Beyond the Script: The Extra Who Stole the Mangakyo

Chapter 79: Chapter 79

Chapter – The Cost of Power

[Alden's POV]

The second I phased out of the auction hall, my mind was already racing.

I had done what I came for. The mask was secured. The dagger, cloak, and potion were stored away safely. But my work wasn't over yet. I still needed to escape.

And now, there was a new problem.

Rose Valehart had noticed me.

Not just noticed—but observed. The leader of the Veiled Serpent, one of the most dangerous figures in the underworld, had locked eyes with me. She had spoken to me. Even if she didn't know who I was, someone with her level of resources and connections wouldn't just let it go.

I had made an impression.

And that meant—she would be watching.

If I left the black market through normal means, there was a high chance I would be tracked. The cameras in the city above could capture my image. Even if I had a mask, the people monitoring the auction's security footage might connect my movements before and after the event.

I couldn't afford that.

Which meant I had only one option—an immediate escape.

I clenched my fists, feeling the strain in my body. I had used Kamui excessively tonight—more than I ever had before. My mana reserves were nearly empty.

But I still had just enough left for one final move.

---

My eyes flickered with the red glow of my Mangekyō Sharingan as I focused on a location—the sewer near the river.

That was where I had entered, and that was where I needed to exit.

I gathered every remaining drop of mana in my core, pushing my control to the limit. My head throbbed. My vision blurred. My body screamed in protest.

But I didn't stop.

In an instant—I vanished.

The sensation of teleportation was always strange—like being stretched and compressed at the same time. But this time, it was worse.

Much worse.

The moment I reappeared near the sewer entrance, my legs gave out.

Pain exploded through my entire body. It felt as if every nerve had been set on fire. My vision flickered, and the world around me spun violently.

I barely managed to stumble forward before my knees hit the ground.

"Haah... haah..." My breaths came out in ragged gasps, my chest heaving.

I had pushed myself too far.

Kamui, over and over. Mark of Connection, maintaining links across distances. The sheer strain of phasing through so many people, dodging attacks, and then performing a long-distance teleport—it was too much.

I had never used my abilities this extensively before.

And now, I was paying the price.

---

I clenched my fists against the cold, damp ground of the sewer entrance. My body refused to move.

For the first time since I transmigrated into this world, I felt true exhaustion.

"This... is bad..." I muttered, my voice weak.

I had always known that Kamui was powerful—but now, I realized its biggest weakness.

It consumed too much mana. And if I used it recklessly—I wouldn't even be able to stand.

If an enemy found me in this state right now... I'd be as good as dead.

My breathing slowed. My limbs felt like lead. My vision darkened.

I fought to stay awake, but my body was shutting down.

As the world faded into blackness, only one thought remained in my mind.

I need to get stronger.

---

[Rose Valehart's POV]

The moment the masked figure vanished, I knew one thing for certain—he wasn't normal.

Not a single wasted movement. Not a single sign of hesitation. He moved through the chaos like a ghost, passing through people, attacks, and barriers as if they didn't exist. Completely untouchable.

And then—he was gone.

A teleportation ability? No, something more...

I narrowed my crimson eyes, my fingers tapping against the armrest of my private seat. Who was he?

Before I could piece together my thoughts, a sudden presence approached. Foul, rotting mana filled the air.

I didn't even need to look to know who it was.

The leader of the demon worshipers.

A pathetic, delusional man who thought offering his soul to the abyss would grant him power.

His twisted grin stretched across his face as he stepped forward, clad in dark robes lined with strange, pulsating runes. His beady eyes glowed with an unnatural light, his posture filled with arrogance.

"You... Veiled Serpent's leader," he sneered. "Your people interfere with our mission, and yet you stand idly by. Are you perhaps—afraid?"

I barely paid him any mind. My thoughts were still occupied by the phantom who had just escaped.

The robed fool mistook my silence for weakness. A mistake.

"You should've sided with us," he continued, his voice dripping with false superiority. "The abyss welcomes all, and yet you—"

Schlink.

The sound of steel cutting through flesh filled the air.

For a moment, the man didn't react. He simply froze, his lips still curled in that arrogant grin.

Then, his head slid off his shoulders.

A wet thud followed as his body collapsed lifelessly to the floor.

It was over before he even realized he was dead.

I sheathed my blade, expression unmoved. "Talking too much is a bad habit."

A chuckle came from the shadows behind me.

"Aw, come on, boss, at least let them beg a little before you slice their heads off," Valeria's teasing voice rang out.

I sighed. "Clean this up. Burn the bodies. I don't want any traces left behind."

She gave a dramatic bow. "As you wish, oh terrifying queen of death."

Ignoring her antics, I turned my gaze back to where the masked man had disappeared.

"He's not normal," I muttered.

Valeria raised a brow. "You mean the ghost?"

Ghost.

That wasn't a bad name for him.

I nodded. "I want every piece of information you can find. How he moves, where he entered, anything." My eyes narrowed. "Find out who he is."

Valeria grinned, twirling a dagger between her fingers. "Ooooh, interested in a mystery man, are we? How scandalous."

I shot her a sharp glare.

She laughed, waving a hand. "Yeah, yeah, I'll get on it. But I'm telling you now—if someone can move through solid matter like that, they're not someone easy to track."

That much was obvious.

But I wasn't letting this go.

He had appeared from nowhere, taken what he wanted, and disappeared without a trace.

That wasn't just skill. That was something else entirely.

And I wanted to know what.

--- @@novelbin@@

To Be Continued...