Emperor's Reckoning - Chapter 13: Shattering Palm

Noel Cross. A model student. A kind brother. The man every girl once dreamed of.With his handsome looks and flawless manners, he seemed perfect—at least to most.But beneath the smile… beneath the pristine facade… lies a bottomless void.And one fine day, when his smile could’ve finally turned genuine, a message appears—one only he can see.[Binding with Codex Null: Complete.][You have one free simulation available.]Now, an impossible system lies within his grasp—one that simulates his life, reveals hidden truths, and grants power unimaginable to the former him.With it, his fragile sense of control finally slips away.Love that was, in truth, obsession. Possession, teetering on madness.And a world that feels even more fragile than these women’s insecurities.Faced with it all, Noel must make a choice:Keep pretending.Or embrace the chaos…And become something far worse than anyone ever imagined.

The Apocalypse is in full swing. Defiled - powerful creatures corrupted by the Great Collision - prowled the lands in search of prey. Unfortunately for them, the human race had long since retreated behind the secure walls of the Sanctuary of Everlast. During one of his regular excursions outside the Sanctuary, Alden is separated from Celeste. - his childhood friend and crush. In that moment, he came to regret never summoning the courage to confess. Somehow managing to survive thanks to some trickery, Alden awakens as a mage. Instead of receiving a normal power, he gains the ability to decay. What’s more, during his ascension, he received a vision from his future self advising him not to trust the Asterons - celestial beings who had saved his race from inescapable doom. Normally... such a revelation wouldn’t faze Alden. However, there was only one major problem with the declaration, though. Celeste was bound with an Asteron. And not just any normal Asteron... She had made a pact with one of the Divine Sovereigns.

Following the death of the emperor, the Astanian Empire plunged into chaos. His two sons both aiming for the throne caused a civil war that divided the empire.In the midst of this conflict, Alaric was forced into conscription. He later joined the crown prince’s army as a company commander.He led his 100-man army into battle, fiercely fighting with the hope of a better future. Unfortunately, he was just too weak to cause a ripple on the battlefield.A single arrow to the head shattered his hopes and he died without even a proper burial.Just when he thought that everything was over, he found himself back to his younger self with his memories intact.Armed with his knowledge of the future and a system that awakened his dormant powers, Alaric began his journey to overcome his fated demise.