The familiar hum of the capsule filled Aether's ears as the world of Throne of Eternity unfolded before him. For years, this place had been his kingdom. Entire guilds trembled at his presence, sponsors lined up to plaster his name on billboards, and fans screamed themselves hoarse whenever Grimblade appeared on the battlefield. But tonight, none of that mattered.
Aether spawned in the capital city of the new expansion. The cobblestone streets glistened with fresh detail, banners snapped in the virtual wind, and players swarmed the plaza in a tidal wave of excitement. New classes, new maps, new dungeons—the game had wiped the slate clean, and everyone wanted to carve their names onto it.
Everyone except him.
His avatar appeared in worn beginner armor, a wooden sword strapped to his back. It was almost insulting. The man once hailed as the Uncrowned Emperor now looked no different from a rookie who had just installed the game. His inventory was empty, his stats at baseline, and unlike the younger players who had sponsors sending them rare starter gear, he had nothing.
"Fitting," he muttered. "If I'm going to climb again, I'll start at the very bottom."
He began walking through the plaza, observing. Players shouted for party members, guild recruiters spammed invites, and merchants tried to sell overpriced gear to eager newcomers. Aether ignored them all. His eyes scanned for the notice board at the plaza's edge—the quest hub.
The simplest quests were posted there: kill ten wolves, gather herbs, deliver letters. For most veterans, these were chores to rush through. For Aether, they were a test. A reminder of what it felt like to start from zero.
He accepted a quest—Hunt Ten Dire Wolves in the Northern Forest—and set out.
The forest stretched endlessly, mist curling between dark trees. Wolves prowled between the shadows, their red eyes glowing. Aether drew his wooden sword and gripped it tightly. His hands moved instinctively—perfect positioning, flawless timing. The wolf lunged, and with one clean sidestep, his blade cut through its flank. Another wolf attacked, but his footwork carried him just out of range, countering with a decisive strike.
Wooden sword or not, his skill hadn't dulled. Every kill was efficient, every movement precise. His health bar barely dipped. Within minutes, the quest was complete.
Yet when he looked at his experience bar, barely a sliver had filled. Slow progress. A grind.
And he welcomed it.
He was wiping the blood from his blade when a shout echoed through the trees.
"Help! Somebody help!"
Aether turned his head. A group of wolves had cornered a player at the edge of the clearing. She swung a staff wildly, her spells missing half the time, her avatar stumbling backward with low health. Any second now, she would die and respawn at the city.
Aether exhaled softly. "Rookies."
He dashed forward, cutting into the pack. His wooden sword moved with the precision of a master's blade, slashing one wolf, kicking another back, striking down the third before it could reach the girl. In seconds, the field was clear.
The rookie player let out a long breath, collapsing to the ground. She looked up at him, her avatar's face flushed. "T-thank you! I thought I was dead for sure."
Aether sheathed his blade. "You were."
She blinked, then laughed awkwardly. "Guess I'm not very good at this yet. I just started playing."
"Obviously."
Her staff slipped from her hands, and she scrambled to pick it up. "I'm Lyra. Well, my IGN is Seraphina, but you can call me Lyra. What's yours?"
Aether hesitated for the briefest moment. Then, quietly, he said, "Grimblade."
Her eyes widened. "Wait. The Grimblade? The Uncrowned Emperor?"
He raised a brow. "You've heard of me."
"Of course I've heard of you! Who hasn't? You're a legend. But…" She tilted her head, studying his beginner gear. "Why are you dressed like… that?"
"Because I started over," he said simply.
She gaped. "You… what? Why would someone like you start from zero?"
"Doesn't matter." He turned, ready to leave.
"Wait!" She ran after him, her staff clutched tightly. "You just saved me. At least let me party with you. I'm terrible at fighting, but I can heal! Well… sort of."
"I don't need help."
"But I need yours," she said stubbornly. "And besides, think about it—if people see you with me, they'll think you're mentoring a rookie. Fans eat that kind of thing up."
Aether stopped walking. She wasn't wrong. If he wanted to climb back, building connections wouldn't hurt. Still, her recklessness screamed trouble.
"Fine," he said at last. "But keep up."
Lyra beamed. "Deal!"
They hunted through the forest together. Aether handled the brunt of the fighting while Lyra tried—unsuccessfully most of the time—to support. She missed half her heals, occasionally hit him with friendly fire, and nearly aggroed an entire wolf pack by accident. Aether's patience thinned quickly.
But then he caught her expression: determination beneath the clumsy mistakes. She wasn't playing for sponsors or fame. She was playing because she loved it.
For a moment, Aether was reminded of himself, years ago, before contracts and money twisted everything.
By the time they returned to the city, Lyra was chattering endlessly about her dream of becoming a pro player, her excitement bubbling over every word. Aether mostly stayed silent, listening.
When they reached the plaza, she stopped. "So… will I see you again?"
Aether considered. He didn't need a partner. He worked better alone. But something about her energy—naïve, stubborn, unpolished—felt like the kind of spark that could light a fire again.
"You will," he said finally.
Her grin widened. "Then it's a promise!"
As she logged off, disappearing into pixels, Aether stood in the middle of the crowded plaza. Around him, players shouted and laughed, the air alive with competition and ambition. He tightened his grip on his wooden sword.
Imperium had taken everything from him. They thought he was finished.
But tonight marked the beginning.
From zero, he would rise again.
And this time, he wasn't aiming just to be the Uncrowned Emperor.
This time, he would take the throne itself.