I Became an Extra Without Growth in the Academy

Thanks to the game system’s stamina mechanics, I couldn’t tire out no matter how much I ran.

Gasp, gasp.

But why was I still out of breath?

I arrived at the Student Council Building. Inside, it felt like a ferocious energy was emanating from within.

Click.

I cautiously approached and opened the door, and there was Alkiné sitting alone, smiling as she welcomed me.

“Oh, you finally made it. I’ve kept you waiting for quite a while.”

She was definitely smiling, but why did it feel so chilling?

Why? Well, because I had kept her waiting for quite some time.

I had no choice but to adopt a ridiculously low posture and apologize.

“I’m sorry.”

“It was my call to summon you suddenly, so it can’t be helped.”

“No, it’s not. No matter that I just enrolled today, I’m already a member of the Student Council with my badge. I should’ve been better at responding to the Student Council’s summons.”

“Hmm.”

Still, with my reflection, maybe her mood lightened up a bit. The sinister energy that had been radiating from Alkiné diminished considerably.

Alkiné was already one of the strong ones. Being there with her in a scaled-up difficulty level wouldn’t make it beneficial for me to annoy her mood.

“Alright, I understand. It’s partly my fault for summoning you without explaining the situation.”

“Thank you…”

“That’s enough. You don’t really fit in with this kind of submissiveness. Get back to your usual self right away.”

If she said so, then I guess I have no choice. I switched off my apology mode.

“If it was urgent, you could’ve just said it was urgent! So, why did you suddenly call me?”

“…Was your attitude from earlier all just an act?”

As she observed my demeanor change with just a word, Alkiné frowned and glared at me, seemingly getting upset again.

It’s so complicated… I can’t tell which way to go here.

Sigh. “Fine. That’s not what’s important right now.”

Alkiné said that and stood up, heading out of the Student Council Building.

“Follow me. I’ll explain as we go.”

“Yes ma’am.”

I followed behind her as we headed to the back of the Student Council Building.

Soon, we reached the open space where I had practiced with Grain, but Alkiné crossed it and headed deeper.

It was barely a path, just a gap between trees.

Usually, you wouldn’t even be able to figure out where you were headed, but I knew exactly where we were going.

“There’s been a new rift that we’ve been dealing with, and I was planning to wrap things up today.”

A spot managed by the Student Council, where a rift was being handled.

And if we were going there…

“I was intending to take you with me, but you took way too long.”

That was the only reason. Of course.

“Why are you taking me there?”

I couldn’t understand it at all and asked.

Dealing with a rift was far more dangerous than simply hunting monsters.

Looking at just the strength of the current members of the Student Council, they had an impressive lineup, and even they struggled with the rift.

Surely Alkiné knew that.

Even Seria, who is overflowing with talent, wasn’t taken along during her first year because she was deemed unready.

Thanks to that, Seria’s name only appeared on the rift handling reports after she became a second-year student.

But… why me suddenly?

I was left confused and frustrated; however, Alkiné’s answer instantly dissolved my doubts.

“The Vice President said your arrogance needs to be crushed and that you should experience it at least once.”

What a madman.

But considering that guy’s personality, it sounded about right.

If it was that guy who was itching to crush any man interested in Alkiné… I had expected he would do something to me anyway.

Allow me to introduce him. The Vice President of the Student Council, Diggerus Jibchak.

His nickname… well, it’s Diggerus Obsession Maniac.

He’s infatuated with the Student Council President while simultaneously desperate to have her for himself.

Rest assured. It would’ve been dangerous if the Student Council President were weaker than him, but Alkiné is the “strongest” among the students.

Even if mixed with some middle school-level expressions, she’s undeniably the possessor of overwhelming power.

In fact, Alkiné recognized his abilities enough to place him in the Vice President position, but she was well aware of his shameless obsession.

Thus, she must have picked up on the true intentions behind this suggestion.

“You know that’s a lie.”

“I know. But I think it’ll be fine.”

“What’s so fine about it?”

How could she casually accept something that could be easily brushed off by mentioning my status as a freshman?

This woman. Is she overestimating me or thinking I’m something more than I actually am?

Of course, as long as I have my invulnerability to dodging and parrying, I shouldn’t be in much danger. But outside of that, my abilities are almost meaningless.

However, she seemed unwilling to continue trying to convince me.

“Let’s skip the trivial matters and continue with the explanation.”

“Sure…”

So I decided to just let it go.

Alkiné took a moment’s pause before resuming her explanation.

“Originally, we planned to gather and depart together, but while waiting for you, the rift’s condition became strange. The others left first, and I decided to take you separately.”

“Huh? Excuse me?! What did you just say?”

“The rift’s condition has become strange.”

“Uh-huh. According to Grain’s description, it has ‘wrinkled.’ The rift’s state is always erratic…”

Suddenly, a thought from the original story popped into my head. And I immediately realized that it was happening right now.

“Oh crap. President, this is bad! We need to run!”

“…What?”

Before she could react, I bolted towards where the rift was.

Alkiné would catch up soon since she’s way faster, but it’s too late to explain the seriousness now—it’s faster to show her through action.

This is insane. Insane. Insane.

I’m about to seriously mess things up because of me.

No, wait. It’s your fault, Lilith!

No… sigh. Whatever. What can be done about what has already happened?

A chaotic mix of thoughts spun in my head. Simultaneously, I recalled what I had just thought about.

Shortly after the protagonist enrolls, as they gather information here and there, stories about the Student Council suffering from severe injuries start to circulate.

Thanks to Reina Trier’s intervention, everything appears to recover swiftly and becomes a mere happening, yet later digging deeper reveals it was quite a serious incident.

The rift suddenly becoming strange would lead to all sorts of disasters, with monsters far stronger than usual pouring out, and the Student Council, engulfed in exploration, would be forced to retreat for safety.

However, as they turned to leave, a strange being resembling a human would block their path.

Information learned later reveals it to be a demon race known as Crumple, which can only be encountered randomly during rift explorations.

If you take his name literally, it directly ties back to Grain’s “wrinkled” description. It’s an indication of just how precise Grain’s abilities are.

Anyway, that guy’s ability is to literally wrinkle some part of his surroundings.

This doesn’t fall under the categories of skills or magic; it belongs to the realm of ‘traits.’ It’s a highly unique category, like the [Irregular] that halts my ability growth.

It’s such an unfair ability that leaves annoying evasions as a passive feature, so rushing in without knowing how to counter it would spell total annihilation.

If it weren’t for Alkiné’s contributions… we wouldn’t even have gotten the chance to flee and would’ve all died right there.

That’s not merely speculation. It’s clearly stated in reports available in-game.

And the current situation?

They were all inside that wrinkled rift except for Alkiné.

Given that they’d entered after the rift had become strange, not before like in the original story, I had no idea how things would have changed, but it was definitely not a safe situation.

It was, quite literally, a mess.

“What’s with this sudden sprint?!”

As expected, Alkiné caught up next to me without any trouble.

“Right now is not the time to explain! We need to enter the rift and regroup immediately!”

“I really can’t get it. I’ll go ahead, so follow me!”

And with that, she dashed past me at a speed I couldn’t match.

At least I could breathe a sight of relief. I wouldn’t stop running, though.

After all, I intended to join her.

Do you think I’d be of any help running along?

I probably would. That wrinkling ability, for some reason, has a pattern that can be parried.

More precisely, if you parry the wrinkling pattern, it inflicts reverse damage.

You can think of it as a gimmick-type boss… it’s pretty much like that.

Anyway! I’m truly sorry for being late!

I’m heading there now, so please don’t let anyone die!

With that desperate thought, I dashed my way toward the rift.

*

Inside the rift, it was an absolute wreck.

The terrain was beginning to crumble and distort.

Somewhere, an unknown magical disaster was brewing.

Powerful hordes of monsters were pouring down.

And… the President was nowhere to be found beside me.

“Hold on. There’s something up ahead.”

The Vice President, possessing the next best abilities after the President, was struggling to manage the situation, but it was naturally lacking compared to the President.

“Stay calm. If we just hold out, the President will come.”

That was the sole hope they had—the hope that she would eventually arrive.

But that hope just shattered.

“Goddammit!!!”

One of the Vice President’s legs was completely ‘wrinkled.’

It seemed as if the human anatomy couldn’t even handle any resistance with how unyielding it was.

Witnessing such an incomprehensible scene leaves one’s mind frozen.

Even amidst this pressing situation, why does this happen?

Crackle-crackle.

“Shit!!!”

Next, the Vice President’s left arm got wrinkled.

Though he was a strong individual, he could manage to hold on without losing consciousness… but he was no longer in a state capable of fighting.

And the one responsible for leaving the Vice President in such a condition… no, a monster that only takes on a human form, was now directing its gaze at the others.

It seemed to be choosing its next victim.

Finally, as if free from a stupor, the others began to take a fighting stance.

“Shit, shit. Here it comes! Everyone, prepare!”

“President. Please hurry!”

Recognizing that they couldn’t win on their own, their only hope still lay in the unending arrival of the President.

Screech.

With a terrifying monster’s cry, despair engulfed them.

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