A single shriek tore through the dead silence of the Crimson Chasm.
The colossal body of the Molten Lord crashed to the ground.
Heaving, Kael felt sweat trickle down his temples. He'd spent three long months preparing for this moment, calculating every one of the boss's cooldowns, even predicting the impact point of each attack during its rage phase.
It's over…
The tension finally drained from his body. The boss's massive 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, and the item flew into his waiting hand.
[Gauntlets of the Molten Heart]
[Quality: Epic]
[Required Level: 55]
[Defense: +1250]
[Strength: +685]
That was it. No powerful passive effects, no bonus skills, not even a single point of fire resistance.
"Goddamn -3 Luck."
The curse had been branded on his soul since the day he created his character. Dungeons others cleared in one run, he had to grind ten times. When others opened treasure chests, they were showered in legendary golden light; he was usually greeted with the virtual equivalent of "Better luck next time!"
Even so, with his profound understanding of combat 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 over fifty billion, it was an achievement that would make any pro gamer weep with envy. But only Kael knew that if it weren't for his damned Luck stat, he should 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. But the moment he turned—
The world shattered.
An indescribable light engulfed the game's dim sky. In the next instant, his vision—and his very existence—was swallowed by a blinding, pure white.
An unknown amount of time passed. When consciousness returned, the game's smell of sulfur was gone, replaced by the musty funk of cheap instant ramen and damp air.
Kael's eyes flew open.
He was met with the sight of a familiar ceiling, still bearing the faint yellow water stain from his upstairs neighbor's old leak.
He turned his head stiffly, scanning the tiny sub-300-square-foot room. Faded posters clung to the walls, and a small mountain of empty energy drink cans occupied one corner.
This wasn't his high-tech mansion in the city's top-tier residential district, with its private sky-port and fully integrated AI.
This was the cheap apartment he'd rented before Godpath had made him a billionaire.
"How…"
His throat was dry. Kael struggled to sit up, his eyes landing on the room's only light source—an old LCD television.
On the screen, a hyped-up host was screaming, his face flush with excitement. "...get ready to have your reality completely overturned! 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 entire galactic market. Why would it need an advertisement?
He stood to get a glass of water, and his gaze inadvertently fell upon the digital clock on the wall.
[September 1, 2089, 2:20 PM]
The water cup in Kael's hand froze mid-air.
September 1st… 2089?
The day before the synchronized global launch of Godpath.
He was back. Ten years in the past.
After a moment of dead silence, an uncontrollable wave of euphoria erupted from his chest. The fire that his -3 Luck had tried so many times to extinguish, yet had never truly snuffed out, now roared back to life in his eyes.
If fate has given me a second chance…
This time, he wouldn't just be a challenger at the peak. He would become the one and only 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 login helmet…"
Before he could finish, a figure rudely shoved past him, slapping a cred-card onto the counter.
"I'm in a hurry, give me one first," the man said, only then turning his head to flash a dismissive smile at Kael. "Dude, you don't mind, right?"
Kael's pupils contracted.
He knew that face. Over the past decade, he'd seen it in countless championship interviews, holographic live streams, and victory celebrations.
Bloodshadow.
The undisputed number one player in Godpath, a living legend who had single-handedly suppressed an entire generation of top-tier gamers.
A thought struck Kael like a lightning bolt. Ten years ago, today, in this very store, someone had cut in front of him. Back then, not wanting any trouble, he had let it go.
He'd never imagined that the nameless jerk who cut the line was the future Bloodshadow.
Why was Bloodshadow so powerful? Could it be… that the secret was in the helmet he had bought? The one that should have been his?
Once the thought took root, it was impossible to ignore.
Kael's expression didn't change. A decade of brutal in-game warfare had taught him to bury his emotions beneath a layer of ice. He looked at Bloodshadow, his voice chillingly 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 him completely, Kael pushed his own cred-card toward the clerk. "Ring me up."
Three minutes later, a beautifully packaged box was in his hands.
As he turned to leave, the clerk smiled. "Enjoy the game, sir! At the official launch, all players will receive a lucky draw on their first login. If RNGesus is on your side, you could get a rare skill or a piece of 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.