To Be a Power in the Shadows! - Chapter 22

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.

Alex was just another ordinary gamer—until the day he died. Struck down by a terminal illness, he found solace in his favorite game, a vast fantasy RPG filled with powerful warriors, intricate politics, and world-shaking events. But before he could see the game's ending, fate had other plans.When he opens his eyes again, he’s no longer Alex from Earth. Instead, he’s Alex Dragonheart, a nameless extra in the very game he once played. Not a protagonist. Not even a villain. Just an unknown side character who was fated to die early, forgotten by history.Armed with only half of the game’s knowledge, an unawakened bloodline, and a mysterious sealed skill, Alex is thrown into a brutal world where strength is everything. His beloved younger sister is sick and needs treatment, but his past self had been powerless to save her. Not anymore.Determined to rewrite his fate, Alex will rise through the ranks, manipulate events from the shadows, and seize power that was never meant for him. If fate refuses to acknowledge him, then he’ll carve his own legend—one that even the gods will fear.After all, in a world where only the strong survive, even an extra can become a nightmare.( Okay guys just because there is a system tag does not mean he will get everything handed to him he will have to work hard to attain power because I will make it so )

Lin Fan awakens to a world where chaos reigns, stripped of family, status, and safety. But within the turmoil, he discovers a powerful secret—the Beast Abilities system in his mind.With every threat he eliminates, he earns vengeance points, enabling him to level up his physiques.From the humble Wild Rabbit’s ability—[Rabbit's Hearing], [Swift Foot], [Magnificent Leap]—to the ruthless strength of the Wolf—[Hunter Instincts], [Iron Claws], [Leader of the Pack]—and the Ape’s raw power—[Climb Trees], [Strong Arms], [Inhale Qi]—Lin Fan hones his skills with every battle.Years later, as the feared grand master of a prestigious sect, he looks back in wonder. Who would have believed that his rise to greatness began with the unassuming gifts of a wild rabbit.

After finding himself a poor man in a world of Cultivation, Magic, and infinite possibilities, William has to do everything in his power to survive. But with the knowledge of modern books, movies, and a System granting the ability to upgrade his talents, William is prepared for anything! Or...is he?Follow William, his Potential System, and his chaotic character as he improves his strength from Peasant to Primordial Being!Don't worry, he won't cause too much chaos...right?