Ninth In the World - Chapter 6 - Primeval Mountain

For decades, mysterious dungeons have been popping up all over the world. The resources found within these dungeons have completely reshaped human society, turning life upside down.In this world, Tsukasa Kisaragi, a high school student and active dungeon explorer, harbors a lingering regret.Back when he first got his explorer license, his social anxiety held him back from forming any party or making friends.But whether it was a blessing or a curse, Tsukasa was born with an extraordinary talent for dungeon exploration. He was so good at it that even solo, he could conquer any dungeon without breaking a sweat. He got used to going it alone, and before he realized it, he had become one of the few EX-rank explorers in all of Japan—so rare they could be counted on one hand.Despite his incredible skills, Tsukasa kept his true identity hidden, living a low-key life. But one day, he stumbled upon something that would change everything: dungeon streaming. And from that moment, his world would never be the same.

An Imperial Scholar by day. An assassin by night.The World of Cultivation has changed.Elemental Mancers. Flux Mancers. Spirit Mancers. Soul Mancers.Raining down fire and splitting oceans. Destroying mountains with a single stomp and calming skies with a glance. Controlling the tides of Karma, while wielding the souls of others like a puppeteer tugging on the Lines of Fate.The most mysterious of them all were Spirit Mancers, a truth that Theron was more than intimately familiar with. Due to one's Tribulation, his life was turned upside down. His family, his rage, his somber sadness becoming nothing more than Bad Karma's fuel for a madman.He was once a gentle young man, a non-combative Water Mancer who wanted nothing more than to read his novels to the sound of the rain and one day become an Imperial Scholar.But now...Everything had changed.He donned a cloak in the silent night as the clouds above gathered. Pulling its hood over his chilling blue eyes, he stalked off into the darkness.The first droplets fell.He would become the nightmare of his enemies, the blade hidden in the shadows of Heaven's tears.The River of the Night.

In his past life, he climbed to the 69th floor, and reached the limit of his potential.

Now, reborn, he has returned to the past, when the almighty Tower first summoned him. He will work his way up again, step by careful step.

This time, he will climb to the top.

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Long time ago, the world was ruled by the Primordials — an ancient and powerful race who mastered magic and shaped the land with runes and magic. They built bastions that stood as monuments to their greatness, cities protected by powerful enchantments. But their thirst for even greater power led to disaster. They opened gates to another realm… and unleashed demons.What followed was swift and brutal. The Primordials fought back, but they lost. Their civilization crumbled, their names were erased, and only the magical bastions remained — sealed places protected by forgotten runes that even demons could not cross.Now, demons rule the night. Humanity lives in fear, hiding behind rune-marked walls, unaware of their true origins or how close the world stands to its final collapse.Into this broken world falls Alex — a stranger from another reality. Upon his arrival, he awakens a forbidden power within himself: nature magic and the ability to shapeshift. A gift… and a curse.Magic is forbidden. Hunted. Destroyed. If anyone discovers what he is, he could be executed on the spot. But only through his power does Alex stand a chance of surviving… and fighting back. As he journeys across this dark and ruined land, he begins to unravel secrets long buried, truths about the demons’ origin, and the real reason the world fell.This is a dark fantasy tale of blood, survival, ancient knowledge, and inner transformation. Alex must choose what he will become: a monster, a savior… or something in between.Hello and welcome to everyone who decided to read my first writing attempts!The story you are reading is created in my free time, so new chapters will be released approximately 3-4 times a week. I run my own business, which sometimes makes it difficult to find a moment to sit down and fully focus on writing.I'm a fan of brutal, bloody scenes – the kind that stay in your mind long after you've finished reading. I have a vivid imagination, and when I write, I see each of these fights clearly, as if they were happening right in front of me: torn bodies, blood spraying, guts... none of that sugar-coated fighting.I try to transfer these images from my head to the page with as much intensity as possible, so you can feel the same tension and thrill that I do while writing.I also want to build a sense of horror – especially when it comes to monsters. I'm not interested in easy enemies. These are meant to be creatures you feel before you see them. The kind that stir fear and force the characters into desperate decisions.I hope you'll enjoy these scenes too – brutal, emotional, and full of darkness.As for the plot, I already have a general outline in my head, so there’s a lot of writing ahead of me. In the future, the story may include R18 scenes, but before that, I want to build a solid world and well-developed characters.If you have any ideas or suggestions, feel free to reach out—I’d love to discuss them, and maybe we can add something interesting to the story!Enjoy the read!