The Extra Who Inherited Ragnarok

Nobody spoke for several seconds.

Noah was still on one knee.

His breathing had returned to normal, but his mind hadn’t.

A-Rank.

Then S-Rank.

The system had displayed both.

Sophia crouched beside him.

"Noah."

"I’m okay."

Her eyes narrowed.

"You almost collapsed."

"I said I’m okay."

"That’s not convincing anymore."

Eric stood nearby, unusually quiet.

Luna looked worried.

Laura hadn’t moved.

Her eyes remained fixed on Noah.

"What did you see?"

Noah looked at her.

He knew what she meant.

Laura couldn’t see the system, but she had seen his reaction.

Noah hesitated.

"A problem with my rank."

Eric frowned.

"Your rank?"

"Yeah."

"What kind of problem?"

Noah rubbed the side of his head.

"The kind I don’t understand."

That was the closest thing to honesty he could give them.

Damien stepped forward.

"Your eyes changed."

Noah looked up sharply.

Sophia and Luna exchanged glances.

Laura’s expression tightened.

Damien continued.

"For a second."

Noah slowly stood.

"What color?"

"Red."

A cold silence followed.

Noah remembered the dark red flash.

Not his usual power.

Something deeper.

Something that felt unfamiliar despite living inside him.

Inside his mind, Dead Zone remained silent.

Noah clenched his jaw.

Talk.

Nothing.

Laura followed Noah later that evening.

Not secretly.

At least, she didn’t intend to.

He had walked away from the academy grounds without telling anyone, and she found him sitting near one of Hildgard’s quieter bridges.

The river below reflected the lights of the city.

Noah heard her approaching.

"You walk loudly."

Laura stopped beside him.

"I wanted you to know I was here."

"Why?"

"Because apparently that’s how normal people do things."

Noah gave a faint smile.

Laura sat beside him.

For several minutes, they watched the water.

Finally, Laura spoke.

"You don’t have to tell me everything."

Noah looked toward her.

"That’s generous."

"I’m serious."

"I know."

Laura lowered her gaze.

"But don’t disappear inside your own problems."

Noah’s smile faded.

Laura continued.

"I’ve done that before."

Noah noticed the change in her voice.

"What happened?"

Laura looked toward the water.

A faint memory appeared again.

Large doors.

A golden hall.

People calling her by a title she hated.

She shook her head.

"I’ll tell you someday."

Noah didn’t pressure her.

"Alright."

Laura looked at him.

"That’s it?"

"You said someday."

"You don’t want to know?"

"Of course I do."

Laura waited.

Noah shrugged.

"But I’ll wait until you’re ready."

For some reason, Laura’s chest tightened.

She looked away before he noticed.

"You’re better at comforting people than you think."

"No, I’m not."

Laura laughed quietly.

Deep beneath the old central district, Alcris stood before the ancient platform.

Two medallions floated above the empty spaces.

Balgard.

Sylthin.

The temple continued shaking.

His companions had already retreated toward the entrance.

Only Alcris remained.

A voice echoed through the darkness below.

Not words.

A sound.

Low.

Ancient.

Alcris looked toward the staircase descending beneath the platform.

"So that’s where you are."

He stepped forward.

One of the students shouted from behind him.

"Alcris! We should leave!"

Alcris didn’t stop.

He descended.

The underground chamber was enormous.

Ancient murals covered the walls.

Three creatures had been painted across the stone.

Each surrounded by a different symbol.

Alcris approached one of them.

His perception pulsed.

The sensation was overwhelming.

The third medallion was here.

Flaros.

But something else was waiting with it.

Alcris smiled.

"Perfect."

At the academy, Noah suddenly stopped.

His system returned.

[CURRENT RANK: A.]

Noah stared at it.

The words flickered.

[CURRENT RANK: A.]

A second line appeared.

[RANK VERIFICATION IN PROGRESS.]

Noah’s face hardened.

"What does that mean?"

The screen distorted.

For less than a second, another rank appeared.

[S-RANK...]

The message immediately vanished.

[ERROR.]

[INVALID DATA.]

Noah froze.

"Invalid?"

Dead Zone finally spoke.

Your system cannot measure everything inside you.

Noah’s eyes narrowed.

"What does that mean?"

It means ranks are made for humans.

The voice disappeared.

Noah remained standing in the empty corridor.

His system slowly faded away.

Far beneath the old central district, Alcris reached toward the darkness where Flaros waited.

And above Hildgard, the three moons continued their silent journey across the sky.

The city had not changed.

But something beneath it had.

Something was preparing to wake.

Noah barely slept.

Every time he closed his eyes, he found himself standing somewhere else.

A dark space.

No ground.

No sky.

Only an endless red horizon.

Noah opened his eyes inside the dream.

"Dead Zone."

A figure stood ahead of him.

Noah.

And yet not Noah.

The other version wore the same face, but his expression was colder. His eyes carried a deep, unsettling red, and a faint darkness moved around him like smoke.

Ragnarok Dead Zone smiled.

You’re learning.

"I didn’t ask to."

Nobody asks to inherit something like Ragnarok.

Noah frowned.

"Stop avoiding my questions."

Dead Zone’s smile widened slightly.

Alcris is moving faster than I expected.

"I know."

No. You don’t.

The darkness around Dead Zone rippled.

Noah stepped forward.

"What happens if he finds the third medallion?"

For the first time, Dead Zone’s expression became serious.

A door opens.

"To what?"

Something that should remain closed.

Noah stared at him.

"You’re doing it again."

Keeping you alive?

"Talking in riddles."

Dead Zone laughed quietly.

The sound echoed across the endless darkness.

Soon, you won’t need me to explain anything.

The dream shattered.

Noah woke suddenly.

Morning light entered through his window.

His clothes were damp with sweat.

He sat upright and looked toward the system.

[RAGNAROK DEAD ZONE RESONANCE: 6%]

Six percent.

Noah stared at the number.

It had risen overnight.

He slowly got out of bed.

Something was happening.

Fast.

Outside, the others had already gathered.

Eric noticed Noah first.

"You look terrible."

"Good morning to you too."

Sophia immediately studied him.

"He’s right."

"Why is everyone agreeing with Eric lately?"

"Because even Eric can occasionally be correct," Luna said.

Eric placed a hand over his chest.

"Thank you."

"No one complimented you."

Laura walked closer to Noah.

"Did you sleep?"

Noah looked at her.

"Not really."

Her expression became concerned.

Before she could say anything else, Damien suddenly looked toward the city.

Everyone noticed.

"What?" Sophia asked.

Damien’s eyes narrowed.

"Something’s wrong."

Noah felt it too.

A strange pressure had appeared in the air.

It wasn’t powerful enough for ordinary students to notice.

But it was there.

The ground beneath them vibrated faintly.

Eric looked down.

"Did the ground just move?"

Nobody answered.

A bell suddenly rang throughout Hildgard.

Once.

Twice.

Three times.

Students across the academy district stopped.

The sound wasn’t coming from Valhalla Academy.

It was coming from the city.

Laura’s expression changed.

"I heard that before."

Everyone looked at her.

"When?"

Laura pressed a hand against her head.

Her memories were unclear.

"I don’t know."

Another bell rang.

Noah’s system appeared.

[WARNING.]

The message repeated.

[WARNING.]

[EXTERNAL ARTIFACT RESONANCE: CRITICAL.]

Noah’s breathing slowed.

The screen glitched.

[RANK: A.]

[RANK: A.]

[RANK VERIFICATION FAILED.]

A new message appeared.

[S-RANK...]

Noah’s eyes widened.

The system violently distorted.

[INVALID.]

Everything disappeared.

Sophia grabbed his arm.

"Noah?"

"I’m fine."

"Stop saying that!"

Noah looked toward the city.

He finally understood.

Alcris had done something.

Deep beneath the old central district, Alcris stood before Flaros.

The third medallion rested inside a stone altar.

Unlike the other two, it wasn’t glowing.

It was waiting.

Alcris reached toward it.

The moment his fingers touched its surface, the entire chamber shook.

A violent surge of mana exploded outward.

Alcris was thrown backward.

His companions screamed from the staircase above.

Dust fell from the ceiling.

For several seconds, Alcris didn’t move.

Then he slowly stood.

Blood ran from the corner of his mouth.

Flaros floated above the altar.

The third medallion had awakened.

Alcris laughed.

His mana was already draining.

He could feel it.

But he didn’t care.

He reached toward Flaros again.

This time, the medallion came to him.

The moment all three artifacts were within his possession, the temple went silent.

Completely silent.

Alcris looked down at them.

Balgard.

Sylthin.

Flaros.

Three pieces.

Finally together.

A voice echoed through the chamber.

A woman’s voice.

Calm.

Ancient.

"Who gathered what was forbidden?"

Alcris slowly raised his head.

A golden light appeared in the darkness ahead.

His smile disappeared.

Something was coming.

At the academy, Noah suddenly grabbed his chest.

His eyes flashed red.

Sophia stepped backward.

Luna called his name.

Laura moved toward him.

Noah heard none of them.

His consciousness was already falling.

Back into that endless darkness.

Dead Zone stood waiting.

This time, he wasn’t smiling.

We’re out of time.

Noah’s expression hardened.

"For what?"

Dead Zone looked toward the distant red horizon.

Something enormous moved beyond it.

For pretending this was still your problem alone.

The darkness trembled.

Noah looked into the distance.

And for the first time since Ragnarok Dead Zone appeared inside him...

He felt fear.