I AM EXTRA IN A SHONEN MANGA

The faint glow of the evening sun poured through the Veyl Academy's glass hallways, orange light reflecting across the polished tiles where seven figures gathered.

After weeks of uneasy calm since the Battle of Tildaroot, Team Nine had finally begun to heal wounds closing, laughter returning little by little.

But as the air stilled, something shifted.

Footsteps echoed through the hall.

Every head turned.

It was Juno Arkai.

He walked slowly toward them, his usual composed face drawn with quiet tension.

The faint insignia of Taishin still glowed faintly on his neck — a mark of both power and burden.

Khael tilted his head, brows furrowing.

"Juno?"

Juno stopped before them, holding a sealed scroll in his hand.

He met Khael's eyes, and for a moment, no words came out just the sound of the wind outside, whistling through the Academy's glass panes.

Then finally

"We have a new mission, guys."

The words dropped like a stone into still water.

Ceyla and Khael exchanged glances, both sensing the tone behind his voice.

Khael spoke carefully.

"You mean… Team Nine?"

Juno nodded once.

From the side, Kaen Eluron crossed his arms, sharing a brief look with Lira Valenne.

"You mean without us, Team Three?"

Kenji Gas smirked dryly.

"And us, Team Seven, excluded again, huh?"

Shigeo Motome, resting his sword against his shoulder, gave a tired shrug.

"That's good news. Less trouble for us. What a complicated world after all…"

Kurenai Saya frowned sharply, glaring at him.

"Shigeo!! You're not supposed to say that out loud!"

The group shared a strained laugh, but it faded fast when they saw Juno's face.

There was no humor there. Only quiet unease.

Khael noticed.

He stepped forward.

"Juno… what's the mission about?"

Juno exhaled, his hand trembling faintly as he broke the red seal.

The parchment unfolded, and his voice carried softly through the hall.

"The mission… is to go toward the Valley of Rokuen Plains."

He paused, eyes flicking over the words as if doubting them.

"There's a village there — Tashi. Filled with affinityless people. Taishin practitioners."

The silence grew heavy.

Khael's eyes widened.

"That place…"

Juno clenched his jaw, continuing.

"The order says: Protect the Shard… and investigate Master Vince's whereabouts."

Ceyla's expression fell, a mixture of shock and worry.

"Master Vince…?"

Kaen's voice cut in, half in disbelief.

"Wait. Master Vince — the Wandering Fist?"

Lira turned to Juno, her tone trembling slightly.

"Juno… are you saying he's missing?"

Juno looked down, eyes shadowed beneath his hair.

The scroll lowered from his grip.

His voice broke slightly quiet but filled with something deeper.

"He hasn't returned since his last mission… not even Master Isen has heard from him."

The hall went silent, the kind of silence that hums before a storm.

Khael's hands tightened at his sides.

Ceyla glanced at him, seeing the worry in his eyes.

Khael thought:

(Master Vince… the one who trained Juno. If something happened to him… then the Hollow Nine might already be on the move.)

The others felt it too, that invisible thread of dread pulling tight between them.

The calm days were over.

Again.

And outside the window, the faint petals of Seravelle's dawn breeze drifted through the air

beautiful, fragile, unaware that another butterfly's wings had just begun to flap.

The silence lingered after Juno's announcement, the kind of stillness that feels heavier than words.

Then, finally, Khael broke it.

"When are we going to leave?"

Juno looked down at the scroll again, his expression grim.

"Tomorrow."

Khael nodded quietly, eyes turning to Ceyla.

She met his gaze calm but worried.

A silent understanding passed between them.

Khael lowered his head slightly, whispering under his breath:

"(Tsk… is this because of me? This wasn't supposed to happen… Master Vince didn't go missing… another butterfly effect…)"

The thought stung sharper than he expected, a truth he couldn't say aloud.

From the side, Kaen Eluron slammed his fist into his palm.

"Then I'm coming too!"

Lira Valenne immediately crossed her arms, sighing.

"You can't. It's their mission."

Kaen turned to her with that stubborn spark in his eyes.

"Then we'll just convince Master Isen to let us join!"

Before anyone could respond, a cold voice cut through the air.

"What an idiot."

Everyone turned.

Standing by the doorway, half in the light, half in shadow — was Rael Eluron.

His cloak fluttered slightly as he stepped forward, eyes locked on his brother.

Kaen narrowed his eyes.

"Rael…"

Rael crossed his arms.

"Team Three also has a mission. Don't go playing hero when you can barely control your flame affinity."

Kaen clicked his tongue.

"Tsk… always the cold one, huh?"

From behind them, Kenji Gas gave a dry laugh.

"You too, huh? Must be nice."

Shigeo Motome, leaning lazily against the wall, yawned.

"What's nice about that? Missions are just headaches waiting to happen."

He straightened slightly and turned his gaze toward Khael.

The room stilled.

"But still… Khael…"

Khael lifted his eyes to meet Shigeo's.

"…Yeah?"

Shigeo's tone softened rare for him.

"Are you sure this is nothing to worry about?"

Everyone turned toward Khael then.

Even Juno and Ceyla.

For a moment, no one said anything.

Then Ceyla stepped closer, her voice quiet but steady.

"Don't shoulder everything again. If you know something — tell us."

Khael looked at her, eyes flickering with conflict, guilt, and something deeper.

Then he smiled faintly tired, forced, but sincere.

"I don't know, guys… this is the first time for me. Really… I don't know."

Shigeo studied him for a long second, then sighed and looked away.

"…Fine. Just don't die on us."

Khael chuckled faintly under his breath.

"I'll try not to."

The tension eased slightly, but the unease stayed.

Finally, Khael turned back to Juno, clapping a hand on his shoulder.

"Don't worry about Master Vince. He's one of the strongest Taishin alive. I'm sure he'll be okay."

Juno's grip tightened around the scroll. His voice dropped low.

"I hope so…"

Outside, thunder rolled faintly in the distance —

not loud, not near,

but enough to remind them all that peace in this world never lasted long.

To be continue