The cold air cut through Kai's body like a blade, and for a moment, he thought he was still dreaming. The darkness of unconsciousness swirled around him, his thoughts hazy and fragmented. Then, with a sharp gasp, he sat up, heart pounding, as the world around him came into focus.
His eyes blinked rapidly, adjusting to the dim light of the unfamiliar room. The sterile white walls, the scent of antiseptic, and the soft hum of machines told him one thing: this wasn't where he had been before. He wasn't in his apartment, not on his bed, and definitely not in the battle-scarred world he had left behind.
A soft, metallic voice echoed in his mind, and he immediately recognized it as part of the neural system—the virtual interface that connected the mind to the game. His heart skipped a beat as the words hit him.
"Welcome to Eden Virtual."
The realization crashed down on him like a tidal wave. I'm back.
Kai's breath caught in his throat. Eden Virtual—the very system that had governed society in his previous life. A world where players fought in endless battles for power, wealth, and survival, all within a digital landscape. It was also the world that had ultimately led to his demise, the game where he had struggled, failed, and lost everything.
But now… he was back, not as a battle-hardened veteran, but as a fresh recruit. His past life's memories, the mistakes, the victories, the moments he wished he could erase, were still intact. He was thirty years younger, his body unchanged from the youthful form he had once possessed, before the harshness of the game, before the betrayal, before the war that had devastated the world.
I have another chance.
Kai's hand shot out, feeling the cold, smooth surface of the bed beneath him. His pulse raced as he tried to make sense of his surroundings. A faint pulse of information flashed across his mind: his stats, his rank, his gear, and a message blinking in bright red letters across his vision.
"Rank: Iron 0."
His breath hitched as the realization sank in. Iron rank? Zero points? This wasn't just any rebirth—he was starting from the absolute bottom. In his past life, he had reached Bronze, a rank just above Iron. He had fought his way through countless battles, but now he was back to square one. This was not the luxury of a second chance. This was the harsh reality of survival once again.
Kai's hands gripped the edge of the bed, his mind already working furiously to piece together the puzzle. He had all of his memories from his previous life—the strategies, the battles, the people he had encountered, and the mistakes he had made. But now, it was up to him to use them wisely.
He stood up, his legs unsteady as his body adjusted to the unfamiliar sensations. His head spun as he processed the information, but there was no time to waste. The game was still the same, yet completely different. The world, the technology, the players—everything had evolved.
Kai glanced around the sterile room, quickly locating the interface panel embedded in the wall. He approached it and activated the display, a holographic screen popping up in front of him. The menu was as he remembered it: Eden Virtual was still the same, with the same ranks and the same combat system.
But there was something new—something that caught his eye. A small notification blinked in the corner of the screen: "Event starting in 5 minutes."
An event. Kai's mind immediately went into overdrive. These events were often where new players were thrown into the deep end, a battle to see who could rise above the chaos. They were brutal, fast, and designed to weed out the weak.
He quickly checked his gear—standard issue for new players: low-level weapons, a basic exosuit, and a minimal loadout. Nothing special. His starting gear would barely be enough to survive the early battles, let alone climb the ranks. But he didn't need to be strong right now. He needed to be strategic.
The game had changed since he was last here. The environment, the technology, the players—everything was different. And now, with his memories of the future, Kai had an edge no one else possessed. If he could play his cards right, he could not only survive but build something monumental.
He couldn't waste time in the Iron rank. The system was designed to reward players who were quick to adapt and thrive in the ever-changing world of Eden Virtual. But the path was never easy. The climb from Iron to Mythic—no, from Iron to anything—was a brutal challenge. It wasn't about brute strength. It wasn't about luck. It was about survival.
Kai took a deep breath, his mind already racing through strategies. The first challenge would likely be a free-for-all event—a randomized match where every player was thrown into the same arena. The environment would be just as dangerous as the players. The goal? To survive, to gain enough points to advance to the next rank.
He could feel the weight of the decision hanging over him. How would he fight? Should he rely on his combat skills, or would his knowledge of the game's future events give him a different kind of edge? There was no easy answer, but there was one thing he knew for sure: he would not make the same mistakes again.
The countdown began.
"3... 2... 1... BEGIN!"
Kai's heart pounded in his chest as the world around him warped into a new reality. The sterile white room melted away, replaced by an oppressive desert landscape. The heat hit him first—the burning sun, the shifting sand beneath his boots. The desert was an arena of chaos, with only minimal cover and no mercy.
This was it. The start of his journey. He wasn't just a player this time. He was someone who knew the future—he knew how the game worked, how the system favored those who adapted. He knew how to use his environment, how to exploit weaknesses, and how to anticipate enemy moves.
But this wasn't going to be easy. The game had always been hard. The ranking system was a brutal climb, and every fight—every match—was a test of both physical and mental endurance.
Kai quickly surveyed the battlefield, his mind already picking up the patterns. The other players were scattered across the arena, but they were oblivious to the traps that lay hidden in the sand—traps he had seen before. The environment was more than just a backdrop; it was a weapon.
Kai's hands tightened around his weapon. The journey to Mythic would be long. The ranks would be hard to climb. But he had a plan. He would play smarter than anyone else. He would use his future memories, his knowledge of the game, and his ability to adapt.
This time, he would not be the one to fail.
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Chapter 1: The Rebirth