The Haunted House (1)

"What do you mean?" Leon looked up, and he saw a giant green plant in front of him.

Taking a few steps back, he realized it was giant green plant hedge walls covering the area. He turned around, and they both gasped.

It was a colossal mansion, grand in its stature, yet old and worn out, with weathered veins surrounding it. The glassless windows and peeled-off paints added to the eerie glow emanating from its structure. As they stood there, the surroundings filled with the enchanting symphony of cricket noises—the first sound other than people that he heard in this place. His ears felt blessed, and he realized that simple things like this could make him long for a sense of normalcy amidst the haunting atmosphere.

"Holy shit, we're here," Leon blurted, taking in the sight in front of him.

"I know," the baby said, in awe, triumphant at the fact they had finally located the place. Leon put down the baby, and the baby held onto the owl-hybrid as Leon rolled up the map and compass inside his tuxedo.

[You've reached the Haunted House: A tricky place filled with fiends and spirits of higher ranks in the town of Mishap. A place where you can only go in once; coming out unscathed is pure luck.]

"....."

[Good luck!]

'This thing is pissing me off each time,' Leon shook his head.

"Fiends and spirits of higher ranks, you say?" he wondered aloud, gazing up at the mansion again.

Close to the mansion, there was a crooked tree with a lonely swing that started moving upon his gaze. Then he felt someone looking at him as he peered into the dark window upstairs, catching a glimpse of some lady running around.

"Too cliché!" Leon retorted, trembling in silence.

*ding*

The red gradient screen popped up once more, causing him to startle a bit.

[WARNING: You sense sinister luck!]

"Oh, shit, shit, shit!" he looked around, his mind going blank as memories of past encounters with the spirit of limbo flooded his thoughts. He had barely escaped it.

Just then, from the side of the mansion, a tall suited man emerged, his steps well-paced. At first glance, he almost looked like any other man, but when the moonlight bathed his body, Leon saw his face mutilated beyond recognition. Deep scars crisscrossed his features, giving him an eerie and menacing appearance.

The fear he felt in his words was now spreading rapidly across his body, sending shivers down his spine, but he fought to maintain his composure, trying desperately not to show it.

"Elias, you should - " Leon glanced behind him, but the baby was nowhere to be found. Instead, he saw a tiny fist waving at him from behind one of the short bushes near the mansion.

'Do your best,' the baby mouthed, giving a thumbs up and quickly hiding from view.

"This little wanker!"

*ding*

[Do not insult your master!]

[Your Qi level dropped by 20%]

"Are you fu*king serious?!" Leon gritted his teeth, muttering in silence as he saw that man closing in on him.

Leon realized that the cricket sound he had heard earlier was coming from this man, as the sound grew louder as he approached.

"Hello, visitor~" the man said in a deep voice, already killing Leon mentally with his presence.

*ding*

[Opponent at sight: Scar, the gamekeeper of the haunted house]

[Rank: Veil walker-3]

[Skill: Can Open Portals]

[Weapon: NIL]

"Hello... Scar," Leon greeted, summoning his second-grade courage.

[Your current Rank: Slave -1]

[Skills: Unknown]

[Weapon: Moon dagger]

Leon gulped, he could've done well without this comparison.

"Hmm, interesting," Scar tilted his head. "You know me?"

Leon couldn't bring himself to talk again. His fear instinctively made him reach for the moon dagger, but he was too slow, and Scar noticed it.

"That one, hmm, is also interesting," Scar nodded, his eyes fixed on the moon dagger.

"There was this mage, a powerful one indeed. He defeated my master -- Ah Puch. Our crew was devastated, and I was even more so. You see, my master is still alive but in a powerless form," he said, not tearing his eyes away from the moon dagger.

'Ah Puch?' Leon snorted, but quickly hid it behind a fake cough. His mouth was his greatest enemy.

"Hmm, yes, so I, as a guardian, and my crewmates must protect him at his darkest hours," Scar sighed deeply.

Leon almost forgot about his fear and found himself listening to Scar absentmindedly.

"And you dare come here with a moon dagger, a symbol of the Grand Mage?" Scar quickly added, his face snarling at Leon, as the smell of blood filled the air.

*ding*

[WARNING: You sense sinister luck]

[WARNING: You sense sinister luck]

"What? No! I don't know that Mage at all!" Leon blurted out in a moment of panic.

"I'm just here to get the Ember Crystal."

Scar shook his head, "Look at you, talking about the master like that. His name is Ah Puch, not a crystal, you dumbass."

Leon felt Scar's voice grow higher and more sinister, cursing himself for ever opening his mouth to talk his way out.

"Hmm..now, you're a brave soul indeed, coming to Ah Puch's den as a mere slave?" Scar's tone lowered all of a sudden.

Leon glared at him, though it was a foolish thing to do at the moment. It was an involuntary expression at someone who was talking down on him.

Scar sniffed the air in front of Leon, "Now, I can smell your fear. Why do you pretend to be strong?"

A red glow filled the space where Scar's eyes would've been, adding to the eerie atmosphere.

*ding*

[Stab that fucker!]

It was time to act. Leon quickly pulled out his dagger and stabbed Scar right in the abdomen without thinking twice.

"Uh uh, Leon, you're something," Scar said with a grin despite Leon's attack, blood from his face dripping onto Leon's face.

Leon froze at the mention of his name, looking up at Scar as life slowly drained from his eyes.

"You thought you're the only one who can know names?" Scar chuckled, his deep voice fading.