Solo leveling x The Novel's Extra (Rewrite)

It was 4:00 AM.

Ritsuka woke up as usual—early in the morning, a habit from his past life, when every day felt like a battle. But now, in this new world, he didn't have to rush to work or face the grind or see his Angry Boss who scolds him every day. The thought alone made him smile as he lay in bed, still groggy but content.

'No more working from dawn to dusk.'

He stretched, letting the last remnants of sleep fade. He was still getting used to this kind of freedom, but it felt good.

"Freedom"

Getting up, he headed to the bathroom to freshen up.

The cool water against his face helped snap him awake. Brushing his teeth, he caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror, noticing the faint weariness in his eyes. But that's all it was—faint. No longer the weight of a lifetime.

He took a quick sip of water before opening his system.

A prompt appeared:

DAILY QUEST

He glanced at his stats. The system's rewards were generous but mundane. He thought of Jin-woo from Solo Leveling—how he'd poured his stat points into strength to become unbeatable. He decided to do the same.

'Strength is the way to go.'

With a simple tap, he allocated all his points into the Strength stat. He was determined to make it his foundation.

Dungeon key,

he thought. That was his goal.

After that, it was time for his daily routine.

He changed into the exercise gear Cube had given him, then went to the kitchen to make coffee.

As he brewed it, he sent a message to the group chat:

> "I made coffee, come to my room. Door is unlocked."

He knew his friends—Hōtarō Oreki, Yuji Itadori, and Karma Akabane—weren't morning people. They'd be too lazy to get up and open the door.

A few minutes later, the door creaked open, and his friends, still wrapped in blankets, shuffled in one after the other.

They collapsed on the bed, still half-asleep.

Ritsuka handed them each a mug of coffee. He took his own, leaning back against the wall, and smiled at the sleepy, familiar scene.

"Ritsuka, you're like our mom, always making us coffee." Yuji yawned, stretching out lazily.

Ritsuka simply gave them a peace sign. "Mornings are tough, huh?"

The group chuckled, still rubbing their eyes.

Yuji turned the TV on, setting it to an anime horror channel.

Karma, always the sharp one, squinted at Ritsuka from under his blanket. "What's got you messed up? You look like you're hiding something. Are you sad to see us this early in the morning?"

Ritsuka raised an eyebrow. "No, why would I be?" He flashed a grin, but his smile didn't quite reach his eyes.

He stood up, stretching. "Anyway, I'm going to exercise. Wanna join me?"

Yuji groaned, rolling over. "Nah, I'm good. Let me rest a little longer."

Karma smirked. "I'll pass too. But try not to turn into a grumpy old man like Oreki."

Oreki was too lazy to even talk. And his sleepiness is still on him like always.

"Okay, okay. At least get ready by lunchtime, you sleepyheads." Ritsuka said with a laugh before heading out.

As soon as the door closed behind Ritsuka, Oreki turned to Yuji, his expression thoughtful even in sleep.

"You guys feel that? Something's different with Ritsuka lately."

Yuji nodded slowly, still waking up. "Yeah... It's like he's built a wall around us. And he looks more tired than usual, doesn't he?"

Karma smirked. "Yeah, like a 30-year-old software engineer trying to make it through the week."

Yuji rubbed his eyes. "It's like something's bothering him, but he won't talk about it."

"Then let's wait until he speaks. We should trust him."Oreki says with his eyes closed.

They fell silent, and nodded their heads. They trust Ritsuka.

But what they didn't know was that Ritsuka's mind wasn't entirely on his morning routine. In the back of his head, the image of the blonde, green-eyed girl lingered.

'Did I really mess up?'

He couldn't shake it. He wasn't sure why her reaction had hit him so hard.

But for now, there was nothing to do except move forward, train, and maybe…

Apologize when the time was right.

Ritsuka stepped out of his apartment, stretching as the early morning air brushed against his skin. His mind was still half on his workout plans when he noticed someone standing near the entrance—a small figure waiting for someone.

He immediately recognized her.

The same blonde girl from the restaurant. The one who had freaked out upon seeing him.

She was wearing a simple white top with jeans, and her golden hair was tied back in a high ponytail. But what stood out the most were her emerald green eyes, which gleamed with surprise the moment they met his.

Ritsuka hesitated.

'Crap. What do I even say?'

Then he remembered his mother's words...he needed to apologize for startling her.

He took a deep breath. "Hello. About yesterday, I sor--"

"Um! Let me treat you to something!"

Ritsuka blinked. "Huh?"

And before he could even process what was happening—

—he was sitting inside a café, staring at a slice of cake pie placed in front of him.

Ritsuka's mind raced.

'What the hell is going on?'

'Why is she giving me a treat when I was the one who startled her yesterday? Shouldn't it be the other way around?'

Across from him, the small blonde girl folded her hands on the table and spoke softly.

"I'm sorry for running off so suddenly yesterday." She glanced at the cake. "Think of this as my apology, and please eat."

Ritsuka looked at her expression closely.

Her mouth was slightly open, eyes locked onto the cake with a childlike sparkle.

'If you say it with that look, no one's gonna believe it.'

She looked like a kid who just wanted to eat the whole thing herself.

Without a second thought, Ritsuka pushed the plate toward her.

"Here, take it."

"WHAT? BUT IT'S FOR YOU?!"

"It's okay. I know cake is really tasty, so please take it." He smiled. "Besides, I don't need the extra calories right now."

She hesitated, her eyes flickering between Ritsuka and the cake, her cheeks flushed with a slight pink tinge.

"B-But…"

Her gaze betrayed her true feelings—she wanted it badly.

After a moment of internal struggle, she finally picked up her fork.

"S-Sorry… and thank you."

Then, with embarrassed determination, she started eating small bites, her face still slightly red.

'This girl… really loves food.' Ritsuka thought, watching as she savored every bite.

After a few moments, she looked up at him with a small, sheepish smile.

"I'm sure it was a shock to see so many plates in front of me yesterday."

Ritsuka, unwilling to lie, nodded bluntly. "Yes."

She laughed. "Hahaha! Yeah, I kind of lost control… It was a long trip, and there was a huge ceremony, so when I finally got to eat, I just… couldn't stop myself."

Ritsuka raised an eyebrow. "Ceremony?"

"Ah! Forget that!" She waved her hands, quickly changing the topic. "Anyway! What's your name?"

"Ritsuka Fujimaru."

She beamed. "I'm Artoria Lionheart!"

"Lionheart? Sounds like royalty."

She pouted. "Nooo, it's just a normal name!"

"If you say so."

Then she tilted her head playfully. "So, Fujimaru-kun, huh?"

Ritsuka blinked. "Wait, you know Japanese?"

She hesitated. "A little bit! (Another bit.), I visited Japan when I was little kid."

He gave her a curious look but decided not to push it.

Instead, he asked something that had been bothering him since yesterday.

"But you still haven't said why you freaked out when you saw me."

Suddenly, Artoria's face turned bright red.

'Oh no. Did I mess up again?' Ritsuka thought.

She hid her face behind her small hands and mumbled something.

Ritsuka leaned forward. "What?"

Her voice, muffled, came out slightly higher than before.

"Because… It was my first time a boy stared at me that much… My heart fluttered, is all…"

Ritsuka froze.

'Wait. What?'

His mind replayed the restaurant scene—had he really been staring that much?!

'I didn't look like a creep, did I?! Everyone called me creepy yesterday. But to her -- I look different!'

And then—

For the first time in a long time—

His own face turned red.

'Am I… blushing? After seeing a cute girl blushed because of me!'

After finishing the meal, they stepped outside the café.

Artoria turned to him, her expression serious.

"Once again, I'm really sorry for yesterday. I know people probably talked badly, so… I just wanted to apologize again."

Ritsuka shook his head. "It's fine."

She smiled warmly. "You're a wonderful person, really."

Ritsuka, unsure of how to respond, just nodded.

As she started walking away, a thought nagged at him.

"Artoria!" he called out.

She stopped and looked back. "Yes?"

"Did we meet before?"

For a brief moment, her expression changed—like she knew something he didn't.

Then she smiled.

"You don't remember?"

Ritsuka frowned. "What?"

"It's nothing, Fujimaru-kun. Bye! I hope we meet again."

With a small wave, she walked off, leaving Ritsuka standing there, completely lost.

He watched her disappear before muttering to himself—

"She didn't answer my question…"

Still puzzled, he finally turned toward the park, heading for his morning workout.

But even as he ran laps, his mind kept going back to one thing.

'Have we really met before?'

And why did it feel like he should remember?

He started his daily quest again.

Ritsuka stretched his arms, feeling the pleasant sensation of recovery wash over him as the green light faded from his body.

His muscles no longer felt stiff, and the lingering fatigue from yesterday's training vanished completely.

"Status Recovery really is a cheat." He muttered, rolling his shoulders.

Then, his gaze fell on the notification screen.

[You have completed your daily quest!]

[You have received 3 stat points.]

He grinned and immediately allocated them to Strength.

[Strength: +3]

With that done, he opened his inventory and stared at the Random Cursed Box he had obtained earlier.

"Alright, let's see what I get this time…"

He tapped it—

A flash of dark energy erupted before disappearing into his palm.

[You have obtained Dungeon Key (D-Rank)!]

Ritsuka's eyes widened before a satisfied smirk formed on his face.

"Finally."

He placed the key in his inventory and leaned back against the park bench.

"I'll go to the dungeon once I make my friends busy." He muttered. "No way I'm letting those three notice I'm gone for a few hours."

He stood up and dusted off his clothes.

"Alright ."

{2 days later}

Ritsuka arrived at the usual hangout spot—a small café near the cube where he and his friends met up for lunch for past 2 days.

As he walked in, he immediately spotted them.

Karma Akabane, wearing his usual smug expression, was lazily spinning a pen in his hand. Yuji Itadori, on the other hand, was stuffing his face with pancakes, and—

Ritsuka stopped.

Hōtarō Oreki was fast asleep with his head on the table.

A devious grin spread across Karma's face as he pulled out a sketchbook.

"Oi, Ritsuka. You came at the perfect time." Karma whispered.

Ritsuka raised an eyebrow. "What are you—"

Karma flipped the sketchbook around, revealing an unholy masterpiece.

A highly detailed sketch of Oreki, but with cat ears and a fluffy tail, looking way too adorable for his own good.

Ritsuka stared.

"…You're insane. He hates this."

Karma smirked. "Thanks, I know."

Itadori choked on his pancake trying not to laugh. "Dude… Oreki's gonna kill you."

"Not unless I finish first." Karma picked up a marker and leaned closer to Oreki's peacefully sleeping face.

"Okay time to do some art on his face now" And he did it on his sleepy face with marker. He used his sketch book as reference.

With expert precision, he began drawing tiny whiskers and a cat nose on Oreki face.

Ritsuka and Itadori watched in silent awe.

It was truly a work of art.

Then, without missing a beat, Karma pulled out his phone and snapped a picture of sleeping face Oreki.

"And… masterpiece complete."

Just as he finished—

Oreki stirred.

The three boys froze.

Oreki's eyelids fluttered open, his tired green eyes scanning the room before landing on them.

"…What?" He mumbled, rubbing his face.

Karma and Itadori immediately looked away, trying to act natural.

Ritsuka, on the other hand, was struggling to hold in his laughter.

Oreki blinked slowly, his brain not fully functioning yet.

Then—

A nearby customer giggled.

Another one whispered, "That cat guy looks so cute!"

Oreki frowned. "What are they—"

Then, he caught his reflection in the café window.

His entire body stiffened.

Silence.

Then—

"…Karma."

"Yes, my dear friend?"

"You have five seconds to run."

Karma immediately bolted.

"ITADORI, TAKE THE FALL FOR ME!"

"YOU BASTARD, YOU DID THIS!"

Oreki launched himself from his seat, grabbing a fork as a makeshift weapon.

"GET BACK HERE, YOU RED-HEADED DEVIL!"

Ritsuka just stood there, watching the chaos unfold as Karma cackled and Itadori screamed for help.

He checked his watch.

"Yep. That should keep them busy, while I complete my dungeon."

With a satisfied nod, Ritsuka casually walked out of the café—

—while Oreki continued his murderous rampage inside.

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