The Extra's Supremacy

The news spread like wildfire. Chris's livestream, raw and unfiltered, had captured everything: the Reaper's dramatic entrance, the terrifying power of the Terror-ranked creature, the golden slash that had disintegrated it, and finally, Elara's breathtaking display of power as she unleashed the storm that saved Kythera.

The effect was instantaneous. Within hours, the footage was viral, spreading across every corner of Altheria. People watched in stunned silence, then erupted in a cacophony of cheers, gasps, and frantic speculation.

News outlets scrambled to cover the story, their headlines proclaiming the dawn of a new era. "Empress of Thunder Obliterates Terror-Ranked Creature!" screamed one. "Reaper Returns: Savior of Kythera?" proclaimed another. "Hundreds of Rifts Tear Opened! Are the Fallen Creatures Returning?"

The public's reaction was a mixture of awe, fear, and a desperate kind of hope. Elara's power was undeniable, a beacon of light in the encroaching darkness. They hailed her as a savior, a protector, the Lightning Empress, a title whispered with reverence and a touch of fear.

But it wasn't just Elara who captured the public's imagination. The Reaper, once a figure of fear and death, was now being viewed in a new light. His swift, decisive actions, culminating in the impossible feat of one-shotting a Terror-ranked creature, had sparked a frenzy of speculation.

Theories abounded. Was he a new kind of Ascender? A being touched by the Arcane Nexus itself? His golden energy blast became the subject of endless debate and analysis.

And then there was the nickname. It started as a murmur on the forums, a comment on a news site, then spread like a virus through the collective consciousness. The Radiant Reaver. It was a name that acknowledged his brutal past as the Reaper but also hinted at the almost divine power he had displayed. The name stuck, replacing the old moniker, at least for now.

In a quiet dorm room at the Ascender Academy, Kain watched the news reports with a detached amusement. He'd arrived a day ago, along with Elara, Lily, and the subdued wyvern. The journey had been uneventful, a stark contrast to the chaos they'd left behind.

He saw himself on the screen, a figure cloaked in shadows, moving with lethal grace. Then, the golden flash, the disintegration of the Terror-ranked creature. He still didn't fully understand that power, that had run wild. It felt both alien and deeply connected to him, a paradox he had yet to unravel.

He sighed, running a hand through his dark hair. At least his identity as Kain Nightshade remained separate from his past as the Reaper. A small mercy, but one he was grateful for.

"Radiant Reaver," he muttered to himself, a wry smile touching his lips. "Sounds ridiculous."

He glanced at the news report again. Elara, his sister, the newly christened Lightning Empress, was being interviewed. She looked tired, but there was a firmness in her eyes, a resolve that hadn't been there before. The weight of the world, it seemed, had settled on her shoulders. Yet, she bore it with a grace that surprised even him.

The interviewer, a well-known figure in media, leaned in, clearly trying to get to the heart of Elara's sudden reappearance.

"So, Miss Elara," the interviewer began, "many people are asking the same question: Why didn't you intervene sooner to save Kythera City? Why did it take you this long to make your appearance?"

A hushed murmur ran through the crowd. Kain could almost hear the whispers spreading, the public's doubt hanging thick in the air. He watched Elara's face carefully, waiting for her response.

Elara's expression didn't falter. She gave a calm smile, though Kain noticed a flicker of something in her eyes—uncertainty, maybe, or the weight of the lie she was about to tell. She cleared her throat before replying, her voice steady.

"I only just arrived in Kythera City. I had retired to an ordinary life with my daughter after my husband's passing," she said, her tone measured. "I had hoped to live peacefully, far away from the conflicts of this world. But when the rifts tore open, and the city was under threat, I knew I had to act."

The audience seemed to accept her words, the lie crafted so perfectly by both Zander and Elara. It was a story that explained her absence for the past years: her husband had died in a rift accident, and she had withdrawn to care for their daughter. Kain could feel the tension in the air, but the public bought the story easily. After all, her husband's death in the rift accident few years ago had been public knowledge. It made the tale of her retreat from the world believable, almost comforting in its familiarity.

The interviewer, clearly satisfied with the answer, pressed on. "And now that you're back, Miss Elara, what are your plans for the future?"

Elara's eyes hardened slightly, the weight of her title settling onto her shoulders. She had known this moment would come—the question of her next move, her place in this world. With a calm confidence, she responded.

"My next step is to take on the role of Vice Principal at the Ascender Academy. It's a place of learning, a foundation for the future of our world. I believe it is my duty to help shape the next generation of leaders and warriors."

The audience buzzed with excitement at her words. The idea of the Lightning Empress becoming part of the academy, a symbol of hope and strength, was a powerful message.

The interviewer nodded, seemingly satisfied with her answer, but the air still buzzed with unanswered questions. As the cameras moved on to other segments, Kain turned away from the screen. The moment had passed, but the weight of it lingered in the room.

He was lucky, he realized. The public didn't know they were siblings. Different surnames after her marriage had seen to that. It was a thin veil of protection from attention.

Kain turned off the news, the silence of the dorm room settling around him. It was a small, sparsely furnished space, typical for first-year students, but it was his for now. He had a special permit that allowed him to skip the entrance exam as the recommendation of Zander.

He looked around. The academy had given them quarters near each other, a small measure of comfort in this strange new environment. Elara and Lily had given different apartment, with the wyvern housed in a specially constructed enclosure nearby.

Kain walked to the window and looked out at the sprawling campus. Students were starting to arrive, their faces a mix of excitement and apprehension. The academy grounds were vast, filled with training fields, lecture halls, and ancient-looking buildings that hummed with barely contained energy. The official start of the academic year was still more than 20 days away, but the campus was already buzzing with activity.

He leaned against the window frame, his gaze distant. He'd come here for safety, for answers, for power. But looking out at the faces of the arriving students, he couldn't shake the feeling that he was stepping onto a stage far grander and more dangerous than he had ever imagined.

He was here, in the heart of it all. And the shadows were waiting.