The Author's Playground - Chapter 21: Storm is Approaching (2)

In a world where power is dictated by gangs, cities, and families ranked from Tier 1 to Tier 6, only the strongest survive. In the Tier 4 city of Blackridge, fifteen-year-old Elijah struggles to find his place. With his mother working tirelessly and his younger sister depending on him, he has always kept his head down.Determined to rise above the chaos, Elijah and his best friend Kai decide to create their own gang from nothing. But strength in this world isn’t given—it’s taken. The gangs that rule Blackridge won’t tolerate competition, and even the weakest gang has more resources, manpower, and experience than they do. With no money, no reputation, and no clear allies, they must navigate a brutal world of betrayals, violence, and ambition, where every decision could mean life or death.But Elijah is different. He possesses a mysterious system that offers him power—at a cost. As he slowly uncovers its secrets, he realizes that survival is not enough. To protect those he loves, he must become stronger than anyone else. He must climb the ranks, crush the opposition, and seize control of Blackridge’s underworld.But in a world ruled by kings, warlords, and ancient families, the price of power is steep. And when the past comes back to haunt him—when whispers of a forgotten night resurface—Elijah must confront not only his enemies but the truth about himself.In the gang world, the strong rise, the weak perish, and only the ruthless reign supreme.And Elijah? He plans to reign at the very top

Hagoromo Gensou transmigrated to the Naruto world and, through his own efforts, became a prominent figure in the ninja world.Until one day, the newly appointed Five Kage teamed up and ambushed him immorally. It was only then that the system finally appeared, claiming it could help him rise to become the strongest in the ninja world.However...Just as he was about to confront the Five Kage head-on, Gensou silently looked at the first task issued by the system.[Quest: Ninja School Comeback Initiated! Please defeat your dead-last classmate, Uzumaki Naruto.]“System, do you know what year it is now?”[Year 60 of Konoha]“Right now, it's Year 2 of Konoha! Is there something wrong with this system?!”...Many years later, Gensou opened his eyes again, standing on the rooftop of the Chunin Exams building. Looking at the Third Hokage, who was ready for battle, he smirked slightly:“Although it's a few decades early, I finally made it.”[Raw: 火影：我都硬刚五影了，系统才来]

One rule: Survive. Everything else is optional.Reika Kagetsu doesn’t want to be a hero. She just wants to feel—pain, fear, adrenaline—anything to remind her she’s still alive.Tenshiko Academy promised her that.What she got instead? Brutal training. No rest. No second chances. And monsters—inside and out.Now she’s fighting the Shikiban: creatures born from blood, madness, and buried secrets. But the deeper she goes, the more she begins to wonder...What if she’s one of them?Power always comes with a price. And Reika is about to pay it in full.

When Cheng Guang woke up, he realized he had traversed to another world.He had thought his transmigrated identity would be the esteemed Princely Heir to the Duke, but he hadn’t expected an additional (pseudo-) in front of it.It wasn’t tragic, but it definitely wasn’t great either, it was just very helpless.Cheng Guang had thought that being able to be a pseudo-Princely Heir was the biggest cheat in his life, but to his surprise, he was also bound to a system.This system was even more of a scam!It seemed to have bound him three thousand years too early!It started by telling him he had advanced to the Heavenly Human Realm and instructed him to confront the Empress of Great Zhou, who was also in the Heavenly Human Realm.But he was just a small potato!However, wait a second, the Empress of Great Zhou, years later, seems to be just a pushover right now?Cheng Guang became resolute and confident again, I got this!!!