Don't Want to Be Ordinary Even Though I'm an Extra Character-Chapter 121: [120] Defeat Demon

The previous explosion had left an impact, but Demon Jingul was still standing. Its body was now covered in burns, with thick smoke rising from its charred flesh. The demon roared in fury, its glowing golden eyes now seething with even greater hatred. But Erik wasn’t frozen by fear—he saw only one thing: an opportunity.

"Henes, how many grenades do we have left?" Erik asked quickly, his gaze never leaving the monster.

Henes swiftly reached for his belt, counting in his head before replying. "Six... and one big shot left!" He pointed at the bazooka strapped to his back.

Erik glanced at the weapon for a brief second before nodding. "Good. We can’t just keep shooting at it—we need a coordinated strike."

Taking a deep breath, he turned to his comrades, who stood amid the smoke and raging flames. "We’ll distract it. Everyone, grab your grenades and wait for my signal!"

Without hesitation, the soldiers took out their grenades, gripping them tightly as they awaited their orders.

"Ready!" They responded in unison, their eyes burning with unshakable determination, even when facing an enemy that should have been impossible to defeat.

Without wasting a second, they scattered, moving in different directions like shadows slipping through the burning battlefield. Erik darted to the right, while Gav and Murok took positions from behind, searching for the perfect angle to throw their grenades. Henes remained in place, preparing the bazooka—the final blow that would ensure the demon’s demise.

But Demon Jingul was no fool.

With a thunderous growl, it raised one of its massive hands, forming a glowing blood-red magic circle in the air. In an instant, a surge of black flames shot from its palm, scorching the path where Gav and Murok had been running. Both men dove to the side just in time, barely avoiding being incinerated.

"Damn it, this thing is smarter than I thought!" Gav cursed, his eyes widening as he realized how quickly the demon had read their movements.

"You’re just figuring that out now? This is a mid-tier demon, not some brainless goblin!" Erik shot back, his focus locked on any possible openings.

Demon Jingul wasn’t done yet—its massive arm swung down, cracking the ground beneath it and sending a shockwave that nearly knocked Octa and Murok off their feet.

Yet, despite the overwhelming pressure, not a single one of them backed down.

Amidst the chaos, Hans, who had been searching for the perfect shot from the very beginning, finally found his moment. Taking a deep breath, he steadied his aim, locking onto Demon Jingul’s glowing eye. In an instant, his finger squeezed the trigger.

Bang!

The bullet shot forward at incredible speed, piercing straight through one of the demon’s eyes.

Demon Jingul let out an earth-shaking roar, its magic disrupted in an instant. The beast clutched its face with one massive hand, thick black liquid pouring from the wound that had just robbed it of half its vision.

"Now!" Erik bellowed, his voice cutting through the cacophony of battle.

Without hesitation, three soldiers pulled the pins from their grenades at the same time, each holding two.

In a matter of seconds, six grenades soared through the air, landing around the demon’s massive frame like a deadly trap.

Then—an onslaught of explosions tore through the battlefield.

Fire, dust, and shattered debris erupted in all directions, shaking the very ground beneath them. The terrain beneath the demon began to crack, and the cliffside behind it crumbled, burying the beast under a rain of stone.

As the smoke began to clear, Demon Jingul was still standing—but it was in an utterly wretched state.

Half of its body was torn apart, its charred flesh releasing thick, smoldering fumes like dying embers.

Yet, it was still alive.

Erik locked eyes with Henes, giving him a silent signal.

Henes grinned, raising his last remaining weapon. "Finally, time for the heavy artillery."

Hoisting the bazooka onto his shoulder, he took careful aim.

"Eat this and go back to hell!"

In a split second, the rocket blasted from the barrel, cutting through the air before slamming directly into the demon’s chest.

A deafening explosion followed, shaking the entire battlefield with an earth-shattering detonation.

###

Blake returned from his battle, walking lightly across the battlefield now littered with rubble and the remnants of explosions. His eyes swept over the scene before him—charred demon remains, a collapsed cliffside, and the remaining soldiers panting for breath. However, what caught his attention the most was Erik—sitting against a large rock, his breathing still heavy as he gazed up at the sky.

Blake smirked slightly before whistling softly and approaching. "Wow, nice work, big bro," he said casually, extending a hand toward Erik with a satisfied expression.

Erik opened one eye, looking at Blake with clear exhaustion on his face. "Shut up," he replied flatly but still raised his hand to accept the gesture. "You did well too."

Blake chuckled, helping Erik to his feet even though the man was still slightly unsteady. Among the remnants of battle, the two brothers stood in silence for a moment, realizing one thing—they were still alive.

After catching their breath and resting briefly, Erik and his team quickly moved to clean up the remaining chaos. They scoured the remnants of the enemy base, checking fallen bodies and collecting anything that could serve as evidence of other parties’ involvement. That was when they found something more than just the aftermath of battle—several parchments bearing the crest of House Arleon.

Erik picked up one of the letters, his eyes narrowing as he read its contents. It didn’t take long for him to understand that this was a direct order from Celeste Arleon—undeniable proof of the marquis’s involvement in this scheme. If handed over to Arkan, this evidence could be used as leverage for negotiations or even to disgrace their opponents before the kingdom.

"Hmph, they really underestimated us," Erik muttered, slipping the letter into his pouch. Not wanting to leave any traces behind, they set the enemy base ablaze, letting the flames consume everything until only ashes remained. From an outsider’s perspective, it would look like an accident or a battle that naturally ended in destruction.

Afterward, they retreated to a safer location, far from the battlefield. Erik gathered his team, scanning each of their faces before speaking.

"Our mission is complete, but I’m still unsure about the diplomats’ safety," he said, his voice firm yet cautious. "Lord Arkan himself mentioned that this attack was meant to prevent the war from escalating too quickly. But if an enemy has infiltrated the diplomatic convoy, then we have a new problem."

He sighed briefly before turning to the two people he trusted most in situations like this. "Blake, Hans. You two will monitor the route the diplomats are taking. Keep an eye on them, look for any suspicious activity, and report back in one week."

Blake raised an eyebrow, smirking as usual. "A reconnaissance mission, huh? Well, I suppose this will be easier than fighting Force knights and demons."

Hans simply nodded, his eyes remaining cold as ever.

"Take supplies for all four of us," Erik continued, closing the discussion with a serious tone. "We’re not taking any risks—we’ll make sure this mission truly ends in victory."

After two days of travel, Erik and his remaining teammates finally arrived in Lawrence. They promptly reported the success of their mission, confirming that the operation had gone according to plan despite some complications in the field. As expected, the enemy had stationed a Templar Knight as their overseer. However, Blake had handled the situation in his own way—though his opponent was stronger, he had outmaneuvered them and ensured their victory.

Upon hearing the report, Arkan simply nodded, not looking particularly surprised. However, there was a hint of dissatisfaction on his face when he learned that Blake and Hans were still out in the field, conducting surveillance.

"So he’s still out there?" Arkan leaned back in his chair, staring at the report with a neutral expression.

"Yes," Erik nodded, slightly hesitant at his superior’s change in demeanor. "He went with Hans to monitor the diplomats’ route, making sure there were no suspicious movements. According to the procedures we set ourselves, this is necessary if there’s a possibility of unknown threats."

Across the room, Kael, the head of the Defense Department, let out a heavy sigh before turning his sharp gaze toward Erik.

"And you don’t think that was a reckless decision?" Kael interjected, the furrow in his brow deepening. "Sending just two people to monitor a route that could be crawling with infiltrators? You made a decision without waiting for central command’s orders."

Erik remained silent for a moment, but he showed no signs of regret. "I trust them to handle it. They’re not ordinary soldiers."

Kael held his gaze a moment longer before sighing again. "That may be true, but you still broke protocol." He crossed his arms, then turned toward Arkan as if waiting for his verdict.

Arkan didn’t respond immediately, his eyes still fixed on the report in his hands. After a few moments, he placed the papers on his desk and looked at Erik with an unreadable expression.

"You made a decision without central command’s approval," he finally said, his voice calm but firm. "That’s a serious violation of our military structure." 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚

Erik gave a small nod, prepared to accept his punishment.

"Because of that," Arkan continued, "you’re suspended for one week."

For a brief moment, the room fell into silence.

Erik didn’t show any surprise, merely nodding once more. But before he could respond, Arkan added something that caught everyone slightly off guard.

"However, your success in this mission cannot be overlooked." Arkan tossed something toward him—a small box containing a medal of commendation. "So, despite your suspension, you’re still receiving an award for your achievement."

Erik caught the box, glancing at it before looking back at Arkan.

A faint smile appeared on his lips. "Alright, I’ll consider this a fair trade."

In the corner of the room, Kael could only sigh while the others stifled small chuckles.