Noah didn't own a private Link Crystal. The only way for him to enter the Land of Divine Punishment was through the school's portal, which meant every second inside the dungeon was precious. He couldn't afford to waste even a heartbeat.
Once he stepped into the divine battlefield again, his focus sharpened like a blade. Experience grinding became his top priority, his hands moving in practiced rhythm as his staff, Blood Dawn, pulsed with crimson light. The weapon's unique effect steadily stacked his maximum HP higher and higher, a slow but unstoppable climb that fortified his future potential.
Now that he had acquired Flame Cataclysm, his game-changing forbidden spell, there was no need to swap between classes or juggle different weapons anymore. With this skill in his arsenal, he could blitz through runs at terrifying speed. Concentration burned in his eyes as he moved from pack to pack, cutting down enemies with almost mechanical precision. Each run took barely over four minutes.
When noon finally rolled around, Noah only paused long enough to wolf down ten bowls of rice in the cafeteria before heading straight back into the Land of Divine Punishment.
As he approached the dungeon entrance, he couldn't help but mutter under his breath, voice tinged with disbelief.
"Seriously… do these people not have levels to grind? They're still here, just watching?"
Sure enough, a throng of players lingered outside Wolf King Valley's portal, their gazes fixed on the entrance like starved wolves awaiting prey. Hopeful, almost desperate eyes followed every ripple of light, waiting for Demon-Slayer's return.
Further back, where Noah's gaze didn't reach, a rugged warrior leaned against a crooked old tree. His aura spoke of battlefields drenched in blood, his broken greatsword resting lazily across his knees. At level 1352, his very presence made nearby players instinctively keep their distance. He let out a low chuckle, a smirk tugging at his lips.
"Looks like there's no world announcement this time," he said, voice gravelly but amused. "Guess 3 minutes 59 seconds really was Demon-Slayer's limit. Like I said, no matter how freakish you are, there's always a ceiling. Right, Aline?"
The woman beside him, a graceful archer with auburn hair, tilted her head and answered softly, "Maybe… who knows."
"Heh. Doesn't matter," the warrior said, pushing off the tree. "You've seen him already. Waiting here any longer's a waste of time. Boss is already yelling for us to move."
"Alright," Aline murmured, giving the portal one last glance before turning to leave.
Moments later, the crowd erupted as Noah reappeared briefly from the dungeon. The cheers, the shouted greetings, the awe-filled whispers—he had grown used to them by now. From the snippets of conversation swirling around, he finally understood why no one left this spot.
They were all waiting to witness history again.
He couldn't help but rub his temples, caught between amusement and exasperation. These people genuinely believed he could break his own record every single time. He'd tried, of course, but after the first mind-blowing run, his relaxed state of mind refused to let him hit that four-minute mark again. The drive just wasn't the same.
Then it happened.
Buzz…
A sudden heat flared in his right palm, accompanied by a low, resonant hum only he could hear. Startled, Noah raised his hand, watching as the faintly glowing seal on his skin bled crimson light.
"Wait… this is…" His eyes widened as realization struck. "The Goddess of Dawn?"
How could he have almost forgotten? A literal goddess dwelled within that mark on his hand.
"Morninglight," he whispered, focusing his thoughts, reaching out with his fragile divine sense to bridge the connection. The effort sent a spike of pain behind his eyes, but soon, a voice as holy as dawn itself bloomed in his mind.
"My master," came the ethereal, reverent tone of the Goddess of Dawn.
Noah didn't hesitate. "Can you… Run the dungeon for me?"
There was a pause, then a gentle reply. "Of course, my master."
His heart skipped a beat. "And how do I… let you out?"
"Simply release me from the seal. Once free, I shall handle everything in your stead."
Noah blinked, barely restraining the grin tugging at his lips. He ended the link quickly, rubbing his brow to ease the throb in his head. Direct conversation with a deity was still taxing on his weak mortal spirit, but the message was clear. They had a contract. She couldn't betray him.
Checking his skill bar, he noticed a new golden icon had appeared, unassuming yet divine.
[Summon Deity Lv. 1]: Summons the sealed god, opening a divine domain. Cooldown: 2 hours.
He glanced at the school clock. Still plenty of time before classes ended. He could trigger this twice before logging off.
"Let's see what you've got," he muttered, anticipation burning bright. "Time to witness a god in action."
Light flared, and Noah materialized once more inside Wolf King Valley. The air was cold, damp, heavy with the scent of wolves waiting to ambush him. He didn't bother with preparation this time. Lifting his right hand, he slammed his palm forward, unleashing the seal's power.
"Come forth, Goddess of Dawn!"
BOOM!
The valley trembled as raw divinity exploded outward, drowning the entire map in radiant light. A suffocating, holy pressure swept through the dungeon, and in the distance, terrified howls echoed as every silver wolf sensed annihilation approaching. Shadows vanished, replaced by a breathtaking brilliance that painted the canyon in colors of dawn.
Silver flowers sprouted from the very walls, blooming madly until the entire valley became a field of glimmering petals.
And then, barefoot and ethereal, she descended. A flawless figure wrapped in flowing ivory robes, hair cascading like liquid moonlight down to her hips. The air around her rippled, bending to her presence. Her divine aura made the world itself hold its breath.
The Goddess of Dawn opened her eyes. Twin suns stared at the battlefield. She extended one slender, porcelain arm, her finger pointing ahead.
"Perish."
The single word carried absolute authority. Noah barely felt the wave of power, just a whisper against his senses, yet it detonated across the valley like a supernova.
Wolves, elites, even the mighty Wolf King hidden deep in its lair—all life simply unraveled, turning to dust before they could take a breath.
Noah stood frozen.
[+1100 EXP!]
[+1100 EXP!]
[You obtained Silver Wolf Meat x37!]
The notification flood filled his vision, and he slowly turned to gape at the divine figure floating in midair. Four seconds. That's how long it took her to obliterate everything.
"That's… the power of a god?" he whispered, swallowing hard.
The goddess descended slightly, bowing her head with grace. "My master, the task is done. All foes have been erased per your command."
For once, Noah felt a sliver of awe creep into his otherwise playful grin. "You did great," he said solemnly. Their gazes met, a quiet bond forming between mortal and divine.
Above the tranquil, blue skies of the Land of Divine Punishment, a deafening voice shook the heavens:
[World Announcement]: Congratulations to player [Demon-Slayer] for clearing Wolf King Valley (Solo) in 4 seconds! Achievement: ??? Rank!]
Chaos erupted outside the dungeon. Players who had begun losing faith were jolted awake, jaws dropping.
Near the crooked tree, the departing warrior froze mid-step, eyes blazing with disbelief. Aline stared skyward, stunned.
"Four seconds…" the warrior whispered hoarsely. Then louder, "FOUR SECONDS?! Demon-Slayer just did it in FOUR seconds?!"
The world chat dissolved into madness.
"???"
"??????"
"What in the actual hell?!"
"No questions needed. Demon-Slayer is a god among men!"
All of humanity celebrated, their voices rising in one shared roar of triumph. A new legend had been born, a record so absurd that even the ancient emperors of old would weep if they saw it.
Four seconds. That was all Demon-Slayer needed to tear down an entire dungeon. A feat beyond mortal comprehension, immortalizing his name forever.
And just when the frenzy began to settle, another message flashed across the skies:
[Demon-Slayer]: Anyone know how to get in touch with the Demon God? I want to have a little… chat.
The world froze for a beat, then exploded anew.