Extra’s Rebirth: I Will Create A Good Ending For The Heroines

Everybody froze.

It was like the air itself had turned heavy, pressing down on their bodies and souls.

Even the Nine-Tailed Fox, who had been thrashing only moments ago, stopped moving.

Her tails stiffened like spears.

No one dared to take a step.

No one even breathed too loud.

Azel gritted his teeth. He had been ready to strike again, but his sword felt useless now.

He could move his arms, yes, but he knew in his gut that against this kind of pressure, swinging his blade wouldn't matter.

Then came the voice.

"I have to admit, Mr. Azel," it said, somehow calm and sharp at the same time, "you did better than I thought you could."

The sky broke open with a flash. Purple lightning burst across the clouds, and from that storm stepped a figure small in size but infinite in weight.

Plaides walked forward with casual steps, sparks dancing around his body.

His young face didn't match the ancient, powerful eyes that narrowed as they landed on the corpse lying in the dirt not far from Azel's boots.

Plaides tilted his head at the dead body.

"You're lucky," he said, almost bored, "that I haven't made a rule against killing divine beings here. If I had, you would already be ash."

He let out a little sigh and then glanced back at Azel. "But still, you have my thanks for helping."

It was the first time the god spoke without arrogance.

His words almost sounded normal.

Almost.

Then Plaides turned away. His eyes softened, focusing on the Nine-Tailed Fox.

"Calm yourself, Ahrya," he said. "You are safe now."

The great beast blinked once.

Her breathing slowed, the rage in her eyes fading. Then her body shrank, glowing as her massive form folded down and down until she was no bigger than a normal fox.

Nine long tails curled neatly behind her, each one swaying like silk in the breeze.

Plaides's expression grew even gentler as he looked at the small bird, Erblim.

"And you," he said with a faint smile. "You did well. Calling someone like Azel here was the right choice. Because of you, Ahrya is safe."

Azel couldn't help but notice how much Plaides seemed to be talking to everyone else first. Reassuring, praising, calming… like a hero in a story.

Leaving the enemies for last, as if he wanted them to squirm while they waited.

'He's really on that Protagonist kind of timing.' He thought.

Finally, Plaides turned toward the surviving poachers.

His soft tone vanished.

His eyes sharpened, a dangerous gleam flashing as he took a single step closer.

"Now then," he said, his voice carrying across the clearing, "tell me who sent you. If you do, I might make your punishments lighter."

The poachers tensed. Everything about them screamed fear…

Plaides tilted his head again, almost mockingly. "But really, why bother asking? When I can look straight into your souls?"

Their stomachs fell while Plaides smiled.

That was his true gift. Since the day of his birth, he had been able to peer into the core of living beings — to see what they truly were, beyond lies and masks.

Against that ability, there was no hiding.

The god's eyes glowed violet as he looked at them.

'This is far more easier than when I tried it with Azel.' He thought, he wasn't even sure Azel noticed him even peering… the only things he could get from Azel's soul were his name and where he came from which was the Human realm, everything apart from that was sealed away.

But these people were wide open.

"Hmm," Plaides hummed as he pulled back. "Constantine, the god of Trickery and mischief." His tone was flat and disappointed. "Not surprising, I suppose… though I am a little shocked he would send pawns into my territory."

One of the poachers cried out suddenly, his voice shaky.

"My god had nothing to do with this! He only longs for the Nine-Tailed Fox, even after five hundred years! I acted on my own, to earn his favor—"

"Ah," Plaides cut him off. "So it was just your ambition."

The god folded his hands behind his back, his voice calm but sharp.

"Do you remember the rules I told you before you entered this land?" His eyes narrowed. "I made it very clear. You were forbidden to harm any familiar here."

He let out a long sigh, shaking his head slowly. "I should have looked into your souls earlier. That was my mistake. But it won't happen again."

Purple lightning burst from his body. It was faster than thought, faster than sound.

One moment the poachers were there, sweating and trembling. The next, they were ash on the wind.

Plaides's voice followed the silence, like a judge announcing the final verdict of a course case..

"That is your judgment."

Plaides turned back without another word, already brushing off what he had done.

His hand reached down, stroking the soft mane of Ahrya, who had walked up to him. His movements were like a father lovingly rubbing his daughter's hair.

But then the fox's eyes turned toward Azel.

They were sharp and piercing, not at all.

"The energy around you… this ice…" Her voice was clear and melodious now, free from the trembling earlier. "Are you a disciple of Goddess Kyone?"

It wasn't a bad question at all, especially since they didn't know the nature of the goddess at all.

"Oh, disciple?" Azel was the one to reply to this question. "I'm not just her disciple. I'm also her husban—"

"Watcher."

Ahrya's voice rang out like a bell.

Her fox form glowed, shifting again, fur melting into smooth skin, tails flowing like silk ribbons as she took on her human form with clothes this time.

Straightening her posture, she spoke with absolute certainty.

"I would like to form a contract with him. Right this instant."

The clearing fell silent again.

Everyone, even Plaides, paused.

Because this was the first time in her lifetime she was ever uttering such a word.