First Trick : Logic And OH..Crap

The "Area of Logic" materialized before Lu Siyan, revealing… a surprisingly tidy library. No floating islands, no cryptic runes, just shelves overflowing with books, comfy armchairs, and the faint smell of old paper. A cheerful sign above the entrance read: "The Path of Deduction: Where Brains Get Buff."

Lu Siyan blinked. "Huh. Expected something… more dramatic," he muttered, stepping inside. The library was surprisingly cozy, almost… relaxing. He half-expected a librarian to pop out and shush him.

A scroll lay on a small table near a window overlooking… well, he wasn't sure what. It looked like a swirling mass of cotton candy and stardust. He picked it up. "The Way of… uh… Thinking Hard," he read aloud, slightly confused.

The scroll began in a surprisingly casual tone. "Hey there, brainiac! So, you wanna get good at thinking, huh? Well, you've come to the right place. Here at the Path of Deduction, we believe that thinking is like… exercise for your brain muscles. The more you use 'em, the stronger they get!"

Lu Siyan chuckled. This was definitely a different kind of "cultivation" than he'd imagined.

The scroll went on to explain the basic principles of… well, thinking. It talked about "spotting patterns," which, as far as Lu Siyan could tell, was just a fancy way of saying "noticing stuff." It mentioned "connecting the dots," which, he figured, was just another way of saying "putting two and two together."

"Think of it like this," the scroll explained, "your brain is like a super-powered detective. It's always looking for clues, trying to solve mysteries. And the better you get at it, the more awesome you become!"

Lu Siyan grinned. He liked this approach. It was simple, straightforward, and… kind of fun.

The scroll then introduced the concept of "mental flexibility," which, apparently, meant being able to see things from different angles. "Sometimes," the scroll said, "the answer is right in front of you, but you gotta look at it upside down, inside out, and maybe even backwards to see it."

Lu Siyan chuckled. He'd definitely experienced that before.

The scroll then talked about "sharpening your senses," which, as far as he could tell, meant paying attention to the world around you. "The more you notice," the scroll explained, "the more clues you'll find. And the more clues you find, the better detective you'll be!"

Lu Siyan looked around the library, now seeing it in a new light. He noticed the way the sunlight streamed through the window, illuminating dust motes dancing in the air. He noticed the faint scent of lavender wafting from a small vase on the table. He noticed the subtle creak of the floorboards beneath his feet.

He realized that the library wasn't just a room full of books; it was a treasure trove of information, waiting to be discovered.

The scroll concluded with a simple message: "Now go out there and start thinking! And remember, thinking is fun!"

Lu Siyan smiled. He felt relaxed, refreshed, and… surprisingly energized. He had expected some kind of complex puzzle, some mind-bending challenge. But instead, he had received a simple reminder of the power of observation, of the importance of paying attention, of the joy of thinking.

He walked over to the window, gazing out at the swirling mass of cotton candy and stardust. He didn't quite understand what it was, but he no longer felt the need to analyze it, to categorize it, to understand it. He simply appreciated its beauty, its strangeness, its… whatever-ness.

He felt a click in his mind, a sense of clarity, a sense of… well, he wasn't sure what. But it felt good. He felt… smarter. Or at least, more relaxed about being not-so-smart. He chuckled. Maybe thinking was fun. He turned and headed towards the door, ready for whatever the next area had in store. He had a feeling it was going to be… interesting.

The doorway to the next area shimmered into existence, the cheerful sign above it replaced by something… less welcoming. Crudely scrawled in what looked suspiciously like dried blood were the words: "The Path of… Oh Crap." Beneath that, in smaller, equally unsettling letters: "Seriously, turn back now."

Lu Siyan raised an eyebrow. "Oh Crap?" Even he was starting to get a little unnerved. The casual tone of the previous areas had lulled him into a false sense of security, but this… this was different. This felt… ominous.

He peered into the doorway, and his stomach dropped. It wasn't a room, or a garden, or anything he could readily identify. It was more like… a swirling vortex of shadows and fire, the air thick with the smell of sulfur and something vaguely… metallic. A low, guttural growl echoed from within, and Lu Siyan could have sworn he saw a pair of glowing red eyes peering back at him from the darkness.

"Okay," he muttered, taking a step back. "Maybe… maybe I'll just skip this one." He had a feeling that this "Path of Oh Crap" wasn't going to be as fun and games as the previous areas. He had a feeling it was going to be… well, hellish.

He turned to leave, but as he did, the ground beneath him began to tremble. The walls of the House of Tricks seemed to pulse and writhe, the cheerful decorations morphing into grotesque gargoyles. The air grew cold, and a bone-chilling wind swept through the chamber, carrying with it whispers of despair and torment.

Lu Siyan stumbled, his heart pounding in his chest. He had a feeling he wasn't supposed to leave. He had a feeling that the House of Tricks wasn't going to let him go that easily.

He looked back at the doorway to the "Path of Oh Crap," and the red eyes were still there, staring at him, waiting. He could feel a pull towards it, a dark, irresistible force drawing him closer.

He shook his head, trying to resist the pull. "No," he whispered. "I'm not going in there."

But it was too late. The ground beneath him gave way, and he plunged downwards, into the swirling vortex of shadows and fire. He didn't even have time to scream.

The red eyes grew larger, closer, until they filled his entire field of vision. He felt a searing pain, a burning sensation that consumed his entire being. He felt his flesh melting, his bones cracking, his soul being ripped apart.

And then, everything went black.

Lu Siyan gasped, his eyes snapping open. He was back in the main chamber, standing in front of the doorway to the "Path of Oh Crap." The cheerful decorations were back, the air was warm, the smell of sulfur was gone.

He stared at the doorway, his heart still pounding in his chest. He had just… died. He had experienced the agony of hell itself. And it had been… instantaneous.

He looked at his hands, expecting to see some sign of the ordeal, some lingering burn marks, some… something. But there was nothing. He was perfectly fine. As if nothing had happened.

He glanced at his phone, half-expecting a message from the Trickster System, some kind of sarcastic comment about his premature demise. But the screen was blank.

He took a deep breath, trying to calm his racing heart. He had a feeling he understood now. He understood the true nature of the House of Tricks. It wasn't just a game. It was a test. A test of his courage, his resilience, his very will to survive. And he had just failed. Miserably.

He looked back at the doorway to the "Path of Oh Crap," the red eyes still visible in the darkness, waiting for him. He knew he had to go back. He knew he had to face his fears. He knew that the only way to escape the House of Tricks was to conquer it.

But this time, he wouldn't rush in blindly. This time, he would be prepared. This time, he would… think. He would analyze. He would strategize. He would use his brain muscles to find a way to survive the "Path of Oh Crap." He just needed a moment to… recover. And maybe find a fire extinguisher. Just in case.