The Gentleman at the End - Chapter 712 - 710: Hidden Village on Lung Water Lake

Five years ago, humanity’s strongest Tower Climber was betrayed at the peak of his conquest.Rael Arden, known only by his codename Phantom, was the silent genius who cleared impossible floors, crushed monsters with forbidden magic, and shaped the rules of Tower exploration. No one had ever seen his real face—yet his legend was feared across the world.But at the Tower’s summit, the teammates he carried to glory stabbed him in the back. For power. For godhood. For fear of what he might become.They thought he died.They were wrong.Reincarnated in secret, Rael awakens in a modern world that’s on the edge of collapse. Dungeons bleed into cities. Monsters evolve. The Tower is no longer just a gate—it’s infecting the world. And the very ones who betrayed him now rule from the shadows, hiding behind titles, guilds, and lies.But Rael isn’t alone. His soul split across hidden clone bodies, each designed to infiltrate, gather information, and prepare for war. As each clone reawakens, his power grows—and so does his rage.With him are three women tied to his fate:Selene, the shadow rogue who never betrayed him.Lyra, a curious researcher drawn to the legend of the Phantom.Aeris, the sword saint who still mourns his death… and may not be as loyal to the enemy as she seems.Now, Rael hunts the seven betrayers who destroyed his past.One by one, they will fall.But revenge is just the beginning.Because deep within the Tower, something else is waking—an ancient force that even Rael feared. And this time, the world may not survive unless the Phantom reigns again.

The world has become a video game-like place. Monsters began to appear everywhere on the planet, governments began to dispatch armies to protect cities, but powerful monsters were unaffected by common weapons.

When despair was about to make humanity destroy itself, people began to awaken powers that made them strong enough to deal with the mighty monsters.

These people were called “Awakened Ones”.

Years passed and society got used to dealing with monsters. Children who once dreamed of becoming actors, musicians or youtubers, now dreamed of “Awakening” to receive powers, fight monsters and receive the fame and money that came with this dangerous profession.

Leo was also like those children, and when he turned 17 his powers also awakened, but very different from what he imagined it would be.

[Congratulations, you have awakened the “Hack” power. Your first skill is “Aim-bot.”]

[Aim-bot: Regardless of which weapon you use, no shot will miss.]

And the stronger Leo got, the more powers he would unlock.

“Aim-Bot, Wall Hack, Speed ​​Hack, Fly Hack, Kill-Aura, Teleport Hack… all the hacks people used in games now I can use in real life?!” Leo was shocked when he saw the abilities he would unlock.

“I often heard people say that the world is a playground for rich and powerful people, now this will become my own playground!” Leo told himself a few years ago as a joke, but no one could have imagined that those words would become an absolute truth years later.

He rose from abjection and achieved eternity in glory.
He embraced the prettiest beauties and killed the strongest opponents.
He was able to shift the clouds into rain and cover the sky with one hand.
He could overrun the entire world and go anywhere as he pleased.
He pacified wars and held the world in awe.
He was matchless in the world.
However, his hair turned white overnight for his beloved woman and he was on the verge of death.
He was surrounded by enemies who were trying to take his life.
He struggled his way to become mighty and fought for everything he cherished.
For this age, he was the only king of the Dark World.
His name was a byword for might.
As a man living in the world, his only ideal was to pursue brilliance.

- Description from Novelupdates

As the owner of an ordinary bookstore, Ling PingAn’s biggest wish was to muddle through life and do absolutely nothing.