Reborn as an Extra with the SSS-Divine Debt System and my Past Skills

The crisp morning air was sharp with the bite of cold, and the training grounds buzzed with restrained energy as villagers gathered to watch.

Wooden dummies and sparring posts stood lined along the edges, their surfaces scarred from years of use.

In the center, Lucian stood calmly, white hair falling across his shoulders as if he had not a care in the world. His presence alone, however, was enough to draw all eyes to him.

Verus followed Luna into the open clearing, his expression guarded, though his steps were steady.

He hadn't forgotten Lucian's words from yesterday—an offer that still lingered heavily in his mind.

Lucian looked up from the papers he had been scanning, and his lips curved into a faint smile.

"Welcome, Verus. I trust you've had enough time to think about what I said yesterday."

His voice carried a weight that seemed to silence the murmurs of the crowd instantly.

Verus hesitated for only a moment before answering. His hand tightened into a fist, and he lifted his chin.

"I'll join the guard. For now, at least. If being part of it lets me leave the village and search for a way back home, then it's my best choice."

The words were firm, but his tone carried caution. He wasn't about to fully trust these people yet.

Lucian's smile deepened, just slightly.

"Good. Then let me be the first to welcome you as one of the Dawn Guard."

The crowd erupted in chatter at the declaration, though not all the voices carried joy.

Whispers of resentment rippled through the villagers who had been turned away from the guard before.

Lucian could feel their gazes sharpen—jealous, bitter, hostile. It was impossible to miss the quiet resentment at an outsider being allowed what they had been denied.

Lucian's dark eyes scanned the crowd, taking in their emotions with ease. He knew what needed to be done.

"Of course, before we can send Verus out into the world, we must see what he is capable of. Words are not enough—skill must be shown."

He said smoothly, his voice cutting through the noise.

He turned toward the group standing behind him.

"Berry, you will test him."

He called.

Berry stepped forward immediately, shoulders squared, clearly ready to follow the order. But before he could take another step, two other voices rang out.

"Let me do it."

"No, I'll fight him."

Mira and Luna had both stepped forward at once, their eyes sharp, their hands already on their weapons. The tension between them flared instantly, palpable even to the crowd.

Berry frowned, raising a hand to stop them.

"Hold on. Lucian said I'd—"

Lucian's calm gaze settled on all three of them.

"If you two are so eager, then perhaps the choice should belong to Verus. A one-on-one match against Berry, or two-on-one against Mira and Luna."

He said slowly.

His eyes flicked toward the hero, and the corners of his mouth curled faintly.

"What do you say, Verus?"

Every gaze turned to him.

The boy straightened, his expression unreadable, but confidence burned in his golden eyes.

"Two against one? That's fine. I don't mind at all."

The crowd murmured louder, some in disbelief, others in excitement.

Lucian inclined his head.

"Very well. Mira, Luna—you may fight him together. But, do not go all out. If any of you lose control, the village will suffer. Hold back enough that our training grounds remain standing."

His voice sharpened, silencing the excitement in an instant,

"Yes, Lucian."

Mira and Luna said together, though the competitive fire in their eyes betrayed that they might not heed all of his warning.

Berry muttered under his breath, shooting a glance at Verus.

"Kid's overconfident… this won't be pretty. A woman's revenge is never pretty…especially when that woman is either Mira or Luna."

Lucian did not say anything about this, but even he felt a little sorry for Lucian.

After all, he had heard stories about what happened to people who irritated Luna or Mira in the past and those stories were…not pretty.

The three fighters moved to the center of the grounds. The air itself seemed to hum with anticipation as villagers leaned forward, waiting to see the hero's true power.

"Begin."

Lucian's voice echoed.

Mira moved first, as swift as lightning. Her sword flashed as she darted forward, striking with practiced precision.

At the same time, the earth beneath Verus shifted unnaturally. The ground buckled, a surge of magic from Luna's hand twisting the dirt beneath his feet.

Two wolves of ice and shadow ran toward her side, lunging forward in perfect synchronization. These were the wolves Mira had tamed when she had been young.

Verus reacted instantly. His body blurred as he dodged the wolves, twisting out of their path with speed that made the onlookers gasp.

His boots skidded against the torn earth, and as Mira's blade came down, he raised his arm.

Flesh hardened in an instant, his skin shimmering with unnatural resilience as steel struck and clashed. Sparks flew.

The impact forced him back, and he stumbled dangerously—right into the shifting ground Luna had manipulated.

For a moment, it looked as if he would fall, but Verus spun, using the momentum to push off the unstable terrain and land nimbly several paces away.

He grinned, golden eyes alight with excitement.

Berry, watching from the sidelines, did not share that excitement. His gut twisted.

Mira and Luna were dangerous even when holding back, and the irritation already flashing across their faces made him uneasy.

Mira's lips tightened as she readjusted her grip, her eyes narrowing. Luna's expression remained unreadable, but the tightening of her jaw gave her away.

Neither liked being avoided, and Verus's evasive maneuvers had only stoked their competitive flames.

The crowd's cheers grew louder, echoing through the grounds as the hero and the two girls squared off again.

Lucian leaned back, arms crossed, his gaze steady as he observed every movement with quiet calculation.

The real battle, he knew, was only just beginning.