Rise of the Crusader - Chapter 60

I, Aristides Castro G Morris Brooklyn Washington Napoleon George I, doth proclaim myself as the sovereign of this realm. Our untimely demise hath been the consequence of preserving our people from impending doom. To reward our noble deeds, the gracious goddess hath bestowed upon us the gift of rebirth. Yet, alas! Why have we been transformed into a maiden, and a princess of dragons, no less?!This extraordinary story follows a man haunted by Eight-Grade Syndrome, now reborn as the dragons’ princess. However, his chuunibyou tendencies come with a price—a curse cast upon him by a vexed goddess. Every time his symptoms flare up, lightning strikes, an electrifying consequence of his behavior.Prepare for a captivating journey as this chuunibyou princess navigates the realms of dragons, adventure, and self-discovery. With lightning crackling at every turn, our protagonist must embrace their newfound identity, face formidable challenges, and uncover the secrets that lie within this enchanting world. In this tale of curses and resilience, embark on an enthralling adventure where destiny and the whims of the divine intertwine.

They stole his future and crippled his body. Now, he’ll rewrite the history in blood.Damon was on the verge of greatness—first in line to claim Bloodreign, the legendary artifact said to grant unmatched power in Earth Online, the world’s first fully immersive VR game. But his best friend betrayed him, stealing the item, and leaving Damon broken, crippled and nearly deleted. Kicked from the guild, mocked by the community, and trapped in a weak, crippled body, he was forgotten until his last desperate attempt somehow brought him back in time to the day when it all began.Now Damon was back and he knew what he was going after.A hidden lineage. A cursed class. A bloodline sealed since the dawn of the multiverse.Last time he played fair. Last time he trusted. This time he would hunt and devour. With years of knowledge of every exploit, every secret quest, every bugged mechanic, he will climb straight to the top. Armed with the blood of the first Vampire King, he was an apex predator now who stood at the very top.However, unbeknownst to him, a catastrophe lurks in the shadows. Damon finds out that the game itself might not be as simple as it seemed and the entire future of the humanity might depend on this game.

Contemporary college student Ye Leyao died suddenly from staying up late, and found himself transported into a world where several novels merged together, becoming the useless adopted son of the prestigious Huo family.The good news is that, apart from him, everyone else in the family is a big shot. Eldest Brother Huo is a legendary figure in the business world, Second Brother Huo is a top actor in the entertainment industry, and Third Brother Huo is a skilled esports player and boss.The bad news is, these big shots are all antagonists, and none of them have good endings.Even worse news is that, upon waking up, he finds himself in the middle of a cheap romance involving Second Brother, who is oblivious to the fact that the child in his lover’s belly isn’t his seed at all!Ye Leyao couldn’t help but scream inwardly: “Aaaaaahhhh—seriously? This romance-idiot still doesn’t know the child in his lover’s belly isn’t his?!”All eyes in the family suddenly turn towards him. The second brother even stumbles.Everyone: What?!The top-tier Huo family adopted a young troublemaker some years ago.Initially, nobody in the family paid him any mind. That is, until they could all hear Ye Leyao’s inner thoughts—Just as Father Huo brings his down-and-out friend home. Ye Leyao’s inner voice: “Oh, so this is the little seductress trying to seduce Father Huo, plotting to make Mother Huo and Father Huo divorce, and wrecking the Huo family?”Father Huo’s pupils dilate: “!” That night, before Ye Leyao can subtly hint to Mother Huo, the little seductress is personally “thrown” out by Father Huo.During breakfast at home, Eldest Brother Huo takes a video call discussing crucial shipment matters with his assistant.Ye Leyao perks up his ears, muttering to himself: “Why do I vaguely remember a typhoon changing course to pass through this route in a few days? Big Brother’s business deal is definitely going down.”Eldest Brother Huo: “…” He immediately changes the shipping route with his assistant. Sure enough, five days later, news came that the original route was hit by a typhoon.Afterwards, Eldest Brother Huo transfers five million into Ye Leyao’s account. Ye Leyao is astonished. Eldest Brother Huo tries to remain composed, saying calmly, “Take it, you’ve earned it.”Third Brother Huo isn’t home often. After the league ends, he brings his newly recruited team members home for dinner. Just as they enter the house, Ye Leyao stares keenly at his new teammates.Third Brother Huo is about to warn Ye Leyao against premature romance, when he hears Ye Leyao whispering in his mind: “They’re handsome alright, but unfortunately, they’re moles sent by the rival team.”Third Brother Huo: “!!!” That night, Third Brother Huo begins investigating and not only discovers that the new teammates are moles from the rival team, but also finds out that his most trusted assistant has been secretly gathering data on their team!A week later, another ten million appeared in Ye Leyao’s account.Ye Leyao, holding the money happily: “Third Brother, you’re more generous than Big Brother!”Just then, Eldest Brother Huo passes by: “…”As a supporting character in the novel, Ye Leyao’s biggest dream is to save up money and flee with his family of antagonists when they hit rock bottom. Little did he expect that all these villains in his family would not only avoid disaster but thrive in their careers, and he would end up soaring with them.

How long will it take for a murdered thief to distill into something monstrous? In this story the darkness only grows stronger, and its reach only grows wider as it expands by devouring the life that surrounds it. This is a dark fantasy where evil is a where, not just a who that focuses on slow progression, undeath, and atmospheric storytelling.