MTL - A Mouthful of Sky-high Fried Rice, Lao Tang Apprenticed on the Spot - Chapter 281 Five elements of mashed fish

The year was 2026, and the world wasn't what it used to be. Ever since the Abyss Gates cracked open three years ago, spilling monsters and dungeons across the planet, life had turned into a chaotic mess. Cities were half-ruined, half-rebuilt, and people clung to whatever normalcy they could find. Hunters—those brave or crazy enough to fight the monsters—became the new heroes. Everyone else? Well, they just tried to survive.Fin wasn't a Hunter. He wasn't a hero either.He was just… Fin. A lanky 19-year-old with messy brown hair, a chipped front tooth from a dumb skateboard accident, and a power that everyone called useless. Absorption. Sounds cool, right? Like he could suck up energy or steal someone's strength. Nope. All it did was let him “feel” things he touched a little more than normal. He could tell you the exact texture of a brick wall or how warm a coffee mug was—big whoop. No fireballs, no super strength, no flashy moves. Just a glorified touchy-feely trick.“Fin, you gonna eat that sandwich or just stare at it like it's gonna confess its life story?” Meg's voice snapped him out of his thoughts.He blinked and looked across the rickety table at his best friend. Meg was short, loud, and had a wild mop of dyed purple hair that she swore made her look “intimidating.” It didn't.

“You need my help, Tesoro. You choose. A marriage with me or be torn apart by them” His voice was cool as though this wasn't a matter of life or death.I didn't want this life. My father had gambled a lot and left me with a lot of enemies and now I needed the help of Don Vincenzo LaRosa who was my high school bully and now the Don of the most powerful mafia family in Italy if I was going to survive it.It was just a marriage of convenience but I realized something. He wasn't helping me out of a good heart. I had been sold without my permission to him. I was the mafia's pawn.

A mortal youth accidentally stumbled upon the path of immortality and struggled to move forward on the arduous journey of seeking immortality.The road to immortality is more difficult than reaching the heavens, yet despite the countless obstacles, his determination to pursue immortality remained unwavering.Looking back, the green mountains still stood, but his old companions had all turned to bones.

A new era of power has dawned upon the world. Mortals now wield the elements themselves through their awakened Genetic Spirits, shaping nations and destinies.But not everyone is so fortunate. Sin Clemoth Falmerdic was born with nothing—no affinity, no power, and no future. After witnessing the destruction of his city and the death of all those he held dear, he vows revenge on the veiled enemies who unknowingly left him as the sole survivor.But when Sin attains the Infinite Spirit Energy System, his journey shifts.His thirst for vengeance fuels an insatiable desire for power which eventually consumes him, driving him to rise above all who stand in his way.“There’s no peak for me. Every level brings me closer to godhood.”