🔊 TTS Settings
Chapter 1 …
First.
The world’s first virtual reality game.
And the name of a game called a failure.
Slow response time, crude graphics, countless bugs, and an absurdly high difficulty balance.
Despite holding the title of the first virtual reality game, it was a world everyone turned their backs on.
“Phew.”
Yet, there was one person who stayed until the end.
Standing boldly before the final boss monster of First, the 탐욕의 황금룡 (Golden Dragon of Greed),
the number one ranked player of First, Mir.
That was my nickname.
“GROOOOOOOOAR!!”
As befitting the final boss of First, the Golden Dragon was the strongest monster in the game.
Naturally, it couldn’t be hunted alone—only raid parties formed by entire guilds could take it down.
Facing such a monster, I held in my hand a weapon worthy of the number one rank in First.
[ Zeus’s Thunder, Astrafe ]
A bolt of divine lightning flashing gold.
Just holding it caused electricity to spark in all directions, forming a vast electromagnetic field.
A god-tier weapon.
Among all items in First, it stood at the very highest rank.
And among them, it was the weapon of the king of gods—Zeus.
KRA-KOOOOM—!
It was fired at the Golden Dragon.
An unbelievable speed.
Leaving a golden trail, Astrafe flew like lightning itself.
An attack that could not be dodged or blocked.
A throw that treated a divine weapon like a disposable projectile.
“GROOOOOOOOAR!”
The Golden Dragon screamed.
Lightning pierced its neck, and its entire body stiffened as it was scorched by divine electricity.
As expected of a god’s weapon.
Its overwhelming power not only inflicted massive damage but also paralyzed the final boss.
But still, it was the final boss of First.
Even while being electrocuted, the Golden Dragon did not lose its gaze.
Soon, its claws would begin to move again, enduring even divine lightning.
However, I did not wait idly.
“Luke.”
—Yes, Master.
At my call, black flames rose in my hand, forming another item.
[ Poseidon’s Trident, Triaina ]
If Astrafe was the weapon of Zeus, Triaina was the weapon of Poseidon.
I grasped the trident born from black flames and hurled it toward the Golden Dragon.
SPLASHHHHH—!
An overwhelming presence, as if the vast ocean itself had been compressed into it.
Triaina pierced the dragon’s scales and embedded itself deep enough to reach its heart.
And that was not the end.
As expected of a divine weapon, it activated its effect.
Just as Astrafe unleashed lightning, Triaina summoned water shaped like sea serpents, binding the Golden Dragon.
CRACKLE—!
“GROOOOOOOOAR!”
The synergy of water and lightning further restrained its movements.
[ Artemis’s Golden Bow, Kryselakatos ]
Next, I drew the bow of the goddess, Kryselakatos.
On the fully drawn string was the divine arrow “Iokeira.”
FWIP—.
THUDDUDUDUDUDUD!
True to its name meaning “rain of arrows,” the golden arrows turned into hundreds, thousands of projectiles raining down on the Golden Dragon.
[ Hermes’s Staff, Caduceus ]
With Caduceus, the dragon’s eyes grew heavy and began to close under its magic.
[ Demeter’s Scythe, Krysaor ]
Krysaor tore into the Golden Dragon’s throat.
Each weapon I wielded was worthy of being called the strongest in First.
Unique god-tier weapons that should have been obtainable only once in the game.
All of them were now in my hands.
“GROOOOAAARGH!”
Unable to even swing its claws or tail, the Golden Dragon screamed.
Only after eleven of the Twelve Olympian divine weapons were embedded in its body did I prepare my final attack.
[ Ares’s Sword, Enyalios ]
The sword of Ares, god of war.
Among the Twelve Olympian weapons, it was said to have the highest pure attack power.
And it swung down in my hand.
SHUNK.
In an instant, the Golden Dragon’s head was severed.
The final boss monster of First fell in just twelve attacks.
By a single person.
The dragon’s body disintegrated into dust, leaving behind a golden spear shaped like its scales.
A weapon said to be the strongest in First aside from divine-tier items.
But I paid it no attention.
“…Again.”
“Again.”
Yes.
This was not my first time defeating it.
A total of 1,000 times.
As proof of that unbelievable fact, a system message appeared above my head.
[ Achievement Unlocked: Nightmare of the Dragon ]
Condition: Defeat the Golden Dragon 1,000 times
Reward: +100% chance to obtain high-grade items
“Now that there’s only one item left, what’s the point of this reward…”
Despite my complaint, a smile formed on my face.
Achievement system.
A feature that encourages players to complete specific challenges.
In truth, clearing this meant my item luck had been so bad I had to kill the Golden Dragon a thousand times just to get what I wanted.
Still, I couldn’t help feeling good about it.
My goal as the number one ranked player in First was to collect every item and complete every achievement.
And with this bonus, my chances for the final item would improve—just a little.
“What matters is what comes next.”
I stepped forward, leaving the fallen dragon behind.
At the end of the dungeon.
In the center of a chamber filled with gold and treasure, there was a massive chest.
“1 in 1,000,000 drop rate… seriously? And this is the final reward?”
I stood before the chest.
Clearing “Nightmare of the Dragon” was great—but the real problem started now.
If I didn’t get the item I wanted, I would have to defeat the Golden Dragon again and again.
Until I finally got it through that absurd 0.0001% chance.
Of course, various buffs, potions, and achievements had improved the odds significantly.
Still—
I used my last remaining luck-boosting potion and opened the chest.
SHAAAA—
[ Golden Dragon’s Heart ]
“…It dropped!”
There it was.
The Golden Dragon’s Heart.
The final item in First, obtainable only from the chest after defeating the Golden Dragon, and only through an extreme drop rate.
I had expected to hunt the dragon many more times.
But it came far sooner than I thought.
“Was it because of the achievement?”
As I held the heart in my hand, my final objective appeared before me.
[ You have acquired all items in First. ]
[ Achievement Unlocked: Master of All Things ]
Condition: 100% item collection
Reward: All item effects +1.5x
“YESSSSSS!!”
A shout escaped me.
Joy.
Exhilaration.
I had finally collected every item in First.
And that wasn’t all.
[ You have completed all achievements in First. ]
[ Achievement Unlocked: Akashic Record ]
Condition: 100% achievement completion
Reward: Savior of the World
The Akashic Record.
An achievement granted only to those who complete every single achievement in First.
I had done it.
All of it.
Something no one else had ever achieved.
“I did it… I DID ITTTTT!!”
Thud.
I collapsed backward, arms raised in triumph.
The gold coins filling the room cushioned my fall.
“It’s… over…”
I had collected every item and completed every achievement in First.
I had carved my way through a path everyone else abandoned.
Overwhelming satisfaction, pride, and euphoria filled me.
But—
“…I guess it’s time to quit.”
Having obtained everything meant there was nothing left to do.
From here on, it would only be PvP—but in a dead game like First, proper PvP hardly existed.
And even if it did, no opponent could match me anymore.
“Phew…”
As I logged out, my vision darkened rapidly.
But instead of the clumsy sensations of First, I began to feel reality again.
This was not a sleek modern capsule—it was an outdated early-model VR capsule.
Even so, it was expensive.
I had to settle for a low-end compatible unit just to run First.
Yet even with this, I reached rank 1.
Well… there weren’t many players left to compete with anyway.
Anyway, I tried to exit the capsule.
Click.
“…What?”
The lock did not release.
Strange.
Usually it would unlock automatically when logging out.
I tried again, thinking it was just old hardware.
Click.
“…Why isn’t this working today?”
It still wouldn’t open.
An unsettling sound echoed somewhere.
My impatience grew, and so did my panic.
Then—
CLICK.
Relief.
I finally got it open and started to stand—
CRACKLEEEEEEEEE—!!
At that moment—
The image of the Golden Dragon being struck by Astrafe flashed through my mind.
“AAAAAAAHHHH!!”
A violent shock surged through my body.
And I collapsed to the ground.
