Overlord: The Beginning After The End

The records stated that the Obsidian Flame Dragon typically nested in volcanic craters. As far as Ethan knew, there was only one volcano in Alfheim—the sacred mountain located deep within the Elven Forest.

Reaching that mountain meant traversing zones teeming with Level 70–80 monsters—a journey Ethan, at Level 20, couldn't even dream of surviving.

This wasn't just difficult; it was impossible at his current state.

Even in the late game, a raid team would likely be required to clear such a quest.

But leaving the racial advancement quest incomplete felt like a ticking time bomb.

Ethan wasn't content with mediocrity. His ambitions stretched far beyond mere survival.

He had his eyes set on the World Champion class—the most broken and overpowered profession in YGGDRASIL.

The Path to World Champion…

The World Champion class wasn't just strong—it was officially broken.

But its requirements were equally outrageous.

To unlock it, a player had to win the official tournament held in their world, securing the title of champion.

Once the title was claimed, the player's world name would become their class title.

In the original story, Touch Me, one of the 41 Supreme Beings, held the World Champion class.

And that wasn't all—real-world martial arts experience directly impacted a player's combat performance, thanks to YGGDRASIL's unique interface.

This was why Ethan had initially dismissed the idea.

He was no fighter. Compared to martial artists like Jotunheim's champion, who was a real-life MMA champion, Ethan was pathetically untrained.

In terms of ranking, Jotunheim's World Champion was widely regarded as the strongest, though he'd ultimately been taken down in a one-for-one trade using the Spear of Saint-Slaying.

Ethan might not have real-world fighting skills, but the King of Fighters Combat Style in the shop gave him a foothold.

Still, martial arts alone wouldn't be enough. A higher-level character with better stats would always have the upper hand.

In YGGDRASIL, high-risk quests promised greater rewards, and Ethan was convinced that the Obsidian Flame Dragon was the key to his rise.

He didn't know when the official tournament would start, so he couldn't afford to waste time.

Desperate for an edge, Ethan dove back into the shop menu, hoping to find tools that could help him tackle the challenge.

Unfortunately, after scanning through the options, the only useful item he found was the Death Penalty Nullification Scroll.

The problem?

It didn't matter how many scrolls he stockpiled—he'd still get crushed before reaching the dragon's nest. Even the trash mobs in that area could probably kill him with a single hit.

Frustration gnawed at him. Just as Ethan was about to give up, his gaze fell on the Custom Item section.

He'd dismissed it earlier, assuming it was out of reach—especially with the infinity symbol mocking him in the price column.

But now?

Now he had nothing to lose.

Bracing himself, Ethan tapped on the Custom Item option, half-expecting to see a "Points Insufficient" error message.

Instead, a strange interface appeared, displaying an empty item template.

"What… is this?"

Ethan's curiosity flared as he stared at the mysterious interface.

When it came to the unknown, his explorer's instinct was alive and well.

At the top of the interface was a drawing panel—complete with a palette of colors.

Intrigued, Ethan used his finger to sketch the outline of a sword.

The previously blank number in the corner began to shift.

"Wait a second…"

A sudden realization struck him.

He quickly traced the shape of a bizarre, jagged blade—its design bordering on grotesque.

When the result appeared before him, Ethan winced at the crude, uneven edges of the weapon.

"That looks awful."

But as he examined the results, he began piecing the system's rules together.

The more complex or refined the design, the higher the cost in points.

Following that logic…

Ethan experimentally added a "Ignore Defense" effect to the weapon.

The cost instantly jumped to 1,000 points.

"Holy—!"

He nearly jumped out of his seat.

Was this how the custom item system worked?

Had he just unlocked the developer's toolkit?

Sure, it cost points, but the freedom to design gear was an absolute game-changer.

An idea began forming in his mind—one that might let him approach the dragon safely.

[Invisibility Talisman]

Effect:

• Grants invisibility for 12 hours.

• Immune to detection magic below Tier 10.

• Loses effect upon attacking.

Staring at the hastily-drawn talisman in his hand, Ethan let out a long sigh.

"I should've taken art classes…"

The design looked more like a child's scribble than an arcane artifact.

And it had cost him nearly 2,000 points.

Originally, he'd wanted it to bypass even super-tier detection spells, but that would've multiplied the cost by tenfold.

For now, this was the best compromise.

To be safe, Ethan also exchanged points for a Death Penalty Nullification Scroll—insurance in case the plan went south.

….

Into the Dragon's Den

With his preparations complete, Ethan ventured into the Elven Forest.

Taking a deep breath, he activated the Invisibility Talisman.

His body shimmered and faded, becoming completely transparent within seconds.

Testing his movements, Ethan confirmed that the spell didn't affect his speed.

Once he was sure everything worked, he advanced deeper into the forest.

The outer areas were manageable—filled with Level 10–20 monsters.

But the deeper he went, the stronger the enemies became.

By the time he encountered Level 40 monsters, their names were highlighted in blood-red, marking them as extremely dangerous.

Ethan didn't dare linger.

He had only one goal—the Obsidian Flame Dragon's egg.

Pushing through the dense undergrowth, he soon found himself surrounded by Level 70–80 monsters—many of them dragon variants.

Creatures like Infernal Wyrms and Earthflame Drakes prowled the area, their massive forms radiating oppressive auras.

If this were the real world, Ethan doubted he'd even have the courage to breathe in their presence.

Thanks to the Invisibility Talisman, Ethan reached the volcanic crater without incident.

But as he gazed at the endless expanse of jagged peaks, doubt crept in.

Where was the dragon's lair supposed to be?

Before he could dwell on it, a thunderous roar split the sky.

"ROOOOOAR!"