Antony's vision swam, the edges of his perception blurring into a sickly green haze. The poison, insidious and relentless, was tightening its grip, each beat of his heart a painful throb against his temples. Yet, despite the encroaching darkness, his mind remained sharp, his resolve unbroken. He had faced down a demon, survived its toxic touch, and he would not succumb to a mere healer's avarice. He fixed his gaze on Liah, the girl whose face was a mask of calculated indifference, and forced a strength into his voice he didn't feel.
"Okay, let's trade!" Antony said, the words a desperate gamble, but delivered with a surprising firmness. He was playing a dangerous game, bargaining for his life, but he had to maintain the illusion of control, of having something valuable to offer.
Liah's lips curved into a slow, predatory smirk, a glint of triumph in her eyes. She knelt on the floor, her movements fluid and graceful, her gaze sweeping over Antony's poisoned form with an almost clinical detachment. "Now that's what I call a good companion!" Her voice, though seemingly light, carried an undertone of sharp calculation. She was enjoying this, reveling in his desperation.
"So, kid, what do you think you will trade with me?" Her eyes, sharp and assessing, bored into his. "Don't say you'll trade something in the future but want me to save you first. Because I'm not going to get anything later. So, whatever you want to trade, just hand it over now." She blew a kiss to her staff, a polished, ornate piece of wood that seemed to hum with latent power. Her impatience was palpable, a thinly veiled threat. She wasn't interested in promises; she wanted tangible assets.
Antony's mind raced, the poison making his thoughts sluggish, yet he pushed through the haze. He knew her type. He had encountered countless players like her in his games – the opportunistic ones, the ones who saw every interaction as a transaction, every life as a commodity. He had to play this carefully, to make her believe he held the upper hand, even as his body screamed in protest. He had to make her want what he had, to make her believe it was worth more than his immediate survival.
"No, no, this isn't something I want to trade in the future," Antony countered, his voice gaining a surprising edge of defiance. He pushed himself up slightly, a painful effort, but one that conveyed a sense of agency. "But I want something to benefit me too, so the trade needs to be fair. If you don't want what I'm going to offer, then I'd rather die than be saved by you." He looked keenly at Liah, a challenge in his eyes. It was a bluff, a desperate one, but he had to sell it. He was betting his life on her greed, on her inability to resist a truly valuable prize.
Liah's smirk widened, a flicker of genuine amusement crossing her features. "Nice. I'm also not going to play dirty. So, tell me, what kind of trade do you want from me? The sooner, the better, or you'll die, and then don't blame me." She winked at him, a gesture that was both playful and chilling. She respected his audacity, his willingness to bargain even on the brink of death. This was a game she understood, a game she excelled at.
"Liah, just do it. He will die, and then the trade won't be fair," the unknown person, the Level 70 warrior, shouted, his expression furrowed with concern. He was clearly impatient, worried about Antony's rapidly deteriorating condition. His intervention, though well-intentioned, only served to strengthen Antony's hand. Liah knew he was valuable, that his death would be a loss to the team.
Antony seized the moment, his voice cutting through the tension, clear and strong despite the poison ravaging his body. "The Ebnostic Demon scale! I'll hand you the Ebnostic Demon scale, which is an 'A' level boss drop. In return, you heal me whenever I need it. If you want this, I'll hand over the scale; otherwise, the trade is off." He laid out his terms, bold and uncompromising. The scale, a tangible, powerful artifact, was his leverage. The promise of future healing, a long-term investment. It was a deal designed to appeal to her mercenary nature, to her desire for power and profit.
Liah's eyes widened, her calculating facade momentarily cracking. Her gaze flickered to the dead demon, then back to Antony, a dawning realization in her eyes. "You defeated the demon? So what Matthew said was true?" she mumbled, almost to herself. The Level 70 warrior, Matthew, had clearly given her a brief, perhaps understated, account of the battle. The scale was proof, undeniable evidence of Antony's incredible feat.
"Do you want to trade or not?" Antony pressed, his voice sharp with impatience. He could feel the poison spreading, a cold numbness creeping up his limbs. He didn't have much time.
"Yeah, yeah, sure," Liah said, her usual composure replaced by an almost childlike eagerness. She couldn't contain her smile, a wide, genuine grin that transformed her face. The prospect of such a valuable loot, an 'A' level boss drop, was too tempting to resist. She swung her staff in the air, a graceful, practiced motion, and a soft, white aura descended over Antony, enveloping him in a warm, comforting glow. The greenish signs on his body, the visible manifestation of the poison, slowly receded, fading away as if wiped clean by an unseen hand. The burning sensation in his veins subsided, replaced by a soothing coolness. He felt the strength returning to his limbs, the clarity to his mind. He was free from the poison, saved by the very person who had just moments ago been bargaining for his life.
"I did it, Mr. Whatever-Your-Name-Is. Now hand me the scale. I want my reward—the sooner, the better," Liah said, her hand outstretched, her eyes shining like diamonds, fixed on his pocket. Her professionalism had returned, but the eagerness remained. She had upheld her end of the bargain, and now she expected him to uphold his.
Antony, now fully recovered, felt a wave of bitter resentment wash over him. He had risked his life, faced down a monstrous demon, and the reward, the tangible proof of his victory, was about to be handed over to this greedy healer. "I don't know what kind of luck I had to end up in this dumpster. That stupid Adrian didn't leave anything for me, and what I earned is going into her pocket. This life is trash. I would have been better off being born in Lucien's body. Then I'd have the protagonist's body and luck," he mumbled under his breath, a torrent of self-pity and frustration. He, Antony Cole, the gamer, had always been the one to acquire the loot, to reap the rewards. Now, he was forced to give it away, a pawn in a game he hadn't chosen.
"Did you say something?" Liah asked, her head cocked to the side, a hint of suspicion in her voice. She had heard something, a faint murmur, but couldn't quite make it out.
"No. Here, the scale!" Antony said, his voice a little too loud, a little too quick. He pulled the Ebnostic Demon scale from his inventory, its surface still slick with the demon's ichor, and held it out. It was a grotesque trophy, but a valuable one.
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DO YOU WANT TO SEND THE 'A' LEVEL DROP TO LIAH CAMILLO?
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'YES' OR 'NO'?
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The system chimed, its prompt a final confirmation. With a sigh of resignation, Antony selected the 'Yes' option. Liah snatched the scale, her fingers closing around it possessively, her eyes gleaming with unadulterated joy. She held it up to the light, admiring its grotesque beauty, a triumphant smile on her face. She had gotten her prize.
"Such a greedy character!" Antony mumbled, watching her. But then, a flicker of recognition, a memory stirring from the depths of his gaming knowledge. "No, no, now that I think about it, there was a character like this in the game." He tried to recall the details, the name, the role. "I don't quite remember the name, but there was a group of three in the game who helped the protagonist get out of this institute and helped him level up to become a proper almighty vampire. They later became his subordinates, but Liah was never satisfied and eventually betrayed Lucien." The memory, though hazy, sent a chill down his spine. This Liah, with her calculating eyes and insatiable greed, was a dangerous ally, a potential future enemy. "No, I have to be careful with this woman," Antony mumbled, a new layer of caution settling over him. He had survived the demon, but the human element, the betrayal, was a far more insidious threat.
"Hey, you okay?" the man named Matthew, the Level 70 warrior, asked, his voice cutting through Antony's thoughts. He had approached, his gaze assessing, a hint of concern in his eyes. Antony realized he had been lost in his own mind, oblivious to his surroundings.
"Yes, I'm fine. Thanks for saving me," Antony said, rising from the floor, his body feeling light, rejuvenated. He was truly grateful for Matthew's intervention, for his unwavering support in the face of the demon.
"Now what's next? I don't think you can stay here any longer. The owner of this institution is dead, and so are all the children. You have no option but to join us. If you want to, that is—no one is going to force you," Matthew said, his voice calm and reasonable. He gestured around the ruined facility, the dead Master, the scattered bodies of the children. There was nothing left here for Antony, no reason to stay. The offer was an invitation, not a demand, but the implication was clear: join them, or face the unknown alone.
"Hey, Matthew, have you lost it?" Liah said, charging at him, her face a mask of indignation. She had clearly overheard Matthew's offer, and she was not pleased.
"What do you mean by 'I've lost it'? Don't tell me you're drunk?" Matthew asked suspiciously, his brow furrowed. He was clearly confused by her sudden outburst.
"I'm not, but didn't you hear him telling me that I need to heal him whenever he wants? Then isn't it obvious he's made up his mind to come with us? If he hadn't, why would he hand me something so valuable just to be saved by me once?" Liah said, rolling her eyes, her logic cold and irrefutable. She had already claimed her prize, and in her mind, that sealed the deal. Antony was theirs.
"Oh, yes!" Matthew said, a light of understanding dawning in his eyes. He turned to Antony, a knowing smile on his face. Liah, despite her greed, was surprisingly astute.
"Yes, I want to join you on this adventure. I have just recently awakened my pure blood power. I still need to level up. I'm only at level 10, so I want to join you, if you'll have me," Antony said, his voice earnest, a carefully constructed blend of humility and ambition. He was selling himself, making himself indispensable. He needed them, and he needed them to believe they needed him.
"Just say yes, you morons!" Antony thought to himself, a silent plea to the system, to the universe. He had laid out his cards, now it was their turn.
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THE COMPANION MATTHEW BRAMBLE IS RAISING HIS SUSPICION OF YOU!
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The system chimed, a sudden, unwelcome warning. Matthew's eyes, though still friendly, held a flicker of doubt, a subtle shift in his expression. Antony had to act fast, to dispel any lingering suspicion.
"You don't have to look at me like that," Antony said, a charming smile on his face. "As you said before, my aura is still weak because I don't know how to use my power. So, if you train me, I'd like to find out what I'm good at and what I can do in the future." He played on Matthew's sense of mentorship, his desire to cultivate talent. He was a blank slate, eager to learn, a valuable asset to any team.
"Oh, sure, yeah. And your aura is even fainter now because of the poison you consumed. There might still be some poison left in your body. Liah is a healer, but she's still learning. She's only at level thirty, so her skills aren't mastered. She somehow got her hands on this legendary staff, which is why she was able to clear the poison from your body; otherwise, she's not that proficient," Matthew said, his voice casual, almost dismissive of Liah's abilities. He was clearly trying to reassure Antony, to explain away his weakness. But his words also revealed a crucial piece of information: Liah's staff was legendary, and she was still learning. This meant her power was not entirely her own, and she was not as skilled as she pretended to be.
"Obviously, she didn't get the treasure herself. She got it by taking advantage of someone's life, and he traded the staff for his," Antony mumbled under his breath, a cynical observation. He knew the game, he knew how these things worked. Someone had paid a heavy price for that staff, and Liah had simply reaped the benefits.
"Did you say something?" Matthew asked, his head tilting slightly, having caught a fragment of Antony's muttered words.
"No, I don't think I have any poison left in my body," Antony answered, quickly changing the subject. He didn't want to reveal his true thoughts about Liah, not yet. His eyes, sweeping across the group, landed on the third companion, a hulking figure standing silently in the background, almost hidden in the shadows. He had been so focused on Matthew and Liah that he had almost forgotten about the third member.
"Oh, by the way, you still haven't introduced me to the third member of your group. Where is he?" Antony asked, a genuine curiosity in his voice. He needed to know everyone on his new team, to understand their strengths and weaknesses.
"Oh yes, don't be scared of him. He's not fully human, nor fully monster, or you could say animal," Matthew said, a hint of amusement in his voice. His words were cryptic, designed to pique Antony's interest, to prepare him for the unexpected.
"What do you mean?" Antony asked, his brow furrowed. The description was unsettling, reminiscent of Lucien's monstrous transformations. He wondered if this companion was another one of the Master's experiments, another twisted creation.
"You'll know once you see him," Matthew said, a knowing smile on his face. He then turned and called out, his voice echoing through the now quiet facility. "Kael! Come here if you're done finding treasure!"
From the deeper shadows of the ruined facility, a massive, hulking figure emerged. It moved with a lumbering gait, its form obscured by the dim light, but its presence was undeniable, radiating an immense, raw power. As it drew closer, Antony could make out its features: a body like a bear, covered in thick, coarse fur, powerful limbs ending in massive paws, and a head that was neither fully human nor fully animal, but a terrifying blend of both. It growled, a deep, guttural sound that vibrated through the very ground. Kael. The third companion. Antony's new team was certainly… unconventional. But in this new, brutal world, unconventional might just be what he needed to survive. The adventure, it seemed, was just beginning. And he, Antony Cole, now Adrian Corleon, was ready to face whatever monstrous allies or treacherous enemies awaited him.