Start With Contracting Sprites - Chapter 25

After coming out of a tunnel… it was pitch dark.

“Come not between the Dragon and his Wrath.” — William Shakespeare The year was 2140, and Earth was nothing but a distant memory. Humanity now drifted through the galaxies aboard colossal ARKs, massive skyships that served as the last bastions of civilization. Yet, these ARKs were more than just floating cities; they were humanity’s last containers, preserving what remained of their species. A century before Earth’s final collapse, humanity discovered a gateway to a realm known as Eternia — a fantastical world straight out of myth and legend. Reaching this realm required more than just advanced technology; it demanded a complete departure from the physical body and entry into a mysterious process known as the Dream Weave. In the present day, Cloud lived aboard ARK NO. 427, where he had been training from a young age to step into the Dream Weave. He was a standout among his peers, excelling in every tasks that came his way. Everything seemed to be on track for him — until the pivotal day of the Class Selection process.

He was supposed to be the next big thing.Three years ago, Riku Aoyama was Japan’s rising basketball prodigy…Until a devastating injury and a brutal betrayal shattered everything.Now? He’s just a ghost of his former self—until one empty gym, one dusty court, and one crazy idea reignite the fire.Form a team of nobodies. Start from zero. Take on the monsters ruling the court.With broken players, forgotten schools, and no sponsors backing them—Riku’s team, Kaizen High, isn’t just here to play...They’re here to change the game.No powers. No shortcuts.Just sweat, soul, and skill.In a world where basketball is war—Only the crownless will rise.

On the eve of their wedding, Yan Changsheng brought back a girl and publicly called off the marriage.Only then did Shen Qinghe realize that Yan Changsheng was the crazy male lead from a book, and the girl was the irresistible female protagonist.As for her, she was just early cannon fodder fated to die, and her elder sister was the malevolent female supporting character whom everyone wanted to beat up.Tsk, the plot is just freaking ridiculous!After awakening, Shen Qinghe busied herself with cultivation, protecting her elder sister.Yet, unknowingly seizing the female protagonist's luck, she attracted several crazy male leads, each of them forcibly taking what they wanted from her.She thought Dongfang Wuya was relatively normal, but who knew he was crazier, actually seizing the position of Heavenly Emperor and then forcibly marrying her to become the Heavenly Empress!**As the high and mighty belle of the cultivation world, Dongfang Wuya had countless admirers and fans. Yet he was devoted to cultivation, treating love as if it were dirt.Initially thinking Shen Qinghe was deeply in love with him, he sternly advised her, “Focus on your cultivation, do not get distracted by romantic entanglements!”Later, irked by her dedication to cultivation, he pressed her into his arms and kissed her, seductively coaxing with a playful smile, “Be my Daoist companion, and I'll aid you in cultivation, hmm?”[Asura Field, Cremation Ground, Male Rivalry, Su Wen]