The Extra is a Genius!?-Chapter 579: The Isles and the Peaks

The doors of the town hall opened with a muted groan of wood and iron.

Inside, the air was warmer but still carried a trace of salt. The interior was practical—thick beams crossing the ceiling, reinforced walls built to withstand storms rather than impress visitors. Maps of the surrounding seas covered one side of the office, marked with shipping routes, dangerous currents, and patrol zones. A large desk of dark, weathered wood stood near the far wall.

Everything here served a purpose.

Theo led the way without ceremony. Noel followed, Noir padding quietly at his side.

Behind the desk stood the current President of the Northern Isles.

He was young for the role—early thirties at most—but there was nothing uncertain in the way he held himself. His posture was relaxed without being careless. The kind of authority that came from surviving the same storms as the people he governed.

He stepped forward as Noel approached.

"Noel," he said, extending his hand. "It’s been a while. Thank you for coming."

Noel clasped it firmly. "It’s good to see you well."

They released hands and took their seats without delay. Theo remained standing near the side wall, arms loosely crossed, listening.

"I’ll get straight to it," Noel said. "I’m going after the ones who attacked you. The ones who did what they did to the Isles."

The President’s expression did not change.

"I’d like you aligned with me."

A beat of silence passed.

"We’re in," the President replied.

Noel blinked once. "That easy?"

The President leaned back slightly in his chair, not smiling but not hard either.

"You and your friends saved more than three hundred thousand people on these islands," he said. "Families. Children. Entire towns. Do you really think we would forget that?"

He gestured faintly toward the sea-facing windows.

"These waters are not gentle. We grow up fighting currents that can break ships in half. People here are hard because the sea demands it. We don’t forget who stands with us."

His gaze sharpened.

"Last time, we couldn’t do anything. You handled it before we even understood what was happening." A pause. "This time, if there’s a chance to settle that debt ourselves... why wouldn’t we take it?"

He leaned forward slightly.

"I should be asking you to let us join. We want to."

Not out of obligation.

Out of pride.

Noel studied him for a moment, then nodded.

"Alright," he said. "If you’re asking like that, I won’t refuse."

"Good."

"We’ll need to coordinate in Valor," Noel continued. "The distance from here is long. It’ll be easier to plan properly once everyone’s in the same place."

The President nodded. "Understood. We’ll organize and move once preparations are in order."

He paused, then asked, "Will you stay a few days?"

"I’d like to," Noel admitted. "But I’m trying to move quickly."

The President inclined his head. "A shame."

Theo stepped forward as Noel rose.

"Take care, boy," Theo said.

"You too," Noel replied.

The wind outside rattled faintly against the windows as the meeting concluded.

The Isles were aligned.

Noel stepped out of the town hall with Noir close behind him.

The sea wind greeted him again, colder now that the conversation was finished. Theo remained near the entrance, watching without saying anything further. There was no need for extended farewells. Decisions had been made.

Noel walked a short distance across the stone plaza, boots echoing lightly against the packed surface. He stopped near the edge overlooking the harbor, where ships rocked steadily against their moorings.

He exhaled once.

"Spatial Shift."

The words were calm, almost casual.

Space tightened around him for a fraction of a second. The air folded inward without spectacle, without distortion visible to the eye.

And then—

Cold.

Real cold.

The sea breeze vanished, replaced by thin mountain air that cut sharper against the lungs. Snow drifted across a wide white expanse, carried sideways by high-altitude winds. The temperature difference was abrupt enough to sting, the warmth of the Isles erased in an instant.

Noel stood before the outer gates of the Iskandar Peaks. 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

Stone walls rose from the mountainside like part of the cliff itself, reinforced and weathered by decades of winter. Frost clung to the battlements. Visibility shifted with the wind as sheets of snow rolled across the ground.

Noir’s paws pressed lightly into the powder, purple eyes scanning the perimeter.

Noel adjusted his coat once, gaze lifting toward the fortress entrance.

The Isles had aligned.

Now came Iskandar.

And with it, Selene’s family.

Snow swept across the mountain approach in uneven waves, the wind cutting sharply against stone and steel. The outer gates of Iskandar stood embedded into the cliff face itself—thick, reinforced, built to endure winters that could bury entire caravans.

A guard stood atop the wall, wrapped in heavy furs, spear resting against the stone as he scanned the white horizon.

Noel made no attempt to conceal his presence.

If he wished, he could have crossed the perimeter without being noticed. He could have appeared within the inner courtyard before anyone sensed the shift in mana.

He chose not to.

This was not an enemy stronghold.

And despite everything, it was Selene’s home.

His relationship with her mother remained strained. The woman had changed in recent months, that much was evident. Circumstances had reshaped her. Regret had softened edges that once cut too easily.

Still, Noel had not forgotten what Selene endured as a child.

Snow continued to fall as he walked forward openly.

The guard above narrowed his eyes, then straightened abruptly.

Even through the fog and drifting snow, recognition sparked.

"Open the gate!" the guard called down.

The heavy mechanism groaned as chains shifted and iron teeth disengaged. The gate began to rise before Noel reached it.

He stepped through as the opening widened, snow crunching beneath his boots.

"Good morning," Noel said calmly. "Thank you for opening."

The guard descended from the wall quickly, adjusting his fur cloak as he approached. His face carried familiarity and mild embarrassment.

"Long time, sir," the man said. "I don’t know if you remember me... I’m the one with the barrel."

Noel paused.

"The barrel?" he repeated, then recognition surfaced. "Ah."

A quiet laugh escaped him.

"That was quite some time ago."

The guard grimaced slightly. "Please don’t laugh. I was the joke of the watch for weeks because of that."

"I needed a distraction," Noel replied.

The guard shook his head, though a reluctant smile tugged at his expression.

"You’re here to see the Lady," he said, tone turning more formal.

"Yes."

"Then please, follow me."

Noel inclined his head and stepped forward. Noir moved beside him as they crossed into the fortress interior, the gate lowering behind them with a heavy echo.

Ahead, stone corridors carved into the mountain led toward the inner keep.

A serious conversation awaited.