It's been five days since I started clearing out the house.
I began by killing off the smaller monsters—especially the ones with orbs similar to mine. With [Blood Puppeteer], it was easier than it sounded. I took control of them and finished the job using a pair of kitchen knives I found lying around.
Oh! And I started wearing a black cloak I found in one of the bedrooms. I mean, being an exhibitionist wasn't part of the whole "serial killer" aesthetic. That was more of a maniac's job.
Anyway, here are the skills I acquired during my little spree:
[Night Vision] and [Sound Manipulation] from a One-Eyed Bat.
[Venom Pulse] and [Damage Zero] from a giant centipede.
And [Syphon] from a Blood Scorpion.
The bat's skills were self-explanatory, but the others needed a quick check at the mirror.
[Venom Pulse] lets me send poison into anything I touch or release a wave of venom.
[Damage Zero] makes it so I survive any single attack, no matter what it is.
[Syphon] steals a creature's magical energy, enhancing every part of my body after its death.
No wonder the scorpion was so damn tough. It broke free from [Blood Puppeteer] multiple times.
After checking all the new skills, I noticed something strange. The sphere in my chest… it had changed. The red dot in the center was slightly larger.
Surprisingly, the more the red spread, the less frequent my headaches became. Just what would happen if the red filled the entire sphere?
"Anyway, let's save that thought for later. Now… there's only two left."
Only two more monsters remained before the house was completely safe—well, aside from the millions of safety hazards.
But before I continue, let me explain the mansion's layout.
The mansion consists of three floors—four, if you count the basement.
The first floor had a kitchen, a guest waiting room, a meeting room, and a relaxation area. Giant stairs led up to the second floor, which held five bedrooms—one master and four that were probably for guests or servants.
As for the third floor? Completely unexplored. Same with the basement.
The sphere on the third floor was slightly bigger than mine. The one in the basement? Double my size. Naturally, I chose the third floor first.
Grabbing my two knives, I made my way up the stairs.
As soon as I stepped onto the third floor, I felt a pressure weighing down on me. It was darker too, far more than the other floors—but thanks to [Night Vision], I could see just fine.
I moved carefully through the corridor. The paintings lining the walls were far from pleasant. Five doors to my left, five to my right, and one ominous door at the end. That's where the sphere was.
Standing before it, I read the rusted plate nailed to the surface.
"Duke of Starlight."
'So… the owner of the mansion?'
I turned the knob and pushed open the door.
Surprisingly, this room was in better shape than the others. Two enormous windows—filthy from years of neglect—stood behind a broken desk and a toppled chair.
I stepped forward and—
Crack.
Something broke beneath my foot, like an egg shell. I looked down.
"An egg? What kind of creature lays something this big—"
My voice halted. My instincts screamed.
Dodge.
I leapt forward just in time as a blast of fire scorched the ground where I'd stood.
A second later, I hurled one of my knives toward the ceiling.
The monster dodged it effortlessly. It was nimble. Flexible. Another attack came flying at me—this time, a bolt of lightning.
It moved faster than my eyes could track.
Shatter!
My arm exploded at the shoulder like fragile glass. But thanks to my trait, I didn't feel a thing. Without hesitation, I hurled my second knife.
Missed.
"An overgrown lizard dares to harm me?! Jack The Ripper?!"
The creature had one eye blazing like fire and the other crackling with thunder. Its black scales were sleek, yet razor sharp.
"Do you know what happens when something tries to attack me—?"
It didn't wait. Another fireball blasted my way.
I dodged. Fire was manageable. But that lightning? If it fired again… I wasn't confident I could survive another hit. And with my arm severed...
"Tch."
I'd lost a chunk of my killer instinct without that limb.
It readied another bolt of lightning. I couldn't dodge, it was too fast.
Was I too confident? Was I going to die again?
"…Just kidding~ Dance, my doll—[Blood Puppeteer]!"
I sent my skill not toward the lizard—but toward my severed arm.
Golden light burst from it as it reanimated and jumped between me and the bolt. The lightning struck it, blasting it apart.
I charged forward, snatching up my first knife along the way.
I hurled it—direct hit to the head. Blood spilled… but it didn't go down.
The damn thing let out a screech and shot fire at me again. I dodged.
Its attack pattern was clear: fire, then lightning—
Or so I thought.
This time, its cheeks puffed up and—
PFFFF!
Poisonous dust exploded outward. Followed by a fire blast.
BOOOOM!
A massive explosion shook the entire house, launching me backward. I crashed into the windows, shattering them.
My body scorched. My cloak burned. Cracks slithered across my skin like snakes.
"I guess this really is the end, huh… My head's spinning… I can't move…"
My mind started to fade. I could hear the lizard charging up another lightning bolt.
But then—a memory flashed. The sound of thunder made me remember...
The day I was stabbed.
I was sixteen. My best friend, Johnny, sold me out to a gang—for pocket change.
Five men, all with knives. I was unarmed. But I took down all five.
Then Johnny… stabbed me in the back. Literally.
Blood spilled. Rain fell, hiding my tears. My body went cold.
I tried to walk, to live—but ran into a drunk with a knife. He stabbed first. I killed him.
My first kill.
My hands trembled. My breath caught. But my cheeks—warm. I felt something… elation.
That was the moment I realized—
We all bleed the same.
"Haha… Why should I fear something like me? The only thing allowed to kill me is death itself!"
I made it to the hospital. Recovered. Then I hunted down that gang.
Slit all their throats. Johnny too.
That's when I became Jack The Ripper.
'Yes… I am Jack The Ripper. I'll never die to some lizard.'
I activated [Damage Zero].
The lightning bolt vanished the moment it touched me.
'Now.
Time to end this.'
I dashed forward with my broken body. No hesitation. I knew what came next—fire or poison. Either way, I had to break through.
Headache or not, I had to move.
The fireball came. I leapt aside, narrowly dodging, then closed the distance.
I used [Blood Puppeteer]. It wouldn't fully control the beast, but even half a second was enough.
It twitched.
I pressed my palm forward—[Venom Pulse].
A wave of poison surged into its body. It resisted, but still flailed before collapsing to the ground.
I grabbed the knife stuck in its skull.
"Die!!! [Sound Manipulation]!"
My voice echoed violently, making the blade vibrate.
It tried to struggle, but before it could fire off another blast—
Its body went limp. Eyes rolled back.
Dead.
[Skill: [Electric Companion] acquired]
[Skill: [Fire Companion] acquired]
[Skill: [Poisonous Release] acquired]
Golden letters appeared before me. Then vanished.
I activated [Syphon], draining the beast's magical energy. My body began to heal… all but the arm. That was gone for good.
I flexed my remaining hand. My strength had clearly increased.
I pulled the knife from its skull. Its black blood dripping from the blade.
"I am Jack The Ripper. The only thing allowed to kill me… is death itself!"
Next target: the basement monster.
But before that—I needed to prepare.