The Extra's Supremacy-Chapter 23: The Lost City

The sun began to ascend higher in the sky.

Lesley jumped down from the tree and resumed her journey, her boots kicking up little puffs of dust as she landed.

Another day of endless walking. Another day of silence.

Sighing, she trudged forward, heading once again toward the lone mountain in the distance.

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'Thankfully, I brought enough supplies to last at least ten more days,' she thought, feeling a little more at ease.

Time slipped by as she walked.

Without realizing it, her guard began to drop.

Mental exhaustion gnawed at her sharper than any blade.

Then suddenly her mana sense flared.

A sharp tingle crawled across her skin.

Her instincts screamed in warning.

'Illusion.'

Her steps slowed. Her senses sharpened.

Lesley scanned her surroundings.

A hundred trees lined her path— fifty to the left, fifty to the right—perfectly spaced as if forming a road designed to lure her in.

And at the end of the path stood a sight that stole her breath away.

A sprawling city rose before her.

Ancient constructions of stone and marble loomed proudly under the golden sky, alive with the bustle of unseen crowds.

A glistening moat of unnatural water surrounded the city, reflecting the sunlight like a mirror.

It felt... familiar.

Too familiar.

The rest of the world was a blank white expanse, broken only by the golden rays that danced lazily in the air.

Unbidden, a word slipped from her lips.

"Beautiful."

Even though Lesley knew it was an illusion, a part of her didn't want to break it.

She took a step forward.

Then another.

Before she realized it, she was standing before massive gates carved with ancient designs.

The people parted as she approached.

They bowed deeply, their heads lowered in reverence.

Their voices rose together in a song, chanting strange words she couldn't understand.

"#?#?#? #?#?#"

Even without knowing the language, she could feel it in her bones.

Respect.

Devotion.

'Why are they treating me like this?'

'Wait, where... am I?'

'No... who am I?'

Children danced through the streets.

Women laughed and tossed flower petals into the air.

Men bustled around, preparing decorations for some unknown festival.

Lesley clutched her head.

Pain exploded behind her eyes.

Her sense of direction twisted. The ground beneath her felt like it was spinning.

'What's happening to me?'

Her knees buckled, slamming into the stone path.

Tears spilled down her cheeks, but strangled laughter burst from her lips.

She was crying.

She was laughing.

And all around her, the people danced.

Her mind unraveled, sinking into madness.

Just as she teetered on the edge of losing herself,

A warm hand touched her shoulder.

The madness snapped like a thread cut clean.

Lesley gasped, drawing in quick, shallow breaths.

A calm voice spoke close to her ear.

"It's okay now. You're safe."

She looked up through blurred vision.

Standing there was Alvin, his hand still resting lightly on her shoulder, steady and grounding.

For a moment, she just stared at him, trying to piece reality back together.

Then, with a weak smile, she said, "Instead of a prince, why did you come to rescue me?"

Alvin chuckled under his breath and shook his head.

'Lesley being Lesley.'

"It seems you're fine now," he said, pulling his hand away. "Come on. Let's move."

Without waiting for a reply, he turned and started walking away.

Lesley watched his back for a moment, a small smile forming on her lips.

Then she wiped her eyes and followed after him, step by step.

As her mind cleared, Lesley swept her gaze across the landscape again,

And her heart sank.

The magnificent white city she had seen before was gone.

The pristine buildings were shattered, blackened by some unknown blight.

The clear waters outside the gates had turned a murky, sickly green.

The golden sky had dimmed into a heavy gray, as if mourning the fall of the once-great city.

Her mana sense flared sharply.

From every ruined corner, every crumbling structure, she could feel it

Pulses of scattered mana, thick and heavy like rot.

'What the—'

"You can feel it too," Alvin said, stepping up beside her. His voice was calm but tense.

"Something's wrong here. It feels like some kind of disturbance... like an artifact's influence."

He glanced at her, serious.

"If you sense anything unusual, tell me immediately."

Lesley nodded. "I can do that."

Alvin trusted her mana sense.

'She can even detect Crandell-stage... something I wasn't able to do before,' he thought, feeling a flicker of annoyance.

Drip... drip...

Blood hit the ground at his feet.

Pain flared through Alvin's arm again, a dull, constant itch that refused to fade.

Lesley's eyes narrowed as she noticed it—the blood dripping down from the sword tied tightly to his injured hand.

"What happened to your arm?" she asked, her voice carrying a hint of concern.

Alvin glanced down at his hand, then looked away.

"Nothing serious. I just let my guard down fighting a monster," he said simply.

Lesley nodded, accepting the answer without pressing further.

'He's just an early-stage Expert after all,' she thought.

Still, she said, "Stay close to me. We don't know what else might be lurking here."

Alvin met her gaze, his cold, detached expression unchanged.

"Alright."

Suddenly, a voice echoed inside Alvin's mind.

"Boy... I can sense people inside that ruined castle ahead."

It was the Black Sword.

'People, huh?' Alvin thought, a slow, dangerous smile curving his lips.

He turned his eyes toward the large, half-collapsed castle that loomed in the distance.

"Let's head for the castle," Alvin said, his voice a little too casual.

"I have a feeling we might find something interesting."

Lesley hesitated for only a moment before nodding.

"If you say so," she agreed.

She moved ahead of him, sharp and alert.

"Stay behind me. We don't know what's waiting for us."

Alvin followed silently, his mind already racing ahead.

'As long as I find someone... anyone...'

'I can finally lift this curse.'

A shadow passed over his eyes.

'The only question is...'

'Who will be the unlucky one?'