Embers Ad Infinitum - Chapter 10: “Chosen One”

Qiu Qiu was born into a scholarly family. He possessed great looks and a kind heart. His outstanding grades were just as praiseworthy as the cute dimple he exposed each time he laughed. His melodic singing moved the hearts of all, and his guitar-playing skills were down-right godly. It wasn’t long before the overbearing president, Fu Ruien, fell for him, hard.

Fu Ruien: Qiuqiu, I would like to ‘support’ you.

Qiu Qiu: Oh, so you’re going to support me financially?! Like a scholarship?! Yay, that’s great!

And so, the two happily made arrangements, utterly oblivious to the fact that they both weren’t on the same page…

…..Three months later.

Fu Ruien: Are you a numbskull?! If you’re not being ‘kept’ by me, then why the hell would you call me ‘Daddy’?!

Qiu Qiu: In my defense, I saw that you were a 40-year-old uncle who still hadn’t been married, so I just wanted you to actually experience the warmth of a family!

Fu Ruien: …???

Qiu Qiu: But even if you don’t have a partner, at least you have this bright, talented and handsome eldest son who’s there for you. I mean, just where in the world would you be able to find such a perfect son like him!

- Description from Novelupdates

How does it feel to lose your parents at the tender age of four?Imagine the trauma, the psychological scars. Now, take it a step further—what if they died right in front of you?That was Kael’s reality. As a young boy, he watched his parents perish while desperately protecting a golden coin.At the time, Kael had no idea of its significance. He only knew that their deaths were tied to it.Fleeing from his father’s murderers, he was forced to survive on the unforgiving streets, learning to fight, steal, and endure.Twelve years later, he had transformed into one of the deadliest assassins the world had ever known.He had no official title. No known employer. No traceable identity. Just a calling card.They called him The Coin Flipper.Not because he left his mark, but because after every kill—just as the body hit the ground, as the last breath escaped—he would flip a coin.No one knew why. Some believed it was mockery, a cruel reminder that fate had turned against them. Others thought it was ritual.But what they didn’t know was that each coin held power—literal currency of the Core System embedded in Kael’s soul.Every kill earned him millions. Digital fortunes funneled into off-grid accounts with each confirmed target. Blood turned into bounty, pain into profit.And one thing was certain: if you saw the glint of a coin spinning through the air, death had already found you.

The Intergalactic Bureau of Change is an organization that helps certain people start over with their own Truck-kun delivery service to transport souls across dimensions.Hiroshi Tanaka, a 28-year-old convenience store worker, meets one of their field agents. For any otaku, this would be a dream come true. There's just one problem.The agent turns out to be a scammer.Now Hiroshi is trapped in another world as an “extra” hero. His stats are garbage. His unique skill actively works against him.He wasn't chosen by fate. He was tricked by a cosmic con artist.Survival wasn't part of the contract. But Hiroshi refuses to be just another victim.What to Expect:• A protagonist who starts weak and stays realistic.• Strategic combat using knowledge over strength• Psychological exploration of being “expendable” in a hero's world• Dark humor mixed with genuine survival stakes• A broken system that wasn't designed for him to succeed• Slow, hard-earned progression where every level matters• Morally gray situations with no easy answers• Deconstruction of isekai tropes from the perspective of someone funny.---Tags:#Isekai #WeakToStrong #DarkFantasy #Survival #Hero #LitRPG #PsychologicalDrama #StrategicCombat #Underdog #SystemApocalypse #Betrayal #FantasyAdventure #CosmicHorror #NoHarem #MaleProtagonist---

One day, a silver-haired goddess appeared before him.“Heaven-Defying Star. The one who goes against fate. The sole savior of a world doomed to end—”What the hell is this woman even talking about?“You must be the Regressor.”“… What?”No, I’m not.