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.

of freedom

admired the sentiment, he found the whole thing too abstract and a little childish. In any pragmatic setting, there had to

Restrictions molded society.

within the City, despite the lack of solid rules and sufficient regulations, was because there were already unspoken rules that existed within

as they tried to deny this fact, it

outsider, Noah could see patterns in their behavior which informed him that there were unwritten regulations

why they're still

maybe the population of this city grew to an absurd

status-quo

so, the true reason Noah chose this path—despite a lot of easier options—was due to a much more primal and

to the point where he could not

"I wanted to change."

a moment, there was silence

caused Noah to smile even more. Of course, no one would get it if he just said

a very weak and cowardly person. I hid behind stronger

his statement. He didn't

Less risks, more reward.

problem was with

I hated myself." Noah's solemn tone oozed

before moving here. Before we became friends, I used to comfort myself by thinking

felt shitty or sad—that at least there was one guy who

reason Noah spoke

smarter… better. He was better than me, than most people around us." A little smirk formed on

"I liked that."

happened to this friend of yours? Why did you part

the chair that he sat on. "I wanted to run away. That guy was a monster who wanted

and Noah did the

revealing so much about his past to such a stranger, but somehow… he felt like going

didn't want to

Capital and initially wanted to travel South, since things are a lot

surprise, considering how most people wanted to be as far away from the war as

high. Many would consider the quality of life incredibly low for