The Devil's Duchess - Chapter 23: Reckless confrontation

“Look, I don’t need to be the strongest — I just need to be slightly stronger than the guy trying to kill me.”---Zayn Eldrake was nothing more than a nameless extra in the grand tale of summoned heroes — a disposable swordsman in the legendary Hero of Light’s party, fated to die in an early battle against the monsters of the Apocalypse.But when he awakens in this doomed body with memories of his past life, he refuses to meet the same pathetic end.He knows the story. He knows the heroes. He knows their strengths, their weaknesses… and most importantly, their women.With the power of [Devourer’s Pact], Zayn can consume the abilities of those he defeats, transforming himself into something far greater than a mere extra.Strength, magic, divine blessings — everything in this world is his for the taking. And if fate itself stands in his way? He’ll devour that too.

After dying from exhaustion in his dreary corporate job, Riku Sakamoto awakens to find himself reborn in the world of his favorite game — EverRealm Online. But he’s not just any adventurer — he’s The Grand Maximus, a max-level legend with every class unlocked and stats that break the system.Yet instead of battles or kingdoms to conquer, he’s greeted by something far more unexpected: the Peaceful Life System — a mysterious power that rewards him with modern comforts for every act of kindness he performs.Help a farmer? Get a fan. Heal a wild animal? Receive electricity. Solve a village crisis? Unlock hot baths, fridges, and fresh-brewed matcha.Armed with nothing but infinite power and zero ambition, Riku settles in a sleepy starter village to live the slow life he always dreamed of. But as he helps the villagers, befriends forest creatures, and lazily reshapes the world around him, his actions begin to ripple far beyond the village borders…After all, who needs war when you’ve got peace, pancakes, and a weatherproof roof?

Ruins stretched across the landscape in the apocalypse after the nuclear war.

“I DON'T WANT TO DIE A SECOND TIME!!!”___Ellen Summers' life turns upside down after a freak accident lands her in a strange world. She wakes up as Ellen Winters, the antagonist in an online novel she once read. No longer an orphan and poor, she now has a loving father and finds herself surrounded by wealth.But in the novel, Ellen Winters meets a tragic fate, dying at the end after being abandoned by her husband, Mason Coldwell, who still harbors feelings for his ex-girlfriend, Aubrey. Determined to escape this cruel destiny, Ellen decides to rewrite her story. She fights to keep Mason and Aubrey apart, knowing the heartbreaking consequences that await if they reunite.However, as she tries to change her fate, Ellen unexpectedly begins to fall for Mason. Just as she starts to believe in a future together, an unforeseen terror disrupts her plans. Ellen wonders if her attempts to alter the storyline have unleashed something darker.Can Ellen truly change the course of fate and find happiness with Mason, or will the shadows of the original story prove too powerful to overcome? And will they survive the terrors that threaten to engulf them?