Horizon of War Series - Chapter 189: The Shadow of Death

“I believe that if you have a problem, we just need to solve it with firepower. If the problem isn't solved by then, it just means we weren't using enough firepower.”In a world of swords and magic, Lucen Thornehart, the eldest son of the Iron Duke, was considered the shame of the noble knight bloodline. No talent, weak, and worthless.Until one day, when a fever awoke his previous life's memories and the knowledge of the class from an old game he used to play, Gun Mage.More than just guns, he creates weapons that have never been created in this life and the last.A sword that heats up, turns crimson, and could melt metal.A rune-engraved gun that mages use to amplify their spells.A giant sword that you would only once see in a video game, which makes an explosion every time it hits an enemy.A gun that is powered by mana and shoots out condensed amounts of mana.Airships, steam trains, and boats.Lucen Thornehart isn’t here to play fair. He’s here to redefine warfare, with overwhelming firepower.

Kai’s life was small—coffee-stained mornings, cracked recipes, and a system in his head that tweaked toasters and dough like it was nothing. Then the sky shattered. Aliens—Skraiths, jagged and brutal—invaded, tearing his city apart with green-glowing weapons and relentless claws. Superhumans rose to fight back, fire and lightning blazing through the chaos, but Kai’s world crumbled with them.Hiding in his apartment, Kai stumbles on blood—human and alien, smeared on his wall after a superhuman battle. His system, once just a tinker’s tool, awakens, offering him a choice: mimic their powers, temporary and wild, through the blood itself. Desperate, he takes it—stealing pyrokinesis, then electrokinesis, then kinetic energy, each power burning through him, fading fast. But it’s not enough. Armed with a humming Skraith weapon and a body tougher from alien blood, Kai joins a ragtag crew of enhanced fighters—Liv, Rylan, Jace, and Tucker—scraping to survive in a warzone where every shadow hides death.As Skraiths swarm and the city burns, Kai’s system pushes him deeper, analyzing, integrating, crafting minor enhancements—durability, strength, sparks of power that could make him a target or a savior. Government factions, rogue scientists, and the aliens themselves start sniffing around, drawn to his strange tech and blood-stolen abilities. By the time Kai crafts his first super-powered enhancement—an artificial strength boost—he’s no longer just a tinkerer. He’s on the edge of something bigger, something dangerous, where blood and sparks could forge a hero—or break him entirely.In a world unraveling, Kai’s fight for survival becomes a desperate race to master his system, outrun the Skraiths, and confront the truth: the power he’s chasing might destroy him—or remake the world.

In an alternate modern world, where people could summon their own beastly companions, His journey was anything but ordinary.As the college entrance exams loomed, He found himself the subject of ridicule for his choice of a companion – a small, seemingly inconsequential snowball known as an ornamental pet.“”Little Snowball? Merely a decorative trifle, utterly useless.””“”Why bother with a pet that lacks the capability to evolve?””“”Its potential is pitifully inadequate. It’s destined to remain stagnant for its entire life.””“”Dreaming of the Familiar Academy? Utterly impossible.””He was bombarded with questions, scorn, and derision.But what they didn’t know was his unique ability – he could unlock the maximum potential of any Beast Evolution!With a calm demeanor, he gazed at the pet panel, visible only to him.“”Hidden evolution route!””“”Queen’s Path: a route of boundless potential. It can ascend to the regal King class.””From Little Snowball to Ice Crystal Soul, from Snow Girl to Ice Blue Girl, and ultimately, the formidable Extreme Ice Queen… the transformation was breathtaking.Now, armed with the power to unleash the fullest potential of any beast, he faced his doubters with a bold challenge.“”Who dares to call my Snowball useless now?””The stage was set for an extraordinary journey, where potential defied expectations and a small snowball could ascend to royal heights. Who would have the last laugh in this tale of evolution and triumph?

I am a knight. To be precise, I am the Church of the God of Light’s Sun Knight.

The Church of the God of Light worships and serves the God of Light, and theirs’ is one of the three largest religions on this continent.

As the whole continent knows, the Church of the God of Light has the Twelve Holy Knights, and each one has his own unique personality and features.

To be the Sun Knight is to have shining golden hair, sky blue eyes, a compassionate nature, and a brilliant smile.

“The benevolent God of Light will forgive your sins.”

I must have said that line at least a million times in my time as the Sun Knight.

However, the greatest wish in my life is to be able to stand before the entire continent and roar, “Damn your ‘the whole continent knows’! This Sun Knight just doesn’t feel like smiling! I just don’t want to forgive these human trashes! I just want to pepper my sentences with ‘f***’!”

Unfortunately, even to this day, I continue to wear a smile as I say, “The benevolent God of Light will forgive your sins.”