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.

the ideal of freedom were lost concepts

too abstract and a little childish. In any pragmatic

Restrictions molded society.

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

tried to deny this fact, it

which informed him

why they're

of this city grew to an

The status-quo would

the true reason Noah chose this path—despite a lot of easier

was engrained within him; to the point where he could not escape or deny

"I wanted to change."

was silence in his

course, no one would get it if

a very weak and cowardly person. I hid behind stronger people and

of the latter part of his statement. He didn't think he needed

Less risks, more reward.

was

think I hated myself." Noah's solemn tone

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

least there was one guy

was a reason Noah spoke in past

the guy was secretly a lot better than I realized. He was stronger, smarter… better. He was better than me, than most people around us." A little smirk formed on the

"I liked that."

to this friend of

"I wanted to run away. That guy was a

little, and Noah did

was revealing so much about his past to such a stranger, but

didn't want

to travel South, since things are a lot safer

as far away from the war as

consider the quality of life incredibly low