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What appeared in front of Zane resembled a large television, yet it lacked the usual solid parts like the black glass screen or the plastic backing. Instead, the screen floated in front of him

[ Choose from these weapons ]

[ Sword, shield, spear, knife, dagger, handglove, pole, rapier, hammer, axe, pickaxe, sickle, scythe ]

Zane had never used any weapon before. He was familiar with a knife, but only for chopping vegetables and cooking. He had never wielded a weapon for its intended purpose: to kill. 

The thought of using a weapon for combat sent a shiver down his spine. However, if he was going to engage in combat with monsters, he would definitely need a weapon.

Having no choice, Zane picked his weapon.

[ You picked sword ]

A small portal, about three times smaller than the one which appeared in his room, formed in front of him. The swirling vortex of colors and lights was mesmerizing. 

Zane stretched out his hand and grabbed the shiny steel sword. It was heavier than he expected, and the cold metal felt strange in his grip. A smile appeared on his face as he recalled his time at the orphanage, when he and the other orphans used sticks to pretend they were in intense sword fights. 

[ Because you are the first person to pick a mission, we will give you an extra reward. ]

"What reward is it?" Zane was curious. He hoped it would be magic. One of his fantasies was to one day activate his own magic spells, like fireball, ice spear, and others. Magic had always fascinated him. The idea of wielding power beyond the mundane, of casting spells that could alter reality, had been a dream he never thought would come true.

[ A list of magical elements will appear. Pick one. ]

"Really?" Zane's eyes shone with a mixture of disbelief and excitement.

"I'll get to use magic for real!" His voice was filled with thrill and excitement, momentarily forgetting the danger that lurked within the building. His heart pounded with anticipation as the same holograph appeared, but instead of weapons, it displayed magical elements with their symbols underneath.

[ Choose from these elements ]

[ Flame, Water, Ice, Earth, Wind, Lightning ]

Zane was greeted with a board of elements, all of them precious. In a world where magic doesn't exist like on Earth, even a simple fireball spell would make one more powerful than any human alive. He marveled at the possibilities each element presented. Flame could incinerate enemies, Water could drown them, Ice could freeze them solid, Earth could crush them, and Wind could blow them away. Nevertheless, among these elements, only one stood out to Zane as his favorite.

[ You picked Lightning ]

[ 2 lightning spells unlocked. ]

[ Bolt ]

[ Flash ]

[ Bolt: Shoot a straight bolt of lightning from your hands to fight enemies. You can only shoot one bolt per minute at the current spell level. 

Current level: 1 ]

[ Flash: Move 2 times faster than your normal speed. 

Current level: 1 ]

[ Note that the more you use the skills, the more likely they are to level up, and when they do, they become stronger. ]

Zane nodded his head, absorbing the information. He decided to test his skills out. He stretched out his right hand.

"Bolt!"

A magic circle appeared in his hand, glowing with a vibrant blue hue. The energy within it crackled, and then...

Zap!

Blue lightning zapped out of his hand in a straight line, hitting the nearby wall. The force of the bolt left a scorch mark on the wall, the smell of ozone lingering in the air.

"So cool," he exclaimed happily. The sheer power he felt coursing through him was exhilarating.

[ Your preparation is complete. You can start completing the quest now. ]

Zane nodded, before studying his environment properly. The sitting room was big, and several meters from the door was a staircase that led to another floor. The furniture, though old and worn, hinted at a once grandiose lifestyle. Dust covered every surface.

"I need to search this floor thoroughly first," he whispered to himself, trying to muster the courage to proceed.

Zane began tiptoeing as he surveyed the area. He suspected the strange being was a monster the size of a dog and might be hiding in the broken furniture, so he proceeded to check it out. Silence enveloped the room as he moved cautiously, his senses on high alert.

However...

CRAKA!

He heard a sound, like wood breaking in two. The sudden noise made his heart skip a beat.

"It is coming from the second floor," Zane realized, his pulse quickening. He started moving up the staircase immediately.

He reached the second floor. There were six rooms, three of which had open doors. The corridor was dimly lit, shadows dancing along the walls as the old house seemed to breathe with a life of its own.

CRAKA!

Zane heard the same sound again but couldn't pinpoint its origin. It echoed ominously, making it difficult to determine which room it was coming from.

"The monster, or whatever it is, must be in one of these rooms," he thought, steeling himself for the confrontation.

He strolled to the first room on his left, whose door was open. Zane quickly peeked inside, his action resembling that of cops barging into a room.

"Nothing here. Just a normal bedroom," he sighed, seeing nothing in the room. The bed was neatly made, though covered in a thick layer of dust, and the furniture looked untouched.

He proceeded to the next room, which was also a bedroom. Zane surveyed five rooms thoroughly. There was nothing in them—not even a rat or cockroach, not a single living thing in those rooms. Each room seemed frozen in time, a relic of the past that had been forgotten.

This left him with just one room.

"Whatever is disturbing this house is in that room, and I have to engage in battle," he reminded himself, though his mind was unsettled. The thought of facing a real-life monster was terrifying.

He had never fought before, didn't know how to swing a sword like the ninjas in movies, and even though he had magic, he hadn't practiced using it properly.How would he fair against the strange being?

"The first battle is always the hardest," he reminded himself. "But as a man, I have to face my fear and take on this challenge head-on, especially since I have no choice but to do it." He gulped nervously and started walking closer to the room, his footsteps echoing in the silent corridor.

CRAKA!

CRAKA!!

HEI HEI!!

The usual CRAKA sound continued, this time louder. There was also another sound, one Zane hadn't heard before, resembling an animal's laugh. 

Summoning all the courage in his heart, Zane used [Flash] and sprinted into the room. The world around him seemed to blur as he moved at incredible speed. 

This was a bedroom like the rest, but there was something here. Something he had only seen in horror movies and video games.

It had green skin resembling fresh leaves but with dirt and blood stains. It was short, like an average 7-year-old boy. However, its physique was robust and muscular. Its eyes glowed with a malicious light, and a wicked grin spread across its face.

Around its waist was a belt, and tucked into this belt were knives of various sizes. Each blade gleamed menacingly in the dim light. 

Zane immediately recognized it.

"Goblin!!"