The skies above Valerion, the capital city of the Kingdom of Evermount, burned crimson beneath a storm of magic. Explosions blossomed across the heavens one after another, staining the night sky red as though the world itself had been set ablaze.
Between them, bolts of azure lightning tore through clouds of smoke and ash like divine spears hurled by angry gods. The city walls that had once protected the capital were already gone, reduced to little more than heaps of shattered stone scattered across streets engulfed in flames. Towers leaned at impossible angles, rooftops collapsed inward, and the air reeked of scorched metal and burning magic. What had once been the proud heart of Evermount was now a battlefield consumed by chaos.
Thousands upon thousands of players filled the ruined city. Warriors charged through collapsing streets while raising shields against waves of destruction. Mages stood atop broken towers and shattered rooftops, chanting powerful spells that illuminated the darkness brighter than daylight itself. Archers unleashed endless volleys of glowing arrows that crossed the battlefield like meteor showers, their trails painting streaks of gold and green across the smoke-filled sky.
The soundscape was overwhelming—clashing steel, roaring flames, shouted commands, spell incantations, and the thunderous impact of attacks colliding against an enemy beyond ordinary comprehension.
And standing above all of them was a monster that made the city itself seem insignificant.
A dragon.
Not an ordinary dragon.
The Final World Boss of Evermount.
Its colossal body towered over the capital like a natural disaster given form. Wings large enough to eclipse entire districts stretched across the ruined skyline, blotting out the moon whenever they moved. Ancient scales shimmered with mysterious magic, reflecting countless attacks launched by the players below. Every beat of its wings shook the earth. Every roar rattled the bones of everyone present. When it exhaled, torrents of crimson fire swept across entire streets, vaporizing players and structures alike in an instant.
Yet despite the chaos, countless voice channels remained organized.
"Left flank, hold your position!"
"Healers rotate now!"
"Tank swap in three seconds!"
"Don't let the aggro reset!"
Guild leaders barked orders continuously, coordinating thousands of players in what had become the largest raid in the history of Evermount. Teams moved with practiced precision, resurrecting fallen allies, redirecting the dragon's attention, and cycling defensive skills in perfect rhythm. Even so, the casualty count climbed relentlessly.
At the very front of the battlefield stood a single woman.
A woman who no longer needed anyone's instructions.
Clad in gleaming silver armor, she advanced calmly through the chaos. Explosions erupted around her. Storms of magic tore through the battlefield. Entire raid groups were wiped out by the dragon's devastating attacks. Yet she continued walking forward without hesitation, her footsteps steady amid the collapsing city. Her long white hair flowed behind her like a banner caught in the wind, and her silver eyes never once left the World Boss.
Above her character floated a title that every player across every server recognized.
Level 243The Silver War Goddess
The title was not one she had chosen for herself. It was a title earned through fifteen years of dedication—fifteen years spent clearing raids, hunting rare equipment, and chasing impossible achievements. During those years, countless players had quit the game. Some moved on to newer titles. Others abandoned their accounts forever. Many simply disappeared without a word. Yet she remained.
Rio.
The Silver War Goddess.
She had survived every expansion, every balance patch, every major update. From minor adjustments that barely affected gameplay to game-breaking metas that completely transformed the world's balance, she had endured them all. She challenged content that others deemed impossible. She conquered hidden dungeons rumored to be mere myths. Legendary bosses that entire alliances failed to defeat eventually fell beneath her blade. Her name appeared so frequently in system announcements that newer players often assumed she was an NPC tied directly to the main story.
She had become something beyond an ordinary player.
A legend.
To some, she was an inspiration. To others, an object of envy. Many admired her. Many hated her. But regardless of personal feelings, everyone knew the same name.
The Silver War Goddess.
A deafening roar shook the battlefield. The dragon's health bar finally dropped into its final percentage. The end was near.
Millions of viewers around the world watched through livestreams. Chat windows exploded with excitement.
"Royal Knights is actually going to clear it!"
"The Silver War Goddess is carrying again!"
"This is history!"
Rio stepped forward. The flames burning throughout the city reflected across her silver sword, turning its blade into a streak of molten light. She did not rush. She did not hesitate. She simply raised her weapon.
One strike.
That was all she needed.
A flash of silver light split the battlefield. The attack moved so quickly that most viewers couldn't even follow it. For a brief moment, the dragon froze in place, its massive body suspended against the burning sky. Then cracks of light appeared across its enormous form. Its scales shattered. Its wings dissolved into particles. Moments later, the colossal creature exploded into countless fragments of light that scattered across the sky like falling stars.
Silence.
An impossible silence swept over the battlefield. Every player stared upward, stunned by the sudden absence of destruction. Then the system announcement appeared.
WORLD BOSS DEFEATED
FINAL STRIKE: RIO — SILVER WAR GODDESS
For less than a second, nobody spoke.
Then everything exploded.
Voice channels erupted. Guild chats flooded with messages. Players around the world celebrated, screamed, laughed, and spammed emotes until chat windows became unreadable walls of text. The impossible had finally been accomplished.
Royal Knights had defeated the Final World Boss.
Yet Rio did not smile.
Because another notification appeared before her eyes.
The moment she read it, her entire body froze.
You have been removed from the guild: Royal Knights
"…Huh?"
Rio blinked. Her hands stopped moving above her keyboard as though her fingers had forgotten how to function. Another notification appeared immediately afterward.
Guild permissions revoked.
Raid access disabled.
Guild storage access removed.
She stared blankly at the screen, trying to make sense of the words in front of her.
"This has to be a bug…"
Royal Knights wasn't just another guild. It was the strongest guild in Evermount. The guild she had belonged to for over ten years. She had helped build it from the ground up. She carried difficult raids when others failed. She trained inexperienced recruits, donated resources, developed strategies, and spent countless nights helping the guild grow stronger. She wasn't merely a member.
She was one of its foundations.
Then another notification appeared.
You have been kicked by Guild Leader: Arclight
Rio's eyes widened. Her thoughts came to a halt.
Arclight.
The guild leader.
The man who had personally invited her years ago.
The same person who once called her Royal Knights' greatest weapon.
The same person who claimed the guild could never have survived without her.
Before Rio could even react, a guild-wide announcement appeared in the chat window.
Rio has stepped down from Royal Knights due to personal reasons.
For several seconds, she simply stared at the message. Then a hollow laugh escaped her lips.
"…Personal reasons?"
Private messages immediately flooded her inbox. Confused players asked questions. Others demanded answers. Some sought gossip. A few openly mocked her fall from grace. The notification sound became a relentless buzzing in her ears.
Among the countless messages, one caught her attention.
The sender was Reina.
Arclight's fiancée.
Rio opened it.
The message was painfully short.
You were getting too famous.
The Silver War Goddess this.
The Silver War Goddess that.
Every time someone mentioned Royal Knights, they mentioned you.
That spotlight belongs to the guild leader.
So I asked Arclight to remove you.
Rio read the message once.
Then again.
Then a third time.
Fifteen years.
Fifteen years of loyalty.
Fifteen years of effort.
Fifteen years spent helping build something she truly believed in.
Thrown away because someone felt jealous.
No discussion.
No warning.
No explanation.
Only betrayal.
Without replying, Rio logged out. The world of Evermount faded from view. The screen turned black.
And with it, the legend known as the Silver War Goddess came to an end.
The real world felt strangely quiet.
Rio sat motionless before her monitor. The dark screen reflected her tired face, the silver glow from the city outside faintly outlining her features. For fifteen years, Evermount had been more than a game. It had been her second life, her accomplishments, her reputation, a part of her identity.
And now it was gone.
Bzzzt.
A vibration broke the silence.
Her phone buzzed on the desk. A reminder notification appeared on the screen.
Visit Mom — Tomorrow
Rio stared at the words.
"…Tomorrow."
A faint feeling of guilt surfaced inside her chest. She hadn't visited her mother in almost two years. There had always been an excuse: work, raids, guild duties, special events, new expansions. Something always seemed more important.
But now…
Tomorrow was already scheduled.
Rio picked up her jacket and let out a tired sigh.
"Maybe some fresh air will help."
Several hours later, neon lights illuminated the city in shades of blue, pink, and gold. Rainwater coated the streets, turning every reflection into shimmering rivers of color. Cars hissed past on wet asphalt, and distant sirens echoed through the night.
Rio stepped out of a small bar tucked between two convenience stores. She rarely drank. In fact, she hardly touched alcohol at all. But tonight felt different.
Tonight felt like the end of something.
As she walked through the cool night air, memories continued circling through her mind.
Royal Knights.
Reina.
Arclight.
Fifteen years.
The thoughts repeated endlessly, each one heavier than the last.
Then someone called out behind her.
"Hey! Wait!"
Rio groaned inwardly.
Footsteps hurried toward her. Stopping halfway across a bridge overlooking the river, she turned around.
"Will you stop following me?!"
A young man came to an awkward halt several meters away. Bent slightly forward, he struggled to catch his breath. He had messy white hair, nervous eyes, and an oddly familiar expression.
Quickly, he held something up.
"I swear I'm not a creep! You dropped this!"
Rio blinked.
It was her wallet.
Instinctively, she checked her pocket.
Empty.
"…Seriously?"
Walking over, she snatched the wallet from his hand.
"Why didn't you say that earlier?"
"I tried!" he protested. "You kept walking away before I could explain!"
Rio opened the wallet. Everything was still there: cash, cards, identification. Nothing was missing.
After a moment, she sighed.
"…Fine. Thanks."
She turned to leave.
Then the stranger spoke again.
"Wait!"
Rio slowly looked back, already annoyed.
"…What now?"
The young man scratched the back of his head awkwardly.
"My name is Ryota."
"…Okay."
He swallowed nervously. Then took a deep breath.
"Since we met like this, I was thinking…"
Rio narrowed her eyes.
"Thinking what?"
Ryota suddenly straightened his posture. Before she could react, he bowed deeply.
Then he said something so ridiculous that Rio genuinely wondered if she had misheard him.
"Will you marry me?"
The world stopped.
Rio stared at him.
"…What?"
"I mean, think about it!" Ryota blurted out. "You're amazing! You're Rio, right? The Silver War Goddess! I've watched your streams and—"
"WE JUST MET!"
Rio's face turned bright red. Her voice echoed across the bridge.
"Are you insane?!"
Ryota panicked and flailed his arms.
"W-Wait! I didn't mean it like that! I just thought—"
The bridge shook.
Both froze.
A deep rumble echoed throughout the city.
Ryota blinked.
"…Did you feel that?"
The trembling intensified. Cars rocked violently. Alarm systems activated across nearby streets. Buildings groaned ominously.
Rio's eyes widened.
"Earthquake."
The bridge suddenly lurched. Cracks spread across the asphalt in jagged lines. Steel cables snapped with explosive force, sparks flying into the rain-soaked night.
The entire structure split apart.
"WAIT!" Ryota shouted.
The ground vanished beneath them.
And suddenly—
They were falling.
The freezing river rushed upward. A moment later, icy water swallowed them whole.
Rio gasped as freezing cold enveloped her body. The impact knocked the air from her lungs, and the current dragged her downward with terrifying strength. Darkness surrounded her. Her vision blurred. Her strength slowly faded away as the river pulled her deeper.
As she sank into the cold depths, a strange calm settled over her heart.
So this was the end.
After fifteen years.
After all her victories.
After all her betrayals.
This was how the Silver War Goddess would die.
Then—
A faint glow appeared before her eyes.
Soft.
Gentle.
Impossible.
Within the darkness, a familiar interface materialized.
It looked exactly like a game menu.
Words slowly appeared before her fading vision.
Would you like to reset the game?
Start Over?
[ YES ] [ NO ]