SWNOVELXO Chapter 1: Chapter 1: Born Into Shadows
In his final moments, he didn't scream.
He simply stared at the blood dripping from his side and chuckled bitterly. "So this is it…"
A rooftop at night. Rain pouring down. A knife he hadn't seen. And betrayal.
He had it all — money, fame, power, and enemies. But even he hadn't expected it to end like this. The young man known in the corporate world as a ruthless genius was now just another name waiting for a headline. At only twenty-nine, his portfolio spanned multiple industries: artificial intelligence, energy, defence tech, and biotech. He had everything… except a second chance.
As the world blurred around him, the last thing he saw was the city skyline.
Then — darkness.
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He awoke to the sound of crying.
But it wasn't his voice.
It was his voice… but smaller, weaker. Tinier.
The sterile scent of a hospital filled his nostrils. Light burned his eyes. And a warm pair of hands wrapped him gently in a blanket.
What the hell? he thought. Am I… a baby?
Then — nothing. His thoughts faded, his instincts took over, and the unfamiliar world swallowed him.
He had been reborn. But no memories of gods, systems, or special powers came. No blessing. No dramatic voice from above. Just silence.
No sign of a golden finger, cheat skill, or divine favour. Just a regular life, in what looked like a modern world.
The name given to him in this new life was Asher Raven.
A strange name — but one he would soon come to own.
It was on the second day that everything changed.
It began with a fall.
While lying in the crib, a nurse accidentally bumped into it. The crib tilted. The newborn Asher slipped, hit the floor with a soft thud, and the entire room went into a panic.
But something else happened that no one saw.
> [Sign-In System Activated]
Host recognised.
Daily Sign-In Unlocked.
First Sign-In Reward: $1,000,000 (Deposited in secure, untraceable trust account)
System Points Gained: +10
Lucky Draw Feature Unlocked
Note: Combat-related abilities are currently locked.
He blinked.
What?
The screen faded from his vision. His heart — tiny as it was — pounded in disbelief.
He didn't cry. Instead, his eyes scanned the ceiling with quiet, calculating intent.
He had a system.
He had a way.
He wasn't just reborn. He was chosen.
And yet… the system didn't explain much. There were no grand quests or revelations. Just money. System points. And the promise of something more — something waiting behind a Lucky Draw.
There was no hint of the hidden world that lingered beneath the surface of this peaceful one. No mention of awakened beings or secret powers.
For now… he believed this was a second chance at life. A quiet, privileged one.
But destiny had only just begun to unfold.
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