Not praying for ten strings

In a world dominated by seven super-corporations, the Longevity Species that always occupied the pinnacle of power didn't allow for the enactment of written laws. The Floating Islands of prisons delimited by lines on the map, where resources would inevitably run out in the future...
People yearned for the birth of a true "Hero," yet they cynically awaited the fall of a Hero from grace.
As long as one was hailed by the media as a Hero, even murder could be forgiven, and every word they said would be adored. Even high and mighty Elves dared not provoke the edge of a Hero.
But if a Hero of the past committed even a minor offense, the moment their image crumbled, the forgiven sins would flare up like an inextinguishable furnace, and the stars of yesterday would instantly become unforgivable criminals...
"—Come become a Hero, Russell."
The most vicious criminal in the world thrust a knife into the boy's hand, whispering a low enticement.
——————
Solo female lead, Beast Ears, Spiritual Energy, Mechanical Angels, and other elements. Cyber-fantasy. Please refrain if not to your liking.

Tower of Overturn

The annihilation of a small city, the disintegration of over a hundred thousand families.


Even a natural disaster would hardly match this.


To kill this number of one's own kind... even Russell wasn't sure if he could do it.


And the most pessimistic part was—even if he killed all of Monkey-faced Eagle's avatars, he could create more.


Russell was unable to chase down and delete Monkey-faced Eagle's original self in the cyber world. Self-replication was Monkey-faced Eagle's greatest forte.


He feared that every time he brought Monkey-faced Eagle's numbers "back to zero," it wouldn't be long before they resurged.


But even so, only Russell could do this.


—Because only Russell could recognize "Monkey-faced Eagle."


Russell gazed at the sole fallen mirror amidst the flames, and his body suddenly melted away.


When he reconstituted, he had become an unfamiliar middle-aged man.


Chapter 65: Because I Can't Turn a Blind Eye to This