An Extra’s Rise in an Eroge

As Arthur entered the building, he spotted his classmates scattered around. His eyes landed on Alicia, and he made his way toward her.

Zephyra, who had mysteriously disappeared earlier, was now perched comfortably on Alicia's shoulder, nuzzling against her.

"What took you so long?" Alicia asked, looking up at him.

"Got held up by Cedric at the gate," Arthur replied with a shrug.
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Alicia reached into her pocket and handed him a sleek wristband. "Here, take this."

Arthur glanced at it in confusion. "What's this? I already have a watch."

"It's an Arcana Band—the one Sister Emily mentioned during the entrance ceremony, remember?"

Arthur blinked. "Oh… yeah. She did say we'd be getting these when classes started, but since it never happened, I completely forgot about it."

"They're distributing them now. I grabbed one for you," Alicia said simply.

Arthur smiled, touched by her thoughtfulness. "Thanks, Alicia. You're always looking out for me."

Before she could respond, he leaned in and placed a quick peck on her cheek.

Alicia's cheeks flushed instantly, and she lightly shoved him away. "Cut it out! Not in front of everyone."

Arthur chuckled and wrapped an arm around her. "You're adorable when you're flustered, you know that?"

Just then, Professor Samantha's voice, amplified by an enchantment, echoed through the hall.

"Attention, students!" she called out, clapping her hands to gather everyone's focus.

The chatter in the hall quickly died down as all eyes turned toward her.

"As mentioned earlier, you will all be going on a dungeon expedition. By now, I assume your professors have briefed you about the dungeon level and the monsters you'll encounter?"

"Yes!" the students responded in unison.

"Well, forget all of that," Professor Samantha said, a mischievous smile playing on her lips. "There's been a slight change of plans."

Murmurs immediately spread through the hall at her sudden announcement. Confusion and concern grew among the students, their whispers growing louder.

"SILENCE!"

A thunderous voice boomed across the hall, instantly silencing the crowd.

It was Professor Luke, the homeroom teacher of Class A. His sharp gaze swept over the students, daring anyone to continue talking.

Professor Samantha chuckled softly before resuming. "Now, let's move on. In yesterday's faculty meeting, it was decided that instead of combining all classes for the expedition, students will be divided into smaller groups."

She paused briefly, letting the information settle before continuing.

"Class E and D will be going to an E-level dungeon. Class C and B will be assigned to a D-level dungeon. And finally—" she glanced at the students before delivering the final verdict— "Class A and S will be sent to a C-level dungeon."

Another wave of chaos erupted in the hall.

A C-level dungeon was no joke. The monsters inside were on par with intermediate-level warriors. Many students visibly tensed at the thought, their initial excitement now replaced with unease.

"Okay, enough," Professor Samantha said, raising a hand to calm the students. "No need to get so worked up. We're not cruel enough to send you all to your deaths."

She gestured toward the wristbands they had received earlier.

"The Arcana Bands you were given aren't just for tracking your monster kills. They also monitor your location and vitals. If your health drops below a critical level, the band will immediately alert the supervisors, and they'll come to your aid."

At this announcement, most of the students let out relieved sighs.

"Moving on," she continued. "The E-level dungeon is called [Goblin's Den], where you'll be facing goblin-type monsters. The D-level dungeon is [Cell of the Dark Hound], filled with canine monsters like hounds, hell hounds, and other vicious beasts.

"And finally…" She paused, letting the tension build. "The C-level dungeon is called [The Devil's Forest]. You'll be up against various monsters, including lycanthropes, orcs, and giant spiders. But the most dangerous part?" She smirked. "The dungeon boss—a low-level demon. A succubus."

A murmur spread through the crowd at the mention of a demon.

"Now, let's talk about your objective," Professor Samantha said. "It's simple—kill monsters."

She glanced around the room, letting the weight of her words settle.

"As I mentioned earlier, the Arcana Bands will track every monster you slay. The stronger the monster, the more points you earn. And one more thing…"

She paused, letting suspense build before delivering the final piece of information.

"You can steal points from others by defeating them."

A heavy silence fell over the hall as her words sank in.

Arthur sighed, rubbing his temples. "Hah… did she really have to say that out loud?"

His mind raced with possible scenarios—ambushes, betrayals, power struggles.

This just got a lot more interesting…

"Alright, with everything explained, feel free to access the assigned portal according to your classes." Samantha declared.

And immediately, a group of students entered the portal. The students were quick-witted and formed groups for themselves.

"Woahh! So this is what a dungeon looks like!" A male voice echoed through the space, filled with excitement.

Arthur stood in the middle of a dense forest, the air thick with an eerie silence.

It's like I've been summoned to another world… he mused.

[Technically, you have.] Sol's voice echoed in his mind. [Dungeons are pocket dimensions, disconnected from the real world. They are worlds of their own.]

Not really necessary, but thanks for the explanation, Arthur replied, his gaze scanning the area.

That's when he noticed something odd—he was surrounded by unfamiliar faces.

Looks like everyone was teleported to random locations… He sighed in relief when he recalled Zephyra was with Alicia. She'll be safe with Zephyra by her side.

Just then, a student approached him. His face seemed familiar—probably a classmate—but Arthur couldn't recall his name.

"Hey, I'm Zeke. We're in the same class," the boy introduced himself.

"Arthur," he replied curtly.

Zeke smiled. "A few of us decided to form a group." He gestured toward four other students waiting nearby. "We were wondering if you'd like to join us?"

"Thanks for asking," Arthur said politely. "But I prefer to go alone."

Zeke nodded. "Oh, alright then. Stay safe." With that, he turned and rejoined his group.

Arthur, meanwhile, reached up and plucked Ignis from his head, holding her in front of him.

"You've been getting lazy," he said with a smirk. "Time to lose some weight."

Then, without warning, he tossed her into the air.

"Go hunt your own food."

Ignis flapped her wings frantically, glaring down at him with clear frustration.

"What? Stop giving me that look." Arthur crossed his arms. "You've gotten so fat you're struggling to fly."

Irritated, Ignis let out an angry chirp before diving at him, pecking his head furiously before flapping off into the trees.

Arthur chuckled, rubbing his head.