Toaru Majutsu no Index SS - Volume 2, Chapter 14: The Dance between Gatekeeper and Intruder. The Third Friday of September.

He never performed well in either middle nor high school, and even after becoming an adult, he never worked. Be it morning, noon or night, he only played an online game. For him, being the world’s number one rank, playing that online game, was his very reason for living.

One day, his account was hacked and his character deleted. Restoration was impossible. Nothing that could be done. The number 1 rank that he literally spent his life to attain and to defend was now lost. Filled with despair, he turned to suicide.

When he opened his eyes again, there was the online game. No, the world itself looked similar to the game. He had been reborn as the extra character of the premium avatar he created in the past, but left untouched.

The former world’s top, was reborn in a world that looked like that online game. That was the beginning of his extraordinary legend.

A knight, a cat, a dark elf, and so on. Together with several unique companions, his training to regain his “world’s first rank” now begins.

A new emperor rules each year in Yohuachanca.Only the most delicious of food graces his palate; the realm’s most beautiful women fill his harem; his palace dazzles the mind in its beauty; and four priestesses counsel him in all matters. The life of an emperor is good, luxurious, and short. For at the year’s end, he is sacrificed to the Nightlords under the light of the Scarlet Moon.I am Iztac. A pisspoor orphan and the year’s emperor. A sacrifice bound for the altar. But the vampires have made a mistake this time. For I am a sorcerer, whose soul journeys into the secret underworld to plunder the secret spells of the dead. There, in the darkness, hides the power to drag the Nightlords off their throne. I have a year to find it, or perish for good.I may not be the first emperor, but I will be the last.

Dreaming back in the middle of the night, Wen Mingtang saw the ending of the beauty who pampered the golden house;

After waking up from the dream, Wen Mingtang changed his core and decided to take a down-to-earth path…

****

At the end of last year, the evaluation forms for personnel changes in various ministries in the capital came out, and the public chef of Dali Temple topped the list with a record of changing 12 cooks in half a year.

Since then, the public chef of Dali Temple has become famous in the first battle, and has become a nightmare for cooks all over the capital.

…

On this day, a new chef came to the public kitchen of Dali Temple who had been vacant for more than half a month…

- Description from novelbuddy

Alex is a young man who struggles to make a living in the world's biggest game (Ancient world). He works as a mercenary who does every job he can find. It's been five years since his suffering started.

Ancient World creation was only possible by the World's greatest invention, “AI ZERO.”

Ancient World A vast planet Multiple times the size of Earth Ruled by Great empires, Big organizations, and hidden Shadowy associations.

A Fantasy world filled with prehistoric animals that have gone extinct on Earth. The creatures humans have only heard of in fairy tales and old stories, Monsters beyond the imagination of humans, roam the vast lands of the “Ancient World.”

Everything was going well, but it all changed on that day.

When the United States told the World “AI ZERO.” and “Ancient World.” technology was a gift from a very advanced intergalactic civilization. That has surpassed humanity in any way of life by an uncountable margin.

Humanity entered a new era, and the Ancient World became humankind's most important part of life.

Alex joined the game to make a living and support his family, but things didn't go as he had hoped.

After suffering in the Ancient world, Alex returned five years back in time.

Alex knows that the Ancient World is not just a VR game.

Now with a new chance in life, Alex will get strong and reach the top while finding the truth about the Ancient World.