Novel's Extra: I Awakened The Strongest Physique From The Start

Alex had accepted the villagers' kindness during the night, enjoying the songs and dances they performed in the inn before he bought a room to stay in the night.

[Are you going to try it now?] Sophie asked as he lay on the bed, his body sinking into the softness of the mattress—some surprising for an inn.

'Yes,' he replied as he lifted his hand, staring at it for a while before glaring purple energy coated his arm.

Fizzle!

The air hissed as if burning due to the energy, the mana in the air evaporating, but the reaction Alex wanted didn't happen.

[So, there really is no illusion, huh?] Sophie sighed.

The destruction energy Alex used just now was capable of breaking any physical illusion. But since nothing other than the air cracked meant that there was no physical illusion in place.

'I guess I should really stop being suspicious of every little thing when I don't even know everything about this world,' Alex thought, closing his eyes and letting the calming atmosphere sink in.

But the tranquility didn't last.

Just as he was about to sleep, a piercing scream shattered the stillness, jolting Alex upright.

............

A while ago.

The moonlight bathed Luminora's square, casting a dim glow over the crystal fountain.

The village was empty; everyone had gone to sleep like always, trusting the barrier that had always protected them.

But there was one girl who wasn't sleeping like others. It was Elyra; like always, she stood near the fountain, her heterochromatic eyes staring at it.

It was her daily routine, absentmindedly staring at the fountain.

However, something changed today.

The barrier, normally invisible, flickered faintly, its golden light struggling to hold form. A low, guttural growl rumbled from the darkness beyond the village's edge.
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"Not good," Elyra muttered, her eyes scanning for anything to use as a weapon. She wanted a blade, but she couldn't find one, so she settled with a rod lying about.

With a crackling sound, the barrier sputtered and dimmed just as a hulking demonic creature broke through. It was huge, with an obsidian-scaled body radiating malice. Its burning red eyes locked onto Elyra as it bared its fangs.

"Damn it," she growled, taking a defensive stance. "How the hell did it get in?"

It was stronger than her—she could easily make that out. It was strong enough to kill her, but Elyra didn't seem shaken.

The beast charged with terrifying speed for its size, making Elyra leap to the side, narrowly avoiding its swipe. She slashed the iron rod across the creature's side. Sparks flew as the blade barely did any damage to its thick hide.

"Come on, you ugly bastard!" Elyra yelled, trying to draw it away from the nearby houses.

The beast roared in fury, lunging again. Elyra met its strike head-on, their clash sending shockwaves through the square. But the creature's strength far outmatched hers. Each blow she blocked sent tremors up her arm, and her stamina quickly weakened.

"Stay back!" She shouted toward a few villagers peeking out of their homes.

As she parried another strike, the creature's claw slipped past her guard and ran across her side, sending her staggering. Blood dripped onto the floor below, but Elyra refused to back down.

"I've faced worse than you," she spat, her blade crackling as she infused it with the last of her strength. She couldn't use any superpower or element, but her six-star, star-formation realm strength was enough to defend against the beast.

Elyra charged forward, aiming for the beast's throat. Her strike landed, cutting deep into its flesh. But before she could pull her blade back, the creature's claw swung in a deadly arc.

The pain was instant and excruciating.

"GAHHHHHH!!" Elyra screamed as the beast's claw severed her arm at the shoulder.

She fell to the ground, clutching the bleeding stump, her vision blurring from the pain. Still, she glared up at the beast with defiance, her teeth gritted.

"Fuck off," she growled, trying to stand as the creature raised its claw to land a finishing attack.

............

Present.

Alex sprung to his feet, his eyes snapping open as he heard that agonized yell.

[It's close!] Sophie exclaimed, and listening to her, Alex jumped out of the window, his sharp eyes quickly catching the sight of the massive demonic creature.

"What in the world...?" Alex muttered, but as his eyes caught sight of the situation, he quickly shook his thoughts off.

There was a young girl at the center of the chaos, a rod next to her as her torn arm lay some distance away from her.

Her black hair whipped in the wind, and her heterochromatic eyes—one gold, one silver—burned with fierce determination even with the situation she was in.

The creature roared, towering over her, its claws raised for a killing blow.

But before it could strike, a flash of silver streaked through the square.

Alex's blade, glowing with his lesser aura, cleaved through the creature's claw, severing it cleanly.

"ROAR!!!!!" It howled in agony, recoiling as Alex landed between it and the girl.

"Damn, you're reckless," Alex muttered, glancing at her.

The girl, Elyra, looked up at him, her face pale but her eyes still blazing. She couldn't take her eyes off him. It was as if he had stolen her heart with his deashing entry and devilishly handsome face.

Despite her situation, she grinned. "Reckless? You just sliced that thing up like it was nothing. And damn, that was sexy."

Alex's eyebrow twitched. "Seriously?"

[Focus, Alex.] Sophie's exasperated voice snapped him back.

The beast roared again, lunging toward Alex, but this time it was met with the full force of his lesser aura.

Alex could sense a one-star, star-connection realm power from the beast. But with his strength, taking care of it wasn't hard for him.

The air around him seemed to hum as his blade moved faster than the eye could follow, carving through the beast's torso.

It collapsed with a thud, its body disintegrating into dark mist. The oppressive energy dissipated, and the fountain's light steadied, the barrier slowly repairing itself.

The villagers began to emerge from their homes, murmuring in awe as they gathered around the scene.

"Are you alright?" Alex asked, kneeling beside the girl.

She chuckled weakly, blood still dripping from her severed arm. "I've been better. But hey, not every day you get saved by a hot guy with a sword."

Alex sighed, tearing a strip of cloth from his coat and binding her wound as best he could. "You should focus on not bleeding out instead of flirting."

"Oh, come on," she said, wincing as he tightened the makeshift bandage. "You can't blame me for appreciating a guy who knows how to make an entrance."

"Who are you, anyway?" Alex asked, genuinely curious. "You're clearly not just another villager."

She grinned, even in her pain. "Name's Elyra. And you're welcome for holding that thing off until you showed up, by the way."

"You nearly got yourself killed," Alex uttered in exasperation.

"But I didn't," Elyra shot back, her grin turning mischievous. "Because you swooped in like some badass hero. Seriously, though, how'd you do that? That thing was massive."

Alex sighed again, standing and offering her his hand. "You're awfully chatty for someone who just lost an arm."

She took his hand, letting him help her to her feet. "What can I say? I've always been tough. But seriously, you've got to tell me your name."

"Alex," he said simply.

"Alex, huh?" Elyra's heterochromatic eyes sparkled as she looked at him. "Well, Alex, I owe you one. And trust me, I always pay my debts."

Before Alex could respond, the young woman who had greeted him earlier approached, her expression filled with concern.

"What happened here?" She asked, her eyes darting between Elyra's injury and the remnants of the demonic creature.