Chapter 126: Creeper's Finale- 3

Barnabett Family Cemetery…

With serious expressions, Jojo, Elijah, and Jacob stepped into the fog-covered cemetery, their senses sharp and their guard raised.

The stench of blood hung thick in the air—a strong, unmistakable scent.

And they knew, without a doubt—it was human blood.

They moved forward cautiously, passing through the dense fog along a worn path leading to the old Barnabett family mansion.

Then, their eyes landed on something grim—

Several bodies lay scattered along the path, lifeless and drenched in pools of blood.

A heavy sigh broke the silence.

"Klaus… looks like he wasn't in a good mood."

Examining the wound patterns on the corpses, Elijah sighed in resignation, casually nudging one of the dead bodies with his boot.

AHHHHHH!

A piercing scream echoed through the fog, making all three of them tense up instantly.

ROAR!

The deep, guttural roar that followed sent a chill down their spines.

A knowing look passed between them before they dashed toward the source of the scream—

Because they recognized that roar.

They had faced it before.

It could only belong to Creeper.

The three arrived at the entrance of the mansion, its weathered stone walls barely visible through the mist.

Suddenly—

BOOM!

A massive figure crashed into the stone wall, sending chunks of rock tumbling down, burying it beneath the rubble.

Creeper.

"Fuck… he almost fooled me."

A voice—calm yet irritated—cut through the scene.

From the other side of the wreckage, Klaus emerged, unbothered, dragging his feet forward.

Behind him, Laine, Chase, and Clarrie followed, their faces pale with lingering fear.

Blood dripped from Klaus' chest, where two daggers were embedded—one directly over his heart, the other near his lung.

At his feet lay the mangled corpse of the guide who had brought Leo and the others here—one arm missing, half his head gone, drowning in a pool of his own blood.

Worry and Amusement

"Klaus… are you alright?"

Stepping forward, Freya's face twisted in concern as she examined the daggers lodged in his chest.

Klaus arched an eyebrow.

"Why do I get the feeling you're underestimating me?"

With an annoyed scoff, he gripped the daggers and—

Ripped them out.

Blood gushed for a brief moment before the wounds closed rapidly, his skin knitting itself together as if they never existed.

A weary sigh came from Jojo as he stepped closer, relieved yet frustrated.

"Good… you're alright. Looks like we were a second too late."

Klaus smirked, shaking his head.

"Nah… it's only been five minutes since we entered the Barnabett Cemetery."

Flashback…

Five minutes earlier…

While Klaus was busy eliminating the cult members lurking in the shadows—waiting for the perfect moment to strike at Laine and the others, something far more sinister descended upon them.

Creeper had found its prey.

Spreading its massive, leathery wings, the nightmarish creature swooped down from the darkened sky, its piercing gaze locked onto its next victim.

This time, the target was Stu—a man with a strong, healthy physique, yet still weaker compared to Klaus.

For some reason, when Creeper had tried to sniff out Klaus, it felt an overwhelming sense of disgust—as if the mere scent of him was repulsive beyond reason.

Without hesitation, it ignored Klaus entirely, turning its full attention to Stu instead.

AHHHH!

With one swift motion, Creeper descended, its clawed hand gripping Stu's collar before launching back into the air.

"You!!! You are—"

CRACK!

Before Stu could even finish his sentence, a sickening snap echoed through the night—his neck broken in an instant.

Instead of soaring into the sky, Creeper landed gracefully atop the mansion's ceiling, clutching the lifeless body in its grasp.

And then, it began feeding.

Blood dripped onto the stone floor below as Creeper's piercing eyes flickered toward Laine, Chase, and Clarrie—who had heard the scream but were now surrounded by a chilling silence.

They turned in every direction, scanning for any sign of Stu.

Nothing.

The only trace left behind was the lantern he had been carrying, now lying abandoned on the ground.

"Where did he go? Could this be another cheap scare tactic by the event organizers?"

Clarrie's voice carried a tone of skepticism, dismissing the eerie disappearance as just another part of the horror attraction.

After all, they were inside a haunted escape house.

Nod.

"Yeah, there's a huge chance it's staged…"

Chase, ever the thrill-seeker, nodded enthusiastically, his lips curling into an excited grin.

Then, mockingly, he shouted into the darkness—

"Hey, buddies! I'm so scared! Uhhhh!"

His sarcasm echoed through the quiet night, taunting the so-called event organizers who, in his mind, were just trying to mess with them.

"Even a child wouldn't fall for these outdated tricks!"

Clarrie joined in, laughing as she called out to the supposed actors, her grin wide and self-assured.

No matter how much Laine tried to ignore it, she could clearly see how Clarrie's flirtatious gaze lingered on Chase.

It was obvious.

She was hitting on him. Blatantly.

And Chase? He was too dense to even notice.

With an irritated scoff, Laine spun on her heels, deciding she'd had enough.

"Forget them."

She stepped forward, determined to enter the mansion alone.

Drip… Drip…

Just as she took a few steps, something cold and wet landed on her shoulder.

She froze.

Slowly, she reached up, her fingers brushing against the damp spot.

Her hand trembled as she brought it into view—

A dark red stain coated her fingertips.

Blood.

Her heart pounded violently against her ribcage.

She opened her mouth to call out to Chase—

But then—

She remembered his earlier words, dismissing everything strange that had happened so far.

"It's all scripted by the event organizers."

Sigh…

A slow exhale escaped her lips, her nerves settling—or so she thought.

She tilted her head upward, ready to mock whoever was pulling this cheap trick.

Then—

She saw it.

And froze.

Her entire body went rigid.

Her breath hitched.

Her blood ran cold.

Above her—

Creeper stared down, its grotesque mouth smeared with fresh blood, its claws buried in the half-eaten corpse of Stu.

And it was still watching her.

Perched atop the mansion's ceiling, Creeper continued devouring its prey—Stu.

What was left of him was barely recognizable.

Half of his face was missing.

"____"

"____"

Chase, noticing that Laine had gone silent, turned toward her.

Clarrie, rolling her eyes in irritation, followed suit.

"It seems we have a cry—"

Her mocking words died in her throat as her gaze followed Laine's upward stare—

And landed on the horrific sight of the monster feasting on Stu's corpse.

Grrr…

A low growl rumbled from Creeper's throat.

Its gaze locked onto Laine's stomach—

And without warning, it lunged.

Straight for her.

She froze in place.

Chase did too.

THUD!

Before Creeper's claws could sink into her flesh, a blur of motion cut through the darkness.

Klaus.

His foot collided with Creeper's ribs, the force sending the monster hurtling through the air—

And crashing through the glass windows of the old mansion.

"Stay behind me."

Klaus's voice was cold and authoritative, his eyes never leaving the shattered window.

Laine, Chase, and Clarrie—terrified and shaken—obeyed without hesitation.

ROAR!

A furious snarl tore through the air as Creeper emerged from the wreckage, glass shards sliding from its bloodied body.

Its hatred for Klaus burned bright in its eyes.

"Hello, buddy. Nice to meet you."

Klaus's lips curled into a mischievous grin, a dangerous glint flashing in his eyes.

"I'm a big fan of your art."

Creeper paused.

For just a split second, confusion flickered across its monstrous face—

And that was all the opening Klaus needed.

Swish!

Two daggers—gleaming and razor-sharp—hurtled through the air, aimed directly at Klaus's chest.

In an instant, he dodged, his body disappearing from the spot—

At the same time, he shoved Laine, Chase, and Clarrie aside, knocking them safely to the ground.

The daggers embedded themselves deep into the stone wall behind them.

THUD!

Before Creeper could react, Klaus struck.

A punch slammed into its face—

Followed by a right hook.

Then a left.

Each impact sent a shockwave through Creeper's body, its head snapping from side to side.

"Oh, man… You're pretty sturdy."

Klaus's voice was mocking, his tone laced with amusement.

SNARL!

Creeper, enraged, gritted its razor-sharp teeth.

With a vicious snarl, it ripped another dagger from its trench coat and swung it—

Aiming straight for Klaus's neck.

But Klaus was too fast.

Each of Creeper's slashes cut through empty air, unable to land a single hit.

Yet Creeper remained relentless.

It knew—If it could land just one attack, just one deep cut, Klaus would be finished.

But Klaus wasn't playing along.

He had already noticed the shift in Creeper's expression.

The rage. The hatred.

And now— Fear.

"Well, well… Looks like he's here."

Klaus smirked.

Creeper's eyes widened slightly.

It could hear them approaching.

Someone else was coming.

Someone dangerous.

But before it could react— Klaus moved.

With inhuman precision, Klaus's foot connected with Creeper's knee.

A sickening crack echoed through the air as the monster collapsed, kneeling from the force.

In the same instant, Klaus's fist shot forward—Slamming straight into Creeper's chest.

His goal?

To tear through the ribcage and rip out its heart.

But Creeper wasn't done yet.

It took advantage of the close proximity—And plunged its dagger deep into Klaus's chest.

BOOM!

Blood spattered onto the stone floor.

Creeper's blade had pierced through Klaus's flesh—But Klaus's fist had reached its heart.

"AHHHH!"

Laine and Clarrie screamed in horror.

But Klaus—Klaus simply grinned.

With a powerful strike, he sent Creeper flying backward, the impact smashing it into the stone wall.

Flashback Ends…

ROAR!

A thunderous snarl erupted from Creeper's throat as it rose from the rubble, stone fragments tumbling from its mangled body.

Its glowing eyes locked onto Jojo—And pure hatred burned within them.

"This guy's skin is as resilient as a damn cockroach."

Klaus sneered, watching Creeper struggle.

His expression?

Mocking.

The kind that said, I'm impressed… but not really.

Creeper's face twisted in rage.

But before it could retaliate—

Puff!

A burst of hellfire ignited behind Klaus.

And in its wake—Jojo transformed.

His body engulfed in flames, his flesh stripped away, leaving only a burning skull in its place.

"FINALLY… I CAN DEAL WITH YOU."

For the first time, Creeper hesitated.

It took a step back.

Then another.

"____"

Panic flickered in its monstrous eyes.

And without a second thought— It turned to flee.

Its wings unfurled, ready to take to the skies—

But— Nothing.

No matter how hard it flapped, it couldn't lift off.

Its body refused to ascend.

And then it felt it.

A cold grip—tight and unyielding—wrapped around its ankle.

Slowly, Creeper turned back.

Ghost Rider. Standing still.

Watching quietly.

His flaming fingers locked around Creeper's leg like an executioner's grip.

"IT'S TIME TO END THIS."

Without another word—

Ghost Rider yanked Creeper downward.

And slammed it into the ground.

Hard.

"AAAAAHHHH!"

The impact shattered the earth beneath them.

Creeper choked, the air crushed from its lungs.

But Ghost Rider wasn't finished.

Not yet.

RAAAAAAAA!

With a savage roar, he tore into Creeper's arms—

Ripping them clean from its body.

A sickening squelch filled the air.

Blood gushed, painting the ground black.

Creeper's eyes bulged, its mouth stretching wide in a silent scream of horror before—

"AAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!"

The pain hit.

GAGAGA—

A distorted, choked laugh gurgled from Ghost Rider.

Then, with one hand, he seized Creeper by the throat.

The monster thrashed violently, its tail whipping and legs kicking.

But it was helpless.

Hopeless.

Its end was near.

"LOOK INTO MY EYES."

Ghost Rider's voice was low, haunting, dripping with temptation and doom.

Creeper's body convulsed, struggling to resist.

It knew. It felt it. The danger.

The abyss.

Every fiber of its being screamed—DON'T LOOK.

But it was too late.

No matter how hard it fought—

No matter how hard it resisted— The abyss called.

And it answered.

Creeper's gaze snapped upward.

And—

It saw.

"AAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!"

A bloodcurdling scream of agony erupted from its lips.

Its soul ignited, burning from the inside out.

The Penance Stare had claimed another sinner.

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(Author's POV)

(A/N): 

Thanks for reading the chapter!

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