The air inside the Abyssal Serpent's cavern was thick with tension. Shadows stretched along the jagged stone walls, flickering from the dim glow of torches mounted on massive obsidian pillars. At the center of the battlefield, a monstrous, black-scaled serpent, its body the size of a fortress, coiled in its final moments.
[Abyssal Serpent – Mythical Boss – HP: 1%]
"Everyone, hold your ground! It's about to use its final skill!" Liam Carter's voice cut through the battlefield noise, his commands sharp and precise.
As the guild leader of Eclipse, the number one VRMMO guild in Eternal Dominion, Liam had led his team through countless impossible battles. This was just another challenge to conquer.
"Shield wall formation!"
At his command, the frontliners raised their heavy shields just as the serpent let out an earth-shaking roar. Dark energy rippled through the chamber, and waves of abyssal fire erupted outward.
"Now! Healers, keep them alive!"
Clerics and Priests raised their staffs, flooding the battlefield with golden light as barriers and healing waves neutralized the attack.
Liam's grip tightened on his sword, Black Requiem, a legendary weapon that had carried him through countless battles. His heart pounded, but he kept his focus locked on the serpent's glowing crimson eyes.
"This is it… Final push!"
Jason Miller, his vice guild leader and best friend, grinned beside him. "About time! Let's end this, Liam!"
Liam nodded. "DPS squad, hit it with everything you've got!"
The serpent screeched as fireballs, ice lances, and arrows rained down upon it. In a final desperate attempt, it lunged at Liam, its massive fangs aiming for his throat.
SLASH!
Liam's sword cleaved through the beast's neck in a single, decisive strike. A moment of silence passed before the monster's final HP bar drained to zero.
[System Announcement: Eclipse Guild has defeated the Abyssal Serpent!]
[World First Achievement Unlocked!]
[Calculating rewards…]
A deafening cheer erupted from the guild members.
"We did it!" "Hell yeah!" "Number one again!"
Liam let out a breath, exhaustion settling in. They had done it. The first kill on a Mythical-tier world boss. The rewards would be insane.
Then, the system window flashed.
[The Abyssal Serpent has dropped a Mythical-tier artifact: Heart of Shadows!]
The Artifact That Started It All
The artifact floated in the air before them, gga black crystal pulsating with dark energy, emitting an aura of raw power.
Liam's eyes widened. He knew what this was. The Heart of Shadows.
Not only was it one of the strongest artifacts in the game, but after the World Fusion Update, it would become even more powerful, a relic capable of affecting reality itself.
Jason stepped forward, his eyes gleaming. "Well, well… a Mythical artifact. Guess we'll have to decide who gets it, huh?"
Liam didn't hesitate. "I'll be taking this one."
The celebration quieted slightly. The other guild members exchanged glances. Jason chuckled. "That so?"
Liam nodded. "Yeah. I need it for my sister."
A few of the veterans in the guild understood. Emma Carter, Liam's younger sister, was terminally ill in real life. He had poured everything into becoming the strongest in Eternal Dominion, hoping to find something in the game that might help her when the World Fusion Update happens.
Jason's expression remained unreadable. "That's… noble of you."
But there was something in his voice Liam didn't like.
The Betrayal
The celebration continued, but something felt off. Liam noticed hushed conversations between guild members, glances thrown his way. A gut feeling told him to be cautious, but he dismissed it.
That was his greatest mistake.
Later that night, as Liam was sorting through raid logs, his game interface suddenly froze. A guild-wide announcement popped up.
[Liam Carter has been accused of hoarding rare items and misusing guild resources. Effective immediately, he is removed as Guild Leader of Eclipse.]
"What the hell?!" Liam shot up from his seat. He turned towards the command table where Jason stood, arms crossed, smirking.
"Jason," Liam's voice was calm, but his fists trembled. "What is this?"
Jason leaned against the table casually. "It's nothing personal, Liam."
Liam's stomach dropped. "You set me up."
Jason shrugged. "You were getting too sentimental. This game isn't about charity, it's about power. Keeping that artifact for yourself? That was selfish, Liam. The guild deserves it more."
"You son of a...."
Before Liam could react, his entire guild turned on him.
Weapons drawn. Spells charged.
They weren't just removing him from the guild. They were here to kill him.
Liam's mind raced. No… no, this can't be happening.
But it was.
His best friend had orchestrated his downfall.
The Execution
Liam fought like a demon, taking down dozens of his former comrades. But it was 50 versus one.
In the end, Jason's blade pierced through his back, his health bar draining rapidly.
Liam fell to his knees, gasping. Jason crouched beside him, whispering in his ear.
"You were my best friend, Liam… but you were also a fool."
As the final attack landed, Liam's vision faded to black.
[You have died.]
And just like that, everything was gone.
Rebirth – Ten Years in the Past
Liam's eyes snapped open. His body jerked upright. His breath came in sharp gasps as he gripped the edge of his cheap apartment bed.
The room was silent, no system notifications, no battle sounds. Only the faint hum of his computer in the corner.
His mind screamed at him. I died. Jason betrayed me. Eclipse turned on me. I lost everything.
But then, he saw something that made his blood run cold.
The date on his phone read:
March 12, 2042.
His heart stopped.
This… This is the past.
His gaze drifted to his trembling hands. The last time he saw this room, this date…
It was exactly one week before Eternal Dominion launched.
A slow, eerie smile crept onto Liam's face.
"I'm back…" he whispered. His eyes darkened.
Jason didn't know. The world didn't know.
But this time?
He would take everything.