The Extra Who Shouldn't Exist-Chapter 395 - 396 : Protection Zone
The moment Alex stepped past the massive gates of the Tower of Ascension, reality itself seemed to stutter.
The air warped. ππππ¦ππππππ·ππ.πΈπ°π
Space folded inward.
And thenβ
Countless translucent windows exploded into existence before his eyes.
Notifications layered over one another, flooding his vision in rapid succession.
Warnings.
Greetings.
Mocking messages.
Excited reactions from higher beings.
System confirmations.
Unknown entities reacting to his return.
They stacked endlessly, overlapping like a broken interface gone mad.
Alex didnβt even blink.
He walked forward calmly, hands in his pockets, completely ignoring the chaos screaming for his attention.
βStill as noisy as ever,β he thought flatly.
Thenβ
One window forcibly pushed itself to the very front.
It was different.
Clear.
Centered.
Impossible to ignore.
{ Do you wish to take on the trial on the Second Floor? }
[ Yes / No ]
Alex stopped walking.
He stared at the window for a moment, eyes narrowing slightly behind the mask.
βHah... already trying to drag me back into trials.β
He considered it.
Just for a moment.
Then his lips curved beneath the mask.
"Iβd love to," he said casually, "but I donβt have time for that right now."
His gaze sharpened.
"Gotta reach Hephaetaestus before he changes his mind about giving me the weapon he promised."
Without hesitation, Alex raised his hand and pressedβ
No.
The window shattered into particles of light.
For half a second, everything went silent.
Thenβ
Another window materialized immediately.
{ The candidate has been restricted due to lower rank. }
{ Access is limited. }
{ The candidate currently has access only to the First Floor. }
{ To gain access to other floors, the candidate must: }
{ Clear other floors. }
{ Complete Tower-designated tasks. }
{ Or increase Rank. }
{ Do you still wish to continue? }
[ Yes / No ]
Alex let out a slow sigh.
"So I canβt even explore freely unless I clear the other floors. Interesting," he muttered.
He tilted his head slightly.
A faint chuckle escaped him.
"Annoying... but fine."
He pressedβ
Yes.
The window vanished.
Immediately, another one appeared, its text glowing brighter than the rest.
{ Teleporting candidate to First Floor Protection Zone. }
Before Alex could say another wordβ
His body dissolved.
Not violently.
Not painfully.
He broke apart into countless motes of silver and violet light, scattering into the air like glowing ash.
The world folded inward.
Darkness swallowed everything.
Thenβ
Light returned.
Alexβs form reassembled smoothly, particles stitching together into flesh and bone.
The moment his boots touched solid groundβ
He froze.
Completely.
For the first time since entering the Tower...
He was genuinely stunned.
In front of him stretched a city unlike anything he had ever seen.
Endless skyscrapers of black crystal and silver steel pierced the sky, their surfaces etched with glowing runes and shifting symbols.
The city bustled with life.
Crowds moved everywhere.
Humans.
Beastkin.
Demons.
Angelic figures.
Mechanical beings.
Races he had never seen before.
Some wore advanced armor humming with technology he had never encountered.
Others were dressed in flowing robes, spiritual rings floating behind their backs, exuding an unmistakable cultivator aura straight out of the cultivation novels he had once read.
Alex slowly exhaled.
"So theyβre candidates too," he murmured. "Just like me."
His eyes swept across the streets.
Many of them radiated terrifying strength.
Dense.
Refined.
Oppressive.
Some presences made even Alex pause for half a heartbeat.
βWow... now this is something.β
Shops lined the streets endlessly.
Stalls selling artifacts pulsing with divine energy.
Skill crystals sealed in special glass.
Bloodline extracts.
Cultivation manuals.
Esoteric arts.
Forbidden techniques.
Alexβs gaze moved from stall to stall, genuinely impressed.
"Looks like the Tower really doesnβt hold back on candidate growthβif they can afford it, that is."
Thenβ
He noticed it.
A massive board hovered in the sky at the center of the city.
Impossible to miss.
Its surface glowed with golden light, names and numbers shifting constantly.
The First Floor Ranking Board.
Alex smirked faintly.
βSurely Iβm still on top.β
He looked up.
And thenβ
His mouth slowly fell open.
{ Rank 1 : The unworthy Queen
Kills : 150,445
Rank 2 : Ruler of Darkness
Kills : 148,995
Rank 3 : Lucifer Morningstar
Kills : 147,880
Rank 4 : Samara
Kills : 50,475
...
}
Alex rubbed his eyes.
Once.
Twice.
The board didnβt change.
"What the hell..."
His voice was flat, but his interest spiked sharply.
"Someone actually broke it."
A low chuckle escaped him.
"Now Iβm definitely interested."
He lifted his head slightly.
"I really want to meet whoever those two are."
Just as the thought crossed his mindβ
A voice spoke beside him.
Casual.
Amused.
"Looks like youβre enjoying yourself."
Alex didnβt turn.
Didnβt tense.
Didnβt react.
Instead, he smiled.
Above him, the sky rippled.
A figure materialized lazily in midair.
A wolf.
Tall.
Dressed in a sleek blazer and neatly pressed shirt, glasses perched calmly on his snout.
He lounged in the air as if gravity were optional, adjusting his spectacles with one clawed hand.
The moment everyoneβs gaze landed on himβ
The entire city stiffened.
Conversations died instantly.
Faces paled.
"Is that... a manager?"
"What the hell is a Tower Manager doing here?"
"Is someone about to get punished?"
"Or is he assigning a personal quest...?"
Fear spread like wildfire.
Raon, the wolf-like Tower Manager, descended slowly, materializing beside Alex.
Alex finally turned his head.
His smile widened.
"What took you so long?"
Raon chuckled softly.
"Straight to business as always, Mr. Lucifer."
Alexβs smile widened as he spoke.
"I knew youβd come," he said calmly. "I take it everyone who arrived before me is with you?"
Raon didnβt answer.
Instead, he turned and gestured lazily.
"Come with me."
A portal tore open in the air beside him, swirling with controlled spatial energy.
Raon stepped through first.
Alex followed without hesitation.
The world twisted.
Space folded inward.
And thenβ
Alex found himself standing inside a familiar place.
The same office-like room he remembered from before.
Smooth dark walls.
Soft ambient lighting.
A large single table positioned at the center.
One chair behind it.
On the sofa beside the tableβ
Zara.
Erwin.
Azreal.
A smile spread across Zaraβs face, mirrored by Azreal.
"What took you so long?" they said.
Alex simply smiled in return.
