The final boss loomed over me, an amalgamation of corrupted code and ancient magic. Its hulking frame shimmered with glitching runes, and its eyes pulsed like dying stars. I stood before it, alone—no potions, no party, no hope.
I didn't even raise my sword.
This was how it ended. Not with glory, but with regret.
Ten years. That's how long I had played Ascension. Ten years of chasing power, fumbling through mechanics, failing to protect those I cared about. I wasn't some legendary hero or high-ranked player. Just another mediocre soul outpaced by smarter, stronger, luckier people.
The sky above cracked, revealing a gaping void.
[You are dead.][Game Over.]
I expected the usual black screen. Silence. Maybe a depressing fanfare.
Instead, a new window blinked into existence, edged in gold.
[You have obtained: The Fragment of Origin (Unique)][Would you like to activate its power? Y/N][Effect: Rewind the world to the beginning of Ascension. Warning: All progress will be lost.]
My heart stopped. I had never seen this before. Nobody had.
This item… it could send me back?
I clicked Y.
And the world shattered into light.
I gasped for air, suddenly back in my dorm room—bare walls, a flickering ceiling light, and my old beat-up VR pod humming in the corner.
For a moment, I thought I was dreaming.
Then I saw the date on my terminal.
March 1st, 2029.
The launch day of Ascension.
I staggered to my feet, checking everything—my phone, the time, even the news feed. It was real. I was here. I was back.
Ten years of memories surged in my mind. Every exploit, every secret dungeon, every hidden mechanic and broken build.
This time, I wouldn't waste it.
This time, I would rise.
I slid into the pod and initiated full dive.
NEURAL LINK ESTABLISHED.WELCOME TO ASCENSION.PLEASE SELECT A CLASS.
Dozens of options filled my vision—Warrior, Mage, Assassin, Paladin...
I ignored them all.
Instead, I tapped open the developer-tagged section marked "Unbalanced / Under Construction." At the very bottom, nestled between glitchy red warnings, was my choice:
[Class: Spellforged Scribe]Support-focused. Low damage. High potential. Risk of user dissatisfaction: 98.4%.
In my old life, this class was a meme. Nobody touched it.
But I had found what it could become.
Confirm class?Yes.
The world spun around me. Rolling hills. NPCs walking and talking like real people. Everything felt so much more vibrant the second time around.
I walked straight past the starter town and ducked behind the blacksmith's shop. Buried in a pile of junk was a tiny rusted trinket.
[Item Acquired: Forgotten Heirloom (Quest Item)]You feel an odd warmth from the amulet. It hums with something… ancient.
The start of a quest line no one ever found. One that would eventually give me the ability to rewrite magic itself.
[Quest Started: Dust to Divinity]
Let the others chase goblins and XP.
I had ten years of future knowledge.
And a new life to rewrite.
[SYSTEM NOTICE: Anomaly Detected – Monitoring Initiated.]
...Looks like I wouldn't go unnoticed for long.