Path to Transcendence - Chapter 27: Dual Skill Evolution

In the waves of steam and machinery, who could achieve extraordinary? In the fogs of history and darkness, who was whispering? I woke up from the realm of mysteries and opened my eyes to the world.

Firearms, cannons, battleships, airships, and difference machines. Potions, divination, curses, hanged-man, and sealed artifacts… The lights shone brightly, yet the secrets of the world were never far away. This was a legend of the “Fool”.

- Description from novelupdates

An otherworldly cultivator finds himself in the body of a young Naruto, shortly after he finishes his academy days.With only fragmented memories of this new world, he finds himself in. The cultivator will make full use of his old knowledge to not only survive but reach new heights.Everyone who tries to get in his way will soon find how ruthless this old soul can be.A.N - Please read this:- The characters In the story will be a bit older than in canon. They will start at fifteen after graduating from the academy and will be around eighteen after the Shippuden time skip.- There will be Harem. I'm not sure how big yet, but probably not very big.- There will be a lot of violence and blood, so be warned.- There will be some occasional smut scene later on in the story.- During the beginning, the story is going to follow canon events quite closely, but this will change more and more as the story progresses and Naruto's actions and decisions start to have consequences.The upload rate is currently at 6 chapters per week, I may increase it in the future if I have more time. I do not have specific days or times for the uploads because my full-time job has an erratic schedule so I upload whenever I have the time. But you can expect 6 new chapters by the end of the week. Sorry for the inconvenience, I hope my readers understand.

[COMPLETE] Can a royal Romeo and Juliet find their happy ending?

Ayleth, Princess of Zenithra, is secretly trained in hand-to-hand combat, and collects swear words she doesn't know how to use. During the Festival of Peace, in which every royal son on the continent will be at the castle for a month, she is instructed by her parents to find a husband. Yet, Ayleth has never even been kissed—until the very first ball, when she meets the man in the Lion mask.

Etan is a seasoned warrior, and the Prince of Summitras. He attends the Festival hoping to find a powerful wife who will help him conquer the dark sorcery of their bloodsworn enemies, the Kingdom of Zenithra. But at the very first ball, he discovers the masked woman who captures his heart is the Heir to the evil empire.

Ayleth and Etan face an impossible battle. Will their love survive? Or will their parents' dark dealings keep them apart forever?

[Mature content. No sexual violence.]

******

“You…” She stepped back. Then back again, her mouth dropped open. “You… You cannot be…”

“I am,” Etan said, and his hair raked back as he pushed his mask off his handsome face. So handsome her heart raced.

His hair was ebony black, his skin a warm brown that threatened to fade in in the winter months. He stared at her with glittering green eyes, over high cheekbones and a noble nose, his jaw tight and shadowed this late in the day. His chin was high over the pillar of his neck that she’d just touched with its hard lines and steel strength, so different to her own. And his chest... She gasped and covered her eyes. She’d humiliated herself revealing her stupid, childish curiosity.

“No, Ayleth. This changes nothing.”

“How can you say that? It changes everything!” She was horrified to realize she was crying.

“Ayleth, please.” His voice cracked on the plea and she stared at him, shoving her mask up and off, despite how it would pull her hair out of the beautiful twist the maid had managed for her.

His eyes locked on hers and she couldn’t think. She couldn’t breathe.

She had met her One. And he was the son of her bloodsworn enemy.

She stared at him as he stepped forward again, offering both hands, palm up. “Touch me,” he whispered. “Hold my hands. This is real, Ayleth. I don’t know how it happened, but this is real. Please don’t deny it.”

She couldn’t resist. She raised a trembling hand to his cheek, letting her palm catch on the scruff of his jaw. He blew out a breath and put his hand over hers, and that jolt that happened whenever they touched shivered through her again.

“Please, Ayleth.”

“I cannot deny it,” she whispered.

[Unique Ability: Curse of Fear – Causes extreme stress and fear to any living creature within a 50m radius.]…But why am I okay?