I Woke Up as the Villain - Chapter 19

To rise from defeat; to revive amidst the dissipation.

As the vast oceans turn to dust and the thunder and lightning fade away,

That strand of spiritual mist once again approaches our great world.

With the shackles that bound our world now severed—

A whole new world of mystery and wonder awaits,

As we turn the corner…

——

The Sacred Ruins is a story set in a post-apocalyptic world. A world that has recovered to a state that is roughly equal to our own world in terms of technology and culture, although its ancient history remains largely unknown. The story begins during the post-graduation trip of our protagonist, where he discovers some ancient ruins and witnesses “the great change”, an upheaval that changed everything. The changing earth not only brought about new, unexplored landscape but also sparked the evolution of all organisms. Plants and animals started gaining sentience and some humans obtained unimaginable powers. The legends, myths, and tales of old seemed to have suddenly come to life as the earth entered a new era where beasts and men formed factions, explored new lands and ultimately struggled for supremacy.

We follow the MC as he grows from being an eccentric young man into a badass expert warrior while meeting other funny characters and forming brotherly bonds. We watch as he falls into just as much hilarious situations as he does perilous ones, all the while wondering and slowly discovering the mysteries of this world. Just why was the world destroyed in the first place? Who or what had triggered this earth-shattering “change”? What profundities lie behind the process of evolution?

- Description from Novelupdates

He hated everything I was, but I searched for affection in every cruel glance he gave me.“There were so many things I wanted to say to you, but even writing them feels impossible. Because I know that if I were to put down the words I keep in my heart, you'd only say it's natural, after all, I’m just a stupid, self-centered person, like you often said.But I'm not. And that’s why I won’t bare my heart to someone who never truly knew me. Because... you wouldn’t trust the sincerity of a stranger. Right?But I did.You were the stranger whose sincerity I believed in.So I’m stepping away from being the person who embodies everything you hate—because I hate those things too.Maybe in another life, I’ll get to tell you who I really am.”

In 2008 America, the advantages of being reborn were about to vanish, and Link could only rely on his powerful physique, attractive appearance, superior publicity tactics, and numerous scandals to gradually rise from obscurity to become a top influencer of the Times and a tycoon in the entertainment industry.

A century ago, colossal stone swords descended from the skies, stabbing deep at the heart of twenty-eight cities.Like so began the Sword Trials.Worlds against worlds, species against species, set in a separate, unique, battleground realm that resembled the greatest sword-themed, faction versus faction MMORPG to ever exist.Levels, Legendary Equipment, Hidden Quests, Guilds, Territories, Spawns, NPCs, Sword Skills, Loot that could transcend worlds through a special currency…Only those who can awaken their sword marks would be called Bladeborns, warriors of their race.Armed with Soulbound Swords of varying tiers that decided their ranking in the modern hierarchy, they would fight for the continued existence of their worlds.Ending the battle, however, proved far more difficult than expected. A seemingly unbreakable hundred-year stalemate was reached.The apocalyptic ending eventually faded from everyone’s minds, and being a Bladeborn suddenly turned into a profession.Some even treated the Sword Trials as a mere game.Schools began adding swordsmanship classes as a major subject, and those who excelled beyond their peers at the same high school would be called Sword Prince and Princesses.One such celebrity was Daru Finnley, a young man who had an unusual love for the sword.Named the Fallen Sword Prince after a disastrous awakening ceremony, the label of genius changed into garbage overnight.But his “trash” sword held a secret.And so did his soul…Three worlds WILL fall.