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.

like the ideal of freedom were

he admired the sentiment, he found the whole thing too abstract and a little childish. In any

Restrictions molded society.

were still coexisting pretty well within the City, despite the lack of solid rules and sufficient regulations, was because there were already unspoken

much as they tried to deny this fact,

Noah could see patterns in their behavior which informed him

they're still

didn't exist, or maybe the population of this city grew to an absurd degree—to the point

status-quo

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

the point

"I wanted to change."

was silence

voice caused Noah to smile even more. Of course,

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

most part, he hadn't gotten rid of the latter part of his statement. He didn't think he needed to, considering how

Less risks, more reward.

was

I hated myself." Noah's solemn tone

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

sad—that at 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

"I liked that."

to this friend of yours? Why did

to run away. That guy was a monster who wanted to keep getting strong, and I knew he would

little, and

about his past to

want

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

most people wanted to be as far away from the war as possible. If anyone

consider the quality of life incredibly low for the amount they