The Extra Who Inherited Ragnarok

Morning arrived over Hildgard.

The three moons had disappeared behind the brightening sky, leaving only faint traces of their light above the city.

The tournament arena was already packed.

Today wasn’t about individual strength.

It was about whether two completely different fighters could work together.

Above the battlefield, the announcement appeared:

EVENT SIX

DUAL COMBAT

The rules were simple.

Two contestants would be paired together.

The pair would fight another pair.

Victory could be achieved through knockout, surrender, or forcing both opponents outside the designated boundary.

But there was one unusual rule.

Partners would be selected from different academies.

The crowd erupted.

Eric stared at the announcement.

"So we’re fighting with strangers?"

Damien nodded.

"Apparently."

Eric looked at Noah.

"That’s either going to be amazing or terrible."

Noah laughed.

"Probably both."

Laura stood beside them.

"Whoever they give us, we adapt."

A massive projection appeared above the arena.

Names began moving rapidly.

Then stopped.

NOAH BLACKWOOD

VALHALLA ACADEMY

PARTNER: LUNA VALE

Noah blinked.

Luna looked at him.

Neither spoke.

Eric’s eyes widened.

"Wait."

He looked between them.

"You’re paired with Luna?"

Noah nodded.

"Looks like it."

Eric grinned.

"This should be interesting."

Laura smiled at Luna.

"Good luck."

Luna nodded.

"Thank you."

The projection changed again.

LAURA ESTERIA

VALHALLA ACADEMY

PARTNER: DAMIEN ROSS

Damien adjusted his gloves.

"Looks like we’re together."

Laura nodded.

"Let’s do our best."

Noah looked at them.

"Don’t lose."

Laura smiled.

"Same to you."

Across the arena, the pairings continued.

REINHAM EDGA + FLORA MENESTRA

ELEMENTRO

JORDAN NETHEM + CHRISTINA VOLDEM

ASGARD

Jordan looked at Christina.

"Try to keep up."

Christina stared at him.

"Try not to get us eliminated."

Jordan laughed.

"That’s why we’re going to win."

Another pairing appeared.

ALCRIS VANNHEIM + REN VARIS

VOLSTRA

Alcris looked toward the arena.

His eyes immediately found Noah.

A faint smile appeared.

The first matches began.

Noah and Luna waited near the entrance.

Luna looked toward him.

"You fight aggressively."

Noah nodded.

"You move quietly."

"Yes."

"Then we should work well together."

Luna smiled slightly.

"I think so."

The announcement echoed.

"Next match!"

"Noah Blackwood and Luna Vale!"

The crowd erupted.

Their opponents entered.

A pair from Jotun Academy.

One was enormous, carrying a massive hammer.

The other was a woman surrounded by swirling wind.

The referee raised her hand.

"Begin!"

The hammer wielder charged Noah.

Noah met him head-on.

BOOM!

Their attacks collided.

Noah was pushed backward.

The wind user immediately attacked Luna.

Luna vanished.

The attack struck empty air.

The crowd gasped.

Luna reappeared behind her opponent.

A precise strike sent the woman stumbling.

Noah glanced over.

"Nice."

Luna nodded.

"Focus."

Noah laughed.

The hammer wielder attacked again.

Noah ducked.

His fist ignited.

WHAM!

The opponent crashed into the ground.

The wind user tried to help.

Luna intercepted her.

The two fought across the battlefield.

Noah finished his opponent with one final blast of fire.

Then turned.

Luna had already defeated hers.

The referee raised both hands.

"Victory! Noah Blackwood and Luna Vale!"

The crowd erupted.

Noah smiled.

"Good teamwork."

Luna nodded.

"Yes."

From the spectator section, Laura watched.

She smiled.

Then her eyes moved toward Daniela.

Daniela was watching too.

Not Luna.

Not the opponents.

Noah.

Laura’s smile faded slightly.

Again.

Later, the second major match began.

Reinham and Flora entered the battlefield.

Their opponents were from Milgard.

Reinham cracked his knuckles.

"Let’s finish this quickly."

Flora sighed.

"Don’t rush."

Reinham grinned.

"Trust me."

The battle began.

Reinham charged.

Flora stayed behind.

Their opponents tried to surround him.

Flora immediately changed the terrain.

A wall rose from the ground.

Reinham used it as a launch point.

BOOM!

His fist struck one opponent.

Flora followed with a precise energy attack.

The second fell.

The crowd erupted.

Reinham raised his fist.

"Elementro!"

Flora shook her head.

"You really can’t help yourself."

Reinham laughed.

Across the arena, Jordan watched.

His expression became competitive.

"Elementro again."

Christina looked at him.

"You’ve been thinking about them all morning."

Jordan smiled.

"They’re strong."

Then his eyes shifted toward Noah.

"But so is he."

Christina looked at Noah.

"You’re interested in him too."

Jordan’s smile faded.

"He’s a problem."

Meanwhile, Alcris stood beside Ren Varis.

Their match had not yet begun.

Alcris wasn’t paying attention to their opponents.

He was looking toward Noah.

His perception activated.

For a fraction of a second...

He saw it again.

The strange flow beneath Noah’s fire.

But this time...

Something moved.

Alcris’s eyes widened.

A second presence.

Deep inside.

Dormant.

Watching.

Alcris whispered:

"...There’s someone else in there."

Ren looked at him.

"What?"

Alcris’s perception shut down.

"Nothing."

He smiled.

"Let’s fight."

But inside his mind, one thought remained.

Ragnarok wasn’t merely a power.

Something was living alongside it.

And Alcris desperately wanted to know what.

The arena had barely recovered from the previous match when the next pairing appeared.

ALCRIS VANNHEIM

REN VARIS

VOLSTRA ACADEMY

vs.

NETHAN ROLD

SEREN VALE

MILGARD ACADEMY

The Volstra section erupted.

Alcris walked onto the battlefield without much expression.

Ren followed beside him.

Across from them, Nethan rolled his shoulders while Seren adjusted the ribbons around her wrists.

The referee raised her hand.

"Begin!"

Nethan moved first.

A burst of energy erupted beneath his feet.

He crossed the battlefield instantly.

Ren barely blocked.

CLANG!

Alcris didn’t move.

He simply watched.

His eyes followed Nethan’s body.

The flow of power.

The direction.

The concentration.

Everything.

Alcris could see it.

A faint network of energy moving beneath Nethan’s skin.

He smiled.

"Left shoulder."

Ren reacted immediately.

Nethan’s attack came from the left.

Ren dodged.

"How did you know?"

Alcris didn’t answer.

Seren attacked from behind.

Alcris turned.

His perception activated.

He saw the energy gathering in her hands before she released it.

"Down."

Ren dropped.

A wave of energy passed over him.

Ren stared.

"You’re reading them."

Alcris smiled.

"Something like that."

Nethan attacked again.

Alcris finally moved.

He stepped forward.

His hand caught Nethan’s wrist.

Nethan’s eyes widened.

"How..."

Alcris twisted.

CRACK!

Nethan hit the ground.

The crowd gasped.

Alcris released him immediately.

He didn’t look excited.

He looked curious.

His eyes followed the fading energy around Nethan.

Then he looked toward the spectators.

Toward Noah.

For a fraction of a second, Alcris’s perception activated again.

Noah’s body appeared in his mind.

Energy flowing through every muscle.

Orange fire.

Then the deeper layer.

Alcris saw it.

A second rhythm.

A presence beneath the flames.

His expression changed.

What are you?

"Alcris!"

Ren’s voice snapped him back.

Seren was attacking.

Alcris moved aside.

The strike missed.

Ren countered.

The fight resumed.

This time, Alcris stopped observing.

He fought.

His movements were precise.

Economical.

He never wasted energy.

Within moments, Seren was forced outside the boundary.

Ren defeated Nethan seconds later.

The referee raised her hand.

"Victory! Volstra Academy!"

The crowd cheered.

Alcris simply turned away.

But before leaving the battlefield...

He looked toward Noah.

Noah noticed.

Their eyes met.

Alcris smiled.

Noah frowned.

Something about that smile bothered him.

Later, Noah found himself walking through one of the arena corridors.

Laura caught up with him.

"You noticed him too."

Noah looked at her.

"Alcris?"

She nodded.

"Yes."

"He keeps looking at me."

Laura’s expression became serious.

"Be careful."

Noah glanced at her.

"Do you know something about him?"

"No."

Laura paused.

"But I don’t trust the way he looks at you."

Noah smiled slightly.

"You’re protective."

Laura looked away.

"I’m cautious."

"Sure."

She gave him a look.

"Don’t start."

Noah laughed.

Across the corridor, Daniela was standing alone.

She had watched her brother’s match.

She had also noticed where his attention kept going.

Noah.

Daniela approached him.

"You’re becoming popular."

Noah looked at her.

"Apparently."

She smiled.

"My brother seems interested in you."

Noah frowned.

"Your brother?"

"Alcris."

Noah looked toward the battlefield.

"I didn’t know you two were related."

Daniela’s expression changed for the briefest moment.

"He’s my brother."

Noah nodded.

"He’s strong."

"He is."

Daniela looked at him.

"But don’t confuse intelligence with kindness."

Noah raised an eyebrow.

"Are you warning me?"

Daniela smiled faintly.

"I’m telling you to pay attention."

She walked past him.

Noah watched her leave.

Laura remained beside him.

"You see why I don’t like this?"

Noah sighed.

"Yeah."

That evening, Daniela found Alcris alone.

He was sitting beneath a tree.

She stopped in front of him.

"You were watching Noah again."

Alcris looked up.

"Was I?"

"You know exactly what I mean."

He smiled.

"He’s interesting."

Daniela crossed her arms.

"You’ve said that before."

Alcris looked toward the three moons.

"You can perceive power."

Daniela nodded.

"And you perceive its flow."

"Exactly."

He smiled.

"But Noah’s different."

Daniela’s expression hardened.

"Different how?"

Alcris looked at her.

"I haven’t figured that out yet."

Daniela studied him.

Something about his answer felt wrong.

Very wrong.

But she couldn’t identify why.

Alcris stood.

"Don’t worry, Daniela."

He walked past her.

"I’m only curious."

Daniela watched him disappear.

She didn’t believe him.

Far away, Noah stood beneath the same three moons.

He looked at his hand.

The faintest orange flame appeared.

Then vanished.

He didn’t notice the tiny maroon flicker buried inside it.

But someone else did.

From a distant rooftop...

Alcris watched.

And smiled.