Path of the Extra

Blood poured from the puncture—first as a trickle, then as a torrent—flooding his mouth and staining his chest dark crimson.

He tried to scream, but the sound was nothing more than a faint, rattling hiss, his body jerking violently as Azriel watched the life drain from his wide, panicked eyes.

Then…

There was no more struggle.

Azriel stared at Kevin's face for several long moments.

He watched.

He watched the body of the man he had killed.

The first human life he had ever taken.

One who died from a stab in the back.

One who had trusted him, only for Azriel to betray that trust.

Removing Void Eater from the wound, he crouched down and pulled a small device from his pocket.

The screen blinked with red dots.

Azriel tucked the device away.

"You didn't even know you had this, did you?"

It was loyalty that had sealed Kevin's fate.

"...."

He stood up—or tried to.

The moment he did, a wave of nausea crashed over him.

"Urgh…!"

His mind buzzed, and his vision blurred.

His throat burned as he coughed, his stomach twisting painfully.

He hunched over, gagging violently.

"Blergghhh!"

It was vomit.

His entire body shook with each heave.

He wiped his mouth with a trembling hand, gasping for air as the sour taste lingered on his tongue.

"Hooo…"

Azriel took deep breaths, grappling with the weight of what he had done.

The mere fact that he had killed someone.

And in such a grotesque manner.

But he had to do it.

Yes.

There was no other way.

No other choice.

The suspicion surrounding Azriel's arm, which could not be healed.

The way he tried to hide his reaction upon hearing Azriel call the person he wished to see the most—his mother.

The fact that he wanted to retreat when Azriel knew he couldn't, no matter what.

And...

The device he had.

Even if he didn't know it himself.

Yes.

Kevin had to die.

"Blergghhh!"

But his body disagreed.

Azriel kept retching.

It wouldn't stop.

No matter how hard he tried to convince himself, the sight of the dead body only sent him spiraling.

Each wave of nausea coated Instructor Kevin's lifeless form with his own vomit, and he continued until—

There was nothing left.

His stomach lay empty.

"...!"

Suddenly, a euphoric sensation began to spread through every inch of Azriel's body.

It was a feeling so intense that he instinctively closed his eyes, surrendering to the pleasure it brought.

Addictive.

It was a sensation he could easily grow accustomed to, even if he didn't want to.

There were no rules against consuming the mana core of a human.

So…

[Core Reaper] would undoubtedly feast on Instructor Kevin's mana core.

"...."

"Hooo…."

After a few deep breaths, he finally stood, Void Eater gripped tightly in his hand.

He looked down at the body now covered in his bile and bit his lip.

It was not over.

He couldn't risk facing a dead version of Kevin.

Tapping his storage ring, a bottle of oil appeared in his hand.

He opened it and poured the contents over Kevin's body, mingling with the remnants of his own sickness.

The stench was revolting, making him gag once more, though there was nothing left to expel.

Dropping the empty bottle, he tapped the ring again, and a box of matches appeared.

Taking one, he struck it against the box, lighting it with a flick.

With a quick motion, he dropped the match onto Kevin's body.

Azriel stepped back, watching as the flames ignited, consuming the corpse in a wild, hungry fire.

Undoubtedly, the blaze would attract other Void creatures and perhaps even the Cradler, but that was good.

Maybe they would destroy each other.

At least he hoped.

The fire blazed brighter, rising higher.

And then…

Azriel turned around.

Moving forward.

*****

Lumine felt his heart quicken at the sight of Cadet Kanae's smile.

Her white eyes and dark grin froze everyone in place—even the instructors.

'What is wrong with her?'

Lumine couldn't tell.

It just… happened.

No one understood why.

Then…

"!!"

His eyes widened.

The cadets screamed in horror.

Blood leaked from her mouth and eyes, but she kept smiling.

"Shit! Ben, what's wrong with her!?"

Instructor Alicia began to panic but didn't dare to approach.

Lumine's expression darkened.

If even the instructors were so unsettled and confused, things were spiraling out of control.

Without warning, she started walking…

Toward the edge of the cliff.

Instructor Alicia and Benson rushed in front of her.

"Cadet Kanae… stop before I have to resort to force."

Ben's narrowed eyes bore into her.

Jasmine flanked them, and together they formed a barrier around Kanae.

Blood continued to trickle from her eyes and mouth, an eerie sight that sent goosebumps crawling over Lumine's skin.

Then…

With a dull thud, she collapsed onto the ground.

Alicia and Benson blinked in confusion before sprinting to her side.

Cautiously, they turned her over.

Her eyes remained open and white, a haunting gaze that met nothingness.

Blood smeared her face, but the smile never left her lips.

Lumine slowly approached alongside Celestina and Jasmine.

His breath caught in his throat.

The cadets screamed once more, some doubled over, vomiting.

Because…

Kanae was dead.

"...."

"She is gone, Alicia..."

Benson took a deep breath, his gaze sweeping over the cadets.

"An anomaly has occurred. No one moves from here until we figure out why Cadet Kanae died. After that, we will have to return to the surface... too many things are going south."

Lumine felt his fingers grow cold.

His mind went blank.

She was dead.

How?

Why?

He didn't know her well, but this was the first time Lumine had seen a dead human.

The urge to vomit clawed at him, but he held it back.

The instructors acted calmly, as did some of the others around him, but he couldn't show weakness here.

"Lumine..."

The voice snapped him out of his stupor.

He turned to his left and saw Yelena standing there, her face pale as she clutched her arms, shivering.

"Yelena, what's wrong?"

Worry gnawed at him as he noticed her abnormal behavior.

Yelena shook her head slowly, looking up at him with wide eyes.

"I don't know, but… it feels like someone is watching me the entire time."

Lumine opened his mouth to dismiss her words, but closed it instantly.

A dead body was here.

And Yelena felt watched.

His silver sword appeared in his hand, catching the attention of Jasmine and Celestina, who approached the duo.

"Did you find a clue?"

Lumine shook his head at Jasmine's question.

"No. But Yelena says she feels like someone is watching her... we might get attacked."

Celestina looked around, confusion etched on her features.

"I don't see anyone watching you, though. Do you know from where?"

Yelena shook her head.

"I don't... it's more like I feel the presence everywhere."

Lumine frowned.

He knew Yelena had incredible instincts, so he wouldn't dismiss her as crazy.

If someone was making her feel this way, it had to be an enemy.

But who?

He didn't know.

"I never thought that taking a small nap would lead to the death of one of our fellow cadets."

Lumine and the rest turned to see Vergil approach, yawning with a lazy smile on his face.

He seemed relaxed—too relaxed—as if the death didn't matter to him at all.

"Do you have any clue what might have happened?"

Celestina asked, not out of suspicion, but because Vergil seemed more knowledgeable about the mind.

He had managed to get one of the Dark King clones to himself without laying a finger on it, and Cadet Kanae's death felt connected to something that might have corrupted her mind.

But to everyone's disappointment, Vergil shook his head.

"I don't, sadly. I was asleep when I woke up to some of you screaming. More importantly, where is Azriel?"

"He climbed down to scout the area beforehand."

"And that was a good idea? What if something happened to him?"

"Instructor Kevin is down there with him."

"So? Look at them."

Vergil said, gesturing toward the instructors.

"They have no clue what's happening, hence the interrogation. What if something similar is going on down there, putting Instructor Kevin and Azriel in danger?"

Jasmine's face darkened.

It wasn't that she wasn't worried—she was.

Especially now, more than ever.

But what could she do?

Abandon everyone here at the possibility they might die like Kanae to save Azriel?

She would.

But she wanted to believe that Azriel could handle himself.

Vergil's eyes shifted to Yelena.

"Ignoring the problem with Azriel, what's up with you? Forgot your jacket?"

"Apparently, someone dangerous is watching her every move."

"Oh…"

A look of understanding crossed Vergil's face upon hearing Lumine's explanation.

"Can't blame 'em."

Lumine felt his lips twitch.

If he could, he would have liked to punch Vergil for how casual he seemed, but he couldn't—not yet.

"Is this some sort of private meeting? Am I allowed to join you guys?"

Once again, a voice interrupted as another figure walked toward them.

Everyone turned in surprise, recognizing someone they all knew in one way or another.

Jasmine grumbled as the person stopped in front of her.

"Finally done lazing off... Nol?"