Kaze no Stigma - Volume 4, Chapter 3 - Shinjuku RPG

The daughter of a duke, the stuttering Maximilian, married a knight of lowly status at her father’s coercion.

Japan – National News BroadcastThe polished news anchor sat upright, her gaze sharp as she adjusted the stack of papers before her. The newsroom behind her hummed with quiet urgency, the weight of the moment settling over the broadcast.“Authorities are baffled by a sudden and unexplained surge in sleep-related deaths across Japan,” she began, her voice steady yet tense. “More and more citizens are passing away in their sleep without any prior health concerns. Experts are working tirelessly to determine the cause, but no clear explanation has emerged. Authorities urge the public to remain vigilant and report any unusual symptoms before bedtime.”A graphic appeared, displaying the spike in fatalities over the past month. Behind her, unsettling photographs flickered across the screen—blurred images of individuals found in their beds, their faces frozen in expressions of terror.The anchor’s tone shifted. “Health officials recommend citizens avoid excessive fatigue and maintain healthy sleep habits. More updates will follow as investigations continue.”---United States – Paranormal PodcastIn a dimly lit podcast studio, the host leaned forward, his eyes wide with curiosity. Across from him, a rugged man in a worn flannel shirt, gripping a faded photograph in one hand and a beer can in the other, leaned back in his chair.“So, you're telling me you saw this creature firsthand?” the host asked, clearly intrigued.The man scoffed, shaking his head. “Damn right, I did. Ugly thing had wings bigger than my body—slow but sneaky. Thought it could steal my pigs again, but I was ready this time—camera in one hand, shotgun in the other.”He slammed the table for emphasis, then shoved the blurry image toward the host. The photograph depicted a small, red-skinned humanoid figure with large, bat-like wings, its eyes glowing faintly in the darkness.“Spit, the thing didn’t know what hit it when I fired!” the man chuckled, his voice full of excitement.The host held up the picture to the live chat. “Alright, what do you think? Mothman? Demon? Or is our friend here just seeing things?”The chat exploded with theories—some skeptical, others eager for the investigation to continue.---China – Liangyuan Street MarketSurveillance footage from a bustling night market in China captured a chilling scene. A woman in a red qipao walked gracefully through the crowd, her figure striking in the soft glow of lanterns.Suddenly, she paused. Her body flickered—like a glitch in a video—before vanishing completely, as though she had never existed.The footage zoomed in, replaying in slow motion. In the final frame before she disappeared, her face distorted unnaturally, her eyes hollow and empty.The screen cut abruptly to black.

What would you feel if after living your whole life out, you found out that you're just a character in a book?

That every encounter and misfortune were just the machinations of the author?

And if one day, you will be given a chance to escape, will you grab the opportunity or remain drunk by your role?

***

Philip was one of the puppets of fate and the main character of a famous book. Yet, unlike other main characters, his life was filled with tragedy and later ended terribly.

Then one day, along with the other 99 men, he was summoned to fight for his freedom. He immediately agreed to participate. He wanted to live freely and control his own life.

However, after seeing the might of his 99 enemies, he instantly became reluctant. Can he win against those who control magic and create miracles? He was just an unlucky soulless player with no interesting ability to begin with!

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Mark hatched out of an egg one day, reincarnated as a demon!His body was as strong as iron, instincts capable of noticing a silent fly multiple meters away. Eyesight sharp enough to see the small holes in an enemy’s clothing.Moreover, he also had a system.[Soul Devourer][Eat souls to grow stronger.][Mind-type Demonic Tricks have been derived out of your demonic bloodline!][Heart Input!][Input unsolicited thoughts in an enemy's heart and influence them!]Mark took a deep breath.How can he allow himself to live a mediocre life after being given this second chance?Now, he wanted it all!Women, wealth, power, status, and even eternal life!His ambition was set, his heart was on fire. A demon had been born.