As Edward stepped out from his residence in the World of Valdora, a breathtaking sight greeted him. Endless fields of emerald grass swayed gently in the breeze, mountains rose proudly in the distance, and high above the sky—two suns moved in perfect parallel, casting twin bands of golden light across the land.
Even though Edward knew it was all nothing more than illusions… the view was still beautiful enough for him to enjoy every single day.
"Sometimes I wonder about something, Fay."
"What is it, Master?"
"If you can track other players… then why has no one ever been able to track me?"
"Because you are an Oracle, Master."
"My job is that special?"
"Yes, Master. Your class exists only once in the entire game."
"So… no other player has a system like mine?"
"That is correct, Master."
Edward—still in the form of Poseidon—took a long breath as he gazed up at the twin skies.
"They say… the reward for this final mission can grant a player's wish."
"That is true, Master."
"Do you believe that, Fay?"
The system fell silent. No response.
Edward let out a faint smile, as if he already knew what Fay was trying to hide. Logically speaking, this was just a game. How could a mere game grant someone's true wish?
"Maybe this mission was created simply to let players say goodbye to each other."
"That is correct, Master."
Edward lowered his gaze, his voice soft and heavy.
"Goodbye, Fay." His tone trembled ever so slightly. "I'm afraid… I won't get the chance to say it later."
"Goodbye, Master."
Silence enveloped them. Edward's chest tightened with emotion.
After years of wandering alone ever since he was betrayed… Fay had always been the only 'voice' by his side. Most of the relics he obtained—he owed them to the system he named Fay.
And now, the final mission was approaching.
"Once all this is over… I'm going into the Tower. I want to find my little sister."
"You have a sister, Master?" Fay sounded mildly surprised.
"Yes, Fay. It's been nine years since I last heard anything about her."
Edward exhaled deeply, his words bitter on his tongue. "Not… not because there was no news. But because I was too obsessed with this game… to the point that I forgot about her."
"Why did she disappear, Master?"
"She went into the Tower."
"The Tower…?" Fay processed slowly.
"Not the one here. This one… is the Tower in the real world."
The system paused before answering softly, "I wish you success, Master."
Edward nodded lightly. "Yeah. Thank you, Fay."
He raised both hands, and his Poseidon form shimmered with a faint glow.
"All right, Fay. When we arrive… I want to act a little dramatic as Poseidon. The Ocean King, Bringer of Judgment!"
"System ready."
"Good. Fay—teleport me now!"
In an instant, a golden circle appeared beneath his feet, shining as bright as a sun. The light flared—and Edward's body vanished completely.
**
Inside the Tower, the clashing of metal echoed nonstop—cling! clang!—like a never-ending storm of steel. Players attacked one another in chaotic waves, but the situation was clearly one-sided. Large guilds moved like a pack of wolves, hunting solo players and small parties without the slightest mercy.
"You have been defeated. Please return after 24 hours."
The system's voice reverberated across the battlefield each time a player's body shattered into fragments of light.
To clear the first floor, every player needed to gather 500 kill points. But up until now, not a single person had managed to reach it.
"Are you kidding me?! Five hundred?! What do they think we are, killing machines?!" one player shouted.
"Use your eyes! This place is crawling with players!" his friend retorted.
"Yeah, well, full or not… I can't even kill one."
Guild leaders started barking orders. Their members advanced in tight formations like trained soldiers, ambushing other players with calculated precision. No one had used any extraordinary items yet—not at this stage. Everyone was confident they still had time… after all, this final mission granted a full year before expiration.
Amid the tension, players desperately fought to gather points. None of them noticed the lone figure standing upon a floating sheet of water in midair—so still and surreal that he looked like an illusion.
Edward observed the chaos below. He frowned slightly.
"Why… is no one aware of my presence?"
"Now, Master. This is the perfect moment," Fay's voice resonated calmly.
"Where is the guild The Survivors?" Edward's question cut sharp.
The system hesitated for a moment before replying, "All members have perished, Master."
"What? All of them are dead?"
"Yes. Without exception."
Edward's lips curved into a thin smile—Poseidon's cold, regal smirk, the kind that appeared only when he found a reason to judge the world.
"Good… in that case, let us begin our little performance."
Edward lifted his spear. His body rose higher, and the water beneath him rippled gently, as if bowing in reverence to its king.
Suddenly—
"HEAR ME, HUMANS!!"
Edward's voice exploded across the floor of the Tower, booming like thunder rising from the depths of the ocean. Every player froze. Weapons slipped from hands. All eyes turned toward the figure with bluish-white hair and glowing eyes—Poseidon made flesh.
"Today… I deliver judgment upon all of you! For your greed! For your obsession with relics!"
Players exchanged bewildered looks.
"Eh— is that the final boss!?"
"No way! The mission just started!"
"Why is he appearing this early?!"
Edward ignored their confusion.
He lowered his spear, its tip vibrating as though restraining the pressure of thousands of tons of seawater.
"Say goodbye to the World of Valdora. And thank you… for entertaining this game."
His chest rose and fell. And then—
"OCEANFALL JUDGMENT!!"
His spear ripped through the air—and the Tower's sky split open.
Blue fractures burst apart, and a mountain-sized ocean surged downward, roaring like a divine tsunami from another world.
Players screamed and scattered.
Some tried to stop the falling sea. Some attempted to flee. But none could stand against the judgment of Poseidon.
"This is cheating!!" "This mission is a scam!!"
Their cries echoed throughout the Tower floor—anger, panic, despair—some barely managed a breath before the flood swept them away.
Edward only laughed, loud and wild, the laughter of a Sea King pleased to see the entire first floor swallowed by the ocean he commanded.
The system's notifications rang endlessly:
"You have been defeated. Please return after 24 hours."
"You have been defeated. Please return after 24 hours."
"You have been defeated. Please return after 24 hours."
The messages repeated nonstop, until Edward himself felt like he was standing in the middle of a slaughterhouse.
"You are now eligible to ascend to the second floor, Master," Fay reported.
Edward twirled his spear with a grin. "How many more times can I use that skill?"
"Two more charges, Master. After that, you must wait 24 hours for a reset."
Edward blinked. "Meaning… for floors three and four?"
"Correct. But do not worry, Master. The other abilities of Poseidon's Spear are far stronger than Oceanfall Judgment. However… before you enter the fourth floor, I suggest using your Oracle Skill first. We need to assess the threat level."
Edward took a long breath, his Poseidon face alight with anticipation. Small waves rippled beneath his feet, bowing to their master.
"All right. Let's go to the second floor."
**
What Edward did on the second floor was no different from the previous level. The moment he arrived, hundreds of creatures, monsters, and B-rank Stage Bosses were already waiting at the entrance.
But none of it mattered.
Oceanfall Judgment descended like a curtain of destruction, drowning the entire area within seconds.
The third floor suffered the same fate. That skill remained the deadliest attack in his arsenal; not a single B-class, A-class monster, nor any Stage Boss even managed to touch him. All of them vanished beneath an unstoppable tidal wave of seawater.
When everything was over, Edward did not immediately proceed to the fourth floor. He stopped—following Fay's advice—and activated Oracle Skill.
A blue light materialized before him.
"How is it, Master?" Fay's voice echoed.
For the first time, the Poseidon within Edward looked tense.
"Up there… they're all dragons."
"All of them?" Fay asked. "If that's the case, they're most likely the guardians of the relic."
Edward nodded slowly. "Yeah. And I've never fought any of them."
It was the truth.
Every relic Edward had obtained until now was never because of strength or combat capability—but because of the Oracle's wisdom. He avoided fights, chose alternate routes, or waited for major guilds to clash with the guardians. While they were busy battling, Edward would slip in and steal the relic silently.
But now, for the first time…
There were no shortcuts. No guilds to take advantage of. On the fourth floor, there was only him… and a legion of dragons.
"Fay… do you think the Poseidon Spear's skills are strong enough to fight dragons?" Edward asked, his tone far less calm than his face.
"Yes, Master," Fay replied. "The Poseidon Spear's abilities far surpass dragonfire. In terms of raw power, you have nothing to fear."
That answer made Edward pause. He inhaled slowly… then exhaled. Again—trying to steady himself.
"Alright," he said at last. "Let's go."
**
A glowing doorway split open in the air, as if the very fabric of space were being cut apart by a power beyond understanding. Its doors pushed inward, and from the widening gap, Edward stepped out at the exact moment it fully opened. Each step he took sent gentle ripples of water spreading across the ground—like the footprints of a King rising from the depths of the ocean.
Edward stood tall, wearing the face and form of the mighty Poseidon. His muscles looked as if they were carved from ancient coral stone, and in his hand he gripped the Sea King's spear, radiating a teal-blue aura. The atmosphere around him was unnervingly silent, a silence that pressed upon the world—yet Edward appeared calm, even though deep in his heart he knew exactly what awaited him here.
He tried to peer into the future, searching for even the smallest thread of victory against the horde of dragons waiting above… but something blocked him. It felt like a barrier of power—pushing back every attempt to glimpse what lay ahead.
"Master!" Fay's voice broke the stillness.
"Yes, I see it," Edward replied quietly.
From afar, in the blue-grey sky, massive shadows appeared—dozens of dragons flying toward him with brutal speed.
"There are ninety-nine dragons in total, Master," Fay reported.
"I'm dead," Edward whispered, his spirit sinking instantly.
Moments later, the formation of dragons came into full view—each one the size of a palace, their bodies covered in gleaming scales, their wings thunderous with every beat. They circled around Edward, as though the vast arena belonged solely to them.
The shockwaves from their wings were enough to topple buildings, yet the mighty body of Poseidon did not budge.
"Edward!"
The voice boomed—deep, echoing with the authority of an ancient dragon.
Edward—behind Poseidon's face—was stunned. He never expected to hear his name.
"Master?" Fay spoke up.
"Yes, I heard it, Fay. How do they know my name?"
"Edward… the relic thief…" another dragon rumbled, its voice raspier, older.
"To this day, I am ashamed I failed to protect the relic that should have remained under my guard," said another.
"Hahaha! Same here! Don't worry—we've all been through it!"
Suddenly, loud dragon laughter erupted together, as if the entire floor of this world was about to crack from the sound.
"I'm finished, Fay," Edward murmured weakly.
"It appears so, Master. Perhaps we should try again another time," the system replied without emotion.
"Hey, Edward!"
"Yes—yes, Master!" Edward answered quickly, steadying himself.
"You know who I am?" A dragon flew closer, its wings beating hard enough to blast Edward with winds like a storm.
"Yes. Very well. The guardian of the Aegis relic."
"Did you hear that? He knows me!" the dragon shouted proudly, causing the others to burst into laughter again.
"What about me?" A white dragon swooped forward.
"Yes. I know you. Guardian of the Claws of the Underjudge."
"See? He knows me!" The white dragon spun around in excitement like an oversized child.
The situation turned into a rowdy festival of questions. One by one, the dragons asked; Edward answered; and every response was met with cheers, laughter, and deafening wingbeats.
Until it came to the ninety-ninth dragon—far larger than the rest, its scales black and gleaming like midnight lightning, its eyes burning red. It leaned forward, so close that its hot breath washed across Poseidon's skin.
"You know who I am, Edward?" Its voice shook the ground beneath them.
Edward swallowed hard. The usually fearless face of Poseidon was visibly shaken.
"Yes… yes, I know. You're the guardian of the relic—Zeus's Lightning Spear."