Chapter 60

Chapter 60
## Chapter 60: Oath of Truth

Then the rest of the group emerged into the light.

Serengeti let out a small, amused huff.

“Demigod, is this really the trial? It feels like we might finish this far sooner than we thought.”

She gave a dismissive shrug, treating the challenge as a trifle. After all, this was a floor that could be cleared in under five minutes if one simply spoke the truth.

“Considering the rumors about this place…”

“…”

Isaac and Isabella remained composed as well. Since each person was only required to answer a single question, they assumed nothing too humiliating or impossible would be asked.

Soon, a soft, feminine voice resonated in their ears.

《The first question is for Serengeti.》

《‘Do you truly love Hudson?’》

Serengeti shifted her gaze toward me. Perhaps she suspected I was the one who had submitted that query.

“I love him with my entire heart, of course,” she replied, a trace of bashfulness coloring her tone. Her expression and voice were filled with such sincerity that there was no room for suspicion.

《Judgment of the Oath: Truth.》

《The next question is for Isaac.》

《‘What was the reason for your tears in the city square?’》

Isaac’s pupils flickered. It was clear he hadn’t realized anyone had witnessed his uncharacteristic breakdown. Though it was embarrassing, it wasn’t a question he couldn’t answer.

“…… Randolph wiped away my transgressions. My evil deed meter was so high that children avoided me, but that day, a young child walked up and asked why I was crying. It made me weep even harder.”

He went further, offering an even more thorough explanation than required. As a veteran of the continent, Isaac understood that in a party dungeon—especially one as notorious as this—maintaining absolute trust among allies was paramount.

《Judgment of the Oath: Truth.》

《The next question is for Isabella.》

《‘Your manner of speaking is quite unique. Which city do you hail from?’》

Her place of origin.

Isabella looked between Isaac and Serengeti. At the very least, she didn’t seem to think the question came from me. Since I was the one who had recruited her, she likely assumed one of the others was curious about her past.

“…… The desert city, Paysalmer.”

The most difficult starting point possible.

Paysalmer was a desert city with a dark reputation, ruled by a queen and avoided by most of the continent’s population. Simply admitting to being from there often led people to view you with immediate prejudice.

However, Isabella kept her head high. Her complexion differed from the usual inhabitants of Paysalmer anyway, and she remained blissfully unaware of the negative stigma her home held in the outside world.

《Judgment of the Oath: Truth.》

With that, the first three inquiries were settled. Now, it was my turn.

The previous questions had been relatively mundane—the kind of things teammates might naturally wonder about. It seemed that despite not knowing who wrote what, everyone had chosen safe topics to protect each other’s standing. Therefore, I expected my question to be equally manageable.

《The next question is for Randolph.》

《‘Are you the Star Awakener?’》

The atmosphere shifted instantly.

…… The Star Awakener?

I felt a jolt of inner alarm. Who would ask such a thing? Did someone harbor doubts about my identity, or were they so certain of it that they sought a formal confirmation?

‘Star Awakener.’

What exactly did that title mean? In this world, it referred to the guide for those destined to claim a star. A player who reached level 10 with maximum stats would have to seek out the Star Awakener to discover the star’s location.

In that literal sense, I was not one. I never had been. It was a falsehood I had fabricated simply to survive and navigate my circumstances.

If I answered “no” truthfully, I would be admitting to a massive deception. It would be a confession that I had been playing them for fools from the very start. The impact on Isabella and Isaac would be devastating.

‘I approached them using the title of Star Awakener as my shield.’

The seeker of the star. The one who reveres and understands the star. The allure of the unknown was a powerful tool, and that sanctity had served as my perfect disguise. Because of that single lie, Isabella had spared me, and Isaac had come to respect me as an “extraordinary” existence. Without it, I would have died at Isabella’s hands long ago.

‘A lie born of survival.’

But I was the one who had continued to propagate it. I remembered the rules of this chamber. Answer only with the truth, as dictated by the oath. I had willingly accepted the “Truth Oath” bound to my very soul.

“I am—”

No matter what I said, the reality of the situation would be exposed. Perhaps it was better to just state the facts. Lying would result in failing the trial and being ejected with no chance to return. Admitting the truth and attempting to reconcile might at least allow us to continue the challenge.

“The Star Awakener—”

If I denied it, the damage to our bond might be permanent. A single seed of doubt can sprout into a forest of suspicion, rotting even the strongest connections.

So, I spoke my truth.

“Yes.”

…… I stated that I was the Star Awakener.

In the most literal interpretation: I am one who has “awakened” to the power of the stars. I am the one who understands their nature better than anyone else, chosen as the “Star Guardian” by the goddess herself. If I wasn’t the Star Awakener, who could possibly claim the title?

《Judgment of the Oath: Truth.》

I let out a silent breath of relief. Then, a realization hit me.

‘The Demigod is manipulating the questions.’

I had been watching everyone’s faces closely. With my Observation talent, I could track the smallest twitch of a muscle or a shift in expression to gauge their internal states. I noticed the subtle discord in every question.

‘The core of the question remains, but the phrasing is being warped.’

The question for Serengeti—”Do you truly love Hudson?”—was based on what I had written, but it wasn’t exact.

‘I never included the word “truly.”’

“Do you love Hudson?” versus “Do you truly love Hudson?” The weight and pressure of the two are entirely different. The Demigod was twisting the language to make it harder to answer with confidence. However, there was no rule saying I had to provide the answer the asker intended; I only had to answer the question as it was presented.

‘I will meet distortion with distortion.’

The person I used to be would have said “no.” Back then, I viewed this world through the lens of data and numbers—a mere game. But this was now my reality, a world defined by human emotion and complex chemistry. Truth was subjective; if we all accepted it as truth, then it became so. Besides, my answer wasn’t technically a lie. A warped question deserves a warped response.

‘That is why I insisted we cannot discuss the questions afterward.’

Silence was mandatory. Not just in speech, but even through glances. Yet, I didn’t need to talk to them to understand. Their expressions told me everything. Isaac, Isabella, Serengeti—they didn’t hide their thoughts from me.

“Hm.”

Upon hearing my confirmation, they all nodded as if the answer were a foregone conclusion. They had believed in me from the start and never doubted, so my words rang true to them. This was entirely different from my past experiences where everyone hid their true motives. This was trust. It wouldn’t be broken by the Demigod’s minor meddling.

Once I understood the Demigod’s trick of twisting the questions, the trial became simple. We cleared it without further panic and ascended to the next floor, where the environment plunged into shadow once more. A prompt appeared before my eyes.

《The trial of the next layer is ‘Entrance Blockade.’》

《To defend the entrance and succeed, you require one ranged attacker, two shieldbearers, and one healer.》

《Select one of the three roles.》

《The trial begins once all members are ready.》

Three roles were necessary for the blockade: Ranged Attacker, Shieldbearer, and Healer. Three icons—an arrow, a shield, and a pulsing green light—floated in front of me.

‘No chance to coordinate.’

This floor tested our synergy and knowledge of each other’s capabilities. If we overlapped or left a role unfilled, we would fail.

‘Serengeti will choose shieldbearer.’

I had assigned her that role on the first floor. Given the fixed stats, she would likely stick to what she knew.

‘The others are the wildcard.’

I rubbed my chin. If I chose ranged as I had in the past, who would heal? Isaac and Isabella? Would they naturally split between shield and healing? Or should I take the healer role myself? Isaac was a specialist in high-damage combat; he would likely gravitate toward the ranged role.

‘Come to think of it, I haven’t actually shown them any ranged proficiency.’

I frowned. We needed to pick roles that suited us to avoid failure.

《All party members have made their selections.》

The darkness dissolved to reveal a high hilltop. This was the Entrance Blockade. Down below, thousands of “Bomb Bugs”—creatures resembling ladybugs that detonated on contact—were swarming. Their explosions were small, but they released a potent acid that could dissolve flesh instantly. This was why two shieldbearers were required: to physically wall off the blasts.

“Shieldbearers, get to the front and seal the entrance.”

Luckily, we had exactly two.

“Understood!”

Isabella nodded firmly. She and Serengeti moved in unison, raising their heavy shields to block the narrow path up the hill.

“Ranged attacker, focus on any bugs that manage to leap over the line.”

“On it.”

Isaac had taken the ranged role.

《Role Selected: ‘Healer.’》

《The ‘Healer’ can mend the wounds of a designated target.》

《Uses remaining: 5.》

I had ended up as the healer. The logic was sound: only the healer or the ranged attacker could stand in the back to oversee the battlefield and issue commands. I assumed Isaac would take the offensive role, and since I hadn’t demonstrated ranged skills to the group, I stepped into the support slot. Isabella wasn’t the type to lead from the rear, so her choosing shieldbearer made perfect sense. My intuition had been right.

“Here they come!”

The Bomb Bugs began their ascent up the narrow pass. They were only about the size of a fist, but their sheer volume was terrifying.

‘So far, it’s going by the book.’

Everything was proceeding according to the standard strategy. Positions were set, and roles were balanced.

‘But I’m not playing by his rules.’

I had no intention of simply following the Demigod’s script. I began to scan the environment, looking for a way to break the game he had constructed.

“Serengeti, hand me your shield.”

“What?” She looked at me, confused by the sudden request.

“When I give the word, swap places with me.”

“Are you certain?”

“I can handle the positioning better than someone without shield mastery training. When I raise my hand, switch out immediately. Everyone else, wait for my signal.”

“But this shield has specific requirements to use…”

“It’s not an issue.”

I had already checked the requirements for the equipment. Serengeti tentatively handed the shield over.

[Proficiency too low to equip ‘Bomb Bug Shield.’]

The system initially rejected me. However, as soon as my fingers closed around the grip, the interface flickered.

[Hidden Trait ‘Weapon Master’ generates proficiency for ‘Bomb Bug Shield.’]

[Equip requirements for ‘Bomb Bug Shield’ have been bypassed.]

[‘Weapon Master’ increases ‘Bomb Bug Shield’ proficiency to Level 5.]

[‘Dexterity’ increases ‘Bomb Bug Shield’ proficiency to Level 6.]

Usually, only those who selected the shieldbearer role gained the necessary proficiency. But Weapon Master was a broken trait; it granted me expert-level skill with any weapon the moment I touched it. Combined with my Dexterity bonus, my proficiency hit level 6. I felt a surge of strength and familiarity flow into my arm as I braced the shield.