The Strongest Student of the Weakest Academy - Chapter 19: The Academy’s Competition (I)

Ethan Blackwood wasn’t used to being defied. As the CEO of a global empire, he crushed obstacles with a single glance. But when Lily Anderson stood before him, her chin lifted in quiet defiance, and something in him snapped. “Sign the contract,” he said, his voice like ice. “30 days. You’ll obey every command. After that, you’re free.”She hesitated, her fingers trembling as she gripped the pen. “And if I refuse?”His smirk was cold, but his eyes burned. “Then you’ll spend the rest of your life paying off your father’s debts. Your choice.”Trapped, Lily signed. But she vowed one thing: she wouldn’t let him break her.From the first day, their clash was electric. He demanded perfection; she gave him rebellion. “You think you can control me?” she spat, after he criticized her for being late.Ethan stepped closer, his presence overwhelming. “I don’t just control you. Lily, I own you.”But as the days passed, the lines between them blurred. Late nights in his penthouse turned into whispered conversations. His cold demeanor cracked, revealing glimpses of a man haunted by his past. One night, after a heated argument, he pinned her against the wall, his breath hot against her ear. “Why do you fight me so much?”Her voice trembled. “Because I’m afraid if I stop, I’ll lose myself to you.”Their connection deepened, but danger loomed. Secrets from Ethan’s past resurfaced, threatening to destroy everything. When Lily discovered the truth behind his obsession with her, she confronted him. “Was I just a pawn in your game? A way to settle an old score?”His eyes darkened with pain. “You were never just a game, Lily. You’re the only thing that’s ever felt real.”As the final days of their contract approached, their bond was tested like never before. Enemies closed in, and trust hung by a thread. Could they overcome the shadows of their pasts, or would their love crumble under the weight of secrets and pride?

Kurokawa Risa is an ordinary office worker, who has practiced lots of cooking while living alone. One day, she wakes up in another world, with a concerned little spirit hovering over her! She has apparently been transported to a magical, spirit-filled realm by the will of the goddess, and there is no known way for her to go back. She is taken in by a wealthy couple, and they and her new spirit helper treat her with nothing but kindness. There is one problem, however–the food in this magical world is gross! Risa insists on helping the household cooking staff prepare a traditional meal from her world, and it is a big hit with her hosts. Soon Risa knows what she should do in this new world; she should open a cafe and treat everyone to delicious food!

Anton is a great-grandfather. He is living quite a happy life, despite his advanced age and declining health… until a group of cultivator bandits moves into the area. The nearby guardians of the area, the Order of Ninety-Nine Stars, are unable to track them down as they continue to ravage nearby towns. During one desperate winter Anton is out on a hunt when his family- his entire village- is killed or taken as slaves by the bandits. He lacks the strength to fight them, and he wasn’t even present for their arrival to die with his loved ones. At the pit of his despair, he wonders if he ever had any chance to change things. What could he even do? He cannot even pull his best bow, and his eyesight is failing. If he had been a cultivator… perhaps there might have been a chance, but he was decades- perhaps even most of his life- too late.Participant in the Royal Road Writathon challenge (2022)Notes on cultivation levels:There are five general stages of cultivation, though the fifth is extremely rare. Each cultivation style might have their own name for the stages.1. Body Tempering2. Spirit Building/ occasionally System Creation (Ninety-Nine Stars)3. Constellation Formation (Ninety-Nine Stars)4. Life Transformation/Galaxy Construction (Ninety-Nine Stars)5. Ascension

A 13-year-old deaf teenager living in the 21st century suddenly found himself as a young boy in Japan during the early 1900s. With two World Wars, two nuclear bombs, Hitler and many other disasters awaiting his future, he thought things couldn't get worse.Except it did.He found out later on that he had actually reincarnated into the world of Demon Slayer where man-eating demons ruled the night. He thought things couldn't get worse.Except it did.But hey! At least he had unparalleled talent, incredibly special eyes and future knowledge.How will the story of Demon Slayer change with the addition of this unique character? Will so many still die if the Hashiras had one more pillar in the final battle?Or will the story end on a much happier note?