Episode 1: The Day I Became the Final Boss
Kael had one rule.
Never trust anyone.
It was a rule he had learned after ten years inside Eternal Dominion, the most dangerous and popular virtual reality game in the world.
Unfortunately, he had forgotten it tonight.
Blood dripped from the edge of his sword as Kael stood before the enormous black gate of the Abyssal Temple.
Behind him lay thousands of dead monsters.
In front of him waited the final secret.
His armor was cracked. His breathing was heavy. His health bar had fallen below five percent.
Yet Kael smiled.
He had finally done it.
Level 999.
The highest level anyone could reach.
A golden notification floated before his eyes.
[CONGRATULATIONS!]
[Player Kael has reached the maximum level.]
[World Announcement: The first Level 999 player has appeared.]
[Achievement Unlocked: Strongest Player.]
Kael stared at the words for several seconds.
Then he laughed softly.
“Ten years…”
He lowered his sword.
“Ten years for this.”
He remembered everything.
The first dungeon he entered at seventeen.
The first legendary monster he defeated.
The guildmates who once mocked him.
The countless nights he spent fighting while everyone else slept.
The friends he had lost.
The enemies he had defeated.
And every impossible obstacle that had stood between him and Level 999.
Now there was only one thing left.
The secret of Eternal Dominion.
Kael pushed open the temple gate.
The moment he stepped inside, the temperature dropped.
No monsters attacked him.
No traps activated.
There was only silence.
At the end of the enormous chamber stood an ancient throne surrounded by black flames.
Kael slowly approached it.
A transparent screen appeared.
[SECRET AREA DISCOVERED.]
[Final Condition Completed.]
[The truth behind Eternal Dominion will now be revealed.]
Kael’s heart raced.
“This is it.”
For ten years, players had searched for this secret.
Thousands had died trying.
Some believed the game contained a hidden god.
Others believed it could grant immortality.
Kael had never believed any of them.
Until now.
The screen flickered.
[WARNING.]
[Unauthorized player access detected.]
Kael frowned.
“Unauthorized?”
The system had never spoken like that before.
Suddenly, footsteps echoed behind him.
Kael’s hand immediately moved toward his sword.
He turned.
Five people stood at the entrance.
His guildmates.
His closest companions.
Rylan, the guild’s vice-captain.
Mira, their healer.
Draven, the strongest tank.
Sera, their assassin.
And Elena.
Kael’s eyes softened when he saw her.
“Elena?”
She didn’t answer.
Something was wrong.
Kael slowly lowered his hand from his sword.
“You followed me?”
Rylan smiled.
“Yes.”
Kael looked at them.
“Why?”
Nobody answered.
Then Rylan raised his sword.
Kael’s expression changed.
“You wouldn’t.”
“We have been waiting for this moment for years,” Rylan said.
Kael stared at him.
“What are you talking about?”
Rylan’s smile widened.
“You finally reached Level 999.”
A chill ran through Kael’s body.
“So?”
“So now you can open the final gate.”
Kael understood.
They had never been waiting for the secret.
They had been waiting for him.
“For my access,” Kael whispered.
Rylan laughed.
“Exactly.”
Kael looked at Elena.
She couldn’t meet his eyes.
“Elena.”
Her lips trembled.
“I’m sorry.”
Those two words hurt more than any sword could.
Kael’s fingers tightened around his weapon.
“You knew?”
She nodded.
“How long?”
“Three years.”
Kael laughed bitterly.
Three years.
He had protected them for three years.
He had shared legendary weapons with them.
He had saved their lives in dungeons.
And all this time, they had been waiting for him to become useful enough to kill.
Rylan lifted his sword.
“Give us the access key.”
Kael looked at him.
“No.”
Rylan’s expression hardened.
“Then we’ll take it.”
The attack came without warning.
A spear of lightning pierced Kael’s shoulder.
He staggered.
His health dropped.
Mira immediately activated a sealing spell.
Draven blocked the exit.
Sera appeared behind him.
Kael looked around.
Five against one.
His own team.
His own friends.
His own executioners.
He slowly raised his sword.
“You should have brought more people.”
Rylan laughed.
“You’re almost dead.”
Kael smiled.
“Almost.”
The battle exploded.
Kael moved like lightning.
His sword cut through Draven’s shield.
Sera attacked from behind.
Kael turned and blocked her blade.
Mira’s magic struck his chest.
Rylan’s sword pierced his abdomen.
Kael coughed blood.
His health dropped to one percent.
He fell to one knee.
Rylan stood over him.
“It’s over.”
Kael looked at the system.
The secret screen was still there.
Then something strange happened.
The black flames around the throne turned gold.
A new message appeared.
[Hidden Condition Completed.]
[Suitable Candidate Detected.]
[Player Kael has reached Level 999.]
[Beginning soul transfer.]
Kael’s eyes widened.
“What?”
The entire temple shook.
Rylan stepped backward.
“What did you activate?”
Kael didn’t know.
A blinding light swallowed the room.
He heard Elena scream his name.
Then everything went black.
Kael felt himself falling.
Not through space.
Through time.
Memories rushed past him.
But mixed among them were memories that weren’t his.
A black castle.
A throne.
A woman wearing a silver crown.
An army kneeling before him.
A hero holding a holy sword.
And a voice whispering:
“You were never the player.”
Kael tried to scream.
“Who are you?”
No answer came.
Then another voice appeared.
Cold.
Mechanical.
Familiar.
[GOD SYSTEM INITIALIZING.]
Kael froze.
[GOD SYSTEM ACTIVATED.]
[Identity Verification.]
[Name: Kael.]
[Race: Demon.]
[Class: FINAL BOSS.]
[Level: 999.]
Kael’s eyes snapped open.
He was lying on a cold stone floor.
He sat up slowly.
His head throbbed.
“What…”
He looked around.
Black pillars rose toward an enormous ceiling.
Red banners hung from the walls.
A gigantic throne stood before him.
Kael knew this place.
His blood turned cold.
“No.”
He stood.
His body felt different.
Stronger.
He looked down.
Black armor covered his body.
His hands were larger.
He rushed toward a silver mirror.
The reflection nearly made him stop breathing.
Black hair.
Crimson eyes.
Two dark horns.
A face he knew very well.
The face of the strongest villain in Eternal Dominion.
The Final Boss.
Kael stumbled backward.
“This can’t be real.”
The system appeared again.
[Welcome, Final Boss.]
[Main Storyline Activated.]
[The Chosen Hero will be born in 30 days.]
[Predicted Final Battle: 300 days.]
[Predicted Outcome: Final Boss defeated.]
Kael stared at the screen.
He knew this story.
He had played it hundreds of times.
The Final Boss was destined to lose.
His castle would burn.
His army would fall.
His allies would betray him.
And in the final chapter…
The hero would drive a sacred sword through his heart.
Kael slowly clenched his fist.
Then he laughed.
At first, it was quiet.
Then louder.
The system displayed another notification.
[GOD SYSTEM QUEST.]
[Main Objective: Break Your Fate.]
[Reward: Unknown.]
[Failure: Death.]
Kael’s laughter stopped.
He looked toward the throne.
For ten years, he had played the game according to someone else’s rules.
Not anymore.
If the world wanted a Final Boss…
It had one.
But it had made a fatal mistake.
It gave the Final Boss the memories of the strongest player alive.
Kael walked toward the throne and sat down.
His crimson eyes burned with determination.
“Let the hero come.”
The castle trembled.
“Let the kingdoms come.”
A dark smile appeared on his face.
“Let the entire world come for me.”
He leaned back against the throne.
“I already know how this story ends.”
The system flickered.
[WARNING.]
[Timeline deviation detected.]
[Original storyline has been altered.]
Kael’s smile disappeared.
Another message appeared.
[Unknown Entity has detected you.]
A final line appeared beneath it.
[WELCOME BACK, KAEL.]
Kael stared at the words.
His blood ran cold.
Someone else knew who he was.
And whoever had sent the message…
Had been waiting for his return.
For the first time since becoming the Final Boss, Kael felt something he hadn’t felt in years.
Fear.
Then the castle doors exploded open.
A terrified soldier rushed inside.
“My Lord!”
Kael turned.
“What happened?”
The soldier dropped to his knees.
“The chosen hero…”
Kael narrowed his eyes.
“What about him?”
The soldier raised his trembling head.
“He has been born.”
Kael stood.
His eyes turned cold.
“Then the game has begun.”
But this time…
Kael wasn’t going to play by the rules.
He was going to rewrite the ending.
