THE SOCIAL MEDIA STORM AND THE NINE-TAILED CHALLENGE

Within just 24 hours of the battle at Fortress 22 being broadcast live, the internet effectively exploded. Traffic to the world’s largest gaming forums spiked so violently that servers repeatedly displayed 502 Bad Gateway errors. Every social media platform—from X and Reddit to regional boards—was flooded with clipped highlights, tactical breakdowns, and endless heated debates.The epicenter of the frenzy was the moment the white-bearded man—known as Wrath, the right hand and "son" of the Supreme Being—transformed into a 120-meter Great Serpent, only to be torn apart by an Elven girl.Until now, the Aethelgard community perceived the Supreme Being and his high-ranking forces as "absolutely invincible" entities. It was unheard of for a representative of the Supreme Being to be pushed into such a pathetic state. Millions of questions were raised regarding the identity of this nameless Elven girl. How could a single player possess the power to blow away a Level 99 behemoth like that?Unveiling the Ten LegendsThe mystery was only solved when the Elf Queen—the leader of the Elven race elected by both players and NPCs—posted a formal announcement on the Racial Alliance homepage.The Queen declared: "The girl you saw in yesterday's battle is no ordinary player. She is one of the Ten Legends of Aethelgard."This announcement hit the lore-obsessed community like a bombshell. It turned out that to balance the overwhelming power of the Shadow Lands—which boasted one Supreme Being, three Demon Gods, and the Seven Deadly Sins—the system and the Alliance community had quietly recognized the existence of ten extraordinary individuals. They were known as the Ten Legends.These individuals did not manage territories or engage in politics. They were lone wolves or high-level mercenaries whose power sat just below the Kings and Queens of each race. That Elven girl was the Legendary Archer, wielder of an ultimate skill that could condense sunlight into arrows of pure destruction.This revelation triggered a massive migration. Professional E-sports players and veterans from other famous VR titles could not sit still after watching the "badass" combat footage."The physics and magic mechanics in this game are insanely realistic! Look at how she used those two bamboo trees for tension!" a former world-class FPS champion posted before announcing: "I am joining Aethelgard. My goal is to topple the Supreme Being’s organization."Following suit, a wave of other pro-players spoke out, causing Aethelgard’s new registrations to skyrocket by tens of millions in just a few days.The Might of the Supreme Being and the Grievances of Lord 22On the game’s largest forum, the second most discussed topic was speculation regarding the Supreme Being’s true power.[Thread: Analyzing Wrath's skills. Just how strong is the Supreme Being?]User_GamerX: "Think about it, guys. A 120-meter snake with scales so hard that 20,000 soldiers using catapults and heavy fire barely scratched it. Level 99 in this game is on a cosmic scale. If the son is this strong, how broken is the Supreme Being himself?"LoreNerd99: "According to the lore, the Supreme Being can buff stats on a massive scale, but the scariest part is his unrevealed skills. Rumor has it he can change the terrain of an entire map just by snapping his fingers."ProHunter: "Don't forget, the monster side still lost their gates yesterday. The reason is that those military guys are unreal. They fight without fear of death and coordinate like they're programmed."Just as the community was buzzing over the Military’s dominance, the Lord of Fortress 22—who had just survived the nightmare siege—suddenly started a livestream.The Lord appeared in tattered armor, his face as gloomy as a business owner who had just gone bankrupt. He began a lament that drew millions of live viewers:"Do you see this? Is this fair? Does the actual military really want to play this game?" Lord 22 slammed the table, his voice filled with indignation. "I was supposed to be a majestic leader, second only to the other twenty lords and the legends of the Shadow Lands. I lived peacefully, fighting by the game’s rules. Now, suddenly, an elite real-world army brings their iron discipline into the game just to punch me! What is this?"The chat scrolled relentlessly:"Haha, Lord 22 is crying!""Poor guy, nobody could withstand a siege by 20,000 soldiers."Lord 22 continued to sigh: "The military shouldn't participate in this game as an organized unit! Did you see them using their bodies to block boulders? They get impaled and still coldly draw their swords to strike back. What's the point of playing a game if you aren't afraid of account deletion? How can I even threaten them? I heard rumors they're planning to bring in hundreds of thousands more recruits for 'spirit training.' This is just bullying NPCs and Shadow players! Games are for entertainment!"The livestream was sinking into a tragic atmosphere of half-hearted sympathy when suddenly... Ting!A message notification rang from Lord 22’s virtual phone. He frowned and pulled it out. Instantly, millions of viewers witnessed a terrifying transformation in his expression.From a whining, complaining mess, Lord 22’s eyes widened, and his spine straightened. He cleared his throat, discarded his previous weakness, and adopted a deep, arrogant, almost cult-like tone:"World... I have just received a divine decree." Lord 22 looked directly into the camera, his eyes burning with fire. "The Supreme Being officially issues a challenge to all military forces daring to enter this game. If you wish to play by the rules, the Supreme Being will personally crush anyone who dares to defile the Shadow Lands!"The chat exploded instantly, the speed of the text too fast for anyone to read. Pure excitement surged. The Supreme Being had officially accepted the Military’s declaration of war!However... none of the millions cheering online knew the brutal truth: The person who sent that "cool" directive wasn't the great Supreme Being, Arata. It was merely the work of the Thousand-Handed Fox, Yuki, who was bored and playing on her phone during her high school break.The Viral Video and Internet MadnessIt didn't stop there. Only two hours after Lord 22 ended his livestream, a short video was posted anonymously on the game’s largest social network. No title, no description—just a black frame.The video opened with a clear, bewitching, and sinister laugh of a girl. Her voice rang out, echoing with absolute arrogance:"If you want to beat us, then try... But be warned, I’m afraid you won't be able to do a thing. If the military commanders want to borrow our land to 'train the spirit' of their recruits... then we shall have the honor of shattering that spirit beyond recovery."The frame began to brighten, though it did not reveal the speaker’s face."Come at us! We will not use Level 99 generals to bully you. From this moment on, the Supreme Being will seal all world-ending skills. We will only use lower-level characters of equivalent rank to see... if your so-called 'military discipline' is truly tougher than a monster’s claws."The video closed with a deadly, seductive laugh. The moonlight in the video suddenly flared, illuminating a terrifying sight: nine colossal fox tails, their fur smooth but stained a vivid blood-red, swaying in the air. Those tails were so massive they obscured a giant castle in the background. The sheer pressure from the nine tails, combined with the enchanting laughter, sent shivers down the spines of everyone watching through their screens.Immediately, the video shattered every viewership record in Aethelgard’s history. Forums collapsed once again under the weight of the comments. This time, netizens analyzed every second of the footage.[MegaThread: The Ultimate Slap from the Thousand-Handed Fox! Shadow Side challenges the Military without using Level 99s!]DarkKnight_01: "Oh my god!!! That laugh... I hereby volunteer for the Shadow Side! Please step on me, Fox Queen!!!"TacticalGenius: "Calm down, you simps. Did you hear the condition? 'No Level 99s.' This means the Thousand-Handed Fox is challenging the entire real-world military command using pure art of war! She’s confident enough to discard her absolute power advantage to match tactics using low-level troops!"Gunslinger_X: "So arrogant! But I love it! General Kenshin’s 20,000 soldiers were just riding high on breaking the gates, and now a Fox douses them with cold water. If they claim it's 'spirit training' and then get their spirits broken, the real-world military is going to lose face big time."LoreKeeper: "Did anyone notice the nine tails? That bright red isn't natural fur color. It’s a symbol that she absorbed the blood of tens of thousands of players in the previous massacre. If just a 'Right Hand' is this terrifying, I can't imagine what other cards this organization is hiding."MilitaryFanboy: "Don't underestimate the army! General Kenshin is no simple man. This challenge is exactly what he needs. Low-level warfare? That’s a disciplined officer’s specialty. Just wait and see how your Fox gets crushed under the weight of our catapults!"AnimeWeeb_99: "Who cares about catapults? I’m just rewatching the part where she laughs. Hey developers, when are the 1:1 scale figures of the Thousand-Handed Fox going on sale? I’m ready to mortgage my house!!!"The fervor of the online community pushed this conflict beyond the boundaries of a game. It became a war of honor between veteran gamers with monster mindsets and actual soldiers with military mindsets. Whoever won would prove their philosophy as the strongest.Meanwhile, in Reality...In stark contrast to the tense atmosphere, the smell of gunpowder, and the frantic worship of millions on the internet...In a small, dilapidated room in the real world, the beloved "Thousand-Handed Fox"—the nine-tailed demoness who had just shaken the world with her declaration—was currently lounging on a worn-out bed. Yuki was wearing rabbit-themed pajamas with a hole in the knee, her legs swinging against the wall."Arata! Look at this!" Yuki cackled, rolling around on the bed before shoving her phone screen toward her boyfriend, who was busy washing dishes. "The video I voiced just hit 50 million views! People are arguing like crazy, calling me a cold and heartless tactical mastermind! See? Isn't my acting top-tier? That part where I lowered my voice and laughed... I spent all lunch break recording that in the school restroom!"Arata wiped his hands on a stained apron and turned to look at his "idiot" girlfriend with a look of total helplessness."Top-tier, truly, my Queen," Arata clicked his tongue. "You just provoked the entire real-world military and hundreds of thousands of pro-players to focus all their fire on our home. If we enter the game later and can’t defend those low-level strongholds because you 'refused to use Level 99s,' I’m cutting off your snack allowance for the month."At the mention of "snack allowance," Yuki’s smug smile instantly vanished. She bolted upright, her face becoming deathly serious."No way! For the sake of my pastries, I’m breaking out Sun Tzu’s Art of War tonight! Just put your trust in this Thousand-Handed Fox!"The two individuals—one lazy, one gluttonous—continued to bicker over trivial matters in their cramped room, looking nothing like the Supreme Beings turning the virtual world upside down. Yet, in just a few hours, when they donned their VR goggles, a bloody and brutal conflict known as the "Level-less Battle" would officially begin. The little fox’s boast was about to become a living nightmare for the iron-disciplined legion.