Why is Background Character the Strongest Now?

20 Days Later.

A sleek black car glided silently above the ground, hovering on streams of glowing blue mana-light. Its undercarriage thrummed with aetheric energy—refined magic turned into motion.

This wasn't Earth's tech.

This was aether-tech.

It flew at Mach 1, yet made no sound.

Inside, Ezra Celestrian sat beside his master, Ren Kurogane. The vehicle was self-driving, guided by a sentient mana core and quantum-spell navigation.

Despite the speed, the enchanted windows slowed the outside world to a gentle drift—just enough for Ezra to see it all.

⸻

Below them stretched Etherlight—capital of the human continent and crown jewel of civilization.

Spire-towers lined with glowing runes reached for the sky. Hovercrafts weaved between buildings shaped like blades and wings.

Mana billboards shimmered with duels, academy rankings, and divine-grade gear.

The High Council tower floated above it all, like a sacred monument of order.

At ground level, glowing trees lit enchanted cafés, beastkin performers twisted illusions.

⸻

Ren opened his eyes.

"First time in Etherlight?"

Ezra, calming his wonder, replied,

"No. I've just… always found it beautiful."

Ren smirked and closed his eyes again.

Ezra exhaled inwardly.

"That was close. This really is my first time… But the Ezra before me must've walked these streets."

He looked ahead as the Neon Skyway guided them deeper into the city.

Etherlight Academy. The Human Council. The allied embassies.

Everything began here—

At the beating heart of mankind.

As the cityscape blurred past them, Ezra finally turned to his master.

"So, Master… what exactly is this final test?"

Ren didn't open his eyes.

"You'll know soon enough."

Ezra sighed internally. As always, the Sword Emperor kept his cards close.

An hour passed.

The sleek aether-car slowed as they left the shimmering heart of Etherlight. The glowing spires and floating monorails faded behind them, replaced by older buildings, flickering mana lamps, and streets that felt far more… grounded.

They had reached the Outer District.

This was the part of Etherlight untouched by glamor. Here, the poor, the powerless, and the forgotten lived—beneath the towering shadow of the shining capital.

It wasn't lifeless.

Just real.

The car's AI voice chimed softly.

"Mr. Ren. We have arrived at the designated location."

Ren opened his eyes and looked at Ezra.

"Let's go."

⸻

They stepped out of the vehicle. In front of them stood an old inn, retrofitted with flickering neon signage and faint enchantments. It wasn't fancy, but it had character.

As they approached, the doors slid open, and a woman walked out.

She had short, raven-black hair, wore a cropped top and shorts, and over it, a sleek black leather jacket. Confident, sharp-eyed, and undeniably striking.

The moment she saw Ren, she dropped to one knee without hesitation.

Inside the inn, staff and a few guests immediately followed her lead—kneeling, confused but respectful. Whispers spread. No one knew who Ren truly was—but anyone who commanded this level of fear and respect wasn't ordinary.

Ren sighed.

"You don't need to kneel. We're in public."

"Guide this boy to my room. Cassy, you come with me—I need to speak with you."

The woman stood, eyes lowered respectfully.

"Yes, Leader."

She gestured to a young inn worker.

"Escort the guest."

The boy approached Ezra with a polite smile.

"This way, Young Master."

Ezra nodded and followed, glancing back once at Ren.

"Go rest," Ren said calmly.

"I'll be with you shortly."

The door to the back chamber closed behind them with a soft hum. The room was simple but private—dim lights, a long wooden table, and mana-blocking runes etched along the walls. Silence filled the space for a few moments, until Cassie finally spoke.

"…Leader. That boy with you…" she paused, unsure, "Who is he?"

Ren folded his arms, leaning casually against the wall.

"He's my disciple."

Cassie blinked, stunned.

"Disciple?"

"You… actually took someone in as your disciple?"

Ren simply nodded.

Cassie stepped back, almost instinctively.

"But… Leader, I couldn't sense anything from him. Not even a trace of energy. He feels like… like a civilian."

Ren chuckled lightly, eyes sharp.

"That's because I taught him well."

"He's mastered a concealment technique that hides his mana completely. Even you couldn't catch it—and you've always been sharp."

Cassie frowned, still in disbelief.

"So he's not weak?"

Ren looked amused.

"He's Rank 4. And he's only 18."

That made Cassie freeze.

"Eighteen?! Rank 4?!"

She tried to hide her shock but failed. Her eyes widened, mouth half-open before she caught herself and straightened her back.

"…You're serious."

Ren smirked.

"I wouldn't waste my time otherwise."

Cassie nodded slowly, the weight of it all settling in.

"If he's really that strong… then I may have something."

She reached into a mana-sealed drawer, pulling out a glowing file crystal. Pressing it, a holographic image flickered into the air—showing a blood-smeared alley, several corpses, and a shadowy figure shrouded in mist.

"This mission hasn't been cleared yet. No one wants to touch it."

"The target appears only at night—slaughtering anyone found alone. Rank 3 officers have already died chasing him. Reports say he's a vampire… but not part of the recognized bloodlines."

Ren's eyes narrowed.

"A rogue."

Cassie nodded.

"Possibly Rank 4… maybe even Rank 5. We can't confirm. But he's dangerous. Lethal. A bounty's already been placed on him by multiple districts."

Ren glanced at the image again, then looked back at her.

"Good."

"Assign this mission to Ezra."

Cassie raised a brow.

"Are you sure? It could be—"

"I'm sure," Ren interrupted, his tone final.

"Let's see what my disciple can really do."

—————-

Ezra sat silently on the edge of the bed, the room quiet but not unfamiliar. Dim lighting flickered above, powered by a small mana crystal embedded in the ceiling.

"Cassy Ironshade…"

He muttered the name under his breath.

"Didn't expect to meet a legend like her here."

Though she looked no older than thirty, Ezra knew the truth. As a Rank 7, her lifespan had already expanded. She'd fought on the frontlines for over fifty years—a fierce commander in the Demon Hunter Corps, second only to their leader.

In the original novel, she had appeared many times—often in moments of crisis. She had even aided Daelen, the original protagonist, more than once.

And yet, Ezra thought, she died in the end. Just before the final arc.

He clenched his fist slightly.

Even knowing it was fiction once—this world no longer felt like a story.

Just then, a knock came on the door.

"Young Master," came the voice of the same inn worker who'd guided him earlier. He entered with a short bow, holding out a sealed scroll. "Commander has instructed me to give you this."

Ezra stood and took the scroll carefully.

"Thank you."

The man bowed again and exited quietly.

Ezra turned the scroll over in his hand. The wax seal bore the mark of the Sword Emperor—Ren's insignia. He broke it and unrolled the parchment.

The script glowed faintly in shimmering blue—written in Vaikroyos, the universal magical language understood instinctively by awakened beings.

⸻

Mission Scroll – Classified

Assignment Grade: C-Rank

Issued By: Etherlight Command – Special Authorization by Ren Kurogane

Recipient: Ezra Celestrian

⸻

Objective:

Investigate, locate, and eliminate or capture an unidentified rogue vampire.

Deadline :

4 Days.

⸻

Known Information:

• Appears only at night.

• Targets individuals who are isolated or patrolling alone.

• Responsible for the deaths of multiple Rank 3 officers.

• Witness reports suggest enhanced agility, blood magic, and partial mist-form use.

• No confirmed image—target shrouds identity with illusions.

• Estimated threat level: Rank 4 to Rank 5 (unconfirmed).

• High bounty placed by city council and Demon Hunter Division.

⸻

Last Sighting:

Outer District – Sector 14, near the abandoned train tunnel.

⸻

Warning:

Subject is highly evasive and extremely dangerous. Do not underestimate.

You are authorized to use lethal force.

⸻

Reward:

 1,500 Gold Coins on successful kill or confirmed capture

⸻

Ezra finished reading and rolled the scroll back with steady hands.

"So this is it… the test."

He walked over to the window, pushing the curtain aside. The sun was beginning to set—its last golden rays brushing the rooftops of the outer district.

The hunt would begin soon.

"A vampire, huh?" he muttered.

Ezra tied the scroll and tucked it into his satchel, exhaling slowly.

"Well… nothing like this happened in the original."

He muttered under his breath, standing and stretching his limbs.

"From here on, I have to use my own brain."

There was no walkthrough now. No chapters to rely on. Just instinct, memory, and experience.

His eyes drifted to the window—the city skyline now glowing under the evening sky, Etherlight buzzing in the distance like a living dream.

"I've got four days to complete this… but I'll finish it in two."

"The academy starts next week. I still have to re-register … and inform the Awakener society that I'm alive."

He clenched his fists.

"Master said he'd handle it. So I should focus on the mission."

As he adjusted the straps of his gear, his mind drifted back to a conversation he had with Ren—just a few days ago, after their final training session in the forest.

⸻

Flashback – The Final Training Ground

Ezra stood amid broken stone and fallen leaves, his breathing ragged. The training had pushed his body past every known limit.

Still sore from the final day of sparring, he glanced toward Ren Kurogane, who was quietly cleaning his blade under the fading sunlight.

"Master," Ezra said, steadying his breath,

"before I return to the academy… I'll have to re-register at the Awakener Society."

Ren gave a small nod.

"I'll take care of it."

Ezra hesitated. His voice lowered, almost unsure.

"Can I… hide my strength?"

Ren turned to him, the playful glint in his eyes vanishing. For a moment, only silence answered.

Then—

"No."

Ezra blinked.

"The Awakener Society uses high-tech detection enchantments during re-registration," Ren explained.

"They'll scan your body, bloodline, and mana core to confirm you're not a demon or infiltrator."

"You can't hide your realm from them."

Ezra's shoulders tensed. The idea of exposing everything—even to neutral authorities—unsettled him.

But Ren gave a small, reassuring smile.

"Don't worry. They won't disclose your data to anyone—not even to the President of the Human High Council."

"Your rank, aura signature, and soul reading will all be sealed in a classified file."

He stepped forward, placing a firm hand on Ezra's shoulder.

"You can keep hiding your power from the world. Just not from them."

Ezra nodded silently.

A little calmer. A little more focused.

⸻

Back to Present

As Ezra walked down the dim corridor of the inn, his mind wandered.

"They say the Society won't share anything…"

"But someone like Dimitrus Ardent could break into that file if he really wanted to."

He exhaled, irritation flickering in his eyes.

"I don't care anymore."

"If Dimitrus tries anything again, I'll make him pay. I'm not the same Ezra as before."

He clenched his fists.

"I have power now. And I have a backer."

The image of Ren Kurogane, standing calmly like an unshakable mountain, flashed through his mind.

"I should tell Master about all this. If Dimitrus moves against me, he can shut him down before it even begins."

Ezra's gaze sharpened.

It wasn't about revenge anymore.

It was about setting the stage.

————————

The air was still.

Unnaturally so.

No wind stirred.

No dogs barked.

No distant hum of mana-rails in the distance.

Just an eerie silence, thick and oppressive, like the city itself had taken a breath—and forgot to exhale.

In the dimly lit alley of Sector 14, two young men stepped out of a run-down tavern, laughing as they stumbled over their words and footsteps.

"Told you—hic—that elf bartender was totally into me," one of them slurred, adjusting the crooked collar of his leather jacket.

"Yeah, right," the other scoffed, snorting. "She looked more into the tips you left behind than your face."

They chuckled, the sound bouncing against the walls of graffiti-scarred buildings and shattered lampposts.

"Hey," said the first, glancing up. "Did it… get quieter?"

His friend stopped, frowning.

The city's usual low hum was gone. No hovercrafts overhead. No chatter from street stalls. No buzz from neon signs.

Only darkness.

Only silence.

"Let's get moving," the second said, suddenly uneasy. "This district's not exactly safe at night."

"Relax, we're—"

A rustle.

Both froze.

The shadows shifted unnaturally at the end of the alley. Something moved, but not like a man. It didn't walk. It slid—as if reality itself bent to make way.

"Wh-Who's there?"

Silence.

Then—

A shape.

Pale skin.

Crimson eyes.

A mouth too wide. Too full of teeth.

Fangs gleamed in the moonlight.

"RUN!"

They turned—but it was already there.

One man never got the chance to scream. A blur of motion, a snap of neck, and he collapsed like a puppet with strings cut.

The other tried to summon mana. His hand lit with a flicker of flame—

Only to be snuffed out as claws ripped through his chest.

Blood sprayed the wall behind him.

The vampire stood still as the corpses fell, licking its claws. Eyes glowing red beneath the hood of a tattered cloak.