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.'

wanted immediate results when he embarked on

I'll conduct another experiment some other time to find

more Monster Cores belonging to the 99th Floor, so there were still assets at his

now, though, there other things occupied

Alicia that I'm

it would

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

hard and struggled to catch up to others despite

she feel if I told her

long that if he revealed his true identity, it wouldn't be that of 'Rey' or 'Ralyks' but a

a

tell her that the guy she looks up

Boss Monster

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

had been very careful with his

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

her to see his actions in

hating me the same

was no need for him to risk their perfect relationship with

tell her anything about

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

He truly was scared

from Alicia's bed, Rey's

on his face as he neared the

do next,

that she was

Ralyks is

to do whatever was necessary—even if

something he could

fell from his eyes

stays

********

tension filled the room as Rey returned in his