Longevity by Grinding Skills - Chapter 42: What?

A weary historian dies and finds himself in a different world awakened in a life as the notorious young Duke of a southern state. His nation is weakened, his army underfed, and his neighbors revolve around his lands menacingly. No one believes his land is going to hold out until winter.But this newfound duke is no naive simpleton his enemies recollect. He carries with him the experience of centuries of war and empire, of starting and ending monarchies. From Caesar to Napoleon, from the Mongols to world wars, he has learned from each of them—and his strategy is to make history his very own arms.He organizes his smashed levies into well-trained formations, rebuilds his castles, and turns his villages into supply centers. Where others see defeat, he senses opportunity. As he triumphs, rumors spread: of a pennant red as winter snow that shall not go to ground, of a bloody duke who writes his name in gore and flame.Is he a savior who's constructing a new empire, or a tyrant who's going to bring the world to endless war?

(R-18 and dark themes, you have been warned.)In this post-apocalyptic world, Faes are hunted and killed mercilessly because they are blamed for the apocalypse that befell and destroyed half of the population.At 20, Amaia Zhāng is a Fae and is the last of her kind, or so she thinks. Her family and her whole village were massacred by the Dread Army in the name of keeping peace. She is the sole survivor and keeps her appearance cloaked to hide.But she makes it her mission to train every day and one day become strong enough to avenge her kind.During a battle with a monster, her mate abandons and rejects her to save his life. Heartbroken, Amaia is left with no choice but to join Orion Academy. It is home to the greatest hunters and enforcers of her continent. It's a world where hunters and enforcers are treated like celebrities.She knows the training will help her fulfil her revenge plans and become a renowned hunter. And maybe along the way she will find another mate.But the twist of fate, deception and seduction from the man who is supposed to refer her to the Orion Academy leaves her with a curse and a tainted reputation. A curse which prevents her mate/mates from recognising her and prevents Amaia from informing them of who she is to them.As it turns out, Amaia is mated to hybrid Alphas of Orion, but none of them can feel the mate bond, and they believe she wants to seduce them.“Have some dignity, Amaia. You abandoned your mate and are now trying your seduction techniques on me. I have a fiancée.” Glares Alnilam, her first mate.“Don't look at me like that, lassie. I am saving myself for my mate.” Winks Alnitak, her second mate.“Stay away from me. You are not my mate,” scolds Mintaka, her third mate.“I will bring a garland constructed from your ex-mate's bones. How dare he hurt you?” Determination flashes in the eyes of Rigel, her fourth mate.Every time they turn her down and choose to be intimate with their chosen females, she feels every ounce of pain and hurt.Amidst the chaos and heartache, can Amaia break this curse and have her mates recognise her as theirs?Does she have four mates or is there another twist hidden?Will she become a successful hunter and keep her identity hidden from the world and at the same time carry out her revenge?Read on to find out.A special thanks to @TheSlumbingCat for creating this beautiful cover for me.If you want to chat, find me on Discord, Facebook and Instagram with the same name.

“Every second, every moment, every breath of mine, Charles. I will never forget what they had done to me. My revenge… was never completed last time… and this time. They will pay a hundredfold more than they can afford. Only then, I will be free of this misery of mine.” -Mikael Aroa to Charles Richard…Mikael Aroa, lost everything in the end.Lover, family, friends, trust, hope and perhaps his will to live as well.They took everything from him in this life, whether it was his [Time-Seer] class within the game, or the entire corporation he built from scratch in the real world.They took everything.Mikael Aroa, killed everyone who destroyed his life.Enemies, competition, assassins, people who wanted to abuse his weaknesses and perhaps even his desire to live in this world.Nothing was left to be done.The revenge wasn’t beautiful.It didn’t fill the void of regret he had. It didn’t soothe his anger, his anguish and his misery.But nothing more was left that could be done…So, he decided to end it all.But…“Save them for me,” fate twisted, bent and rewound itself.-Bang!A bullet to the head, from a strange emerald gun, from an honest inspector, Charles Richard, who still abided by the law in this borderline lawless world.And the next thing that Mikael saw…His mother, who died a decade ago, cooking his favourite meal once again.And his body, 10 years younger, was ready to turn the entire world upside down with the knowledge and skills he had honed to the peak.******It's The year 2078 that the world finally succeeded with its first biggest and most successful MMORPG ever.Arcadia Online.A world much vast than our own, holding thousands of secrets of its own waiting to be explored. Where even Gods intervene when they need to, and people have the chance to dethrone the very Gods themselves.Here Races exist and so do their Kingdoms. Be it Elves, or be it Undeads, you will find every race possible here somewhere hiding in the corner of the world. Be it Dragons or be it Unicorns, you will get what you want as long as you have what it takes to get it.And just like any other Fantasy, Monsters roam freely here without any limitations. And monsters… could come in any form. So be careful what you wish for.Choose what you want to beAn adventurer who lives his/her/them/they/it’s life trying to figure out the mystery of the world, meeting new people or just strolling past the beautiful sceneries and making memories.A Blacksmith who creates weapons that even the Gods would kill to get.A Merchant so big that he can buy anentire kingdom if he wishes to.Climb the Highest mountain or reach the deepest trench. Become a Dragonslayer or saviour of the Elven Kingdom. The choices are yours.Or maybe you could stumble upon the [Main Quest] and be called upon an adventure that will shake the entire core of Arcadia? Though the rewards will be high, will you take the risk that might wipe out an entire nation? May the Gods of Arcadia Bless you… unless of course your journey is to kill them…Though… no matter where you go… no matter what you become… you must always remember that…Arcadia has its own rules and regulations.***

Lu Sheng, who transmigrates to the Star Sea Era, unexpectedly acquires an attribute panel capable of solidifying every single advancement he makes.In this perilous world filled with alien gods, immortals, Mechanical Ascenders, and more, Lu Sheng relies on himself to progress from mortal flesh to the singular True Self.Years later...Lu Sheng flying across the universe, gazes upon the endless darkness at the edge of the cosmos, where a colossal being as vast as the Milky Way Galaxy—once recorded in mythologies of Blue Star—resides.He speaks faintly, “You might be the most formidable Galactic Life Form I’ve ever encountered. Calling you a god wouldn’t be unjustified.”“Yet it’s a pity, for I have already established the foundation of the Great Dao and forged the singular True Self. Henceforth... you may call me the Martial God!”