Dragon Game: All My Dragons Are Ranked 'SSS'
Chapter 41: Simulation deleted! Phase two initiated!

Chapter 41: Simulation deleted! Phase two initiated!

Drahon was surprised.

Didn’t the game world have control over what happened in it? Couldn’t they just snap their fingers and make stuff move? Or rewind events? Or stop someone from dying?

That’s what he had assumed. But now?

Now it felt like the game wasn’t even paying attention anymore.

He was being "silly." That’s the word he used to slap away the creeping questions in his head. But they stayed. They always stayed.

What even is "they"?

Who the hell runs this game?

Who created it?

Who decides what happens?

He had too many questions now—and not enough patience to act like he didn’t.

[And so would the readers right now.]

Yeah, exactly. Because this whole thing? It made no sense anymore.

How was this game even created in the first place? And if someone created it, wouldn’t they still have complete dominion over everything inside it?

What if... no one created it?

What if the game just existed?

That question hit differently. It sat in the back of his skull like an annoying itch he couldn’t reach.

[There are some things the Game Mechanics no longer control.]

[This is one of them.]

That line flickered across his vision, and suddenly, everything started connecting.

The half-dragon man from the dreamlike void... the one with the mismatched eyes and the broken armor. He’d said it once: there were two major factions in the old world;

Golden Dragons.

And

Legendary Dragons.

There was a war. A war that ended everything. The dragons were sealed. The world changed. The Game began.

But somehow, Lord Valcvan, the leader of the Legendary Dragons, was still alive?

The game hadn’t stopped him?

Couldn’t?

So what now?

Then the System answered, calm, impersonal, and emotionless as ever. (As usual.)

[There is something you must understand about this world.]

[You are no longer in a simple "game" system.]

[There are three realms within the Dragon World. You have only experienced one.]

Drahon blinked.

"Wait, what?"

[Realms Breakdown Initiating...]

[Please pay attention.]

Drahon folded his arms, waiting. This was either going to be helpful,.or absolutely unhinged. There was no in-between with this system.

[Realm One: The Simulation Realm]

– This is where all players begin.

– Artificial. Controlled. Designed to test mental adaptation and decision-making.

– All Non-Player Characters in this realm are artificial entities.

– All kingdoms in this realm are temporary replicas of their Real World counterparts.

– All dragons summoned here are projections, not the actual dragons.

Drahon narrowed his eyes.

"So... that kingdom I ruled, fake?"

The guards, the villagers, the court?

The bread?

The fresh bread??

Gone. Just ash now.

No wonder they crumbled away like someone yanked the plug on their existence.

[Realm Two: The Real World Realm]

– This is where the true world lies.

– Dragons are real. Kingdoms are ancient. The war-torn lands are remnants of the Old World.

– Only qualified players are allowed to enter.

– This is where Lord Valcvan resides.

– This is where the mythical eggs are hidden.

So this was the big leagues.

And Valcvan?

That bastard wasn’t just some random raid boss. He was actually there, breathing, destroying like a maniac.

[Realm Three: The God Being Realm]

– Access restricted to players who attain the Half Dragon God rank.

– Information beyond this point is classified.

Of course. Figures.

It couldn’t be all spoon-fed.

Drahon exhaled. "So what now?"

[All players have now been seamlessly transferred into the Real World Realm.]

[All Simulation-based kingdom building has been terminated.]

[All artificial NPCs have been erased.]

[The Game has entered Phase Two.]

Drahon rubbed his face.

Phase Two.

Right. Makes sense...

[Main Objective: Locate and obtain all five Mythical Dragon Eggs.]

[Retrieve them before Lord Valcvan and his legion does.]

That part?

Well, that was new, and could possibly lead to a large-scale war.

[Warning: Lord Valcvan is highly powerful. Encountering him prematurely may result in instant annihilation.]

Drahon sighed.

"Well, looks like I’ve gotta start making friends with the other players."

There was no way he was doing this alone.

Perhaps the others were in the same situation right now.

Somewhere out there.

He’d have to find them eventually.

And fast.

’So... what am I supposed to do now?’

Drahon thought.

He already missed being royalty.

The long flowing robes, the non-alcoholic drinks in silver goblets, the guards standing on both sides like he was hot stuff.

Hell, even the freshly baked bread— fake simulation food!

The warm loaves were nothing more than soft data.

Ash!

Dust!

[Since entering the game, you’ve received instructions.]

[From this point onward, you will not be guided in the same way.]

[This is more than a test now.]

[Objective: Find the Mythical Eggs.]

[Stop Lord Valcvan.]

[Survive.]

After the words, the runes slowly flickered away.

Drahon stood akimbo, staring as the last few lines blinked out.

Silence fell again.

________

He then gazed at the trees lined up ahead.

The forest loomed before him, quiet, still, and almost lifeless.

The trees were tall and packed close together, their bark dark and rough like old stone. Mist clung to the ground, curling around the roots. The branches above tangled together so tightly they barely let any light through.

Drahon exhaled, slow and steady.

He didn’t like the feeling building in his chest.

Not fear exactly, but...

Unease.

He took a step.

The crunch of his boot on dried leaves echoed louder than it should have. He took another step, then another. The fog thickened slightly. The deeper he went, the heavier the air became.

Then...

Something shifted to his right.

He halted.

It was fast, too fast to be the wind.

He turned, eyes sharp, but saw nothing.

Then again, to the left.

Another flicker of movement.

He lowered his stance slightly, anticipating...

Then...

Figures moved between the trees. Not loud, but sort of... coordinated.

Six of them.

They were Demon Dragon Monsters.

Drahon didn’t speak as he studied them, gaze steady, wary.

They weren’t attacking.

Not yet.

They just stood in the mist, like they were sizing him up.

They were massive.

Thick black scales covered their bodies, matte like cooled lava, edged with ridges and scars, perhaps from old fights. Their limbs were long and... wrong. Too many joints. Too many claws. Fingers like broken knives. Feet like hooves, cracked down the middle.

Their faces were horrendous- ones that would give children nightmares!

Snouts like something canine, stretched and split, with rows of jagged teeth that didn’t quite fit in their mouths.

And their eyes...

Yellow. Small. Sunken. Human enough to make your skin crawl.

Spines protruded from their backs and arms.

Some had horns.

Some didn’t.

Some had wings, leathery and torn, twitching like they remembered how to fly but couldn’t anymore.

Their tails dragged behind them, thick and heavy, swinging slowly like wrecking balls.

Drahon took one slow step back, then shifted his footing.

They looked like Valcvan’s legion.

He hadn’t seen them before, but he could bet his life this was them.

It didn’t matter though.

If they were looking for a fight...

He gritted his teeth and clenched his fists.

They’d be getting it.

"Alright," he muttered.

’[Scaled Guard]’ he said softly.

Then...

A glowing shimmer lit up across his skin as hard, black-gold scales wrapped across his arms and chest, his Scaled Dragon Form activating.

With a wave of his hand, a flash of light formed in the air, solidifying into a glowing golden blade —

His SSS-Rank Dragon Sword.

He took one final breath.

Using his dragons would’ve been easier...

But he wanted to fight himself.

He needed EXP.