Serenade - Chapter 22: New Year’s Eve

She, the tribe leader of the Miaojiang witch tribe, was reborn as a pitiful little girl that everyone could bully.

He shall call forth the bone dragon! Summon the lich and the grim reaper! Li Jiayu, the dark summoner, has been reborn and everything returned to the moment before the outbreak of the devastating apocalypse.

Spaces tremble violently and dimensional cracks connected to various worlds appear! In an instant, never-seen-before civilizations invade our homeland. Insects the size of humans and walking corpses sweep through Earth in legions. An imminent crisis is approaching humanity and billions of human lives are at risk!

In regards to Li Jiayu’s uncorrupted soul, his summons shall no longer be limited to creatures which lurk in the darkness. They will also include the entities that bask in the light.

Under the lingering shadow of death, he vows to prevent a repeat of past tragedies!

Struggling within the exhausting apocalyptic world, he chooses to trudge on the bloody path of slaughter.

Walking hand in hand with death, he no longer lives under the cold embrace of the darkness. He shall embark on the bright path towards glory.

‘This is an opportunity to make a comeback… I will put everything on the line to right the wrongs and to protect the loved ones that were once lost.’

- Description from Novelupdates

She is a two-faced and fierce hidden ghost doctor,

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!