Omega Island was massive but eerily clear—like a giant battlefield flattened by the gods themselves. No trees, no mountains, just a wide, open terrain with a single colossal stage at its center. That's where the Omega Lord spawned.
A terrifying beast.
It towered in the middle of the arena where Jayden and the other eight challengers stood, weapons trembling in hand. The creature—a minotaur—gripped a massive greatsword. Human skeletons adorned its shoulder and knee pads, its twisted brown body encased in spiked metal armor. Two sharp horns spiraled out of its skull, and a brilliant red aura leaked out of its body like it was about to explode.
Clinks echoed as armor trembled. Then—
The Omega Lord roared.
He slammed his sword into the stage, sinking it deep into the ground. Everyone but Jayden turned to run.
"HRAAAAAAAAAAAGH!!!"
The skies lit up red.
Everyone dropped to their knees.
"HAAAAAHRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!!!!" the beast howled, its jaw cracking open with feral rage.
The ground vibrated. Red energy waves erupted across the entire island—one of the largest in Ocean Sea.
SYSTEM WARNING: YOU HAVE BEEN DEBUFFED.
NOTICE: DEFENSE REDUCED BY 80% FOR 3 MINUTES.
NOTICE: SPEED REDUCED BY 10% PERMANENTLY FOR ATTEMPTING TO ESCAPE.
NOTICE: REWARD DROP RATE REDUCED TO 30% PERMANENTLY.
NOTICE: ATTACK SPEED REDUCED BY 20% PERMANENTLY.
NOTICE: EXP GAIN REDUCED BY 5%. MAX STACK: 15.
NOTICE: DAMAGE OUTPUT REDUCED BY 7%.
NOTICE: -5 LEVELS.
"ARE YOU F*CKING KIDDING ME?!" the swordsman shouted.
"ARE YOU SERIOUS RIGHT NOW?!" the mage shrieked.
"SHUT UP!!" the warrior barked as the screen filled with debuffs for each of the eight fighters.
The priest dropped to his knees. "No one told us... no one warned us... is this why no one ever lived to tell the tale?"
The swordsman gritted his teeth. "This demonic bastard's gonna remember me! I swear I'll land a scar on it!"
Suddenly—
"Weak," Jayden said.
Everyone turned to him. Bloodshot eyes. Panic in their breath.
"Huh?! What did you say, BOY?! Can you see the screen?! Debuffs! We're DEAD! What the hell are you talking about?!"
Jayden smiled. "You asked what I see on my screen? Let me tell you."
Everyone paused.
"A beautiful day. No debuffs."
"He's hallucinating," the priest muttered. "The roar fried his brain. What we're hearing is the ghost of a man who doesn't know he's already dead."
Suddenly—the Omega Lord vanished.
"He's already attacking," Jayden muttered.
The greatsword descended. The priest's eyes widened. His arms dropped like a broken puppet.
"Hah... I'm already dead," he whispered. Memories flashed—helping villagers, smiling girls, hopeful farewells.
"I'm sorry... I failed..."
CLANG!
Jayden stood in front of him, dagger raised, parrying the beast's strike. The impact blew shockwaves across the stage.
"What?!" everyone gasped.
Jayden chuckled. "What an ugly beast you are."
"HRAAAAGH!!" the Omega Lord kicked Jayden into the air. (-0.10%)
It followed, spinning midair like a saw blade. Its greatsword slashed Jayden's cheek. (-0.50%) He slammed into the ground, shaking the entire island.
The monster lifted its sword again and plunged it downward.
Jayden deflected it with a single finger.
Sparks flew. The sword dragged and slashed upward—Jayden dodged.
Another spin. A diagonal slash.
Jayden blocked with his wrist.
"Cheap-ass blade," Jayden laughed.
"GRAAAGH!!" the beast vanished.
"Where did it go?!" the marksman screamed.
"Calm down—"
SLASH!
The marksman was launched across the stage. (-1.5%)
The Omega Lord pursued, roaring wildly. It hurled its sword toward Jayden midair.
BOOM!
Dust flew.
Jayden stood balanced on the planted sword.
"You're too slow. Keep up."
He vanished.
Then the sky turned blue.
"ALLOW ME TO SHOW YOU A WARLORD'S POWER!"
A glowing blue star zipped across the island and slammed into the Omega Lord. (-20%)
"Divine Light!"
Three lightning-charged stars struck the beast in midair. (-20%)
BOOM!
"One more time!"
Another bolt. (-10%)
The Omega bounced skyward.
"Time to end this!"
Jayden bolted forward, kicked his universal blade into the air, and slashed through the Omega's armor like butter. Then—
"ROARING BEAST STRIKE!"
A thunder-beast descended with him, devouring the Omega in lightning. (-50%)
"He soloed the beast?!" they all gasped.
SYSTEM NOTICE: YOU HAVE DEFEATED THE OMEGA LORD. REWARD: FLAME MAGIC - FLAMES CONQUEROR.
Jayden floated midair, raising his hand to retrieve his blade.
Tears fell. "Iris... I finally did it... YESSSS!!"
Then—
"Do I know you?" a voice.
Jayden's heart dropped. That voice... it was too familiar.
A girl appeared. A flower in her hair. A dangerous glint in her purple eyes.
"Wait a minute—that doesn't belong to you."
"IRIS?! IT'S YOU! IT'S REALLY YOU!!!"
"GET DOWN WHEN I'M TALKING TO YOU!" She swiped her hand.
CRASH!
A meteor-like pressure crushed Jayden into the ground.
SYSTEM WARNING: YOU ARE IN THE PRESENCE OF A SUPREME KING.
ALL STATS REDUCED BY 90%.
Jayden gasped. He couldn't move.
Then his Universal Eye activated. A glowing blue aura pushed against the pressure, letting him raise his head.
"Iris... it's me... Jayden... what's going on?!"
The others tried to fight.
"ROBUST YELLOW!"
The marksman fired.
She dodged.
Everyone's heads were gone. Their bodies remained standing.
Jayden's eye barely kept up. Last speed reading: half a millisecond.
"Hey, I asked you—your name is Jayden, right?"
She appeared midair.
"That power. That eye. That sword. They don't belong to you."
Jayden raised his blade.
She dodged.
"I'm stronger than you."
BOOM!
A kick to the ground. (-70%)
Uppercut. (-110%)
Jayden's HP hit 0.
Then—a 22-punch barrage. (-15,000%)
Three spinning kicks. (-250% each)
"COPY MAGIC: LIGHTNING CHAOTIC BEAST ROAR!!!"
HRAAAAAAGH!!!
A lightning beast crushed him. (-20,000%)
She raised her hand. Aura vacuumed from Jayden.
YOU HAVE LOST: UNIVERSAL BLADE, UNIVERSAL EYE, LEVELS, MAP, COMPASS.
CURRENT LEVEL: 12
"That's all. Ocean Sea 1 is shady, as I thought. I'm heading back to Ocean Sea 50."
She vanished into the sky.
Jayden hovered midair—burned, broken.
"I should've just died to a level 5 bandit... DAMN IT ALL!!!"
"Iris... why...? HOW COULD YOU?!"
"That bitch!!!"
"It's rude to call my sister that," a voice from the sky.
A claw slashed Jayden from above.
A white figure descended—tail glowing.
Jayden was bolted to the ground.
His body turned to confetti.
GAME OVER.
SYSTEM NOTICE: YOU MAY RETURN—BUT IN HELL.
CHOOSE: YES / NO
He chose yes.
When he opened his eyes, he was lying in a bed. A blindfolded figure stood at his side.
"You're awake?"