Suppressing the Protagonist in the Start to Seize the Heroine - Chapter 236

Athen had always lived a solitary life, as without any family or friends, he struggled to survive in his poor, forgotten hometown. The only escape from this grim reality came in the form of tales of magic told by rare visitors from the distant capital.That was, until one day, Athen discovered that magic wasn't just a dream. It was within him.With his newfound power, Athen completed a desperate heist, stealing a priceless diamond. But his triumph was short-lived when he realized the diamond was a fake.Yet... what seemed like a cruel trick turned out to be a blessing in disguise, for the fake diamond held the key to unlocking Athen’s greatest desire: the chance to truly learn magic.

This was a fragmented and disorganized world, this was a place that had been forgotten.

In the year 1368, at the end of July, deep crimson shall descend from the heavens.

- Description from Novelupdates

Derek Carter never asked for a System, an apocalypse, or the pressure of being humanity’s so-called “last hope.”He was just trying to survive the daily struggles of being an orphan in Paleview City—dodging bullies, scraping together meals, and lying his way into school. Life was already hard enough.Then, one day, a blue screen pops into his vision:[Warning: The world is doomed. Try not to die.]Yeah, great. Just what he needed—cryptic doomsday messages and no instruction manual.Now, monsters are creeping into the city, reality is unraveling, and Damien’s “legendary” starting stats are barely above zero. The System promises him power, but there's just one tiny problem—he’s never won a fight in his life.Armed with sarcasm, questionable decision-making skills, and the sheer refusal to die, Damien is about to embark on the worst (and possibly last) adventure of his life. Because if the world really is ending… he’s at least going to make it someone else’s problem first.After all, heroes are overrated—survivors get to tell the story.