Reborn As An Extra In My Own Novel-Chapter 52: Essence Of Combat [2]

"What do you think combat is, Kai?" Neko-sensei’s voice was resolute as she slowly stepped toward me, the ground trembling ever so slightly.

I didn’t know how to answer her. To be honest, such a question had never crossed my mind before.

For me, who had transmigrated into the body of an extra, armed with the knowledge of my novel, I had only one goal, and that was to survive the plot I created and maybe conclude my story.

Concepts like the essence of combat had never even occurred to me, let alone been given any serious thought.

"Techniques, skills, none of it matters on the battlefield. No one cares how many comrades you’ve had, or how many lives you’ve saved or taken. Saint or demon, it makes no difference. Now ask yourself: Why do I fight? What is combat, really?"

Neko-sensei’s words might have sounded like something only a true warrior would say, but in truth, what she said made perfect sense.

Whether it was writing, running, or even walking home, there was always a purpose, and a certain level of understanding about the task one was meant to complete.

But I had thought that combat was just like in any other Isekai, where fighting was about using your OP skill to achieve your objective—

But that was far from the truth.

I took in a deep breath, my lungs struggling slightly under the intense pressure of Neko-sensei’s zone. "I don’t know," I answered firmly.

As if waiting for the reply, she withdrew her zone. "Kai, let me ask you something."

I looked at her from my bent posture, my lungs pleading for one more breath.

She looked up at the bright full moon, then continued. "Have you ever killed a person before?"

I shook my head. It was an odd question—one I never expected her to ask her student.

She smiled and opened her mouth, as if about to lecture me, then closed it and shook her head.

"What happened?"

Her emerald eyes met mine. "Nothing. I was admiring the generation you were born into."

I scoffed. "You say that like you’re some kind of granny."

"Hahaha." Neko-sensei was laughing, but I could tell it wasn’t genuine. "It seems you need a beating."

She smiled gently. "But... I can tell you with absolute certainty, the moment you comprehend combat and your reason for living and fighting, you will never be the same."

I briefly glanced at the black marble floor then back at her. "So why do you fight? What is combat to you?"

Her expression dimmed, a faint smile dancing on her lips. "It might sound foolish... But I fight to prove my existence, and combat, to me, is the expression of that desire... It doesn’t matter how, whether through killing or saving anyone. That is my combat."

Neko-sensei’s words echoed in my mind as I sat on the ground.

’To prove my existence? Is that why I fight too?’

It was true that I wanted to reach the conclusion of my story. But that was something Richcooker, the author of THD, wanted. novelbuddy.cσ๓

What exactly did I, Cha Jin-sung, who had also become Kaiser Vanguard—truly desire?

It was still a mystery to me.

Neko-sensei, noticing my expression, clapped once. "No need to look like that, it’s not as if you’re going to die any time soon."

I nodded. She was right, I still had to save Hari, and that meant there was no time to dwell on anything else.

Neko-sensei moved slowly toward me and rested her forehead against mine.

My cheeks flushed red for a moment, but before my brain could even process it, a torrent of overwhelming knowledge surged into my mind all at once.

I bit my lip, holding my breath slightly, my nails digging into my skin, but I didn’t make a sound.

’This is...?’

As the river of information gradually merged with my mind, a profound comprehension of zones awakened within me.

Dark circles formed around Neko-sensei’s eyes as she struggled to remain upright. I quickly supported her by the side. "Careful."

She smiled playfully. "Look at this slick bastard, taking advantage when your teacher is vulnerable."

I stared her straight in the eye, silent, then sighed. "Why did you even do that?"

She leaned closer, making me stutter slightly. "This is for your assignment. I want you to answer the question I asked you today by the time you return."

I nodded as I stepped toward the white door. ’The essence of combat.’

I shook off the words Neko-sensei had spoken. For now, it was best to process all the information she had transferred to me with a magic I had never encountered before.

All I knew was that it had something to do with zones. That meant if I could master them, even telepathy might not be far from achievable.

And according to Neko-sensei’s story, there was an S-rank—actually, someone nearly SS-rank, who wasn’t born with any talent and relied solely on zones to fight.

That alone showed me just how powerful the technique was. It all came down to how it was utilized, and how much mana and mental strength you possessed.

Before heading to my room, I dropped Neko-sensei off at the teachers’ estate, which was some distance from where my dorm was.

I waved her goodbye and hurried to my room.

Today had been exhausting, but tomorrow would be even more so.

After bathing again and changing into fresh nightwear, I lay on my bed, staring at the ceiling.

Zones—the projection of one’s world and soul into reality using mana.

Just as gods could create realms, mages could do so too; through zones.

Within a zone, the mage reigns supreme. It can be used to move at light-speed within its range, for sniping, surveillance, or even absolute control.

It was nearly limitless.

I stretched out my hand toward the ceiling, my other hand clutching the blanket tightly. "One day... will I be able to do things like that too?"

I sighed and shifted my posture. For now, I needed proper rest, only then could I perform at my best.

-------

That night, I had a strange dream I couldn’t recall. I could have sworn it was about a mysterious woman in an unfamiliar space. And then... there was someone else. Someone who felt like they were one with me. Someone whose absence pained me to forget.

Ding!

[Theron is with you!]

[Praise the Weavers!]