Embers Ad Infinitum - Chapter 2: Follow-up Review

Sakimori Kagami plays a VRMMORPG called Arch Earth Online. He is a veteran player with the name and appearance similar to an elderly bearded wizard from a certain book about a ring.

One day he purchases an appearance change item as a last resort to spend expiring currency and gets the idea of choosing what he would want to look like if his character was ever a girl.

Falling asleep should have suspended the game, but Kagami wakes up still online and feels the game has has gotten a bit more realistic. Did Arch Earth Online finally get a long-awaited update?

【Nonsense】【No morals】【No routine】

…

The majestic world, nine heavens and ten earths.

In a colorful world, happy cultivating immortals.

When Chu Liang opened his eyes, he found that he had become a disciple of the Shushan School, and he was carrying a strange pagoda… Since then, he has embarked on an unimaginable road.

The thirty-sixth peak rises in the morning smoke, and the dragon is returned eight thousand miles away!

…

“My lord, please kill the demon!”

- Description from novelbuddy

Thousands of years ago, humankind left the Old World. We enter a new age where science and magic are no longer opposing concepts.

With these new opportunities came danger in the form of the Dark Races and the ones that named themselves Gods.

However, if there was one thing humans were good at was their ability to destroy. Humankind fought and carved a bloody path into the new world.

Cain’s luck had never been good, but his destiny changed forever once he decided to harden his heart and face the world without fear or hesitation.

Life from birth has been nothing but hell. I lost my parents to some stupid aristocrats whom they offended. Executed for no good reason.

My relatives abandoned me and pushed me aside. They feared for their lives and left me and my sister to starve and wander the streets alone!

No, this is worse than hell!

I watched my sister die of starvation. Her lips were dry and her feet bloody. Her nails were broken and her fingers riddled with cuts. She struggled in my hands and after a few seconds of struggle she passed away. She seemed joyful in death so I prayed mine will come just as swift and merciful as hers.

So I stayed in the alleyway, alone with her rotten corpse awaiting my fate for God knows how long. I could see it already. The darkness encroaching from all sides

Everyone said death is scary but I say it’s the end! Who needs life after death? What is the need for reincarnation?

Who would want to return to this crazy world?

“It’s not yet time for you to go… You have one more task to accomplish as my host” A voice called out to me.

I could barely see or speak but how can I miss such a beautiful face? It was an extremely handsome man who gazed at me with tender eyes.

.....

“Haven’t I suffered enough? Can’t I just rest?” I cried out. Why would I want to stay back in such a cruel world?

“Don’t you want to avenge the death of your parents? Don’t you want to become something greater? I can make that happen!” The beautiful man said with an alluring voice.

“You… Who are you?” I asked with an anxious heart.

My parents always said God is the only one who cares about me! Maybe in my final hours, he has come to save me.

“Call me Death…”