the era of calamities - Chapter 89: Encrypted Channel

In a world where darkness was always a step ahead further and the light was late and bleaker, “Grim Dark Online” has become a well acclaimed VRMMORPG, drawing players into its thrilling depths. But when hackers breach the game's firewall, players including Kenji find themselves trapped in this virtual reality after an abrupt system shutdown.As chaos unfolds, the World Soul Barrier collapses, unleashing a horde of demon gods and their minions upon the realm. The Cult of Black Snake, the Silent Nightstalkers assassins, and the slaughter of the Immortals threaten their very fabric of existence. With the World Soul and the World Tree corrupted, Kenji must navigate this perilous landscape armed only with his last playthrough’s knowledge as a Warrior and several other Classes.Previously, he had conquered the God of Death, a necromancer villain, and earned the title of God of Slaughter. But now, faced with the onset of devastation, he is thrown back to the beginning of this nightmare.Desperate to reclaim his former power as a warrior, Kenji discovers that fate has other plans. Instead, he is bestowed the class of Necromancer—the very embodiment of his past fears. This transformation offers him an unexpected opportunity to rise above his previous limitations. With the unique ability to summon minions that mimic his battle instincts, Kenji possesses greater firepower and tactical versatility than ever before.Now, he must embrace his newfound abilities and confront the demon lords and gods that threaten to consume his world. As a warrior trapped in the body of a necromancer, Kenji’s journey is one of survival, adaptation, and redemption in a realm where darkness reigns. Will he harness the power of his newfound powers? Or will the very darkness succumb them all?

When he wakes up, Su Changkong has traveled to a world where troops are chaotic and demons are rampant, and his martial arts qualifications are mediocre, but Su Changkong found that as long as his [lifespan] increases, his talent and potential can be [infinitely] improved!

Wu Qin Xi: imitating tigers, deer, bears, apes, birds and other animals.

Turtle Breath True Dinggong: Imitation Qigong, like a thousand-year-old tortoise breathing, breathing, breathing and closing for a long time, prolonging life!

Celestial silkworm magic: nine transformations of the silkworm, breaking the cocoon into a butterfly, rejuvenating the old and rejuvenating, opening the door of life and death, every transformation is a rebirth!

Cultivation of health boxing, practice the Qi of longevity! There are many corpses on the road of longevity, and Su Changkong has embarked on a longevity martial arts where heaven and earth are destroyed but I am immortal!

- Description from novelbuddy

[P-CORE BIOS VER 7.3.1 INITIALIZING... 10%][30%][60%][90%][100%][SUBJECT Kael - GENETIC MARKER: PHOENIX PRIME - CONFIRMED][CRYO-STASIS SEQUENCE: ...100%][NEURAL PATHWAY: STABLE][VITAL SIGNS: DETECTED - SUBOPTIMAL][LOADING PHOENIX CORE AI - DESIGNATION: ASHA][ASHA ONLINE - AWAITING SUBJECT CONSCIOUSNESS]Asha: “Kael, your current objective is not to get eaten. My calculations give you a 37.4% chance if you actually follow my advice this time.”Kael: “Right, Asha. 'I'll make sure not to be a snack by these mutated.” He gripped his trusty pipe. “I still haven't met the others who are still sleeping in their pods. How can I think about being eaten?” He glanced towards the cryo-pods, 14 Beautiful girls still on their cold sleep.[Affinity System Sub-Routine... Online. Monitoring Subject Interactions.]Sera (her long silver hair glinting through her waist. Her arms crossed and glaring at Kael who just offered her a slightly squashed ration bar): “I don't need your help or your pitiful food! I can handle myself just perfectly fine..… I know this situation… is temporarily, everything will be fine.”Kael: “Umm.. O-O-Okay. Just… eat this first it's the last one we have.. and you looked really hungry, Sera.”Asha: “[Affinity with Subject Seraphina: -2. Critical Analysis: Subject exhibits classic tsundere defense mechanisms. Probability of her actually wanting the ration bar: 89.7%.]”Kael (to Asha,): “Umm.. Asha?.. What now?”[Humanity's Last Hope: Subject Kael. Current Status: Confused, but trying his best.][Objective: Survive. Protect the 14 Girls. Maybe figure out what 'Affinity' means before someone hits *him* with a pipe.]

The prince of Maldonia, Prince Artemis of House Arteides, the bear killer, the slayer of the elves is crowned King when his father King Arteides dies. The whole kingdom of Maldonia depends on him now, but he puts the throne in jeopardy after he refuses to marry Princess Thelma of House Taelin from the kingdom of Prophis and opt to marry Aurora Kholin, the love of his life.

Aurora is a seer and a powerful witch who has yet to aknowledge her powers, only Artemis knows of it. Lucian Mithandir is in exile recruiting an army to fight Prince Castellan of house Taelin for the throne of Prophis. Artemis wants no parts of this war, but he is very aware whoever wins the war will later turn to Maldonia.

Artemis has no clue that a bigger war is coming which will set kingdoms on fire, Aurora has seen it in her dreams and it’s for the Sweet Waters Throne in Maldonia. The end is uncertain but the ways are clearer, who will sit on the throne after the war between Lord Gandalf of House Old City who owns mighty huge lions and King Artemis of Maldonia who has Aurora and dragons breathing fire.

~ Excerpt Scene ~

The men of the secret council remained behind after the king walked away to further discuss the situation at the borders of the kingdom. The battlefield was named Stonedance and that’s because of its stony surface and this part of the place was usually abandoned and without inhabitants. Some people claimed Stonedance was cursed, that’s because it laid in the middle of two powerful kingdoms.

Stonedance was neither cold nor humid as it stood between the hot and shining Maldonia, and the freezing and gothic Prophis. It was the perfect place to fight and camp, the two battalions had all the space to themselves to prepare for war. Three hundred thousand men loyal to King Castellan Taelin of Prophis laid on the East, and two hundred thousand men keen to keep Lucian Mithandir.

Whatever was going on in Stonedance was of no Artemis’s concern as he focused more on sharpening his swordsmanship skills. He trained from morning to noon, with the lord commander of his kingsguard, Sir Dante Lucan who he befriended and these two became inseparable in a span of just a week.

“Come to me! Hard” Artemis urged his lord commander to not be easy on him.

“If I go hard on you Your Grace, we shall be left without a king to rule” replied Sir Dante Lucan with a smile. “You are getting better day by day; may I ask why the sudden interest in swordsmanship?”

.....

“I am a celebrated knight Sir Dante. I have fought in wars ever since I was nine”

“Exactly my point Your Grace. You are good with your sword, and have been for some time” Sir Dante smiled softly “Is it the war in Stonedance which makes His Grace nervous?”

“Some say I am ought to join my uncle, support the house my mother called it home. While others say my uncle betrayed me the very first day he took Mithandir inside his walls”

“And what do you say, Your Grace?”

Aurora joined them and Sir Dante excused himself. It had been a week and four days since they were last seeing at court.

“I am a warlock Artemis” For the first time ever since Artemis knew Aurora, this was the first she’s declared and accepted her true nature. “I am a seer, spaewife, or any other words you may want to use but I am not normal”

“We have talked about this Aurora, when the time is right…”

Aurora interrupted “The time is now!” she said. “I can feel the flames in my dreams getting hotter. If I don’t seek the help I need now, I fear for my own existence. I saw myself riding a ─” she paused softly.

Artemis leaned on to her “Riding a what?” he asked suspiciously.

“It may sound crazy, I mean I have never heard of such creatures and even if they exist…”

“What were you riding Aurora?”

After a few seconds of not being sure how will Artemis react or take it, Aurora finally exhaled softly and brought herself to speak “A dragon” and then she paused waiting to see how will Artemis take all of it.