The Extra's Supremacy

Regalia City, North Border, Inside the Branch Council.

"How long do we need to wait?" Lesley asked, irritation evident in her voice.

They had agreed to meet at 5 AM.

Lesley and Crandall had already arrived, yet Whisper alias Alvin was nowhere to be seen.

The first rays of sunlight crept over the city skyline, painting the streets in dim orange light.

Then suddenly,

BOOM!

A violent explosion tore through the silence. A shockwave rippled across Regalia City, shaking the ground beneath their feet, sending a pulse of unease through the streets.

Lesley instinctively tensed, her pulse spiking.

"W-What the hell was that!?" Her voice cracked, her wide eyes scanning the distant column of smoke.

Crandall's expression remained unreadable.

***

Far Away, Outside the Slums.

Perched atop a crumbling rooftop, Alvin gazed down at his handiwork. Black smoke curled into the sky, mingling with the faint morning light.

Exile voice crackled in his earpiece.

"Hah, what an ungrateful brat. you didn't even invite your teacher to watch"

"Yawn... just tell me why you called," Alvin cleaned his sword.

"Straight to business hah?"

"Then listen carefully," Exile's tone darkened.

Alvin exhaled, already sensing the shift in mood. "I'm listening."

he leapt from the rooftop.

Wind elemental energy gathered around him, slowing his descent. He landed with ease, dust swirling around his feet.

"This mission isn't as simple as you think."

Exile paused, letting the words settle.

"This will be your final test. If you pass..."

Alvin's smirk returned. "You'll finally let me operate on my own?"

A brief silence.

"Yes." Exile responded.

Alvin's eyes flickered with something unreadable.

"But if you fail..." Exile continued, his voice taking on a sharp edge.

"I'll be stuck training under you for another three years?" Alvin guessed.

Exile let out a low laugh. "Three years? Oh no, Whisper—I'll make it five."

Alvin exhaled sharply through his nose. "Not happening."

"Confident, are we?" Exile mused.

Alvin's brows furrowed slightly. "Alvida is just late-stage Expert, I can kill her as long as Crandall distract her personal bodyguard"

Exile burst into laughter—deep, cold, mocking.

"Kill Alvida? Hah! When did my disciple become such a comedian?"

The laughter faded. Then came the final chilling two words,

"Just survive."

The words clung to the air, heavy and absolute.

The call abruptly ended.

Alvin scoffed as he continued walking.

'He sends me to kill her, then tells me I can't? tch. Make up your mind, old man.'

'Survive, he says. Then why the hell would he give me this mission in the first place?'

'Maybe he's just messing with me.'

But whatever the reason, it didn't matter.

'As long as I kill Alvida, I'll get my freedom.'

The cab slowed to a stop.

Alvin stepped out, his eyes trailing up the towering structure before him — the Branch Council Building.

A bureaucratic maze of endless regulations and procedures. Yet, it was the only place to obtain the license required for ruin access.

The moment he entered, a familiar, sarcastic voice greeted him.

"Oh, look who finally decided to show up," Lesley said, arms crossed.

Crandall, standing just behind her, added, "What took you so long? The target's already entered the ruin."

Alvin suppressed a sigh.

'Shit. She's already in.'

He maintained a neutral expression. "My apologies. I got... distracted by the fireworks."

Lesley narrowed her eyes, but a faint smirk played at her lips.

"Fireworks, huh? How nice."

"Enough chit-chat," Crandall cut in. "Let's move."

The trio boarded a sleek black car, with Crandall behind the wheel. The hum of the engine echoed in the tense silence.

Minutes passed, the city gradually fading as they approached the outskirts.

Eventually, the car slowed.

Alvin gazed out the window. Rows of barricades lined the perimeter, with armed guards stationed at regular intervals.

Half a kilometer around the site had been completely evacuated.

'They're not taking any chances.'

Stepping out of the vehicle, they approached the checkpoint. A uniformed guard eyed them cautiously.

Crandall pulled out a sleek, metallic badge. The official Council-issued license.

The guard scrutinized it for a moment before nodding.

"Open the gates."

With a low mechanical groan, the massive metal gate slid apart.

Alvin's gaze shifted forward, and immediately, something caught his attention.

A blue portal.

The swirling energy distorted the air around it, rippling like liquid glass. Even from a distance, Alvin could sense the unsettling aura leaking from within.

'A ruin gate.'

And beyond it... the unknown awaited.

The security guards meticulously checked the trio's belongings before giving the all-clear.

With a curt nod, the lead guard stepped aside.

"You're clear to proceed."

Alvin took a deep breath, his gaze fixed on the swirling blue portal before him.

It was his first time entering a ruin. The unknown pressed down on him like a heavy weight.

'Let's just hope this really is a minor ruin.'

Without another thought, he stepped forward.

A chill brushed against his skin as he stepped closer. The portal twisted unnaturally, a distorted reflection of the world beyond.

***

Black Forest.

The air was thick with the scent of damp earth and pine. The rhythmic crashing of waves echoed along the shoreline. 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

Seated near the shore, Exile rested on the cool sand, his gaze fixed on the dark waters.

The sudden buzz of his mobile broke the silence. The caller ID was blank.

But he knew exactly who it was.

With a calm flick of his finger, he answered.

"How have you been, My Lady?"

A voice, both beautiful and commanding, flowed through the receiver.

"I'm fine, Exile. I heard you've taken in a disciple."

Exile chuckled softly.

"My Lady, no need for small talk. Just ask what you want to know."

A pause. Then the voice cut straight to the point.

"Why did you send your disciple into a Forgotten-ranked ruin?"

Exile's amused hum barely masked the tension beneath.

"Oh? A Forgotten-ranked ruin, you say—"

"Don't play word games with me, Exile," the voice interrupted sharply. "Tell me the truth. Is the risk worth your disciple's life?"

Exile's expression darkened. He exhaled slowly, his gaze never leaving the sea.

"No," he admitted, his tone low. "It's not worth his life."

A beat of silence.

"But it doesn't matter."

"Before fulfilling his destiny he can't die, even if he wanted to."

The voice on the other end stayed silent, waiting.

"I killed him with my own two hands once," Exile continued, his voice steady, "and yet he came back. Stripped of his memories, but alive."

A breeze swept across the shore, stirring the sand around him.

"As for why I sent him to target Alvida, knowing he'd enter the ruin..."

Exile's amber eyes gleamed with something unreadable.

"It's because of the Seed of Arrogance."

The voice echoed his words. "Seed of Arrogance?"

"Yes." Exile's gaze hardened.

"I've seen countless talents perish, not because they lacked strength, but because their arrogance blinded them."

"And my disciple is no different."

"Deep within him, that same seed grows."

The voice remained quiet, though the tension lingered.

"I'm not sending him to die," Exile said firmly. "I'm sending him to see the real horror of the world."

"That kid needs to be humbled."