Aetheric Chronicles: Reborn As An Extra

"Kekeke!"

The monster's sinister laughter echoed through the clearing, but it was abruptly interrupted by Adrian's own weak chuckle. "Hahaha!"

"Cough, haha,"

He coughed, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth, and looked up at the snout-faced monster with a mischievous smile.

"It's my win," Adrian muttered, his voice barely audible but filled with unwavering resolve.

"What are you talking about, puny human? Did you go crazy, haha-!" The monster's laughter faltered as it sensed something was amiss. A sharp pain suddenly pierced through its chest, and it looked down in shock to see a blade protruding from its heart. The tip of the weapon gleamed menacingly on its back.

"H-How?" the monster gasped, its strength failing as it collapsed to its knees.

Adrian's chuckle grew, despite the pain wracking his body. Blood leaked from his lips and the deep wound on his chest, but he was clearly amused by the monster's confusion. "How does my new weapon taste?" he asked, his voice hoarse but triumphant. "I can control its size and length at will, you know. I call it 'Shadow Reaper.'"

"!" The monster's mind raced as it recalled their last clash. It had definitely injured Adrian deeply in his chest, and Adrian had used a simple-looking black silver dagger as his last desperate struggle. The monster had blocked the dagger with its left palm, confident it had stopped the blade from reaching its heart. But now, with its lifeblood spilling out, the truth became horrifyingly clear.

The Shadow Reaper had extended its blade just as the monster's guard dropped, its lengthening edge slipping past the monster's defenses and piercing its heart with deadly precision.

"Keke... ke..."

The monster's laughter turned into a gurgling rasp as its life force ebbed away. It fell forward, its body crumpling to the ground in a lifeless heap.

Adrian quickly took out two vials of healing and pain-reducing potions and gulped them down. He touched the Shadow Reaper's handle and twisted it a few times to make sure to make its heart unusable. Then he controlled it to return to its dagger state and put it away to his storage ring.

"Huf... Huf..."

Then, being barely able to stand, he leaned heavily against the boulder. The strain of the battle and the deep cut on his chest had left him exhausted, but he managed a weary smile as he looked down at the defeated monster.

"It was a good fight," he whispered, his vision blurring as he felt his own strength fading. "But not good enough."

He was obviously mentioning about his strength. He was weak. He was at his limit...

If not for his new weapon, he might've died here just now.

'I'll have to treat Senior Anya someday...'

'Did the others also finish their part...?'

'...'

'Aria... is gonna nag me a lot later... probably...'

'I... feel... sleepy...'

Tap... Tap...

Just as he was about to lose consciousness, the sound of approaching footsteps broke through the haze of his exhaustion. However, he didn't move, he couldn't. He remained 'unconscious'.

The sounds of approaching footsteps grew louder but were cautious, almost hesitant. Each step echoed softly through the clearing, a careful rhythm that signaled the arrival of someone who didn't want to be noticed. The footsteps stopped in front of Adrian's prone form, and a hand gently touched his neck, checking for his pulse and breathing.

"He's alive," the woman muttered, her voice low and slightly relieved and astonished.

Adrian's eyes remained closed, but he recognized the voice instantly. It was Selene. Despite the dire situation, he remained silent, feigning unconsciousness while wondering why the heck she was here.

"How did he even survive?" Selene whispered to herself, her tone a mix of astonishment and frustration. "How did he even defeat this monster?"

There was a pause, the air thick with tension. Adrian could feel Selene's gaze on him, her mind racing with thoughts he could only guess at. He focused on keeping his breathing steady, his body still.

Selene sighed a weary sound that carried her uncertainty. "At this rate, with this kind of injury, he won't survive for long. Should I just...

"...kill him?" she muttered, causing Adrian's heartbeat to quicken for a moment.

The sleepiness that was trying to overwhelm him disappeared in an instant. After all, his life was in danger.

His mind raced, trying to think of a way to handle the situation without revealing that he was conscious. The tension was palpable, each second feeling like an eternity.

'Should I attack her?'

'Did I make a mistake showing her mercy?'

'Wasn't she more kinder and reasonable at this time?'

'...Urgh...'

'What should I do...'

Selene's hand lingered on his neck for a moment longer before she pulled it away.

'Is she going to take out her dagger...'

'Then... I should also...'

"...No..."

'!' Adrian stopped thinking for a moment after hearing a low murmur. 'Did she say no...?'

"Killing him now wouldn't be right. Not after what he's done to me..."

Adrian felt relieved realizing she had given up on the idea of killing him, but he remained motionless, his mind still alert. Because Selene still here not moving an inch, and he could hear her rummaging through her belongings.

"This? No..."

"This? No, this was the lust potion..."

'?!' (Adrian)

"Ah, this one is a Red Death Poison..."

'The heck is she doing?' Adrian cursed inwardly, feeling goosebumps over his body. 'Is she trying to poison me?'

Selene's rummaging continued, her muttering only adding to Adrian's growing alarm.

"Here it is," she finally exclaimed. Adrian's heart skipped a beat as he heard her next words. "Don't worry, it'll be over soon..."

'Oh, sh*t!'

Panic surged through Adrian. His mind raced with countless thoughts and scenarios, each more desperate than the last. He couldn't afford to wait any longer. Summoning what little strength he had left, he decided to take a risk.

In one swift motion, Adrian's eyes snapped open. He intended to surprise Selene and use the chance to attack, but what he saw made his heart stop.

A pair of beautiful ruby eyes stared back at him, only a few centimeters away, filled with a strange mixture of concern and shyness(?).

Adrian's breath caught in his throat. He couldn't move, couldn't react.

Until a cold voice echoed through the area, coming from behind the owner of ruby eyes.

"What do you think you are doing?"