An Extra’s POV

"Ahh, that…"

Noah's face fell a little, and something akin to a sad smile added to his clouded countenance.

His tale wasn't particularly a sad story. Many Adventurers in the City had more tragic experiences to share.

However, for Noah, a sixteen-year-old teenager who had been living a pretty mundane life on Earth until three months ago, his story was just as heavy.

"I think… I realized that I had no other choice but to become strong." His smile broadened as he uttered those words.

Many would agree with him, but most were probably going to miss the point. No one could really understand the depths from which he uttered those words.

People desired to get stronger for various reasons.

Some wanted wealth.

'I already have more than enough money to retire to some countryside and live the rest of my life without worrying about sustenance.'

Some craved power.

'I have enough strength to be in the one percent of humans in this world.'

Some lusted after influence.

'I find attention annoying, and most of the time… I like being left alone.'

Women.

'I don't think most of them are anything special.'

Thrill.

'Nothing about fighting Monsters thrills me. It's a dangerous job.'

Noah didn't qualify for most of the reasons why most people desired to be Adventurers. He wasn't like the average Adventurers, and he didn't relate to most of the things they valued.

freedom were lost

too abstract and a little childish. In any pragmatic setting, there

Restrictions molded society.

only reason why the Adventurers were still coexisting pretty well within the City, despite the lack of solid rules and sufficient regulations,

to deny this fact, it was

Noah could see patterns in their behavior which informed

why they're

of this city grew to an absurd degree—to

The status-quo would

Noah chose this path—despite a lot of

to the point where he could

"I wanted to change."

was silence

Jet's inquisitive voice caused Noah to smile even more. Of course, no one

used to be a very weak and cowardly person. I hid behind stronger people and always looked for ways to benefit without taking the most

gotten rid of the latter part of his statement.

Less risks, more reward.

problem was

solemn tone

became friends, I used to comfort myself by thinking he was more pathetic than I was. He was average in

felt shitty or sad—that at least there was one

a reason Noah spoke in

lot better than I realized. He was stronger, smarter… better. He was better than me, than most people

"I liked that."

to this friend of yours? Why did you

back on the chair that he sat on. "I wanted to run away. That guy was a monster who wanted to keep getting strong, and I knew he would drag me with him. I wasn't ready for

and Noah did the

so much about his past to

want to

South, since things are a lot safer there than in the North. But apparently, all the land there

far away from the war

Many would consider the quality