The Extra Who Shouldn't Exist Chapter 409 - 410 : A Cunning Guy

Remus advanced a step.

This time, nothing was concealed by him.

His aura burst forth wildly, fully released—without any restraint, suppression, or compassion.

A ferocious spiderweb of cracks spidered across the ground under his feet as a devastating pressure exploded outward like a silent tsunami.

Trees within the courtyard bowed fiercely, their wood cracking, leaves torn loose before breaking apart as if gripped by a colossal fist.

Windows throughout the mansion exploded at once, shards of glass spraying in sparkling cascades.

Stone tiles tore free from the earth and fragmented in the air from the intense force distortion. The very sky appeared to waver as the atmosphere quivered unnaturally.

James and Clara let out screams.

The force crashed into them akin to a toppling peak. They crumpled to their knees right away, then sprawled face-down. Their lungs wouldn't inflate.

Their ribs groaned under strain. Their bones seemed to scrape together.

Faint ruptures appeared in blood vessels within their eyes, sight growing hazy while hearts hammered furiously against the unseen burden on their torsos.

Camila remained rooted, undisturbed and unscathed. A slight flutter stirred her ebony hair amid the raging force.

Remus’s amber gaze blazed with utter certainty. “This is the difference. This is what power looks like. You picked the wrong clan to provoke.”

Arrogance laced his words, but more than that—unshakable conviction rang through.

For the first time, Alex’s lighthearted air faded away. The skeletal mask angled a bit. His posture stiffened. His back aligned straight. The surrounding atmosphere quieted.

Next, his aura unfurled.

It didn’t burst. It didn’t thunder. It spread—quietly, akin to shadows lengthening at dusk.

Yet the effect proved disastrous.

The quaking earth steadied. The warped air smoothed. Splintered trees, halted in their fall, lingered briefly before easing down softly. The smothering force on James and Clara vanished in an instant, like a flame snuffed by fingers.

Remus’ aura disappeared.

Not repelled. Not overwhelmed.

Annihilated.

Eradicated—as if it had never been there.

Absolute quiet enveloped the courtyard. No breeze. No quakes. No noises.

James and Clara gasped desperately, hacking and curling sideways as their forms escaped the unseen hold. James hauled himself up, quivering. Clara gripped her chest, panting heavily.

Then the unbelievable occurred.

Remus’ eyes turned crimson. His pupils shook fiercely. His face twisted from supremacy to shock—then terror.

Thud.

His form crumpled.

Unconscious.

No cut. No evident harm. He merely toppled.

Silence dominated the courtyard.

Camila’s calm cracked at last. Her shadowy eyes expanded.

Remus stood at Pseudo-Divine’s pinnacle—merely one step from Divine rank—yet he’d been rendered senseless without one blow, without any move, without any seen assault.

Merely by presence.

Simply from their auras clashing.

Camila gradually directed her stare at the masked form.

Grasping at last the true peril this masked individual posed.

Alex lingered casually, arms relaxed at his sides, utterly unshaken. His aura lingered expanded faintly—not aggressively, but commandingly.

He cocked his head a touch. “So... little one. Do you agree now?”

Camila’s jaw clenched.

Her pride stung deeply, yet after beholding the spectacle, logic demanded she set ego aside.

“We acce—”

“Wait.”

James’ words shattered the strain.

All gazes turned to him.

He gulped, body still shivering faintly from the prior onslaught. “Why don’t we use... a third option?”

Camila’s brow furrowed. “What third option?”

Alex’s lips hinted at a smile under the mask. “Go on. I’m listening.”

James drew a deep breath. “What if... we form an alliance?”

He motioned at the mansion. “And live together inside the mission. That way we can support each other.”

He looked toward Alex.

“Lucifer can get the information he wants. I’m sure they know more about this floor than we do.”

Then he regarded Camila once more. “Ms. Camila, first of all, I apologize for all this. My friend Lucifer is new here.”

He bent nearer, voice dropping. “And he doesn’t really know how to get along with people.”

Alex’s mouth quirked. “I can hear you... you know.”

James brushed it off. “But he’s not unreasonable.”

Alex bobbed his head gravely. “That’s correct. I am extremely reasonable.”

James continued swiftly before Alex worsened it. “As you can see, he’s powerful. With his help, clearing this floor becomes much easier. We all benefit.”

Camila stayed quiet.

Her pride howled to reject. Yet facts stood firm and irrefutable.

Remus sprawled unconscious right at her feet. If Lucifer craved the mansion, she couldn't block him alone—he'd seize it effortlessly. Should he wish them dead, their lives would have ended already.

Alliance promised survival. Regrouping. Watching. Chances.

She gazed down at Remus. Then turned her eyes to Lucifer.

His aura had calmed once more—restrained. But she had sensed its power.

That power wasn't ordinary.

It exceeded the strength of any at Pseudo-Divine peak.

Camila inhaled deeply and steadily. Her eyes drifted from the unconscious Remus... across to Lucifer... then to James.

Calmly, she stated, "We accept. And it’s not like we have any other choice."

Next, she fixed her stare on Alex. "But will he also accept this proposal of yours?"

James spun toward Lucifer right away. His eyes widened in desperate plea, like a faithful pup awaiting its master's approval.

Alex watched him without a word.

'Just look at this guy.'

'He's not as innocent as I imagined.'

'He's sly.'

Thoughts raced through his mind.

'He didn't fully trust me.'

'Rather than worsening the clash... he prevented the Scorpion Clan from becoming our foes.'

'Aware they'd have to agree after witnessing my power.'

'Playing mediator, he framed it as his own suggestion.'

'Portraying me as the lone aggressor.'

'He stepped back from the fight.'

Alex's eyes narrowed a bit.

'Now he's leveraging my might to forge ties with key players—Remus Clint and Camila Hosten.'

'This step means he and his group escape tent life.'

'No hunger worries. No more shame.'

A subtle grin hid under the skeletal mask.

'Gotta hand it to him. Sharp mind, squeezing every drop from the moment. Avoiding enemies on both sides.'

'This one's valuable. He grabs openings when they appear.'

"Lucifer..."

"Lucifer, are you listening?"

James's call snapped him from reverie.

Alex blinked and emerged from his musings. Meeting James's begging look, he grinned under the mask.

"I accept."

James's face lit up at once. Relief washed over him.

Clara remained dazed. She couldn't grasp the shift. Just before, a mighty clan loomed to crush them. Now, an alliance formed.

Alex shot a look at Camila.

'We'll see who gains the most here.'

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Distant, soaring high past the clouds, a floating island glided quietly through the heavens.

A grand castle dominated its surface. Ominous spires stabbed the skies. Black stone walls laced with scarlet energy loomed massively. Banners of the Fallen Angels' emblem whipped in the chill breeze.

This served as a primary stronghold for the Fallen.

Within the castle, a red-haired woman strode quietly down the corridors. Her heels clicked sharply on the gleaming obsidian floors.

Victoria.

Her fiery red locks cascaded like molten fire down her back. Her form was perfect—tall, elegant, each step precise. Crimson eyes shimmered with sharp, hunter-like cunning. Her allure was breathtaking. Lethal. Akin to a venom-dipped rose.

She advanced with purpose.

Soon, she entered a spacious training chamber.

There, a woman in her twenties meditated cross-legged. Silver-gray hair tumbled over her shoulders. Her face mirrored Victoria's almost perfectly—icy, noble, angular.

Victoria's lips twisted faintly.

"Just stop all this drama and get absorbed already. I have to look for the other fragments too."

The gray-haired woman's eyes fluttered open gradually. Serene.

Unyielding.

"I have no intention of becoming a part of someone like you. So stop coming here and get lost. Never show your face again. For your own good."

Fury heated Victoria's cheeks red. Cracks spiderwebbed the surrounding walls as her murderous aura shattered stone.

"Let’s see how long that daddy dearest of yours can keep you safe, Princess of the Fallen—Kaelith Drakharis."

Kaelith's face grew stormy. Her aura surged wildly. She prepared to retort—

Suddenly, the doors flew wide.

A Fallen Angel dashed in.

The very one Lucifer had let live.

He knelt on one knee immediately, panting heavily.

"My Lady... there is a problem."

Victoria's scarlet eyes turned leisurely to him.

A thin, perilous smile curved her lips.

"Speak."

"And it better be worth my time, or prepare to die and get eaten."