An Extra’s Rise in an Eroge

"Oh-ho~ Hold on there, Chief." His lips curled into an amused smirk. "Do you really think the gods would leave him unguarded?"

Morrika frowned. "What are you getting at?"

Arthur's fingers tapped idly against the armrest of his chair. "He's sealed inside a dungeon. I only know where the entrance is… but what lies beyond it?" He shrugged. "That's anyone's guess."

Morrika's expression darkened.

Arthur's smirk widened. "Charging in recklessly might be brave, but it's also stupid. You should prepare. Gather your best warriors, your sharpest minds. Fenrir has waited this long… I doubt he'll mind waiting one more day."

Morrika exhaled sharply, the tension in her shoulders easing slightly.

Morrika exhaled, rubbing her temples. "Fine." Her voice was firm, decisive. She crossed her arms, her crimson eyes sharp with resolve. "I'll make the preparations. At first light, we depart. No further delays."

Arthur grinned, stretching lazily. "Believe me, Chief, I'm more eager to find Fenrir than you."

With that, he turned on his heels, heading toward his assigned room. A good night's sleep would do him well before the chaos of tomorrow.

**********

Meanwhile, inside the Wolf Tribe's council chamber, a tense discussion unfolded.

Morrika sat at the head of the table, surrounded by high-ranking officials—elders, warriors, and advisors. The flickering torches cast long shadows across their serious faces.

She relayed everything Arthur had told her. Every detail. Every revelation.

Silence followed.

Then, the room erupted in voices.

"This is absurd!" one elder growled, slamming his fist on the table. "We can't just mobilize our forces based on the words of a human child!"

"What if this is a trap?" another barked. "What if humans are luring us out, waiting for us to leave our tribe defenseless?"

Murmurs of agreement rippled through the room. Concerned expressions. Furrowed brows.

Morrika remained silent, letting them speak.

"And what of the human knights stationed at the outskirts?" one warrior questioned. "Their presence alone is suspicious!"

Another elder, an old wolf with graying fur, tapped his clawed fingers against the table. "But what if he's telling the truth?" His voice was quiet but firm. "We are already at the brink of war with other tribes. If Fenrir is truly out there… can we afford to ignore this?"

A tense silence followed.

After much debate, a decision was made.

Half of their warriors would stay behind to protect the tribe. The other half would follow Morrika. A direct split—enough to ensure their survival, should things go wrong.

"No one goes hunting tomorrow," Morrika declared. "We move at dawn."

*********

The Next Morning

Arthur's peaceful sleep was shattered by an urgent knock-knock-knock on his door.

Groaning, he rubbed his eyes before dragging himself to open it.

Outside stood Cedric, Kaela, and Alicia, all looking slightly exasperated.

Cedric folded his arms. "What did you do this time?"

Arthur blinked. "What do you mean?"

Cedric grabbed his wrist and pulled him outside.

Arthur barely had time to process what was happening before he found himself standing before a crowd of warriors.

More than fifty of them.

Wolf ears twitched, tails swayed, and weapons gleamed under the morning sun. Fully armed. Fully prepared.

And at the front of them all—Morrika, her stance unwavering as she addressed the assembled warriors.

Then, her gaze shifted, locking onto Arthur.

"You're finally awake."

Arthur scratched the back of his head, still groggy. "Well, good morning to you too."

Morrika smirked. "Let's go, then."

Arthur stretched, suppressing a yawn as he looked at the fully armed warriors waiting to march. He lazily glanced at Morrika and sighed.

"At least let me have breakfast first."

Morrika scoffed, placing a hand on her hip. "You should have woken up earlier then."

Arthur grumbled. "That's not fair. You didn't even tell me we were leaving at dawn!"

"Tough luck." She grabbed him by the back of his collar, effortlessly dragging him forward. "You'll eat after we get moving."

Arthur flailed dramatically. "I refuse! I need food! Energy! A last meal before stepping into danger!"

Morrika rolled her eyes. "Oh, quit whining."

The warriors snickered at the sight of their fierce chief manhandling the so-called prodigy. After a few more protests, Arthur finally gave in, sighing in defeat.

"Fine, fine. I'll skip breakfast. But if I collapse from hunger, it's on you."

Morrika smirked. "Then I'll personally carry you."

Arthur narrowed his eyes. "You'd like that, wouldn't you?"

Morrika just grinned.

As Arthur dusted himself off, Morrika turned her attention back to her warriors, giving him a brief moment of peace. But just as he thought he could breathe, he found himself surrounded—Cedric, Kaela, and Alicia all closing in with questioning looks.

"Alright," Cedric said, crossing his arms. "What's going on?"

Arthur sighed, knowing there was no escaping this.

"Fine. I'll give you the short version." He leaned in slightly, lowering his voice. "I know the location of a dungeon where Fenrir is sealed."

Three sets of eyes widened in shock.

"Fenrir?! The Fenrir?!" Kaela exclaimed.

"For real?" Alicia asked, still processing the revelation.

"Wait, how do you even know something like that?" Kaela demanded, her wolf ears twitching.

Arthur waved her off. "I don't have time to explain. Just trust me on this."

Kaela wasn't satisfied with that answer. "Then I'm coming with you!"

Arthur arched a brow. "That's not my call to make. You should ask your mother."

Kaela hesitated for a moment, then huffed. "Fine. But don't think this conversation is over." With that, she turned and stormed off to find Morrika.

As Arthur turned, he found Alicia looking at him with determination.

"I want to come too."

Arthur didn't even hesitate. "No."

Alicia flinched, her expression falling. "But—"

Arthur sighed, rubbing the back of his head. "Alicia, listen… You'll only be a burden."

Alicia bit her lip, looking down. It stung to hear, but she knew he was right.

Seeing her saddened expression, Arthur softened his tone. "I don't mean it in a bad way. It's going to be dangerous, and I can't protect you while also dealing with whatever's inside that dungeon."

Alicia clenched her fists, then slowly nodded. "I get it… Just promise me you'll come back safe."

Arthur smirked. "I'm not dying anytime soon, princess."

Cedric, who had been silent all this time, simply shrugged. "Yeah, I already knew you'd say no, so I won't even bother asking."

Arthur chuckled. "Smart man."

With everything settled, the time finally came to depart.

Morrika and her warriors stood ready, waiting for Arthur's signal. Kaela had managed to convince her mother to let her come, looking smug as she rejoined the group.

Arthur took one last glance at his friends before stepping forward.

"Alright then." He exhaled, stretching his arms. "Let's go find Fenrir."

Arthur dashed through the dense forest, his movements swift and precise as he leaped from branch to branch. The towering trees stretched endlessly, their thick canopy devouring any trace of sunlight. The only sources of light were the eerie, bioluminescent fungi growing along the tree trunks, casting an ominous glow on the path below.

Morrika followed closely behind, effortlessly keeping up. The fifty wolf warriors ran below them, their eyes sharp, their bodies tense as they moved through the unexplored depths of the forest. This was uncharted land—territory no beastman had dared to tread. The air itself carried a suffocating weight, thick with the scent of blood and decay.

The further they went, the more the forest twisted into something unnatural. Trees with gnarled, pulsating roots, their bark split open like gaping maws. Vines slithered like living creatures, curling towards anything that moved. The distant roars of unseen beasts echoed through the shadows, sending a shiver down even the most hardened warriors' spines.

"Stay sharp," Morrika ordered, her crimson eyes scanning the surroundings.

Then—

A guttural snarl tore through the silence.

BOOM!

A massive creature burst through the undergrowth, its grotesque form illuminated by the faint glow of the fungi. It was a grotesque fusion of a bear and a lizard, its body covered in jagged, chitinous plates. Multiple glowing red eyes blinked independently, its gaping maw lined with serrated teeth dripping with acidic saliva.

"A Mutated Goreclaw!" one of the wolf warriors shouted in alarm.

Before anyone could react, the beast lunged—

SLASH!

A warrior barely dodged, but his shoulder was grazed, flesh searing from the acidic saliva. He cried out in pain.

"Don't falter!" Morrika roared. "Tear it apart!"

The warriors charged. Some unsheathed their swords, others let their claws extend, their bodies shifting into larger, more feral forms.

Arthur landed on a branch, watching with sharp eyes. "Time to test their strength."

The battle was brutal. The Goreclaw was unnaturally strong, swiping its massive claws and sending warriors flying. One transformed mid-air into a wolf and twisted out of the way, barely avoiding a lethal blow. Another warrior, wielding twin axes, lunged at the beast's legs, hacking away with precision.

But the Goreclaw wasn't alone.

More mutated creatures emerged from the darkness—hideous, nightmarish forms. A six-limbed feline with spiked fur that could shoot out like projectiles. A centipede the size of a carriage, its countless legs ending in hooked claws. A towering, eyeless humanoid covered in rotting flesh, its mouth splitting open like a blooming flower filled with needle-like fangs.