MTL - Close Combat Mage - Chapter 388 Wound of Betrayal

Elias “Grim” Kingsley, a nine-year-old orphan with a hardened heart and sharp tongue, dies alone from pneumonia in an overcrowded orphanage. Known for his perpetual scowl and biting remarks, he's labeled a “problem child” by caretakers and “damaged goods” by potential adopters. Years of rejection have built thick armor around his young heart.In death, he encounters the God of Balance who offers him a second chance at life in a different world—this time as Grim Van Ambrose, son of a noble house. Balance explains that every soul deserves to know love and connection, something Elias was cruelly denied in his first life.Promised the family and belonging he never experienced, Grim begins his new life only to suffer an immediate tragedy: his mother dies moments after his birth. This cruel twist of fate reinforces his belief that loss is inevitable, leaving him with a distant father and the mysterious voice of a “Guidance Assistant” in his head.As Grim grows into his new identity, he struggles with his dual nature—the emotional scars of his past life bleeding into his present one. His difficult personality and sharp tongue remain, now paired with noble privilege and expectations. Despite his outward brashness, he carries the deep wounds of his first life and the fresh loss that welcomed him into his second.What begins as one orphan's second chance evolves into an epic journey through a world of ancient beasts, elemental magic, and deadly political intrigue. As Grim uncovers the truth about the Ambrose Clan's fall from grace and the conspiracy that framed them for treason, he faces increasingly dangerous adversaries—both human and monstrous. His quest for revenge against those who destroyed his family's legacy will challenge him to master forbidden techniques, forge unexpected alliances, and ultimately decide whether to rebuild the Ambrose Clan as it was, or transform it into something entirely new.In a realm where power determines survival and ancient secrets lurk beneath noble facades, Grim must learn that sometimes the greatest battles aren't fought with swords, but with the choices that define who we truly are.

A thousand years ago, the Great Calamity struck Earth. Countless rifts tore through reality, opening portals between the Demon Realm and the Human World. Overrun by monsters, humanity was on the brink of extinction. But at its darkest hour, something miraculous happened—those who died returned, awakening strange new powers that allowed them to fight back.Vale knew that story well. Maybe that's why he wasn't surprised when he heard the voice of the system speak to him.[ Congratulations! You have died. ][ Your First Trial of Death begins now. ]What truly shocked him, however, was the question burning in his mind:“Who would dare to assassinate the Second Prince of Verythmia?”

Li Hua's reign as the twenty-first century's deadliest assassin ended in fire and betrayal. Her own sister, Li Min, turned their elite force against her, leaving nothing but ashes where a legend once stood.In the moment of her death, Li Hua's soul tore free from its earthly bonds, hurtling across the boundaries between worlds until it anchored itself in a new vessel in a realm of ancient martial arts and mystical cultivation. Through this impossible transition, her inner space remained intact—and with it, Little Firefly, her spirit companion.Here, where qi flows like rivers and mountains bow to those who master their cultivation, Li Hua will forge herself anew. No longer content to be merely an assassin of mortal flesh, she sets her sights on ascending to immortality itself—a journey that will shake the very foundations of heaven.

He is a threat to her existence.

A hot-blooded dragon of Royal blood, King Malachi is taken hostage by the humans he despises so much. Deprived of his freedom, he is imprisoned in a dark cave, his rage growing with each day of torture and humiliation. The only light he sees comes in the form of a human female, offering her care. A woman who makes him burn with equal fury and desire. A woman who has no place in his heart or mind, for only one thought sustains him.

Vengeance! And even if her kindness softens his heart and her touch sets his body aflame, she will not be spared his wrath. Because once he breaks the chains of slavery, he will burn down her whole world.

She is the key to his freedom.

The cold-hearted princess Ravina is a woman with a mission. Eradicate the dragon race from the face of earth. But when she finds out that the very creatures who killed her parents could also be the ones who kidnapped her sister, she has no choice but to change her plans.

To find her sister, she must get closer to the creature she despises. But things don’t always go as planned and soon Ravina ends up finding more than she bargained for. Caught in a battle between humans and dragons, love and hatred, trust and betrayal, Ravina must make every choice with caution. And with every step she takes closer to the fiery beast, she risks melting the ice surrounding her heart and being consumed by the flames of fury and passion.