The Human Mask

Nihongo Arata, Just a normal high school boy, living a normal untouched life, at least that's what it looked like to the outside world in Kyoto.

When divine blood flows through your veins, monsters hunts you down until you’re dead. That’s the harsh reality each demigod has to live everyday. Marina is one of them and, because of this, she had to leave her home when she was still a child. Now she has grown up and lives in the Lilies Park, a place in the Otherworld where she meets Shirei, a mysterious demigod who has no memory. Shirei will have to deal with his hidden past to understand why the gods seem to treat him like an enemy, but Marina fears that the journey will only lead to his death. Thus begins the last act of the plan of the forgotten goddess: the queen of masks. I will be posting this story on RoyalRoad.com

Freedom is not without its price, for it is born through suffering. Pain and liberation are inseparably intertwined, and escaping pain is not an option—only by embracing it can one truly break free. In the depths of torment, one discovers that true freedom lies not in avoiding the chains, but in transcending them. One such person is Alypos, who seeks freedom.

Astra woke up in a forest with no recollection of her precious life. The only thing she knew was that she had a system with two parts; one was a Survival System, and the other was a... Wait, what?! A Breeder System?! Finding herself in a forest, Astra now has to survive on her own, fending off the sexual and violent advances of all the other forest inhabitants; none of which are Human! Will Astra be able to survive on this hectic, pleasurable forest? Or will she lose herself to lust? --- Additional Notes: Female MC is pure Woman for now; there is futa, and all the characters are either women or futa. There will be both light hearted moments and dark moments, and this novel is mainly centered around her trying to survive in this new world, all while living her life to the fullest.

In the world of high society, billionaire Devlin Saint Clair is revered for his wealth, charm, and philanthropy. But beneath the façade, Devlin harbors a dark secret: he's a demon, heir to the throne of the underworld. Bound by his father's expectations, Devlin must navigate the treacherous landscape of demon politics to claim the crown. His ruthless ambition knows no bounds, and he'll stop at nothing to achieve his goal. Detective Mirabella "Bella" Thompson is no stranger to darkness. Haunted by a traumatic past, she's built walls around her heart. Alongside her sisters, she's forged a new life in the police force. But when she stumbles upon Devlin's true nature, her world is turned upside down. As their paths collide, Devlin's determined to keep Bella silenced. But she's not one to back down. As they engage in a cat-and-mouse game, Devlin finds himself torn between his loyalty to his family and his growing obsession with the fearless detective. Bella's secrets are her own, but Devlin's determination to uncover them threatens to destroy everything she's built. Can she resist the billionaire's allure, or will his darkness consume her? As the stakes rise, Devlin must choose between his destiny and his desire. Will he sacrifice his humanity for the crown, or will Bella's love redeem him? **Target Audience:] Adult readers (18+) who enjoy paranormal romance, urban fantasy, and suspenseful stories with complex characters and moral ambiguity.

This is a story comprising of two different stories in honor of Domestic Violence month. The stories are short and concise to draw the reader into the perspective of the character.

Caspian inched closer until his lips were mere inches away from Davina's, reeling her in to close the nonexistent gap between their mouths. "Have you ever been kissed, Dimitri?" He asked. Before Davina could lose control after Caspian's cold lips lightly grazed hers, she pushed him away and hurriedly stood up. "My Lord, this is highly unethical!" Her real voice nearly slipped out amid the chaos. "What's unethical about this?" Caspian's face lifted to form an innocent yet devilish smile, he seemed to be enjoying the reaction he got out of her. Flustered, Davina turned her back to him and took deep breaths before speaking more composedly. "We are both men and it wasn't ethical of you to try and... kiss me." The last bit came out as a whisper blown away by the wind. Caspian's chuckle echoed through the woods as he stood up from the bench and faced Davina with a smug look on his face. "Tell me, Dimitri, was I really trying to kiss a man just now?" "W-what do you mean?" Davina stumbled backward as she stared at Caspian in shock and disbelief, unsure of what to do to save herself from that situation. "Let me rephrase my question." Caspian delicately grazed Davina's cheeks with the back of his hand. "Are you really a man?" ***** With a bounty on her head and the need for a place to stay, Davina snuck into the castle of Lendorr, posing as a man in the royal army. Luckily for her, she was able to get away with her ruse easily that is, until she met the mysterious Lord Caspian. She is tasked with being one of his guards all while trying to avoid getting caught by the man who made it his life's mission to ruin her plan. Through a twisted game of deceit, Davina is forced to make a grave choice between Love and the REAL reason why she snuck into the castle.

Nancy Neo was a wanderer, oh yes a restless soul drifting through cities and towns, never tethered to one place for long, she was like a tree with no root. When her family chose to settle in Akin City, a place whispered to be a sanctuary of peace and promise Nancy hoped, for once, to find a semblance of belonging. But beneath Akin City’s polished front lay shadows deeper than she could imagine. Nancy’s days were ordinary, her nights lonelier still, as she wandered the unfamiliar streets, yearning for something she couldn’t name. Little did she know, the modern world she inhabited held an ancient secret. Among the greatest of these: werewolves lived among them, hidden in plain sight, their true nature masked by human guise. One fateful evening, curiosity drew Nancy beyond the city’s borders into the wild fringes of the land. The air was electric under a full moon’s gaze, and the forest seemed to pulse with an energy both intoxicating and forbidden. There, in a hidden glade, she stumbled upon a sight that would alter her life forever—a pack of werewolves celebrating beneath the argent glow, their howls a haunting fear that sent shivers racing down her spine. She thought she was invisible, cloaked by the shadows of the trees. But the pack’s alpha a figure of raw power and grace caught her scent. As the alpha’s gaze locked onto hers, Nancy froze. The breath she had been holding escaped in a startled gasp as recognition struck like lightning. It was Baby, her lover. The truth slammed into her like a chillwave, pulling her into a whirl of disbelief, fear, and heartbreak. Baby wasn’t just a werewolf—he led them. The man she had trusted, the one she thought she knew, was a creature of the night. Caught at the crossroads of two worlds, one fragile and familiar, the other untamed and feral. Nancy was forced to confront the impossible. Could she reconcile her love for Baby with the monstrous truth of his existence? But Akin City held more secrets, and Nancy was about to uncover her own. Beneath the surface of her prosaic life lay a destiny she never anticipated, a path sprinkled with danger, desire, and a power she never knew she possessed. In a city that promised safety, Nancy would learn that peace is an illusion and sometimes, the greatest threats are the ones that lurk within. The moon whispers secrets to those who listen, but beware some truths are meant to remain hidden.

For the sake of his family, Richard married a woman he had never met before. However, his newly wed wife was not only hideous but also viscous, which he only discovered on his wedding day. He thought he would be disgusted by her, but unexpectedly could not help but be attracted to this mysterious woman. What made Richard scratch his head even more, was that her face under the mask seems to be hiding some secret.

Humans are such weak creatures, their only strength is the guns the use. Thinking that they are the masters of Earth but they are wrong. I am the master of earth. I am the apex human.

With the whole globe snowed over, humans are no longer on top of the ladder. Violent aliens have forced humanity into various locations of hiding, and an evil ancient clan reveals itself. Taking control of sanctuaries all over Earth as Mafia Bosses, Dictators, Conquerors, and other forms of leadership, in an attempt to prove which is the strongest amongst them. After being in hiding for three years, humans have begun to acquire "abilities" just from slaying one of these aliens. Shortly after leaving their sanctuary/apocalypse training academy, two old friends, Katsu and Saku, are matched together not only as an academic team, but choosen by the last surviving "Creator of Humanity". Each one is 'blessed' as the vessels for the universe's contemporary forces and use their unique abilities to achieve their own (secretly combative) goals. Accompanying them is a female descendant of the greatest 'unknown' Scandinavian sword fighter. After being revealed to about her destined lineage, and the lost "mythical" history of her highly respected grandmother from the Viking/Valkyrie Age, Shelly is determined to retrieve all of her slain grandmother's stolen weapons from a both physically and magically gifted covenant of witches. If you have a beloved purpose you can't live without, do you truly have any freedom? If you have complete freedom to do or say whatever you desire, do you truly have any purpose worth caring about? [All art is not done by AI but by my good friend Amon-kun] ~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~ WARNING/DISCLAIMER: This series spotlights coincidental parallels between various religious scriptures, and scientific theories but is in no way discrediting or belittling the beliefs of others whether that be Creationist or Evolutionist. The views, ideas, and conversations between characters aren't in any way meant to change anyone's beliefs. The conscious use of certain psychological elements from theistic ideology and out of context holy verses is only to support this fictional plot and it's characters. As well as aid the reader as to how one could theoreticize or philosophicize the plot. Instead of using various conflicting ideologies to shame or undermine those who believe, the intention is for deeper thinking and uniting those who believe peace and tranquility between humanity is most important above all.

Picture this. Five teenagers with five visions, one of which shows the end of the world, with the only common word being “Aregis”. Between them, they must find the truth and prevent it from happening, at the cost of their lives. In their search, they'll come across a world that won't welcome them with open arms. They'll have to choose between saving the world or surviving. Will you read their story? The story of Humanity?

As a former special forces officer, Kenneth felt like she could overcome any obstacles or challenges thrown at her. She believed in her skills and her ability to calmly surmount any problem that might come her way, yet even she couldn’t prepare herself to the new world that greeted her after her tragic death. Waking in a body that wasn’t her own and finding herself to be an a country she didn’t recognize that was filled with wondrous marvels she couldn’t even dream to imagine back in her own war infested world. Now in the body of Kenneth Greywater—an 18-year-old girl, the society she finds herself in is divided among three races: Humans, Fera, and Empaths, each with its own role in maintaining the utopian facade. As Kenneth navigates this unfamiliar world with the memories of her past life intact, she enrolls in Torelan, a prestigious academy where students choose between becoming Fighters or Espers. Drawing on her experience as a military veteran, Kenneth opts for the path of a Fighter, hoping to forge a new, fulfilling existence in Caüs. However, her dreams of peace are shattered as she uncovers disturbing truths about the society she now inhabits. Dark secrets lurk beneath the surface, and Kenneth soon finds herself entangled in unexpected conflicts, pitted against her former kin, the humans. As Kenneth struggles to reconcile her new identity and confront the shadows of her past, she must navigate treacherous alliances and confront formidable adversaries. Amidst the turmoil, she finds herself being tested by the newfound love she has for the country, for her friends and the one she comes to like as well as her duty to her own kind. Will Kenneth uncover the secrets that threaten to unravel everything she knows, or will she succumb to the forces determined to maintain the status quo? +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ This story is a romance but it'll focus a lot more on the action aspect of the novel in the beginning. It will be a bit of a slow burn but definitely worth it in the end.

Luka was the best Alpha the Brightwater Pack ever had. That is, until he loses his mate and everything comes crashing down. Having lost everything he loved and his one real reason for living, he attempts suicide on a human territory, when Victoria intervenes and ruins his plans. She makes it her duty to help the man that 'couldn't be saved,' after he constantly refuses her help. What happens when she uncovers his secrets one by one? Will Victoria give up on him, or will she surprise them both? Who would've thought that she could save him just in the nick of time? Or does she....

Elian Voss, a man with a hobby and addiction for Asian novels, worked remotely from his home as a programmer, whether it was video games or applications for companies. One day, while working on a rather large project, an AI that could change current technology, collapsed. Due to his habit of working and reading a lot every day, he barely rested, and his brain was under a lot of pressure. Unaware, while working on this project, something inside him woke up, and at that moment he collapsed falling deeply asleep. Shortly thereafter, his sister, as usual, went to bring him his food to his room and found him unconscious in his seat. After a check-up at a hospital center, Elian Voss showed no signs of life and was buried in his grave. However, no one realized that Elian Voss was not dead, but in a special state. At that time, humanity did not have the ability to know in what state Elian Voss was. Over the following years, the world experienced transcendental changes. Even, humanity was almost extinct due to a great unprecedented invasion of terrifying creatures, where modern weapons could do nothing against this type of creatures. Just when humanity thought it was going to cease to exist, suddenly subjects with abilities and powers that defied all logic that existed at that time began to appear and, thanks to that, humanity was able to save itself. Thus, humanity knew that it had an extremely powerful hidden power and every time a person awakened this type of power, they entered a state of sleep as if their vital signs disappeared. And so hundreds of years passed, but humanity forgot about a case that occurred a long time ago, Elian Voss still buried in his grave. What will happen when he comes out of that state and wakes up? Discover it in this exciting story!

The author awakens in a world shaped by his own hands and keyboard after hanging himself from a tree. A cruel cultivation world which he had wrote about when his mind was riddled with darkness and depression, after losing his family and even his spouse. The world is filled with those with ruthless ambition, cunning minds, and self-indulging demons who do as they wish. With thorough knowledge of the plot and factions of this world, he uses his creative mind to grasp the opportunities he had written for others in order to truly embrace his second chance! To face the danger of his own design, and to exploit the characters he made! This is the heart of Ren Sheng , and the Way of the Human Sage!

What would you do if the person you raised, turned against you? For that person, you sacrificed your childhood but in the end, they still turned against you. It all began like a dream, a sweet dream to say, then a crack happened but she mended it, then another appeared and she mended it again until it finally broke down. Ely kept the lesson taught by life in the deepest part of her heart. She ran away because she was trying to escape from the truth but she met it again and this time, she lost her innocence, she lost the last bit of humanity she had and she lost the color of her soul and eventually, she submitted herself to the devil who used her gleefully. Silveria, a young King felt his ambitions came first before anything else. He once told a girl, that if he wanted something, he got it and it didn't matter how he got it. He was nicknamed the devil. The devil met this girl who lost the color of her soul and fed on her indifference but soon, he began to thirst for more. Is the devil going to pull her into hell with him or will both find salvation? PS:the cover is not mine so I can take it down if the owner comes by.

In a world consumed by the rat race, Haruto Oshima stood out as a bright student who despised the rat race everyone seemed trapped in. His dream? A life filled with success, excitement, and lots of wealth alongside his middle school girlfriend, Kanna. Haruto devoted himself intensely to his study, Achieving brilliant success in every exam, and took decisive steps toward achieving the life he aimed for. However, everything changed when Haruto's girlfriend Kanna broke up with him during their last year of middle school, leaving him deeply affected. Just as he was suffering from overwhelming sorrow, the world got hit with a virus known as Covid-19! After years of struggle, the world finally recovered from the pandemic, and people resumed their normal lives. However things didn't remain the same for Haruto Oshima, his educational path was suddenly brought to standstill, costing him five years of his educational life. Haruto’s lack of education forced him to do an ordinary job at a mall as a counter boy forcing him to live a life he always hated, plunging him into boredom and eventually into depression. Things keep getting worse for Haruto as his hatred for his own life started increasing day by day, eventually a tragic event hit his life forcing him to join a game named “Smiley Face Game” where players compete against each other in hope of winning millions of dollars. Unaware of the fact that this seemingly innocent game would turn into a “Human Massacre Game!”

Having transmigrated into a fantasy world of magic and knights , the son of humble merchant prioritizes safety above all else. Armed with a system and cautiousness that is sometimes unnecessary watch Gray slowly turn him and his organization into shadows. Hidden and only existing in the night." For a shadow can never be truly destroyed and fought aganist."

a regular man living in the darkness of his failure he wanted to be an actor but life is Harsh for him one day his friend (assistant producer) gave him a offer to work as a actor will he accept it? is the path for him will be easy? what people he going to meet? is he can become an actor?

Sometimes we wonder what really goes on in the head of others, their thoughts, feelings and emotions... But sometimes, what we think we know isn't always the right thing

After a tragic accident Logan James, heir to the powerful MB cooperation, in a coma, his mother, Evelyn Ruby, an expert in brain science and AI. Creates Logan AI 2, an advanced android duplicate of her son. Initially meant to comfort Evelyn. Later had to protect the real Logan Legacy. The android soon begins to develop its own thoughts and emotions, leading to questions its identity and purpose. As Logan Robot AI 2 evolves, Evelyn is torn between viewing the adrois as a creation or a second son. Meanwhile, the real Logan shows faint signs of recovery, ignited a struggle for identity as both fights, Evelyn face an impossible choice: protect the son she is trying to save or allow the Adrian’s to carve out its own existence. Amidst this emotional turmoil, Rowan Gil seeks to destroy the James family and seize control of the company. Now, Logan Robot AI 2 must not only comfront its own existential crisis but also protect the family’s Legacy.

If only one could choose whom they marry, and if only one were not born into a royal family where marriage had to be for political gain. This was how Dalia was set to marry a man from a faraway land, a man rumored to be a monster who always wore a mask to cover his ugly face.

Dimitri was an ordinary man, he lived with his wife and led a honest life. But everything turned for the worst when a big corporation wanted his land to build a casino. After fighting with them for two years he mystirioly got sick and passed away, but beffor passing away he saw his wife smiling and saying on the phone "It's done, now transfer the rest of the money to my account" Seeing all this God took pity on Dimitri and moved his soul in the body of a newborn who died. Join Dimitri in a new world where humans have the power to move seas and destroy mountains. Now in this new world Dimitri who is now named Maximus will incovery one secret after another, make enemy's find friends and build a new world

*WARNING!: MATURE CONTENT* ~•~ "I shouldn't have come out of the house, no, I shouldn't have drank too much, I shouldn't have lost my sense of reasoning, that way I wouldn't have gotten lost in the woods. I'm very, very sorry for interrupting this peaceful gathering and I'll love to go back now" she said out loud, directed her words to everyone she could see and most especially to the male in front of her and got ready to run for her dare life. |•| Growling under his breath, which she thought was weird since humans weren't supposed to be growling, and rapidly moving towards her was a man, not just a man but the most ravishing, mouth-watering, and 'down to earth' most handsome man she has ever seen in her life. Handsome was an understatement. His facial features were well defined and his eyes were beautiful lazy eyes with a color she has never seen, a swirl of silver and red, and it was glowing. . "Mate," he said he got to her. She couldn't look anywhere else, not that she had to, she was being pulled by the mate bond which has been used to bind them from up here, and right then is where its work begins, afresh. . 'I am fucked' she thought as she still couldn't look away, she felt like she was trapped in it. After another long second, she looked around to see the people around staring blatantly at her with a little or maybe more contempt than she's seen in years and immediately, she felt she was in trouble and the feeling made the hair on her skin rise and the need for survival surge. ~•~ 'Layla, who lived her entire life as a human, blissfully unaware of the paranormal world around her accidentally but fatefully walked into the territory of a werewolf pack on a full moon night which happened to be the night they were having a ritual, a means of prayer to the Moin Goddess for abundace. |•| Slowly, she'll learn the reason why she is the first 'Human Luna's to ever exist. But fastly, she'll realize that no matter how far she runs from fate, it'll catch it when it's its time. Author's note: Prior to the warning above, readers below the age of 16 are not advised to continue the journey into the Bane's pack. And taking into consideration the fact that young minds tend to disobey this particular warning, I'll love to emphasize it now, this book is a mature book with explicit mature content. Take heed. |•| This books narration is majorly in a first person's POV, but it switchs at times to a third person's POV. There would be indications in the switch, kindly notice it. |•| And also, please note, English is not my first language, so therefore, I can't be perfect in it. Mistakes will always occur, either typos or me not phrasing well but I promise you'll rarely see it as I'll always try my best to edit to perfection. It won't affect the standard of the book. And in such cases where a typo is noticed, kindly do me the favor of pointing it out in the paragraph comment. Thank you. In the hopes that you have your seat belts fastened, I hereby wish you a safe journey into the Bane Land... I hope you have a joy ride!! |•| And in case you wish to connect with me: IG: @aries.dehela

In a world where monsters lurk hidden in the city of Salem, the population lives in fear while the government dismisses and hides the threat. Citizens face despair and fear, but the government refuses to acknowledge the existence of the monsters and forbids any form of defense. Instead of protecting the people, the government prioritizes capturing the monsters to subject them to experiments and develop biological weapons. In this context, Daemyn Brown (Dark Human), an individual sent by a cult with the mission to eradicate the monsters, and Adam Mirren, an agent of the organization in charge of capturing the monsters and delivering them to the government for its experiments, cross paths. Although both pursue opposing goals, neither is completely sure of their true mission.

After going through a lot of unusual events,Mary and her brother(Jack) moved to a small village.The villagers all seemed nice until a month later her brother disappeared.That's when her new life started falling apart.

The Non-Human Society is a shell of its former self. Its members are scattered and in hiding, and few if any have the will to fight any longer. Joining the Society, Renn has a single goal. To no longer be alone. Yet her membership comes at a price. Renn joins Vim, the Societies Protector, in hopes of preserving the last chance she has at finding a home and a place to belong. What to expect? - An immersive world-building and character focused story! - A typical, but fleshed out, low-fantasy world. Regrettably, the only numbers that go up here are the chapter and word counts...! And my debt, but let's not talk about that. - A more down to earth, sometimes somber story. But there is hope! - A huge world to get lost in. Lots of content. Over 1M words written already! - Side-Stories! Now released once a month. - A tiny sliver of my heart... forever yours! || Find more on Royal Road and Patreon! ||

Masks. They hold strange powers, given to those who wields them. Among thousands of them, Ten Powers rises as these Masks holds concepts that can only be described as God-like. They are called, the Ten Heralds. Kiyoto is a young man who finds himself wearing a damaged, wooden-carved mask which he can't take off for some unknown reason. To add to his confusion, aside from his name, he cannot seem to remember his past life after waking up. He will then find himself involved in fierce battles and events that will help uncover the mystery of the Mask he is currently wearing...and it's underlying purpose of Change. https://discord.gg/gmh3xfJDfG