The Villain's Retirement - Chapter 29: Duchy (1)

You were taken to another world by a ghost ship.

You are uneasy.

There are ravings in your ears, accompanied by weird bgm, you sing and dance rap in pain.

You pick up a magic lamp, and after making a wish, it says it’s just a lamp.

You are impoverished, and you swear by your personality that you made a deal with the devil, and in the end the devil was sold by you.

You are walking on the road, and you meet a down-and-out princess who is begging for a child with a lot of money, and you yell “Mom~” in the street out of the principle of helping others

In the middle of the night, you flipped through the pages of “Ten Thousand and One Nights” in your hand, and your excitement became stronger and stronger…

- Description from novelbuddy

Leon Vale’s world stopped when the chamber labeled him F-Rank, no spark, just Empty Core.One dozen sparks in a sea of a thousand chances. A near-miracle of failure, somehow flopped harder than flatlining.In Neo-Veridia, strength rules the game, no exceptions. Those who are tough get hailed as champions; others? They're stuck cleaning up messes. Might makes right here, plain and simple.Leon ended up on the ground. That’s where he landed, no surprise there.Later, the red moon climbed into view. Right after, creatures smashed past the shield. His siblings stood near death yet deep in his Empty Core, an old force stirred awake.[ SHADOW EXTRACTION SYSTEM ACTIVATED ]Leon takes energy from whatever he defeats. Each time a creature falls, he gains more strength. As shadows vanish into him, he drifts toward a mystery - something waits in a space beyond places: a seat atop no land, while a voiceless headpiece calls out to him through empty dark.Yet taking what’s not yours brings trouble.On top of everything else, the Evernight Alliance caught wind. Not just vampires - werewolves too. Old creatures that oughta be myths are poking at the city’s walls, messing up dungeon cores, chasing whatever’s pumping out that dark energy signal.Hunting for him.Leon’s stuck in a risky move, quietly getting stronger so he can shield his folks, hitting school while sneaking around to pull out shadows, acting powerless even though some old, grim force now names him successor.That F-Rank tag? Total fake. His Empty Core isn't broken, it fights. Each darkness he swallows drags him nearer to a reality he can’t face yetNot every seat of power fits a hero.Some crowns come from shadows, built on bones.Some kids just inherit stuff whether they like it or not.The Crimson Moon marked the start. What’s coming next? Things are about to heat up.

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

Lin Qiao opened her eyes and found herself as a poor widow in a mountain village, with no parents-in-law, no husband, only a handsome brother-in-law who is about to turn evil.In order to survive, she put in all her effort, but...Having originally set her ambitions on raising a model young man, did she somehow raise him the wrong way?Young man, slow down! You're my little uncle!He...The once blackened villain has turned into a loyal little puppy of a boy.