Reborn as an Extra Chapter 593: An endless loop! Part-1.
Previously on Reborn as an Extra...
Three Months Earlier, Prior to the Liam Rescue Operation.
"So you're telling me the gateway to the spirit realm is really a 'wormhole,' and shattering the space-time fabric is how I get in?"
"You realize I'm just an S-ranker at the moment, don't you? How in the world do you think I can break the space-time fabric?"
Perched atop the highest floor of the skyscraper, Rio posed these queries to the man next to him.
That companion was none other than Ashtel Rex, the mightiest warrior on Earth.
"You're powerful, Rio... never sell yourself short; a true awakener's might stems from their self-belief..."
"Folks lacking faith in themselves can't dream of rescuing anyone else, since they can't even rescue their own skins first..."
"To tackle a rescue operation... you gotta believe in yourself above all..."
Ashtel gazed at the glittering city lights piercing the midnight darkness, a grin spreading across his features.
"During specific times each day, the space-time fabric at that spot thins out from the spirit realm clashing with our physical world..."
"That's precisely why it's called the 'weak node'... pour all your power into it, and you ought to punch a gap right there..."
"The wormhole should then open up before your eyes..."
Ashtel halted briefly before going on,
"However, steer clear of unleashing your legendary skill or any heavy-hitting techniques while inside the wormhole... they're inherently delicate; wreck it, and you'll get flung to some arbitrary spot across the cosmos..."
"At that point, you'd have no choice but to activate the teleportation scroll for a way back, dooming the mission..."
Upon hearing that, Rio dipped his head and inquired,
"Speaking of wormholes... don't you routinely tear apart the space-time fabric? Do these wormholes pop up frequently with your big strikes?"
Ashtel's whole arsenal revolved around unleashing destruction so fierce that even space-time couldn't hold; naturally, Rio wondered how he managed the wormholes that emerged from his abilities.
"I typically just seize them and seal them manually... uh... don't shoot me those odd stares; I channel 'World Authority' to unleash shockwaves via my grip, then slam it shut with raw might..."
"Low-rank dungeons follow the same principle; you can force them closed exactly like that..."
"Honestly, I wasn't even aware of this trick myself until I mimicked it from the dragon king..."
At those remarks, Rio rolled his eyes inwardly, musing,
'Is everyone in this world a pilferer? We're nabbing bits and pieces from each other... did I somehow get reborn into a thieves' realm by mistake?'
"Alright... suppose you need to seal a wormhole without relying on world authority... what then?..."
Ashtel cracked a small smile at Rio's query and answered,
"In the days when my world authority was still weak and I couldn't brute-force shut dungeons or wormholes, I relied on a smart workaround to handle them..."
Ashtel's powers excelled at blasting shockwaves across the space-time fabric, with his fiercest blows focusing those waves intensely enough to splinter it apart.
For ages, this had served as his go-to offensive tactic, so he'd inevitably confronted wormholes and void tempests whenever he cracked the spatial barrier.
Prior to swiping the dragon king's method, Ashtel resorted to a more cunning approach, which involved,
"Think of wormholes as simple tubular passages linking one spot to another, yeah?"
"Busting it from within could spill chaos outward through erratic spatial ripples, so to counter that..."
"I'd obliterate the wormhole's exit by firing intense shockwaves into it, stripping away its 'end' anchor..."
"Once that's gone, the wormhole's 'End' snaps back to the 'Start' point... forming a loop..."
Lacking an 'End' anchor, the wormhole's full force recoils to the 'start' spot, reshaping that tube into a sealed, ring-like circuit!
Within this ring-like circuit, the energy circulates endlessly, allowing the wormhole to settle into a fresh, steady form after its brief upheaval from the ruined end anchor.
"This method makes the wormhole curl in on itself and seal up... though it guzzles a massive amount of energy..."
"These days, I prefer tearing it open from the outside, squeezing it tight, and clamping it with shockwaves; it's way less draining and kinder to the surroundings..."
Rio couldn't help but chuckle at Ashtel's rundown.
"Did you major in physics or something? You're surprisingly versed in space-time mechanics..."
Ashtel offered only a sheepish grin in response.
"Kid, I've been at this game for decades now... after all that time, anybody gains deep know-how in their power's domain..."
"That said, I was a total flop at school and scholarly stuff... hard as it might be to swallow, I ranked dead last among my classmates back then..."
Those words left Rio genuinely taken aback.
"And that former loser now stands as the planet's top powerhouse... why not get a book penned about your journey?"
"I'm sure it'd motivate tons of folks..."
Ashtel lifted his shoulders nonchalantly and shot back with a grin,
"I couldn't care less about that stuff... what matters to me is safeguarding the pure joy on this nation's kids' faces... I cherish how everything glows so vibrantly in times of peace..."
"I only wish our country's days and nights stay forever luminous and wonderful... hehe..."
It was then that Rio finally grasped Ashtel's fondness for lounging on skyscrapers and overlooking the city sprawl.
He relished seeing humankind thrive, keeping that radiant spark alive.
From his skyscraper perch amid the chilly gusts, he could peer clear to the skyline, beholding the whole metropolis aglow with dazzling lights and cheerful grins all around.
True supremacy wasn't solely about thwarting villains and vanquishing foes; it demanded a passion for the role.
After all, without loving your duty, how could you shield millions as their guardian?
How would people lean on you if you resented their reliance?
Observing the luminous city blooming under his watch was Ashtel Rex's way of easing his burdens and staying rooted in his human side.
Immense power brought heavy duties, yet it also tempted with vast chances for rot and downfall.
Had Ashtel Rex grown weary of his role or irritated by safeguarding others, he'd have strayed down a dark 'Path' ages ago.
His grip on humanity endured because he adored his work and delighted in witnessing the nation's daily progress.