Players had failed. The cream of the crop were on their knees, as they just watched the event unfold with empty, resigned faces.
They… were not strong enough. The meteorite rain was closing in on the city, second by second, growing larger in the dark sky.
"We are finished," an old man muttered, his voice dry as he stared upward.
"Even player [SkylerOne] has failed. There is no more hope."
Despair washed over everyone as the falling stars approached the city's surface, their burning trails lighting the sky like the end of the world.
"If anyone can save us…It's only him," a young man said, his eyes still fixed on the meteor rain. Another beside him slowly nodded, not daring to look away.
"Yes… Zero."
As if the world had heard that name, the atmosphere suddenly turned cold. A chilling wind passed through the streets. People began to notice it. It was as if something worse than death was watching them.
[Channel [Zero] Stream #999 has started 'LIVE: Collapse of the Heavens' now streaming]
Everyone received that message at the same time. This… this was the first time they had seen that after a very long time, but everyone knew what it meant.
He is here. Finally.
[Viewers: 3k → 498k → 2.9m…]
At the far end of the city, on the highest tower, they finally witnessed him. The legendary, mysterious player… in the flesh. (Or maybe in pixels)
"I offer my blood to weigh down the heavens,
I offer my heartbeat to shatter their course."
A cold voice echoed through the city, firm as steel. Every eye turned toward the player standing on the rooftop.
His long black jacket flailed in the wind, and a demonic-looking mask covered his entire face. His long blonde hair swayed behind him. He made a hand sign as he continued chanting.
"I, a fleeting shadow beneath dying stars,
call upon those who have seen the end."
A red, transparent barrier began to grow outward from him, spreading from his position as the base and expanding into the sky.
"In the name of collapse,
In the name of all that must fall-" he raised his hands up.
"O watchers beyond ruin,
witness this broken world…"
The barrier expanded greatly, covering the sky above the city just as the meteorites finally crashed into it with a deafening roar.
Red light exploded at every point of impact. One… two… every piece of meteorite struck the barrier, and then, as if guided by his will, they changed their trajectory.
"and drag it…
into my grasp!"
With the chant complete, he turned the meteorites toward a distant, empty land. They crashed there with a massive earthquake, far away from the city.
A minute later, the crowd went wild as Alex's chatbox erupted with comments.
"Man, you are a monster!"
"What the hell was that skill? A class unique skill? It has to be higher than SS!"
"He really beat the impossible!!! That meteorite rain was supposed to be an SS-rank event!"
"Is he really just a player?!!!" another screamed.
"Well, the best player for a reason!"
[Mimimos23 gifted you 5000 golden coins]
"Zeroooo! Please show us your face!"
[Zerothegoat has gifted you a diamond meteorite worth 12000 golden coins]
The cheering from his headphones and the notification pop-ups of gifts filled Alex's room. He just watched, taking off his headphones and leaning back in his gaming chair, one hand under his chin with a grin.
"Man, it was not even enough for a warm-up," he mumbled. It was the new SS-rank event released by Mayoverse Studio for the game Tower Riders, which was currently the most popular MMORPG among gamers, with more than three million players.
It was just like any other tower game, but instead of one tower, there were twelve towers, each with calamity-level final bosses that still hadn't stepped into the gameplay. It seemed they were waiting for the endgame. What were the developers thinking?
"Alex! Time for dinner!" his mom called, and he finally got up.
He reached out to log out when he saw that comment.
[The_One_Who_Devoured has taken a liking to you]
It was a system message. The One Who Devoured? Isn't he… the Tower Master of the twelfth tower? The strongest among the strongest? Players can't take the names of characters, so… what the hell was this?
"Alex!"
"Coming!!" He logged out quickly as he ran down the staircase. The PC screen dimmed slightly.
[Logging out…]
[…]
[Warning! Unknown authority has entered!]
[Warning!]
[Your level has been reduced to Level 1]
[Your character has been reduced to a beginner]
The screen flashed with a red warning sign.
[The_One_Who_Devoured is watching you!]