The Devil's Duchess - Chapter 16: Claiming the Duchess-II

Amakawa Haruto died before he’d the chance to reunite with his childhood friend who disappeared five years ago. Rio, a young boy living in the slums seeks revenge for his mother who was murdered in cold blood in front of him when he was only five years of age.

There exists the earth many knows of and there exists an alternate world. Two people, each with their own backgrounds and values. For odd reasons, the memories and personality of Haruto, one who should have died resurrects in Rio’s body. As the two are confused over their memories and personality fusing together, Rio (Haruto) decides to live in this new world.

Along with Haruto’s memories, Rio awakens an unknown but special power. If he’s to use it, it looks as if he can live a better life, but before that, Rio encountered a kidnapping which results in involving the two princesses of the Bertam Kingdom.

After saving the princesses, Rio is given a scholarship to attend the Royal Academy, a school for the rich and powerful. His background being a poor orphan who once lived in the slums, the school full of nobles was rather a detestable place to stay at.

When you were six years old, after watching a martial arts movie, you put your hands into the rice pile and imagined that you were practicing iron sand palm.

When you were seven years old, you were the first to greet a stranger in the new semester, and you felt that you were the diplomatic spokesperson for your class.

When you were eight, you could tell it was your parents coming home just by hearing footsteps, so you thought you had a good ear…

……

What will happen when the fantasy of secondary school when you were young becomes reality?

Ji Ruo stretched his hands into the rice pile—

[Congratulations to the host child for unlocking the achievement of Martial Dao: Iron Palm Mi Nei Shen! 】

[Acquired Martial Skill: Iron Sand Palm (first glimpse of the door)]

[The skill level can be repeatedly obtained by activating the proficiency. Heaven rewards diligence, host children, come on~]

Ji Ruo’s mouth twitched, he felt that his achievement system was not normal.

After thinking about it, Ji Ruo picked up a small wooden stick and walked to the rice field not far away…

……

- Description from novelbuddy

-- WSA 2025 Entry --“Five… Four… Three… Two… One…”As the countdown towards the new year went on to the last second, Miles looked up to the sky, just as everybody else did.In the middle of the crowded street, Miles for once felt like he belonged. Being a teenage gamer, living with his parents, and trying to build a life as a streamer, he did not feel like leaving his room every day.But there, in the middle of that crowded street, with everyone around him paying attention to the sky, the countdown on the digital billboard, and mostly anything else but him., Miles felt like a ghost.A welcomed ghost, but a ghost, after all.With a smile on his unseen face, he looked up as the countdown reached one, and everybody sang in unison.‘HAPPY NEW YEAR!”But Miles’ eyes widened as he watched in utter horror, and curiosity, even, hovering above him, a holographic screen with a few lines of text written in it.All around him, although he did not pay much attention to it, a few other people seemed to experience the same situation.[Updating home-world 39515’s version][Version 20.25 update brings a lot of fun and games with the new and improved survival mode][Do you want to convert your previous avatar to home-world 39515’s latest version?][Yes] [No]“Survival… Mode?” Miles’ lips quivered.Before he could think of anything else, though, the people around him began to scream…

[Warning: Mature Content R18+]The taste of forbidden love is the sweetest agony!!They were fucking right.I, Frery Kane was whipped and captivated by a Lycan Shifter from the Bay Shifter pack in Paradise Bay. Drawn to him like a moth to a flame, an irresistible pull I couldn’t deny. Alpha Tor Gale, a Lycan Shifter of unparalleled strength, only of his kind, his blood as intoxicating as ambrosia, his presence a temptation, I couldn’t escape. He made me crave more than I should or was allowed.In Paradise Bay, Vampires and Shifters are bound by ancient laws, their rivalry etched into the marrow of our existence. To meet him was to defy centuries of hatred; to love him was to risk everything.Each secret meeting was a dance with death, a betrayal of the Paradise Vampire Coven, and a rebellion against the laws that chained us. But Tor was my forbidden desire, my beautiful torment, and my greatest weakness. I knew the cost of this love, a love that could ignite war and destroy us both. But how could I resist the one thing that made my immortal heart beat once more?Excerpt from Alpha Tor's POV:“So you’ve been following me,” Tor’s deep growl echoed in the icy cavern. His golden eyes caught the flicker of torchlight. His breath misted in the freezing air, curling like smoke between them.“What gave me away?” I responded my voice as low, deep, and steady.Tor laughed a deep rumble that shook the cavern walls. “You reek of desperation. Do you think I didn’t notice your scent clinging to the trees? Are your footprints melting the frost? What is it, vampire? What do you want from me?”My jaw clenched and my gaze didn’t waver. “Your blood,” I taunted as my voice was laced with coldness to see if he could be threatened by my words. “Your kind is... intoxicating. Forbidden. I can’t stop myself.”I expected him to cover but he stepped forward and responded “If it’s my blood you want,” he murmured, his voice low and teasing, “then come closer and take what you need”The words struck me like lightning, and a fiery heat surged through my veins. My beast clawed at my control, drawn to him in a way that defied logic. His gaze held mine, and for the first time in my life, I didn’t know whether to run or to stay.___________________________________________________________________________________________In the end, they called me a betrayer. A traitor to the Paradise Vampire Coven. But how could I hold back when I had tasted something far sweeter than immortality? Alpha Tor was my forbidden fruit, the Lycan Shifter Alpha who defied everything I was taught to hate. But when I surged forward, ready to face anyone who dared stand between us, fate revealed the old prophecy hidden in Hanka Island. Alpha Tor wasn’t just my lover, he was my lifetime mate, our bond blessed by the ancient magic of Hanka Island itself.And our love was not meant to follow the rules, it was meant to break them.