The Titan roared again, its molten body pulsing with fiery veins as it raised both arms. Lava dripped from its claws, sizzling against the cracked desert floor.
Then—it slammed down.
A wave of fire erupted outward, sending players scrambling for safety. Some dove behind the jagged rocks, while others sprinted in different directions, desperate to avoid the blast.
Ace barely managed to slide under the shockwave, sand kicking up as he rolled to his feet.
But then—something changed.
The players who had been hiding—the ones who had been watching from a distance—were no longer frozen in fear.
A man, brandishing a long silver spear, clenched his teeth and sprang forward. "Screw it—we have to fight!"
Another player, a woman with a curved blade glowing with golden light, rushed to his side. "If we work together, we can take it down!"
A third player, armed with a massive crossbow, climbed onto a rock and aimed for the Titan's head. "Cover me—I'm taking the shot!"
More players joined in.
A whip of pure energy cracked through the air as someone lashed at the Titan's legs. A warrior with twin axes leaped in, slashing wildly at its molten limbs. A mage-like player raised a glowing staff, summoning a barrier to shield the others from the heat.
The battlefield exploded into action.
Ace's heart pounded. This was it.
They weren't just scattered individuals anymore—they were fighters.
Mia was still climbing up the Titan's arm, using every bit of strength to pull herself higher. Her gauntlets glowed brighter, the energy within them charging for something big.
Liam, on the ground, was swinging his hammer at full force, smashing into the Titan's leg again and again, causing cracks to spread through its stone armor.
Ace knew his moment was coming.
He gripped his sword tightly, feeling the pulse of energy within it grow stronger.
This fight was far from over.
–––––––––––
Ace gritted his teeth, dodging a stream of molten fire as the Scorch Titan swung wildly. The battlefield was chaos—players attacking from every direction, the heat unbearable, the air thick with smoke and dust.
And yet—his mind drifted back.
He thought back to the hours he had spent in front of a screen, controller in hand. To all the games he had played—the countless times he and his team had fought impossible bosses, each one requiring a strategy, a perfect execution.
And always—
There was a moment.
A moment when a player's character unlocked something hidden. A secret ability. A final weapon. A power meant to tip the scales.
Ace had seen it a hundred times before.
And in those games, he was always the best player—or at least second best.
The thought made something click.
If this was a game, then his weapon… it had to be more than just a sword.
Ace exhaled sharply, focusing. His fingers tightened around the hilt, feeling the strange pulse again. It wasn't just his imagination. There was something inside this blade—something waiting to be unleashed.
But how?
The Titan roared, swiping at the players around it. One of them, a spear-wielding fighter, barely dodged in time. The heat singed his arm, and he fell back, breathing heavily.
The others were giving it everything they had.
Mia was nearly at the Titan's shoulder now, her gauntlets glowing with a bright, crackling energy.
Liam's hammer was creating deeper fractures in its legs. The rest of the players were launching coordinated attacks, pushing it back bit by bit.
But Ace knew—it wasn't enough. Not yet.
His heart pounded. He closed his eyes for just a second, reaching deeper into the strange energy inside his sword.
'Come on… If this really is a game… then show me the power I need to win!'
Then—his sword pulsed.
And Ace felt it unlock. A sudden shockwave pulsed from Ace's sword, the force rippling through the sand beneath his feet. The blade hummed—no, vibrated—like it was alive. The black metal, once dull, now glowed with streaks of crackling blue energy, as if lightning had been trapped within.
Ace's eyes widened. This was it.
The feeling was unlike anything he had ever experienced. The weight of the sword had changed—it felt lighter, sharper, more powerful. The energy inside it coursed through his arm, filling him with something new.
A hidden ability. Just like in the games.
The Titan turned toward him, its burning eyes locking onto the sudden surge of power. It knew something had changed.
Ace tightened his grip. "Alright… Let's test this out."
He lunged forward, the ground cracking beneath his feet as he dashed with unnatural speed. The Titan swung its massive, molten fist, but Ace barely needed to think—his body moved on its own, sidestepping with ease.
Then, he struck.
With a single slash, a massive arc of blue energy erupted from his blade, cutting through the Titan's arm like a bolt of lightning. The limb didn't just crack—it exploded, shattering into molten pieces.
The Titan let out an earth-shaking roar, stumbling backward.
Mia's eyes widened from above. "What the—?!"
Liam, who had been mid-swing with his hammer, paused for just a second. "Since when could he do that?!"
The other players gasped, watching as Ace stood tall, his sword still crackling with energy.
Ace let out a breath, watching the Titan recoil from the damage.
For the first time, it was afraid.
A smirk played on his lips. "Yeah… this'll work."
Then, he charged again.
Ace sprinted forward, his newly awakened sword humming with power as the Titan staggered back. The once-unshakable beast, a towering inferno of molten stone, was finally showing weakness.
The battlefield erupted into chaos.
Mia saw her chance—she reached the Titan's shoulder, her gauntlets sparking with stored energy. With a fierce yell, she drove her fist into the side of its head. A pulse of energy exploded upon impact, propelling chunks of molten rock to the sky.
Liam took the opening, rushing forward with his hammer. He swung with full force, smashing it into the Titan's knee. The crack widened, glowing like an unstable volcano.
More players joined in.
A spear-wielder leapt through the air, stabbing deep into the Titan's back. A rogue with twin daggers moved like a blur, slicing at its joints. Arrows, spells, and energy blasts rained down from every direction as the remaining fighters unleashed everything they had.
The Titan roared in pain, thrashing wildly, but Ace wasn't done yet.
He felt the power coursing through him, the sword guiding his movements, as if it had been waiting for this moment.
'Time to finish this.'
He bent his knees and launched himself into the air, the force of his jump cracking the ground beneath him. The wind rushed past his ears as he soared toward the Titan's chest—where its core pulsed like a molten heart.
The Titan saw him coming. It swung its remaining arm, aiming to swat him out of the air.
Ace twisted midair, flipping over the attack.
Then he raised his sword high.
"Aarrrrghhhh!"