Trials of the Abyss - Chapter 38: Gathering Energy

The year was 2334, when virtual reality reached its peak with the creation of the SHS prototype, an advanced neural simulation that allows players to fully immerse themselves in alternate worlds.Henry Bartholomew was hand picked as a recruit to try out this new project. He had carefully chosen to enter the world where he was the son of a king, a chilling and lazy life.What happens when he wakes up as the son of a Baron instead? And even worse, his newly claimed character has a bad reputation around the people.With all odds against him, the young man decided he was by all means going to create a world where he could live as carefree as he wanted.But first he needed to do one thing - make his land the most successful in all the seven continents and save his family nameAnd luckily, he had support -[Your Ep has been filled.][Earning points can now be claimed.]The young lord tapped the screen.[Cards available for purchase.][Territory upgrade.][Description: this card allows you to upgrade your territory, allowing the land to level up multiple folds with more qualities and growth.][Cost: 7000 CpRank: Bronze. (0/10) {10 Cp to upgrade} ]'Upgrade all.' the young man replied.

A striking man of mysterious origin and peerless talent, he looks back at the world, in all its entirety, with utter disdain. And yet, in the treacherous and unpredictable ultimate formation of the Boundless Secular World, he guards a breathtaking ancient qin with broken strings, waiting silently for the destined one to arrive!

Warlock of the Magus World, the world full of deceit, bloodshed, betrayal, backstabbing, logical thinking, profit oriented mindset and myriad of phenomenal mysterious entities. In this world a soul is reincarnated and we embark on a journey of a lifetime, as his ups and downs would be written in the annals of history of the whole Magus World.

Japan – National News BroadcastThe polished news anchor sat upright, her gaze sharp as she adjusted the stack of papers before her. The newsroom behind her hummed with quiet urgency, the weight of the moment settling over the broadcast.“Authorities are baffled by a sudden and unexplained surge in sleep-related deaths across Japan,” she began, her voice steady yet tense. “More and more citizens are passing away in their sleep without any prior health concerns. Experts are working tirelessly to determine the cause, but no clear explanation has emerged. Authorities urge the public to remain vigilant and report any unusual symptoms before bedtime.”A graphic appeared, displaying the spike in fatalities over the past month. Behind her, unsettling photographs flickered across the screen—blurred images of individuals found in their beds, their faces frozen in expressions of terror.The anchor’s tone shifted. “Health officials recommend citizens avoid excessive fatigue and maintain healthy sleep habits. More updates will follow as investigations continue.”---United States – Paranormal PodcastIn a dimly lit podcast studio, the host leaned forward, his eyes wide with curiosity. Across from him, a rugged man in a worn flannel shirt, gripping a faded photograph in one hand and a beer can in the other, leaned back in his chair.“So, you're telling me you saw this creature firsthand?” the host asked, clearly intrigued.The man scoffed, shaking his head. “Damn right, I did. Ugly thing had wings bigger than my body—slow but sneaky. Thought it could steal my pigs again, but I was ready this time—camera in one hand, shotgun in the other.”He slammed the table for emphasis, then shoved the blurry image toward the host. The photograph depicted a small, red-skinned humanoid figure with large, bat-like wings, its eyes glowing faintly in the darkness.“Spit, the thing didn’t know what hit it when I fired!” the man chuckled, his voice full of excitement.The host held up the picture to the live chat. “Alright, what do you think? Mothman? Demon? Or is our friend here just seeing things?”The chat exploded with theories—some skeptical, others eager for the investigation to continue.---China – Liangyuan Street MarketSurveillance footage from a bustling night market in China captured a chilling scene. A woman in a red qipao walked gracefully through the crowd, her figure striking in the soft glow of lanterns.Suddenly, she paused. Her body flickered—like a glitch in a video—before vanishing completely, as though she had never existed.The footage zoomed in, replaying in slow motion. In the final frame before she disappeared, her face distorted unnaturally, her eyes hollow and empty.The screen cut abruptly to black.