The Extra's Reincarnation-Chapter 72: Free For All (2)

[Julian’s POV]

If I were to choose, the most troublesome objective in this forsaken wasteland, eliminating Kyra, would undoubtedly take the crown.

Though my purpose here is clear, and the path laid out before me, I could feel my resolve breaking down into small pieces.

To harm Kyra, a character whose struggles I know too well, felt undeniably wrong.

Thanks to my knowledge of "The World Ruin Novel," Kyra’s circumstances are no mystery to me.

Her family, desperate for a powerful mage, likely thrust this responsibility upon her as their last hope. If she were to work as the Royal Blade of this nation, she wouldn’t just earn more money than the average royal guard; she would also receive a free education and any support package necessary to help strengthen the blade and protection of the kingdom’s princess.

However, within the story, Kyra’s role was far from glorious.

She was, for all intents and purposes, an inconvenience, a stepping stone for the other characters, particularly during the academy arc.

Tiberus, Faustino, Cullen, and Marlon Devora these were her tormentors, preying on her quiet nature and undeniable beauty. Their relentless bullying, a twisted attempt to garner her attention, served only to highlight her vulnerability.

Kaelen, the novel’s protagonist, eventually stepped in, a brief moment of heroism for Kyra, but ultimately a catalyst for Kaelen’s own growth. After that, Kyra faded into obscurity, her story all but forgotten.

But I am getting ahead of myself.

"Think… all I need to do is think. There has to be a way to complete this objective without actually harming her."

I thought about all the options, all the possibilities of negotiating without any altercations, but still I’d find it hard for her to agree with me, seeing we had every intention with leaving this event as a Royal Blade.

However, if I had to start with a step now, I’d need to locate where Kyra is because if Tiberus’s group were to find Kyra or anyone else I’m not sure what would happen then, so I’d have to be moving now or I might not be able to complete my objective.

The crumbling buildings soared overhead, casting long shadows in the dim light.

Every sound and the crunch of debris under my feet echoed throughout the empty streets.

It felt like a distant whistle of wind through empty windows, which only intensified in the eerie silence.

I trudged forward, my eyes scanning through the city for any sign of movement. The desolate landscape stretched endlessly, broken only by the occasional crumbling structure or twisted piece of metal.

I walked for a few minutes more and I knew that If the world is this open, then that means everyone has to be somewhere on the outer corners of the city given that my location was exactly near the entrance with the forest facing towards my back.

GRRR…

A low growl echoed from a nearby alleyway, sending a chill down my spine.

"Ah… I thought she said there were no monsters,"

But then I realised that Meredith’s words simply explained that it would be more than just ’monsters’.

As I turned around, there was a pair of glowing eyes that emerged from the shadows, followed by the hulking form of a mutated beast.

Its mangy fur was matted with blood, and razor-sharp claws scraped against the cracked pavement.

I took a deep breath, steadying myself. This wasn’t the time for hesitation and, if anything, this looked less harmful compared to the monsters I had fought a few challenges before.

"Well, I suppose a warm-up wouldn’t hurt," I muttered, shifting into a fighting stance.

The beast lunged forward with surprising speed, its jaws snapping at the air where I had been standing just a moment before. I sidestepped, feeling the rush of air as it passed.

As I dodged, I noticed something odd about the creature. Its movements seemed almost... predictable. Like it was following a preset pattern rather than reacting organically.

"A simulation, of course," I realized. This wasn’t a real monster, but a programmed obstacle designed to test our combat skills.

Knowing this, I decided to end the fight quickly. No need to waste energy on a fake opponent when the real challenges were just ahead.

I raised my hand, focusing my mana into a concentrated point at my fingertip. The familiar blue light began to glow.

"Bang," I whispered.

BOOM…

The mana bullet shot forward, striking the beast square between its glowing eyes.

It let out a pitiful whine before dissolving into a shower of golden pixels.

I lowered my hand, scanning the area for any other threats. Finding none, I continued my search for Kyra.

As I moved deeper into the city, the buildings grew taller and more densely packed. The streets narrowed, creating a maze-like environment perfect for ambushes or sneak attacks.

Thankfully, I didn’t need to worry as much since I could use one of my gifts at a time for however long I like.

[Divine Eyes Of Convergence Has Been Activated!]

[Sensory enhancement has increased due to the irregular environment…]

I activated my Divine Eyes, feeling the familiar surge of power as my senses sharpened. I could see the faint trails of mana left behind by the other participants, glowing threads weaving through the air.

One particular trail caught my attention - a soft, green energy that I recognized immediately as Kyra’s. It was faint, but still fresh enough to follow.

I set off in that direction, my enhanced senses on high alert for any sign of danger or other participants.

As I moved through the crumbling cityscape, I couldn’t shake the feeling of unease. This challenge was different from the others - more unpredictable, with higher stakes. The thought of having to eliminate Kyra, even in a simulated environment, left a bitter taste in my mouth.

I pushed the thought aside, focusing on the task at hand. Find Kyra first, then figure out how to complete the objective without harming her. One step at a time.

The green mana trail led me to a partially collapsed building, its upper floors tilting precariously. I paused at the entrance, listening intently. There - a faint shuffling sound from within.

"Kyra?" I called out softly, not wanting to startle her. "It’s Julian. Are you in there?"

A moment of silence, then a timid voice replied, "J-Julian? Is that really you?"

I let out a breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding. "Yes, it’s me. Can I come in? We need to talk."

There was another pause before Kyra answered, "Okay... but please, don’t hurt me."

Her words were like a knife to my gut. Was this what the challenge had reduced us to?

I stepped carefully into the building, my eyes adjusting to the dim interior and what was in there for me was something didn’t expect.

"Kyra… W-What happened to you?"

Before my eyes, her right leg was almost crippled and from her head she was bleeding straight down onto her face.

"Julian, please... don’t..." she whimpered, almost in tears.

It was at that moment I knew that I wasn’t cut out to do this.

It was impossible.

I raised my hands slowly, showing I meant no harm.

"Kyra, I’m not here to hurt you. What happened? Who did this to you?"

Step...

She flinched as I took a step closer, but didn’t try to move away.

"T-Tiberius and his group, they ambushed me as soon as the challenge started. I barely managed to escape." She stammered with trembling hands.

My jaw clenched in anger. Of course it was them. I should have known they’d target the weakest among us first.

"Where are they now?" I asked, my eyes looking from the outside for any sign of them.

This chapt𝒆r is updated by frёewebηovel.cѳm.

Kyra shook her head weakly.

"I don’t know. Marcus showed up and started fighting them off. That’s when I ran."

I nodded, processing this information. So Marcus had intervened. That complicated things.

Carefully, I knelt beside Kyra, assessing her injuries. The leg looked bad, possibly broken.

The head wound was still bleeding, but didn’t seem too deep.

"Listen, Kyra," I said softly. "I know you’re scared, but I promise I’m here to help. We need to get you somewhere safer and treat those wounds."

She looked at me warily.

"But... aren’t we supposed to be fighting each other? What’s your objective?"

I hesitated, knowing I couldn’t lie to her.

"My objective..."

I felt a lump in my throat as I spoke.

It was such a simple thing to say, yet I couldn’t do it… I couldn’t possibly bring myself to tell her it was me, who was suppposed to take her down.

The fear in her eyes and the way she trembled, I couldn’t add to her suffering.

"My objective doesn’t matter right now, what matters is getting you to safety and treating your injuries. Can you stand?"

Kyra tried to push herself up, but collapsed with a cry of pain.

"I-I don’t think so," she whimpered.

I nodded, making a quick decision.

"Alright, I’m going to carry you. Is that okay?"

She hesitated, then gave a small nod. Carefully, I scooped her up in my arms, trying not to jostle her injured leg. She was surprisingly light, and I could feel her shaking against me.

As I carried Kyra out of the crumbling building, I needed to find a safe place to treat her wounds and figure out our next move.

I knew that eliminating her here would’ve been easy for anyone else, but I can’t let go of the past.

She kept reminding me of it all.