Mythos Of Narcissus: Reborn As An NPC In A Horror VRMMO

The golden-scaled dragon-like entity loomed over the terrain, its regal form moving with an almost unearthly grace.

Its wings stretched wide, adorned with glowing runes that shimmered faintly even in the daylight, each flap creating a ripple of power through the air.

Its eyes, cold and calculating, scanned the approaching Vandasisimo squad, who were clearly unprepared for what lay ahead.

"Surround the Theotech Beast!"

The squad advanced cautiously, their twelve heavily armed members flanking the two towering battle puppets.

Each step of the puppets left deep imprints on the rocky ground, their energy weapons humming faintly with a latent charge.

The squad members themselves gripped hybrid weapons—arcane-infused rifles and melee weapons glowing with faint magical energy—clearly designed to combat threats of this magnitude.

But against this Theotech Dragon, it looked as if they had brought torches to a wildfire.

"So, are we postponing our Expedition now?"

"Possibly~ While the drones gave us a lot of information, none of them can be as reliable as directly seeing a live test subjecting going straight into the scattered traps lies in that place~"

"I still find it obnoxious that for an old Theotech Hunting group, they tackled their expedition quite recklessly."

"I think they are underestimating the scales of the Theotech Site."

"Can we trust them to not screw up the Theotech Vessel extraction? They look to be a little bit incompetent, and I don't want to lose my chance of having a proper torso again…"

"As if. They are still at the entrance."

"Father, don't you think that the Theotech civilization would greatly increase their defensive measure on the walls instead of the insides?"

"Well, for one, we don't know the kind o f defensive scenario they were in back then. So it is hard to say."

From the deck of the Landship, Charis and I watched the unfolding chaos with quite the detachment. Holographic displays projected the scene in vivid detail, the neuromorphic network tracking every movement and relaying the data to our screens.

Behind us, Viviane lounged casually, her fingers tracing idle patterns in the air as fae energy rippled faintly around her.

Verina leaned against the rail, her musket resting on her shoulder, while Kuzunoha sat cross-legged on a chair that she withdrew from her arcane storage, observing with an amused smirk.

And then there was Lupina that was being cradled by some kind of a stabilizing Cognitive Engines as her head was injected with several cables. Despite that, she appeared to be quite comfortable in that situation.

"They're struggling," Charis observed, her voice calm but tinged with disdain. "Their movements are uncoordinated, and they're underestimating its intelligence."

"Watch and observe," I replied, resting my arms on the railing. "They may be skilled hunters, but they're facing something entirely new, relative to their histories."

The Vandasisimo battle puppets were the first to engage.

The larger of the two—a hulking construct nearly five meters tall—raised its energy cannon, a low hum building into a sharp crescendo as it fired a concentrated blast of plasma directly at the dragon's chest. The beam seared through the air, its heat palpable even from the Landship.

The Theotech Dragon didn't flinch. Its golden scales absorbed the impact, rippling like liquid metal as the energy dispersed harmlessly across its surface.

With a roar that shook the ground, it counterattacked, unleashing a torrent of shimmering flames from its jaws. The fire wasn't ordinary—it shimmered with Theotech-magical patterns, and where it touched the ground, the terrain itself seemed to melt and reform, as if reality were bending to its will.

One of the battle puppets dodged clumsily, its leg mechanisms grinding audibly as it pivoted out of the flame's path.

The other wasn't as fortunate. The flames engulfed its frame, and in seconds, the construct crumbled, its once-imposing form reduced to molten scrap.

The Vandasisimo squad scattered, their cohesion shattered by the dragon's overwhelming presence. Some took cover behind rocky outcrops, while others attempted to flank the beast, their weapons firing in rapid succession.

Bolts of arcane energy and plasma struck the dragon from multiple angles, but the damage was minimal. Its scales glimmered with every impact, as if absorbing the energy to fuel itself.

At this point, Evaris Cade, the leader of the Vandasisimo, barked orders through a communication device.

Moments later, reinforcements arrived—a contingent of 40 additional fighters accompanied by two more battle puppets, these smaller and more agile than the first pair. Alongside them came several hovercraft equipped with artillery cannons.

They seemed to refrain from wasting any resources by not using any of their low-tech weaponry.

"We've only just got started," Kuzunoha mused, her crimson eyes narrowing as she observed the reinforcements. "And they've brought out their heavier toys. To think that the Vandasisimos I witnessed a long time ago had been so washed by the corrosion of time, they barely laid any proper strategy on the table."

"For one, they are in a hurry," Viviane chimed in with an uncaring expression. "It seems like they saw the drones and Heavenly Maids we sent to spy on them as an executioner if they didn't do their job in a given amount of time. I assume that this is still part of your plan, Narcissus."

"Nope, absolutely not," I casually answered. "But it is an interesting development, regardless."

The hovercrafts positioned themselves strategically, their cannons swiveling to lock onto the dragon.

With a deafening roar, they fired in unison, unleashing a barrage of high-energy projectiles. The shots struck true, detonating against the dragon's form in a cascade of brilliant explosions. For a moment, the golden beast disappeared within the blinding light and smoke.

Charis frowned, her white eyes narrowing. "Do you think they got it?"

"Not a chance," I replied. "It's just evaluating them."

As if on cue, the smoke cleared, revealing the dragon unscathed. Its scales glowed brighter now, as if mocking their efforts.

With a flick of its tail, it sent one of the hovercrafts careening through the air, the vehicle exploding on impact as it struck the ground. Another roar followed, and this time, the runes on its wings flared with energy.

A storm of glowing shards erupted from the appendages, each one a razor-sharp projectile aimed with terrifying precision.Nôv(el)B\\jnn

The Vandasisimos scrambled to defend themselves. The smaller battle puppets moved with surprising agility, intercepting some of the shards with their rotating shields, but the majority struck true.

Fighters fell, their armor pierced by the dragon's relentless assault, and another hovercraft was torn apart in midair.

As the battle raged, stray projectiles occasionally veered toward the Landship, their trajectory threatening to damage its exterior. Discover exclusive content at empire

But, before they could strike, Verina raised her musket, firing multiple seeking arcane shots that intercepted each threat with pinpoint accuracy.

Beside her, Viviane extended a hand, creating shimmering fae barriers that deflected the incoming attacks effortlessly.

"Is it just me, or are they making this harder for themselves?" Viviane remarked, her tone dry as she leaned against the railing.

"They lack coordination," I said, my gaze fixed on the scene below. "And they're relying too heavily on brute force."

Realizing the futility of their current tactics, Evaris stepped forward, his staff-like weapon in hand. The crystal core at its center pulsed with a deep, rhythmic glow, resonating with the energy of the battlefield.

He shouted an order, and the remaining forces regrouped, forming a defensive perimeter around him.

The Vandasisimo leader raised his staff high, channeling its energy into a focused beam that shot toward the dragon. The beam struck the creature's chest, and for the first time, it recoiled, a thunderous roar escaping its maw as its scales cracked and splintered.

Sensing its vulnerability, the remaining forces pressed the attack. The battle puppets unleashed their full arsenal, their cannons and blades striking with relentless ferocity. Evaris advanced, his movements deliberate as he closed the distance between himself and the dragon.

With a final, decisive swing of his staff, Evaris brought the weapon down on the dragon's head.

The impact sent a shockwave through the air, and the beast let out one last, deafening roar before collapsing. Its golden form shattered into countless pieces, each one dissolving into faint motes of light.

The Vandasisimo's victory was short-lived, however.

From the remnants of the dragon, new forms began to emerge—humanoid figures crafted from the same golden material as the beast. From their silhouettes and mannerism, the word 'knight' was enough to denominate them.

Each knight stood nearly three meters tall, their armor adorned with intricate Theotech runes, and their weapons glimmering with deadly precision.

Without warning, the knights attacked, their movements swift and heavily calculated, as if done by a supercomputer.

They struck indiscriminately, targeting both the Vandasisimo and the Landship. Blades clashed against the bastioneers' defenses, and bolts of energy lit up the battlefield as the Heavenly Maids joined the fray.

The Vandasisimo were caught off guard, their forces thrown into disarray as the golden knights carved through their ranks. But the bastioneers and Heavenly Maids, with their superior training and coordination, quickly turned the tide.

The knights that approached the Landship were met with a barrage of precision fire from the bastioneers' Prismforges, defensive turrets, and drones, while the Heavenly Maids moved with lethal efficiency, dismantling the golden constructs using their personal dagger with ease.

As the chaos subsided, the Vandasisimo regrouped, their forces battered but resolute. Evaris, his armor scorched and his staff glowing faintly from overuse, raised his weapon high and signaled the advance.

From the deck of the Landship, Charis watched in silence as the Vandasisimo began their march toward the towering walls of the Theotech Vault. "They're persistent, I'll give them that."

I nodded, my gaze fixed on the intricate, alien architecture of the Vault. "Persistence won't be enough."

And with that, the Vandasisimo crossed the threshold, their expedition into the labyrinthine depths of the Vault finally underway.