Abraham_Ob

Ethan Cross was just another overworked software engineer until the day he died and awoke in a world unlike any other. Reborn as Kaelen Varros, a disgraced noble in a realm where mysticism collides with bio-technology, Ethan finds himself hunted, powerless, and alone. But within his mind lies a hidden System adaptive, evolving, and possibly sentient.
 
As Ethan fights to survive, he discovers a world shaped by cosmic beasts and interstellar forces. Power is measured not in gold but in beast cores and the ability to wield ancient and alien might. With each battle, Ethan grows stronger and smarter, rewriting the rules of this world with the knowledge of his own.
Joined by Aelira, a warrior with secrets of her own, Ethan navigates betrayal, shifting alliances, and a rising war that may decide the fate of not just nations but reality itself. For Ethan did not arrive by accident—he was chosen. But why?
In a world where legends are carved from blood and data, Dawn of Tomorrow is a story of rebirth, power, and the relentless drive to rise no matter the cost.

Dawn of Tomorrow

Ethan rolled the patch Aelira had given him between his fingers. The eye encircled by gears seemed to shimmer faintly as if reacting to his touch. There was weight in the symbol—not physical, but historical. Power. Significance.

They camped that night on a ridge just beyond the Vault's blast radius, the wilds still glowing faintly from the released energy. Aelira said little. She just kept watch, always listening.

When Ethan finally broke the silence, his voice was low. "What is this emblem?"

"It's called the Seer's Mark," she said. "Worn by those chosen to walk between what was and what might be."

"In a way. The Seers aren't a kingdom or a clan. They're remnants—warriors, scholars, even rogues—united by one goal: understanding the fractures in time that threaten our world."

"You've seen pieces already—memory echoes, glitches in causality. The more the System synchronizes with you, the more you'll see. And eventually… the more you'll affect."

[New Questline Unlocked: The Seer's Path – Investigate the Temporal Fractures (0/5 Threads Recovered)]

As she spoke, Ethan's System flickered.

[System Alert: Memory Anchor Detected – Fragment Available for Retrieval]

A sharp pain lanced through his skull, and his vision blurred.

He stood atop a battlefield. Burnt banners flapped in the wind. Before him knelt a woman in tattered silver armor, a blade pressed to her throat.

Then, his voice—harsh, cold.

Ethan recoiled as the memory snapped back.

He nodded slowly. "Yeah. And I think… I think Kaelen was worse than I realized."

She didn't look surprised. "Many noble sons were. But you're not him."

"Maybe not. But the System still thinks I carry his debt."

Aelira handed him a training blade again. "Then start repaying it. Every choice you make from here on shapes what kind of Varros the world remembers."

They sparred again—faster now. His instincts sharper. The blade felt lighter in his hands. Aelira didn't go easy, but there was approval in her strikes.

[Skill Progression: Blade Instinct – 42% to Rank E]

That night, as he lay staring at the stars—some familiar, others impossibly alien—Ethan made a vow.

Not just to survive. Not just to escape Kaelen's shadow.

Embers Beneath the Mask