The first thing Sin noticed was the silence.
The second was that he wasn't in the arena anymore.
Gone were the cheering crowds, the blaring UI feeds, the clan's monstrous cheers. Instead, he stood in a realm of pure white light—a void sculpted into symmetry. Like standing in the soul of a cathedral built by code and myth.
Above him floated a shimmering platform.
The Administrator Platform.
Only two ways led here.
One—activating a World Item that let you speak to the "gods" of the game—the developers.
Two—being crowned a World Champion.
He looked to his side and, for a moment, caught a glimpse of other floating figures—eight of them, flickering in and out like glitching avatars. Some looked beastly, others regal, and one looked suspiciously like a mecha-loli dual-wielding particle sabers.
Across from him, hovering on a mirrored platform, was Touch Me.
Even now, his stupid glowing cosmetic trailed faint light particles like the universe itself thought he needed more sparkle.
Touch Me caught his eye and shrugged.
Sin gave him a thumbs up.
Then a booming voice echoed across the void.
"WELCOME, WORLD CHAMPIONS."
A robed figure appeared—faceless, floating, cloaked in radiant silver.
"You have each proven yourselves the strongest avatars in your respective servers. Your battles were seen, recorded, and analyzed in full by the Administrator Core. The rewards you are about to receive represent the highest honor the YGGDRASIL system can grant."
Sin resisted the urge to yawn.
This was fine and all—but come on. They'd already done the hard part.
"First reward—Job Class: [WORLD CHAMPION]"
A UI prompt blinked into existence in front of him.
Congratulations! You have obtained the exclusive Job Class: WORLD CHAMPION.
Perks include:
Unique World Skills: [Dimensional Slash], [Dimensional Guard]
Resistance to all control-based effects from players under your level
Boost to all stats while fighting in your home world
Enhanced PvP log history access
Passive Fame multiplier ×3
Access to limited Champion-only gear
Sin smirked. Nice.
The system chimed again.
Second reward—Champion Class Item: [Heaven's Legacy: Fragment Blade]
The sword manifested in his hand.
Glowing silver with edges that shimmered through dimensions, it looked more like a concept than a weapon. Like the idea of a sword had taken form. As expected, it exceeded divine-class boundaries.
A pseudo-World Item.
Touch Me received his too—a massive kite shield etched with the phrase Justice is Absolute.
Sin raised an eyebrow.
"I swear to god, do they name this stuff just to feed your ego?"
Touch Me grinned. "You're just mad mine's shinier."
Another popup blinked before Sin's eyes.
Congratulations! Due to your title as [World Champion], you have unlocked a new racial class in your [One Who Lived a Thousand Lives] system.
Unlocked: [Mythborne Sovereign] – A racial class unique to those who have conquered the divine and lived to wield their myth.
Sin blinked.
"…Huh."
That wasn't on the spreadsheet.
Which was weird.
Sin always knew what was on the spreadsheet.
The administrator began a long-winded congratulations speech. Sin filtered it out with the elegance of a pro gamer who had suffered through dozens of award ceremonies, shoutouts, and monetization panels.
Then, finally—
"You may now return."
And with a flash of light, the two were gone.
Back at the Clan Base…
It was chaos.
Heteromorphic chaos.
Giant beetle legs were clacking against marble floors.
A gelatinous ooze was playing a kazoo with its pseudopod.
Someone—Sin suspected Tabula—had summoned thirty tiny imps to chant "WORLD CHAMPION! WORLD CHAMPION!" like they were performing a sacrificial summoning.
Herohero was barbecuing, even though none of them needed food. Most heteromorphs couldn't even eat properly.
The table was a nightmare of stat-boosting items.
"Why are we eating raid food?" Sin asked.
"It's all we have!" screamed Bellriver. "Do you want to waste a week's worth of real-gold currency buying event food just for RP?!"
"…Fair."
Touch Me arrived a minute later, only to be mobbed.
Again.
Peroroncino waved a flag that just said "HOLY SHINE DADDY."
"I hate you," Touch Me said.
"Love you too, boss!" Garnet cheered.
"Don't call me that, I swear I will PK every last one of you."
Sin, for his part, just laughed and raised a glass of glowing drink whose stat effects were "+1 to Vibes."
They did fireworks next.
Not because they wanted to.
But because someone (Ulbert) hoarded a thousand units from the New Year's event and was now getting inventory full alerts every time he tried to loot something.
"USE IT OR LOSE IT!" he shouted, and triggered all of them at once.
The sky above their rented base turned into a chaotic, apocalyptic rave.
Amid the madness, Sin sat with the founding nine, quietly watching as everyone celebrated.
Someone nudged him.
It was Momonga.
"Hey. That new racial unlock you got... was it expected?"
Sin shook his head. "Nope. Surprise from the devs, I think."
"You gonna build it?"
"Eventually. Right now? I think I just want to enjoy this."
Momonga smiled.
"Yeah. Same."
Later, as Touch Me chased Bukubukuchagama through the halls for trying to print T-shirts with Glow Daddy Supreme across his chestplate, Sin pulled up his alt build menu.
[Mythborne Sovereign] sat there.
Waiting.
He tapped it once.
Read the description.
Then smiled.
"…Yeah. This could be fun."