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

and a little childish. In

Restrictions molded society.

well within the City, despite the lack of solid rules and sufficient regulations,

as they tried to deny this fact,

Noah could see patterns in their behavior which

why they're still

maybe the population of this city grew to an absurd

The status-quo would

Noah chose this path—despite a lot of easier

to the point where he could not escape or

"I wanted to change."

moment, there was

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

and cowardly person. I hid behind stronger people and always looked for ways to benefit without

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

Less risks, more reward.

was

hated myself." Noah's solemn tone oozed through the

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

shitty or sad—that at least there was

was a reason Noah spoke in

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

"I liked that."

happened to this friend of yours?

on. "I wanted to run away. That guy was a monster who wanted to

little, and Noah did

know why he was revealing so much about his past to such a stranger, but somehow…

didn't want

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

surprise, considering how most people wanted to be as far away from the war as possible. If anyone could afford it, they would

cost of living there was ridiculously high. Many would consider the quality