Shroud Arcanum - Chapter 12 - - Visitor

“The masterminds are cooler than heroes,” I mutter as I stare at the chess pieces before me. It is easier to be the one who sits in the shadows and moves the pieces, likewise deciding the flow of the game.Heroes will foolishly sacrifice their lives for the good cause and villains will sacrifice the world for their own gain, but masterminds will use both the heroes and villains to their own benefit.Why, you ask? Well, that's because I've lost my life once while trying to be a hero so, I don't want that anymore. I'd rather be a mastermind who molds the world as per my convenience and live peacefully. Because, why not?***[Defender of Divine Glory says you are the hope of this world.]What?[Goddess of Wisdom believes that you will be the one to save the world.]Wait, what?![Propose the Grand Duke the idea of a fake marriage.]And, why would I do that?![Stop the assassination of Prince Eric.]Why would I save him?![The candidates for the throne are:... Who will you choose?]Ah! I give up...It seems like a curse that anyone who wishes for a slacker life in Isekai will have to go through the most troublesome things.In my past life, I died because of one rookie mistake but after being transmigrated in the world of fantasy I've gotten an opportunity to start afresh, but unlike the protagonists who look for their love and glory, I'd rather make money and live a life of a slacker.I have magic, I have power and I have money, what else do I need?Well, that was the plan but this damn system is getting on my nerves. I mean who in their sane mind would want to mess with the complicated royal family and political affairs? But that's not all though.I've also become the saviour of this world. Things just can't be anymore worse!Besides, the penalty of failing this quest is...[Failure: Destruction of the World.]It seems like if I screw up in selecting the right person then the destruction that is going to befall the world won't be stopped.If I speak of my reward then it's this vague thing.[Reward: Fulfillment of any wish.]“If that's the case then, I'd rather choose the person who would be the best fit for the throne.”And that's how I decided that I would become the Kingmaker.

Avery Carter discovered that she wasn't her parents' biological child.After living with them for so many years, she discovered she was separated from her twin sister, during a fire at the hospital where they were born. In the chaos, the twins were switched, and she was sent home with the wrong family.She was a fake heiress.When their real daughter returned, she was abandoned and she was sent away to her barren birthplace.After returning to her real family, many people expect her to fall from grace, but she surprises everyone by lifting her biological family out of poverty.Rising to the upper class, she befriends celebrities and engages in battles of wits and courage with bitches and jerks.Now the most important thing for her is to draw a clear line with this dangerous billionaire, Alexander Moran, a businessman who arrived in the City on a mission to secure a deal with V Group and find medical help for his sister. However, meeting Avery turns his attention to her. He is fascinated by her strength and the way she handles everything thrown her way. The more he interacts with her, the deeper his admiration grows.What starts as a business venture soon takes a personal turn. Alexander is not only impressed by Avery’s professional abilities but also her charm. As they get closer, he finds himself wanting more than just a business deal – he wants to win her heart too.

The year was 2026, and the world wasn't what it used to be. Ever since the Abyss Gates cracked open three years ago, spilling monsters and dungeons across the planet, life had turned into a chaotic mess. Cities were half-ruined, half-rebuilt, and people clung to whatever normalcy they could find. Hunters—those brave or crazy enough to fight the monsters—became the new heroes. Everyone else? Well, they just tried to survive.Fin wasn't a Hunter. He wasn't a hero either.He was just… Fin. A lanky 19-year-old with messy brown hair, a chipped front tooth from a dumb skateboard accident, and a power that everyone called useless. Absorption. Sounds cool, right? Like he could suck up energy or steal someone's strength. Nope. All it did was let him “feel” things he touched a little more than normal. He could tell you the exact texture of a brick wall or how warm a coffee mug was—big whoop. No fireballs, no super strength, no flashy moves. Just a glorified touchy-feely trick.“Fin, you gonna eat that sandwich or just stare at it like it's gonna confess its life story?” Meg's voice snapped him out of his thoughts.He blinked and looked across the rickety table at his best friend. Meg was short, loud, and had a wild mop of dyed purple hair that she swore made her look “intimidating.” It didn't.

After the heartbreaking execution of his parents due to their lower status and their rebellion against the King of Varanasi. Sukoh Yadav a fourteen year old boy sets of to China along a merchant group to become a great General in China and to conquer his homecountry and abolish the very idea of caste.