A single shriek tore through the silence of the Crimson Chasm.
The Molten Lord’s colossal form crashed to the ground.
Chest heaving, Kael felt sweat trickle down his temples. He’d spent three long months preparing for this moment, calculating every cooldown and predicting the trajectory of every attack during the boss's rage phase.
It’s over…
Tension finally drained from his body. The boss’s corpse dissolved into motes of light, leaving a single, faintly shimmering piece of loot in its place.
Just one.
Kael’s heart sank. He walked over, the item flying into his waiting hand.
[Gauntlets of the Molten Heart]
[Quality: Epic]
[Required Level: 55]
[Defense: +450]
[Strength: +85]
[Intelligence: +368]
It was Warrior gear, yet Strength only increased by 85 points. Meanwhile, Intelligence—a useless stat for an Archer—was boosted by a staggering 368.
Aside from the botched base stats, this Epic-tier item had no passive effects, no bonus skills, and zero fire resistance.
It was absolute trash.
“Goddamn -3 Luck.”
The curse had been branded on his soul since character creation. For materials others collected in a single run, he had to grind ten times over. When others opened chests to find rare loot, he was greeted with junk.
Even so, through mastery of combat mechanics and countless sleepless nights, he had carved the name ‘Dawnbreaker’ into the pinnacle of Godpath’s Galaxy Server.
Galaxy Server Power Rankings—Rank 998.
Among a player base of billions, it was an achievement to make any pro gamer weep with envy. But Kael knew that if not for his damned Luck stat, he would have been higher.
Much, much higher.
He let out a self-deprecating laugh, tossed the trash-tier gauntlets into his inventory, and prepared to teleport back to the city.
Love what you're reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.
But the moment he turned—
The world shattered.
A blinding radiance engulfed the dim sky. In the next instant, his vision—and his very existence—was swallowed by pure white.
An unknown amount of time passed.
When consciousness returned, the sulfurous stench of the raid was gone, replaced by the musty funk of damp air.
Kael’s eyes snapped open.
He stared at a familiar ceiling, still bearing the faint yellow water stain from his upstairs neighbor’s leak.
He turned his head stiffly, scanning the cramped, forty-square-foot room. Faded posters clung to the walls, and a small mountain of empty energy drink cans piled in one corner.
This wasn't his high-tech mansion in the upper district, with its private sky-port and integrated AI.
This was the cheap apartment he’d rented before Godpath made him a billionaire.
“How…”
Throat dry, Kael struggled to sit up. His eyes landed on the room’s only light source—an old LCD television.
On the screen, a hype-man screamed, face flushed with excitement. “...get ready to have your reality upended! Godpath, a game beyond your wildest imagination, is about to usher in a brand new era!”
Kael frowned. Godpath? The game had been out for ten years. It was a titan that dominated the galactic market. Why would it need an advertisement?
He stood to get a glass of water and glanced at the digital clock on the wall.
[September 1, 2109, 2:20 PM]
The cup in Kael’s hand froze mid-air.
September 1st… 2109?
The day before the global launch of Godpath.
He was back. Ten years in the past.
After a moment of stunned silence, a wave of euphoria surged through him.
If fate has given me a second chance…
This time, he wouldn’t just be a challenger at the peak. He would become the absolute legend.
Forcing himself to calm down, his mind raced. The launch was tomorrow. Right now, only one thing mattered—buying the gaming helmet.
Half an hour later, Kael stood at the front of the line at an official Godpath hardware retailer.
“Hi, one standard edition helmet…”
Before he could finish, a figure shoved past him, slapping a cred-card onto the counter.
“I’m in a hurry. Ring me up first,” the man said, turning to flash a dismissive smile at Kael. “You don’t mind, right, man?”
Kael’s pupils contracted.
He knew that face. Over the past decade, he’d seen it in countless championship interviews, holographic streams, and victory celebrations.
Bloodshadow.
The undisputed number one human player in Godpath, a living legend who had set multiple records.
A realization struck Kael. Ten years ago, in this very store, someone had cut in front of him. Back then, avoiding trouble, he had let it slide.
He’d never imagined the nameless jerk who cut the line was the future Bloodshadow.
Why was Bloodshadow so powerful? Could the secret lie in the helmet he had bought? The one that should have been Kael's?
Once the thought took root, it was impossible to shake.
Kael’s expression didn't change. A decade of brutal in-game warfare had taught him to bury his emotions. He looked at Bloodshadow, his voice calm.
“I do mind. Get in line.”
The smile on Bloodshadow’s face froze.
The store clerk immediately offered Bloodshadow a professional, apologetic smile. “I’m sorry, sir, but you’ll have to wait your turn.”
Ignoring the interloper, Kael pushed his cred-card toward the clerk. “Ring me up.”
Three minutes later, a sleekly packaged box was in his hands.
As he turned to leave, the clerk smiled. “Enjoy the game, sir! At the official launch, all players receive a lucky draw on their first login. If RNGesus is on your side, you could snag a rare skill or epic gear right off the bat!”
Kael paused.
He tightened his grip on the box, the corner of his mouth curling into a knowing smirk.
A lucky draw?
Perfect.
This time, he would rewrite everything.
