Lucien sat in the darkness, back against a broken column, hands stained with blood that wasn't his.
The chaos he orchestrated still echoed—screams, the clash of panicked feet, the sickening crunch of someone being trampled in fear.
He didn't stop it.
He watched.He learned.
Two people were dead. One, his kill. The other crushed when a girl wielding a rusted blade swung too wide in panic. Several more were injured—physically and mentally. Fear was now in full bloom.
Exactly as planned.
[Deceiver Trait: Activated]Manipulating perception has granted +1 bonus EXPFear breeds influence. Influence breeds control.
Lucien smirked. That was the real game. Not strength, not courage, but control. Fear was the perfect leash, and tonight, he had slipped it around their necks.
A voice called from nearby. "Is… is everyone okay?"
Lucien stood, calmly stepping into the small circle of survivors now gathered around a makeshift camp of debris and bones. Five remained—two girls, two men, and the bloodied teenager who had barely escaped the night's chaos.
Their eyes found him. Hopeful. Tired. Fractured.
Lucien put on his mask again—the voice of stability.
"The beast fled when it realized we were awake," he lied smoothly. "We lost Ben... but we survived."
One of the girls—Naia, a healer type from her robes—looked uncertain. "But… I heard Ben scream. I thought… I thought you were on watch?"
Lucien's expression hardened. "I was. I saw it grab him. I tried to save him."
Lie #12: Cement the hero role. Never show hesitation.
Naia frowned, but the teenager—Calen—nodded fervently. "He saved me! I was frozen. If not for him, I'd be dead too!"
Lucien gave him a modest nod, hiding the satisfaction curling in his chest.
Let them defend me. The best lies are the ones they choose to believe.
They moved slowly through the ruins of B100, the floor dimly lit by faint bioluminescent moss clinging to broken walls. Pillars of shattered stone towered like gravestones. Somewhere in the distance, an echo pulsed—wet, slithering, low.
Calen trembled. "That's it… that's the thing that killed Ben."
If only you knew.
Lucien stepped to the front of the group, scanning ahead. His map was blank. No quest markers. No compass. Just instinct and the cold guidance of the system.
[System Update: Skill Tree Available][You have 3 paths based on actions taken:]
Path of the Predator"Hunt the weak. Kill to grow."
Boost stealth, ambush damage, and execution skills.
Path of the Mask"Lie, manipulate, ascend unseen."
Improve persuasion, deception, and false leadership abilities.
Path of the Parasite"Use others. Feed off their success."
Steal EXP from allies, gain buffs when nearby stronger players.
Lucien didn't hesitate.
[Path Chosen: The Mask][Skill Unlocked: False Authority (Lv.1) – Your commands sound 30% more believable. You appear trustworthy to lower-level players.]
Perfect, he thought. Let them fight. Let me lead.
Just then, Naia hissed, "Wait! Did you hear that?"
They froze.
It came from the left—beyond a collapsed wall. A hiss. A low rattle. Heavy, deliberate slithering.
Lucien's system pulsed again.
[Warning: Floor Boss detected – The Glutton Serpent has emerged.][Health: 22,400 / 22,400]Level: ???Danger: Fatal]
A monstrous shape rose beyond the wall—scaled, grotesque, jaw unhinging wide enough to swallow a man whole. Its eyes glowed a deep violet. Fangs like spears.
Naia screamed.
Calen turned to run.
Lucien grabbed his arm. "No—don't move. We can't outrun it. We need to—"
He cut off, eyes darting to the terrain.
Behind them: a small crevice between two fallen slabs. Big enough for three at most.
He made a decision in seconds.
"Naia! Calen! With me!"
The others hesitated. Lucien shoved Calen toward the crevice, then Naia.
The other two men? He left them.
The serpent crashed through the wall with a roar. Lucien dove into the crevice just as one of the men shrieked.
He turned in time to see the monster wrap its massive body around the screaming survivor and crush him with a sickening pop.
[EXP gained from indirect kill: +3][Deceiver Bonus: Nearby death while hiding = +1 EXP]
Inside the crevice, Naia was sobbing, hand over her mouth. Calen was pale, eyes unfocused.
Lucien whispered, "Quiet. Let it feed."
They waited in the dark, breath held. Outside, bones cracked and flesh tore. The serpent fed, then slithered away, leaving blood and silence.
Naia broke the stillness. "We left them. We left them to die…"
Lucien said nothing. But in his heart, he smiled.
No. I used them to live.
Hours later, they regrouped. Three remained.
Naia was quiet, eyes hollow. Calen seemed more attached than ever, walking near Lucien like a loyal pup.
[Trait Evolved: Mask of Leadership – Your lies now inspire temporary buffs to followers' morale.]
Lucien tested it.
"We have to keep moving. Every floor is a test. But we've survived the worst of it."
Calen nodded instantly. "Right. If we follow you, we'll be okay."
Naia hesitated. "Are you sure this isn't just luck?"
Lucien turned to her, voice soft. "Do you believe luck saved you? Or choices?"
She didn't reply.
Good.
He didn't need her to trust him. He only needed her to follow.
As they walked forward, deeper into the deathtrap of the Black Tower, Lucien's system chimed one final time for the night:
[Title Earned: Mask of the Blood-Tested]You have led others to their deaths and survived unscathed. Your presence unnerves those who suspect, and reassures those who don't.
Lucien closed the window, smiling.
There was no justice in this place. No fairness. No good or evil.
There was only survival—and the lies you told to achieve it.