The Red Queen of Nothing - Chapter 16: Vow of Loyalty

The year is 407 AD and Rome is at the precipice. In the West, a usurper by the name of Flavius Claudius Constantinus has declared himself emperor. By doing this, he and his traitor legions have fractured the Western Roman Empire into two. At the same time, the north bleeds! Countless germans swarm across the borders of the Empire and pillage its lands in their ruthless raids. Alaric, King of the Goths, rises to a position of prominence and threatens the ancient capital of the dying Empire with his barbarian hordes. As if things weren't bad enough, rumors from the east state that a mysterious power rises within the fogs of war, threatening to drown the Empire in a river of blood.

As a response to these threats, the indolent emperor Honorius has given orders to his supreme commander Flavius Stilicho to reclaim the province of Gaul from the usurper. However, should he leave the heartland of the Empire undefended, undoubtedly Alaric would invade. Thus, under the threat of barbarians at the gates, Stilicho dispatches a young roman general by the name of Titus Claudius Marcellus to bring an end to the reign of the usurper. Will Rome fall to the tides of barbarians and traitors alike? Or can Marcellus restore a world collapsing around him? Find out in Heir of Aurelian!

“As if I’d marry an ugly woman like you!”

When he returned to the World of Martial Arts, the game was filled with blood and battles! Chen Kaixin had chased after the footsteps of the one emperor, two empresses, three princes, seven dukes, and thirteen aces for three years, but during the eve of the Sword Among Us tournament in Mount Hua, he was ambushed by evil bastards, and was killed so much that his level dropped to that of a newbie. He completely lost the chance to join the ranks of the powerful players in the game! In great disappointment, Kaixin quit the game and got drunk so that he could forget his sadness, but during that stormy night, Chen Kaixin found that he had actually dreamed for a total of three years, because when he woke up again, he woke up to three years ago, when he was still a student.

- Description from Novelupdates

Ethan Cole was, by all appearances, an ordinary young man navigating the familiar ups and downs of life—until the night everything changed. That was when he encountered the “Unlimited System.” This mysterious system didn’t merely make Ethan wealthy—it granted him unimaginable riches and set him on a path that was both exhilarating and perilous. The catch? Each mission the system assigns doesn’t just test his wit and resolve; it also unlocks incredible powers, elevating him to new heights of strength and influence. But this isn’t just a tale of lavish spending and indulgence—though those moments certainly add flavor! Ethan’s journey is laced with challenges, each step bringing him closer to reshaping his destiny. From building NovaTech Innovations into a technological marvel to buying a football club and even creating an app poised to revolutionize the food delivery industry, Ethan’s rise is nothing short of meteoric. And yet, the further he climbs, the more he discovers the shadows lurking behind his newfound success. Beneath the surface lies a hidden world—a world ruled by the Great Families, an elite group whose wealth is only part of their power. For these families, strength is the ultimate currency, and disputes are settled not in boardrooms but in combat arenas. Whether through sparring matches or life-and-death duels, they prove their dominance with skill, strategy, and sheer might. Drawn into this dangerous realm of secret societies, high-stakes confrontations, and unrelenting ambition, Ethan must use every ounce of his intelligence, strength, and ingenuity to navigate the intricate web of power that surrounds him. Expect a whirlwind of twists, heart-pounding action, and moments of sheer wonder. From outsmarting ruthless rivals to unraveling the enigmatic traditions of the elite families, Ethan’s journey is as unpredictable as it is thrilling. It’s a story where rules bend, reality tilts, and every turn brings something unexpected.