An Extra’s POV

[Moments Later]

'It's a relief I undid the [Replication] when I did.' Rey thought as he looked at Alicia's sleeping face.

After crying her eyes out, she had fallen asleep in Rey's arms.

He already knew she was very exhausted, so none of it came as a surprise to her. The only awkward thing was that he still had his arms wrapped around her.

"Huu…" Rey couldn't help but wonder what his Replica would have done in such an emotionally charged moment.

'I don't even want to think about it.'

In all honesty, he had been very lucky with the way the events had turned out.

'If I had been a bit off, things would have ended up being a little messed up. Maybe even more than that…' He sighed.

The plan from the start was pretty simple.

Rey fed the Boss Monster, as well as the Mobs, on the 98th Floor the Monster Cores that he found in the 99th Floor.

That made them evolve to another level entirely.

Afterwards, he left Ater in charge of overseeing their further evolution and ensuring that they would be viable for use in the fourth day of the Raid—when there would be no Ralyks to save the Otherworlders.

'It's really a shame that Monsters break down once they enter S-Tier. I guess they just don't have it in them to evolve any further.'

Rey wondered if the same applied to humans.

Someone like Lucielle, if she was forcibly thrust into the S-Tier… would she end up the same as the Boss Monster that Rey evolved?

'If that's the case, then I guess humans are doomed to be on this level.'

Rey still wasn't sure if that was strictly the case, but his experience with the Monster had shown him that it was a great possibility.

'Maybe if the Monster had more time to stabilize its evolution, it wouldn't have broken down like that. Its body would have acclimated to the change very slowly, and it would have been successful.'

immediate results when he embarked on that project, he couldn't say

some

the 99th Floor, so there were still

now, though, there other things

can't tell Alicia

would be a very difficult thing to

on a few occasions—including not too long ago—about how she admired him for being so determined

liked how he worked hard and struggled to catch up to others

feel if I told her that was

for so long that if he revealed his true identity, it wouldn't be that of 'Rey'

would be a stranger

tell her that the guy she

Boss Monster under his

thing wouldn't have killed any of them since that was its directive. Besides, his Replica was

very careful

or death situation mentally. Given Alicia's trauma, that's

to see his actions in such a

end up hating me the same way she despises Billy. No…

no need for him to risk their perfect relationship with

can't tell her anything

silently and wiggled his way out of her embrace. Smiling gently at her, he recognized his decision was more

He truly was scared

away from Alicia's bed,

was cold, just like the look on his face

I'm about to do next, it's better

that she was scared of the

identity as Ralyks

path carved from the shadows, meant to do whatever was necessary—even

wasn't something he could show

why I'm so sorry, Alicia." Tears fell from his eyes as

secret stays with

********

tension filled the room as