Chapter 2: Preparing for the Future

Liam sat frozen on his bed, his mind racing. The dim glow of his computer screen cast long shadows across the small apartment, but he wasn't paying attention to his surroundings. His gaze was locked on the date displayed on his phone.

March 12, 2042.

A week before Eternal Dominion launched.

A week before everything began.

His fingers tightened around the bedsheet as memories of his death surged back, the betrayal, the blade piercing his back, the mocking smirk on Jason's face as his so-called best friend watched him die. The rage threatened to consume him, but he forced himself to take a slow, steady breath.

It didn't matter how unfair it had been. What mattered now was that he had a second chance.

This time, he wouldn't be the fool who trusted blindly.

This time, he would win.

Liam swung his legs over the side of the bed, his mind shifting into action mode. He didn't have time to sit around and process his emotions, he had only one week before the game launched. Every second was valuable.

First, he needed to confirm that this wasn't just some twisted dream. He grabbed his phone and quickly typed in Eternal Dominion official site. The homepage loaded instantly, displaying the countdown timer:

6 Days, 23 Hours, 58 Minutes

It was real.

A sharp breath escaped him, his heart pounding. He really was back.

Liam's mind shifted to his next priority, preparation. Eternal Dominion wasn't just an ordinary game. It was the most advanced VRMMO ever created, featuring full neural immersion, a dynamic world with limitless player-driven interactions, and a secret that only Liam knew.

The World Fusion Update would eventually merge the game's mechanics with reality.

That was why Jason had betrayed him. Why the Heart of Shadows had been so valuable.

And this time, Liam wasn't going to let that bastard take what was his.

Setting Up for Success

Liam pushed off the bed and went straight to his desk, powering up his computer. He needed to plan his route through the game, ensuring that he secured the best advantages before anyone else.

He opened a blank document and began typing furiously.

1. Character Build – Hidden Classes & Unique Skills

The default player classes were Warrior, Mage, Rogue, Archer, and Cleric, but Liam knew that powerful hidden classes could be unlocked through specific actions.

In his previous life, he had chosen Swordmaster, a high-tier Warrior subclass, but that wasn't enough to reach the pinnacle.

This time, he would aim for something even stronger.

Shadow Sovereign.

A hidden evolution of the Rogue class, the Shadow Sovereign was an advanced class that granted control over shadow-based abilities, summons, and stealth combat. It was one of the strongest solo classes, but in his past life, no one had unlocked it until three years into the game.

Liam knew exactly where and how to obtain it, something no one else did.

He smirked.

Jason had always relied on guild members feeding him information, but Liam had discovered things on his own. That was the key difference between them.

2. Priority Locations – Securing Mythical Artifacts Early

There were several hidden dungeons and rare quests that wouldn't be found until much later in the game.

Liam made a list of key locations:

The Forsaken Ruins (Mythical-tier Dagger: Midnight Fang)

The Sunken Temple (Shadow Sovereign Class Trial)

The Abyssal Rift (Stat-Boosting Relic: Obsidian Core)

If he moved fast, he could claim them before the top guilds even knew they existed.

3. Money & Real-World Investments

Liam's eyes narrowed. One of the biggest mistakes he had made in his past life was not treating the game's economy seriously. Eternal Dominion had a real-money trading system, and once the World Fusion Update happened, in-game assets would hold real-world value.

That was why Jason had been so obsessed with power, not just for dominance in the game, but for actual financial and political influence in reality.

Liam opened his banking app and checked his balance.

$3,400.

It wasn't much, but it was enough for a VR setup upgrade and a high-level account reservation.

He wasn't making the same mistake twice. This time, he was going all in.

Cutting Ties & Playing the Long Game

The final thing Liam needed to decide was how to handle Jason.

Jason had no idea what had happened in the previous timeline. As far as he was concerned, Liam was still his best friend, and Eclipse was still a guild waiting to be formed.

Liam considered outright cutting Jason off immediately, but that would be too obvious.

No. That wasn't enough.

If he truly wanted revenge, he had to let Jason think everything was normal while setting him up for the ultimate downfall.

A slow, dangerous smile curled Liam's lips.

Jason wouldn't even realize he was being played until it was too late.

Entering the Game

Six days passed in a blur. Liam spent every waking moment perfecting his strategy, running mental simulations, and preparing his real-world body for extended immersion. He barely slept, but adrenaline and sheer determination fueled him.

Then, the countdown finally hit zero.

[Eternal Dominion Servers Are Now Live]

Liam wasted no time. He put on his state-of-the-art neural VR headset, exhaled sharply, and initiated the login sequence.

[Connecting to Eternal Dominion…]

Darkness enveloped him. Then, a flash of white light.

[Welcome to Eternal Dominion.]

A deep, ethereal voice resonated in his mind as the character creation screen loaded.

Liam knew exactly how to build his character for maximum efficiency.

He entered his new in-game name:

[Player Name: Revenant]

Jason would never see it coming.

[Select Base Class:]

Liam hovered over the choices. Instead of Warrior, like last time, he selected Rogue, the perfect stepping stone to Shadow Sovereign.

[Confirm Class Selection?]

Yes.

The game's world suddenly expanded before him, pixelated light giving way to stunning realism.

Liam's second life had officially begun.

This time, he would play the game his way.

And in the end, he would take everything.