Reborn as an Extra Chapter 728: The Chaos Begins! Part-1.
Previously on Reborn as an Extra...
"Just what did you say? Demons are making a move?! How many are there?" Ryul, the elven king, questioned loudly into his phone while walking down a hallway toward the elevator in the Association building. Ashtel and Riku, standing near him, immediately ceased their conversation and paid attention to his call. "What was that? Say it again? Just how many?" As Ryul's voice trembled with his question, the response from the other end stunned all three SS-rankers into silence.
"The entire demon army has begun its march from the demon continent! It's a full-blown world war!!" Upon hearing this declaration, Ryul's legs felt weak, and he nearly stumbled. "Wha... Y-you must be joking, right!? Come on, man! This isn't something to joke about! We're talking about a world war against the entire world alliance here!..."
"The demon race isn't foolish enough to do something like this on a whim... this simply cannot be-" Ryul's denial of reality was met with an immediate, firm response from the caller, delivering a harsh truth that jolted Ryul back to his senses. "Sir, I am well aware of the gravity of joking about such matters! In the name of the great world tree! I swear upon my life that everything I'm telling you is the absolute truth!"
"The demon army has split into numerous smaller battalions, and they are advancing towards all neighboring nations!" "As the closest nation to the demon continent, the demons will reach the southern coast of the elven empire within mere minutes!" Ryul was struck speechless by these words. He struggled to articulate his emotions, feeling a chaotic mix of confusion, shock, fear, and anxiety!
For the past millennium, the demons had only engaged in minor skirmishes, at most dispatching a few battalions beyond the demon continent for destructive raids. This was the first time in a thousand years that the complete demon army had been mobilized so suddenly, ordered to initiate a massive-scale war against the entire world alliance!
"H-how is this possible?... th-this... it's unthinkable..." Even Riku, who had overheard the conversation, began to reject the reality he was hearing, fully cognizant of the devastating consequences of an all-out world war. The last such conflict had led to the near eradication of ninety percent of the beastfolk race from the planet. The mere thought of a recurrence was enough to haunt even the mightiest individuals.
"Regain your senses, both of you! You are the sovereigns of your respective nations!" "This is not the moment to falter and lose your resolve!" Ashtel's steady voice echoed through the vacant corridor as he earnestly attempted to pull the two men from their despair. "The demon race employed a similar tactic when Prince Alverto erected that peculiar tower and attempted to annihilate the world..."
"They deployed hundreds of thousands of demons to divert attention from their true objective. Had they not held back their SS-rankers, even that situation could have been deemed a world war!" "It's likely the demons haven't unleashed their SS-rankers this time..." Ashtel's gaze sharpened as he issued his commands. "Ryul, return to the elven empire and quell the chaos there; Riku, you must stabilize the beast archipelago..."
"As for me... I shall pay a visit to that damnable bastard of a demon king and knock some sense into him..." "By the time I'm finished with him, he'll have no choice but to recall his army!" Ashtel rolled up his sleeves, a fierce expression contorting his face. Ashtel harbored considerable anger towards the demon king for quite some time. Previously, the demon king had attempted to aid Neo, and more recently, he seemed to have backed Alverto with his demon forces to provide a slight distraction. Furthermore, the demon king had been targeting Rio just days ago!
While Ashtel could grudgingly tolerate the demon king targeting him or other SS-rankers, targeting an innocent child uninvolved in the inter-racial conflicts was something Ashtel absolutely could not permit. Ashtel was not one to passively await an enemy's attack before launching a counter-offensive; he actively hunted down those who dared to target him or his loved ones. Rio was someone Ashtel desired to see grow and support, and upon discovering the demon king's intentions toward him, Ashtel was resolute in not standing idly by. Had it not been for this critical secret meeting, Ashtel would have already stormed the demon king's palace to confront the adversary directly, ensuring he would never again dare to threaten Rio.
While others might perceive Ashtel’s attentiveness towards Rio as overly protective, he found himself unwilling to risk the safety of those dear to him.
"O-okay... I-I will return to the elven empire and ascertain the situation... If you require my assistance there, simply send me a telepathic message, and I shall arrive..."
Riku offered a nod of agreement to these words.
"I should also depart-"
Before Riku could finish his statement, a peculiar ripple swept through the beast archipelago.
Though imperceptible to those below SS-rank, the fluctuation was easily detected by Ashtel and the other two.
"Rio and the others... their presence just vanished!"
An SS-ranker possesses an immense perception range, and it was common knowledge among the three that Rio and his companions were vacationing on Island Ptichka.
The instant the group’s presence disappeared from their sensory reach, all three registered the anomaly!
"Miki is still there! But the rest have disappeared! Have the demons arrived already!?"
A look of astonishment crossed Riku’s face upon perceiving this bizarre turn of events.
While Miki’s continued presence offered some solace, the sudden and complete disappearance of the others, a phenomenon even SS-rankers like themselves couldn't comprehend, was deeply unsettling.
"We must investigate what has occurred-"
Just as Ashtel and the other two prepared to journey towards Rio and the others' last known location, a calm voice halted their movements.
"No one is going anywhere..."
At some unknown moment, a tall, four-armed being materialized in the corridor, unnoticed by the three SS-rankers. The creature offered a smirk towards Ashtel before speaking.
The creature’s appearance instantly amplified the already palpable tension in the corridor, making the atmosphere even more oppressive.
As if the very world began to weep, the fabric of space-time itself started to fracture, allowing dense, miasmic corruption to pour into the underground passage.
With an unsettling smile playing on its lips, the creature addressed Ashtel in an eerily unsettling tone that promised deep discomfort to any listener.
"We meet again, Ashtel Rex..."
Upon hearing these words, Ashtel clenched his fists and stepped forward.
"Indeed, it appears you have finally emerged from your hiding place..."
"I am truly taken aback that I have the chance to meet you again so soon..."