MTL - My Cold And Beautiful CEO - Chapter 4 Head is too slippery (for collection)

The white lotus, a mysterious artifact rumored to contain the very secrets of the soul, granted its wielder otherworldly power. Countless powerful Magi from all around the universe waged an epic battle over it. When the dust settled from their fierce clash, the artifact disappeared, awaiting to be inherited by one with great destiny.

Adam dreamed of breaking free from the grip of poverty, yearning for a life of riches and comfort. Yet, in a world ruled by arcane spellcasters, achieving such a dream meant becoming one himself. However, learning magic was an expensive aspiration. Not only did it require talent, but also vast resources.

But one day everything changed when he stumbled upon a seemingly ordinary white lotus…

[Your shadow is alive.][Feed your shadow, devour souls, level up, gain skills, complete quests, and grow stronger.][Do you wish to view your current stats?]In the magical world of Aetherus, Damon Grey is the weakest student at Aether Academy, relentlessly bullied and ridiculed for his lack of power and defiant personality. Yet, he endures the torment, clinging to his scholarship—the only thing providing him with the funds to keep his sick sister alive.After a brutal attack leaves him near death, Damon encounters a dark viscous entity in the forest that fuses with his shadow, awakening the Living Shadow System. This strange power grants him unimaginable abilities but comes with a grim cost—a relentless hunger for souls and flesh to feed his shadow.Now, with his shadow alive and insatiable, Damon faces a terrible choice: feed it to grow stronger or starve it and die with it.In a world ruled by ruthless nobles, deadly monsters, and power-hungry demons, Damon must decide if his newfound power is a curse or the only way to survive. With the Living Shadow System, his fate is clear: devour or be devoured.

Ding![The Host has died!]A system message popped up in front of Nell's body after his last dying breath.Ding![Dark Evolution has been activated to absorb the death essence of the host.]And then he opened his eyes to find himself in the past right before the battle started.'Ah! Am I back to the past?'Ding![Please choose a partner to start the Dark Evolution process.][Partner Condition: Must be a living creature from the Monster category, not the Human category][Partner Gender has to be Female.]'Partner? A monster?'Nell's heart pounded in his chest, and he felt a cold sweat coming on.'A female monster?'

Emperor Gabela: Imperial legions are unstoppable on land.

Great Orc Chief: All the warriors of the tribe can count as ten.

Jade Realm Elf King: The forest ranger has never missed a shot.

Chairman of the Horn Bay Alliance: The alliance fleet is the undisputed ruler of the sea.

A mysterious organization: The prophesied era will finally come.

Paul Grayman: I am not targeting anyone. Everyone here is rubbish.

Start the journey of guns and cannons crushing the low-magic plane…

(This is an old-fashioned story about climbing a technological tree in another world to farm for hegemony. The author has limited knowledge and may make some mistakes in technical details. Criticism and corrections are welcome)

- Description from novelbuddy