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

I'll conduct another experiment some other time

Monster Cores belonging to the

now, though, there other

Alicia

she perceived Ralyks, it would be a very difficult thing

too long ago—about how she admired him for being so determined and

liked how he worked hard and struggled to catch up

would she feel if I told

if he revealed his true identity, it wouldn't

be a

her that the guy she looks up to so much intentionally put her in immense danger

Boss Monster under his

any of them since that was its directive. Besides, his Replica was

had been very careful with

put them in a life or death situation mentally. Given Alicia's trauma, that's a very scummy thing to

to see his actions

same way she

for him to risk

can't tell her

sighed silently and wiggled his way out of her embrace. Smiling gently at her, he

He truly was scared

As he walked away from Alicia's bed, Rey's

look on his face as

about to do next, it's

told him that she was scared of

as Ralyks is

to do whatever was necessary—even if it meant

something he could show

sorry, Alicia." Tears fell from

stays

********

the room as Rey returned in his