Rebirth of the Exiled Gods' Pawn: An MMORPG Saga

A Cruel Past, A Determined Future

Ethan sat on a quiet park bench, staring at his phone screen. 10,000 credits.

His savings.

His freedom.

He should have felt satisfied, maybe even relieved.

But as he stared at the numbers, a memory from his past life resurfaced—one that still burned like an open wound.

---

A Gift That Was Never Wanted

In his previous life, Ethan had been naive. Foolishly hopeful.

Even though Vivian and Miranda treated him like a stranger in his own home, he had still tried to bridge the gap.

He had still wanted to be part of their family.

That was why, a few weeks before Eldoria launched, he had done something foolish.

He had bought a gift for Miranda.

A crystal pendant—delicate and shimmering, something he had once seen her admire in a store.

He had worked hard to save up for it.

Skipping meals. Taking extra shifts at his part-time job. Avoiding any unnecessary expenses.

All just to make her happy.

Because, deep down, a part of him still wished things could change.

That they could be real siblings.

When the day finally came, he had presented the gift to her, his heart pounding in his chest.

"Happy birthday, Miranda," he had said, offering her the small, carefully wrapped box.

She had taken it, looked at it for a brief moment… and then—

She threw it on the ground.

The crystal pendant shattered into tiny fragments on the cold floor.

Ethan stood there, stunned, as Miranda sneered at him.

"Do you really think I'd accept something from you?" she said, her voice dripping with disgust.

"You think this cheap little thing means anything to me?"

His hands had trembled at his sides, his chest tight with unspoken words.

But before he could say anything—

Vivian had walked in.

Her eyes flickered from the shattered gift to her daughter's smug face. Then, they landed on Ethan.

And instead of scolding Miranda—she turned on him.

"You were saving money behind my back?" she demanded, her voice sharp with accusation.

Ethan's stomach dropped. "I—"

"You're living under my roof, eating my food, and you have the audacity to hide money from me?"

Her glare was ice cold, filled with something close to hatred.

"You ungrateful brat," she hissed. "What else have you been keeping from us?"

Ethan clenched his fists, trying to hold back the bitterness rising in his throat.

He wanted to say that he had saved for months. That he had only wanted to give Miranda something nice.

But none of it mattered.

Vivian never cared about his reasons.

She only saw him as an inconvenience.

And from that day on, she had taken full control of his finances.

Every credit he earned was handed over to her. Every bit of freedom he had left was stripped away.

All because he had wanted to do something kind.

---

A Different Future

Ethan snapped back to the present, exhaling sharply.

He stared at his bank balance again. 10,000 credits.

This time, it was different.

This time, they had no power over him.

No one could take his money.

No one could control his choices.

And he would never again waste his efforts on people who didn't deserve them.

Miranda. Vivian. The entire Vale family.

He was done with them.

This time, he would use everything he had to forge his own future.

In three days, Eldoria would launch.

And once he stepped into that world—

He would never look back.

Searching for a New Home

Ethan sat in a small café near his college, sipping a cheap coffee while scrolling through apartment listings on his phone.

His stepmother had thrown him out without a second thought, but instead of feeling lost or upset, he felt relieved. Finally, he didn't have to deal with their endless demands and unreasonable expectations.

Now, he needed a place to stay before Eldoria launched in three days.

He had 10,000 credits saved up—money he had carefully hidden from his so-called family. It wasn't much, but it was enough to survive for a while if he spent it wisely.

As he scrolled through rental listings, he quickly eliminated the expensive ones.

Single-bedroom apartments? 4,500 credits per month. Too much.

Luxury apartments? Ridiculous.

Cheap rentals under 500 credits? Probably rat-infested.

He needed something affordable, close to his college, and safe enough to leave his gaming equipment unattended.

After nearly an hour of searching, one listing caught his eye:

> Shared Apartment – 1,000 Credits/Month

Fully furnished

Close to university

Includes Wi-Fi and utilities

Roommate:STELLA

Ethan raised an eyebrow.

A fully furnished apartment for only 1,000 credits? That was surprisingly reasonable.

It was a shared space, which meant he'd have a roommate, but that wasn't a dealbreaker. As long as the guy wasn't an absolute nuisance, Ethan could handle it.

He checked the location—just a 15-minute walk from his college. That was perfect.

Without wasting time, he called the listed number.

A few rings later, a sluggish voice answered. "Yeah?"

"Hey, I'm interested in the apartment listing. Is it still available?" Ethan asked.

"Oh. Yeah, still available. You wanna check it out?"

"When can I come?"

"Uh… now?"

Ethan glanced at the time. It was still early in the afternoon.

"Sure, send me the address."

A moment later, a message popped up on his phone.

Grabbing his backpack, Ethan finished his coffee, paid the bill, and left the café.

He had a good feeling about this place.

And he needed a stable home before Eldoria launched.

A Dominating Roommate

Ethan stood outside the apartment door, hesitating for a moment before knocking. This was the best rental deal he had found—1,000 credits a month, all utilities included, and close to his college. It almost seemed too good to be true.

A few seconds later, the door swung open forcefully.

Standing before him was a tall, confident woman with long platinum blonde hair tied in a high ponytail. She wore tight workout leggings and a cropped hoodie, revealing toned abs. Her piercing blue eyes scanned him like a predator sizing up prey.

Ethan barely had time to react before she suddenly grabbed his wrist and pulled him inside.

"Uh—what are you doing?" he asked, startled.

She ignored him, shutting the door with a loud thud before stepping in close. Too close.

Her hand brushed over his shoulders, down his chest, then patted his arms.

"You don't look too weak," she muttered to herself.

Ethan tensed. "What the hell was that?"

"Just checking," she said bluntly. "I don't want some pathetic, lazy guy as a roommate. You need to be at least decently strong to survive here."

Ethan narrowed his eyes. "Survive?"

She smirked. "You'll see."

Before he could protest, she suddenly grabbed his face, tilting his head from side to side as if inspecting him.

"Not bad. You don't look completely useless," she muttered.

Ethan jerked his head away. "Can you stop touching me?"

She ignored him again, stepping back with a nod. "Alright, you pass. You can stay."

Ethan sighed. "I haven't even seen the room yet."

"You don't need to. It's got a bed, a desk, and a closet. What more do you want?" she said dismissively. "Now, rules. First—don't touch my stuff. Second—if I tell you to do something, do it. Third—"

"Hold on," Ethan cut in. "Why do I feel like I just got drafted into an army?"

Stella grinned. "Because you did. Welcome to the battlefield, rookie."

Ethan exhaled. This was going to be a long year.