Heaven and Hellfire Compiled - Chapter 121 Eighteen: Chained

In a world torn apart by rifts that release dangerous monsters, Espers—humans imbued with powerful abilities—serve as humanity's last line of defense. But the power of an Esper comes with a price. Overuse of their abilities leads to dangerous corruption, a force that can destroy them from the inside out. This is where Guides come in: individuals with the unique ability to calm the corruption within Espers and restore their balance.Rowan Mercer, an S-class Guide, is one of the best in his field, capable of stabilizing even the most dangerous Espers. He has worked quietly behind the scenes, helping those in need, but his life takes a dramatic turn when he is called to work with Lucian Vaughn, an S-class Esper whose immense power and unstable corruption levels make him a dangerous threat to himself and others.Lucian, a tall, stoic, and enigmatic figure, has long fought against the growing corruption within him. At first, his relationship with Rowan is purely professional—Rowan as his Guide, helping him to stay in control. However, as their interactions grow more frequent, their bond deepens in ways neither expected. What started as a simple duty soon turns into a complex relationship where power, trust, and vulnerability collide.As the world around them faces escalating threats from rifts, Rowan and Lucian must navigate not only their personal challenges but also the dangerous world of Espers and Guides. Their bond will be tested as they fight together against the corrupting forces that threaten them both.In Corrupted Bonds, survival isn’t just about battling monsters from the rifts—it's about fighting the darkness within themselves and finding a way to stay connected in a world that’s constantly pulling them apart.

The era of Universal Lordship has come to this world, bringing many opportunities and challenges for humans.At the age of eighteen, each person can acquire territory and participate in the Lord's continent, which will determine whether they can move into a vast world or die in mediocrity.Thousands of years after the start of this era Neo looked up at the sky waiting for his opportunity, the opportunity to change his life and move toward a grander goal.All lords choose an easy route and select a race that already exists but he wished to go against the current, so even if it was looked down upon he created his own race bravely and swore to fight tooth and nail for success.This is the story of his journey as he walks step by step toward a grander future.

An AI calling itself Schema has assimilated earth into its system. As a consequence, everyone gained access to status screens, power-ups, and skills. This AI turned these concepts from fiction to fact. It's easy to become intoxicated with leveling up and becoming stronger. To some, it's too good to be true like living out a dream.

For Daniel, however, it's closer to a nightmare.

He's in a bit of a predicament. Cracks in our dimensional fabric have unleashed terrifying beasts from dark, abyssal places. Schema organizes these cracks into dungeons, giving the native species of the planet a chance to fight back. Daniel finds himself trapped in one of these dungeons. Not long after, he discovers there's only one way out.

Overnight, the gated community Qin Ziwen lives in transmigrates to a primeval wilderness world with anomalous creatures. All residents are struggling to survive.After the community residents arduously adapt, they discover in despair that it is only the beginning.Every time they survive for a period, the community continues to transmigrate to even more dangerous regions.Fortunately, there is always a way out. Each home of the community residents is an expandable folding space. As long as they can obtain Cards, they can construct buildings, cultivate farmland, dig for water sources, raise pets, and even establish recruitment centers inside...Qin Ziwen awakens the Daily Rating System.Every night after midnight, it evaluates his performance for the day and dispenses rewards according to his score.“A survival game? I thought I was playing a management game.”