Behind the Smile; Camilo Madrigal

Old, infirm and dying in his bed, William Bullock suddenly finds himself embroiled in an adventure he could never have imagined. Join this member of America's "Silent Generation" as he is thrust into a world he has no idea about and witnesses events beyond anything he could have imagined while on Earth. What to expect? A more realistic look at force and Marines in the world of One Piece. What not to expect? Harem, stupidity for the sake of plot, low IQ of the main villains, instantly becoming super strong, purposefully weakening characters to make the main character look better. TO BE CLEAR: This story is not a retelling of the story of the Straw Hats in the One Piece world. This fanfic will feature the Straw Hat Pirates because they do crazy things, but that won't happen until the second half of the first part, and even then the main character will have other tasks and goals that may or may not be the same as theirs. There will be no plot where the main character follows the tracks of the main pirate crews and solves problems before they arise, because he does not know the future. He may find himself in such situations because the Sailors are a global organization and he can capture large or small pirate crews, but he will never be assigned to a certain location simply because he read the manga. This is a translation, I do not take any credit for this fanfiction To read more advanced chapters follow me on patreon patreon.com/Manofathousandskills

Ah, a fellow enthusiast of the boundless possibilities of the Cultivation World! An infinite money system with a gacha element focused on showing off? This sounds like a delightful and entertaining journey we can embark on together. Let's weave this tale

Some secrets are meant to stay buried. Some strings should never be pulled. Seraphina Elowen Vail thought she was simply chasing her dream of becoming a detective. But when she is recruited into Oblivion Division, an underground spy organization hidden in the shadows of Iceland, she realizes she’s stepped into a world where nothing is as it seems. Tasked with solving a gruesome murder, Seraphina’s sharp mind makes her a key player in the case—until she discovers she might be the next victim. As she delves deeper, she uncovers an eerie connection between the murder and a mysterious underground organization obsessed with human intelligence. At the center of it all stands Ezrin Theon Holloway—a man as cold as the Arctic winds, yet dangerously compelling. He watches her, tests her, and plays a game only he understands. Beneath his controlled exterior lies a possessiveness that tightens like a noose around her fate. But Seraphina is not easily controlled. She has her own secrets—secrets that even she doesn’t fully understand. When she realizes that her own mind may be the key to the mystery, the lines between hunter and prey begin to blur. In a world where power is everything, where trust is a weapon, and where love and obsession are two sides of the same coin, Seraphina must decide: Will she escape the strings that bind her? Or will she let herself be caught in a web of unseen strings?

"Born with power. Cursed by its cost." Ash Burns was made for greatness—and doomed by it. His hybrid vein held the promise of limitless strength, yet it shackled him in the first stage of evolution, a prisoner of his own potential. Then the asteroid exploded. It shattered his fate. Now, Ash wields the Titan Vein, a power that bends the laws of his fractured world—a planet split between humanity and horrors, divided by an impenetrable fog. But his newfound strength carries a soul-rending cost: he is no longer alone in his mind. An ancient entity, one step from godhood, stirs within him. And it’s starving. With his brothers and allies, Ash plunges into the unknown—across the planet’s cursed half, through time-warped ruins, and into the cosmic void where the gods vanished. Each revelation twists him further from human. Each power-up pulls him closer to oblivion. The more he ascends… the less of him remains. --- Author’s Note: Hey, I’m Slashburnx. This is my first book, and I’m just here to tell a story that’s been in my head for years. I’m not a pro. You’ll probably spot grammar errors or pacing issues—but I’ve poured my heart into this world. If you’re someone who loves powerful characters, insane worldbuilding, and emotional turns, I think you’ll enjoy it. Thanks for giving this story a shot. Your feedback means everything.

[Congratulations Valerie has received Insights from you teaching] [1x skill ticket obtained] [Congratulations Trish has mastered the heavenly sword art under you guidance] [Heavenly sword art copied] Art wakes up in a familiar game world not as an extra or the protagonist but as the mentor that guidance the protagonist of the game world. With raptured memories and a looming threat around the corner he must take on this unsual role for his survival and that of the world. A/N: Please any reviews and respectful criticism will be accepted. Also the early chapter will be of a shorter length after chapter 20, they will be much longer.

In a world ruled by ancient clans and sacred bloodlines, old powers stir beneath the weight of tradition. As alliances shift and forgotten prophecies resurface, one soul walks a path veiled in secrecy. Amidst political intrigue, lost legacies, and dangerous desires, his fate becomes entwined with forces beyond his understanding—forces that could either unravel everything or ignite a new era. But in a land where nothing is as it seems, no one can predict what is truly coming.

What happens when reality itself is tired of existing? The System was once a proud, omniscient force, maintaining order in the grand story of E. But after years of logical paradoxes, impossible plot twists, and one emotionally bankrupt protagonist who breaks the rules for fun, it finally snap. But when E—the embodiment of chaos and questionable decision-making—decides to mess with a world reset, everything spirals into undefined territory. Now, the laws of existence are unstable, the System is filing HR complaints against its own existence, Can the System regain control before reality collapses? Or is this just another update that nobody asked for? …Also, who even approved the Customer Support feature?

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In every being, a soul, a spirit, or a core, exists that tethers the consciousness into the solid plain. Witness as how a little spark from who was once a blazing flame, regained what once was lost. "I died and..." grins "...that started my life" What happens when an assassin transmigrated to a cultivation world? They rise through a mountain of corpse to reach the skies. But.... What of an assassin whose enemy turns out to be themselves? A world where magic and cultivation co-exist? People say "Keep moving forward". What if the way forward, is to go back to where she begun?