"Damn, who writes stories like this? There's no logic at all, damn it." I cursed out loud, then suddenly realized that the part describing my ending had been altered—someone had blotted out the original ending with black ink and changed it so that I was devoured by the Drowned Wraith.
With a splash, Ken Wang jumped into the water and swam toward me.
Once again, I was dragged into the water by the Drowned Wraith. The pain was unbearable; it felt like my neck was being strangled. I couldn't muster any strength, nor could I release any Deathbane Aura. All I felt was that I was about to drown, and the sticky sensation surrounding my body wasn't just water—it was as if I was being swallowed.
Letting out a roar, I punched out with all my might. With a bang, the hand strangling my neck loosened. Amid sobs, I kicked hard and swam upward.
With a splash, I burst out of the water's surface.
A swirl of black mist floated on the water's surface, and my heart surged with sudden hope.
"How is that possible? Damn, you little..."
I could release Deathbane Aura again. In that instant, I sensed the ghost's position—right under my right foot. I shouted and raised my hand.
"Even if I have to rely on the power of a ghost to deal with you, I won't hesitate..."
A black longsword appeared in my hand. My grip felt heavy and real—I could truly feel the weight of the Deathbane Aura Blade.
I immediately plunged my blade into the water. With a splash, droplets scattered as I stabbed the ghost below. I quickly swam toward the shore—though I managed to wound it, in the water I was no match for it and couldn't use my full strength.
Panting, I reached the shore and saw Ken Wang furiously scribbling something in the Horror Stories book.
"What are you doing?"
"It's done, Ethan, look."
I turned my head and burst out laughing. Ken Wang had written a small line beneath the altered section: 'In the end, Ethan Zhang regained his power and destroyed the evil ghost in the water.'
Suddenly, Deathbane Aura erupted from my entire body, transforming into sharp spikes. I could sense the Drowned Wraith still lurking in the water. It wasn't the Specter Web, but rather, with the ghostly part of my power restored, I could feel that the water was more sinister than anywhere else.
Deathbane Aura spikes shot out one after another. With a cry, the ghost in the water thrashed violently as the sharp spikes pierced its body. I watched as the ghost tried to dissolve into a stream and escape.
In that instant, my piercing Deathbane Aura spikes exploded with a bang, triggered by my will. It was like thousands of dazzling black rays flashing at once. The Drowned Wraith whimpered and turned to ash. The feeling was incredible.
Now, like Ironmask, I could make the Deathbane Aura spikes explode instantly after penetration, making them even more powerful.
Ken Wang stared at me in awe, a smile breaking through his usually cold, handsome face.
"I'm counting on you, Ethan..."
"Ken!" I shouted. In an instant, Ken Wang's body was pierced by a sharp tree branch.
With a splatter, he coughed up blood. I turned to see green light blazing in the air. The Horror Stories book fell to the ground. As I stared at the newly turned page, it was blank at first, but after a moment, a line of text slowly appeared.
After Ethan Zhang and Ken Wang joined forces to defeat the evil ghost in the water, a stronger Blue Wraith appeared, instantly killing Ken Wang. Then, faced with the Blue Wraith's overwhelming power, Ethan Zhang was devoured. The story ends.
"Damn it, your storytelling is as bad as bragging. Can you even write? Let me do it." I grabbed a ballpoint pen and started writing.
Ken Wang dodged the Blue Wraith's attack, suffering only a scratch. In the end, Ethan Zhang killed the Blue Wraith with a single sword strike.
"Hahaha, it's useless, Ethan Zhang. It seems you don't have the power to write either. You say my storytelling is bad, but you're just as incompetent. Damn."
That sinister laughter echoed from above. In the glow of green light, I saw the Bloody Wraith Child—he transformed into a streak of green light and swept toward me.
I tossed the Horror Stories aside and thrust Deathbane Aura spikes at the Blue Wraith rushing through the air.
With a clang, the airborne Blue Wraith suddenly produced a piece of white cloth as tough as steel, blocking my Deathbane Aura spikes. I felt a chill behind me and quickly rolled to the side.
A whistling sound cut through the air—a blue staff flashed past. The Bloody Wraith Child squatted in a martial stance, wielding a long staff with impressive form. Staff shadows danced around him. I didn't hesitate; I turned and ran.
At that moment, I realized the small line I had just written with the ballpoint pen had vanished.
"Damn it, are you a coward? Ethan Zhang, fight properly!"
I couldn't block the child's attacks at all. With a bang, the staff slammed into my back, sending dirt flying. I dove forward, rolled, and managed to block the blow with the black longsword in my hand.
At least I could react. My hands tingled—ever since I'd gripped this Deathbane Aura Blade, my arms felt strained.
The Bloody Wraith Child suddenly took flight. From the ground, the Deathbane Aura spikes I'd prepared shot upward, but he nimbly soared into the air. I kept controlling the spikes with my mind, chasing after him.
Suddenly, I saw him about to pull out that white cloth again. With a bang, the Deathbane Aura spikes exploded in midair, sending out a burst of black light. The Bloody Wraith Child howled and was knocked far away.
I burst out laughing. The Bloody Wraith Child's skin was slashed in strips, as if cut by shards of glass. Suddenly, a wave of grief surged in my heart—Ken Wang was still lying there.
This chapter isn't over ^.^, please click next page to continue reading!
"Hmph, Ethan Zhang, you're looking for death." A childish voice called out. The Bloody Wraith Child turned into a streak of green light. Within the glow, staff shadows appeared, striking down at me.
With a whoosh, wings sprouted from my back, letting me dodge at incredible speed.
With a bang, the staff struck the ground.
"Go, Ethan!" I saw Ken Wang holding the Horror Stories book, furiously writing. Suddenly, my vision sharpened—as if my eyesight jumped from 5.0 to 20.0. Even the tiniest letters were crystal clear.
Ken Wang was only playing dead, having dodged a fatal blow. Then, Ethan Zhang turned grief into power, unleashing his full strength. Just as the Blue Wraith was about to strike, Ethan grew wings and soared, then defeated the Bloody Wraith Child.
In an instant, I saw clearly—the Bloody Wraith Child was heading toward me. Deathbane Aura surged from my body. I roared and thrust my sword forward.
With a bang, my sword struck the center of the child's staff. He blocked it perfectly.
"Let me show you something. It'll hurt a bit, but go to hell."
I roared, swinging the black longsword down. Clenching my fist, it swelled like it was filled with air, and I punched the Bloody Wraith Child's face without mercy.
With a bang, black light burst out. The Bloody Wraith Child wailed as my punch sent him flying into the water.
But then I noticed the contents of Horror Stories were changing again.
Although Ethan Zhang struck the Blue Wraith, it was only his afterimage—he'd merely fallen into the water for a moment. Suddenly, from behind, the Blue Wraith swung his staff and knocked Ethan's head clean off.
"Damn it, what the hell are you writing?"
I quickly flapped my wings and flew to the side. Sure enough, the Bloody Wraith Child swung his staff at me. Suddenly, I reached out and grabbed his head with both hands.
In the end, Ethan Zhang narrowly escaped death, dodged the attack, and grabbed the Blue Wraith's head, twisting it off with a crack.
The contents of Horror Stories changed once again.
Then, in an instant, the story changed yet again.
But the Blue Wraith retaliated, clawing out Ethan Zhang's heart.
With a bang, I felt a tightness in my chest. The Bloody Wraith Child, whose hands lacked fingernails, struck my chest. I felt exhausted, and so did the child.
"For fuck's sake, stop messing around."
The Bloody Wraith Child and I shouted in unison. With a boom, the Horror Stories book burst into flames and turned to ash.
"Ow, that's hot! That's hot!" a startled voice cried from above. I saw Ken Wang shaking his hand, and then the Bloody Wraith Child and I separated. I went over to Ken Wang's side.
"Boss, cut it out. I'm exhausted. I just got hurt by that Taoist a few days ago."
Panting, I collapsed to the ground. The Bloody Wraith Child turned into a flash of light and vanished into the sky.
"Damn it, kid, how could you possibly have the power to write in my book? Damn, ow, my fingers!"
Ken Wang burst out laughing, and I laughed happily with him.
"Heh, what's wrong? Come out if you dare—I'll beat you to a pulp."
"Ethan Zhang, just you wait. Wait for it—I've got plenty of stories for you. At midnight, you'll enter the next story. Let's see what you do then. Damn."
Suddenly, the voice in the sky vanished, and everything went quiet. Except for the sound of the river, there was almost no other noise. Ken Wang helped me up, and we decided to return to the village to rest—after all, it was still hours until midnight.
"I'm counting on you." After a while, we spoke in unison, then burst out laughing again.