Master’s Smile - Chapter 33

A world destroyed. An axe to grind. And a path to infinite power. Welcome to my reality.When the cultivators came to Earth, they destroyed our entire civilization in a matter of hours. Armies fell, cities burned, and that was before the moon turned red and filled our world with monsters.Now, over a decade later, what’s left of humanity slaves under the heels of our Qi-infused masters. The luckiest of us might even become one of them, they say—if we serve the Dynasty well enough and harness the power of Qi.But I want none of that.I’m sick of serving and I want nothing to do with their world. Instead, I want them to pay for what they did to mine. Maybe that’s why she found me. The fearsome, angry goddess who showed me a different path. Apparently, Qi is not the only route to power.Now I’ll fight to take back my planet, to grow strong enough to beat the cultivators at their own game. Through blood, sweat, and pain, I will free humanity or die trying.For that’s the Path of a Berserker.Path of the Berserker is a progression fantasy novel that contains immortal cultivators, an oppressive intergalactic dynasty, rage-inducing imperial bureaucracy, magical spirit beasts, fantastical martial arts and one pissed-off MC who’s sick of it all. Fans of western-style cultivation fantasy, post apocalypse, and xianxia will enjoy.

76 years ago, the world changed. Or rather, should I say it evolved? Even so, this, “evolution” came at a price. Or maybe, the 'price' is what caused the evolution in the first place. What is this 'price', you ask? An invasion. Monsters from another world. Creatures we've only known through fork lore, myths and fantasy novels. They came from portals, known as Dungeon Gates, threatening all of mankind as we knew it. So in order to fight this catastrophe, the evolution happened. Half of the world's already large population Awakened as superhumans with Skills, Spells and Special Attacks all so they could pass through the Gates, enter the Dungeons and clear them. One by one. Thus marked the beginning of the Great Age Of Warriors.Name's Raid. And I'm one such Warrior. Now here's the kicker. I'm an F-Rank. The first one in history. Due to my low Mana Capacity, I could only choose one Class. The infamous Blacksmith Class. A Class no one even looked at twice, because weapons of mass destruction can easily be created with today's technology without much hassle. Now I'm faced with the reality of being seen as the weakest Warrior of all time, but you know what? To hell with it all. I'll make the most of the cards I've been dealt, even if those cards are...pretty shitty cards. I'll show all those High-Ranked Warriors what's what. They'll know my name whether they want to or not.Tag along for the ride if you're interested. Because once I get going, I'm not stopping until I reach the top.

Born and raised as a nameless shadow guard for his kingdom’s crown prince, his life’s purpose was to be used and discarded at the whims of his liege.

And his meaningless life ended when the gaze of a princess lingered on him for too long. The crown prince had him beheaded without a second thought, as if throwing out trash.

Transmigrating into the body of a baby girl, the nameless shadow finally had a name, a family, and a place to call her own. Throwing away his past, the shadow guard was now called ‘Emilia’, and walked on a new path to seek fulfillment.

It was not meant to be, however, as the girl whom she had loved with all her heart and soul ended up mercilessly plunging a dagger through Emilia's love-struck heart at the highest point in her life.

The crowd clamored at the ‘deserved death of the villainess’, and at that moment, the shadow could only wonder… why?

Why am I always the one to dedicate myself fully to someone, only to be thrown away like trash in the end?

And thus, as her soul floated away while cursing in resentment, ‘Emilia’ vowed to herself that in her next life she shall never be the one to fully dedicate herself.

Whatever she likes shall be held in her palm, and shall never escape.

The moment the vow was made, a self-proclaimed villainess system proposed to partner with her, to explore and conquer the worlds through their anchors—the heroes and heroines.

And by cultivating this energy, she shall one day go back. Back to the world she was born as ‘Emilia’ in, and face the so-called heroine once more.

The second time they meet, Emilia won’t be the one drowning in regret!

...

Author's Note: The heroines are not just trophies she’s collecting, only to be forgotten once she collects them. Each of them will remain relevant throughout the story. And it won’t become a mess, promise!

Octavius, misled by friends, embarks on a quest to clear his father's name, ultimately facing a tragic end with his sister.Their journey results in devastating loss, leaving him powerless and yearning for revenge against those who harmed his family. Spirits offer him a chance to reincarnate, but he refuses, saying;“What’s the point of a new life if I keep running from my problems”The entities are taken aback by his unwavering decision, having never encountered a spirit who refuses to escape their troubled past. They warn him about the evil being that now resides in his old body, but that only motivates him. He believed In the saying - to defeat a monster, you have to be twice as monstrous.Embracing his fate as The Phantom's Gambit, they traverse the shadowy path of retribution, their identities blur, secrets unravel, and the line between savior and monster fades.This is a tale of darkness and redemption, where justice is a blade, and revenge is the only way forward.