Path of the Extra

Azriel found himself with the others standing on the edge of a tall cliff that seemed to stretch endlessly in both directions.

Below them, a desolate expanse of land sprawled out, a wasteland that gave the illusion of a dried-up ocean—though it was far from any natural desert.

The drop from the cliff had to be at least a hundred meters, if not more, and the jagged rocks that dotted the bottom made his stomach churn at the thought of falling.

Gazing down, Azriel let out a shaky breath and kneeled to steady himself, his fingers brushing the cold, stone edge of the cliff.

He squinted, trying to make sense of the sight below.

Was his mind playing tricks on him?

No matter how long he stared, the ground looked like a graveyard from some ancient nightmare.

Massive, misshapen black rocks jutted out of the earth in eerie, twisted forms.

Some were sharp like spears, others were oddly rounded or jagged, but none of them resembled anything he'd ever seen.

It was as though the land itself had contorted under some unseen pressure, warping into an alien landscape.

As his eyes wandered over the scene, his breath caught in his throat. Sticking out between the rocks, like grim monuments, were bones.

Towering bones.

Some reached as high as the rocks themselves, and others loomed even taller, dwarfing everything else in sight.

Their pale surfaces gleamed with an unnatural glow, contrasting sharply against the black sand that covered the ground.

Massive, ancient bones, long abandoned to this desolate place, yet the sheer size of them sent a chill down his spine.

What sort of creatures had once walked this land?

He couldn't even fathom the kind of creatures these remains had belonged to.

Giants, perhaps.

Or something worse, something more terrifying than his mind could comprehend.

The black sand that blanketed the ground beneath the bones shimmered faintly under the sky's eerie light.

It wasn't just any sand—it was like grains of darkness itself, fine and cold, absorbing the faint illumination from above. It glittered in a way that seemed unnatural.

He stood and looked up, trying to shake off the unsettling feeling. The sky above was just as strange as the land beneath his feet.

It was dark, pitch-black, with no sign of a sun or moon, yet it wasn't completely devoid of light.

Stars dotted the sky, or at least, he assumed they were stars.

At first glance, they appeared like any ordinary starry night, pinpricks of light scattered across the vast black canvas.

But something was off.

Some of the stars seemed to flicker, blinking on and off in a pattern that made his skin crawl.

"Just what the hell is up there...?"

It didn't make sense to Azriel.

The massive black hole known as the Gate of the Void Dungeon back in CASC looked like it had swallowed them, as if bringing them to the first floor, which one would think to be underground.

But if that were the case, then why would Azriel see a sky and stars, or whatever it was, above him?

What and where is the Void Dungeon exactly?

How did any of this make sense?

Perhaps it was better if he didn't find out.

A gust of wind swept across the cliff, carrying with it the faint sound of something moving far below.

It was subtle, like the shifting of sand or the distant scraping of bones against rock, but it was there.

Azriel stiffened, his gaze snapping back to the wasteland below.

Nothing seemed to move, but the eerie quiet that followed only made him more tense.

"Dammit, what were the gods thinking when they built this floor... if it was even them," Azriel muttered, his voice barely audible.

He had no idea.

"Hoo..."

His breath trembled slightly as he walked toward Jasmine, who was glancing around like the sight wasn't all that impressive.

Noticing his approach, she turned to him and smiled.

"The difference between the first and second floor is huge, isn't it?"

Azriel nodded slowly, a troubled expression clouding his face as he glanced at the surroundings.

"Yeah... it really is."

Though he had read about it, seeing the second floor was something else entirely.

It felt overwhelming.

And he wasn't the only one.

All the cadets stood there, lost in thought, swallowed by the sight before them.

Azriel slumped onto the rocky ground, closing his eyes as he let out another sigh.

"Something wrong? You look exhausted."

Jasmine crouched down, her face close to his.

There was no way Azriel could be exhausted; he had barely done anything aside from wiping out the horde of prowlers on the first floor.

He turned his head slightly, avoiding her gaze.

This only piqued Jasmine's curiosity, and she leaned in even closer, making sure no one was looking.

"Azriel? Tell me what's bothering you."

"Nothing," he said instantly, his lips tightening into a thin line.

Jasmine narrowed her eyes.

"Liar."

"How can you know if I'm lying? Are you some kind of mind reader? Where's your trust in your little brother? You're supposed to trust family, right?"

"My trust in you is about as strong as the number of leviathans I've killed this week, which, by the way, is zero."

Azriel clicked his tongue at her blunt response, refusing to meet her eyes as she continued to stare at him.

'Am I really losing my touch?'

How else would she know he was lying?

A sigh escaped his lips once more, and he still didn't look her in the face.

"Did I ever tell you that I am..."

"You are...?"

Azriel clenched his fist, his voice barely audible as he whispered.

"...scared of heights."

"...."

There was silence.

He didn't dare look at her, though he could feel her gaze burning into the side of his face.

"Khhk..."

A strange sound came from beside him, making Azriel furrow his brows as he glanced over at Jasmine, her head now lowered.

"Nghk..."

"Sister...?" he asked, worried by the strange noise.

He moved closer to her.

And then...

"Hahaha! I can't... I can't! Seriously... you, of all people, are af-mnghf!"

"Shut up, idiot...!"

Azriel hissed, clamping his hand over her mouth as muffled laughter shook her body, tickling his palm.

His ears burned as he felt her shaking beneath his touch.

Jasmine's laughter had drawn the attention of a few cadets, and Azriel had no way of explaining the situation to them.

'Seriously, this is why I didn't want to tell her!'

The Azriel Crimson, scared of heights.

Surviving the Void Realm.

Surviving Europe.

Challenging Caleus.

Becoming the apex.

Bold enough to sideline himself on the first floor.

But scared of heights?

One of his darkest secrets, and now he regretted sharing it with his sister, this mere human being.

After a minute, she finally began to calm down.

Azriel cautiously released his hand.

"You going to behave?"

She nodded, though he noticed the amusement still dancing in her eyes.

His expression darkened.

Jasmine took a deep breath, a smile still on her face.

"Stop smiling," Azriel grumbled.

"There's nothing funny about this."

"Yes... yes, it's definitely not funny," Jasmine said, trying to suppress her smile, though she seemed to be struggling not to laugh further.

Azriel's glare deepened, his mood darkening even more as he noticed her attempt to hold back her laughter.

"Want me to comfort you?"

Azriel's face darkened even further at her words.

"Or hold your hand?"

"...."

"I could also give you a lap pillow again if you want. Your sleeping face is so cute and defenseless!"

"...."

"Oh, should I carry you instead while you close your eyes? Piggyback or princess style—just name it. I'm pretty strong, you know."

Azriel's face was so stormy that it sent a shiver down the spines of the nearby cadets, who quickly looked away, unwilling to meet his gaze.

"...Jasmine."

Jasmine stiffened at the mention of her name.

"Y-yes?"

"Don't you think it would be tragic if the heiress of the Crimson Clan were to suddenly die on the second floor, leaving all those responsibilities to your poor little brother?"

His voice was cold, making Jasmine break out in a cold sweat as she nodded vigorously.

"Yes... tragic. It would be very tragic."

"It seems we're on the same page then," Azriel said with a chilling smile.

"Let's make sure you stay the heiress, okay?"

An awkward laugh escaped Jasmine's lips as she felt a shiver run down her spine at the sudden brightness of Azriel's smile.

She wasn't scared or anything by his words and behaviour.

Definitely not.

"J-jokes aside, my dearest little brother, whom I care so much about, that fear of yours is going to be quite troublesome."

Azriel looked at her with a troubled expression, already sensing what was coming.

"…How so?"

Jasmine looked at the edge of the cliff, where most of the cadets were standing or seated with frightened expressions, no doubt already understanding what they would have to do

"Well, to reach the third floor, we're going to have to... descend the cliff."