The Mechanical Era - Chapter 165 Kant’s Ability.

Eighty years ago, an alien war broke out in Earth’s orbit. A powerful fugitive known as Tree was pursued by an extraterrestrial force. In the battle’s aftermath, the fugitive’s heart merged with Earth’s core, giving rise to a massive tree—marking the dawn of superpowers.Awakening. A phenomenon where humans gained extraordinary abilities. Seventeen years later, nearly everyone had awakened… except a few. Those who failed were called Rejecters, the lowest in society.Zane Carter was born into infamy. The son of a fallen superhero-turned-supervillain, he faced discrimination from birth. He dreamed of being a hero, but his father’s sins made him an outcast. Even after rigorous training, his Awakening failed. Rejected by the Hero Academy, ridiculed, and cast aside—his fate seemed sealed.Until one day…[SYSTEM ACTIVATED]Welcome, User. You have been selected as the recipient of the Borderline Supervillain-Slash-Hero System.Generate your first skill? Y/NWith his newfound system, Zane is given a choice: become the hero they never wanted him to be… or the villain they always feared.

Imagine a life where you have a home, a loving family, and loyal friends; where the days flow smoothly and brightly. This was the existence of twenty-two-year-old William Farrow from Pennsylvania. He was studying at university, dreaming of earning his diploma, finding a job that would provide a decent income, and continuing to live a simple, peaceful life.But then, one day, everything changed. Whether it was fate or a series of quiet coincidences—who can say? A trivial delay became the first domino in a chain reaction that thrust William into a world of mysteries, a string of murders, and dark supernatural phenomena. Since then, he has felt like a pawn in someone else's game, caught in a struggle against forces so powerful that he still struggles to find the words to describe them.And it gets even more intriguing. He discovered that the world is not as it seems. Do you believe in Bigfoot? William would have laughed too… until he encountered one in real life. Vampires? Ghosts? Demons? Name the creature—and William would simply shrug: “Yesterday, that thing tried to eat my neighbor.” As if that weren't enough, a heavier surprise awaited him: it seems he is not entirely human. Something foreign stirs beneath his skin, awakening in the dark, and the world responds to it with an unfamiliar echo.Now, all that remains is to learn the new rules and figure out how to navigate the world he has unexpectedly become a part of.

In a peculiar twist of fate, Lee Taeok, found himself in an extraordinary predicament. Little did he know that his scathing critique of a popular novel, ridiculing its blatant naivety and overly innocent take on romance, would set in motion a perplexing chain of events, ultimately leading to his unexpected rebirth as the delinquent character, Baek Taeyang, from the very same novel.“You should have taken better care of your girlfriend.”In the world of the Academy Sweet Love Diary novel, Baek Taeyang is destined to “rescue” the heroines.

He is one of the most feared Mafia Don, built on blood, vengeance and silence. She is someone from a world he never planned to enter, or so he thought.Nero has a simple plan. Never fall in love. Never show weakness. And avenge his mother's death.He has been living according to his plans until he met her, Zoe Dean. A girl that shouldn't matter to him, but eventually she did.And now, with enemies closing in, and his past catching up. He must choose: Forgiveness or VengeanceLove or LegacyRise or FallKill or Be Killed.BOOK TROPESDark romanceTouch her and you dieBeauty and the beast vibesLove at first sightHe falls first but denies itPast traumaFeared DonForced ProximityLove Redeems the AntiheroRival Gangs.WARNINGThis book contains themes suited for mature readers only, including:Violence and organized crimeGun and knife use, murder, bloodKidnapping / captivity dynamicsProfanity and dark mafia languagePower imbalances (emotional and physical)Mentions of past traumaExplicit romantic/sexual contentThemes of obsession, vengeance, and betrayalNOTE: Although this is a dark mafia romance, the relationship between Nero and Zoe develops consensually. The story contains intense themes but ultimately centers on healing, redemption, and love.