Leaving the office with the Phantom Cloak still active, I could feel a freedom I rarely experienced. No one could see me; I felt like a ninja, or rather... an OP ghost. But my excitement didn't last long, as suddenly there was a huge explosion at the end of the street. It sounded like a building had just been leveled to the ground.
"Okay, author, what now?" I glanced toward the explosion.
And there, hovering over the rubble of the building, was a giant green figure with antennas on its head. Seriously, I'm not joking. This is the giant version of Piccolo! Or at least, a monster that looks very much like him. But if we make a pun, we're safe from copyright, right?
"Ah, author... seriously? This is what you give me?"
The monster looked up, scanning its surroundings as if trying to find something. Or maybe it was just hungry. Its pale green face, with the antennas swaying on its head, made me want to laugh even more. This is a failed parallel universe Piccolo!
"I've fought cooler bosses in games, and now my opponent is... a wannabe Piccolo?"
Suddenly, the monster let out a roar, breaking the silence with a sound that honestly resembled a baby crying meeting Godzilla.
"Oi, oi! Chill, bro! You don't need to go berserk, I'm just passing through!"
But unfortunately, it didn't hear me. A giant energy ball began to form in its hands. Ah, classic. An energy ball attack. So very Dragon Ball.
"Seriously, author? Is there no other variation besides a knockoff Kamehameha?"
The monster threw the energy ball at me, and in an instant, I used the Shadow Step skill, disappearing from sight and reappearing to the right of the monster.
Ding!
[Quest Started: Defeat the Rogue Dragon Clan General]
Objective: Defeat the rogue general who resembles a famous anime character.
Reward: Dragon Scale Armor (Legendary)
I chuckled softly as I read the quest. "You don't even want to mention its name, huh, author? That's quite a pun."
The monster was oblivious to my movement, but I still needed to stay alert. Its energy ball soared past buildings, destroying several blocks of the city.
"Okay, bro, if you want to play rough, I'm ready!" I drew my legendary sword, Void Edge. This was no ordinary weapon. It could cut through anything, including... well, this giant wannabe Piccolo.
With a quick leap, I attacked using the Ragnarok Slash skill. A massive wave of energy shot from my sword, slicing the giant energy ball in two.
"BAM!" I shouted as my slash hit the green monster right in the chest. My attack forced it back a few steps, but it wasn't enough to take it down.
"Bro, you're tougher than I thought," I grumbled while trying to regain my balance. "But seriously, what are those antennas for? Looking for Wi-Fi signals?"
The monster screamed louder and launched a barrage of attacks. Energy balls, laser beams, and even it spat. Yes, spat. I had to jump left and right and hide behind the remaining buildings.
"Spit? Really? You're seriously spitting at me?"
Realizing I had to take the initiative, I activated the Divine Shield skill, creating a shimmering golden barrier around me. The green monster's attacks now bounced off my shield. While it was busy launching its attacks, I dashed toward its head and summoned another large sword, the Eternal Blade.
"Alright, bro, it's time to finish this!" I shouted as I plunged the sword into the giant's skull.
The attack hit its mark, but instead of falling, the monster began to transform. Its body grew larger, its muscles bulging. Its antennas stretched longer, now reaching its back. This was getting... sillier.
"Oi, author! You're joking, right? What is this? Piccolo-Hulk?!"
The green monster let out an even louder roar, its hands beginning to glow bright red, as if ready to punch the earth to pieces.
"Don't tell me it really wants to nuke the earth..." I stepped back slightly, preparing for a final attack. I knew one thing for sure: I had to stop it before it destroyed the city.
"Come on, bro! You can't beat me with a pose like Goku!"
With a deep breath, I activated my ultimate skill, Heavenly Judgment. From the sky, divine swords descended in a rain of light, striking the monster's body repeatedly. Each hit caused massive booms and explosions around it.
"One... two... three... boom! Boom! BOOM! My cannons are strong, bro!"
This relentless assault finally brought the monster crashing down to the ground, its body shattered into pieces. I stood before it, panting.
"Please, next time give me a smarter opponent, author," I said while watching the monster slowly vanish, leaving only the rubble of the building around me.
Ding!
[Quest Complete]
Reward Acquired: Dragon Scale Armor
Finally, I opened the inventory system again. My new armor appeared on the list.
[Dragon Scale Armor]
Type: Armor
Effect: Grants the user immunity to fire element magic attacks and significantly increases HP regeneration while equipped.
"Oh, this armor looks cool! Thanks, author! This is the first time you've given me something that's not ugly."
I stared at the armor for a moment before equipping it. Now, I was much more prepared to face any problems that came my way. But before I could enjoy that moment, the sound of alarms began to echo from afar. Awakeners started to arrive, checking the location.
I hurriedly activated the Phantom Cloak again and snuck away before anyone could see me.
"Hey, who defeated this monster?!" shouted one of the awakeners with a confused look.
I chuckled softly from the shadows. "Well, maybe one day you'll know... or maybe not."
I walked away casually, leaving the chaos behind. This city had just been saved by a mysterious figure who... well, remained mysterious. At least for them. For me? I was just enjoying my day by mocking my own author.
"But, author, seriously, next time give me something more original, okay? If not, I'll send this knockoff Piccolo to the lawyer."
Meanwhile, the atmosphere in the Crimson Lotus headquarters was always filled with an intense aura of magic. This guild was known as a gathering place for the strongest sorcerers in Korea, and Hye-Rin was the strongest among them. Sitting on a throne adorned with gold and ruby ornaments, Lee Hye-Rin gazed at the mission report in her hand with a sharp glare.
"Is this the best they can do?" she murmured, her fingers elegantly holding the report. "S-rank mission failed... again. Do they have no capabilities?"
One of her elite team members, Kang Woo-Jin, stood in front of the large table, his face tense. "I'm sorry, Hye-Rin. The information we received about that monster was inaccurate. They're stronger than we anticipated."
Hye-Rin's cold gaze swept the room. "Of course they're strong. That's why we were sent there, right? Or have you forgotten our mission in this guild?"
Woo-Jin swallowed nervously. "No, of course not. We just..."
"Enough!" Hye-Rin interrupted. "You know, Woo-Jin, the reason Crimson Lotus is at the top is because we do not accept failure. If you can't complete this mission, maybe I should find someone else who can."
The room fell silent. No one dared to look her in the eye. Everyone knew how terrifying Hye-Rin could be when she was angry, and no one wanted to be on the wrong side of this fire sorceress.
Suddenly, the large door to the meeting room burst open. An armored soldier rushed in, his face pale. "Miss Hye-Rin, there's important news!"
Hye-Rin raised an eyebrow, unimpressed by the soldier's anxious demeanor. "What is it?"
"There are rumors about a new awakener emerging in Seoul. We've received information that their status and power... are unusual. And there's a possibility they're not registered with the association."
Hye-Rin listened intently, her expression turning more serious. "Source?"
"Reliable sources from the association. They say their powers have not been seen before, but they haven't undergone a rank evaluation."
Hye-Rin smirked slightly. "Interesting. Perhaps it's time for me to investigate this myself. I want to know if there's a new awakener strong enough to shake our position."
Woo-Jin looked shocked. "Miss, do you really need to take direct action? We could send a reconnaissance team..."
"No need. This is an intriguing matter, and I don't want any more mistakes. I will handle this myself." Hye-Rin stood, allowing her fiery aura to become even more intimidating to everyone present. "Prepare transportation. I want to leave as soon as possible."
After the meeting, Hye-Rin prepared to head to Seoul. She always felt that this world was a boring place unless there was something challenging. And this mysterious awakener... might just chase away her boredom.