I AM EXTRA IN A SHONEN MANGA

Khael's POV

After that incident, silence lingered like smoke over the battlefield. The air itself felt heavy, thick with awe and disbelief. I didn't know what to say. None of us did.

Then… they appeared.

Elder Ryozen. His body was a map of scars, each one etched by battles long past. His Shinrei aura flickered like embers at the end of a fire—dim, yet steady, stubborn against the dark. He cracked one eye open, the weight of centuries glinting in his gaze.

Beside him stood Wanderer-Seer Oryan. His robes bore faded constellations, starlight patterns worn down with age, but still carrying that quiet mystery. His staff topped with shards of crystal shimmered faintly, like fragments of night sky.

And both of them… both of them knelt.

The other Guardians followed, bowing low before Master Isen. Even Captain Kaedros, still trembling from being healed, lowered his head. The sight struck me harder than any wound. Men I had only heard about in hushed stories, legends whispered across generations, were kneeling like disciples before a teacher.

Elder Ryozen's voice cracked the silence, deep but weary.

"Thank you, Master… for helping our village…"

But Ryozen didn't move. His one eye lifted, staring up at the man before him.

And Master Isen… he smiled.

Not the gentle smile he gave us, not the mocking grin he used on enemies—but something deeper. Nostalgic. Familiar.

"It's been a long time, kid."

Elder Ryozen's gaze lingered on Master Isen, his one good eye glinting with something I had never seen before reverence mixed with memory. Slowly, he rose from his kneel, though his head remained bowed slightly in respect.

Then his voice broke through the silence.

"What you all don't know is that… when I was a young boy… Master Isen taught me some wisdom. Maybe two or three lessons… before I walked my own path."

The words struck like thunder.

The Guardians gasped, whispers breaking out among them. Even Wanderer-Seer Oryan's head tilted, as though the confession had surprised even him.

I stared wide-eyed at Ryozen. (What did he just say?)

He continued, his voice rough but steady.

"Those lessons… carried me through decades of battle, through loss and fire, through everything that shaped me into who I am today. Without them, I would have fallen long ago."

He looked at Isen—not as an elder to a savior, but as a student to his teacher.

"To think the man who once gave me guidance… now saves us all once again."

My chest tightened. The weight of his words was suffocating. Elder Ryozen, the man we all believed to be immovable, indestructible, had once been like me lost, searching and it was Master Isen who had set him on his path.

Isen only chuckled softly, shaking his head, his expression carrying both amusement and warmth.

"You remembered those old lessons, huh? Guess I didn't waste my breath after all."

Ryozen actually smiled scarred lips tugging faintly at the edges.

"Some things… a man never forgets."

And in that moment, the battlefield, the blood, the ruin it all faded. All I could see was the thread connecting past to present, master to disciple, legend to legend.

Isen's gaze slid past Ryozen and landed on the Seer. His voice softened.

"Oryan…"

The Wanderer-Seer immediately lowered his head.

"Yes, Master?"

Isen gave a faint nod, his tone carrying genuine approval.

"You did a good job protecting this village."

For the first time since I'd seen him, Oryan's lips curved into a small smile.

"Thank you, Master."

The air lightened, the suffocating weight of the battle easing little by little. Then Master Isen turned, sweeping his gaze over all of us—the Guardians, the villagers, me and my companions. His smile was gentle, yet commanding, filling the broken field with an undeniable warmth.

"Shall we wrap this up?"

Relief spread like ripples through the survivors. A few even laughed shakily, as if the nightmare had finally passed.

I exhaled slowly, a long, weary sigh I hadn't realized I was holding. My eyes lingered on Master Isen, his robe swaying lightly in the breeze. And just when I thought he'd forgotten me, he caught my gaze and winked.

I quickly turned away. Then My eyes drifted to my companions—Kaen, pale but breathing; Rael, fists tight and jaw clenched; Lira, quietly watching; Juno, still processing everything.

And then… Ceyla.

For a brief moment, our eyes met. Something unspoken passed between us—confusion, relief, maybe something deeper. But neither of us held it for long. We both turned away at the same time, awkwardly, as though the moment itself had been too heavy to bear.

I swallowed hard, my chest tightening with thoughts I couldn't put into words.

"(This… this isn't the end. It's only the beginning.)"

After that day… the village felt different... Of course now everyone think of me as a legend, a myth I mean who wouldn't I am a dragon knight... They all found out about it luckily Master Isen told them to keep it a secret...And also my friends still think of me as Khael.

Anyway..the ruins still smoked, and the scars of battle marked every street, every wall but laughter was beginning to rise again. People bustled about, carrying baskets of food, stringing lanterns, repairing what they could with trembling hands.

They were preparing a feast.

A celebration of victory. A celebration of life. A desperate attempt to remind themselves that they had survived the Eclipse's shadow.

The Guardians moved among them, helping where they could despite their own wounds. Children ran between the legs of soldiers, their laughter sharp and bright, as if they had already forgotten how close death had come.

I watched it all from the steps of the elder hall, my body still aching but my mind heavier than my bones.

"(They celebrate… but me? I still can't shake what I saw. Master Isen—what he did, what he is… how do I even begin to measure myself against that?)"

The scent of roasted meat drifted through the air. Someone struck a drum, and voices rose in song. One by one, the others joined in—Kaen, bandages wrapped around his arms, clapped along with a smile too wide for his weary face. Juno laughed at something Lira said, her laughter ringing like bells. Even Rael, though quieter than usual, allowed himself a small smirk when handed a cup of rice wine.

Ceyla sat across the fire from me, her face half-lit by the flames. For a moment, her eyes flicked up to meet mine. Then, just as quickly, she turned away, her hair falling like a curtain between us.

I sighed, pressing my palms against my knees.

Then I felt a presence at my side.

"Why aren't you celebrating?"

I turned. Master Isen stood there, arms crossed, grin as lazy and effortless as ever.

My throat tightened.

"…I don't feel like I have anything to celebrate."

He raised an eyebrow, amused.

"You're alive, aren't you? That's reason enough."

I bit my lip, looking away at the villagers, the Guardians, my friends.

"(Alive… but is that enough?)"

The words clawed at my chest until they spilled out, raw and trembling.

"Master… I almost lost them all. They're just thirteen… if you hadn't arrived, we could all have been killed. It was because I hadn't thought enough."

The confession tasted bitter, heavy. My fists clenched in my lap, nails digging into my skin. Shame burned through me hotter than any wound.

Master Isen studied me quietly. The music and laughter of the feast swelled around us, but between us there was only silence. Then—he chuckled. Soft. Unexpected.

"You're blaming yourself? Good."

I blinked, startled. "…Good?"

He crouched down beside me, his grin still there, but his eyes—those calm, terrifying eyes locked onto mine with a sharpness that cut straight through me.

"It means you care. It means you're not numb. That weight you feel? That's what makes you human. What makes you a leader."**

I swallowed hard. "…But I was too weak."

Isen shrugged, almost playfully.

"So get stronger. Think harder next time. Protect them better. That's all there is to it."

I stared at him, breath caught in my throat. It sounded so simple when he said it, but the weight of those words pressed down on me like stone.

"(Just like that? As if it's easy… as if I could ever reach him… but still—)"

A small smile tugged at my lips. "…That's the comfort I need."

I looked at him and bowed my head slightly.

"Thank you, Master."

Master Isen chuckled and reached out, patting me on the head like I was still a child. His hand was heavy, warm, grounding.

"Welcome, my disciple."

Before I could answer, a loud voice cut through the air.

"KHAEL!!!"

I turned just in time to see Kaen waving both arms like a lunatic, a grin plastered across his face. His voice carried above the drums and laughter of the feast.

"LET'S ENJOY!!"

For the first time that day, the weight on my chest loosened. I laughed under my breath, shaking my head.

"(This idiot… always shouting. But maybe… maybe that's exactly what we need tonight.)"

The end of Heliana Arc…

To be continue