Valkyrie's Shadow - Chapter 14Before the Storm: Act 5,

In the nation of Avrael, power is both a blessing and a curse. Sixteen-year-old Ayato Daath, a poor orphan, had always hoped to live unnoticed in the shadows of the city. But when he is forced to undergo The Rite of Manifestation, the ritual that determines one’s magical potential, his worst fear comes true—he is an Elite.Now torn from the only life he’s ever known, Ayato is thrust into a brutal world of magic, bloodshed, and treacherous politics. In a society where the strong prey on the weak, where rival factions scheme in the dark, and where a single misstep could mean death, Ayato must quickly learn one thing—adapt, or perish. And one thing Ayato already knows is that in Avrael, only the ruthless survive.

One week. If you survive, you choose a Cosmic Power... you survive. Jace isn’t one to give up. Not when his sister dies. Not when he loses his legs. And definitely not when The Cosmic System takes over Earth. With nothing more than his street smarts, the clothes on his back, and a river otter companion; he must survive a planet full of vicious predators that see him as an easy meal. If he can survive? He gets to choose a Cosmic Power and a Class. A path to ascension. A way to bring his sister back.

Her original self was a powerful jiangshi who had cultivated for innumerable years. However, when she attempted to unlawfully enter the world of the immortals, she was discovered by the Jade Emperor and thrown into the mortal world as punishment. Her soul then left her corpse, fusing with the body of the Motian Dynasty’s sixth princess. She didn’t even have a chance to fully comprehend her current circumstances before her maid unexpectedly ignored her mistress, even publicly provoking her!

“What? That weak and cowardly idiot who has neither her father’s love or mother’s favor actually mistook her older sister as her maid?! All the royal princes in the world loathe her?”

“Damn you! This old lady will let all of you understand why the flowers are so red!”

“Hey! Did you hear? That cowardly sixth princess unexpectedly snatched away the man that the eldest princess favored today!”

“How is that interesting news? That fourth princess who ran always ran amuck in the capital city is now confined to her bed now!”

The good-for-nothing counterattacks! The previously cowardly and incompetent sixth princess suddenly reveals her exceptional talents! She is full of radiant elegance, and unparalleled disdain!

She is driven by the desire to shed no more tears! However, if she had known what would happen later, she would have been better off acting stupid! She had calculated thousands, tens of thousands of scenarios, but had never calculated one where one day, her own prey would unexpectedly turn around, and ruthlessly bully her instead! Damn it, she still hasn’t sucked any blood yet!

- Description from Novelupdates

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.