Reborn As The Immortal Ice Tyrant

Darkness, Endless darkness stretched before Ethan Blackwood's eyes.

His body felt light, as if he were floating through an endless void.

Then came the pain.A crushing pain that seemed to tear through every part of him.

Ethan gasped while his eyes snapped open.

"Hah!" He shot upright from a narrow bed, sweat pouring down his face.

His chest rose and fell violently. For several seconds, he simply sat there, breathing really hard.

Trying to understand what had happened. The last thing he remembered was dying.

The memory was still fresh, the kind of pain he went through and the countless players he faced, running in panic and fear.

The sky itself had been split open by a giant crack, monsters poured out endlessly, while cities collapsed.

Guilds that had ruled the world for years vanished overnight.

And him? He had died like a stray dog, and a failure.

Ethan lowered his head, his hands suddenly trembled.

Not from fear, but From rage. He had spent ten whole years inside Age of Divinity and while watching others rise while he remained stuck at the bottom.

People called it the greatest virtual reality game ever created.

The game that changed the world, that merged with reality, the game that determined humanity's future.

Yet despite all those years, Ethan never awakened a talent.

Others  gained powerful abilities some discovered hidden classes and  became legends.

But him? Nothing,  with same talent, no luck neither opportunities.

He survived by taking on dangerous missions that nobody wanted.

He scavenged scraps left behind by stronger players.

He lived at the bottom of society. And in the end, he died there too.

A bitter smile appeared on his face.

"What a joke." His voice sounded hoarse. Then he froze, slowly very  slowly.

He looked around, his suddenly breathing stopped.

Ethan's eyes widened No way..." He jumped off the bed.

His legs nearly gave out under him. He rushed toward the desk.

A calendar hung on the wall above it. The date displayed clearly.

August 15. Year 2035, the launch day of Age of Divinity.

Boom. His mind exploded, his heart nearly stopped.

Launch day. The day everything began. The day that changed the fate of humanity.

The day he had waited ten years to return to.

His hands shook violently, he stared at the date again.

The numbers didn't change, this  wasn't a dream.

It wasn't an illusion. Somehow... He had returned.

Returned ten years into the past. A laugh escaped his mouth.

Then another, he was laughing uncontrollably, Like a madman. His eyes became red.

Not from sadness, but from overwhelming excitement.

"God..." His voice cracked You finally gave me a chance."

Tears formed in his eyes. The regrets of his previous life flashed through his mind.

His parents, and His friends. The opportunities he missed.

The betrayals he suffered, and the treasures he failed to obtain.

The hidden quests discovered by others. The legendary classes.

The secret regions, the world-changing events.

He remembered everything, and now...He had another chance.

A second chance. This time, things would be different.

Very different. A notification suddenly appeared on his phone.

Ding. The screen lit up.

(Countdown to Age of Divinity Launch]

[02:43:18] Two hours. Forty-three minutes.

Ethan's pupils shrank. His expression changed instantly.

Excitement disappeared, while  replaced it.

"I don't have much time." He immediately moved.

His body seemed energized, he opened drawers, checked some documents and grabbed a small card.Then he rushed out of the apartment.

***************************************************

Morning sun shone brightly overhead.Cars filled the streets.

People walked around normally. Nobody knew.

Nobody knew their lives were about to change forever.

Most people viewed Age of Divinity as just another virtual reality game.

A revolutionary game,but still a game.

Only Ethan knew the truth. Within three years, game abilities would begin affecting reality.

Within five years, monsters would appear. Within ten years, humanity would stand on the edge of extinction.

Age of Divinity wasn't a game. It was humanity's trial.

And this time... He would be prepared.

Ethan ran through the crowded streets. His destination was clear.

The Starlight Gaming Center. A place most people ignored.

Yet hidden there was one of the greatest opportunities of the early game.

One that nobody discovered until years later. By then, it was already gone.

But Ethan remembered. Because he had heard countless players cry about missing it.

Fifteen minutes later, he arrived. The building looked old and unimpressive.

A flickering sign hung outside.Several employees chatted lazily near the entrance.

Nobody paid attention to him, perfect, Ethan entered quickly.

The smell of electronics filled the air. Rows of gaming pods lined the walls.

A middle-aged receptionist looked up.

"Need a pod?" Ethan nodded.

"I also want to buy that old storage box." The receptionist blinked.

"What storage box?"

Ethan pointed toward a dusty wooden box sitting in a corner.

The man laughed, That thing? It's junk."

"I'll buy it." The receptionist shrugged.

"Fine. Twenty dollars." Ethan immediately handed over the money.

The man looked delighted. Probably thinking he had just fooled a customer.

If only he knew. Ethan picked up the box carefully.

His heartbeat accelerated. In his previous life, a random player had purchased this exact box.

Inside was an item that later sold for hundreds of millions.

An item that completely changed that player's fate.

Back then, Ethan had nearly died from jealousy.

Now? The opportunity belonged to him.

He carried the box into a private room.

Then slowly opened it. Dust flew into the air.

Several useless items appeared, old cables, broken equipment and scraps of metal.

Ethan searched carefully. One minute. Two minutes. Three minutes.

Then his fingers touched something cold. His eyes narrowed.

He pulled it out. A crystal. A small silver crystal.

It was beautiful and mysterious, ancient  symbols covered its surface.

The moment Ethan saw it, his breathing became ragged.

There it was. The Legendary Ascension Crystal.

The item that had created one of the strongest players of the early era.

And now... It was his. Ethan gripped the crystal tightly.

His heart pounded. Even after living ten years, moments like this still excited him.

He looked at the countdown. Two hours remaining.

Enough. Everything was falling into place.

He rented a gaming pod. Then waited. Every minute felt like an hour.

Finally. The countdown reached zero.

The entire world seemed to hold its breath.Ding. A global announcement appeared across every screen on Earth.

[Age of Divinity Officially Launches]

[Welcome, Players] Cheers erupted throughout the gaming center.

People rushed into their pods. Excited conversations filled the building.

Nobody realized history was being written.

Ethan entered his pod calmly. The lid closed.

Darkness surrounded him. Then a mechanical voice sounded really loud.

"Welcome to Age of Divinity." "Verifying identity."

"Verification complete." "Please create your character."

A bright screen appeared. Ethan didn't hesitate.

"Ethan Blackwood." "Character created."

"Entering world." The space around him shattered.

Countless stars exploded into existence.A breathtaking world unfolded before his eyes.

Massive mountains pierced the clouds and ancient cities stretched beyond the horizon.

Gigantic dragons flew across golden skies, instantly magic filled the hair.

The same wonder he felt ten years ago returned instantly.

Even now, the sight left him speechless, the  another notification appeared.

[Detected special item.Legendary Ascension Crystal.]

[Would you like to use it?] A grin appeared on Ethan's face.

Finally. The moment he had waited for.

"Yes." The crystal floated upward. Brilliant silver light erupted.

The entire world trembled, thunder sounded through the heavens.

A terrifying pressure descended from above. Players everywhere looked up in confusion.

Nobody understood what was happening.

Ethan did. His heart  and his palms sweated.

Because he knew this wasn't normal.

Even in his previous life, the player who received this opportunity had become a legend.

But Ethan possessed something even more valuable.

Knowledge of the future and that could multiply this opportunity countless times.

The crystal exploded. Silver light swallowed everything.

A mechanical voice sounded across the void.

[Congratulations.] [You have successfully awakened a Supreme Divine Talent.]

[Calculating compatibility.. Calculating...]

[Calculation complete.Talent acquired.]

The world suddenly fell silent. Ethan stared at the notification.

His eyes widened. Then widened further.

His entire body froze.

Because what appeared before him was even more ridiculous than he remembered.

Far more ridiculous.A single golden line slowly materialized before his eyes.

[Supreme Divine Talent: Eternal Vitality]

[Effect 1: Every normal attack permanently increases Maximum HP.]

[Effect 2: Every normal attack deals True Damage equal to 1% of Maximum HP.]

Ethan stared at the screen. One second. Two seconds. Three seconds.

Then he burst out laughing. A crazy laugh. A laugh filled with disbelief.

This talent was absurd. Completely absurd.

The stronger he became, the stronger every attack would become.

Infinite growth. Infinite potential. Most importantly... True damage ignored defenses.

Ignored armor. Ignored resistance. Ignored everything.

The Frost Tyrant. The Demon Emperor. The Celestial Dragon.

Every future boss that once terrified humanity flashed through Ethan's mind.

This talent could kill them all. A chill ran down his spine.

A new notification suddenly appeared.

[Hidden World Event Triggered.Ancient Eastern Dynasty detected.]

[Conditions satisfied.Secret Quest Chain Unlocked.]

Ethan's smile slowly disappeared. His eyes narrowed.

Secret quest? Already?

Even in his previous life, he had never heard of this.

The screen flickered. Then a single line appeared.

Blood-red letters filled his vision.

[The last heir is waiting. Will you answer the call?]

At that exact moment, a distant bell sounded across the world.

Dong. Dong. Dong.

Every player froze, while confusion spread everywhere.

But Ethan felt something entirely different. For some reason, his instincts screamed at him.

Then another message appeared.

[Warning. Quest difficulty unknown.]

[Chance of death: Extremely High.] Ethan looked toward the distant horizon.

A black mountain had appeared. It wasn't there moments ago, yet now it towered above the clouds.

A slow grin spread across his face, Interesting, then he took his first step forward.