The Stepmother's Counterattack: Raising a Child in a Bygone Era - Chapter 819 - 818 Dreams and Delusions

Kurono Maou is a high school student who is sensitive of his sharp eyes and bad expression. No girlfriend but gifted with friends in his own way, he had been living a peaceful life.

[Disclaimer:This is not a story for the faint-hearted. It explores the darkest aspects of humanity—where morality is shattered, and power takes its place. Most readers won’t have the courage to face this unrelenting descent into shadows.I'm once again telling you if you can't handle deaths and violence and you seek happiness then please do not even touch this Novel.But maybe, just maybe, you’re different. Strong enough to confront the abyss and see what lies beyond.if so Prove it.][Synopsis]:In a world teetering on the edge of chaos, seven empires vie for dominance, each more ruthless than the last. At the heart of this dark tapestry lies Narzan, a nation feared and despised, where cruelty is law and ambition a deadly game. The lands of mortals are but a fragile sanctuary, bordered by forbidden realms—the infernal Demon Realm, where nightmares are born; the accursed Lost Soul Realm, where the damned wander endlessly; and the enigmatic Elven Kingdom, shrouded in secrets and ancient power. These realms whisper of horrors and treasures that could reshape the very fabric of existence.Above it all looms the Weave of Magic, an ancient force that binds life, death, and destiny. It stirs ominously, its threads tangling with shadows of betrayal, vengeance, and destruction. In this world where the strong devour the weak, hope is a fleeting illusion, and mercy is a tale for the foolish.Veythor is a man cursed by the fates, his existence a relentless cycle of suffering. Across three lives, he has endured betrayal, torment, and death. On Earth, he was a man broken by those he trusted—betrayed by family, ruined by love, and condemned to die in despair. In his second life, he met an even crueler fate, falling prey to monsters in human form. But Thalvoria, his third life, is the cruelest of all.A vast and merciless world, Thalvoria is ruled by beings of unimaginable power. Here, mages can sunder mountains with a thought, empires rise and fall in rivers of blood, and forgotten gods slumber beneath the earth. Mythical beasts stalk cursed forests, and the lands themselves seem to hunger for suffering. In Thalvoria, even the heavens cast shadows, and every choice is a gamble with damnation.Yet Veythor, battered and scarred, refuses to succumb. Haunted by memories of his past lives, he begins to weave his pain into something more dangerous. Every betrayal fuels his resolve, every scar sharpens his will. As the balance of power begins to shift and the Weave of Magic tightens its grip on the world, Veythor sets his sights on a singular goal: to seize control of his cursed destiny, no matter the cost.But in a land where salvation and damnation are two sides of the same coin, what will remain of a man who refuses to die?When the world itself hungers for blood, Veythor will rise—or he will drag all of Thalvoria into the abyss with him.

Heaven and earth are the guest house of all living beings, and time is the passing guest through the ages.

The difference between life and death, just like the difference between dreaming and waking, changes and cannot be questioned.

So beyond life and death, beyond heaven and earth, beyond time, what is waiting for us?

This is Ergen’s sixth novel “Beyond Time” after “The Immortal”, “The Devil”, “I Want to Seal the Heavens”, “An Eternal Thought”, and “Three Inch of the World”.

- Description from novelbuddy

Following a brutal and tortured death, a former assassin, known only by his codename Kuro, is given the opportunity to reincarnate in another world, a world with magic and monsters. Armed with an unrivaled healing factor and an inhumane pain threshold, Kuro opts to go for a reckless direct approach in this world instead of a stealthy and cautious one, and as a result, slowly gains attention bit by bit.

Having previously been a loner in his old life, he interacts and befriends people for the first time in his existence, however, his blunt nature also sees him making just as many enemies, both big and small. By combining his old assassin skills with the magic powers of this world, along with his high resistance to pain and rapid regeneration, he doesn't take long to establish himself as a formidable force in this world.

Initially, Kuro only faces minor threats, like weaker monsters and bandits. But before too long, the threats slowly but surely become more and more severe…from Zombies to a bloodthirsty empire to Vampires and Demons, and even divine beings…however, as the enemies he faces grow stronger, so does Kuro, gaining rare powers that have never or rarely ever been seen in this world…