Era of Players: Death God

Noah, venturing through the scorching desert, had yet to come across any mythical creatures. The relentless heat caused beads of sweat to trickle down his face, leaving him increasingly frustrated.

As he trudged along, a thought crossed his mind: this was not his first encounter with the desert. The first time was alongside his father, when they ventured from the arid wasteland into a mysterious dungeon. It was Noah's inaugural expedition into a dungeon, an experience that would forever be etched in his memory.

People revered his father as the "Spear of Destruction," a figure they idolized and admired. Little did they know the truth behind the facade. He was a man plagued by madness, concealed beneath a cloak of heroism.

A nostalgic chuckle escaped Noah's lips as he reminisced about that perilous adventure, which took place when he was a mere fourteen years old.

°°°

In the depths of the magma-covered dungeon, Noah's fear gripped him, his eyes darting around like a frightened rabbit.

Suddenly, massive crocodiles emerged from the swirling lava. These were the Flame Crocodiles, fearsome monsters known as C-Rank creatures. With their jaws wide open, they charged towards Noah and his father, Logan.

Despite the terrifying sight, Logan couldn't help but chuckle. "Stay alive and focus," he calmly advised, his words sending shivers down Noah's spine.

Logan extended his hand, and as if guided by an invisible force, a black spear called Ashura flew into his grasp. Noah's body tensed as he witnessed this extraordinary sight.

In an instant, Ashura erupted with a blinding burst of light, its resonance causing ripples throughout the dungeon. Noah's face contorted with discomfort, his heart pounding violently. The sound of the spear's cry grated on his nerves, and he realized he wasn't the only one affected.

The Flame Crocodiles convulsed, stimulated by the spear's resonance. From all corners of the volcanic zone, other creatures emerged, drawn to the disturbance. Flying monsters darkened the sky, while massive beasts larger than the Flame Crocodiles charged towards Logan.

Noah couldn't believe his eyes. "This is insane!" he exclaimed, his mouth agape in shock.

But the true madness had only just begun.

With Ashura in hand, Logan dashed towards the oncoming monsters. The massive bodies of the Flame Crocodiles were torn apart, their resilient flesh sliced as if it were paper. And it wasn't just the Flame Crocodiles - other unknown monsters met the same ruthless fate.

Logan moved like a storm, sending the monsters flying with each swing of Ashura. Lava flowed, debris filled the air, and the dungeon trembled under the force of his onslaught.

Noah couldn't comprehend what he was witnessing. "Is this really my father? What is his current rank?" he wondered, his mind filled with awe and confusion.

Logan's display of power was staggering, relying solely on his own strength and the black spear named Ashura to decimate the horde of monsters. Covered in blood and flesh, he appeared less human and more like a merciless predator.

Noah, even as his son, was overwhelmed by the madness emanating from Logan. He couldn't move or even take a breath, mesmerized by the sight before him.

As the last monster fell to the ground, a powerful C-Rank rhinoceros-like creature.

In a remarkable display of skill, his father single-handedly obliterated the horde of monsters. Astonishingly, he exhibited no signs of exhaustion.

Swallowing a lump in his throat, Noah unknowingly gulped down his dry saliva.

And then, it happened.

Roarrrrrr!

A deafening roar reverberated from the peak of the volcano.

Upon hearing the roar, Noah's mind went blank.

Struggling to maintain his composure, he witnessed an immense creature emerging from the summit of the volcano.

The sheer magnificence of the colossal beast, reminiscent of a legendary dragon, rendered Noah speechless with awe.

Logan grinned as he beheld the creature.

"Finally, you've arrived. Crimson Drake!"

Covered in scales as red as blood, its body extended a staggering thirty meters, with wings that spanned even further when fully stretched.

'Is that not a dragon?'

Noah quivered in the presence of the Drake, a sight he had never encountered before in his entire life.

The crimson aura enveloping the Crimson Drake's form starkly contrasted against its emergence from the molten lava.

Monsters of B-rank and higher also possessed unique characteristics similar to those of humans.

The color red indicated the Crimson Drake's exceptional prowess in physical combat, while its blue aura hinted at its mastery of magic within its domain. As a B-rank or higher monster, it possessed formidable magical abilities.

Logan, tightening his grip on Ashura, addressed his son.

"Son, that fiend is the ultimate boss of this dungeon."

Despite facing the dungeon's most powerful adversary, Logan displayed no signs of fear. Instead, he appeared exhilarated, a maniacal grin spreading across his face.

Noah couldn't comprehend his father'sThe color red indicated the Crimson Drake's exceptional prowess in physical combat, while its blue aura hinted at its mastery of magic within its domain. As a B-rank or higher monster, it possessed formidable magical abilities.

Logan, tightening his grip on Ashura, addressed his son.

"Son, that fiend is the ultimate boss of this dungeon."

Despite facing the dungeon's most powerful adversary, Logan displayed no signs of fear. Instead, he appeared exhilarated, a maniacal grin spreading across his face.

Noah couldn't comprehend his father's demeanor.

He wondered whether everyone who became a high-ranking Players would become crazy like that, or whether only crazy individuals could become a high-ranking awakened.

Raaaar!

The crimson drake unfurled its wings, ascending into the heavens.

Its objective: Logan.

With lightning speed, the Crimson drake raced towards Logan.

Even before the Wyvern arrived, a gust of wind sliced through the atmosphere.

Bending his knees slightly, Logan's father spoke.

"My son!"

"Yes?"

"Survive on your own."

"That's..."

In that instant, Logan propelled himself off the ground.

Whoosh!

It's extraordinary for a person to take flight, but there was also a sonic boom.

Logan broke the sound barrier, instantaneously appearing in front of the Crimson Drake.

Crash!

The collision between the colossal beast and the tiny human echoed through the air.

The aftermath shook the dungeon to its very core.

The once calm lava surged like a tidal wave, spewing in all directions, and the volcano expelled even denser black smoke.

The lifeless bodies of the monsters Logan had vanquished melted into the molten rock. The protective heat emanating from the volcano dissipated upon their demise.

Lava surged towards Noah.

"Damn it!"

He hastily maneuvered to evade the fiery flow, but it relentlessly pursued him.

If he continued on this path, he would dissolve into the lava just like the other monsters.

BOOM!

Amidst the chaos, Logan's father and the Scarlet Wyvern engaged in a fierce aerial battle.

However, a problem arose when Logan's father deflected the Wyvern's fiery breath, causing it to dangerously land near Noah.

KABOOM!

Accompanied by a thunderous sound, lava splashed, and Noah bore the full force of it.

"Ugh!"

Noah dashed around in a frenzy, resembling a madman. With the unpredictable surges of lava and the urgency of the situation, he couldn't even begin to contemplate how to utilize his abilities.

In order to survive, he needed to distance himself from the area where Logan and the Scarlet Wyvern clashed.

Noah leaped across the sea of lava, traversing over the black volcanic rocks.

Suddenly, the rock he landed on crumbled, revealing molten lava beneath.

If he were to fall, it would spell his demise. His mind raced, and he poured every ounce of his strength into his legs to propel himself forward. His speed increased exponentially draining his mana.

Noah managed to land on a solid volcanic rock just before his mana ran out completely.

Huff! Huff!

Kneeling on the volcanic rock, he gasped for breath.

His heart felt like it might burst, and a metallic taste filled his lungs.

It was the aftermath of exerting all his energy in a single moment.

And then, it happened.

Rumble!

The entire dungeon shook violently.

Looking towards the source, Noah saw that his fight with the Crimson Drake was reaching its climax.

"It's over," he muttered in a manic tone.

A tremendous power surged within Logan's weapon, Ashura.

In his eyes, Ashura seemed to double in size for a moment.

Logan flung Ashura towards the Crimson Drake's.

Swoosh!

Ashura soared through the air like a meteor, piercing straight through the Crimson Drake's chest.

Bang!

The Crimson Drake emitted a pitiful cry as it plummeted.

Thud!

The colossal monster, over thirty meters in length, crashed onto the lava terrain.

Devoid of strength, the drake's body sprawled across the ground.

Noah's father descended upon the motionless drake.

Though the Crimson Drake still gasped for breath, its labored breaths were feeble as it looked up at Noah's father.

Glancing down at the Crimson drake, Noah's father spoke.

"Well, too bad for you. I win."

His father hoisted Ashura high into the sky and thrust it deep into the beating heart of the Crimson Drake.

Whoosh!

Boom!

The excruciating pain of Ashura's penetration caused the Crimson Drake to convulse, but its final thrashes were feeble.

Embedded in the Crimson Drake's heart, Ashura glowed with a fiery red hue, brimming with the immense power of a dungeon's ultimate adversary.

Ashura greedily absorbed the fiery energy from the Crimson Drake, growing hotter and hotter, as if on the verge of melting away.

At the pinnacle of this intense heat, Ashura underwent a sudden metamorphosis.

The ebony spear gleamed with an even more malevolent aura, its presence becoming increasingly ominous.

"Hehehe! Impressive, my son. Let us leave before the dungeon collapses, for the final boss has met its demise. I hope you have learned a valuable lesson."

Noah stared at his father with a blank expression.

"Valuable lesson, huh? More like I just realized my father is a lunatic," he thought to himself before reluctantly following his father.

°°°

Back in the real world, Noah shook his head, snapping out of his reminiscing. He couldn't help but acknowledge that his father was indeed a madman when it came to battle. Even to this day, Noah had no idea what rank his father held. Every time he asked, his father would just grin and tell him to take a guess.

That irritating grin on his face always annoyed Noah, and he made a silent vow to himself that one day, when he surpassed his father, he would punch him as payback for all the reckless things he had made him do.