NoveLight ™
A deafening explosion consumed the entire battlefield.
Community Chat:
The devastation began at the ground level, leaving a massive crater in its wake and obliterating everything within range.
It was hard to believe that Yongyong, who once couldn’t handle a goblin-sized monster, had caused such a cataclysmic event.
"Croaaaaaah!"
Community Chat:
Yongyong, satisfied, closed the chat window and surveyed the battlefield.
The Sephiroth base was in ruins.
The monsters along the path of his breath had been vaporized.
"Yes. This is what a real dragon breath is."
Even after the attack ended, the ground remained molten, bubbling with heat as steam and smoke rose into the air.
"Hmm."
"40% of the Sephiroth forces were wiped out in a single blow."
"Which means 60% are still alive."
As expected, they weren’t an easy opponent.
"Let’s retreat."
The massive metallic dragon began fading into the air, its colossal form melting into the void.
"Hehehe."
The purpose of this battle had always been to aid the monster faction by increasing pressure on the Sephiroth.
Moreover, this sudden assault wasn’t isolated to just one location.
Across various battlefronts, transcendents from the community were wreaking havoc:
The chaos was everywhere. The Sephiroth forces were under siege on multiple fronts, their territories being torn apart by relentless attacks.
***
Boom!
The sound of a fist slamming into the armrest silenced everyone in the room.
[What’s going on here?]
[The humans are too unpredictable, appearing and disappearing at will…]
[Didn’t we prepare the ‘sky ships’ to provide support?]
[Their hit-and-run tactics are far too fast.]
The Galactic Empire’s support for the monster faction had left the Sephiroth forces on the brink, cornered with no room to retreat.
[At this rate, we won’t just fail to claim new territory; we’ll be driven out entirely.]
[…We’re sorry.]
A woman sat upon a throne woven from massive tree branches.
With an air of measured authority, she raised her staff and tapped it against the floor.
Woom—
The room trembled as various magical arrays activated, causing the entire space to resonate with power.
[The higher-ups have taken a keen interest in this world. That’s why I’ve been deployed here.]
She slowly rose to her feet.
Creaaaak— Rumble—
The entire structure groaned and shifted as though responding to her movements.
[So find a solution. Immediately.]
[…Understood.]
Her gaze drifted toward the dense forest visible through the window.
[If necessary, I’ll authorize the use of mid-grade relics and higher, which have been restricted until now.]
[Understood!]
Her subordinates bowed deeply, their voices trembling with both fear and resolve. The room was suffused with an oppressive energy, the weight of their precarious situation hanging over them like a storm cloud.
As the woman stared out at the forest, her expression remained impassive, but her tightened grip on her staff betrayed her own rising tension.
***
"Yongyong."
"Call me Full Metal War Dragon."
"…"
Spiritist Baron sighed as he watched Yongyong flipping through an enhancement catalog, his excitement all too obvious.
"A mission’s come down for you."
"…Oh?"
Yongyong’s eyes gleamed with anticipation.
Better enhancements!
More expensive procedures!
Stronger modifications!
Taking on high-paying missions to rack up contribution points was the best way to fund his upgrades.
"Oho! Looks like this one’s got some decent rewards."
"The admin specifically assigned this to you, so you can’t refuse."
"As if I’d even think about refusing!"
As Yongyong read through the mission details, he tilted his head curiously.
"Huh? This time, it’s support fire for the Sephiroth, not the monsters?"
"That’s right."
"Hmm. Only participants with over one million combat power allowed, huh…"
Yongyong’s lips curled into a grin.
"Of course, this is a job for me!"
"This mission is especially critical. Failure is not an option."
"When has failure ever been an option? Haha."
The mission aimed to help the Sephiroth secure a key stronghold, making it easier for them to advance into the monster faction’s rear lines.
Even if the Sephiroth knew this was part of the Galactic Empire’s larger strategy, the location was too valuable to ignore. It was a critical point that no faction could afford to pass up.
"That’s why you have to make sure this succeeds. For this mission, I’ve been assigned as your support."
"Hahaha! My loyal servant!"
"…Technically, that’s not wrong."
"Just kidding. You’re a capable spiritist, especially when it comes to mass destruction."
The two left their quarters and headed toward the third member of their team.
"Hmm. Perfe... This is going to be tricky."
Yongyong rarely expressed unease, but the mention of this name brought a groan.
"Combat power of 1.2 million, ranked third."
"Ugh. And she hasn’t even undergone any physical modifications like me."
"She’s strong, no doubt about it."
Both nodded, thinking of Perfe’s prowess.
"Anyway, let’s get moving!"
"Agreed."
***
Crunch—Crack!
"Whew… Berserker Perfe. If we leave her to it, I won’t even get a chance to shine."
"For now, just wait."
In front of Baron and Yongyong, a petite, white-haired girl named Perfe was slaughtering monsters with a massive greatsword.
Each swing shattered the monsters’ bodies, their spilled blood absorbed into her, fueling her next attack with terrifying strength.
"Hmm."
Watching her rampage was enough to send shivers down anyone’s spine.
Her diminutive frame belied an impossible physical strength, and her blood-red eyes, gleaming with feral intensity, made even allies tense up.
"I’ll crush you all!!"
In the midst of battle, she seemed less human and more beast.
Her greatsword carved even the famously unyielding ground of the World like it was paper, leaving cracks and fissures in its wake.
"An infinite source of stamina…"
As long as she had enemies to face, as long as she could steal their blood, she was an unstoppable force.
"My poor wings nearly got sliced off last time by that brute force of hers."
Even more terrifying was her ability to stockpile blood for future use, making her a threat in any situation.
Every strike she landed was devastating.
The only thing she had been issued upon her arrival in the World was an unbreakable greatsword.
With just that, she had climbed to 1.2 million combat power, consistently racking up achievements.
"What does she plan to do with all that accumulated credit?"
"Who knows? Everyone has their reasons, I guess."
"Yeah, I suppose."
Of course, Yongyong had no such "reasons." He had simply been dragged here after indulging in extreme sports.
"Anyway, let’s get moving too!"
"I’ll support you!"
When Yongyong and Baron joined the fray, the battle quickly tipped in their favor. Baron’s elemental bombardments and Yongyong’s advanced weaponry made quick work of the monsters.
However…
"What’s wrong?"
"Hmm… Yongyong, look around."
"…"
"They’re not going to let this slide so easily, are they?"
If the Sephiroth forces had chosen this location, they must have considered every possibility, yet their response was strangely subdued.
"If they’re losing ground, they should be pushing back harder."
Sephiroth had no reason to abandon this position, especially since it was a direct route to the monster faction’s rear and a critical point of vulnerability for both sides.
"They have no choice but to respond, knowing what’s at stake."
Despite this, the Sephiroth forces seemed to be pulling back rather than reinforcing their position.
"Let’s withdraw too. There’s no need to play into their hands."
"Agreed."
"Make sure to bring Perfe along. You should have the device to calm her down."
"Got it."
Yongyong approached the still-rampaging Perfe and tossed a small metallic sphere her way.
Crack!
Her reflexes were so sharp that the sphere didn’t even touch her, but…
Bzzz—
The Ether pulse from the sphere instantly snapped her back to her senses.
"Owie… that hurts…"
"We’re pulling out."
Once Perfe returned to her normal self, Yongyong and the others prepared to leave the battlefield.
Crack—Crack!
A chilling sound caught Yongyong’s attention.
"What’s that… this ominous feeling?"
Crack—Shatter!
It sounded like ice breaking beneath their feet, spreading through the air as if threatening to consume the entire space.
"Move! Quickly!"
Sensing danger, Yongyong tried to hasten their retreat.
Flash!
Suddenly, twelve pillars of light shot up around them, linking together.
Bzzz—
"Ugh!"
"What the—?!"
"This is…!"
The twelve pillars of light formed a barrier that encased not only the three of them but the entire monster army.
"Damn it. Is this a trap? Or did we just get caught up in it?"
"Looks like the Sephiroth weren’t as careless as we thought."
"Yongyong… what now?"
"Call me Full Metal War Dragon."
Even as he grumbled at Perfe, Yongyong kept his guard up, scanning their surroundings.
"Isolation… This must be one of their relics."
Yongyong attempted to break the barrier with his Ether breath, but it didn’t even leave a scratch.
"It’s not just spatial distortion. This is dimensional isolation."
Baron frowned.
"Without someone like Birder, we can’t even touch this thing. Got any ideas?"
"Neither I, as a spiritist, nor Perfe, with her brute force, can do much against this…"
"Hmm."
The monsters trapped within the barrier, numbering well over 10,000, began to panic. It wouldn’t be long before they turned their attention toward the three of them.
If they fought to the end, they might manage to kill all 10,000, but…
"The barrier is shrinking."
The barrier was contracting rapidly, leaving less and less room to maneuver.
Bzzz—
"What are we supposed to do here?"
"All we can do is wait for Birder."
"He’s in the middle of training right now."
"Then… this is it."
"Eh? Is Perfe going to die?"
Even Yongyong was starting to panic.
If this were a matter of brute strength, he could unleash the countless weapons installed in his body and turn the tide. But in the face of a trap like this, he was utterly powerless.
"You’re a dragon, right? Can’t you do something magical about it?"
"I’m trying, but…"
The results weren’t promising.
"Is this really where we die?"
"Don’t jinx it! Do you know how many enhancements I still need? You think I’m dying here?!"
"That sounds like an addiction…"
"Perfe, are we gonna die?"
Baron gently patted Perfe’s head as he racked his brain for a solution.
"Wait! The community—"
"The broadcast cut out too. Must be part of the barrier’s effects."
"Ugh."
"Now we’re just rats in a cage."
The group watched as the barrier closed in on them, the tension mounting by the second.
"For now, let’s hold our ground at the center of the barrier. Think of a solution before it’s too late!"
Thoom!
The barrier shimmered with iridescent colors, making it impossible to see outside.
And then…
Screeeeech!
From among the horde of monsters, a new figure emerged, letting out a piercing cry that brought the others under its control.
"A commander, maybe?"
"Be cautious… its aura is far from ordinary."
"Perfe is scared…"
Meanwhile, in the community:
The community had united… in a very peculiar way.
Nice