The Returner - Chapter 318: Ahjussi, why are you coming out from there? (3)

[You have been chosen as a Lord of the Intergalactic Lord Project.] [Your reward: A floating island to call your own.] [Your mission: Build your kingdom, summon legendary allies, and dominate the worlds!] [Your advantage: An SSS-grade Ultimate Gacha System.] Atlas Blackthorn, the newly chosen Lord of a floating island, wields the power to summon legendary warriors, powerful artifacts, and, of course, waifus. With boundless ambition and the Ultimate Gacha System at his side, Atlas sets out to become the strongest Lord in all worlds. How far will his ambition take him?

“Devouring Lifespan to grow stronger!!”When Ricky Stormwind—a washed-up office worker—drank himself to death, he expected eternal nothingness. Instead, he awoke in a new world… as a mosquito.Weak as an ant. Fragile as a piece of paper. Prey to everything.But this world is no ordinary one. Magic, monsters, and powerful beings dominate the land, with ruthless forces waging war for supremacy. And Ricky? He possesses a terrifying ability—he can drain lifespan from any living creature and use it to evolve.A single bite can grant him hours. A feast?..... Years!!Now, in a forest filled with predators and beside a village on the brink of destruction, Ricky must climb the evolutionary ladder—from insignificant pest to a calamity that could devour the world itself.But when his first real meal triggers a mass sacrifice, the world mistakes him for a rising Demon Lord. Bounties are placed on his head. Armies march to hunt him down. And lurking in the shadows, a forbidden power calls to him, promising a path beyond mere survival—one that could reshape reality itself.In a world where everything is prey to something greater, something horrendous… he will rise to become the apex.

I'm captured? Fine, I can't help it since I can't move.Experimented on? At least give me some anaesthetic.I'm freed? Let me get some revenge.Want to plead for your life? Sorry, this miss here holds a grudge.I destroyed the lab so now let me explore this world freely.I somehow joined Mr Hero's party. Fine, he seems fun."Aiya, how cruel. For the honour of being a hero you'd kill this missy huh?" She smiled whilst bleeding out."Che, you still have the mind to joke right now?" He said with a glare."What is life if not to enjoy every moment? Since I'm going to die and I can't avenge myself, I hope someone else does.""No one will. You were the only one who was more powerful than I with your Nanomancy. Now with you out of th-""Hush child. I'm trying to die in peace here.""But I'm ol-!""Ap! Good children don't disturb their elders.""But yo-!""Bye~" She grinned before losing strength."FUCK!"…Why am I sleeping in the snowfields?Mr Wolves are growling at me. Hungry huh?... Me too.This is my second book please have mercy on this author. Enjoy.Cover was drawn by the amazing Aoi OgataNanomancer=A mage that uses nanobotsIf you want to support me:Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/AuthorReiliDiscord Server: https://discord.gg/eFYFYcwInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorreili/

I am currently re-writing the first chapters of this story. They are quite rough and bounce around a lot and I can do better. At some point, I will replace these with the better chapters.Sometime in 2024 Aethon Books will publish the first volume of this story on Amazon, KU, and audible. This will mean the story will be stubbed. I will notify people far in advance of that.In the dystopian world of the future, life is rough when you live at the bottom. Jobs are non-existent. Far too many people live in poverty, crammed into huge buildings called Habitats. With no jobs in the real world, many people can only find work online in VR worlds as servants to the very rich. And it's getting worse. The old internet is unusable and hacked to pieces. The new system needs AI to run things, but all but one of them were destroyed. The last sentient AI is ordered to create a new game world so the rich can have a playground, and the corporations that rule the world can have a new global market place. Everyone wants a piece of the new game. The guilds are competing to be the first to find the dungeons and kill the biggest monster. The corporations are claiming land and putting in their online market places. Ozzy and his friends just want a paycheck.Four friends sign five year contracts as virtual serfs in a small village, and can't go adventuring at all to gain money. They don't have many choices. They can work as a blacksmith, barmaid and shepherd for all those years....or they can cheat and find ways to take advantage of the system and carve out a section of the game world for themselves, and earn a fortune in the real world.When they give you a mop and not a sword, you have to find the loopholes and change the rules.