"Is this... the end of my life?"

Astrea stood at the edge of a cliff, his golden robe tattered and drenched in blood. His body trembled as he leaned heavily on a violet bone-crafted staff.

Once hailed as the greatest Firelord, a hero who had saved countless lives, Astrea was now branded a traitor to humanity. His eyes burned with both fury and despair as he faced off against a circle of elite warriors. Behind him lay a sheer drop into an abyss that seemed to stretch endlessly into darkness.

The top ten warriors in the world had banded together to take him down. Yet despite the odds, Astrea had slain three of them in the chaos of battle, a testament to his overwhelming strength. Now, the rest hesitated, fear freezing their advance.

"Firelord! You're finished! Nowhere left to run!"

"Hand over your equipment, and I'll give you a painless death!"

"Astrea, there's an old saying: 'The wise man knows when to bow.' Surrender now, and we'll spare you unnecessary suffering!"

Astrea let out a deep, ragged breath. He knew he had reached the end. But instead of fear, a bittersweet smile crept onto his face as he turned toward the beautiful woman standing behind him—Gina.

His smile froze the next instant.

A sharp pain exploded from his stomach.

Astrea's eyes widened in shock. He looked down and saw a dark, violet-glowing dagger protruding from his abdomen. The blade had pierced straight through him from behind.

The dagger... he recognized it immediately. It was the very weapon he had commissioned for Gina, crafted at great expense to protect her.

He turned to face her. In her eyes, there was no remorse—only contempt and cold disdain.

With an elegant sway, Gina sauntered over to a tall, dark-haired man waiting nearby. The stranger wrapped an arm possessively around her waist, pulling her close in a way that Astrea had never dared to.

The sight sent a wave of fury and humiliation crashing through him. His vision reddened, his hands clenched into trembling fists. But after a moment of rage, all that remained was bitter resignation.

Astrea began to laugh—a hollow, mocking sound that echoed off the cliff walls.

"Hahaha...!"

Ten years. Ten long, miserable years.

He had devoted himself to Gina, blindly and pathetically, like a dog chasing after a cruel master.

And what had he gotten in return? A knife in the back.

He had poured his very soul into nurturing her, sacrificing friendships, betraying allies—all for her whims. He had believed that, in time, his dedication would open the door to her heart.

But instead, she had driven a blade through his.

Gina's dagger shattered Astrea's final illusions, stripping away any hope he had left. In that moment, he saw the truth—the brutal essence of humanity in this apocalyptic world.

As his life force ebbed away, he realized all too late:

I want revenge!

Right... The divine artifact ring! I still have it!

I won't go down like this!

But before he could act, countless weapons and attacks pierced his body. Blood surged from his wounds, drowning his vision.

In his dying moments, Astrea burned the faces of his enemies—those twisted with ecstasy at his demise—deep into his mind. He would never forget them.

Suddenly, a deep crimson glow flared from the ring on his finger. Time unraveled.

Ten Years Earlier...

On Blue Star, in Star City, Astrea gasped for air, his body drenched in cold sweat. He stumbled forward, his face pale. Was everything he just experienced... a nightmare?

He glanced at his hand, where the legendary artifact ring, Heart of the Phoenix, had once rested. In an instant, it crumbled to dust.

So it was true. Death had triggered the ring's passive Nirvana ability, bringing him back ten years into the past.

Astrea's brows furrowed as he scanned his surroundings. Memories that had been buried for a decade came rushing back. The familiar, yet distant, layout of the room... It was his home. The very place where the apocalypse had begun.

He reached for his phone with slightly stiff fingers. It had been ten years since he last used such a device. The screen lit up, displaying:

[October 6, 2050 | 11:00 AM]

Rebirth... It's real!

And it was exactly ten years ago. Today was the day.

In one hour, the apocalypse would descend upon the world, changing everything forever. Fear would grip humanity as it became enslaved by the horrors of this new reality. But those who survived the initial onslaught would awaken extraordinary abilities, sparking a new age of exploration and evolution.

From that day forward, a new order would be established—where weakness was the ultimate sin. Strength was the only law.

Astrea clenched his fists. Ten years of betrayal, suffering, and manipulation filled his thoughts. He could almost hear Gina's mocking voice.

Gina...

The "most beautiful campus queen in five thousand years." In his previous life, she had bled him dry for a decade before finally driving that dagger into his back. That betrayal had taught him more than any hardship ever could.

His lips curled into a cold, bitter smile as he dialed her number. His mind echoed with dark satisfaction.

This time, things would be different.

He would never let her—or anyone else—control his fate again.

Gina's Sudden Disappearance?

The endless demands for gear and supplies...

Her constant vanishing act...

And even grinding levels with that man?

Astrea's thoughts darkened. His head might as well have been crowned with a field of green. Just the memory of it all made his chest tighten in anger and humiliation.

After a long pause, the call finally connected. On the other end, Gina's voice trembled slightly, as though she was trying to steady herself.

"Hello? Astrea? What do you want, calling so early in the morning?"

Astrea instantly picked up on her situation. The faint sounds in the background... the heavy breathing... the barely concealed gasps between words—there was no mistaking it.

Gina was beneath another man, her body rising and falling in rhythm. Her voice, drenched in sweat and heat, only served to fuel Astrea's growing fury. Yet, he clenched his teeth and forced himself to remain calm.

"Gina," he said with a forced lightness, "come over to my place. I have something for you."

"Hmm? Something for me? Is it a bag? A watch? Or jewelry?" Gina's tone turned playful, sultry. "What's the rush, you naughty boy? I'm not coming! I'm... uh... working out right now!"

Astrea nearly laughed at her pathetic attempt to use "working out" as a cover. Her flirtatious tone was one he had never heard in the past. She wasn't even trying to hide it anymore.

But Astrea remained composed. He knew exactly how to bait her.

"Gina, didn't you always say you wanted that old house of mine?"

The house was his family's legacy, left to him by his parents. Developers had once tried to buy the property, eager to capitalize on its prime location in the city center. Astrea had refused every offer.

And then, right after those offers failed, Gina had entered his life.

Now it all made sense. It had been part of a scheme from the very beginning.

"That house gives me more security than you ever could," Gina would always say. Even after the apocalypse hit, she'd insult Astrea, claiming she never felt safe with him.

"Well, I've made up my mind," Astrea said calmly. "Come over, and I'll transfer the house to your name. It's yours."

The line went silent for a moment. Then, Gina's voice brightened with excitement. "Are you serious? You're not messing with me, right?"

Astrea could practically hear the greed dripping from her words.

"Dead serious," he replied. "Hurry up. Let's get the paperwork done today."

"Wow! Okay, wait for me! I'll be there soon!" she squealed, unable to contain her delight. "But if you're lying... I swear I'll plaster your name all over the internet!"

She hung up, her anticipation spilling over in giddy laughter.

Once the call ended, Gina finally released the pent-up tension in her body, her moans echoing softly in the room. As she basked in her satisfaction, she teasingly gave the man above her a playful squeeze to the dick, a wicked grin on her face.

"Master, He Finally Gave Me the House!"

"Master, that loser finally agreed to give me the house!" Gina's voice softened into a playful whine as her tense expression relaxed.

The man beside her lit a cigarette, taking a deep, exaggerated drag worthy of a post-battle legend. He slowly exhaled, blowing a ring of smoke right into Gina's face. His lips curled into a twisted grin.

"Good. Astrea thinks he's tough, but in the end, he's nothing but a dog. Look at him now—obediently handing over the house."

"Congratulations, Master!" Gina giggled, leaning in closer. "Once I get the house, I'll dump that loser for good. How does that sound?"

The man chuckled darkly. "No need to rush. We'll take our time tormenting him. Just imagine his face when he realizes what's happening. Every cell in my body tingles at the thought."

"Got it, Master! I'll be quick. Later tonight at the usual spot, okay?" Gina cooed, tidying up the room and making sure everything was in order before leaving the hotel.

The man burst into laughter, a cruel glint in his eyes. "Hah! You filthy little slut..." His smile faded into a cold, calculating expression as he stared out the window.

On TV, a news anchor's voice blared through the room.

"According to weather experts, the red sky that appeared earlier this morning is a natural phenomenon…"

"In fact, similar celestial events were recorded by the ancient Mayan civilization…"

"Someone in the live chat is asking if it's the apocalypse. Bro, 2012 came and went a long time ago…"

"Please, trust the experts. Stay calm, enjoy the show, and don't fall for conspiracy theories…"

The broadcast showed a panel of so-called experts, their faces smug and patronizing as they dismissed public concern about the sky's eerie transformation.

Astrea took a slow drag from his own cigarette, his eyes distant but sharp. The red sky... It was starting. Just as he remembered.

He leaned back in his chair, quietly waiting for Gina to arrive.

The game had begun.