182 - The Demon King's Dream
Back then, I just thought it was a joke the Demon King's army prisoners were cracking.
The hero Klaus groaned, crawling desperately across the floor. Dark red blood poured from the massive gash in his abdomen, soaking the ground. A shadow fell over him.
Through his blurred vision, he saw a plainly dressed girl. Black hair, black eyes. If you tried to track down a criminal based on that description alone, you'd probably punch out even an emperor for lacking features.
“So it's true that the Demon King's army ranks are determined by martial prowess... cough!”
“You know me, then.”
Strangely, the girl's lips didn't move. Klaus grimaced at the unpleasant sensation of mana-formed words being hammered directly into his brain. That unidentified magic she cast had wiped out the entire Dark Saint Great Demon Extermination Unit. His surroundings were already littered with the corpses of elite members in black doboks.
“You... how old are you?”
“Fifteen.”
“Past the age where you'd be called a hatchling. Sylvia and Remilia are probably already dead... so I'm the last one, huh?”
“Mother ordered me to kill you too and then take my own life right here.”
“Your mother can go to hell... You lot are all the same—cold as ice, no blood, no tears. Eh?”
“...”
Luri knelt quietly beside the gasping Klaus and brought her moist lips close to his ear for the first time, parting them to whisper. Each word struck his eardrum like a hammer, revealing every truth.
“...!”
The air grew heavy in that instant, and Klaus's eyes trembled like a fawn's. Luri swallowed her flowing tears and continued calmly.
“And Mother isn't as strong as you think. She's not some cold-blooded monster, either.”
“She loves silly jokes and pranks, can't get enough of meat dishes and sweet desserts.”
“She adores swords and magic, especially sparring skin-to-skin, but if I so much as shed a drop of blue blood, she worries all night long.”
“She jumps for joy at empty flattery and bottles up malicious gossip without knowing what to do...”
“Is that really the person you all despise so much?”
Klaus's mouth never opened again. The biggest shock of all was seeing this pureblood dragonkin girl in tears. Luri, steam practically venting from frustration at his dumbstruck face, roughly grabbed his throat.
“That's why you were discarded, Klaus Vanapfort. When Mother took her first disciple, I wished so badly it had been me instead of a traitor like you!”
“Kek...! Gah!”
Black scales erupted on the back of her hand, greedily devouring the surrounding mana. Klaus's desperate attempt to shield his neck with aura shattered like glass.
“Oh, right, Klaus. Mother said she wanted to live a life like yours at least once. Did you know?”
Klaus stared at Luri in disbelief.
“My master wanted to be... a hero...?”
A princess of an empire, now taking refuge with the Demon King's army, wanted to become a hero like him? But Luri rolled her eyes and shrugged.
“Not exactly a hero... more like an attention whore? A celebrity? Same difference. Thanks to you, it's just a pipe dream now.”
“Gahk!”
“Farewell, then...”
The sword at my waist hummed deeply. The colorless steel blade glowed with intense blue light, announcing its presence. Allies and enemies alike stared wide-eyed, forgetting what to do next.
NoName has subjugated Lo Dante.
Eleven pairs of eyes watched me, making me self-conscious. I drew my sword and recited a line I'd heard somewhere before.
“Ahh—this cool, heavy sensation. How many years has it been?”
“Whoaaa! She stole it! Kill 'em all!”
“She snatched it! Snatched it! Go go go go!”
“How the hell did she steal that?! You're insane, NoName! You're the best!”
Legacy of Legend's early multiplayer game plays out like low-power fantasy, but once you hit 20 minutes—extreme case, 30—the story changes. It morphs into a superpowered brawl ignoring physics, filled with one-touch kills. And right now...
Defeating the third objective 'Lo Dante' grants parry judgment leniency and, on successful parry, unleashes the 'Mirage Strike' passive at 1000% of spell power. With my spell power at 6450 from the extreme heal tree for Kariri's tank-assassin build, a successful parry means at least 60k damage—even through anti-magic armor. A super hedgehog that melts tanks in one hit.
Basking in Kariri and Han Yong-cheol's admiring gazes, I chased the fleeing enemies.
“Almost there! We won!”
“Wipe 'em out! Make it 3-0 in the finals!”
“No no! It's not over! Focus focus!”
Brownie and Simsimman were certain of victory. Han Yong-cheol, desperate for the win, urged focus to the end, but his grin nearly reached the sky.
“Make way! The invincible Double Loli team is heading out! To Nameya!”
Five sharp nails pointed at the soaring Yggdrasil. Kariri shouted in ecstasy.
“Huuu. Back in the day, just drawing my sword made everyone tremble like this.”
A fleeting taste of omnipotence from my past life under Estasha's name. I kicked off the ground and charged. Every spectator camera and spotlight focused on me. The observer sensed the end was near.
I pictured the audience watching through the lenses. We'd peaked at 460k after set 4. Over 500k now? Unimaginable. Back in my previous life, that was Britannia Republic's population—chilling to think a whole nation watching.
An unfamiliar thrill. I wanted to end the game quick and soak in the crowd's cheers and applause. It started as just for attention, but the game got too fun. Maybe my Korean blood—way more thrilling with a team than solo.
A new life, name, status, past—all erased, starting fresh. My teammates beside me felt precious; my eyes nearly welled up. But not now.
The trumpet signaling the final battle blared. Let's enjoy this together. Nothing wakes you to everyday life's value like turning this moment into past tense.
Right now, I charge enemy lines with comrades, seizing victory. Then, I charged enemy lines with comrades, seized victory. Joy and sorrow surged from deep within.
Are you satisfied?
A nostalgic voice rode the fierce wind like an auditory hallucination. Whose? Niobe? Sylvia? Luri? The answer would be the same.
'Not yet.'
Estasha's daughter—no, Seola's—deserves more than this. I caressed the beautiful hilt and raised the sword high. The sunset-glow blade pierced the sky like a figurehead on a ship bound for new lands.
““Raaarghhh!””
“Whoa!”
“What the—?”
Cheers erupted from the NPC soldiers following us—perfect timing from the periodic army hype.
“Heaven's on our side today! Right?”
Kariri was spot on. One of those days where anything goes. Like surviving a dive on low HP or chaining easy-mode hell in spars—the momentum was all ours.
All conditions met. Just swing the sword.
My feet left the ground in a flash. I spun mid-air with a skill for extra thrust. Precision tech plus physics-defying power—terrifying speed.
Toward the shield-bearing foe, I readied the 400-year Kaizen swordsmanship.
Kaizen Wrist Slash
Mittlehauw Judgment
Boom—!
A ferocious explosion grazed my ears. The enemies, flung back by the impact, gawked in horror. As the dust cleared, my Skia Bona had pierced his chest dead-on.
“Good work.”
Thinking a single shield could block a nation's essence? Arrogant. Only Luri knows how many cities fell that way.
Luri's on my mind a lot today. Poor kid—sorry doesn't cut it for meeting someone like me.
“NoName! Say the line quick!”
“Huh?”
“Nameya, do that one!”
“Hurry! Game's ending soon!”
“You know, that thing! Gotta do it quick! Voice chat's cutting out!”
A camera drone zoomed to my face. Behind me, a massive tree snapped with a creak. Leaves burned to ash, blackening the soil into ruins.
The winner's line in World of Arceria finals—be it Champions Cup, ACK, or Twishi's Ddaggo—unchanging truth: Yggdrasil is eternal, one per world. Ours stands. Theirs?
I cleared my throat, pointed at the camera.
“Ahem... Sign here immediately! Your Yggdrasil is just a big tree!”
The victory afterglow feels long for a day, short for a week. But the live audience couldn't leave rashly.
“Woooaaahhh!”
Clap clap clap—
Award ceremony: Winners from each game logged out, appearing on the VR set stage one by one. First standing ovation for the Legacy of Legend team with 'loss loss win win win'.
Jebalbutak clan—four members. Hyped as overwhelming from the start, underrated as pro-less limits. Full tournament sweep shed doubts, prime contender. But weird bans lost first two sets—'told ya' vs. 'huh?' reactions.
Storytelling always wins. NoName's solo carry in Astria play—near-magic. Star Destroyer's firepower scorched the field amid backlash for picking revenge-obsessed girl.
Final set 5: Against anti-Astria prep, 0% pick Irelia for original damage dealer—reverse sweep, perfect downfall finale.
“Next, 2051 Season 1 Twishi Ddaggo 'World of Arceria' winners! Heeeere they cooome! Bloody Loli! Big applause, everyone!”
Caster gave no breather. Among 179 streamers, NoName's impact shone brightest.
Highlights and MVPs passed; the moment everyone awaited arrived.
“Letterbox, Intel, Almighty present 2051 Season 1 Ddaggo & Downfall Awards—the highlight! Total MVP who shone brightest in epic matches! Incredible player! Who do you think? Total MVP! Straight to it! No! Na! Me! Congratulations!”
“Kyaaa today flew in WoA and LoL! Insane! So who’s Total MVP?”
Nameya took the mic. Her stoic face softened, crow's feet crinkling into a bright smile.
“Hello. Hold on.”
Nameya retied her loose hair into under-twintails.
“Hello. I'm NoName, streaming games on Twishi.”
With 550k eyes on her, the prim pink lips parted.
“NoNamé. Nice to meet you.”