"Captain! What should we do!?"
The soldier's voice trembled as explosions roared across the battlefield. The squad huddled behind the shattered remains of an old defense tower. Dust and fire filled the sky. The faint blue glow of the Empire's airships lit the horizon like a storm of monsters.
The squad leader didn't answer at first. His eyes were locked on the massive creature looming above them—a crimson-scaled dragon soaring through the air. Its roar shook the very ground.
"Damn," one soldier muttered, gripping his rifle. "It's huge… like a raid boss!"
"Yeah," another added, voice cracking. "No way that Skyrealm player can beat something like that!"
Across the field, a cloaked assassin from Skyrealm stood calmly, twin daggers shimmering with void light. He smirked.
"You're right," he said. "A single Skyrealm player can't beat that monstrosity…"
He raised his hand toward the airships. "Good thing I brought backup."
The soldiers froze as the top hatch of an airship opened. A lone figure sat there—bare-chested, his body marked with glowing runes, two massive swords resting beside him. He stretched, rolled his neck, and grinned.
"Oh? That's my cue."
Then he jumped.
The airship rocked violently as the man leapt from it. Wind screamed around him, and for a moment, it was as if a meteor was falling from the sky.
"Dragon Fury Strike!!" he roared.
A blinding light filled the field as he descended, both swords igniting in flame. The attack slammed into the dragon with a thunderous BOOM, sending shockwaves across the entire valley. The beast roared in agony, wings folding as it crashed into the earth, leaving a crater in its wake.
"Holy—!" one of the soldiers gasped. "He just knocked it down in one hit!"
Abysrose—rider of the fallen dragon—glared at the new arrival. "Do you think you can defeat me that easily!?" she shouted, raising her staff. "Heal!"
Golden light enveloped the dragon, its wounds closing as it lifted its head again. Smoke billowed from its nostrils.
The man dusted himself off and smiled. "Allow me to introduce myself properly," he said. "The name's Raggan… or, in-game, call me R466N."
Abysrose narrowed her eyes. Not an Empire soldier, she thought. A mercenary, maybe? But where did they find someone with this kind of power…?
She activated her Inspect skill briefly—no affiliation tag. That meant he wasn't bound to any world faction. Her chest tightened.
"A cross-player…" she whispered.
The squad leader's eyes widened. "Abysrose! Be careful—he's a cross-player!"
Every soldier nearby froze. Cross-players—those who dared to travel between worlds, breaking game barriers for strength. Powerful… but unstable. And if they died outside their home game, there was no respawn. It meant they fought without fear—or mercy.
Raggan spun his twin blades. "Come on, Red Dragon Rider! Let's see if your fire can match mine!"
Abysrose smirked. "Very well. Don't regret it."
The dragon rose once more, beating its massive wings and filling the battlefield with embers. Its eyes burned with crimson rage. Abysrose mounted it again, holding her staff tight.
"Inferno Barrage!"
Fireballs rained down like a meteor shower. Raggan leapt from blast to blast, his movements too fast for the soldiers to follow. Every impact made the ground tremble.
"Unbelievable…" the captain muttered. "He's fighting her head-on!"
Abysrose clenched her teeth. "He's more powerful than I thought… at this rate, we'll lose."
Her dragon took a heavy hit from one of Raggan's strikes, roaring in pain. She looked back toward her team—her allies, still pinned down by the Empire's troops.
They need time…
"Captain!" she shouted. "My dragon will hold them off! That should buy us enough time to escape!"
"Got it!" the squad leader yelled.
She leapt from her dragon's back, landing beside the squad, summoning smaller dragon familiars from glowing portals.
"Get everyone on! They'll carry you to safety!"
The soldiers hesitated for only a second before obeying. The small dragons spread their wings, lifting the group into the air.
"Let's go! Hold on tight!" Abysrose commanded.
But Raggan saw them. His eyes narrowed. "Oh no you don't."
He hurled one of his twin blades, energy bursting from its edge as it tore through the sky. Abysrose's eyes widened. Too fast! But before it hit, her dragon moved—taking the full strike. The beast roared, collapsing in front of her as the soldiers soared away.
Abysrose turned back, eyes blazing. She locked her gaze on Cass3, the pink-haired traitor who stood beside Raggan and the Skyrealm assassin.
"This isn't over," she whispered.
Raggan retrieved his sword, sighing. "Damn… that wasn't an ordinary summon. Felt like fighting a raid boss mixed with a player's spirit."
Cass3 smirked. "Of course not. Countless Star companions have hybrid systems—part AI, part spirit code. They evolve based on their master's emotions."
Raggan chuckled. "Heh. Sounds annoying."
"Should we chase them?" Raggan asked, resting one blade on his shoulder.
The Skyrealm assassin shook his head. "No. The mission's complete. We got what we came for. No point wasting resources."
He looked toward the direction Abysrose had fled, his expression darkening. "But this isn't over…"
Hours later, the surviving soldiers landed near a mountain ridge. Smoke still rose from the distant battlefield.
"I think… they didn't follow us," one soldier said, breathing heavily.
"Finally…" another muttered, falling to the ground. "We made it back alive…"
The squad leader nodded. "Good work, everyone."
Abysrose dismounted her smaller dragon, exhaustion clear in her face.
"Hey, good work, Abby," a soldier said. "You saved us back there."
Abysrose smiled faintly. "Consider it thanks… for saving us on the train earlier."
"We should reach the Resistance base soon," another said. "Just a few more miles."
Abysrose turned to the purple-haired girl, Nova, who was clutching her injured arm. "Are you okay? Does it hurt?"
"I'm fine," Nova replied softly. "Just a scratch."
Abysrose lowered her gaze. "I shouldn't have dragged you into this… She was right. This is my fault."
Nova shook her head. "Don't blame yourself. No one could've imagined Cass3 was with the Empire…"
The captain approached. "She's right. You saved lives today. That's what matters."
Abysrose nodded slightly, though guilt still lingered in her chest.
A moment of silence passed as the wind howled across the mountain.
"Captain," Abysrose said suddenly. "I have a request."
The captain raised an eyebrow. "Yeah? What is it?"
"Let me join the Resistance."
The squad fell silent. "What? Are you sure? You're one of Countless Star's elite players! You know that right?," the captain said firmly.
Abysrose looked him straight in the eyes. "I will. But I can't just stand by while the Empire destroys everything. I want to protect Countless Star… and every other world that's falling under their control. I'm sure."
The captain paused, then smiled faintly. "Well… if you say so—welcome aboard, Starborn."
The soldiers cheered weakly, some clapping her on the back. Nova smiled through her fatigue. "Take care of yourself, Abby."
"You too, Nova," Abysrose replied.
As the group marched toward the Resistance outpost, the captain gazed into the fading sunset.
Ryze… I hope you're okay out there.
"Sir," a soldier called, pointing ahead. "We're almost there."
The captain nodded, tightening his grip on his weapon. "Right… let's go"