dark

Could you survive living, eating, and training with mercenaries... as a child? An orphaned boy, named Milo, is left without a home after a tragic attack from the neighboring kingdom. With nowhere else to go and a charge for a crime he didn't commit, Milo is forced into training with some of the kingdom's best fighters as they prepare to meet their enemy on the battlefield. Throughout his journey, Milo travels across the world's seven layers, encounters mythological beasts, and gains strength he never imagined. Strange powers from monsters, Gods and Goddesses, and internal strength are garnered through relentless encounters with death. Each day could be his last...

I will post this on Royal Road.com. in the furthest corners of the abyss. The first beast formed, and this creature seeks out mighty warriors from different continents, races, and social classes to join his kingdom. The beast takes an interest in a peculiar orphan boy.

#Read the Prologue!!! [CONTENT WARNING: This work is intended for an adult audience (18+). Contains explicit sexual content, visceral violence and dark psychological dynamics.] MAIN TAGS: #DualCultivation #Smut #DarkFantasy #Yandere #Harem #OverpoweredProtagonist #Violence #ObsessiveRomance #WorldBuilding SYNOPSIS: In a remote village far from the conflicts of the cultivation world, Zhì Yuǎn and Yù Qíng lived simple lives. He was a quiet young man with calloused hands and an unnatural clarity — someone who seemed to understand the truth behind things without ever needing to be taught. She was his wife, a woman whose love for him was deep, fierce, and dangerously absolute. When the two of them finally awaken to Qi, they do not follow the ancient paths or bow to the heavens like others. Instead, they create their own method — a path of Dual Cultivation that binds their bodies and souls together in a way that defies the natural order. What begins as survival and growth soon becomes something far more dangerous. Because the world outside their small village does not tolerate anomalies. As their power grows, so does the attention of ancient sects, powerful clans, and ambitious cultivators who would rather see them dead than let them rise. But what they fail to understand is that the real threat has never been Zhì Yuǎn alone. It has always been the woman standing beside him — the one willing to burn the world if it means protecting what belongs to her. Zhì Yuǎn was never meant to be a hero. He never received a divine mission or a heavenly mandate. He simply chose to walk forward. And Yù Qíng chose to make sure nothing would stand in his way.

May 20, 2030. An unknown figure stands atop the tallest building on Earth — and the age of hidden fear begins. Beneath the fragile surface of reality, gods and indifferent higher entities rule through an invisible judgment system that mortals were never meant to witness. Ancient clans that once kept the balance have been hunted to extinction. In their wake, a secretive government organization gathers the shattered survivors of the supernatural — branding them Sinners. They are not saviors. They are not monsters. They are living proof that even divine judgment can break. Rookie Sinner Karry steps into this shadowed world alongside the ice-veined operative Sasha and the eerily composed Arnold — a man whose calm hides depths no one dares question. Their first mission is simple: rescue hostages from a routine threat. It ends in catastrophe. Breaches tear open between realms. Cities vanish without trace. Entities from above descend like hunters, while governments below scramble to erase every witness. As the veil rips wider, Karry uncovers the chilling truth: The gods are not protecting humanity. They are evaluating it. And walking silently through the growing storm is Arnold — a figure who understands the rules of existence better than any god, fears nothing, and draws his blade only when the line between survival and annihilation is crossed. Because when the final judgment descends… it will not arrive as war. It will arrive as calamity.

Somewhere between death and memory, she was remade. Pulled from the ashes of a failed expedition, a nameless girl wakes in a place called Solmere Bastion — an alchemical refuge built for the broken and forgotten. With no past but the relic she clutches, she is reborn as Ravine — a name given, not remembered. But the Dead Zone does not let go so easily. Whispers linger. Dreams unravel. The relic she carries is no ordinary pendant — it's a Matron’s Bloom; a sacred object passed only to those meant to carry on a bloodline... or a burden. As Ravine walks the rain-soaked halls of the Bastion, haunted by names that might have once been hers, she must uncover not just who she was — but who she is becoming. Because in this world, alchemy gives nothing for free. To live again is to owe something. And the Gate always comes to collect. Aporia is a slow-burn fantasy of identity, grief, and quiet magic — perfect for fans of lyrical prose, introspective journeys, and stories that linger long after the last page.

Ryo Kenzaki was good at being invisible. Just another high schooler, keeping his head down and waiting for each day to end. Then a star fell from the sky. When Ryo pulls a dying woman from the crater it leaves behind, he learns the world he knows is already breaking. Beyond it lies the Hunting Realm—a place where monsters are born from fallen Hunters, and something is beginning to push through. Hunted by a creature he cannot understand, Ryo is dragged to a sanctuary between worlds and forced into a choice that was never really his: take up a Kizugami, a living blade forged from wounds, or die before dawn. But the blade doesn’t obey. It judges. As the weapon begins to search his soul, Ryo is pulled into a war he never asked to join—one shadowed by an impossible Eye in the sky, a relentless Kaimon on his trail, and an ending that may already have been decided. Ryo never wanted to be a Hunter. But if becoming one is the only way to protect what remains, he’ll have to answer a far more dangerous question: When the world strips everything from him, can he still stand as himself once more? Character Art by @_iamskiddy

**Mature Content** Adeline Valois was a broken Omega because of a lifetime of abuse. Following her mother’s death, her father’s remarriage introduced a stepmother and stepsister who stripped Adeline of her dignity, forcing her to live as a servant in her own house. When the call for a royal bride arrived, she was discarded, traded like a burden to the one man in Valdaria whose name alone could chill the blood of the bravest warriors. Gideon Knightley, the kingdom’s eldest prince, was the legendary "Golden Alpha." Though his title suggested brilliance, his reputation was one of ruthless wickedness. Yet, a darker secret loomed: Gideon was cursed, and the price of that curse would be paid in blood by the woman who won his heart. No high-ranking family would dare gamble their daughter’s life on his volatile nature, leaving Adeline to be offered up like a sacrificial lamb to a wolf. However, the kingdom’s expectations were shattered the moment they met. A dark, possessive obsession took root in Gideon’s cold heart, transforming the predator into a protector. He vowed to become a mate whose singular devotion would be whispered of for centuries. Adeline, who had spent a lifetime fearing the chains of marriage, found herself falling for a man who did not just offer his hand but surrendered his entire soul to her, demanding nothing in return but her presence. ~~~~ "I am a broken Omega, Prince," she blurted out. "And your mother... She cares for you. She only suggested a way to protect you from whatever curse you carry. I simply saw a chance for the freedom I've never been allowed to have." Gideon spun on his heels with predatory speed. His hand moved to the back of her head, his fingers tangling in her hair as he surged forward, drawing her so close that even the air between them vanished. "No one cares for me," he hissed, his eyes burning with a dark, golden fire. "You think I am a fool, don't you? You placed your trust in the Luna Queen after a single meeting, yet you could not bring yourself to trust my words. Freedom? That is a word you will forget. I am going to show you exactly what happens when you listen to others, especially that woman."

The girl knew she would never turn 17. The age before life. Before freedom. Being born in the Imperial Palace was already hard work for the young Xiaomao. She knew long ago her life would be wrecked in shambles and treacherous by the Asterisms. It wasn't her first time living on this Flora planet, neither her second. It was her 36th, and final life, and she wanted to make sure this one would count. And so she continued her life in a novel as a princess, daughter of Emperor Aranthor and Consort Suki. The only problem is that the Asterisms won't make it easy to get what she wants. Except, Xiaomao knows. She knows the world better than anyone. Perhaps even the reader itself.

War is a prison that shackles all who know of it, whether they like it or not. Those shackles will begin to weigh down it's wearer until they can no longer move forward and are instead left to rot and decay over time. War is just another form of torture; another form of hell. So, what happens when a child that has never known grief, demise, struggle, and all other kinds of hardships is suddenly thrust into hells deepest pits? Answer: Adapt or die. Follow as Vigil, an ignorant young boy with once great aspirations, is thrust into War Field, the home of war, without warning. As he struggles to live, may he find the secrets behind this forsaken world and escape this hell. The hell that he is forced to call home. ---------------------------------------------

A normal everyday life for most boys in college, but consists of every kind of pain, disorder, and problem still having a smile on their face laughing, and trying to be normal in front of everyone, friends and family....Still, nobody really understands them, can they know him until he does something that anyone would regret???

In a world ruled by a merciless system, strength is not admired — it is required. Aron was weak. Ayesha, the woman who protected him, was not. When the world demanded her life, Aron was left with only her final will… and a power that should never have existed. Cursed by an anomalous system, Aron heals through life itself, devours power without mercy, and walks a path the gods never intended. This is not a hero’s story. It is the legacy of a protector, inherited through blood, will… and devouring.

On the edge of the kingdom, a nameless and unremarkable adventurer discovers a child in the ruins of fire and ash. Small horns. Faint scales. Eyes that burn like embers. Half human. Half dragon. The world would call her a monster. He calls her his daughter. Determined to raise her as human, he teaches her letters instead of slaughter, kindness instead of instinct, restraint instead of flame. Inside their small home, she is only a child learning to laugh. Outside, rumors spread of a dragon reborn — a calamity waiting to awaken. As the girl grows, so does the power sleeping in her blood. The kingdom begins to watch. The church begins to whisper. And the only friend the father ever trusted begins to ask a terrible question: How many lives are worth one child? To protect her, he must stand against a world that fears her existence. But love alone cannot silence prophecy — and promises are fragile things in the face of fear. When the world finally comes for the girl with dragon’s blood, the father will learn the true cost of raising a monster as a daughter. And the girl will learn what it means to be human… when humanity turns its back on her.

Dublin, 2130. 18-year-old James Ganner has nothing—no money, no future, no escape from the slums that killed his father and broke his mother. Then the System activates. [You have been selected. Choose your designation: Challenger or Civilian. Selection is permanent.] James chooses Challenger. He enters the 72-hour Tutorial where 80% die. Against all odds, he survives and receives the rarest class in existence: Necromancer. But survival was just the beginning. [FLOOR 1] [Mission Type: Kill 15 Hobgoblins] [Failure Condition: Death] James raised his hand, black energy coiling around his fingers. [Skill Activated: Soul Drain ] The dying hobgoblin convulsed as dark tendrils ripped the life from its body, feeding his mana pool. [You have killed Hobgoblin Warrior] [Progress: 1/15] The tower doesn’t care about heroes or villains. 300 floors. No backtracking. No second chances. Death is permanent. Every floor demands blood, and James’s necromancy feeds on corpses—the more he kills, the stronger he becomes. His goals are simple: escape poverty, punish the uncles who stole his inheritance, clear the tower, and uncover the truth behind why the towers appeared. In a world where only the ruthless survive, can a slum kid with nothing but cold determination and an army of the dead climb higher than anyone before him? The tower rewards only one thing: those who refuse to stay down. discord> https://discord.gg/Tm5kJuXzf

In a kingdom where the laws of men are mere fictions for the docile, Lilith waits behind a mask of fragility. While lords bleed themselves dry in wars, she silently architects the end of humanity as we know it. She seeks neither lands nor tribute, but the forbidden formula to extinguish human nature and bring forth a lineage of her own.

Kagetsu is reborn in the Naruto world with Talent Card System and gets the talent of Mad Scientist, Kurotsuchi Mayuri from Bleach World. Follow Kagetsu’s journey of invention and revolution in ninja world as he rises to the top. "Jiraiya, you're stuck in the past! The only one who truly understands me in this world is Kagetsu." - Orochimaru ***** Note: Most likely NO HAREM. **** Please support me on my ko-fi account and read upto 15 early chapters, https://ko-fi.com/pirateking24/tiers ***** This is a translation. 从火影开始的涅茧利牌 ***** Also I will upload daily. So if you like it, add to the collection. ********** Please subscribe to my Youtube Channel and support me, https://www.youtube.com/@OtakuFictionTales/shorts ****** Join Me on Discord : https://discord.com/invite/cnnMq3te

I died once. Got stoned to death by a mob because a pretty girl with a heroine halo got jealous of my usefulness. Last thing I heard was her confession...she was the one who opened the gates to let the zombies in and pinned it on me. It was real touching stuff. The next thing I knew, I woke up in silk pajamas with a second chance. Here's the thing about knowing the apocalypse is coming: you prepare. I emptied grocery stores, stole weapons, filled a spatial storage with enough supplies to outlast the end of the world. I also learned my lesson about powers—they drain your life force, and I'm not dying twice for the privilege of throwing vines around. So I stayed home in the mansion I shared with my guardian and his head of security. But I decided to take the last bit of advice I had been given in my previous life: 'Stay home.' Done. I'm not going anywhere and no one is going to be able to move me if I don't want. Unfortunately for me, I stole the wrong thing in this life, and now I have another two men in my house who think that I don't know what I am doing. Four men...a billionaire guardian, his head of security, a weapons dealer, and his quiet enforcer...they all tried to convince me to evacuate. When that didn't work, they tried to leave without me. Funny how that works out when you realize the only stable thing in a collapsing world won't budge. Suddenly, their evacuation plans don't matter anymore. Suddenly, they're staying too. I'm not here to save anyone. I'm not the hero. I'm just a woman who's already survived this once, and I'm not interested in repeating my mistakes. But survival? That's my specialty. And apparently, I'm everyone else's, whether I like it or not. Author's Note: There is a few things that after 140 chapters (and a lot of comments) I need to clarify. The title is: "Refusing to leave home." Please don't expect her to leave her house. The idea of this novel is: "It's okay to just survive." You don't have to be responsible for the human race, you don't have fix what everyone screws up. It's okay to do nothing and keep living. Rouxi comes from a seriously fucked up past life. Her parents were abusive and since she was four years old, she has learned that, in order to survive, you can only rely on yourself. Dying and being reborn just reinforces this belief. This is in a completely different world from my previous ones. This is a fresh start but with all the things you come to expect from me. There will be no crossovers (Gasp... I know!) The particulars: MFMMM No MM Age gap Zombies

Elara Khan thought her life was already ruined. Until the night the most dangerous man in Europe kidnapped her. Ares Valentino — billionaire, mafia king, and a man feared by governments. He claims he saved her. She believes he destroyed her life. But when enemies begin hunting her and secrets from her past emerge, Elara realizes one terrifying truth… The devil who captured her might be the only one obsessed enough to protect her.

Aether Moirai was never meant to be free. Born from the final spark of the Abyss—a forgotten god’s last act of rebellion—he is the last vessel, a boy whose powers grow stronger the more his mind fractures. Bound by the Codex, a system that can rewrite history itself, Aether is hunted by worlds that fear what he might become. The Infinite Library has always been his home—a labyrinth between worlds where every book is a living realm, and every story is a battlefield. But when the tales begin to warp, birthing monsters and rewriting entire histories, even the Library’s endless shelves can’t protect him. To survive, Aether must step into dangerous books where myths breathe, legends bleed, and the wrong choice can erase you from existence. Each journey brings him closer to the truth of his creation—and the author who penned his fate. But the corruption doesn’t stay contained. As the stories unravel, their chaos seeps into the real world—kingdoms clash with empires that never existed, myths walk beside mortals, and reality itself begins to fray. In the end, the Library isn’t just collapsing into itself. It’s dragging every world down with it. And some stories brought by it could end the world in seconds. So can someone like him, survive in such a world. Even more, try and rule it?

My arm ached where the needle pierced the vein. Already, my fingers were numb, spots spinning in front of my eyes. Something clattered onto the pavement. The needle. It must have slipped out of my hand. Nothingness swirled around me, bringing the first sense of peace that I'd felt since...ever. But that was okay. It meant that there was no one to miss me, and no one I would miss. Well, perhaps there would be a few, but they could always find others to extract their cruel, sadistic pleasure from. My last breath was rough and shallow, the last beat of my heart pitifully fail. I sank to the alley floor, eyes closing, welcoming the blessed nothingness of the end. Only...death was supposed to be dark, wasn't it? And since when did 'nothingness' have so many gods? Discord: https://discord.gg/PX3xqJdZMY

A quiet morning in a rural Vietnamese village. Nothing feels out of place—until the sky cracks. Van Thien begins to see fragments of a forgotten war… a battlefield among the stars, a broken version of himself, and a terrifying entity that should not exist. But no one else remembers. As strange powers awaken within him, the peaceful life he once knew begins to unravel. From ancient legends buried beneath Vietnam’s soil to forces watching from beyond Earth— Van Thien is being pulled back into a destiny he was never meant to forget. And this time… there may be no second chance. _______________________________________________ Vietnamese writer blending sci-fi with ancient mythology. Stories where Earth meets the stars. ---------------------------------------------------- New chapters every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday 10:00 AM (UTC+7 / Vietnam Time). ---------------------------------------------------- I am publishing this story on RoyalRoad.com under the username Tran Phu Anh.