The Attack of the Wastrel - Chapter 373 – Alarmed

[Requirement for aspect awakening has been met.][You have acquired a new aspect.][Aspect (King of territory): A legion of soldiers under your command, do as you wish with them.]...Alex lived a terrible life as a beggar, spending most of his time wandering the streets and begging for money.But after his death, rather than passing on to the afterlife like he expected, he was reincarnated into another world as the third prince of the Astrodial family, Sylus von Astrodial.Marked by the stars, Sylus soon found that he was the main light of the family; he alone had awakened the rare star everyone was dying to have.[The star of Catalyst.]Because of this, everyone loved and cherished him, giving him the nickname Child Prodigy of the Astrodial family.With his intellect and knowledge of the former world, Sylus continued to prove himself as a true heir of the throne.Building and governing his territory to be the best while also reinforcing his position to take the throne.Greedy nobles, self centered siblings and crazy cult, Sylus doesn't mind.“This time, I’ll do everything right.”Everything was working out for him.Little did he know that blessings also come with a curse and a slight drawback.[You have received the title Fated Prince.][Your fate has been maxed out.]

Facing extinction, humanity seeks salvation in the Astral Verge, a dangerous dimension accessed via portals that threatened to wipe out the entire planet.Few years later, aspiring recruit Daniel Vance enters the Verge for his final assessment, hoping to Awaken a Talent and secure his future. While others gain common abilities, Daniel secretly Awakens the mythical SSS-Grade Talent: [Soul Assimilation]. This allows him to absorb essence, enhancing gear, gaining stats and EXP from slain creatures, and crucially, absorbing attributes and skills from fallen Awakened.Witnessing the swift death of the arrogant Jaxon Rex, Daniel makes a grim choice: he assimilates Jaxon, gaining his first skill, [Kinetic Pulse]. This sets his path: scavenging the aftermath of others’ battles. He enhances gear and, after achieving his first kill on an injured beast, waits patiently to assimilate two more fallen recruits, acquiring [Quick Step] and the invaluable passive [Aura Sense].Starting as average, Daniel rapidly gains power in secret, enhanced gear, multiple skills, and boosted stats , far exceeding his peers while remaining outwardly unremarkable. He navigates the lethal Verge alone, using its inherent dangers to fuel his growth, wrestling with the moral cost of his unique, overwhelming power.

Ghost stories descend, binding national fate.People enhance themselves and their nation's luck by constantly participating in Analog Horror.Mental patient Jiang Xiao is initially selected to enter a nine-star level mental hospital Analog Horror!However, he bizarrely finds out that he seems to be the most seriously ill one...Jiang Xiao: “I sign a pact with the ghost stories, the weirdness is my grandson!”Participating in the seven-star level Analog Horror “Where Did Daddy Die”.A peachy-cheeked son with big eyes blinking asks: “Do you want to be my daddy?”The chosen one: “Yes!”Son: “Then I have a tiny request, which is to beat you to death!”One chosen daddy after another is smashed into pulp by the son right from the start.Facing the rebellious son charging forward, Jiang Xiao smiles coldly: “Dad, I'm actually your son!”

A conversation with a handsome stranger leaves Ariane chained in a cellar with a strange affliction. She soon discovers that the darkness of the nineteenth century’s Deep South hides many dangers. Mages, wolf shifters and the humans who hunt them play a risky game where to stumble is to die, all under the amused gaze of the apex predators of the supernatural world: vampires.

It is never healthy to attract the gaze of the aristocracy of the night. It takes much to survive in this merciless world, but Ariane will not let that deter her. The southern belle has a bite, and she is willing to learn and to grow in this hostile new world. She will use whatever means necessary to reclaim her freedom, be it guile, charm, or those intriguing new instincts that make blood so delectable.

This is a story of vampires as I believe they should be, with their strengths and weaknesses, with their remnants of humanity and the beast inside. Updates every Friday. Mind the tags.

Cover by Antti Hakosaari: https://www.artstation.com/haco

Special thanks to Svensonsen for getting me started, as well as Omi Nya, Hesketh, Rhaegar, Yaksher, Selkie and Raven for proofreading my stuff. Thanks to my patrons and you dear readers, for the support. I could not do it without you.

Journey is on Amazon, both in ebooks and audio. here is a link to the first one:

https://www.royalroad.com/amazon/B08DK6G8Y8

The story probably exists in your local marketplace as well of I can tempt you.