We've Come to Another World, and You're Still Trying to Scare Me with Ghosts?

"My dear, you've discovered my long-term illness and tuberculosis again, and I'll be heartbroken for you in every way..."

The mournful and melodious opera music slowly faded away. Hughes lay prone on the mountaintop, staring down in horror, the hairs on his body suddenly standing on end.

Everything has changed...

Laxus, who had just been right under his nose, was gone; a clear, deep pool of water suddenly appeared in the valley.

A valley breeze rippled across the surface of the pool, creating intermittent waves.

Soft, rustling sounds came from inside each of the tightly closed rooms.

"Crunch~ Squeak"

"Crunch~ Squeak"

The wooden doors of five or six rooms opened from the inside, and a person came out of each room.

They were dressed in old clothes, their steps unsteady, their pupils white, their arms hanging limply as they slowly walked to the center of the village.

Upon reaching the center of the village, the five or six people actually lined up, and their arms, which had been hanging down at their waists, were now strangely draped over the person in front of them, one after another.

The mournful and melodious opera music began to appear in Hughes' ears again, growing louder and louder, from plaintive to resentful.

"He is in my heart, I am heartbroken..."

The creaking sound sent shivers down Hughes's spine.

"Damn, this scene looks familiar!" Hughes swallowed hard and muttered.

At that moment, the lantern held by the first villager in the valley suddenly lit up, the candlelight flickering inside, illuminating them in an intermittent manner.

They began to move towards the lake that had suddenly appeared, but everyone had their faces turned to the side, their pale eyes staring intently at Hughes.

Hughes:... No, what are you doing this for so late at night?

You think I'm afraid of this?

Hughes shifted his body and quietly changed his position.

Looking up again, the five or six villagers were still staring intently at him, their pale eyes seeming to say, "It's no use, I've seen you, you can't escape!"

Hughes: (°ー°)

A chilling wind swept by, the candlelight in the lantern suddenly went out, and the entire village was plunged into darkness again, the mournful opera music abruptly ceasing.

The scattered footsteps that reached Hughes' ears grew louder and louder, as if someone was walking nearby. Hughes quickly turned his head to look around.

No, there was no one around him...

"Smack!"

The lanterns lit up again, illuminating the faces of the five or six people walking in line. They were still staring intently at Hughes, a slightly eerie smile playing on their lips.

Hughes swallowed hard. He recognized that smile; it was the smile of a paper doll.

Every time someone dies in the hospital, the director burns these paper figures at the entrance. Hughes never dares to look because he always feels that the paper figures are watching him. No matter which direction he turns, he can always see the paper figures smiling at him, which gives him an indescribable sense of dread.

Under Hughes's anxious gaze, the five or six people had already lined up and walked to the edge of the pool. The pool was neither too big nor too small, and in the dim candlelight, the water appeared deep and dark.

"Splash!"

They stepped into the pool and continued walking; the water reached above their calves and knees...

The lantern had begun to leak water, and the candlelight flickered more violently than ever before. Suddenly, the candlelight went out, and the surroundings were plunged into darkness once more.

Hughes:... Gulp, this time it seems like the darkness has been going on for a while... Why hasn't Laxus returned yet...?

Or should we wait for him outside?

Before Hughes could even move, the once pitch-black sky began to be dotted with stars and a bright moon.

The moon was large, and its light was rich, illuminating the valley brightly.

Hughes's gaze was fixed on the pool, which seemed a little different; a thick head of hair was draped over the water.

The mournful sound of opera began again, its strained melody frightening.

The hair in the pool began to move, approaching from afar, as if it were about to rise...

"Splash!"

As it moved closer, Hughes frowned deeply, as if he could see a dark blue shadow beneath his hair.

"Something's not right. The more I look at this, the more it resembles my childhood nightmare, 'The Haunted Village.' Don't tell me Chu Renmei has also time-traveled!!"

The opera music grew increasingly intense and cold, sending chills down one's spine. Hughes couldn't help but pick at his ears and then grabbed something to plug them up.

Sure enough, once the opera music stopped, the sense of dread and fear dissipated considerably.

Hughes lay on the ground, continuing to look into the pool, wanting to see if it really was Chu Renmei.

If Hughes was initially a little scared and terrified,

Hughes was now beaming with excitement.

When he was a child, he was so scared by Chu Renmei that he didn't dare to sleep for months. If this really is Chu Renmei, he'll have to get his revenge now.

Meanwhile, Gogirde, who was hiding in the village, stared grimly at the Magic Crystal in front of him.

The Magic Crystal displayed an incredibly excited Hughes and Laxus.

Something's not right. Neither of these two kids are behaving properly.

His Illusion Magic could recreate the things people fear most. Just a moment ago, these two boys looked terrified, but now they've become excited.

Confused, Gogirde slammed his fist on the table. "Excited, huh? I'll make you two laugh yourselves to death in a minute."

"Execute Plan Two immediately! I want them dead!"

The members of the Phantom Evil Silk Guild standing behind Gogirde immediately burst into laughter.

"Oh, President, don't get so angry. Let me help you cool down."

"Hehe, now we can see mages from legitimate guilds kneeling at our feet, crying and begging for mercy!"

After laughing and joking, the group left the house where Gogirde was and headed in the four directions of Alon Island.

The second plan mentioned by Gogirde is the ultimate trump card of the Phantom Evil Silk Guild.

Currently, no one has forced them to use this tactic.

On the hill, Hughes looked excitedly at the pool in the valley. Chu Renmei, with her long hair flowing down her back, slowly floated up from the bottom of the pool, still wearing that frightening blue cheongsam.

She floated upright on the water, motionless; her swollen, rotting face was facing Hughes, her empty eyes fixed on Hughes.

Hughes quickly removed the plug from his ears, and the mournful sound of the opera once again filled his mind.

That's it! It's the smell that scared him so much when he was a child that he couldn't sleep for months.

He was young before, without any advantages, and had no choice but to give up; now he is grown up.

Hughes waved excitedly at Chu Renmei Chu Renmei lived up to Hughes expectations and appeared before Hughes in an instant.

The two were very close at that moment, Hughes could clearly see the excited smile on her rotting face.

... Strange, does Chu Renmei smile? And with excitement at that?

Forget it, never mind all that. Opportunities to get revenge on my childhood are rare!

Hughes' right fist erupted in flames as he slowly pulled his arm behind him; this punch was a blow he threw for his younger self.

Completely absorbed in his own world, Hughes was unaware that Chu Renmei's right arm had also fully charged up, with golden lightning raging across it.

"Fire Fist!" Hughes shouted, throwing out his right fist with force.

"Dragon Slayer Secret Art - Thunderous Roar!" Chu Renmei shouted, forcefully throwing out her right fist.