Crownless Kings: Court of Fire - Chapter 27 – Driftlines and Dead Eyes

In a realm where power is determined by affinities—elemental forces that shape magic, combat, and survival—Ethan is an anomaly. While most people are born with a single affinity, Ethan stands apart, wielding a vast range of abilities granted by a mysterious Ancestral-line System. This unique system taps into the untapped potential of his vampire and dwarven bloodline, unlocking ancestral powers far beyond the norm.At just 18 years old, Ethan's journey begins when he accidentally awakens this system, discovering that he is the heir to a forgotten lineage that blends the strength, resilience, and mysticism of both vampire and dwarven ancestors, a perfect hybrid of both. Though he must awaken and evolve to harness their power. However, the more power he gains, the more he learns about the dark secrets of his lineage—secrets that others would kill to possess.Unlike everyone else, Ethan's affinities are not innate; they are granted by the system based on his bloodline’s ancient heritage. As he levels up, he acquires abilities that no one in the current era has ever seen: the Psychic powers of telekinesis and telepathy from ancient vampire lords, the earth-shaping skills of dwarf warriors, and a host of hidden abilities that challenge the world’s very understanding of magic.But power comes with a price. Ethan quickly finds himself targeted by powerful factions and hidden enemies who fear what his bloodline could mean for the balance of the world. Ancient forces tied to his ancestry awaken, each with their own agenda—some seeing him as a threat to be eliminated, others as a tool to be used.Accompanied by a diverse group of companions, each with their own affinities and secrets, Ethan embarks on a perilous journey. Together, they traverse beast-filled forests, ancient ruins, worlds and perilous dungeons, all while facing foes who seek to exploit or destroy Ethan’s unique powers. Along the way, bonds are forged, fates are entwined, and the line between friend and foe blurs as Ethan learns that his destiny is far greater than he ever imagined.But with every new ability comes a deeper question: What is the true purpose of the Ancestral-line System? As he battles monstrous creatures, rival affinity users, and ancient curses, Ethan must confront the reality that his bloodline holds the key to either the salvation or the destruction of their world or something else entirely.In a world governed by affinities, Ethan’s unmatched power sets him on a path that could change everything—or lead to his downfall.Will he master the secrets of his ancestry and forge his own fate, or will the weight of his heritage drag him into the depths of a history best left forgotten?

When her heart stopped, fireworks lit up his wedding.Tiana Linden was coughing up blood as she pushed her daughter Daisy in front of Aiden Grant to entrust her to him,he was trying on a wedding ring for Vivian Linden.“Daddy...” Daisy was just about to speak and was pushed aside.Aiden Grant tore up the paternity test with a cold laugh: “The daughter of a scammer, does she really deserve to enter the Grant Family?”He didn’t know that Daisy was deaf in her left ear and couldn't stand the harsh yelling,nor did he know that the critical illness notice in Tiana Linden’s bag read — terminal lung cancer.When Daisy had a high fever of 40°C and begged him to save her mom,Aiden Grant told the bodyguard to throw her into the stormy rain: “Don't learn to play the sympathy card like your mom!”While Tiana Linden crawled to pick up the scattered painkillers, there was only one belief in her mind.“Daisy can't live without a mother. She has to survive.”As the wedding march played, Aiden Grant rushed into the hospital room as if he were mad.He desperately pressed the defibrillator: “Tiana Linden! Do you think pretending to be dead will absolve you of guilt!”As the monitor's alarm sounded, declaring Tiana Linden’s death, he panicked at that moment...Later, many saw the president of the Grant Company kneeling in a garden filled with eustoma, crying bitterly:“The eustoma I planted has bloomed...Tiana, I miss you so much...”

Monsters and mysterious portals called Gates keep appearing in New York City. and Hunters are treated like heroes for fighting them.Michael's legendary father is now a broken man who forbids him from using his powers. His mother vanished in a Gate disaster years ago.When Michael breaks that rule to save a child, he almost dies, and instead of death, he awakens something far more dangerous than a normal Hunter’s System.This isn’t a basic RPG template. It’s a forbidden inheritance, a glitch in his Arcana bloodline that makes him a Void Reaper – a class that bends the very laws of power.Instead of leveling up through training towers, his strength comes from a terrifying skill: [Soul Devour].To grow stronger, he must consume the very souls of the monsters he kills—absorbing their power and broken memories at the cost of his own humanity. Each level increases his [Soul Corruption], flooding his mind with the whispers of everything he has devoured.His path leads to unlocking a sealed skill tree: [Revenant Calling]—a dark art that lets him drag the echoes of powerful monsters back from the abyss to fight at his side.His greatest summon is Umbraxis, a glitching shadow-dragon forged from the soul of a Gate Guardian, its roar like static and its flames are pure void energy.Now Michael is hunted by a black-ops DGC unit known as “The Ghosts,”the unit brands him “Anomaly Echo-01”, part of the same conspiracy (Project Chimera) that destroyed his family.To survive,To Revenge.He teams up with three outcasts:Jinx – a pink-haired street rat with razor-sharp instincts, raised in the alleys of New York and willing to do anything to stay alive.Chloe – a cold, calculating strategist who treats Michael like a weapon, yet hides fierce loyalty and protective care.Jax –a demolitions 'artist' who communicates primarily through C-4 and swears Michael's void powers would be perfect for “teleporting grenades directly into a monster's stomach.”Together, they’ll dive into the heart of New York’s Gates to uncover the truth about his mother.But every soul he devours makes the monster inside him strongr.and when your greatest weapon is a dragon born of your own sins, how long before you stop being human?

Everyone told Wei Yingluo that her sister had taken her own life. But the mark left on the corpse told a different story. To unearth the truth, she entered the Forbidden City during Emperor Qianlong’s 6th year of reign.

After investigation, she found her sister’s death related to Prince Hongzhou, and became determined to avenge her. The kind Empress Fucha, worried that Yingluo would stray onto the wrong path, took her under her wing. With the help of the Empress, Wei Yingluo grew to be an honest and strong female official in the palace, letting go of her resentment and living her life seriously from then on.

Yet the Empress passed away unfortunately, causing Yingluo to misunderstand Emperor Qianlong. Hostile against each other, could they understand and support each other in the end?

- Description from Novelupdates