[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-extra-who-shouldn-t-exist":3,"chapter-the-extra-who-shouldn-t-exist-the-extra-who-shouldn-t-exist-chapter-213":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","The Extra Who Shouldn't Exist",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1550286,2013,"Chapter 213: Greatest Creations (2)","the-extra-who-shouldn-t-exist-chapter-213",213,"\u003Cp>Suddenly, a massive pressure descended over the entire realm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The air itself grew heavy, pressing down like an invisible mountain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The violet-haired woman gasped, her knees trembling, and even the ground seemed to groan under the weight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alex staggered for a second—until the constellation-like symbol on his hand began to glow faintly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The crushing weight around him was immediately canceled out, as though the light from the mark itself rejected the divine pressure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’It’s shielding me from the pressure. Thank God,’ Alex thought, staring at his glowing hand before lifting his gaze upward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>High above, floating in the molten sky, a god revealed himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The god of blacksmiths—Hephaestus.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His figure was immense, broad-shouldered and muscular, arms thick with strength honed from millennia of hammering divine steel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His stance, however, carried a faint limp, and his back hunched slightly as though the weight of eternity bore down on him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His rugged face was marked with scars and burns, a visage many might call \"ugly,\" but to Alex it radiated a harsh, undeniable beauty—like the battered face of a warrior who had never once bowed to time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His thick beard and hair were wild, curled, and streaked with soot and ash, as though fire had singed them countless times.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His skin was bronze and weathered, patches scarred black from flames, veins glowing faintly like molten cracks across his arms.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dark bags hung under his eyes, proof he hadn’t known rest in ages. In one hand, he clutched a bottle that smelled unmistakably of strong booze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The other arm, however, carried a hammer—massive, ancient, its head glowing with traces of unending fire.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every inch of his presence screamed of a god who had once forged thunder bolt for Zeus and armor for Ares... and yet now stood as a broken giant, still greater than all mortals combined.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment Alex laid eyes on him, goosebumps raced across his skin. His entire body screamed at him to kneel, to submit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he clenched his teeth, forced his legs to stay firm, and lifted his chin, staring straight into the god’s eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hephaestus’s rugged lips twitched upward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Interesting. Very interesting. Not bending even in front of the divinity of a god... Even though I am long past my prime, stripped of almost all my powers except for creation of weapons itself, he can still look me in the eyes... what the hell are you, boy?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A familiar voice spoke in Alex’s head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>`[Host, I think now is the perfect time to demonstrate your beauty and make him cry and bow down to you—just like you bragged earlier.]`\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alex’s eye twitched. ’Sorry. My good looks aren’t for public demonstration.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile, behind him, the violet-haired woman and her subordinates collapsed to their knees.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We greet the Divine Craftsman, the Celestial Artificer, Hephaestus, the Flame Eternal of Creation!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their voices rang with reverence, trembling as if a single misstep would bring divine wrath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hephaestus raised his scarred hand. \"Stop that. Just ’my lord’ will do.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"As you command, my lord,\" they chorused in unison, bowing lower.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hephaestus smiled faintly before his molten gaze shifted back to Alex.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Boy,\" his voice thundered like a hammer striking an anvil, \"what is your name?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In that instant, the suffocating pressure vanished. The urge to kneel evaporated as if it had never existed. Alex exhaled slowly, rolling his shoulders, his eyes fixed on the god.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’So this... is the presence of a god, huh. He’s powerful beyond any comprehension.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He straightened, showing no weakness. \"The name’s Lucifer... Lucifer Morningstar.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For a heartbeat, Hephaestus’s molten eyes flickered. He tilted his head, murmuring,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Lucifer... Morningstar... Where have I heard that before?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But after a pause, he shook his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No... It’s just the alias you’re using inside the Tower of Ascension. Not your real name.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His gaze sharpened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Tell me your true name, boy. Not the mask you wear inside the Tower.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alex’s lips curled into a grin. \"Well... I don’t feel like telling you. So make do with the alias.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The violet-haired lady shot to her feet, her golden eyes burning with fury. \"How dare you—!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But before she could take another step, Hephaestus’s voice boomed. \"Lina. Stop.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She froze instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It was rude of me to ask,\" the god said, chuckling. \"If he doesn’t want to tell me, then so be it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes, my lord,\" Lina bowed deeply, shame and anger flashing across her face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alex took a step forward, his voice calm yet edged with steel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"So this is you. The Celestial Artificer. The divine craftsman who forged Zeus’s thunderbolt... the god of blacksmiths, the master of armories and artifacts—Hephaestus himself, huh.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His eyes gleamed with challenge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Since you’re here in person, I suppose I’ve proven my worth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, will you fulfill my request? Craft me a weapon greater than all others—a weapon that can never be replicated, never wielded by another in the entire multiverse.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The forge-god’s molten eyes softened into a smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You’ve proved more than just your worth, boy. You are something else entirely.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>---\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hephaestus’s molten eyes glimmered as his deep voice rumbled through the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"After all, Lucifer—you defeated Lina. Who, even I dare say, in pure swordsmanship, could never be defeated by any mortal.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that, the violet-haired lady Lina’s lips curved into a faint smile. \"I’m honored you think of me so highly, my lord.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The warriors behind her bowed low in reverence, their eyes shining with fanatical devotion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alex leaned back slightly, watching the scene unfold. ’So this is what a crazy fanatic lunatic looks like in front of her god, huh.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hephaestus turned his heavy gaze back to Alex.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I already have perfect weapons for you. Believe me when I say this, ever since I was trapped inside this tower—my strength weakening with each century—I poured every ounce of my talent into creating them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That is why I tested you, to see if you were worthy. For if you are not...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His voice deepened, a growl echoing through the iron halls.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You will end up just like Lina—trapped here for all eternity.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alex’s eyes slid toward Lina. He let them linger in a slow, deliberate way, analyzing every curve of her body with unsettling intensity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lina shivered under his gaze and snapped, \"Stop staring at me like a perverted stalker, or I’ll gouge out your eyes!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alex raised his hands innocently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"How dare you accuse men of being perverts? I wasn’t staring—I was simply... appreciating how well your figure is balanced. Purely from an observational standpoint, of course.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You—!\" Lina’s hand shot to her sword, rage flaring in her golden eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Stop. No fighting,\" Hephaestus commanded, his voice like rolling thunder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lina froze, lowering her head in submission, though her glare never left Alex.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alex tilted his head, smirking. \"Jokes aside, she looks perfectly normal. What’s wrong with her?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a flick of Hephaestus’s fingers, three colossal chairs and a small table materialized from sparks and steel. He lowered himself onto one, gesturing Alex to the opposite seat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Sit,\" he ordered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then his gaze shifted to the others. \"Aside from Lina, all of you—keep watch. Report if anything happens.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes, my lord!\" The retainers bowed deeply before vanishing into the molten haze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lina reluctantly sat at Hephaestus’s side, still glaring daggers at Alex.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once the three of them were settled, Hephaestus spoke again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You are not the first to request that I craft the greatest weapon ever to exist. The first time someone came to me, I obliged. After all, it is my passion to forge weapons beyond compare.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His eyes darkened like smoldering coals.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But the one I made it for... was proved unworthy by the weapon itself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment she touched the weapon, her body began to break. The weapon rejected her. After all, the greatest weapons always have a will of their own.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alex frowned, his voice low. \"So you’re telling me it killed its wielder.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hephaestus’s scarred lips curved into a grim smile. \"Yes.\" He turned his gaze toward Lina. \"And that wielder... was none other than Lina herself.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alex’s eyes snapped to her. Her expression crumbled into shame, her golden eyes dimming.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’Partner,’ Alex thought sharply, ’is she what I think she is?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>`[Yes, host. I meant to tell you before. That girl has no body. What you see is her soul, sustained by Hephaestus’s divinity. Without him, she would have been erased long ago.]`\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alex exhaled, staring back at the god. \"So you’re the one keeping her alive—in her soul form.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hephaestus gave a small smile. \"Good. You’re sharp. I like sharp people.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lina finally spoke, her voice trembling but sincere. \"I am eternally grateful to Hephaestus. If not for him, I would have been gone. I can never repay this debt.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hephaestus softened, his tone gentler. \"You don’t have to. You’ve already done enough by giving me company while I’m trapped here.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lina’s eyes watered, her voice breaking. \"My lord...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alex tapped his fingers against the table. \"So what you’re saying is... I could end up like her, huh?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Exactly,\" Hephaestus said. \"You can die a miserable death. Think carefully before you proceed.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alex leaned back, smirking despite the heavy tension.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Well, well. How motivating. So now, I can even die by the very weapon I want to wield. Wonderful.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before Hephaestus could respond, the iron doors burst open. Two warriors stumbled in, kneeling with desperation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"My lord—emergency!\" one shouted. \"The last lands of the world we were guarding have been attacked again!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The last of your believers are in danger,\" the other cried.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hephaestus’s expression hardened like hammered steel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Those damned fallen angels... not again.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>----\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A\u002FN:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So how was the Chapter? Tell me in the comments!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thanks for the golden tickets:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>@Afolabi_Daniel_4069, @Winter_Metor,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>@BluuuuTea, @supersan,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>@LaggingPenguin, @Dinokun,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>@Hmd95,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I really appreciate the support, guys. 😊\u003C\u002Fp>",1632,"2026-06-06T07:14:57.154Z",1,"novelbin.me","3377b90fc6d35b6fae430c1f423d940dc138eaa425809399fce05384d9ac1592","the-extra-who-shouldn-t-exist-chapter-214","the-extra-who-shouldn-t-exist-chapter-212",418,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-extra-who-shouldn-t-exist-cover.jpg"]