Everyone Else is a Returnee - Chapter 9 I Hunt Alone (1)

In the future timeline, Humankind had developed things that brought a revolution to the world. But their best invention was fully immersive VR games that became more and more advanced as time passed. They could create new worlds— in virtual reality, that was more beautiful and profound than the real world they lived in.

Far in the eastern corner of the world lies a city covered in chaos, Aetherpolis. A city that is far more different than any other, a ruin where law and order are mere fantasies. This place isn’t governed by the government nor military powers. This city….. belongs to the gangs.And at the top of the food chain stand those with terrifying strength. The Awakened Users.These are individuals who have unlocked their Drive Core, a latent force within every human that responds not just to strength or talent, but to pain, trauma, and intense emotions. Only by facing these can the Drive Core bloom.Into this brutal world steps Ren Asakura, a quiet teenage swordsman with his Tempest Drive. On a quest to find his lost brother, he joins the well known gang ZEAL, determined to dismantle the corrupt and violent gangs that rule Aetherpolis.But every turf war brings him closer to a chilling realization, the true enemy has yet to reveal themselves, and the battle for the soul of the city is only just beginning.In a world where power is earned through suffering and only the ruthless survive…You either DRIVE forward or you BREAK.

In a world that only hears shouts, his silence is a weapon.Orphaned and mute, Mateo Álvarez communicates through the beautiful game.After a tragic accident steals his voice, it grants him something else: an extraordinary ability to see the flow of play before it happens, a gift he calls The System.On the pitch, he is a prodigy, a conductor of silent symphonies, reading the game with a genius that leaves scouts and legends in awe.His talent earns him a destiny at FC Barcelona’s famed La Masia academy.Under the wing of mentors like Pep Guardiola and Lionel Messi, Mateo flourishes, his dream of one day representing Spain on the world stage feeling closer than ever. He becomes their golden boy, a symbol of pure footballing intellect, and the heart of a new generation.But when the club’s soul is traded for corporate interests, Mateo’s greatest strength is recast as a liability. To the new board, a star who cannot speak is a star who cannot sell. Betrayed by the institution he called home, the boy who dreamed in goals is cast out at sixteen, his future shattered.Now, Mateo must journey beyond the only home he’s ever known. Armed only with his preternatural gift and a resilience forged in silence, he must find a new team willing to listen not to his voice, but to his vision.His quest is no longer just for club glory, but to prove a devastating truth to those who discarded him: that the most powerful language in football isn’t spoken at all.The Silent Symphony is an unforgettable underdog story about the corruption of dreams, the beauty of resilience, and the unspoken bonds that define us. It's a journey across the fierce landscapes of European football to reclaim a stolen destiny, one perfect pass at a time.

At twenty‑nine, she was the youngest CEO in the tech industry—NetVault Security had gone from small startup to Fortune 500 in just six years. The media called her a prodigy. Her board called her unstoppable.Her therapist called her alexithymic.Unable to understand or describe her own emotions.The elevator chimed. Elara didn’t look up. Only one person had after‑hours access.“You’re late,” she said. “The investor meeting is in twelve hours. Did you review the—”“I’m not here about the meeting.”…“Ugh.”Elara lost her life that day at the hands of her mentor and adoptive father. By the next morning, the same people who once called her a genius and praised her to the sky were calling her a coward who killed herself to escape scandal.Then Elara woke up.Not in her office. Not in a hospital.In a different world. In a different body.She was now Elara, the Fourth Princess of this so‑called great kingdom—only to find that this princess was an utter pushover, completely useless in everyone’s eyes. No one feared her. No one respected her. Even her own palace was full of other people’s spies.How is Elara supposed to survive this palace battle, when seven princesses fight in the shadows and she’s known as the weakest one? And can she ever escape this place… or will she decide to win instead?……“Your Highness, please… ugh…”The leash of light around Mahir’s neck—the head of the knights—tightened with a soft pull. His face flushed red, and not from pain.“Princess, here.” Ken, the strongest beast knight, knelt closer and held out a small pill between his fingers, guiding it gently to Elara’s lips.“Swallow it,” he said quietly. “You used too much power today.”On the floor below the bed, three beastmen knelt in a row, broad shoulders tense, ears twitching, their eyes fixed on her with dazed focus. Thin, glowing leashes of magic ran from their collars to the bands at Elara’s wrists.“Please…” Ken’s voice dropped, rough and a little hoarse. “Put your foot here.” He touched his gloved hand to his chest. “On me.”Elara sighed, half annoyed, half amused, and rested her foot lightly on his armored chest. All three of them drew in a sharp breath at the same time, faces turning even redder as the magic between them flared.Their eyes—gold, amber, and deep brown—looked up at her with the same lost, devoted gaze.