The Swordmaster Who Returned After 1,000 Years - Chapter 186

Ethan Blackwood wasn’t used to being defied. As the CEO of a global empire, he crushed obstacles with a single glance. But when Lily Anderson stood before him, her chin lifted in quiet defiance, and something in him snapped. “Sign the contract,” he said, his voice like ice. “30 days. You’ll obey every command. After that, you’re free.”She hesitated, her fingers trembling as she gripped the pen. “And if I refuse?”His smirk was cold, but his eyes burned. “Then you’ll spend the rest of your life paying off your father’s debts. Your choice.”Trapped, Lily signed. But she vowed one thing: she wouldn’t let him break her.From the first day, their clash was electric. He demanded perfection; she gave him rebellion. “You think you can control me?” she spat, after he criticized her for being late.Ethan stepped closer, his presence overwhelming. “I don’t just control you. Lily, I own you.”But as the days passed, the lines between them blurred. Late nights in his penthouse turned into whispered conversations. His cold demeanor cracked, revealing glimpses of a man haunted by his past. One night, after a heated argument, he pinned her against the wall, his breath hot against her ear. “Why do you fight me so much?”Her voice trembled. “Because I’m afraid if I stop, I’ll lose myself to you.”Their connection deepened, but danger loomed. Secrets from Ethan’s past resurfaced, threatening to destroy everything. When Lily discovered the truth behind his obsession with her, she confronted him. “Was I just a pawn in your game? A way to settle an old score?”His eyes darkened with pain. “You were never just a game, Lily. You’re the only thing that’s ever felt real.”As the final days of their contract approached, their bond was tested like never before. Enemies closed in, and trust hung by a thread. Could they overcome the shadows of their pasts, or would their love crumble under the weight of secrets and pride?

No family, no power, no inheritance — a thrice-lacking protagonist. Just how will the seed rise up from the mud?

- Description from Novelupdates

Akun, along with his classmates, was summoned as heroes by a goddess to save the world from the demon king. Akun, doubting he has what it takes to save the world, asks the goddess to send him back. Little did he know that this request infuriated the goddess. “How dare a mere mortal go against my will,” she thought to herself while maintaining her facade. She opens a portal for him to go back. Little did he know, the goddess had something else in store for him. As he passed through the portal, his soul was separated from his body, and he fell through the sky and earth until he landed in the body of an ant in the godforsaken forest. Left there to die by the hands of the goddess, Akun awakens the “Endless Evolution System.” [Ding!! The Endless Evolution System has been activated!! Grind to gain evolution points and evolve yourself and your comrades!!] “Endless Evolution System? Evolution points?” “Does this mean there’s more to my transformation? Can I evolve even as an ant?” [Ding!! Unique skill detected!! Skill: Super Gamer Shop!! Evolution points can also be used on this skill to buy items!!] Follow Akun on his new epic adventure, and find out exactly what awaits him, maybe some conquest and retribution.

The world is terrorized by the powerful Black Witch who has been sealed in the moon. Every ten years, the night of Hexennacht arrives and a chosen witch must battle the Black Witch in hopes of finally defeating her.

As the current decade’s Hexennacht approaches, a mysterious girl named Kagami Kagami arrives and meets Horinouchi Mitsuru, the daughter of the previous Hexennacht representative.

It takes place between Kyoukai Senjou no Horizon and the City Series, two other series by the author.