I'm an Extra, so What?
Chapter 128 - 128: Living Forest Guardian

Luka wiped a smear of dust and ichor from his dagger as they pressed further into the dungeons depths.

The air grew heavier with each step, thick with stale magic and the faint echo of long-forgotten rituals.

Serene scanned the walls with a keen eye. "Watch for traps. These places are usually riddled with them."

"Traps slow down progress," Luka said. "And I hate delays."

Almost as if to prove the point, the floor beneath them suddenly clicked—a faint metallic clink masked by the dungeon's natural creaks.

"Trap," Serene hissed, spinning to raise her shield just in time.

From the ceiling, razor-sharp spikes shot downward in a swift arc.

Luka rolled forward, sliding past the deadly tips as they embedded themselves in the stone behind him.

Serene blocked the last few with her shield, the impact echoing through the hall. "Close one."

The trap triggered another time, this one releasing a swarm of glowing black insects that skittered toward them like shadows given life.

Luka drew a short sword from his belt, blade humming with crackling mana.

"Let's see how they like a little light," he muttered.

He swung in wide arcs, arcs of blue light cleaving through the swarm.

The insects hissed and burst into motes of shadow as Serene followed with sweeping shield strikes, knocking the survivors aside.

"Annoying pests," she said, wiping a smear of ichor from her cheek.

"Better than the undead," Luka replied, checking the corridor ahead.

They rounded a corner and entered a vast chamber lined with cracked mosaics depicting a long-lost war.

At the center stood a pedestal, upon which lay a glowing dagger with a black blade, etched with runes pulsing like a heartbeat.

Luka stepped forward cautiously. "Looks valuable. Dangerous, too."

"Of course," Serene said. "No prize comes without a price."

Luka knelt to inspect the pedestal for traps. The mosaic beneath it flickered faintly, revealing hidden pressure plates.

"Trap again," he said, carefully removing a loose tile beside the pedestal. "Careful how you move."

Serene held back as Luka lifted the dagger. A sudden rumble shook the room.

From the shadows emerged four armored skeleton knights, their armor gleaming with dark enchantments.

"Looks like they didn't like that," Serene said, gripping her dagger tightly.

The skeleton knights charged, swords raised high.

Luka darted forward, parrying a heavy blow and slicing at a skeleton knight's leg. The blade bit into rusted metal and brittle bone, but the skeleton knight barely staggered.

Serene spun her shield, bashing another attacker back with a sharp crack.

Snow swooped low, releasing a blast of fire that engulfed one skeleton in flames. The creature shrieked and shattered into ash.

The fight was brutal but swift. Luka's daggers danced with precision, and Serene's shield and blades kept the enemies at bay.

With a final strike, the last skeleton knight crumbled.

Breathing hard, Luka retrieved the dagger from the pedestal.

"Shadowfang," he murmured, running a finger over the runes. "An assassin's weapon, probably cursed."

Serene arched an eyebrow. "Tempting. But maybe leave the curses to the undead."

They pocketed the dagger, and Luka searched the skeleton knight's armor for anything useful.

Inside a hidden compartment, he found a small vial filled with shimmering liquid.

"Potion of spectral sight," Luka said, stashing it away. "Could be handy."

Deeper in the temple, the hallways narrowed again.

The air turned colder, and the violet glow of the root veins dimmed.

Suddenly, the floor gave way beneath Serene's feet.

She fell through a hidden pit, landing hard with a grunt.

Luka jumped back, drawing his dagger.

"Are you okay?" he called down into the darkness.

"Fine," Serene answered. "But I'm stuck."

Luka knelt at the edge, peering into the pit. It was at least ten feet deep, littered with broken bones and rusted weapons.

"Looks like a trap room," he muttered. "I'll find a way to get you out."

He began to explore the pit's walls and found rough stone handholds carved into the rock.

"Try climbing up on those," he advised.

With some effort, Serene managed to pull herself up and crawl out.

Luka offered a hand. "Next time, watch the floor."

They exchanged a tired smile and moved on.

Around another corner, they discovered a chamber filled with chests and crates, some intact, others smashed open.

Luka grinned. "Loot time."

Carefully, they checked each container for traps.

Inside one chest, Luka found a set of enchanted arrows, their tips shimmering with frost.

"Perfect for slowing enemies," he said.

Serene uncovered a small amulet, warm to the touch.

"Looks like a ward against necrotic magic," she said.

As they gathered their spoils, the dungeon trembled again.

From the shadows stepped two massive bone golems, animated by the same dark magic that had sealed the dungeon.

Their heavy steps rattled the chamber as they advanced.

Luka and Serene readied themselves for another battle, weapons glowing with mana.

The fight was exhausting—each golem hit like a battering ram, and their massive claws tore at stone and flesh alike.

Luka darted in, aiming for joints and cracks.

Serene blocked and countered, her shield absorbing blows while her dagger found weak points.

Snow darted between the golems' legs, breathing fire to disrupt their movements.

With coordinated strikes and sheer grit, they finally toppled the golems.

Panting, Luka wiped sweat from his brow.

Serene scooped up a fragment of bone from the shattered golem.

"Could be used to craft weapons or armor," she said thoughtfully.

Serene smiled, brushing dirt from her clothes.

"Maybe next time, a spa?"

Luka chuckled. "Maybe."

.

.

.

The corridor ended in a vast cavern, its ceiling lost in shadows.

The air was thick with the scent of damp earth and something far older—something primal.

At the center stood a towering creature, its form both majestic and terrifying: a colossal Ancient Forest Guardian, part beast, part living wood.

Its body was sculpted from gnarled roots and bark, muscles rippling beneath layers of moss and flowering vines.

Glowing amber eyes burned from a face carved like twisted oak.

Massive antler-like horns curled from its head, dripping with glowing sap that pulsed with raw magic.

The ground beneath it was cracked and sprouting wildflowers, though the air around it chilled with unnatural frost.

The Guardian raised a massive arm, crafted from entwined branches and vines.

As it moved, the forest itself seemed to respond—the roots beneath the floor surged, threatening to trap anyone who approached.

[LIVING FOREST GUARDIAN]Level: ???Status: Hostile (Boss)

The creature's voice echoed like rustling leaves mixed with thunder.

"You dare desecrate the sacred heart of this dungeon?"

Luka tightened his grip on his dagger, feeling the pulse of natural magic radiate off the beast.

Serene planted her feet, shield raised.

"Your reign ends here," Luka said steadily.

The Guardian roared, slamming its fist into the ground.

Vines erupted from the cracks, whipping toward them like serpents.

Luka leapt aside, slicing through the writhing vines.

Serene moved forward, using her shield to bash away a massive root that lunged at her.

The Guardian swung its arm in a wide arc, sending a wave of splintered wood crashing toward them.

Snow dove through the chaos, igniting patches of vines with bursts of flame.

Luka darted forward, landing a strike on the Guardian's leg.

The creature howled in pain, but responded by summoning thorny branches that erupted from the walls, forcing them to retreat.

"Keep it moving!" Serene called.

Luka nodded, focusing his mana into his dagger.

They circled the Guardian, dodging its brutal attacks while looking for a weakness.

Finally, Luka spotted a glowing knot of sap on its chest — the beating heart of the forest magic animating the beast.

With a burst of speed, he closed the distance.

The Guardian lashed out, but Serene intercepted, shield clashing with branch.

Luka leapt onto the creature's arm, driving his dagger deep into the glowing sap.

The Guardian screamed, thrashing wildly as vines tore at Luka's legs.

Serene shielded him from the onslaught, her blade slashing at the roots entangling him.

With a final surge of strength, Luka twisted the dagger, releasing a wave of brilliant light.

The Guardian staggered, then crumbled like autumn leaves, the ancient magic fading into the earth.

Silence returned to the cavern.

Luka and Serene collapsed, breathing heavily.

Snow landed beside them, tail flicking happily.

From the Guardian's shattered form, a chest materialized, filled with relics of nature's power.

Luka opened it carefully, eyes shining.

"New gear," he said with a grin.

Serene laughed softly. "Now this is a vacation."

Suddenly--

The cavern began to tremble, a deep rumbling that vibrated through the ground and walls.

Dust sifted from the cracked ceiling, and faint cracks spread along the ancient stone floor.

"The dungeon's collapsing," Serene said sharply, already moving toward the exit.

Luka grabbed the orb they'd found earlier and secured it in his pack. "We should move—fast."

Snow fluttered up, wings beating in short, frantic bursts as they retraced their steps.

The glowing root veins pulsed erratically, some snapping and sparking with fractured magic.

As they rounded the corner, a sudden burst of shattered wood and stone blocked their path—fallen debris from the Guardian's death throes.

"No time for finesse," Luka muttered, slashing at the thick vines creeping over the rubble.

Serene hefted her shield, charging forward to clear a path.

Snow darted under a fallen beam, scouting for an alternate route.

"There!" Snow chirped, fluttering toward a narrow fissure in the wall, half-hidden behind a curtain of hanging moss.

Luka squeezed through first, twisting to help Serene and then Snow.

The passage was tight, forcing them to crawl at times, but it led upward, away from the heart of the quake.

The air grew fresher as they ascended, light filtering in from cracks far above.

With one last scramble, Luka pulled himself through a hole and gasped.

They had emerged just outside the forest, the late afternoon sun casting long shadows on the grass.

Serene followed, brushing dirt from her clothes.

Snow landed on Luka's shoulder, tail twitching.

For a moment, they simply stood, listening to the forest's normal hum—birds, rustling leaves, the soft trickle of a distant stream.