Steampunk Era: Mad Abield - Chapter 28: Twenty-sixth Section: The First Night of Harvest Festival (Part One)

«Grey, elemental affinity, zero» The Elder announced the result loudly.

The clock struck midnight when Ruelle heard the echo of footsteps. She tensed, the fine hairs on the back of her neck standing on end in the cool night air.“You shouldn't be here,” Ruelle whispered, her voice a breathless murmur. The silhouette finally came to stand under the moonlight, his dark red eyes watching her and his inky black hair ruffling.“Shouldn't I?” His voice was a dark caress, and she stood there captivated by the danger he exuded like perfume.“I haven’t seen you for the last two days,” his tone low. His hand reached out, fingers brushing against the silk of her nightgown, tracing the trembling outline of her collarbone. “Tell me, were you avoiding me, or perhaps... entertaining other offers?”Ruelle’s heart raced, her breaths shallow. She declared, “I don't belong to anyone.”“A bold claim,“ he murmured, his breath a tantalising chill against her skin as he leaned in. ”Yet here you are, pulse racing, your body tensed as if in anticipation of my touch.”His fingers gripped her chin, tilting her face towards his. The moonlight caught his eyes, revealing a glint of predatory intent. “Or must I remind you whose touch you truly crave?”

The black dragon that rose from the depths of the South Sea unleashed an apocalyptic tsunami... Flame demons destroyed city after city made of steel and concrete, calmly departing from the center of nuclear explosions... Alien gods attempted to rule the entire galaxy...This is a future world where human technology is highly advanced.It is also an era that sparked a frenzy of Life Evolution in the Martial Path.Li Yuan, a Martial Path student on the verge of taking his college entrance exams, struggled to advance in this world while harboring the peculiar Divine Palace capable of envisioning the galaxy.Years later.“My current flying speed is 122,682 meters per second, and my power burst is...” Li Yuan flew at extreme speeds through the atmosphere about 180 kilometers above the surface of Blue Star, his cold eyes fixed on the massive creature at the dark void's edge, resembling the mythological dragon: “You, must be the strongest among all the invading Demigod life forms.”“It's just unfortunate that I can now be called... Martial God!”

The royal bastard of House Vasquer, Argrave, changed after his stay studying magic at the Tower of the Gray Owl.

The sickly man's awkward posture and cruel behavior have been replaced with a neat dignity and acerbic wit.

Though once listless, he now strives towards his goals with a life-or-death tenacity.

Most come away thinking he seems to know too many details about too much. Few can claim to know his motives or his goals.

Yet behind that confident appearance, the primary contributor for an open-world RPG's wiki battles existential dread and things far beyond his ken as he struggles to adapt to a grim, gothic fantasy world mirroring his favorite game.

The prospect of fighting against a world-ending calamity loses all of its appeal when it transitions from entertainment to reality.

Argrave is spurred towards unwanted heroism to preserve his life as he struggles desperately to keep this sinking ship afloat.