SSS Awakening: Rebirth of the Strongest Vampire God Chapter 1: Second chance

The break of dawn arrived.

Soft rays of sunlight filtered through the drapes, casting shimmering golden trails across the messy floor of the apartment. Quiet dust motes danced in the still air. A man lay sprawled across his mattress, snoring heavily. He was submerged in a deep slumber, looking as though he hadn't enjoyed such a restful sleep in years.

Then came a sudden, violent thud.

The door rattled under a force so great it seemed ready to fly off its hinges. Damon jerked awake, sitting upright in a daze.

Another series of knocks followed, even more aggressive and filled with impatience.

He pulled himself out of bed, blinking away the fog of sleep while muttering curses. "If another delivery guy is at the door for something I didn't buy..."

He yanked the door open.

Damon went rigid.

Framed by the morning glow stood a woman who appeared to have stepped directly out of a high-fashion magazine.

Her beauty was dangerous and breathtaking. Waves of long blonde hair cascaded over a crimson jacket that fit her perfectly, making the scene feel surreal. She possessed long, toned legs and an air of effortless command. It was the kind of cinematic perfection that teenage boys would clip from glossy pages and hide under their pillows.

However, her sapphire eyes told a different story.

They were icy and fixed. Not a single trace of warmth or emotion could be found within them.

Damon’s jaw dropped. Why was she standing there? How was this possible? He remained frozen like a statue, staring at her as his mind struggled to process the situation.

A flicker of disdain crossed her exquisite features, but Damon was oblivious to it. His shock didn't stem from her appearance; he was staring because this woman had no business being here at this moment!

"Take your mail." The frigid beauty reached out.

Seeing no reaction from Damon, she shoved a small, matte-black envelope into his grasp and turned away as if the interaction was beneath her. Her boots clicked sharply against the floor as she stopped at the door directly across from his.

She unlocked it, stepped inside, and slammed it shut in his face. Just like that, she was gone.

Damon stood in the hallway for a long time, paralyzed by confusion, before he finally retreated into his studio apartment. He collapsed onto the bed, his chest laboring as a panic attack began to take hold.

Why was she here? What was going on?

He recognized her, of course. He had known her a lifetime ago, which only made her current presence more baffling.

Looking around the room in a frenzy, he realized his surroundings had changed completely. It felt as though she belonged here and he didn't. This was the old place he had rented after moving out of his parents' home.

He shut his eyes as a wave of agony and frustration washed over him. These walls had witnessed his greatest triumphs and his most pathetic failures.

"No," he muttered. "No, no... this is impossible."

He sprinted to the closet and threw it open. There hung a worn-out hoodie he hadn't touched in years. His heart skipped a beat. Lunging for his desk, he flipped the laptop open. A login screen featuring a scantily clad Nicole Kidman appeared. With shaking fingers, he pulled up the calendar.

The screen displayed a haunting date: March 3rd, 2042.

Damon stumbled back, his legs giving way as he plummeted into his chair. This was three years in the past. It was the very day Earth Online was released to the world.

The color vanished from his skin. Somehow, through some miracle or curse, he had returned. He was back before the betrayals. Before his downfall. Before Aiden had plunged a blade into his back and stripped him of everything.

Damon pressed his head between his hands, trying to make sense of it. The last memory he held was standing within the resurrection lake, intending to wipe his character and start from scratch. He had planned to forge a new identity and fight his way back to the top.

Such a move was discouraged among players because of the severe penalties involved in a character reset. It meant receiving fewer stat points per level and requiring more experience points to progress, among other debilitating handicaps.

But Damon had already hit rock bottom. Because of his guild and the man he thought was his best friend, everything he had built was demolished in a single afternoon.

Bloodreign.

The legendary artifact he was destined to claim. It was the prize that would have secured his legacy on the global leaderboards. He had played perfectly—maximizing his build, securing first-clear routes, and grinding for days to unlock the hidden quest.

In the end, none of it mattered. Aiden had betrayed his true nature during the final phase, stabbing him in the back while the world watched the stream. The kill, the loot, and the glory were all stolen by the traitor.

In a normal scenario, he could have recovered, but this was a hidden quest boss. Its drop was essential for his special class. The failure triggered a massive backlash and a permanent penalty that ruined his progression.

Damon had been left as a shell within the game, his character bugged and broken beyond repair. He was crippled, with no path forward. His guild cast him out, and the gaming community made him a laughingstock.

He had never managed to bounce back.

Until last night.

Despite the humiliation, he had logged back into Earth Online. Not to compete, but to bury his past and start anew as a mere fledgling. He had discarded his items and deleted his gear. He had stepped into the Resurrection Lake and authorized the permanent reset.

That was when he had drifted off... and when he opened his eyes...

He was here. Back in his former home, back in his younger body, and somehow, defying all laws of reality, back in time.

Three years ago. March 3rd, 2042. The morning it all started.