Living in another world as an Oni!

Chapter 106 - 103: Being chased by rock guardians(?)

Chapter 106: Chapter 103: Being chased by rock guardians(?)

The grinding of stone against stone echoed through the narrow passage, louder and more menacing with every step.

Seriously, where'd that come from? I'm sounding like those narrator's in stories. Anyway, Uno and the others are now running away from the very angry stone guardian behind us.

"Are we sure this was a good idea?" Uno called, ducking under another archway.

"Do I look sure?!" Dos snapped, nearly tripping as she glanced behind them.

"It was either this or get flattened back there!" Tres added, clutching the ribbon they'd just found as if her life depended on it.

That guardian is probably running after the ribbon Tres just took from there. Will I tell them? Nope! Okay, maybe later.(*^▽^*)

You know what? I'm bored so let's be the narrator today!

Behind them, the massive stone statue squeezed through the passage, its glowing eyes casting a very long, eerie shadows across the uneven walls.

"Why is it still following us?!" Uno demanded, throwing a glare over her shoulder.@@@@

"Maybe it liked the way you looked at it," Dos shot back, panting.

"Or maybe it's just doing its job," I chimed in through the link, suppressing a laugh. "You did steal the ribbon there you know?"

Uno growled under her breath but didn't slow down.

The passage suddenly opened into a wide, vaulted chamber. Rows of smaller stone statues stood in perfect formation, their heads bowed in silent reverence. The air felt thick, like the room itself was holding its breath.

"Oh, great," Tres whispered. "This is definitely not creepy at all. Fuck."

Uno shot her a look. "Let's just keep moving before—"

Before she could finish, one of the smaller statues stirred. Its head lifted with a faint cracking sound, the glow of its eyes flickering to life.

"Oh, come on," Uno groaned.

The statue took a wobbly step forward, its stone limbs grinding awkwardly.

Another statue followed, then another, until the chamber was alive with very, very unsteady movement.

"They're waking up," Tres said, her voice shaking.

"They're falling apart," Dos corrected, watching as one statue tripped over its own feet and shattered a chunk of itself on the floor.

Another statue raised a spear—only for it to slip from its grasp and clang uselessly to the ground.

"Looks like they're only programmed to guard that room," Tres said, leaning against the wall to catch her breath.

Uno shook her head. "Good. I was getting tired of watching them trip over each other."

The new chamber was far larger, its walls lined with intricate carvings depicting ancient battles and celebrations. At the center stood an ornate pedestal, a glowing crystal sphere resting on top.

"This looks important," Tres said, approaching cautiously.

"Or cursed," Uno muttered, eyeing the sphere warily.

As Tres examined the pedestal, Dos noticed a familiar crest carved into its base—the same design as the ribbon they'd found earlier.

"This belonged to the duke's daughter," she said, tracing the crest with her fingers. "She was definitely here."

"But where is she now?" Tres wondered aloud.

Before anyone could answer, the crystal sphere began to glow brighter. Light swirled within it, turning into the image of a young woman with elegant features and a tattered gown. Her voice echoed faintly as the projection played.

"If anyone finds this..." she began, her tone urgent. "I'm trapped deeper within the ruins. The guardians won't let me leave. Please... help me."

That's weird. Why do I feel like all this is not a coincidence?

Hm...

The image flickered and disappeared, leaving the clones in stunned silence.

"Well," Uno said after a moment. "Looks like we've got our next objective."

"And probably more rocks to deal with," Dos added.

"Fuck. This is annoying." Uno said as she motioned for them to keep moving.

Tres nodded, her eyes filled with determination. "Then let's not waste any time."

The clones pressed onward, leaving the chaotic chamber behind. Meanwhile, back in the wagon, I couldn't help but smile. Their adventure was only just beginning—and it was already proving far more entertaining than I'd hoped.

Little Theater:

Uno: If one more rock moves, I'm smashing it.

Dos: Bold of you to assume you can.

Uno: "...."