The Nameless Extra: I Proofread This World-Chapter 100: Eyes Lost to Night (1)

Ruvian broke the silence first.
“Everyone… all of you, here?”
From the darkness, Shima answered calmly.
“I’m right behind you.”
After a moment, Horren spoke, restless but grateful.
“My body still hurts, b-but thanks, Ruvian. Without your shield, we’d be dead.”
“Oi, speak louder! I can barely hear anything in this blasted darkness,” came Arlok’s impatient reply.
“Ruvian, are you alright? You're the only one who took a direct hit from it. And sorry, took us a while to find you.” Yerin’s gentle words came next.
Ruvian inhaled slowly, relief grounding his voice.
“I’m alright, but how… how are you seeing in this darkness?”
Arlok let out a short laugh.
“Seeing? Ha! We don’t need eyes out here. We use guts—No. I mean, joking aside, just feeling the movement of whatever’s lurking nearby. I’m using an earth spell to locate everyone. Horren’s trying what you’re doing, sensing the air.”
He paused, then added:
“I found you thanks to Horren’s guidance, saying that you're a bit far from where we are.”
Ruvian’s curiosity softened into awe.
‘Amazing, am I the only one who falls behind? But, judging from what he said, they're just adapting as well as I am.’
“Can all of you… sense in the dark?”
“Not really. My element doesn’t help me that way.” Shima answered with a touch of regret.
“Same here, but the pure mana is still viable for use.” Yerin’s reply was sure.
“Anyway, you all better get ready. That thing has found us, and it’s slowly closing in this way.” Arlok’s tone turned serious.
Ruvian furrowed his brow, narrowing his eyes.
“Any ideas on how we are going to fight it?”
Arlok’s eyes scanned the group despite the darkness, calm but serious.
“First off, it’s not as strong as a Wretched-rank. I’d say it’s hovering right on the edge of becoming one, or maybe not. Ah! Who cares! Despite its massive size, it’s slow, clumsy, really, and lacks any real skill or finesse.”
Shima nodded quietly from the shadows.
“I see. It's still a Lesser-Rank, then.”
Yerin’s voice came steady, filled with quiet resolve. “Then we can only rely on your communication and coordination, Arlok.”
Arlok let out a low chuckle, the sound breaking the tension for a moment.
“Scratch that.”
Every pair of eyes, or where they would be, turned toward him, puzzled.
“Those things won’t work like usual in this darkness,” he continued, lowering his voice to a serious whisper.
“So, this is the perfect chance for you all to sharpen your battle senses. Basically, you’ll be fighting alone, relying on instinct at the edge.”
He paused, eyes steady as he added firmly,
“Don’t worry. I’ll keep watch for any mistakes. Horren will help you as well with his wind. And Ruvian, while you’re at it, keep honing yours.”
His gaze shifted toward the creeping shadow nearby.
Taken from NovelFire, this narrative should be ed if found on Amazon.
“Anyway, don’t waste time! His slow trunks are coming! Move!”
Without hesitation, the group sprang away, scattering in all directions just as the ground beneath them trembled violently. The beast’s massive form crashed down exactly where they had stood only moments before.
****
Ruvian focused on his breathing, trying to calm the tension rising inside him. He reached out with his senses, feeling the air around him.
The creature’s heavy steps sent faint vibrations through the ground and wind. His mind worked hard to catch those signals and understand them.
Every once in a while, quick flashes of lightning sparked from Shima’s falchion, cutting through the darkness. Small flickers of flame glowed from Yerin’s sword like tiny wisps.
Those sparks reminded him they were still here, fighting. He concentrated even more, trying to tell the difference between the cold, lifeless wind of the darkness and the small movements caused by the creature’s slow, heavy steps.
It wasn’t easy. Each breath and every slight change needed careful attention. But with every moment, Ruvian felt himself improving, becoming more sure.
‘There was also another… wind. Was that Horren?’
Ruvian steadied his breath, focusing on the currents of air slipping through the darkness. At first, the chaos of the void made it nearly impossible to understand anything. But slowly, a pattern began to emerge with the help of the glove’s enchantments as well.
He realized the creature was enormous, moving with the weight and slowness of a giant mammoth.
Its shape was vague at first—massive limbs, a heavy back, and long trunks or tusks dragging behind it through the emptiness. The presence filled the space with a steady pressure.
Controlling his mana had been a struggle before, draining him faster than he liked. Now, he found himself using only what was necessary, conserving every ounce as he honed his skill.
The wasteful bursts were fading, replaced by careful, deliberate control.
At times, he caught flickers of the others—ghostly and fleeting, sometimes there, sometimes gone. Their fast movements were harder to read, slipping beyond his reach. He wasn’t quick enough yet.
‘There! I felt a glimpse of it!’
Then, the ground shook violently as the beast slammed down once more, the sound booming through the dark.
“Stay sharp!” Arlok’s voice barely carried, rough and commanding, “It’s coming!”
Ruvian nodded silently, sending another breath of wind outward, weaving the currents to probe the space ahead.
The beast’s low growl rumbled through the darkness as it swung a colossal tusk with terrifying speed. The air tore with the force, a rush of cold pressure aimed to crush.
Shima stepped forward, her falchion crackling with electricity. She moved with precise grace, sidestepping the tusk’s deadly sweep and slicing deep into the creature’s thick leg. A faint spark of blue blood splattered, but the wound barely slowed the beast.
“Now, Yerin!” Shima’s voice was low but urgent, almost swallowed by the dark.
Yerin’s sword ignited with a blaze of fire, its flames licking the beast’s flank. The creature howled in pain, thrashing wildly. Its massive form whipped around, swinging again with a powerful swipe.
Horren loosed an arrow, the whisper of his bowstring a rare, clear sound amid the chaos. The arrow hummed through the air, striking the beast’s shoulder and embedding itself deep.
Ruvian focused, feeling the air ripple as the creature moved. He pushed his wind magic forward, a concentrated blast aimed at the beast’s eyes. The creature snarled, shaking its massive head to clear the invisible assault.
“Don’t get greedy,” Arlok warned, stepping in with a heavy swing of his poleaxe, earth magic rippling beneath the ground.
His attack sent a shockwave that staggered the monster, earth bursting from the soil to entangle its legs briefly.
The beast bellowed, fury blazing in its small, cruel eyes. It swung again, tusks crashing down with the force of a battering ram.
Shima ducked just in time, or maybe invisible carried her sideway, the tusk grazing her shoulder, sparks flying from the contact of metal and bone. She gritted her teeth but pressed on, electricity dancing along her falchion.
Ruvian whispered to himself, feeling the delicate balance of the currents.
‘Focus. Feel every shift in the wind. Predict, then react.’
He sent a quick gust to unbalance the beast, a small thing against such power, but enough to distract.
“Careful, Ruvian!” Horren’s voice cut through, sharp and tense. “It’s aiming for you!”
The tusk swung again—slow, but devastating.
Ruvian twisted, the wind at his back carrying him out of reach. He barely caught the movement, barely controlled the breath that escaped his lips.
Yerin’s flames flared, painting the beast’s hide with fire, but the creature roared, slamming its tusks down, shaking the ground.
The impact threw everyone back, dust swirling, and the darkness swallowed their shapes.
Arlok’s voice rose, firm and clear despite the gloom: “Regroup! And keep moving!
Then, a sudden shift in the air caught Ruvian’s attention. He sensed a massive weight moving fast, closing in from behind. Yerin’s steady rhythm faltered; she was focused on the beast’s front, unaware of the tusk sweeping low toward her side.
“No,” Ruvian thought sharply.
‘She doesn’t see it coming!’
Before the beast’s deadly tusk could collide, Ruvian sent a gust of wind, swift and sure, pushing against the encroaching strike like a barrier. The tusk’s momentum staggered slightly, but it was enough.
“Yerin!” Ruvian called, his voice rough but urgent, though the darkness swallowed the sound almost instantly.
Without hesitation, he surged forward, the wind carrying him through the blackness. His hand caught Yerin’s arm just as the tusk grazed past, barely missing her by inches.
She stumbled, surprised. “Ruvian?” Her voice was breathless but grateful. (+50PP)
The beast snarled, turning its gaze toward the interruption. It swung its massive tusks in a furious arc, aimed now at Ruvian.
He twisted away, using the wind to propel both of them backwards, narrowly escaping the brutal strike.
He sighed after managing his breath.
“...Now, we're equal. I’m repaying this morning's debt.”
PP= 3050
ME= 510