Phoenix Ascending - Chapter 350 - One-sided Obsession

The Spirit Network, known as【Deep Sea】 connected five continents as human civilization surged forward; yet, they were oblivious to the impending eternal night. With the Extraordinary Awakening, the edifice was about to collapse. Flesh is weak and pitiful, how could one ascend? The story began when Gu Shen, an ordinary youth, received a ruler that bore the truth. He peeled back the corner of this extraordinary world, becoming the largest moth among the thousands that dashed into the flames. If winter is coming, I will climb against the steps, overturn the thrones of kings, shatter the crowns of falsehood, destroy the scepters of injustice. I will become humanity's last, Bright Barrier.

Su Li, an ordinary person who lived for 30 years, surviving on social welfare as a laid-back slacker.Occasional pointless complaining and self-defeating philosophical platitudes didn’t bring any meaning to his 30 years.Until he was transported to another world…Su Li, who had no elemental talent, Su Li, who was labeled as useless, lived an unremarkable life.One day, Su Li picked up a person in distress and told them: “The reason you think light is important is only because darkness pervades the world. When light fills the world, darkness will become important.”The Son of Light Saint who was betrayed by the Bishop of Light— He’s right!He is the sage who guides people forward, the signpost standing before the people, my faith, my everything!He is not a god, yet he far transcends gods.Su Li saved an injured mute bird. As birds sang outside the window, he told the bird: “The reason people like things that make beautiful sounds is only because they happen to understand that sound. Because of ignorance, there is no sin.”The Level 9 demon beast Raven, severely injured by the Mercenary Association:— All people are ignorant and foolish, thinking that ravens represent evil, even labeling me as a natural disaster. I hate humans the most, but he is the exception.If the world is what he wants, I too will aspire towards it.Su Li told his young friend who wanted to go to the big city to strive for success: “Moving upward is human instinct. If one day you fall due to reality, please don’t hate yourself.”The friend who eventually amassed enough gold coins to fill a city:I once thought that a child from a remote countryside would never understand everything I pursued. However, heaven blessed me, allowing me to witness true great wisdom…

Raised by a league of assassins and trained for thirteen years, Shan Yue was seventeen when she took the throne of best assassin, becoming an untouchable legend amongst assassins.

Despite being legendary, she put her faith in the wrong people and was killed by her own league’s betrayal. However, while Shan Yue thought her death was assured in the violent explosion, she was surprised to find herself reincarnating into the body of a useless female student.

Forget how pudgy and dim-witted she was — she seemed to get into fights every day! Her original body’s sister sneered, “Fatso! All you do is eat… and look at how ugly you are! You really embarrass me!”

Fat? Ugly! Shan Yue started a daily training regiment, rapidly slimming down and becoming a ravishing beauty! Her original body’s mother snapped at her, “How did I give birth to a child as stupid as you?! Always last place in school — you embarrass me!

I should have strangled you right after I gave birth to you!” Stupid?

Last place in school? Shan Yue lifted a finger, and the principal of the top school in the capital personally visited, offering a transfer to his school. Elite hackers, doctors, mercenaries, math geniuses…

All of them were now vying for her attention! Though she managed to get the chance to become normal after going through so much, she accidentally become a big shot again, even finding herself a two-faced bigwig for a husband! Shan Yue: I just wanted a quiet life, but my abilities prevent that. Sigh…

Warning This fiction contains:

Graphic Violence Profanity Sensitive Content

Summary – Level 1:

Delve is an isekai litrpg that follows an average guy who just happened to wake up in a forest one day. He wasn’t summoned to defeat the demon lord or to save the world or anything like that, at least as far as he can tell. The only creature there to greet him was a regular old squirrel.

Soon enough, he meets other people, only to discover that he can’t speak the language, and that not everybody immediately trusts random pajama-wearing strangers they met in the middle of the wilderness. Things generally go downhill from there, at least until the blue boxes start appearing.

Delve is a story about finding your way in a new, strange, and dangerous world. It’s about avoiding death, figuring out what the heck is going on, and trying to make some friends along the way. It’s not about getting home, so much as finding a new one.

Did I mention that there will be math?

Summary – Level 2:

Okay, but what are you in for, really?

Well, this story is supposed to be realistic, or at least, as realistic as a fantasy litrpg can be. The main character doesn’t instantly become an all-powerful god and murder-hobo his way across the universe. Delve is, at its heart, a progression fantasy, but that progression is meant to feel earned. The numbers in this story actually mean something. Everything is calculated, and if you find a rounding error, I expect you to tell me about it. That said, if math isn’t your cup of tea, there is plenty more that the story has to offer. Characters are meant to feel real, and progression isn’t only about personal power; it’s also about allies, connections, and above all, knowledge. Figuring out how the system works is a significant theme.

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What, you want more details? Okay, fine, but this is going to get a bit spoiler-y. Are you sure?

Yes!

Really sure? I mean, this summary is practically half as long as the first chap–

Now!

Okay, okay!

The main character becomes a magic user, but he takes a route that is not very popular in adventurer culture, namely that of a support. There is a full magic system with various spells, skills, and abilities, but our MC decides that aura magic is the way to go, and that the only stat worth investing in is mana regeneration. Most people at the Adventurer’s Guild think that this makes him a bit of a dumbass, but he’s playing the long game. We’ll see how that works out for him, won’t we?

Because of his build, the MC levels up fast, at least compared to normal people. There are no cheats, though, and he is limited in other ways. There are some clear and pretty obvious downsides to his build. That’s what makes it fun, no?

Morals? Our MC has them. Again, we’ll see how that works out for him. Realism, remember? Would you be okay with killing someone and looting their body? I sure hope not.

POV? The focus is on the main character, but there will be occasional varying perspectives from people around him, or involved in the events related to the main plot. It isn’t going to jump all over the place.

Tech is standard medieval stasis. No smartphones, but the MC does have a technical background. Computers and their programming might be involved. There might even be a bit of uplifting down the road, who knows? Anyway, it isn’t the focus. He isn’t going to invent the gun in chapter 1 and change the face of warfare.

Romance is not a major focus. Friendships are more the name of the game, though there will be some characters in romantic relationships.

There is exploration, though not as much of the geographical nature as you might expect. It is more about exploration of the system and the culture.

The pace is slow and detailed, sometimes verging on slice-of-life. The action is meant to be realistic and grounded in the numbers, and it is intended to have meaning beyond simply punching things until they stop moving.

The general tone of the story is grey, and some parts can get quite dark. People die. Sometimes, people with names, but not anywhere near GoT level. There is plenty of light, too, though, to balance the darkness. The world is dangerous, but overcoming that danger is why we’re all here, isn’t it?

Anyway, if you’ve made it this far through the summary, you clearly like words. I hope you enjoy the story!