The border of the Forest Kingdom was a land scarred by countless battles. Ash still lingered in the air, and the night pressed down on the world with suffocating silence.
High above, the Northern Battle God floated, his armor gleaming faintly under the moonlight. With his voice carrying across the devastated battlefield, he declared with absolute conviction,
"Facts have proven that the loophole of breaking the boundary wall has already been fixed by the Land of Divine Punishment's system. Even if the Human Emperor himself were here, it would make no difference."
Turning slightly, he said calmly, "Lin, you may announce the failure of this boundary-breaking operation."
His words were like iron — unshakable, final. For Lin Nan and the Demon-Hunting Institute elites who had fought tirelessly, it was the death knell of their hopes.
Lin Nan lowered his head, shoulders trembling, his eyes dim with despair and unwillingness.
The latest reports from the front lines in the East only made the mood heavier. The Divine Tactics Legion, led personally by the Human Emperor Ye Zhibai, was losing ground once again. They had been forced to retreat across the sea and fall back to the ruins of the Cold Nation.
Both the East Island Nation and the Cold Nation had long since been annihilated.
And now, if humanity's strength failed to rise beyond Level 200 within the next year, and if reinforcements failed to replenish the front lines, the Divine Tactics Legion would be forced to abandon even those last scraps of land and retreat into the heart of the Chinese Nation.
When that time came, the war would burn across their homeland. Humanity would face its darkest hour.
"Damn it… is the boundary wall truly impossible to break?" Lin Nan clenched his fists until his knuckles went white.
He was not alone in his bitter frustration. Every elite gathered here, every warrior with blood on their hands, had the same thought echo in their minds.
And then, as if struck by the same bolt of inspiration, all of them thought of the same name.
Demon-Slayer.
If Demon-Slayer were here, would there be a chance?
And as if summoned by their desperate prayers, a steady voice broke through the night.
"I'm here."
Noah stepped onto the battlefield. His aura was calm yet overwhelming, the weight of his presence making even the air tremble.
"Demon-Slayer?!"
"Impossible! He actually came?"
"This can't be real… but it is!"
The elites of the Demon-Hunting Institute stared at him, their eyes wide with disbelief and blazing hope.
The Northern Battle God descended from the skies, his expression no longer cold but tinged with curiosity. He studied Noah for a long moment before finally speaking.
"Demon-Slayer… what are you doing here?"
Noah's boots crunched against broken stone as he stepped forward, raising his staff, Wrath of the Dragon, the weapon glimmering faintly with restrained divinity. His voice was calm, almost casual.
"I've come to break the wall."
BOOM!
The battlefield erupted into uproar.
Lin Nan's eyes burned with renewed fire, his despair replaced with feverish anticipation.
But the Northern Battle God shook his head slowly, his tone measured but unyielding.
"Go back. The system has fixed the loophole. The wall now regenerates. It can never again be broken. Not by you, not by anyone."
Noah had heard the same rumors — that after the last system update, the boundary wall had been given a regeneration mechanism. Any damage inflicted would simply be restored.
But in his heart, he knew things were never so simple. If the wall could regenerate, that only meant it had health points. And if it had health points, then it could be destroyed.
He lifted his gaze, meeting the eyes of the Northern Battle God without flinching.
"Doesn't matter. Since I'm already here, I'll give it a try."
The Battle God frowned. "Pointless. Even if you tried a million times, the result would be the same. With your talent, if you spend the next half year raising your level to 200, you might have a chance then. But not now."
He rarely spoke so much, but the respect he gave Noah — a mere Level 1 player — was proof enough of Noah's legend.
Noah's lips curved into a faint smile. His voice was steady, even light.
"Thank you for your advice, senior. But I'll only try once. If it fails, I'll go grind levels."
The Northern Battle God studied him silently, then nodded. He would not interfere, but neither would he leave. Deep down, he was curious. How strong had this SSS-class talent holder, this rising storm called Demon-Slayer, truly become?
All eyes turned toward Noah.
He strode to the boundary wall, the luminous barrier stretching endlessly before him.
"Demon-Slayer," Lin Nan called out anxiously. "We only have thirty seconds before the poisonous mists consume this area. You have one shot."
Noah gave a small nod. "One shot is all I need."
His eyes hardened. His staff rose.
Summon Deity!
"Help me, Dawn. Give me everything you've got."
A gentle, melodic voice answered, soft yet carrying the weight of infinite power.
"Yes, my master."
BOOOOM!
Light exploded around him. Divine energy, hundreds of times stronger than the last time he had summoned her, surged through his veins. His body lifted effortlessly into the sky, wrapped in radiant brilliance.
The night shattered.
Darkness peeled back as golden dawn light engulfed the land. It was as if morning itself had been dragged violently into being.
"What is this?!"
The Northern Battle God's eyes widened in sheer disbelief. For the first time in centuries, his voice shook.
Even Lin Nan and the Demon-Hunting Institute elites stood frozen, their jaws slack, their minds unable to grasp what they were witnessing.
Noah, glowing with the divine power of the Goddess of Dawn, raised his staff and whispered softly—
"Fireball."
A small, almost laughably ordinary flame orb burst forth, arcing lazily toward the boundary wall.
And then—
CRAAAAAASH!
The impact erupted like the end of the world.
CRITICAL HIT! -9999999999999999!
The damage number was so colossal it stretched off the interface, a number too vast for the human eye to contain.
The boundary wall, which the Northern Battle God himself had declared unbreakable, shattered instantly.
"BOOM!!!"
Glittering fragments of the wall rained down like starlight, scattering across the battlefield. The poisonous mist that had threatened to swallow them all dissipated without a trace.
"No way… no way…" Lin Nan's lips trembled, his eyes filling with tears. "He did it… Demon-Slayer actually did it. The wall is broken."
The Northern Battle God swallowed hard, his composure fracturing. And then, slowly, his face lit up with something he had not felt in centuries—hope.
"Blessed be humanity… A new era has dawned. An era belonging to Demon-Slayer!"
The voice of the system echoed across the heavens, cold yet undeniable.
[World Announcement: Player Demon-Slayer has shattered the Forest Kingdom boundary wall! Level restrictions lifted. Players Level 200 and above may now proceed to the next map.]
[Players who have already surpassed Level 200 will receive retroactive compensation rewards.]
[Remember: the healthy environment of the Land of Divine Punishment requires the effort of every Traveler. We wish you safe journeys and look forward to your arrival in the Holy Capital!]
The world fell silent for one breath.
And then the global chat exploded.
"Holy crap, it's real! Demon-Slayer broke the Forest Kingdom wall!"
"Sixty years stuck here, and he did it like nothing! I can finally level up again!"
"God-tier doesn't even begin to cover this. Demon-Slayer is insane!"
"Big bro Demon-Slayer, please, when are you breaking the Level 500 wall? Asking for a friend!"
Noah landed gently, staff still faintly glowing. He almost chuckled. That was easier than I thought—
But before the words left his lips, a voice cut urgently into his ear.
"Noah! Log out now! Something's wrong!"
His heart lurched. He knew that voice.
It was Lin Qian, his shadow-like bodyguard.