MTL - The Sage Who Transcended Samsara - v9 Chapter 21 Can't escape the bitter sea

Born into a unique world where villages fight to gain power and control, the main character, Shi Hao, is a genius blessed by the heavens born under the poorest of conditions. His clan, however, has a mysterious past. To rise up and become the genius he is meant to be, the clan goes through every effort to aid his cultivation as they battle through fanatical monsters and engage in power struggles with other clans. His journey will bring him through unknown lands until he is able to become a person that can truly shake the world.

“Welcome to the Cosmos of Madness!”

Said a man with long red hair and piercing golden eyes as he descended from the stars.

“You have been chosen for a great purpose! Task! Mission! Destiny!”

He shouted dramatically as countless worlds heard his every word, from the lowest peasants to the mighty entities in the lofty palaces in the Higher Dimension.

“All of you accept your destiny as a sacrifice to Daemon Sultan, Blind Idiot God, Primordial Demiurge, Azathoth!”

And then Apocalypse descended.

***

Follow the journey of self-named Samiel Zentaur, a half-mad worshipper of the Outer Gods, on the Path of Transcendence and in his path to find himself.

We do not belong to the light nor do we belong to the darkness, we walk the line in between.

There will be no people singing our praises or bards retelling our heroism but we will have pride in our work.

– Law of the Demon Hunter, Prologue

- Description from Novelupdates

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.