Reborn as an Extra Chapter 522: The Next Mission is... Part-4.
Previously on Reborn as an Extra...
A familiar, unsettling premonition washed over Rio, reminiscent of the time he ventured into the dragon valley and discovered the buried prototype spire.
That discovery had immediately pulled him into Alverto's orbit, leading to the summoning of the actual Spire of Ascension.
To this day, the origin of that strange prototype building remains a mystery to him, as does the identity of whoever interred it within the valley.
’Since I had to investigate the roots of my blade regardless, visiting that place makes sense...’
"So, will you be accompanying me? Who else is joining this rescue operation?" Rio inquired.
At Rio’s question, Ashtel looked visibly uncomfortable, scratching the nape of his neck with an awkward expression.
"Well... my history with the dwarves is a bit strained; I once forced my way into the spirit realm using a fragile node located inside their borders..."
"I essentially thrashed their leadership back then, so they’ve officially barred me from entering their territory..."
Ashtel let out a sigh as he elaborated,
"I was in pursuit of a turncoat who decided to flee into the spirit realm. Being a newly ascended SS-ranker at the time, I was young and headstrong, so I wasn't about to let him escape..."
"My recklessness led me to dive straight into the spirit realm, where I became besieged by dozens of SS-rank evil spirits..."
"I managed to execute the traitor, but I didn't come out unscathed; that experience taught me the lethal price of being impulsive..."
As he reminisced, a look of nostalgia crossed Ashtel’s features, as if he still harbored a desire to storm the spirit realm and cause chaos once more.
"Sigh, I was subsequently blacklisted from the spirit realm as well; every time I set foot there, powerful entities unite to hunt me down. If I go with you, the mission is doomed..."
"We would be relentlessly harassed by swarms of evil spirits, and their constant interference might prevent us from staying long enough to do anything..."
Unlike typical beings, evil spirits lack fear or hesitation; they won't retreat even when facing a peak SS-ranker like Ashtel Rex, choosing instead to swarm him indefinitely.
It was clearly a situation best left undisturbed.
"I am unable to go as well... I am actually highly susceptible to the corruption of miasma..."
Raji, having just composed herself after her period of mourning, immediately declined.
She was well aware of her own temperament; being prone to emotional instability made her a prime target for miasmic corruption in a region saturated with it.
"If we don't have an SS-ranker, the mission must be conducted in stealth to avoid alerting any SS-rank evil spirits..."
Following Rio’s observation, Link and Riya both expressed a desire to join him, but Ashtel shook his head, preventing their involvement.
"No, neither of you can participate... As I mentioned, the dwarves despise me; they will undoubtedly target Link because my entire lineage is prohibited from entering their land..."
"Ugh... stop looking at me like that... Fine, I might have been a bit extreme when I slapped their beloved princess after she tried to seduce me, but in my view, the rest wasn't my fault..."
The group was stunned by Ashtel’s admission, and even Link shook his head in defeat.
"It’s no wonder they banned anyone related to you... Slapping their precious princess? ... That is definitely crossing a line..."
Ashtel simply shrugged at the comment.
"I’m a happily married man, alright? I had a beautiful wife waiting for me at home... I obviously wasn't going to choose some stranger over her!"
"I truly loved my wife!"
Hearing Ashtel speak with such conviction and pride, Link and Rio felt a twinge of guilt for doubting his motives.
’I likely would have done the same since I have Lia...’
Rio nodded in silent agreement, the image of his charming girlfriend surfacing in his mind.
"Setting my situation aside, what about Riya? She is the ideal candidate for the spirit realm since she possesses the power to purify miasmic corruption!"
Link tried to press the point, but Raji shook her head this time.
"No... I am familiar with this issue; it is said that the spirit realm harbors a deep hatred for 'Healers'... if one enters the 'Spirit Realm,' they become the primary target for every evil spirit there..."
Ashtel nodded, confirming Raji’s explanation.
"Exactly... this dates back to the era of King Allen... he was the greatest foe of the demon race, and the miasma detested him immensely..."
"The person who constantly mended his wounds whenever the miasma managed to harm him was 'Astra,' the world's premier healer..."
"She even assisted King Allen in cleansing various sectors of the Spirit realm! The isolated pockets where normal spirits live, untouched by miasma, are said to be created by her strength!"
Astra's ability to cleanse miasmic corruption was the reason the spirit realm became fractured and divided.
The miasma’s hatred for her was so great that whenever a healer enters the spirit realm, a massive monster tide is triggered, hunting them relentlessly until they flee or perish.
"Err... so that leaves only me? Am I supposed to undertake this 'mission' alone then?"
Raji nodded at Rio’s question, answering in a composed tone,
"Actually, this is a perfect opportunity... you have been in the limelight for too long; several powerful figures have begun to eye you after noticing your recent achievements..."
"You have gained worldwide fame... it might be detrimental to remain in the public eye before you attain SS-rank..."
"By going on this covert mission, you can stay out of sight for a significant period. By the time you return, the nation should be mostly stable..."
With Ashtel’s return, things would soon stabilize; though it would take a few months for him to regain his peak strength, he was already powerful enough to discourage most threats.
Rio nodded, contemplating the situation.
’True, with Link’s father back, most outlaws will either flee or go into hiding. I won't have many chances to train or experiment if I stay here...’
’This mission is a great chance for me... I can freely torture... I mean, experiment on those evil spirits without anyone stopping me, since there are no legal repercussions for killing them...’
Rio’s previous 'hunting' expeditions had already annoyed many, with some believing his brutal treatment of criminals violated the nation's laws.
It was far more efficient to practice on monsters and evil spirits away from public scrutiny.
’Lia might be away for a while, so I may as well prioritize this mission...’
"Alright, set up a secret route for me to reach the dwarf kingdom; my next objective is 'Rescue the distressed maiden Liam from the spirit realm'..."
Ashtel nodded at Rio’s words and offered a compliment,
"That's the spirit! I knew I could rely on you. Don't worry, I will handle the preparations; just make sure to settle any lingering business before you depart..."
"The spirit realm is treacherous; you might want to fulfill your final wishes before heading in. Who knows what could happen? AHAHAHAHA!!"
Rio rolled his eyes at the dark humor.
"Don't jinx me; my luck isn't exactly great to begin with..."
...
With the plans finalized, the meeting concluded. Raji, Riya, and Ashtel left to attend to Anna and Jin.
Riya needed to examine Jin’s health, while Raji and Ashtel had vital questions for him—specifically, whether he intended to retire or continue his service to the country.
They also had to organize a proper ceremony for Jin, given his significant contributions during the 'Chronos Incident'; he had played a key role in saving the world and deserved recognition.
Meanwhile, Rio and Link stood on the balcony, gazing at the horizon.
"I never expected Liam’s father to be that kind of man... I used to believe that regardless of how flawed a father is, they would at least have a limit and protect their own children..."
Rio shook his head at Link’s remark.
"You're fortunate to have such a good father; many others aren't. Stop judging everyone by your own experiences; you often forget that you come from one of the most elite backgrounds in this country..."
Link nodded, acknowledging Rio’s point.
"Sigh... I can't even go with you to rescue my friend... can I even call myself his friend if I'm useless when he needs me most?..."
Rio smirked and gave Link a light jab in the ribs.
"Don't get discouraged; I'll bring that idiot back for all of us... in the meantime, keep training and help stabilize the nation..."
"I expect you to be strong enough to actually challenge me by the time I return..."
Link took a deep breath and nodded at the words of encouragement.
"Yeah! I'll be waiting! I'll definitely win next time, 'Dark Star' Rio!"