The sky over the Demon King's Citadel didn't just break; it shattered like glass.
Lucas, his black hair matted with grime and his blue eyes wide with terror, watched from the sidelines. He had been healed by a stray surge of holy mana, but he was paralyzed. Before him, the "Final Boss" lay dead, but the nightmare was just beginning.
Leon, the man with snow-white hair and eyes like molten gold, stood atop a mountain of corpses. He had slain the Demon King and his four Commanders alone. But as he wiped the blood from his blade, a rift opened. A laughter—ancient, cold, and mocking—echoed through the air.
[Warning: Hidden Boss 'Demon Emperor' has been summoned by the Will of the Heavens.]
The Gods, watching from their celestial thrones, had grown bored. They had sent the Demon Emperor to dispose of the "anomaly" that was Leon. The battle lasted seven days and seven nights. Mountains were leveled; oceans boiled. Finally, with a roar that shook the foundations of the world, Leon plunged his sword through the Demon Emperor's heart.
But the Gods were not satisfied.
The Descent of the Heavens
"He is too dangerous," hissed Malakor, the God of Iron Will.
"A mortal cannot be allowed to stand above us," agreed Xylia, the Goddess of the Eternal Void.
Six Gods descended, their auras crushing the breath from every living creature in the world. They fell upon the exhausted Leon. Even without his Emperor Class being fully active, Leon fought like a beast. One by one, the Gods began to fall. Malakor's head was severed; Xylia's void was consumed.
But the numbers were too many. A golden spear pierced Leon's chest. As he coughed up blood, he saw the entire world—humans from Earth, Elves, Dwarfs, Dragons, and Beastmen—watching through the System's giant floating screens. They were weeping for their champion.
With his final breath, Leon looked at Lucas. He saw the potential in the boy with the blue eyes.
"Do not die this time and get strong enough to fight against these Gods and Demons," Leon whispered.
He channeled every ounce of his soul into a forbidden skill. [Imperial Mandate: Eternal Regression].
Lucas woke up on Earth, gasping for air in his high school locker room. The blue eyes that had seen Gods fall were now trembling.
"I'm back", Lucas thought. "I died beside the Demon King's throne, and Leon... Leon sacrificed everything to send me back. The Gods killed him."
Lucas gripped his desk until his knuckles turned white. He remembered the names: Malakor, Xylia, and the others. He remembered the System's message: Defeat the Demon King to save your world. But Lucas knew the truth now. The Demon King was just a puppet. The Gods were the real monsters.
"I'll do it differently this time," Lucas vowed. "I'll get strong enough to kill the Gods before they ever descend."
What Lucas didn't know that he was being watched by a mysterious person
In a quiet training hall across the city, Leon was siting on a bench . His white hair was short again, and his golden eyes were hooded. He felt the cold, sharp bite of the System trying to him
"Welcome, Players," the System's voice boomed.
Lucas stood up, his blue eyes burning with a secret fire. He began his frantic sprint to level up, thinking he was the world's only hope.
Meanwhile, the mysterious person stood on a rooftop, watching Lucas run.He would let Lucas grow, let him become the vanguard, while he prepared to do what he did once before: slaughter the Heavens.
"Run, Lucas", that mysterious person thought to himself.