After Betrayal, I Awoke as the Game's Final Boss

"Alright, as one of the game's developers, this was yet another thing that was completely new to me," Lloyd thought to himself as he continued his silent observation of the mysterious Orc before him.

Ideas leaped through his mind, but the one constant was this colossal being, who seemed like a living shadow of an ancient past.

In the game, once a person reached the threshold of level 50, they could not ascend further unless they fully awakened their convergent innate essence.

That was the simple law designed by the game's developers.

At least, that applied to humans.

In the dark era of history, during the sweeping wars that ravaged the world in ancient times, humanity found itself on the brink of extinction. While other races dominated with their innate powers and supernatural energies, humans were bound by their weak bodies and the limits of their natural energy.

In a desperate bid for survival, humanity succeeded in creating the greatest invention in its history: the [Source Engine].

This engine was a small, strangely formed jewel that, when implanted, harmonized with the human body like a parasite. In truth, it was more like a seed of latent power, capable of creating a unique and customized template for each user.

This template didn't just amplify their physical structure and break their biological limitations; it allowed the user to acquire distinct abilities that had long been exclusive to other races—like Qi, mana, aether, elemental essence, and even some unclassifiable powers.

But despite this revolution, the path was not always smooth. Even the most talented humans were constrained by an energy level that couldn't be naturally surpassed, known as the "Human Ceiling," which stopped at level 50.

Only by activating a template enabled by one of the main paths could an individual free their innate energy from its shackles and begin to grow again, just as other supernatural beings do.

However, the [Source Engine] was not available to everyone. It was legendarily rare, its price so exorbitant that it was beyond the reach of most humans. Therefore, in the midst of the ancient wars, a brilliant genius rose from the rubble and created a diluted alternative: the [Element Engine].

This new invention was a pivotal moment in humanity's journey. Although less powerful than the [Source Engine], it enabled those with a deep affinity for a specific element—like fire, water, or wind—to gain complete control over it. Thus, the first main path dedicated to humans was born: the path of the Mage, where elemental energy is used to form devastating magic spells.

This was soon followed by the main martial path, which allowed knights and warriors to hone their bodies and turn them into energy-infused weapons, capable of competing with the fiercest beasts and foes.

But humanity's ambition didn't stop there. In their relentless pursuit of survival, they continued to develop these engines, and terrifying new versions emerged in terms of effect and complexity, such as the [Null Engine], the [Defilement Engine], and the [Collision Engine].

All these technological marvels, despite their different natures and strengths, formed the bedrock of humanity's renaissance in the face of annihilation.

They were humanity's response to fate… to the superiority of others… and to the weakness everyone thought was incurable.

The [Element Engine] was a miracle in itself, allowing a human with a deep affinity for a certain element to gain complete control over it!

This invention opened up limitless horizons for humanity, paving the way for the creation of different main paths, such as the Mage path, which specializes in harnessing elemental energy for magical purposes or elemental spells, and the Martial path, which enabled individuals to use their well-honed bodies in a way that was nothing short of miraculous.

These inventions were the cornerstone of humanity's survival in that dark age! But this great power did not come without a price!

The [Source Engine], although representing the pinnacle of human ingenuity, was closer to a rare miracle than a replicable invention.

Over nearly a million years of attempts, holocausts, and bloody experiments, fewer than a thousand true copies of this engine were ever produced.

Each one was an unrepeatable masterpiece, engraved with extinct spells, made from raw materials found only in the depths of dead planets, and integrated with spiritual concepts that the ordinary human mind could not comprehend.

These engines required exceptional hosts—individuals who were not only physically strong but possessed an unbreakable ambition and resilient souls capable of adapting to an energy unlike anything else.

Merging with a [Source Engine] was not a simple process; it was a quasi-sacred ritual akin to a second birth!

You either succeeded and were reborn as a higher being, or you collapsed and disintegrated into ash, leaving behind only the echo of a failed attempt. For this reason, these engines were not handed out easily but were guarded in sealed shrines, protected behind layers of metaphysical security, or passed down in secret among ancient bloodlines and hidden entities that still controlled the world's fate from behind the curtain.

And here he was now, Lloyd, on the verge of possessing one... an engine not just active, but specifically prepared for him. As if this parasitic entity had been waiting for him and him alone. What was in his hands was not just a tool... but a key to a personal path never before recorded in any of the great path registries.

That was the path of the "Esper"—a fusion of deep inner understanding, multifaceted energy, and the ability to influence elements and reality itself.

It is said that one who walks this path does not merely become a user of energy, but a source of energy themselves. They become a meeting point between souls, elements, and possibilities… a living center of cosmic balance.

And… now? Damn it, did he also possess one of the Superior-class?!

It wasn't just getting a [Source Engine]—it was one of the highest tiers ever documented!