Aetheric Chronicles: Reborn As An Extra

The Queen of Nature stood tall, with her height being already 3 meters or so her presence radiated power and pressure as she raised her arms. The ground trembled in response to her command, and a cascade of magic erupted from her form. Her glowing green aura intensified, enveloping her like a second skin. Stay connected through empire

"For my children, and for the sacred life of this land—be purged!"

With her words, the battlefield transformed.

From the ground nearest the hunters, thick roots erupted like spears, wrapping around their legs with terrifying speed. Some hunters slashed at the roots with their weapons, but for every root they cut, ten more took its place. The terrain itself became a weapon—large boulders dislodged from the earth and catapulted toward the black barrier, crashing into it with deafening booms.

Above them, the sky darkened briefly before torrents of water poured from nowhere, forming a massive wave. The wave crashed toward the enemy with the force of an unstoppable tide, sweeping away their reinforcements. The water bent and curved unnaturally, avoiding the trainees entirely while drowning the hunters in its wake.

The Queen barely moved her hand, yet her control was flawless. The sight left the trainees frozen in awe.

"She's a monster..." one of them whispered, their voice trembling.

"That wave would've killed us instantly if it touched us," another said, their fear mingled with a sense of reverence.

Aurelius, watching the display, clenched his fists. The sheer scope of the Queen's power left him uneasy, though he tried not to let it show.

He wanted to control his power like that too after all.

And maybe so, he wondered if he could achieve this level one day.

Meanwhile, the elvins cheered, their spirits rejuvenated as their Queen toyed with their enemies. A tornado spiraled into existence moments later, ripping through the center of the hunters' defensive line. Even the trees bent toward the wind, but the trainees, shielded by the Queen's intent, were untouched.

Adrian observed everything with a calm, calculating gaze. "She's toying with them," he commented flatly, drawing the others' attention.

Ren turned to him, wide-eyed. "Toying with them? Are you saying she's not even serious?!"

"Not even close," Adrian replied. His voice carried a tone of certainty, as if the Queen's immense power was nothing unexpected. "She hasn't even used half of her strength yet."

The words hit like a thunderbolt. Ren's eyes widened further. "Half? So she's as strong as a Lunar Tier Awakener?"

Adrian nodded slowly. "In her current form, probably on par with the Principal of Celestial Arcane Academy."

"But…" He stopped abruptly, his words hanging in the air like a loaded weapon.

"But what?" Ren pressed, but Adrian remained silent, his expression unreadable.

His friends exchanged uneasy glances, their imaginations running wild with possibilities.

The Dragon Boy watching the queen gave a subtle glance at him, his eyes narrowing even more as if judging Adrian.

On this side, the Queen continued her relentless assault. The black barrier cracked under the weight of her attacks, the swirling energy visibly weakening. The hunters within scrambled to maintain it, their efforts growing increasingly desperate.

She could've destroyed it sooner but she was afraid of hurting her children and the innocent and more importantly her territory.

That's why she was being careful.

!

"Hmm?"

From her position, the Queen furrowed her brow. A sense of foreboding tugged at her instincts, and her mind replayed her funny envoy's warning: "Don't let things get too dangerous or too easy."

'Wait a second... Didn't I just?'

She realized now she had allowed it to become too easy.

'Is... something gonna happen?'

Adrian's gaze flickered.

He could feel it too—the shift in the air. His calm demeanor didn't falter, but inwardly, he braced himself.

'It's about to start…'

He turned sharply to his friends.

"Everyone, cover yourselves." His voice carried an edge of urgency, and his aether surged subtly as he began readying his own powers. His priority was clear—protecting his sister and then the others.

At the same time, the Queen of Nature raised her hand, conjuring a glowing shield that expanded outward, encasing everyone in the clearing. Its translucent surface shimmered with the colors of the elements, radiating an overwhelming sense of protection.

But before anyone could relax, a sharp, deafening crack echoed through the clearing.

Clink-!

The sound was alien, like glass shattering across dimensions.

Adrian's head snapped upward.

The black barrier surrounding the hunters trembled violently before shattering into shards of dark energy that dissolved into the air.

Above them, the sky itself seemed to split open. A massive crack, more than 10 times bigger than the previous one jagged and unnatural, stretched across the heavens, pulsing with an ominous black light.

The Queen's eyes widened, a cold dread washing over her. She whispered under her breath, "No… I've really... jinxed it."

The crack widened further, spanning nearly thirty meters. From it, black, formless entities began to rain down like droplets of ink spilled into water.

The first droplet hit the ground—and instantly annihilated it. Grass, earth, and even the air around it disintegrated into nothingness.

And then, the rain intensified.

"Protect yourselves ready!" Aurelius roared, his aether surging to form a protective dome over his group. His draconic companion immediately followed suit, spreading his wings wide to shield those nearby forming a golden shield.

The Queen's shield absorbed the first wave of destruction, but even she could feel its pressure.

The ground quaked once more as the battlefield descended into chaos.

The trainees huddled together, their fear returning tenfold. The elvins, who had moments ago been charging with confidence, now scrambled to defend themselves.

And Adrian, ever calm, fixed his eyes on the black rain. His voice was low but steady as he muttered, "This… is just the beginning."

The moment Adrian finished his words, the massive crack in the sky pulsed violently, sending out a shockwave that rippled through the atmosphere. A thick black mist began to seep from the fracture, cascading downward like a toxic fog.

The mist spread unnaturally fast, blanketing the battlefield and plunging the area into near-total darkness.