Corrupted Bonds - Chapter 86: After the Vault

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.

Xuan Yi was transported into the fictional world and became an elder of the Black Sword Sect! The moment he entered the world, he was at the Sea-Splitting Rank!

What does it mean to be invincible?

Many Sword Gods exhaust their entire lives attempting to cultivate a single supreme sword intent, yet Yang Xiaotian has cultivated fifteen!

For millions of years, no one has been able to cultivate the Primordial Heaven Destiny, but Yang Xiaotian has cultivated fifteen of it!

Throughout countless eons, no one has been able to cultivate the Primordial Universe Holy Fruit, yet Yang Xiaotian has cultivated fifteen!

Across the vast expanse of time, only the rulers of heaven and earth could cultivate the Eternal Divine Body, yet Yang Xiaotian has cultivated not only the Eternal Divine Body but also the Primordial Heaven Destiny Divine Body, the Primordial Universe Divine Body...

NightmaresCreatures that appeared from the unknown a millennium ago continuously threatened humanity, pushing and pressuring people who once inhabited it aside. These Entities brought the world into utter chaos, furthering their influence to what was once a land that belonged to its rightful owner.In the end, humanity was forced to adapt.They kept trying different ways to fend off the Nightmares, and the solution they finally settled on was… why not become one themselves?Cesar Sparrow, an unfortunate fellow born in an era full of corruption, horror, and the unknown, was desperately trying to escape from its clutches… until he found an enigmatic, dying eyeball that latched itself onto him.“Hehehe, what a great fellow you are,”“How are you talking—. Just what are you…?”The dying eye that latched itself to his empty, bleeding eye socket chuckled, its voice groggy as it answered.“What do you think am I? I’m just an old and weak Nightmare, Sparrow. Though, you can call me Eyes of Deceit. And I'll borrow your body for a moment if you won't mind. Hehe,”“No, why would I give you my body?! Get the fuck out!”Entrapping himself in a series of encounters, uncovering secrets that belong to the Nightmares… and the humanity wanted to remain hidden, Cesar Sparrow ventures into the unknown.To keep struggling, to keep resisting, to keep persevering… will all that be enough?Will he be finally the one to break the chains humans had found themselves in, ending a millennium of suffering? Or succumb to the curse of the Nightmares?