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.'

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

conduct another experiment some other time to find

belonging to the 99th Floor,

other things

tell Alicia that I'm

she perceived Ralyks, it would

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

and struggled to catch up to others

told

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

would be a stranger to

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

had the Boss Monster

was its directive. Besides,

very careful with his

mentally. Given Alicia's trauma, that's

didn't want her to see his

up hating me the same

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

can't tell her anything about

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

He truly was scared

from Alicia's

look on his

do next, it's better this all remains

told him that she was

as Ralyks is nothing

to do whatever was necessary—even if it meant spilling

wasn't something he could show

Alicia." Tears fell from

stays

********

as Rey