Reborn as an Extra Chapter 515: What it takes to be the Strongest.

A middle-aged man, distinguished by his dark red hair and matching eyes, wandered through a picturesque orchard.

Though his stride remained firm, his shoulders appeared weighed down by a heavy burden of duty and immense responsibility.

He continued his trek, his mind seemingly vacant of all thoughts.

While he initially paid no heed to the various fruit trees lining his path, one particular tree eventually demanded his attention.

Drawn by an inexplicable force, his feet moved instinctively toward a specific mango tree.

It was a massive specimen, casting a wide canopy of shade that reached out for several meters.

The moment he entered its shadow, a wave of relaxation washed over him; the stress and irritation brought on by the harsh sunlight instantly vanished.

"Hoh, how odd~ The busy man is free enough today to come visit this fair lady~"

Resting against the trunk in the cool shade sat a stunning woman. She held a book in her lap, though his arrival had clearly broken her deep concentration.

As a warm, soft breeze ruffled the man’s dark red hair, he gazed at her lovely face. She smiled back at him with a complex mixture of joy, wonder, and a hint of playful reproach.

"I... I just..."

Faced with that radiant smile, the man found himself at a loss for words.

His prepared explanations, his reasons, and the weight of his vast responsibilities slipped from his mind, leaving him feeling vulnerable and powerless.

He was paralyzed by the fear of upsetting her, the dread of betraying her trust, and the terror of letdown. He feared that if he offered mere excuses, she might never look at him with such a beautiful expression again.

"Oh? That very odd... To think the strongest man on this planet would look so hesitant? I don’t think I have seen you this conflicted ever..."

The woman was visibly taken aback by his uncharacteristic uncertainty.

She was well aware that he was the most powerful individual in existence; she knew his name alone was enough to instill absolute terror and reverence in the hearts of the masses.

She knew him as ’Ashtel Rex,’ the ’Walking Calamity’ whom no force could restrain or obstruct.

To see such a conflicted and doubting expression on his face was a rare and deeply concerning sight.

"I... I killed my friend... I killed him... I have crossed one more line... I... I..."

Ashtel’s strength failed him, and he collapsed onto his knees.

In this moment, he didn't resemble the 'unbreakable,' 'unbeatable,' or 'invincible' Ashtel Rex; instead, he looked like a shattered, ordinary man who had lost his companions, his love, and his closest comrade.

Neo had been Ashtel’s first true friend, staying by his side for nearly his entire life.

The two had been raised together; they had shared meals from the same plate and survived countless life-and-death struggles during their youth.

It was through their combined efforts that the human empire had finally achieved stability.

Ashtel had always wished for Neo to have a bright future, viewing him as his dearest companion and constantly advising him against straying down a dark path.

Out of loyalty to their long history, he had shown Neo mercy many times, desperately trying to guide him toward becoming a better man.

However, Neo had repeatedly betrayed those hopes.

The final transgression occurred when Neo crossed the ultimate line, forcibly seizing his own son’s body to further his personal ambitions.

This was an act Ashtel could not overlook; it was far beyond what he could tolerate.

During their battle, Ashtel took Neo's life, even ensuring his soul was utterly destroyed. While his reasons were noble and his intentions were pure, it didn't lessen the pain.

The fact that he did the right thing did not mean he was immune to the agony of the act.

Ashtel was indeed the most powerful man on the planet, possessing the strength to shatter stars and lay waste to entire solar systems.

Yet, this did not mean he was devoid of 'emotions'; he remained 'human' at his core, even after ascending to the status of a peak-level 'demigod.'

Prior to this, Ashtel had only placed limitations on Neo because he couldn't bring himself to execute his best friend.

But by finally killing him, he had broken another piece of his own heart.

He had crossed a threshold that powerful figures are often forced to face: 'killing a loved one for the sake of the greater good.'

Once those moral boundaries are breached, there is no turning back; such actions carve away pieces of one's soul, leading to a gradual loss of humanity.

No one wishes to lose their 'humanity' or their 'emotions,' and Ashtel was no exception. When all was said and done, he was still just a 'human.'

"Humph! And here I thought that it was something major! You are really a difficult man to deal with, you know!"

"How did I end falling for someone like you, sigh~"

Shaking her head, the woman stood up and approached him, pulling Ashtel’s head into the warmth of her embrace.

"You only did all that because you wanted to save the lives of others that could have been in jeopardy if your friend lived, right?"

"If that is the case, you don’t need to burden yourself too much... well, if you still want to, then you can cry in my arms and no one will find out ok..."

With a proud smile, she shielded his face in her arms and spoke with a hint of shyness.

"No one will find out that the strongest man on this planet actually has a fragile heart; I will hide it all for you. you can rest in my embrace..."

As Ashtel closed his eyes against her, he felt no desire to move or leave; he didn't want to wake up to a reality filled with such heavy burdens.

He was exhausted by the cycle of violence and the endless slaughter. He simply wanted to rest for a moment to find his courage once more.

"I am worried... I am worried that if I keep crossing these lines, I will one day not be able to remember you anymore... I will not be able to remember the feelings I had for you..."

"I am worried that I will not be able to guide our son on the right path if I am like... I couldn’t even guide my close friend... how will I guide our son who’s still so young and weak-"

Interrupting him before he could finish, the woman smiled and spoke with a tone of immense pride.

"You worry too much you know... Our son is not some fragile glass doll! He was born with the potential to overshadow the entire world!"

"Nothing will happen to him! In fact, I think he’s already growing up very nicely. He’s happy, he’s found his ’place’ in the world... Also, he’s got people who support and care for him."

"You do not need to be such a worrywart anymore, you know..."

The woman’s sweet and gentle voice provided Ashtel with much-needed comfort.

She felt a deep pride for her son and his potential, beaming with the fact that Link was her child.

"You have protected him for a long, long time... I know that my promise has shackled you for a long while now... but I don’t think you need to keep yourself shackled anymore..."

"He’s already got enough friends and supporters of his own; he has a future of his own now. you can rest; you can now get rid of this shackle if you want..."

"It’s not a good idea to remain shackled despite being the strongest, you know... I feel sorry that I held you back for so long..."

Ashtel gave a soft nod and replied,

"No, you never held me back... and I can’t let go of this shackle just yet... I still need to be there for him for a little bit longer..."

The woman playfully ruffled his dark red hair and grinned.

"Hehe, look at you; you have already found your purpose back once again!"

Stepping out of his wife’s embrace, Ashtel stood tall and smiled.

"I can never win in an argument against you; you really have a way with words..."

"I want to stay with you; I want to remain in this beautiful dream for a long long time... But I cannot stay here with you; I must go back. I still have many things left to do..."

The uncertainty in his eyes had vanished, replaced by a sharp, newfound determination.

Looking up at the sky, Ashtel sensed a familiar presence of energy assisting in the healing of his sea of consciousness.

"That little girl... she’s still trying her best; I can’t keep dragging things like this or I will lose my dignity as the strongest..."

"Even that young child is doing her best... I will be too ashamed to face you again if I don’t wake up now..."

The woman smiled at him, placing a gentle kiss on his forehead.

"Hehe, go, show them what my husband is capable of! Make the world remember that you aren’t so easy to mess with!"

"After all, you are the man I fell for; you are the strongest!"

Ashtel smiled and nodded in agreement, returning the kiss to her forehead before stepping away.

"I am off to work, my love..."

With those final words, Ashtel Rex, the 'Strongest,' finally stirred from his six-month-long slumber.