Aetheric Chronicles: Reborn As An Extra

Adrian froze for the briefest moment, meeting her gaze. Then, with a calm, unwavering tone, he replied, "No, I'm Adrian."

"Huh?"

Before she could respond, Adrian moved. In one swift motion, he pushed her into the portal, catching her off guard. Aria's eyes widened in shock as the world shifted around her, the portal swallowing her whole.

The masked woman's voice broke the silence. "You shouldn't have done that."

Adrian didn't answer. His eyes lingered on the swirling light of the portal for a moment before he stepped forward.

"Let's go," he said.

Without waiting for a reply, he entered the portal, leaving the masked woman as the last to follow.

BOOOM-!

The portal fully closed just a fraction of a second before the explosion erupted across the battlefield. The blast sent a shockwave rippling outward, reducing everything in its path to ash and rubble.

The blinding light of destruction illuminated the ashen sky for a brief moment before fading into silence.

______ ___ _

Black Star City, Black Star Castle.

In the grand main hall of Black Star Castle, the oppressive air of authority was shattered by a sudden sound—a groan, deep and guttural, filled with pain and fury.

"Gah! URHH!"

The Black Star Lord, a menacing figure of dark magnificence, collapsed to his knees in the center of the hall.

His hand clutched at his chest as though trying to hold something together within. The polished obsidian floor cracked beneath him, unable to bear the weight of his power unleashed in agony.

"Damn it…!" he hissed, his voice echoing through the hall like the growl of a beast. His entire body trembled as he struggled to remain upright. A dark aura emanated from him, rippling with instability.

He knew the pain well, yet it had been centuries since he had felt it this intensely.

Destroying a part of his soul—however small—was no trivial matter, even for someone like him. Though it was only about one-twentieth of his entire soul, the damage was substantial.

But he had no choice.
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If he hadn't acted, it would have been worse. The white light—the accursed, devouring energy—would have consumed it completely, leaving nothing behind. By destroying it himself, he had at least salvaged some semblance of control.

Still, the cost was high.

Clenching his jaw, the Black Star Lord tilted his head back and laughed, a deep, hollow sound that echoed through the vast hall.

"I haven't felt this much pain in… so long," he muttered between breaths, his voice laced with dark amusement. His pitch-black lips curled upward into a grin, revealing sharp, glinting teeth.

As he forced himself to his feet, leaning heavily on the ornate, blackened scepter in his hand, a face flashed in his mind—a masked man.

The perpetrator.

The figure behind the white light.

The Black Star Lord's glowing red eyes narrowed dangerously, their light pulsing with unbridled hatred.

He didn't believe for a moment that the white light alone was the result of the shattered core. No, there was another truth behind it—him.

That masked man.

He had ruined everything. Not only had the masked man made him destroy his soul fragment, but he had also thwarted the Black Star Lord's carefully laid plan to steal the core using the elf girl. Every time, that masked figure countered him, striking with precision and an uncanny ability to predict his moves.

The rebels were fools, easily manipulated and crushed, but that man… he was different.

Dangerous.

He was a thinker and planner like him.

The Black Star Lord's lips curled further, his grin stretching unnaturally wide. His glowing red eyes flared, emitting an aura of malice so thick it distorted the very air around him.

"I'll pay you back," he whispered, his voice dripping with venom. "Just wait and see…"

His laughter filled the hall, dark and foreboding, as he began to control the darkness around him. Whatever damage he had suffered, it would not deter him. If anything, it only fueled his resolve.

This game of death and life was far from over.

_____ __ _

Eldoria City, Valerian Hall

The sun hung low over Eldoria City, its golden rays casting long shadows over the city streets. Amidst the bustling activity, the Valerian Hall stood like a wounded titan, its once-pristine facade now marred by cracks and scaffolding. Workers moved with precision and determination, their tools clanging against stone and metal as they worked to rebuild the grandeur of the hall.

The rebuilding process had been slow.

Rumors swirled among the workers—whispers of the 'powerful' figures who once owned it suffering mysterious damage or withdrawing entirely from the ranks of the 'Elites.'

Inside, the main hall had just been completed. The polished marble floor gleamed under the soft glow of the newly installed chandeliers. The air carried the faint scent of fresh plaster and paint as builders and Awakeners packed up their tools, ready to move on to the next section.

But then, the atmosphere shifted.

A low hum resonated through the hall, growing louder with each passing second. The ground trembled faintly beneath their feet, sending ripples across the still-setting plaster.

"What the—?" one of the workers muttered, glancing around nervously.

The air in the center of the hall began to warp and distort. A vortex of shimmering energy appeared, swirling violently as if tearing at the fabric of reality itself.

"Space tremors!" one of the Awakeners shouted, their voice tinged with urgency. "Everyone, retreat! Call the organization immediately!"

Panic spread like wildfire. Workers scrambled to gather their belongings, fleeing toward the exits as the vortex grew larger. Tools clattered to the floor, abandoned in haste.

The Awakener who had spoken stayed behind for a moment longer, his trembling hand activating a communication device. "This is Awakener Loren! We have a spatial anomaly at Valerian Hall—requesting immediate assistance!" His voice wavered as he backed away, retreating to a safe distance.

The vortex reached its peak, twisting violently until it finally stabilized. A portal, 2.5 meters tall, formed at the center of the hall, its edges glowing with an otherworldly red hue.

From within the portal, a figure emerged.

A girl with flowing green hair landed gracefully on the marble floor, her boots making a soft thud against the newly finished surface. Her striking eyes scanned her surroundings briefly, her expression unreadable.

Before anyone could react, more figures began to fall from the portal.

One after another, individuals clad in green and black robes tumbled out, their bodies hitting the floor with dull thuds. The pristine marble was soon littered with the unmoving forms of the fallen, their robes stained with dirt and blood.

The workers who hadn't yet fled stood frozen in shock, their minds struggling to process the surreal scene unfolding before them.

And still, the portal remained open.

Figures continued to fall, the pile growing larger with each passing moment.

Finally, as the last of the robed figures tumbled out, a woman stepped through the portal.

She moved with deliberate elegance, her black mask glinting faintly under the hall's light. Like the last batch, she didn't stumble or fall. Instead, she landed atop the pile of bodies with unnerving grace, her black robes settling around her like flowing shadows.

The portal behind her flickered once, then vanished with a low whump, leaving the hall in heavy silence.

The masked woman straightened, her head tilting slightly as she regarded her surroundings. Her presence was commanding, suffocating even, as if the air itself bowed to her will.

"...Of all the places, why did I return here?"