had been nothing more than a parlor trick. A flashy demonstration that martial artists used to impress crowds who didn't understand the mechanics behind it. But here, in this realm where mana flowed through everything like blood through veins, the Zero-Inch Punch became something else entirely.

It became devastation condensed into a single point of contact.

The technique required me to compress all my available mana into a space smaller than a pinhead, then release it in a controlled explosion at the exact moment of impact. The timing had to be perfect—too early and the energy would dissipate uselessly, too late and it would backfire into my own body.

I struck.

My fist connected with the Dullahan's chestplate, and for a split second, nothing seemed to happen. Then reality caught up with physics.

The ancient armor shattered like spun glass, fragments spinning away in slow motion as the concentrated force tore through it. The creature's upper body followed suit, disintegrating completely under the focused assault. Ethereal flesh and spectral bone became nothing more than mist and memory, scattered to the winds of the Domain.

But even as I watched the devastation unfold, I knew it wouldn't be enough.

The Dullahan began to regenerate almost immediately, wisps of dark energy coalescing back into recognizable form. Muscle reformed over bone, armor knitted itself back together, and those hollow eye sockets began to glow once more with malevolent intelligence.

'This monster!' The thought blazed through my mind as I raised my sword, my arm feeling as heavy as lead. The Zero-Inch Punch had drained more mana than I'd anticipated, leaving me dangerously depleted in the middle of combat. I could feel exhaustion creeping through my limbs like poison, making every movement sluggish and imprecise.

The Dullahan's regeneration accelerated, flesh and bone snapping back into place with wet, organic sounds that made my stomach turn.

Just as the creature's torso began to solidify, the space around us fractured.

Reality split like cracked glass, revealing glimpses of otherworldly light bleeding through the dimensional barriers. The Domain itself seemed to recoil from whatever force was approaching, its dark energies writhing away from the growing brightness.

Then a wave of pure, divine light erupted through the fractures, washing over the Dullahan like a tsunami of concentrated starlight. The creature's half-formed body didn't just dissolve—it was erased, removed from existence with such thoroughness that even the memory of its presence seemed to fade from the air.

I staggered backward, shielding my eyes from the brilliant radiance. When the light finally faded, nothing remained of the Dullahan except a perfect nine-star skeleton lying pristine on the scorched ground, its bone structure radiating power even in death.

The Domain began to collapse around us, its anchoring point destroyed. Walls of twisted reality crumbled like sand castles, revealing the ash-gray landscape of the territories beyond.

"Master!" Reika's voice cut through the dissipating magical static as she rushed toward me, her usually perfect composure replaced by genuine concern. Her silver hair was disheveled, and I could see traces of exhaustion in the way she moved. She'd been channeling defensive magic this entire time, probably burning through her own reserves to keep the Domain's influence from overwhelming me.

Before I could respond, three familiar figures emerged from the settling dust—Rachel, Rose, and Kali, moving with the purposeful stride of people who'd just finished their own battle. Rachel still held that impossible bow, its golden runes slowly fading back to dormancy. Rose's coat fluttered around her like she'd forgotten to inform gravity that the fight was over. And Kali... well, Kali looked as composed as ever, though I could see the tension in her shoulders beginning to ease.

"Arthur!" Rachel's voice carried a note of barely controlled panic as she broke into a run. Her blonde hair caught the filtered sunlight streaming through the dissipating Domain, and I could see the golden flecks in her sapphire eyes blazing with worry and relief in equal measure.

Rose was right behind her, auburn hair flying as she closed the distance between us. Her brown eyes were wide with concern, scanning me for injuries with the intensity of someone who'd spent the last few minutes imagining the worst possible outcomes.

They reached me at the same time, and suddenly I found myself surrounded by warm hands checking for wounds, gentle fingers tracing the cuts on my arms, worried voices talking over each other in a symphony of relief and residual fear.

"Are you hurt?" Rose's hands were already glowing with diagnostic magic, her touch sending warm tingles through my battered body.

"That was incredibly reckless," Rachel added, though her tone was more relieved than accusatory. "A Domain that strong, with just the two of you..."

"We're fine," I started to say, but Reika chose that moment to stumble slightly, exhaustion finally catching up with her.

I caught her arm to steady her, and immediately turned to fix her with my sternest expression. "Reika, what the hell were you thinking? You burned through nearly all your mana maintaining those defensive barriers. You could have been killed!"

She looked up at me with those luminous violet eyes in the shape of the flower, and instead of the contrition I was expecting, she just... giggled. Actually giggled, like I'd told her a particularly amusing joke instead of scolding her for risking her life.

"Master is worried about me," she said, her voice carrying that musical quality that always made it impossible to stay angry with her for long. "That makes me happy."

I felt my stern expression cracking despite my best efforts. "Of course I'm worried about you, you impossible woman. You're supposed to be the responsible one between us."

"Hmm," she hummed thoughtfully, swaying slightly on her feet. "But Master needed help. So I helped. Simple."

Before I could launch into a proper lecture about battlefield priorities and acceptable risk assessment, Rachel stepped forward with her hands already glowing with healing magic.

"Let me take care of both of you," she said, her voice carrying that tone of gentle authority that brooked no argument. "You're both running on fumes, and we still have work to do."

The healing magic felt like warm honey flowing through my veins, washing away exhaustion and mending the dozens of small cuts and bruises I'd accumulated during the fight. Rachel's touch was always precise, clinical in its efficiency but somehow still tender. I could feel my mana reserves slowly beginning to replenish as her magic worked to restore my body's natural energy flow.

She moved to Reika next, her healing light washing over my companion's pale features. The violet-haired woman's exhaustion began to fade, replaced by her usual serene composure.

"Thank you," Reika murmured, offering Rachel a small bow that was returned with a warm smile.

While Rachel worked, I walked over to where the Dullahan's remains lay scattered across the ground. The nine-star skeleton was intact, its bone structure gleaming with an inner light that spoke of immense power. Nine-star materials were incredibly rare—the kind of components that master crafters would kill for.

I carefully gathered the bones into my storage ring, handling each piece with the reverence it deserved. "I was lucky to survive that," I admitted aloud, thinking about how close the fight had been. "If you hadn't intervened when you did..."

"But we did," Rose said firmly, moving to stand beside me. Her hand found mine, fingers intertwining with casual intimacy. "That's what partners do."

Kali approached from the other side, her black eyes surveying the aftermath of our respective battles with professional interest. "The corruption in this area is significantly reduced," she reported. "Whatever was anchoring it here, that Dullahan was probably the source."

I nodded, feeling the truth of her observation. The oppressive weight that had been pressing down on this section of the Ashen Territories was noticeably lighter now. The very air felt cleaner, less tainted by the necrotic energies that usually permeated these lands.

"One step closer to our goal," I said, looking toward the horizon where our true objective waited. The Zombie Crown was still out there somewhere, hidden in the deepest, most dangerous parts of the territories. But today had proven that we could handle whatever the wasteland threw at us.

Rachel finished her healing work and moved to join our small circle, her presence completing the group. For a moment, we all stood in comfortable silence, watching the last traces of the Domain's influence fade away like morning mist.

"So," Rose said eventually, her voice carrying a note of anticipation. "Ready to continue our tour of this delightfully cheerful landscape?"

I couldn't help but smile at her dry tone. Despite everything we'd just been through, despite the dangers that still lay ahead, I felt... optimistic

"Let's go find ourselves a crown," I said, and started walking toward the deeper territories, my partners falling into step beside me.

The real adventure was just beginning.