Don't Want to Be Ordinary Even Though I'm an Extra Character

I cautiously followed them, keeping my steps as quiet as possible.

The forest wasn't particularly dense, but I stayed crouched behind bushes and thick tree trunks to ensure they wouldn't notice me. My heartbeat pounded in my ears, and every snap of a twig underfoot felt deafening in the stillness of the woods.

After a few minutes, their steps came to a halt near the entrance of a large cave. The cave's mouth was obscured by dense foliage, and I might have overlooked it entirely had I not been tailing them.

From my hiding spot behind a large tree, I peered at the scene. To my surprise, this group wasn't just two men. It was a band of about eight people, including Rudo and Carlon. They were gathered around a burly man who exuded authority—a leader, without a doubt.

The leader wore a thick leather coat, his scarred face making him look even more intimidating. A massive sword leaned against the cave wall behind him, and his voice rumbled like thunder as he addressed the group.

I crept closer, positioning myself behind a boulder to stay out of sight, just near enough to hear their conversation.

"Rudo, are you sure everything went smoothly?" the leader demanded sharply.

Rudo nodded quickly, his usual bravado replaced by nervous energy. "Yes, boss. The old man's been taken care of. Nobody suspects a thing in the village."

The leader grunted approvingly. "Good. But we're not stopping there. That village has more for us to take—food, money, even livestock. We'll strike tonight."

My breath caught in my throat. Tonight?!

Carlon chuckled. "Hah, they've got no guards. Those villagers are weak. They don't even have proper weapons. It'll be easy."

"We'll hit them before they even know what's happening," the leader continued. "Take everything you can carry, and burn the rest. I want nothing left behind."

Rage and horror swirled within me. They weren't just satisfied with killing Old Man—they intended to destroy the village entirely.

I clenched my fists, barely able to restrain the urge to storm the cave right then and there. But that would've been suicide. They were armed and experienced, and there were too many of them.

Slowly, I retreated, keeping my movements silent until I was far enough away from the cave. I had to act quickly before their planned attack. But what could I do?

My fingers instinctively brushed the ring on my hand, the artifact that had become my only weapon and aid in this unforgiving world. If there was ever a time to use it, that time was now.

I paused behind a large tree, inhaling deeply to steady my nerves before speaking in a low voice. "Hey, System. You heard all of that, didn't you? What do I do?"

A transparent window appeared in front of me, floating calmly despite the turmoil within me. The cold, mechanical voice of the system responded immediately:

[Query detected. Situation: Imminent threat.]

[Recommendation: Evaluate risks and resources. Initiating basic combat strategy guidance.]

"Just hurry up! I don't have time for this!" I hissed.

New text flashed across the screen, accompanied by the system's calm narration:

[Step 1: Identify enemy strengths and weaknesses.]

[Step 2: Exploit terrain advantages and the element of surprise.]

[Step 3: Utilize or create weapons to effectively disrupt or neutralize enemies.]

[Note: High-risk situation. Success rate without external assistance: 30%. It is advised to seek help or increase probabilities through improvised tools and strategies.]

I clenched my fists. "Thirty percent?! That's way too low! What if I fail?"

The system didn't waver, and new text scrolled across the screen:

[Failure = Village destroyed. Survivors: Zero. Please act according to priority.]

Grinding my teeth, I pushed down the surge of emotions threatening to overwhelm me. "Fine. Then help me make something to fight them."

Detailed text appeared again:

[Improvisation Strategies Available:]

Simple Explosive Weaponry: Use herbal oils and other materials to create improvised bombs.Terrain Traps: Set traps using the forest environment to thin enemy numbers.Distraction and Elimination: Utilize sound or fire to draw attention, then eliminate targets one by one.

I skimmed through the options, my heart pounding as I made my decision. Taking a deep breath, I nodded. "Alright, System. Let's try something. They're not going to get away with this."

I moved farther from the cave, making sure I was at a safe distance where they couldn't hear or see me. Once I reached a secure spot, I dropped to the ground and unpacked the small bag I had brought with me, examining my meager supplies.

Herbal oils, wood ash, dried leaves, rope, and shards of broken glass—simple items I had brought, thinking they'd be useful for soap-making. Now, they'd serve a deadlier purpose.

"Okay, Arkan. Think. You have to work fast," I muttered, trying to suppress the growing panic.

The system's transparent interface appeared again, its calm demeanor providing an odd sense of reassurance.

[Strategy Selected: Simple Explosives and Distraction.]

[Instruction: Combine herbal oil as primary fuel with improvised ignition materials. Add shrapnel for enhanced impact.]

Reading quickly, I began to piece together a plan. "Improvised bombs it is…" I murmured.

I poured some herbal oil into a small leather pouch I usually used to carry water. The oil was highly flammable—one of the reasons I'd chosen it as a soap ingredient. With creativity, it could become a weapon.

Mixing wood ash into the oil thickened it, ensuring it would produce a cloud of smoke when ignited. For added fuel, I threw in dried leaves I'd picked from the forest floor.

Next, I smashed several small glass bottles I had in my bag, carefully dropping the shards into the mixture. It felt brutal, but these weren't innocent people. They were murderers planning to wipe out an entire village.

Finally, I tied the pouch tightly with a piece of rope and fashioned a makeshift fuse from a torn strip of cloth, soaking it in oil to ensure it would catch fire easily.

When the bomb was ready, I held it up cautiously, staring at it with a mix of determination and dread. I was about to cross a line, but I couldn't see any other way.

The next step: distraction.

Looking around, I searched for a spot near the cave where I could remain hidden while creating enough chaos to unsettle them. A large tree with dense branches caught my eye.

"That'll do," I whispered, moving cautiously.

I climbed the tree slowly, careful not to make a sound. From a sturdy branch high enough to remain hidden, I had a clear view of the cave entrance. The bandits inside were still talking and laughing, utterly unaware of the storm I was about to unleash.

Clutching the improvised bomb in one hand, I struck a spark with the small flint I carried. The fuse caught, and a tiny flame began to creep toward the pouch. My breath quickened.

As the flame neared the explosive, I hurled it toward the cave entrance with all my strength.

BOOM!

The explosion shook the air, sending thick smoke and fragments scattering everywhere. Shouts of confusion and panic echoed from within the cave, and a few bandits stumbled out, coughing and shouting.

"What the hell just happened?!" one of them yelled.

I didn't stop. Lighting another fuse, I tossed a second bomb toward them. Another explosion rocked the area, scattering them further. More bandits fell, some clutching their faces or choking on the smoke.

Amid the chaos, I leaped down from the tree and moved swiftly toward the cave's side, staying out of their line of sight.

"Who's there?!" Rudo's furious voice boomed through the clearing, thick with rage.

Clenching the wooden staff in my hand, I edged closer to one of the disoriented bandits who had stumbled outside. With a sharp swing, I struck him hard on the head, knocking him out instantly.

"There's an attacker! Find them!" Carlon shouted, his eyes narrowing as he searched the smoke-filled clearing.

I exhaled sharply, my mind racing. This was just the beginning. I couldn't stop now. There was no turning back.