Aetheric Chronicles: Reborn As An Extra

Chapter 348: Extra's Fall

Three Days Later

The room was filled with a low hum of chatter as students began packing away their spellbooks and things after the intense Spell Casting II class had just ended. Adrian could still feel the residual tingle of magic in his fingertips, his thoughts drifting to the lessons as he organized his desk.

The instructor, an older beastwoman with sharp, attentive fox ears and a no-nonsense demeanor, moved toward the front of the classroom.

"Everyone, stay where you are," she said firmly, her voice cutting through the noise. The students froze, their conversations dying down instantly.

Adrian exchanged a quick glance with Aria, who sat beside him. She raised an eyebrow, curious. This wasn't normal for a typical class wrap-up. Something was about to happen.

'An announcement probably.' Adrian muttered inwardly.

The door to the classroom hall opened with a creak, and all eyes turned toward the entrance as the vice principal entered, flanked by several instructors. His dark robes billowed slightly as he moved with a deliberate pace toward the center of the room.

Behind him, the instructors took their places, forming a semicircle around him. The vice principal raised a hand in a gesture of greeting, his voice booming across the hall, "Good afternoon, students."

"Good afternoon, Vice Principal Halford," the students responded in unison, though there was a palpable tension in the air now.

The vice principal paused for a moment, surveying the room. His gaze lingered briefly on a few students, including Adrian, before he continued. "As you are all aware, we are rapidly approaching the end of the second semester. In fact, there are only three weeks left before this term concludes."

The murmur of surprise rippled through the room, students whispering amongst themselves. They felt a knot tighten in his stomach. Three weeks? Time had flown by, and there had been so many distractions—missions, tournaments, challenges. Yet, the reality of the semester's end suddenly felt very close.

"The purpose of my visit today," Vice Principal Halford said, "is to announce the upcoming exams and the requirements that each of you must meet in order to advance to the second year." His voice was clear and firm, commanding everyone's full attention. "So, listen carefully."

Adrian sat up straighter, his eyes focused on Halford, already preparing himself for what was to come. He knew the day, no, the time he had been avoiding yet was ready to face had come.

'Though, they won't make it easy for others as well...'

"Each professor will conduct their own exams for their respective subjects," Halford began, pacing slowly as he spoke. "The exams will consist of two parts: a practical and a theoretical component. Spellcasting, enchantments, and strategy-based courses will require both. However," his gaze swept the room once more, "Combat and Weapon Mastery exams will be entirely practical."

Adrian's mind immediately went to his Combat class. The intensity of those practicals was going to be on another level compared to theory-based subjects. He could already imagine the physical and magical challenges they would have to face. But he would try his best to see how strong he had become.

The vice principal continued, his voice growing slightly more serious. "Passing these exams is only the first step. Once you complete your individual class exams, you will then be eligible to participate in the Academy's Advancement Exam."

There was a collective intake of breath. The Advancement Exam. Everyone in the room knew that this was where the real challenge lay, but no one knew exactly what to expect.

After all, each year it would be different. For example, the second years were given a big mission to raid a gold tier Ruin. Though it seemed impossible they managed to do it at the end, thanks to the golden generation.

"However," Vice Principal Halford's tone sharpened as he lifted a finger, "there is one crucial requirement you must all meet before you can even qualify for this final exam." He paused, letting the tension build. Adrian could feel the eyes of his classmates around him, everyone waiting with bated breath.

'Guess, I'm gonna become the center of attention again...'

"You must reach the 'Lunar Tier Awakened' rank by the time the exams are over," he declared, his voice echoing across the room. "Any student who fails to achieve this rank will be expelled from the academy."

The room fell into a heavy silence following Vice Principal Halford's declaration. It was as if the air had been sucked out, replaced by a thick, suffocating tension. The weight of his words settled over everyone like a lead blanket—Lunar Tier Awakened or expulsion.

Subconsciously, all eyes shifted toward one person.

Adrian.

It was no secret. Adrian hadn't advanced to the Lunar Tier, despite his numerous achievements and brilliance. His strength, intelligence, and resourcefulness were undeniable, but in a world governed by magic and rank, none of that mattered if he couldn't progress.

Adrian felt the weight of their gazes, the unspoken words of pity, curiosity, and, from some, a twisted sense of satisfaction. His face remained calm, expression unreadable as he absorbed the situation. 'Of course,' he thought, 'it had to come down to this.'

Aria, sitting beside him, bit her lip slightly. Her expression was a delicate mix of sadness and belief—a belief that somehow, Adrian would pull through this impossible situation. She didn't look at him directly but her presence, so close, felt like silent support. Adrian knew she wasn't giving up on him, even if the rest of the academy had already written him off.

Across the room, Aurelia and Aurelius exchanged worried glances. Aurelia's eyes softened with concern as she glanced at Adrian. She had known him long enough to understand the depth of the challenge he faced. Aurelius, too, frowned, his usual confident demeanor cracking with worry. They both knew what this meant for their friend. Despite their own issues, they never wanted it to come to this.

But not everyone was upset. Adrian could feel the smug satisfaction radiating from a few corners of the room—those who had never liked him, those who had been jealous or spiteful. Emeric, sitting a few rows back, had a barely concealed smirk on his face. He leaned back in his chair, his eyes glinting with a sense of victory.

Others like him shared the same sentiment, their whispered murmurs barely audible.

Half the students in the room, it seemed, had already written Adrian off.

Vice Principal Halford, perceptive as ever, noticed the shift in the atmosphere. His gaze once again found Adrian, lingering a bit longer this time. A deep, almost sorrowful frown etched itself onto the older man's face.

He shook his head ever so slightly—a gesture of regret and pity. Even he seemed to understand what a loss it would be for the academy to expel someone as brilliant as Adrian. But the rules were rules. No exceptions.

To lose a talent like Adrian… it would be a tragedy. But alas, the young man was fated to stay at the Nebula Tier, a limitation that no amount of skill or intelligence could bypass.

The vice principal cleared his throat, snapping the room's attention back to him. "Now that the requirements have been made clear," he continued, his voice more measured, "there are a few more things I must inform you about…"

Adrian tuned out most of what followed, the words slipping past him like background noise. His mind was already racing, calculating, strategizing, trying to find a way out of this impossible situation.

He had faced countless challenges before, but this… this was different. This was the system, the very structure of the world he lived in, telling him that without the right rank, he didn't belong here.

'Guess, I really have to wait five or six years till I can find a solution...'

The minutes dragged on as Halford finished his announcement, giving details about exam formats and preparation tips. Adrian barely registered them. It was only when the vice principal gave a final nod and exited the room that the tension began to lift.

The moment the door closed behind him, the whispers erupted in full force. Adrian felt them crawling over his skin, felt the weight of their judgments and curiosity. But he didn't react. He stood up slowly, methodically packing his things as if nothing had happened. Aria, beside him, remained silent but close, her presence grounding him.

Aurelia approached quietly, her voice soft. "Adrian... are you okay?"

He met her gaze, offering a faint smile. "Yeah."

Aurelius and Aurelia joined her, their expression conflicted. "If anyone can find a way through this, it's you."

"Right, I will always support you, big brother."

Adrian nodded with a smile. He appreciated their concern, but deep down, he knew the reality of the situation. No amount of support would change the fact that he was still Nebula Tier, and the clock was ticking.

As he gathered the last of his belongings, he caught sight of Emeric out of the corner of his eye, the smug satisfaction still evident. Adrian met his gaze, holding it for a beat longer than necessary, but said nothing. He didn't need to. His silence spoke volumes.

'It's my fate to fall after all...'

Right, it seems Adrian, the extra's fall is pretty much close.

He was too much in the limelight anyway. It was time to give it back to the Main Characters...

Let them deal with their troubles on their own...

But...

He would do his best to steal it one last time.