The 'Extra' Lord (Unlimited Plunder) - Chapter 82

Chunks of rock rained down from above, fracturing into jagged shards as they struck the ground. Owen shielded himself with his bare arms, the fragments bouncing harmlessly off his hardened frame. Around him, the others scrambled to defend themselves. Shields were raised, abilities flared to life, and energy blasts cut through the falling debris. They survived, each in their own way, but not with the ease Owen did.

Justin, as always, was untouched. He danced through the chaos, slipping effortlessly into the shadows, avoiding the falling rocks as though they had never been a threat.

The barrage continued relentlessly, shaking the cavern with every impact. Dust filled the air, choking their breaths and obscuring their vision. Owen gritted his teeth, convinced the mountain was about to collapse and bury them alive. Then, with a final deafening crash, the chaos stopped.

Owen lowered his arms, coughing through the haze of dust. He stepped back instinctively at the sight before him.

From the wreckage of the rockfall, a figure emerged. Two muscular arms, tipped with claw-like fingers, gripped the edges of a newly-formed chasm. The face that followed was eerily human yet grotesque, its mouth curving into a cruel smile. With a fluid motion, the creature released its grip, flipping gracefully through the air before landing heavily on its feet.

It was massive, ape-like in build but entirely made of jagged stone. Every movement exuded raw power, each step reverberating like a drumbeat through the cavern.

“Owen, what the hell do we do?!” Cruz’s panicked voice cut through the tension.

“Run!” Owen barked back, but as if in mockery, rocks crashed down, sealing every exit. The tunnels were blocked. They were trapped.

“Survive!” Justin’s calm voice rang out a moment later before he vanished into the shadows.

The beast moved first, its clawed hand grabbing a boulder the size of a small cart. With a casual toss, it hurled the massive rock at Frank. Eyes wide, Frank abandoned his shield and dove out of the way just as the boulder obliterated the ground where he’d been standing.

Chaos erupted. Everyone scattered, sprinting in frantic patterns to avoid the monster’s onslaught. It grabbed more rocks, hurling them with terrifying precision. Each impact sent shards of stone flying like shrapnel, slicing through the air and tearing at flesh and clothing.

Owen dove behind a massive boulder for cover, his sword clutched tightly in one hand. A boulder slammed into his hiding spot, shattering into fragments that pelted his face. He barely registered the pain, adrenaline numbing his senses, though he felt the warmth of blood trickling down his cheek.

The shattered rock continued its deadly arc, smashing into the far wall. The explosion of stone sent sharp fragments ricocheting in all directions, forcing Owen to duck lower.

Damn it. What now? Owen’s mind raced. His breathing was ragged, heart pounding in his chest. He knew the creature was far too strong to face head-on. Its very presence radiated overwhelming power, making the air heavy and his limbs feel sluggish. His sword would barely scratch it.

Then, a scream pierced through the din. Owen snapped his head around the edge of his cover and saw Frank in the creature’s grasp, its monstrous hands tightening around his struggling frame. The beast raised Frank higher, as if ready to tear him apart.

Owen’s stomach churned. I have to do something.

Gritting his teeth, Owen pushed himself off the ground and sprinted toward the monster. He caught Pyris’s eye, ready to shout for help, but she was already moving, her determined gaze locked on the beast.

Owen reached it first. He activated Overpower, feeling raw energy surge through his limbs. With a guttural cry, he swung his sword in a powerful arc, aiming for the creature’s face.

The blade met stone, screeching as it scraped against the monster’s jagged features. Sparks erupted as the edge carved a deep gash into the rock. The force of the blow reverberated through Owen’s arms, but the beast barely flinched, its cruel smile intact.

Then it moved—so fast that if it weren’t for Owen’s enhanced reflexes, he would have missed it. But he didn’t. Eyes widening in alarm, he threw himself to the side—only for a kick to slam into him. It crashed into his ribs, sending a blinding pain lancing through his body. He smashed into the wall with a sickening thud, the sound of cracking ribs echoing in his ears. Blood filled his mouth as he coughed, the metallic taste sharp on his tongue. He looked up, dazed, to see the golem's stone lips curl into a mockery of a smile.

"Toss a boulder above its head!" Owen heard Justin’s calm, calculated voice from somewhere behind him.

The golem’s glowing eyes flickered as it turned, distracted by the movement of a boulder Pyris hurled past its head. The beast paused, its massive foot still raised, Frank dangling helplessly in its other hand.

"When are you going to act?!" Owen shouted, spitting blood.

The shadows on the wall flickered unnaturally, twisting and pooling into a formless mass. From within the darkness, a lance of pure black shot forward with blistering speed, piercing the golem's neck. Its eyes widened momentarily, glowing dim before they dulled entirely. The stone colossus faltered, then fell forward, collapsing onto Owen with the weight of a mountain.

Darkness engulfed him, the air crushed from his lungs. Panic clawed at the edges of his mind before light returned. Justin, with Owen's appendages assisting him, peeled the massive corpse off of him.

You have defeated a Stone Golem (Level 76).

Owen gasped for air, dragging himself to his feet with Justin’s help. “What took you so long?” he groaned.

Justin smirked. “Had to find its weak spot. Without that, we’d be dead. Elite grades don’t go down easily, but everything has an Achilles’ heel.”

Owen glanced at the corpse. Between the jagged stone plates of its armour was a patch of soft, exposed flesh. “You spotted that while it was attacking us?” Owen muttered, shaking his head in disbelief. “How much combat experience do you even have?”

Before Justin could reply, Cruz’s sharp voice cut through the air. “Golem’s down, but we’ve got another problem!”

Owen turned to see Cruz, Natalia, and Shivam battling a second golem that had emerged from the tunnels. Cruz stood at a distance, his war bow already drawn, a massive arrow glowing with faint energy nocked against the string. He let it loose, the projectile whistling as it struck the golem’s shoulder with a heavy thud, chipping its stone armour.

“Nice shot!” Natalia shouted, darting forward with twin daggers in hand. She zigzagged past the golem’s heavy strikes, carving thin but precise cuts along its legs to slow its movements. Shivam flanked the other side, his spear darting in and out like a serpent, aiming for the joints where the stone plates were weakest.

The golem roared, swiping a massive hand toward Cruz, but the archer was already moving, his next arrow drawn and glowing brighter. “Natalia, Shivam, keep it busy!” he called, unleashing another shot that shattered part of the golem’s head.

Back near the first golem’s corpse, Owen grimaced as the adrenaline began to wear off, the full weight of his injuries settling in. His ribs ached with every breath, and his hands trembled as he reached for his storage emblem. Channelling a surge of energy, he focused on the corpse before him, hiding it in his storage. He’d plunder it later in fear the powerful corpse would only weigh him down.

Owen nodded, clutching his side as they turned toward their classmates. “Let’s back them up. I don’t think they can hold it off much longer.”

By the time they reached Cruz, the archer had loosed another arrow, the golem staggering as Shivam drove his spear deep into its chest. Natalia finished it off, leaping onto its back and plunging both daggers into its neck—the weak spot Justin had discovered. 

Joining in, with the help of Pyris’s star strength, they finished it off after a few more hectic moments.

Owen scanned the room, counting heads. Seven. They’d started with eight. The first fight had turned to chaos, up until everyone found their footing. 

He looked at the pile of rubble and the legs of a survivor crushed beneath it. No burial. No time. Just a silent, bitter acceptance as he turned toward the next tunnel, following Justin into the shadows.