MTL - Ace of the Dragon Division - Chapter 1228 1229: The subtlety caused by a gossip

Within the popular VRMMORPG «New Genesis», there was a ranker by the name of Arthur Holmes, commonly known by his in-game alias «Merlin».

In the year 2090, technology has advanced to the point where Simulation Boxes, (Sim Box for short) are common place, allowing for the user to link up their brain's neural network to a full dive Simulation. While initially used for educational purposes, recently a large gaming company, Averon, released a fully fledged immersive MMORPG simulation where users can become anyone they desire, level up, choose their class, and become a hero or a villain. The name of this simulation is The Shattered World Online.

Eli Winters had no interest in playing it. His father, a jobless bum who spent his entire life playing games in the hope of becoming a famous player or streamer, was able to use the release of The Shattered World Online to gain wealth and fame, quickly becoming the number one player and a household name as the game took the world by storm. He immediately abandoned Eli and his mother in favor of being with someone from his guild, despite his mother having worked two jobs to support them and raise Eli by herself. Eli had nothing but spite for his father and the game.

When Eli's best friend convinces him to try out the game, his father's fame begins to interfere, culminating in him being singled out and shunned by his peers, and his father offering to pay for his university tuition in return for Eli hiding their relationship and quitting the game. Instead of complying with his father's wishes, Eli decides to prove to everyone how useless a guy his father is by challenging him that if Eli is able to surpass him in the game world he must delete his account and quit his streaming career. His father accepts the challenge believing his son to be useless at games - but Eli will soon show him just how ambitious a spiteful person can be.

In this world, human are in peril. 72 Obelisks suddenly appeared out of nowhere, infecting the world with Monsters. Amongst this chaos, people look for hope.

A man named Basil Pacifer is the humanity's hope. He is the strongest Mage alive at that point. Sadly, he believes in no man, and he always moves alone.

...

Basil observes the unfolding scene bitterly. He is aware of his impending doom, however he has no grudge. He has lived long enough to achieve things people can only dream about.

Looking back to his past, he realized his life is nothing more than a sad story.

Closing his eyes, he accepted his end — or so he thought.

...

”Look at me! What do you see?“

”Regrets.“

”Don't you want to undo it?“

”Tell me what the offer is.“

Thus, Basil Pacifer returned to the past, being his younger self once again. Of course, he returned back with something.

...

[Ding!]

[Guide to Omniscience is successfully merged with The Chosen One]

[Analyzing The Chosen One's mental capability...]

[Analyzation Complete!]

[Result: The Chosen One is retarded]

[Initiate Brain Configuration!]

No matter how useless the golden finger he received seems, he will reach a higher height than his last life. This time, he will completely erase any regrets he has!

When the enigmatic and overpowered Kieran Drayke awakens in a foreign magical world after a sudden transmigration, he brings along a system unlike any this realm has ever known. The “Sovereign Architect System” doesn’t just make him invincible—it gives him the tools to build something far greater.But Kieran isn’t interested in world domination. At least, not in the usual way.Disillusioned by the world's surface-level glimmer and the rot beneath it, Kieran sets his sights on the forsaken—those discarded by society, lost in the shadows of nobility and corruption. From slums, war zones, and forgotten ruins, he gathers orphan girls of various races—elves, beastkin, humans, and more—each with untapped potential and pain behind their eyes.He trains them in secret. Guides them. Empowers them. Not as soldiers, but as a family. A hidden organization that operates behind the curtains, shaping the world while appearing as ordinary students at the prestigious Aetherion Magic Academy.Kieran himself? Just a carefree, slightly lazy transfer student with a penchant for sweets, sarcasm, and sneaking naps between classes—on the surface, at least.With a slow-burning plot that weaves magical worldbuilding, deep friendships, training arcs, casual comedy, and a cast of unforgettable girls who grow into queens of the unseen, Chronicles of the Hidden Crown explores what happens when an OP MC doesn’t conquer the world with brute force…But builds a legacy from its forgotten pieces.No betrayal. No forced drama. Just the steady rise of a secret kingdom in the shadows of a crumbling empire.