Sage Monarch - Chapter 2: Profiting from a Disaster

Abandoned by Fate, but Chosen by Chaos.A world where magic reigns supreme and the mightiest wizards stand at the apex.A world where one’s mana affinity, if one even had it, determines one’s status in society, whether one could soar through the skies like a dragon or remain grounded, scraping by like rats or chickens.This was the world Hal Fennec was born into.Raised in the poverty of a border village, Hal had one wish: to give his mother a better life, one free from the constant fear of beast attacks and invasions by the Fellkin.But fate seemed to be playing a cruel joke.Despite being the brightest and most confident among his peers since childhood, Hal turned out to be barely qualified to become a wizard.His natural talent, contrary to his expectations, was nowhere near enough to fulfill even his modest dream of a decent city life.But then, just when his final hope was snuffed out and the future seemed gray and bleak, a twist of fate—or more fittingly Chaos—granted him a system that would turn everything around.

The more ruthless the Palace is, the more miserable the loser will end up—this he understands. But what he does not understand is, why the brother whom he lived together with peacefully in the past, would so heartlessly humiliate him today. Asking him to beg for mercy, asking him to succumb to his knees, and even… asking him to tactfully entertain him. “Yong Shan, ah, Yong Shan, as of today you are the one who qualifies to succeed as a Crown Prince, what exactly is it that you want?”

For the past 16 years, Yong Qi’s gaze was never set on him. Despite being twins with his younger brother, Yong Lin, Yong Qi has always been directing his smile and laughter towards Yong Lin, and to him, Yong Qi deliberately alienates him. He does not understand, they have the same features and looks, and he obviously is his brother too, but why won’t he be intimate with him… as if he is humiliating him. “Yong Qi, ah, Yong Qi, why won’t you understand, what I want is very simple…”

- Description from Novelupdates

A person died in our world. And when he opened his eyes again… the stars had changed.Reborn into the age of myth, long before his time and when Olympus stood tall, he awakens in the Garden of the Hesperides. Reincarnated as the God of Power he is now watched over by mysterious nymphs under Hera's silent command. Unaware of the divine politics at play or the godhood now within him, he must navigate a world of titans, monsters, and primordial chaos.But he’s not entirely alone. A mysterious System, has merged with his soul, offering quests, powers, and choices that creates and enhances powers and help him shape his path toward ascension. As the gods begin to stir and ancient forces clash for control, the new deity must find his place in a pantheon not yet formed and carve a name into legend with power, cunning, and the will to rise.Because in this world, divinity is earned.And only those who ascend... survive.Author's Note:This story draws inspiration from Greek mythology, but takes creative liberties for the sake of narrative and worldbuilding. While many elements remain faithful to the ancient myths, others will be reimagined or altered entirely. Please enjoy this interpretation as a myth of its own.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”“Tell you what, Richard? What would you have done?”“I don’t know. Apologized sooner? Bought you a burger to make up for it?”Her eyes lit up with fire, “You think what you did to me… you think a burger can make up for it?” her eyes twinkled like she was fighting tears. Did I hurt her that badly? I was just a foolish teenager.“Nita, I am sorry. I was young, I was stupid. I wish I could take it all back and tell you how I feel instead of being a constant jerk to gain your attention.”“How did you feel that would justify what you did to me?”I paused for a minute, finding the words. “I had a huge crush on you at the time. And I didn’t know how to express myself. I was full of myself, I was the school’s ladies' man and the one girl I had eyes for didn’t even care if I existed,” “And that justified what you did to me? Richard, you broke me. I can forgive you for ‘accidentally’ spilling your ice cream on me, or throwing my due assignment in the toilet, or the gum in my hair, or the glue in my chair but tell me how can I forgive you for what you did that night? Tell me!”“What night? Nita, what are you talking about?”“Remember when you asked me if I knew who sexually assaulted me?”I nodded, but what does that have to do with anything? The more we spoke, the more confused I became.“You did and I cannot believe that you would stand there and pretend like it didn’t happen!”Nita has spent years trying to forget the torment she endured at the hands of Richard. When her family’s financial ruin forces her into an arranged marriage, she is horrified to find out the groom himself was her bully.Richard, a charming and successful businessman meets the first woman to be repulsed by him. Intrigued, he proposes a deal of a one year marriage of convenience.Navigating life as a couple, old wounds reopen, buried memories surface. As Richard learns more about his wife, he finds that he has enemies that followed him from his past to continuously cloud his wife’s judgement.Will Nita believe the truth and bury old wounds or will the pain of the past prove too strong to heal?