The Runesmith - Chapter 544: First Duel Starts.

[WARNING: MATURE CONTENT]I yanked my wrist, trying to pull free, but his grip didn’t budge. “Let me go,” I cried, surprised by how weak I sounded but for goodness sake, this is an elementary school restroom hallway, meaning anyone might walk in at any moment.“No.” He leaned in, his breath warm against the side of my neck. My skin prickled as my toes curled, I hated how my body reacted without my permission. “You’re mine,” he whispered, “Every part of you, your fear, your silence, even that defiance you’re clinging to. It’s all mine. And I’m not about to let anyone else touch or have what belongs to me. Not the world, not even yourself.”****Kain Locke would never forget that face, the face of the man who smiled as he pulled the trigger, murdering his parents right in front of him. That moment scarred him for life, carving a hatred so deep it kept him alive.That man was Caspian Draeven, a ruthless Alpha who ruled the underworld with fear and bloodshed and as if that wasn't enough, he took Kain too, raising him in his empire of chaos.But Kain wasn’t broken as they expected him, rather, he was burning. Burning with hatred for the man who destroyed his world and he swear to get his revenge.However, Caspian wasn’t the only monster in the Draeven family. His son, Kael Draeven, was just as dangerous, cold, brutal, and utterly loyal to his father which makes Kain hated Kael just as much, if not more.For years, Kain planned his escape, waiting for the perfect moment so he can leave to prepare for his revenge.However when he finally ran, he thought he’d won his freedom. But the unexpected happens when Kael was sent to bring him back, and their confrontation took an unplanned turn. A single night left Kain with a secret he never saw coming and a bond he couldn’t forget, no matter how much he wanted to.But secrets have a way of coming to light, and Kain’s path will lead him straight back to the man he swore to hate forever.Because some bonds can’t be broken. Not even by revenge.

The smell of blood invaded my nostrils. I watched helplessly as the woman standing over me raised her sword. I was completely drained, I had no mana left, no items, nothing. As the crimson tendrils held me down by my arms and legs, all I could do was wait for my death.

As the sword drew near, I felt the last bit of courage I had disappear. I was going to die. Alone. In this god forsaken place filled with evil. And for what? To protect those ‘friends’? The same people who mocked me, took advantage of, and used me?

Oh, who am I trying to fool? I was here only because of my own greed. Because I wanted to be useful to someone. Because I wanted to that group to need me. To value me. To have a reason to keep me around. How naïve I was, thinking that power would grant those wishes. All it did was help build a wall between me and everyone else.

The sword approached. I saw the purple light reflect off the sword’s blade. After everything I went through, I hadn’t expected my death to be by the hands of another player. I saw her smile, but this time I didn’t think it was beautiful. It was an ugly smile because it was genuine. She was enjoying watching me die. She was enjoying killing me.

The sword struck my chest and pierced my heart. I let out a scream of pain and agony. The pain was so real, all of this was so real. It shouldn’t be, but it was. What should have been a simple game had become my new reality – all of our new reality. A reality filled with magic, war, blood, and death.

My vision darkened as the pain slowly faded. I felt the last of my vitality leave my body. It felt cold. I wondered to myself, when would I stop being? When would my thoughts disappear?

Soon, I saw those words I feared for all this time appear before me. “DEATH”, in the pale blue font the game always used. They remained suspended in the air for several seconds. It was over. After a long time of fighting, grinding, and exploring, it was finally over. I had died. This was the end of my story.

Suddenly, words before me shifted and changed into something different. I took a shallow breath as I heard a faint heartbeat.

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Betrayed by her entire family, Tang Yue, the seventh princess of the snake clan, was betrothed to the tyrannical Elven prince, who is known for his blood lust and cold-blooded murders.He is even rumored to have killed several concubines mercilessly.Deemed as a piece of useless baggage and now tossed aside as a political chip, Tang Yue braved herself for the new torturous life that awaited her.As if this was not enough, someone mysteriously poisoned her in the betrothal ceremony.But akin to a slap in the face, that poison actually turned around Tang Yue’s pathetic life!!Poisonous fruits? Sure give me some. I need to snack anyways.Deadly toxin? Sure. My throat is a bit parched.Heh. Now you want to actually cut me down? Sure. You just have to slash past this thick skin!The lowly beast that had invoked its innate ability to evolve silently resolved to conquer the heavens. And of course, she had a master... ahem... system to help her along the way!

In the year 2000, the System arrived on Gaia and changed the world of mankind. The environment became volatile and organisms evolved. To the humans, the System offered a class-base progression with a myriad of skills just like in old RPG games. From magic to bloodlines, as long as people immersed themselves in their passions, the System would incorporate their interests into classes and skills. And with the rise of new powerhouses, old nations were brought down and new ones rose from the ashes, stabilizing and governing their evolved populace.Around 500 years later since the dawn of the System, the story of our MC began. Drai was a musclehead, and his days were mostly spent for two purposes: becoming stronger and tougher! With his single-mindedness and crazy trainings he was finally offered a special class on the Revelation Day. From there on, his journey began. Starting from a prestigious academy and meeting his mentor and new friends, each with their own peculiarities, Drai steadily walked the path of power and invincibility. Party adventures, dark schemes, and veiled threats would accompany Drai throughout his journey.