Please post the entire Kernel Panic log here using the "Additional Text" icon which looks like a piece of paper on the forum editing toolbar. The Kernel Panic logs can be found in "/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports" usually with a file name beginning with "kernel" and ending in ".panic". Post both Kernel Panic logs even though EtreCheck thinks they are the same. If you don't see any in that folder, then check the "Retired" sub folder.
You can try booting into Safe Mode to see how things work, but some of your third party software and possibly hardware may not function because Safe Mode prevents the automatic launching of third party software during boot & login. If Safe Mode works, then it is likely one of the items mentioned by @Mac Jim ID is causing the problem. Unfortunately if Safe Mode does not work either, then you still may have an issue with one of those apps especially if they modified a system setting which persists even when that software is not running.
Also try disconnecting all external devices in case one of them is causing a problem.
I agree with @Mac Jim ID's analysis as well. I would even suggest running Disk Utility First Aid on the hidden Container. Within Disk Utility you may need to click "View" and select a"Show All Devices" before the hidden Container appears on the left pane of Disk Utility. Even if First Aid says everything is "Ok", click "Show Details" and scroll through the report to see if any unfixed errors are listed. If there are errors, then run First Aid again until they are gone. If after several attempts the errors remain, then boot into Recovery Mode to run First Aid. If after several more scans the errors remain, then you will need to erase the disk followed by reinstalling macOS & restoring from a backup.
I do hope you have a good backup of your computer. If not, then that should be your first priority since it is very easy to permanently lose access to the data stored on the internal SSD of this computer due to all the hardware, software, and security changes.
FYI, VPNs do not provide the privacy or security people think they do. VPN software is only useful for connecting to an employer's network to access items or for bypassing local regional restrictions.
https://gist.github.com/joepie91/5a9909939e6ce7d09e29