"Hey, hey! You, player no. 12! Don't ignore me!" The shrill, indignant voice of the tiny creature, a miniature tempest of digital fury, cut through Antony's feigned indifference. It stomped its tiny, invisible leg in the air, its frustration palpable even to Antony's human senses. He had been trying to ignore it, to dismiss it as a hallucination, a lingering effect of the demon's poison, but its persistence was beginning to wear him down.
Antony, startled, turned towards the little creature, which hovered just beyond Matthew's line of sight, its form shimmering faintly in the dim light of the corridor. "What do you mean by player no. 12? What are you hiding from me?" he demanded, his voice rising, a raw edge of frustration creeping in. He had forgotten, in his annoyance, that he was no longer communicating telepathically with the system. His words, sharp and accusatory, echoed in the confined space, instantly drawing Matthew's attention.
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UNCENSORED CONVERSATION DETECTED!
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The system chimed, a warning, a subtle reprimand for his lapse in judgment. But Antony was too agitated to care. "I asked you, what do you mean by player 12?" he repeated, his voice now a full-blown shout, his eyes fixed on the indignant creature. Matthew, startled by Antony's sudden outburst, grabbed his shoulder, shaking him gently.
"Antony? Did you just say something? Why did you shout all of a sudden? Is something wrong?" Matthew asked, his brow furrowed with concern. He was clearly worried, attributing Antony's strange behavior to the lingering effects of the poison.
"Ah, sorry. I think something is wrong with me," Antony said, quickly recovering, forcing a sheepish smile. He slapped his own face lightly, a theatrical gesture designed to reinforce the illusion. "I think the poison has indeed gotten into my body. I keep hearing voices." He hoped Matthew would buy it, that his performance was convincing enough.
"Hey, hey! You are not hearing voices. I'm here!" the little creature shouted, stomping its leg in the air again, its tiny face contorted in a comical expression of annoyance. It was clearly not amused by Antony's attempts to dismiss its existence.
"I'm hearing the voice again. Let's get out of here," Antony said, feigning a shiver, his eyes darting around as if searching for an unseen tormentor. He needed to get away from the system's manifestation, to regain control of the situation. Matthew, ever the protector, immediately agreed.
"Yeah! You should get healed by Liah once again, or you might end up like that friend of yours," Matthew said, his voice grim, referring to the unfortunate guard who had served as Antony's tank. He began to lead Antony out of the chamber, towards the ground floor where Liah and Kael were waiting. Meanwhile, Antony, with a renewed effort, succeeded in ignoring the little creature, who continued to buzz around his head like an angry, digital fly.
"Hey, player no. 12, you are really getting on my nerves! How dare you ignore me! The system that chose you to be player no. 12—you are ignoring the system? The consequences won't be good if you keep this up," the little creature hissed, its voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper as it moved from Antony's right side to his left, fluttering directly into his ear. Its tiny, glowing eyes seemed to bore into his very soul, a silent threat.
"Do you still hear the voices?" Matthew asked, glancing at Antony, who was now walking with a strained expression, trying to maintain his facade of illness.
"Yeah, I guess!" Antony answered, his voice tight. He just wanted this annoying creature to disappear, to stop revealing the system's secrets.
"Walk faster! We need to reach them," Matthew replied, picking up his pace, clearly eager to get Antony to Liah for healing. Antony, despite his internal struggle, was grateful for Matthew's concern, even if it was based on a lie.
As soon as they reached the ground floor, Matthew, without a word, pushed Antony toward Liah, who was leaning against a wall, her arms crossed, an impatient expression on her face. "Heal him again. He's hallucinating. Maybe the poison is getting into his body again," Matthew urged, his voice firm, leaving no room for argument.
Liah, however, was not so easily swayed. She eyed Antony with a dismissive glance, a sneer playing on her lips. "Why would I? If he's turning into a monster, he should just be one. Then we wouldn't need to bother adding him to our team. And after that, we'll defeat him and take the boss drop we need. I'm sure he wouldn't be a B-level boss but maybe a D-level boss if he turned into a monster, so we wouldn't get anything even if we defeated him. Waste of time," Liah said, her voice cold and calculating, her eyes gleaming with avarice. She was already planning his demise, calculating the potential profit from his transformation. Her words were a stinging insult, a direct challenge to his worth.
Antony, his patience finally snapping, confronted her, stepping directly in front of her, his eyes blazing with a cold fury. "Didn't we have a deal, Miss Liah Camillo? That you would heal me whenever I needed it? Aren't you going back on your word?" His voice was low, dangerous, a stark contrast to his earlier feigned weakness. He was no longer the helpless victim; he was the protagonist, and he would not be trifled with.
"Ready to receive punishment if you break your word?" he added, his voice a chilling whisper. He was pushing her, testing her resolve, her commitment to the bargain they had struck.
"W-what punishment? You say it, and I'll accept the punishment. You're still a kid. And perhaps you have indeed been conned by me," Liah laughed, a harsh, mocking sound that grated on Antony's ears. She ignored his threat, dismissing him as a naive child, too foolish to understand the true nature of their world. Her arrogance was her undoing.
"Oh really?" Antony asked, a dangerous glint in his eyes. He had given her a chance, and she had thrown it away. Matthew, sensing the escalating tension, stepped forward.
"Liah, stop it! And heal him!" Matthew shouted, his voice sharp with command. He knew Antony was valuable, that his life was worth saving. But Liah, stubborn and defiant, refused.
"I won't!" Liah persisted, her arms crossed, her chin held high. She was challenging Matthew's authority, her own greed blinding her to the impending danger.
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DO YOU WANT TO BREAK THE TRADE, RESULTING IN PUNISHMENT FOR THE OPPOSITE PARTY?
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'YES' OR 'NO'?
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The system chimed, its prompt appearing only to Antony, a silent confirmation of his power. He had the authority to enforce the contract, to punish those who dared to break their word. Without hesitation, Antony chose 'Yes.' The consequences were hers to bear.
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THE LIGHTNING STRIKE WILL FALL UPON LIAH CAMILLO IN THREE SECONDS!
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ONE.
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TWO.
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THREE.
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THE LIGHTNING STRIKE WILL FALL UPON CAMILLO!
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As the system chimed its final warning, a blinding flash of light erupted from the sky, followed by a deafening crack of thunder. A bolt of pure, unadulterated energy, a manifestation of the system's wrath, struck Liah Camillo directly. She dropped to her knees, screaming loudly, her cries echoing throughout the entire place, a chilling symphony of pain. Her body convulsed, arcs of electricity dancing across her skin, her hair standing on end. Matthew, horrified, knelt in front of her, trying to understand the reason for her agony. But she couldn't speak, only scream. Her entire body turned a sickly blue, her veins becoming visible, pulsating beneath her skin. The lightning continued to arc across her body, a relentless punishment.
"System, freeze!" Antony mumbled, his voice low, a command that transcended the physical realm. He had seen this ability in games, a way to pause the world, to gain an advantage. He wanted to savor this moment, to make Liah understand the true extent of his power.
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FREEZE!
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The system chimed, and the world around them instantly froze. Matthew, Kael, the fleeing children, even the dust motes suspended in the air – all became motionless, trapped in a temporal stasis. Only Antony and Liah remained able to move, isolated in their chilling tableau. Liah, still screaming, her body wracked with pain, was forced to endure the full weight of her punishment, her eyes wide with terror as she stared at Antony.
"Did you think you were the only smart one here? Hahaha! You underestimated me, Liah Camillo. You thought I was a kid who would do nothing," Antony said, his voice cold, devoid of emotion. He reached out, his hand gripping her chin, forcing her to raise her head, to meet his gaze. She kept shivering, her body trembling uncontrollably, a testament to the agony she was enduring.
"You think I gave you the A-level scale because I was scared? No! That's where you made a mistake, thinking I handed it over because I was afraid. I gave it to you because I wanted this life more than the scale. But now, you're the one who broke the trade. It's not like I wanted to break it too. But you did. So, aren't you going to bear the punishment?" Antony said, his smirk widening, a cruel satisfaction in his eyes as he looked at her trembling body. He was teaching her a lesson, a brutal, unforgettable lesson about consequences and broken promises.
"W-who are you? Why do you have all this power?" Liah stuttered, her voice a broken whisper, her eyes wide with a mixture of fear and dawning comprehension. She was finally seeing him, not as a naive kid, but as something far more dangerous, far more powerful.
"Why? Why do I have this power? And why would I tell you?" he said, his voice laced with a mocking amusement. He was enjoying her fear, her confusion. He was in control, and she was at his mercy.
"W-who are you?" she asked again, a desperate plea for understanding.
"I—I may be someone more worthy of being in this game than you," he said, a dark laugh escaping his lips. He was the protagonist, the chosen one, and she was nothing but a minor character, a disposable pawn in his grand scheme. "Game? What are you saying?" Liah asked, her eyes widening further, a flicker of understanding, a terrifying realization, crossing her face. She was starting to grasp the truth, the true nature of their reality.
"Erase Liah Camillo's memory! I'm done with whatever I needed to do," he said, looking at the screen in front of him, his voice firm, his decision absolute. He had no further use for her, no need for her memories of his power.
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LIAH CAMILLO'S MEMORY HAS BEEN ERASED. SHE WILL BE FROZEN WITH THE OTHERS,
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The system chimed, its command executed instantly. Liah's eyes glazed over, her struggles ceased, and her body became rigid, frozen in place, just like the rest of the world. "Good, I didn't even need to order the system to freeze her," he laughed, a chilling sound that echoed in the silent, frozen world. He had gained a new level of control, a new understanding of the system's capabilities.
"Now, you little creature! You've been getting on my nerves for a while now. Do you think I've really lost my mind, thinking I'm going crazy because of some poison? Ha! I'm far better than that," Antony said, turning his attention to the tiny, angry manifestation of the system, which was still hovering beside him, its tiny horns twitching with indignation. It had two small black horns on its head like a goblin, but its face was cuter than any goblin could look. Its shape was like a little squirrel, but not quite. Hard to describe, yet undeniably present.
"How dare you ignore me, player no. 12!" the little creature said angrily, its voice squeaky but filled with fury. It stomped its tiny leg in the air, its frustration palpable. Antony, now fully in control, picked up the little creature in his right hand, holding it firmly.
"Just tell me, what do you mean by player no. 12? How am I player no. 12? How am I not the number 1 player in this system? What has the system been hiding from me after making me the protagonist without my consent?" Antony demanded, his voice low and dangerous. He was done with the games, done with the secrets. He wanted answers, and he wanted them now.
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UNCENSORED CONVERSATION DETECTED!
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The system chimed, a final warning before the truth was revealed. Antony tightened his grip on the little creature, his eyes fixed on its indignant face. He was ready for whatever secrets the system held. He was the protagonist, and he would uncover every truth, no matter how unsettling. The game was about to get a lot more complicated, and Antony was ready for it.