The Extra's Rebellion
Chapter 97: Space source

Chapter 97: Space source

After Zephyr’s in-depth explanation, Samantha seemed to let the idea go—not out of agreement, but something closer to resignation. She had only asked on impulse anyway.

What truly unsettled her wasn’t just the technique—it was him.

She had never once seen Zephyr train. Not seriously. Getting him to show up for group sessions had taken relentless pestering, and even then, he often stood around looking bored, half-asleep, or conveniently disappeared midway through.

And yet... he had just displayed a technique far beyond their current level. A technique no one else in their grade was supposed to be able to grasp.

But she didn’t paster him anymore, because ultimately, it didn’t matter.

There were only two days left in the academy anyway. Tomorrow was the final team battle. The day after that, they would all return to their clans, or in some cases find out potent sources scattered across the world like the last pieces of a broken game board.

In her case... she’d be going back to her family.

Back to clan White, a vessel under the royal clan. And she was not looking forward to it.

*****

"And they wonder why I skip battle drills". Zephyr muttered, voice muffled against the cold gym floor.

They were all down—flat, wheezing, sprawled like broken marionettes. Even Samantha, the pride of their squad, was lying on her back, arms spread wide, chest rising and falling like she’d run a marathon. Whatever grace she usually carried had long since evaporated under the weight of exhaustion.

Zephyr tilted his head slightly, just enough to glance toward the center of the ring.

There she stood.

Miss Esmeralda.

Arms folded neatly beneath her chest, face clearly showing she was enjoying torturing them, not a single strand of her hair out of place.

She was the predator, the overwhelming enemy they would need to hold back for ten minutes before reinforcement arrived.

The drill was a battle stimulation, a stimulation of ’what if’. And today’s what if was, what if they were blocked by an overwhelming enemy and reinforcement was said to arrive ten minutes later.

The rules of the drill were deceptively simple— survive for ten minutes. That was all.

But Miss Esmeralda had her own sense of cruelty.

For nine full minutes, she hadn’t lifted a finger in retaliation. Just weaved and dodged every attack they threw her way—like a ghost walking through fire.

Then at the nine minute mark, that all changed

One second she was still, the next she was everywhere. It was as if the concept of distance was foreign to her. One after another, they were struck down— not with brutality, but precision, it only took a tap for them to collapse. Energy strangely drained from their bodies.

Zephyr still couldn’t remember how she got behind him.

All he recalled was a flicker in the corner of his perception— and then darkness.

Now, flat on his back, he stared up at the cracked lighting overhead and muttered.

"Thank goodness this is all about to end". All that was left was two days, two days and he was out of here.

"You guys had improved considered to last time, Samantha good job". With that she walked away while humming a light tone.

Zephyr gathered his strength before popping his body upward, his gaze lingered on Samantha’s figure. She was sitting in a lotus position her chest heaving at her heavy breathing.

Cynthia also propped her body upward with a whin, but through her pained expression a look of excitement bloomed.

"H-hey guys earlier I ran into Thomas on my way here and he invited our squad to a party. Apparently they are having a send off party".

"That sounds like fun. We should go". Victoria chipped in.

Peter and Gray also agreed, while Samantha gave a nod of acknowledgement.

Everyone turned to stare at Zephyr who at this point in time was gazing absently mindly at thin air.

"Zephyr! Zephyr!! Zephyr!!!!". Zephyr snapped out of his stupor to see Cynthia beside him, tugging at his shirt.

"Huh?".

"I asked if you could make it".

"Yes".

"Really? That’s great". Cynthia turned and walked away excitedly.

’wait what did I agree to’. Zephyr stared confusedly at his squad mates.

****

The beach was fake, but gods, it was convincing.

The simulated sky above stretched wide in hues of tangerine and violet, reflecting across the surface of a glittering blue sea that didn’t quite move right if you looked too long. The air even smelled of salt and sun, carried by warm, artificially generated winds.

Still, it was enough.

Enough to make them forget they were still within the confines of the academy. Enough to let them pretend—for a few hours— that everything wasn’t about to end.

Zephyr stood near the shoreline, wearing swimming trunks and a floral-patterned Hawaiian shirt just like the other boys. His eyes swept the beach lazily, taking in the scene.

The squad had already scattered in different directions.

Victoria was lounging under a wide sunshade, legs stretched out, drink in hand, her black bikini unapologetically bold. A tattered wrap hung low on her hips, more decorative than modest.

Cynthia, in a pink bikini that barely fit her petite frame, looked like she was deeply regretting every fashion choice she’d made. She kept her arms tightly folded across her chest, shifting awkwardly as she followed Victoria around like a shadow.

Samantha, ever practical, wore a grey T-shirt and tight athletic shorts that clung to her creamy white legs. She was sitting on a towel near the surf, knees drawn up, gazing out at the waves like she was already somewhere else.

Zephyr’s attention was pulled away by a figure approaching from the far side of the beach.

Oliver.

He hadn’t changed much since last year, maybe a little taller. Now had a permanent easygoing smirk and the unshakable calm that made people underestimate him.

Zephyr raised a hand in lazy greeting. "Wassup mate".

Oliver beamed. "You made it. For a moment I thought you weren’t coming".

They sat near the shallows, where the artificial water lapped softly at their ankles, cool but not unpleasant.

"You look miserable". Oliver said.

"I assumed they would be meat". Zephyr replied, glancing around with mock disappointment.

"There is food."

"I said meat".

"There is meat".

"Then why am I still miserable?"

Oliver grinned. "Because after all your bragging you still couldn’t get a girlfriend".

Zephyr shot him a glare. "It’s because I am very busy lately".

"You sure?".

"Look I don’t have time to play word game with you, you want to hear that you won. Fine you won".

"Hmm how’s single life treating you".

"I said you won. Stop rubbing it on my face". The first time Zephyr heard from Oliver that he already got a girlfriend he was genuinely happy for the guy. That was until he heard the name of the girl.

Everytime he thought of the girl and Oliver together, his stomach would twist and turn in jealously.

But after getting over the intense jealously, he was glad Oliver was able to get her. At least one less attachment to this world.

But despite how he closed off every one around him, how he tried to appear nonchalant, lazy, edgy and disinterested. He couldn’t push anyone away from himself.

It seems that the principle from his previous life also worked here— people are drawn to the funny and edgy characters.

And now he didn’t know how to classify his emotions. Relief? Restlessness? A hollow ache that hadn’t quite formed into something understandable yet?

Soon, all of this—Victoria’s dramatics, Cynthia’s nervous laughter, Samantha’s cold clarity, Peter’s terrible jokes—would be gone. Everyone was heading out. Back to clans. Back to cities. Back to family names and expectations.

Back to places Zephyr no longer had.

His hands slipped into the pockets of his shorts as he turned his gaze toward the horizon.

He had tried to ignore the feelings, tried to avoid forming any relation in this world, but he was Zephyr, a sixteen years old kid. Both in his previous life and this one.

How much solitude could a teenager take, and to top it off, non of his squad mate avoided him. Non of them judged him, they all played it cool and till now he hasn’t expected it.

But then again this was the red sphinx district, the place only the elite could get into, a place that some students in the entire three years of staying at the Academy still fail to grasp. So they were bound to know a thing or two.

But all these took a back seat in his mind, his current problem was how the hell he was going to find the space source.

His clan are wielders of cursed flames, he couldn’t go to them for a space source even though they could help him secure one.

He was sure that if he dared stepped foot back to the clan, the contract that they would hand over to him would be enough for him to consider suicide.

Another potential helper was DuskFall clan, but they had nothing to gain from helping him, except he signed another contract. So they too were off the table.

But the finding of the source isn’t the problem right now, the problem was.

"How the hell do I get to Limbo". Zephyr muttered under his breath.

Yes Zephyr had found a lead, but the problem was actually getting there.

How could you get to a place in-between place, space in-between space, world in-between worlds, reality in-between realities.

Zephyr sensed a massive headache coming.