Rise Online: Return of the Legendary Player

The message [Dead God!] vanished into thin air seconds after Surtr turned into nothing more than a pile of volcanic rocks. While notifications about experience and items won were still appearing non-stop as pop-ups on players\' screens, the whole room began to shake violently.

An earthquake of astronomical proportions began, which caused Alina to quickly lose her balance and fall to the ground.

Xisrith approached and held out a hand to Alina, helping her up. "Are you all right?"

"Yes, just a little tired," said the mage with the long golden hair.

Alina, in fact, was practically exhausted. Holding a god with magical chains was far more exhausting than anything else she had ever done, including teleporting the Library of the Magi out of a pocket dimension like the Tower of the Magi.

"What? We won\'t even be able to celebrate?!" Jayaa asked, looking up.

Kaizen walked over to where his group was gathered. He still had a serious expression, even in defeat.

"Please, everyone come here." He said.

As requested, Bloody Lily and Andrew approached as well, dragging a little due to battle fatigue.

"Why is everything falling apart? We won." asked Bloody Lily as she put her crimson sword away in its sheath.

"That\'s exactly why, isn\'t it?" Alina, with one of her arms wrapped around the back of Xisrith\'s head, asked Kaizen.

The black-haired man nodded instantly. "Unfortunately, you\'re right this time too, Alina."

Kaizen then stretched his left hand forward and opened his palm. Just like that, a small item, a ring, levitated a few centimeters from his palm.

"The Seed of the King of Hell." muttered Kaizen with a serious tone.

Jayaa cautiously asked: "What is it?"

"It\'s a unique item." explained Kaizen, without looking away from the sphere of red light that surrounded the ring. "Whoever consumes this seed will receive the title of King of Hell. With that title comes immense power, but also colossal responsibility. To rule Hell, to maintain order among the demons and, apparently, to stop these earthquakes that are destroying everything around us."

The item looked ordinary, but it had more power than any other item Kaizen or the others had ever seen in his life. It was natural to want to possess such power, probably a unique opportunity for each of the players there. No player had ever become a king, even among the Evolved, let alone practically a god.

Whoever possessed such a title would probably be rich in both worlds, as they would command a single world on their own.

"Then... you should consume it," suggested Xisrith, looking at Kaizen. "You\'re the strongest among us. If anyone can handle this burden, it\'s you, boss. I would serve you in the same way without hesitation, and hell would surely become a better place."

Kaizen shook his head negatively. "I don\'t want that power. I don\'t want to be a god, and I don\'t want to lead any world. My role here was to save Og\'tharoz\'s wife, not to defeat Surtr. It never crossed my mind to rule Hell... that\'s not my mission."

"But Kaizen," insisted Alina, stepping forward. "If not you, then who? These earthquakes will only stop when Hell has a new king. If no one takes on that title, everything will collapse. All the souls and demons... my heart squeezes at the thought of what would happen if all this were unleashed.

We need someone with the strength and determination to take on this responsibility."

Andrew, who had remained silent until then, raised his voice. "Kaizen is right. This can\'t be an impulsive decision. Who is willing to sacrifice their freedom and take control of Hell? No one."

The group was silent, pondering Andrew\'s words. Everyone was exhausted, their minds and bodies worn down by the battle. But the reality was clear - someone had to sacrifice themselves to save Hell and the world of Muspelheim, perhaps even the other worlds.

Xisrith, with his serious expression, looked at Kaizen. "If you can\'t take on that title, Kaizen, then we need to find someone who can. But who among us has the strength and wisdom to rule Hell? Who can maintain order and stand up to the forces that dwell there?"

The room continued to shake, the walls seemed about to collapse. The tension in the air was palpable, and everyone felt the weight of the decision they had to make. Kaizen closed his hand around the sphere, his gaze somber.

"I can\'t be king," he said again. "But none of us will either."

Kaizen closed his hand around the orb of red light. He knew that the responsibility of choosing the next King of Hell was colossal. The room continued to shake, and the walls seemed about to collapse, as if Hell itself was on the verge of collapse. The group remained silent, pondering Kaizen\'s words and the gravity of the situation.

As the tension hung in the air, a deep red glow appeared at the entrance to the room. The light intensified, revealing an imposing figure that everyone recognized instantly. It was Og\'tharoz, the demon with big hair and eyes that shone like rubies. His presence commanded respect and his countenance was serious, but there was a fierce determination in his eyes.

"What\'s going on here?" Og\'tharoz asked, his voice resonating through the room. "I sense that Surtr has been killed, but everything is out of balance."

Kaizen released the sphere of light, letting it levitate again, and turned to Og\'tharoz. "We\'ve defeated Surtr, but Hell is on the verge of collapse. We need a new king to stabilize the situation."

Og\'tharoz looked at the sphere, his eyes fixed on the pulsating red light. "So that\'s it," he muttered. "Hand it over."

"You know what that means, Og\'tharoz," said Kaizen with a grave tone. "If you consume this seed, you will never be able to return to Midgard. You\'ll never be able to live among mortals again."