Antony's gaze remained fixed on the Master, a silent, horrified witness to the unfolding drama. The syringe, a glinting instrument of torture, had just delivered its agonizing payload into Lucien's veins. The screams, raw and guttural, still echoed in the sterile air of the containment room. But even as Lucien writhed in pain, a new, unsettling question formed in Antony's mind, a question that transcended the immediate horror: "What is with the injection the Master is holding?" He had seen the Master's subordinates prepare it, a dark, viscous liquid that promised torment. He had to know more. With a renewed sense of purpose, he began to sneak, his movements fluid and silent, towards the containment room, drawn by an irresistible urge to understand the full extent of the Master's depravity.
He reached the reinforced door, pressing his ear against the cold metal. Inside, Lucien's pleas, though weaker now, were still audible. "Master, forgive me! Master, please forgive me, let me go this time," he begged, his voice hoarse with agony. Antony remained hidden behind the wall, a silent observer, his heart pounding a frantic rhythm against his ribs. He could hear the Master's cold, unfeeling response, the chilling command that followed.
"Give me the injection," the Master ordered, his voice devoid of emotion. Antony heard the soft hiss as the needle pierced flesh, then the clatter of metal as the Master locked Lucien's hands and legs in heavy shackles. "Everyone, step back! Now he will reveal his true form." The Master's voice was filled with a perverse anticipation, a twisted excitement that sent a shiver down Antony's spine.
"Reveal his true form? What is that?" Antony wondered, his curiosity overriding his fear. He risked a peek around the corner, sneaking closer to the scene, his eyes widening in disbelief at the sight that greeted him. Lucien, still shackled, began to convulse, his body contorting in unnatural ways. His skin, already a sickly gray, stretched and tore, revealing not bone and muscle, but something far more grotesque. The snake-like scales, which had briefly receded, now erupted with renewed vigor, thicker, darker, covering his entire body. His limbs elongated, his face distended, his eyes glowing with an unholy light.
Then, with a sickening crack, he morphed into two more forms, each more terrifying than the last. One of these included a monstrous, crocodile-like creature, its head a reptilian nightmare, its body a grotesque parody of a human form, with powerful, scaled hands ending in razor-sharp claws. It was as if he had consumed not just one egg, but a multitude, absorbing the essence of every creature the Master had stored in those eerie glass jars. The air grew heavy, thick with the stench of ozone and something acrid, a smell that made Antony's stomach churn.
"So this is how you grow stronger? Is this how you keep detecting pure blood in the system—by consuming these eggs instead of relying on your own uniqueness?" the Master said, his voice a low, satisfied growl. He moved closer to Lucien, a dangerous glint in his eyes, a perverse admiration for the monster he had helped create. But his triumph was short-lived. With a sudden, explosive roar, Lucien, now a colossal, reptilian beast, broke free from the shackles, the heavy chains snapping like brittle twigs. He lunged, a blur of scales and fury, directly at the Master.
"Why are you all just standing there? Hold this monster down!" the Master shrieked, his voice laced with terror, his composure finally shattering. But his subordinates, paralyzed by fear, could only watch in horror as Lucien, with a single, brutal swipe of his clawed hand, ripped the Master's stomach open. Organs, glistening and grotesque, spilled onto the sterile floor, a macabre tableau of death. The Master, his eyes wide with disbelief and agony, collapsed, a gurgling sound escaping his lips as life drained from him.
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DEMON DETECTED!
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DEMON DETECTED!
```
The system chimed again, its warnings now a frantic, repetitive blare. Antony, still hidden, bit his nails, his mind racing. "I know, you idiot system, that the demon is detected, but I don't have any options," he muttered, his voice tight with desperation. He was a Level 2 protagonist with a wooden sword, facing a Level 50 monster. The odds were beyond stacked.
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DEMON DETECTED!
```
The system chimed once more, its persistence a maddening reminder of his helplessness. But then, a thought, a desperate gamble, sparked in Antony's mind. He couldn't fight this monster, not yet. But he could warn others. He could try to save the innocent. With a surge of adrenaline, Antony turned and ran, not towards safety, but towards the ground floor, towards the unsuspecting children. Lucien, who had taken on the monster's most terrifying form, began to descend from the upper floor, his massive, scaled body thudding heavily with each step, a low, guttural growl rumbling in his chest, a sound that promised death.
"The monster killed the Master! Everyone, the monster killed the Master! Run for your lives!" Antony shouted, his voice raw, echoing through the corridors. He ran from door to door, banging on them, his desperate cries cutting through the general chaos that had erupted with the alarm. Children, their faces pale with terror, spilled out of their rooms, their eyes wide with confusion and fear. The facility, once a place of grim order, had descended into anarchy.
"How do you know? What happened to the Master? How did you come out of the second floor when it's forbidden unless the Master orders it?" a familiar voice, laced with suspicion, cut through the din. It was the same man who had previously mocked Antony, the guard who had delighted in his misery. His eyes narrowed, a clear accusation in their depths.
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SUSPICION DETECTED!
```
"I know!" Antony muttered to himself, not letting the man hear. He couldn't afford to be detained, not now. He had to convince them, to make them understand the immediate danger. "The Master called me to investigate what I saw in Lucien's room, as Lucien had turned into a monster. But when I got there, the Master had shackled Lucien, who then transformed again into a monster and attacked him, brutally tearing out his organs. The Master died on the spot. So run! The monster is coming this way. If we stay here, we'll all die," Antony said, his words a torrent of fabricated truth, designed to instill panic and action. He continued knocking on everyone's door, his voice hoarse, urging them to flee.
"The Master is dead!" the announcement blared, an automated voice confirming the horrific news, its tone chillingly detached. "The monster is coming to eat us," the announcement continued, adding to the growing panic. But as Antony saw Lucien, now a towering, grotesque figure, in his complete monster form, descending the main staircase, a new, even more terrifying thought struck him. "No, no, he shouldn't come down to the ground floor." His mind raced, calculating the consequences. "If he comes and kills these kids, he'll level up, and he's already at the highest level here." The thought sent a fresh wave of panic through him. Lucien, already a Level 50 demon, would become unstoppable if he fed on the innocent lives around him.
Antony, despite his fear, planted himself in front of the stairs, a lone, defiant figure against the encroaching horror. He waited for the monster to come, while everyone else, a terrified, screaming mass, ran here and there, their desperate cries filling the air. He had to buy them time, even if it meant sacrificing himself.
"ADRIAN, SO YOU ARE HERE. I WANTED TO FACE YOU FIRST," Lucien growled, his monstrous voice a terrifying blend of human malice and bestial rage. His eyes, glowing with an unholy light, fixed on Antony, a predatory hunger in their depths.
"Lucien, I can still help you. Let me help you. I'm sure we will find a way," Antony said, taking a slow, deliberate step forward, his voice surprisingly steady. He was trying to appeal to the last vestiges of humanity within the monster, a desperate plea for reason. But as he spoke, the system chimed once again, its warnings now a cacophony of dread.
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DEMON DETECTED!
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DANGER DETECTED!
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DEATH DETECTED!
```
Antony turned, his eyes widening in horror. A child, caught in the stampede of fleeing bodies, lay crushed on the ground, a crimson stain spreading beneath their small form. The sight was sickening, a stark reminder of the brutal reality of this world. Lucien, seeing the fallen child, let out a chilling, guttural laugh, his voice a horrifying mix of human glee and monstrous triumph. "I DIDN'T EVEN NEED TO DO ANYTHING, YET HE DIED. HA HA! NOW, HOW WILL YOU SAVE YOURSELF, ADRIAN? WILL YOU BEG ME? I MIGHT SPARE YOU BECAUSE I'M SURE YOU SUFFERED TOO, SINCE YOU COULDN'T MANIFEST THE POWER THE MASTER WANTED. AND I'M DAMN SURE YOU ARE NOT PUREBLOOD EITHER," Lucien taunted, his words a venomous hiss. Antony felt a strange, unsettling sensation, a primal urge rising within him, and he fell to his knees, unable to control himself.
"What is happening to me now?" Antony muttered, his voice trembling. His eyes, drawn by an irresistible force, shifted to the bleeding child, the crimson pool expanding on the cold floor. The sight, instead of repulsing him, ignited a terrifying hunger, a deep, insatiable craving. He realized, with a horrifying clarity, that he was once again tapping into his vampire characteristics, the monstrous instincts he had only just begun to understand. His fangs elongated, his eyes glowed with a predatory red, and a low growl rumbled in his chest.
He looked up at Lucien, who eyed him suspiciously, a flicker of something akin to recognition in his demonic gaze. "DON'T TELL ME, ADRIAN, YOU HAVE AWAKENED?" Lucien's voice, though still monstrous, held a new note of surprise, almost fear. "DON'T TELL ME YOU'VE FOUND YOUR POWER AND HID IT FROM ME? NO, NO, HOW FOOLISH I WAS, WONDERING HOW YOU SURVIVED SITTING ON THAT ICE BLOCK FOR PUNISHMENT. I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN YOU GAINED YOUR POWER THEN. NOW, WHAT SHOULD I DO WITH YOU? SHOULD I CONSUME YOU AND TAKE YOUR POWER?" Lucien said, moving closer, his massive form casting a terrifying shadow over Antony. The air crackled with anticipation, a deadly dance between predator and prey.
Just as Lucien prepared to strike, a sudden, impossible sensation. A weight in his hand. Antony looked down, his eyes widening in disbelief. A wooden sword, simple and unadorned, had materialized in his grasp. It was a flimsy, almost comical weapon against the monstrous demon before him, yet its presence was a lifeline, a glimmer of hope in the face of overwhelming despair.
"WOODEN SWORD? YOU THINK YOU CAN DEFEAT ME, SOMEONE FAR STRONGER THAN YOU, WITH A WOODEN SWORD? ADRIAN, DON'T FORGET I'M LEVEL FIFTY, AND YOU ARE NOTHING COMPARED TO ME." Lucien mocked, his laughter a harsh, grating sound that grated on Antony's ears. The demon's contempt was palpable, its confidence absolute.
"I will try whatever I can," Antony said, his voice firm, a newfound resolve hardening his features. He channeled his inner strength, focusing his will. With a surge of desperate energy, he charged the wooden sword with his fire element. The simple wood glowed with a faint, orange light, a testament to his burgeoning power. He lunged forward, a desperate, almost suicidal attack, aiming for Lucien's massive form. The wooden sword connected, a dull thud against the demon's scales. Antony's eyes darted to his gaming screen, hoping for a miracle, a flicker of damage. But there was nothing. Not even a single number appeared, no indication of impact.
"DIDN'T I SAY YOU COULDN'T EVEN SCRATCH ME?" Lucien mocked, his monstrous voice filled with triumphant derision. "NOW I WILL EAT YOU AND TAKE YOUR ELEMENT," he snarled, moving closer, his massive claws reaching for Antony. The end seemed inevitable.
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THE NEW QUEST HAS UNLOCKED.
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DEFEAT THE EBNOSTIC DEMON WITHIN AN HOUR!
```
"Within an hour? The system has lost it, I guess. I can't even beat this monster all day. I'm at level two, and Lucien is at level fifty—it's impossible," Antony muttered, his voice filled with despair. The quest was a cruel joke, a death sentence. He was outmatched, outgunned, and out of time.
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UNLOCK THE POWER BY FINISHING THE QUEST.
```
"What kind of offer is this?" Antony scoffed, a bitter laugh escaping his lips. "If I don't stay alive to get the power, then what's the point of getting it?" He questioned, staring at the system screen that wouldn't go away, its insistent message a constant reminder of his impossible task. "Why isn't it going down? Will it disappear once I defeat this thing?" he muttered, his mind racing, desperately searching for a loophole, a hidden mechanic, anything that could give him an edge.
Then, his eyes fell on the system's inventory, a small, unassuming icon in the corner of the screen. A smirk, faint but definite, appeared on his lips. A flicker of hope, a desperate, audacious idea, began to form. "Let's see what Adrian left for me," Antony said, his voice filled with a newfound determination. The game was far from over. And he, Antony Cole, now Adrian Corleon, was about to play his trump card.