Mash-Up: I'm Not A Substitute - Chapter 128: Japanese-Style Inequality?

In a world torn apart by rifts that release dangerous monsters, Espers—humans imbued with powerful abilities—serve as humanity's last line of defense. But the power of an Esper comes with a price. Overuse of their abilities leads to dangerous corruption, a force that can destroy them from the inside out. This is where Guides come in: individuals with the unique ability to calm the corruption within Espers and restore their balance.Rowan Mercer, an S-class Guide, is one of the best in his field, capable of stabilizing even the most dangerous Espers. He has worked quietly behind the scenes, helping those in need, but his life takes a dramatic turn when he is called to work with Lucian Vaughn, an S-class Esper whose immense power and unstable corruption levels make him a dangerous threat to himself and others.Lucian, a tall, stoic, and enigmatic figure, has long fought against the growing corruption within him. At first, his relationship with Rowan is purely professional—Rowan as his Guide, helping him to stay in control. However, as their interactions grow more frequent, their bond deepens in ways neither expected. What started as a simple duty soon turns into a complex relationship where power, trust, and vulnerability collide.As the world around them faces escalating threats from rifts, Rowan and Lucian must navigate not only their personal challenges but also the dangerous world of Espers and Guides. Their bond will be tested as they fight together against the corrupting forces that threaten them both.In Corrupted Bonds, survival isn’t just about battling monsters from the rifts—it's about fighting the darkness within themselves and finding a way to stay connected in a world that’s constantly pulling them apart.

Cha Myung-jun, a sergeant who neared the end of his military service, found himself confined in the Ministry of National Defense’s bas**ent for over three decades due to his newly awakened abilities, just before the outbreak of war. Spending thirty years as the world’s most formidable blacksmith, wielding nothing but hammers, he skillfully outwits the watchful eyes of the Ministry of Defense to serve the war effort and reset the course of time. Now given a second chance at life, can he lead a successful campaign to avert humanity’s downfall and secure its salvation?

The newly published “Rebirth of the Noble Lady: The Wife in Marquess House” tells the story of her past life where her mother remarried, and she became a common cabbage. While her sister got meat, she was left with soup; her sister got noodles, she had to make do with water; her sister was the princess, and she was labeled as trash. She was trapped in a life fully planned by that mother-daughter pair for her; her family, her husband, all reduced to a miserable joke.Then a car accident turned her into a bloody mess. She told him, ‘my money all goes to my father, my kidney to you, because you are a good man.’At the age of thirty-three, she died in a car accident, leaving her kidney to a good man.At three, she was reborn. In this life, faced with manipulation, she fought back. What sister? She didn’t even have a biological mother, where would she get a sister from? And in this life, she didn’t know if she would once again encounter that good man…

A young man with an extraordinary mind is off on an exciting adventure when he mysteriously wakes up in the body of a feeble slave-guy in a different, rich in quirks world.

The main character, a selfish jerk, would use extreme means to achieve his goals. However, he never allows his base instincts to overrule his sense of decency. He always pays back both good and bad deeds.

Will his (terrible/excellent) mentality help him make a fresh start? Will he get through misfortunes and hardships of the new world?