I AM EXTRA IN A SHONEN MANGA

Rain fell like sharp needles across the ruined ridges of the Northern Breach, a jagged scar that split the sacred lands of the Veinwalkers. The sky overhead churned with sickly purple clouds, heavy with thunder that refused to fall. The air reeked of iron, smoke… and something worse, Voidrot, thick and clinging like a curse.

Shun Asamaru, the Crimson Veinwalker, stood alone atop a shattered stone obelisk. His crimson coat was soaked through, stained with both rain and blood.

He looked out across the battlefield.

"This should've been a clean mission…"

He muttered the words under his breath, frustration boiling beneath his calm tone.

Shun leapt from the broken monument, landing with a soft thud beside three trembling rookies hiding behind a crumbled barricade. Their eyes—young, terrified—snapped to him the moment he landed.

Too green for this kind of horror.

"Get behind me. Don't speak unless I tell you to."

His voice was sharp, commanding.

One of the rookies raised a shaky hand, pointing into the swirling mist.

"C-Crimson Veinwalker Asamaru, sir… w-what is that thing?"

And then they saw it.

A shape twitched in the fog. Slow. Hunched. Bones snapping and cracking as it straightened unnaturally. Scattered around its feet were the remains of a patrol squad—drained, warped… corrupted.

Its limbs were grotesquely stretched, fused with blackened bones, pulsing with dripping violet Shinrei.

From its back… a fan of ruptured Vein Gates jutted out—twisting, writhing tendrils of corrupted energy curled outward like predators sensing blood.

One eye remained human.

Wide. Terrified.

Still conscious.

Still screaming.

This wasn't just corrupted.

It was Voidborn.

A voice emerged from the creature. Twisted. Guttural.

"Shun… Asamaru…"

Shun's entire body froze.

His grip on his sword trembled for a moment.

"…That voice…"

He stepped forward, cautiously, unbelieving.

"Taiga?"

Taiga Kon. A former Veinwalker. A master Echo Wielder. Missing in action—two years ago.

More than that… Shun's friend.

The creature's voice came again, broken, yet unmistakable.

"You… let me die."

Its jaw unhinged far too wide, splitting through decaying flesh and cartilage, leaking black mist.

"But I lived. The Void showed me truth."

The Vein Gates on its back cracked open further, releasing a hissing surge of energy.

"You could've saved me, Shun."

Shun's voice was a whisper, shaking.

"…You're already dead."

In a blur of motion, Shun drew his blade. A spark of flame exploded around him, driving back the rain.

Echo Art – Crimson Form: Rakurai Veinburst.

His entire body ignited, crimson arcs crackling with heat and rage. Every step shimmered with intense heat. The air distorted around him each movement a promise of destruction.

The Voidborn screeched, leaping forward, claws slicing through the air like blades.

But Shun was faster.

He disappeared in a blink then reappeared mid-strike, cleaving into the creature's side. Fire erupted where his blade touched, burning into corrupted flesh.

The Voidborn reeled, black mist spewing from its mouth like a storm.

"Not just corrupted..." Shun muttered as he ducked a sudden swipe, "It's evolving. Learning..."

The creature twisted, spinning low and sweeping its leg. Shun jumped, but

CRACK!

A second claw slammed into his ribs, hurling him into a half-toppled stone spire.

Pain stabbed through his side as he groaned, trying to get up.

"Its Shinrei... mutated. This is beyond Eclipse-tier."

Raising his left hand, he traced a glowing sigil in the air.

Echo Art: Cinder Chain Coffin.

Chains of living flame shot out, binding the Voidborn mid-lunge. The chains tightened, burning deep into its flesh. It shrieked, this time in agony.

"Got you."

With a burst of speed, Shun surged forward his blade a glowing comet of fire.

He drove it deep into the Voidborn's chest straight through.

But

It didn't die.

It laughed.

The wound on its chest split open further revealing a second mouth, lined with jagged fangs and pulsing with Void mist.

That was its Shinrei Core.

The mouth bit down on the blade—

BOOM!

A violent eruption of corrupted energy blew Shun away. He slammed into the ground, shoulder torn open, half his coat burned to ash.

He looked down.

Black tendrils crept up his arm.

Voidrot.

He turned. The rookies. Still frozen behind the barricade.

"FALL BACK! NOW!"

He didn't wait to see if they listened.

The Voidborn lunged again, faster this time. Taiga's old battle instincts merged with monstrous precision feints, jabs, brutal counters, all laced with Void Shinrei bursts.

Shun blocked and dodged, barely keeping up.

But something inside him was starting to burn out.

His Flame Affinity was overheating.

Too much Shinrei.

Then it happened.

CRACK.

One of his internal Vein Gates ruptured.

Pain ripped through him.

And the Voidborn struck.

A claw drove straight into Shun's face.

Right through his left eye.

"AAAGHHHH!"

The Void surged into his mind. Whispers. Screams. Visions of warped memories and nightmarish thoughts. He clawed at his face, blood streaming between his fingers.

"NO—GET OUT—GET OUT—!"

With the last of his strength, he raised his hand and shouted:

"SEAL!"

A blood-soaked glyph ignited from his palm, branding itself over his damaged eye. The Void's influence was locked inside a spiraling crimson sigil sealing it shut.

The Voidborn shrieked in pain. Its body partially vaporized by the backlash.

Then, it vanished into the mist.

Even madness feared him.

Days Later…

He woke up to white sheets and the hum of medical machines.

His right eye blinked against the light.

His left…

Nothing.

Only heat. A low burning throb.

He reached up slowly. Felt the seal. Still warm. Still pulsing.

The whispers were quiet now.

Just... breathing.

He turned his head.

A circle of silent figures stood around the room—Veinwalker Elders. Eclipse Vanguard candidates.

Their voices whispered, just loud enough for him to hear.

"He won't pass clearance."

"Seal's unstable."

"He's marked now. Tainted."

"Voidrot. Liability."

Then, someone stepped forward.

Golden hair. Calm blue eyes. Silver-black robes.

Keiryuu Isen.

He walked past the others and sat beside Shun's bed.

Silent.

Then finally—

"You saved them."

Shun's voice was hoarse, hollow.

"…Doesn't matter. I failed. I was this close… Eclipse Vanguard..."

Isen didn't flinch.

"You still carry the fire of a Veinwalker. That doesn't fade just because others fear the flame."

But it was already over.

Shun's name was struck from the Eclipse roster.

He would never rise again.

Not with this eye.

Not with this seal.

Not with the Void whispering in his mind.

The Crimson had faded.

But the fire?

Still burned.

The end of Side Chapter