I Became a God by Racking Up Breakdown Points Through Acting

[On hiatus]

When her parents transformed and monsters were about to devour her, Wu You awakened her golden finger: a Breakdown Meter?

[Break■ talent activated]

[The higher the Breakdown Meter, the stronger your combat power]

[Current Breakdown Meter cap: 0 (upgradeable)]

What good was zero? Besides, Wu You was emotionless and couldn't break down in the first place.

[Talent Two: Act Out Emotions]

[Emotions you act out count as real]

So she could act out a breakdown, raise her Breakdown Meter, and grow stronger.

With death seemingly inevitable, Wu You began her performance...

[Act One]

Her parents were controlled by monsters and attacked her without mercy. Wu You pretended not to recognize them, gave up all hope, and stopped resisting. Then she heard a voice in her mind:

[Survive!]

[Survive at all costs!]

To survive, she had to kill her parents with her own hands. In the midst of a tremendous breakdown, Wu You successfully killed them and escaped the monster world.

[Act Two]

The company had transformed. It mercilessly exploited new graduates, throwing them into a sea of fire to serve as fuel.

[They're only a few new graduates.]

Wu You pretended to be a bright-eyed newcomer, full of enthusiasm for her first job. After the flames consumed her, her Breakdown Meter exceeded its limit. Her body shattered, then pieced itself back together, and she killed the monster with a single strike.

Ever since Wu You gained the ability to enter the monster world, her life had gone smoothly. Too smoothly, as if it were all fake.

When she had made a name for herself, amassed a fortune, and stood on the awards podium, Wu You cut open her palm. Densely packed words crawled in and out of her flesh.

It turned out the monster world was the real world.

Reality was the most horrifying thing of all.

Wu You: It's a small problem. I'll just put on another performance in the real world.

Wu You threw herself into acting so she could grow stronger. Without realizing it, she found everyone looking at her with sympathy and admiration.

Her first companion gave her money and equipment, still worried it wasn't enough. "Does it hurt every time you break down?"

Her second companion hailed her as humanity's leader. "Humanity has failed you. Order us around all you want, boss!"

One of the Monster Gods said, "What a painful life. Let me put an end to it for you."

Wu You: How do I tell them it's all an act?

Monsters descended upon the world. Humanity was powerless to fight back and was treated as food, its emotions devoured.

Then humans with special talents appeared. They fought the monsters and led humanity to victory.

Among them, the strongest, Wu You, became the hope of all humankind. She grew stronger step by step and contained every monster.

She was called the Lord of Ruin.

* The female lead has no romantic pairing or love story. Other characters may have one-sided crushes.

* Her parents don't die, and the female lead won't be put through angst.

* Because of her acting, the female lead's appearance will be described.

Theme: Love is hope in the darkest hour