Skill Forge: Broken Extra Character

Chapter 101 Fragment Hunting

The garden was nothing short of breathtaking. Towering trees with leaves that shimmered in the sunlight stood proudly among exotic flowers of every color, arranged in winding patterns across lush green lawns. Rose bushes, unfamiliar blooms with sparkling petals, and delicate vines crept up trellises, filling the air with a sweet, intoxicating fragrance.

Fountains of clear, glistening water trickled nearby, their gentle sound adding to the serene atmosphere.

"This place is really beautiful," Rosa said, her eyes wide with excitement as she marveled at the vibrant display of flowers. "I've never seen most of these flowers before."

Elora, less distracted by the beauty around them, furrowed her brow. "So how are we supposed to find an item that we know nothing about in this massive garden?"

"That won't be hard," Evelina chimed in confidently, already preparing herself. "I got this."

She activated her skill.

[Treasure Hunter]

[Rank items within a 20m radius of the user based on how valuable they are to the user at the moment.]

[Duration: 5 minutes]

[Cool down: 10 minutes]

"You guys just sit down and relax," Evelina said with a grin before sprinting across the garden, stopping periodically in different spots. Her sharp eyes scanned the area, keenly focused on any trace of her skill's effects.

Elora and Rosa exchanged a look before taking a seat on a nearby bench, watching Evelina dart about like a hawk hunting its prey.

The [Treasure Hunter] skill, known among thieves and treasure seekers, functioned like a metal detector, but instead of emitting sounds when it found something, it created a faint aura around the detected object: an aura visible only to the skill user. The colors of the aura ranged from dull gray to brilliant gold, with the latter indicating the highest value.

"Shouldn't we help her?" Elora asked, feeling a bit useless as she watched Evelina work.

Rosa gave her an unimpressed look. "And how exactly do you propose we do that? She has a treasure-hunting skill. It's like trying to find a needle in a haystack with a magnet. Imagine trying to do it without one."

Elora sighed in resignation, leaning back against the bench as they continued to watch Evelina systematically search the garden, the soft glow of her skill occasionally flickering in the distance.

As Elora and Rosa scanned the sprawling garden, they exchanged a knowing look. The garden was immense, filled with winding paths, towering plants, and thick clusters of flowers in every shade imaginable. The sheer scale of the task ahead weighed heavily on them. Finding what they were looking for in this maze of greenery would be no easy feat.

"I guess that's true," Elora sighed, taking in the overwhelming scene.

Rosa, still examining the vast expanse before them, turned to Elora with a curious look. "I and Evelina, I understand, but do you know why he asked you to come with us? He did say your brother and I work better together."

Elora let out a soft laugh, her eyes momentarily glinting with amusement. "It's just a guess, but I think he was a bit scared that Aiden would burn this whole place to the ground," she said with a resigned sigh. "And honestly, I don't blame him. He would've if he were here."

Both of them broke into a fit of giggles, vividly imagining the scene in their heads.

"Yep, I can already see that hothead leveling this place the moment he steps in," Rosa chuckled, shaking her head.

Elora smiled, then her eyes drifted toward the lush plants surrounding them. "I just wish there was a way to ask the plants here," she mused aloud. "Can't you do something like that?"

Rosa furrowed her brow. "That's not possible. Plants can't talk…" She paused mid-sentence as an idea struck her. "But they can still transfer information." Her eyes lit up with sudden excitement. "Elora, you're a genius!"

"Umm… thanks?" Elora replied, her expression puzzled as she tried to follow Rosa's sudden enthusiasm.

Without another word, Rosa stood up from the bench, a glint of determination in her eyes. She gestured toward the ground, and thick vines shot out from the earth, winding gracefully toward her.

{Quick Growth}

She whispered. The vines obeyed her command, growing rapidly and coiling around both her and Elora. With a gentle tug, the vines lifted them off the ground, carrying them swiftly across the garden.

Far from where Evelina was focusing her energy, they glided over the tangled plants and delicate blooms. Rosa's eyes sparkled with hope as they neared the far side of the garden.

"I sure hope this works," Rosa muttered, stretching out her hands toward the vast garden below, ready to communicate with the plants in a way she'd never tried before.

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Rosa closed her eyes, focusing her energy as she activated her skill,

[Flora Fortification]

A soft, green glow emanated from her body, and she felt her connection to the plants around her intensify. Her mind cleared, and her abilities sharpened as the power flowed through her.

Next, she stretched out her hands, casting

{Auto Communication}

A faint pulse of energy rippled from her fingers, and immediately, thin vines sprouted from each fingertip, delicately attaching themselves to various plants scattered across the garden. The vines connected with flowers, shrubs, and towering trees, forming an intricate web.

The garden no longer seemed overwhelming; it felt like an extension of her, a vast network of life she could tap into.

Elora, watching in awe, furrowed her brows. "What are you doing?" she asked, but Rosa, deep in concentration, didn't respond.

Through the [Auto Communication] spell, Rosa's mind expanded beyond her physical form, merging with the plants around her. She could feel what they felt, the soft caress of the wind on their leaves, the warmth of the sun filtering through the trees, and even the texture of the soil beneath them.

It was like she had gained hundreds of new senses, all feeding her information about the garden from every corner.

Though the spell only covered a quarter of the garden, due to the limitations of her Mana, it was still a vast area. She settled for that, knowing it would have to be enough. While Evelina searched in one section using her [Treasure Hunter] skill, Rosa now had a sprawling network of plants providing her with constant updates on their surroundings.

Before long, something caught her attention: a faint sense of something unusual. The plants nearest the object alerted her to its odd shape, something foreign to the natural environment. Without hesitation, she began moving toward it, with Elora close behind.

When they reached the spot, Rosa knelt down and brushed away the leaves, revealing a small, oddly shaped object partially buried in the earth. As soon as she touched it, a message appeared in her mind:

[Holy Key Fragment 1/5]

[Description: ???]

"Found it," Rosa muttered, her voice barely above a whisper, still lost in the strange connection she had with the plants.

Elora looked over her shoulder, eyeing the fragment skeptically. "Are you sure that's it? It doesn't look all that special to me," she said, frowning.

Rosa tossed the small fragment over to Elora, who instinctively caught it mid-air. The moment her fingers wrapped around the object, a notification flashed before her eyes.

[Holy Key Fragment 1/5]

[Description: ???]

Elora blinked in surprise and glanced at Rosa. "Alright, I take it back. I can't believe you found it." Her voice held a mix of admiration and disbelief.

Rosa smirked, satisfied with her success. "Told you," she replied as they both signaled to Evelina, who was across the garden.

Evelina made her way over, groaning as she saw the fragment in Elora's hand. "Damn it. I wanted to be the one who found it," she whined, folding her arms in disappointment.

But before they could continue celebrating, the ground beneath their feet trembled. A dozens golems, large and menacing, emerged from the earth, surrounding the trio in a circle of stone.

"Really?" Rosa muttered, rolling her eyes as they all braced themselves for battle.

*****

Meanwhile, in another part of the castle, Asher, Freya, and Marcella entered the guest room that had been marked on their map. The room was expansive, with high ceilings and well-maintained furnishings, despite the fact that it hadn't been used for what seemed like ages. Rich tapestries hung on the walls, and a large, perfectly made bed sat in the center.

"This is a nice room," Freya remarked, scanning the space with an appreciative eye. "I wonder how long it'll take us to find this item."

"Leave that to me," Asher replied confidently as he activated his skill.

[Treasure Hunter]

Immediately, his eyes sharpened, and he began searching every corner of the room, from the shelves to behind the furniture, in pursuit of the hidden treasure.

Marcella, on the other hand, wasn't as enthusiastic. "Wake me up when you find it," she said lazily, throwing herself onto the plush bed. She rolled around, savoring the softness beneath her as if testing every inch of its comfort, before promptly falling asleep.

Freya watched with mild amusement while Asher continued his meticulous search. After what felt like an eternity of scouring the room, Asher's gaze landed on the curtains. With a swift pull, he revealed a hidden compartment behind them. His hand closed around an object, and as he lifted it, a notification appeared in his vision.

[Holy Key Fragment 1/5]

[Description: ???]

"Is that it?" Freya asked, excitement creeping into her voice.

"I think so," Asher confirmed, still inspecting the fragment. His brow furrowed slightly as a sense of unease settled over him.

"Wake Marcella up, let's get out of here." Asher's instincts were on high alert, a voice in the back of his mind whispering that finding something this valuable without any resistance was too easy. 'It's already weird that we found an item this valuable and nothing's happened yet,' he thought.

Just as Freya reached out to wake Marcella, the ground beneath the bed shifted. With a violent jolt, a golem shot up from underneath, sending Marcella flying into the air.

Without missing a beat, Asher activated [Mini Teleportation], appearing next to Marcella just in time to catch her mid-flight and land them both safely on the other side of the room.

"Speak of the devil," Asher muttered as he gently set Marcella down, eyeing the growing number of golems emerging from the ground. His sword gleamed in the dim light as he prepared for yet another battle.

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Let's switch things up a bit