Path of the Extra

It houses the Hero Academy and the Void Dungeon, making it a sacred capital ruled by the Four Great Clans and the government.

Currently, Jasmine was seated in the backseat of a car with Azriel beside her, while the driver and a bodyguard occupied the front seats.

They were on their way to the Hero Academy for the entrance exam.

As children of the Crimson Clan, security around them was tight.

A black car escorted them in front and another trailed behind, though they had limited their security presence to avoid drawing unnecessary attention.

Unfortunately, no servants were allowed to enter the academy, meaning they would have to take care of themselves.

Nol, who was also joining them, chose to ride in the car behind them for some reason.

Leaving the Crimson mansion had been a struggle, with Jasmine having to pry her tearful mother away from Azriel.

Their father, though maintaining a stoic expression, couldn't fool Jasmine; she knew he was just as reluctant to let them go.

Glancing beside her, Jasmine noticed Azriel absentmindedly staring out the window, his face blank.

She sighed inwardly.

'Still the same, huh…'

Ever since Azriel returned from the void realm, much had changed.

Jasmine had begun to rebuild her relationship with their parents, a process made easier by Azriel's return, which seemed to heal the fractures in their family.

Yet, despite being the catalyst for this newfound closeness, Azriel himself had distanced himself from them.

It wasn't that he avoided them.

In fact, no matter how clingy their mother became, he never complained.

Instead, he smiled warmly, seeming to enjoy her attention.

'Mom must have noticed too. She's been watching him in her own way.'

Jasmine thought, a small smile tugging at her lips.

Jasmine tried to keep an eye on him as well, even attempting to rekindle their old sibling dynamic by playfully annoying him.

But no matter what she did, Azriel never got angry.

He maintained a gentle distance, never losing his temper with her or their parents.

Jasmine looked sadly at Azriel.

'It must have been extremely lonely…'

She didn't know what exactly had happened to him in the void realm.

A part of her was afraid to ask directly.

She had tried probing Nol for answers, subtly hinting at her curiosity, but he remained tight-lipped.

For some reason, Nol was fiercely loyal to Azriel, refusing to speak of their time in the void realm unless given permission.

His behavior was unnerving.

Jasmine was sure that if Azriel asked Nol to take his own life, he wouldn't hesitate.

The thought terrified her.

What had they gone through to forge such a bond?

But the most baffling thing to Jasmine was Azriel's behavior at the Christmas Banquet.

She couldn't understand why he did what he did.

Azriel had never been the proactive type, or at least she thought she was sure of that.

'The way he behaved, like some charming prince, taking control of the entire banquet.'

He was definitely planning something, but what it was remained a mystery.

The conversation Azriel had with the headmistress and Saint Solomon, under a sound barrier, was further proof.

'Whatever they were discussing seemed important.'

Asking their father for insight would be useless; he believed in letting his children take responsibility for their own actions, and wouldn't intervene unless absolutely necessary.

Even their mother was in the dark about Azriel's plans.

Suddenly Jasmine cringed as she recalled how Azriel almost got engaged to Celestina at the banquet.

'Yeah, no way he's capable of capturing a maiden's heart.'

Jasmine nodded to herself, convinced.

She sighed again as she looked at Azriel.

'Still… I hope you let go of whatever is holding you back…'

*****

When something important is on the horizon, and one has done their best to prepare for it, it's only natural to feel nervous.

With that nervousness comes doubt—lots of it.

Doubts that plagued Azriel's mind as he stared out the car window at the passing scenery:

'Did I do enough...?'

'I didn't overlook anything, did I?'

'Everything will work out, right?'

After the entrance exam today, classes would begin the day after tomorrow. The fact that they would start so soon underscored the efficiency of the academy's staff.

But it also meant...

Only a week remained before the first years would head to the void dungeon, leading to a potentially disastrous event.

Azriel knew he'd likely receive the quest for the void dungeon incident any moment.

Not that it mattered.

'I probably won't be able to complete it this time...'

He was certain of that.

It was frustrating to think he'd miss out on all the rewards, but...

It was necessary—for himself.

As the reality of the moment set in, another, darker thought seized Azriel's mind—the main architects of the tragedy that loomed ahead.

'Neo Genesis...'

To the public, they were the clear enemy, painted as a organization bent on annihilating humanity's future.

That was the narrative—simple and terrifyingly clear.

Yet Azriel knew better.

He knew the deeper, more complex truth behind their actions.

He knew his true goal.

It wasn't that he supported Neo Genesis's methods or their vision.

Far from it.

He understood their rationale, even if he couldn't condone it.

The path they were treading was morally wrong, but from their perspective, it was an agonizing necessity.

Azriel couldn't bring himself to blame them—or rather, him.

He understood their motives, his desperation.

But understanding didn't mean support.

Not because Azriel believed he was inherently right, no.

It wasn't about whether he thought he was right or wrong.

Both he and him knew exactly what awaited this world...

'I wonder what you're thinking about all this...'

"...."

"Ma'am, sir, we have arrived."

The driver's voice cut through Azriel's thoughts, pulling him and Jasmine back to the present.

Neither had noticed the car had stopped.

'Must have some unique skill to drive this smoothly.'

Stepping out of the car with Jasmine, he stretched his arms and took in the sight before him.

'The hero academy...'

The building's architecture was impressive yet understated, with elegant stone facades and arched windows.

A broad cobblestone path led to the entrance, where massive wooden doors stood invitingly ajar.

'...how normal.'

For once, there was nothing absurd or extravagant.

The hero academy looked... normal.

It was surprisingly similar to an extremely prestigious college he might have seen in his previous world, at least from the outside.

He couldn't ignore the modern buildings surrounding the academy, which made it seem slightly out of place.

'Must be the dorm buildings.'

"Are you ready?"

Jasmine asked, her voice calm as she waited for him, while both of them ignored the shocked glances and murmurs directed at them.

Azriel grinned.

"Of course."

It was finally time for the main story to begin—the story that Azriel had read through countless sleepless nights in his previous world.

The story about the path of heroes.