Adopted Soldier - Chapter 363

A series of short stories in the world of Toaru Majutsu no Index organized into chapters featuring Kanzaki Kaori as the protagonist, going around the world and space doing missions for the Church of Necessary Evil, however, there is more than meets the eye as each incident is connected.

One chapter was bundled with each limited edition release of the Toaru Kagaku no Railgun anime DVD and BDs, with all of them together being equivalent to a single normal Toaru Majutsu no Index volume

The Adrasia empire on the Vogel continent. There is a battle over the throne of such an empire that possesses powerful military and vast territory.With the successor undecided, the children of the emperor are vying to expand their power. However, there was one prince that everyone says will definitely not become the emperor.The seventh prince, Arnold Lakes Adler. The young man who was inferior to his younger twin brother in every way, the dull prince.Incompetent and lethargic, Arnold wastes everyday just playing around. However, behind the scenes, he is one of the only five SS-Class adventurers called ‘Silver’.Seeing the intensifying battle for the throne he decided “I don’t want to die so let’s have my little brother become the emperor…”This is the tale of absurd secret manoeuvres of the prince who is uninterested in the title of the emperor.

“I have to squander; otherwise, won’t it be a waste of my parent’s talent at earning money?” Hong Dali answers a reporter’s question matter-of-factly.

Just after the interview ends, Hong Dali opens the Great Prodigal System’s interface and looks at the various good stuff displayed in it. Stroking his chin, he mumbles to himself, “I just need to squander 200 billion yuan more to exchange for the blueprint of the core technology, Engine Destruction, found in the strongest humanoid mecha weapon, Neo Granzon. Looks like I’ll have to work harder!”

“I want to splurge! I want to squander!”

- Description from Novelupdates

Ethan's head throbbed violently as he opened his eyes, his vision hazy and unfocused. A dull ringing filled his ears, drowning out his thoughts.“What’s happening…?” he thought, his mind sluggish, struggling to catch up with reality. One moment, he was asleep—or at least, he thought he was—and the next, searing pain forced him awake.His vision swam, shapes blurring together in a disorienting mess. But then, muffled noises filtered through the haze—frantic, panicked sounds. Someone was trying to scream, their voice smothered, choked by something.A cold shiver ran down his spine.As his sight gradually sharpened, Ethan's breath hitched.He was on all fours, looming over someone. A girl.Her body twisted and writhed beneath him, ropes biting into her wrists and ankles. Her mouth was gagged, muffling her cries. Her wide brown eyes, brimming with fear and fury, glared up at him.Ethan's body locked in place, his blood running cold.“What the…?” His mind reeled, thoughts slamming into each other in chaotic disarray. “What kind of bizarre dream is this?”Panic clawed at his chest. His breath came in ragged, uneven gasps as he scrambled backward, only to realize his limbs felt sluggish, uncooperative, like they didn’t belong to him.“Is this… is this some kind of twisted fantasy I never knew I had?” A sickening thought slithered through his mind, making his stomach churn.The girl's frantic squirming slowed for a moment, her gaze flickering with confusion as she took in his expression—his trembling hands, his wide, horrified eyes. But the fear returned just as quickly. She struggled harder, her body arching, her muffled screams rising in pitch.Ethan wanted to speak, to say something, anything, but before he could force out a word, a glowing blue window materialized before his eyes.His breath caught.A translucent, hovering screen?“What…?”Lines of glowing text scrolled across its surface.---[System Activated…][Host Confirmed.][Simulating Previous Data…]Ethan awakens in a mysterious world, shackled by a curse that clouds his judgment and drives him toward choices he never wished to make. Burdened by guilt and responsibility, he must navigate the fallout of his actions while unraveling the truth behind the curse—and his place in this enigmatic new reality.