A Record of Ash & Ruin: The Grieving Lands - Chapter 18Book 1: : The Grind

Humanity is caught in a great upheaval after the Intergalactic Union of All Species coincidentally discovers their existence on what they had formerly considered to be the fringe of the universe.Without any say in the matter, they get indicted into the Union as a legal member. Unfortunately, this meant that they were now obligated to partake in the exploration of a new Chaotic Realm parallel to their universe containing rich energies, resources, and essence that the universe itself craved.To that end, the universe has created its own will, which seeks to gather all races and strengthen warriors from them to explore the dangerous but lucrative Chaotic Realm, initiating the Augmented Reality simulation, Essence.In Essence, one can experience a carefully crafted universe similar to an RPG game, either by going in through your soul or going in through VR. The former means that death is true, and the latter is similar to a normal FIVR experience.Those who go in with their souls can freely receive feedback from their 'game characters' to obtain all stats, skills, and items they acquire in Essence, while those who go in with VR do not obtain that benefit.However, those who pay for it in Essence can receive an awakening of genetic talent called abilities. These abilities are graded from F to EX, a total of 10 stages.Not much is expected from the human race when the first 100 participants get chosen at random from the public - a standard protocol - only for each one of them to awaken at least an A-grade ability.Then, there was Damon Arnan, a young Ghanaian politician, who ended up awakening, not one, not two, but three EX-Grade Talents.The human race, which had just entered the galactic playground, was about to experience a storm with Damon smackdab in the middle.

Year 2056, in a city in the Yuan Jiang Su Jin area. On top of a ruined, shattered six story residential apartment sits a teenager wearing a combat vest, militaristic trousers, and alloyed battle boots. On his back is a hexagonal shield and equipped is a blood-shadow battle knife. He sits there silently on the edge of the roof. At this time, the sparkling sky was shining and there was a refreshing breath within the air that blew towards him. However, there was only silence within the ruined, deserted city, with an occasional howl that makes your heart skip a beat.

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After a tragic accident that claimed the lives of his parents and little sister, Leo, just 17 years old, found himself shouldering all responsibilities alone.By some miracle, he survived the past four months on his own—attending high school, juggling multiple part-time jobs, and enduring sympathetic gazes that pained him.The only respite he found was in books, which offered him an escape and some semblance of joy.One day, while engrossed in the book 'Path of Heroes: Battle Against the End,' his life took an unexpected turn.Halfway through the story, he inexplicably found himself transmigrated into the world of Path of Heroes, inhabiting the body of Azriel Crimson—a character never mentioned in the story's first half.An extra.Someone seemingly irrelevant to the plot.Unfortunately—or perhaps fortunately—fate had other plans, and Leo soon discovered that being a mere extra was not his destiny after all.

I am a what, and where is my little friend? No, give it back right now!

What, back in a lab again? What a load of bull.

Finally, I’m dying... No, I got revived again.

Becoming a weapon for a kingdom? Meh, they can try and control me.

Medieval weapons? I like that. Give me all of them.

An Angle cult? Let’s destroy that.

Pure Dragons? I want one for myself.