Novel's Extra: I Awakened The Strongest Physique From The Start-Chapter 262 - 263 - Plans for the Ruined City.

In Desolate. Ruined City.

The Castle of Trials stood as an eerie yet majestic relic of the past, its towering spires reaching toward the dim, clouded sky.

Despite the bleakness of the landscape, a strange sense of purpose now filled the air.

Something was changing—slowly but surely.

Alex stood at the edge of the grand balcony, overlooking the underground ceiling covering the castle.

His hands rested against the cold railing as he contemplated the enormity of the task before him.

The trials had ended—or more like, he destroyed it—yet he didn't leave this place be, determined to turn this forsaken place into something more than a graveyard of lost history.

"You really think it's possible?" Lilia's voice broke through his thoughts, carrying a mixture of intrigue and skepticism.

She stood beside him, her long purple hair catching the soft glow of the dimly lit magic crystal keeping this place alive. Her striking purple eyes locked onto his with an intensity only she possessed.

Alex exhaled, a small smirk playing on his lips. "I wouldn't suggest it if I didn't think it was."

Lilia huffed playfully. "That's not an answer, you know. Moving an entire castle—let alone a ruined city—out of the perception of those who know its location isn't something that's just 'possible.' It sounds insane."

"It's not just about moving it," Alex corrected, his gaze sweeping over the ruined structures. "It's about survival. Right now, this place is vulnerable. If it stays here, anyone who figures out its location can use it against us. But if we make it mobile, always shifting, always adapting, then no one—not even those who originally built it—will be able to track it."

Lilia crossed her arms, deep in thought. "That does make sense. But what happens if the teleportation artifact stops functioning? If it malfunctions or if someone finds a way to interfere with it, then we'd be stranded. Even we wouldn't know where it ended up."

Alex nodded. "That's the biggest risk. This is why I'll have to set up countermeasures—redundancies that prevent something like that from happening. We'd need a backup energy source, a failsafe mechanism, and a way to manually override the system if needed."

Alex knew of a way to make this place mobile. And he knew that it was needed since Keryu knew where the palace was.

In the worst case, he might've already told Anos about this place, and that guy must be waiting for something to make a move.

Lilia, hearing his words, pursed her lips, considering his words. "It won't be easy. But if anyone can pull it off, it's you."

She didn't know why, but she was always sure that Alex would have a solution for everything.

Even though Jessica, the spirit of someone who probably built this place, had said that doing so was impossible, she didn't think that it was.

If Alex said that he would do it, then he would.

A comfortable silence stretched between them before a set of footsteps approached.

The sound of light conversation filtered into the balcony, drawing their attention.

Zahara, Mira, and Jessica entered, chatting amongst themselves.

Zahara's fiery red hair cascaded over her shoulders, her deep red eyes glowing softly in the dim light. She carried an air of grace and warmth in contrast to Mira's quiet presence beside her.

Mira, with her cream-blonde hair and light blue eyes, said little, her expression as unreadable as ever. And then there was Jessica—floating just above the ground, her small chibi-like form brimming with exaggerated energy.

Her purple hair bounced with every tiny movement, her crimson eyes alight with mischief.

Jessica was the first to speak, throwing her tiny arms in the air dramatically. "I demand snacks! I have worked tirelessly all day—surely I deserve some divine compensation for my suffering!"

Zahara chuckled. "You've done nothing but nap, Jessica."

Jessica gasped, clutching her tiny chest as if wounded. "Zahara, how could you? My emotional labor is invaluable!"

Mira blinked slowly, her expression unreadable, before quietly adding, "Snacks do sound nice."

Lilia sighed but smiled. "I swear, you three are impossible."

Alex turned to them with a small smirk. "Fine, we'll figure something out. But first—" he glanced at Zahara and Mira, "—how was your day?"

Zahara smiled gently. "Productive. We explored more of the lower chambers and found some hidden mechanisms that might be useful. It's slow progress, but it's progress."

Mira nodded in agreement, her expression softening ever so slightly.

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Jessica, still floating, puffed out her cheeks. "And I provided emotional support. Very critical work."

Alex chuckled. "Of course. I'd expect nothing less."

The mood remained lighthearted, but even amidst the laughter and teasing, Alex's mind remained focused.

There was much to do and many preparations to make.

But for now, in this moment, he allowed himself to enjoy the company of those closest to him.

It was only for a while though, because soon, things would get far more complicated.

.........................

The air in the dimly lit chamber carried an unspoken tension, despite the relaxed expressions of the three women seated inside.

A few candles flickered on the table between them, casting soft shadows along the aged stone walls.

Lilia leaned back against her chair, her purple eyes glinting with curiosity—and something sharper—as she gazed at Mira, who sat quietly, hands folded in her lap.

The silence stretched, the unspoken words thickening the air until Lilia finally broke it, her voice carrying a tease laced with something more pointed.

"Mira, since when did you become Zahara's minion?" She asked, tilting her head, her long purple hair cascading over one shoulder. "I thought we were all women of the same man."

Mira flinched—barely noticeable, but it was enough for Lilia to catch.

Zahara's red eyes, however, flicked up sharply, a hint of annoyance flashing within them before she leaned forward, resting her arms on the table. Her voice was calm, yet undeniably firm.

"Unlike you, Lilia, who seems to view relationships as a means of gaining connections, neither Mira nor I function that way." Her gaze was steady, unwavering. "We don't serve each other. We stand beside each other."

Lilia raised an eyebrow, an amused smirk tugging at her lips. "Is that so? Because from where I'm sitting, it looks otherwise."

Zahara shrugged, the motion effortless. "Maybe it's your eyes that fail to see things clearly." Then, her lips curled into a knowing smirk. "Maybe that's why you are not Alex's woman."

Zahara finally corrected Lilia, who had called herself Alex's woman a second ago, and hearing that, Lilia's smile faltered for the briefest moment before her expression shifted, her amusement sharpening into something else.

Her purple eyes narrowed, the air around her subtly shifting as if the very space itself was reacting to her mood. Then, instead of retaliating, she leaned back with a slow exhale, a smirk of her own finding its place on her lips.

"The best dish is always saved for last, Zahara," she murmured, amusement dancing in her voice, though the cold glint in her eyes remained.

Mira, who had been silent through most of the exchange, lowered her gaze slightly, her expression unreadable.

She wasn't one to involve herself in unnecessary disputes, but this one was a necessary confrontation. She wanted to be part of this conversation as the conclusion would reflect on Alex, yet the weight of the conversation hung over her like an invisible force.

Zahara, on the other hand, watched Lilia for a moment longer before shaking her head, the earlier sharpness in her gaze softening slightly—not into kindness but something less confrontational. "I didn't come here to argue with you, Lilia. I don't care if you end up joining Alex's harem. That's up to you and him."

She leaned forward, her expression serious now. "But there's a line we don't cross in this little competition of ours. A line that drags Alex into it. He already has enough on his plate. Don't make him worry about this."

Lilia scoffed, rolling her eyes. "Do you think I don't know that? As much as I would love to mess up whatever you're planning, I would never want to harm Alex."

To be honest, after hearing about things that had happened at the academy, Lilia felt like she should return.

Of course, she didn't think she was strong enough to protect Alex, but if a situation were to arrive where Alex's life was in danger, she was confident in creating an opening for him to run away.

Alex, however, had asked her not to do it.

He had said by doing so, she wouldn't just destroy all of her plans but also reveal the only hidden place they had.

Zahara, seeing Lilia's expression, studied her for a long moment before giving a slight nod. "Good. Then we understand each other."

The tension in the air remained, but it shifted—less of a sharp blade poised for a strike, more of a smoldering flame, burning but contained.

Lilia's smirk returned, her posture relaxing slightly as she ran a hand through her long purple hair. "Well, now that that's settled... how about we get some drinks? I feel like I deserve one after being psychoanalyzed."

Zahara huffed a quiet laugh. "Fine. But you're pouring."

Lilia grinned. "Oh, gladly. Let's drink to a fair fight, shall we?"

And with that, the conversation shifted, but the undertones of rivalry and understanding remained, woven into the air like an unspoken promise.

Alex, the center of this conversation, however, was sleeping, and in his dream world, he was preparing for something very big—something that would change many things for him and the people around him.