The water churned.
The once-calm surface of the underground river shattered violently, as if something had fallen from an impossible height. Waves spread outward until a body was dragged by the current and slammed against the shore.
Max.
His adventurer's uniform was torn, soaked, and stained with dark filth. The impact jolted him awake immediately.
"Gh—!" he coughed violently.
He rolled onto his side, spitting out the water trapped in his lungs. His chest burned as if it were on fire. Every breath was painful—but real.
With a clumsy motion, he pushed himself up and ended up sitting, hugging himself as he struggled to breathe.
"I'm… alive…" he murmured, incredulous.
He looked up.
He was at the bottom of the cliff, inside an enormous cavern. A river ran through it with a constant murmur, and the walls were covered in rocks that glowed faintly in bluish and violet hues, illuminating the darkness in an unnatural way.
"So… there was a river," he laughed weakly.
Lowering his gaze, he began inspecting his body. It hurt, but he didn't feel any broken bones. It made no sense.
The System had said he would die.
Or maybe… it lied again.
A screen appeared in front of him.
Current Status
Level: -5
Strength: -520
Endurance: -680
Agility: -200
State: Critically Unstable
Max blinked several times.
"Negative… level?"
Before he could process it, the screen changed.
---
Active Mission
Name: Remain Still
Description: Do not move from this location.
Warning: Any movement will drastically reduce your chances of survival.
"Of course…" he whispered. "Just like always."
For the first time since arriving in this world, Max felt no fear in ignoring the order.
He stood up.
A sharp pain shot through his body, but he clenched his teeth and took a step. Then another.
The screen flickered immediately.
Warning
Mission failed.
Survival probability: Reduced.
---
"Perfect."
He followed the river, moving deeper into the cave. The glow of the rocks intensified—and with it, a metallic stench filled the air.
Blood.
Flesh.
Max stopped.
Before him stood a gigantic creature, devouring the shredded remains of another monster.
It had the shape of a colossal velociraptor, covered in black, obsidian-like bone plates. But its face was the most disturbing part.
It had no eyes.
Where they should have been, there was only smooth, sealed flesh. Its head moved slowly, guided by sound and scent. Each bite crushed bone with a sickening crunch.
The screen appeared violently.
Creature Detected
Name: Vorak, the Echo Devourer
Classification: Abyssal Beast
Level: ???
Threat: Absolute
---
The System flickered again.
Mission Failed: Remain Still
Penalty applied.
Current Level: -12
New skill acquired.
Max frowned.
"A skill?"
The information unfolded.
Skill: Result Forgery
Type: Active
When the System determines an impossible outcome or a null probability, you may force the opposite result once per activation.
Cost: Unknown
Max's heart began to pound.
A new window appeared.
---
New Mission
Name: Escape
Objective: Escape from Vorak, the Echo Devourer.
Survival Probability: 0%
Max smiled.
Not in fear.
"I get it now…" he murmured. "When you say there's no way…"
He looked at the beast.
"…that's when I can do it."
The screen distorted briefly.
"Result Forgery."
The world seemed to tilt.
Vorak snapped its head around and unleashed a guttural roar.
Max didn't run.
He charged forward.
The next instant was impossible—
a strike that shouldn't exist, a strength he had no right to possess. The result imposed itself over logic.
The beast trembled… and fell.
Silence filled the cavern once more.
The screen appeared one last time.
---
Lie confirmed.
Condition fulfilled.
Liar System fully activated.
Max took a deep breath.
For the first time…
The System had told the truth.