Reborn As The Immortal Ice Tyrant

The Mark of the Forgotten Archer

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

Adrian's sword remained against Ethan's throat.

Ethan did not move, His eyes stayed fixed on Adrian.

There was no doubt in his mind. This man should have been dead.

In his previous life, Adrian Vale had died during the destruction of the Eastern Dynasty ruins. Ethan remembered seeing his name among the thousands of players who disappeared during that disaster.

Yet Adrian was standing in front of him.And he knew about Ethan's rebirth.

That was more dangerous than the sword against his throat.

"How do you know about my second chance?" Ethan asked.

Adrian smiled.

"You are asking the wrong question."

His sword moved slightly closer.

"The right question is why you were given one."

Ethan's expression hardened.

"Answer me." Adrian suddenly attacked.

Ethan moved backward.

The sword passed through the space where his neck had been.

Ethan rolled across the floor and quickly stood.

His body was still weak, and his  breathing was heavy.

The previous trial had already drained most of his strength.

He looked at the final Ancient Shadow.

Its appearance had completely changed.

It was no longer wearing armor.

It now looked like Adrian.

But Ethan knew it was not the real Adrian.

The real Adrian was somewhere else.

Or perhaps the person standing before him was something that had borrowed Adrian's appearance.

Ethan could not tell.

The system had given him only one instruction.

Defeat the final opponent.

The Ancient Shadow rushed forward.

Ethan raised the Moonfall Bow.

He tried to pull the string.

His fingers trembled.

His strength was almost gone.

The Ancient Shadow appeared in front of him.

Ethan jumped aside, The sword struck the ground.

Stone exploded. Ethan rolled away.

He reached for another Moonlight Arrow.

Nothing appeared, He frowned.

The arrows were limited. Only ten had appeared.

He had already used several, If he wasted the remaining arrows, he would fail.

The Ancient Shadow attacked again.

Ethan blocked with the bow.

Crack! The force threw him backward.

His back struck a stone pillar, Pain spread through his body.

The system displayed his condition.

[Current HP: 382.]

Ethan's face became serious.

He had less than half of his health remaining.

The Ancient Shadow walked toward him.

Seraphina watched silently.

"Ethan."

He looked at her.

"Your strength is not enough."

"I know."

"Then stop trying to fight it with strength."

Ethan frowned.

"What do you mean?"

"Think like an archer."

Ethan looked at the creature.

Then at the room.

The shrine was circular.

Four stone pillars stood around the center.

Ancient symbols covered the walls.

The Ancient Shadow was fast.

But it always attacked directly.Ethan remembered something important.

An archer did not need to overpower an enemy.

An archer needed distance, Position.Timing.

He slowly smiled.

"I understand." The Ancient Shadow charged.

Ethan did not retreat. Instead, he ran toward it.

The creature raised its sword.

At the last moment, Ethan slid under  the attack.

He rolled behind it, The creature turned.

Ethan fired. Whoosh! The arrow struck its back.

[Critical hit.]

[Ancient Shadow HP: 61 percent.]

The creature roared. Ethan immediately ran.

He moved around the stone pillars.

The creature followed him.

Every time it tried to attack, Ethan changed direction.

He was not fighting it directly.

He was controlling where it moved.

After several seconds, the creature became trapped between two pillars.

Ethan stopped. He pulled the Moonfall Bow.

A silver arrow appeared.

He released it. Boom!

The arrow struck the creature's chest.

[Ancient Shadow HP: 43 percent.]

The creature broke one of the pillars.

Stone fell everywhere. Ethan moved again.

His body became heavier.

His vision blurred, But he continued.

The Ancient Shadow suddenly disappeared.

Ethan's eyes narrowed, He turned.

Nothing.A cold feeling entered his chest.

He remembered the ability. Shadow Step.

He looked at the floor. A shadow moved under him.

Ethan jumped.The sword came out of the darkness.

It missed his leg by inches.

Ethan landed and fired.

The arrow struck the creature's arm.

[Ancient Shadow HP: 28 percent.]

The creature screamed, Then it became faster.

Ethan's heart tightened. This was the final stage.

The Ancient Shadow rushed toward him.

Ethan fired another arrow. The creature avoided it.

The arrow struck the wall. Ethan had only one arrow remaining.

He could not miss. The creature raised its sword.

Ethan waited. One second. Two seconds. Three.

The blade came down.Ethan moved.

The sword struck the ground. Ethan stepped behind the creature.

He raised the Moonfall Bow. The creature turned.

Ethan released the final arrow. The silver arrow flew through the air.

For a moment, everything seemed to slow down.

The arrow struck the Ancient Shadow directly in the forehead.

Silence. Then a crack appeared across the creature's body.

Black light escaped from the cracks. The Ancient Shadow exploded.

[Final Ancient Shadow defeated.]

[Trial completed.]

[Moonfall Archer Class has been unlocked.]

Ethan dropped to one knee.

He was exhausted.

His entire body hurt. But he was alive.

A golden light surrounded him. The Moonfall Bow floated before him.

[Do you accept the inheritance of the Forgotten Archer?]

Ethan looked at the weapon.

Then at Seraphina.She nodded.

"Accept it."

Ethan reached out.

"I accept." The bow disappeared into his body.

A wave of power passed through him.

His blood became hot.

The ancient symbol on his chest began glowing.

Then the system announced the result.

[Class Change successful.]

[You have become a Moonfall Archer.]

[Class Level: Beginner.]

[Class Skill unlocked.]

[Moonlight Shot.]

[Class Passive unlocked.]

[Marksman's Focus.]

Ethan opened his status. His previous class had disappeared.

Moonfall Archer. The name alone carried a strange feeling.

But there was another notification.

[Class inheritance detected.]

[Ancient Eastern Dynasty connection strengthened.]

[Bloodline awakening progress: 3 percent.]

Ethan stared at the message. Only 3 percent.

Yet even that small increase made his body feel different.

His senses had become sharper.

He could hear the movement of air around him.

He could see tiny cracks in the stone walls.

He could even feel the remaining energy inside the shrine.

Seraphina looked at him.

"You have received the first part."

"The first part of what?"

"The power that once belonged to the God Slayer."

Ethan's eyes narrowed.

"God Slayer?" Seraphina nodded.

"The greatest marksman of the Eastern Dynasty."

She walked toward the ancient wall.

"Long before this world became a game, the Eastern Dynasty ruled lands that stretched farther than any player has ever traveled."

"They possessed weapons capable of killing creatures that ordinary humans considered gods."

Ethan listened carefully.

"One archer stood above all of them." Seraphina touched a painting on the wall.

It showed a warrior holding a black bow.

His armor was covered with silver markings.

"His name was never written in history."

"Why?"

"Because the Shadow Order erased him."

Ethan stared at the painting.

"Why would they erase him?"

"Because he discovered the truth."

"What truth?"

Seraphina turned toward him.

"World of Legends was never created as a game."

Ethan's eyes widened.

The words struck him hard.

He already knew the game would eventually affect reality.

But this was different. Seraphina continued.

"The system did not create this world."

"It inherited it." Ethan remained silent.

The game he remembered had always been described as a revolutionary virtual world.

A masterpiece created by technology.

But if Seraphina was telling the truth, the developers had not created everything.

They had discovered something. Then built the game around it.

Ethan suddenly remembered the strange events from his first life.

The monsters, ancient ruins, The unexplained system messages.

The world events that appeared without warning.

It all made more sense.

"Then why are players here?" Seraphina's expression became serious.

"Because the system needs them."

"For what?" She did not answer.

Instead, she looked toward the ceiling.

"We do not have much time."

Ethan frowned.

"Why?"

"The Shadow Order will soon know that the inheritance has been awakened."

A notification appeared.

[World Event triggered.]

[Unknown player has awakened an Ancient Class.]

[Ancient records are being updated.]

[Several hidden factions have received the announcement.]

Ethan's face became serious.

"So they know."

"Yes."

"Then we leave." Seraphina shook her head.

"You cannot leave through the entrance."

Ethan looked toward the door.

"Why?"

"Because the Shadow Order has surrounded the shrine."

Ethan's expression changed. He immediately turned.

He could hear footsteps. Many footsteps.

They were approaching from above.

Clara. Ryan. Lucas. They were still outside.

Ethan's heart tightened.

"Are my friends safe?" Seraphina did not answer immediately.

That silence was enough. Ethan rushed toward the exit.

"Ethan!"

He stopped. Seraphina pointed toward the wall.

"There is another path." A section of the wall opened.

A narrow tunnel appeared.

"It will take you beyond the village."

Ethan looked at the tunnel.Then back toward the entrance.

"What about Clara and the others?" They must choose their own path."

Ethan clenched his fists. He hated leaving them.

But he knew the Shadow Order was coming because of him.

If he stayed, they would all be trapped.

"Can you help them?" Seraphina nodded.

"I can delay the enemy."

Ethan looked at her.

"Why are you helping me?"

Seraphina smiled.

"Because I have been waiting for someone like you for a very long time."

Ethan stepped into the tunnel.

Before leaving, he looked back.

"Seraphina."

"Yes?"

"If I come back, will you tell me everything?"

Her smile disappeared.

"If you survive long enough." Ethan turned and ran.

The tunnel was dark. He moved quickly.

His new senses helped him navigate the narrow path.

After several minutes, he heard an explosion behind him.

Boom! The shrine shook. Ethan stopped. He wanted to return.

But another notification appeared.

[Emergency Quest.]

[Quest Name: Hunt of the Forgotten.]

[Objective: Reach the Silent Forest.]

[Time Limit: 30 minutes.]

[Reward: Unknown.]

[Failure: Your location will be permanently revealed to all hostile factions.]

Ethan continued running, He had no choice.

The tunnel eventually opened.

Ethan stepped outside. A massive forest stretched before him.

Unlike the beginner plains, this place was dark.

The trees were enormous, Their branches blocked most of the sunlight.

A cold wind moved through the leaves.

Ethan checked his status.

His health was still low, His strength had improved slightly.

But he was far from strong.The Moonfall Archer class had given him abilities, not instant power.

He needed time,levels and most importantly, he needed enemies.

His talent required attacks.His class required practice.

His future required strength. Ethan walked into the Silent Forest.

After several minutes, he heard movement.

A creature jumped from a tree.

Ethan raised his hand, Moonlight Shot.

A silver arrow formed, He released it.The arrow struck the creature.

[Normal attack detected.] [Maximum HP increased.]

[True damage activated.] [True damage dealt: 15.]

Ethan smiled. The creature attacked again.

Ethan fired. Another increase. Then another.

His health began climbing slowly. He continued moving deeper into the forest.

He fought one creature, Then another

Then five. Every attack increased his maximum health.

The numbers were small. But Ethan knew what they meant.

If he kept fighting for days.

Weeks. Months. Years. The numbers would become terrifying.

One day, someone would look at his health and think it was impossible, defenses would become meaningless against him.

Even the strongest players would realize that the archer they had ignored had become a monster.

He reached a clearing, A group of players stood ahead.

At least twenty. Their armor carried the symbol of a large guild.

Ethan immediately recognized their banner.

The Black Crown Guild. He had never encountered them this early in his previous life.

A tall woman stepped forward. She had silver hair and carried a staff.

"My name is Evelyn Hart." She looked at Ethan.

"Are you Ethan Blackwood?"

Ethan's hand moved toward his bow.

"Who wants to know?" Evelyn smiled.

"We do."

"Why?" Her expression became serious.

"Because someone placed a bounty on you."

Ethan's eyes narrowed.

"Who?" Evelyn looked toward the dark forest behind him.

Before she could answer, a system message appeared.

[Warning.] [Multiple hostile players detected.]

[Your location has been exposed.]

Ethan slowly turned. More players appeared between the trees.

Dozens. Then more. He counted them.

Nearly fifty. A man walked through the crowd.

He wore expensive black armor. Ethan recognized him immediately.

Victor Kane. Darius Kane's older brother.

The future leader of one of the strongest guilds in World of Legends.

Victor smiled politely.

"Ethan Blackwood." Ethan raised the Moonfall Bow.

Victor stopped several meters away.

"I believe you have something that belongs to my family."

Ethan's eyes became cold.

"I don't have anything that belongs to you."

Victor smiled.

"Perhaps."

His gaze moved toward the ancient bow.

"But we can discuss that after you hand it over."

Ethan slowly pulled the string.

A silver arrow appeared.

Victor's smile disappeared.

"Kill him."

The players charged.Ethan released the arrow.

Boom!

The first enemy fell. A notification appeared.

[Maximum HP increased.]

Ethan stepped backward, His eyes became calm.

There were too many enemies.

He was still weak, But his talent had one terrifying advantage.

Every attack made him stronger. Ethan smiled.

"Come."