A shriek of static tore through the world, followed by a rising tide of voices. Sunlight, sharp as a needle, stabbed at Calder’s eyelids. He forced them open, his vision swimming back into focus.
A girl with striking features and a face painted for war stood over him, her voice a whip of impatience. “Calder, how many times do I have to say it? I don’t like you. It’s never going to happen. Can you just stop hounding me? I’m so tired of this.”
A daze clouded his face. A single question escaped his lips. “Who are you?”
The girl’s brow furrowed in annoyance. “Really, Calder? This act is just pathetic.”
Snickers erupted from the onlookers.
“Fcking hell, Calder’s a real piece of work. Gets rejected and immediately fakes amnesia?”
“Maybe it’s not an act. He’s always looked like a stiff breeze could knock him over. Maybe he’s got some kind of brain disease?”
“You mean like brain damage? Hahaha!”
The chorus of mockery washed over him. Calder’s gaze flickered back to the girl in front of him, her heavy makeup suddenly familiar. Lana Marsh. The academy’s reigning queen.
Then, the memories came—not as a gentle stream, but as a tidal wave, crashing down from the dark, forgotten corners of his mind.
I… I was reborn?
A hundred years in the past.
His hand fumbled for his phone. The screen blazed with the date: December 21st, 2030.
Calder’s pupils constricted to pinpricks. The arrival of The Eternal Dominion…
It was today.
The day history would remember as “The Eternal Convergence.”
From this moment on, Time itself would become the ultimate currency, and humanity would be plunged into a dark age. Azura was about to be absorbed into the vast, brutal cosmic map of The Eternal Dominion, forced to join countless other civilizations in a war for survival—a war for Time.
It was an unfair war. Long before Azura’s entry, the apex civilizations had already reached the pinnacle of eternity. When the later integrations began, they would descend upon developing worlds like Azura with a cruelty that defied imagination, crushing them into dust.
In his past life, Calder had climbed to the very apex of human power. Yet, it was only when he faced the combined might of The Three Undying Emperors that he truly understood his own insignificance. If not for his unique talent, he wouldn't have even had the chance to fight back. He had exhausted everything—his divine power, his very essence—to take just one of them down with him.
But with their pillar gone, humanity was devoured. The other Eternal Races swarmed, consumed, and annexed what remained, driving his people to their final, bitter end.
But it’s not too late.
Calder was back. All the golden hours wasted at the beginning of the game—he could reclaim them all.
This time, he would become stronger than he ever was before. Apex civilizations? The Undying Emperors?
“They will all be my stepping stones.”
A chill entered his eyes, his gaze hardening with unshakeable resolve.
Lana Marsh, still standing before him, mistook his silence for defiance. She scoffed. “What’s with that look, Calder? Can’t you understand plain English? What’s the point of playing dumb?” she sneered. “No matter what you do, I will never, ever be interested in you. As for all those bags, lipsticks, and cosmetics you gave me? Don’t expect them back. I sold them on the second-hand market ages ago. Not that they were worth much anyway.”
A look of disgust twisted her features. Even among her legion of simpering admirers, Calder ranked near the bottom. Average family, scrawny build, with only a passably handsome face to his name.
Calder slowly raised his head, his voice emerging cold and flat. “Keep them.”
Money? Women? In the apocalypse that was about to dawn, they were utterly worthless.
Before Lana could retort, a voice like rolling thunder boomed directly into the minds of every human on the planet.
【Azura has been integrated into The Eternal Dominion. The Azura region closed beta is now active. Uploading all player data…】
【All Azura player lifespans have been reset to zero. A three-day Novice Grace Period has been granted.】
【After three days, the flow of Time will normalize. Players are advised to strive to survive the Novice Trial missions.】
【The blessings of the gods have arrived. May your paths be victorious and your lifespans eternal!】
The cold, indifferent voice echoed in the ensuing silence. The world had changed. And with it, Classroom 208 of Southpeak Academy.
Gasps and shouts erupted from the students.
“Holy sht! Is this a data panel like in a game? It looks so real!”
“I have a system! I’m the main character! Hahaha!”
“In your dreams! I’ve got one too, you’re a side character at best!”
“Wait, does everyone have a system? I think I heard something about The Eternal Dominion… and our lifespans?”
“Haha, I think I awakened an E-rank talent, Pyroblast!”
“Me too, me too! Mine’s a D-rank Gale Force.”
“Aww, man… I only got F-rank Physical Augmentation.”
“What are you guys talking about? I don’t see any talent…”
Amid the chaotic storm of exclamation and debate, Calder calmly summoned his own system interface.
【Calder】
【Level: 1】
【Time: 0】
【Strength: 0.6】
【Speed: 0.7】
【Constitution: 0.5】
【Spirit: 1.1】
The panel was minimalist. No talent. His stats were, on average, below that of a normal adult male. It wasn’t from a lack of exercise. It was because he was a patient with late-stage Bone Blight.
In his past life, it was on this very day that he had received the terminal diagnosis from the hospital. The reason he’d cornered Lana for one last confession wasn’t because he truly expected her to say yes, but because he wanted to die with no regrets.
He had been rejected, but the apocalypse had arrived instead.
Calder glanced around the chaotic classroom. The students were still buzzing with excitement, completely oblivious to the impending slaughter. He didn’t offer a word of warning. He just stood there, his eyes fixed on the clock on the wall, its hands now frozen, and began a silent countdown.
10, 9, 8, 7…
3, 2—
【Ding! The first wave of the Novice Trial Beast Surge has spawned. Players, fight to survive!】
The system’s frigid prompt echoed in their minds. A moment later, snarling monsters burst through the classroom door.
“What the hell, monsters!”
“They’re real! They’re fcking real!”
“Help! Oh god, it’s coming for me!”
“Don’t worry, I’ll protect you! Watch my big fireball! Whoops—how did I miss?”
It was the first time any of these students had seen such grotesque creatures in the flesh. Panic shattered their excitement. A few of the more level-headed ones managed to fling skills at the beasts, but their aim was pathetic, the spells sailing wide as the nimble creatures dodged with ease. Others were paralyzed by fear, some even stumbling directly into the pack of monsters.
The beasts showed no mercy. Four or five of them pounced on a single student, their sharp claws and teeth tearing him apart in a wet, visceral spray.
In an instant, blood and severed limbs flew across the room. The sight broke the students’ nerve. The girls’ piercing screams echoed off the walls, and the scene devolved into pure chaos.
As everyone scrambled in terror, a lone figure shot out from the crowd. He snatched up a heavy plastic chair and brought it crashing down on a monster's head.
CRACK!
The chair leg connected squarely with the creature’s crown, producing a sickening crunch of bone. He didn't stop. He raised the broken chair again and slammed it down.
THWACK! THWACK! THWACK!
Green blood oozed from the monster's orifices. As it collapsed, another system prompt sounded for all to hear.
【Ding! Congratulations to player Calder for successfully killing a Knorr Aberrant Fiend. You have earned the First Kill reward for Novice Zone 911: Attribute Points +10】
“Holy sht, it’s just like a game! You get rewards for killing monsters!?”
With Calder’s brutal example, the reality of the situation began to sink in for the others. Maybe these Aberrant Fiends weren’t as invincible as they looked.
Most were still too terrified to engage in melee, but those with ranged skills began to test the waters.
“Fireball! Fireball! Fireball!”
One student frantically chanted, flinging three consecutive fireballs into the swarm of Knorr Aberrant Fiends. One of them actually hit. Flames erupted, engulfing the creature.
“Haha! I killed one too!” the student yelled, his voice trembling with a mix of fear and exhilaration.
Seeing another success, more students tentatively joined the fray. The Knorr Aberrant Fiends were intimidating with their sharp claws and teeth, but they were small and frail. An ordinary person with a weapon could fight them. With the added power of a Divine Gift, it was more than manageable.
As long as they kept their cool, this first wave was just a freebie, posing no real threat.
“Power Strike!”
“Wind Blade!”
“Fireball!”
Skills began flying wildly around the room, a chaotic barrage aimed at the remaining fiends.
Seeing this, Calder quietly took several steps back, positioning himself behind the main group. In the early days of the game, the greatest threat wasn’t the monsters; it was the clueless newbies flinging spells at random.
Sure enough, cries of pain soon rang out as several students were struck by friendly fire. But thanks to their chaotic efforts, the monsters in the classroom were being wiped out quickly.
A few minutes later, the last Knorr Aberrant Fiend fell.
【Ding! You have successfully repelled the first Beast Surge. Reward: Time +1 hour!】
【Time until next Beast Surge: 9 minutes, 59 seconds…】
A collective sigh of relief went through the classroom. Staring at the blood-soaked floor and the mangled corpses—both monster and human—many wore expressions of dazed disbelief.
But some, like Lana Marsh, were exceptionally adaptive.
At some point, she had sidled up next to Calder, her voice dripping with feigned concern. “Calder, are you hurt? You have no idea, I was so worried when I saw you charge out like that!”
Her voice was pitched just loud enough for the now-quiet classroom to hear. Every eye turned towards Calder, their gazes filled with a newfound envy.
Draven, in particular, glared with unconcealed jealousy. He had been the one to kill the most monsters in that first wave—a total of five Knorr Aberrant Fiends. Yet, all he received was the same generic reward as everyone else:【Time +1 hour】.
Why does he get the glory and the girl, while I get nothing?
Draven’s resentment festered. He cleared his throat and projected his voice across the room. “Alright, listen up everyone! The next Beast Surge is coming soon. We need to consolidate our strength and fight these things together.”
His call to action successfully diverted the class’s attention from Calder to him.
Immediately, voices of support chimed in.
“He’s right! Unity is strength!”
“Draven’s right, we can’t be scattered like last time. We need to form a team!”
Seeing the growing support, a flicker of triumph appeared in Draven’s eyes. He continued, “Good. Since we all agree on teaming up, let’s go around and state our talents so we can coordinate. I’ll start. I have a C-rank Divine Gift—Power Surge.”
The announcement was met with gasps of surprise. “Whoa, Draven has a C-rank talent? That’s amazing! I only got E-rank Aero Cannon.”
“Mine’s F-rank, Ironclad Strike.”
“D-rank, Frost Armor.”
As the students went around the room, it became clear that Draven was the only one in the class with a C-rank talent.
“Damn, Draven, you’re the man! You’re the strongest of The Divinely Gifted in our class!” a student named Garrett shouted, already starting to suck up.
Draven’s expression grew smugger. When it was Calder’s turn and he stated that he had no Divine Gift, Draven’s eyes instantly turned contemptuous. “So you don’t even have a talent? Heh. Then what good are those attribute points? A complete waste!”
The jealousy in his heart burned even hotter. He was the most talented person in the class, yet Calder had stolen the spotlight.
The others were also shocked that the first person to charge in and kill a monster was a "talentless" nobody. The awe in their eyes quickly curdled into disdain.
Garrett immediately pounced. “Calder, you should just give your attribute points to Draven! Draven’s our only C-rank Divinely Gifted! He’s the only one who can carry us!”
Draven shot Garrett an approving look.
Emboldened, Garrett pressed on. “Hand them over! A talentless guy like you is going to need our protection anyway, right?”
It was a brazen robbery in broad daylight, yet not a single student spoke up for Calder. They either looked away, pretending not to see, or stared at Calder with the same greedy glint as Draven. The +10 attribute bonus was a fat piece of meat dangling in front of a pack of starving wolves, and in a world where the average stat was 1, it was a kingly sum. They just lacked Draven’s strength to make the first bite.
In that moment, his former classmates had become a pack of jackals.
Calder simply stated, “Attribute points aren’t equipment. They can’t be traded or transferred.” He paused, then added coolly, “Besides, I already allocated them.”
Draven’s brow furrowed with suspicion. But then he considered it; if he had received those points, he would have spent them immediately too. The thought made him sigh with regret. “You’d better not be lying to me,” he snorted.
Before Calder could respond, Lana Marsh glided past him and elegantly linked her arm with Draven’s. “Draven, you were so strong just now, killing all those monsters by yourself!”
At the campus queen’s praise, Draven’s face flushed with excitement. Before the game began, he was a plain-looking guy with prospects even worse than Calder’s. A beauty like Lana wouldn’t have given him the time of day. Now, she was clinging to him. The soft pressure on his arm sent a thrill through him. He shot a smug, provocative glance at Calder.
Calder watched, unfazed. He wasn't surprised in the slightest. In his past life, Lana hadn’t stuck with just Draven. She had become a notorious social butterfly in Novice Zone 911, cycling through several of its top players. It hadn’t saved her. Her own lack of strength got her killed by a monster before the initial Beast Surges were even over.
He wouldn’t have spared a woman like that a second glance, even if she threw herself at him.
Ignoring the new couple, Calder turned his attention back to his personal panel. A single line of text was clearly visible.
【Unallocated Attribute Points: 10】
He hadn’t spent a single one.
In The Eternal Dominion, players with talents were called The Divinely Gifted. Those without, like Calder, were known as The Forsaken. Shunned by the gods and cursed by the very rules of the world, they had another name: The Cursed.
Typically, a Cursed player’s Time drained faster than a normal Divinely Gifted’s. For every minute of Time a normal player spent, a Cursed might spend two, or even more.
At first, Calder had thought it was a curse, too. It was only much, much later that he discovered the truth: those born as The Cursed often possessed a different kind of talent, one hidden from the world…
A thought flickered in his mind. The system panel before him shifted through several menus, opening a hidden attribute page. It showed not only a detailed breakdown of his stats but also a real-time display of his personal status. There, in the negative status effects section, he found it: 【Blight Cells】.
A system warning chimed in his ear.
【Warning: Reinforcing Blight Cells will accelerate the host’s life consumption. Proceed?】
Calder didn’t hesitate for a second. He dumped all 10 unallocated attribute points directly into the Blight Cells.
【Ding! Reinforcement successful. Blight Cells are spreading rapidly…】
【Time -10min, Time -10min, Time…】
His accumulated Time began to plummet. The ten minutes from his first kill and the hour from clearing the wave vanished in an instant, and his balance began to accrue a visible, ever-growing "debt."
Simultaneously, an unbearable agony erupted throughout his body. It felt as though millions of insects were burrowing into the seams of his bones, devouring his marrow and gnawing at his flesh. Anyone else would have passed out from the pain.
But Calder’s expression was one of feverish excitement. He ignored the torment, his eyes locked on the rapidly decreasing Time on his panel.
Finally, a new system notification sounded.
【Ding! Player detected in Novice Grace Period. All deducted Time has been cleared. Current Time remaining: 0】
Before he could even process that, another prompt followed.
【Ding! Awakened unknown curse ability: Blight】
He had done it.