Path of the Extra

Chapter 187: When the Truth Hurts

When Azriel finished, no one said a word. They all just looked at him in silence.

Azriel hadnʼt spoken to gain their sympathy or approval. He simply wanted to tell them the truth—what had really happened in the Void Realm. But as he met their faces, he realized he mightʼve already said too much.

Or maybe too little.

They had noticed the parts he deliberately avoided, which only made it worse. People were terrifyingly good at imagining things.

”Well, shit. You really are one unlucky prince, arenʼt you? That god couldnʼt have tossed you anywhere else except Europe?”

It was, of course, Solomon who broke the silence. His voice was light, but his expression twisted in a mix of displeasure and faint delight.

”Ah, but I suppose if that hadnʼt happened, we wouldnʼt be here like this, would we? I guess I owe the God of Death quite a bit.”

Azriel didnʼt like the way Solomonʼs eyes gleamed as he spoke, focused solely on him. It made his skin crawl.

ʼOh, great. Heʼs entering his pervert mode again.ʼ

But to Azrielʼs relief, Solomonʼs grin faltered, shifting into something more serious—or at least trying to. The tension barely lasted before he let out a long, exaggerated sigh.

”Originally, I came here for a much more delicate matter. But since weʼre all trauma-dumping now, I might as well pile on... Though itʼs not really my trauma—itʼs yours. Probably.”

The others, who had been lost in their daze, snapped back to reality as a recording device appeared in Solomonʼs hand. Without warning, he tossed it to Azriel.

Azriel caught it mid-air with a quick motion, just above Iryndraʼs head. He frowned as he inspected the device.

”You should listen to it,” Solomon said. ”Itʼs your choice whether to do it here or in private, but since youʼre feeling so open today... maybe itʼs better if everyone knows. Before something tragic happens.”

The room went still again. Azriel glanced at the others, who still looked shaken. Deciding not to drag it out, he was about to press play when a sudden chill crawled up his spine.

His gaze shifted, finding Nol at the edge of the room.

Nolʼs face was frozen in a cold, unreadable mask, but his lips were pressed so tightly together they bled.

And his eyes...

Azrielʼs breath hitched. He recognized those eyes.

”Calm down,” Azriel said, his voice low.

”Donʼt let your emotions get the better of you. Thereʼs nothing left to take revenge on.”

Project New Eden was gone. Doctor Arthur was dead. Even the Voidwalker blood of his had been destroyed.

Nolʼs shoulders trembled, but his eyes dulled slightly. His jaw unclenched, though his face remained cold.

”...I apologize, Master,” Nol said quietly.

Azriel smiled wryly.

”Itʼs fine.”

Turning back to the others, Azriel found them watching him. Before anyone could speak, he pressed play on the device.

As the recording began, Solomon leaned back, adding casually, ”Found this in Fortaleza del Sol. No bodies, nothing. Just this.”

His words didnʼt ease the tension. If anything, they made it worse.

Azrielʼs frown deepened as he listened. The room grew heavier with each passing second. Thoughts raced through his mind, each more frantic than the last.

ʼThis stupid clown couldnʼt have given me this before I said all that?ʼ

Goosebumps crawled over Azrielʼs skin. He wasnʼt the only one. The others sat rigid, their eyes glued to the device as the recording played on.

A chill ran down his spine again when the distorted voice on the recording screamed:

”A-A-AZZR-RIE-LL!”

Azrielʼs teeth clenched, shivers running down his body.

ʼI really shouldʼve kept my mouth shut about the Titans.ʼ

When was the last time heʼd faced something as simple as a regular monster or demon?

Simple.

Even thinking of those horrors as ”simple” made him sound insane.

The recording then ended, leaving only a deafening silence behind.

And those final words...

The Crying Fog really had to say that, didnʼt it?

Azrielʼs gaze shifted awkwardly to his father. His father stared back, his expression completely blank—like an empty canvas.

”...I take it back. You really do have a way of surprising me, son.”

Azriel scratched the back of his head, laughing weakly. He avoided looking at his mother or sister. Instead, he shot a hateful look at Solomon, who was grinning like an idiot.

”Well, I had more to talk about, but I think Iʼll take my leave now,” Solomon said, standing. He glanced at his wrist—empty—and feigned surprise. ”Ah, look at the time!”

With that, he stepped into a purple rift that appeared before him, disappearing without another word.

”....”

Ragnar cleared his throat and stood.

”I suppose I should leave as well... I should check on my wife and daughter,” he murmured that last part, his eyes softening as he glanced at Azriel.

”If you need anything, donʼt hesitate to reach out to me this time. Instead of Thomas.”

He turned and left quickly, way too quickly, shutting the door behind him.

And just like that, the room was quiet again.

Azriel let out a sigh, watching them leave. There was still much to discuss after everything heʼd revealed, but as a great king and a clown, they knew when to read the room.

It must have been awkward for the two of them.

A faint smile appeared on Azrielʼs face as he turned to his parents and older sister.

Before he could say anything, Jasmine spoke.

”That... killing the Heptarch. Was it for revenge?”

Azriel furrowed his brow slightly at her question.

Revenge?

No, it wasnʼt revenge—not at that moment.

Zoranʼs death had been nothing more than a consequence of circumstance. Heʼd been unlucky, fooled by Azriel, Nol, and Dante. It couldʼve been anyone. It couldʼve been no one. It had been pure chance.

Azriel hadnʼt orchestrated Zoranʼs death, nor had he destroyed Neo Genesisʼs plans to attack the students and civilians for revenge.

It had all been driven by one thing—a desire to destroy the future.

Now, with his memories as Subject 666 returned, he couldnʼt deny there was a certain satisfaction in knowing heʼd taken down a Heptarch.

He looked at Jasmine and spoke softly.

”I suppose I did want to hit Neo Genesis where it would hurt. Killing Zoran was the best way to do it.”

At his words, Jasmine fell silent, her face twisting as if sheʼd realized something. Her eyes trembled furiously as she looked at him.

”You said you gave your life to destroy that place—to kill everyone responsible. Were you never planning to come back to us? I donʼt understand... I donʼt understand what a mana contract is, and I donʼt really know much about the Ten Gods like you do, but... you made a deal with the God of Death, right? Why didnʼt you make one that would ensure youʼd return to us? The only reason youʼre even here... itʼs because the God of Death showed mercy, isnʼt it? That wasnʼt part of the deal, was it?”

The faint smile on Azrielʼs face disappeared.

Her voice trembled, and tears threatened to fall from her eyes as she tried to hold them back. She stood behind the couch, gripping the backrest so tightly her knuckles turned white.

Azriel didnʼt know what to say.

Because he didnʼt want to lie.

And if he told her the truth...

She was right.

Azriel was supposed to die that day.

...On his birthday.

”It wasnʼt,” came Joaquinʼs voice.

Everyone turned to him.

Aelianaʼs face was pale, as devastated as Jasmineʼs. But Joaquin... His expression was unreadable as he stood, walking toward Azriel with eyes that betrayed nothing.

”Forming a mana contract is a terrible thing,” he began, his voice calm but heavy. ”No matter the conditions, each one is enough to destroy you. Losing control of your emotions and going mad. Sacrificing someone you truly love—or yourself. Prepared in losing the ability to use mana forever. And after meeting even one condition, thereʼs an almost guaranteed chance of failure.”

”....”

”The fourth condition mustʼve been even more hopeless. Meeting any of them could kill you. Forming the contract could kill you. And the price itself... That could kill you too.”

Iryndra, Jasmine, Nol, and Aeliana stared at Joaquin, their shock written across their faces.

”You never planned on coming back alive,” he said, his voice quieter now. ”You were ready to die that day, as long as that doctor and Project New Eden died with you.”

He stopped in front of Azriel. Iryndra teleported from his lap to sit beside him, her face pale as she, too, realized the truth. Azriel had never planned to return to her, either.

Joaquinʼs eyes fell to the mark on Azrielʼs left arm.

”...So the Ten Gods... theyʼre alive?”

Azriel followed his fatherʼs gaze.

”Yeah... I think they are.”

Joaquinʼs eyes locked with his sonʼs.

Azriel held his gaze, trying to read him.

Was he angry?

Was he disappointed?

Azriel didnʼt know.

”The Voidwalker blood they injected you with,” Joaquin said, breaking the silence. ”Is it still in your system?”

Azriel shook his head lightly.

”No. If it was, I wouldnʼt have much time left—or even be able to move around.”

”Yet you fell into a coma. One of its side effects, perhaps?” Joaquin murmured, more to himself than anyone else.

But in the oppressive silence, everyone heard it.

Aeliana and Iryndraʼs faces paled even further.

Azriel opened his mouth to deny it, but before he could, Joaquin turned away and walked toward the door.

He stopped just before leaving, turning his head slightly. His voice was as cold as the void itself.

”The Supreme Archon placed a bounty on your head, offering anything as the reward. Itʼs only fitting that the Crimson Clan does the same to him and his Heptarchs.”

Azrielʼs eyes widened at his words, but before he could respond, Joaquin opened the door and left.