MTL - Picked up by the Protagonist of a Tormented! MC Novel - Chapter 73 chapter02

The rule had always been this way: the strong over the weak, the rich over the poor. Mark knew this, he'd even experienced it.After his boss fired him for discovering the affair with his girlfriend (who also worked at their small gaming company), Mark vowed never to be humiliated like that again. He wanted to rise above everyone, to become the world's top player, the one who made the rules and decided everyone's fate. But that was wishful thinking. He was just a heavyset, nerdy guy with some programming skills and a large appetite. What else did he have going for him?Hit hard by this reality, jobless and dumped, Mark withdrew into gaming, which also became his source of income. One day, after leaving a bad review for a game he played and streamed, he received a strange reply from the game's creator. Suddenly, Mark found himself transported to Aetherium, the world of that same game, as Magnus Lancaster, the young lord of a crumbling territory.Now, with this new beginning, he vowed never to be weak again, never to leave his fate in someone else's hands.

The most popular game worldwide is Ancient Arena Online, a high-octane PvP fantasy game where teams fight for supremacy in mythical arenas. Millions of fans watch livestreams, bet on matches, and follow their favorite players like celebrities. The game’s competitive scene is so fierce that professional teams are treated like esports royalty.At the heart of it all is Kai Ashford, one of the top players and captain of the pro team Phoenix Edge. With lightning-fast reflexes and strategic brilliance, Kai leads his team to countless victories. But success breeds jealousy. Sabotaged by a teammate he thought was loyal, Kai is not only kicked off his team, but also humiliated in front of millions of fans. With his reputation shattered and confidence at rock bottom, Kai retreats from the public eye.However, Kai's competitive spirit is not easily extinguished. He stumbles upon a group of amateur players—a ragtag bunch who show raw potential but lack the finesse needed to win at the highest levels. Their quirky personalities clash with his no-nonsense attitude, but something about their passion reminds him of why he started gaming in the first place. Deciding to put his past behind him, Kai agrees to train them into a professional team.Along the way, Kai builds unexpected connections with his new teammates, including romantic entanglements with a fiery mage, an eccentric hacker, and a mysterious assassin player, all while juggling his personal feelings and growing attraction for multiple women. As his new team rises through the ranks, they gain attention from fans and sponsors, putting them back on the radar of the professional scene.But Kai’s past doesn’t stay buried for long. His former teammates—now rivals—plot to sabotage him once again, while jealous contenders within the gaming world aim to tear him down. However, Kai's return to the spotlight will be on his terms this time. With a darker, more calculating approach, he plans to not only dominate the game but also to get sweet revenge on those who betrayed him.

Being sucked into a fantasy world that nobody leaves doesn't sound half bad to Cain. He was a high school dropout with a drinking problem, living off disability due to his poor health, so it's not like he had much to lose except a few faithful friends he didn't talk to enough.

After a long night of drinking, Cain wakes up looking at what he believes to be the character creation screen of one of his beloved virtual reality games, but with no recollection of having purchased it. His unwitting choice to use the Random Character Creation option, unaware that the choice would be irreversible, sends him into this new world as a Puppet Master, a Summoning based class nobody else in the starting zone has ever heard of.

But as he soon realizes, this is no game, him and hundreds of others have been brought to another world with no instructions, no clear goals and no way home. It's a second chance to live a good life, but what will Cain be able to make of it?