The Reader Are Gods

The moment Ishira took hold of the katana and gripped it, a violent pulse of energy surged through his arm.

[New System Activated]

SYSTEM INTEGRATION: 15%... 50%... 89%...

[INTEGRATION COMPLETE]

[Welcome, User: Ishira Reiji.]

[This weapon is bound to your soul.]

[Warning: This system operates on Reader Votes.]

The Rules of the Katana System

1. Favor Points – Earned when members upvote. Spend them to gets new skills.

2. Audience Requests – Commenters can directly influence your abilities (for better or worse).

3. Bloodthirsty – The katana feeds on suffering. The more you and enemy hurt, the stronger it gets [Permanent stat].

[Current Favor: [10]

KATANA FREE SKILL UNLOCKED

- Iaijutsu – The art of swiftly drawing the katana.

- Chiburi – Flicking blood off the blade after a strike.

[Member Chatroom]

LonelyGod: Pffft... that's a really useless skill, hahaha.

HunterSuck: But that Bloodthirsty passive is seriously OP.

IHatePartner: Nah… he'll die. At the very least, he needs a slash or attack skill for that katana. Even with Bloodthirsty, he can only get up to 35 max stats—if he survives with 1 HP.

LonelyGod: Yep… also, I think the katana doesn't have any stats yet.

HunterSuck: Hey, author, show us the katana's stats!

Admin: Request approved.

[KATANA STATS]

-DMG – 1

-CRIT – 0

-PEN – 1

[ Unlimited Growth ]

LonelyGod: Hahaha…

IHatePartner: This story ends here. He's gonna die, and Akira will become the main character with her blessing. I think her role is Magician.

HunterSuck: Hmmm…

[Chatroom Closed]

[Comment Review]

"Let's show that dragon what the art of defense gives him—skills like Nukitsuke and Kirioroshi."

Without overthinking the floating text, Ishira immediately followed the advice from one of the commenters.

"Even if I don't survive, at least I can buy time for Akira."

Ishira knelt down, his knees pressing against the ground, his right knee slightly raised, his posture upright.

His right hand gripped the hilt, his thumb pressing against the tsuba engraved with floral patterns, while his left hand held the scabbard.

He was already in defensive mode—positioned at the perfect distance for his katana to strike. His eyes remained unblinking, waiting for the moment the dragon would attack.

Once again, the dragon swung its tail toward him, this time with a terrifying speed of 200 km/h.

"Nukitsuke!"

With his left hand, he pushed the scabbard backward while his right hand drew the blade.

He swung his sword forward—from the lower left to the upper right—aiming to slash the dragon's tail.

The blade attempted to slice through its target in a single motion, but his sword got stuck in the dragon's tail.

"Damn...!"

Ishira and his katana were caught in the dragon's tail. Unable to pull his sword free, he was flung violently toward the stone wall near the fence.

[Host HP]

[ 1/100 ]

Bloodthirsty Skill Activated!

+99 Stat Distribution to the Host!

- DMG – 34

- CRIT – 33

- PEN – 34

" Errghhh .. Still not enough to fight with this dragon .. even my legs can't move already .. "

The impact against the stone wall sent a shockwave of pain through Ishira's body. His vision blurred, his ribs screamed in protest, and his legs refused to obey. Yet, his fingers still clung to the katana.

[Member Chatroom]

LonelyGod: Bruh, he's done. Just accept it.

HunterSuck: hurmm . His perfect body make my stomach butterfly.. what a wasted .. nice try mc

IHatePartner: Oh crap, I dont know you was female huntersuck .. yeah it's kind a wasted .. Have a nice day Ishira Reiji ..

Admin: New Request Poll Activated!

Option 1: Use Chiburi to trigger a hidden skill—Copy all Stat from enemy blood for 10 second! (Cost: 30 Favor)

Option 2: Let Akira intervene—sacrifice her magic to save him. (Cost: 50 Favor)

Option 3: Let him die. The dragon wins. (Cost: 0 Favor)

LonelyGod: Even authors can't help the mc already .. what a blunder story ..

HunterSuck: Yeah we only have 10 Favor to spent on him ..

IHatePartner: Lets vote guys let's he rest in peace,

Vote in progress..

[ 3 Reader vote on option 3 ]

[Chatroom Closed]

The dragon opened its mouth wide. Its throat was already capable of producing an enormous flame.

Ishira awaited his final moments... He glanced at Akira, who was still unconscious.

"I should at least confess my feelings to her before I die. At least I won't be single, hahaha."

He forced himself to kneel, gripping his katana for the last time... ready to fight again with his last remaining HP.

The dragon flapped its wings... hovering in place as flames gathered in its mouth.

In the eyes of the reader...

This would be the final battle of the katana practitioner versus the Apocalypse Dragon. The story was being witnessed by the 4 Gods—Readers. 20K viewers were watching live, topping the charts.

On the live platform, people were already spamming... crying emojis...

The dragon unleashed its largest, most intense blast of fire—the heat was unbearable. Ishira's and Akira's clothes began to singe and burn bit by bit.

Whoosh!

A massive fireball hurtled toward him... His eyes closed...

Ishira's vision blurred as the heat seared his skin. The dragon's fireball roared toward him, a swirling mass of destruction that would reduce him to ashes in seconds.

But his grip on the katana didn't waver.

[System Alert: Critical Moment Detected!]

[Passive Skill: Chibiru hidden skill Activated!]

→ Effect: Copy All stats from Enemy ( trigger from blood 10 second )

The flames engulfed him—

—and then split apart in a crescent arc.

Ishira's body moved before his mind could process it.

A single, desperate slash—Kirioroshi—the overhead strike meant to cleave through anything.

The blade, now crackling with the last remnants of Bloodthirsty's power, met the fireball—

BOOM!

The explosion sent Ishira skidding backward, his arms scorched, his katana glowing white-hot. But he was alive.

The dragon's eyes widened.

[Audience Reaction: LIVE CHAT EXPLOSION]

"HOLY—HE CUT FIRE?!"

"BRO'S BUILT DIFFERENT!"

"AKIRA WAKE UP, YOUR MAN'S COOKING!"

The beast shrieked, its wings beating violently. It had never faced a human who refused to die.

"I WILL ERASE YOU FROM EXIST"

Its maw opened again, but this time, the flames weren't just fire—they were black, swirling with cursed energy.

[System Warning: Apocalypse Flame

Detected – Instant Death if Hit.]

Ishira's muscles screamed. His sword arm trembled.

But then—

A whisper.

"Ishira…"

Akira's voice.

Behind him, Akira's fingers twitched. Her eyes fluttered open—just in time to see Ishira standing between her and annihilation.

And then—

[Hidden Condition Met: Bond Beyond Death]

[Akira's Blessing: Starlight Revival Activated!]

A soft, silver light enveloped Ishira's katana.

The blade's edge shimmered like a falling star.

The dragon unleashed its Apocalypse Flame.

Ishira charged.

"FINAL FLASH!"

A single step. A single cut.

The blade moved faster than light itself.

The black flames split—

—and the dragon's head toppled from its body.

Silence.

Then—

[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION: VICTORY ACHIEVED.]

[Favor Points: +500 (Legendary Moment Bonus]

The all reader seemed to hold its breath.

And then—

Akira's weak, trembling voice:

"You… idiot…"

Ishira collapsed—but this time, into her arms.