Soulless Swordsman - Chapter 26: Royal Clowns

In humanity’s final war against the Demon Lord, the strongest heroes fell—not by the enemy’s hand, but by their own, twisted into madness by a cruel illusion. Betrayal. Bloodshed. Despair… and then, silence.Only one person remained: Riley—the weakest warrior of them all. Powerless. Ignored. Forgotten.But he saw through the Demon Lord’s deception. The tyrant was on the brink of death—so weak even a fly could’ve finished him off.And Riley did just that, drawing every last ounce of strength to bite off the demon’s head.Victory? Not quite. A final, desperate strike from the Demon Lord pierced him from behind, killing him instantly.But fate wasn’t done with him yet.Riley awoke ten years in the past—when the online game [Apocalypse] was launched. Before demons descended. Before monsters overran the world.And this time, he wasn’t starting from nothing. He had a decade of experience—and a second chance.Even more shocking, he didn’t awaken his old D-rank Strength Boost talent. This time, he received something far more terrifying: an SSS-Rank Gluttony talent!He could now devour anything—monsters, items, talents, even traits—and gain their power.Ding![You have devoured: Iron Fang Wolf][Acquired: +4 Strength, +2 Agility, Skill: Bite (F-rank)][You have devoured: Goblin ShamanAcquired: +8 Intelligence, Skill: Mana Bolt (E-rank), Talent: Minor Spellcasting Efficiency][You have devoured: Flaming Salamander Drake][Acquired: +22 Endurance, Trait: Dragon’s Resilience, Skill: Flame Breath (C-rank)]Now, there is no demon, no god, no monster who will stand in his way. He will devour everything—and save the world.But the power of Gluttony was a double edged sword. If he wasn’t careful… he could be the one getting consumed.

Jack Wilson spent his life in a hospital bed — betrayed by his family, forgotten by the world, and kept alive only by the one person he trusted.Then that person put a knife in his chest.He wakes up somewhere else entirely. In a body that can stand. That can fight. That hasn't seen daylight in years.He's inside Savage Awakening, a fantasy VR world he escaped into during every waking hour of his illness.Except it isn't a game anymore.Jack reawakens in the body of a third-rate villain.A Noble Vampire with magic powerful enough to reshape kingdoms — and a hidden curse called A Villain's Fate that guarantees he dies before the story ends.But Jack isn't the Vampire.... He wouldn't die because of some measly 'Villains Fate'Jack knows this world better than anyone alive. He knows every death flag, every hidden mechanic, every secret the game's creators buried in the lore.He also knows the true villain isn't him.The question is whether a man who never had a future can survive long enough to steal one.

Jin Watanabe, a renowned genius programmer, died from overworking on the latest project that his clients had piled on him.Instead of the peaceful eternal rest he had hoped for, he opened his eyes in a fantasy world—only to realize he had been reincarnated into the frail body of a sickly boy who was already on the verge of death.“Young Master Jin is trash. Can't even cast a single spell.”“The Raith family's shame.”“He'll be dead within the year anyway. Who cares?”But then, to his surprise, strange words began floating above the teacup beside his bed...[Warning: Lethal Substance Detected][Analyzing...][Identified: Poison][Ultimate Editor system Activated...]Jin stared at the floating strings, then looked around and checked other objects.They called him trash. They tried to kill him. They thought this world belonged to them.They were wrong.Because Jin could see reality as code. And he was about to hack their world..........Join Discord for character arts and more:https://discord.gg/6YrfWD72YQ

Who, in the ancient mythology, held an artifact and killed the first emperor of the human race?

Who, at the beginning of ancient times, closed the gate of the God Realm, Jedi Tiantong?

Who set a lifespan limit of only one hundred and thirty years for the people, and even the Great Emperor was not spared?

Who, turned into a black hand that covers the sky for eternity, shrouded the world?

…

Yang Shou on Earth: “Yes, yes, I did it all, I just want to live.”

- Description from novelbuddy