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.'

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

some

still had a couple more Monster Cores belonging to the 99th Floor, so there

now, though, there other

Alicia that I'm

and how she perceived Ralyks, it would be a very difficult

also told him on a few occasions—including not too long ago—about how

he worked hard and struggled to catch up to others despite being

if I told her that

that if he revealed his

would be a

after pulling today's stunt, I don't know if I have it in me to tell her that the guy she looks up to so much intentionally

had the Boss

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

had been very careful

put them in a life or death situation mentally. Given

see his actions in such a

the same way she despises Billy. No… maybe

for him to risk their perfect relationship with such

can't tell her anything

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

He truly was scared

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

the look on

I'm about to do next, it's

that she

as Ralyks is

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

wasn't something he could show

so sorry, Alicia." Tears fell from

stays with

********

room as Rey returned in his