Stray Cat Strut - Chapter Sixty-Eight - Darkness

Parents dead, clan exterminated, body burned, hands mutilated, inflicted with innumerable diseases, tossed into the dump, and even the magic ring with the ghostly grandpa in it has been sabotaged. A reasonable person would roll over and die. Tian isn't that reasonable. And as it happens, neither is Grandpa Jun. A very tough kid meets a very cunning old man. And together, they will shake the heavens. What to expect:-1 chapter a day M-F. Volume 1 is already complete.-2k words per chapter (aprox, some run long) with a longer first chapter.-No Harem-Earned power growth-An MC who isn't a goodie two shoes OR an edge-lord psychopath-A power system based on actual Daoism -Sects, giant monsters, natural treasures, flying swords, spells, talismans, secret arts, and a gentle sprinkling of young masters whose face need rearranging.

Aries Aime Heathcliffe. A princess from the small kingdom of Rikhill was loved by all. With her beauty that was enchantingly demure and a wise mind, she had caught a lot of attention and captured the hearts of many. One of them was the dashing crown prince of the Maganti Empire.

Overcome by the desire to have her and his interest in the land of the small kingdom, the crown prince of the said empire would stop at nothing. The knights from the Maganti Empire marched across the masses and seized the four-hundred-year-old kingdom of Rikhill.

The kingdom of Rikhill fell into ruin overnight. The crown prince left no members of the royal family alive aside from his war trophy, Aries. After suffering in his hands, Aries found the perfect chance to escape.

That was when he took her to the world summit. A gathering of each sovereign from each kingdom and empire for peace talks.

There, she met the emperor of Haimirich, Eustass Silvestri Abel Bloodworth. Overwhelm by desperation, Aries begged him to take her in. It was too late when she realized that the man she asked for help was far more cruel, twisted, and downright diabolical than the crown prince for taking her as his… pet!

EXCERPT:

With a pair of crimson eyes hovering over her, Aries held her breath. When the corner of his lips curled up devilishly, she couldn’t react fast as he swiftly flipped their position. She only realized it when she was saddling him, gazing down at Abel, wide-eyed.

“No one is above me in this empire and even out — not even the law, but look at you,” he intoned with a devilish smirk. “Staring down on me… so daunting.”

Aries bit her lip, planting her palm on her inked chest. “Your Majesty…”

“Do you now understand the power you hold, darling?” Abel carefully wrapped his fingers around her wrist, chuffed by her reaction. “Only you, Aries, may go above me and the only person in this world who can look down on me. No one else.”

He raised an arm and ran his fingers through the side of her hair, settling his palm on the back of her head before he pulled her down until her face was a palm length away from him.

“You better use this at your own disposal,” he whispered, tilting his head as he lifted it up to claim what’s his. HER.

Meet Eustass Silvestri Abel Bloodworth, the sadistic tyrant, who reigned an empire with an iron fist. With his pet, Aries’ increasing presence in his boring, dark life, he was set to kill her. But alas, every time he thought of taking her life, he finds himself changing his mind.

The more he kept her by his side, the more it got harder to dispose of her. And the more he yearned for something deeper and darker... it was driving him insane.

With a secret he was keeping from her, what would Abel do if Aries found out about the rotting truth behind the empire and the emperor? Would he kill her? Or kiss her? Perhaps cage her?

And if she found out that Abel wasn’t just a normal human, would she try to escape? Or would she accept that he wasn’t just a demon incarnate?

In a complicated world that tainted them black, was love even possible to bloom between a pet and her master? Watch as these two play the dangerous and insane game of love and lust.

Who would be the master and the pet? Who was the prey? Read to find out more.

The Bootlicking Antagonist Wants to Survive, but Female Lead refuses to follow the plotOne car accident and I’m transported into a city power fantasy as the villain. As long as I survive until the grand finale, I can return to the real world with hefty rewards. But! These stunning beauties don’t go to serve as the protagonist’s harem, they surround me every day. Are they not satisfied with how slowly I’m dying? Stop wearing stockings, stop wearing uniforms, what’s with all of you trying to seduce me? To find Long Aotian! Since destiny is in my hands, I might as well challenge the protagonist directly! Who’s the protagonist, damn it, who knows!

When a Medical student awakens in an infant's body in the deadly Hidden Mist Village, he knows surviving will require more than just his memories of a past life. In a world where children are forced to kill each other and bloodline abilities mark their wielders for death, Ren must carefully balance hiding his true potential while gathering enough strength to change the village's dark future. As Kirigakure descends into an era of unprecedented brutality, this reincarnated soul will discover that the deadliest technique isn't found in forbidden scrolls - it's knowing exactly when to reveal your true power.Fair Warning:This is a slow-burn story - no overpowered MC from the startPower progression is realistic and earned through years of dedicated trainingContains graphic violence and deathStory builds gradually with careful character and plot developmentWhat to Expect:Detailed training arcs and power progressionClever manipulation of future events using foreknowledgeOriginal story arcs and character development[This novel is for readers who enjoy:Smart protagonists who rely on wit over raw powerRealistic skill progression and strategic combatDeep world-building and political intrigueA fresh perspective on the Naruto universe]