A walk in the park? No, more like a dance-off with squirrels over the last piece of pizza. (4)

Sebastian smoothly made his way through the base, avoiding all the traps meant to stop or kill intruders.

Pressure plates, laser grids, and even hidden pit traps. Those, he wondered, how could be inside an apartment complex.

All of this had been hard to avoid, as the illusion couldn't trigger anything which didn't rely on sight.

He had to keep using his Shield of Virtue spell over and over again, taking breaks to recharge his mana.

After avoiding one last tricky trap, Sebastian found the treasure room.

Before Sebastian, there was a closed door to the treasury room, solid and made of dark metal.

The absence of guards in the corridors hinted they were likely stationed within, guarding the treasures inside.

That was further aided by the fact the guards that went outside didn't return yet.

As Sebastian opened the door to peer inside, a bullet struck him.

"Fuck!"

The Shield of Virtue saved him, but then disappeared, proving the attack was deadly.

Judging by the trajectory of the bullet, there was someone in the right corner of the room, the only one from which they could have seen him and aimed at his head.

As soon as the shield disappeared, Sebastian ducked behind a nearby wall.

"Those guys must be scared shitless," he grinned.

Despite not having been able to enter, something he expected, at least Sebastian pushed the door open in the process. He could at least take a peek.

With the wild spark of insanity twinkling in his eye, he leaned out from his hiding spot.

Then he started singing.

"Sleep tight, dear ones, don't dare peep, for in the shadows, I silently creep. With a grin so wide and eyes so bright, I'm the boogeyman, your fright in the night."

That must have struck a chord of terror in those inside, because Sebastian heard someone yelping.

"Ezuro," he said. Once again, he leaned on this spell, a tactic that had served him exceedingly well up to this point.

Sebastian was pleasantly surprised by how flawlessly this entire attack unfolded, far exceeding his initial expectations.

It was a complete change from the tough situations he's been in before regressing.

In those earlier days, Sebastian's methods were far more rudimentary, often resorting to set ablaze the very buildings that housed his foes.

Flames, after all, cared little for the nuances of conflict, consuming everything in their path with indiscriminate fury.

This approach, while effective, was brute and unforgiving.

However, as circumstances developed, so too did Sebastian's strategies. The aim this time was not to kill his opponents, but to relieve them of their ill-gotten gains.

A blaze, while a formidable ally in chaos, showed no discretion, threatening to incinerate not just flesh and bone but the very prizes he sought to claim.

Such recklessness would not do. The treasures hidden within these walls were too valuable to be lost to the hungry flames.

The illusion darted forward, slipping through the open door with an agility that defied the laws of physics.

The gang members inside, caught off guard by this sudden intrusion, reacted on pure instinct.

Their fingers tightened around their triggers, and a cacophony of gunfire erupted, bullets passing harmlessly through the intangible form of Sebastian's illusion.

The illusion, undeterred by the hail of bullets, weaved through the air with unnatural speed, its movements erratic and unpredictable.

It darted from one side of the room to the other, drawing the gang members' eyes and gunfire with every swift, ghost-like maneuver.

Sebastian, seizing the opportunity presented by the diversion, edged closer to the doorway, his grip firm on the gun he held.

He looked around, searching for his confused enemies.

With the precision of a seasoned hunter, Sebastian took aim, his eyes narrowing as he focused on his targets.

A wild grin spread across his face, and with a gleeful chuckle, he couldn't resist the urge to add a touch of his signature madness to the moment.

"Consider this the last level, my friends." His laughter echoed through the space, and those guys turned to look at him. But it was too late.

His finger pulled the trigger, the sound of his gunfire merging with the ongoing chaos.

One by one, he killed his opponents, exploiting their distraction to his advantage.

The loud gunfire stopped, and it got all eerie quiet, except for the weapons clattering on the ground.

Around Sebastian, the gang members lay motionless, their forms draped across the floor in stark, crimson contrasts.

In those last moments, Sebastian had been the embodiment of ruthlessness, leaving behind a tableau marked by the unforgiving nature of his madness.

As the dust settled and the illusion faded into nothingness, Sebastian stood victorious.

His gaze fell upon the scene before him, where amidst the disarray and the fallen lay his true prize.

Wads of cash stacked haphazardly caught his eye. A broad smile spread across his face.

Then he laughed, the sound rich with satisfaction and relief. The risk had been worth it.

"Oh, fortune, thou art a fickle mistress, yet today, thou danceth in my palm! Behold, the alchemist's dream, transmuting peril into gold! Forsooth, this bounty, sweeter than honey from the comb, doth make jesters of us all. Here lies the root of all men's labors, yet, by my hand, it's won through cunning and valor. Let it be known, as long as valor fills one's chest, riches shall follow, jest upon jest!"

Sebastian stepped into the room, his eyes catching every shimmer of the cash sprawled before him.

With a mad grin plastered across his face and a crazy glint lighting up his eyes, he began the task of filling his bags.

He grabbed cash like a maniac, crinkling the notes in his eager hands.

As he stuffed the bags, his laughter, low and tinged with an unhinged joy, filled the space, bouncing off the walls.

The thrill of the heist, the adrenaline of the fight, it all culminated in this moment of triumph.

Bag after bag became heavy with the weight of his newfound wealth.