My SSS-Rank Gluttony Talent: I Can Evolve Limitlessly
Chapter 63: Greater than that wannabe hero

Chapter 63: Greater than that wannabe hero

The next day...

Flickers of tiny white particles rapidly appeared in the air, dancing like fireflies.

They swirled, merging to form a rough silhouette before vanishing completely, revealing an average-looking teenager.

He had short, messy black hair, and a pair of pitch black eyes.

The young man, who was none other than Riley exhaled, stretching out his body with a light groan.

’Right...’ he thought. ’You can only log back in around where you logged out. That’s one of the game’s rules.’

It was a small but important detail. You couldn’t just appear anywhere you liked.

The system anchored players to their last safe location, unless they were forced to respawn.

And of course, logging out was impossible if you were in the middle of a battle or an active quest. Secret areas and dungeons also locked players inside completely.

Meaning, there was no easy escape if a player crossed his boundary and bit more than they could chew.

Riley’s arms fell back to his sides, and he tilted his head slightly.

’I sure slept... a lot,’ he thought.

That was putting it lightly.

He’d crashed onto his bed the evening before with the warm taste of rice still on his tongue... and next thing he knew, it was morning.

It was the first time in a long time that he’d slept that deeply, maybe even the first in his life.

’Was it because I finally felt at ease?’ he wondered to himself, a faint smile spreading across his lips.

In his past life, sleep had become a luxury.

During the war with the demons, even closing his eyes for more than a few minutes had felt like gambling with his life.

There had been no time to rest, and one always had to stay on guard, or the next thing could be death... or a fate even worse.

But now...

He inhaled softly through his nose, then exhaled again.

"...Whatever," he muttered under his breath, the smile still lingering on his lips. "It’s time to hunt the village boss."

His eyes shifted forward, toward the familiar cluster of buildings nestled in the distance—the village.

It looked far more alive than usual, with hundreds of players, both new and old spawning each minute.

The village square was still damaged thanks to his actions when rampaging as the ’Hungry Demon’, but repairs were already being done.

Some of the players were even helping with it, hoping to unlock quests and gain tangible rewards.

Riley narrowed his eyes slightly, watching them from the distance.

The reason for the massive population in the village was obvious—Yano’s Announcement.

The moment he made it known that the boss would be challenged today, it triggered a wave of excitement among the players.

Everyone wanted to be part of it. Everyone wanted to join the Noble Lions Guild. Even those who had been hesitant to play the game decided to log in, trying to see what the crazy hype was about.

The guild’s name was being shouted all over the place—through chats, recruitment banners, and party invites.

Though Riley still didn’t have a good feeling about Yano due to what he did in his past life, he couldn’t deny he managed to pull hundreds of new players into the game.

Moreover, there was another hot topic being discussed among the players, and that was the great hero who defeated the notorious hungry demon—Terry.

Some wondered if he would join them on the boss raid, hoping to see more of his powers.

’I’m sure Yano is pissed by that...’ Riley thought, a sharp glint flickering within his eyes. ’But before I join the fun, there’s something I need to do.’

*

Meanwhile, within the village square, a notification appeared before all the players.

[Server Announcement from the Noble Lions Guild: Prepare yourselves everyone, for the day we’ve all been waiting for is finally here! Players Level 5 and above, move to the village boss area, and join me in ushering Apocalypse into a new era! Noble Lions Guild reign supreme!]

The moment the players read through the notification, most of them started cheering in excitement.

"Let’s go!"

"It’s finally time!"

"Yano-samaaaa!"

With loud, eager shouts, the players charged towards the southern exit, where the village boss monster was known to be located.

They all felt like they were going to be part of something massive... part of the ones who would later be known as those who ushered [Apocalypse] into a new era.

Even many below level 5 followed the crowd to the southern exit, not wanting to be left out on the fun of killing the boss.

But what most of them didn’t realize was that the system had its boundaries.

The village boss raid required a minimum of level 5 to participate, which was why Yano made sure to specify in his announcement.

Still, that didn’t stop the stampede of players charging into the southern exit, dreams of glory burning in their eyes.

It didn’t take long before the crowd reassembled again, this time gathered in front of the wide canyon-like path leading to the notorious boss zone.

A system notification marked the area clearly:

[WARNING: Village Boss Zone – Minimum Level Requirement: 5+]

The players chattered among themselves, forming parties and group.

And there it was...

Visible in the far distance, just beyond the rocky terrain and the dense clusters of jagged boulders that formed a partial circle around the center of the arena—

The Village Boss.

A massive, red-scaled creature crawled slowly across the cracked terrain, its thick legs digging deep trenches into the dry earth.

The creature’s body was about five meters long, its shell glistening like heated metal beneath the sun.

Its sharp, serrated claws clacked loudly with each step, and on its spine were short, jagged spikes.

Its tail curled high behind it, long and flexible like a whip, ending in a deadly black stinger nearly the size of a full-grown man’s arm.

From the tip, a thick, red gas oozed out, spreading out to the area.

The vapor hissed as it touched the ground, clouding the surroundings of the boss monster in a reddish fog.

[Elite Boss: Crimson Blood Scorpion]

[Level: 20]

[H/P: 3000]

The boss monster’s appearance alone was enough to make several players falter.

Not even once did it glance their way, almost like it knew none of them could stand against it.

And for many of the players present, just looking at it filled their stomachs with dread.

The crowd grew tense. Nervous whispers broke out, and none of them dared take a step forward.

Everyone now remembered why they had avoided this place in the first place.

Why this zone had been practically abandoned, and why most players still didn’t dare challenge the village’s boss monster even after reaching the required level.

Back during the early days of [Apocalypse], only a few beta players had ever even attempted to face the Crimson Blood Scorpion. Among those rare few were two notable names—Terry and Yano.

But then, all attempts had ended in brutal losses.

And now that same boss stood before a horde of new, inexperienced players who’d never faced a monster even half this powerful.

Just as the tension and fear among the players was getting thicker—

"Don’t be afraid!"

A familiar, commanding voice rang out, snapping their focus from the monster boss.

The one who spoke was none other than Yano Yeves, the same person who motivated them all to gather here today.

He stood just ahead of them, in between the monster boss area and the crowd of players.

Most of them hadn’t noticed him before—too focused on the terrifying beast in the distance.

But now, no one could look away.

He stood tall and proud, wearing a sleek black coat that fluttered in the wind.

The pair of black boots on his legs gleamed, and small bursts of flame suddenly erupted beneath them.

They lifted his body into the air with a hiss, his coat fluttering even more as he floated above the players.

"Don’t be afraid!" he shouted again, his voice amplified by a small, black item hanging on his coat.

"That terrifying monster you see..." He gestured with one hand toward the enormous scorpion, whose tail twitched. "It will be taken down today!"

The players started mumbling among themselves, and the thick tension slowly cracked.

Now that eyes were off the boss and on Yano, the rest of his group became clear.

Standing below him were the top-ranking members of the Noble Lions Guild, each one armed with high-quality gear most new players had never see before.

And among them was his sister, Yira, standing with a cold expression on her face.

One of the new players in the crowd whispered, "Is that really her? Yira Yeves? Damn, she’s beautiful..."

"Forget that, look at their weapons! I wish I had cool gears like that..."

"Wait—where’s Terry?" another player muttered. "Wasn’t he supposed to be part of this?"

They weren’t the only ones wondering.

Many had assumed Terry would be present, especially after the heroic act he pulled off just yesterday.

Some had even hoped to see him clash with the boss, or better yet, fight alongside Yano. But he was nowhere in sight.

Yano, on the other hand, frowned when he heard that comment.

’Why do you still ask of him... when I’m standing here before you?’ he thought, his brows twitching in annoyance.

Suddenly, a strange glint flashed across his eyes, and unbeknownst to the bunch of players below, the edges of his lips curled up slightly.

’Don’t worry... you’ll all prove to be useful, for today, I’ll prove I’m greater than that wannabe hero!’