At that moment, Asha's eyes lit up when she spotted Sol and his group. With a bright, playful smile, she stepped forward.
"Snake Duel's Emperor—Dragon of Destruction. And Soul Hounds III—Ultimate Hell King. Long time no see."
The moment those words left her lips, the entire arcade went silent. Dozens of heads turned in shock.
"What?! He's the Dragon of Destruction?!"
"No way—that's the Ultimate Hell King?!"
"This is terrifying! Absolutely terrifying!"
"To think he's not only good-looking, but that powerful too!"
Ruby, Lynn, and Monna stared at Sol, wide-eyed with excitement and awe.
For them, Soul Hounds III and Snake Duel were New Eridu's most beloved minigames—simple but never short of players. All three of them were hardcore fans.
Actually, Ellen was too.
But work often tied her down, so she couldn't visit Godfinger Arcade often. The last time had been more than half a month ago.
Even so, Ellen's skill in both games far outstripped the others.
She'd heard of the new arcade legend the others idolized—but had never crossed paths with him. She had assumed he was some overweight nerd. Instead, the man himself was tall, striking… and unfairly handsome.
And wait—didn't he look like the hero who'd just saved Canvas Street on the news yesterday?
Not just him—the white-haired girl and the flashy red robot with him had been there too!
They were together. Meaning—the so-called Dragon of Destruction was that very hero.
"…What are you talking about? I don't understand," Ellen muttered, frowning.
Unlike the Cunning Hares, Victoria Housekeeping never lacked high-end contracts. She had little chance to come out with friends, much less to arcades.
So, what were Ruby and the others going on about? Sol wasn't just an ACE Investigator—he had other frightening titles too?
Dragon of Destruction. Ultimate Hell King. Both sounded like overblown gangster nicknames pulled from a teenager's edgy notebook.
"He's the super-player who's been appearing at Godfinger Arcade lately," Lynn explained, pushing up her glasses with utmost seriousness.
Ellen's eyes narrowed.
Yes… Sol was indeed terrifying. His Bangboo alone could cleave down Ethereals. He could kill a Hollow Thug with nothing but a coin.
"The entire arcade—and maybe all of New Eridu—has no one who can match him," Monna whispered, tugging at Ellen's sleeve, her voice trembling.
Ellen shook her head slightly. These girls were still just students—too easily impressed.
New Eridu brimmed with hidden masters. Sol wasn't yet "invincible." The head of Victoria Housekeeping alone was on par with him.
"He turns his back to the masses, proud to the bone, declaring: 'Who rules Eridu's peak? When Sol appears, all else fades to dust.'" Ruby sighed dreamily, eyes glazed with awe.
"…Huh? That arrogant?"
Ellen raised her brows, stunned by the sheer hubris.
It sounded like he looked down on every hero alive. As if even Void Hunters were beneath him.
Still… he might have the right to boast. After all, even his Bangboo is comparable to a Void Hunter.
She sneaked another glance at Sol, who was quietly picking a machine. On the surface, he looked easygoing.
But she carefully filed the information away in her mind. She'd sell it to Lycaon later for some extra overtime pay.
"He does have the capital for arrogance," Lynn insisted, glasses flashing.
"Snake Duel—410 million points. Two hundred million higher than the old world record!"
"The Dragon of Destruction—fear incarnate!"
Ruby, a diehard Snake Duel player, announced in awe.
"And in Soul Hounds III—he reached 20,000 meters. Four thousand higher than Manager Asha herself! To this day, she hasn't beaten it!"
"The Ultimate Hell King! Worthy of the title!" Monna exclaimed, jabbing Ellen with her horn.
Right then, Sol slid into a seat at one of the machines and logged in.
[Ultimate Chaosedramon]
[Snake Duel: 410,000,000 points]
[Soul Hounds III: 20,000 m]
"It's him! It really is him!"
"I saw him on the news yesterday—he's the one who saved Canvas Street!"
"Not only a gaming god but also a hero—he's perfect!"
"The nicknames Dragon of Destruction and Hell King came from that gamer ID! A little childish, but honestly kind of fun!"
Ruby, Lynn, and Monna squealed, eyes sparkling.
Their hearts swelled with pride. A man this legendary… played the same games as they did. It was too cool.
"Tch. So that's all it was—games."
Ellen clicked her tongue, unimpressed.
Still, 410 million in Snake Duel? That wasn't human. And 20,000 meters in Soul Hounds III was absurd.
Dragon of Destruction. Hell King. The names fit.
And remembering his fearsome combat skills, plus the girls' glowing words, Ellen felt her own fighting spirit rise.
She would challenge him.
She would surpass Sol—become the new Shark… of Destruction?
…No. Just beating his record was enough. Forget the nickname.
…
Meanwhile, Sol's group.
"Dragon of Destruction, huh?" Belle snorted, glaring at him. "All those girls fawning over you—feeling smug yet?"
Those three high-schoolers were practically falling over themselves.
"Heh, don't blame the road if your legs are weak." Sol ruffled her hair with a teasing grin. "Break my records, and they'll worship you too."
"Hmph! Looking down on me?" Belle jerked her head away, fuming. "I'll duel you today! I'll be the one to claim the title of Dragon of Destruction!"
Sure, it was too embarrassing to say outside—but in this arcade, the title was pure gold. She'd coveted it for ages.
"Boss really has guts!" Billy shouted, veins popping. "Count me in too! I'll smash Sol's record today!"
Unlimited ammo, here comes Billy! From this day forward, the ladies would never go hungry again!
Anby's eyes sharpened. "This is a challenge. I'll give it a try."
"Oh? All of you against me?" Sol raised a brow, smirking with confidence. "Then let's play co-op. Time to show you the weight of 'When Sol appears, all else fades to dust.'"
"Uh, but Sol…" Billy scratched his head. "Co-op mode needs two more players. Can't use random match, either. We'll need strong ones. What do we do?"
Just then, Ruby dragged a reluctant Ellen toward them.
"We're strong! Let us join!"
Behind her, Monna and Lynn shoved Ellen forward, practically glowing with excitement.