I miss those days where a character must be almost died, have a mental breakdown, experiencing depression to get slightest bit of happiness. Where is the suffering? Why do they pass the conflict stage easily? Why must the MC be given a power/cheat/anything else that trivialize his/her journey? Where is the villainess story where she still suffers, that her bad end route doesn't get farther even with her efforts? I don't want MC's that suddenly get lovey-dovey with the capture target and then have escaped the bad end, or MC accepting the bad end. I want the bad end to creep closer, closer and closer as the MC struggle to escape with her own efforts, getting desperate each time. Where are those stories? Like Akuyaku Tensei Dakedo Doushite Kou Natta, or like I Play the Role of (Villain/Heroine) in a Japanese-style Otome Game? The near death struggle of early Dungeon Seeker's MC? Or Arifureta on book one (Recommending something like Arifureta beyond book one is a no-no though. I don't like him post escaping first labyrinth). I don't mind revenge stories, as long as the MC doesn't grow beyond his/her enemy. Recommend me?
Zhu Xian and Heaven's Shadow by Xiao Ding Your Taste on My Tongue / Tale of an Edible Girl by Isaka Akira Epilogue and The Last Science by Etzoli on royalroadl Assassin's Apprentice Trilogy by Robin Hobb
With the atmosphere of desperate struggle mc? Kingdom's Bloodline I Kinda Came to Another World, but Where’s the Way Home? Nejimaki Seirei Senki – Tenkyou no Alderamin