Steel and Sorrow: Rise of the Mercenary king - Chapter 593: Goodbyes(1)

Eli Turner had perfected the art of coasting through life, gaming, lounging, and vibing with no grand ambitions beyond the next high. But his laid-back existence is upended when his laptop inexplicably transforms into a gateway to another world. What starts as a surreal escape becomes a perilous journey as Eli finds himself wielding a mysterious system that allows him to level up, fight monsters, and gain abilities beyond his wildest dreams.At first, the portal world feels like a haven, offering purpose and adventure Eli never knew he craved. Guided, or manipulated, by Azrael, a mischievous god orchestrating the game, Eli rises as one of the system's chosen players. But as the quests grow more dangerous and Azrael’s true intentions begin to surface, Eli struggles to balance the fantasy world with his life back home. His girlfriend, Sara, and his friends are left grappling with a version of Eli they hardly recognize, as the lines between his two lives blur.When the system expands to players worldwide, Eli crosses paths with others drawn into Azrael’s cosmic experiment: Yumi Tanaka, a fiercely disciplined Japanese student with a perfectionist streak, and Arjun Mehta, a charming Indian playboy with secrets of his own. Each carries their own burdens and ambitions, but all three must face the harsh truth: Azrael’s game is far more than it seems.As alliances are forged, rivalries ignite, and the stakes escalate, Eli must confront not only the dangers of the portal world but the growing rift between the person he is and the hero he’s becoming. In a game where every move is a test and every choice ripples across both worlds, the question remains: can Eli, Yumi, and Arjun uncover the truth before the system consumes them all?

I, Lin Yun, with my exceptional aptitude, had thought that I would be trained as a key disciple, however...“The Demon Sect will never expect us to send such an excellent disciple undercover. Once you attain a high position within the Demon Sect, with our help both from within and without, why would we worry about the Demon Sect's destruction?”Three years later.“The Righteous Path will never expect us to send such a promising disciple undercover. Once you attain a high position within the Righteous Path, with our help both from within and without, why would we worry about the Righteous Path's destruction?”Lin Yun: I just want to quietly cultivate to immortality...

Frost is a healer and must use her wits, modern knowledge of medicine and challenge her moral compass in order to survive this world of Eldritch entities born from emotions, folklore, fairy tales, concepts and despair. She was no more than an ordinary man who fell into an unordinary circumstance. Suddenly appearing in a place called the Nexus in a different world from Earth had left him... er... HER curious about what this newfound world is all about. A world of swords, kingdoms and dungeons? Yep. Of races that were thought to be found only in fiction? Oh yeah. Of technologies that far surpass anything seen on Earth? Huh? isn’t that a bit much? At least they’re limited. And of magic that blatantly violates the laws of physics!? Yeah... physics don’t apply here. But her curiosity ended up costing her before she had learned much of the world of Elysia, and she was betrayed by a person she was led to believe she could trust the most. Come join Frost as she tackles Eldritch entities in a strange world far from home. However, this world may be a lot more closer to home than she realizes. *** < Judgement in Progress > The ‘Blessing of the Nexus’, which she had come to call the ‘System’, displayed these words before her wilting eyes. “Judge… ment... I… I came from… Earth… Transported here… turned into… a girl… and now… I’m being… Judged…? < Decision of One Thousand Juries Pending > < Awaiting Verdict > “… If… my only… wrong… is living… then I’d rather… be wrong… to the very end!” When the black forest fused with the darkness behind her eyelids – – A message appeared.

“Mr. Qi Lin, may I ask how you thought about joining the entertainment circle from a sports student?”

“Uh, I said that I was there to deliver lunch boxes, do you believe me?”

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