Secret behind the mansion

Inside the mansion, the group busied themselves clearing dust and cobwebs, using whatever tools they could find. A few insect-like mutants crawled out from beneath broken floorboards, quickly dealt with, and then forgotten.

No one made a fuss—it was just another day in their new, cursed home.

Outside, a few of the group had gone to level up. One of them paused at a strange sight: a lone door standing between two trees.

“A door?” Felix muttered, tilting his head.

“Maybe I’ll tell the others tomorrow. Somebody will notice eventually,” he added, walking toward the rest who were heading off for training.

“Hey… doesn’t the village seem… strange?” Milo asked, frowning.

“No? Why strange? Everything looks normal,” Gabriel replied, scanning the quiet streets.

“No, like… they’re alive even after abominations invaded their village.”

“Maybe they have a strong protector,” Arjun suggested.

“Don’t worry yourself with unnecessary thoughts—” Milo started but was cut off by a loud bang echoing across the river.

They ran, hearts pounding, only to see the village from which they had received the mansion directions. It was now surrounded by a massive wall… and under attack.

“What—WHAT HAPPENED TO THE VILLAGE?!” Milo shouted, eyes wide with disbelief.

“Where did those walls even come from!?” Varun exclaimed.

Above the wall, four figures stood, silhouetted against the blood-red sky. An aura of energy radiated from each of them.

“See? I told you something was off about this village!” Milo muttered.

A horde of abominations erupted from the ground, while two massive forms descended from the sky, grotesque and twisted. They charged toward the village—until a sudden gust of wind slammed them backward.

A man with fine blonde hair stepped forward, sword glowing with yellow energy. With one clean slash, he cut down the front line of abominations.

The airborne creatures screeched, flailing—one struck by a glowing arrow disintegrated midair, the other crushed under a colossal hammer.

The woman with the bow had silky white hair; her arrows pulsed with a red aura. The bulky man wielding the hammer radiated green energy, lifting it effortlessly with one hand.

The abominations froze, stunned, before charging again as if bound by an invisible command.

The blonde man tossed his sword high into the air.

“What—why is he throwing his sword up!?” Milo whispered, horrified.

Meanwhile, a woman with curly red hair and blue aura lifted her hands, summoning columns of water from the ground that blinded the monsters.

“Whoa… that water thing was insane!” Arjun said, eyes wide.

Rain of swords descended from the sky, piercing every abomination with deadly precision. Not a single blade missed.

The players were stunned—except Arjun and Milo, who had seen enough strange things by now to remain unfazed.

“This should be enough to protect the village, right?” the hammer-wielding man asked.

“If they don’t eat it before we even cook it,” the blonde man deadpanned, “it might actually feed the whole village. And us.”

“They must be the village guardians… maybe we should talk to them?” Felix suggested, squinting at the figures on the wall.

“Definitely! I want to be strong like them!” Milo beamed, already imagining himself in a montage of epic sword fights.

“They’re good people,” Arjun added, nodding confidently.

“Good? Look at that bulky guy! He probably eats boulders for breakfast!” Varun barked, nudging Milo.

“Yeah… but like, respectfully. I still want sword lessons,” Milo snorted.

“Maybe we should ask for help,” Gabriel suggested, glancing at Sora.

“Strategically, that makes sense,” Sora muttered. “We’ll need allies.”

Milo, ignoring everything, pulled a crinkly snack bag from his jacket.

“I just want the food,” he said, opening it.

Sora blinked. “Where did you even pull that—never mind.”

“What!?” Milo protested, shoving a chip in his mouth. “I was hungry!”

Arjun brushed off dust, walking toward the group.

“Felix, get the others,” he said, nodding toward the camp.

The blonde guardian noticed Arjun approaching. “Someone’s coming,” he said to the others.

“Who are you? What brings you here?” the bulky man asked, his tone harsh but softening when he saw Arjun’s age.

“You’re a child… where is your family? Your village?” he asked, concerned.

Arjun gestured calmly. “It stinks here. Let’s talk somewhere else.”

“Hold on,” the blonde man said, narrowing his eyes. “Are you coming with someone?”

“Yes, they’re on their way,” Arjun replied.

He nodded, motioning to a side gate. “We’ll talk in the outpost.”

Inside the outpost, Arjun saw the same village as before—the only difference, the wall and its guardians.

“Sit down. What do you want to discuss?” the blonde man asked.

Outside, Varun hesitated. “Should we follow or stay?”

“No orders given,” Gabriel replied.

Sora added, “I think we should enter… but he probably didn’t want us here because Milo would cause chaos.”

“Damn… so straightforward… what’s the beef?” Milo muttered.

---

Meanwhile, Felix pushed a door open inside the mansion, blinking in surprise.

“Whoa… you finished cleaning already?”

The room fell silent. Death glares from every corner.

Jasper, seated on a broken couch, muttered, “Where were… you?”

Suddenly, a loud shout rang out:

“AND WHAT TOOK YOU SO LONG!?”

Felix scratched his neck, awkwardly grinning.

“Long story… there was a fight.”

“Where are the rest?” he asked, noticing a strange glow from the door.

Felix’s instincts screamed: run. Something’s about to go terribly wrong.

---

“And maybe help those without combat abilities,” Arjun said.

“Very well. It’s a deal,” the blonde man replied.

“ARJUN!” Felix shouted, sprinting toward them, breathless.

The guardians turned in shock. How had he entered? The entrance hadn’t opened.

“The weird standing door… it’s glowing!” Felix yelled, panic rising.

Arjun remained calm, looking at the guardians.

“Would you come with us?” he asked.

The guardians exchanged glances. The blonde man hesitated, then ran first with his sword. The rest followed silently.

Felix froze, knowing what was about to happen.

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