The Desolate Era (Web Novel) - Book 4, Chapter 5 - Ancient Rites

[A soul forsaken by the Gods and a body on the verge of death - The Darklord of the Endless Abyss has noticed your existence and is offering you a contract. Will you accept?]As he lay on unfamiliar land, his body covered in wounds and blood, Levi heard the voice of providence that he had craved for years.In a magnificent and mutated future, the advancement of technology and space exploration has opened new paths unknown to humanity. Being the curious creatures they are, and with hopes of saving the dying Earth suffering from resource depletion, humans began to explore these unknown lands.It was there that they discovered the treasures of the otherworld - artifacts and magical items that defied all scientific knowledge. But along with these treasures, humans also encountered dangerous and vicious monsters capable of tearing them apart with a flick of their fingers.However, humans were persistent. The treasures of the otherworld were too enticing to ignore. They struggled against the odds and found a way to fight these monsters by making contracts with the gods.The gods of the unknown lands bestowed extraordinary powers upon humans in exchange for the promise of extinguishing all the monsters. But not everyone was so fortunate, like Levi, who failed to pique the interest of any gods, and became one of the Forsaken.The Gods had forsaken him, so Levi decided to forsake the world - he made a contract with the Demon King himself!

Among the demons, the supreme ones are called “Great Saints.”

The issue that originally preoccupied Tang Xian’s thoughts was whether, amidst these world-destroying bosses, he should be a hero for just a second or continue to pretend to be a boss. Later, he realized that, in the midst of pretense, he had actually become genuine...

Eons have passed since the prophesied godslayer met his demise. Yet, in a world reborn, whispers stir of his return, of a new man born from the remnants of an ancient prophecy.Kallen, destined to master the delicate balance between chaos and order, light and darkness, emerges to defy the very fabric of fate.Existence is a tapestry, one whole, connected, and indivisible. It is woven by the fabric of fate, spun with the strings of karma, and stitched with the threads of causality.Yet, within this unity lies individuality, and this individuality is the essence of existence. The manifestation of essence is Will.But what is a sparked Will against one akin to a raging inferno? What is a child before a mammoth? The conviction of a mortal before the boundless Will of cosmic beings?The answer is defiance!.A defiant Will, is what Kallen needs to liberate himself from the suppression every mortal endures from apex lifeforms. To live his life free, unhinged and on his own terms.But it takes a bit of crazy to be brave, and Insanity to be defiant.This is the story of a mortal breaking limits to achieve Apexification, to walk with his head held high and free in every corner of the universe.It is the irony of a slave who holds the reins, even as their chains bite deep. It is the cry of a heart bound in servitude, yet refusing to surrender its essence.