I Was a Sword When I Reincarnated - Chapter 45: Return of the A Rank

(Alternative title: I Can Cut Through Anything)...After dying from overwork, Riven is reincarnated into a war-torn world where holy power and arcane magic clash for dominance. Born into poverty and orphaned at twelve, he survives with his younger sister by scavenging weapons from the corpses of fallen soldiers.That is, until he finds a gravely wounded woman in front of his house.Moved by a strange sense of compassion, Riven saves her life—unaware that she is the infamous Mad Queen, a ruthless monarch who slaughtered her entire royal bloodline.In return for his kindness, she teaches him how to wield a sword—an art that awakens a terrifying power within him: the ability to cut through anything.But power comes at a cost. Her gaze shifts from gratitude to obsession. And now, bound by a twisted marriage to a queen whose love is as dangerous as her blade, Riven must decide: will he run from her... or embrace the madness she offers?---Author's NoteHi everyone, I’m a new author here.To be honest, I got tired of the same old harem tropes—stories where the male lead collects girls like trophies without any real emotional depth. So I decided to write something different.This is a dark fantasy romance centered around one woman only: a yandere queen whose love is as dangerous as her power.Yes, the story contains R-rated scenes—expect some heat.But it’s not just about that.This novel will dive into:Deep character development,The twisted yet intimate relationship between Riven and the Queen,A complex world filled with arcane powers and divine magic,Royal politics and war,And Riven’s journey to become the strongest swordsman in the world.As a beginner, I genuinely welcome any feedback, comments, or even low ratings. Whether you give me five stars or just one, it’ll help me improve—and I truly appreciate it.Thank you for reading.I hope you enjoy the madness.

A broken prince, a shadowy scheme, all that amidst a bloody fight for a throne wrongly succeeded. Join a group of youngsters as they take their first steps into the martial world, towards the grandest adventure of their lives. It all begins in a certain inn, set against verdant mountains and facing a scenic lake.

“Bring us your finest wine and best meat!” Yelled a hulking man who seemed to be the leader of the dozen strong group.

“How much?” The waiter anxiously nodded his head.

“As much as you have!” The hulking man yelled back.

“That’s…”

“HUH?” The hulking man shot the waiter a furious glare.

“Dear guests, our inn operates on the principle of ‘pay first, dishes later’. As such, it will be better if you tell us exactly how much meat and wine you need.” Xiao Se returned their furious stares with a thin smile.

“Who are you supposed to be?” The hulking man eyed him with bulging eyes.

“This humble one is known as Xiao Se, the owner of this inn, the Fallen Snow Villa.” Xiao Se replied with the same smile and with a level of courtesy worth a solid 12/10.

“Well, we have no money.” The hulking man stabbed his blade into one of the nearby tables.

“Oh?”

“But I’m sure you have some!” The man pointed his finger at Xiao Se.

At that, Xiao Se furiously shook his head. “I’m sorry to break it to you but our little inn hasn’t made a single sale in almost a month. I’m about to owe them salaries myself…”

“Like hell if I care!” The hulking man smashed his palm down on the table. “Even if you have no money, that fur coat of yours should at least be worth a hundred odd silvers.”

“NONSENSE!” Yelled Xiao Se, eyes wide open and gaze as sharp as daggers.

The hulking man was stunned, his body even shivering involuntarily for that split second.

“I, Xiao Se, ride only the finest horse and wear only the richest threads! This fur coat of mine was specially sewn by some of the finest seamstresses in the imperial capital in the August Threads. Just sewing it took three whole months, shipping it, another one. Hmph, a hundred silvers? That’s not even enough to buy the sleeves of my coat!”

She, the top goddess in the showbiz, officially announced her marriage, with her husband's identity remaining a mystery.One day, a news story went viral claiming that she was seen entering a villa with a strange man in the midnight and didn't leave until morning.Someone recognized the man as a financial tycoon, who is mysterious and low-key, and no one dares to offend him.That day, she clarified the rumors during a live broadcast, “It's all rumors. Please don't misunderstand. We are just friends.”Just then, he himself stepped up and said, “That's right. We're just friends for now.”...Everyone knew that their marriage was just a commercial arrangement devoid of any real emotion; otherwise, he wouldn't have left his wife to go abroad for two years right after their wedding.Just when everyone was waiting for their divorce, a secretly shot video suddenly went viral online.In the courtyard, the man who was always casual, proud, and superior, knelt on one knee in a pious posture, massaging the woman's ankle. His low and sexy voice captivated everyone watching the video as he said, “Sweetie, would you like to remarry me?”Damn! It's so sweet!

The call of the nightmare realm cannot be denied, the woven fate is inevitable.

His ability to travel to the nightmare realm granted him immortality but also pit him with an unfamiliar world, curses and magics unseen before in the real world.

Monsters of unknown origin, macabre beasts and horrors beyond the ken of man have taken the place of old inhabitants of a once glorious civilization.

Now under the light of the Clairvoyant Moon the nightmare realm is on the verge of destruction. Here you will find dishonorable knights, mad sorcerers, twisted alchemist, the malformed Lost Ones and the vestiges of old gods all converging in a dead world.

But there are also those who seek to undo the curse, to restore the world. There are scavengers that only want to survive, the seekers of truth that seek the secrets of old.

And then there’s Aldrich who plans to exploit the resources and powers of the nightmare realm to achieve his own goals.

The epic tale of struggle against impossible odds and enemies bigger than life.

What Aldrich will find outside his little village will not just test the limits of his will, but also his sanity.

****

Aldrich, is a fifteen year old boy, living in a small village called Wakefield, he dreams of being a Crestmaster.

On the day Aldrich awakens his Crest, Wakefield is attacked and burned.

He is the only survivor, barely making it out with a mysterious gift, a heavy mission and dire warnings to never turn back.

He is then told to forget about what he saw and the innocent villagers that died, to never ask questions. All things Aldrich could never do.

One day he will uncover the forces behind the massacre and take his revenge. But for now he will lower his head and pretend that nothing has happened.

For now.