It was supposed to be just another ordinary day for the young ones.
With their chores done and Saul busy at the inn, they were free to head to the forest — where, as usual, they would teleport to the dungeon and continue their grind, leveling up.
Twig paid the teleportation fee, and soon the light surrounded them once more, carrying them through space.
When their vision cleared, they found themselves before a familiar scene — the Haunted Mansion.
That sinister place was home to three types of monsters.
The first was the Horong, a small creature made of living fire that floated through the corridors, moving back and forth like a glowing torch.
It was a difficult enemy to face since it had no physical body — regular attacks would simply pass through its burning form without effect.
However, if one managed to strike the fiery core within it, the Horong would vanish instantly.
The second was the Zenork — a grotesque, deformed orc.
It had huge hands, thin and elongated arms, and a twisted, misshapen body that dragged itself along the corridors, producing a chilling sound of teeth clattering together.
That eerie noise echoed through the old mansion's walls, enough to make even the bravest shiver.
And finally, there was the most terrifying of them all — Sohee.
A demon that took the form of a young woman wearing a kimono, floating silently in the air.
Her long black hair moved on its own, and her pale face was almost never seen.
Her cold, ghostly presence made the air itself feel frozen — like something out of an eastern horror film.
Twig and his friends had a simple goal that day: explore the entire mansion.
They had tried before, but during the first incursions, the monsters were far too strong.
It felt as if that dungeon had been designed with one single purpose — to frighten, like a horror movie inside a game.
The first enemies they encountered were the Zenorks.
Large, purple gray-skinned, disfigured creatures. Despite their horrifying appearance, they were oddly slow and almost peaceful — they didn't attack unless provoked.
The problem was that they moved in packs, and once one was struck, the others would all rush in together like a furious horde.
And that day was no different.
As soon as Twig delivered the first blow, dozens of them roared in unison and charged toward the group.
The battle was intense, but the trio fought in perfect sync.
Twig's strikes were fast and precise; Aron used brute strength to push through; and Jenny, agile and sharp, targeted vital spots.
When the last Zenork fell, none of the three bore a single scratch.
Through the corridors, Horongs floated like living flames.
It was nearly impossible to turn a corner without running into one.
Those creatures released bursts of fire at the slightest sign of danger — the key was to defeat them before they had the chance to react.
That task fell to Jenny, the fastest of the group.
She watched in silence, and the moment a Horong appeared, she dashed forward in the blink of an eye.
A single precise strike was enough to extinguish the flame.
Within minutes, the corridors were clear — only the smell of smoke lingered in the air.
The Sohees, on the other hand, were different.
Sometimes they appeared alone, other times in small groups.
They floated gracefully through the halls until someone dared to attack them — and then, all of them turned on the intruder at once, moving with supernatural speed.
They were faster than the Zenorks, but still nothing the trio couldn't handle.
The young adventurers moved through corridors, staircases, and chambers, exploring every corner.
Eventually, only the main hall remained, where the largest number of monsters had gathered — Zenorks, Horongs, and Sohees, all together.
The battle that followed was the longest of the day.
The clash of steel and the cries of monsters mixed with the crackling of flames until the last one dissolved into glowing particles.
For a brief moment, silence filled the hall.
Breathing heavily, they were about to head back to the entrance and call the Kafra for teleportation when Twig noticed something odd.
At the far corner of the room, a small wooden door had opened on its own.
Curiosity took over.
"Guys… come look at this," Twig said, stepping forward carefully. "This room... wasn't here before."
He entered first.
Darkness filled the room, and a cold wind blew from within.
He took a step inside — and froze.
His eyes widened; his body went rigid.
Then, suddenly, he stepped back and pushed his friends away.
"Ow, Twig! You stepped on my foot!" Aron complained.
"Back up! Now!" Twig shouted, alarmed.
They hid behind a pillar.
Jenny, confused, whispered, "What is it? What did you see in there?"
Twig took a deep breath.
"There's... a monster. Different from the others. And way stronger."
"A stronger monster?" Jenny's face paled.
Aron frowned. "But how? We already beat them all. What could it be?"
"It's a boss," Twig said seriously.
"A boss? Like... the owner of the mansion?" Aron asked.
"No. A boss monster. It's hard to explain, but... they're unique — much stronger than the regular ones. Usually, they come with minions to protect them."
"So he's like their leader?" Jenny asked.
"Exactly. Like the Night King — the leader of the undead. If we defeat him, the rest fall with him."
The siblings nodded, understanding the weight of his words.
"What kind of monster is it?" Jenny asked.
Twig leaned forward and peeked inside.
His eyes glowed blue as a familiar sound echoed.
[Ding!]
Skill Activated: Appraisal
🕱 Boss Monster — Deviling
Name: Deviling
Level: 35
Race: Demon
Size: Medium
Element: Shadow
Mode: Aggressive
HP: 64,500
"Holy crap…" Twig muttered. "That's a really strong boss. Way too much HP... this is gonna be tough."
He turned to his friends, face serious.
"Guys, this monster's too strong. It's gonna take everything we've got. Do you still want to risk it?"
They looked into the room.
There, surrounded by a red light that pulsed from the floor, stood the enemy —
a demonic version of a Poring, larger than normal, with dark aura, horns, purple eyes, and black wings.
Floating around it were translucent blue Water Porings, and beside them, a small demon holding a pitchfork with a wicked grin.
Aron took a deep breath.
"We're with you, Twig. What do you think? Should we go for it?"
"We'll try," he replied. "If things go wrong, we run. I'll take the boss. You two handle the smaller ones. If we fight together, we can win."
The three took their positions — Twig at the front, Aron right behind, and Jenny covering the rear.
The air grew heavy.
The Deviling slowly turned, as if sensing danger, and advanced with its minions.
Twig didn't wait.
He raised his shield and charged forward with all his strength.
[Bash!]
The strike hit the boss squarely, cracking the mansion's floor beneath them.
A shockwave blasted through the hall, pushing the smaller monsters back.
But they quickly regrouped and attacked again.
Aron fought the small demon with the pitchfork, dodging its strikes and countering with powerful blows.
Jenny sprinted along the sides, slicing through the Water Porings with precision — each one split apart and evaporated into shimmering puddles of magic.
Meanwhile, Twig fought the boss alone.
The Deviling was incredibly fast — every blocked strike made his shield shudder violently.
Twig stepped back, caught his breath, and attacked again.
His SP was running dangerously low. His body was tired. But he refused to give in.
The monster's aura began to flicker, its glowing eyes dimming.
That's when Jenny saw her chance.
She spun around and slashed the demon's back in a clean, perfect arc.
The Deviling roared, spinning toward her — but Twig rushed in again, slamming his shield forward and shouting:
"Hey! Over here, you bastard!"
The boss turned back to him.
Jenny understood.
Their eyes met — and the strategy was instantly born.
When the boss attacked one, the other struck from behind.
The Deviling spun in circles, receiving cuts from every direction.
Aron, having finished off the remaining enemies, joined them.
The trio surrounded the boss side by side.
The sound of metal clashing and the shock of each blow filled the room.
The Deviling roared in fury — but now, it was cornered.
Finally, it was Aron's strike that ended it — a clean, powerful blow right through its core.
Luck smiled upon them once again, as Aron's passive skill Lucky Strike activated, granting them all of the Deviling's loot.