Reborn as an Extra Chapter 720: Echoes From An Ancient Past. Part-2.

~3 minute read · 870 words
Previously on Reborn as an Extra...
While Team Astra prepared for vacation, Ashtel and Riku arrived at a secluded lake. Riku questioned Ashtel about the extinct 'Sortilega' race before dispelling a powerful illusion, revealing a hidden, well-maintained road. This road led to a former hidden fortress used as a meeting place and research lab during the demon extinction war, protected by an illusion created by 'The Great Illusory Holy Beast,' Marik. Riku revealed he brought Ashtel here to discuss a troublesome matter, and both S-rankers acknowledged the rising threat of a young black-haired individual who was nearing demigod status, his nascent world authority already making them feel threatened.
" With the current global situation, a new strong individual to share our responsibilities might indeed be a blessing... " " My hope is that the younger generation matures swiftly, allowing us elders to step down sooner... " Riku, weary, reflected on the recent global events. " However, until the next generation is ready to take over, we must maintain as much stability as possible... " " So, please elaborate on this 'Sortilega' race you mentioned earlier... " Upon hearing this, Riku inclined his head. " Indeed, a significant amount of time remains before we can achieve true peace and rest... " Riku offered a smile as he guided Ashtel through the dense forest, their destination an old, secluded temple. The temple, shielded by surrounding hills, was inconspicuous from a distance. Despite its ancient appearance, it was remarkably well-preserved. " As you may know, we beast kin place great importance on strength and lineage. Some amongst us even venerate powerful beings, such as the great illusory holy beast, as divine earthly entities... " " This shrine was erected to honor the great serpent who safeguarded our nation against relentless demon armies with its potent illusion magic... " " It has stood for over a millennium, tended by a devoted group of followers even to this day... " Riku stood on a hilltop, providing a comprehensive explanation from the beginning. " Sortilega were a race of humanoids who bore a striking resemblance to humans; the resemblance was so profound they were virtually identical... " " The sole distinguishing features were their four arms and a unique racial bloodline ability that granted them a form of 'prediction' capability... " " These beings were naturally born as 'fortune-tellers,' capable of discerning the currents of the 'world's' 'laws' to foresee the future with varying degrees of accuracy... " The more Ashtel learned about their abilities, the more bewildered he became. " Such beings existed?... How have I never encountered any mention of them? " " They are not even listed among the races that vanished during the thousand-year demon extinction war! " The terms 'prediction,' 'fortune-telling,' and 'fate' brought to mind Lia, who had recently acquired formidable powers and control over the threads of destiny. 'Impossible... that child Lia is clearly human; she's unlikely to be connected to this...' Riku produced an ancient, peculiar metallic carving from his spatial ring and presented it to Ashtel. Etched onto the large adamantium plate were diverse scenes, chronicling a forgotten history with intricate detail. One carving depicted numerous human-like figures with four arms, peacefully engaged in agriculture and daily life. Another scene showed the Sortilegans celebrating festivals with joyful expressions. There were also depictions of them observing the stars and practicing divination. However, the most striking image for Ashtel was that of hundreds of Sortilegans offering prayers to a figure adorned with a 'crown' and holding a 'Lyre.' The depicted 'Lyre' bore a striking resemblance to the description Rio had given of the enigmatic figure known as 'Raika, The Master of The Holy Lyre of Heavenly Faith.' " This is?..." Noticing Ashtel's astonishment, Riku gave a nod. " Yes, my researchers analyzed the age of this adamantium slab by assessing the antiquity of these carvings... " " Through various chemical and other tests, we have concluded that this 'carving' on the adamantium slab is... over 4000 years old! " Ashtel's eyes widened in sheer disbelief at this revelation! " Nonsense! " " Back then, even mana and miasma were nonexistent in the universe; our cosmos was merely an ordinary one! " " Humans had not even achieved a proper modern civilization at that point! " " How could beings with such arcane abilities exist then! It would have been impossible for them to predict the future without mana or any other supernatural power! " In response to Ashtel's incredulity, Riku nodded. " Ordinarily, it would be impossible, but observe the reverse side of this slab... " Ashtel quickly flipped the slab over, revealing a colossal mathematical equation meticulously inscribed on the back, accompanied by a detailed celestial map. " While deciphering languages unknown to us and unrelated to our own is challenging, mathematics remains a universal constant... " " The creators of this slab inscribed these equations on its rear, and upon solving them, we discovered the result to be a 'World Coordinate'... " With that said, Riku’s gaze shifted towards a specific point in the sky, a direction familiar to Ashtel. "And those world coordinates indicate a location now under the control of the Endless Miasma Sea..." Ashtel’s doubts began to dissipate upon hearing this. He surmised that the 'Sortilega' race was likely an ancient alien species, long extinct due to the miasma sea approximately 2000 years prior. "H-how did something from such an ancient time... wind up here? And why is the World Alliance unaware of this matter..." Riku responded to Ashtel’s inquiries with a smile, commencing his walk towards the temple. He remarked, "It's not merely this slab... I possess something that will astonish you even further..." "Whether a wormhole spat it out, or a peculiar dungeon replicating the past materialized and someone retrieved an artifact without disclosure, I cannot say..." Riku’s expression turned grave as he stated with utmost seriousness. "We have discovered an entire, preserved corpse of a Sortilegan!" "Furthermore, there is an even more perplexing detail about it that eludes my comprehension..."