Path of the Extra

Towering structures, their stones weathered and cracked, surrounded him.

Ivy and wild roots snaked through the crevices, reclaiming the stonework as nature slowly wove its way back in.

The air was filled with the smell of damp earth and decaying wood.

Soldiers clad in crimson and black uniforms rushed past, as if the entire void capital had been thrown into chaos—and it had.

They moved with urgency, their boots crunching against the dirt floor and sending up small clouds of dust.

It felt as though Lumine had gone back in time, watching everything unfold with almost no sign of technology.

Surrounding the void capital, he couldn't determine its size, but he could see countless trees outside its walls—trees so tall he couldn't tell where they ended.

Yet, he didn't bother to look up, for he knew better.

Never look at something for too long.

The entire capital resembled a ruined city, remnants of a civilization long past.

What was most disturbing, though, was the complete lack of security or safety around him.

'What if void creatures attack? Do these soldiers really just let them come here?'

No barriers or defenses of any sort.

It was ridiculous.

Lumine looked around in disbelief and pity.

"Commander Mira, my prince, my princess, if you would follow me, the others are already waiting for the meeting."

A voice broke through their thoughts—it belonged to a man standing before them.

He had gray hair and a matching beard, his black eyes set deep within wrinkles etched across his face, and he wore a crimson military uniform.

He bowed respectfully to Azriel and Jasmine as he spoke.

They weren't there for sightseeing, so naturally, no one declined or objected.

Mira nodded and took the lead, the rest following closely behind.

Lumine furrowed his brows.

'Is this how every void capital looks?'

If so, he worried for the safety of the people residing there.

Most humans didn't, but some lived in void capitals—primarily the forces attempting to conquer the void realm.

It must be... frightening.

Silence fell over the group as they walked, the atmosphere heavy.

The panic of the soldiers made it impossible to spark a conversation.

The soldier eventually stopped, and everyone else did the same as they arrived in front of a huge black tent.

Two other soldiers stood guard at the entrance—one in black, the other in crimson. The first soldier turned and bowed slightly.

"Unfortunately, I do not have the authority to proceed..."

Finally, for the first time, the old man looked at Nol, Lumine, and Yelena.

"If those three aren't going to join you in the meeting, they can rest in one of the rooms in the building."

But before any of the three could respond, Azriel stepped forward.

"I appreciate your consideration, but these three are with us and will be attending the meeting as well."

The old man studied Azriel for a few seconds before bowing again.

"As you wish, my prince."

With that, he stepped aside, and the soldiers guarding the entrance followed suit, allowing them to enter.

Lumine took a deep breath and followed Mira and the others inside.

"...!"

The moment Lumine stepped inside, he felt every hair on his body stand on end.

Goosebumps prickled his skin as he looked around wide-eyed.

A huge wooden round table dominated the room, and a map lay spread across it, displaying what seemed to be a rough drawing of their surroundings.

But that wasn't what made him alert.

No, it was the men.

The men seated behind the wooden table gazed intently at Lumine and the rest.

Their presence was overwhelming—not just theirs, but also the others standing behind the seated men and women.

All these battle-hardened veterans of the Sunken Islands filled the tent, not holding back as they released their aura.

Lumine and Yelena exchanged glances, their expressions hardening as they tried to collect themselves.

In the next second, the chairs creaked as everyone stood up instantly, bowing and thumping their right fists against their chests in greeting to Azriel and Jasmine.

The aura each person emitted clashed against one another before retracting, as if it had been a mere dream.

Lumine gulped nervously, feeling out of place—like a sheep among wolves.

And if there was a leader among these wolves, it was definitely the man standing at the other side of the wooden table.

He studied them, a grandmaster... just like Mira.

The man had short black hair and wore a crimson military uniform paired with a black fur-lined coat.

In fact, all the seated men and women had similar coats, while those standing did not.

But this man... he was undeniably overwhelming, like Mira.

His right cheek bore a scar, and his left eye was covered by an eyepatch.

A small beard adorned his face, and his physique was leaner than expected.

'This is really crazy...'

For a moment, Lumine's resolve wavered as he contemplated what he had gotten himself into, but he quickly shook his head inwardly.

It was an opportunity—an opportunity to get stronger.

And if by some chance, he might actually meet the Crimson King... he couldn't miss out on such a chance.

"It's good to see you in good health, Grandmaster Amon."

The grandmaster, referred to as Amon, smiled slightly as he spoke, his voice devoid of warmth.

"Commander Mira, it's great to see that Joaquin Red Kitty is doing so well."

Instantly, the air froze. Lumine's face went pale.

'Kitty... he called King Joaquin so casually, and the commander of the Crimson Army his pet!?'

What was more absurd was that this man belonged to the same army!

'Wait, just what is this man's position?'

He felt suffocated.

Amon and Mira stared at each other, the air growing colder as everyone shivered.

Lumine looked at Jasmine, who regarded Amon with a hardened expression, and when he turned to Azriel, he saw a stoic face with lips twitching, trembling, and then...

"Pfft! Hahaha! I never thought I'd hear such a reference in the Void Realm!"

Azriel burst out laughing.

All heads snapped to him, a mix of pure confusion and surprise lighting their faces.

Azriel laughed, trying to suppress his mirth while wiping tears from his eyes.

Then another bellowing laugh echoed through the tent.

Heads turned to Amon, who was grinning widely at Azriel.

"Bwahaha! As expected of you, my prince; I knew you would catch on to that!"

'Huh... reference? A book?'

It seemed like something Lumine couldn't grasp.

No one could—except for the two of them, who must have been referencing some sort of book.

Mira scowled at Amon.

"Insulting me is one thing, but speaking casually of the king is something you can't just do, Grandmaster Amon."

But Amon merely scoffed.

"You and your loyalty. Have you forgotten who taught you how to wield a sword and that crimson brat you swore your life to?"

Lumine's eyes went wide.

'The hell!? How old is he really to have taught King Joaquin and Lady Mira how to wield a sword!?'

Amon looked to be in his late forties at best.

Then Amon exhaled loudly.

"Well, enough of this. Let's all have a seat; we've got a lot to discuss."

No one objected as the seated men and women returned to their chairs.

The empty seats in front of Lumine were taken by Jasmine, with Azriel sitting to her right and Lady Mira to her left.

Amaya occupied a spot to Azriel's right, but Nol stood behind.

Lumine and Yelena exchanged glances, understanding they too had to remain standing instead of taking seats.

They moved to the sides, standing further back for a proper view of everyone, yet close enough to Azriel and Jasmine.

"Grandmaster Amon, you taught my father how to wield a sword, right? Surely you have some interesting stories for my sister and me?"

Azriel and Jasmine looked at Amon, who grinned back at them.

Jasmine showed little emotion, but Lumine noticed the curiosity in her eyes; she too wanted to know.

Amon chuckled darkly.

"Oh, stories? I have plenty from your father... Let's make a deal. I'll share a lifetime's worth of dark stories about your dad, and in return..."

He narrowed his eyes.

"You give me some of your stories about how you survived the Void Realm on your own."

The air instantly grew tense again, and everyone looked uncomfortable between Azriel and Amon.

But Azriel smiled.

"Looks like we have a deal."

Amon laughed again, pleased as he nodded his head.

Jasmine, however, looked at Azriel with her eyebrows slightly furrowed before turning her head away.

Lumine glanced around at the others present and noticed something odd since arriving at the Void Capital: there were two different militaries here—one from the government with their black uniforms and the other from the Crimson Clan in crimson uniforms.

Even some in black were seated at the table.

"Now then, time is of the essence. Let's start properly, shall we?"

Then, as if a switch had been flipped, the air turned cold.

Amon's smile vanished, his face hardening as if his previous laughter and warmth had all been an act.

Lumine was speechless.

It wasn't just him; every single person's expression changed.

The light atmosphere created by Azriel and Amon evaporated instantly.

When Lumine glanced at Azriel, a shiver ran down his spine because he, wore the most indifferent face of all.