NOVEL WEB Chapter 440: No rules
On the deck of the End of Heaven Guild's ship, "…There's no instruction," Nakamura Yuki "No rules… no restrictions…"
Tanaka's eyes narrowed, and Yuki's lips curved slightly downward.
"That means…" she added.
On a separate sleek, black ship bearing a dark crimson flag with a symbol of a fang-pierced sun—the ship of the Iron Maw Guild.
"…Anything is allowed," Derrick Gale muttered.
The winds blew stronger, as if the sea itself heard his words.
Then, suddenly, all broadcast screens around the globe showed the World System Hourglass, floating mid-air in a swirling vortex of golden code. It hovered high above the central island, slowly tipping, the sand inside beginning to fall grain by grain.
[30 Minutes Remaining Until the World Quest Begins]
The sound of the system echoed, not just in the sky but through every device across the world.
A clear warning.
A challenge.
A countdown to chaos.
On the Vortex Guild's main deck, Alex turned sharply, his coat fluttering from the sudden movement, his serious eyes scanning each of his guild members. He stepped forward and raised his voice just enough to be heard clearly over the sea breeze and distant noise of helicopters.
And the sand in the hourglass continued to fall.
Tick.
Tick.
Tick.
The wind howled stronger as the golden hourglass in the sky flipped completely, its shimmering light marking the beginning of the countdown — 30 minutes glowing clearly above all the ships.
And then, without delay—
"EVERYONE, GET READY!!" Alex shouted, his voice echoing across the deck of their ship, the Vortex Guild's banner flapping above them like a storm's warning.
His guild members immediately stood, gripping weapons, casting shield spells, activating support buffs — everyone was ready. No one asked questions. They knew what that timer meant.
A few ships away, Seoha, the Mad Queen of the Vortex Guild, grinned with a wicked glint in her eyes, but she didn't jump yet. She tilted her sword over her shoulder and pointed her chin toward the distant black-flag ship of Iron Maw, where Derrick Vale stood with crossed arms, smirking back at her.
"LET'S SETTLE THIS, DERRICK!!" she shouted, launching herself into the air without waiting for permission.
"Seoha!" Alexa called, but it was too late.
Guilds began clashing in midair, water exploding upward from the force of spell impacts, ships rocking from side to side as warriors leapt, flew, or teleported onto rival ships. Spells clashed with swords, arrows met shields, and the sea became a battleground before the event even officially began.
The main anchor leaned closer to the camera, her expression firm and her voice steady, though the chaos behind her screen said everything that needed to be said.
"As expected… this is no peaceful gathering!" she said, pausing slightly as the live footage behind her flashed between battles at sea — flames, magic, swords, smoke. "With over a hundred guilds gathered and no rules provided… it's free reign out there. This is a survival battle. The last twenty-four standing guilds will enter the real quest."
She turned slightly, pointing to the enormous screen behind her that now displayed a grid of feeds — different angles from helicopters and drones: ships crashing into each other, guildmasters knocked unconscious, fire lighting up the ocean, and guild banners either waving proudly or burning mid-air.
"The System gave no rules!" she said again, but more slowly this time, as if to make it clear to everyone watching. "That was the rule!"
Her voice faded into the background as reactions from around the world flooded every corner of the viewing halls, homes, cafes, and lounges.
Some viewers stood up from their seats, unable to sit still as the scenes unfolded — warlike, urgent, and raw. Others covered their mouths in disbelief, muttering about how brutal it had become.
"It's desperation…" one woman in a hallway whispered.
"Who wouldn't be desperate?" her friend answered. "It's a divine weapon. A real one. A weapon that belonged to a deity. Even if I was in a guild, I'd be out there too."
________________________
A group of students in a dorm watched in awe, one of them clutching their phone as the feed cut briefly to a ship exploding with a mana blast.
"Let's hope the divine weapon falls into good hands…" someone whispered, their voice trembling with hope or fear — it was hard to tell.
Meanwhile....In Seojun home, His family was gathered around it.
Elshienne stood up sharply from the couch, her face filled with growing irritation as she stared at the broadcast. Her hands were clenched into fists, and her voice trembled with frustration.
"The deities are playing!" she burst out. "They're having fun watching this chaos unfold like it's a game!"
Seoyang gently reached out and took her hand, pulling her back to the couch. "Calm down, Elshienne," she said. "There's nothing we can do. To the deities… we're just pawns. Entertainment in their boredom."
But Elshienne couldn't hide the way her jaw tightened or how her eyes darted toward her little sister Ahye, who was seated beside the screen, hugging her favorite shark plushie, her eyes sparkling with excitement as she watched the guilds clash and magic fill the skies. 'How long are we gonna be the Deities slave?'
Elshienne's chest tightened. She stood again, picking up her bag. "I'm going to the academy," she said quietly but firmly. She didn't want to watch anymore. She didn't want to see the world turned into a divine circus again.
Jonathan raised his brows and gently asked, "Don't you want to stay home today?"
Elshienne shook her head. "As always, Dad… not all non-awakened people are interested in this kind of mess."
Nathan stood as well, brushing off his pants. "It's okay, Dad. I'll attend the non-awakened class too. Some of our classmates is also attending the academy."
Jonathan gave a small sigh, then nodded with a faint smile and stood up. "Alright. I'll bring you both."
______________
The loud crash of steel meeting steel echoed across the water as Seoha and Derrick's swords clashed for the first time.
Seoha's greatsword, covered in roaring red flames, pressed hard against Derrick's heavy iron blade. Sparks flew between them as the heat curled the air. For a moment, they stared into each other's eyes — Seoha grinning like a wild flame