A burst of light consumed everything in sight, leaving nothing but an endless white void.
Suddenly, a crack echoed in the distance, followed by an explosion. Reality itself seemed to shatter like glass.
Victor felt a burst of pressure forcing him down until finally—darkness.
Victor slowly opened his eyes. His blurry vision gradually faded until a clear image appeared.
He opened his eyes wider, immediately realizing he didn't recognize what he was seeing.
"This doesn't look like the roof of a clothing store," he muttered.
"What the hell am I looking at?" he said as he tried to get up.
Victor found himself lying flat on his back, staring at what seemed to be the sky.
However, this wasn't the simple, beautiful blue sky Victor was used to.
It was… different.
A dark red sky stretched endlessly above him, filled with heavy black clouds. It looked lifeless.
Victor took a moment to analyze the strange colors before finally looking around.
Broken dark grey stones surrounded him.
He continued scanning the area, checking if anyone else had appeared with him.
But no one was there.
Victor slowly got to his feet and dusted off his legs and shoulders.
"What the hell is this place?" he said while continuing to look around.
In the distance, Victor spotted a large group of dead trees. Their branches were dry and twisted, completely lifeless.
He tapped the stone foundation beneath his foot.
"Alright… focus, Victor," he whispered to himself.
Victor took a deep breath.
The smell of death and rot immediately filled his lungs, snapping his mind into focus.
Victor realized he was standing on top of a broken-down bridge with no water beneath it.
"Judging by the pattern and the layout, this looks like an entrance… more like a castle entrance."
He slowly turned around.
To his surprise, a massive ruined castle stood behind him.
"What the hell? It's an actual castle… in ruins?" he muttered.
The structure was built from black stone and stretched both wide and tall. Multiple towers rose into the crimson sky.
However, the damage was impossible to ignore.
Large sections of the walls had collapsed, and the remaining structures looked battered.
It looked like the castle had suffered through a catastrophic war many years ago.
Even the flags that should have hung from the towers were gone.
Ding!
The exact same rundown Damian and Luna had received appeared before him.
System explanation.
Roll the Cube.
Or more accurately—
Roll the dice.
"Please complete the Player Registration."
Victor rolled the number 7.
Then the number 51.
Ding!
Primary Class: Knight
Secondary Class: WarMage
"WarMage?" Victor muttered.
"Knight I understand… but WarMage?"
Ding!
"Please roll one final time."
Victor frowned, confusion written across his face, but he rolled again.
The cube bounced off the ruined stones.
In the eerie silence, the sound echoed loudly.
The cube stopped.
Nothing happened.
Then a burst of bright orange energy surged from the cube.
Victor instinctively stepped back.
The energy swirled above the cube, slowly forming letters.
Two glowing symbols appeared.
AA.
"What the hell?" Victor whispered.
Ding!
Congratulations!
You have obtained the Rank: AA
Ding!
Congratulations!
You have obtained a Title
"Title?" Victor whispered.
"Lord of Ruin."
A sudden burst of dark purple energy exploded from Victor's body.
The shockwave pushed dust away and snapped several dried branches from the nearby dead trees.
The energy slowly faded.
Victor stood there with even more questions forming in his mind.
Before he could ask any of them—
Ding!
Player Registration Complete.
"Man… I have so many questions," Victor muttered.
"But honestly, I'm slowly putting everything together."
"Those were definitely monsters that looked like goblins back in the mall… and we all did say yes to becoming Players."
"So I'm assuming everyone else is going through this too."
Victor began walking toward the ruined castle.
"Hopefully this is happening all around the world."
"Because there's no way I'm going to work tomorrow after this… not to mention I'm supposed to transfer."
Ding!
Player Profile
Name: Victor Alvarez
Level: 1
Race: Human / Player
Class: Knight / WarMage
Title: Lord of Ruin
Rank: AA
Stats
HP: 135
MP: 100
STR: 2
DEF: 1
SPD: 1
INT: 2
MND: 1
Passives: Wrath of War Lv.1, Duelist Lv.1
Victor stood completely still, analyzing every word on the screen like a computer processing information at incredible speed.
"I understand," he said confidently.
"Stats, titles, passives, leveling system, ranks…"
"But where are the skills?"
"No skill tree?"
Ding!
Skill Tree is currently locked.
Unlock Requirement: Level 5.
"Fascinating…" he whispered as excitement slowly crept into his voice.
"What exactly are my passives?"
Ding!
Passive: Wrath of War Lv.1
Grants a scale-up multiplier.
Increase STR and SPD by 1% per active combatant targeting the player.
* Effect updates in real time as enemies enter or exit combat range.
* Activation Requirement: Engagement with two or more hostile entities.
Description:
A true warrior thrives when the odds are stacked against them. Your blood boils with the heat of the battlefield, turning every extra blade pointed at you into fuel for your own strength.
Passive: Duelist Lv.1
Engaging exactly one hostile target increases:
STR +15
SPD +10
* Deactivates immediately if another hostile enters a 5-meter radius.
Description:
Mastery is found in the singular pursuit of a single heart. When the world narrows down to you and your foe, your body moves with absolute intent.
Victor nodded slowly.
"These are powerful passives."
"Fighting multiple enemies is where I'll shine the most… if I'm able to gather them in one place."
He stepped through the castle's broken gate.
His 500+ hours of MMORPG experience slowly began to take over.
His coworkers had always been surprised by that fact.
Or maybe it was how well he managed his time.
Work.
Friends.
Family visits.
Working out.
And still finding time to raid a Level 90 dungeon with Damian.
Victor had always been disciplined.
On the outside he didn't look like much—just a regular six-foot-two guy with black hair, tan skin, and a fit body.
"Also… the objective doesn't seem that complicated."
"It's basically a survival quest with a time limit."
Victor stepped into the castle's ruined main hall.
Then he felt it.
A strange sensation crept along the back of his neck.
Like someone was watching him.
Before he could react—
Ding!
The DarkFlame Monarch, Velkarion Ashborn, is currently spectating you.
Silence.
"What the fuck?"
Victor instantly looked around.
No one was there.
"System… you better start making sense," he said, glaring at the floating blue screens.
If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.
Ding!
The DarkFlame Monarch, Velkarion Ashborn, shakes his head in disappointment.
"Shakes his head in disappointment?" Victor repeated with an annoyed expression.
He looked around again.
"Hey ASSborn! If you have a problem with me then speak up. I'm right here."
His voice echoed toward the broken ceiling.
Ding!
The DarkFlame Monarch, Velkarion Ashborn, is insulted by your words. He looks away in disgust.
Victor clenched his jaw.
"System! Explain what's happening!"
At that moment, the ground began to tremble.
Heavy footsteps echoed through the ruined castle.
Ding!
Monsters detected nearby.
"What?"
Victor instantly shifted into survival mode.
The stomping grew louder.
Victor quickly moved toward a broken staircase leading to the second floor.
He crouched behind the stone railing and carefully peeked over the edge.
The creature finally entered the castle hall.
"What in the world…?"
The monster stood nearly nine feet tall.
Its massive body was covered in scars and battle marks. Its skin was dark grey and its shoulders were broad enough to block the doorway.
In its right hand it dragged a rusted battle axe stained with old blood.
It slowly walked into the hall, scanning the area.
Victor remained completely still.
Then—
Ding!
Dark Orc — Level 5
Class: Vanguard
HP: 320
"Tsk… shit…" Victor whispered, barely stopping himself from shouting.
"Seriously? A Dark Orc? Level 5?"
Ding!
The DarkFlame Monarch, Velkarion Ashborn, boils with hatred at the sight of the Orcs.
"Hatred, huh?"
"Sounds like you have history with these things."
Victor continued watching the creature.
"Damn… if only I had a weapon."
"Even a low-level weapon would help."
"A small STR boost plus my Duelist passive… that should give me the edge."
The Dark Orc continued walking toward the castle exit.
Victor turned and scanned the room for a weapon.
Nothing.
"Damn it… maybe I'm strong enough as I am."
Victor opened his stats menu.
Ding!
Passive: Duelist Lv.1 — Inactive
"Inactive? Why?"
"There's only one Orc."
He peeked over the railing again.
"There's ju—"
Victor froze.
His stomach dropped.
Three more Orcs had entered the hall.
Victor quickly ducked down again.
His heart began racing.
Ding!
Dark Orc — Level 6
Class: Warrior
HP: 270
Ding!
Dark Orc — Level 5
Class: Warrior
HP: 245
Ding!
Dark Orc — Level 6
Class: Vanguard
HP: 365
Ding!
Multiple Monsters Detected
Requirements for Wrath of War have been met.
Ding!
Passive Activated: Wrath of War
Current Effect
STR +3
SPD +3
Victor stared at the screen.
"Wait… why only +3?"
"There are four Orcs."
He peeked over again.
"Oh."
"The big one left."
Ding!
The DarkFlame Monarch, Velkarion Ashborn, is curious about what you will do next.
Victor sighed.
"Fuck this guy."
He slowly stood and moved deeper into the second floor.
The smell of rusted metal and death grew stronger.
Victor stepped into a hallway.
He froze.
The floor was covered in skeletons.
Most were still wearing broken armor.
Some had been shattered.
Others were cut in half.
A few looked crushed.
The castle felt less like a fortress…
and more like a graveyard.
Victor walked carefully through the remains.
"You guys look like you gave it everything you had," he whispered.
The hallway stretched forward.
Ding!
The DarkFlame Monarch, Velkarion Ashborn, is silently observing your every move.
Victor continued exploring.
After a while he noticed several broken paintings lying on the floor.
He picked one up and brushed the dust away.
The painting revealed a young man wearing noble clothing and a golden crown.
Dark brown hair.
Bright blue eyes.
A sharp jawline.
In his hand he held a beautiful one-handed longsword.
Victor brushed away more dust.
A name appeared at the bottom.
King Velkarion Ashborn
Victor's eyes widened.
"Wait… is this you?"
Silence.
No system notification.
"So you're not actually a monarch…"
"You're a king?"
Victor lifted the painting.
"Then why call yourself Monarch?"
No response.
"I guess the king doesn't want to talk."
Victor placed the painting against the wall and continued searching.
Soon he found another painting.
Velkarion stood beside a beautiful woman with long black hair and gentle brown eyes.
In his arms he held a small child.
Victor stared quietly.
"You had a wife and a kid…?"
Silence.
No notification.
"Jesus… what the hell happened here?"
Victor picked up another painting.
This one showed a man in silver armor.
He had long black hair and calm brown eyes.
He was smiling confidently.
In his hand he held a long lance with a unique blade shaped like a wide sword.
Victor leaned closer.
The weapon looked incredible.
He cleaned the name plate.
General Maldraven Thorne
"General, huh?"
"So you were the king's right-hand man."
Victor carefully hung the paintings against the wall.
"I don't know your story."
"But it looks like you were a good king."
Victor continued walking until he reached the entrance to the throne room.
Massive doors with golden details stood open.
Inside lay destruction.
Broken shields.
Ripped banners.
Dead soldiers scattered across the floor.
Then Victor noticed something.
A weapon.
Impaled into the stone floor.
Victor walked closer.
His eyes widened.
It was the same lance from the painting.
Dark steel blades.
A dark silver shaft.
A smaller blade mirrored the design at the opposite end.
A faint dark aura surrounded it.
Victor slowly reached toward it.
Ding!
The DarkFlame Monarch, Velkarion Ashborn, is infuriated by your decision to take the lance.
Victor immediately pulled his hand back.
"Sorry."
"I meant no disrespect."
He looked directly at the weapon.
"I just thought… using the lance that once defended this kingdom to wipe out the Orcs invading it again… felt right."
Ding!
The DarkFlame Monarch, Velkarion Ashborn, feels insulted by your mockery.
Victor's eyes hardened.
"No."
"I'm not heartless enough to mock your pain."
"The general who wielded this lance loved this kingdom."
"He held the line until his final breath."
"I could never mock that."
The room felt strangely heavy.
"This man trusted you."
"He fought until the end… and he even smiled."
Victor looked at the weapon again.
"I know that because his lance is here."
"But your sword isn't."
Ding!
The DarkFlame Monarch, Velkarion Ashborn, falls silent.
"He died here fighting for you."
"And you survived."
"The energy inside this weapon still wants to complete its duty."
Victor stepped closer.
"This lance once killed your enemies."
"Now… allow it to kill mine."
Silence.
Ding!
The DarkFlame Monarch, Velkarion Ashborn, is grateful for your words and now respects you.
Victor smiled slightly.
"Heh… I'll take that as a yes, Your Majesty."
