The forest was no longer silent.
What once had been a domain ruled by the Guardian of Shadows had turned into a battlefield littered with corpses. The ground still reeked of blood, iron, and smoke. Charred remains of tents and shattered weapons lay scattered where the noble's convoy had once proudly marched in.
But above the chaos, only one figure stood alive.
Lian.
His body trembled as the crimson mask pulsed against his skin, veins of black spreading like ink under his flesh. His breaths were ragged, half-human, half-beast. The eyes behind the mask glowed like molten fire, piercing through the night.
"More… I need more…" his voice was guttural, not entirely his own.
The system's cold chime followed immediately.
[System Alert: New stat unlocked — Corruption.]
[Warning: Prolonged use of the Mask will erode Host's humanity.]
[Current Corruption Level: 12%.]
Lian staggered, clutching his chest. He could still feel the dying screams of the mercenaries in his head. The mask wasn't just feeding on their lives—it was feeding on his sanity.
Yet, despite the weight of blood on his hands, he smiled.
Because for the first time in his life, he wasn't weak.
Far from the battlefield, whispers had already begun to spread.
In the nearest village, terrified peasants spoke of a red-eyed demon slaughtering knights. In a bustling trade town, merchants carried rumors of a fallen Guardian and a cursed artifact loose in the forest. By the time word reached the capital of the Ironfang Empire, the tale had twisted into something far greater—an omen of war.
Inside a grand council chamber, cloaked nobles debated fiercely.
"A Guardian is dead. That balance kept the outer provinces stable. If one can be killed, the others may fall as well."
"Who wields such power? Is it an empire's weapon? A rogue mage? Or something… darker?"
One noble slammed his fist onto the table. "Send our Hunters. If a cursed artifact truly exists, the Empire must claim it before anyone else."
And so, hunters were dispatched. Not ordinary men, but trained killers, assassins, and warlocks bound by blood contracts.
Lian's name hadn't yet been spoken. But the world was already turning its eyes toward him.
Back in the forest, Lian sat atop the ruins of a broken carriage, listening.
He heard them.
Not the villagers, not the nobles—but the voices within the mask. They whispered of power, of blood, of dominion. He could feel them clawing at the edges of his mind, demanding he surrender.
Yet instead of fear, a wicked grin stretched across his face.
"If you want control… you'll have to earn it."
The mask pulsed, almost in amusement.
[System Notification: Hidden Quest Unlocked.]
"Embrace the Abyss"
– Objective: Increase Corruption to 50% or resist it and maintain humanity.
– Reward: Evolution of Mask.
Lian's heart pounded. Evolution? The word alone set his blood on fire. He didn't know what the mask would become, but the temptation was undeniable.
Night deepened. The forest grew restless.
Suddenly, the sound of movement caught his ear. Branches cracked. Leaves rustled. Footsteps—many of them.
He rose, his blade still dripping with dried blood, eyes narrowing toward the darkness.
Figures emerged—half a dozen hunters, cloaked in shadow. Their movements were precise, silent, too disciplined to be simple mercenaries. Each one bore strange markings across their arms, glowing faintly blue.
One of them, taller than the rest, stepped forward. His voice was low, sharp like steel.
"You are the one who killed the Guardian."
Lian tilted his head, mask gleaming in the moonlight. "…And if I am?"
The hunter unsheathed twin daggers, their edges humming with mana. "Then your head belongs to the Empire."
Without hesitation, the group launched forward.
Lian's blood boiled. His corrupted veins surged with energy. The system's voice echoed once more:
[Combat Engaged.]
[Enemies: 6 Imperial Hunters.]
[Warning: High-level combatants detected.]
The hunters moved like shadows, fast and lethal, blades flashing under the moon. Lian barely ducked under the first strike, countering with a slash that split bark and soil. But his blade met resistance—the hunter's mana shield flaring to life.
"Interesting…" Lian muttered, excitement burning through his chest.
The fight was unlike the slaughter before. These enemies were skilled, coordinated, ruthless. For the first time since donning the mask, he felt challenged.
The clash raged. Sparks flew as blades struck, trees shattered under bursts of energy. One hunter leapt overhead, hurling a chain of glowing runes that bound Lian's arms.
But the mask screamed within him.
[System Trigger: Corruption Surge.]
[Temporary Strength Boost: +40%. Duration: 30 seconds.]
Dark energy exploded outward, shattering the chains and sending two hunters flying into the ground, bones cracking under the force.
Lian roared, slashing in a wide arc that split another's chest open.
But they weren't finished.
The leader darted forward, his daggers striking with inhuman speed. Lian blocked one—but the second cut deep into his side. Blood sprayed, pain searing through him.
For the first time, Lian staggered.
The hunter smirked. "You bleed like any other man."
But then… something changed.
The blood dripping down Lian's wound didn't fall. It floated, writhing, drawn into the mask. His wound began to knit itself together.
The hunter's eyes widened. "…What—?"
Lian's laughter echoed like thunder.
"I'm no man."
With a single strike, he decapitated the hunter, the mask devouring the man's soul in a torrent of screams.
The surviving hunters froze in horror.
And in that silence, the mask whispered louder than ever.
"More… more… more…"
Far away, in a dimly lit chamber, a cloaked figure opened a crystal orb. The scene of Lian's battle flickered within it. The watcher's lips curled into a smile.
"So… the new heir of shadows has appeared."
Cliffhanger Ending:
As the hunters' corpses fell, Lian's system flared one final message:
[System Notification: A Hero has entered the forest.]
Lian's grin faded. For the first time, his heart skipped.
Because heroes… were never meant to die easily.