Even with careful preparation, the Eight Greed Kings still suffered grievous losses when facing the Dragon Race, the apex of the New World.
Wild Magic.
This power, bestowed by the world itself and rivaling a World-Class Item, finally revealed its true nature.
Before the Wild Magic of hundreds of Dragon Lords, even the Eight Greed Kings were struck down again and again.
Yet even while at a disadvantage, they managed to withstand the Dragon Race's assault.
Tier Magic and Super-Tier Magic might not match Wild Magic in raw power, but they far surpassed it in versatility.
Enhancement Magic, Debuff Magic, Resurrection Magic, Wish Magic, Summoning Magic...
Magic Potions, Alchemical Golems, Cash Shop Items, Magic Scrolls...
An endless stream of strange spells and items poured forth, forcing the Dragon Race to pay a steep price as well.
Under the astonished gaze of every race, this war that swept across the world fell into a deadlock.
When the Eight Greed Kings summoned stars, the Dragon Race shattered them.
When the Eight Greed Kings summoned Demons, the Dragon Race slaughtered them.
When the Eight Greed Kings called down heavenly thunder, the Dragon Race tore the sky apart.
When the Eight Greed Kings stirred up tidal waves, the Dragon Race evaporated the seas.
Battle raged day after day. Terrifying shockwaves made the entire continent tremble, as if it could no longer endure the strain and might split apart at any moment.
The other races could only hide in the shadows and watch. Amid cries and despair, they offered helpless prayers.
Only the Slane Theocracy remained largely untouched. Sheltered by the God of Death, it avoided the worst of the devastation.
Time dragged on, until at last the war reached its final stage.
The Eight Greed Kings were terrifyingly strong, but even including their NPCs, they numbered only a few dozen. They could only rely on their various items to hold the Dragon Race at bay.
In contrast, hundreds of Dragon Lords stood united, a force said to be capable of slaying even gods.
After the Dragon Race sacrificed dozens of Dragon Lords along with countless dragons, they finally forced the Eight Greed Kings into a desperate corner.
All races wept with joy. It was not that they cared who had won, only that the war was finally ending.
But no one expected that the true nightmare was only just beginning.
Just as the Dragon Race believed victory was within their grasp, something unimaginable happened.
Wild Magic… failed.
The Eight Greed Kings used an incomprehensible method to forcibly rewrite the World Laws of the New World.
In an instant, the very order governing magic was altered.
This world had never known the concept of Tier Magic. Yet the Eight Greed Kings forcibly changed the rules, elevating Tier Magic to replace the world's original system.
They had tainted the world itself. From that moment on, the Dragon Race could no longer receive the world's blessing.
Wild Magic, too, became subject to the world's new restrictions.
Among the tens of thousands of dragons, ordinary dragons completely lost the ability to use Wild Magic.
Newborn Dragons were no exception. Influenced by the World Laws, they were forced to accept the inheritance of Tier Magic instead.
Only the Dragon Lords, including the Dragon Emperor, could still forcibly unleash Wild Magic by consuming their Souls.
And at that very moment, the Eight Greed Kings launched their counterattack.
Without the protection of Wild Magic, ordinary dragons were nothing more than lambs awaiting slaughter, utterly incapable of resistance.
In the blink of an eye, the Dragon Race's anguished cries rang through the skies. Dragon Blood poured down like a crimson waterfall.
Some dragons, gripped by fear, chose to flee. Even certain Dragon Lords did the same. (Elder Coffin Dragon Lord: Just say my name.)
The remaining dragons refused to abandon their pride. As the strongest race beneath the heavens, they chose to fight to the bitter end.
Countless dragons self-destructed, sacrificing their lives to inflict devastating damage on the Eight Greed Kings.
Amid one explosion after another—even with a Dragon Lord offering up their own life—the Eight Greed Kings finally exhausted their magic and items.
And at last, they fell.
Before the Dragon Race could so much as catch their breath, despair descended upon them once again.
Though they had been blasted to pieces, the Eight Greed Kings resurrected.
Their strength had diminished considerably, but for the Dragon Race at that point, it was already too late. They no longer had the power to continue fighting.
At that critical moment, the Dragon Emperor erupted with power surpassing Level 100. He forcefully held back the Eight Greed Kings and numerous NPCs, buying precious time for the remaining dragons to escape.
In the end, the Dragon Emperor fell. Yet for reasons unknown, the Eight Greed Kings did not obtain his remains.
Thus, the war that had swept across the world finally came to an end.
The Dragon Race, once the rulers of the world, were reduced to ashes. Only a small remnant survived, barely clinging to life as they withdrew from the stage of history.
The Eight Greed Kings became the undisputed overlords of the New World, and all races were forced to submit.
Relying on their Guild Base, they constructed a great city in the desert and began indulging fully in a life of excess.
Power. Fine food. Women. Wealth.
These indulgences steadily corroded their hearts, making them ever more arrogant and increasingly extreme in temperament.
All races struggled miserably under the oppression of the Eight Greed Kings.
Some even found themselves longing for the era when the Dragon Race had ruled the world.
Without comparison, there is no sense of loss. Life had been lived in constant fear back then, but compared to the present, it had been far better.
Even the Slane Theocracy was affected. Three members of the Eight Greed Kings arrived within its borders.
Arrogant and unrestrained, they ran rampant through the Slane Theocracy. Even when the God of Death attempted to dissuade them, they paid him no heed and even demanded that he submit.
In the end, battle broke out.
But even the God of Death was no match for the combined assault of three Players. He fell there.
The descendants of the Six Great Gods were awakened from their slumber. As God-kin, their lifespans were limited, so they normally remained asleep deep within the Theocracy as its ultimate reserve.
Arriving too late, they witnessed everything. The death of the last of the Six Great Gods, the God of Death, ignited the fury of the entire Slane Theocracy.
Without hesitation, clad in their fathers' equipment, the God-kin charged at the three Players in a fight to the death.
As the direct offspring of the Six Great Gods, raised and trained since childhood, their strength generally exceeded Level 85.
With the equipment and precious items left behind by the Six Great Gods, even the Players were driven back step by step.
After paying a certain price, the three Players finally managed to escape. They intended to return, prepare for war, and completely eradicate the Slane Theocracy.
But their plans fell apart.
The Eight Greed Kings were not united, and the death of the God of Death had never been part of their plan.
Some among them had been on good terms with the God of Death. On the spot, they rebuked the three, demanding to know why they had killed him without discussion.
The others also voiced their opinions. The death of a fellow Player filled them with a deep sense of sorrow, as though they were mourning their own kind.
Old grudges seemed to erupt all at once. The Eight Greed Kings fell into a fierce argument that escalated into physical conflict.
Meanwhile, on the side of the Slane Theocracy, the remaining Dragon Lords came forward, proposing an alliance to unite all races and overthrow the rule of the Eight Greed Kings.
After deliberation, the God-kin agreed. However, they signed a pact of eternal non-aggression with the Dragon Race.
Thus, the allied forces of all races, together with the Dragon Race and the Slane Theocracy, launched their assault on the Eight Greed Kings.
It was as if the world itself had turned against them. Every race took part in the battle. Even facing the Eight Greed Kings, none showed fear.
If the Eight Greed Kings were not slain, this world would have no future.
Mountains of corpses rose. Seas of blood spread. Flesh and bone became a furnace.
The battle was far more brutal than anyone had imagined.
Yet to everyone's despair, even in the face of such an onslaught, the Eight Greed Kings stood as steady as a mountain. Their Guild Base was utterly unshakable.
Before the enraged Eight Greed Kings, God-kin fell, Dragon Lords bled, and the myriad races wailed in agony.
Just as the Eight Greed Kings were about to claim victory, an unknown existence intervened.
Displaying power far beyond Level 100, it directly and forcibly slew the Eight Greed Kings.
However, it did not eliminate their NPCs, and departed in haste.
(It follows the original work. As for the reason the Eight Greed Kings did not come back to life, I'm not sure—better ask Maruyama.)
...
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