Hero System: The Price of Ascension, the book name

Every second of power costs him time.
Every victory brings him closer to death.

When the divine beasts descended and the gods turned their backs, humanity fell into an age of despair. Cities burned. Heroes died. And mortals learned that survival was nothing more than a delay of the inevitable.

Riven Ashford was one of the forgotten, a nameless soldier watching the world crumble. Until the day he heard the voice that changed everything:

[Hero Protocol Initiated.]
[Lifespan Remaining: 5 Years.]

The Hero System grants him strength beyond imagination, power to stand against gods, monsters, and the darkness devouring the world.
But every skill, every battle, every heartbeat of power consumes his life.

To save the world, he must burn away his years.
To protect those he loves, he must become the very weapon the gods fear.

Yet as Riven climbs higher, uncovering the truth behind the System, he realizes the cruel paradox:
The Hero System doesn’t create saviors, it devours them.

Now, hunted by gods and haunted by the ticking of his own life, Riven must decide:
Will he fade quietly like the heroes before him…
Or will he burn bright enough to end the cycle, even if it costs him everything?

“If I must die, let my death be the light that ends their reign.”