The Retired Hero is an Extra

After going through the excruciating process forced upon him, Jash didn't know how to react for a while.

"Haa... Haa..."

He could only pant for breath, calming his breathing, letting his lungs fill with fresh air, nurturing his insides.

'Breathing... is one of the basic... method... of...'

Myriad thoughts of breathing techniques and their pivotal uses in various meditation methods flooded into his mind.

Even his thought process lagged behind, overwhelmed by the flux of new information flooding his mind and his deliberate, slow yet deep breathing.

Only after spending quite some time did he calm down and the first thing he did was check his schedule for the next day.

"Thank heavens, it's an off!" He exclaimed with a little smile on his face.

Usually, there weren't many days off in the Academy, but it just so turned out to be an off, something he was quite grateful for.

'It's for Aura stabilization, right?' Jash wondered, trying to guess why everyone had it as a day off, which didn't make much sense.

But then again, it wasn't his job to worry about the Academy curriculum or anything related, as it didn't impact the Protagonist at all.

So, surely it shouldn't affect him too, right?

At least he believed this way in his heart and could be completely at ease for the moment.

He dragged his tired body to take a quick shower to cool down his body just in case before going to sleep.

Of course, he didn't forget to reply to every message before going to shower or who knew what kind of fuss Ziva might kick up?

He was really helpless in this matter, he couldn't guess what was on her mind at all as if she wasn't human, but a monster in human clothing.

Well, it wasn't that exaggerated, but Jash could only go along with her whims to protect her.

Although the unconscious thought of wanting to protect her eluded him as he attributed it to his own feelings before his past life's memories came to him.

Or maybe it was because of knowing Ziva's sad, pitiful end which he wanted to prevent because he was touched by her?

In the end, only time would tell the answer to this question and currently it only passed a few hours before the sun rose, giving rise to another morning, and another day to look forward to.

***

It was early morning, the sun still tucked behind the horizon, casting a gentle golden hue across the academy grounds.

The cool breeze played with the strands of a beautiful girl's hair as she strolled along, a handful of snacks clutched in her hand.

With each step, she swiftly gobbled up the food contentedly, a carefree smile lighting up her smooth face.

"Mhm... Mhm..."

Her humming sounds mingled with the sound of her snack, creating a strangely harmonious melody that only the morning birds and the occasional early riser could hear.

Her enjoyment was evident as if she had found the secret to perfect mornings: snacks and solitude.

Yet she nibbled and gobbled the snacks, watching her surroundings warily as if afraid that someone would steal her snacks or maybe forbid her from eating it.

Naturally, it wasn't that she feared anyone, but if someone really caught sight of her bad habit in the early morning...

Just the thought sent a shiver down her back, disrupting her earlier happy expression.

As she walked, she glanced around, her sharp eyes absorbing the tranquil scene.

Although the campus was quiet with most students still wrapped in slumber, she couldn't help but feel uneasy as if she were a thief and would soon get caught.

Yet her pace remained leisurely until a thought crossed her mind, and her lips couldn't help but curl upwards subconsciously.

"As expected, waking up early is the best... especially... with snacks…"

She muttered her musings out aloud, nodding to herself, convinced of this newfound wisdom.

Of course, she didn't forget to grab a few more bites of the snacks in her hands, which resembled crispy chips but had a flaky texture.

But she wasn't limited to just one kind of snack, all kinds of tasty ones were in her space ring or in her hands.

She even wore two rings, one for snacks and the other for daily use.

It was nearly impossible for such a thing to happen in the Academy, but she wasn't stripped of her student status.

And it could only mean one thing, she had the right to it, whether it was approved after her talent and potential or she won it fair and square.

Eitherway, she wasn't one to care about such things and enjoyed the peace and quiet.

After all, she had the world to herself at this hour, and her snacks just so happened to be an unexpected yet delightful companion.

With her munching sounds, and snacks in tow, the girl wandered the academy grounds, her steps carrying her toward the common training area.

The empty paths welcomed her, and she reveled in the peacefulness.

Her chewing sounds slowly turned muffled, blending with the rustling leaves, becoming just another note in the morning symphon.

"Maybe I should train today...?"

She murmured with a hint of hesitation, not sure about her decision as her words were punctuated by the sound of her eating.

Just like most Senior students, she was a girl with a weird sleeping schedule.

Sometimes, she didn't sleep a wink for multiple days and sometimes she would just sleep for the whole day or even more.

Suddenly, she bobbed her head up and down, mumbling to herself, "Okay! It is the Elemental Manifestations today, then."

The training grounds loomed before her, and her eyes brightened with determination. Stay connected with m|vl|e|mp|y|r

The Elemental Manifestations awaited her, a place where her skills would be put to the test.

However, the results would be equally rewarding, something almost everyone wanted to get a good shot at and improve themselves.

Alas, most could only dream of it as its price was literally exorbitant.

Only if one ranked the First in their entire year could they get to use it more freely, but it was still limited and even other Rankers had many restrictions.

Of course, if one was FIrst among either males or females or the Year Representative, they could use it for longer and cheaper.

While the ones being left behind would complain of unfairness and whatnot, it was the harsh truth and nobody could deny it.

However, only the ones who experienced it understood how difficult it actually was.

It wasn't something everyone could get in touch with lest they cause trouble for themselves and the Academy yet the girl actually treated it as no big deal.

The hint of reluctance between eating one more snack or going to train inside flashed on her face, but she ended up sighing.

—Mhm~

With a final crunch, she finished the last of her crispy snack and discarded the empty packets into a nearby bin.

As she finally stepped onto the training grounds, she noticed a few academy personnel already bustling about, setting up for the day's activities.

It wasn't anything new to her since few students woke up early to practice, most preferring to rest before classes.

Walking by a passing instructor, she flashed a grin in recognition and they nodded in acknowledgment.

The girl's liveliness, bubbliness, and reputation as the top-ranked student in her third year preceded her.