Chapter 1

Prologue

"Only one day left..."

I clicked my tongue lightly as I entered my ID and password into the familiar login screen.

The game's service was ending.

The announcement had appeared months ago, but thinking that today was really the last day made me feel particularly hollow.

Lakironia Saga, or simply LS, is an RPG game that I had been deeply immersed in since my school days, playing it for over eight years.

With its outstanding graphics, highly immersive story, vast map and world, and relatively innovative systems, it was once a fairly popular game.

However, it has long been branded as a relic, with only the most hardcore of users remaining. Despite this, the game, into which I had poured nearly a third of my life, was no different from my daily routine.

But now, the game was finally announcing its service termination.

It wasn't unexpected, and honestly, it could have ended at any time, but I couldn't help feeling a sense of futility and betrayal.

I moved my character to the warehouse and brought up the stored items on the screen. I also opened the inventory on the side.

Numerous items accumulated over nearly a decade of play.

There were ordinary good items, incredibly good items, and treasures that were rare even in the game. Looking at them all at once, I realized just how many there were.

I didn't stop there and also opened the character information and skill windows.

【Lv. 99】

LS's level system makes leveling up increasingly difficult as the level rises.

Moreover, from level 80 onwards, not only experience points but also various challenging achievements were required, making it a symbol of the most dedicated players.

Level 99 was the unofficial max level in LS, as no one had yet reached the next level, but now I just felt a bit regretful about that one missing level.

'I wanted to reach level 100.'

The sky-high stats, various skills, and exquisitely beautiful equipment were all displayed on the screen.

It was a character spec that even the most seasoned players would envy, but now it all seemed futile.

What was the point of collecting and enhancing these data fragments?

"Should I start?"

Despite the futility, I felt a surge of interest and anticipation as I moved the mouse.

I had brought everything up on the screen out of my last curiosity.

The mouse cursor pointed to a box-shaped item tucked away in a corner of the warehouse.

[Chaos Box]

A box that can fuse all things in the world.

It is possible to set any item, gold, skill, stat, or anything that the character owns or is composed of as a material.

Grade: ★★★★★★★★★ (9-star)

LS is known for its high degree of freedom and strong individuality compared to other RPG games.

Therefore, there were quite a few hidden pieces scattered throughout the world, and this 'Chaos Box' was an item I had obtained from a dungeon I discovered by chance.

As the description suggests, its effect was extremely intriguing.

Even in LS, where all kinds of unique skills and items abound, I had never seen anything as unique as this.

If it were just a simple item synthesis, it wouldn't be special, but the Chaos Box could fuse not only items but also the character's skills and stats.

In short, there were no limits to the type or number of materials that could be set.

'It's a good-looking item, but only in appearance.'

However, I had only used this item for fun when I first obtained it.

There was a reason why I had kept this 9-star item, which was rare even in the game, tucked away in the warehouse.

'The efficiency is just too low.'

No, it was practically non-existent.

Usually, when something is synthesized, it should result in something of higher value.

But with this, in most cases, the value would actually decrease.

If nine out of ten fusions resulted in a loss, what good was this item?

Of course, it was fun to play with because you could use anything as a material and never know what the result would be, but that was its only value. Until now.

But not now.

What better item to end my playtime with?

[Set the materials for fusion.]

I activated the Chaos Box and moved the cursor.

I clicked on items, gold, stats, skills, everything, one by one.

Items that I had spent countless hours and effort to create, skills that I had obtained through sheer luck, I set them all as materials without a moment's hesitation.

Even if the fusion left me with a level 1 character, what did it matter? It was the end, after all.

'If I fuse everything without leaving anything behind, what will come out?'

[Material setting is complete.]

[Do you really want to fuse?]

Finally, the preparations were complete.

"Ah."

Without hesitation, I clicked 'Yes,' but then I realized I had made a mistake.

One skill had not been set as a material.

[Emperor's Soul]

A noble emperor's dignity resides in the soul, making it unshakable in any situation. Completely immune to all mental debuffs.

Each word and action exudes the dignity and authority of a ruler, significantly increasing the probability of gaining the upper hand in conversations with NPCs.

Grade: ★★★★★★★★★ (9-star)

Type: Passive

Level: 1 (Max)

The 9-star skills and items in LS are extremely rare and their effects are all game-breaking.

'Emperor's Soul' was one of those 9-star skills.

[Fusion begins.]

Well, it's fine.

I was a bit disappointed to have missed one, but it didn't matter.

I looked at the Chaos Box, which was emitting a dark aura and vibrating violently from beyond the screen.

The effects seemed much more dramatic than usual, probably because I had put everything into it.

A few seconds later, a brilliant light burst through the darkness surrounding the box, and an announcement appeared.

[Fusion complete.]

[You have learned the skill: Instant Death.]

[Instant Death]

Ignores all types of effects and instantly kills the target. Can be activated when in contact with the target, with no restrictions on the target.

Grade: ★★★★★★★★★★ (10-star)

Type: Active

Level: 1 (Max)

Cooldown: None

I blinked and looked at the skill that had emerged from the fusion.

Then I let out a low exclamation of shock.

"Wow, fuck."

What is this?

The grade is not 9-star but 10-star?

The existence of a 10-star grade in LS was something that had never been revealed before.

I didn't have high expectations, but this was completely beyond my imagination.

Reading the skill description only added to my shock.

'Ignores all types of effects and instantly kills? And there's no cooldown or target restriction?'

An instant death skill with no target restrictions? Does that mean it can be used on bosses as well as regular mobs?

An instant death judgment on extremely difficult bosses that take hours to defeat?

'No way... But it is a 10-star skill that has never existed before?'

I moved my character with a completely bewildered expression, letting out a hollow laugh.

There was no point in just thinking about it; I needed to confirm it myself.

I never expected to get such an absurd skill just one day before the game's end.

If I had known, I should have fused earlier...

Rumble!

"......?"

Suddenly, my vision wavered like a mist, and the world darkened.

I screamed in shock, but I couldn't hear my voice. My body wouldn't move.

All I could hear was a piercing ringing in my ears and a dizziness as if the world was flipping upside down...

[I will not give up.]

My consciousness gradually faded away.