The villainous daughter of the Duke, needs a hero - Vol 2 – Chapter 9: The Masquerade Ball

In a world where power is stolen from the blood of dead gods, the strong feast, and the weak are forgotten. Dante “the Fox” Hollow knows this all too well—he’s a low-tier Harvester, scraping by on leftover drops of divinity while the real monsters take everything. Quick with a blade, quicker with his mouth, and always one step ahead of trouble, Dante dreams of a day when he won’t have to run anymore.That day comes when he stumbles upon the abandoned resting place of a god—not just any god, but the Trickster himself. A legend, a liar, a master of chaos. And Dante? He’s just stupid enough to take a sip.Now, the hunger is setting in. The whispers in his head are getting louder. The gods are watching, and some aren’t happy. Dante’s power is growing—too fast, too dangerous—but the higher he climbs, the closer he gets to losing himself.Because there’s one rule every Harvester knows: the more you steal from the gods, the less of you remains.And Dante? He plans to steal everything.

In the game Myth2, Klaus Park was already considered a top player at just 13 years old. With his advanced knowledge of the game and methods of adapting to the most varied situations, he became a world champion younger than anyone else. However, due to a tragic incident, he left his team and the gaming world a year later.

Now, 7 years after leaving the professional scene, he returned to play the eminent VRMMORPG called Rise Online, a unique game of unrestricted freedom whose number of players already exceeds one hundred million. This game allows players to use real-world skills such as martial arts, archery, blacksmithing, or reaction time for their own benefit, along with the freedom to explore 7 colossal, mythological worlds.

Planning how to conquer dungeons? Fight against powerful guilds? Slay the Werewolf King? Face hordes of thousands of zombies? Have the power to revive the dead? Or discover unknown battle techniques?

None of this is impossible for Klaus, a legendary player, and holder of the Psych Class, allowing him to see and talk to spirits, copy abilities, cast magic items, and see the signs that no one else can see across the worlds. His real goal is to reach the throne of the paranormal world and the top of the player and guild ranks of Rise Online. No matter what is in front of him, he will be head-on with his best, be it the High Lord of Vampires or the strongest Guild Master.

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.