The Extra Who Shouldn’t Exist

The capital city of Imperius, proud crown of the human empire, had come to life once more after the attack six months ago.

Merchants and nobles crossed the marble-paved streets, soldiers patrolled in gleaming armor, and scholars moved between ancient towers of knowledge.

Yet today, all that grandeur bent under the shadow of something far more dangerous—a new rift opening.

In front of the Imperius National Museum, a place that preserved relics of forgotten civilizations, reality itself twisted.

A rift had appeared—its edges jagged and unstable, glowing like a wound in the sky. The air vibrated with mana, and faint growls echoed from within.

The rift was still in its early stage, but already low-ranked monsters—gnarled shadow wolves and horned mantises—were crawling out, hissing as they hit the streets.

The authorities had sealed off the area, erecting mana-barriers, but the real action was left to the guilds.

Word had already spread: this rift was measured at S-rank.

And that meant riches.

Every guild knew that S-rank rifts weren't just breeding grounds of monsters—they were treasure troves.

Mana stones littered the caves, monster carcasses could be harvested for alchemical materials, and their skill cores—if extracted—could grant hunters new abilities. High-ranked ones could even sell for billions at auction.

Some dungeons even held mana stone mines, veins of pure energy that could make a guild wealthy for generations.

If a guild was clever enough to capture the dungeon's "keeper monster" alive, they could farm mana stones endlessly.

So, fights over rift ownership were inevitable. Clashes between guilds over dungeon rights were a common occurrence.

And against the top ten guilds, the small fry had no chance.

The first to arrive were the heavyweights. The top three guilds of the empire had gathered in front of the museum.

Their members in battle-suits stood like armies, their insignias glowing proudly.

The first-ranked guild: Radiant Blades.

The second-ranked guild: Black Phoenix.

The third-ranked guild: Crimson Guard.

But then, a new guild entered the stage.

The Shadow Legion Guild.

Once a laughingstock known only for its medical facilities, it had risen faster than any guild in history.

Now, with their infamous—or perhaps famous—vice-guild master, Lucifer Morningstar, and his terrifying growth along with the guild, Shadow Legion had broken into the top ten rankings.

Five of their rising stars arrived: Tyrion, Dayne, Jaime, Tory, and Jade. Each was dressed in the black-and-violet battle uniforms of the Shadow Legion, the insignia of a shadowed lion gleaming on their chests. Their presence alone drew stares.

At the museum's entrance, Tyrion stretched lazily, smirking.

"Damn, it looks like a supermarket. Everyone's here to buy their favorite monster dish."

Tory chuckled.

"Well, you got me there."

Dayne frowned, glancing at the hostile atmosphere ahead.

"So… do we wait for the Captain to arrive?"

At once, the others froze. A shudder went through them.

Jaime muttered nervously, "Are you insane? If he shows up and finds us standing around like idiots, who knows what kind of torture he'll put us through this time!"

The others quickly nodded in agreement.

"Right, right. Let's handle this ourselves. If it gets out of hand, then we'll call him."

They marched straight to the entrance, and immediately every gaze turned to them. The atmosphere shifted, heavy with hostility.

The leaders of the top three guilds stood before them.

Danny Frey, Guild Member of the Radiant Blades, Rank 1. A towering man with short golden hair, clad in shining silver-white armor engraved with the insignia of two crossed blades. A colossal hammer strapped across his back radiated pure destructive power.

Natly Collen, Commander of the Black Phoenix, Rank 2. A sharp-eyed woman with long raven hair tied back, her sleek crimson-black battle suit embroidered with a phoenix insignia. A sleek ebony bow rested in her hand, its string glowing faintly with fire-imbued mana.

Tommen Zebron, Captain of the Crimson Guard, Rank 3. His armor was blood-red, jagged, and heavy, the insignia of a giant wolf's head across his chest. A brutal double-bladed axe rested on his shoulder, his face twisted into a mocking grin.

Danny stepped forward first, pointing his hammer at them.

"Well, well. What do we have here? Even ants think they can walk with giants just because they've grown wings?"

Laughter erupted from all directions, guild members sneering.

Tommen smirked, stepping closer, his massive shadow towering over Tyrion and the others.

"Get lost. This is no place for some washed-up guild that only got a little lucky. Only top guilds raid S-rank dungeons. Know your place before you embarrass yourselves."

But Tyrion just smirked.

"Looks like you guys aren't up to date with the news."

He tilted his head, voice sharp.

"Check the new rankings. Shadow Legion has taken the 10th spot from Red Scorpion Guild. Which means we do have the right to be here."

The mocking laughter froze into murmurs.

Danny's eyes narrowed dangerously. He jabbed a finger into Tyrion's chest, shoving him back.

"If I say you're unworthy ants, then you are. Crawl back with your tails between your legs, and don't ever show your faces before me again… or I'll break all your limbs."

Just as he moved to shove him again, Jaime's hand shot up, catching his wrist.

Blue aura surged violently around Jaime, pressing down on the surroundings. The ground cracked under the sudden pressure.

Jaime's eyes glowed coldly.

"And what if I don't?"

The atmosphere ignited with tension. Murmurs turned to jeers as the guilds broke into taunting laughter.

"These guys think they're big shots now?"

"Hahaha, ants roaring at lions."

"Someone teach these rookies their place!"

Danny ripped his arm free of Jaime's grip, stepping closer, his own golden aura flaring out like fire.

"You serious?"

Jaime's gaze didn't waver. His voice was calm, deadly.

"Does it look like I'm joking?"

The mana between them thickened, cracking the pavement beneath their feet. Weapons hummed, guild members drew closer.

And just before their clash could erupt—

The tension around the museum square thickened, every guild member gripping their weapons as if the wrong word would spark a massacre.

Tommen sneered, hefting his axe.

"You lot are getting a bit too bold recently. Just because of that… what was his name again? Ah yes—Lucifer… Lucifer Morningstar. What was he called again… the… the—"

Jade folded her arms and cut him off sharply.

"The devil himself."

Tommen's lips curled into a cruel grin.

"Yes. Just because he cleared a few dungeon-rifts, he thinks he's a big shot."

Tyrion smirked, stepping forward.

"Dungeon-rifts none of you so-called top guilds wanted to touch. Because there wasn't much profit, and they were unranked. They were on the verge of breaking, ready to unleash chaos on civilians. Yet you all looked the other way."

The smug faces of Danny and Tommen faltered.

Tommen's voice turned dark, his aura flaring as he pointed his axe forward.

"Watch your mouth, Tyrion. There are only five of you. We have more than twenty members ready to smash your faces into the ground."

Jaime cracked his knuckles, his blue aura whipping like a storm. His smirk was sharp as a blade.

"Tell that to someone who's actually scared of you."

The Crimson Guard members shifted uneasily at his pressure.

That was when Natly stepped forward, her bow raised casually, though her mana-coated arrow could pierce a tank if loosed. Her voice was honey-smooth but edged with steel.

"Are you really not scared? Do you even realize who's standing in front of you? These are the top three guilds of the empire. I admit you've grown stronger, but you should be shaking in your boots."

Dayne chuckled coldly.

"If this was a few months ago, we wouldn't even have the courage to look you in the eye."

His gaze sharpened, his hand tightening on the hilt of his blade.

"But things have changed. In this entire world, there's only one man we're scared of. And trust me, we tried getting on his bad side. That guy is the devil incarnate himself."

At those words, a shudder ran through Tyrion, Jaime, Tory, and Jade, each recalling bitter memories of punishments, brutal training, and "lessons" burned into their bones.

Dayne's voice dropped like a hammer.

"So if I had to choose between fighting you or facing him empty-handed… I'd choose to fight you in a heartbeat."

The other four nodded firmly, their smirks confirming the weight of his words.

Natly tilted her head, then suddenly burst out laughing, her guild joining her.

"You're flattering a rookie. A rookie who doesn't even have the guts to show his face. That so-called Lucifer Morningstar hides behind a mask. Why is that? Is he so ugly he doesn't dare show himself?"

The air went dead still.

A shudder ran through Tyrion and his group. Their expressions hardened. Tyrion stepped forward, eyes cold.

"Never say that in front of him… if you want to live."

Danny, Natly, and Tommen's guilds roared with laughter again. Danny, clutching his stomach, taunted,

"Ohhh, we're so scared!"

But then Danny's EtherPad buzzed. He frowned, answering.

"Yes, this is Captain Danny of the Radiant Blades… Yes… yes… what? He's coming here himself?"

Everyone fell silent, watching as Danny's face drained.

"Yes, sir, we understand. We'll fully support him and won't get in his way… Yes, I promise."

The call ended. Danny clicked his tongue, frustration on his face.

"There goes my chance at a promotion."

He turned toward Tommen, Natly, and the Shadow Legion members.

"You all better get lost. Because someone none of us can handle is on his way."

Tommen's eyes narrowed.

"And who would that be?"

Natly frowned, crossing her arms.

"Yeah, who could make you back off so easily?"

Danny smirked bitterly.

"The most famous hunter of our guild. Carter Brown. The man who helped the prophesied hero and his friends when they were kidnapped. He's back from his vacation."

The name sent ripples through the crowd. Even the air seemed heavier.

Tommen clicked his tongue.

"That guy… always showing up where he isn't wanted."

Natly's expression soured.

"Looks like the odds aren't in our favor anymore."

Tommen grumbled.

"He just had to crawl out of vacation now of all times."

But Tyrion suddenly stepped forward, smirk widening.

"Wait. Did you just say Carter Brown?"

Danny smirked arrogantly, thinking fear was finally showing.

"Yes. The trump card of the Radiant Blades. What's wrong? Scared now?"

But instead of fear, Danny saw something else—Tyrion and his group exchanged wicked smirks.

Tyrion turned to Jaime.

"Call the Captain. Tell him we've found Carter Brown."

Jaime's eyes gleamed with amusement as he pulled out his EtherPad.

"Gladly."

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A/N:

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