What seemed like a dream to many became reality with the C.T.H (Consciousness Transfer Headset) that let people enter a virtual world. The hit VRMMORPG "Path to the King" was the first to take full advantage of the technology and has been out for a year.
Out of its 20 bosses, the average boss most people got to was the 12th, Aria the Fallen Angel while the more dedicated players managed to get to Troph, the Lava Golem, the 16th boss.
Even though there are AI versions, every single major boss was controlled by a player, meaning each fight was much more personal, and the player fights were treated as events since they're only playing as bosses at set times. A party could raid a boss, but the boss gets a buff or minions to compensate depending on the boss. As a result there were a few players that stay away from parties and play solo.
Millions of people gathered in virtual bars across the world. News outlets, game devs and journalists, players, and the human avatars of the bosses all filled up the bars. Excited chatter bounced around the rooms as Waiter and Waitress AI ran around giving virtual food and drinks to the patrons. If someone where to look briefly through a window, the bars would seem no different from their usual atmosphere. Loud, high energy, and inhabiting a few people who got themselves drunk IRL before logging on. However, on the inside it becomes clear that there's an energy no other event could recreate.
A solo player had been rumored to have cleared the 19th boss. A player with the handle Null, who wore nothing but plain looking grey armor and a cloak. It was announced by game devs that today, January 1st of 2025 at 2:00pm CDT, the first ever attempt at the 20th boss would be streamed for the anniversary. Players pulled up holographic tabs or set their attention on the many screens around the bars.
The countdown started, and instead of everyone cheering and counting down with it, everyone fell silent. This wasn't just the first time people would see a boss above the 16th floor, this was the final boss, and though Null already built a name for himself through occasional streams, people get to see both the boss and Null in action at the same time. As the countdown reached zero, all the screens switched to a camera that followed Null as he made his way up towards a castle.
Eventually, in front of the player lied a large, grand door. It was made of a dark, burnt wood that looked like it has seen better days, gold that had lost its luster sprayed its patterns across the door, and the faded image of a dragon was left down the middle of the doors.
The Boss Players, who all sat together, began to talk amongst themselves about how the boss was going to win, but some thought would be a close battle. They announced they were all betting on the Boss before hand, and it seemed they were the minority. Many players had faith that "their champion could win".
Null held out his hand, hesitant. No one knew of the bosses style, data miners could find nothing about even the room itself, It was all a mystery. The player found the courage to push the two doors, a loud creak sounding off in the otherwise quiet environment. Upon the doors being forced open, a throne room was revealed. No windows, no banners, no distractions. It was cold, much colder than thought possible in a game. Null's breath flowed out in front of him as if were an ice dragon's, and his grey hair stood up near immediately. He stepped into the room, a now quartz floor under his feet. The echo of his armor seeming to get lost in the room. Further in was dark, a void that left nothing visible. The only contrast to the quartz floors was a red, royal carpet that seemed to be eaten by the same darkness. Most of the bosses before had been giant monsters, much like a souls game.
Null and everyone but the devs and boss players were anxious. What the hell could the final boss of such a game be? Purple eyes then ripped through the near endless darkness. Chatter broke out in every bar.
"Is it a dragon? There was one on the door I think..."
"No it has to be some massive demon or something, that's been a huge pattern in the game."
Null drew his Greatsword, holding it with both hands, a quiet hum emanating from the blade. The blade was an almost blinding white that was accented by the outer layer of a blue metal that matched his own eyes. He pointed his sword's tip forward, a sign of respect. The creak of a wooden chair broke the tense silence. It was clear the boss got up, but its eyes didn't raise up all that high. The eyes bounced almost rhythmically as they moved forward, assumedly down some step. Instead of a thump with each step as many players expected, the clicking of shoes echoed through the room.
Whispers broke in the bars. More speculation.
"Maybe it grows bigger as a second phase?"
"What if it has fake eyes down lower to trick you?"
The footsteps grew closer and the boss finally revealed itself in the light. Many gasps and dropped beverages sounded off. The boss wasn't even a boss model. It was a player model, plain and simple. They wore a royal's clothes, dark purple and red, and a tattered cape, but no crown on top of his black hair that grew progressively red at its ends.
"I'm impressed! You have no idea how long I've waited to fight someone as a boss. After hearing from everyone else how you ran through them, I've been waiting for months for this day."
The boss, no, the player who spoke was someone easily recognized. A popular beta tester who's handle was Sin ended up becoming the final boss. Sin made a name for himself with how fast he adapted to the game and basically turned the VRMMORPG into a boss rush. His name, "Sin, the False King" appeared above his head.
"The cameras are rolling, right?"
He looked towards a camera and winked. He then summoned a sword that was impossibility black from some form of black hole behind him, holding it in one hand and pointing the tip forward in response.
"Let's make this anniversary one of a kind."
Both players smiled (though Null's seemed to be a little nervous) before leaving a trail of dust where they both stood. The clash of swords echoed through the empty room, the loudest sound it has heard in a year. That wasn't an attack on either side. Their swords locked, both players trying to gauge each other's strength. Neither player spoke, too focused to do so. The clash broke, launching both players back. Everyone's eyes were glued to their screens.
"I swear I'm watching an anime," one of the devs commented.
"I mean that's what the visual team went for, no?"
"These two push the limits of the game. I just hope I don't have to do any bug fixes because of this."
The two rushed at each other, neither able to hit the other, swords hitting each other every half second. Cheers erupt from the crowd, the excitement of the fight seeming to flow through the game. Pretty much everyone but the bosses were rooting for Null. After a while, Null began to push Sin back. Both players had incredible speed, but Null was known for one skill in particular.
"God speed!" He yelled.
His overall movement sped up and the fight ended up looking like a blur to the lower level players. It was overwhelming, even for Sin, and granted Null the first hit of the fight. A clean slash across Sins left arm. Null didn't let up, keeping his speed to try pressure his opponent. Sin smiled.
"What a rush!"
The boss wasn't about to take the hit lying down, and instead decided to show off one his own skills.
"Devil's instinct."
His blade disappeared, and Sin began gracefully dodging each swing thrown at him.
"Your speed and my dexterity, who's is better?!"
Eventually the black hole appeared once more, this time near his left waist, and Sin ripped his sword from it, striking upwards at Null. Sin hit Null's blade with such force, his arm was pushed above his head. He then kicked Null, launching him into the wall, then began rushing Null down, planning to impale the player. Null flung himself out of the wall at the last moment causing Sin's blade to stick into it. Taking his chance, he stabbed at the boss, but Sin jumped on top of his opponent's sword while grabbing his own. Jumping off the sword and pushing off the wall, he launched himself behind Null, using the force to pull his out his blade. Null swung behind him as Sin swung to match. The impact of the swords shook the building and blasted the doors of their hinges. Sin seemed to be off balance, so Null sliced at the boss with all the force he could. While the power coupled with the movement did cut off the players arm, everyone ended up looking at an after image. Sin had ran behind the player.
"This move definitely costs an arm, at least."
Before Null could react, the black sword was pushed through his chest. Sin's HP had been slowly draining, and now so was Null's. Sin ripped the sword back out. Both players back off from each other, exhausted. Everyone held their breath.
"Here, let me show off my gimmick before one of us loses all our HP. You've earned it."
Sin held is hand above his head, gathering energy. He then healed both his own and his opponents wounds, closing the hole in Null's chest and restoring his arm, much to everyone's confusion. The Boss Players all seemed to relax. Sin then snapped both his fingers, and the floors began to shake. Cubes half the size of the average person flew up in random areas around the otherwise empty room, and were locked in place.
Null looked confused.
"What are you-"
Sin jumped from his spot, planting his feet on the side of one of the cubes and launched himself to another. Then again ,again, again, and again. He repeated this process until he was no more than a black line zipping around the arena, and then began slashing at Null, who blocked most of the attacks.
"Like hell you're getting away with this!"
Null matched his opponent, jumping from cube to cube in the same fashion. Null became a blue line, and slashes and cuts began to fill the room. A sphere of cuts going every direction filled area in the middle of the cubes. The two had gotten so fast that the game was just barley bale to keep up.
Everyone watching began losing it. The cheering for Null grew, and the Boss Players all became invested once again, now unsure of the outcome.
Multiple developers groaned.
"This is exactly why I was only half excited for this damn event."
The fighters eventually got to a point where they met in the middle and clashed, the force sending a shockwave that blew every cube away and caused the sphere to explode, sending the cuts outwards and razing everything around them.
After a long mid-air struggle, Sin launched his opponent downward with a strong punch before summoning one last cube to launch off of. He hurled himself downwards and pierced Null right through the heart.
Sin sat down afterwards, completely exhausted. He waited for the eventual respawn of his opponent, and it happened soon after. Null groaned, running a hand through his hair.
"I was matching you for so long too! You're really something, you know that?"
He extended a hand, which Sin gladly took, and pulled himself up.
There was an announcer, but she was just as captivated by the fight as anyone else.
She cleared her throat. "Folks, after an AMAZING show of skill from both sides, the fight ends in a victory for the False King! We finally get a reveal of the final boss, but we know nothing of his other skills. Will his next fight push him to use them? Or does he have only the two? I get excited just thinking about it! This marks the official start of Path to the King's second year! Lets see if any of you watching can reach this insane final boss this year!"