DK Group – Infinite Dimensions Division
Usher was abruptly awakened from his game by an assistant.
"You won't be able to touch him—not in reality, at least," came a calm voice.
A middle-aged man in casual attire stepped into Usher's office, his presence unremarkable, but the two sharply dressed military officers flanking him—one a female major—made his authority clear.
"K.D., right? I don't quite follow who this 'him' is that you're referring to," Usher replied coolly.
Feigning ignorance, he tried to mask the storm brewing inside him.
K.D. wasn't having it. "Orson. Infinite Dimensions' top-ranked player. He's now under the military's protection. Understand now?"
Usher's eyes narrowed. "I'm confused. To my knowledge, he isn't affiliated with the military."
"That was true. But now, he is," K.D. responded matter-of-factly.
The revelation stunned Usher momentarily. He wasn't afraid, though; he was angry.
The previous night, his hired enforcers had been humiliated by Orson. One of his bodyguards had ended up injured, and the rest had fled like cowards.
Usher clenched his fists, unwilling to let such an affront slide.
The female major smirked at Usher's stiff expression. "If we were just representing the military, I wouldn't have personally accompanied K.D. here. No, we're here on behalf of the nation."
The weight of those words hit Usher like a sledgehammer. "Representing the country?"
K.D. maintained his poker face and stated firmly, "Orson and his family are on a protected list. This is a red line. You are expected to comply. That's all I can disclose without breaching state secrets."
With that, K.D. declined an offer to stay for lunch and prepared to leave with his entourage.
"Wait a moment!" Usher called out as they were about to step out the door.
K.D. raised an eyebrow but turned to face him.
After a moment of silence, Usher said, "Orson's actions in Infinite Dimensions have disrupted our operations. As project lead, I can't let this go unanswered. Surely, you understand my position."
K.D. nodded. "I understand completely. Your conflicts can remain in the game. My responsibility is ensuring his safety in reality. Nothing more."
Pausing for emphasis, K.D. added, "A word of advice—young men like you should tread carefully. Otherwise, your father's empire might not survive the storm that follows."
Usher's expression darkened. His voice dropped to a frosty tone. "Understood. Thank you for the reminder."
As the office door closed behind K.D., Usher clenched his jaw, his nails digging into the palms of his hands.
The VP turned, startled by Usher's sudden address.
Before he could respond, Usher hurled a glass of water across the room, shattering it against the wall.
Rage twisted his otherwise handsome face into something monstrous. Grabbing the VP by the collar, Usher snarled, "Get out. Take the legal team with you. All of you—get out of my sight!"
Breathing heavily, Usher sank into his chair, his mind ablaze with fury.
"Orson! Orson! I swear I'll destroy you, even if it's the last thing I do!"
Ascension Kingdom Dungeon
Meanwhile, Orson stood atop a cliff, coolly kiting the boss, King Mancalan, across the ruins.
His Whisper of the Wind buff kept his movement fluid and his attacks precise.
Under normal circumstances, Orson could kite most bosses to death, keeping them at arm's length with his superior range.
But Mancalan was no ordinary foe. With his dragon-like body and flight capabilities, the boss's mobility was leagues ahead of anything Orson had faced recently.
Even with years of Infinite Dimensions experience, Orson had to work hard to anticipate Mancalan's erratic aerial patterns. He carefully timed his attacks, baiting the boss into flying where he wanted.
Mancalan caught on quickly. Adjusting his tactics, the boss began gliding low along the jagged walls of the ruins, darting unpredictably.
As the distance between them closed to 1,000 meters, Orson grinned.
"Right where I want you."
A Mud Swamp spell materialized on the cliffside, snaring the boss mid-pounce.
When Mancalan tried to claw his way free, Orson unleashed Whisper of the Wind again, conjuring a violent gust that swept the boss from its perch.
Mancalan flailed, attempting to stabilize with its wings, but Orson was ready.
"Fly again. I dare you."
With a smirk, Orson cast Quaking Stone Spikes, sending a massive stone pillar slamming into the boss's wing. Mancalan plummeted into the ruins below.
The ground shook as the boss crashed into the remains of a building.
Orson chuckled darkly, satisfaction evident on his face. Despite relying primarily on utility spells, he was racking up damage rivaling high-grade offensive magic.
Furious, Mancalan roared, his voice reverberating through the dungeon.
"Shut up already!" Orson snapped, sending another Flame Dragon hurtling toward the boss. The fiery serpent slammed into Mancalan, knocking him back yet again.
With his Thunderstorm Buff active, Orson chained his spells with relentless precision:
- Explosive Fireball.
Just as Orson was about to break 200, Mancalan's body flared with an ominous green light.
The boss broke free from the combo with a violent surge of power, its Overlord's Resilience activating.
"Of course. A crowd-control immunity skill. You really are my lifelong nemesis," Orson muttered, rolling his eyes.
At this stage, most high-level bosses had access to crowd-control immunity abilities. But Lord-Class bosses took it a step further with faster cooldowns and longer durations.
Even the wealthiest players feared such mechanics. The moment a boss activated its immunity, most attempts at soloing it ended in disaster.
"King Mancalan is preparing to unleash B-tier Dark Magic: Deathly Acid. Evade immediately!"
Orson's eyes widened as the boss opened its massive jaws. Dozens of acid blobs launched into the air, each sizzling with deadly intent.
"Crap. This area attack range is way bigger than I remember. Three times bigger!"
Flicking his staff, Orson conjured a Solar Shield to absorb the incoming damage.
The acid hissed as it splattered against the barrier. Despite blocking a significant portion of the attack, the shield barely lasted a second.
"Ten seconds of this? No way anyone survives!" Orson cursed, retreating to the edge of the arena.
He pressed himself against the wall.
Acid rained down, but the narrow space near the wall was miraculously untouched.
Breathing a sigh of relief, Orson whispered, "Guess some of the old tricks still work."
But there was no time to rest.
Mancalan rose into the air, glaring at Orson with seething hatred. Green energy coalesced in the boss's throat as it prepared to unleash a devastating dragon's breath.
"I can't cast shields fast enough to block that…"
Orson's hands trembled as he realized how close he was to death.
With a resigned sigh, he summoned Explosive Fireball and hurled it into the boss's gaping maw, hoping to disrupt its attack.
The fireball collided with the glowing energy—and bounced off harmlessly.
The boss's immunity was still active.
Orson's stomach sank. "Five seconds left on the immunity. I'm toast."