Rai stepped out of the dense forsest near the village, his steps slow and steady as his mind remained fixated on today's events. Just like yesterday, today, after waking up Rai had logged in to the game and began exp farming. Now it was afternoon and he was gonna log out soon as he had yet to eat lunch, To log out he needed to be in a safe zone like the village, hence he was returning from his successful hunt.
LVL:
Previous: Lvl 4- 54%
Current: Lvl 5- 84%
This hunt had also been quite successful and now he was about to reach level 6,"Not bad my current levelling speed is quite satisfactory. Just 3 or 4 days and I will be level 15." Rai muttered under his breath, as he passed through the last past of the forest.
Rai understand just how massive the power gap could become in this world and cause of that he needed to level up as soon as possible to successfully begin most of his plans, and also for the major plot to begin.
"Now very soon major events will start happening and there is also that empire that wil get destroyed in 2 or 3 months, I never really understood how such a large empire who was part of the major factions of this world got destroyed overnight." Rai questioned himself. It was the only logical that he wanted explanation. After all, The empire of Drekar was supposed to be one of the major and more powerful powers of this world, part of a major plot in the much later part of the game. But it didn't even exist in his old timeline anymore.
As he exited the forest and approached the outer gates of Elorin's Rest, he hunted a few more beasts, his body moving automatically while his thoughts wandered. The experience points pushed him to the very end of level 5, now he could confidently say he was one of the foremost players in the game.
Only the real monsters were above him now. But Rai didn't plan on staying behind for long.
Just as he stepped through the village gates, a group of players caught his attention. They were walking in unison, geared with above-average equipment, which meant they were most probably part of some guild, and were moving with the confidence of seasoned fighters. Rai narrowed his eyes as looked towards them.
"I know them," he whispered to himself.
They hadn't formed an official guild yet, but the future core members were all present. In the future, they would become the infamous guild known as Berserk, and their leader—Lucien Valehart—would be feared and despised alike.
Right now, though, Lucien was still just a top-tier solo player, backed by real-world money and privilege, but in the future he would become one of the few players who would own a unique middle tier legacy class, and not just any, the beserker class.
Berserkers are said to be descendants of ancient warriors who once drank the blood of fallen war gods. As a result, their rage fuels their strength, turning pain into power and battle into ecstasy. In ancient times, entire armies feared a single berserker entering a trance on the battlefield.
He became infamous for using the Blood Frenzy state, unique to his class, to solo bosses and ambush players. Combined with political power and real-world wealth, Lucien's Berserk guild became feared.
His cruelty and aggression suited the class. In many wars, his name alone made opponents surrender.
The class and its legacy played a huge role in his betrayal of humanity—Lucien sold out factions in exchange for forbidden techniques that boosted his Berserker path beyond normal limits.
Even in real life he was the only son of a corporate investor with ties to mega-conglomerates, Lucien was already considered a golden boy in the real world.
But for Rai, Lucien was more than just a name. He was the man Rai once called a friend.
Flashback: Before the Fall of the Humaanity
Lucien sat reclined, armored boots kept on a broken chair casually polishing the hilt of his obsidian-forged axe. His golden-blonde hair, a mess of blood and soot, barely concealed the glint in his eyes.
"You've seen the signs, Lucien," Rai said quietly. "The Gods are manipulating everything. The dungeons, the system updates, even the wars, they have found a way to descend into our world too. We were just pawns in their schemes. But I have found a way to stop it."
Lucien looked up, eyebrows raised with mock interest and then he said,"You mean that whole 'Path of the Forsaken' conspiracy you uncovered? Come on, Rai. You always overthink these things."
Rai's fists clenched at his sides. "This isn't theory. They have planned many schemes. Billions of lives, are at risk here, both in our world and the world of Eiodolon Realms, can get wiped clean. Our memories, our progress, even the people we've not lost yet—gone. You remember the moment we found out about the truth of this world, no one wanted to believe that too, but it was the truth. Wasn't it?"
He paused, then stepped forward. "But there's a way to stop it. We can block the Ascension Protocol from completing—"
Lucien chuckled.
The sound was dry. Hollow. Almost… bored.
"Rai," he said, standing and dusting himself off, "do you think I've come this far just to oppose the gods?"
Rai froze. "What are you saying?"
Lucien reached into his cloak and tossed something onto the table. A black token with crimson glyphs pulsing across its surface.
Rai's breath hitched. "A Divine Emissary's Sigil... You took their offer."
Lucien gave him a look—part pity, part superiority and just a bit of sadness. "They offered me a seat in the new world, Rai. Wealth, power, and eternal influence. You? You wanted to fight fate. Noble. Admirable. But… stupid."
"You betrayed us all," Rai whispered. "You betrayed me."
Lucien exhaled and looked a bit hurt at this, "It's not personal, Rai. It's just business. The world's ending anyway. I just… made a profitable deal."
Lucien gave a hollow smile. "You said we were brothers, Lucien!" Rai shouted, slamming the table. "We bled together! I pulled you out of the Hallowborn crypts, I saved your sister during the siege of Drakar's Gate! You were—"
"A stepping stone," Lucien cut in coldly. "Don't get emotional."
The tent fell silent. Outside, distant thunder rumbled across the shattered horizon.
Rai stared at the man before him—no longer his friend, but a stranger wearing a familiar face.
[Note: Lucien does feel a bit regretful at his own actions and his betrayal to Rai, but Rai is unable to see it cause of the actions. From Rai's POV Lucien is gloating and is really happy. This will have a significant role in the story much much ahead. Don't worry, if you keep on reading till then, I will remind you through that chapter again, if I feel it is needed.]
Lucien turned away, heading toward the exit. But just before stepping out, he looked over his shoulder, eyes gleaming with satisfaction and just a bit of regret.
"Oh, and Rai? Don't try to stop me. You've always been a thinker. But in the new world, only winners get to write the story. The next time we meet we will be enemies, so be ready."
And then he was gone.
Older Flashback: The Bond That Once Was
In the early days of the beta, Rai and Lucien had been nearly inseparable. Two gifted players who respected each other's game sense and instinct.
"I'll take the frontlines. You play the shadows," Lucien had said during their first boss raid.
Rai chuckled. "Always want to hog the glory, huh?"
Lucien laughed. "And you always end up cleaning up my mess. Guess we make a good team."
And they indeed did make a good team. Together, they had cleared dungeons, discovered secrets, and even broke early records.
But the game changed. And so did Lucien.
Present
Rai snapped back to the present, eyes locking onto Lucien as he laughed with his teammates. 'They have no idea who I've become'.
The glint in Rai's eyes turned cold.
They hadn't yet acquired the Berserker class or formed the guild Berserk. But Rai knew their future. Lucien would gain the middle-tier legacy Berserker class. He would turn his guild into a vicious force feared across the game—and later, a harbinger of ruin in real life.
'Not this time', Rai thought.
He couldn't attack them outright—not yet. Lucien had real-world power. Even if this was just a game, getting on Lucien's radar could mean financial ruin for Rai's family.
But that didn't mean he couldn't sabotage him from the shadows.
Carefully, Rai followed them, trailing just far enough to stay undetected. The group traveled to a nearby hunting zone—a dungeon cave that had yet to be cleared.
"Typical Lucien," Rai muttered. "Picking the most lucrative spot early on."
He waited. Patiently. Like a predator, hiding in the dark.
He watched as Lucien's team fought valiantly. They worked well together—Lucien tanking the hits while the others dished out damage and healed. After almost thirty minutes, they wore the dungeon boss down to a sliver of health.
That's when Rai struck.
From the darkness, he activated Void Step, blinking behind the rearmost player and plunging his dagger deep into their back. Before the others could even react, Rai used his dagger, tp create a spinning multi-strike, cutting two more down.
Lucien turned, rage twisting his face. "Who—?!"
But Rai was already gone, using Shadow Rend—an ability typically meant for attacking multiple enemies in a burst of shadows. Rai modified its usage, wrapping the shadows around his body, masking his appearance.
In moments, the entire group was dead.
A game notification popped up on each of their screens:
You have been killed by player: The Fallen Shade
Lucien stared at the message, seething. "The Fallen Shade…?"
He quickly messaged the rest of his contacts.
Lucien: Did anyone else get killed by this guy?
One by one, the responses from his teammates came.
"Yeah. Same guy."
"Didn't even see his face."
"He one-shotted me."
Lucien's grip on his console tightened. "Why would The Fallen Shade even target me?"
That name was spreading quickly. Rai—now known as The Fallen Shade—had already made two World Announcements, putting him on every guild's radar. His sudden attack on him, wasn't exactly something to be celebrated.
Lucien logged out for now. "Whoever you are, this isn't over."
But Rai, hidden on a distant cliffside, didn't care about these threats.
He had started to rewrite his past. Now it was time to ruin Lucien's future too.