Alpha's mate is a male?!? - Chapter 168: Reality Calls.

Jobs, hobbies, lifestyles—the world has advanced to a point where nothing can be separated from VR anymore. And now, a VR game was released using the most cutting-edge technologies; its name was “Boot Hour, Shoot Curse.” Our protagonist had no choice but to play solo during the closed beta test, but once the game officially launched, she made lots of friends (but not necessarily with the players), formed a huge clan (but not a clan of players), and matured as an individual.

As Orson read the novel written by the girlfriend who had left him, he gently remarked on how terrible the story was. But then, noticing a foul smell coming from the kitchen, he went to investigate. He realized there was some kind of gas leak. Already furious about being dumped, Orson became even angrier at the state of his kitchen, and in his rage, he hit the light switch with a powerful punch. Naturally, the explosion that followed killed him instantly, and Orson passed into the afterlife.After spending some time in limbo, he found himself reincarnated in an unfamiliar world. However, he quickly realized he had been reborn inside the cliché-filled novel written by his ex-girlfriend. As if that wasn’t enough, he had ended up in the body of Neonidas, a useless duke who was also the fiancé of the story's villainess.____There may be a bit too much swearing and slang in the first chapters, but it gets less afterwards.There will be no yuri, bl or ntr in Neonidas(MC) harem

Han Muye, who had exceptional comprehension skills, was reborn into a cultivation world. He joined a clan which specialized in swordsmanship. He then became the keeper who looked after the swords in the Swords Pavilion.

There were more than 100,000 swords stored in the pavilion. The keeper was tasked to clean all of them once a month.

When Han Muge cleaned the Qinghe sword, he acquired a hint of Sword Qi.

When he cleaned the Ziyan sword, he comprehended the swordsmanship, the Burning Plain, left behind by the original owner of the sword. He also acquired the Sword Qi of Burning Flame.

When he cleaned the Shanyue sword, he comprehended the teachings left behind by Master Boulder and learned the Mountain Sword Technique.

…

Han Muye built up his Sword Qi bit by bit during the past 60 years working as a keeper in the pavilion.

Throughout the 60 years, a disciple came to seek a sword in the pavilion, and he received guidance from Han Muye.

The Sacred Maiden from the demonic clan attempted to steal a sword from the pavilion, but in the end, she left dejected and empty-handed.

A swordsman came to challenge Han Muye, and he left with a broken sword.

…

60 years later, the Celestial World invaded the mortal world.

The disciple had become an exceptional Sword Deity. He wielded his sword and protected a part of the world.

The Sacred Maiden had become the demonic clan leader. She sent a letter to the Swords Pavilion and led her clan to fight against the gods.

The swordsman had achieved enlightenment in his swordsmanship. His Sword Qi rifled up to the sky.

…

The gods from the Celestial World loomed over the sky above.

Han Muye slowly stood up. 100,000 swords followed him as he emerged from the pavilion. His Sword Qi could be sensed from 30,000 miles away, and his Sword Will pierced through the realms.

He declared, “Today, I, Han Muye, will traverse the sky. I want to see who among the gods dares to invade this mortal world.”

For as long as he could remember, life had always been cruel.A young man in his early twenties—his name now lost to the past—was dealt a life filled with misfortunes.A cold, empty apartment, a soul-crushing job, and, finally, a terminal diagnosis.With nothing left to live for, his only comfort had been escaping into the fictional world of Path of the Elemental Sage, a story of heroes, magic, and survival.But fate had other plans.When death finally came for him, he didn’t fade into nothingness.Instead, he awoke in the world he had only read about—a world of chaos and danger where death lurked around every corner.The air smelled of magic, the sky was filled with possibilities.{«[Status Window]»}[Name: Lyrium Blackwood][Age: 16][Rank: D-][Skills: None][Elements: None}At first, confusion filled his mind.Who was Lyrium Blackwood?Why was he here?And why did this body feel so different?But as his memories returned, so did the realization: this wasn’t some blessing or second chance.He wasn’t reincarnated as the protagonist.No destined savior.No cheat abilities.No grand fate.He was just another mob, a face in the crowd meant to exist and die without leaving a mark.But this young man—the one who had left his old name and life behind—wasn’t the kind of person to roll over and accept his fate.“This world is dangerous. The protagonist isn’t the only one fighting for survival here,”he muttered, his red eyes deep and sharp.Unlike the naïve characters in the story, he knew the stakes.He’d read the web novel.He’d seen the carnage, the betrayals, the disasters that wiped out entire cities.And if there was one thing he refused to be, it was a pawn in someone else’s game.“I don’t care about glory. I don’t care about saving the world. All I care about is surviving—no matter what it takes.”Lyrium Blackwood wasn’t planning to live quietly or avoid danger.The only way to survive in this brutal world was to rise to the top.To be strong enough to stand above both heroes and villains.Using his knowledge of the story’s events and his iron will, Lyrium sets out on a relentless path to surpass the protagonist.Whether through clever manipulation, brutal training, or sheer desperation, he’ll climb higher and higher, leaving nothing to chance.But the deeper he gets, the more he realizes that this isn’t just the story he once read.As fate pushes him closer to the heart of the narrative, Lyrium begins to suspect that his reincarnation wasn’t an accident—and the world itself might be watching him.“I don’t care who or what stands in my way. If the story wants to kill me, I’ll rewrite the ending myself.”----------------------------------I apologize for any mistakes in this story, as it’s my first attempt at writing a novel.