ShadowBound: The Need For Power - Chapter 19: Fleeting Moments

Link was the top Archmage in the entire server. He had just defeated the strongest boss, the Lord of The Deep, Nozama with his party. However, instead of going back to town, he was transported to a secret location with pixelated CG.

Dylan is your average nerd. He works downtown for an architecture firm during the day and enjoys all manner of games and media in his spare time. But while Dylan likes all forms of sci-fi and fantasy, he really likes the genre of superheroes.So when an indie company releases a virtual reality MMO where players choose to play as heroes or villains, Dylan immediately buys into it. He has a specific type of character he really enjoys watching, something that always makes his inner child laugh in delight. The Saturday morning cartoon villain.Yes, those inept, bungling, yet highly dangerous villains found in so many of Dylan's cartoons as a child. He loves how they always come up with strange ways to conquer the world and how they get thwarted every weekend. He remembered laughing at every silly antic, every cliched shout of “Curses! Foiled again!” He loves it so much he decides to take this idea into the MMO.But to grab a playerbase, the company has announced a promotion that players with a high enough reputation can get contacted to become permanent raid bosses in the game. Those chosen will be paid as if employees of the company. Serious players all hoping to live the dream of playing videogames all day rush to purchase copies of World of Supers!What will happen when Dylan, someone playing the game for fun, clashes with these overly serious players?

Shadow was an assassin with no family, no friends, and no purpose beyond the missions assigned to him. Kidnapped at the age of five and forced to serve a ruthless assassin organization for fifty long years, his life was a series of shadows and bloodshed. On the eve of his fifty-fifth birthday, he completed his final mission with hope in his heart. A hope that freedom and a better life were finally within reach.But that hope was shattered. Betrayed by the very organization he had devoted his life to, Shadow was ruthlessly killed, his decades of loyalty repaid with treachery. As his life slipped away, he swore one thing.“If he had a second chance, he would live life on his terms, unshackled and free”.In the void between life and death, Shadow's soul was met by “Syl”. The enigmatic Shadow Monarch's System. Syl offered him what he craved most. Another chance at life, but in a world far different from his own. Without hesitation, Shadow accepted, eager to grasp the life he was denied.Reborn into a realm of gods, magic, and chaos, Shadow soon learns the truth.He is a Wild Card, a pawn in the gods’ celestial game. Amere source of entertainment for their whims. But Shadow is no ordinary human. With the sarcastic and unpredictable Syl by his side, a glitching system that grants him powers beyond imagination, he embarks on a journey to defy the gods and forge his destiny.

Being a neurosurgeon and then dying from brain cancer wasn’t on my to-do list, but I was handling it… right up until a nurse suffocated me with a pillow. Yes, unfortunately, you read that right.Not exactly the way I expected to go, but it got me here—to the Rebirth Bureau—where I get an offer I can’t refuse: pick any world to be reborn in, with the ability to build my character like a video game: loot boxes and even a class. Naturally, I pick the Naruto world, but not as some overhyped Uchiha or Hyuga. No, I chose the Yamanaka clan—underrated, overlooked… perfect.With my character build, I’ll become not just the strongest Yamanaka, but the strongest shinobi, period.The Shinobi world has no idea what’s coming—and neither do you. Let’s begin.###This story blends action, slice-of-life, comedy, and serious topics into a multi-dimensional journey.The MC is a genius, but nothing comes easy—he earns his power through hard work and strategy. Expect a lot of new jutsu, tactical battles, plenty of humor, good food, and even better vibes. If you’re into an overpowered yet smart protagonist, this is the story for you, so don’t hesitate any more and start reading!