Chrome Shelled Regios - Volume 16, Prologue — The Hermits Awakening

aira swore she’d keep her heart locked until her final year ended. No distractions. No love. Just goals.But then he walked in—arrogant, mysterious, and dangerously charming.One wrong glance turned into late-night texts. One shared secret became a stolen kiss.And suddenly, the future she’d planned… didn’t seem so clear anymore.Can she graduate without breaking her heart? Or will love ruin everything before the last bell rings?

After a tragic accident, an ordinary young man awakens in a new world teeming with floating islands, supernatural abilities, and mysterious dangers. Reincarnated in a body he doesn’t recognize and granted a cryptic “system” that refuses to explain itself, he’s thrust into Vanguard Academy—a high school where only the most powerful and determined survive.With no clue why he’s been chosen or what the system wants from him, he must navigate a cutthroat world of rivalries, alliances, and mind-bending challenges. Armed with courage, wit, and untapped potential, he embarks on a journey to uncover the truth behind his reincarnation and the forces pulling the strings in this enigmatic universe.Can he rise above the chaos, or will he fall like countless others before him?Perfect for fans of Solo Leveling and The Beginning After The End, this story blends reincarnation, epic battles, and intricate worldbuilding into a gripping tale of survival and self-discovery.

Takahiro Nao, a 25-year-old drowning in debt and despair, lives only for his struggling family. Every sacrifice he makes is for them—until a selfless act costs him his life. Instead of the end, Nao encounters a Goddess of Benevolence who offers him a miraculous deal: “Live in a new world, and your efforts there will support your family back on Earth.”Reborn into the dead body of Naoki von Blackmore, the so-called “Failed Hero,” he finds himself burdened with the daunting task of saving the world by defeating the Demon King—all while supporting the family he cherishes. Armed with formidable powers yet haunted by his past failures, Nao steps into a dangerous realm of swords, magic, and ferocious monsters. Facing relentless enemies, harrowing trials of life and death, and an unyielding fate, he’s forced to confront the ultimate question: how far is he willing to go to protect the people he loves?Filled with emotional struggles, determination, unexpected humor, and a touch of romance, this story asks a powerful question to the readers: What would you sacrifice for the people you love?

“You need my help, Tesoro. You choose. A marriage with me or be torn apart by them” His voice was cool as though this wasn't a matter of life or death.I didn't want this life. My father had gambled a lot and left me with a lot of enemies and now I needed the help of Don Vincenzo LaRosa who was my high school bully and now the Don of the most powerful mafia family in Italy if I was going to survive it.It was just a marriage of convenience but I realized something. He wasn't helping me out of a good heart. I had been sold without my permission to him. I was the mafia's pawn.