Chronicles of Forgotten Extra

While Alden was being taught a lesson he never asked for, somewhere else—deep within the boundless world of the Stellar Expanse—a man cloaked in white sat cross-legged upon a floating island of mist.

The clouds moved softly beneath him as if breathing with him.

Then, without a warning, he started coughing blood.

A dark splatter of crimson stained his snow-white robe.

"What is happening?"

His fingers trembled as he wiped his mouth.

"Someone has eliminated my clone." He muttered softly, closing his eyes.

He tried to understand what had happened… but he couldn't retrieve any information from the clone.

It was as if… the clone had never existed to begin with.

"But who could do such a thinh… in a low tier world like that?" He frowned.

He stood up slowly.

The clouds around him trembled, then began to rise.

And one by one, they merged with his body as if they had always belonged there.

His white robes rippled as the sky froze.

"It doesn't matter," he said calmly. "Still, I need to inform my liege of the change."

He stepped forward and just like that, he vanished.

—

Back in the Temple of Shadowed Self, Alden kneeled on the ground.

His body was broken, bleeding from everywhere.

His eyes had turned back to crimson. The white flame that had appeared for a moment had long since vanished.

It had only been a few minutes since the failed possibility unleashed that disastrous attack and spoke of removing some… spectator.

After that everything had been a blur… and a literal one as before he could react, he was flying.

The impact came afterwards.

And he smashed into the ceiling of the temple… before crashing back on the ground like a meteor.

Still, even with immense pain constantly making him wince… he asked the one question he was most curious about.

"Why didn't you kill me?"

He had felt it, from the last attack and even before that… the opponent in front of him wasn't someone he could defeat.

… Not unless he somehow unlocks his bloodline completely.

But that was impossible.

He had barely touched it once before. And even then, it was only because his mother had done something.

So how could he reach it now?

Even if he did, would it matter?

He wasn't sure.

Just the Slash of Eclipse had held enough power to erase a thousand Aldens without a trace.

The failed possibility, looked at Alden with amusement. "And, why would I do that?"

"Aren't you like the final boss of this trial?"Alden asked, half curious, half guarded.

The possibility smiled, not with cruelty, but with something else… something unreadable.

"No need to overthink, my immature self. I am no final boss."

He paused.

"I am but a version of what you could become."

What would I have to suffer… to end up speaking in such a cringe way like that?

Alden couldn't help the thought, even with his life hanging by a thread.

The possibility raised a hand and waved it lazily as a soft, yellowish glow engulfed Alden.

It wasn't an attack.

No.

It was light mana and it was healing him gently at a rate he could see with his own eyes.

Torn flesh stitching together and fractured bones realigning.

The pain dulled slowly before fading completely.

"Have a seat."

The man—Alden's possibility—waved a hand once more as two pitch-black chairs emerged from thin air.

But Alden saw it.

They weren't made of wood.

They were made of shadows.

Still, Alden said nothing yet.

Not because he didn't want to… But because he couldn't.

The one sitting across from him—the possibility called failed—was far stronger.

But from what Alden had seen so far… At least, he wasn't hostile.

So, Alden played along… not that he had much of a choice at this moment.

Still, his mind raced, trying to find a way out of this.

He pushed himself up from the ground and walked toward the shadow-formed chair.

As he sat, he glanced across at the figure in front of him, scanning him again.

How is he the failed one, exactly?

Except for being a complete failure at speaking normally…

He doesn't seem to be lacking in any other way.

"Now now," the possibility said, his tone calm but distant, "I know you probably have a million questions for me… but unfortunately, my time and power are limited."

He paused for a moment.

"So I can't answer anything crucial. Still…

… Before I vanish completely, I hope I can help you. Just enough… so you never walk the path I did."

"What do you mean?" Alden asked, unable to hold back his curiosity. "What path are you talking about?"

The possibility gave a bitter smile.

"A path of being a forgotten extra in the grand narrative of fate…

A path cursed by destiny itself…

And worst of all…"

He paused, eyes dim with something colder than sorrow.

"A path where I killed everyone I cared for."

Alden's mind stilled.

All thoughts vanished, leaving an eerie silence behind.

How?

No… why?

Why would I ever do something like that?

He looked at the figure before him.

He was just a possibility. Just a version of what he could become.

But that meant… it was possible.

"Why…" His voice caught in his throat. "Why did you kill them?"

He wasn't curious anymore. He just wanted a reason.

Any reason.

Something he could hold onto.

Something that would make it feel like he would never take that path.

The possibility looked at him, his golden pupils locked onto Alden's like they could gaze far beyond what any person should be capable of.

"It was the only way…."

His voice echoed through the arena…

…and yet, it carried not a single trace of emotion.

Alden's mind went blank.

What did he mean… it was the only way?

Then why am I growing stronger?

It was only now…

Only in this moment…

That he understood the answer to the question that his failed possibility had asked him before. "Why are you growing stronger?"

It wasn't just to survive.

No.

It was so he would never lose someone close to him again.

So he could protect the ones he loved.

And yet… a version of him was saying killing them was the only way.

"What kind of bullshit is this?"

Alden clenched his fist as he couldn't control his words anymore.