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STARLESS

Crowyn
21
chs / week
The average realized release rate over the past 30 days is 21 chs / week.
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Synopsis
On a starless night, Vael Icaris dies. Not as a hero. Not as a villain. Just a man who dared to rise too high—and paid the price. Once a prodigy feared for both his strength and his influence, Vael’s ambition made him powerful… and made him enemies. Betrayed and killed at the height of his power, his story should have ended there. But Vael had prepared for death. A hidden failsafe, born of desperation and obsession, sends him back—into the body of his younger self, mere days before his family is doomed to die. Armed with knowledge of the future, cursed by the memories of everything he lost, and pursued by forces darker than he ever realized, Vael now walks a twisted path of survival, vengeance, and fragile hope. With no system to guide him, no cheats, and few allies he can fully trust, he must outwit a world that already proved it could break him once. This time, he doesn’t plan to lose. I'm a new author, so I'll be learning as I go. Expect 1 chapter per day, two on a good day.
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Chapter 1 - Final Breath

On top of a huge mountain, a soothing melody can be heard. Said mountain, with an approximate height of 50 000 feet, isn't exactly the best place to house any form of life.

However, at the very summit, one can find a small log cabin. Sitting on a wooden bench right next to the cabin is a man dressed simple robes, holding a wooden instrument resembling a lute. The man seemed utterly unbothered by the freezing weather. The mysterious individual looked to be a regular 30 year old man, way out of place in the scenery.

However, upon closer inspection, one would discover that the individual isn't a regular man in the slightest. Numerous calluses garnished his hands, a nasty scar ran across his face, from his nose to his jaw, and his body was toned to perfection.

All these traits imply a life filled with hardship and hard-fought battles. However, the look on his face told another story: one of inner peace. Indeed, his surroundings would be described by most as « heaven on earth ». The clouds hid the bottom of the mountain, so the sky above was devoid of flaws.

However, the lack of stars in the sky was easily noticeable. In fact, only the full moon was visible in the sky. It's safe to say that other than the frigid weather, this space was a haven for the soul.

Suddenly, the beautiful music stops, and the man abruptly drops his instrument. He then spontaneously starts convulsing, to the point where he began bleeding eyes, ears and nose. His face, suddenly contorted in pain, was totally foreign. He begins coughing as his face turns puple.

Finally, as he draws his last breath, he mutters under his breath

« Prepare yourselves, bastards, for the hunt starts now! »