The Extra's Supremacy

The journey to Regalia had been long and tiring. When the cab driver—an ordinary man, not an ascender—expressed his fatigue, Elara decided they needed to stop for the night. After a brief discussion, they settled on The Everbloom Inn, a quaint but bustling establishment in Kythera City.

Inside the inn, the warm glow of chandeliers cast an inviting light over the crowd. Elara approached the counter and swiftly booked three rooms: one for herself and Lily, one for Kain, and one for the cab driver.

"Thank you, ma'am," the cab driver said with genuine gratitude, tipping his hat slightly before heading off to his room.

Elara smiled warmly, taking Lily's hand. Together, the pair began climbing the staircase toward their assigned room, with Kain trailing a few steps behind.

As they ascended, Kain felt a prickle of unease, a faint sense of being watched. His instincts, honed by countless dangerous missions, kicked in. Subtly, he turned his head, scanning the main hall below. His sharp gaze landed on a man seated with a group of friends—a man with striking light blue hair and piercing green eyes.

The man's expression had been intent, his focus unmistakably on their group. But as soon as Kain's eyes met his, the stranger quickly averted his gaze, feigning nonchalance and returning to his drink.

Kain sighed internally. He didn't need to guess the reason for the stranger's attention. His sister, Elara, was beautiful. Even at 30, she appeared as though she were in her early twenties. Her youthful looks, paired with her graceful demeanor, often drew attention wherever they went. If people didn't know better, they might mistake Elara, Kain, and Lily as siblings rather than mother, son, and uncle.

Shaking his head, Kain continued up the stairs, deciding to let the matter slide for now. As much as he disliked the idea of strangers eyeing his sister, he had more pressing concerns on his mind—concerns that would soon come to light once they reached Regalia.

Kain entered his room, his body heavy with fatigue after the long journey. He tossed his bag onto the chair and headed to the washroom to freshen up. The cold water on his face did little to calm his nerves, but it was enough to shake off the exhaustion.

Once he stepped out, he headed into the bedroom, planning to collapse on the bed for a moment of peace. However, the sharp ring of his mobile interrupted his thoughts.

Kain frowned and picked it up from the nightstand. The caller ID displayed a name he hadn't expected to see—Master Vikar.

With a deep sigh, he answered the call. Before Vikar could get a word in, Kain's voice cut through, laced with frustration. "What do you want, old man? We already agreed—I'm done with the Reaper role."

There was a brief pause on the other end before Vikar's calm but firm voice replied. "Ahem, it's an emergency, Reaper."

Kain's brow furrowed as he leaned against the wall, tension building in his posture. "What kind of emergency?"

"We've received credible information about vampires in your area," Vikar said evenly, letting the gravity of the situation sink in.

"Vampires? In Kythera City?" Kain repeated, his tone skeptical. He straightened, pacing the room as his mind raced. "Wait a minute... How do you even know I'm here? Don't tell me you've been tracking me."

A faint chuckle came from the other end. "Haa, we don't usually monitor field agents during their free time," Vikar admitted. Then, his tone turned wry. "But in your case, it's a little different. Someone from your family made a specific request."

Kain froze, narrowing his eyes. "Who?"

"Sovereign Elara," Vikar revealed with a hint of amusement in his voice. "She warned us to keep an eye on you."

Kain groaned, running a hand through his hair in exasperation.

Kain's mind raced as the weight of Vikar's words sank in. 'So Elara already knew I was working as a field agent. Haa, I underestimated her. Even if she's sealed her powers, it doesn't dull her insight or perception,' he thought grimly.

After a moment of contemplation, Kain asked, his voice tinged with irritation, "Why me? Are there no Masters, Sovereigns, or Archons in Kythera City who can handle this?"

"There were," Vikar replied, his tone shifting slightly. "But an incident in Regalia has drawn every available Sovereign and Archon to the capital. As for Masters, there are only a few in Kythera right now. Of those, only two are skilled enough for a silent operation of this nature."

Kain crossed his arms, his tone sharp. "And before you try to rope me into this, let me ask: why should I care? There are others capable of handling it."

Vikar let out a low chuckle before adding cryptically, "Well, before you reject me outright, there's something you should know..."

Kain's patience snapped. "Enough with the suspense. Just spit it out, old man," he snapped, taking a sip of water from the bottle on the nightstand.

Vikar didn't hesitate. "Aric—the newly selected professor for Ascender Academy—and you have been handpicked for this mission. The order came directly from Supreme Zander himself."

Kain froze mid-sip, and the water he had just swallowed came sputtering back out in a dramatic spit-take. His wide-eyed expression betrayed his shock. "Supreme Zander? As in the Zander? The principal of Ascender Academy?"

"Correct," Vikar confirmed, his tone smug. "He's been keeping an eye on your mission reports for a while now."

Kain rubbed his temple, groaning in disbelief. "What the hell, Vikar? You should have told me this sooner!"

"Well, you know now," Vikar said, completely unfazed by Kain's frustration. "I'll send you Aric's contact details shortly. Meet with him and handle the mission discreetly. And Kain..."

"What?" Kain muttered, still trying to process everything.

"Show those vampires hell, Reaper," Vikar said, his tone turning deadly serious before the line went dead.

Kain tossed his phone onto the bed, sighing deeply. "This just keeps getting better and better," he muttered sarcastically.

Kain opened his suitcase and retrieved a silver bracelet glimmering faintly under the room's dim light. The artifact wasn't just a piece of jewelry—it was his personal storage device. Slipping the bracelet onto his left wrist, he activated it with a faint pulse of energy.

With a subtle hum, the bracelet responded, and a stream of light materialized his black combat suit, sword, and mask onto the bed.

Kain ran his fingers over the sleek, matte-black fabric of the suit. It was custom-made, reinforced with special alloys and enchanted fibers to withstand both physical and magical assaults. Without hesitation, he began slipping into the suit over his nightwear. The snug material covered him entirely, encasing his body up to his forehead while leaving only his face exposed.

Next, he secured his gear: lightweight armor plating on his shoulders and chest, holsters for additional weapons, and a belt outfitted with pouches for emergency tools.

Finally, his eyes rested on the mask. A sinister piece, crafted from black metal with glowing red eyes and two sharp, curved horns on each side. The sight of it would strike fear into even the bravest enemies. Kain picked it up, holding it for a moment, his expression unreadable.

With a smirk playing on his lips, he slowly brought the mask to his face. The cold metal settled against his skin as he locked it into place.

Staring into the mirror, his voice dripped with sarcasm as he muttered, "Rest in peace in advance, blood freaks."

Reaper was ready to hunt.