I Became the Mastermind Who Betrays the Heroines - Chapter 21 - The Vain Man (2)

In his past life, as the countdown in his mind reached zero, people discovered they could enter and exit a virtual game at will. Inside, they could fight monsters and level up. Like most, Ye Qiu didn’t pay much attention to it and became a casual player, only logging in occasionally.But ten days later, the game suddenly shut down. And then, it merged with the real world!Monsters began to rampage, demons started to roam freely! Along with them came levels, equipment, skills, pets…And Ye Qiu, at the moment the server closed, was only level 5!From then on, he could only struggle to survive, hiding and fleeing, even enduring humiliation and ab*se!Until his final breath, he remained unknown, weak, and pitiful!In this life, Ye Qiu has returned to twenty years ago. And the game has just launched…

An era where every person in the world can see ghosts.Only I cannot see ghosts.

Thalion’s life as a marine biologist was modest in wealth but rich in joy and fulfillment. The arrival of the system sent everyone on Earth into a tutorial while merging it with four other planets. Not everything was bad, though. The system granted people magic and even ways to defy time itself. For now, everyone struggles to survive the tutorial, which has become more of a slaughter trial than a learning experience.If you like stories with Shapeshifters and Bloodmages. Check this out!!! A post-apocalyptic LitRPG series inspired by The Primal Hunter, Defiance of the Fall, and Elden Ring.Release Schedule:Five chapters a week. (Wordcount between 2,000 and 3,000)Also, this novel is posted on Royal Road and Patreon with Patreon being up to 60 chapters ahead of the Royal Road release.What to expect:-Multi-POV Storytelling but mostly main character-Adaptive Magic System – The magic evolves based on the wielder, making every spellcaster’s abilities truly unique.-No harem-Entities Beyond Humanity-Expansive Worldbuilding

Facing extinction, humanity seeks salvation in the Astral Verge, a dangerous dimension accessed via portals that threatened to wipe out the entire planet.Few years later, aspiring recruit Daniel Vance enters the Verge for his final assessment, hoping to Awaken a Talent and secure his future. While others gain common abilities, Daniel secretly Awakens the mythical SSS-Grade Talent: [Soul Assimilation]. This allows him to absorb essence, enhancing gear, gaining stats and EXP from slain creatures, and crucially, absorbing attributes and skills from fallen Awakened.Witnessing the swift death of the arrogant Jaxon Rex, Daniel makes a grim choice: he assimilates Jaxon, gaining his first skill, [Kinetic Pulse]. This sets his path: scavenging the aftermath of others’ battles. He enhances gear and, after achieving his first kill on an injured beast, waits patiently to assimilate two more fallen recruits, acquiring [Quick Step] and the invaluable passive [Aura Sense].Starting as average, Daniel rapidly gains power in secret, enhanced gear, multiple skills, and boosted stats , far exceeding his peers while remaining outwardly unremarkable. He navigates the lethal Verge alone, using its inherent dangers to fuel his growth, wrestling with the moral cost of his unique, overwhelming power.