Reborn As The Immortal Ice Tyrant

The Hidden Quest

"No normal player can do this." Darius stared at Ethan with a strange expression.

For the first time, there was uncertainty in his eyes.

Ethan remained silent. He could feel the changes inside his body, but he also understood something important.

He was still weak. His talent was powerful, but his level was still low. His body had only started adapting to the power he had received from Shadow Mountain.

If he made one wrong move, he could still die.

Ethan looked at Darius carefully.

He knew this man.

In his previous life, Darius had become one of the most dangerous players in World of Legends.

He had built a powerful guild, gathered hundreds of strong players, and eventually controlled several territories.

But Ethan also remembered something else.

Darius never fought a battle he could not win.

If he realized his opponent was becoming too dangerous, he would retreat and return later with enough strength to destroy them.

That was exactly what Ethan expected.

Darius suddenly laughed.

"You are hiding something." Ethan's eyes narrowed.

"So are you."

Darius smiled.

"You are smarter than you look."

He slowly raised his sword. Ethan prepared himself.

But Darius did not attack. Instead, he stepped backward.

Ethan immediately understood. He was escaping.

"Stop him!" Clara shouted.

Lucas threw one of his daggers. The dagger flew toward Darius.

Darius turned his body slightly.

The dagger passed beside his face.

He caught it with one hand.

Then he looked at Lucas.

"Not bad."

He threw the dagger back. Lucas barely moved his head in time.

The dagger struck the wall behind him.

Darius suddenly released a dark cloud from his body.

The cloud spread across the village.

Ethan coughed. His vision became blurry.

"Don't breathe it!"

He covered his mouth. Clara pulled Ryan backward.

Lucas stepped away from the cloud.

But Darius was already gone. Ethan rushed forward.

He reached the edge of the village.

Nothing. Darius had disappeared.

Ethan clenched his fists. He knew he could not chase him.

Not now. His body still felt weak.

The energy that had entered him had saved his life, but it had also left his body exhausted.

He looked at his status.

Name: Ethan Blackwood

Level: 1

Class: Beginner Archer

HP: 1,410

Strength: 11 Agility: 13

Defense: 9 Mana: 10

Talent: Eternal Vitality

Ethan frowned.

His maximum HP had increased, but his other attributes were still terrible.

His talent could make him stronger over time.

But right now, he was still a beginner.

If Darius returned with a stronger attack, Ethan might not survive.

A notification appeared.

[Hidden Quest Updated.]

[Quest Name: The First Trial]

[Objective: Leave the Ruined Village before sunset.]

[Additional Objective: Find the Forgotten Shrine.]

[Reward: Unknown.]

[Failure: Death.]

Ethan stared at the message. The Forgotten Shrine?

He had never heard of it.

That made him suspicious.

In his previous life, the ruined village had been an ordinary beginner area.

There had been no shrine.

No hidden quest,No black mountain.

Nothing. His rebirth had already changed the world.

Or perhaps someone had changed it before he returned.

Ethan looked toward Shadow Mountain.

The mountain was still visible in the distance.

Dark clouds covered its peak.

He had a strange feeling that every strange event was connected.

"Ethan." Clara's voice pulled him back.

He turned. Clara stood beside Ryan.

Lucas was checking his injured arm. Ryan looked much weaker than before.

"We should leave this place," Clara said.

Ethan nodded.

"Yes."

They started walking.  The village had become strangely quiet.

The bodies of the dead players were scattered across the ground.

The black creatures had disappeared.

Even the wind had stopped.

Ethan looked around carefully.

Something was wrong. He remembered the quest.

Leave the village before sunset. But there was another objective.

Find the Forgotten Shrine. He could not ignore it.

"Wait."

Everyone stopped. Clara looked at him.

"What is it?"

"We need to find something first."

Ryan frowned.

"Find what?"

"A shrine."

Lucas looked around.

"There is nothing here." Ethan shook his head.

"It is hidden." They began searching.

Ten minutes passed.

Nothing. Twenty minutes.

Still nothing. Ryan eventually sat on a broken stone.

"Are you sure this place has a shrine?"

Ethan looked at the ground.

"Yes."

"How?"

Ethan paused.

He could not tell them that he remembered information from another timeline.

Instead, he said, "I saw a symbol near the mountain."

Lucas studied him.

"You are hiding something."

Ethan looked at him.

"So are you." Lucas smiled slightly.

"Fair enough."

Suddenly, Clara shouted.

"Over here!"

They rushed toward her.

She was standing beside a broken well.

A strange symbol was carved into the stone.

Ethan's eyes widened.

It was the same symbol that had appeared on his chest.

He touched it.

The moment his fingers made contact with the stone, the ground shook.

The well opened.

A staircase appeared under it.

Ryan stepped backward.

"That wasn't there before." Ethan stared into the darkness.

A system message appeared.

[Hidden Path Discovered.]

[The Forgotten Shrine has been located.]

[Only the chosen heir may enter.]

Clara looked at Ethan.

"Only you."

Ethan nodded.

"I have to go."

Ryan immediately stood.

"We're coming with you."

Ethan shook his head.

"No."

Lucas frowned.

"Why?"

"Because the system specifically said only the chosen heir may enter."

Clara looked worried.

"What if something happens to you?"

Ethan gave her a small smile.

"Then wait here."

He stepped toward the stairs.

"Ethan."

He stopped.

Clara looked at him.

"Come back."

Ethan nodded.

"I will."

Then he entered the darkness. The staircase was narrow.

Cold air touched his skin.

Every step took him deeper underground.

After several minutes, Ethan reached the bottom.

A large stone door stood before him.

There were words carved into it.

The blood of the heir opens the way.

Ethan stared at the sentence.

He slowly placed his hand against the door.

Nothing happened.

He frowned. Then he understood. He took out a small knife.

He cut his palm, Blood dripped onto the stone.

The door immediately opened.

Boom! A wave of ancient energy rushed toward him.

Ethan raised his arm. The energy passed through his body.

A system message appeared.

[Bloodline detected.]

Ethan froze. Bloodline?

He had never awakened a bloodline in his previous life.

Another message appeared.

[Ancient Eastern Bloodline detected.]

[Incomplete.]

[Current awakening progress: 1 percent.]

Ethan's breathing became heavy.

So the ancient Eastern Dynasty was connected to him.

But why? Before he could think further, the room lit up.

A woman stood in the center.

She appeared to be around twenty five years old.

She wore dark blue robes decorated with silver patterns.

Her long black hair fell over her shoulders.

She held a strange golden staff. But she was not alive.

Her body was transparent.

A spirit.

Ethan stopped. The woman looked at him.

"You finally came."

Ethan's eyes narrowed.

"Who are you?"

"My name is Seraphina."

She looked at him carefully.

"I was once a guardian of the Eastern Dynasty."

Ethan remained cautious.

"Why did you call me here?"

Seraphina smiled sadly.

"Because you carry the blood of the person we have been waiting for."

Ethan's heart tightened.

"The ancient heir?"

She nodded.

"But you are not the heir."

Ethan froze.

"What?"

Seraphina stepped closer.

"You are the vessel."

Ethan stared at her. A cold feeling spread through his body.

"What does that mean?"

Before she could answer, the shrine shook violently.

Boom! Dust fell from the ceiling.

Seraphina's expression changed.

"They found you."

"Who?"

"The Shadow Order." Ethan's face became serious.

He remembered the organization from his previous life.

The Shadow Order had always operated in secret.

Nobody knew who their leader was.

Nobody knew how many members they had.

But they had killed countless players who discovered secrets connected to the ancient world.

Seraphina pointed toward a stone chest.

"Take what is inside."

Ethan walked toward it.

He opened the chest.

Inside was a black bow.

The weapon looked old.Its surface was covered with silver lines.

Ethan picked it up.

The moment he touched it, a notification appeared.

[Ancient Weapon discovered.]

[Name: Moonfall Bow.]

[Rank: Unknown.]

[Restriction: Ancient Bloodline required.]

[Requirement satisfied.]

Ethan's eyes widened.

The bow entered his hands. He immediately felt connected to it.

Another message appeared.

[Hidden Class condition discovered.]

[You may become the successor of the Moonfall Archer.]

Ethan stared at the message.

His heart beat faster.

This was something he had never seen in his previous life.

But then Seraphina spoke.

"Do not accept it yet."

Ethan looked at her.

"Why?"

"Because if you accept the class, they will find you faster."

"Who are they?"

"The people who destroyed the Eastern Dynasty."

A loud explosion came from above.

The shrine shook again.

Seraphina's expression became serious.

"They are already here." Ethan grabbed the bow.

"How many?"

"Enough to kill you." Ethan looked at the entrance.

His body was still weak.

His current level was only one.

He could not fight an entire organization.

Seraphina raised her hand.

"There is another way."

"What way?"

"The trial."

A golden circle appeared under  Ethan's feet.

[Trial of the Forgotten Archer.]

[Objective: Defeat ten Ancient Shadows.]

[Time Limit: Ten Minutes.]

[Reward: Moonfall Archer Class.]

[Failure: Death.]

Ethan looked at the message.

Ten minutes, Ten enemies. A hidden class.

This was exactly what he needed.

But Seraphina added one more sentence.

"If you fail, your bloodline will be sealed forever."

Ethan's expression hardened.

He raised the Moonfall Bow.

"I won't fail."

The shrine doors suddenly exploded.

Boom! Black armored warriors rushed inside.

Their faces were hidden. Their weapons were covered in dark energy.

The first warrior attacked.

Ethan jumped backward. The blade missed his chest.

He drew the Moonfall Bow, But there were no arrows.

He frowned. A notification appeared.

[Moonfall Bow requires Moonlight Arrows.]

Ethan cursed silently. The warrior attacked again.

Ethan rolled across the floor. The blade struck the stone.

He looked around quickly. Then he noticed something.

Ten silver arrows were floating above the shrine.

One appeared in front of him.

He grabbed it.

[Moonlight Arrow acquired.] Ethan immediately fired.

Whoosh! The arrow struck the warrior's chest.

Boom! The warrior was thrown backward.

[Ancient Shadow HP: 85 percent.]

Ethan's eyes narrowed. One arrow had only taken fifteen percent.

These enemies were much stronger than him.

The second warrior rushed forward.

Ethan fired again. The arrow struck his shoulder.

The warrior continued moving.

Ethan rolled away.His body felt heavy.

His energy was dropping quickly.He could not keep fighting like this.

Then he remembered his talent.

Every normal attack increased his maximum HP.

He needed to attack. Again. And again.

Ethan grabbed another arrow. He fired.

Hit. Another. Hit. The Ancient Shadows surrounded him.

Their attacks became faster. One blade cut his arm.

Another struck his ribs. Blood appeared.Ethan staggered.

His health dropped sharply.

But his maximum HP increased with every attack.

The longer the battle continued, the stronger he became.

He fired again.

The arrow struck an Ancient Shadow directly in the eye.

The creature exploded.

[Ancient Shadow defeated.]

[Maximum HP increased.]

Ethan breathed heavily. Nine remained.

The remaining warriors attacked together.

Ethan's eyes became cold, He moved between them.

One arrow. Two. Three.

Each shot landed, the attack increased his health.

But the enemies were becoming faster.

His legs became weak, His vision blurred.

He had pushed his body too far. One Ancient Shadow appeared behind him.

Ethan turned, Too late. The blade came toward his neck.

A golden light suddenly flashed. Seraphina blocked the attack.

"Stand up!"

Ethan fell to one knee.

"I can't."

"You can."

Seraphina's voice became louder.

"You were given a second chance for a reason."

Ethan clenched his fists.

His previous life flashed through his mind.

The disaster, His death. The people he failed to save.He slowly stood.

"No." His eyes became sharp.

"I won't die here."

He raised the Moonfall Bow.

"I haven't changed the future yet."

He pulled the string. A silver arrow appeared.

Ethan aimed at the nearest Ancient Shadow.

Then he released it.

Boom! The arrow pierced the creature.

It exploded.

[Ancient Shadow defeated.]

[Trial Progress: 9/10.]

Only one remained. Ethan breathed heavily.

The final Ancient Shadow stepped forward.

Unlike the others, it removed its helmet.

A familiar face appeared. Ethan froze.

He knew that face.

It belonged to someone who should not have been inside the shrine.

Someone who had been dead for ten years in his previous life.

The man smiled.

"Ethan."

Ethan's fingers tightened around the bow.

"That's impossible."

The man laughed.

"You remember me."

Seraphina suddenly became pale.

"No."

She stepped backward.

"That person should have died."

The man raised his sword.

"My name is Adrian Vale."

His eyes turned completely black.

"And I know why you were reborn."

Ethan's heart stopped.

Before he could ask another question, Adrian disappeared.

The next moment, his sword was already at Ethan's throat.

And behind Adrian, the shrine doors slowly closed.

The system displayed one final message.

[Final Trial Opponent has entered.]

[Warning.]

[This opponent possesses knowledge of your previous life.]

Ethan stared at Adrian. Adrian smiled.

"Let's see if your second chance is really worth anything."