MTL - The Lord of the Rings: Lords of Middle-earth - Chapter 268 Extinguishment of the Fire of Udun

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?

Xion Aijawa thought his life was finally coming together. That is, until he tried saving a cat stuck in a tree, fell into a pit, and... diedIn his disoriented sate of “Freshly dead” the silly Xion accepted a strange request and ended up transmigrating into the world full of dungeons and Mana.He became illegitimate child of Marquis family hated by his three siblings.According to the memory of the original owner of the body, Xion only had a month to live.So, taking the cover of the banquet, Xion ran away. Aided by a mysterious Mall System, he makes his way to the distant borderlands, hoping to put his past behind him.But fate has other plans-. Xion ends up saving Darius Rael Darkhelm, the feared Archduke of the North, notorious for his ruthless and deranged nature.The silly Xion tried to run away but...Xion's heart thumped loudly as Darius effortlessly pinned his wrists using only one hand.“I've heard you tried to run away.”Darius gently caressed Xion's pale cheek, “That must be a lie... After all, I've given you things even the royal family can't have. Isn't that right, my dear healer?”Xion gulped when Darius's thumb brushed his lower lip as a chilling smirk remained on his handsome face.“I-I think I should leave, Your Grace. I've overstayed my welcome...”The room grew cold, and struggling Xion shivered.Darius's green eyes dimmed before lighting up with a dangerous glint.Xion felt a pit growing in his stomach when he saw the deranged archduke smile. Darius never smiled. And whenever he did, it only meant trouble.“You're right,” Darius said calmly. “So, let's get married.”Xion “...!!!!”

Ethan's head throbbed violently as he opened his eyes, his vision hazy and unfocused. A dull ringing filled his ears, drowning out his thoughts.“What’s happening…?” he thought, his mind sluggish, struggling to catch up with reality. One moment, he was asleep—or at least, he thought he was—and the next, searing pain forced him awake.His vision swam, shapes blurring together in a disorienting mess. But then, muffled noises filtered through the haze—frantic, panicked sounds. Someone was trying to scream, their voice smothered, choked by something.A cold shiver ran down his spine.As his sight gradually sharpened, Ethan's breath hitched.He was on all fours, looming over someone. A girl.Her body twisted and writhed beneath him, ropes biting into her wrists and ankles. Her mouth was gagged, muffling her cries. Her wide brown eyes, brimming with fear and fury, glared up at him.Ethan's body locked in place, his blood running cold.“What the…?” His mind reeled, thoughts slamming into each other in chaotic disarray. “What kind of bizarre dream is this?”Panic clawed at his chest. His breath came in ragged, uneven gasps as he scrambled backward, only to realize his limbs felt sluggish, uncooperative, like they didn’t belong to him.“Is this… is this some kind of twisted fantasy I never knew I had?” A sickening thought slithered through his mind, making his stomach churn.The girl's frantic squirming slowed for a moment, her gaze flickering with confusion as she took in his expression—his trembling hands, his wide, horrified eyes. But the fear returned just as quickly. She struggled harder, her body arching, her muffled screams rising in pitch.Ethan wanted to speak, to say something, anything, but before he could force out a word, a glowing blue window materialized before his eyes.His breath caught.A translucent, hovering screen?“What…?”Lines of glowing text scrolled across its surface.---[System Activated…][Host Confirmed.][Simulating Previous Data…]Ethan awakens in a mysterious world, shackled by a curse that clouds his judgment and drives him toward choices he never wished to make. Burdened by guilt and responsibility, he must navigate the fallout of his actions while unraveling the truth behind the curse—and his place in this enigmatic new reality.