"DXD: Multiverse Journey"Chapter 251: Please Show Some Respect for My Profession, Okay?
Staring at the lineup of amusement park attractions, Shuo Nangong weighed his options, then turned to Kurumi with a smile. "So, Kurumi—what do you want to try first?"
She put a finger to her lips, eyes sparkling with mischief. "Hmm… How about the haunted house? I hear it's the ultimate test of a couple's devotion."
"..."
Kurumi, are you for real? Why is it that she always manages to catch him off guard?
But as Shuo thought it over, he had to admit—Kurumi's logic was flawless. If a guy panicked and bolted, leaving his girlfriend behind to fend for herself, that relationship was doomed. Unless the girl was hopelessly smitten, or they were the real deal, breakups were almost guaranteed.
But since Kurumi had already made her choice, Shuo couldn't refuse. "If that's what you want, haunted house it is."
Kurumi's lips curled in a sly, enchanting smile. "Don't disappoint me, Shuo-chan—my gallant knight."
"Don't worry, I'll protect you," Shuo replied, squeezing her hand and leading her toward the haunted house.
The building had been transformed into a derelict psychiatric hospital—shattered windows, crumbling walls, streaks of blood smeared across the entrance. Above the door, a sign proclaimed: "World's Scariest Haunted House: The Bloodthirsty Ward."
Not that any of this seemed to matter. The couples waiting in line looked like they'd been injected with pure adrenaline—faces flushed, eyes bright with anticipation.
Haunted houses were infamous for coaxing out shrieks from girls. Whether those screams were genuine or just a chance to play the damsel, who could say?
Time flew by. As one couple after another disappeared inside, it was finally Shuo and Kurumi's turn.
But before they could step in, the haunted house erupted with panicked screams:
"It's too scary! Mom, where are you?!"
"Holy crap, I want to go home!"
"You jerk, you left me! Wait up!"
The line of couples, once brimming with bravado, turned ghostly pale.
"Uh… Maybe we should try something else. This haunted house doesn't look fun at all," one guy muttered, and the rest immediately chimed in.
"Yeah, yeah, he's right! That carousel looks way more fun."
"Agreed, let's bail."
And just like that, the queue scattered—leaving Shuo and Kurumi alone at the entrance.
They exchanged a glance, then burst out laughing.
"Ara ara, scared already, my brave knight?" Kurumi teased, tilting her head, her smile playful.
Shuo snorted. "Is this a test? It's all just actors in makeup, you know. Nothing to be afraid of."
He was brimming with confidence. Every haunted house was staffed by people in costumes—sure, the makeup was convincing, but the real terror was all in the lighting and atmosphere.
Side note: If you have a weak heart, haunted houses aren't for you. Not only is it risky, but if you pass out, the amusement park staff will have a real headache. Cue the news headline:
SHOCKING! Haunted House Death—Park Refuses Compensation! Is This Human Nature's Corruption or Moral Collapse?
With that, Shuo took Kurumi's hand, and together they stepped into the gloom.
Inside, surgical tools and hospital beds littered the space—real equipment, jars filled with organs, the sharp tang of medical alcohol hanging in the air. Creepy sound effects echoed, but nothing particularly scary had happened yet.
What's going on? Is there a warm-up period or something? Shuo wondered.
Then, from nearby, came a wet, gnawing sound—crunch, crunch, crunch.
They shared a look, then followed the noise. A figure in a doctor's coat stood with its back to them, hunched over, devouring something.
Closer now, they saw it: the "doctor" was chewing on a pale, bloodless arm, covered in bite marks.
Sensing their presence, the figure turned. Its face was stitched together with black thread, eyeballs dangling by strings, swaying grotesquely, four fangs jutting from its mouth.
The moment it spotted Shuo and Kurumi, the monster let out a guttural roar and charged.
But Shuo and Kurumi didn't flinch. They just stared, unfazed.
The monster skidded to a halt a few meters away, staring back at their calm faces. Silence fell. Big eyes stared at small eyes. The air grew thick, almost frozen.
Finally, from beneath that stitched mask, a distinctly awkward male voice broke the tension.
"Uh, could you two at least pretend to be scared? You're making my job really tough here."
Shuo blinked, realizing he'd been a little too stoic. It wouldn't hurt to play along—after all, the guy was just doing his job.
"Oh, right! Ahh—so scary! Terrifying!" he exclaimed, slapping on an exaggerated expression, his tone completely over the top.
"Yes, you've frightened me so much, Shuo-chan! You have to protect me!" Kurumi squealed, covering her face with both hands, her performance equally theatrical.
Watching their half-hearted display, the actor looked even more deflated.
"Is my costume really that bad? You're not scared at all?"
Shuo shrugged. "Honestly, I spotted the mask right away. The material's pretty cheap, and the fit isn't great."
Ever the helpful citizen, Shuo offered a suggestion. "You guys should hire a professional makeup artist. If the makeup was more realistic, you'd scare couples so badly they'd probably break up on the spot."
The imaginary couples: Wow, thanks a lot, dude!!!
The actor stared at Shuo, then at his own hands, sinking into existential doubt.
Is my mask really that terrible…?
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