Paintings of Terror - Chapter 22: Once a Sunshine-Like Youth

Derek Carter never asked for a System, an apocalypse, or the pressure of being humanity’s so-called “last hope.”He was just trying to survive the daily struggles of being an orphan in Paleview City—dodging bullies, scraping together meals, and lying his way into school. Life was already hard enough.Then, one day, a blue screen pops into his vision:[Warning: The world is doomed. Try not to die.]Yeah, great. Just what he needed—cryptic doomsday messages and no instruction manual.Now, monsters are creeping into the city, reality is unraveling, and Damien’s “legendary” starting stats are barely above zero. The System promises him power, but there's just one tiny problem—he’s never won a fight in his life.Armed with sarcasm, questionable decision-making skills, and the sheer refusal to die, Damien is about to embark on the worst (and possibly last) adventure of his life. Because if the world really is ending… he’s at least going to make it someone else’s problem first.After all, heroes are overrated—survivors get to tell the story.

Entering the world of cultivation, Brandon Jiang thought he was stepping onto the path of immortality, but little did he know, he was actually walking a path of death!An immortal once said, “If you are not at the dining table, then you are inevitably on the dining table.”Humans are the spirits of all living things, endowed with natural dao embryos and the great medicine of heaven and earth.In this world of cultivation, only by absorbing others' abilities and fortunes can one cultivate!Therefore, mortals are raised as Sacrificial Furnaces.If you don't absorb others, others will absorb you.Brandon Jiang is unwilling to become a Sacrificial Furnace, nor does he want to commit heinous acts.Until the fairy who loved him died in his arms, Brandon Jiang was driven completely mad.Many years later, when Brandon Jiang looked back, he realized that he had become the most ruthless demon in the world.

The happiest thing in the world is to be able to amend what you have done wrong. She who acted willfully because of a game, was reincarnated into a time when she still had her parents’ love.

For the sake of her family, she began her life as a pro gamer.

But this time, she was no longer the Human Sorceress that she was familiar with. She was an Elven Huntress. Could she still acquire the power to be the Right Hand of God?

- Description from Novelupdates

A teenage boy finds himself transmigrated into an alternate version of his favorite fictional universe, equipped with a standard system designed to make his adventure more convenient.—In this fanfiction, the wizarding world is more advanced and more aware of Muggle technology. The one place still lagging behind? Britain, where noble wizards cling to outdated traditions.This is an alternate-universe take on Harry Potter, blending in characters, themes, and ideas from various other universes—movies, TV shows, and books alike.The story will begin by focusing on Harry's time at Hogwarts, with other universes making brief appearances through short chapters or mentions. They won't take center stage until after the Hogwarts years are complete.The pace will be slow at the beginning, as I need to introduce new concepts, world-building, and character development to shape the MC the way I want him before the plot truly kicks off.—The System:First of all, it doesn't control the MC's life.It's not sentient, it doesn't make decisions, and it certainly doesn't control the MC. In fact, the MC could ignore it entirely, and nothing would happen.At first glance, the system might seem a bit overpowered. But give it around 30 chapters, and you'll start to see the balance. The system is just there to help the MC now and then, offering a shortcut when it's convenient. It won't make him invincible overnight.—Pairing: I'm still undecided. Harem? Single love interest? To be honest, I'm open to either and will let the readers decide.The release schedule is set for every Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday, with one chapter per release, but may increase depending on the support this fanfic receives.—I have a family with two kids—a daughter and a son. I work full-time and dedicate my free time to writing, usually after spending time with my family. This gives me about two or three hours to focus on writing, and I absolutely love it.I'll do my best to stay consistent.—If this sounds like your kind of story, I'd love for you to give it a try! Your feedback would mean a lot, but please wait until you've read at least 15 chapters before sharing your thoughts.And if this isn't your taste, no problem! There are plenty of other stories in this genre for you to explore.Harry Potter and all other fictional elements in this fanfiction belong to their respective authors, including J.K. Rowling and others. I don't own any of it.If you enjoy these stories, I encourage you to support and respect the official content above all else. It's important to honor the original creators!