Time seemed to stand still. The young man sat motionless, and the figure standing behind him, clad in a black robe, made no movement either. He simply stared at the young man's back, the darkness cloaking his face, rendering it impossible to discern any features. Perhaps it was just a deep, dark void.
"Come with me..."
A voice filled with an entrancing aura echoed in the room. It bore a heavy nasal tone, as if it were emanating from the depths of that dark void.
The young man remained motionless, sitting there in the face of that enchanting allure. He simply stared at the shadow reflected off the glass window.
"Come with me..."
The robed figure reiterated, then turned and walked away.
This time, the young man rose and slowly turned around, following the robed figure's steps towards the outside. The robed figure wasn't walking fast, but neither was he slow. The young man followed his steps without any hesitation, his face rigid, devoid of any expression.
The robed figure headed towards the woods, and the young man followed suit. Upon entering the woodland that seemed as vast and infinite as a forest, a rush of chilly air hit them. Old trees towered above them, and the weeds, taller than a man, parted as the robed figure passed by.
Such a vast and yet chillingly dark forest should not exist near the villa; at most, there should only be a small grove. However, a forest extending as far as the eye could see now lay before the young man. Yet, he continued following the robed figure, his face still expressionless.
After an uncertain amount of time, they saw a small house ahead, as if a door had been carved into the trunk of a towering ancient tree, giving the appearance of a cottage.
The door opened automatically as the robed figure entered. Inside was a fully furnished room. The young man followed him in, and the robed figure looked at him, his face still hidden in the shadows.
"Remove your clothes..."
The robed figure's voice, still eerily echoing from the darkness, carried a bewitching tone. However, this time, the young man did not comply. Instead, he frowned, glancing around the room. The stench of blood filled the air, and a drop of crimson liquid dripped from a stone groove.
"No..."
A decisive response came from the young man. He turned his palm over, and a small sword, radiating a bright glow, appeared in mid-air.
"Hehehe..." The robed figure suddenly expelled a puff of dark smoke from his mouth. The smoke swirled and exploded in the air, instantly concealing the young man within a cloud of smoke. The robed figure let out a strange laugh, akin to the hoot of an owl, and reached out a hand towards the young man.
It was an almost shriveled hand, skin stretched taut over bones, veins snaking across the surface like writhing worms. Yes, the veins were squirming. The fingernails were long, and sharp, like gleaming daggers, reaching towards the smoke. He was sure that this time, he could crush the young man's neck, or perhaps his windpipe.
The crescent moon hung in the sky. While this peculiar forest had no moonlight, the Los Angeles highway was illuminated by the cold glow of the moon. A sudden "croak" sound rang out, crisp and sonorous, drawing everyone's attention to the monstrous figure that had seemingly burst from the ground.
A gigantic toad squatted on the ground, its round eyes staring at a woman approaching Royce, a woman who had transformed into a monster. Its cheeks puffed out, and it let out another loud croak, this one more resonant than the first.
"What the hell is going on?" The leading woman muttered under her breath, but due to their fear of the enormous creature, the two women behind her stepped back, maintaining a safe distance from the toad.
"Blood—I get it, it's blood!" Royce suddenly exclaimed in delight, raising a hand and laughing loudly towards Cathy, who was a fair distance away. "I activated this... paper cutout that Mr. Jason gave me. When I fell earlier, I scraped my hand, and my blood got on it." His voice was filled with excitement.
Indeed, what he was holding was a paper cutout shaped like a toad. Once it came into contact with his blood, it transformed into a massive, tangible creature.
Royce continued whooping in excitement, unable to prevent himself from swinging his fist in the air. This action angered the woman and the creature, particularly the latter. Without a word, it opened its mouth and extended a long, winding tongue, ready to strike Royce's face.
A croak resounded. Suddenly, a stream of fire burst from the giant toad's mouth, hitting the monster's protruding tongue and igniting it instantly.
With a sharp squeal, the monster was engulfed in flames, its entire body becoming a fiery ball. It twisted and writhed on the highway, attempting to run to the side, but after two steps, it collapsed, motionless.
The fire burned fiercely and swiftly. Within a minute, the monster was reduced to ashes, leaving no trace behind.
Seeing this, another woman tried to flee, but the toad sprayed a stream of fire at her too. She was mid-leap in the air when the fire hit her back. With a resounding boom, she turned into a living fireball, screaming and falling to the ground.
"Cathy—" Royce clenched his fist excitedly, waving it in the air. "Cathy, we can kill them, we can slaughter these monsters—"
Confronted with this sudden turn of events, the three women facing Cathy were terrified. Seeing their companions reduced to ashes, they were utterly shocked.
When had this devilish creature appeared?
A wave of intense fear surged within them, and they were about to turn and run. But just as they did, the colossal toad vanished. A piece of paper fluttered in the air before it burned into ashes.
A disposable item?
Royce was stunned, his mouth hanging open.
The three women rejoiced, taking a step towards Cathy. Despite being only three, they were confident they could deal with Cathy.
Cathy suddenly made a dash towards Royce, shouting, "Run—"
But Royce didn't turn, instead, he yelled back, "The sword— the paper cutout of the sword."
Royce's call snapped Cathy out of her trance. She reached into her pocket, grabbed the paper cutout, and bit her own tongue, spraying blood on the cutout.
She reached Royce just as the three women behind her revealed their hideous faces, sharp claws, and pointed teeth.
A brilliant light seemed to rise from the ground, piercing through the bodies of the three women. The radiant light emerged from within their bodies and shot towards the sky, disappearing into the horizon.