「There are countless paths to power, but only one leads to the Throne of the Archon. You, who have walked this path, will soon witness its true meaning.」
An unknown message flickered on the screen of my aging gaming monitor. My fingers trembled as I scrolled through the leaderboard, my ID shining at the very top.
[Congratulations, Player 'Noah Sinclair'! You have achieved the title: Archon.]
I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding.
"…I did it."
My body slumped back into the chair. Three years. Three years of grinding, climbing, and fighting tooth and nail in Aetherborn Battlefront. A game where knights, mages, archers, assassins, and warlords clashed in many great battles for valor. A game where strategy, skill, and mechanical precision dictated survival.
And now, I stood above them all.
Rank #1
Title: Archon – The Highest Authority
I clicked on my profile, letting my gaze settle on the golden crest beside my name. The title Archon wasn't just a title—it was a symbol. A mark of absolute dominance. Only one player could hold it at a time. The path to it was brutal, requiring victory against the strongest nations in the game. No one achieved such a feat with me being the sole exception.
A notification popped up.
[System Announcement: The first-ever Archon has been crowned. An era has ended. A new era begins.]
It felt unreal. Players in the chat exploded with messages.
[Who the hell is Noah Sinclair?]
[His Nation won battles against 20 nations in a row?! That's impossible!]
[I fought him in a battle once... it was like fighting an AI designed to kill.]
[Archon? Is this a new update or something?!]
I leaned back, smirking. This was my moment.
A message popped up in my inbox.
**[Admin - Aetherborn Battlefront]: Congratulations, Archon. You are the first and last.]
"…What?"
I frowned. What did they mean by last?
Another notification flashed on my screen.
[A special gift is being sent to you as the new Archon.]
My room suddenly flickered. The overhead light dimmed, my monitor screen distorted, and an unnatural hum filled the air. My vision blurred, and my heart pounded as a strange force wrapped around me.
Then—
Darkness.
Welcome to the Game!
When I opened my eyes, I wasn't in my room anymore.
I was standing on a battlefield.
The sky was vast and stormy, clouds swirling with unnatural energy. Massive stone towers rose in the distance, crackling with magic. A ruined fortress stood behind me, and a vast plain stretched ahead.
I knew this place.
This was Aetherborn Battlefront.
But it wasn't just a game anymore.
I looked down at myself, clad in armor I had only ever seen on my in-game avatar. A sword in my scabbard on my back. My stats, my abilities—I could feel them.
A cold realization settled in.
The game was real.
A shadow moved behind me. Instinct took over. I spun around, unsheathing my sword in one fluid motion.
A knight in dark crimson armor stood before me, a massive axe resting on his shoulder. His helmet obscured his face, but the voice that came from it was chilling.
"The Archon has arrived. Let's see if you are worthy of the title."
A notification rang in my head.
[ACT-I of the main story has concluded, ACT -II begins!]
The game has begun it's Second Act which had never existed in the original game.
However right now the Knight in dark crimson armour needed the most attention.