Shadow of the Monarch

In a world where humanity is divided by the quality of their awakened soul-weapon, Vance Thorne is branded a parasite. Possessing only a rusted 'Dagger of Decay' that drains his own life force to function, he is cast out of the elite Vanguard Academy to die in the monster-infested Abyssal Rifts. But when a betrayal by his own teammates triggers a near-death awakening, Vance unlocks a forbidden system: the Sovereign of Dust. Now, every kill doesn't just grant him power - it allows him to permanently siphon the souls and memories of those he slays, turning their greatest strengths into his personal arsenal. Armed with this dark cheat, Vance begins a ruthless ascent back to the surface. He must navigate a treacherous landscape of corrupt noble houses and existential monster hordes. Every power he steals brings him closer to the truth behind the Rifts, but with every soul absorbed, the line between his own identity and the monsters he hunts begins to fatally blur.