Secret World: I Became a God Through Lies

Chapter 575 Dragon Breath Arena

They call it entertainment.

But they forgot that the essence of the game is sacrifice.

—Preface to Volume I of The Tower of the End: Combat Manual

The energy lighthouse on the central island of the City of Stars illuminates the entire sky.

Dragon's Breath Arena

In that sea of ​​lights, it resembled a giant metal heart, suspended between the clouds and the starry sky. Its outer wall was made of countless dragon-scale-like metal plates, shimmering with flowing light.

Runes moved across the dome, and lines of golden dragon language flashed like the rhythm of a heartbeat.

A deep rumble came from afar; it wasn't from machinery, but from the breath of a dragon.

Selene looked up at the magnificent building, her eyes almost shining.

"This place... is even more outrageous than the main urban area!"

Natasha put one hand on her hip. "Exaggerated? That's because you didn't see the bill."

She turned her head to look at Si Ming, her smile carrying a deeper meaning.

"Our great treasurer, how about we make a donation-style purchase first?"

Si Ming sighed, "...I knew it."

Arena entrance.

A dragon-human waiter was already waiting there.

He was clad in a long silver robe, the scales shimmering softly in the light, and his voice was gentle yet mechanical, “Honorable Ascendants, welcome to the Dragon's Breath Arena.”

He gave an elegant bow.

"This venue uses a points-based admission system. Please confirm your entry duration."

Si Ming took out the Star Calamity Card and handed it over.

Three hours.

The dragon-man accepted it and smiled slightly.

"A standard package for three people for a three-hour practice session includes the venue, medical care, energy, and a complimentary drink voucher."

Total: 600 points.

"Di-di-di-di-"

The light patterns flickered, and the integral bar suddenly dropped.

The piercing electronic sound echoed in the space, causing Si Ming's brow to twitch.

Selene whispered, "...The beeping sound seems to be mocking you."

Natasha sighed with schadenfreude, “Ah, the song of points, how beautiful it is.”

Si Ming coughed, forcibly resuming his gentlemanly expression.

"continue."

The waiter from Longren kept smiling.

"Please come with me."

After passing through the entrance, the three entered a corridor made of light.

Dragon language runes flowed across the walls on both sides, and the air carried a faint metallic scent.

With each step, the floor beneath their feet emitted a slight pulsating sound, as if responding to their heartbeats.

Natasha looked around. "This place is even more outrageous than a dungeon. If we die in here, will we even have to pay to revive?"

“Inside the tower, even breathing costs money,” Si Ming said calmly.

Selene turned her head and smiled innocently: "Then I'll breathe less."

Natasha smiled and ruffled her hair.

"If you save even a few points, you win."

At the end of the corridor, a huge round door slowly opened.

boom--

The sound made the air tremble.

A light screen descended, and a dragon-human waiter stood by the door. "The arena is ready. The simulation training system for the three of you has been activated, and the arena session will now begin."

He turned slightly to the side. "In addition, if you need to use the 'Virtual Planetary Calamity System,' please purchase a points authorization in advance. This system can simulate planetary calamity energy during training, avoiding actual consumption—1200 points per person per day."

Si Ming's lips twitched slightly.

"...Thank you, but I don't need it for now."

The dragon nodded politely.

"Then, I wish the three of you great success in your military endeavors."

They walked into the center of the arena.

It was a huge circular domed space with a floor made of gray-silver metal and a transparent energy shield above, through which one could see the starry sky and the shadow of a dragon passing by.

The air was filled with heat, and the energy wall in the distance shimmered with a pale blue light.

Natasha stretched and said, "That's nice, at least there's air conditioning."

Selene couldn't wait to unfurl her blood wings and twirl in mid-air, her red hair intertwining with silver light, a beautiful sight like a dance.

"Can we really just fight here as much as we want?"

"It's a training ground, not a stage."

Si Ming sighed, but also smiled.

"But it seems you're more excited than I am."

Selene landed with a smile: "Of course, I'm going to beat you!"

Natasha stepped between the two, hands on her hips. "Wait a minute, kids. This isn't just a fighting lesson—today is the official 'Disaster Zone Training.' Don't worry, I'll teach gently."

"Gentle?" Si Ming raised an eyebrow. "It's quite surprising to hear you say that."

Natasha shrugged: "An unexpected surprise? I'm always gentle, okay?"

The central light array of the arena is activated.

Energy lines lit up on the ground, resembling a complex circular magic circle that enveloped the three of them.

A system notification sounded in their ears:

The competitive simulation system is now live.

[Security Protocol: Enabled]

Selene looked up at the sky.

The shimmering light reflected in my eyes.

Her blood-red wings fluttered slightly as she smiled at Si Ming.

"Ready, magician?"

Si Ming raised his hand, and playing cards flashed at his fingertips.

"bring it on."

Natasha smiled gently.
With both guns loaded, a burst of light erupted: "Students, class is starting!"

The air suddenly tensed, and an energy storm tore through the silence. The first simulated battle officially began.

Si Ming raised his hand, and the playing cards scattered from between his fingers, turning into streams of light that spun in the air.

Flames, poison, illusions.

Each card is given a different symbol the moment it flies out: red for burning, green for erosion, and black for deception.

"Fire!" he whispered.

The three red cards exploded simultaneously, tracing a semi-circular trajectory in the air before exploding upon impact, sending a wave of heat through the entire arena.

The phantom of the Thousand Faces appeared behind him, silently reaching out to touch the energy channels in the air.

The light flowed from the ground to the feet of the God of Fate.

His figure seemed to be swept up by the winds of data, and every movement was so precise that it was almost mechanical.

Natasha had already raised her sniper rifle in the distance.

The gun barrel became crystalline under the infusion of virtual stellar energy, and the air trembled the moment the bullet was loaded.

She knelt on one knee and pulled the trigger.

"call out--!"

The silver bullet refracted light in the air, shattering the deck of cards thrown by Si Ming at supersonic speed.

The flames on the card were scattered into countless specks of light, and the heat flowed back.
Natasha seized the opportunity to leap up and unleash both guns simultaneously.

A hail of bullets rained down.

Selene swooped down amidst the flashes of fire and the crisscrossing bullets.

The moment the blood wings unfolded, a sharp tearing sound echoed through the air.

Her eyes flashed crimson, and her blood claws extended, the sharp edges of her five fingers leaving afterimages.

"Drink—!" She lunged at Siming, tearing a gash in the ground. Blood leaped from her hands, transforming into three blood servants who attacked simultaneously. Siming retreated, a black card flying close to the ground.

"Illusion - A Veil".

Black mist rises, and phantoms overlap.

Selene's claw pierced through his body—

That was just an illusion.

She turned around abruptly.

The true form of the God of Fate had already appeared behind her, with playing cards suspended in the air arranged in a circle.

"interesting."

Natasha's laughter came from afar as she surveyed the entire battlefield like a commander.

"Don't forget the purpose—training the Disaster Domain, not fighting." Selian flicked away the remaining blood from the Bloodclaw, frowning. "Then what exactly is it? A shield?"

“A shield?” Natasha chuckled softly. “It’s not that simple.”

She spun both guns simultaneously, bullets flying in a line, blasting through the illusion wall of fate, and then walked and spoke.

"The Cataclysm is a secondary form of the Star Catastrophe. When the Star Catastrophe merges with the Mysterious Realm,"

They will give rise to a self-defending domain—that is, a disaster zone.

"Essentially, it is the embodiment of belief."

Her voice was cut off by gunfire, then picked up again amidst the smoke and fire.

"Humans are too weak, so the Tower gave them dreams. The Disaster Zone is the boundary of dreams—both the shell of power and the reality of illusion."

She shattered Si Ming's illusionary talisman with a single shot; the bullet grazed Selene's hair, leaving a glimmer of light.

"And fear—"

She paused for a moment, then switched to ice-blue bullets. "They're the best fuel for the disaster zone."

boom--!
The ice bullet landed, freezing half of the arena.

A chilling aura surged, forcing Siming and Selian to distance themselves.

Si Ming calmly arranged the cards in his hand. "So, we'll use our mystical arts as the core?"

"clever."

Natasha raised her hand, the muzzle of her gun emitting hot smoke.

"You need to bind the power of the Star Calamity with the most familiar mysteries, and it will become the 'core algorithm' of your Calamity Domain."

“But once it’s decided, it can’t be changed.” Her voice came through the smoke.
It had a slightly teasing tone.

"If you make the wrong choice, you'll be buried with it for life."

Si Ming chuckled: "Then I probably know who to choose."

He raised the familiar mysterious card.

The Thousand-Faced One.

A phantom appeared behind him, and the silhouettes of a hundred different faces opened their eyes at the same time. Data streams surrounded him, like golden threads shimmering in a storm.

"I will use it as the core to build a disaster zone belonging to 'lies'."

“Good choice.”

Natasha nodded, a smile playing on her lips.

"But don't rush, the disaster area is just the first lesson."

She changed to a new magazine, and the energy array beneath her feet lit up.

"Now—let's talk about unrestricted strikes."

Selene was preparing to charge forward again.
I paused for a moment when I heard that word.

"what is that?"

Natasha smiled.

"That's an advanced course. I used a demonstration."

She took a step back, her two guns crossed.

Energy converged at the muzzle of the gun, forming two spinning silver dice.

The dice flashed, and the numbers kept changing.

"This is my Star Calamity ability—Dice of Fate."

Natasha narrowed one eye. "In this gamble, luck is power."

The dice stopped.

Double six.

The corners of her mouth turned up.

"Now, watch closely—"

boom--!
The bullet left the barrel.

The air was torn apart, and the flames trailed like shooting stars.

That shot
Passing through the illusionary wall of the God of Fate,
It shattered Selian's Bloodwing Wind Barrier.
Straight through the energy dome.

A loud bang shook the entire arena.

As the dust settled, Natasha stood at the center of the energy storm, gun in one hand, her blonde hair billowing in the shockwave and shimmering in the light of the virtual cosmic catastrophe.

A slight upturn at the corners of her lips revealed a frivolous confidence in her eyes.

"this--"

She raised her hand, and a faint steam rose from the muzzle of the gun.

"It's an unrestricted attack."

The sound echoed within the dome, like some kind of declaration.

Selene plummeted from mid-air and landed heavily on the ground. Her blood wings folded upon impact, and her feathers scattered as blood light.

She gasped for breath as she looked up at the remnants of the beam of light.

"Unrestricted attack?"

She frowned. "Isn't that just... good luck from cheating?"

“Ha,” Natasha laughed, “it’s not good luck, it’s skill.”

She tapped the gun barrel gently.

"This thing is called the 'Dice of Fate,' and it is the manifestation of my Star Calamity power."

With a flick of her finger, the energy core above the gun barrel split again, revealing two transparent dice with silver-blue light flowing across their surfaces and numbers flashing continuously.

“Each face of the die represents a form of energy amplification. The minimum is one times, and the maximum is six times. My ultimate strike splits the stellar calamity I unleash into three bullets. The first bullet is amplified according to the number rolled on the die, the second bullet is six times the power of the first bullet, and the third bullet is six times the power of the second bullet.”

She squinted, like a teacher preparing to give a lecture, yet still retained the smugness unique to young girls.

"Therefore, the ultimate strike is to put the power of the stellar disaster into your stellar disaster skill, and then forcibly compress and amplify it through the stellar disaster skill to break through the energy barrier of the disaster domain."

She turned to look at Si Ming, her smile sly.

"Simply put, it's gambling with your life on probability." Si Ming patted the dust off his clothes.

His illusion wall had already been pierced by that shot, and the air still smelled of the burning energy flow.

"So this move is essentially using a celestial disaster against a celestial disaster."

He spoke calmly, as if summarizing something.

"The ultimate concentration is the ultimate defense-breaking power."

“Smart.” Natasha winked at him.

“Those bookworms in the union can explain for ages, but none of them can do it as concisely as you do in one sentence.”

She put the gun away and spun the dice.

The die flashes a "6".

She smiled and said, "Looks like I'm having a lucky day."

Selene sat on the ground, flapped her wings, and said somewhat resentfully, "This is such a pain... How long will it take us to learn this?"

Natasha walked over, squatted down, and patted her on the shoulder.

"Don't worry, it's very simple."

She blinked. "Once you've learned how, we'll go eat something sweet. I know this cake only costs—cough, 100 points a piece."

Selene's eyes lit up for a moment, then quickly dimmed again.

"That's quite expensive."

Natasha laughed nonchalantly: "Anyway, someone else will pay the bill."

She looked up and winked at Si Ming.

Si Ming sighed helplessly.

"Looks like I should get an advance on my bankruptcy payment."

Training is over.

The three of them stepped out of the energy array, and the light gradually changed from bright white to soft.

The dragon runes in the arena dimmed, and the air returned to its cool state.

At the entrance, the Dragon Man waiter was already waiting.

His golden eyes remained calm.
The sound was mechanical yet gentle.
"The training time for the three distinguished guests has ended. Would you like to extend it?"

Si Ming thought for a moment, "Rent another ten hours."

"very good."

The dragon man smiled.

"Should we activate the Virtual Cataclysm System? This system can simulate Cataclysm energy and replace real consumption during training. The daily fee is 1200 points per person."

He flashed a professional smile.

"It's a great deal."

Si Ming's smile froze for a moment.

He remained silent for three seconds.

Then, like making the most difficult decision of my life.
"...Alright, three sets."

"Thank you so much."

The sound of a card being swiped rang out.

beep - beep - beep -

The points bar slid down rapidly on the screen, and the feeling was like blood being drained, inch by inch taking away the warmth of the soul.

The waiter bowed slightly.

"Dragon's Breath Arena thanks you for your generosity. May the three of you... have a pleasant dream."

As soon as he finished speaking,

A line of golden characters was projected onto the floor—

Checkout successful. Remaining points: 7280

Si Ming looked at the number and his lips twitched.

"This game is a hellish financial simulation."

Natasha grinned like a cat that had just stolen a bite. "Keep training to the bone tomorrow, Mr. Magician. Remember to replenish your wallet too."

Selene covered her mouth and laughed, her eyes filled with a long-lost sense of ease.

They walked out of the arena, and the lights fell from the sky, casting long shadows of the three men.

Natasha linked arms with Celian, humming a little tune as they walked.

Si Ming was the last to arrive, looking up at the distant center of the tower.

The veins there pulsated like the eye of a god, gazing down upon the entire dream.

He withdrew his gaze and murmured to himself:

"The tower makes people stronger, and it also makes people accustomed to the happiness of paying for things."

The wind blew past me, carrying a false warmth and laughter, which dissipated beneath the night sky.

"In the tower, even battles can be sold."

And they smiled as they bought their own power.
I wonder if it was just a hallucination bestowed by a dream.

—The Tower of the End, Chronicles of Dragon's Breath, Volume IV, Epilogue

(End of this chapter)