Aetheric Chronicles: Reborn As An Extra

The plant monster's core shattered with a deafening crack, its thick vines trembling before collapsing in a lifeless heap. The swamp grew eerily silent, save for the faint groans of the hooded figures who had fought valiantly against the creature. One by one, they stood up, their movements slow and strained, clearly bearing the marks of their brutal battle.

Adrian observed them from the shadows. He then adjusted his grip on the Hunter Amulet, hesitating for a brief moment before deactivating it. As the amulet's power faded, his original appearance returned, a soft, familiar glow briefly emanating from his body before vanishing into the misty air.

'It's time to reveal myself.' He came out of his hiding spot.

The figures' heads turned sharply in his direction, weapons instinctively raised. Their guarded stances held for a tense second—until their eyes settled on Adrian's revealed face.

The tension dissolved almost instantly.

"Oh, it's just trainee Kael," one of them said, letting out a relieved laugh. A broad grin spread across his face as he lowered his weapon. The spear-wielding figure stepped forward, lifting his left hand in a friendly gesture.

"Kael." the man said with a friendly smirk. "Been a while, right?"

Adrian's eyes widened slightly in surprise. It took him a moment to remember this guy's memories being altered as well.

'Oh, our part-time villain Emeric. It's refreshing to see you without the hatred and hostility in your eyes.'

'Wait, he's not Emeric now.'

Emeric's new name was Meris, which Aria had mentioned to him during their preparations. A third-rate and a part-time villain no longer… or at least, not as much. Adrian hesitated, but eventually returned the fist bump, a small grin forming on his face.

"Good to see you too, Meris," Adrian said, his tone calm but friendly. "Didn't expect to run into you here."

Emeric—laughed lightly. "Didn't expect to see you so soon either. Thought we had a head start." He motioned toward the others, who were now brushing themselves off and organizing their gear. "We figured we couldn't beat you if we didn't start earlier. But just so you know, I'm still going to collect more marks and resources than you. Keep that in mind, Kael."

Adrian chuckled softly. "Alright, I believe you," he replied, his voice tinged with amusement.

Something was refreshing about this new Emeric. Gone was the arrogant, sociopathic personality that had been a pain to deal with in the past. Ever since he had sent Emeric's older brother, Rowan, to prison, he seemed… lighter. Less burdened by whatever darkness had plagued him before. Adrian found himself liking this side of Emeric far more than the villainous persona he used to project.

He even though he would be like this had not been of Rowan and his father's influence - competitive but fair, friendly, and cautious. He even noticed good leadership in him in the previous confrontation.

"So, you guys started already, huh?" Adrian asked, glancing at the remnants of the battle.

Emeric nodded, leaning on his spear casually. "We got teleported here yesterday," he explained. "Didn't feel like wandering off just yet, so we stayed put and made the most of it. Collected some seeds, fruits, and monster parts while we waited. Figured it'd be a good use of time."

Adrian raised an eyebrow, genuinely impressed. He scanned the assortment of items they had gathered, noting the variety and quality of the materials. "Impressive," he said sincerely. "Looks like you've been busy."

Emeric grinned, clearly pleased with the compliment. "You know me," he said. "Gotta stay ahead of the game."

'He's really pleasing than before.'

Adrian nodded thoughtfully. "Well, you're off to a good start," he said. "But I've got some news that might change your plans a bit."

Emeric tilted his head curiously. "Oh?"

"There's a town nearby," Adrian began, his tone shifting to one of quiet seriousness. "And more importantly, there's something called the Blessing Trials. It's an event tied to this place… and you can figure out the rest."

The other figures, who had been busy sorting through their loot, paused to listen, their expressions ranging from intrigued to skeptical. Emeric's grin widened slightly, a spark of excitement flashing in his eyes.

"Blessing Trials, huh?" he said, rolling the words over as if testing them. "Sounds like the exam is finally starting for real. And you know I'm always up for a challenge."

Adrian smiled faintly. "I figured you would be," he said.

"What about you?" Emeric asked curiously. "Are you gonna start collecting marks or will you join us? After all, the more the better."

Adrian tilted his head thoughtfully at Emeric's question, his fingers brushing over the hilt of his ring. He glanced at the group behind Emeric, noting their camaraderie and how efficiently they worked together. It was a stark contrast to the Emeric he had known in the past, who would have arrogantly claimed all the glory for himself.

But this wasn't his group.

"You know me," Adrian said with a faint smile, meeting Emeric's curious gaze. "I'm gonna go solo this time."

Emeric blinked, then let out a small laugh, shaking his head. "Figures. You've always been the lone wolf type." He turned back to his group, his expression shifting into something sharper, more focused. "Alright, then we better fasten our pace. We've got no time to waste."

He looked back at Adrian, lifting his spear slightly in a gesture of farewell. "Good luck on your Hunt, Kael."

Adrian returned the sentiment with a faint nod. "Good luck to you too, Meris," he said. "Try not to blow your lead before it starts."

Emeric grinned at that, the competitive glint in his eyes unmistakable. He motioned to his group, and they quickly fell into step behind him. Adrian watched them for a moment, his smile lingering as he noted how efficient they were. Emeric wasn't wasting any time, and his straightforward approach was a far cry from his old not so great manipulative self.

'Not bad, Emeric. Not bad at all,' Adrian thought, a flicker of genuine respect crossing his mind. 'But... I wonder if you can improve after this is all over.'

'I want to see how will you act after recovering your true memories while keeping these intact...'

'Haha, I always liked character developments in novels, it'd be good if you improved too. I don't expect a big redemption but true growth will suffice...'

As the group disappeared into the thick foliage, Adrian turned in the opposite direction, his demeanor shifting.

'Let's continue searching for the main cast...'

'First, let's check where they will be...'