Chained Hearts: From Slavery to Sovereignty - Chapter 136: Flames, Shadows, and a Choice

“Obtaining the topmost degree of talent in sword arts in the world requires giving up 72 years of lifespan, which leaves you with only five more years of your life. At the same time, you will never be able to feel love, kinship, and friendship, and you’ll end up leading a lonely life until your death, unable to procreate, or to have any descendants.“From now onwards, everything related to happiness in the human world shall no longer be of your concern. Are you willing to accept this?”“Hahahaha, I’m already alone bereft of all support, my hopes dashed to pieces, shouldering only absolutely irreconcilable grudge and hatred, why would I disagree? Why would I not want it? I couldn’t ask for anything better!!”His sword sweeps across the Divine Continent for seven days and nights, moving 90,000 miles through the starry skies, unhindered.He slays saints and buddhas in Heaven, slaughters demons and devils in Hell, sweeping away all the grievances in his heart.

In a Fantasy world in which a young girl with the Divine Protection of the Hero battles against the Demon Lord. In that world, Red, the elder brother of that young girl Hero, possessing the Divine Protection of the Guide which only grants a high initial level, fought in the initial party of the Hero.

Absolute power comes at a price, Midas' touch is a fine example of it.After becoming an existence more feared than the demon king and his army of millions, Ethan returns home. However, while he lost all of his powers, one of them didn't leave him... the power to take the mana and memories of those he touches. He thought that his journey had ended, but it had just started, with the goal of learning how to control his power, he will have to travel Earth and other worlds again in search for what he wants.--------A few decades after the start of the new millennium, people all over the world began to disappear from Earth, only to reappear after days, weeks, and sometimes even years after. At first, those people stayed silent as to where they had been, but after a while, weird information began to spread. These people had gone to other worlds…No one took that information seriously. However, when one of those who disappeared returned, bringing a horde of monsters with them, some people began to think that perhaps not everything was nonsense. The information, after a while, began to receive more credit when a small country in South America got decimated by the horde of monsters. The same thing happened in Europe and Asia. After a while, it was learned that that happened because these people failed to save the other worlds, and even Earth had to pay a price for it.To avoid future disasters, many countries decided to do what they could to identify and train those people. So, in order to train the future heroes of other worlds, many countries created their own summoned heroes’ schools. Unfortunately, they also decided to put in check those who managed to return and use them as assets in exchange for many rewards, but who knows what their true intentions are...

Can't a man maintain his dignity while preparing for the end of the world? Is that too much to ask?

The Tower was all I knew... all any of us knew, and just like that, it was gone. Monsters the likes of which I'd never seen ravaged the land of my ancestors. They burst through the outer walls and stormed the city. No one could have been ready for that. But now... Now I have a second chance.

After the collapse of the known world, I woke up to find myself on the First Floor of the Tower. I was young and healthy, 18 again, and sitting in the same classroom that marked the worst days of my life. Confused and excited, I accepted this gift, deciding to use my vast knowledge of the future to climb the Tower in preparation for the end of the world.

Maybe I'll help some folks along the way? Who knows. Survival comes first.

The clock is ticking, and I'm left with only a century to build a Deck powerful enough to survive the end. Things to do... What's first? I need Essence, and I need power. I'll have to climb the Tower to acquire both of these. Some of the zealots will try to stop me, need to look out for those. What if-

“Hey, kid! Hand over the pouch or-”

Stab

Sorry, where was I? Ah... there's a spot of blood on my suit. What a lousy morning.

In this world of blood and fantasy, century-old Rowan Wilder has to not only survive, but thrive as he powers his way to the top of the Tower. The Demonic Plague that has twisted the creatures on the upper Floors is the least of his worries. Cane in hand and Summons by his side, he'll have to tear his way through the monsters, as well as the humans who want to stop his ascent. Of course, he can maintain a sense of decorum while he faces these trials, right?