The Masked Virtuoso - Chapter 4: Plans and Pizza

Born into a dirt poor mining family, Karl only had one chance to get ahead in life, the annual elite recruitment day. On their final day of middle school, every student in the Golden Dragon Nation was given an experimental injection to awaken their affinity with magic.

Those few who succeeded would become the Elite, the leaders and idols of the nation, blessed with incredible magical powers and respected by all. Those who did not would return to their normal lives of hard work and low wages, just doing the best they could.

But with the nation surrounded by enemies, both humans and monsters, how long would these peaceful days of magical idols last?

Follow the story of Karl as he awakens a unique power and strives to become the world's first Legendary Beast Master.

“Mana to breathe, mana to eat, mana to fucking live,”Inhale: -0.001 MP… oops! You're out of mana points.(Pay-to-breathe RPG.)Humanity's last walled stronghold._____In the world Elio lives, every gasp of air comes at a price.A floating indestructible book for every human, a magical system that turns survival into a pay-to-breathe RPG.Here, poverty isn't just being broke, it's choking.Surrounded by barren land and a sea of monsters on top of it (No water, just literal monsters), each day is a suffocating dance of survival, a balancing act between mana for air and mana for food.In this economy, holding your breath isn't just a game, it's a retirement plan.Driven by desperation (and the city's miserly rulers that don’t cut anyone a break), Elio dives into the Book System’s trials to save his family.Along the way, he unlocks powers he didn’t ask for and starts to figure out... Who he really is.Immerse yourself in an adventure where one young man's stubborn refusal to become a statistic could spark a revolution. Who knew being a pain in the system's rear could change the world?Because in Elio's world, breathing is just the beginning of the revolution and... he's gasping for change.But hey, who said saving the world had to be all doom and gloom? Join Elio as he kicks monster butt, uncovers ancient secrets, and maybe, just maybe, figures out how to grow a tree or two along the way.__________Warning:May contain traces of world domination, an unhealthy obsession with the periodic table, damage points, progression math, and yes, even a sprinkle of that old “power of friendship” magic. Because sometimes, you need a buddy to help you remember which element does what or even help you calculate those sweet, sweet stats.A quick heads-up:Despite what the cover might suggest, this isn’t a hack-and-slash adventure. Think more along the lines of a turn-based RPG, where strategy and choices matter as much as action. Get ready for a different kind of challenge!If you want to know more about the cover:Yep, that's our first FL crying and crossing the transparent barrier straight into a pixelated, indistinguishable sea of monsters. Because why not mix emotions with chaos? She's crazy like that! (Not really... or is she?)Discord to check the visuals: https://discord.gg/W3CjfC2cw4I’m still working on it in the little moments I find between writing, editing, making more character images, etc.Little by little, we’ll have a Poked... uh, a full SummonDex! Meanwhile, you can check out the ones on Fandom with their... funny descriptions? Or at least I hope so... orzWarning 2 (Privilege 4 and 5):I just wanted to stick to the novel’s level system, so I had to add those '0s'!!! Don’t be an elephant... unless you’re an enormous one... A whale! Seriously, nooooo!You’re going to make me die from the pressure, and I’ll feel terrible!! It’s just one chapter!!! You can wait... But if you’re dirty rich and really, Really, REALLY want to support, well... okay, though I’ll still feel bad!!! orz

You boiled two eggs, Culinary skills +1.

You chewed a mouthful of cereal, your jaw is strengthened.

You are riding a bicycle, driving ability +1

you gazed at the beauty, your mood is very pleasant, your kidney function has been strengthened, Appraisal ability +1.

You see elderly women dancing in the public square, you can’t help but want to swing with their rhythm, dance skills +1.

You glanced at the newspaper, your reading ability is strengthened, knowledge experience +1.

You sneezed, your disease resistance has improved.

You took cold medicine, toxin resistance is improved, medicine proficiency +1.

You observe nurse use injection, your basic medical skills are strengthened, medical skills +1.

…… I don’t know what’s going on, my strength is improving even if I’m drinking cold water. I don’t want to stop, but I’m so worried…

- Description from Novelupdates

What happens when a scientist from a futuristic world reincarnates in a World of Magic and Knights? An awesome MC is what happens! A scientist’s goal is to explore the secrets of the universe, and this is exactly what Leylin sets out to do when he is reincarnated. Dark, cold and calculating, he makes use of all his resources as he sets off on his adventures to meet his goal. Face? Who needs that… Hmmm… that guy seems too powerful for me to take on now… I better keep a low profile for now. You want me to help you? Sure… but what benefit can I get out of it? Nothing? Bye. Hmmm… that guy looks like he might cause me problems in the future. Should I let him off for now and let him grow into someone that can threaten me….. Nahhh. *kill*-

Alternative: Leylin is transported from an advanced technological era into a medieval world— except there’s magic. Equipped with “only” his quick wits and an A.I. chip fused to his soul, he sets out to become the most powerful magus the world has ever known. In a land divided into the Light and Dark Magi, the weak can either be cattle or disposable slaves. Only the strong can determine their lives, and only they have the luxury for virtue. Yet strength is only a tool for Leylin, like any other. His goal, in the end, is his own.