Beyond the Script: The Extra Who Stole the Mangakyo

Chapter 31: Chapter 31

Chapter 31 – The Hunt for the Hidden Treasure

(Alden's POV)

I leaned back in my seat, resting my chin on my palm while pretending to listen to Professor Garrick's speech about "the sacred bond between beast and tamer."

Yeah, yeah, sure. Bonding, loyalty, companionship—great stuff. But let's be real. Most players in the game only took Beast Taming because they wanted an overpowered pet to wreck their enemies.

And I was no exception.

Why? Because I knew something no one else in this world did.

Hidden deep within the academy's Beast Taming Reserve, buried under layers of security and obscurity, was an egg. Not just any egg, but the Nine-Tailed Beast Egg, a crossover easter egg from the game's Naruto collab.

The protagonist never found it. No one did. It was one of those "impossible to obtain" collectibles that developers threw in as a joke. A tease.

But here, in the real world?

It's mine for the taking.

---

Professor Garrick clapped his hands, snapping me out of my thoughts.

"Alright, we'll start with a practical exercise. Everyone, pair up with a beast in front of you and attempt to form a contract."

The other students rushed forward, eager to test their luck. Some fumbled with mana control, others struggled to tame even a docile creature.

I, however, had zero interest.

"Not even gonna try?"

I turned my head slightly. Alicia von Rosenheim stood beside me, arms crossed, golden eyes narrowed in suspicion.

I smirked. "I'm just observing."

She scoffed, flipping her red hair over her shoulder. "Right. The infamous disowned noble of House Blackwood, getting into S-Class with no known talent... yet doesn't even bother trying."

I shrugged. "Maybe I just don't like performing for an audience."

"Tch." Alicia clicked her tongue, then turned away to tame her beast.

'Alright, I need to get out of here before anyone else starts asking questions.'

I slowly backed away toward the edge of the training grounds.

---

Once I was out of sight, I slipped into the forest surrounding the training fields.

The Beast Taming Reserve was a heavily restricted area—home to wild, untamed monsters used for upper-year practical exams. Normally, no first-year student had any business here.

But me? I had a cheat to find.

I pulled out my smartwatch, checking the academy's security patrol routes I had copied earlier. Two guards near the entrance. Rotating shifts every twenty minutes.

Simple enough.

Activating Kamui, I stepped into my pocket dimension for a few seconds, phasing past the fence before reappearing inside the restricted zone.

"Too easy."

Now, time for the real challenge.

The reserve was dense, filled with towering trees, overgrown bushes, and the distant sounds of growls and howls.

I moved quickly but cautiously, my senses sharp. Even though this area only housed C-rank and below creatures, getting careless could still mean death.

According to the game, the egg's location was beneath a massive tree with deep purple leaves—The Twilight Elderwood.

After what felt like an hour of searching, I finally saw it.

A gigantic tree with shimmering purple foliage, its roots coiling around a mound of earth like a guardian serpent.

I took a deep breath. This is it.

Now, all I had to do was dig it out.

I summoned my katana, the weapon humming in my mind.

[You're acting very suspicious.]

"Yeah, well, I'm about to do something very illegal."

[I'm aware.]

Rolling my eyes, I used the flat edge of my katana to start clearing away the dirt. Minutes passed, sweat formed on my brow, but soon, I felt it—something solid beneath the soil.

I reached in and pulled it out.

And there it was.

A crimson egg, large enough to fit in both my hands, faintly pulsing with an ominous glow. Even without identifying it, I could feel the immense power radiating from within.

I grinned.

"Jackpot."

--- @@novelbin@@

Interrupted

Just as I was about to store the egg...

A deep growl rumbled behind me.

I froze.

Slowly, I turned my head.

A massive Shadowfang Wolf—a peak C-rank predator—stood just a few meters away, its crimson eyes locked onto me.

"Well, crap."

The beast lunged.

I barely managed to phase through its attack using Kamui, reappearing a few feet away. The wolf snarled, already preparing its next strike.

Damn it. Fighting here would alert the guards. I needed to finish this fast.

Gripping my katana, I exhaled. Fine. Let's do this.

The wolf pounced again.

I sidestepped, slashing at its flank. A clean cut, but not deep enough to kill.

The beast roared, its shadowy aura thickening.

It charged, moving faster than before. I barely blocked, the force sending me skidding back.

"Alright, you wanna play rough?"

I activated my Sharingan.

The world slowed.

The wolf's movements became predictable. I could see every twitch of its muscles before it acted.

When it lunged again, I dodged effortlessly, my blade already in motion.

—Slash!

The katana sliced through its throat.

The wolf landed, staggered, then collapsed. Blood pooled beneath it.

I exhaled, my hands slightly trembling from the adrenaline.

"That... was too close."

I sheathed my sword and grabbed the egg.

Time to get out of here before someone notices.

---

Back in the Dorm

After sneaking back into my dorm, I finally let myself relax.

The egg sat on my desk, its glow softer now.

I studied it carefully. The Nine-Tailed Beast Egg. In the game, the event never let players hatch it. But here?

I had no idea what would happen.

A smirk formed on my lips.

"Well, guess we'll find out."