SSS-RANK: The Time God - Chapter 42: The Shadow in the Depths

For as long as he could remember, life had always been cruel.A young man in his early twenties—his name now lost to the past—was dealt a life filled with misfortunes.A cold, empty apartment, a soul-crushing job, and, finally, a terminal diagnosis.With nothing left to live for, his only comfort had been escaping into the fictional world of Path of the Elemental Sage, a story of heroes, magic, and survival.But fate had other plans.When death finally came for him, he didn’t fade into nothingness.Instead, he awoke in the world he had only read about—a world of chaos and danger where death lurked around every corner.The air smelled of magic, the sky was filled with possibilities.{«[Status Window]»}[Name: Lyrium Blackwood][Age: 16][Rank: D-][Skills: None][Elements: None}At first, confusion filled his mind.Who was Lyrium Blackwood?Why was he here?And why did this body feel so different?But as his memories returned, so did the realization: this wasn’t some blessing or second chance.He wasn’t reincarnated as the protagonist.No destined savior.No cheat abilities.No grand fate.He was just another mob, a face in the crowd meant to exist and die without leaving a mark.But this young man—the one who had left his old name and life behind—wasn’t the kind of person to roll over and accept his fate.“This world is dangerous. The protagonist isn’t the only one fighting for survival here,”he muttered, his red eyes deep and sharp.Unlike the naïve characters in the story, he knew the stakes.He’d read the web novel.He’d seen the carnage, the betrayals, the disasters that wiped out entire cities.And if there was one thing he refused to be, it was a pawn in someone else’s game.“I don’t care about glory. I don’t care about saving the world. All I care about is surviving—no matter what it takes.”Lyrium Blackwood wasn’t planning to live quietly or avoid danger.The only way to survive in this brutal world was to rise to the top.To be strong enough to stand above both heroes and villains.Using his knowledge of the story’s events and his iron will, Lyrium sets out on a relentless path to surpass the protagonist.Whether through clever manipulation, brutal training, or sheer desperation, he’ll climb higher and higher, leaving nothing to chance.But the deeper he gets, the more he realizes that this isn’t just the story he once read.As fate pushes him closer to the heart of the narrative, Lyrium begins to suspect that his reincarnation wasn’t an accident—and the world itself might be watching him.“I don’t care who or what stands in my way. If the story wants to kill me, I’ll rewrite the ending myself.”----------------------------------I apologize for any mistakes in this story, as it’s my first attempt at writing a novel.

Thirty years ago,A meteor fell, revealing God's ruins!A God stepped out from it and started to feed on humans.From that day forth, humanity became the prey of the God,All except for me!Because I feed on God.

The Interstellar Fleet from the game appeared before the ordinary youth, Bai Zhongqi, and the player became the Chancellor of the Empire, opening a new chapter for his brethren and Earth as they set out for the vast sea of stars. The nations of Earth were engaged in cunning and fierce competition for the future of the Intergalactic Era. Bizarre and varied alien civilizations were waiting for Earth’s explorers to discover them. It was a cruel, dark jungle where only the fittest survived, and a world filled with opportunities and magnificent adventures. But for Bai Zhongqi, this was simply a laid-back story about leading Earth’s friends, furiously climbing the tech tree, beating up aliens, and dominating the Galaxy.

Naoki's big brother revealed that he is an infinite regressor. He broke the cycle and came to Earth to guide him to the world where he is destined to rule. He also revealed a prophecy, that Naoki is the destined one.After that, Naoki reincarnated as Aether von Noctvain, heir to one of the Seven Great Families of the Empire.However, as he begins to uncover hidden truths, he discovers that the prophecy was a lie, crafted by Celestial beings who feared his brother's power.Enraged, he vowed to avenge his brother. Even as a mere mortal, he killed a demi-god. As punishment for killing a celestial being, his mana was sealed.Soon after, his own companions betrayed him. The entire world turned against him, branding him a heretic who rebelled against divinity.They even killed his family and his fiancée.Through an ancient relic, Aether is sent back in time. This time, he will make everyone pay, He will strip their skin away with cruelty, fueled by madness.“I swear, I will raise those I cherish to heights no god can reach and drag every traitor screaming into hell,Even if it drives me past the edge of madness.”Let vengeance walk beside insanity.Let sanity shatter.The gods spoke of salvation, but offered only chains. butThey miscalculated one thing:Aether von Noctvain does not beg fate.He is the hand that will make fate bleed.