A Billion Dollar Exchange - Chapter 163: Watch me

Some are reincarnated as the shining, pure character known as the hero of the story.Others find themselves as secondary, unknown characters, carrying no weight in the flow of events.And then there are those who are reborn as villains… villains meant to be struck down, forming the very foundation of the hero’s growth.As for me?I was neither a hero,nor an ordinary villain.I was merely a cursed soul,reborn as an experiment within an organization that worships an unknown entity.Am I just a third-rate villain?… I wished it were so.Because the truth is far worse.I am the character who appeared in the very first scene of the game,even before the hero made his entrance.I am…the Vessel.Discord: https://discord.gg/78GdZmDu

Abandoned at birth in a humble stable, Shirone was raised by commoners—but he was anything but ordinary. Blessed with remarkable insight, he taught himself to read at a young age. A fateful visit to the city introduced him to the wonders of magic, igniting an unshakable dream of becoming a mage. Yet, beneath the city's dazzling facade lurked a ruthless social hierarchy, where power and privilege crushed those who dared to rise above their station. As Shirone uncovers the world's darkest secrets before even coming of age, one question remains—can he defy fate and claim his destiny as a mage in a world determined to keep him down?

“The simplification of the extreme mountain breathing method… the simplification is successful… the extreme mountain breathing method → ​​breathing!”

Chen Fei took a deep breath.

“Extreme mountain breathing method +1 experience.”

“…”

- Description from novelbuddy

In Dwarkam, people are not born equal.Some are born Halocrats, wrapped in power and worship.Some are born Gutterborn, taught to keep their heads down and their mouths shut.Zane Atlas was a Gutterborn.Eighteen years old.Hungry.Beaten.Invisible.The world taught him one rule early:Filth shouldn’t look up.When the Golden Slab descended from the sky, it gave power to those who caressed it.Most gained skills.Some gained status.Many gained hope.Zane gained something else.Something that was never meant to awaken.Something that watches before it judges.Something that acts only when survival is at stake.[ Conflux System ]It does not reward obedience.It grows through choices.And it can merge anything Zane owns…including his body, his instincts, and his will to survive.Now Zane walks a thin line between staying alive and being discovered.Between obeying a world that hates himand becoming something it must erase.The churches are watching.The crowns are stirring.The monsters are waking.And Zane is learning one terrifying truth:Sometimes, being chosen is worse than being powerless.——— ——— ———Support Me - ko-fi.com/khyaalJoin My Discord For Reference Arts and much more - https://discord.gg/zmUcswM2N5