A walk in the park? No, more like a dance-off with squirrels over the last piece of pizza. (3)

With that, Sebastian walked toward the north corridor.

While making his way into the north corridor, he found himself surrounded by a multitude of rooms, emphasizing the expansive nature of the area.

Despite careful observation, there was no hint of disorder or anything out of the ordinary, making everything seem exceptionally normal.

The uniform doors lined the hallway, each silently guarding its secrets, while dim lights cast long shadows on the unblemished floor, enhancing the corridor's mundane tranquility.

Sebastian's lips curled into a wry smile as he observed the unremarkable facade of the corridor.

"Guess the decorators forgot about this wing," he said under his breath, amusement flickering in his eyes.

"All these doors, and not a single one, screams 'secret lair.' Time to pick a lock and see if the Nightshades hide their skeletons in impeccably boring closets."

Out of nowhere, the silence was broken when automatic turrets appeared from secret compartments located all along the corridor.

Sebastian's reflexes kicked in, and he dove for cover behind a wall. "Really? More party favors?" he said, eyeing the relentless machines.

"What to do?"

He quickly assessed the situation, noting the turrets' predictable position. With a grin, Sebastian pulled a mirror from his pocket.

"It's your time to shine again, my lovely decoy!"

With that, Sebastian ordered his poor illusion to bait the turrets again.

The illusion dashed down the corridor. The turrets, once again, were deceived by the moving target.

Their sensors locked onto the illusion as it weaved back and forth, drawing their fire away from Sebastian.

Bullets zipped through the air, targeting the phantom figure that effortlessly dodged each attack.

The illusion, though intangible and incapable of being hit, played its role perfectly, keeping the turrets occupied and allowing Sebastian the opportunity to carry out his next move.

The turrets continued to fire, completely focused on the illusion, oblivious to their impending doom.

Sebastian peeked from behind the cover, his gun at the ready, and aimed at the first turret.

With a precise shot, he hit its core, causing it to explode in a shower of sparks.

"1," he said with a grin.

Without wasting a moment, he rolled to another piece of cover, avoiding the crossfire from the remaining turrets.

From his new position, Sebastian took aim at the second turret.

Another well-placed shot, and the second machine went silent, its lights flickering out as it slumped, deactivated.

"2."

The illusion continued to distract the turrets, moving with a grace only magic could achieve, as Sebastian dismantled their numbers.

The third and fourth turrets fell in quick succession, each destroyed by a single, accurate shot from Sebastian's gun.

A wild glint of glee sparkled in Sebastian's eyes, his grin spreading with unhinged delight.

Each shot that found its mark and reduced the turrets to smoldering ruins seemed to inject him with a euphoric rush. "3 and 4, just like domino."

The sound of his voice echoed down the corridor. The thrill of the challenge, mixed with the satisfaction of outsmarting his mechanical adversaries, pushed him further into a state of exhilarated madness.

With his laughter resonating in the area, he took immense pleasure in the havoc he had unleashed.

The illusion's dance kept the remaining turret's attention divided, giving Sebastian the edge he needed to destroy them.

For the final turret, Sebastian didn't rush. He observed its firing pattern, waited for the right moment, and with a confident pull of the trigger, the last turret was destroyed, its pieces clattering to the floor.

A hush fell over the corridor, leaving only the distant echo of the illusion as it dissipated.

Sebastian stepped out from his cover, surveying the wreckage of the turrets with a satisfied nod.

"Five down, none to go," he said, a hint of pride in his voice as he continued his trek down the corridor with a spring in his step.

Sebastian had barely taken a few steps forward when a sudden explosion occurred beneath him.

The blast was instantaneous, a deafening roar accompanied by a blinding flash of light and a shockwave that sent him flying backward.

Chaos filled the corridor as a detonation echoed and dust and debris filled the air.

"Damn it!" Sebastian cursed loudly as he picked himself off the ground, shaking his head to clear the ringing in his ears.

His heart raced, adrenaline coursing through his veins from the unexpected assault.

Fear didn't grip Sebastian; instead, excitement surged within him, intensifying his crazed anticipation.

The unexpected assault only fueled his madness, making his heart race not with dread, but with an eager thrill for the chaos.

This brush with death only sharpened his appetite for death and fights.

Thankfully, his foresight in casting the Shield of Virtue spell earlier proved to be his salvation.

At the critical moment, the magical barrier flared to life and absorbed the lethal explosion.

Although the force of the blast knocked him back, the spell shielded him from certain death.

He was left with nothing more than a few scrapes and the shock of the close call.

Sebastian coughed, trying to clear his lungs of the dust that filled the air, his eyes watering from the irritation.

He glanced around, noting the partial destruction that surrounded him. The once intact corridor now bore the scars of the explosion, with debris scattered around and sections of the wall blown away, exposing the innards of the building.

"Well, looks like someone took the term 'interior design' a bit too explosively. Who knew the Nightshades were into open-concept layouts?"

His laughter reverberated down the battered hallway, showcasing his unhinged delight amid the turmoil.

Taking a deep breath to steady himself, Sebastian realized how close he had come to a fatal end.

Yet, he briefly calmed down and recognized the spell's effectiveness and the importance of staying watchful.

"Well… if there aren't any more surprises, I should go."

However, before making a step forward, he realized something was missing.

"Oh, I need to raise the shield again."

"Voxil," he said.