Shadow's Hand - Chapter 3: Transcendent Investigator

The heavens and earth change when the blood phoenix descends.

Betrayed by his closest ally, Caleb Ellise was forced to settle for third place in the world’s most prestigious RTS gaming tournament, Lord of Empires.Disheartened but resigned, he accepts his prize, delivered via email. But just as Caleb thought his journey had ended, fate had other plans.BLAST!A sudden explosion leaves him critically injured. When he regains consciousness, Caleb finds himself not in a hospital bed—but in an entirely different world.[DING! Welcome to Izoya Continent, Earth #212][Welcome to the Grand Tournament: Season King Lord of Empires][Host has been designated as Lord of Kingdom #9845007]Caleb quickly realizes the impossible: he has been transported into the very game he spent years mastering. Now, the stakes are higher than ever.[Main Mission: Build your kingdom, dominate the economy, forge alliances, and conquer the world][Congratulations, Host! You’ve unlocked the Lord Talent: Vision Fog (Rank: S)]Fueled by his expertise, a newfound determination ignites within Caleb. No longer just a player, he is now a lord destined to rise.As he navigates treacherous alliances and strategic battles, Caleb vows to reclaim his crown—not as a gamer, but as the true King of Kings.The game isn’t over. It has only just begun.

In a world where countless web novel universes collide, where soldier kings, mercenary overlords, god-tier tycoons, and even demons wage war against each other—where protagonists rise, seduce breathtaking heroines, seize endless opportunities, and battle for supremacy—there is one man who can suppress them all.A man who has finally crossed into another world.When he opened his eyes, he found himself in the body of a young man named Veil Lancaster.“A villain destined to be beaten to a pulp by the protagonist? Am I really just a side character?” Veil muttered to himself.But why should he accept that fate? His father held absolute power, his mother was a legendary business tycoon—what made the so-called protagonist superior to him?Fortunately, at that moment, he successfully awakened the Villain System.One day in the future—“Veil! You crippled me, stole my opportunities, and even took my woman! You damn villain! You’ll suffer divine retribution for this!”A protagonist roared in fury, coughing up a mouthful of blood.Veil smiled gently and said, “I didn’t do anything… This was simply your fate.”“A pawn has only one destiny—to be placed exactly where I want it.”Remember this.I, Veil Lancaster, only wish to be a charming and sinister villain.

In the year 2025, humans awakened with the ability to summon mighty beasts—capable of destroying terrains, breaking the laws of physics, and creating wonders limited only by one's imagination.But before these blessings came a curse.An alien face appeared from nowhere and threatened all life on the planet, leading to the greatest war in human history.In the aftermath, the human race and the alien race were forced into a shaky treaty that could be broken at any time.Years later, tests for summoning abilities began for the next generation. Those who awakened low-grade summoning would be thrown to the gutters, while those who awakened higher got to join great factions after graduating from the academy.Kairos Veyl, the blank, calculating student, pulled his hand from the massive crystal pillar and stared at the large beast before him.“This kid—he just got a LEGENDARY SUMMON.”A legendary summon? The greatest class of summoning. However, with this class came a risk one would have never guessed.