ShadowBound: The Need For Power - Chapter 45: The Ultimate Fire User

In the grimy Black Hound Tavern, disgraced hunter Kael Veymar drowns his failures in ale, his father’s shattered crest a noose around his neck. When a Fallen beast attacks him—spewing acid and cryptic threats about the Harbinger—he’s saved by Lyria, a rogue huntress with a deadly smile and a glowing amulet: the Fractalis, stolen by Kael’s father.Their reunion is cut short by Dren, Kael’s former brother-in-arms, who slit Garrik’s throat for the Guild. After a vicious alley fight, Lyria helps Kael escape, but not before a Fallen’s ooze sears his flesh, leaving veins of corruption that **pulse with the Harbinger’s voice.Seeking answers, they flee to Ms. Miller, an old ally who gifts Kael a sword and a warning: “Find Torin. The skulls will whistle your name.” But the Guild is closing in. At Celestis Rise Dren is humiliated for his failure, while the Dozen Vanguards receive a bone-chilling letter—its author dead, its ink fresh.The stakes sharpen:- The Fractalis is not what it seems.- And Garrik Veymar’s shadow stretches long from the grave.Now, Kael and Lyria ride toward Godsgrave, where Hunter blades go to die—and where the Harbinger’s eclipse waits to rise.

I am going to die.That’s how the game goes.The less I know, the better—a hardcore otome game where the tragic villain, Johan Von Matilda, is fated to fall by his own daughter’s sword.A mere stepping stone for the protagonist to win the main heroine’s heart.And now? I’m him.“…Are you kidding me? I won’t let my daughter become a simp with no personality!”The problem is, I am just a healer with money and influence; my daughter hates me and is obsessed with him.The protagonist is obviously the one with unlimited plot armor. Blessed with Schrodinger’s Cat—an overpowered skill that makes him literally unkillable.Ding![System: Gambler’s Gambit Initiating…][All choices lead to a different ‘ending’… Choose wisely.][Earn points based on your choices. Points can be used to gamble.]“Hahaha! Be prepared to be broke, system! People don’t call me the Gacha God for nothing!”[Quest 3 Triggered: Fate had another plan][1. Actually become a traitor and betray the kingdom] (Rewards: 5,00,000 points)[2. Start twerking aggressively towards attacking Selene] (Rewards: 1 Million points)[3. Kill yourself dramatically: Yell to Leonard that “they will come after you too old friend” and bite your tongue.] (Rewards: A massive civil war will break, killing millions all over the world)[4. Beg for mercy while calling Leor your father. Kneel and ask if he’s proud.] (Rewards: Two million points and a possibility of survival.)[5. Accept your fate] (Rewards: Death)“...WTF!!”Yet a devious grin appeared on his face.This time, he will decide the ending, no matter what.“What?”“She’s still alive?”“…Wait. This isn’t how it was in the game. Why is the protagonist… changing?”[Warning: Even though at face it appears like any normal webnovel, I will warn ya there are many uncomfortable things and strong topics, grimdark stuff, and tragedy, more like Reverbed Inanity, but with dark humor, not everyone can read it with straight face, so be prepared, but I think even if you never read books like this, you will like this, cause it's done in a pretty fresh way.]

In the year 2090, technology has advanced to the point where Simulation Boxes, (Sim Box for short) are common place, allowing for the user to link up their brain's neural network to a full dive Simulation. While initially used for educational purposes, recently a large gaming company, Averon, released a fully fledged immersive MMORPG simulation where users can become anyone they desire, level up, choose their class, and become a hero or a villain. The name of this simulation is The Shattered World Online.

Eli Winters had no interest in playing it. His father, a jobless bum who spent his entire life playing games in the hope of becoming a famous player or streamer, was able to use the release of The Shattered World Online to gain wealth and fame, quickly becoming the number one player and a household name as the game took the world by storm. He immediately abandoned Eli and his mother in favor of being with someone from his guild, despite his mother having worked two jobs to support them and raise Eli by herself. Eli had nothing but spite for his father and the game.

When Eli's best friend convinces him to try out the game, his father's fame begins to interfere, culminating in him being singled out and shunned by his peers, and his father offering to pay for his university tuition in return for Eli hiding their relationship and quitting the game. Instead of complying with his father's wishes, Eli decides to prove to everyone how useless a guy his father is by challenging him that if Eli is able to surpass him in the game world he must delete his account and quit his streaming career. His father accepts the challenge believing his son to be useless at games - but Eli will soon show him just how ambitious a spiteful person can be.

All of a sudden, various watches appeared out of nowhere in different parts of the world. These locations were quickly controlled by various organizations, and then the marketing of the watches was strictly controlled.Why was this? Because these watches gave access to a unique world: Eternity!Eternity functioned more or less like an open-world game with a single-player mode, except that Eternity was a game where you could actually die!By joining Eternity, everyone awakened a unique talent.This talent helped unlock the first classes, which allowed you to strengthen your physique both in Eternity and in the real world!Not to mention the various skills and talents available...And above all, there was the legend that it was possible to become immortal thanks to Eternity!It was with the aim of changing his destiny that Maxime trained his whole life in swordplay, and for many years saved his meagre salary to obtain one of these famous watches!Watch his rise in the real world thanks to Eternity!