Hard Enough - Chapter 6: Sleeping thoughts

Eli Turner had perfected the art of coasting through life, gaming, lounging, and vibing with no grand ambitions beyond the next high. But his laid-back existence is upended when his laptop inexplicably transforms into a gateway to another world. What starts as a surreal escape becomes a perilous journey as Eli finds himself wielding a mysterious system that allows him to level up, fight monsters, and gain abilities beyond his wildest dreams.At first, the portal world feels like a haven, offering purpose and adventure Eli never knew he craved. Guided, or manipulated, by Azrael, a mischievous god orchestrating the game, Eli rises as one of the system's chosen players. But as the quests grow more dangerous and Azrael’s true intentions begin to surface, Eli struggles to balance the fantasy world with his life back home. His girlfriend, Sara, and his friends are left grappling with a version of Eli they hardly recognize, as the lines between his two lives blur.When the system expands to players worldwide, Eli crosses paths with others drawn into Azrael’s cosmic experiment: Yumi Tanaka, a fiercely disciplined Japanese student with a perfectionist streak, and Arjun Mehta, a charming Indian playboy with secrets of his own. Each carries their own burdens and ambitions, but all three must face the harsh truth: Azrael’s game is far more than it seems.As alliances are forged, rivalries ignite, and the stakes escalate, Eli must confront not only the dangers of the portal world but the growing rift between the person he is and the hero he’s becoming. In a game where every move is a test and every choice ripples across both worlds, the question remains: can Eli, Yumi, and Arjun uncover the truth before the system consumes them all?

Initially, Bai Fu only intended to farm the players' favor to survive, planning to leverage their power to deal with the NPCs that opposed her.However, she accidentally overdid it.From being the 'Players' Sturdiest Support' to 'The Lonely Guardian of the Frontier', and then to 'The First Saint in the Empire's Corrupt World'.Players took the initiative and elevated her to a divine status.In the third millennium of the Empire, a former Emperor, who requested anonymity, loudly complained during a newspaper interview.'Those immortals charged into the palace shouting about friendship and bonds, and forcibly placed the crown on the head of Bai Fu, this demon. Such a sin!'Bai Fu responded to the accusations with great indignation.'How am I a demon?From the beginning, I have always advocated love and justice.Don't talk nonsense with your eyes wide open...It's also difficult for me. Sometimes, it's worth looking for the reason within oneself.Have you ever tried to be a good person over these years?Why do the immortals only attack you and not me?'

“Qu Meng’er was born with a silver spoon in her mouth, but her father had tampered with her brakes and ended her life in a car accident.

[Ding! You have extracted the Dragon Empress’s unborn child. Do you wish to claim it as a pet?][Ding! You have extracted all the impurities from the Starlight Sword. Its rank has been upgraded from Epic to Legendary!][Ding! You have extracted the skill: Lightning Judgment Lv100.][Ding! You have extracted the unique Class Blood warlock!]…After dying at the hands of the God of Destruction, Gabriel found himself in the body of an insignificant character in the game Realm of Ascendancy, before its launch and convergence with reality.Witnessing the world being obliterated before his eyes, along with his friends and family, Gabriel swore to make a difference in this timeline.Armed with the God-tier Extraction Talent, follow him as he uses his knowledge of the game’s future to manipulate both NPCs and players, turning them into powerful lackeys who will lay down their lives for him without hesitation.And all he needed to do was fulfill the unique condition set by the mysterious goddess who granted him a second chance.“The skills of those you kill? Yours.”“Their strength, their talent, their souls? Yours.”“Their loot? Yours.”“Their class? Yours!”“The resources of the universe? Yours!”“Their experience points? Yours!”“You will devour the power of the strong and rise beyond the heavens.”“Kill, KILL, KILL, KILL! Kill everything that blocks your path—monsters, humans, gods, whatever! Slaughter them and extract!!”