The Extra Who Shouldn't Exist novel Chapter 362

Chapter 362: Chapter 362 : Taking Responsibility As a King

The ruins of Avaloria smoldered beneath a fractured sky.

What had once been an empire was now a grave.

Mountains lay split open like broken ribs. Entire districts had vanished into yawning abysses. Rivers no longer flowed—they hung in the air, frozen mid-collapse, before raining down in muddy sheets.

Ash drifted through the wind like snow, carrying the echoes of countless lives that had ended in an instant.

Alex stood alone amidst the devastation.

His gaze swept over the destruction in silence.

’Was I responsible for this...?’

The answer came without hesitation.

’Yes.’

And yet—

He felt no remorse.

Not even a flicker.

As long as those close to him were safe, nothing else mattered.

Not empires.

Not civilizations.

Not the screams buried beneath the rubble.

Only one thought rose clearly in his mind.

’The world can burn... as long as my people live.’

A deep groan shattered the silence.

It was wet.

Ragged.

Filled with pain.

Alex turned toward the sound.

Amid shattered stone and scorched earth, Zarvok lay sprawled across the ruins. His once-colossal form was broken and twisted. One wing was torn nearly in half.

Scales had been peeled away, exposing raw flesh beneath. Blood pooled beneath him as he struggled just to breathe.

He could not stand.

He could barely move.

With trembling effort, Zarvok lifted his head and looked at Alex.

His lips parted.

Only one word escaped.

"WHY"

Alex stared at him.

For a long moment, he said nothing.

Then he spoke quietly.

"Nothing... really. I’m just trying to find someone to blame for all this."

His eyes hardened.

"And you seem like a perfect excuse."

A broken smile curved across his face.

"Just for my peace of mind. Nothing else."

He gestured faintly at the ruined world.

"So lie there... and take all the blame."

A hollow laugh bubbled from Zarvok’s bloodied mouth.

"For a guy with such terrifying strength," he rasped, "you really don’t like taking responsibility, huh... boy?"

Alex walked toward him.

Not with hostility.

Not with intent to kill.

He stopped beside Zarvok and lowered himself to the ground, sitting next to his shattered form as though beside a long-lost friend.

"You know," Alex said quietly, "sometimes I feel like this world would be better... if I didn’t exist."

Zarvok lay there, listening.

After a moment, he asked, "And why do you think that?"

Alex exhaled slowly.

"I never told anyone this," he said. "But I’ll tell you."

"I wasn’t born in this world."

Zarvok’s eyes shifted faintly.

"I came from a peaceful one. No magic. No monsters. No gods."

"People woke up in the morning, went to work to earn a living, and returned home to their families."

Zarvok swallowed.

"Sounds like a wonderful world."

"You could say that," Alex replied. "Though life wasn’t easy there either."

He paused.

"But one day, I died."

"And when I opened my eyes... I was here."

He clenched his fingers against the ash-covered ground.

"I was happy at first. I had a family again. Even if it was just one person. Someone to live for. Someone to fight for."

His voice lowered.

"But somewhere along the way... while I was chasing strength... everything started going downhill."

"This world’s future was never this," he whispered. "At least... not the one I knew."

He drew a shaky breath.

"But maybe... no—"

"I have to admit it now."

"Because of me... things have taken a turn for the worst."

Zarvok turned his head slightly.

"You know what’s funny?" Alex asked.

Zarvok answered weakly, "What is it...?"

Alex let out a hollow laugh—one that carried more grief than amusement.

"I don’t even know what I did wrong for the world to end up like this."

"Every problem that came my way... I fought it tooth and nail."

"Sometimes for myself."

"Sometimes for the people I love."

His eyes reflected the burning ruins.

"And yet... here we are."

"Instead of things getting better..." Alex continued, his gaze drifting back toward the endless ruin, "everything only gets worse."

He slowly rose to his feet, ash crunching beneath his boots.

"Half of the future I knew of this world... Avaloria was never in this state."

His voice trembled—not with weakness, but with restrained fury.

"But look at it now."

He gestured toward the broken empire.

"I think... because of me, someone I was very close to died."

His jaw tightened.

"Because of me, my girlfriend was almost killed by your hands."

A hollow laugh escaped him.

"I tried to find excuses. Tried to convince myself it wasn’t my fault."

"But no matter how I twist it... the answer doesn’t change."

His eyes dimmed.

"The only solution I can think of is this—if I didn’t exist... maybe their lives would be better."

He turned back toward Zarvok.

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