Reborn as an Extra Chapter 580: One more Final Gamble, Both or None! Part-5.

Previously on Reborn as an Extra...

Rio traversed the miasma-filled spirit realm alone to rescue his friend Liam, revealing that the toxic environment posed no threat to him but barred others from joining. As they neared the giant door containing Liam's soul, a heavy silence fell, with Rio questioning if Liam could ever live normally again. Ellie admitted the grim reality: Liam's body was irreparably shattered, leaving only his soul, which she preserved at great cost, though extracting it would invite eternal pursuit by miasma. To aid the effort, Rio presented a shadow dragon scale obtained from Ellie's merged and tormented father, who had passed his final moments in bittersweet relief upon learning of her survival before succumbing to madness. Ellie agreed to craft a temporary soul container from the scale, steeling herself against the overwhelming despair.

"Sigh... at least he didn't die feeling utterly hopeless... He served as an outstanding leader for the Shadow Dragon Race, yet as a father, he fell short in many ways..."

"I suppose... the miasma had stripped away most of his sanity ages ago, so I can't hold it against him... Still, I wish he had prevented the others from holding me responsible for failing to meet their hopes..."

"He ought to have realized that creatures relying on mana simply can't surpass rank S within this spirit realm overflowing with miasma..."

The miasma dominates this realm so intensely that it overrides every other 'law' of 'reality' here, making it impossible to achieve rank SS without entering a distinct pocket space in the spirit realm brimming with mana.

Typical spirit and divine spirits, such as Kai, reside in isolated pockets of the spirit realm either untouched by the sea of miasma so far or cleansed by Astra over a millennium ago.

"But he never stood up for me... There was a time when... I truly resented him, yet after enduring a thousand years in this enclosed prison..."

"All traces of my fury and resentment have faded away over time... A millennium can transform a soul profoundly..."

As those words escaped Ellie's lips, she and Rio arrived at the foot of the hill where the enormous door loomed.

Up close, Rio observed countless chains infused with mighty seals, encircling and securing the massive door to both the earth and the very weave of space-time.

Certain chains were directly anchored to the space-time fabric; without his exceptional ability to detect spatial disturbances, Rio might have thought they were merely dangling in the void for no apparent reason.

"What an formidable seal this is... I doubt even I could scratch those chains, no matter how much power I unleash..."

"The purification magic pouring from this seal is overwhelmingly potent..."

"Should a frail being make contact, their soul would be instantly cleansed of every memory, and their sea of consciousness would shatter in a flash..."

Stairs ascended the hill toward the door. Ellie took the lead, stepping ahead while explaining.

"That's precisely why I've never risked touching them during my entire stay here... I'm terrified that brushing against the heart of this intense purification magic would leave me mindless..."

"Astra... that timeless entity was truly legendary; her purification magic remains so vigorous even after a full thousand years battered by corruption and miasmic assaults..."

"I was far too young at the time, or else I would have yearned to encounter ancient icons like King Allen and Astra..."

Rio sensed the intense spatial ripples around them and inquired,

"Is this truly a safe spot for Liam’s soul?... Won't the purification magic and those fierce spatial waves destroy him?"

Upon hearing Rio’s concern, Ellie offered a gentle smile and responded steadily,

"The spatial disturbances and purification magic could indeed threaten lesser souls and fragile beings..."

"However, remember that Liam possesses the fabled skill 'Mana Field.' It empowers him by drawing on ambient mana, granting him unparalleled mastery and precision with every bit of mana..."

Gazing at the colossal door as they ascended the stairs, Ellie continued,

"This vast seal releases vast quantities of mana and purification magic... I'm unsure of its endless power origin, but sheltering Liam’s soul close to this door will greatly aid his recovery..."

The spirit realm teems with miasma throughout, leaving scant mana anywhere; even Ellie's enclosure holds only the tiniest traces of mana in the atmosphere.

Much of the available mana stems from the grand seal's emissions and the purification magic that repels the encroaching miasma.

"The key factor allowing me to survive without sustenance in this forsaken place for so long is harnessing the mana from that massive door as my vital energy..."

Unlike Rio, who could draw strength from miasma, Ellie required a reliable flow of mana to endure in this desolate, accursed domain.

Deprived of mana, a dragon becomes little more than a common beast or monster; it's mana that unleashes their full potential.

"Believe me... nowhere in the spirit realm is better for safeguarding Liam’s soul; no spot offers greater security..."

With those assurances from Ellie, she and Rio crested the hill's summit.

Rio was about to pose another question when a voice he knew all too well pierced his ears, cutting him off.

"That's right, trust her, Rio; after all, she's one of your closest allies. You really ought to heed her advice... Though it stings a bit that you're not warming up to me as a friend..."

A towering door, shackled by chains and seals that gleamed with golden and greenish light, dominated the hilltop, while below it stood numerous torch poles.

Many of those poles lacked any lamps or torches atop them, yet one bore a floating soul radiating a violet glow.

Rio instantly recognized it as Liam's soul, but the real surprise was the figure lounging against that very torch pole.

"What!? Who goes there!? What business do you have by Liam’s soul!? Step back now! That torch pole is a delicate relic designed to hold delicate energies!"

"Move away, or I'll end you on the spot!"

Ellie erupted in rage, yelling at the mysterious intruder, yet the stranger appeared utterly oblivious to her outburst.

"Hey! Rio... it's been ages~"