Orphan

As a poor orphan, Lucas had endured nothing but scorn, humiliation, and contempt his entire life. For years, he believed that was all life was about—until he met Ariadne Brook. She became the light in his dark world, the kindness to the world's wickedness, his warmth in a cold world, and the love to the world's hatred. She was everything the world couldn't be. But the same couldn’t be said for her family. They were just like the rest of the world. Living with the Brooks, he was treated as nothing more than a servant—unpaid, ridiculed, and humiliated. Still, for Ariadne, he endured it all. Yet, every man has his breaking point. One day, Lucas reached his. And he left. For six years, he disappeared without a trace. It was almost as if he had vanished from the face of the earth. Ariadne waited until she couldn’t wait any longer. She was about to marry another. But then, Lucas returned. And this time, he was different. He was no longer the timid young boy she knew. Confidence radiated from him, as if he now sat at the top of the world. Lucas has sworn never to let Ariadne cry or suffer again. For she was his woman, the very reason he was still alive. The only reason he pushed through all he faced during those six years he vanished. She was there for him when the whole world was against him, and now he would be there for her! He would cherish and protect her. Even if it meant going against the whole world, for her, he’d gladly do it. If the world couldn't have angels, then for her, he would become the devil!

The world ended once. Then it came back wrong. Seven years after the Aura Revival, Earth is no longer safe. New York City has become a war zone. Giant monsters surge through the streets in Beast Tides. Powerful bloodline families rule from fortified towers, using ancient cultivation powers that feel closer to gods than humans. Ronan Burke is nobody. He’s an orphan with no family, no backing, and no talent for cultivation. He survives by running dangerous courier jobs and staying out of sight. Every day is about not getting killed, by beasts, gangs, or the families who control everything. Then one escape goes wrong. Cornered during a Beast Tide, Ronan comes into contact with a relic that should not exist. It doesn’t just give him power. It locks him into a contract. A system awakens in his mind. It gives him one command: Reach Level 16 in every cultivation realm. Achieve perfection. Fail and die. In a world where even the greatest geniuses can barely reach Level 14, Ronan is forced to chase a level everyone believes is impossible. Every breakthrough makes him stronger, and more dangerous to discover. If the families find out what he is, they won’t recruit him. They’ll cut him open to steal his secret. To survive, Ronan must grow in silence. He scavenges the ruins, hunts monsters far above his level, outplays arrogant heirs, and hides his strength at every turn. His only ally is the cold, relentless system guiding him toward a kind of power the modern world insists no longer exists. The Beast Tides are getting worse. The bloodline families are making their moves. And Ronan Burke, the weakest man in the city, may be its last unseen hope… if he can stay hidden long enough.