Scarecrow of 1889 - Chapter 7: Lady in the dark

I had to take him home and raise him. There was no bathtub or a large basin at home, so I had to put him in the washing machine for the time being.

It was an hour later before I remembered it again, by which he had been washed extremely clean.

- Description from Novelupdates

In 2173, the world’s first Full-World Virtual MMORPG game ‘Astral Online’ went on sale globally, forever changing the blue planet Asteria!

With its revolutionary Digital Capture System, astonishing graphics and ability to scan yourself into the game with up to 20% beautification, countless defenders rallied to play the game.

Fifty million players logged in on launch. There were no queues or lag on launch, leaving countless critics impressed and willing to try the game. Because the game used a 6-hour play limit a day, it allowed even working adults to keep up with young students and the unemployed.

A resounding success, as more people poured onto the game servers, families and friends alike. Astra Online became a household name overnight.

One month later, the game opened its first RMT system, which made earning a living from the game easier... Thus began the Astral rush!

Professional players formed guilds and factions to increase their profits, but nobody could know this prosperity was a mere joke.

One year later, players fused with their avatars, gaining powerful abilities in the real world, which tipped the power and caused chaos.

Two years later, demons and monsters from inside the game invaded the real world.

Three years later, over 90% of humanity perished, leaving the rest to hide like rats, unable to fight back in fear.

Four years later, this world is no longer ours. The demons march on our last bastions, one by one. They exterminated us.

Zell was an average player who liked to collect beasts in the game and evolve them into humanoids, as they were primarily females.

He spent most of his life working two jobs to make ends meet.

Thanks to the excellent healthcare of his country, there were no crippling debts. There was only emptiness.

When the end came, he was powerless and alone. His only companions were his cute pets and Rika, his cherished Flame Rabbit.

She was the only beast he evolved to a humanoid form after his late start to the game.

He died saving the life of a strange girl with white wings and his pet Rika, the sad eyes of Rika and the girl’s sorrow floating through the air as he slowly passed away.

However, instead of dying, he awoke inside an empty white room with a single computer and a strange, game-like screen that allowed him to edit his IRL avatar and persona.

Who offered him this second chance?

For what reason did they help him?

Can he meet Rika again?

Zell could never know; he only knew his second life’s goal.

Survive!

Born blind and causing his mother’s death in the process, Adam did not have an easy childhood.Due to the circumstances of his birth, he was labeled a cursed child, enduring a harsh upbringing as he suffered mistreatment at the hands of his own family.Everything changed when, at the age of five, he was subjected to a talent test alongside other children. However, he failed spectacularly, becoming one of the rare cases in history of someone born without talent.His family immediately exiled him, abandoning him to his fate in a forest teeming with spiritual beasts.But by a twist of fate, a higher existence took notice of him—Selene Ashwyn, the princess of an immortal empire, who wandered in search of something that could help her escape her own destiny.Sensing something special within him, Selene chose to take him in as her disciple, determined to help him escape the deep darkness that had engulfed him since birth.Follow Adam’s journey and his inevitable rise to the top.

Second Awakening? A System? Having lost the battle of the Dark Catastrophe to the demons—spawns of the Dark Gods— humanity is given a chance at making things right once again. Born as a twin into a family of high ranking talent awakeners, Damien Terrace is met with trouble when it is his turn to perform the ritual. After awakening the E-Rank Summoner talent, Damien loses everything to his twin. Exiled by his father to perish away from them, Damien goes through a second awakening that changes the play field for him. Ding! [The God of Summons is furious and has blessed you with a system!] [You have fused with the Mythics Summoning System—A system that only allows you to summon mythical beasts!] [Obtain nineteen Magic Essence Cores to boost your core to the next level!] [Slay 200 more demons to unlock another summon!] Damien’s only option is to evolve!