Skill Forge: Broken Extra Character

Chapter 105 King Slayer

A group of cloaked figures stood huddled beneath the academy, the cold stone walls of the underground chamber barely lit by flickering torches. The atmosphere was tense, their frustration palpable.

"We've been searching this godforsaken academy for months now, and still nothing?" Vinn's voice cut through the silence, laced with impatience. He slammed his fist into the table in front of him, rattling the group. "Find me that Dream Hound!"

"But boss, we haven't got a clue where it is," one of the followers stammered, shrinking back. "They really hid it well."

Vinn sighed heavily, running a hand through his hair. "Our grace period with the old man is drawing to a close sooner than expected. We're running out of time." He narrowed his eyes. "Who even allowed you idiots to attack a student directly?"

Confusion spread through the group like wildfire. The cloaked figures exchanged baffled glances, whispering among themselves.

"We did no such thing, boss!" one of them protested, stepping forward. "We've done everything in our power to stay out of sight."

"Did no such thing?" Vinn's voice was sharp as he glared at them. "Tell that to the personnel hot on our tail! Who knew you all would be this incompetent. I specifically ordered no contact with the students, didn't I?"

"Boss, we swear, we've tried our best to stay hidden," another follower piped up, their voice pleading. "We never came into contact with anyone."

Vinn clenched his jaw, his patience wearing thin. "Then who was it, huh? If none of you did it, then who in the blazes..."

Suddenly, a cold, windy presence swept through the chamber, chilling them to their bones. The air shifted, and an eerie, swirling gust circled around them.

A figure slowly emerged from the shadows, stepping into the dim light with an unsettling grace. Cloaked in darkness, their voice was calm but carried a sinister undertone. "That would be me."

Gwendolyn's face slowly came into view, her sharp, mischievous eyes taking in the scene with a smug confidence. The cloaked men stared in disbelief, momentarily paralyzed by the audacity of this intruder. No one dared to move, not out of fear, but uncertainty about who she was or what she intended.

Vinn, not one to cower, fixed his glare on her, his voice deepening into something more menacing. "Staff uniform? Who the hell are you?"

Gwendolyn, however, seemed entirely unfazed, a faint smile playing on her lips. "Oh, cut it out," she teased, her tone light and mocking. "I literally heard your real voice like five seconds ago."

Vinn's jaw clenched, his pride bruised. "Who the hell are you, anyway?" he repeated, trying to regain his composure, his embarrassment barely concealed. .net

"Oh, you don't know who I am? That's cute," Gwen replied as she casually strode closer to him, her gaze unwavering. "But I know who you are. Nice hiding spot by the way, it's very... hmm, quaint?"

"Yeah, yeah, I get it." Vinn cut her off, clearly not in the mood for idle chatter. "This was the best we could do. Now, who are you and what do you want with us?" His voice grew darker as his patience thinned. "If you don't have anything reasonable to say, get ready to die."

Gwendolyn's smile widened as she let out a small laugh, completely unfazed by his threat. "Aww, and here I thought you'd be more eager to get help saving your sister."

At the mention of his sister, Vinn's expression twisted in fury. His entire body tensed as his Aura flared up, wild and fierce, crackling around him like a raging storm. The pressure in the chamber grew heavy as his power surged, sending ripples of energy through the air. His followers staggered under the weight of it, barely able to stay on their feet.

"What did you just say?" Vinn snarled, his voice thick with anger as he prepared to attack.

Despite the overwhelming force of his Aura, Gwendolyn stood her ground without so much as a flinch, her smile never faltering. While the others struggled to remain upright, she remained completely unaffected, as though the intense pressure swirling around her was nothing more than a gentle breeze.

"Let's make a deal," Gwen said smoothly as she walked closer to Vinn, completely ignoring his battle stance and the violent Aura radiating from him. Her confidence was unwavering, and the danger in the air seemed to have no effect on her. "You help me get what I want, and I'll help you get what you want."

Vinn's Aura flickered slightly, his rage subsiding as her words registered. Slowly, the tension in his posture eased, though his eyes remained wary. He lowered his arms, the murderous intent in the room dissipating.

"I see you're not as dumb as you look," Gwendolyn remarked with a sly grin, the air around her still light and mocking.

*****

"Alright everyone, bring out the fragments you obtained," Asher instructed, though his voice betrayed his uncertainty about what to do next.

One by one, the groups approached him, each handing over their piece of the mysterious artifact. Asher's group, followed by Finn's, and Elora's, all placed their fragments into Asher's hands. The four small, shimmering pieces fit together in his palm, their faint glow pulsing with a soft light.

When Asher had all four fragments, a notification popped up in front of his eyes.

[Holy Key Fragment 4/5]

[Description: An item can be formed. ???]

Asher frowned at the message, confusion setting in. "Who's good with puzzles?"

Without a word, Freya stepped forward and snatched the fragments from his hand, her sharp eyes studying each piece carefully. "Give me that," she muttered, turning the fragments in her hands. Her fingers moved deftly, fitting each fragment together like pieces of a puzzle. Slowly, they clicked into place, forming the unmistakable shape of a key.

"A key, huh? So now what?" Finn asked, staring at the glowing object in Freya's hands.

Suddenly, without warning, Finn's staff began to glow, casting a soft light that matched the key's radiance. The light intensified, and the key in Freya's hand responded, glowing brighter as well. Then, with a loud creak, the massive bed in the room abruptly sprang upward, revealing a hidden passage beneath it.

Everyone stared in stunned silence at the secret tunnel that had just appeared. The air was thick with disbelief as they turned to Finn, who looked equally baffled by the sudden turn of events.

Aiden, his eyes locked on the passage, broke the silence. "Hey, Finn."

"Yeah?" Finn replied, still gazing at the passageway in shock.

"How did you say you got that spear again?" Aiden asked, his tone full of curiosity.

Finn held his spear forward, his brow furrowed as he examined it more closely. "A quest I did with Jett," he answered, his voice trailing off as if he were piecing things together in his mind.

*****

[[Title: Destiny Repeats Itself]]

[[Title: King Slayer]]

[[Retrieving Memory Fragments...]]

[[Successor of ???]]

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The double bracket