A Record of Ash & Ruin: The Grieving Lands - Chapter 1Book : : Strands of Fate

A silhouette of a man standing upon a boulder with the crescent of the moon shining behind him.

A kukri dripping with blood in one hand and a pistol in the other.

The image of burning flames surrounding him.

The countless mercenaries screamed as they saw this scene.

“It’s a demon!”

One day, Luo Jian woke up from his sleep and found himself in a locked chamber where the door and window were all sealed. A note with a few lines written on it was tacked to the wall: “Escape from this room within an hour, otherwise, you will die.”

“Dragons rule the skies, the land, and the seas... humanity survives in the cracks, dreaming of a comeback.”_______Power comes from the beast you tame in this world, and you need to do it at the tender age of ten.Wolves, hawks, snakes, spiders, the stronger your summon, the brighter your future.Too bad for our protagonist.When everyone else summoned salamanders, eagles, or tigers, he got… Well, let’s just say the only thing lower on the food chain is dirt.Laughed at, bullied, and living as the butt of every joke, he’s not exactly winning. But giving up isn’t an option, his aging parents sold everything for his chance, and he won’t let it be for nothing.But hey, this is his story. The weakest beast tamer?Here’s the thing about being at the bottom: it teaches you how to climb. And dragons? The apex predators? Turns out they start small too, so...He’s going to tame everything, every evolutionary line.How?Turns out, his summon isn’t useless after all.Step one: survive long enough to unlock his gift.Step two: tame creatures nobody else dares to touch.Step three: become the strongest tamer the world has ever seen and laugh in the face of those who doubted him.As kingdoms crumble under greed and external threats, the weakest tamer begins his rise.Because in this world, strength isn’t just about the creature you summon; it’s about the bond you forge, the risks you take, and the will to rise when the world drags you down.Follow his path as he unlocks a potential so rare, so terrifying, it leads to dragons… Even better, every evolutionary line leads to the strongest ‘SSS Dragons’._______Warning: Contains world-ending dragons, questionable life choices, ridicule-fueled underdog revenge, dragon-scaled protagonist, morally questionable nobles, insane creature evolutions, over-the-top power fantasy, and enough twists to make you wonder if weakest really means luckiest.A MC who’s out to prove everyone wrong… even if it kills him.Spoiler alert: It won’t.For those who love an underdog, an over-the-top power fantasy, and a whole lot of fun, this one’s for you.If you’re looking for a more serious or a bit grim-dark story, look somewhere else (Maybe Utopian System (;)This one’s about having fun, taming dragons and expectations._______If you want to know more about the cover:Yep, that's Luna lounging like it's a casual afternoon… on two dragons, no less.The white side looks regal, the dark side (dark blue one) radiates menace, and Luna? She’s caught somewhere in between, with her skin and clothes morphing into shimmering scales from their power.Oh, and don’t miss the tiny horns.It’s not just fashion; it’s fusion. High-level beasts tend to leave their mark, and Luna wears it like a boss. Sitting on dragons, half-transformed, and pulling off the ultimate power move.If they can put one dragon in their covers… I may as well put 2!We will use the same Discord from Utopian, come join! https://discord.gg/W3CjfC2cw4_______Silly tags that seem to matter a lot to some readers: No Yaoi, No Yuri, Possibly Harem (Vote! I can write either, and in any case, there will be multiple girls. The only difference is whether he chooses one in the end or goes the “liberal” route.... democracy is yours!), No NTR.

In this captivating fantasy novel, Luo Mu has spent fifteen years in a mystical world, feeling disheartened by the belief that hard work yields little reward. Just as he begins to lose hope, a miraculous system activates in his life—the Heavenly Path Rewards Diligence System.With this newfound power, every effort he makes leads to astonishing gains, governed by a unique critical hit mechanic that can amplify his rewards by up to ten thousand times. As he diligently practices his cultivation techniques, immerses himself in ancient texts, and rigorously trains in powerful martial arts, he experiences unprecedented successes: gaining rewards that skyrocket from hundreds to thousands, and even ten thousand times his initial effort.Years later, as Luo Mu stands at the zenith of strength and ability, he becomes a figure of admiration and inquiry. When asked how to achieve such greatness, he simply smiles and states, “The Heavenly Path rewards diligence; it’s all about hard work.”This tale explores themes of perseverance, the value of effort, and the extraordinary possibilities that come from dedication and hard work in a richly woven fantasy world.