Sword Art Online - Vol 1 Chapter 2

Since the opening of the Dungeon Rifts-- also called D.Rifts or Drift Dimensions, the world has changed. It's become more militaristic and violent-- unpredictable, even. Monsters raze cities and bring diseases that birth new races. Magic exists in a constant state of hyperflux, birthing new powers and changing the functions of old ones.But none of that mattered for Rex. He wasn't a Drift Soldier-- as much as he wanted to be. He didn't have powers-- even if he wished he did, so when he graduated primary school, he expected to get his Drift Armament and find a bit of consistency for once in his life.But you know what they say about expectations......DING![Congratulations! You have awakened the Beast-Totem and unlocked your Werepanther System.][5 Totems Remaining....]*********Extra tags: kingdom building, military, martial arts, overpowered, scifi-fantasy, post-apocalyptic, factions,

“Block him.”“He's technically still my boss.”“Then block him with dignity.”The call ended again.And then started again.I let out a sound somewhere between a growl and a sob, then finally answered with the enthusiasm of a snail crawling through salt.“Yes, Mr. Walton?”“Have you changed your mind yet?”I collapsed onto the towel and gazed at the sky as though it might consume me entirely if I pleaded sweetly enough.“Do you ever take a break?” I asked, shielding my eyes with one hand.“You're avoiding the question.”“Because it's a dumb question.”He exhaled, the sound sharp and irritated even over phone. “It's not a dumb question. It's a business offer.”“It's a weird offer-one that I already said no to.”There was a brief pause, and I could practically hear him clenching his jaw through the speaker.“You are acting unreasonably.”“ Unreasonable?” I sat up. “I'm not the one drafting fake girlfriend contracts like it's a normal Tuesday.”“Isabella-”“Certainly not, Mr. Walton.” I mimicked his tone perfectly. “I told you I'm not doing it. You need to find someone else to play pretend with.”SYNOPSISIsabella Miller thought saying no to her boss’s fake dating offer was the end of the story.But Adrien Walton doesn’t take no—especially not when he’s convinced she’s a gold digger.Suddenly, her student loans are piling up, her father’s vet clinic is on the brink of eviction and her brother is about to be kicked out of college. Coincidence? She thinks not.Adrien Walton is calm, calculating—and he's just pulled every string to corner Isabella into the perfect position.Now she’s stuck choosing between pride and survival.So she agrees to his offer: be his fake girlfriend.No feelings attached. No drama. Just business.Or so she thought.“Conference Room B. Fifteen minutes,” he said, passing by without a glance.The folder he pushed across the table landed with a thud.I opened it. The contract. All of it.---Enemies to lovers? Check.Slow burn? Hmmnyea.Banter so sharp it might file your nails? Yes.Delicious workplace tension? Of course.Tension that could melt steel?Absolutely.Smut?? Wanna find out?Welcome to corporate romance warfare. There’s no escaping this contract.

In a future where humanity has already conquered the galaxy, a whole new realm of mystery and horrors beyond human comprehension opens up to them, the Primordial Expanse.For as long as he could remember, Alex worked in the mines of an asteroid so desolate it didn't even have a name. But to him, this was home.He knew that his future held nothing for him and he would die a lonely and forgotten death just like everyone else stuck on this godforsaken rock.That was, until one day he wakes up to the realisation that he would die soon, as the Primordial Expanse called for him.This mysterious realm is a place of promise and opportunity for many, but for people from the slums of society like Alex, it was only a curse that almost always guaranteed death.Follow Alex on his journey though the Primordial Expanse as he navigates his way through battles, trials and enemies to carve out a space for himself at the peak of the universe.***[WSA 2024]This novel is purely a work of fiction, any names, locations and characters are all made up and do not depict or represent the real world.

Emperor Zi Yu used 5 strikes of his axe to split mountains and unify everyone underneath the heavens. He partitioned the land into 9 areas, thus establishing the Nine Cauldrons which eventually became known as the 9 prefectures.