MTL - The Man Standing on Top of the Food Chain - Chapter 8 conversation

Nile Santos lived a life of sacrifice — always stepping aside, always giving others the best gear, always following orders without question. In the end, none of it mattered. His comrades fell, his body was broken, and he died a meaningless death in the final battle against an unstoppable force.But fate isn’t finished with him.Offered a second chance by the very beings who led him to ruin, he’s thrust back in time with all his memories intact. This time, though, he’s not playing the role of a noble shield. No more selflessness. No more obedience. No more being a pawn.Armed with future knowledge and a will forged in failure, he vows to rewrite his story — to take everything for himself. Skills, loot, allies, power… all of it. It’s time for one man to climb to the top, no matter what it takes.Author's other storiesThe Unrivaled Holder: Rise of the Dragon Monarch - 3rd Season OngoingI Ascend Alone - Ongoing

The smell of blood invaded my nostrils. I watched helplessly as the woman standing over me raised her sword. I was completely drained, I had no mana left, no items, nothing. As the crimson tendrils held me down by my arms and legs, all I could do was wait for my death.

As the sword drew near, I felt the last bit of courage I had disappear. I was going to die. Alone. In this god forsaken place filled with evil. And for what? To protect those ‘friends’? The same people who mocked me, took advantage of, and used me?

Oh, who am I trying to fool? I was here only because of my own greed. Because I wanted to be useful to someone. Because I wanted to that group to need me. To value me. To have a reason to keep me around. How naïve I was, thinking that power would grant those wishes. All it did was help build a wall between me and everyone else.

The sword approached. I saw the purple light reflect off the sword’s blade. After everything I went through, I hadn’t expected my death to be by the hands of another player. I saw her smile, but this time I didn’t think it was beautiful. It was an ugly smile because it was genuine. She was enjoying watching me die. She was enjoying killing me.

The sword struck my chest and pierced my heart. I let out a scream of pain and agony. The pain was so real, all of this was so real. It shouldn’t be, but it was. What should have been a simple game had become my new reality – all of our new reality. A reality filled with magic, war, blood, and death.

My vision darkened as the pain slowly faded. I felt the last of my vitality leave my body. It felt cold. I wondered to myself, when would I stop being? When would my thoughts disappear?

Soon, I saw those words I feared for all this time appear before me. “DEATH”, in the pale blue font the game always used. They remained suspended in the air for several seconds. It was over. After a long time of fighting, grinding, and exploring, it was finally over. I had died. This was the end of my story.

Suddenly, words before me shifted and changed into something different. I took a shallow breath as I heard a faint heartbeat.

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[MATURE CONTENT]Abigail Snow accidentally caught her fiancé being intimate with her sister. She learned that her fiancé had only used her to advance his business and had never truly loved her.Heartbroken, Abigail called off the engagement and left everything behind to start a new life with nothing. At her lowest point, she met Sawyer, a hidden tycoon who helped her rebuild her life and seek justice against those who made her suffer.As Abigail begins to fall in love with Sawyer, his childhood sweetheart reappears, causing doubt and confusion for her.***Excerpt:Whoever this man was, he was her savior. If he hadn’t held her hand and pulled her, she might have become dead meat and gone straight to the afterlife.“Thank you so much, good sir,” Abigail said softly as she finally looked up to see him.Abigail was stunned.“But I'm not planning to commit suicide. I tripped over my own feet,” she continued, avoiding eye contact. She stared at his chest—her line of sight only reaching his sturdy chest.“It sounds better to hear that, Miss. Because I don’t want to go to the police station to become a witness, or they might wrongly accuse me as a suspect,” he said with a sarcastic tone that caused Abigail to stifle a laugh.“Sir, I’m so grateful you helped me. You are my savior. I owe you my life—” Abigail paused, taken aback by her own words.How could she make such a deep vow to this man!? This man might take advantage of her if he was a bad person. Right?“Alright, young lady, you’re supposed to release your tight embrace on me. You’re safe now.”Abigail was utterly shocked to hear his words. She only realized she was still in his arms, her hands tightly wrapped around his waist, and her entire body pressed against him. They were so close—close enough to hear his loud heartbeat. She quickly took a few steps back.

In the dawn of a new world, only six beings remained—witnesses of the cataclysmic war that reshaped existence.They were the Six Primordial Dragons, the architects of reality’s six fundamental forces, entrusted as guardians of this reborn world.But power breeds corruption.One of them—the Dragon of Chaos—succumbed to the madness of bloodlust and betrayal. His unrelenting thirst for conflict fractured the fragile peace, sparking a rift between dragons and humans. Distrust grew into enmity. War returned.And then, the Dragon of Chaos vanished.Among those who rose to resist the dragons was a young man named Hades—a prodigy among Dragon Slayers.Famed for his flawless record and unmatched resolve, Hades had never lost a single comrade on the battlefield. With the promise of becoming the youngest official Hunter, he was a symbol of hope.Until everything crumbled.A mission went horribly wrong.His closest friend perished.The world that once praised him turned its back. His comrades pointed fingers. His fiancée, once his anchor, returned his ring with silent condemnation.Abandoned. Shattered. Branded a failure.Standing at the edge of despair, with the world far below and nothing left to hold on to…He heard a voice:[I think it's about time you wake up.]°°°°°°°A/N:- Istg this was a cliche synopsis, but the novel isn't. Try a few chapters before you decide.Additional tags: Possessive characters, revenge, anti-hero protagonist, serious character development, broken engagement, betrayal, strong to overpowered.