Texas Musk: "If Demon Emperor shows up, let's smash him. Last time he stole my boss, I let it slide. This time, we settle the score!"
Absolute Kid: "I saw Demon Emperor earlier. He picked up some insane item that lets him transform into a giant and tank a Domain Lord boss."
The members of Godslayer Guild grinned slyly, their eyes almost glowing green with greed.
Both guilds had been competing in secret, and it was only a matter of time before open conflict erupted—everyone knew it.
Madman: "Demon Emperor, come over. Let's discuss our grand strategy for wiping out the remaining forces!"
After a long silence, Demon Emperor finally replied: "I don't see the need. The scattered players are no threat. I'm holding off the NPC army for you; go ahead and finish the fight."
This response left Madman, Absolute Kid, and others momentarily stunned.
Dynasty Old Yin burst out laughing, teasing: "Madman, everyone knows how sneaky you are. Stop pretending to be a saint."
Madman: "Shut up! I'm trying to open a new chapter of sincere cooperation here!"
He thumped his chest dramatically, though his fleeting pang of guilt was almost palpable.
Earlier, he had taken out Blank but wasn't satisfied, cursing inwardly: "That old fox… how can he stay so calm? He's driving me mad!"
The Slaughter Guild had grown too quickly, boasting over ten thousand members and dominating ten strongholds. They raked in massive profits from dungeon raids every day. If left unchecked, they would eventually become an unstoppable juggernaut.
Elsewhere, the Flame Dragon Nest Master was on its last legs. Under the relentless percentage-based damage of the Crimson Lizard King's Apocalypse Dragon Breath, it was reduced to a sliver of health.
Hurricane Spear!
Blazing Meteor Shower!
Two overwhelming magic attacks struck simultaneously. The Flame Dragon let out a final wail as blood sprayed from its neck like a fountain.
The Crimson Lizard King roared triumphantly, declaring its absolute dominance over the skies!
With its massive claws, it grabbed the Flame Dragon Nest Master midair. Despite the dragon's desperate struggles, its blood-red eyes remained cold and merciless.
Orson raised the Heavenly Fire Staff, activating Whisper of the Wind to boost his attack speed. Chaos Magic Balls bombarded the crippled Furnace Greed nonstop.
100% Bonus Damage to Dragonblood Units!
True Crit: -168,000!
Burn: -46,000!
...
Boom!
Moments later, Furnace Greed's head exploded under the relentless barrage, and a trove of loot scattered across the battlefield.
"Ding—"
"Hidden Quest: [Bloodstained Dragon's Nest]"
"Quest Difficulty: Hell"
"Objective: Slay all Flame Dragons!"
"Quest Progress: 5/5"
"Completed!"
The quest completion notification chimed. Orson remained composed, immediately using his Soul Collector to harvest the remains of the Flame Dragon's soul while summoning his minions to clean up the battlefield.
"World Announcement: In the US Region, player Orgod has performed a divine feat with mortal hands!"
"Successfully slain 5/5 Flame Dragons and completed the Hell-level hidden quest [Bloodstained Dragon's Nest]!"
"Rewards: 400 Free Attribute Points, 600 Skill Points, 20 Talent Points, 500,000 Prestige!"
"Title: [Sky Sovereign] granted!"
A massive golden announcement banner appeared across the screens of players worldwide, searing itself into their minds like a lightning bolt.
US World Chat:
"Are you kidding me? Forget him as a player—his beast alone can solo three Earth Dragons! How do you even slander that?"
"The game's just started. Sure, he's on top now, but he'll fall into the abyss eventually. What's there to brag about?"
"You think he can actually hold Celestial Fortress?"
The question left players across the server stunned. No one dared to imagine the apocalyptic scenario of the Godslayer Guild ruling over Celestial Fortress.
Such a situation would leave no hope for rival guilds or players to rise again.
The news caused an uproar, not just in the US region, but globally. The feat of slaying five Flame Dragons was almost too incredible to believe.
"I'd rather believe he exploited some hidden mechanics than think he brute-forced his way through!"
"Sure, some guilds have killed dragons before, but not five Flame Dragons—and certainly not solo!"
Players from every region were in shock. Elite players and wealthy backers who once thought they controlled the game's fate were now utterly humbled.
While there had been many global announcements since the game's launch, and plenty of Domain Lord bosses slain, Flame Dragons were in a league of their own. Their physical strength and devastating magic far surpassed ordinary Domain Lords.
Even so, disbelief lingered.
EU Region Players: "Hell-level quest… My God! He must've stolen advanced hacking tech from our servers!"
UJ Region Players: "This is the terror of the US's undefeated Sorcerer! Sugoi! My idol!"
IND Region Players: "Not nearly as good as our country's top mage. He probably found an exploit."
NUK Players: "Fun fact: Orson's ancestors have Korean heritage. You can check Wikipedia if you don't believe me."
Orson glanced at the timer—less than thirty minutes remained.
In the distance, the barrier surrounding the God-Emperor's Palace had already been destroyed.
Without bothering to check his loot, he commanded the Crimson Lizard King to devour Furnace Greed's brain and immediately set off toward the palace.
The Crimson Lizard King spread its wings, landing smoothly near a shadowy path.
"You have discovered Celestial Fortress' God-Emperor Palace!"
"Prerequisite Quest: Seal of the Divine Palace activated!"
The quest notification flashed, and Orson's eyes glinted darkly. Instead of charging in recklessly, he looked up at the grandiose palace.
Supported by four towering pillars, the entrance bore scratches, evidence that the guardian Enluka had entered to meet with Cain.
"The God-Emperor's soul is watching you."
Orson furrowed his brow. As he prepared for a long-range AoE strike, an indescribable pressure descended on him.
In an instant, his breath caught, his heartbeat paused, and his face turned pale. A powerful urge to kneel and worship surged within him.
"Begone, souls of the dead! My master is eternal!"
The Crimson Lizard King roared ferociously, its draconic aura shaking the heavens, its spiked back bristling like an enraged beast.
Orson gripped his staff tightly and sneered. "Staring at me won't help. Whether you're man or ghost—if I see your health bar, you die!"
As he spoke, the sky above the God-Emperor's Palace darkened.
Thick black mist gathered, coalescing into two enormous eyes in the sky.
Orson's expression shifted slightly as he noticed a crystalline light flickering within one of the eyes.
A sword?
Before he could confirm, a screen appeared in front of him:
"The God-Emperor's soul offers you two choices."
Choice 1: If you believe you are the chosen one, kneel before the great God-Emperor now.
You will learn the God-Emperor's secrets, gain control of the God-Emperor's Fortress, and receive a divine Soul Seal matched to your attributes.
Choice 2: If you doubt your own strength, take the God-Emperor's Sword.
You will inherit the God-Emperor's power. If you are a ranged class, you may choose an SS-tier melee awakening class and receive a divine Soul Seal matched to your traits.
Note: Regardless of your choice, the area will re-enter its sealed state.
When you believe your power surpasses the God-Emperor's, you may challenge him again. Cooldown: One year. Failure Penalty: Lose 50 levels and all equipped gear will be destroyed.