Chapter 1: Rebirth of the Tyrant

Chapter one

Chapter 1: Rebirth of the Tyrant

A sharp gasp tore through the silence as Crow's eyes snapped open. His breath came in short, frantic bursts, his chest rising and falling as if he had just surfaced from drowning. The dim glow of the morning sun leaked through the thin curtains of his dingy apartment, casting long shadows across the walls. For a moment, he just lay there, his mind sluggish, disoriented. Then, the memories came crashing down like an avalanche.

He had died.

Or at least, he should have.

His last moments were vivid in his mind—the deafening roars of his monstrous army, the screams of players and NPCs alike, the chaotic blend of blood, fire, and steel. He had been on the cusp of victory, ready to claim the final stronghold and ascend as the undisputed ruler of Beast Dominion Online. Then… the world had shattered.

No, that wasn't quite right. The game had shattered—melding with reality, twisting the Earth into a living nightmare where humans were nothing more than prey for the creatures that once lurked behind a screen.

But now? Now he was here.

Crow sat up abruptly, his dark hair falling messily over his sharp, narrowed eyes. He glanced around, taking in the familiarity of his surroundings—the cramped, peeling walls of his apartment, the old wooden desk covered in energy drink cans, and the cheap laptop that had once been his only portal to the world of Beast Dominion Online.

This… this was before.

His heart pounded as he swung his legs over the side of the bed, staring at his hands. They were slimmer, younger. His body lacked the fatigue and scars he had accumulated over years of fighting. His mind buzzed, processing what this meant.

Reincarnation.

A second chance.

A slow smirk stretched across his lips, dark and predatory.

"If the gods have given me a second life, I'll make sure they regret it," he muttered under his breath.

He had knowledge no one else had. He knew every hidden dungeon, every broken exploit, every beast that would one day evolve into an unstoppable calamity. Most importantly, he knew that in a few years, the world would change forever.

The weak would die. The strong would rule. And this time, he wouldn't just be a tyrant within the game—he would be a sovereign of reality.

But first… he needed to prepare.

Crow stood up and strode to his desk, booting up his laptop with practiced ease. His fingers flew across the keyboard, navigating to an online store. If he was going to seize power early, he needed to dive into Beast Dominion Online as soon as possible.

The VR headset.

His eyes flickered as he scrolled through the available models, his gaze landing on the NeuralLink VRX—the most advanced headset of its time. It wasn't cheap, but that hardly mattered. This was an investment in his future empire.

With a few swift clicks, he placed the order. Same-day delivery.

He leaned back in his chair, exhaling slowly.

In a few hours, he would step back into the world where he had once ruled. But this time, he wouldn't make the same mistakes.

This time, he would conquer everything.

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