Margrave's Bastard Son was The Emperor - Chapter 267

In 2173, the world’s first Full-World Virtual MMORPG game ‘Astral Online’ went on sale globally, forever changing the blue planet Asteria!

With its revolutionary Digital Capture System, astonishing graphics and ability to scan yourself into the game with up to 20% beautification, countless defenders rallied to play the game.

Fifty million players logged in on launch. There were no queues or lag on launch, leaving countless critics impressed and willing to try the game. Because the game used a 6-hour play limit a day, it allowed even working adults to keep up with young students and the unemployed.

A resounding success, as more people poured onto the game servers, families and friends alike. Astra Online became a household name overnight.

One month later, the game opened its first RMT system, which made earning a living from the game easier... Thus began the Astral rush!

Professional players formed guilds and factions to increase their profits, but nobody could know this prosperity was a mere joke.

One year later, players fused with their avatars, gaining powerful abilities in the real world, which tipped the power and caused chaos.

Two years later, demons and monsters from inside the game invaded the real world.

Three years later, over 90% of humanity perished, leaving the rest to hide like rats, unable to fight back in fear.

Four years later, this world is no longer ours. The demons march on our last bastions, one by one. They exterminated us.

Zell was an average player who liked to collect beasts in the game and evolve them into humanoids, as they were primarily females.

He spent most of his life working two jobs to make ends meet.

Thanks to the excellent healthcare of his country, there were no crippling debts. There was only emptiness.

When the end came, he was powerless and alone. His only companions were his cute pets and Rika, his cherished Flame Rabbit.

She was the only beast he evolved to a humanoid form after his late start to the game.

He died saving the life of a strange girl with white wings and his pet Rika, the sad eyes of Rika and the girl’s sorrow floating through the air as he slowly passed away.

However, instead of dying, he awoke inside an empty white room with a single computer and a strange, game-like screen that allowed him to edit his IRL avatar and persona.

Who offered him this second chance?

For what reason did they help him?

Can he meet Rika again?

Zell could never know; he only knew his second life’s goal.

Survive!

To rise from defeat; to revive amidst the dissipation.

As the vast oceans turn to dust and the thunder and lightning fade away,

That strand of spiritual mist once again approaches our great world.

With the shackles that bound our world now severed—

A whole new world of mystery and wonder awaits,

As we turn the corner…

——

The Sacred Ruins is a story set in a post-apocalyptic world. A world that has recovered to a state that is roughly equal to our own world in terms of technology and culture, although its ancient history remains largely unknown. The story begins during the post-graduation trip of our protagonist, where he discovers some ancient ruins and witnesses “the great change”, an upheaval that changed everything. The changing earth not only brought about new, unexplored landscape but also sparked the evolution of all organisms. Plants and animals started gaining sentience and some humans obtained unimaginable powers. The legends, myths, and tales of old seemed to have suddenly come to life as the earth entered a new era where beasts and men formed factions, explored new lands and ultimately struggled for supremacy.

We follow the MC as he grows from being an eccentric young man into a badass expert warrior while meeting other funny characters and forming brotherly bonds. We watch as he falls into just as much hilarious situations as he does perilous ones, all the while wondering and slowly discovering the mysteries of this world. Just why was the world destroyed in the first place? Who or what had triggered this earth-shattering “change”? What profundities lie behind the process of evolution?

- Description from Novelupdates

Sienna Lawrence's world shatters when her beloved adoptive family perishes under mysterious circumstances, leaving her as the sole heir to their business empire. With the Lawrence legacy in her hands, she faces a daunting challenge: not only must she protect herself but also safeguard the family's assets from those who seek to exploit them.The catch? To claim her inheritance, Sienna must be married. With her boyfriend revealing sinister intentions and danger lurking around every corner, she embarks on a quest to find a husband.In a moment of desperation, Sienna turns to a stranger she meets by chance.“Mister, are you single?” she asks.“Huh?” The man looks at her, perplexed.“Are you married or in a relationship?” she clarifies.“No,” he replies.“How about a crush?”“None so far.”“Good. Where do you work?”“What?”“Forget it. It’s not important. Do you know how to cook?”“Yeah.”“Is your cooking good?”“I guess so,” the man answers, still puzzled by her questions.“Perfect. I’m single, you’re single. Do you want to marry me?” Sienna asks boldly.“I never expected to be proposed to by a stranger all of a sudden. I don’t…”“If you’re not willing, I’ll look for someone else. No pressure.”“Who said I’m not willing? I’m more than willing,” the man replies without hesitation.And so, Sienna ends up with a husband just like that.Things take a drastic turn when Sienna discovers her real parents, leading her to unravel a conspiracy that could potentially turn her world upside down. What connection does her husband and her real family have? Why is the man turning more mysterious as time passes?

Suddenly, the unmarried twenty-year-old Ye Zhizhou had many more relatives, yet it was too late for him to clearly understand the circumstances as he nearly died in a car accident. After that, he somehow managed to survive and was even forcibly bound to a Salvation System.