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 that

another experiment some other time to

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

other

Alicia

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

a few occasions—including not too long ago—about

how he worked hard and struggled to catch up to

if I told her that was all

else for so long that if he revealed his true identity,

would be a stranger to

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

Boss

that was its directive. Besides, his

very careful with his

put them in a life or death situation mentally. Given

his actions in

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

was no need for him to risk their perfect relationship with such an intense

I can't tell

her, he recognized his decision was more selfish than it was out of

He truly was scared

from Alicia's bed, Rey's whisper silently

the look on his face as he neared

about to do next, it's better this all remains

that she was scared of the

as Ralyks is nothing but

shadows, meant to do whatever was necessary—even if

wasn't something he could show

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

secret stays

********

tension filled the room as