Aetheric Chronicles: Reborn As An Extra

The atmosphere buzzed with anticipation as the group of trainees marched in formation, their boots crunching against the gravel road that snaked toward Black Lake.

The final test of the Hunter Training Program loomed ahead, a mysterious event known only as "The Hunt." For weeks, they had been prepared, tested, and molded for this moment, but the unknown nature of the test left their hearts racing with a mix of excitement and unease.

Would they fight monsters? Search for resources? All the trainees had their own ideas about the event in their mind.

Adrian—better known among the group as Kael—walked toward the front of the line, his sharp eyes scanning their surroundings.

The terrain had shifted noticeably since they left Black Star City behind; the oppressive shadows of the towering buildings had given way to the jagged cliffs and blackened trees that bordered the region.

Somewhere ahead lay Black Lake, the boundary between the world of the living and the encroaching black energy that Hunters were sworn to hold at bay.

Behind him, Aria now known as Ria walked silently, her posture upright and her purple eyes burning with hidden determination.

She gripped her Black Weapon—a slender rapier with veins of crimson energy running along its blade—with reverence. The weapon pulsed faintly, almost as if sensing the anticipation coursing through its wielder. She received it as a temporary weapon three weeks ago from Sia and has been using it ever since.

"Do you think this is it?" Meris or the former sociopath Emeric, with his new cropped gray hair, asked, his voice betraying a hint of nervousness. He kept glancing at the black spear in his hands. "The Hunt, I mean. What do you think we'll have to do?"

"Stop asking questions you know won't get answered," Irith replied sharply, her green eyes narrowing. The red-haired elf girl kept her black bow and arrows across her back, its weight seeming to be no burden to her at all. "We'll find out soon enough."

Bella, walking alongside them, laughed lightly, though her grip on her staff betrayed her tension. "Easy for you to say, Senior Irith. Some of us still like knowing what we're getting into before we charge headfirst into danger."

The group's chatter was cut short as one of their instructors, a high-ranking Hunter named Garren, called out from the head of the line. "Keep moving! The lake's just ahead. You'll get your briefing there." His booming voice silenced any further questions.

Garren was a towering figure, clad in the dark, reinforced armor of an experienced Hunter. His Black Weapon, a massive war axe, hung at his side, humming faintly with restrained power. Walking beside him was Elira, the second instructor—a woman of striking beauty with ice-blue eyes and a calm demeanor that belied her lethality. Her Black Weapon, a whip that seemed to writhe like a living thing, coiled at her hip.

"Don't let the excitement cloud your focus," Elira said, her voice cool and steady. "This is not a game. The Hunt is the ultimate test of everything you've learned. Only those who prove themselves worthy will earn the title of Hunter. And believe me, not all of you will."

Her words sent a ripple of unease through the trainees, but none dared to voice their doubts.

As they crested the final hill, Black Lake came into view. The sight was breathtaking and ominous all at once. The water stretched out like a sheet of liquid obsidian, its surface unnaturally still and reflecting the darkened sky above. On the far shore, where the black energy's influence began, the air shimmered with an unnatural haze, distorting the landscape beyond.

The group came to a halt as Garren and Elira turned to face them.

"This is where it begins," Garren announced, his deep voice carrying over the stillness of the lake. "You've trained hard to get here, and every one of you has proven yourself capable in your own way. But being a Hunter isn't just about skill. It's about survival. It's about doing what needs to be done, no matter the cost."

"You have to put our world and the city as your first priority."

The trainees stood in silence, their breaths shallow as they listened intently to Garren's words. The stillness of Black Lake, combined with the ominous shimmer of the distant black energy, made the moment feel surreal.

Elira stepped forward, her ice-blue eyes cutting through the tension like a blade. "The test is as much a measure of your discipline as it is of your strength. You'll be entering a special realm prepared by the Black Star-Lord himself. Within this world, your objective will be twofold: search for resources and score marks."

"Marks?" Meris blurted out, before quickly correcting himself. "Apologies, Instructor. Could you elaborate?"

Elira gave him a sharp look before continuing. "Marks are constructs within the realm that you must neutralize using your Black Weapons. To do so, you'll need to activate your weapon's intangible mode—its energy projection form. However, there is one critical rule: you are prohibited from marking anything or anyone stronger than you."

"Stronger than us..."

"Which means the ones we can't defeat in a death battle..."

Murmurs rippled through the group. Adrian, standing silently at the edge, scanned the faces of his peers. Some looked confused, others determined, and a few seemed uneasy. He said nothing, his expression unreadable, as he absorbed every word of the briefing.

Elira raised a hand to silence the whispers. "Identifying who or what is stronger than you is part of the test. This is where your bond with your Black Weapon will be crucial. If you've trained properly, your weapon will give you an instinctive sense of whether you're outmatched. Ignore that instinct, and you'll not only fail the test but also risk your life."

Garren stepped in, his deep voice anchoring their attention. "You'll have to rely on your judgment, your instincts, and your teamwork. The realm will test every skill you've developed so far—and then some. But remember this: survival comes first. There's no shame in retreating if you face something you cannot overcome."

Adrian's eyes narrowed slightly. 'Survival comes first, huh.' he thought, the words repeating in his mind. 'More like the city and its rulers' survival.'

The instructors' explanation seemed precise and understandable, yet a person with a good mind could suspect that they were holding something back.

And they were.

He knew what the others didn't. This wasn't just a test to hone their skills or prepare them for the real world. The "special realm" they were entering wasn't a fabricated space created for their exam.

It was a small world—a real one.

And their task of "searching for resources" wasn't exactly what it seemed or told.

They were going to hunt and capture living inhabitants.

Just like Sia and the Scythe boy did to them. To others.

Of course, the instructors had carefully framed it to sound harmless—neutralizing "marks," testing their skills, and strengthening their bonds with their weapons.

"Adrian," Ria's voice cut through his thoughts. She'd moved closer, her rapier now resting lightly against her shoulder. "What do you think?"

He glanced at her, masking his unease with a faint smirk. "I think we'll know soon enough. Just stay sharp."

She narrowed her eyes slightly, as if sensing there was more to his words, but she didn't press further.

Garren, now standing at the water's edge, gestured toward the lake. "The entrance to the realm lies just ahead. You'll cross the lake and gather on the other side. Once you're there, Elira and I will activate the portal and send you through."

A faint ripple spread across the lake's surface, though no wind stirred the air. The shimmering haze beyond seemed to thicken, as if the world itself was preparing to shift.

Elira's voice broke the silence. "You have five minutes to prepare yourselves. Check your weapons, your gear, and your resolve. Once the portal opens, there's no turning back."

The trainees dispersed quickly, each one making their final checks. Adrian remained where he was, his gaze fixed on the horizon.

'Another world,' he thought, his mind racing through the implications. The Black Star-Lord's influence was far greater than anyone realized. If this small world was under his control, how many others were in total?

He clenched his fist slightly, feeling the weight of his temporary Black Weapon—a sleek, black dagger with veins of blue energy coursing through its blade. It vibrated faintly in his grasp, almost as if it, too, understood the truth.

Garren raised his war axe high, its edges glowing with a dark crimson light. The energy pulsed outward, and the still surface of Black Lake shuddered. Slowly, a bridge of blackened stone began to rise from the depths, its jagged surface gleaming under the faint light of the sky.

"Move out!" Garren barked, his commanding tone jolting the trainees into action.

One by one, they stepped onto the bridge, their boots echoing against the unnatural stone. The lake's obsidian surface rippled slightly, as if it were alive, watching their every step. Adrian led the way near the front, his sharp gaze flickering toward the shimmering haze on the far shore.

As they reached the other side, a low hum began to resonate through the air. Garren and Elira exchanged a brief glance before Elira extended her hand, her whip unraveling with a hiss. A burst of energy erupted from its tip, tearing a rift into the air itself. The rift expanded, forming an enormous black portal that seemed to devour the light around it.

"This is it," Elira announced. "Step through when ready. Remember: survive, collect the marks, and return intact."

The trainees hesitated for only a moment before charging forward, the pull of adrenaline overriding any lingering fear.

Adrian glanced back at Ria, who gave him a slight nod. Together, they stepped toward the portal, the swirling darkness growing larger with every step.

As Adrian crossed the threshold, a suffocating wave of cold enveloped him, the world around him dissolving into an all-consuming black void.

For a brief moment, there was nothing—no sound, no sight, only the faint hum of his Black Weapon vibrating against his hand.

'Another world under their control,' Adrian thought grimly, his chest tightening as the void began to twist into shapes. 'And we're nothing more than pawns in their game.'

The darkness swallowed him whole.