Path of the Extra Chapter 3: The City of Love

"...And now?"

Confusion filled Azriel as he glanced back at his reflection in the car's mirror. His hair had lengthened and become messy, showing that some time had elapsed since his last remembered moments.

"I wonder what became of... Father."

It felt strange to abruptly refer to another as his father, yet similar to the inherited memories, he had taken on all aspects from the former Azriel Crimson.

"Yes, I should examine my status."

The status is a holographic display that reveals an individual's details, visible solely to that person. Through the status screen, one can readily discover their affinities at minimum.

Affinities become accessible only after reaching grade 3 awakened status.

Just two approaches exist to advance a human's mana core.

The initial one, which nobody favors, involves absorbing mana from the atmosphere.

This process proves exhausting, with advancement crawling at a snail's pace relative to the alternative.

The other approach offers the simplest path to improvement—or at least somewhat straightforward—requiring only the ingestion of a void creature's mana core.

Mana cores in both void creatures and humans reside near their hearts, although some void creatures possess hearts in varying locations.

The mana core remains present nonetheless. Upon slaying void creatures, extract the mana core and swallow it.

This technique provides the most straightforward route to power and proves far more effective.

However, it might not qualify as the simplest or... most secure.

Naturally, devouring a Grade 3 Abyssal's mana core yields greater gains than a Grade 3 demon's, provided the slayer is a Grade 3 advanced human.

A Grade 3 Expert consuming a Grade 3 demon's mana core gains scant advantages.

Moreover, mana cores from deceased void creatures don't endure indefinitely; they begin degrading and diminishing in value after 2-48 hours.

Higher-tier void creatures have mana cores that persist longer.

"Prior to viewing my status, I must verify one detail,"

Azriel uttered, his tone laced with slight thrill and eagerness.

Having transmigrated into a novel, wouldn't he, like in many tales he'd encountered, possess a distinctive ability to aid his growth, akin to the protagonist's?

"System."

But to his profound letdown, no system appeared as it did for the protagonist.

The cursed protagonist wasn't even a transmigrator like himself!

"...So unjust."

Despondency crept over him, having anticipated perks matching the protagonist's.

The system, true to its name, was an exclusive interface for the protagonist of Path of Heroes.

It bestowed numerous advantages, simplifying his path to strength by allowing purchases of health potions, sword arts, additional affinities as he advanced, and suitable void creature mana cores.

Evidently, the system required quest completion for these, which seemed equitable given the rewards.

"I still yearn for a system."

As Azriel whispered to himself, he opted to inspect his status window next.

"Status"

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Status Screen:

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[Name]: Azriel Crimson

[Age]: 16

[Gender]: Male

[Titles]: Son of Death

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[Mana Core Rank]: Intermediate

[Mana Core Grade]: Grade 3

[Mana Core Level]: 2

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[Affinities]:

- Lightning

- Ice

[Unique Skill]: Redo -> one time use

[Sword Arts]: Dance of Death -> 0% mastery

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[Soul weapons]: Void Eater

[Soul armor]: None

[Soul Echoes]: None/Locked -> unlocks when reaching higher rank

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[???]: None/Locked -> unlocks when reaching higher rank

[???]: None/Locked -> unlocks when reaching higher rank

[???]: None/Locked -> unlocks when reaching higher rank

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"...What?"

Azriel's thoughts froze while scanning his status window.

He recalled being merely a Grade 2 Awakened at the end of his memories, yet now he stood as a Grade 3 Intermediate.

He matched the protagonist's level at age 16!

...And 16.

A chill surged through Azriel's veins upon grasping the gap since his final memories. He had been just 14 when darkness fell.

"Thus, two years have passed... two years of lost memories, or maybe I perished in both my original world and this one, only to reincarnate here?"

"Son of Death."

Whispering his acquired title, he perused its explanation.

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[Son of Death]: The god of death, moved by pity, granted you renewed life and extra boons... seize this opportunity fully.

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Azriel drew in a sharp breath upon absorbing the title's description. Uncertainty swirled within him regarding this revelation. A deity offering him another shot out of... compassion.

"Does this imply gods exist here now?"

As Azriel murmured, he turned to examine his unique skill [Redo]. Unique skills emerge for all upon attaining Grade 3 Intermediate rank.

Yet, his memories held no record of a one-time-use unique skill. Without delay, he delved into its details.

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[Redo]: Bestowed by the god of death's unique title and blessings, this unprecedented skill emerges. As death's son, fear it no more.

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"Wait, what?"

"Cheating death itself... this is insane!"

Mortality risks loomed enormously in this realm already, but now a skill offered him an extra lifeline.

"Who knew the god of death could be so bountiful!"

Azriel exclaimed joyfully, a grin spreading across his features. In his elation, he shifted focus to the sword arts.

He recalled never acquiring any sword arts, suggesting this boon from the god of death as well.

"I won't gripe about lacking a system any longer."

Possessing the rare [Dance of Death] sword art, likely unheard of like his [Redo] skill, represented immense worth, though he vowed against overreliance, preferring never to activate [Redo].

"Void Eater, eh... the blade... Father... bestowed after my initial void creature kill."

Joy warmed him for retaining the reliable sword that had served his prior incarnation, despite the absence of soul armor.

Eyeing the locked [Soul Echoes], he understood it would activate at Grade 3 Expert.

Indeed, Masters and Grandmasters unlocked even greater features, but the enigmatic [???] entries shouldn't appear like [Soul Echoes].

"Another perk from the death god's favor, I see."

Regaining composure, Azriel began wandering about.

He sensed he occupied a death zone, surrounded by derelict and shattered surroundings.

Lingering too long heightened the risk of void creature encounters, and he wasn't prepared to face them just yet.

Despite inheriting the old Azriel's experiences, his psyche and form still grappled with integration.

His whole existence had transformed in a whirlwind.

Nevertheless...

His pulse thundered in his chest as he surveyed the dilapidated structures.

"...This location."

He desperately wished his suspicions proved unfounded, mere paranoia.

But with each step and exploration, dread of the dire truth intensified.

The city had devolved into a spectral desolation, structures collapsing, roadways fissured, and utterly forsaken. Vegetation reclaimed its territory, while decay's odor hung thick in the atmosphere.

Upon halting, his stare fixed on a towering edifice, his heart faltering.

Before him loomed a former grand monument, emblem of humanity's triumphs, now in tatters. Corrosion rusted its steel bones, with creepers and lichen overtaking the exterior, rendering the alloy a shadowed, contorted remnant.

Contemplating the splendid monument that crowned human feats 150 years prior, he pinpointed his whereabouts.

...Europe.

Specifically, The City of Love.

"Damn it all."