The Extra Who Shouldn't Exist novel Chapter 23

Chapter 23 - 23: Breaking the record and a strange encounter

After leaving the hospital, Alex trudged back to his little home nestled in the outskirts of Avaloria. 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

The moment the door clicked shut behind him, all the emotional walls he had built began to crack. He slumped onto the couch—well, it was more like a crooked chair with aspirations—and let out a long, weary sigh.

His gaze fell on the flickering lights, the cracked wall, and the dusty air. A grin tugged at the corner of his lips. "Still a dump. But at least it's my dump."

After a warm meal made of mana-infused noodles (mostly because it was the only thing left in his EtherFridge), Alex lay in bed, staring at the ceiling.

"I need to reach Advanced Rank. I can't afford to stay weak. Not now."

The memory of Lily smiling despite her condition stabbed at his chest. Her voice echoed in his mind.

> "Don't try to fool me, Alex. I know you're worried. But it's okay. I'm still your big sister, you know."

He chuckled softly. "Yeah, a big sister in a twelve-year-old body, huh?"

The next morning, Alex wasted no time. After a quick meal, he headed straight to a nearby high-tech training facility in Sector 6, known as "Mirage Core Arena".

It was famous for its highly immersive virtual combat simulations, often used by aspiring students and even licensed adventurers.

After paying the hefty fee and booking a full session, Alex changed into the standard black bodysuit. A technician scanned his EtherPad and activated the pod.

"Simulation ready. Combat difficulty: Level 5 - Intermediate Peak. Timer: 60 minutes. Begin."

The world turned white for a moment, then shifted into a massive battlefield swarming with abyssal monsters.

The AI enemies rushed him like waves, their distorted roars cutting through the simulated air.

Alex cracked his knuckles. "Alright, let's dance."

He dashed forward, his training sword humming with mana.

"Astral Void Rend — First Form: Void Step!"

He vanished and reappeared behind a shadow-beast mid-leap, his blade slashing through its core. The monster howled and disintegrated into flickering code.

Another monster lunged from behind.

"Astral Void Rend — Second Form: Phantom Rend!"

His blade shimmered as it sliced through the air, afterimages trailing behind. The confused enemies swiped at illusions, only to be cut down by the real Alex slipping between them like a ghost.

Wave after wave descended—abyssal wolves with flame-tipped claws, shadow berserkers, and corrupted battle constructs. But Alex danced through them.

"Astral Void Rend — Third Form: Celestial Flow!"

His movements became fluid, seamless. He parried and spun, ducked and weaved, his energy expenditure drastically reduced as he chained attacks with surgical precision.

At the thirty-minute mark, the terrain morphed into scorched ruins. A towering figure emerged—a Shadow Titan, armored in obsidian plates, its helm crowned with jagged horns.

"Let's see how you handle this..."

The Titan roared and brought its colossal mace down. Alex dove to the side and rebounded off a wall.

"Astral Void Rend — Fourth Form: Bladestorm Mirage!"

He erupted into a whirlwind of strikes, his sword flashing like a storm. Slashes tore into the Titan's armor as it stumbled back, reeling from the relentless barrage.

The Titan activated a mana barrier and stomped the ground, releasing a shockwave.

Alex slid back, breathing heavily. "So it's got tricks, huh?"

His energy was running low, but his focus was sharp. He took a deep breath and tapped into Celestial Flow again, seamlessly weaving through the Titan's strikes and countering with precise slashes.

Then, with a final burst of speed, he leapt high.

"Bladestorm Mirage — Overdrive!"

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