In a cramped little room, the fluorescent light flickered intermittently. 

Having just awoken, Jason looked forward.

His eyes settling on a red-painted wooden table strewn with posters, each depicting voluptuous women in revealing poses.

The air was damp, uncomfortably, prompting Jason to involuntarily wrinkle his nose as he muttered under his breath, 

"Fuck!"

"Why am I here? No, what place is this?"

"Wasn't I supposed to be dead?"

Murmured to himself, his thoughts echoing in his mind, a flurry of memories surfacing.

"Wait a minute... isn't this my dorm?"

Instinctively, he reached out to his right, pulling out his phone and check the time.

"December 23, 2023, 17:55."

"Hold on, this time..."

Jason's voice gradually lowered, eventually falling silent, his heart seized by an inexplicable terror—December 23, 2023, 18:00, the public beta of [Divine Age]!

Divine Age, a VR online game that amalgamates simulation management, role-playing, and strategy warfare into a singular gaming experience. 

The official statement claimed that this game was a collective effort by nations worldwide to alleviate the growing mental stress of modern humanity, a spiritual haven crafted for the digital age.

But soon, everyone would come to know that this was merely fanciful nonsense.

Because a year after the game's public beta, it updated to version 2.0, named...

World Integration!

Everything in the game—monsters, factions, deities, and all the [Divine Realms] created by the players themselves—would merge with reality. 

And most terrifyingly, this game existed not just on Earth but on planets across other universes. 

By slaying players from these other worlds and seizing their territories, one could earn incredibly lavish rewards!

At that time, Earth would transform into a playground and battleground for those powerful players.

Jason, one of the earliest players to enter Divine Age, had stumbled through to survive twenty years later. 

His power had become renowned on Earth, a force to be reckoned with, and he had even fortuitously completed a Myth-level quest, although it had taken them a full two years to accomplish.

Yet, at least twenty years after Divine Age's beta launch, this feat remained unparalleled on Earth and any other planet within Jason's knowledge.

But the most frustrating part was that when Earth was obliterated by a coalition of top players from the Centauri star system, and Jason met his end, he had not managed to activate the quest reward's bound item—[Heart of Undead].

The only solace for Jason, perhaps, was that as a lord of a [Divine Realm] that was not among the top echelons, he wasn't required to partake in that apocalyptic calamity. 

He was just lying in his palace, asleep, and upon opening his eyes, found himself twenty years in the past.

"So, do I have a chance to start over?"

Jason's eyes gleamed with light, ambition and desire swelling within him. 

Divine Age wasn't just influencing a single planet like Earth; it was affecting the entire universe! 

Even the lowest of slaves before the game's commencement could seize this chance for reversal, to ascend—even to divinity!

Of course, in his past life, this was merely legend. 

But now, with over twenty years of gaming experience, could he turn that legend into reality?

With this thought, Jason abruptly sat up, his gaze turning to the gaming pod in the corner of the room, its surface adorned with metallic elements and streaks of gold paint.

Only minutes remained before the game launch. 

Jason swiftly opened the game chamber and lay inside, scanning its interior where a life-support system was already loaded with half a month's supply of nutrient solution.

Without hesitation, he pressed the start button. 

A buzz of electricity whirred past his ears.

Then, Jason felt a darkness envelop his vision, transporting him to a bizarre realm.

This was?

The scene unfolding before him wasn't the opening CG he remembered from his past life. 

If Jason's memory served him correctly, that was a scene carrying an apocalyptic weight, with countless dragons wailing as they fell from the sky, fierce flames mingling with scalding petroleum in rampant flow, the land filled with wails and death, formations of infantry perishing en masse, and knights on steeds harvested by thunder and frost.

It was a sight that boiled one's blood.

Yet, the scene Jason was witnessing now was utterly different—a vast expanse of ice and snow, with howling winds in his ears. 

Jason could distinctly feel the sting of ice crystals grazing his cheeks, a dull ache accompanying each touch.

Skeleton soldiers, akin to a sea of mist, knelt silently, seemingly lifeless, yet their eye sockets flickered with dark green and cyan flames.

In the sky... there was no longer a sky, just an endless expanse of bone dragons and liches, standing in an eerily still formation, as if waiting for something.

If the original CG showcased the epitome of dynamism, what was now before him represented the ultimate stillness.

The next second, Jason's vision flashed as if a glitchy CG had evaporated, and he successfully entered the normal game segment, standing before a campfire.

There were six figures clad in various attire, all turning their gaze towards Jason.

This was the initial character class selection screen of Divine Age, with the options arrayed from left to right:

Warrior, Archer, Thief, Priest, Knight, Magus.

Jason knew these foundational classes essentially had little difference; most notable players in the later stages had switched to advanced classes through hidden quests.

The initial class's role was primarily to provide different skills at the start.

After a brief consideration, Jason decisively chose the Thief.

The Thief's initial skill, [Featherfall], reduced damage from high falls, which could help him traverse certain special terrains early on. 

For someone possessing a vast knowledge of Divine Age, this undoubtedly would allow Jason to acquire many valuable items early in the game.

Then came the character naming phase.

"Smith."

This surname, being the most common nationwide, was chosen as his ID. 

It concealed all personal preferences, ensuring his real-world identity remained undisclosed.

In the subsequent character customization phase, Jason operated swiftly, crafting an exceedingly ordinary face, making sure it lacked any regional facial features that were commonly recognizable.

Jason was cautious.

In fact, although unknown to the general populace, many major families and conglomerates were already aware of the intricacies within Divine Age. 

In his previous life, numerous individuals had been approached and coerced into transactions after acquiring rare items early in the game.

Initially, these players even made the news, praised for their fortune and earning big through gaming. 

However, after the game merged with reality, these individuals likely regretted their decisions deeply.

Yet, there was no real need for regret, as by choosing to sell their items, they at least preserved their lives and gained wealth to enjoy.

Jason himself had long decided that his progress in Divine Age must remain a secret until the game fully integrated with reality!

After completing all settings, a new prompt appeared.

[Character creation complete. Begin talent roll? Yes/No?]

"Yes," Jason nodded, feeling somewhat anxious.

Despite having twenty years of gameplay experience, the talent draw was purely luck-based and crucial for a player's development.

The specific talent tiers ranged from D to A, with higher grades indicating stronger talents, and beyond these were the S, SS, and SSS tiers.

A superior talent could not only provide a strong start but was also pivotal in determining the player's developmental ceiling.

In his past life, Jason's character received an S-level talent [Dragonkind Affinity], which alone, despite spending months initially as a mere scenery-appreciating bystander without any social connections, allowed him to grow into one of the top players in the national server, highlighting the significance of one's talent.

A year after Divine Age went live, when reality merged and various game mechanics were thoroughly studied, possessing an A-level talent could suffice to join one of the global top guilds, secure a government position, or marry into a leading family.

However, as Jason watched apprehensively, waiting for the outcome, he suddenly felt a cold sensation surge at his heart, swiftly spreading throughout his limbs.

What?

Before he could react, a screen appeared before him.

[Unknown data injection in progress…]

[Item [Un[DATA DELETED]T] activated]

[Your initial talent has been altered]

[You have acquired the talent—]

[EX-level: Undead Plague (Unique)]

[Mutter to view details]

…