Ark (Published Novel) - Vol 20 Chapter 2: [TL]

“A Villain is just someone whom the Hero failed to save at the end.”[WSA ENTRY 2024]________________________'Huh, I recognize this window.' A boy muttered staring at the interface in front of him.After being shot to death because of helping an old man, a teenager is brought to life by the Goddess of the Void, Zephyra.He is given the choice to reincarnate and kill the hero after he annihilates the Ghouls in the world of the very novel he loves.Torn between the choice to transmigrate or follow the flow of life and death, the boy chooses to take his second chance at life along with the power that is granted as a gift to him by the Goddess.As he traverses the world in the new body of Amon Ashford - a character who was never supposed to exist and his past unknown-, he has to use his knowledge of the future to the best of his ability.Will he follow the Goddess's orders or will he carve his own path?

Living in a world of cultivators is like walking on the edge of a knife. If you slip, the best result is a deep cut, but the likely result is death. Su Fang is brought into this world completely unprepared, knowing nothing, and lacking any skills to help him. This means only one thing. He is destined to die.Fortunately, Su Fang is immortal. Not because he cannot die, but because when he does, he un-dies.In this world, everyone is born with a Golden Finger to help them survive. Su Fang’s blessing is to return to the beginning of his journey after every death. His System provides him credits upon death with which he can purchase absolutely anything, but he is only rewarded enough credits to help him return to the point he died. To advance further, he must rely on himself.This is both a time loop story and a xianxia story. At different points, one element is more pronounced than the other, but it is always a combination of both.This can also be considered a slice-of-life story. It isn’t about saving the world or defeating a big bad guy. It is about living life in an unfamiliar world where it can sometimes seem like everyone is out to kill or enslave you.Expectations:-Detailed cultivation and crafting.-Limited fighting scenes through most of the story.-Slow cultivation progression. Each level will be explored in detail.-Somewhat unreliable narrator. Cultivation affects the mind, and it will affect the MC’s perceptions of the world. Facts can generally be trusted, but many times there are layers beyond what the narrator sees.-Xianxia tropes with a world built around them so they make sense. Why do young masters go crazy shouting “You dare!”? Why do their guards willing throw themselves to their death against someone with significantly higher cultivation? All that and more is explained.-This is a story of cultivation. It has cultivation in the xianxia sense, working to gain strength and power, but, more importantly, it is a story about cultivating the self. Finding ways to make yourself a better version of you.New chapters drop 5 days a week, M-F, at 7:00AM Central Time (US)

In the midst of swirling possibilities, a question lingered in the air like an unspoken promise: “If you were given the chance to reset the beginning, what path would you tread?”Option One: To revel in the simple joys of life, finding solace in the embrace of solitude, for the paper-thin figure is the epitome of true love.Option Two: To journey into the realm of cultivation, seeking the secrets of immortality, striving to become a legendary sword immortal.Option Three: To immerse oneself in the world of martial arts, carving out a path as an unparalleled grandmaster, destined to reign supreme over all sects.Option Four: To traverse the realms of fantasy, experiencing rebirth as a formidable entity, ascending once more to the pinnacle as a divine sovereign.Option Five: To venture into the dark realms, mastering the arts of sorcery as the esteemed leader of the demonic sect.Option Six: To ascend the throne and rule over all, commanding an empire in the realm of fantasy, for in the divine dynasty, the desire to reign as emperor burns brightest.Amidst this array of choices, Chu Yuan declared with unwavering determination, “I crave the throne. I shall be emperor.”Yet, the system interjected, its digital voice tinged with skepticism, “Is it not preferable to live a simple life as a recluse?”“Is it not preferable to be emperor?” Chu Yuan retorted, his resolve unyielding.Silence greeted his response, an acknowledgment of his unwavering determination.“Congratulations, host, on selecting Option Six: to reign over all, in the divine dynasty of the supreme emperor.”[Divine Destiny Selection System is launching...]

Severin Reignhart was just an ordinary gamer—until a truck accident sent him into the world of Legacy of Heroes, a novel he had once read.But instead of becoming the protagonist or even a powerful villain, he finds himself reborn as a complete nobody. An extra with no screen time, no future, and worst of all… no real strength.His so-called Talent Ability—Command—doesn’t make him stronger. Instead, it grants a 300% boost to the abilities of those who are bound to him and follow his orders. A powerful buff, but utterly useless when he is weaker than even the lowest-ranked students at Zenith Hero Academy.Thrown into a world where strength is the only law, Severin quickly learns that if he can’t fight, he’ll be crushed. Refusing to accept the fate of an extra, he turns to manipulation, deception, and blackmail, using his intelligence to twist the battlefield in his favor. If he can’t be the strongest, he’ll control the strongest.With the looming threat of world-ending catastrophes and prodigious heroes destined to take center stage, Severin must navigate the deadly hierarchy of the academy. He will recruit, betray, and outwit both heroes and villains—because in a world where power is everything, strategy is his only weapon.And one thing is certain: he refuses to die a nameless extra.