Steel and Sorrow: Rise of the Mercenary king - Chapter 533: A new prince(2)

After millions of years spent hunting and battling, the forces of darkness were finally pushed back and eradicated. But as Twilight’s lifespan approached its inevitable end, he made a fateful choice—to reincarnate into the future, where a golden age was prophesied to unfold.Now reborn as Twilight Nightfall, a boy who had lost everything to the world, he remembered nothing of his former life.Stripped of purpose and will, he strayed on the path of despair. Yet, in his darkest moment, a reason to live revealed itself.Chosen as one of the sovereign system holders, Twilight was granted an opportunity to prove himself.With sufficient potential, he could earn the highest privileges, rise to the rank of seeker, and represent humanity in the Astral Realm—a game-like world filled with mythical races, limitless resources, and boundless opportunities.Follow Twilight as he ascends to the apex of the Astral Realm, dominating players and rivals alike while gradually piecing together the shattered fragments of his past life, becoming a legendary figure in all worlds.

Worlds overlapped, and Alien Species descended.Strange entities emerged one after another, as the shadow of evil spread wildly.The calm of life was shattered, and Zhang Xiaoman, inside a fish's stomach, accidentally consumed a system named “World-saving Plan”.From then on, he became the only person among all humans with Extraordinary Power.…Inventing an ancient oath, he established a unique methodology, Cultivated Dark Energy, founded an organization, took Control of the Transcendent, and resisted invasions.Well, this is actually the story of how a Big Con Man bluffed his way into saving the entire world.PS: Contains elements of the behind-the-scenes, Cthulhu mythos.

--WSA 2025 ENTRY--Neraxis saved the people and wiped out the monsters, but instead of cheers, he faced silence and a glowing blue text:[Task Failed Successfully!][Rating Generated: SSS-Rank]“The hell does that even mean?” he muttered, finding the situation a bit strange.Before he could process, the so-called heroes—who had hidden while he fought—emerged. He waited for gratitude, only to feel a dagger pierce his back.The only girl he loved stood behind him.She betrayed him.The crowd and heroes? They were staring at him with disdain and contempt.“You...” he groaned as a spear and sword headed for him, ending his life.But instead of dying, he was sent back to the past—specifically, to the first day of the academy, year 2367, 8 years before his death.However, many things had changed. One of the most significant was the sudden appearance of a Tower, a mysterious structure that had appeared across all the continents, granting power to those brave enough to contest its challenges.“Not again... With this chance I will end you all” Neraxis vowed to himself, embarking on his path of revenge, while also trying to give his life new meaning.

First Arc:“Don't leave me! Just look at me and stay awake!” Words that haunted Ariana's dreams for as long as she remembered. Dying in the arms of her lover as they both are surrounded and engulfed in flames.However Ariana's quirks never stopped her from living her life. Her journey starts from when her adoptive mother sells her at the tender age of 12, afraid that she was stealing her adoptive father's love. A blow to her head unlocks her past life's memories and life skills.Any object she touches relating to her past life unlocks her past skills and education. Using her memories she changes the brothel she's sold to into a maid cafe, and slowly changes her community.While creatures called Lumas are born from her powers to protect Ariana but who are the Lumas really protecting? Especially when she gets her period on her 13th birthday and it morphs her into a humanoid garnet dragon.Second Arc:In a world full of magic, beast men, warriors, adventurers and elementals could there really be something more frightening then a girl with mixed blood? Garnet dragon, child of the jewel eyed priestess and the soul of someone who was summoned from Earth.Ariana is fully awoken to who she is and has started her life in St. Verusha Academy as their perfect score student. She will have to grow into the young lady she wants to be while trying to unravel the mysteries of her life.With the help of Cayden, her childhood friend and the the Lumas, Ariana will discover the roads she can walk down. The only problem is will she choose destruction or human evolution? Love or world dominance? Revenge or forgiveness? Or will she allow her human mind and heart to be devoured by the darkness inside of her because of a massive betrayal from the one person she thought meant the most to her?Third ArcThe bells of war have been wrung and Ariana has now chosen to save all of humanity. Though she has come to know many truths she still trusts in the relationships she's made and is willing to put everything on the line to become stronger. Her Lumas are evolving, Cayden is her true love that she will never let go, the Goddess of Creation needs her to complete the mission given to her and above all else Ariana is determined to survive.Now with her new knowledge she abandons everyone from their own safety and travels to the Animus, the beast Kingdom to learn how to control her garnet dragon powers from her blood family and hoping that they wil aid her in the fight against Lord Romanoff, the robed army and the twisted church.