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

abstract and a little childish.

Restrictions molded society.

despite the lack of solid rules and sufficient

as they tried to deny this fact, it

their behavior which informed him

why they're still

this city grew to an absurd degree—to the point where control became difficult—then the cracks would

The status-quo

this path—despite a lot of easier options—was due to

the point where he could not escape or

"I wanted to change."

a moment, there was

to smile even more. Of course, no one would get it if he

weak and cowardly person. I hid behind stronger people and always looked for ways to

the latter part of his statement. He didn't think he needed to, considering how that was

Less risks, more reward.

problem was

Noah's solemn

had a friend before moving here. Before we became friends, I used to comfort myself by thinking he was more pathetic than

least there was one guy who was worse

Noah spoke in

realize that the guy was secretly a lot better than I realized. He was stronger, smarter… better. He was better than me,

"I liked that."

what happened to this friend of yours? Why did

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

a little, and

he was revealing so much about his past to such

didn't want to

left the Capital and initially wanted to travel South, since things are a lot safer there than in the North. But apparently, all the land

as far away from the war as possible. If anyone could afford

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