Journey to Become the Zenith - Chapter 13: Masks Beneath Silk and Steel

“The masterminds are cooler than heroes,” I mutter as I stare at the chess pieces before me. It is easier to be the one who sits in the shadows and moves the pieces, likewise deciding the flow of the game.Heroes will foolishly sacrifice their lives for the good cause and villains will sacrifice the world for their own gain, but masterminds will use both the heroes and villains to their own benefit.Why, you ask? Well, that's because I've lost my life once while trying to be a hero so, I don't want that anymore. I'd rather be a mastermind who molds the world as per my convenience and live peacefully. Because, why not?***[Defender of Divine Glory says you are the hope of this world.]What?[Goddess of Wisdom believes that you will be the one to save the world.]Wait, what?![Propose the Grand Duke the idea of a fake marriage.]And, why would I do that?![Stop the assassination of Prince Eric.]Why would I save him?![The candidates for the throne are:... Who will you choose?]Ah! I give up...It seems like a curse that anyone who wishes for a slacker life in Isekai will have to go through the most troublesome things.In my past life, I died because of one rookie mistake but after being transmigrated in the world of fantasy I've gotten an opportunity to start afresh, but unlike the protagonists who look for their love and glory, I'd rather make money and live a life of a slacker.I have magic, I have power and I have money, what else do I need?Well, that was the plan but this damn system is getting on my nerves. I mean who in their sane mind would want to mess with the complicated royal family and political affairs? But that's not all though.I've also become the saviour of this world. Things just can't be anymore worse!Besides, the penalty of failing this quest is...[Failure: Destruction of the World.]It seems like if I screw up in selecting the right person then the destruction that is going to befall the world won't be stopped.If I speak of my reward then it's this vague thing.[Reward: Fulfillment of any wish.]“If that's the case then, I'd rather choose the person who would be the best fit for the throne.”And that's how I decided that I would become the Kingmaker.

Some say he is the bad apple in a basket, that he’s rotting everything around him with disgrace and corruption.

Some say he is the biggest scum of the South Zhanbu Continent, that he’s colluding with the dark sects to cheat, steal, and commit all manner of atrocities.

Some say he is the most wanted playboy. “Lock your daughters at home to keep Fang Xing away!”

To all of those people, “That’s right, I am that big rotten apple. Any problem with that?”

This brand of anti-hero is a young orphan with poor prospects and nothing more than the keepsakes of his uncles. He plots, schemes, and orchestrates all manner of villainy in his quest for power and revenge, unafraid to live precariously and make enemies out of those he really should not.

- Description from Novelupdates

In the aftermath of apocalyptic event, a man rises above the others to lead an era.

With threat beyond the stars, as Supreme Beings of otherworldly star system watches over as Destiny and Fate work their way, an era of Gods descended upon Earth

And in his rise, lies a terrifying secret. Read how he rises above it all, through all the complicated love life, his determination to push through his own fate and destiny and the Will that pushes him forward.

With all of this, could the Fate that was written be overturned? And will he truly rise to the top and survive?

A great battle for the fate of the Universe began.

This is the story of Lord Shadow.

This entire story is fictional. All regions, countries, and cities described within are imaginary!!!!![ torrential rain, floods, blizzards, extreme cold, extreme heat, pollution, insect plagues, acid rain, endless night, earthquakes... ]On April 1st, a natural disaster struck Azure. A massive torrential rainstorm swept across the globe, followed by earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, rising sea levels... one disaster after another.Evelyn Ford is reborn before the disaster strikes. In this life, she frantically hoards supplies just to survive.[ No special abilities, no zombies, pure natural disaster survival, no bleeding hearts. ]Male Lead: The ultimate support + a deadly weaponFemale Lead: Spatial storage + an ordinary person[ apocalypse, survival, hoarding, base building, farming, gourmet food, animal husbandry... ]