Ch-194. **Overwhelming Contribution**
—
For the first time, people roared in celebration.
“Is that monster really getting beaten helplessly?”
“Wow, unbelievable!”
“Blade Empress, win!”
“Please!”
The Empress with wings of blades.
People prayed, over and over, desperately begging for the Empress’s victory.
Because if it wasn’t her… there was no longer any hope.
Issera, who had devoured even Lucaria, was a monster synonymous with calamity itself—
a natural disaster that could not be avoided.
Yet after the Blade Empress transformed, Issera could do nothing but be struck down.
Not only could he not attack—he couldn’t even defend.
Issera was left completely exposed to the attacks of a single Dragon God.
However, Issera’s survival ability was also extraordinary.
“At that level, can we call it ‘super regeneration’?”
“Mmm… looks like he’s diverting *all* his mana into regeneration.”
“So it’s a battle of who gets exhausted first.”
A few recluses who were uninvolved in the war gave their brief assessment of the two.
Whenever the Blade Empress ripped Issera apart with those blood-stained claws,
Issera poured every bit of mana into restoring himself.
He could not run. He could not evade.
Perhaps realizing there was no other method, Issera abandoned defense entirely,
focusing *only* on endlessly reconstructing his body.
Truly—
a battle of who collapses from exhaustion first.
But the problem was… the process was dragging on much longer than anyone expected.
“W-what is that…”
“Disgusting…”
“Uuuugh…”
“Please… stop…”
This wasn’t a matter of hours.
Even after more than a day passed—days more—the cruel scene repeated endlessly.
Flesh torn apart. Organs bursting out. Brain matter splattering.
Faces severed, bodies mashed beyond recognition—yet Issera regenerated every time.
“…Cut the broadcast.”
“We’re giving up on the relay!”
Once the cruelty crossed the line, some broadcasting stations abandoned coverage entirely.
Watching that scene endlessly felt like it would drive even sane people mad.
And then—after a full week.
After seven long days of mutual destruction, the battle was decided.
“What happened?!”
“D-did we win?”
“Really? This isn’t a dream?”
“Hooray!!”
“Everyone, we did it!”
“Aaaaaah!”
Issera no longer regenerated.
At the same time, the word **Victory** appeared before every player’s eyes.
With confirmation of the outcome, everyone erupted into applause and cheers.
But that victorious euphoria did not last long.
Those who watched the war were soon forced into panic.
“W-what? What’s happening?”
“Why is she doing that?”
“Wasn’t she on our side?!”
…because the Blade Empress began attacking the warriors—the players—still remaining on the battlefield.
—
—
Park Tae-Woo’s eyes opened wide.
He wanted to etch into his sight Issera’s death, the victory of the war.
*…I’ll get stronger. So that no one can ever ignore us again.*
This war made him understand painfully—the importance of strength.
The weak are weeded out and abandoned.
He had to become stronger.
So strong that no one could overlook him.
So strong that he would never taste this humiliation again.
At that moment—
《You have obtained the achievement: “One Who Awakened the Dragon God.”》
《Honor +500》
《You have obtained the achievement: “Indomitable Hero.”》
《Honor +300》
《Calculating rewards according to contribution.》
《You have achieved 1.634% contribution!》
《You are ranked #2 in total contribution.》
《Would you like to inscribe your name in the Hall of Honor?》
《The name “Indomitable Hero Who Awakened the Dragon God, Park Tae-Woo” has been inscribed.》
Thump. Thump.
His heart swelled.
Contribution rank 2.
It meant he was the second most influential in killing Issera.
Everyone would have checked his name.
Everyone now knew Park Tae-Woo was the *Indomitable Hero who awakened the Dragon God Lucaria.*
*So the title gets generated automatically, huh.*
The system automatically created a title when he registered his name.
But Park Tae-Woo couldn’t help tilting his head.
*Who’s ranked #1?*
Among players, he was sure he contributed the most.
Yet he was second.
Park Tae-Woo carefully looked at the ranking list that followed.
《#1 “Has not chosen whether to reveal their identity.”》
《#2 “Indomitable Hero Who Awakened the Dragon God — Park Tae-Woo”》
《#3 “Runaway Leader — Dark Star”》
《#4 “Hidden”》
《#5 “Barumus — Slayer of Demons”》
…
《According to your contribution, you are granted the chance to enter “Issera’s Treasure Vault.”》
《You may select two treasures from Issera’s Treasure Vault.》
Issera’s Treasure Vault.
The feeling was good.
Depending on his choice, he might even obtain at least a myth-grade treasure.
A smile crept across his lips.
It felt like all his efforts were finally paying off at once.
*This is only the beginning.*
If Hudson kept his promise, he would also gain the ancient city of Rundella.
It would become Korea’s base—Korea’s starting point.
A nation that had a fixed base could no longer be ignored by anyone.
The benefits of simply possessing a city were beyond imagination.
CRACK!
“Aaaagh!”
“Help!”
The screams hit his ears immediately.
Park Tae-Woo turned toward the source, frowning.
The newly born Dragon God had begun attacking the remaining survivors.
*Damn it!*
They had believed she was an ally!
He didn’t know what was going on—but he couldn’t just stand by and watch comrades die.
There was no way he could win, yet Park Tae-Woo’s body was already moving.
Shing.
He dashed forward and unsheathed his sword.
Ziiing!
But he never got the chance to swing it.
“S-Shield of the Black Egg?!”
The Guardian of the Black Egg—**Hel**—opened a warp and forcibly teleported Park Tae-Woo away.
—kya kya kya?
Even Hel, who opened the warp, was flustered.
He barely moved away the remaining people on the battlefield in time,
but he never imagined that Hana, the Blade Empress connected to Randolph’s consciousness, would attack everyone.
“…”
With no targets left, Hana lifted her head.
Her face, cold beyond frost.
A gaze devoid of any emotion.
Hana, who had killed Issera, was no longer the same as before.
She had killed, devoured, and transcended the rank she once possessed.
The bone armor had become a crimson armor coating her entire body.
She now held a sword in each hand.
One was a pure-white sword made from the blood, flesh, and heart of the Dragon God Lucaria.
And the other—
FWOOOSH!
A hellfire sword created from the very existence of Issera, endlessly burning with infernal flames.
Just looking at her sent chills through the spine.
【Kill until you die.】
【Kill every last one who murdered your children!】
But her *Frenzy* was not lifted.
Once activated, frenzy would not end until Hana died.
Then, Hana shifted her gaze—and swung Lucaria’s sword toward Hel.
Then—
KAAAAA-BAAAAAAAM!!!
A thunderbolt powerful enough to pierce the sky burst from the blade and struck Hel.
—kya kya kya kya?!
Hel narrowly escaped via warp and was horrified.
That attack incinerated everything it touched—even the soul.
If she got hit, Hel would die.
Not only Hel—everything would be obliterated.
FWOOMMMM!
—kya…!
This time it was the hellfire sword, born from Issera’s existence.
A massive pillar of infernal flames flooded the sky.
Thud! Thud! RMMMMBLE!
The heat alone melted the ground.
Within seconds, kilometers of land around Hana melted, burned, and transformed into hell.
Hana relentlessly pursued Hel.
—kya kya kya!!
Boiling with rage, Hel spat curses.
But at this rate, Hel would be burned alive by lightning and flames.
In the end, she had no choice but to escape the battlefield.
—
—
Hell.
There was no other word to describe it.
But the rabid Dragon God of Blades—Hana—suddenly stopped.
“The Dragon God… the Blade Empress has halted!!”
“…It appears that as long as no one approaches within a 50-kilometer radius, she will not move.”
“However, she seems to attack anything alive *within* that radius.”
“Thankfully, we ordered an emergency evacuation in time, so there are no casualties…”
The entire world was in a state of emergency.
After killing Issera, the newly manifested Dragon God had become the next catastrophe.
The one hopeful observation:
she did not move unless someone entered a 50-kilometer radius.
That conclusion was reached by countless supercomputers.
“So if we just don’t enter the radius, we’re fine?”
“We’ll put up a barrier.”
“Haaah… so she wasn’t truly an ally after all?”
World leaders lamented.
They had barely begun to celebrate victory.
If a Dragon God stronger than Issera turned against humanity, mankind was finished.
But if she stayed within that radius, the threat was limited.
All they needed to do was establish a long barrier so no one could enter.
However—everyone soon realized that was a false assumption.
…because the Blade Empress suddenly began to move again.
And not within the original radius.
“Wasn’t she supposed to move *only* within the radius?!”
A natural question.
The recalculated results were shocking.
“I-it seems her recognition range is expanding little by little!”
“…What?”
“S-she definitely stayed within the range until yesterday…! Suddenly it’s expanding rapidly! At this speed, she’ll reach the U.S. mainland within three days!”
…An unprecedented state of global emergency.
—
—
《You have obtained the achievement: “One Who Created the Dragon God.”》
《Due to your “Great Status,” honor is doubled (+4,000).》
《You have obtained the achievement: “Slayer of the Dragon God.”》
《Due to your “Great Status,” honor is doubled (+4,000).》
《Honor has surpassed 10,000.》
《Special stat “Charisma” has been granted.》
《Charisma directly affects awe. People will shrink back before you and willingly reveal their inner thoughts.》
《Your actions and words become rules and laws. Even without intention, the residents of your city will follow you—
even if you raise taxes excessively.》
…
《By ruling 10 cities, you may declare a “Kingdom.”》
《You may receive “Writ of Honor” from the Sanctuary of Honor.》
《Anyone holding the Writ of Honor possesses the rank of a high-noble or higher in any country.》
《Knights who seek honor will flock to the cities you rule.》
《You may appoint up to 10 “Regular Knights.”》
《Appointed Regular Knights will be granted a Mystique and additional stats.》
《Additional stats are influenced by your Charisma stat.》
…
《You may add special buildings to cities: “Sanctuary of the Honorable,” “Fountain of Life,” “Monastic Hall,” and 10 more. Special effects will be granted automatically upon construction.》
《Special buildings require the ruler’s honor, and the more special buildings exist, the more powerful adventurers will come to the city.》
《They will generate more quests and enrich the city.》
…
《You have achieved 91.356% contribution!》
《You are ranked #1 in total contribution.》
《Would you like to inscribe your name in the Hall of Honor?》
《Your name has been registered.》
《Searching for additional titles…》
《No applicable title found.》
《Searching for similar titles…》
…
《You have obtained the highest-grade reward.》
《Your contribution is overwhelmingly high.》
《The designated highest-grade reward cannot fully compensate your total contribution.》
《The reward will transcend in order to consume the contribution.》
《The reward transcends.》
《The reward transcends.》
《The reward transcends.》
《The reward transcends.》
《You have obtained the right to enter the “Primordial Dragon God’s Treasure Vault.”》
…
…
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