Tales of Demons And Gods - Chapter 172 - Unable to repay favour

【The latest update for 'Age of Ice' has been completed, heralding the era of open beta testing for all. In one minute, every human on Blue Star will be thrown into this game.】Starting with a small bonfire, this is your range of activity.You must continually gather materials and upgrade the level of your bonfire.Bonfire → Large Bonfire → Furnace → Energy Tower → Super Energy StationBy unlocking more buildings and recruiting various troops, build your power in this extremely harsh world.Having just crossed over, Cao Xing accidentally activates the sole hidden SSS-grade talent: Eternal Power.At that moment, he discovers a beautiful Saozi (sister-in-law) accompanying him...With their hidden talent, they cooperate and gradually expand and strengthen their territory!As they explore the vast world beyond, more secrets of this expansive world come to light...

Traveling through the world of movies, TV series, cartoons and novels, you can freely copy the blood, skills, knowledge, and even memories of others …

- Description from Uukanshu

The smell of blood invaded my nostrils. I watched helplessly as the woman standing over me raised her sword. I was completely drained, I had no mana left, no items, nothing. As the crimson tendrils held me down by my arms and legs, all I could do was wait for my death.

As the sword drew near, I felt the last bit of courage I had disappear. I was going to die. Alone. In this god forsaken place filled with evil. And for what? To protect those ‘friends’? The same people who mocked me, took advantage of, and used me?

Oh, who am I trying to fool? I was here only because of my own greed. Because I wanted to be useful to someone. Because I wanted to that group to need me. To value me. To have a reason to keep me around. How naïve I was, thinking that power would grant those wishes. All it did was help build a wall between me and everyone else.

The sword approached. I saw the purple light reflect off the sword’s blade. After everything I went through, I hadn’t expected my death to be by the hands of another player. I saw her smile, but this time I didn’t think it was beautiful. It was an ugly smile because it was genuine. She was enjoying watching me die. She was enjoying killing me.

The sword struck my chest and pierced my heart. I let out a scream of pain and agony. The pain was so real, all of this was so real. It shouldn’t be, but it was. What should have been a simple game had become my new reality – all of our new reality. A reality filled with magic, war, blood, and death.

My vision darkened as the pain slowly faded. I felt the last of my vitality leave my body. It felt cold. I wondered to myself, when would I stop being? When would my thoughts disappear?

Soon, I saw those words I feared for all this time appear before me. “DEATH”, in the pale blue font the game always used. They remained suspended in the air for several seconds. It was over. After a long time of fighting, grinding, and exploring, it was finally over. I had died. This was the end of my story.

Suddenly, words before me shifted and changed into something different. I took a shallow breath as I heard a faint heartbeat.

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That afternoon, Roland received the most absurd gift imaginable—his stepmom handed him a System literally.That’s right. Not a game console. Not money. A real, cheat-like System... the kind usually reserved for transmigrators and chosen ones.Except Roland had transmigrated eighteen years ago, and nothing remotely “chosen” had ever happened since—until now.The catch? It wasn’t just any System. It was the “Mother's Little Tasks” System, formerly owned by his doting (mysterious) mother. And its first mission?[Mission: Go on a blind date.][Target Options: Yukino Yukio (Mom), Yukino Haruno (Elder Sister), Yukino Yuki (Younger Sister).][Warning: Once locked, your chosen girl can never marry anyone else.][Reward: 1000 Points, one self-selected supernatural ability from Mall]Roland: “...What kind of twisted matchmaking app did I just inherit?”After reading the mission, Roland was stunned. An arranged romance at 18 was already bad—but a binding rule that prevented the chosen girl from marrying anyone else? What if he failed the mission? Would she be alone forever?“And this is supposed to be a System?”“Mom! What the hell is this mission?” Roland asked, his face darkening.“It finally triggered! All those Points I spent transferring the System weren’t wasted,” his mother replied cheerfully, ignoring his outrage.“You set this up? Why?”“You’re nearly an adult and you’ve never even dated. Of course I’m worried.”“I’m only eighteen! I have college entrance exams next year!”“Exams don’t matter. But youth without love isn’t youth at all.”“...Is that something a mother should say?” Roland muttered. Most mothers pushed their kids to study harder—his acted like grades were irrelevant.“What kind of mom does this to her own son? And why is Aunt Yukio even on the target list? That’s just insane!”“Well~, I don’t know what kind of girl you like. The Yukino family has all three types—mother, elder sister, and younger sister—so I gave you options.”