Antony's heart, which had momentarily soared with a desperate, fragile hope, plummeted back into the cold abyss of reality. With trembling fingers, he had tapped the 'Inventory' icon on his shimmering system screen, a last-ditch effort to find some hidden advantage, some forgotten relic left behind by the mysterious Adrian. But the digital space that materialized before him was utterly, disappointingly, barren. Empty. Nothing. Not a single potion, not a hidden blade, not even a crumb of magical dust. The profound emptiness of the inventory mirrored the sudden hollowness in his chest.
"Is this what I was so happy about?" he muttered, the words laced with a bitter, self-deprecating humor. A harsh, cynical laugh escaped his lips, devoid of mirth. "I knew it. He's nothing but an NPC in the game who didn't even survive a month in this cell. It was his death that made Lucien angry enough to unlock his power and kill the Master. But here I am, the NPC who became the protagonist, yet I have no power." He cursed the system under his breath, a silent, impotent rage bubbling within him. The unfairness of it all, the cruel twist of fate that had thrust him into this deadly game with no tools, no guidance, no inherent strength, was almost unbearable. He was a Level 2 character with a wooden sword, facing a Level 50 demon, and his supposed savior, Adrian, had left him with nothing but a cruel joke of an empty inventory.
Just as despair threatened to consume him entirely, a new message, vibrant and insistent, flashed across his system screen, cutting through his dark thoughts like a beacon.
```
NEW SPACE HAS BEEN CREATED IN THE SYSTEM!
```
"New space?" Antony thought aloud, his brow furrowed in confusion. He scanned the system interface, his eyes darting across the various menus and icons, but found nothing immediately apparent, no new tab or glowing indicator. "Is this a joke, system?" he said, his voice tinged with suspicion. The system, in its cryptic, detached way, seemed to be toying with him.
But then, the message clarified, its words resonating with a sudden, profound significance.
```
ANTONY COLE HAS UNLOCKED THE SPACE FOR A COMPANION IN THE SYSTEM!
```
"Companion? I can add a companion?" Antony mumbled, his eyes widening in surprise. The idea was revolutionary, a game-changer in this desperate fight for survival. He looked around at the chaotic surroundings, the screaming children, the fleeing guards, the monstrous form of Lucien still descending the stairs, its growls echoing through the facility. A companion. Someone to fight alongside him, someone to share the burden, someone to… take the hits. A sly, predatory smirk, a reflection of his newly awakened vampiric instincts, touched his lips. This was not just a game; it was a strategy game, and he was a master strategist.
As if in response to his dawning realization, a surge of energy, warm and invigorating, coursed through his veins. The power, dormant until now, unlocked with a soft, almost imperceptible hum. The system chimed once more, its voice now announcing a triumphant declaration.
```
YOU HAVE UNLOCKED A POWER!
```
His character board, which had been a static, grim reminder of his weakness, shimmered and updated, its new statistics a testament to his sudden, unexpected growth.
```
CHARACTER BOARD
HP: 1000/1500
LEVEL: 5
ELEMENT: FIRE
POWER: SKILL WATCHER
WEAPON: WOODEN SWORD
```
```
ANTONY COLE REACHED LEVEL 5!
```
"Level 5! Wow! Didn't expect that to happen so quickly." Antony's voice was filled with genuine surprise, a rare moment of unadulterated joy in this nightmare. "Maybe attacking Lucien leveled me up by gaining experience." He mused, the logic of the game's mechanics still ingrained in his mind. "But the power doesn't seem that great. Let me try it out." Skill Watcher. The name itself was intriguing, hinting at observation, analysis, perhaps even mimicry. He needed a target, a test subject. His eyes scanned the chaotic scene, searching for an opportunity, a way to utilize his new ability.
His gaze landed on a figure in the corner, a guard, standing rigidly, almost unnaturally still amidst the swirling panic. "How can he still stand like that with all this chaos around?" Antony wondered, a flicker of suspicion mixed with his strategic assessment. It was an anomaly, a strange pocket of stillness in a storm of terror. As if on cue, the system, ever responsive to his thoughts, automatically scanned the unmoving guard, displaying his vital statistics.
```
HP: 6000
LEVEL: 10
ELEMENT: NULL
POWER: TANK
WEAPON: NULL
```
"A tank! Just what I need at this moment," Antony smirked, a predatory glint in his eyes. The pieces of his desperate plan began to fall into place. A human shield, a distraction, a meat-shield to absorb Lucien's devastating attacks while he, the protagonist, found a way to exploit the demon's weaknesses. Without hesitation, he began to run towards the guard, his steps purposeful, a new resolve hardening his features.
"Hey, come help me! Or we'll all die here because of the monster," Antony shouted as he reached the guard, his voice urgent, laced with a feigned desperation. He needed to convince this man, to make him believe that their survival depended on his cooperation.
"But how am I supposed to help you? I'm just a guard. I'm not a vampire, I'm not pureblood, and I have no power to fight," the guard replied, his voice trembling with fear, his eyes wide with terror as he glanced at the monstrous form of Lucien, now closer, its growls echoing ominously.
"You just need to stand there. I'll handle everything else," Antony said, his voice firm, leaving no room for argument. He needed this man to be a static target, a bulwark against the demon's fury.
"No, no, the monster will kill me! Did you see those scales? They're so scary—like they could swallow me whole if it wanted to," the guard whimpered, his fear palpable, his body rigid with terror. He was clearly on the verge of a complete breakdown.
"Nothing will happen. Trust me," Antony tried to convince him, his voice a soothing balm, a deceptive promise. He knew, deep down, that something *would* happen, something terrible, but it was a necessary sacrifice.
"No, I'm not moving from my spot," the guard insisted, his feet rooted to the ground, his eyes fixed on the approaching demon. He was paralyzed by fear, a statue of terror.
"How am I supposed to convince this birdbrain? Ugh, whatever. He's right, but if he doesn't stand in front of me, how am I supposed to attack Lucien? I just need this tank for a moment. I don't care if he lives or dies later on," Antony mumbled under his breath, his frustration mounting. The guard's stubbornness was a hindrance, a roadblock in his desperate plan. He needed to act, and he needed to act now.
"What did you say?" the guard asked, his head tilting slightly, having caught a fragment of Antony's muttered words.
"Ah, nothing!" Antony replied quickly, a forced smile on his face. He needed a distraction, a moment of vulnerability. "See, those kids are dying!" He pointed dramatically towards a group of children huddled in a corner, their cries echoing through the hall. As the guard's gaze instinctively shifted, a flicker of concern, a momentary lapse in his terror, crossed his face. It was all the opening Antony needed. With a sudden, powerful shove, he pushed the guard directly towards Lucien, who was now standing at the base of the stairs, his monstrous form looming, growling with saliva dripping onto the man's head.
"W-what did you just do? You tricked me!" the guard stuttered, his voice a choked gasp of fear and betrayal as he stumbled forward, directly into the path of the demon. He turned to face Antony, his eyes wide with a horrifying realization.
"Didn't I say I just needed you to stand there and take all the damage?" Antony said, a chilling smile spreading across his lips. He was no longer the naive gamer; he was Adrian Corleon, a ruthless strategist, willing to sacrifice pawns for the greater good, for his own survival. As the guard's fate was sealed, the system chimed, its message a confirmation of Antony's cold, calculated move.
```
DO YOU WANT TO ADD THIS PERSON TO YOUR COMPANION LIST?
```
```
CLICK 'YES' OR 'NO.'
```
"Yes!" Antony clicked the option without hesitation. The screen shimmered, and the guard's character board, now a part of his own system interface, appeared, adding the terrified man to the player's team. He was now a companion, a resource to be utilized.
"So I have two more spots left. I might soon have space for three more," Antony laughed, a dark, triumphant sound, as he looked at the bewildered guard, who was now facing the full, terrifying might of the Ebnostic Demon. The guard, still reeling from the betrayal, looked back at Antony, his face a mask of confusion.
"Damage? What are you talking about?" the guard asked, just as Lucien, in his monstrous form, unleashed a devastating attack. The guard's body shuddered, and his HP bar, now visible to Antony, plummeted. He was taking the hits, just as Antony had planned.
"Yes, he's taking the hits. Now it's my turn. Cover me," Antony said, his voice sharp with command. He charged his wooden sword with his fire element, the simple wood glowing with a fierce, orange light. With a renewed sense of purpose, he lunged forward, attacking Lucien. The attack connected, a faint shimmer of numbers appearing on his screen, indicating damage. But it was minimal, a mere scratch on the demon's colossal HP bar. He needed more, much more.
"I need another teammate," Antony mumbled, his gaze sweeping across the chaotic scene, searching for another potential ally, another pawn to throw into the fray. As if summoned by his very words, a loud boom echoed from the main entrance, a sound that cut through the screams and growls. A group of people, their forms silhouetted against the dim light, entered the facility, their presence radiating an aura of power and authority. Antony's eyes narrowed, his system instinctively attempting to scan their character boards.
One figure, in particular, stood out, radiating an immense power that dwarfed even Lucien's monstrous aura. The system, responding to his intense focus, displayed the individual's character board.
```
CHARACTER BOARD
HP: 20000/20000
LEVEL: 70
ELEMENT: NULL
POWER: PHYSICAL DAMAGE ATTACKER
WEAPON: AURA SWORD
```
"He's giving off serious main character vibes. But who is he? Why can't I remember?" Antony mumbled, a flicker of envy, sharp and unexpected, piercing through his strategic calculations. This new arrival, with his immense power and formidable weapon, was everything Antony wasn't, everything he aspired to be. He started biting his nails, a nervous habit he thought he had shed.
"No, no, this is not the time for this. I'm sure I'll find out who he is soon, but right now, I have to finish this quest or…" Antony thought, his gaze darting to the system screen, which still displayed the ominous quest: "DEFEAT THE EBNOSTIC DEMON WITHIN AN HOUR!" The consequences of failure were dire, a threat that loomed large over his head.
```
THE PUNISHMENT FOR NOT FINISHING THE QUEST WILL BE A LIGHTNING STRIKE ON THE PLAYER.
```
"Damn this system! I just entered it, and it's already planning stupid punishments," Antony muttered, a frustrated sigh escaping his lips. He charged his fire attack towards Lucien, a desperate attempt to chip away at the demon's formidable health. The numbers flickered: 500 HP lost from Lucien's 10000 HP. A paltry sum, a drop in the ocean.
"A long way to go!" Antony said, his voice grim. He charged another attack, a desperate, almost futile effort. But this time, an extra 1000 damage, a surge of power that wasn't his own, registered on the screen. "What? Where is that damage coming from?" he asked, his eyes darting towards the unknown character who had just entered, the Level 70 Physical Damage Attacker.
"Is it him?" he mumbled, a flicker of hope igniting within him. "It might be," he continued to mumble, a plan, audacious and risky, beginning to form in his mind. He needed this person, this powerful stranger, to help him.
"Hey, I know you're a newly awakened vampire, but you still have a long way to go. Your aura isn't that strong, and it fades once you charge your power. You might want to stand back. My team will handle this," the unknown person said, his voice calm and authoritative, his gaze assessing Antony with a practiced eye. He was clearly a leader, a seasoned veteran of this brutal world.
Antony's heart sank. His plan, his desperate hope, was about to be thwarted. But then, the system, ever the unpredictable wild card, chimed in, its message a lifeline.
```
THE QUEST MUST BE COMPLETED BY THE PROTAGONIST ONLY!
```
Antony seized the opportunity, a triumphant smirk returning to his face. "Thanks, but can we attack the monster together? I think I need to stay here, as the monster is solely targeting me. If I move, it will follow, so I need to be here to finish it," Antony lied, his voice earnest, his eyes wide with feigned vulnerability. He needed this powerful ally, and the system had just given him the perfect excuse.
"Then shall we finish it together?" the person said, a slight smile playing on his lips. He unbuckled the formidable Aura Sword from his waist, its blade gleaming ominously in the dim light. The gesture was a silent agreement, a powerful alliance forged in the crucible of chaos.
```
THE QUEST IS IN PROGRESS!
```
"Now the real fight begins!" Antony said, a surge of adrenaline coursing through him. He charged his fire element towards Lucien, a fiery projectile streaking across the room, while the unknown person, a blur of motion, unleashed a devastating physical attack. The combined assault, a symphony of elemental magic and raw power, slammed into Lucien, causing the demon to roar in pain.
As their combined attacks found their mark, the system chimed once more, its message a clear invitation.
```
DO YOU WANT TO ADD THE PERSON BESIDE YOU TO YOUR COMPANION TEAM?
```
```
CHOOSE 'YES' OR 'NO.'
```
Antony's finger hovered over the 'Yes' option, a triumphant grin spreading across his face. This was it. This was how he would survive. This was how he would win. The game had just gotten a whole lot more interesting. He had a tank, a powerful damage dealer, and a quest to complete. The odds were still against him, but for the first time since he woke up in this nightmare, Antony felt a flicker of hope, a surge of confidence. He was no longer just a player; he was a protagonist, and he was ready to lead his team to victory.