Aetheric Chronicles: Reborn As An Extra

The instructor, a seasoned Awakener with years of experience, smiled, his sharp eyes gleaming with both caution and anticipation. "Although I'm not confident I'll win," he said, drawing his dual shortswords and stepping forward, "I am confident I won't lose in a one-on-one with this thing."

Adrian nodded, stepping back with the others, giving the instructor a space to face the creature head-on.

He had explained the Ghoulz's tendencies earlier—its weakness lay not in brute strength but in its reliance on manipulation and most importantly in its eye.

"..."

The Evil Eye Ghoulz's singular, glaring eye flickered with an otherworldly glow as it fixated on the instructor who stepped forward. The abomination was far more than just a brute—it was a manipulator, a creature that relied on its perception and intellect to outmaneuver its opponents.

Its eye, Adrian had explained earlier, was both its greatest strength and its greatest vulnerability. That eye held the power to disrupt an opponent's sense of space and time, making it nearly impossible to land a direct hit. The abomination could distort reality in the gaze of its eye, causing illusions of movement, misdirection, or even freezing its target in place momentarily.

"Careful, it'll play tricks with your mind," Adrian warned, his voice low but firm. "Its eye sees everything… and it senses danger before it happens."

The instructor nodded, a grim smile playing on his lips as he tightened his grip on the dual shortswords. "Leave it to me," he said confidently, stepping closer to the twisted abomination, who hissed and growled, its lone eye gleaming maliciously.

The Ghoulz shifted its stance, the tendons in its long, bony limbs creaking as it prepared to move. Its eye focused on the instructor, the air between them warping ever so slightly as it unleashed its power. Shadows seemed to twist around them, reality itself bending as the Ghoulz's gaze tried to disorient its prey.

But the instructor had been warned. His movements were calculated, deliberate. His blades flashed in the darkness as he charged forward, cutting through the illusory tricks with precision. Still, the abomination moved unnaturally fast, weaving through the air, its eye glowing brighter with each passing second.

Adrian didn't linger.

With a quick gesture, he motioned for the rest of the group to follow him down the dark corridor. He trusted the instructor—Layla, the Shadow Phantom's master, known for his mastery of shadow combat—was more than capable of handling the Ghoulz. He just hoped the fight wouldn't drag out too long.

The group moved quickly, their steps light and silent as they passed through the twisted hallways of the Valerian Hall. But Adrian knew better than to assume their path would remain clear. This place, once a symbol of prestige, was now a dark, tainted labyrinth crawling with creatures twisted by the Mastermind's experiments.

As they rounded the final corner leading to the main hall, Adrian's instincts proved correct.

A hulking shadow loomed before them.

Standing three times the height of an average man, the abomination blocking their path was a grotesque behemoth. Its muscular body was covered in scars and patches of mismatched flesh, sewn together with a grotesque artistry.

Its head resembled that of a monstrous beast, fanged jaws snapping in the air, saliva dripping from its maw. Its eyes were filled with an unnerving, primal intelligence, and the stench of blood clung to its massive form.

Experience tales at empire

The students involuntarily gulped, their hands tightening on their weapons as a wave of pure, unfiltered killing intent washed over them. The creature radiated malice, and its aura was suffocating.

Adrian's eyes narrowed as he observed the giant abomination. He had anticipated something like this. "So it's guarding the door," he muttered under his breath, his thoughts racing as he considered their options.

Two instructors immediately stepped forward, their faces hardening as they assessed the situation. One was a seasoned tanker fighter, the other a skilled mage. The warrior tank hefted his massive battle axe onto his shoulder while the mage muttered a low incantation, crackling energy forming in his hands.

"Now we understand why you told us to take this one," the warrior said with a grim smile, eyes locked on the abomination.

Adrian gave them a wry smile in return, the tension in the air thickening. "Yeah… this one's more than just brute strength too. Be careful. It's not as slow as it looks, and its body is resilient—almost impenetrable."

The mage nodded, his focus unwavering. "We'll handle it."

Adrian nodded once, stepping back with the others.

He knew that these two instructors were the best choice for dealing with this creature, but that didn't make the situation any less nerve-wracking. This abomination, though slower than the Ghoulz, had a terrifying defense. Its flesh was almost like armor, and it had a fearsome ability to regenerate even severe wounds almost instantly. It would take more than brute force to bring it down.

The giant abomination let out a deep, rumbling growl as it sized up its opponents, its massive clawed hands twitching as if eager for the coming battle. It slammed its fists into the ground, shaking the entire corridor with the force of the blow. Cracks spread across the marble floor, and the students behind Adrian took a nervous step back.

But Adrian didn't flinch. He trusted these instructors. They wouldn't fall easily.

"Stall it as much as possible," Adrian called out as he led the rest of the group further down the corridor. "Take care."

The warrior instructor gave him a brief nod before charging forward, battle axe raised high, while the mage unleashed a barrage of searing magical bolts aimed at the abomination's legs.

As Adrian and the rest of the group disappeared around the corner, the sounds of battle echoed behind them. The clash of steel and the roar of magic filled the air, but Adrian didn't slow his pace.

His mind was already on the next opponent ahead.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

The Phantom Lady and Arkat Beast Duo.

If his memory served right, those two would be controlling and watching over the elites in the main hall...

'We need to leave four people here...'

'Sigh... It's going to be really troublesome before we reach her...'