Reborn as an Extra Chapter 516: The ’Shockwaves’ grace the world once again.
Previously on Reborn as an Extra...
"I was only gone for a short while, yet these rats started scurrying about as if I were already in the grave... what a disaster..."
"Furthermore, I only just woke up... your hideous face is starting to get on my nerves..."
The sheer pressure and aura emitting from Ashtel’s frame were so intense that the fabric of space-time began to crack around him, unable to withstand the weight of his fury.
Aside from Gradba, who was already ensnared, the two other SS-rankers exchanged a single glance and immediately chose to flee!
Both realized that attempting to combat Ashtel was a futile endeavor; they calculated that if they could just cross the border of the human empire, Ashtel would lose his justification to chase them.
Should they manage to escape, international regulations would bind his hands, preventing him from hunting them down.
That hope was the only thing standing between them and certain death.
"Did I give you permission to depart?"
While pinning Gradba down with one hand, Ashtel extended his other arm, pointing a single finger at the fleeing duo.
The moment Ashtel unleashed his power, the space-time fabric shattered like delicate glass, falling into pieces.
The two unfortunate SS-rankers didn't even have time to react before the space-time fabric disintegrated into nothingness, taking them with it.
With a solitary strike, their very existence was wiped from the world.
The display was so gruesome and overwhelming that Gradba began to tremble with terror; his companions had been butchered without offering the least bit of resistance, and he had been powerless to intervene.
"S-stop it!"
Witnessing the miserable end of his allies, Gradba could no longer remain passive; shoving down his dread, he channeled every ounce of his power into a punch directed at Ashtel.
He manipulated every particle in his fist and the surrounding air, attempting to bombard Ashtel with catastrophic force in the blink of an eye.
However, Ashtel didn't even bother to move out of the way.
A massive shockwave surged through the space-time fabric, intercepting and repelling every particle meant for him, and instead, sent them screaming back toward Gradba.
Gradba’s own attack, fueled by his maximum strength, was reflected with even greater velocity, causing millions of particles to pierce through his body!
His entire form exploded like a watermelon struck by a thousand bullets simultaneously.
Blood sprayed everywhere, yet Ashtel remained perfectly clean, as his abilities forced even the crimson droplets away from him.
In mere moments after arriving, Ashtel had executed three SS-rankers without a second thought; the spectacle was so terrifying that even Raji felt a cold shiver run down her spine.
A singular thought resonated in the minds of everyone present at that very moment.
'So this is the true meaning of being the strongest...'
Once Ashtel ceased exercising his world authority, the fractures in space began to mend and seal themselves shut.
One after another, dozens of formidable auras manifested, each more potent than the last; leading the group was the Elven King.
"Oh!! I truly thought some fool was trying to tear the planet apart... I didn't expect it to be you, Ashtel! You’ve finally awakened!"
Ashtel showed no surprise at the arrival of so many SS-rankers just as the skirmish concluded.
He had just utilized his world authority to tear the space-time fabric, a disruption that the mana of the entire world would have sensed.
It was simple for anyone of that level to detect such a massive disturbance and realize SS-rankers were clashing on the planet, prompting many to rush to the scene to investigate.
In truth, this was a calculated move, as Ashtel intended to broadcast his return to the world.
"Who are you calling a fool? Regardless, I was merely taking a brief nap. Oh! Before it slips my mind, I just sent three little pests to the afterlife. Issue a formal statement to the world association that I have returned..."
"I don't want any more small fry coming around to annoy me... After all, I don't make a hobby out of thinning the world's SS-ranker population on a whim... I'd rather they didn't die such pointless deaths..."
The Elven King was stunned by Ashtel’s remark, nearly shouting, 'Of course it's your hobby! Don't act like you're innocent!'.
"Hmm, well, I’m also quite occupied; the demons have been acting suspiciously as of late. Now that I think about it, I can breathe a bit easier with you back..."
He gave a wave of his hand and prepared to depart with the other SS-rankers.
"It looks like there’s nothing critical left to do here, so I’m heading out. My wife is cooking today, do you want to come over?"
Ashtel declined with a shake of his head.
"I’ll pass, maybe another time; I have a mountain of tasks to handle here first..."
"Send over a report regarding those suspicious demon movements through the association's private channels later..."
After a brief exchange, the Elven King left alongside the other SS-rankers, who also offered their greetings and congratulations on Ashtel's quick recovery.
With the powerful figures gone, Ashtel drifted over to where Raji and Rio were standing.
"Phew~ The job is finally finished! Now I can finally get some rest!"
Ashtel gave a small smirk at Raji’s comment and answered,
"I’ve been doing this for decades, yet you’re burnt out after only six months. You are still far too inexperienced; you should seek out some fellow SS-rankers for 'friendly duels'... it will help build your combat intuition..."
Raji rolled her eyes at his suggestion and shot back,
"Forget that, I’m not a battle-hungry maniac; I prefer tranquility over conflict. Furthermore, I have no desire to carry the weight of the country on my shoulders; as soon as Link is old enough, I’m dumping everything on him..."
"Wait, actually, Riya might make an excellent principal..."
Raji let out a lazy yawn and gestured to open a teleportation gate.
"I’m exhausted; you handle the rest. I’m going home to sleep!"
With those parting words, Raji vanished into the portal before Ashtel could even respond.
"She’s become even lazier since her family got back together..."
Ashtel shook his head, looking over at Rio, and suddenly felt the impulse to pat the boy’s head.
"Uh... what... what are you doing... We still need to get these people home."
Rio was startled by the unexpected gesture, a look of total confusion crossing his face.
"How about I take you in as my adopted son? Link is the reckless sort; it wouldn't be bad to have a child who is calm and sharp instead..."
"Oh, right, we do need to return these people to their homes... Sigh, my memories are all jumbled from sleeping too long..."
Ashtel raised his hand, thrusting it directly into the space-time fabric to tear open a wormhole with his raw power.
He then reached into the void and yanked out a man who looked utterly bewildered and shocked.
"Hey, get some healers down here and find the families of these people; if they have no one, set up proper housing or orphanages for them..."
"Also, ensure they receive heavy compensation; they've been through a lot... I want this finished in thirty minutes; I won't tolerate any delays..."
After giving the orders, Ashtel shoved the man back through the wormhole and snapped it shut.
During the entire ordeal, the man looked completely stunned, as if his brain couldn't process the situation.
"Er.. wasn't that a high-ranking official from the association headquarters... and besides, what kind of skill is that..."
Ashtel smirked at the question and said,
"You want to learn it? Become my son, and I'll pass all my techniques down to you!"
Rio rolled his eyes at the offer.
"Stop bothering me, or I'm telling Riya on you..."
Faced with Rio’s ultimate threat, Ashtel finally stopped his teasing.
"Cough... that's playing dirty..."
"Speaking of dirty... that brat Link! If he were even half as composed as you, I wouldn't have to stress over him! I’m going to kick his lazy backside until he breaks through to the next realm!"
A fresh spark of determination ignited in Ashtel’s eyes once more!