Master of Deception System - Chapter 38: Before Departure

Facing extinction, humanity seeks salvation in the Astral Verge, a dangerous dimension accessed via portals that threatened to wipe out the entire planet.Few years later, aspiring recruit Daniel Vance enters the Verge for his final assessment, hoping to Awaken a Talent and secure his future. While others gain common abilities, Daniel secretly Awakens the mythical SSS-Grade Talent: [Soul Assimilation]. This allows him to absorb essence, enhancing gear, gaining stats and EXP from slain creatures, and crucially, absorbing attributes and skills from fallen Awakened.Witnessing the swift death of the arrogant Jaxon Rex, Daniel makes a grim choice: he assimilates Jaxon, gaining his first skill, [Kinetic Pulse]. This sets his path: scavenging the aftermath of others’ battles. He enhances gear and, after achieving his first kill on an injured beast, waits patiently to assimilate two more fallen recruits, acquiring [Quick Step] and the invaluable passive [Aura Sense].Starting as average, Daniel rapidly gains power in secret, enhanced gear, multiple skills, and boosted stats , far exceeding his peers while remaining outwardly unremarkable. He navigates the lethal Verge alone, using its inherent dangers to fuel his growth, wrestling with the moral cost of his unique, overwhelming power.

In a world torn apart by rifts that release dangerous monsters, Espers—humans imbued with powerful abilities—serve as humanity's last line of defense. But the power of an Esper comes with a price. Overuse of their abilities leads to dangerous corruption, a force that can destroy them from the inside out. This is where Guides come in: individuals with the unique ability to calm the corruption within Espers and restore their balance.Rowan Mercer, an S-class Guide, is one of the best in his field, capable of stabilizing even the most dangerous Espers. He has worked quietly behind the scenes, helping those in need, but his life takes a dramatic turn when he is called to work with Lucian Vaughn, an S-class Esper whose immense power and unstable corruption levels make him a dangerous threat to himself and others.Lucian, a tall, stoic, and enigmatic figure, has long fought against the growing corruption within him. At first, his relationship with Rowan is purely professional—Rowan as his Guide, helping him to stay in control. However, as their interactions grow more frequent, their bond deepens in ways neither expected. What started as a simple duty soon turns into a complex relationship where power, trust, and vulnerability collide.As the world around them faces escalating threats from rifts, Rowan and Lucian must navigate not only their personal challenges but also the dangerous world of Espers and Guides. Their bond will be tested as they fight together against the corrupting forces that threaten them both.In Corrupted Bonds, survival isn’t just about battling monsters from the rifts—it's about fighting the darkness within themselves and finding a way to stay connected in a world that’s constantly pulling them apart.

The light-hearted love story of a (vampire) zombie and an idiot.

Jeff, who died while doing his usual daily routine, found himself transmigrated into another world one that was twice the size of Earth.At first, he thought life would be the same. Peaceful. Boring, even. Just another world with different skies and landscapes.But he was wrong. On one fateful night, while he lay in his small room, a sudden ding echoed through the air.It was sharp, clear, and unnatural like something out of a sci-fi film. And then… something appeared before his eyes.[Luck Spin System has finally bind][Congratulation you have gotten a skill: Godly Programming]With this luck finally his dream can finally come true which is making games, seeing that their was no minecraft in this world he decided to recreate it.Then his journey began starting as a programmer, he quickly rose to dominate the digital field, racing field, swimming field, shooting field, combat field, robotics field, hacking field, academic field, business field, gaming field, drone piloting field, artificial intelligence field, engineering field, virtual reality field, and even the military simulation fieldWhat would Jeff do with all these, skill and titles read to find out of course....Thank you for reading, and I hope you’ll continue to support me on my journey as an author.******************************************** DISCLAIMER ********************************************This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, applications, songs, technologies, locations, events, and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or used fictitiously for storytelling purposes.Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or to real companies, brands, applications (such as ChatGPT, Minecraft, or other well-known services), or any other entities is purely coincidental. All real-world references are included as part of the fictional setting and do not imply any endorsement, association, or ownership by the original creators.The author has no intention to defame, discredit, or infringe upon the rights of any individual, brand, organization, or intellectual property. This story is created solely for entertainment and creative expression, and should not be taken as factual or representative of real-life entities or events.Readers are advised to treat all references in this work as fictional, regardless of name similarities or thematic inspiration.