The Extra is a Genius!?-Chapter 117: 17 Years

The snow crunched softly beneath Noel’s boots as he returned to their small camp.

"I’m back," he called quietly.

Ahead, Noir was lying curled up near Selene, her small body half-sunken into the snow. The girl sat nearby, hood drawn up, her breath misting faintly in the cold air.

At the sound of his voice, Noir’s ears perked up. In an instant, she bounded toward him, tail swaying.

A faint smile tugged at Noel’s lips as he crouched to meet her.

"You missed me already?"

Noir leapt up, licking his face in greeting. Then, without warning, her form shimmered—and in the next moment, she vanished, slipping into the shadow beneath him.

A soft chime echoed in his mind.

[Familiar Noir is evolving. Congratulations.]

Noel blinked.

’She can do that??? That’s really useful. I guess she liked being out more since it’s the first time I’ve seen her do that. Also... looks like because I reached Adept, she entered evolution mode. I suppose that’s good—she’ll get stronger. And if I get stronger too, then she will as well. Honestly, this system is pretty generous when it comes to rewards.’

A voice broke his thoughts.

"What just happened?"

Selene had watched the whole exchange with quiet curiosity.

Noel straightened. "I don’t know either," he admitted. "But it seems like she’s in rest mode for now."

Selene nodded slightly. "I see..."

The moment passed in calm silence.

Noel glanced once toward the narrowing path ahead.

’Time to keep moving.’

The next two days passed in a cold, relentless rhythm.

Step. Fight. Rest. Repeat.

The further they climbed, the more hostile the path became. The thin mountain air made each breath sharp, every step slower. The snow deepened, hiding treacherous ice beneath its surface.

And the beasts grew bolder.

Midway through the second day, a low growl reached them from a narrow ridge ahead.

Noel halted. Selene did the same, wand in hand.

A pair of Frosthide Bears lumbered into view, their massive bodies bristling with frost-hardened fur. Even at this distance, their eyes burned with raw aggression.

Noel slid Revenant Fang free in one smooth motion.

"They’re yours if you want them," Selene said quietly, though her wand remained ready.

Noel smiled faintly. "We’ll handle them together."

The first bear lunged.

Noel darted forward, faster than before. His body moved with a new sharpness—a weight of power behind each step.

"Fire Arc!"

A sharp line of flame slashed across the beast’s flank. The bear roared, stumbling—but not falling.

Beside him, Selene whispered:

"Graviton Hold."

An invisible force gripped the second bear, dragging its movements to a crawl. Ice crystals formed along its limbs as Selene’s magic intensified.

The first bear lunged again.

Noel met it head-on.

"Ignition Surge."

Flames burst along Revenant Fang as he drove the blade deep beneath the creature’s ribs. The beast let out a choking roar, then collapsed into the snow.

[You have slain Frosthide Bear (Rare - Novice). You received 0.05%.]

[Current Core Progress: 01.28% – Mana Core: Adept]

Noel spun to the second bear.

Selene flicked her wand, her voice sharp:

"Glacialis!"

Razor-edged ice spears tore into the trapped bear’s side. It roared, straining against the gravitational pull.

Noel charged in.

"Flamethrower."

A narrow burst of flame seared the beast’s throat, and with a final strike, Revenant Fang ended it.

[You have slain Frosthide Bear (Rare - Novice). You received 0.05%.]

[Current Core Progress: 01.33% – Mana Core: Adept]

Breathing steady, Noel wiped the blade clean.

Selene lowered her wand, watching him.

"You’ve gotten faster," she said softly.

Noel gave a small shrug. "You too."

As the sun dipped lower behind the peaks, they made camp on a narrow shelf of rock. The air was thin here, but the ledge was sheltered enough from the wind.

Noel sat down near the fire, pulling his cloak tighter. The battles of the past two days had taken their toll—nothing serious, but the fatigue was building.

Still, something gnawed at the back of his mind.

’Let’s see how much progress this pace is giving me.’

He murmured under his breath:

"Status."

The familiar blue window flickered into view.

[Current Core Progress: 01.33% – Mana Core: Adept]

Noel stared for a moment.

Then let out a low sigh.

’I take it back. The system is such a damn rat—how are you gonna halve the rewards just because I ranked up?’

He rubbed the back of his neck, shaking his head.

"Did you reach Adept, Noel?"

He blinked, pulled from his thoughts.

Selene was watching him quietly, her gaze curious but calm.

"Eh—oh," Noel said, sitting up straighter. "Yeah. I ranked up two days ago, when I left you and Noir alone."

Selene’s lips parted slightly. "I see... congratulations."

"Thanks." A faint grin tugged at his mouth. "You’d better keep up, or I’ll catch up to you soon."

He meant it as a joke—but the flicker in Selene’s eyes told him she didn’t take it that way.

Her expression grew faintly tense.

Noticing this, Noel raised a hand lightly.

"I was joking. No need to pressure yourself."

Selene hesitated, then nodded slowly.

"Ah... I see."

Noel let out a quiet breath, giving her a reassuring glance.

They had made good progress.

Ahead, the path wound into steeper cliffs, the stone dark and jagged beneath patches of deep snow. The temperature had dropped sharply—the wind biting with each gust.

Noel paused near a small outcrop, scanning the trail.

"Looks like we’re about halfway there now," he said.

Selene stopped beside him, her breath forming pale clouds in the cold.

"But the path ahead will probably get more dangerous," Noel continued, voice calm. "I did technically kidnap you, so if you want to go back... I won’t stop you."

He meant it.

This wasn’t her fight—not truly. And the risks ahead weren’t small.

For a long moment, Selene said nothing.

Her gaze dropped to the snow at her feet, thoughts swirling fast.

’I need to choose for myself...’

No one was forcing her anymore. Not her mother. Not the academy. Not even Noel.

This was her choice.

Slowly, she looked up, eyes steady.

"I’ll stay with you."

Noel studied her face, weighing the resolve in her voice.

"You sure? It’ll be much harder from here."

Selene nodded once.

"I’m sure."

A faint smile touched Noel’s lips.

"Alright then."

They didn’t speak further on it.

Later, as dusk deepened into night, they made camp beneath a rocky overhang. Noel prepared food and water for both of them, moving quietly through the familiar motions.

They ate by the faint glow of the small fire.

When they had finished, Selene rose first.

"Good night," she said softly.

Noel glanced up. "Good night."

Selene hesitated a moment near her blanket, then glanced back.

"Aren’t you going to sleep?"

Noel gave a small shake of his head.

"Not yet. I’ll keep watch for a bit."

She nodded, pulling her cloak tighter as she lay down.

Within moments, her breathing slowed—steady and soft.

But Noel remained by the fire, eyes on the darkened trail ahead.

The fire had burned low.

A faint breeze stirred the embers, sending thin trails of smoke into the cold night.

Noel sat alone by the fading warmth, cloak wrapped tightly around him. His gaze drifted to the stars above—sharp and distant against the endless black.

Behind him, Selene lay curled beneath her cloak, breath slow and even. She had said nothing more, but her presence lingered in the space between them.

Noel’s fingers rested lightly on the edge of his Dimensional Pouch.

For a long moment, he hesitated.

Then, with a quiet breath, he reached inside.

From the pouch, he drew a small muffin, wrapped in thin parchment, and a single candle.

A faint smile ghosted across his lips—bitter, not warm.

In another life—another world—this had been tradition.

Even when there was no money, no grand celebration, his parents had always found a way.

A muffin. One candle. A simple moment that had mattered far more than they knew.

Now, here—alone on a frozen mountainside—he clung to that ritual.

Noel unwrapped the muffin carefully and pressed the candle into its center. His voice was little more than a whisper.

"Flamethrower."

A small, controlled flame lit the wick.

For a few heartbeats, the tiny light flickered against the dark, a fragile defiance in the cold.

Noel stared at it, the weight in his chest growing heavier.

"Happy seventeenth, Noel," he murmured.

His voice caught slightly at the edges.

Without another word, he leaned forward and blew the flame out.

The world felt colder once the light was gone.

Behind him, Selene lay still—eyes half-open beneath her hood. She had heard every word, but didn’t move or speak.

’This moment is his,’ she thought. ’I won’t take it from him.’

And so she remained silent.

In the quiet that followed, Noel sat beneath the stars, a single year older—and carrying more weight than any seventeen-year-old should.

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