I AM EXTRA IN A SHONEN MANGA

The moss-lined path curved gently upward, revealing Vernara Village's outer walls nestled in the silver-drenched folds of the Southwood. The air was thick with the scent of dew and quiet promise.

Khael walked near the front, eyes scanning the tranquil horizon. But his mind was elsewhere.

"(Mission Class: C.

Objective: Escort Bloom Clan emissaries to Vernara, the Eternal Spring Village, to attend a sacred Ritual of Renewal.

Ensure safety. Prevent sabotage.

Monitor Voidflare activity near the forest perimeter.

Client: Bloom Elders Council.

Location: Vernara, Southwood Sector.

Duration: Three days.)"

Three days.

"(I hope nothing happens…)" Khael thought grimly.

He glanced at his team.

Noah Matsuda the so-called Bloom Clan emissary—was clutching his scroll pouch like it contained his soul. His steps were small and shaky, always staying close to Juno Arkai, the calm, quiet Taishin student who barely acknowledged the man's constant trembling.

Khael sighed. "(Certified coward. Title means nothing if your knees knock every time the wind shifts.)"

Up front, Eliryn led the group confidently, scanning the path. Her braid swayed slightly with each step. Lin, the mute girl, walked beside Ceyla, who never said much—but her protective glance toward Lin never wavered.

Then—

A blur.

A whisper of motion—too fast, too close.

A figure materialized in the center of the group, blade aimed straight for Noah.

Khael moved without thinking.

"Echo Art: Wind Boost!"

He lunged, shoving Noah out of the way just before the blade carved air where his throat had been.

"Echo Art: Wind Slash!"

A curved gust shot out from Khael's palm, slicing toward the attacker.

But the man moved—gracefully.

"Bloom Echo Art: Vine Shield."

Green, pulsating vines erupted in a spiral, intercepting the slash with a hiss. The wind scattered. The group spread into a loose circle, eyes sharp, forming instinctive positions.

The stranger stood calmly at the center.

His crimson-amber eyes glowed faintly. Floral-shaped pupils flickered like burning petals. A vine-shaped scar snaked down his cheek. Maroon hair, fading to rose at the tips, danced in the breeze. On the left side, a small braid held a charred pink flower tied with a black ribbon.

He wore a dark, sleeveless robe, marked by faded vine embroidery and a half-torn crimson cloak. The Bloom Clan symbol—clawed out, almost gone—flapped like a wound behind him.

The moment froze.

Then—

"Raiquen…" Eliryn's voice was quiet, but charged.

Everyone turned.

Noah collapsed to his knees, wailing:

"I DON'T WANNA DIE! I DON'T WANNA DIE!"

Juno stood firm beside him, gaze locked on the intruder.

"Do you know this man, Lady Eliryn?"

Khael's eyes narrowed.

"(Who…? Raiquen… That name…)"

Beside him, Lin hid behind Ceyla's leg. Ceyla shifted forward instinctively, shielding her with a silent, growling presence.

Raiquen's voice cut through the tension.

"Hand me the emissary… Eliryn."

"No," Eliryn replied instantly.

"I'm going to stop the Elder's plan."

"I said no," she repeated. "The rules and traditions are absolute."

Raiquen's expression twisted, half-pain, half-defiance.

"Absolute?"

He raised his hand. The vines curled along his arm like serpents.

"Then I'll destroy it. Starting with them."

Eliryn didn't flinch.

"Then I have to stop you."

Something in Raiquen flickered.

He clenched his jaw. Not because he feared her.

But because…

He couldn't hurt the woman he loved.

"Tsk."

The breath hissed through his teeth.

Khael's eyes widened. The pieces clicked together.

His voice came out low, surprised.

"…The leader of the Crimson Roots."

The others turned toward him.

"A rebel faction of exiled Veinwalkers… known for sabotaging the Bloom Clan."

He locked eyes with the stranger.

"Raiquen Veylthorn."

Raiquen turned slowly, eyeing Khael with unreadable calm.

Then, a faint smirk.

"So you did your research."

He turned back to Eliryn.

"One day…"

His voice was softer now, pained.

"I'll free you from those shackles, Eliryn."

Then—

A gust of burning petals.

He vanished in a scatter of scorched vines.

Silence fell.

Even Noah's cries were a whisper now.

Khael stepped forward, looking where Raiquen had stood just moments ago.

"(So that was him… the one who turned his own flowers to fire… the Scorchbloom…)"

Lin's hand tightened around Ceyla's.

Juno kept his eyes on Eliryn.

Ceyla's knuckles were white.

And Eliryn?

Her eyes hadn't moved from the spot Raiquen disappeared.

Khael stepped forward slightly, watching her closely.

"…What's your relationship with that man, Miss Eliryn?"

Her head tilted—just slightly—her gaze still fixed ahead.

"You don't need to know," she replied, her voice cool and composed. "This is the village's problem."

Khael frowned. "But our mission was to ensure safety and prevent any threats. Shouldn't a little background be shared?"

Her shoulders stiffened.

A pause. Silence heavy like mist.

Then—without another word—Eliryn turned and continued walking, her scythe brushing low grass with a soft shhhh.

Lin lingered behind for a moment, still hiding behind Ceyla's clothes. Her small fingers gripped the fabric tightly, violet eyes flickering between Khael and Eliryn.

There was no Shinrei Glyph this time.

Just a look.

A question in her gaze… and something else.

Not fear.

Not worry.

But sadness.

Like a withered petal that had fallen long before bloom.

Ceyla said nothing, but her hand subtly moved, resting lightly on Lin's shoulder. A silent assurance.

Then—

A sputter.

A sob.

And the unmistakable whine of a boy too terrified to mask his feelings.

Noah Matsuda burst forward, stumbling toward Juno with wild eyes.

"I—I want to abort this mission!!" he shouted, voice cracking like a dry twig. "I'm still young and unmarried—I don't want to die!!"

Juno blinked slowly. "…You said that already."

"But this time I mean it more! That guy with the braid, he was radiating villain energy! You all saw it, right? He could've incinerated me with a petal!"

"Why is this happening? I'm just an emissary! I was promised warm baths, tea ceremonies, peaceful diplomacy—not death matches in cursed forests!"

Khael pinched the bridge of his nose, exhaling hard.

"We're not even in the village yet and he's already unraveling."

"I—I saw my life flash before my eyes!" Noah wailed, pointing dramatically at the spot where Raiquen had stood. "He moved like shh—fwmp— out of nowhere! That guy was on a completely different tier!"

"You'll be fine," Ceyla muttered, deadpan. "If someone kills you, I'll make sure they at least regret it."

"SHE'S NOT EVEN DENYING THE POSSIBILITY OF ME DYING!!" Noah screamed, grabbing Juno's arm. "Back me up, Taishin prince!"

Juno sighed and gently peeled Noah off. "Your pulse is stable. No major wounds. You're fine. Your mind, however, needs spiritual calibration."

Khael looked at the entire scene unfold and thought grimly:

"We've got a traumatized diplomat, a rebel firebloom, and now a love story buried under a forest of secrets… This mission's going downhill fast."

Eliryn, meanwhile, said nothing.

She kept walking.

Like a petal blown by wind.

Beautiful.

Silent.

Wounded.

To be continue