Mushoku Tensei: Reincarnated as a Beast Race - Chapter 173 - Prelude

"There is a thin line between poison and medicine, and I shall make you dance on it!"

It was a time where demons roamed the earth and chaos reigned. The story took place in Luoyang, the legendary capital of the times. During the night, one could find people holding on to their food with dear lives as they faced off against stray dogs, people with weapons in hand vowing to fight against Fate to their very last breath. There was bloodshed everywhere as some died meaningless deaths, while the strong tyrannized the weak and the truth was frequently hidden. Some of the citizens had completely lost their mind, while some died on their travels. Most importantly, the words of a certain youth caused much panic in the human world. It was a time of little warmth as nights in the capital were frequently accompanied by gusts of wind and rain, and it would be covered with snow during winter. Such were the days…

- Description from Novelupdates

After getting hit by a car, Nolan thought death would bring him peace. But instead of resting in heaven, he wakes up in a world of gods and power.Reincarnated in the Academy of Heavenly Descendants, Nolan now finds himself surrounded by the heirs of mythological deities—each wielding divine power beyond imagination.But there's a problem: the body he reincarnated into is cursed.Without the ability to cultivate Divine Essence, Nolan is labeled as worthless, an outcast in a world where strength means everything.Just as he’s about to lose hope, a voice echoes in his mind:[Congratulations, Host Has Awakened The God King System!][Initial Bloodline Scan Beginning...][Scan Completed][Host Has Awakened the Power of Kratos, the God of Strength and War!]Equipped with a system that enables him to contract thousands of various mythological bloodlines, Nolan journeys across the limitless planes of existence, searching for the absolute power to achieve his ultimate goal—freedom!A path many have embarked on, but none have succeeded.

I once believed I was the heroine of a modern fairytale, blessed with beauty, wealth, intelligence, and a powerful legacy. Men adored me, women envied me, and I was engaged to the most desirable man, Cole Fay. My life seemed perfect, a dream where I held the starring role. But on my eighteenth birthday, that illusion crumbled. The truth hit me hard: I wasn’t the protagonist, nor even the villain or a side character. I was just cannon fodder, a disposable part of someone else’s story. But when fate recognized the cruel joke of my life, I was granted a second chance. This time, I’ll write my own story, living for myself. And this time . . . I will never love you again.