An Extra’s Rise in an Eroge

As the auction concluded, a staff member approached Arthur and Alicia.

"Sir Arthur, Lady Alicia, the manager requests your presence in the back room to finalize payments and collect your items," he said in a professional tone.

Arthur glanced at Alicia, who was gently cradling the Shadow Cat she had won. She gave a quick nod, and the two followed the staff member down a series of ornately decorated hallways.

The manager, a sharp-eyed man with a calm demeanor, greeted them in a private office. The room was minimalist but refined, with a heavy desk dominating the space.

"Thank you for your participation in today's auction," he said, gesturing to the chairs in front of him. "Let's finalize your transactions."

Arthur placed a pouch of gold on the desk without a word. The manager began counting, his hands swift and practiced. Alicia sat quietly, stroking the Shadow Cat's fur as it purred softly.

The manager finished counting and set the gold aside. He signaled to an assistant, who brought in a small, ornate box.

"This contains the ⟬Unkonwn Stone⟭ you purchased," the manager said, opening the box.

Arthur reached inside and picked up the stone. It felt unnaturally smooth, almost weightless, but there was an unmistakable hum of power radiating from it. He slipped it into a secure pocket inside his coat.

"You should handle that with care," the manager added. "We couldn't fully appraise its nature, but it's clearly dangerous."

Arthur nodded without replying.

"There's one more thing," the manager continued, producing a black card embossed with gold lettering. "This is a VIP pass. Your patronage today has earned you exclusive privileges for future auctions."

Arthur took the card, examining it briefly before tucking it away.

With the payment and item delivery complete, Alicia stood. "Let's go. We should return to the academy."

The night air was heavy and eerily still as Arthur and Alicia walked down the dimly lit cobblestone path leading back to the academy. The moon hung low in the sky, casting faint shadows that danced with their every step. Alicia clutched her newly contracted Shadow Cat close to her chest, its dark fur blending seamlessly into the night. Arthur, on the other hand, had the ⟬Void Stone⟭ safely stored into his system inventory.

"We should've hired a carriage, it's so quite, it's scary." Alicia murmured nervously, glancing over her shoulder.

Arthur smirked. "Relax. It's just midnight. Nothing's going to happen."

But just as he finished speaking, a tall figure stepped out from the shadows ahead, blocking their path.

It was the same man from the auction—Arthur's bidding rival for the Void Stone.

"You've got quite the nerve, kid," the man sneered, his deep voice dripping with malice.

Arthur narrowed his eyes. "You again? If you've come to complain about losing the bid, then maybe you should have brought more money. I don't have time for this."

The man chuckled darkly, his eyes glinting with predatory intent. "You think this is about money? No… This is about the Void Stone. Hand it over if you value your life."

Arthur tilted his head, unfazed. "And what if I don't?"

The man's smile widened, revealing unnaturally sharp teeth. "Then I'll pry it from your corpse."

Alicia took a step back, her Shadow Cat hissing in alarm. "Arthur, who is this guy?"

Arthur raised a hand to calm her. "Good question. Who are you? And more importantly, how do you know about the Void Stone?"

The man's expression darkened. "Ah, so you do know what you're holding. That makes this much easier. If you're aware of its power, then you understand why I can't let you leave alive."

Before Arthur could respond, the man's body began to tremble. His skin rippled unnaturally, as though something monstrous was writhing beneath.

"What the hell?" Alicia whispered, her voice trembling.

Suddenly, with a grotesque rip, the man's flesh tore apart. From within the mangled human shell emerged a towering demon, his transformation accompanied by the sickening crunch of bones and the tearing of sinew.

The creature's hulking body was covered in jagged, bone-like protrusions jutting out from its gray, leathery skin. Glowing red eyes burned with fury, and a broken horn jutted from one side of its brutish face. Its clawed hands flexed menacingly as it towered over them, exuding an aura of pure malice.

Alicia screamed, stumbling back in terror. "A-A-Arthur! W-we're going to d-die!"

Arthur remained calm, a faint smirk playing on his lips. "So it's you, Gerrak. I was wondering how your gigantic frame managed to fit into that fragile human disguise."

The demon tilted his head in surprise. "You know me?"

"Oh, I do." Arthur stepped forward slightly, his stance unshaken. He turned briefly to Alicia, who was trembling uncontrollably. "Calm down, Alicia. Everything's going to be fine."

"H-how can you say that? L-look at him! It's a high-level demon! We're dead!" Alicia stammered, her voice breaking.

Arthur placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "No one's dying tonight. Listen to me carefully: soon, you'll find yourself in a different place. You'll be safe there."

The demon growled, baring his jagged teeth. "You think I'll let that happen? She's not going anywhere!"

With a deafening roar, Gerrak lunged forward, his massive claws aiming straight for Arthur. But before the attack could land, black tendrils surged out from Arthur's body, forming a shield in front of him.

CLANG! The impact reverberated as the claws met the shimmering black barrier.

Alicia gasped, her eyes wide. "W-what is that?"

Arthur didn't answer immediately, his focus fixed on the demon. "Alicia," he said firmly, "I'll join you soon. Now go."

"But—"

Before she could finish her protest, her body shimmered and vanished. Arthur had activated the system's training space, transporting her to safety.

Alone now, Arthur's calm demeanor turned razor-sharp.

"Where did she go?" Gerrak growled, his voice rumbling like distant thunder.

"Where she went is none of your concern," Arthur replied, his tone calm but cold. He reached into the system inventory and summoned Drakathorn, the spear of the Dragon King. The weapon materialized in his hand, crackling faintly with traces of fire and lightning. "I'm your opponent now."

Gerrak let out a guttural laugh. "I don't know how you know me, but you should have disappeared along with her. No matter—you'll both die eventually."

Find adventures on empire

With a sudden roar, Gerrak lunged forward, his massive claws extended to tear Arthur apart. Arthur didn't retreat. Instead, he dashed forward, meeting Gerrak's charge head-on, Drakathorn gleaming in the faint light.

The spear's tip ignited with a small burst of fire and electricity as Arthur thrust it toward Gerrak's chest. Gerrak snarled, crossing his bone-plated arms to block the attack. The collision sent a shockwave rippling through the air, forcing both combatants to slide back several feet.

"You pack more of a punch than I thought," Arthur said, spinning Drakathorn and planting its butt firmly into the ground. "But that's all you've got—brute strength and zero finesse."

Gerrak bared his jagged teeth in a grimace. "We'll see how smug you are after I rip that spear—and your head—from your body!"

The demon stomped hard on the ground, sending a tremor through the earth. Rocks splintered and cracked beneath Arthur's feet, threatening to destabilize him. Gerrak capitalized on this, closing the distance with surprising speed for his size and swinging a bone-covered fist at Arthur's head.

But Arthur's Foresight kicked in. He saw the move a split second before it came and ducked, the massive fist whistling harmlessly over his head. "Predictable," Arthur muttered.

He countered with a sharp upward thrust of Drakathorn, aiming for Gerrak's exposed underarm. The spear's fire and lightning danced along its edge, searing through Gerrak's leathery hide. The demon howled in pain and anger, swiping at Arthur with his other hand.

Arthur sidestepped, using Shadow Step to reappear behind Gerrak. He spun Drakathorn in his hand and aimed a precise strike at Gerrak's leg, intending to sever a tendon and limit his mobility.

But Gerrak was no fool. With a roar, he spun around, his bone spikes shooting outward like shrapnel. Arthur leaped back, summoning an Arcane Shield to block the deadly projectiles. The shield held, though cracks formed from the sheer force of the attack.

"You're quicker than you look," Gerrak growled, glaring at Arthur.

"And you're slower than I thought," Arthur retorted. "How did you even manage to sneak into the capital with that walking disaster of a body?"

Gerrak chuckled darkly. "You're about to find out."

Suddenly, Gerrak stomped again, but this time, the tremor wasn't just an attack. It was a signal. From the shadows, figures began to emerge—dozens of them. At first glance, they seemed human, but their twisted features and grotesque mutations told another story.

Arthur's eyes narrowed. "So, this is how you fight? Hiding behind a bunch of half-baked demon contractors?"

The surrounding creatures hissed and growled, some brandishing crude weapons, others extending clawed hands that dripped with dark energy.

Gerrak smirked. "You didn't think I'd fight you alone, did you? I didn't come to the capital for nothing."

Arthur took a step back, scanning the crowd. His Dragon's Gaze activated, allowing him to see the traces of demonic mana flowing through each of them. "So, these aren't true demons. Just desperate humans who sold their souls for power."

"Does it matter?" Gerrak sneered. "You're outnumbered. Surrender now, and I might let you die quickly."

Arthur's lips curved into a small smile. "Outnumbered? That's cute."

He planted Drakathorn into the ground and raised a hand. His shadow rippled unnaturally beneath him, growing larger and darker.

"Come out," he commanded.

From the depths of his shadow, two figures emerged with fluid grace. Lira and Lyra, his shadow guards, materialized like wraiths, each holding curved daggers that gleamed wickedly in the dim light.

Lira stretched lazily, her crimson eyes gleaming with anticipation. "Finally, you called. I was getting bored."

Lyra licked the edge of her dagger, her grin feral. "Itching to tear apart these scum who dared to attack you, young master."

Arthur's grin widened. "Don't hold back."

The shadow guards darted forward, blurring with inhuman speed as they engaged the lesser demon contractors. Arthur turned his attention back to Gerrak, gripping Drakathorn tightly.

"Now, where were we?" Arthur asked, his voice cold.

"Right where I kill you," Gerrak snarled, charging again.