The enemy had not yet truly arrived.
The chaos of time and space.
The reversal of life and death.
All because of a single distant glance.
The true danger—a twisted truth of cosmic magnitude—was approaching steadily from the far reaches of chaos, its sights set squarely on the Tower of Salvation and Xu Xi.
The worst-case scenario had already unfolded.
An immortal had set its gaze upon the Tower of Salvation, which had fled the world of sorcery.
So tired.
So desperate for rest.
But not yet.
"..."
Xu Xi’s body, ravaged by the reversal of life and death, had withered—his limbs like brittle branches, his chest sunken and hollow.
He looked utterly desiccated.
Yet an overwhelming, distended sensation swelled within him, as if his body might burst at any moment.
Souls.
Billions upon billions of soul flames, now freed from the constraints of the Collector’s decree, raged wildly, consuming his emaciated form.
They granted him sublime power—even as they tore him apart from within.
"Great Sorcerer, I’ll heal you right away!"
A voice thick with sorrow rang out.
Servia rushed to Xu Xi’s side with desperate haste.
Xu Xi saw it.
That beautiful face, streaked with tears.
Droplets gathered and fell, dampening his withered skin.
With clumsy, frantic movements, the girl rummaged through her spatial ring for healing potions, administering them to Xu Xi again and again.
"I will save you," she vowed, her voice trembling but resolute.
This was a side of the Hero—Servia—that Xu Xi had never seen before.
So fragile.
The spatial ring glowed with an emerald radiance, its light growing brighter with each frantic use.
It illuminated Servia’s face, reflecting the suffocating weight of her tears.
"Servia..."
Xu Xi stared, dazed.
His decaying body showed no signs of recovery.
No matter how many healing potions or life-restoring sorceries were poured into him, the soul flames continued to burn him away.
Yet his withered, pallid face softened into a gentle smile.
He reached out, clasping Servia’s wrist to stop her futile efforts.
"That’s enough, Servia."
"There’s… no need to heal me anymore."
His words sent a tremor through Servia’s body.
Xu Xi met her dulled gem-like eyes.
"I’m sorry for keeping this from you."
"I thought I could handle everything on my own."
"But it seems I was too arrogant."
Despite the agony of his soul tearing apart, despite the blood seeping from his ruptured flesh, Xu Xi smiled apologetically at the Hero.
Then, gripping his staff, he turned his gaze back to the chaos beyond the tower.
A swirling, distorted darkness obscured his gentle features from Servia’s sight.
As he watched the abyss, he reached out, brushing Servia’s hair and wiping the tears from her eyes.
"A dangerous enemy is coming, Servia."
The Hero fell still.
Motionless.
But her eyes trembled violently.
"I will deal with that enemy."
"So, while I’m gone… can I trust you to protect yourself, and everyone else in the tower?"
His skeletal hand rested atop her head—her platinum hair, so unlike the Witch’s, was just as soft beneath his touch.
Servia could feel his strength fading with every passing second.
"Please, Servia."
It was a request she couldn’t refuse.
And yet—
I don’t want to.
Not this time.
I can’t obey you now.
Tears she had just wiped away surged anew.
Her throat clenched under the weight of unspoken emotions, leaving only her sword hand and her gaze shaking uncontrollably.
"Great Sorcerer."
"Please… let me go with you."
Servia didn’t know the full picture.
But she understood.
Any foe Xu Xi deemed "dangerous" would be at least a Sixth-Circle entity—if not a Seventh-Circle immortal.
"I can’t… let you face this alone."
"I am your knight."
"So at the very least… let me guard you."
Servia lifted her head, her tear-streaked face a mess of desperation as she defied Xu Xi’s request.
She couldn’t bear it.
Couldn’t stand by and watch someone precious walk into danger while she did nothing.
The pain of separation coiled around her fragile heart like a vice—she never wanted to endure it again.
So she begged.
Please, let me stand beside you. Let me be someone who can protect you.
"Great Sorcerer."
"You’re all I have left."
The weight of her emotions shattered the dam in her throat, spilling out her battered, vulnerable heart.
I love you.
I need you.
Please.
Don’t leave me. Don’t let us part.
She was a hollow imitation of a person—one who could only truly live by his side.
"Great Sorcerer, I’m begging you…"
"Indulge me this once."
"Don’t go alone…"
Her bloodied face was a portrait of grief, every tear a testament to the unbearable weight in her chest.
Xu Xi’s hand stilled atop her head.
He felt it.
The Hero’s sorrow—so profound it threatened to drown her.
The weakness of one who couldn’t stand alone.
The fear of losing what mattered most.
The terror of a future slipping through her fingers.
All of it had shaped the girl before him.
She was the Hero.
But she was also just Servia Clawphire—an ordinary girl who feared the dark and the thunder, saved by Xu Xi’s hand.
"I’m sorry, Servia."
Xu Xi’s eyes were clouded, his vision blurred.
His body was too frail a vessel for the flood of souls within him.
Time was running out.
"Servia."
He spread his arms and pulled the trembling Hero into an embrace, letting her shaking form lean against him.
"Parting is just the prelude to reunion."
"One day, the minute and hour hands will meet again."
"Even if I’m not here… you’ll still be extraordinary."
"Because—"
"You are my Hero."
It didn’t matter if the world didn’t acknowledge her.
It didn’t matter if fate had never blessed her.
To Xu Xi, Servia Clawphire would always be the Hero.
He recognized her efforts.
Her courage.
He had been her guiding light, leading her out of the darkness.
"Great Sorcerer…"
Servia wanted to speak, but the fire of her emotions had scorched her voice away.
All she could do was kneel there, disheveled and broken, weeping in Xu Xi’s arms.
She cried until her mind went blank.
Until thought itself dissolved into the tide of grief.
Then, gradually, her sobs quieted.
The girl stood on her own, stepping aside to clear a path for Xu Xi.
Just as Xu Xi believed in her as the true Hero—
Servia, too, believed that he would return to her.
"Thank you, Servia."
With those soft-spoken words, Xu Xi gripped his staff and stepped forward—passing effortlessly through the Tower of Salvation’s barrier and into the boundless chaos beyond.
The grand sorcerer’s tower stood empty, save for Servia’s lone figure.
She remained.
Watching.
Waiting for Xu Xi’s return.
No matter how long it took, she would wait.
Even if the wait stretched into eternity.
] [Lone Wolf, No Male Gaze] [Protagonist is pursued early on; extreme protagonist-stans, stay away!] The "Carnival Paradise" descends and slowly devours the real world in the form of a game. By chance, Zhu Yan awakens the talent [Roleplay], becoming one of the first beta players. He thought he could develop safely, but after clearing the first instance, he is branded by humanity as the chief culprit behind the game's spread—a traitorous villain. A villain? Who would ever... become one! He'll be the villain! From then on, Zhu Yan is not only a player but also a lackey for the Carnival Paradise. Between the straight path and the crooked path, he chooses the con. With his left hand, he dons the villain's mantle, staging scenes within instances, infuriating players who decry him as a despicable traitor, all while the game happily promotes him. With his right hand, he joins the non-human organization "Fangcun Mountain," which opposes the Carnival Paradise, transforming into a mysterious player who slaughters game bosses, earning cheers of "Long live the expert!" from fellow players. Gradually, Zhu Yan rises to become an S-rank human player in Fangcun Mountain's archives, while also being the Carnival Paradise's certified top game Boss. But when the final war erupts and both major factions place their hopes in him— Players tag his various aliases: "Experts, this offensive depends on you." The Carnival Paradise's supreme Boss throws an arm around his neck: "Bro, you're the iron, I'm the steel; you can't let me down again!"
Cheng's father told him he was getting remarried—to a wealthy woman. Cao Cheng realized his time had finally come: he was about to become a second-generation rich kid. Sure, it might be a watered-down version, but hey, at least he'd have status now, right? The wealthy woman also had four daughters!! Which meant, starting today, Cao Cheng gained four stunning older sisters?? But that wasn't even the whole story... "My name is Cao Cheng—'Cheng' as in 'honest, smooth-talking gentleman'!"
iaobai: "Councilor Dad, front me some funds. I want to hire ten thousand professional miners for a project!" [Five-Star Mission Issued: Capture the leader of the Blood Heaven Pirate Gang, who is on the run in the Radiant Star Sector. It is said the gang has over a hundred members. Proceed with caution.] Lu Xiaobai: "Councilor Dad, lend me the family's hundred-thousand-strong Lu Army!" [Seven-Star Mission Issued: Subdue a juvenile Void Dragon Beast.] Lu Xiaobai: "Councilor Dad, I'm taking your tamed Void Dragon Beast King out for a family reunion!" I said, System, don't you have any slightly more challenging missions? You're just not up to par! [Nine-Star Mission Issued: Become the Human Councilor.] Lu Xiaobai: "Dad, there's a small matter I'd like to discuss with you..."
grated, and just when he finally managed to get into an elite academy, he discovered that he actually had a system, and the way to earn rewards was extremely ridiculous. So for the sake of rewards, he had no choice but to start acting ridiculous as well. Su Cheng: "It's nothing but system quests after all." But later, what confused Su Cheng was that while he was already quite ridiculous, he never expected those serious characters to gradually become ridiculous too. And the way they looked at him became increasingly strange... (This synopsis doesn't do it justice, please read the full story)
