A Stepmother's Marchen - Chapter 33

“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

“Please, I implore you to save the world.” This is what a goddess in white says to me in a pure-white space. Such is the standard line that suggests the game is about to begin. Please say this stirring line to boys and girls with sparkling eyes! It’s wrong to direct it to someone like me, who’s exhausted from job hunting! When I declined her politely, she flew into a fit of tears; when I agreed to assist her on small tasks out of reflex, she proclaimed: “it’ll be fine if you just help in the Starting-Village Arc. Please guide the Hero!” Then she tossed me into another world. No, this is a world modeled after a game that this gamer goddess likes…

Starting over once more, he has entered this “living game” again in order to control his own fate.

This time, he will not be controlled by others.

Previously the Level 200 Sword King, he will rise to a higher peak in this life.

Methods to earn money! Dungeon conquering strategies! Legendary Quests! Equipment drop locations! Undiscovered battle techniques!

Even the secrets Beta Testers were unknowledgeable of, he knows of them all.

Massive wars, life advancement, entering Godhood, sword reaching to the peak; a legend of a man becoming a Sword God has begun.

At 20 years old, Su He married Mr. Jiang, a business tycoon with billions to his name, proudly hailed as a business mogul. Upon learning of this, people said that she, a country bumpkin lacking background and wealth, was merely a poor doctor with a beautiful appearance, unworthy of the esteemed Jiang family head. Gradually, however, people discovered that this 'poor doctor' with 'no background' was in fact the jewel of a prestigious medical family in the capital, an expert surgeon in the medical field, an heir to a medical research institute, and a mysterious designer... Everyone knew that within Mr. Jiang's heart, there was a cherished figure. As the four-year marriage agreement neared its end, the man handed her a document, his tone gentle yet assertive: 'Sign it!' 'A divorce agreement?' Su He asked, her eyes bright with unconcealed excitement and anticipation, having longed for a divorce. The man snorted coldly, 'Just sign it!' Not long after, Mr. Jiang reneged, stating: 'Since you've given birth to my child, you'll be mine for life!'