EDEN — Chapter 13 (Part 2) – End

It was a spontaneous thought, but once it formed, it was brilliantly tempting. Gods were bound to the divine realm and could not manifest on earth. To abandon one’s divine essence and descend was unthinkable, something only Nox, who lived purely for amusement, could conceive.

From that day on, he devoted himself to creating his relic. Unlike the others, who only infused fragments of their power, Nox poured half of his strength into his. Then he searched the earth for ages, chose the most exceptional demon, bestowed upon him one of his eyes, and set his plans into motion. Through that eye, he tampered with the relics that would later be found by mortals. The demon he chose carried out the scheme perfectly, and mortals rejoiced in ignorance as they discovered the relics. The gods, having already sent their relics away, had no idea what was happening, except Tiog, who occasionally cast subtle glances.

And now, today, the plan was complete. The power the gods sent down had all become Nox’s. It was enough to abandon the divine realm and manifest on earth.

Narrowing eyes, filled with red pupils, glinted sharply.

-See you soon, mortals.

With that twisted laugh, the cutscene ended. The gods’ captured angels had their wings torn off and were absorbed into Nox’s sigil. It was the beginning of true pandemonium.

-Event triggered!
-The Second Divine–Demonic War has begun.
-Factions can be chosen regardless of race. After choosing, you cannot change factions.
-Faction selection time limit: 47 hours.
[Current Faction Ratio: Nox 13% : Tiog 30% : Neutral 57%]

[Nox Faction Contribution: 39,702]
[Tiog Faction Contribution: 23,180]

This time, the war was strictly divided between Nox and Tiog. Demons and humans belonged to their respective gods by default, but all races were allowed a one-time faction change. When the selection window appeared, the ratios fluctuated wildly.

As the cutscene ended, I-eon, still sitting in his chair, blinked amidst the chaos and let out a hollow laugh. The guild members, frozen like statues moments before, erupted into frantic reactions.

“What is this…!”

“Guild master is insane!”

“Our guild master is the final boss…”

Ji Jong-sosi covered his forehead while Debbie and Iraine flailed like panicked fish. Coco-pang picked his faction without hesitation, and Valror still looked bewildered. Debbie grabbed I-eon with a shocked expression.

“Sir I-eon! You knew?!”

“No, not at all…”

“Holy crap, this is insane.”

Most players hadn’t even found a single relic, and yet someone had quietly gathered them all and rigged the system. Even if the Demon God himself helped, doing something like that was far beyond what normal people could accomplish. It only proved how disgustingly well Nox had chosen his champion. I-eon was genuinely impressed.

-A new message has arrived. Sender: Raham

From the most terrifying man of the hour, a message had arrived. Not even a whisper, an actual letter? Curiosity piqued, I-eon opened it, and couldn’t help but laugh.

[I-eon
Are you mad?
from. Raham]

He had even left a line break between each part like he was tiptoeing. After turning Eden upside down, he had the nerve to send something this cute. Smiling without realizing it, I-eon sent him a whisper. The request was accepted immediately.

[Yeah.]

“Why would I be mad?”

[Because I didn’t tell you in advance.]

“You started doing all that before you even met me, didn’t you? I’m just impressed, honestly.”

If it weren’t for Raham, the Demon God’s plan probably would have failed and the Gate of Eden would have opened properly. What player could pull something like this off alone?

“You go ahead and stick with the Nox faction. I’m going with Tiog.”

[I don’t have a choice.]

“Yeah?”

Well, he was basically Nox’s right hand. It would be stranger if he could change factions. Nodding to himself, I-eon suddenly remembered the Sword of Tiog.

“Oh, right. Did you do anything to my sword too?”

[No.]

The demonic aura that had wrapped around Raham’s neck after the sword was forged… That must have been the Demon God ordering him to corrupt Tiog’s Sword with his own power. With I-eon right there, it would’ve been the easiest thing in the world, but Raham didn’t. A boyfriend privilege, plain and simple.

Yeah, that was the least he deserved. Feeling satisfied, I-eon spoke more gently.

“Let’s check the situation first, do what we need to do, then meet outside.”

[Okay.]

Just before the whisper cut off, Raham added something softly.

[I love you.]

“……”

Even after the connection ended, the words lingered in his ears. I-eon scratched at his ear for no reason.

“Oh, Sir I-eon, are you upset? Your face is red.”

“…I’m not.”

Debbie peeked at him with concern. Embarrassment flaring even higher, I-eon waved his hands and hurriedly changed the subject.

“Did everyone pick a faction?”

“I haven’t yet!”

“I chose already.”

Ji Jong-sosi and Valror were Tiog faction. Debbie and Iraine were undecided. Coco-pang, who already had her dagger out, tilted her head with a smile.

“I picked Nox.”

“……”

“……”

“Why…?”

Everyone froze, exchanging wary glances. And at some point, her name above her head had turned bright red, the kind of color you only saw in PVP matches.

Still smiling, Coco-pang shrugged at Iraine’s question.

“Well, it just seemed more fun?”

“…Please spare us.”

“Aw, I won’t kill guildmates right away. I’ll go ahead first, okay?”

Leaving behind those subtly threatening words, Coco-pang vanished in an instant. She had definitely headed for the altar area where fighting had already begun. Luckily, she spared them because they were guild members, if they were strangers, she could have taken down two or three before they even noticed.

The newly added quest was primarily about taking down the opposing faction. The battle that began near the altar had already spread backward. Because resurrection was limited to once a day, people were rushing to choose their sides.

[Current Faction Ratio: Nox 21% : Tiog 43% : Neutral 36%]

The Tiog side’s numbers were overwhelming for now, but with the Demon God himself interfering on Nox’s side, it wouldn’t be easy. Besides…

-The Demon God Nox appoints “Raham” as a Legion Commander.
-“Raham” receives the protection of the Demon God Nox.

There was no way Nox would leave his right hand unattended. Players focused their attacks on Raham, now a demon legion commander, but the demons and beasts pouring from the corrupted Gate of Eden formed formation around him. In the middle of them, Raham used a single skill.

-Physical and magical defense increase in proportion to the number of demons.

With just that one skill, the rank of all ordinary demons shot up several tiers. Nirvana. The skill he had obtained from the ruins in the Selvia Desert.

“Well, some people really are built different…”

I-eon laughed again. A skill that normally only boosted stats based on the party member count, basically useless in regular parties, became monstrous now that every demon counted as a party member due to his new “legion commander” status. Who could have predicted this use?

Occasionally, some managed to break through the defenses and approach Raham, but with the Demon God’s protection, he wasn’t someone who could be fought one-on-one anymore. Despite the difference in player numbers, Nox’s contribution rate began surpassing Tiog’s. More players began switching to Nox, enthralled by Raham’s overwhelming presence.

“I… I want to join Nox too.”

“What?”

Debbie, who had always admired her guild master, became completely mesmerized seeing him command a demon legion, and impulsively joined the Nox side. Iraine reached out helplessly as Debbie flew off on her mount.

“That idiot…”

“Iraine, are you joining Tiog?”

“Of course!”

She always chose the stable, majority choice in situations like this. Immediately selecting her faction, Iraine placed her hands on her hips and declared proudly:

“This side’s going to win anyway!”

“You never know… things could change…”

“We have Sir I-eon here!”

“…Huh?”

Iraine pointed both hands straight at I-eon.

“The guild master will fight Sir I-eon, right?!”

“……”

“Oh-ho.”

“That makes sense.”

Watching the two men nodding like a pair of dunces irritated I-eon for no reason. Ha ha… He gave a hollow laugh, stepped back to avoid the spreading battle, and opened a window. With the Second Divine–Demonic War underway, this was exactly the time for Esteban to shine.

“Summon Esteban.”

At I-eon’s call, a knight holding Tiog’s Sword descended within a column of light. Having already sensed the powerful demonic energy, he appeared fully armed in platinum armor.

“Sir I-eon. I was waiting.”

-“Esteban, Knight of Light,” joins the Tiog faction.
-Those in the Tiog faction gain increased stats due to the relic “Tiog’s Sword.”

Tiog’s holy power reacted to Nox’s corruption, becoming even stronger and sharper. The blade in Esteban’s hand looked almost like condensed holy energy. A pure white radiance surrounded his entire body, protecting him. He was truly a “Knight of Light.”

“The Demon God triggered a Divine–Demonic War.”

“Yes. I sensed the moment had come.”

“I’ll leave it to you.”

“The mission of a holy knight, I shall fulfill it until my final breath.”

Esteban raised his sword vertically in salute, then leapt into the battlefield without hesitation. Even from far away, his radiant presence raised the morale of the Tiog faction, and it was obvious the tide was shifting in their favor.

I-eon watched his retreating figure for a moment, then prepared for battle himself. Though the player ratio favored Tiog, the endless flow of demons kept the overall numbers nearly balanced.

As Iraine finished equipping her gear, she checked the battle log and showed I-eon her window.

“Sir I-eon, look at this!”

“Yes?”

“Contribution!”

What Iraine pointed to was the mainstream contribution ranking. It was natural that all relic owners were within the ranks, but somehow I-eon, who had been around tenth place earlier, had suddenly risen to third. First place was Raham, who had caused the biggest uproar of all, and Ensis, pushed down by that same uproar, had taken second. Meanwhile, I-eon’s contribution kept rising slowly but steadily.

“…Is it because of Esteban?”

“I think so.”

Judging by how sharply the numbers had jumped, just sending Esteban into the war had shot I-eon’s contribution through the roof. Every enemy Esteban defeated became I-eon’s contribution as well.

“Wow, that’s busted.”

“Aren’t the rewards for second and third place ridiculously good too?”

“Just… buy me one ice cream…”

Ji Jong-sosi bowed exaggeratedly while joking. Since they still didn’t know what would happen, I-eon simply replied, “Yeah, yeah. I’ll buy ten each,” and checked the overall battlefield. The number of players was gradually dropping due to the resurrection limit. If the demons and beasts kept pushing forward at this rate, the Paluk Great Plains would soon become demon territory.

“We should go too.”

“Yes!”

“Let’s avoid the guild master’s side and just farm contribution.”

“Yeah, that’s the plan.”

Raham was already surrounded by countless demons, so if they wanted contribution points, the best strategy was to stay far away.

Agreeing with the idea, I-eon headed toward a quieter side of the battlefield, then glanced toward Raham. Somehow noticing the look, Raham lazily waved at him. I-eon chuckled and waved back.

11 PM. After fighting for a while, checking how the Tiog-side players were coordinating, and confirming the battle plan, I-eon logged out. When the capsule lid opened, Raham was sitting there with his chin propped in his hand.

“……”

“……”

What was he even doing leaning against the capsule? When their eyes met, Do-jin only stared without saying a word. I-eon sat up and poked his cheek.

“What are you doing?”

“Seeing how you react.”

“Huh?”

“In case you’re mad.”

Even though I-eon said he wasn’t angry, Raham clearly still hadn’t relaxed. The way he lowered his eyes pitifully would melt any anger that wasn’t even there. I-eon pulled him close and stepped out of the capsule. Being dragged along obediently made him look like an oversized dog testing the waters after causing trouble.

I-eon flopped onto the big sofa with him and ruffled his pitch-black hair.

“I told you I’m not mad. Why would I get mad at my boyfriend over something like that?”

“……”

“Relax your face.”

At the repeated reassurance, Raham’s expression finally softened. Seeing the faint smile reach his eyes, I-eon smiled too and lay beside him.

“When did you log out? What about the war?”

“Just now. It runs fine without me for a bit.”

“Was that you waving at me earlier?”

“Yeah.”

“Debbie and Coco-pang went Nox side. Call them to hang out if you get bored.”

“Okay.”

He had no intention of calling them, but answered well anyway. I-eon pinched Do-jin’s cheek again, then ended up kneading it while chatting about this and that. So long as the game was fun, he didn’t intend to dig into the past or demand anything from someone in the opposing faction. They were both considerate of each other. It was only a little disappointing that now they could only meet outside the game.

Letting go of his cheek, I-eon gently rubbed the faintly reddened skin and spoke cautiously.

“About what you said earlier.”

“What did I say?”

“……”

That thing he casually dropped in a whisper before vanishing.

At I-eon suddenly clamping his mouth shut, Do-jin realized what he meant and smiled with his eyes. He didn’t mind saying it again and again.

“I love you.”

“…Ha.”

I-eon’s ears turned red all over again. His trembling gaze revealed just how flustered he was. Do-jin cupped I-eon’s cheeks, kissed him lightly, then pulled him into his arms, so he could hide his shy lover.

“I mean it. Always.”

“……”

“I love you, I-eon.”

Caught in Do-jin’s arms, I-eon answered in a small voice, “…Me too.” Do-jin smiled the happiest smile of his life and held him tighter.

Centered around the Justice guild, the Tiog faction organized steadily, with disciplined troop formations and tactics. Of course, countless guilds and individuals participated independently, but the overall flow shifted according to the Justice guild’s victories and losses.

Nox, whose guild master was now a demon legion commander and whose remaining players were split into factions, had no choice but to fight as scattered units. Still, they were all strong on their own, and I-eon himself was comfortable thanks to Esteban steadily piling up his contribution.

Fortunately, the momentum of the demon invasion weakened, and the war began favoring the Tiog faction. But they couldn’t relax yet, Nox himself had not appeared.

-Faction selection remaining time: 1 hour
[Current Faction Ratio: Nox 36% : Tiog 59% : Neutral 5%]
[Nox Contribution: 135,385]
[Tiog Contribution: 148,027]

Players could choose factions through the website without logging in, so only a few neutrals remained. Some players who couldn’t play for a while chose Nox faction just for fun or out of curiosity.

Two days after Saturday, Monday evening at 7 PM. With one hour left until the faction selection deadline, fierce battling continued at the Paluk Great Plains. As long as players gained a certain amount of contribution, they earned better rewards than week-long raid runs, so participation remained steady.

Meanwhile, Ensis was pouring everything he had into the fight, unlike I-eon, so second and third place constantly fluctuated. Raham, firmly holding first place, was unreachable.

-Thud!

A beast, struck in the head by I-eon’s shield, toppled backward. Flicking blood from his sword, I-eon caught his breath and surveyed the area. As the battle dragged on, each faction had even built camps. Nox in the west, Tiog in the east. Neutral players, unable to earn contribution, wandered between camps to watch or sometimes caused random mischief.

Ensis was preparing for the next fight in the largest war tent. Spotting I-eon nearby, he grinned and made a fighting pose, friendly encouragement for a worthy rival.

Awkwardly smiling back, I-eon opened the guild chat when he didn’t see his guild members around.

[I-eon: Did everyone leave?]

[Coco-pang: I’m at 12 o’clock direction haha]

[I-eon: haha; good luck;]

[Iraine: I’m roaming with a friend picking people off one-by-one lol]

The beast hit by the shield fell straight backward. Flicking blood from his sword, I-eon caught his breath and scanned the area. As the battle on the plains dragged on, each faction had constructed its own war tents. Nox territory in the west. Tiog territory in the east. A small number of neutral players who could not earn contribution wandered secretly between both sides to watch or sometimes cause trouble for no reason.

Ensis was preparing for the next battle inside the largest war tent. Spotting I-eon nearby, he flashed a grin and struck a fighting pose. It was friendly encouragement toward a worthy rival.

Awkwardly laughing, I-eon opened the guild chat when he didn’t see his guild members around.

[I-eon: Everyone left?]

[Coco-pang: I’m around the 12 o’clock side haha]

[I-eon: haha; good luck;]

[Iraine: I’m sneaking around with a friend and picking people off one by one lol]

[Valror: Fought in the middle, used up my resurrection, died again]

[Ji Jong-sosi: I also got smacked in the back of the head by an assassin haha]

[Ji Jong-sosi: Mages are way too disadvantaged in this kind of brawl ㅠㅠ]

[Debbie: I am. Invincible.]

[Debbie: As long as I’m with the guild master!!!]

As expected, the Nox side where Raham stood had far stronger survivability. Debbie was probably stuck right at Raham’s side soaking up every buff he had.

I-eon looked toward the central region where the fiercest fighting was happening. The plains were so large he couldn’t see well, but the continually spreading black aura told him Raham was in the thick of battle as well. Rumor had it that due to the Demon God’s blessing, Raham’s stats had surpassed normal player limits, and he hadn’t died even once.

Esteban, as expected of his nature, was silently holding the battlefield together. He was being followed by not only knights dispatched from temples all across the continent but also a great number of players. He was the battlefield symbol Ensis had hoped for.

Well, maybe it was time for a break. Everyone was doing fine even without him.

Leeching contribution thanks to Esteban, I-eon slipped into a nearby tent. It was small, barely enough for two or three people, but luckily empty. He whistled as he settled onto the blankets.

“I-eon.”

“Heavens…!”

Raham appeared out of nowhere, making I-eon jolt upright clutching his chest. There had been no one around, then suddenly hearing someone call his name, of course he’d be startled.

It was the first time he’d seen Raham in-game since the day the Eden Gate opened, and his appearance had changed drastically. Eyes so red they looked unnatural, fingers stained black, black mist flowing like fog around his feet. Using Nox’s power as if it were his own, he no longer seemed like an ordinary player.

“You scared me… seriously. What? How are you even here?”

“I wanted to see you.”

“We even had lunch together.”

Of course I-eon wanted to see him too, but were they still in a relationship where they could meet just because they wanted to? Raham was now completely bound to the battlefield in Eden, so I-eon had no way of seeing his face. That was why this moment was such a surprise.

“You were alone.”

“And how did you know that?”

“Became possible after I became legion commander.”

He must have gained some new ability. Showing up here like this was probably one of those abilities as well.

Wanting to keep him hidden from view, I-eon lowered the tent flap and stepped closer to Raham, kissing him on the cheek. Even though they’d met for lunch, seeing him again felt oddly refreshing.

“You’ve been wrecking everything nicely out there.”

“It’s boring without you.”

“Funny, considering your contribution is a bit too high for someone who’s bored.”

Smiling, Raham wrapped his arms around I-eon’s waist. Then rubbed his face against I-eon’s neck, this new appearance might have looked intimidating, but the inside was unchanged.

“Don’t get distracted just because I’m not around.”

“Who do you think made my standards shoot up to the sky?”

As if anyone else could catch his eye now. Raham chuckled softly at I-eon’s sass, took a few deep breaths as if recharging, then straightened.

“I have to go.”

“Already?”

“Demons are gathering.”

I-eon, who had been pouting at Raham leaving so soon, froze when he heard that. Demons and beasts gathered wherever the Demon God’s power pooled. And the greatest source of demonic power right now was standing right here. Which meant…

As if proving the thought, the previously quiet outside suddenly grew noisy. Just as I-eon was about to snap at him, Raham kissed him and disappeared.

“You…!”

“See you soon, sweetheart.”

Left alone, I-eon glared at the spot where Raham had been, then rushed outside. Past the central battlefield, people were desperately fighting off demons that had suddenly invaded their side. Pressing a hand to his forehead, I-eon quietly drew his weapon and merged naturally into the fight.

The tide of war, which had been slightly in Tiog’s favor, began shifting strangely. It was nearing 8 PM.

-Faction selection time remaining: 5 minutes
-Faction selection time remaining: 3 minutes
-Faction selection time remaining: 1 minute
-Time limit exceeded. Faction selection is now closed.

The final ratio of neutral players was 4%. Nox and Tiog settled at 37 to 59.

But something felt off, far beyond just the faction lock. I-eon, who had been preparing to pull back from the battlefield, stopped what he was doing and watched the situation. Others also froze, exchanging uneasy glances.

“…What is that?”

“Something’s… too quiet.”

Just as someone said, the plains, where noise came from all directions only moments ago, were suddenly swallowed by an eerie silence. It was the calm before a storm.

So quiet it was unnerving. That was when the anomaly erupted.

A booming tremor rang out, shaking the space itself. Even after all the fighting against countless demons and beasts, no one had felt anything like this. And the anomaly did not stop there, Eden’s Gate in the sky began reacting as well. The gigantic ring, tainted by demonic energy and used only as a gate to the demon realm, began releasing black smoke as if vaporizing.

While the Tiog faction froze in confusion, demons and beasts fell to their knees and raised their arms. A posture of worship.

The feared event had finally come.

-‘Demon God Nox’ descends.
-The area is engulfed in demonic energy.
-All beings in the Nox faction receive the Demon God’s power.
-Tiog’s power is greatly weakened.

The continuous stream of status windows couldn’t divert their attention.

It was because of the being that had descended from Eden’s Gate, shrouded in black smoke.

Dark skin revealed beneath pitch-black clothing, jet-black hair that fluttered as if alive, and a single remaining crimson eye.

Though its appearance was no different from a human’s, the overwhelming presence made it clear it was anything but.

The demon god Nox had appeared.

He looked down at the countless tiny beings covering the ground and let out a satisfied smile.

-My servant and the insects are all mixed together.

The voice of the god did not reach the ears, but echoed directly inside their heads. With Nox’s appearance lowering their stats and crushing their morale, those on the Tiog side could do nothing but look up at the sky. Their instincts told them that this was a being no human power could resist.

The demon god mocked their defeated expressions and spread both arms wide.

-Come. Let us begin the true offering. I do not accept converts.

The ominous demonic energy overflowing from Eden’s Gate poured down to the ground. Like massive waves, the power surged outward and began to swallow everything as if it would leave not even a blade of grass behind. The first to fall were the neutral players who did not even have Tiog’s protection. Following them, low-level players and NPCs collapsed helplessly and vanished.

“Argh!”

“Run!”

“Help me…!”

People scrambled in panic, wildly tangled and tripping over one another. As I-eon was about to flee like the others, he suddenly remembered Esteban, still in the center of the battlefield. Players could resurrect even if they died here, but NPCs were gone permanently. No matter how strong Esteban had become with Tiog’s power, he was nothing before a demon god.

“Esteban, summon!”

At the urgent command, Esteban appeared beside I-eon, eyes wide in shock. Even in this hopeless situation, he must have been fighting to the last moment, the way he gripped his sword as if ready to swing immediately made that clear.

“I-eon?”

“We need to get out of here first.”

“But the demon god…!”

“If you die now, everything ends.”

Surely Tiog had some kind of countermeasure. There was no way the story was going to end in a bleak final death for everyone. For what came afterward, he needed to take Esteban alive.

Esteban clearly wanted to stay and keep fighting, but he couldn’t bring himself to disobey I-eon. He let himself be pulled away and retreated. Escaping from that hellscape of demonic power, they returned to I-eon’s housing. The peacefully rolling cats felt jarringly out of place compared to the disaster they had just fled.

“Ha… this is bad.”

“How could the demon god descend directly into this land…?”

Esteban murmured in despair, his sword drooping in his hand. A god who abandoned the divine realm and descended to earth for fun. That was complete balance destruction. I-eon clicked his tongue and checked the community. As expected, chaos. The only readable thing was a pinned announcement from the Justice guild.

[Title: (Justice Guild) Emergency strategy meeting at 9 PM today in the Justice guild hall.]

[Guilds participating, please gather on time.
Limit: Up to 3 people from guild master, vice master, and senior members.]

Given the situation, the Tiog-side guild leadership was planning to hold an emergency meeting. Times like these, large guilds were reassuring.

Everyone except I-eon was a senior member, so they qualified to join. I-eon was about to suggest in guild chat that the Nox guild join too, when a notification popped up.

-Random quest generated!
~Light in the Dark (Tiog Faction)~
“The appearance of Demon God Nox has empowered the demon race. But Tiog will not simply watch the suffering of his creations. Do not lose hope and break the momentum of the demon legion.
Objective: Defeat the demon legion commander.”

“……”

The demon legion commander… was Raham.

I-eon slowly lowered his hand. He would just behave quietly for now.

[Iraine: GUILD MAAASTEEEER]

[Iraine: Isn’t this too much ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ]

[Ji Jong-sosi: What is even happening lolol]

[Debbie: Should’ve chosen Nox lol]

[Coco-pang: lolol]

[Coco-pang: Good luck!]

[Iraine: lol]

[Ji Jong-sosi: Just protect my gear please]

[Iraine: I believe]

[Iraine: I-eon will beat everyone for us!]

The guild chat was, of course, in utter chaos. I-eon, who had been about to go out and wait for Raham, didn’t need to, because Do-jin had logged out right after him.

The moment he stepped out of the capsule, Raham wrapped him in his arms and covered his face with kisses. He had rushed in to make up for the kiss he didn’t get properly in the tent earlier. With Do-jin pulled onto the sofa, I-eon opened a snack and powered on his tablet. Now that he was out of that warzone, he could think clearly enough to check what was happening.

“You knew this would happen, didn’t you?”

“Yeah.”

“They even gave a quest. To kill you.”

He couldn’t bear to watch a broadcast of the “Kill My Boyfriend” strategy meeting, so he’d just shut the game down. Raham blinked at I-eon’s troubled look, then brushed his cheek with his thumb. The gentle touch eased the tension between I-eon’s brows.

“Are you going to kill me?”

“I’m not.”

He couldn’t stop other players, but at least I-eon himself wouldn’t participate.

At the unwavering reply, Raham smiled softly and pulled I-eon’s hand toward him. Lips brushed I-eon’s palm in a light kiss.

“I want to die by your hand though.”

“Just don’t die.”

He didn’t like Nox, but if the ending meant Kwon Do-jin was the one standing at the end, I-eon could live with that. It wasn’t as if the game company would delete all Tiog players’ accounts if the Nox side won. At worst, it would be a difference in rewards. I-eon genuinely didn’t care. Do-jin was far more important.

“Win everything. Okay?”

“……”

Do-jin buried his cheek and lips into I-eon’s palm and simply smiled.

* * *

Nox, having wiped out the entire Tiog faction from the Paluk Great Plains, rose into the high sky and began spreading his power across the continent. Each passing day, the sky darkened, demons and beasts appeared more frequently, and all living things weakened. The only small mercy was that Nox was so focused on covering the world in demonic energy that he was no longer stationed on the plains.

Having lost all their camps, the Tiog alliance took refuge in land near the plains and awaited their chance. With the sudden quest to slay the demon legion commander, they planned to gather all their strength for a single decisive strike.

Led by Ensis and other key figures, each unit waited for the right moment.

When the reinforcements finally arrived, they rose together and charged toward enemy territory. The sight of countless players uniting and marching forward became one of the greatest scenes in Eden’s history.

The Nox faction, empowered by the demon god, was not an easy opponent. With the faction ratio at 37 to 59, far more players than expected had chosen Nox, making the actual power gap nearly nonexistent. Just like players, several NPCs from various races had voluntarily sided with Nox.

Their first full assault on Tuesday achieved remarkable success thanks to catching the enemy off guard. But the next two days, both sides suffered similar losses before retreating. On the fourth day, Friday, Tiog suffered far heavier casualties, a bitter near-defeat.

And then came Saturday. Exactly one week after everything began.

* * *

“Support request from Raid Team 1!”

“If any healer has room to spare, please help over here!”

“A large beast showed up near Raid Team 5!”

It was Saturday, the day with the highest number of participating players. After several days of fighting side by side, everyone seamlessly took their positions, making the flow of combat more orderly than ever. Assigned to Raid Team 2, I-eon moved toward Team 1, which had asked for support, cutting down beasts one by one. Even the ordinary ones were buffed and hard to defeat in a single strike.

Despite many battles already fought, they had still not managed to get anywhere near Raham, the legion commander, and everyone was exhausted. Realistically, today was their last chance.

Raid Team 1 was positioned where attacks came most frequently, so they were fighting nonstop. Joining them quickly, I-eon focused on protecting the vulnerable mages first and helped reorganize the formation. Everyone was determined to bring down the commander today, so the fighting spirit was honed to a razor’s edge. Watching the raid move like an actual army, I-eon typed a quiet comment.

[I-eon: Pretty sure these people forgot Raham is also a player..?]

[Ji Jong-sosi: lolol]

[Valror: At this point, maybe they really did;]