Sid grinned, hefting the axe.

"Damn, this thing's heavy. Probably weighs more than my will to live."

He slung the crossbow over his shoulder, stuffed the bolts into his pouch, and gave the shattered spear a quick test spin.

"Alright. Inventory updated, dignity restored."

He finally turned back to the staircase, body aching but mood lighter.

"Now that's proper gaming etiquette."

He muttered, climbing toward the next floor. After a moment, he frowned and whispered,

"Wait… this is weird."

He looked around the grand foyer, noticing how empty it felt beyond the guards he had killed.

"The whole mansion should've been crawling with zombies. But no… it's only the guards."

He rubbed his chin, his tone shifting between suspicion and mild amusement.

"So the undead only stayed where they were assigned before? Even in death, these guys are still doing their jobs. Meanwhile, the rest of the horde is just outside the damn gate."

He chuckled lightly, though the sound was uneasy.

"Creepy loyalty. Guess even death didn't break their sense of duty."

He limped his way toward the upper corridor, entering the long, echoing hallway that led to the chambers. The red carpet under him was still mostly intact, faded but recognizable. The decorated walls were filled with portraits, each one painted in lavish detail, showing the former mayors who once ruled here. Large vases stood by the windows, and the high curtains swayed gently in the night wind. As a breeze slipped through a cracked window, it brushed cold against Sid's skin, making him shiver slightly.

He muttered as he walked, his eyes darting from one portrait to another.

"Man… this is so creepy. Why do all these portraits look like they're watching me? You'd think rich people had hobbies besides painting themselves staring at guests like thieves."

He laughed softly to himself but kept his guard up. His hand stayed close to his knife. The hallway stretched long and silent, the sound of his steps muffled by the carpet. At each corner stood a tall suit of armor, posed with perfect symmetry. One on the left, one on the right— both motionless, both gleaming faintly under the pale moonlight filtering through the windows. Sid slowed his pace, glancing at the leftmost suit.

"Right… Evelise's chamber should be at the far end."

The deeper he went, the more uneasy he felt. The air was colder here, and the silence pressed on his ears. He passed one portrait showing a stern looking noble woman with golden eyes. For a split second, he could've sworn her gaze shifted toward him. He quickly looked away, muttering,

"Nope, not doing this haunted painting crap tonight. Keep your creepy eyes to yourself, lady."

When he finally reached the far end of the hall, his pace slowed to a cautious crawl. Evelise's chamber door stood tall and grand, its dark wood framed by a towering knight statue. At first glance, Sid assumed they were just decorations, ornate suits of armor made to impress visitors. But as he got closer, something caught his attention.

This knight statue was different. Its armor wasn't like the guards downstairs. This one was richer, more detailed, royal blue and deep red across the chest plate, and etched in the center was a strange emblem: a man with a large bird, wings spread wide. Sid's eyes widened slightly.

"That's… Haribon. The guardian of the Nexus Tree. So this one's special, huh?"

He took another cautious step forward, then another, studying the craftsmanship. The armor looked almost new, untouched by time or rust. The visor was shut, but something about its stillness felt wrong… too deliberate.

"Why is there a statue guarding her chamber? It doesn't fit. None of the others looked like this."

He was barely a few inches away when the sound hit him, a faint metallic creak, low but sharp enough to freeze his blood. His eyes darted to the knight's hand. It moved. Slowly, the fingers twitched, metal grinding against metal. Sid's breath caught in his throat.

"…Oh, you've got to be kidding me."

The statue shifted its head, the visor turning slightly toward him with a piercing, hollow groan. Dust fell from its joints as it straightened, towering over him. The blue and red armor gleamed faintly in the moonlight, and Sid took an involuntary step back, his grip tightening on his knife.

"That's not a statue. It's a freaking Boss of the Knight Guards. Right at the finish line?"

The knight's visor flared with a faint, sickly red light. Before Sid could even take a breath, the massive zombie guard lunged forward like a charging bull, shield raised. The sound of thunderous metal echoed through the hallway.

"Whoa— EASY MAN!"

Sid shouted, summoning his spear in a flash of blue light. The weapon materialized just in time for him to brace it across his chest.

"Inventory: Spear!"

[Spear Equipped]

[Combat Vision Activated]

The HUD lit up, streaming commands across his sight.

[Q: Block/Parry] [Ctrl + Space Bar: Dodge Roll]

Sid twisted his stance, thrusting the spear forward to meet the impact. The moment the tip struck the guard's shield, it folded— metal bending, pressure rippling through the weapon like it had hit a wall. The zombie pushed through, each step pounding against the marble floor. The collision threw Sid backward several feet, his knee screaming in pain as he barely managed to stay upright.

"Jesus— this guy's built like a damn tank!"

He gasped, adjusting his footing. The Combat Vision appeared in the knight's joints, shoulder gaps, neck seams— all weak points glowing faint yellow.

[Left Mouse Button: Quick Strike] [Right Mouse Button: Power Strike]

"Yeah, I see it, but hitting it's another story."

He dashed to the left—

[A: Move Left]

—just as the knight's shield slammed down, cracking the marble where he had stood. Sid jabbed his spear toward the glowing joint, but the zombie turned its wrist, the shield deflecting his strike with unnatural precision.

"Wait— it blocked that?! Dammit, these combat prompts mean nothing when your opponent's got reflexes!"

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.