Within a Hollow Heart - Chapter 116: Volume 2, : “Torn Between Shadows”

After waking up in the world of ancient Greek mythology, I became a stunningly beautiful young shepherd boy named Eros.Life was carefree, there was always enough to eat and wear, but it was, well... painfully lonely.Until one day, I met her by the river.A girl whose beauty and personality both struck straight into my heart like lightning.We fell in love instantly, sparks flying between us.Then came the twist.After one steamy encounter, the sky suddenly darkened.A majestic figure appeared before me, none other than the Queen of the Gods, Hera herself.“Who are you?” I asked in shock.But the girl in my arms answered before I could finish.“She is Queen Hera,” she said with a mysterious smile.I was stunned. My mind raced.“Then who are you?” I asked nervously.“Are you Hebe, the Goddess of Youth? Or some other goddess?”She shook her head.“No,” she said softly. Her lips curved into a teasing grin.“I’m Zeus, the King of the Gods. So... wanna be my (XXXX)?”***This is a translation all credits to the author***Book cover not mineNote:Some readers might feel that “genderbending” contradicts the mythological setting, so here’s my explanation:First of all, Zeus has always been fluid in gender representation as were many of the early Greek deities.Also, the protagonist’s name isn’t random.Eros, the original primordial god of love symbolized the raw force of love and desire that brought life into being. Before Eros existed, the gods reproduced asexually, without love or union.So in this story, we’re following a timeline where Eros was never born, and Gaia modeled Uranus on herself instead.This is that alternate world.

There came a sudden ravage by monstrous creatures in a civilian world, leaving humanity's hope to lurk in shadows. Hunters, trained in special schools, wield potential and abilities that enabled them keep the beasts at bay.For Buji, life’s difficulties stem not from being an orphan, but from relentless bullying. Nicknamed “the weakling,” he detests the label but bears it forcefully since he could do nothing.When he transfers to a new school to join his foster sister, Buji thought things would be different. But, during the Awakening Ceremony of the school, he find out a shocking truth: he's was going to be an S-Rank hunter without a talent.Awakening no talent only added more difficulty to his life struggle as he was branded an outcast.On the verge of death during his first raid, Buji awakens an enigmatic system.[Host Found][Survival due to inheritance][Congrats, you have gained the status of a 'player'.][The player, upon leveling up will awaken a potent monster][Class: Animagus | Type: Snake | Aspect: Venom][Do you accept?]Given the choice to embrace a monstrous path, Buji seizes it with unyielding resolve.'If becoming a monster is my only path to strength, I’ll take it—and the world will regret casting me aside. Fighting against these hunters was going to be a job, but imagine a world where I had control over monsters, had my own monster kingdom, and becoming the strongest of all. Stepping on these hunters won’t be a deal anyway.'“Yes!”

Apollo Kaiser, a boy who bore the unlucky fate of being unable to grow strong, was condemned by his family.

Discarded by his mother and abused by others, Apollo gives in to his rage.

However, this action results in his death. Many would believe it to be the end, but Apollo's death was a required catalyst.

The Demon Monarch System finds its heir and attaches to his soul, bringing him to a new world where he starts his journey to supremacy.

This difficult journey rife with conflict, conquest, and brutality shall serve as Apollo's temperance.

Watch as the heir of the Demon Monarch rises above all, conquers Sin, subjugates unthinkable enemies, and even brings about the destruction of worlds!

The rise of the next Demon Monarch begins...

Angel Johnson was a waitress struggling to make ends meet when an unexpected contract with Tryson Bliss, one of City Y's most powerful and ruthless billionaires, changed everything.Tryson needed a fiancée to appease his demanding family, and Angel, desperate for money and a way out of her humdrum life, agreed to play the part.What began as a calculated arrangement soon evolved into something neither of them expected—an intense and forbidden connection.But when Tryson's family uncovers Angel's true motives, they cast her out with venomous disdain.Humiliated and heartbroken, Angel's last hope is confronting Tryson. But instead of an apology or a chance at redemption, she finds herself shattered when he declares that he has chosen his first love, Riley, the woman he was preparing to marry.Devastated and with only her pride left, Angel walks away, determined to rebuild her life alone.Two months later, Angel is lost in the pulse of the music at a dark, crowded bar, seeking refuge in anonymity.A hand seizes her from behind, and her breath catches as she turns to face the man she can't forget—Tryson.His eyes, once cold and calculating, are now stormy with raw emotion, and he pulls her into his orbit, holding out the contract she once signed. “We haven't finished our work, Angel. The contract says you have a year left to be my fiancée. Don't tell me you're planning on breaching it now.”With no choice but to comply, Angel moves back into the house that once rejected her.But to her surprise, the family she once loathed now welcomes her with unexpected warmth and kindness.As she navigates this unsettling shift, Angel is left to wonder—what has changed, and why?What secrets do they hide that could alter everything she thought she knew about Tryson and his family?And as Angel's heart begins to thaw, she's confronted with the hardest question of all: Can she keep the secrets she's hidden from Tryson?And will Tryson fight for her love a second time, despite everything that has come between them?