"I remember the world before it all fell apart," recalling the good ol' days, staring at the horizon. "It wasn't perfect, but at least it was ours."

The sky above had turned a sickly shade of crimson, a lasting reminder of the day the world changed. It began without warning—an invisible fracture deep within the Earth and the heavens above. Ancient forces, long sealed away, began leaking into the mortal plane.

From the Earth's core, Qi surged like molten rivers, twisting the land into corrupted zones teeming with monstrous beasts. From the atmosphere, Mana rained down, saturating the air and altering everything it touched. Humans, animals, and even plants were affected, for better or worse.

At the same time, came the gates.

Wooden, stone, and metallic gates materialized across the globe, each radiating mysterious energy. Some thought they were pathways to salvation. Others feared they were harbingers of doom. They were both.

Governments crumbled under the chaos. Cities fell to Malice-inflicted monsters. People either huddled behind hastily built fortresses or chased after the gates, hoping to unlock the power to survive. Ji Zeus had once been one of those people. Ordinary. Powerless.

But that was before. Before I had seen how it all ended.

---

The air inside Dungeon Purgatory felt alive, thick with pressure that clung to the skin and made each breath a struggle. I clutched my weapon to the point my knuckles turned white, as I stared at the creature before me.

She was beautiful in the way nightmares were beautiful: elegant and horrifying. Malicia, the Malice Lord, floated above the ground, her long, tattered robes swirling around her like smoke. Her eyes glowed with an eerie violet light, and her voice slithered into the minds of those who dared to meet her gaze.

"Do you feel it?" Malicia cooed, her voice a chilling whisper that echoed in their thoughts. "The weight of inevitability? The futility of resistance? Bow to me, and I'll make your deaths quick."

I glanced at my allies, the 12 Saints surrounding me. They were supposed to be humanity's hope, blessed by divine powers. Yet now, under Malicia's oppressive aura, they trembled.

"It's too much..." one whispered.

"We can't win," another muttered, their voice cracking with fear.

I gritted my teeth. "Don't back down! She's testing us. We can-"

Before I could finish, the space around me shifted. The Saints were retreating, their divine blessings flickering like candles in a storm.

"You're leaving?" I roared, disbelief tightening his chest. "Are you insane? We're stronger together!"

One Saint, not meeting his eyes, muttered, "We'll regroup. You... buy us time."

They fled.

Left alone, I turned back to Malicia. Her laughter rang out like shattering glass. "Poor little warrior. Even your so-called allies abandon you. But no matter. Their betrayal will only make your despair more delicious."

The battle was hell. Every strike I landed seemed to cost a piece of my soul. Every second I endured her attacks felt like an eternity. But against all odds, I prevailed. With a final, desperate strike, I severed Malicia's form, scattering her essence into the void.

Collapsing to my knees, I panted, blood dripping from a dozen wounds. I won.

Or so I thought.

The first stab came without warning.

I gasped as the blade pierced my back, the pain shocking down to my core. Another stab followed. Then another.

Voices, familiar and venomous, surrounded him:

"You're too dangerous..."

"Humanity can't survive with someone like you."

"This is for the greater good."

I tried to turn, to see their faces, but my vision blurred as my strength ebbed away. The last thing I heard before the darkness claimed me was mocking laughter and the dull thud of his body hitting the ground.

---

I jolted awake—body drenched in sweat. My hands trembled as I clutched my chest, feeling the phantom pain of the blades that had struck me. The room around was silent, yet my mind was a cacophony of emotions.

Anger. Disappointment. Betrayal.

I clenched my weakening fists hard, my nails digging into my palms. "Why?" I whispered. "Why would they...?"

No answer came, only the echo of those haunting voices: "This is for the greater good.

A voice broke through the silence, calm and commanding.

"Do you wish to change your destiny?"

I froze. The voice wasn't mine, nor did it seem to come from the room around me. It resonated in my mind, clear and undeniable.

"You have been chosen. A second chance is yours, if you are willing to fight for it."

Before I could respond, a glowing interface appeared before my eyes, filled with words and numbers he didn't understand.

SYSTEM BOOTING...

SYSTEM INTEGRATION COMPLETE.

I felt a surge of energy flood my body, overwhelming but exhilarating. I staggered to my feet, resolve hardening with every beat of my heart.

"They think they can decide my fate?" My voice was steady, filled with quiet fury. "No. I'll carve my own path, no matter what it takes."

The interface flickered, and a single quest appeared:

Main Quest: Rewrite History. Become the Strongest Immortal.

I stepped out into the broken world, the glow of the future burning in his eyes.