"Idiot! Don't you ever learn your lesson?!" Ghostfreak's transparent form flickered backward through the air as he mocked Zombozo, his voice dripping with contempt. His body solidified back into reality. "Did you already forget what happened the last time you tried touching me?"
"Why can't I touch you?!" Zombozo pulled back his swollen, throbbing palms, blinking back tears of pain and frustration. Complete confusion dominated his expression.
"Do you really think I'd be stupid enough to explain my abilities to you?" Ghostfreak sneered mercilessly at the clown. "What kind of moron would do that?"
The insult hit Zombozo like a slap to the face. His already fragile ego shattered completely.
"Acid Breath! Thumbskull! Frightwig!" Zombozo screamed at the trio behind him. "Get over here and help me right now! I already went first, do you cowards plan to just stand there like turtles hiding in your shells?!"
Thumbskull cast a submissive glance at Ghostfreak, then bent down and grabbed a brick from the ground. Summoning what little courage he had, he hurled it at the ghost with all his strength.
CRACK!
Ghostfreak didn't even bother going intangible for such a pathetic attack. His fist shot forward and pulverized the flying brick into dust!
"He's solid now!" Acid Breath's eyes lit up with sudden realization. "That phasing ability must be temporary, he can't maintain it constantly! We can hit him!"
Ptoo! Ptoo! Ptoo!
Acid Breath immediately launched several mouthfuls of corrosive liquid at Ghostfreak!
"Try this, you three freaks!"
Ghostfreak's single eye flared with strange purple light. The three Circus Freaks and even Ben, who'd been watching from the side, suddenly found themselves caught in his illusion!
SPLASH!
Ghostfreak's form vanished from sight. The corrosive acid sailed harmlessly through empty air and splattered uselessly on the ground where he'd been standing!
Even Ben had been pulled into the illusion to prevent anyone from using him as a hostage against Ghostfreak, a tactical decision made in a split second.
"He's gone! Did he turn invisible?" Thumbskull asked in confusion, scratching his bald head with thick fingers.
"No, you idiot!" Zombozo's face twisted with realization as he scanned the area frantically. "That kid disappeared too, which means we're trapped in that damn ghost's illusion!" His mood plummeted like a stone.
This transformation's frontal combat ability definitely isn't as strong as Diamondhead's... but he has so many different tricks and abilities! He's impossibly difficult to fight!
The four villains fell into an extremely tense atmosphere. The silence pressed down on them from all sides, and their fear intensified with every passing second.
The fear of the invisible unknown is far more terrifying than any threat you can see.
WHAM!
A thunderous impact suddenly exploded against Thumbskull's face! His entire head snapped to the right as if he'd been hit by a sledgehammer. He flew sideways, crashed into the ground, and rolled several times before coming to a stop!
Blood poured from his nose. His whole face had twisted grotesquely to the right, and at least two teeth flew from his mouth!
"Get back! He just punched Thumbskull!" Acid Breath shouted in panic, his voice cracking.
Zombozo's eyes darted frantically in every direction. His posture became defensive and paranoid, terrified that he'd be the next victim!
They couldn't even sense when Ghostfreak had attacked! They'd only heard the impact!
THUD!
Another dull, sickening sound rang out. The other three villains jumped in terror!
Acid Breath's body suddenly doubled over like a crushed can. A massive dent appeared in his abdomen as if he'd been hit by an invisible battering ram. His face contorted in absolute agony!
This time, it was his turn to taste pain!
"Come out and fight me like a real fighter!" Thumbskull roared furiously, leaping to his feet despite his injuries. He pounded his chest and bellowed loud enough to shake the entire circus tent. "Use real weapons! Face me head-on!"
BAM! BAM! BAM!
The next instant, three devastating punches slammed into Thumbskull's cheeks, abdomen, and shoulder in rapid succession! The aggressive strongman who'd been shouting challenges just moments ago crumpled to his knees, writhing in pain on the ground.
"The first one... eliminated."
Ghostfreak's icy voice echoed through the circus house like the whisper of death itself. The remaining villains felt terror sink its claws even deeper into their hearts!
This kind of silent hunting made Zombozo and the others completely helpless. They couldn't use their abilities effectively because they couldn't even see their enemy, just like lambs waiting for slaughter!
The most terrifying part wasn't invisibility. It was the illusion technique that made Ghostfreak disappear from their perception entirely. No matter what methods Zombozo tried, he couldn't detect where the ghost was hiding!
This battle had been decided the moment they'd fallen into his illusion. Their defeat was inevitable!
CRACK!
Using the cover of his illusion, Ghostfreak moved on Acid Breath again. His fists became like hand blades, chopping down repeatedly on the villain's neck and pressure points!
Acid Breath, already reeling from the previous gut shot, rolled his eyes back in his head and collapsed to the ground with a heavy thud. He was completely unconscious!
Second one... eliminated.
"Now it's just you two left!" Ghostfreak's cold gaze fell upon the terrified Zombozo and the pale, trembling Frightwig.
WHOOSH!
He had absolutely no intention of showing mercy just because Frightwig was a woman. Ghostfreak shot toward her at incredible speed, claws extended like a predatory beast going in for the kill!
But...
Frightwig's hair wasn't normal hair, each strand was a living snake with its own head and consciousness!
One after another, the red serpents sensed powerful killing intent approaching. They immediately sent a warning signal to their host!
"In front of me!" Frightwig's pretty face went rigid with alarm. Her flowing red hair suddenly came alive like writhing tentacles from some deep-sea demon. The strands stretched out impossibly far and fast, wrapping around the rushing Ghostfreak!
Well, not quite wrapped, more like his limbs were bound by individual strands of snake-hair!
"I almost forgot," Ghostfreak said calmly, his expression completely unruffled despite being caught. "These little snakes can see me. They're not affected by the illusion."
He analyzed the reason for his capture with clinical detachment, mentally noting the weakness for future reference. He'd never make this mistake again.
"I... I caught him! Boss!" Frightwig's face flushed with excitement. Her hair transmitted the sensation of something cold and solid wrapped in their grip, though the texture confused her.
Why does it feel like... he's wearing some kind of second skin?
"Excellent work!" Zombozo practically trembled with excitement as he approached the captured Ghostfreak. "Now hold him still while I finish him off! Without all those weird tricks, he's no match for me!"
SNAP!
In the next moment...
Ghostfreak's body suddenly appeared directly in front of Frightwig, wearing an expression of mysterious amusement.
"It's useless to beg for mercy now," Frightwig said slowly, raising her delicate face with a hint of arrogance in her voice. Her confidence had returned now that she'd captured her prey.
"Heh. I'm not showing myself to beg for mercy," Ghostfreak's voice suddenly turned hoarse and grating, like the sound of broken glass scraping against concrete. The horrible noise made both Zombozo's and Frightwig's eardrums ring painfully! "I'm showing myself to give you a... surprise!"
His pale hands landed on the black lines crisscrossing his body. Then he pulled them forcefully to the left and right!
RIIIP!
The white protective layer was torn open, revealing a massive slit down the center!
"AHHHHHHH!"
Inside the gap was a horrifying creature that resembled some nightmarish fusion of tentacled monsters from beyond reality. The thing screamed at Frightwig and Zombozo with a sound that shouldn't exist in this world.
Both villains' faces went completely blank. They stood frozen in place, motionless, barely breathing, eyes wide and empty...