The ruins of the city faded behind them as Liam's group approached the next trial—a towering, obsidian structure that pulsed with an eerie, violet light. The entrance yawned open like a mouth, its edges jagged and uneven, as if the building had been torn from the earth rather than constructed.
[Tutorial Task Updated: Navigate the Maze of Shadows]
[Objective: Survive and reach the exit.]
[Warning: Death is permanent here.]
Liam swallowed hard. Permanent? His fingers twitched toward the drone hovering at his shoulder—his "Eye of the Apocalypse." If the system was serious, then his [Cameraman Never Dies] skill might be the only thing keeping him alive.
Aria stepped forward, her ice-blue eyes scanning the entrance. "Stay close. And don't touch the walls."
Marcus adjusted his crossbow, the [Explosive Bolt Enhancement] glinting ominously. "Why? What's wrong with the walls?"
Aria didn't answer. She simply pointed.
A lone survivor—someone from another group—had stumbled too close to the maze's interior. The moment his fingertips brushed the inky surface, the wall rippled. Tendrils of shadow lashed out, wrapping around his arm like serpents. His scream was cut short as the shadows pulled, dissolving him into the structure with a wet, crunching sound.
The wall settled, smooth and unblemished once more.
Rita's grip on her [Bloodthirst Edge] tightened. "Okay. Don't touch the walls. Got it."
The maze was worse inside.
The corridors shifted, twisting and rearranging themselves like living flesh. The air was thick with a cloying, metallic scent—blood, Liam realized. The walls bled where the shadows had consumed their victims.
Priya's [Healing Mist] flickered nervously around her fingers. "This place is alive."
Liam forced a grin. "Just like my ex's social media. Toxic and always changing."
Aria shot him a look. "Focus."
They moved in formation—Aria at the front, Liam and Marcus flanking, Rita guarding the rear. Every corner was a gamble. Every shadow could be a predator.
Then the whispers started.
At first, Liam thought it was the wind. But the words grew clearer, slithering into his ears like poison.
"You'll never make it."
"They all leave you in the end."
"Failure."
Liam froze. That last one—his father's voice, dripping with disappointment. From the way Aria's jaw clenched, she was hearing something too.
Marcus suddenly raised his crossbow, aiming at nothing. "Shut up! I didn't have a choice!"
"Marcus—" Liam reached for him, but it was too late.
The wall beside Marcus moved. A grotesque, half-formed face pushed through the darkness, its mouth stretching wide.
BOOM
Aria's [Shadow Step] carried her across the corridor in a blur. Her staff slammed into the creature's skull, caving it in. The face dissolved back into the wall with a shriek.
Marcus stumbled back, breathing hard. "It—it was using my sister's voice."
Aria's expression was grim. "The maze preys on fear. Ignore the whispers. They're not real."
Liam's drone hummed, its lens focusing.
[Audience Engagement: 92%].
A notification flashed:
[Fan Gift Incoming: [Echo Mimic] (C Rank) - Activated!]
The skill orb in Liam's pocket pulsed. He didn't hesitate. "Aria, use [Shadow Step] again."
She frowned but obliged, vanishing into the darkness.
Liam focused—and replicated her skill. For sixty seconds, he could teleport.
"New plan," Liam said, grinning. "I'll scout ahead."
Before anyone could argue, he blinked forward, reappearing ten meters down the corridor. The maze's layout seared into his mind—a temporary map.
[Echo Mimic]:55 seconds remaining.
The deeper they went, the worse the illusions became.
Rita slashed at phantoms, her sword drinking shadows. Priya's mist healed wounds that weren't there. Marcus's bolts lit up the darkness, revealing horrors that vanished as soon as the light touched them.
Then they reached the center.
A circular chamber, its ceiling lost in darkness. At its heart stood a figure—a humanoid shape woven from the same inky substance as the walls. Its eyes glowed violet.
[Boss Encounter: Shadow Weaver]
[Level: 5]
[Ability: Fear Manifestation]
The creature rippled, and suddenly, it wasn't alone.
Copies of Liam's group materialized—twisted, monstrous versions of themselves.
Aria's doppelgänger sneered. "You're just a weapon. That's all you'll ever be."
Liam's double laughed. "Who'd follow a Level 0 loser?"
The real Liam exhaled. "Okay. That's just rude."
[Echo Mimic]:10 seconds left.
He had one shot. Liam blinked behind the Shadow Weaver—and activated [Improvised Arsenal].
A broken pipe from the ground morphed in his grip, elongating into a jagged spear. He drove it into the creature's back.
The Weaver screeched, its form unraveling. The maze shuddered, the walls cracking like glass.
"Run!" Aria barked.
The exit appeared ahead, a slash of light in the darkness. They sprinted, the maze collapsing behind them.
They burst into the open air, gasping. The obsidian structure crumbled into dust, leaving no trace.
[Tutorial Task Complete: Maze of Shadows]
[Rewards Distributed]
Aria's [Shadow Step] upgraded to B Rank. Marcus's bolts gained homing properties. Rita's sword now ignited with every third strike.
Liam?
His screen glitched.
[Corrupted Reward Detected]
[Compensating...]
[New Skill Unlocked: [Fear Immunity] (Passive - C Rank)]
[Description: Mental resistance to fear-based attacks.]
Aria studied him. "You're collecting glitches like trading cards."
Liam smirked. "Gotta catch 'em all."
A distant roar echoed—the next trial awaited.
As the group regrouped, Liam's drone flickered. A private message scrolled across his vision:
[Astral Faction "Serpent's Fang" has placed a bounty on your head.]
[Reason: Disrupting their proxy operatives.]
[Reward: 50 Ascension Points.]
Aria's eyes narrowed as Liam showed her the message. "We've got bigger problems than the tutorial."
Liam's grin didn't reach his eyes. "Viewership just went up."
[Audience Engagement: 97%].