Martial Arts Ain't That Big of a Deal - Chapter 197: Nameless Divine Technique (2)

It has been a year since Li Fuchen lost his “talent”. Now he lives the life of a wastrel, being bullied and beaten by those who were once inferior to him. However, he has still not lost everything as he is engaged to a strong and pretty girl of a powerful family… but that came to an end as the engagement was abruptly anulled. With shame brought to the family and his life engulfed by darkness, a ray of hope pierced through the sky.

Billions of Humans transmigrated to another dimension, each became a Land Ruler at the start and owned a castle. Each Land Ruler would draw a random starting Soldier-type Building, used to arm their castles. Recruit more soldier-types, plunder resources, and dominate the world! Some drew the Sacred Palace of Knights from the start and commanded troops of knights to crush all obstacles in its way, ruling over vast lands. Some drew the Goblin Cave, developed castle trade, and became renowned dirty profiteers. Of course, more people only drew the most unremarkable soldier-types: Goblins, Lizard Man, Skeleton Soldiers…… These people could only kneel before the powerful Land Rulers and serve them as slaves. But Mike was an exception. His starter soldier-type building was, Dragon Nest! Glacial Dragon, Hellfire Dragon, Undead Dragon, Black Dragon…... When one after another dragon egg appeared before Mike, he suddenly felt that…...conquering the World seemed quite manageable?

The person who was locked away inside the thorn-covered tower was not a princess, but a witch who employed the powers of darkness.

A brave young hero came searching for the tower in order to kill the witch.

– Light would force the darkness to recede, and grant it eternal rest

The witch wished.

That things would end with, ‘and the hero lived happily ever after killing the witch,’ like in the fairy tales.

And so, she had devised everything to happen in accordance to her wishes.

But the boy, who had grown up in but no time at all, would make the unfamiliar face of man’s from time to time.

“You want me to kill you? ……Do you really think I’ll let you go?”

Reality was very different from the fairy tales.

“The people don’t know of the precious treasure locked away in the tower.

I won’t let anyone else have this god given treasure, this crown of god surrounded by thorns that no one else could recognize.”

The hero gave the witch a slow and deep kiss.

“I am the true victor, and no one else.”

A conversation with a handsome stranger leaves Ariane chained in a cellar with a strange affliction. She soon discovers that the darkness of the nineteenth century’s Deep South hides many dangers. Mages, wolf shifters and the humans who hunt them play a risky game where to stumble is to die, all under the amused gaze of the apex predators of the supernatural world: vampires.

It is never healthy to attract the gaze of the aristocracy of the night. It takes much to survive in this merciless world, but Ariane will not let that deter her. The southern belle has a bite, and she is willing to learn and to grow in this hostile new world. She will use whatever means necessary to reclaim her freedom, be it guile, charm, or those intriguing new instincts that make blood so delectable.

This is a story of vampires as I believe they should be, with their strengths and weaknesses, with their remnants of humanity and the beast inside. Updates every Friday. Mind the tags.

Cover by Antti Hakosaari: https://www.artstation.com/haco

Special thanks to Svensonsen for getting me started, as well as Omi Nya, Hesketh, Rhaegar, Yaksher, Selkie and Raven for proofreading my stuff. Thanks to my patrons and you dear readers, for the support. I could not do it without you.

Journey is on Amazon, both in ebooks and audio. here is a link to the first one:

https://www.royalroad.com/amazon/B08DK6G8Y8

The story probably exists in your local marketplace as well of I can tempt you.