machiavellian

Ethan Cole was just an average college student with a taste for dark fantasy novels until he’s inexplicably thrust into the heart of “The Eternal Sovereign,” a brutal, high-stakes world he once read about with fascination. Now, trapped in the body of Kael Ardent, a scion of one of the most powerful cultivation families, Ethan is no longer just a reader; he’s a player in a deadly game of power and manipulation. In this new reality, Ethan has no intention of mending the broken legacy of his family. Instead, he embraces his ruthless, pragmatic side, driven by a singular goal: personal domination. Armed with intimate knowledge of the novel’s plot, Kael leverages every opportunity to advance his own interests. From stealing pivotal opportunities to orchestrating the fall of influential characters, Kael’s methods are ruthless and unrelenting. He’ll betray allies, eliminate rivals, and manipulate events with a cold, strategic mind, all to carve out his own path to power. With each move, he transforms the intricate world of cultivation and politics into a battlefield where he reigns supreme. In a realm where every decision could mean life or death, Kael’s ascent is marked by calculated cruelty and self-serving ambition. As he navigates treacherous alliances and uncovers dark secrets, his quest for power becomes a high-stakes gamble with no room for mercy. Will Ethan’s ruthless pragmatism and deep knowledge of the novel’s plot make him the ultimate sovereign, or will his relentless pursuit of personal gain lead to his own downfall?

A group of fools in a cafe on just the wrong day before just the wrong person. Death? Death was inevitable. It was Pain where the question remained. Organized crime, drugs, murder, arson, trafficking... anything goes in this city of crooked people. And in this city also goes a quaint little cafe on a bustling little street run by a cheery, worrisome fellow with the tired and "Cursed by Lady Luck" barista. Their days just took a sharp turn. For the better or worse... Who knows. And then there's the wrong person. No longer human, almost a monster of unparalleled cruelty, with his past behind him and smooth sailing before him. Niz. The human was still there... but before any form of smooth sailing is thrown away by his own two hands as his past catches up to him. To deal with a monster, one must ensure not to become one in the process. Can Niz hold on to the last of his humanity, crying out for him? Join Niz' bleeding soul on his path as he searches for what was taken from him, having to survive the city where anything goes... organized crime, drugs, murder... '...By any means necessary.' ===== Formerly Titled "Sensitive Psychopath". Ending Chapter : Chapter 50 (Planned) Status : Drafting =====

An uncanny series of events struck the kingdom of Cambridge—A game they could not process. The mastermind was still not to be found. After all, who would suspect an angel?

He judged the world not by sin or virtue, but by profit. Not heartless—just a monster who exploited his own empathy to rise, and never be used. He reached a peak once imagined only in dreams, only to be slain by the very father who called him disgraceful— never seeing that his "shame" had lifted the family from hunger. Now, his soul stirs inside a foreign prince. A goblet in hand. A crown within reach. No fear. No guilt. Only gratitude for death— and the rebirth of pure ambition. In this world, again, he would not kneel. He would dance with the crown.

Ryota is a cunning and manipulative high school student who has always relied on his charms and wit to get what he wants. When he is accepted into the prestigious Arcanum Academy, a school for the most gifted and powerful individuals in the land, he discovers that his skills are put to the test. As Ryota navigates the cutthroat world of the Academy, he quickly realizes that the only way to get ahead is to outmaneuver his rivals. Using his charms and cunning, he manipulates his way to the top, making enemies and allies alike. But as he ascends the ranks, he begins to uncover dark secrets about the Academy and its true purpose. Can Ryota maintain his grasp on power, or will his Machiavellian ways ultimately be his downfall?

FW by Bean Delphiki: How To Beat A Determined Sociopath At Their Own Game [The Good Way]: Don’t. The only way to win is not to fight. Run. Excise them from every possible connection with your life. Every. Possible. Connection. Including physical space. I’m not saying you need to move across town… I’m saying you need to move across the country. Or at least put a large state/region/province in between you. Excise them like the tumor that they are and make sure to get every little bit of connection removed. Permanently. Or they will metastasize and destroy more than you ever imagined you could lose. Your health. Your livelihood. Your sanity. Your family. Your freedom. Your hope. All can be taken away from you. Nothing is forbidden to them. They’ve got no rules. “Evil doesn’t wear a mask. It boldly ‘hides’ in plain sight. Give it an inch, and it’ll take more than you ever imagined.” Hope this helps, -Bean Delphiki ******* P.S. by Bean Delphiki How To Beat A Determined Sociopath At Their Own Game [The Real Way] "Evil doesn’t wear a mask. It boldly ‘hides’ in plain sight. Give it an inch, and it’ll take more than you ever imagined.” How to beat a determined sociopath at their own game [the Real way]: …you have to become them. You have to break every rule you hold just. You have to dig deep and become dirtier than you’ve ever been. So dirty that you’ll never be clean again. You have to do what they do instantly (understand people) as well as they do, but BETTER. You have to play your Trump card, just after they play theirs. You have to understand them, better than they understand themselves. You have to plan for any contingency. And hit them -harder than any decent person would ever hit anyone. And then hit ’em when they’re down. You need to hit them so hard that their reprisal need not be feared [paraphrasing Machiavelli’s ‘The Prince’]. You need to go for the unforgivable. You need to break your one rule. This is Von Clausewitz shit: total fucking war. You have to go nuclear at the first. You have to bomb Hiroshima. THEN Nagasaki. Just to prove a point. If you don’t have what it takes to do all this [and most don’t], DON’T EVEN TRY. Because to try and fail will lead to your utter destruction, root and stem. If you’re going to take a shot at the king, don’t miss. Because you won’t get a second shot. *The preceeding has been an artistic work of fair use fiction compiled from many sources, and a lifetime of experience. It is intended purely for entertainment purposes only, and the author assumes NO LEGAL RESPONSIBILY WHATSOEVER express or implied. The reader (you) assumes any and all risk from their own actions. This post is protected under the 1st Amendment to the United States of America Constitution as free speech. * Hope this helps, -Bean Delphiki

Elias Voss has everything — billions, power, a perfect life — but he feels nothing. As a child, he was sold to a secret cult that erased his emotions, trained him to smile while suffering, and turned him into a cold, calculating machine. Now, as a billionaire, he rules the world from the shadows, but his soul is rotting from boredom. One night, in his office high above the city, he sees her — a beautiful young ghost girl, standing outside the window in the rain. No one else sees her. She follows him home. In his mansion, she appears for real. She is a Veil Ghost, a being from the hidden world between life and death. She offers him a blood contract: ghost powers in stages, but each stage will cost him his humanity. Elias agrees. He gains the power to see ghosts, to steal pieces of other people’s souls, to force them to relive their worst memories. He starts using this power to expose the lies of the rich, the fake “heroes,” the fake “lovers,” the fake “saints.” He sees that everyone is rotten, everyone is a hypocrite, everyone is just pretending. But as his power grows, so does his cruelty. He becomes more Machiavellian, more monstrous. He sees people not as humans, but as tools, pawns, or obstacles. He builds a network of pawns, breaks them, and discards them. He fights Veil Lords, cults, and Hunters, not for justice, but for control. In the end, Elias must choose: break the contract and lose all power, becoming a hunted, broken human, or embrace the Veil and become a new kind of Lord — a being of pure control, forever playing his game across all of history. The novel ends not with a clean victory, but with a cycle: Elias, now beyond human, watches from the shadows as a new billionaire, bored and numb, looks up — and sees her. The game never ends.

this is about a girl named Lucy whose parents are buisness partners and are never home. she has nothing to do all day but learn and eat until one day she finds a book that will change her life..

In the war-torn world of Elderrogue, Nilhas, a young warrior seeking vengeance for the destruction of his village, wields his father’s ancient mace to battle the dark creatures of Cortia. But when a mysterious figure warns him of a greater, ancient evil awakening beneath the land, Nilhas must reconsider his mission. To stop the impending doom, he must seek the Magic Academy of New Rosia, where allies and secrets await. As he confronts the darkness both outside and within, Nilhas faces a choice—avenge his past or save the future of Elderrogue.

Good news: You've awakened. Bad news: You're the villainess. Renee Jennings accidentally obtains a system, allowing her to break free from the plot's control by completing missions. Renee Jennings: "Wait a minute, what's with all the animal dictionaries as a reward?" System: [They can give you an affinity with animals.] Renee Jennings: "Why?" System: [Because a villainess has no affinity with people.] Renee Jennings: "…" This joke is not that funny... * After unlocking animal languages, Renee Jennings embarks on a path of no return— Leading dogs to save a blind woman being stalked by a pervert. Reporting an evil old man who murdered his wife and hid her body, thanks to rats. Helping a kitten catch the murderer who killed its owner and buried the body. Finding tens of millions in stolen goods based on intel from birds. * While others are petting cats, Renee Jennings is riding a tiger. While others are falling in love, Renee Jennings is solving crimes. While others are getting married, Renee Jennings is rescuing endangered animals. While others are having kids, Renee Jennings is serving her country.