Aetheric Chronicles: Reborn As An Extra

The sky started shattering.

The space where the weapon had struck split open with a hideous, jagged tear. The crack widened, revealing a swirling black void that seemed to devour light itself. The sight was so unnatural, so utterly wrong, that several examinees stumbled backward, their faces pale with fear.

"What the hell is that?!" someone screamed.

Ren gritted his teeth, gripping his staff tightly. "A dimensional crack," he muttered, his voice barely audible over the growing chaos.

The crack continued to grow, expanding until it was nearly ten meters wide. The void pulsated, exuding a gravitational pull so powerful that loose stones and debris began to lift off the ground, spiraling toward the rift.

"Everyone, get back!" Ren shouted, his voice carrying over the cacophony. He slammed his sword into the ground, conjuring a barrier of golden light to shield the people around him.

But it was too late.

The void's pull intensified, its gravitational force like a black hole. Screams erupted as examinees were yanked off their feet, their bodies hurtling toward the rift. Some tried to resist, clawing at the ground or reaching for their friends, but the pull was relentless.

Adrian, who had been near the exit, dug his heels into the ground, his eyes narrowing as he analyzed the situation. His grip tightened on the scythe he still carried. "It started, huh," he muttered under his breath. Without hesitation, he slammed the weapon into the ground, anchoring himself as the pull grew stronger.

The hooded figure stood motionless beside the scythe boy, unaffected by the rift's pull. They tilted their head slightly, as though observing the chaos with mild amusement. "Struggle all you like," they said, their voice dripping with disdain. "You're all going to the same place." Explore new worlds at empire

Before anyone could respond, the figure crouched and grabbed the unconscious scythe boy by the collar. With an almost casual flick of their wrist, they tossed him into the rift like discarded baggage. The boy's limp body disappeared into the void, swallowed whole by the blackness.

"W-Who are you!" Ren roared, his golden barrier expanding as he pointed his sword at the hooded figure. A beam of radiant energy shot toward them, its brilliance cutting through the darkness.

The hooded figure barely moved, raising a hand cloaked in shadow. The beam struck their palm and fizzled out as though it had been absorbed. They tilted their head again, as if mocking Ren's efforts. "How disappointing," they murmured. "Is this the best the academy this world has to offer?"

The next moment, the figure's weapon pulsed again, sending out another shockwave. The golden barrier shattered like glass, and Ren was forced to his knees, blood dripping from the corner of his mouth.

"Ren!" Lyra called out, her voice sharp with urgency.

Meanwhile, the hooded figure moved like a shadow, vanishing from their spot near the rift and reappearing in an instant beside Adrian. Adrian's eyes flicked to the figure, his grip tightening on the scythe still embedded in the ground. His jaw clenched as he braced himself, the gravitational pull threatening to tear him away.

"You're going as well," the figure said, their voice calm and chilling, devoid of emotion.

Before Adrian could react, the chain-like weapon in the figure's hand shot forward with blinding speed. The chain pierced through his chest, its jagged end embedding itself in his heart. Adrian's eyes widened as blood spattered the stone floor, his knees giving way as the overwhelming pain sent a jolt through his body.

The scythe he had been holding onto so desperately flew from his grasp as though it had been summoned, spiraling through the air before landing in the figure's waiting hand. They rested it on their shoulder casually, as if mocking the effort Adrian had put into resisting.

The void's pull intensified further, and Adrian, no longer able to anchor himself, was yanked into the rift. His body spiraled toward the blackness, the chain still protruding from his chest, dragging him deeper into the dimensional crack.

"Adrian!"

A voice rang out from one of the entrances to the colosseum. Aria stood there, her purple eyes wide with horror as she took in the scene. Without hesitation, she sprinted forward, her silver hair billowing behind.

Adrian turned his head, his vision blurry and his strength fading. His lips parted as if to say something, but the pull of the void swallowed him whole before any words could escape. The chain vanished along with him into the darkness.

"Aria, no!" Ren's voice cut through the chaos as he reached out in a futile attempt to stop her.

But Aria didn't resist the pull of the rift. In fact, she leaned into it, her expression strangely calm and determined as she allowed herself to be swept away. The black void consumed her just as it had Adrian, the flicker of her silhouette disappearing into the nothingness.

The figure, still standing near the rift, tilted their head as if observing the scene with vague amusement. Then, with one last pulse from the chain-like weapon in their grasp, they too were pulled into the dimensional crack, vanishing without a trace.

The rift's pull began to weaken, and the chaos in the colosseum started to settle. Around twenty students, along with Ren, Aurelia, and Lyra, remained in the arena, somehow untouched by the void's suction. They stood frozen, their expressions ranging from shock to fear.

Just a few moments later, five other figures entered the arena from the far side, their faces a mix of urgency and confusion. It was Emeric, Irithel, Aurelius, and two other second-year students. Their eyes scanned the scene, taking in the shattered sky, the disarray of the arena, and the ominous black hole.

"What is going on here?!" Aurelius shouted, his voice worried as his hand instinctively went to the hilt of his blade. His blue eyes narrowed on the swirling void, and for a moment, his usual confidence faltered.

Emeric's gaze locked on Ren, who was still kneeling and clutching his chest, blood smeared on his lip. "Ren!" he called out, a flickering concern flashing in his eyes. He took a step forward, but before he could reach his friend, the void pulsed violently again.

"No!" Lyra screamed, her voice hoarse with desperation.