I Became the Only Non-mage in the Academy - Chapter 234: Ashen (2)

He was once the most feared villain in the empire, a master of manipulation who wove chaos from the shadows. Ruthless, untouchable—until the day he was betrayed and executed by the very man he sought to control.But death is not the end.He awakens in the body of Lady Elara Valcrest, a fragile noble girl doomed to be a pawn in political games. Stripped of her former power, she is forced into an arranged marriage with none other than Cairon Everhart—the man who once killed her. He does not recognize her, but she knows him. And she will never forget.To survive, Elara must play a new game. One where deception is her only weapon, and trust is a dangerous illusion. She must outmaneuver her enemies, uncover the truth behind her execution, and reclaim the power she lost. But as she navigates the treacherous world of court intrigue, one question lingers—Was Cairon truly her greatest enemy? Or had she been blind to an even greater threat?Time is running out. The villain has been given one last chance. And this time, she refuses to lose.

What if a power to level up or upgrade everything—your way of living, battle skills, military prowess, etc.—but this power is limited to your Eldritch tribe.Would you expand your tribe to rise above all adversaries, would you use it to gain more personal power or use it to toy with everyone?Lyerin wanted nothing more than peace on himself, but all he had was regret. He possessed a secret ability that allowed him to quickly excel at anything he chose, but he could only use it once.While others had to spend a long time to reach higher levels or master new skills, he only needed to complete a simple, specific task to level up.However, he had already used this ability to count a specific number of sand grains to save his own life. After that, his existence became a living hell.One day, he was unexpectedly sent back in time, where he would witness numbers appearing in the sky, signaling the end of the world again—an apocalypse he despised the most!But Lyerin realized he could use his ability once more, this time on a certain group of people.A TRIBE!```[ Ding! ][ You have chosen to level up knife slash! As a Wildling of your tribe, you can level up your knife slash. ][ Condition: Slash the knife 500 times. ][ You have chosen a random tree to level up! The tree is part of your tribe; you can level it up. ][ Condition: Water the tree 300 times. ][ You cannot level up anymore due to your limited rank within the tribe. Raise your rank in the clan first. ][ Condition: Give honor to the tribe. ][ You have reached the peak level of your tribe. If you want to level up further, improve and level up your clan! ][ Condition: Level up the Ancestral Healing Ritual, level up the Newborn Den, and level up the tribe's farm. ]```With this overpowered ability, can he still hold onto his selfish wish for peace within himself?

[Mature Content: NO RAPE]Let’s make a deal!“Two months, if we can survive each other in the period of two months, I will marry you without objection!”…Twenty-two-year-old Evelyn Darkwood never imagined that going to her late father’s will-reading would have resulted in a rivalry between her and her siblings. That they would become a danger to her—one who sought after her life. She never thought that her life would take such a twisted turn so quickly. And what’s worse, she comes to find out that she’d been betrothed to a man she didn’t know and had never met. Zayne Mancini.The wealthiest man. A man whose power and fame were no joke. A man who possibly could be the only one capable of protecting her. Strong, cold, frightening, all this he was and despite the danger written all over him, Evelyn felt a strange connection, hot and burning. Zayne Mancini wanted her—his betrothed (a human who was his mate) and he was going to make her his, no matter how stubborn she wanted to be about it. Fascinating, thrilling, all this she was to him—like a spark to ignite his boring life. Evelyn Darkwood was a whole package that he was slowly going to bring undone. A woman he wouldn’t think twice of burning the world for. A woman he would give his whole being to. All she had to say was,“I do”

“Block him.”“He's technically still my boss.”“Then block him with dignity.”The call ended again.And then started again.I let out a sound somewhere between a growl and a sob, then finally answered with the enthusiasm of a snail crawling through salt.“Yes, Mr. Walton?”“Have you changed your mind yet?”I collapsed onto the towel and gazed at the sky as though it might consume me entirely if I pleaded sweetly enough.“Do you ever take a break?” I asked, shielding my eyes with one hand.“You're avoiding the question.”“Because it's a dumb question.”He exhaled, the sound sharp and irritated even over phone. “It's not a dumb question. It's a business offer.”“It's a weird offer-one that I already said no to.”There was a brief pause, and I could practically hear him clenching his jaw through the speaker.“You are acting unreasonably.”“ Unreasonable?” I sat up. “I'm not the one drafting fake girlfriend contracts like it's a normal Tuesday.”“Isabella-”“Certainly not, Mr. Walton.” I mimicked his tone perfectly. “I told you I'm not doing it. You need to find someone else to play pretend with.”SYNOPSISIsabella Miller thought saying no to her boss’s fake dating offer was the end of the story.But Adrien Walton doesn’t take no—especially not when he’s convinced she’s a gold digger.Suddenly, her student loans are piling up, her father’s vet clinic is on the brink of eviction and her brother is about to be kicked out of college. Coincidence? She thinks not.Adrien Walton is calm, calculating—and he's just pulled every string to corner Isabella into the perfect position.Now she’s stuck choosing between pride and survival.So she agrees to his offer: be his fake girlfriend.No feelings attached. No drama. Just business.Or so she thought.“Conference Room B. Fifteen minutes,” he said, passing by without a glance.The folder he pushed across the table landed with a thud.I opened it. The contract. All of it.---Enemies to lovers? Check.Slow burn? Hmmnyea.Banter so sharp it might file your nails? Yes.Delicious workplace tension? Of course.Tension that could melt steel?Absolutely.Smut?? Wanna find out?Welcome to corporate romance warfare. There’s no escaping this contract.