Chapter 10:  Encounter

          " Yes! I won! "

Jonas watched Luke exclaim in excitement as arcade game tickets came pouring out of the arcade video game machine.

He hasn't noticed it before. Mostly, he has just been spending his time at the Cane Manor. This is the day that he had gone out of the Cane Manor and started going to school. And now Jonas we're wandering with Luke accompanied by the Cane Family's bodyguards in one of the shopping districts in Gotham City.

There are so many people in this bustling city. And there are so many different flavors emanating from Gotham itself.

He hasn't realized how saturated Gotham City is with fear itself until he started wandering around. He hasn't done anything actively to scare anyone but here he was being feed fear after fear.

Jonas felt that he would burst out if it continues.

[ Gotham City is one of the best fear breeding grounds in this universe ]

[ You have collected a buried fear ]

[ You have collected a buried fear ]

[ You have collected a buried fear... ]

While Jonas was feeling dazed by the continuous fear that was being absorbed by him, Luke frowned when he noticed that Jonas wasn't paying attention.

Luke observed that there was something wrong with Jonas. Even before he was invited to buy things and play arcade games.

Did being kidnapped could bring some very intense effect on behavior?

Luke then waved his hand in front of Jonas who then blinked for the first time since he was brought to this world. Jonas then came out of his daze and asked Luke.

" Did you collect enough tickets? "

" Yeah. "

Luke nodded and headed to the exchange booth followed by Jonas and his 2 bodyguards.

When they came into the exchange booth, Luke decided to exchange his tickets for a game console and the classic robin cosplay costume.

Jonas unconsciously chuckled when he saw the classic robin cosplay costume.

" I didn't know that you were a fan of the OG Robin. "

" I'm not. But my cousin was a fan of the OG Robin. "

Jonas decided to choose quiet and not give away because he doesn't know Luke has a cousin. Not inheriting the original memories and missing most of the importance of his memories was very problematic and troublesome for him.

Jonas was doing what he can to play the part of Jonas.

A beloved son.

But he was also wondering if he should play the role of being a menace to the students at the Gotham Elementary

" Would you give it to him as a gift? "

[ Kyle Avery died last year because of a Gotham Rogue ]

Luke lowered his head and answered.

" .. Yes. "

[ You have collected a desolation fear ]

[ You have collected a lonely fear ]

Jonas can't see what is the original's lackey expression right now but he was certain that it wasn't anything happy.

His Eye Fear God wasn't concerned with what effect any information or knowledge that it reveals to Jonas.

It was Apathetic and Clinical to its core.

" Jonas, what would you exchange for your tickets? "

Like Luke when they came here to Arcade, Jonas also played several arcade video games and won a lot of tickets.

Looking at the exchange booth, something has piqued Jonas's interest.

" I want the mask over there. "

Jonas pointed out. Luke looks at the mask with a doubtful expression.

"Halloween is already over Jonas.  Do you want a ghost face mask? "

Jonas nodded his head as the exchange booth staff handed him the ghost face mask.

" The mask isn't even that rare. You could buy it from those cheap stores. What would you do with your other tickets? "

While Luke grumbled, Jonas then just pointed out to the other masks on the exchange booth and Luke stared at the latter in disbelief.

" What do you need that many masks for? "

Jonas shrugged and replied.

" I don't know. I guess, as a collection? "

When they finally left the Arcade, excluding the Ghost's face masks, there are a total of 17 masks. There was a plain white mask looking like an owl. A plain white mask with a single eye on it, a pure black mask, a skeleton mask, flesh looking mask, a crying mask, a theatre mask, a masquerade mask, a spider mask, etc.

After the Arcade, Jonas went shopping again much to Luke and the two bodyguards' exasperation. Luke couldn't help but make a comparison that Jonas was acting like his mother when it comes to buying things.

Luke followed Jonas in a daze as the latter enthusiastically went on a shopping spree. As a result of the shopping, Jonas has bought several types of hats, a black cape, and black boots.

' It was a year too early for Halloween. This year's Halloween is already finished for a trick or treat. Jonas is already a 12-year-old. We're old for that stuff anymore. I wonder what would happen if the others learned that Jonas was still planning on joining for Halloween next year. Would his reputation as the top dog of Gotham Elementary suffer? Even if the other kids in Elementary learn of it, we would already be middle school students next year. '

Luke then wondered if Jonas would fight for the dominance of being the top dog in middle school. Then he remembered how Damian have bested him earlier and how terrifying the child was. Luke thought that he would be killed earlier if the History teacher didn't arrive or when Jonas intervened since his spider started causing a ruckus.

After the shopping, Jonas and Luke then went to eat at one of the Batburger in the Shopping district before heading to the Cane Manor.

Luke joined the dinner where Jonas was surprised to find that his parents were early. At dinner, he was berated by his father for bringing Uttu and was made to promise not to bring his pet spider to Gotham Elementary.

When the dinner ended, the two went to play video games at the console while Luke was occasionally chatting on his phone and bragging about how their trip to the shopping district went on their group chat with Jonas's other lackeys.

Around 8:00 pm, Luke went to one of the guest rooms and bid good night to Jonas. The latter waved his hand and then headed to his room and locked the doors.

Jonas then plopped onto his bed and close his eyes. An hour later, Jonas opened his icy blue eyes again and groaned.

He doesn't feel tired and he can't sleep.

Suddenly, the Archivist popped out of his mind.

[ The Avatar has absorbed too much fear to the point of oversaturation thus exceeding your capabilities as an Eye Avatar. ]

' Do you mean that I have too much energy so I am currently awake right now? '

[ Do you wish to use the excessive fear that you collected to the Entities and unlock them? ]

' Which Fear Gods can I unlock right now? '

[ You have collected enough points for 3 entities.

• The Lonely
• Desolation
• The Web

]

[ Which one do you want to unlock first? ]

[ The Web is stirring its webs ]

[ You have been given the artifact marionette henchman ]

" Oh. "

Jonas muttered as he blinked at the life-size adult marionette that appeared laying on the ground.

Jonas can feel a smirk forming on his face.

" Is this a bribe? "

[ The End is chiding Web for its behavior ]

[ The Web is restless ]

' I choose the web. '