Nightmare Paradise : Starting as a Doctor

In the dense foliage, Lynn's bullets cut through the air with a ferocious velocity, leaving a trail of destruction in their wake. The leaves and branches, once undisturbed, now quivered and shattered as the projectiles found their mark.

Lynn's precise aim was guided by the convergence of his sharp eyes and the perception of the creature's spiritual essence.

A guttural howl of agony erupted from within the trees, resounding through the air and leaving no doubt that the target was hit. The heavy rounds ripped through the monster's rubbery flesh, eliciting piercing shrieks.

"It's in the trees!" Lynn yelled, his urgent voice reverberating, signaling to the others the concealed position of the hidden enemy.

This swift and deliberate response instantly caught Cooper's attention, prompting him to take immediate charge of the situation. With a commanding presence, he swiftly motioned to his men, skillfully directing their focus toward the indicated location.

The officers quickly adjusted their positions, training their weapons on the trees. However, the dense branches and leaves obscured their view, making it difficult to pinpoint the exact position of the wounded creature.

Understanding the situation, Lynn formulated a plan to drive the creature from its hiding place. Gripping Flame Edge tightly, the metal of the sword started glowing red-hot.

He charged forward with incredible speed. Summoning all his strength, he executed a mighty leap, positioning himself above the towering trunk of the tree that served as the monster's sanctuary.

Without hesitation, Lynn drove the blazing sword deep into the tree's core, its fiery blade penetrating the hardened bark with ease. He then infused a trace of spiritual energy into Flame Edge, intensifying its heat exponentially.

In an instant, the already scorching temperature surged to new heights, as the wood succumbed to the relentless fire. The angry flames, driven by the enhanced power of the sword, engulfed the entire tree from root to leaf. The intense blaze lit up the surroundings, illuminating the night.

Amid the raging inferno, the air was pierced by a deafening crash as an enormous, bulbous creature plummeted to the ground.

As expected, it was the same as the bell monster. A massive round body that featured an enormous mouth that occupied a significant portion of the entity, with multiple hideous slimy tongues emerging from within.

Although this one was covered in bullet wounds and charred and smoldering skin, evidence of its encounter with the fiery blaze. Lynn could recognize it, thanks to the previous successful reconstruction procedure on one of its fallen brethren.

The injured creature, struggling to escape, made a feeble attempt to flee using its remaining tentacles. However, its movement was sluggish and hindered by both its injuries and the nature of its stationary existence.

"Open fire!" Cooper commanded as soon as it entered their line of sight. The officers unleashed another wave of gunshots, riddling the creature's body. It let out an unearthly wail, thrashing in agony.

Lynn approached the thrashing monster with a calm demeanor, skillfully navigating around its flailing tentacles. The creature's spiritual energy wavered and flickered, clearly weakened by the relentless assault.

Raising his burning blade overhead, he focused his strength before bringing it down in a deadly arc, plunging the searing steel deep into the creature's body. It split the monster down the middle, delivering the finishing blow.

With a final guttural cry, the repulsive creature finally ceased its motion. A pool of blood formed beneath its lifeless form. Lynn retrieved his sword and carefully returned it to its scabbard.

However, that didn't mark the end of the action. In one fluid motion, he swiftly turned around and extended his empty hand, conjuring the Bloordy Reaper seemingly out of thin air.

Lynn's intense gaze fixated on the grinning creature, who, against all odds, had still the strength to rise to its feet despite the grievous wounds. Without a moment's hesitation, he unleashed a devastating bullet, directing it with unwavering precision towards the head.

The impact of the shot resonated through the atmosphere, shattering any lingering hope of survival and causing the monster's face to disintegrate in a magnificent explosion of blood and gore.

Lynn exhaled deeply, his racing heart gradually returning to a steady rhythm as he consciously deactivated [Spiritual Vision]. His eyes reverted to their usual appearance, no longer emanating the otherworldly glow. Simultaneously, the extraordinary firearm he wielded vanished into thin air.

He managed to defeat this ambush with minimum consumption of his precious spiritual energy, thanks in no small part to the assistance provided by the sheriff and the courageous officers who had joined him in the fight.

Despite the victory, a sense of unease weighed heavily upon Lynn. Standing before the imposing manor, its vast expanse seemed even more ominous under the sunless sky. His gaze was solemn as he contemplated the events that had transpired.

The audacity of the recent attacks unsettled him. They had occurred with a brazenness that far surpassed Lynn’s expectations. It was as if the monsters knew of their arrival and sought to confront them directly.

Furthermore, the appearance of these creatures indicated that they belonged to the same species as the ones that had previously launched an attack on him. This essentially confirmed that this place was, in fact, their lair.

However, Lynn's certainty about this information stemmed from the mission that was initiated by the system immediately following the appearance of the first creature.

[Monsters’ Lair]

[Hidden Mission: Explore the monsters' lair and uncover its hidden secrets.]

Lynn furrowed his brow in deep thought as the realization sank in. "If this is their hiding spot," he pondered, "then this ambush simply wouldn't make sense." The gears in his mind turned as he tried to unravel the perplexing situation.

The merchant named Knott, the presumed mastermind behind everything, was supposed to be aware that a significant influx of law enforcement officers had encroached upon its domain.

Consequently, it was highly likely that retaliatory actions would ensue. The other party would have been confronted with a substantial presence of fully armed officers and an extraordinary special detective.

It should have been evident to him that, given these circumstances, the complete eradication of the intruders by a simple smiling monster and a bell monster was certainly unattainable.

The creature with the unsettling grin possessed an extraordinary vitality. Additionally, it excelled in climbing and jumping, demonstrating impressive agility and dexterity. It could navigate various terrains effortlessly, scaling heights and leaping across obstacles with ease. However, despite its formidable attributes, it still couldn't ignore bullets. Ordinary firearms could still pose a significant threat to its existence.

On the other hand, the bell monster exhibited a different set of characteristics. It shined in stealth and surprise attacks and could blend seamlessly into its surroundings. The variety of attacks was also strange, but they were not impossible to prevent. With proper preparation and precautions, the real danger was low.

The most important point was that even though it was an ambush, the garden hallway located outside the manor was a disadvantageous location for the sudden attack. Instead, the interior of the building, with its intricate and labyrinthine layout, provided a more favorable terrain for the particular type of monsters involved.

"Unless..." Lynn pondered, thinking of other possibilities. Suddenly, a realization struck him like a lightning bolt. These two creatures were not the main attackers, they were merely a diversion to draw the intruders' attention!

This fresh perspective sent a surge of thoughts racing through his mind. The goal was to initiate the battle near the garden hallway and create opportunities for the main assailant!

A monster who stayed hidden all along and needed time to launch a devastating assault!