Reborn as a Doomed Extra

"Huff… Huff…"

My breath was ragged as I greedily sucked in air. I felt my racing heartbeat slowly calm down and the primal fear fade away, leaving behind a deep sense of unease.

Looking at the window, I could tell that I hadn't slept for long. My body even felt more tired and exhausted than before.

The moment I sank under the sea of corpses, my mind shook my body, waking me up immediately, as if it were a safety device preventing further harm.

With a slightly trembling body, I hugged the warm quilt and stared at the wooden ceiling of the room. Although I didn't want to think about what happened much, I still thought about it against my will.

…A sea of corpses.

It was a really strange thing for something like this to happen. Even for a dream or a nightmare. It was just so unusual.

But thinking about it, wasn't it only natural?

No, really. Let's go back a little.

First, I woke up in a church of unknown origin that others always warn against approaching.

Then, I discover that I am in a fantasy world and specifically inside a stupid game.

And the worst part? I was the twin brother of the protagonist. A character who died before the opening event even.

Also, the memories of the former Selas were mixed with my memories, creating a complex mixture within me. Sometimes, I feel like I'm really Selas, and at other times, I feel like he's just a stranger and that nothing connects us.

There's also my inability to touch mana.

And all these strange events happened in just one day, no more…

I started to feel really scared of what the coming days might hold.

Not to mention the role I will play now in the events of the game. As someone who has already died, I will definitely not die again to make everything go as it did in the game. I will survive the opening event and live as I want.

In fact, the game itself didn't have a clear path to play. There were many variables and events that lead to completely different endings. This alone removes a large part of my knowledge of the future events that will happen.

Except for a very few major events, the remaining events were up to what Solon himself would choose. And even this might change since we are in reality now and not in a game behind the screen.

I felt a headache from all these thoughts and what might happen in the future. Who knows, maybe Solon will make completely different choices than he did in the game. If he does one thing out of script, it will be like saying goodbye to a large part of my knowledge of this world's future.

I mean, my survival alone will lead to many changes in the course of events, even if I don't interfere much.

'Maybe I'll only intervene in emergencies…' I thought, suppressing my laughter.

Solon was very naive and stupid now. As an older brother, I will keep him away from two-faced people, swindlers, and some avoidable problems if possible.

"Hehehehe."

I let out a hollow laugh. It was funny how a likely disabled person was thinking of getting the protagonist, who was destined for greatness, out of his problems.

However, I was going to do it. I won't stand by and watch when Solon, my younger brother, needs me.

He did a lot for me, more than he should have even. I would be ungrateful if I let him fight alone now.

"That's why I need to become stronger…"

I stared at my pale fist. It was a weak fist. Very weak.

If I really wanted to survive and do everything I thought about earlier so boldly, I desperately needed strength.

Strength and strength only.

If I wanted to survive, I needed to form my core as soon as possible.

I could say that we were about to enter the age of sixteen, which means that the date of the opening event was approaching.

From behind the screen, it was considered a very weak event. The protagonist is sent into a state of extreme despair when encountering a stray demon that came out of nowhere as if it were targeting the protagonist to drown him in the depths of despair and ignite his hatred towards their race.

Although I didn't want to say it since he's my dear brother, Solon became like any traditional novel protagonist fighting the Demon King.

After this incident caused everyone's death, he hated demons as a race to a terrifying degree. After that, he hunted them like a rabid dog, wanting to feed the flame of revenge that burned inside him.

After replaying some of the events that happened in the game in my head, I shrank and stretched on my soft bed wearily, wanting to sleep again.

I just hope that nightmare doesn't repeat…

✦

In the next room, sweat intensified on Solon's face as he was in a deep state of meditation. His soft clothes clung to his body, revealing his well-built physique.

While practicing meditation and drawing mana and condensing it inside him, Solon felt a warm feeling spread in the area below his chest. Finally, he felt like he was very close to forming his own core!

After all, he had been meditating for nearly seven years now, and his intense and exhausting efforts were finally paying off.

He always set aside time from his day to meditate, hoping that he might be able to awaken his core and become awakened to support his sick brother.

He had been doing this since he was eight years old, a year after their parents died. Knowing his brother's fragile body and incurable disease, Solon took on the responsibility of taking care of his brother.

He felt extreme despair at what their lives might become after their parents died, but fortunately, the others in the village spared no effort and took care of them as if they were their own children.

"Very soon, Selas…" an almost inaudible whisper came out of his mouth.

Today, he was really pushing himself in practicing meditation. Usually, he practiced meditation for three hours a day without interruption. He wasn't like the children of nobles or the wealthy who get cores or special treatment that greatly helps them in their awakening, so he had to continue doing this for so long.

But today, after many years, he saw Selas' beautiful smile again. Although it was faint and not as bright compared to his usual smile, it was more than enough to give him a dose of enthusiasm and motivation to try to complete his core.

Involuntarily, a happy and silly smile spread across his face. Even while he was in a deep state of meditation, his facial muscles were pulling themselves into a happy smile.

'When was the last time he smiled?' he thought, doing something usually impossible. Only a madman could think of something else while meditating, yet Solon did it easily since he was used to this already.

Selas used to smile a lot before. In those days, not a day passed without Solon seeing his brother's smile. When he encouraged him, when he advised him, and even when Solon carried him on his back when he got tired.

He really missed those days.

Now, his brother preferred to isolate himself so as not to rely on him too much…

Solon made a silent promise in his heart. A promise to make their lives better than they are now.

He would definitely cure his brother.