Gilded Ashes: When Shadows Reign - Chapter 16: What Strength Is

Amakawa Haruto died before he’d the chance to reunite with his childhood friend who disappeared five years ago. Rio, a young boy living in the slums seeks revenge for his mother who was murdered in cold blood in front of him when he was only five years of age.

There exists the earth many knows of and there exists an alternate world. Two people, each with their own backgrounds and values. For odd reasons, the memories and personality of Haruto, one who should have died resurrects in Rio’s body. As the two are confused over their memories and personality fusing together, Rio (Haruto) decides to live in this new world.

Along with Haruto’s memories, Rio awakens an unknown but special power. If he’s to use it, it looks as if he can live a better life, but before that, Rio encountered a kidnapping which results in involving the two princesses of the Bertam Kingdom.

After saving the princesses, Rio is given a scholarship to attend the Royal Academy, a school for the rich and powerful. His background being a poor orphan who once lived in the slums, the school full of nobles was rather a detestable place to stay at.

That year, the Akatsuki was still hiding in Rain Village.That year, Konan wasn't relieved from the pain of losing Yahiko yet.That year, an unfamiliar live exam space pulled the Akatsuki group in.It asked:What was the reason Akatsuki was destroyed before the Fourth Shinobi War?A: The unrealistic goal of peace in the shinobi world.B: It's too weak to resist the coalition of the shinobis.C: Members of the Akatsuki organization took off their clothes in battle.D: Deception by internal members from beginning to end.Pain: “The most unlikely is the most likely, I choose C.”Which of the following characters is not an undercover agent of Konoha?A: Konan.B: Uchiha Itachi.C: Pain.D: Uchiha Obito.Pain looked at the sweating Uchiha Itachi.“Red, what do you think of this question?”P.s: For the fairness of this exam, everything was broadcasted live to the Ninja World!

“This guy, how heavy is his taste, he’s still able to eat?” Waking up, she looked at her reflection in the mirror, explosive hair, tattoos, and a demon-like face. Look at her for more than a second and you’ll have spicy eyes (your eyes will bleed-aka she looks really ugly).

Alexis an outcast, a “Hunted” yet able to hide under their noses, desiring to live at every cost. Even if it meant pretending to be a man.But she was also once one of the moon goddess’s three pillars. She was in charge of assigning mates, but her curiosity into what it would feel like to have a mate, to fall in love was considered a breach of rules.The goddess’s three pillars do not fall in love! It was forbidden.So she was sentenced, removed and reduced to the status of a mere werewolf. Her memories were wiped and she no longer knew what she once was, not even after her rebirth.In a world of werewolves where shifting was a must, what would happen to her? A girl who never shifted? Never manifested.What would she do now, suddenly having found herself struck with a heat cycle—something she had never once experienced. She was abnormal, never manifested, yet, there she stood in the middle of hundreds of guests drowning in her sudden heat that one way or the other drew his attention.Keelion Fane. The one who should have never known.He is the leader of the pack, but he is feared—said to be cold-hearted and cruel. He is an alpha who hasn’t found his mate for so long that he had no choice but to find a substitute.But Alexis was stuck. With nowhere to run, in his grasp.She…was doomed.