BOOM!
A colossal fist of light and shadow smashed into the barrier wall, the sound exploding through heaven and earth like the wrath of a god.
In an instant—
The barrier that had stood unbroken for two hundred years, once considered indestructible, crumbled like brittle glass under Noah's punch. It didn't just crack—it collapsed, scattering into countless crystalline shards that drifted down from the sky like an endless shower of luminous petals.
From the east, the light of dawn broke through.
"We did it!"
Hovering in midair, Noah clenched his fist, joy practically spilling from his expression.
He hadn't expected it to succeed on the first try.
It was beyond what even he had imagined.
Once again, reality proved a simple truth—
Sometimes, brute force really does create miracles!
So what if it was an Air Wall?
He could still smash it to dust!
Behind him, the group of veteran players stared in stunned silence, eyes wide and jaws hanging so low they could probably swallow an entire egg.
Broken…
The barrier was actually broken!
Shattered by Demon-Slayer's single punch!
Shock, elation, excitement, and awe surged in their chests, carrying them back to that feverish summer when they had first stepped into the Land of Divine Punishment. The blood rush of their very first adventure… the thrill of the unknown… it all came flooding back.
Now, when they looked at Noah, it was as though they were looking at a god.
None of them knew exactly how a Level 1 Demon-Slayer could accomplish such a feat.
But they all knew one thing—
The wall was gone.
And that meant… they could cross into the Forest Kingdom, the next map, at last.
But then—
The light of dawn dimmed, fading swiftly until the sky was once again cloaked in night.
A clear, ethereal voice echoed across the heavens:
"Player [Demon-Slayer] has broken through the Novice Map Barrier. The level cap for the Novice Map has been lifted. Level 50 players may now proceed to the Forest of Hope and from there enter the Forest Kingdom."
"Players who have reached Level 50 and completed the Novice Breakthrough Quest will receive compensation rewards."
"The green and healthy environment of the Land of Divine Punishment depends on every player's cooperation. Safe travels, and may you reach the Holy Capital soon!"
Even though it was the middle of the night, the moment that announcement dropped, the world erupted.
The global chat channel exploded:
"Holy crap! Did I hear that right? The Novice Map barrier's gone?!"
"Demon-Slayer is a freaking legend! Is there anything he can't do?"
"Too strong! Thank god I turned down the widow from the next village tonight—otherwise I would've missed witnessing this historic moment!"
"I'm crying! Demon-Slayer is literally working overtime to give us free benefits! Much love!"
"Wait, am I understanding this correctly? If I hit Level 50 now, I can just walk into the Forest Kingdom without doing the breakthrough quest?"
"Of course! I'll say it for Demon-Slayer—starting now, the Level 50 bottleneck is history! Humanity will march toward the Era of Level 200! If you're willing to grind, you can get there!"
"Looking for a wife, DM me if interested. Men, please don't bother."
"Bro above, take my advice—don't be too picky with gender or you'll be single forever."
The news spread like wildfire.
Within minutes, every forum, every platform was ablaze with the same headline:
The Novice Map Barrier Has Fallen.
It shot up the trending charts, dominating every hot topic list.
In response, the high command of humanity moved instantly.
The Demon-Hunting Institute summoned every department head for an emergency overnight meeting.
After all—Demon-Slayer's action meant billions of players who had been stuck at Level 50 could now continue to level up. Within months, there could be a massive migration of workers back into the Land of Divine Punishment.
Policies that had stood for two centuries would have to be revised. Systems rewritten. Strategies re-planned.
At the end of the meeting, the white-robed man in the seat of honor looked toward the Land of Divine Punishment, his eyes reflecting the starlight.
"The sky for humanity… has brightened."
"The road to our revival begins tonight."
Capital City – Wang Family Estate
A middle-aged man in a silk robe burst out of his villa, leaping into a sleek, luxury hovercar.
"Drive! Get me to the old master's quarters, now!"
The driver didn't dare hesitate. He buckled in, slammed the accelerator, and the vehicle roared forward. This wasn't just any car—it was one of only five in the world, capable of going from 0 to 100 in just 0.29 seconds.
The Wang family estate was enormous. The hovercar sped through underground tunnels, shot across bridges spanning rivers, and navigated through mountain passes.
Half an hour later, they arrived at a traditional courtyard.
The man bolted from the car and ran inside. Two maids heard the commotion and stepped forward.
"Has the old master gone to bed?" he asked urgently.
They blinked in surprise—this was the richest man in Huaguo, normally the picture of dignity in tailored suits. Now here he was, hair messy, robe loose, barefoot in slippers. Something monumental must have happened.
"The master fell asleep around 7:30," one maid replied with a polite smile.
"Wake him up! No sleeping tonight—we're pulling an all-nighter!"
The maids froze.
Did they hear that right? He wanted to keep an eighty-year-old up all night?
"Didn't you hear me? Forget it—move!"
He brushed past them, storming into the old man's bedroom.
A few moments later, the elderly patriarch stirred at the sound of his son's urgent voice. His face was pale and gaunt, hair thin and white.
"What's the matter, son?" His tone was sharp, as if to say—You'd better have a good reason for waking me, or I'll skin you alive.
"Father, you remember the one I told you about—Demon-Slayer?"
"That SSS-ranked awakened talent?"
"That's him! Just now, he shattered the Novice Map barrier and broke the level cap. The whole country's going mad!"
The old man frowned. "What's that mean for me? I'm too old to follow your game lingo."
"It means—Father, you've been stuck at Level 50 your whole life. Now… you can level up again!"
BANG!
The old man shot upright from his golden nanmu bed, eyes blazing like a man half his age.
"What are you standing there for? Bring me my Link Crystal—now!"