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

The damp, musty air of the jail clung to Keryu's skin, the scent of rust and unwashed bodies filling his nostrils. The flickering torchlight cast long, wavering shadows across the stone walls, giving the entire place an eerie, suffocating presence. He sat in the corner of his cramped cell, legs crossed, back pressed against the cold, rough wall. His eyes were closed, his breathing slow and measured as he tried to meditate to calm his fraying nerves. But no matter how many deep breaths he took, no matter how fiercely he focused, the same face kept invading his thoughts. Alex. "That insufferable bastard," he growled. Just the name of that bastard made Keryu's fingers curl into tight fists, his nails digging into his palms. The mere thought of Alex made his blood boil. He had ruined everything—destroyed so many of Keryu's carefully laid plans, ripped apart his chances of gaining more power, and worst of all, humiliated him. And for what? What did he even want? Revenge? No, that didn't make sense. Keryu had always been careful and always ensured that any trouble he caused for Alex was subtle, indirect, and nearly impossible to trace back to him. There was no way Alex should have known, and yet, somehow, he did. A low growl rumbled in Keryu's throat as he muttered curses. His mind drifted to the last time he had encountered Alex—in Desolate's ruined city. Things were going fine—except for some minor setbacks. Keryu was sure he would've been able to gain command over the entire city and save Lilia, making her join his side. But then, Alex arrived. The moment he came, he made his intentions obvious. He wanted to capture him. If not for the desperate attempt—burning his life force for a boost in his powers—he and his woman would've never escaped. Maybe he would've, as he had the teleportation magic circle, but he would've lost Natasha, his lover. At that time, Keryu had made up his mind. "I will kill that fucker." But it wasn't as easy as it seemed. Just like how Keryu came to the academy even after that incident because the academy was the safest place, Alex was also there. The only way to kill Alex in the academy was a direct fight, but... 'He's too strong!' Keryu had realized that during Alex's fight with the wyvern. That wyvern was supposed to kill Alex. That was why he had gone ahead and bought an illegal drug from his system. But Alex again turned the situation around. "How the fuck does he know so much?!" Keryu's frustration boiled over as he couldn't make sense of anything. He was a transmigrator, and he had read the plot of this world, so he knew everything about it. If Alex were the same as him, then it would make sense for him to know the same, but how the hell does he know about him? Keryu wasn't a part of the original plot. 'Wait—! Is there a book with me as the protagonist?' A sudden thought flashed past Keryu's head, making him frown, but he soon waved it off. 'Like hell.' It wasn't that he didn't want to believe. It just made no sense to him, or he didn't want to believe in that possibility. No one wants to be just a character in a story someone has read. 'He probably is a transmigrator like me, and he must have read the novel as well.' That was the conclusion Keryu could come to. After all, how else would Alex know about the supreme artifact that could only be found in Originveil Academy—the teleportation device? Alex had it. He had to. There was no other way to explain how Alex could leave the academy and return without a trace. That artifact was supposed to be Keryu's, a crucial tool in his arsenal, and yet, just like everything else, Alex had somehow taken it from him. The more Keryu thought about it, the more it became apparent that Alex was not just an obstacle—he was a predator, circling, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. And Keryu? He was nothing more than prey. The thought made his stomach churn. Weak. That was what he was compared to Alex. In power, in influence—he was leagues behind. Whenever he tried to climb higher, Alex would pull him back down as if it were some cruel game. But the worst part? The absolute worst part? No one believed him. Keryu's mind drifted to the moment he had stormed into the teacher's council chamber, his heart pounding with a mix of fear and rage. He had demanded justice, had pleaded his case, his voice hoarse with desperation. "Alex is trying to kill me!" Keryu had shouted, his fists slamming against the polished wooden table. "He framed me! He planted those drugs! He's been undermining me from the start—this is all his doing!" The teachers, seated in their grand chairs, had exchanged glances. Some skeptical, some indifferent. Then, one of the senior professors, an elder with a piercing gaze, had spoken. "Why would Alex go through so much effort?" The man had asked, his voice calm, almost patronizing. "If he merely wanted you dead, he is more than capable of killing you outright, is he not?" Another had then spoken, "If you speak the truth, then wait for the interrogation. Once your words are proven to be the truth, we will bring you justice." The man paused, leaning forward, adding indifferently, "If you are speaking the truth—which I find hard to believe—that is." The words had felt like a slap to the face. Keryu had opened his mouth to argue, but nothing came out. They were right. Alex was strong enough—strong enough to kill him without schemes, without deception. And yet, he hadn't. That was when the horrifying realization had begun to creep in. Alex wanted him alive. Not out of mercy, not out of kindness, but because he had a plan. A larger scheme at play, one Keryu could not yet grasp. His mind raced back to the wyvern fight. Alex, who had always hidden his strength, had openly displayed his power and shown his true capabilities in a way he never had before. Why? Why then? Why at that moment? Was it so that the moment he tried to approach the teacher's council, they could dismiss him? Was everything... calculated? No. No, that couldn't be. That would make Alex even more dangerous than Keryu already feared. He couldn't afford to believe that. But deep down, in the pit of his stomach, the thought refused to leave. A shudder ran through Keryu's spine, his body betraying the fear he refused to acknowledge. He gritted his teeth, shaking his head violently as if to physically rid himself of the doubt. He was not weak. He was not some pawn to be toyed with. He would find a way. He had to. As he sat there, hunched in his cell, surrounded by the cold and the dark, one thought burned in his mind. He had to get stronger. He had to be ready for the next time he faced Alex. Because next time, he wouldn't lose. But just then, Keryu's special eyes—analytic eyes—triggered as if sensing something along with a burning pain. "Arghh..." He groaned silently as he realized what was happening. 'Someone's here.' His eyes sharpened at that thought. The analytic eyes were something Keryu had awakened last time when he had to burn his life force while escaping from the desolate, and they were quite helpful. These eyes activated whenever he was caught in an illusion or someone—or something—was hiding in his vicinity. That meant just one thing: someone was here. And they were strong enough that Keryu's eyes couldn't detect them without pushing them to their limits. Keryu's eyes searched for the intruders, scanning the cell he was in before looking outside, and he finally found them. 'Two people. Early star connection realm.' With that thought, he closed his eyes, focusing on hearing what they were talking about.