An Extra’s Rise in an Eroge - Chapter 182

A dark and abandoned chamber somewhere near the museum’s grand halls, its air thick with the stench of decay.

Dim candlelight flickered across intricate inscriptions etched into the stone floor, pulsating faintly with ominous energy. A circle of hooded figures stood around the markings, their lips moving in synchronized whispers as they chanted cursed incantations.

Their eyes were vacant, devoid of life, as if their very souls had been sacrificed to the abyss.

Nearby, discarded corpses—withered and drained—were carelessly strewn about, their bodies reduced to mere husks.

Unlike the chanting cultists, a handful of men in distinct dark robes stood apart. They carried themselves with authority, their outfits setting them apart from the disposable pawns.

At the center of it all sat a figure upon a throne of carved stone—a makeshift seat of power within this grim lair.

His face was concealed behind a striking red mask, adorned with two black horns protruding from its crown. Unlike the chaotic energy in the room, he exuded complete stillness—his very presence an imposing force.

For a moment, he remained still, lost in deep contemplation.

Then, his eyes opened—dark and unreadable.

Without shifting his gaze, he spoke.

“How is the situation?”

His voice cut through the chamber like a blade—calm, yet deathly chilling.

A figure standing nearby responded, his own mask depicting an expression of sorrow, as if permanently mourning some great tragedy. His posture was strange—his arms raised high, his fingers twitching unnaturally. His eyeballs rolled back and forth, momentarily vanishing beneath his eyelids as he channeled distant visions.

Then, in a slow, hollow voice, he answered.

“It’s complete chaos. Our plans have gone awry.”

The masked leader’s gaze darkened, but he said nothing.

“The pawns sent to retrieve the demonic weapon are dead,” the subordinate continued, his body swaying slightly. “The monsters have been unleashed upon the royal museum, but the outcome is… less than promising.”

He paused, his fingers contorting as if tracing invisible patterns in the air.

“We underestimated our opposition. The Arcane Academy’s students were not supposed to be present—yet they are. And worse… there is an Archmage among them, as well as a Grandmaster-ranked warrior.”

For the first time, a shift in energy rippled through the room.

A Grandmaster? An Archmage?

The red-masked leader leaned forward slightly, his presence suddenly even heavier.

The sorrow-masked man took a breath before delivering his final report.

“Losses on their side have been minimal. They had healers, but one in particular stood out. A nun… no, perhaps more than just a nun. Her magic is of an exceptionally high level—capable of wide-area healing. She’s significantly stronger than anticipated.”

Silence hung in the air.

Despite the grim report, the red-masked man remained unshaken. His posture remained poised, his voice steady and devoid of emotion.

“Has the demonic sword been retrieved?”

A moment of silence followed.

The sorrow-masked subordinate hesitated before responding, his voice carrying a reluctant edge.

“No.”

Still, there was no visible reaction from the red-masked leader. He merely sat in silence for a brief second, contemplating his next move.

Then, his cold voice broke the stillness.

“….Nothing changes, then. Send Zeke and Ava to retrieve the demonic sword.”

The sorrow-masked man bowed slightly in acknowledgment.

“I will see to it.”

********

Moving swiftly through the darkened museum corridors, two figures emerged from the shadows.

A strikingly beautiful woman with fiery red hair and mesmerizing blue eyes led the way, her presence commanding attention. A long spear rested in her grasp, its tip faintly gleaming under the dim lighting.

Beside her, a rough-looking man followed closely. His rugged demeanor, accompanied by a heavy greatsword slung over his back, exuded raw, unrelenting power.

They were Ava and Zeke—two of the ten leaders of the Black Hand.

Their expressions were calm yet focused as they approached their destination—the museum’s great hall. Every step they took was deliberate, their instincts sharpened for combat.

But just as they neared the battlefield—

KRAKOOOOOM!

An enormous surge of magic exploded from the direction of the great hall. A deafening roar echoed through the entire museum as arcane energy surged outward, consuming everything in its path.

The very air trembled.

The fabric of reality warped under the sheer magnitude of the spell, distorting the surroundings as though the world itself was bending beneath its weight.

Ava came to an abrupt halt, her eyes widening as she instinctively raised her spear.

“What the hell is this?!” she exclaimed, her voice laced with disbelief and wariness.

She tightened her grip, scanning the environment as the arcane storm intensified.

“To cast a wide-ranging spell of this scale… could it be that reinforcements from the royal palace have already arrived?” Ava muttered, trying to assess the situation.

“That’s impossible.”

Zeke’s voice was calm yet firm, his sharp gaze scanning the surroundings as he tried to assess the situation.

He clenched his fist, running the numbers in his mind.

“It would take at least five minutes for the news to reach the royal palace.”

His brows furrowed as he continued.

“Another ten minutes for them to mobilize a response and gather at the teleportation point, even if they reacted immediately. And even if they managed all that, the Sixth Unit stationed outside should have stalled them for at least fifteen to twenty minutes.”

His grip on his sword tightened.

“There’s no way reinforcements could be here this fast.”

But despite his rational thinking, the undeniable reality loomed before them—this spell was on an entirely different scale.

His expression darkened.

“Besides…” Zeke muttered, his voice taking on a grim tone.

“This is a Domain Declaration… an 8-star spell.”

Even Ava’s playful smirk faded slightly at that revelation.

Zeke exhaled slowly, his wariness increasing.

“That means there’s an Archmage among the visitors.”

That was the only logical explanation.

The museum was never supposed to be this well defended. Their intelligence reported only civilians, academy students, and a handful of low-ranking knights. But an Archmage? That changed everything.

Still, something felt off.

He noticed it almost instantly.

“Wait…”

His eyes narrowed as he observed the battlefield.

The domain’s shockwave had debilitated the Abyssal monsters—some had frozen mid-charge, while others staggered in confusion, their movements erratic and sluggish. But the humans?

“The spell isn’t affecting us…?”

Ava glanced at him, intrigued.

“Now that you mention it…”

Zeke’s mind worked rapidly.

“The caster only targeted the Abyssals.”

It was a clear sign that the Archmage behind this was selective—ensuring that the spell only weakened the monsters while avoiding harm to humans fighting against them.

The implications were troubling.

If the Archmage recalibrated the domain mid-battle and started treating them as enemies…

“We need to move before that happens.”

His voice was urgent as he unsheathed his sword in one fluid motion. The silver blade gleamed ominously under the dim museum lights.

Without another word, he began advancing toward the hall.

Ava, still watching the erratic behavior of the monsters, let out a soft chuckle.

“Tch. Look at them.”

She tilted her head, amusement flickering in her piercing blue eyes.

“Completely crippled… cursed… like puppets with their strings cut.” Find adventures on My Virtual Library Empire

Then, slowly, a smile spread across her lips—twisted and exhilarated.

“This is getting interesting.”

Zeke sighed, not bothering to acknowledge her excitement. He already knew how much Ava enjoyed fighting against strong opponents.

But they didn’t have time for that.

“Let’s launch a surprise attack and finish this in one move.”

He stepped forward, his presence exuding unshakable confidence.

Ava grinned, spinning her spear before resting it against her shoulder.

“Heh. Now you’re talking.”

*******

“What the hell is this?”

Arthur came to a sudden halt, his eyes widening in shock as an immense surge of magic engulfed the royal museum.

The very air trembled, and the once-sturdy architecture groaned under the oppressive force of the spell. A faint, eerie hum resonated throughout the battlefield, distorting the surroundings in a way that made the space itself feel unreal.

Arthur’s eyes narrowed.

“This is… Domain Declaration.” He muttered, recognizing the magic.

The moment the spell took effect, the Abyssal creatures reacted strangely. Some froze in place, while others stumbled, their attacks slowing down. It was clear the spell was affecting only the monsters, weakening them significantly.

Arthur frowned. “An 8-star spell… That means an Archmage is here.”

“Reinforcements already?”

******

Zeke and Ava stepped into the grand hall of the Royal Museum, immediately assessing the battlefield. The place was a mess—shattered artifacts, broken pillars, bloodstains, and the stench of burnt flesh.

Students, knights, and instructors were still holding the line, but exhaustion was catching up. The monsters, though weakened, weren’t letting up either.

Then, their eyes landed on one person standing at the center of it all.

“Elena Moon.”

Zeke muttered the name, recognizing the young Archmage. She was covered in sweat and dust, her breathing heavy. Even so, her presence alone was keeping the battlefield under control.

Ava let out a short laugh. “Young? Are you blind? She’s an elf. She’s probably over a hundred.”

Zeke frowned. “Even for an elf, she’s young.”

Ava didn’t seem to care. A wide grin spread across her face as she lifted her spear. “She looks fun to play with.”

Before she could take a step forward, Zeke grabbed the shaft of her spear, stopping her.

“We’re not here to play. We get the sword and leave.”

Ava rolled her eyes, pulling her weapon back. “Yeah, yeah. Always the serious one.”

Zeke didn’t bother responding. Instead, his eyes locked onto Elena again. She was clearly drained from the battle, her mana reserves dipping dangerously low.

“She’s a mage, and she’s running on fumes,” Zeke stated. “I’ll handle her.”

He turned to Ava. “You find the sword.”

Ava sighed dramatically before smirking. “Fine. Just don’t kill her too fast.”

Without another word, Zeke unsheathed his sword and stepped forward.

The real fight was about to start.