MTL - Lord of the Secret Art! - Chapter 538 vain struggle

Ethan Blackwood wasn’t used to being defied. As the CEO of a global empire, he crushed obstacles with a single glance. But when Lily Anderson stood before him, her chin lifted in quiet defiance, and something in him snapped. “Sign the contract,” he said, his voice like ice. “30 days. You’ll obey every command. After that, you’re free.”She hesitated, her fingers trembling as she gripped the pen. “And if I refuse?”His smirk was cold, but his eyes burned. “Then you’ll spend the rest of your life paying off your father’s debts. Your choice.”Trapped, Lily signed. But she vowed one thing: she wouldn’t let him break her.From the first day, their clash was electric. He demanded perfection; she gave him rebellion. “You think you can control me?” she spat, after he criticized her for being late.Ethan stepped closer, his presence overwhelming. “I don’t just control you. Lily, I own you.”But as the days passed, the lines between them blurred. Late nights in his penthouse turned into whispered conversations. His cold demeanor cracked, revealing glimpses of a man haunted by his past. One night, after a heated argument, he pinned her against the wall, his breath hot against her ear. “Why do you fight me so much?”Her voice trembled. “Because I’m afraid if I stop, I’ll lose myself to you.”Their connection deepened, but danger loomed. Secrets from Ethan’s past resurfaced, threatening to destroy everything. When Lily discovered the truth behind his obsession with her, she confronted him. “Was I just a pawn in your game? A way to settle an old score?”His eyes darkened with pain. “You were never just a game, Lily. You’re the only thing that’s ever felt real.”As the final days of their contract approached, their bond was tested like never before. Enemies closed in, and trust hung by a thread. Could they overcome the shadows of their pasts, or would their love crumble under the weight of secrets and pride?

Based on the popular Vocaloid series, by HoneyWorks, called “Kokuhoku Yokou Renshuu (Confession Rehearsal)“:

Natsuki, a third-year at Sakuragaoka High School, who holds unrequited feelings for her childhood friend, Yuu, who’s in the Film Club. However, instead of being honest about her feelings, she makes him be her confession “rehearsal” partner. Unable to say her true feelings, things start to get complicated when Miou and Akari, who are also in the Art Club, get involved! Will she ever be able to confess for real!?

Alternate Title: Kumo Desu Ga, Nani Ka? - Game SystemElliot? Yeah, he got isekai'd. Bam! Straight into the world of “So I'm a Spider, So What?”. And guess what? He wasn't some puny human or, well, a spider. Nope, he lucked out and got reborn as a freakin' Earth Dragon!But wait, it gets better. Ding! He awakened the 'XX Worlds Game System'. You know what that means? Skills! Skills from all sorts of crazy games!And the kicker? His new neighbor in the sprawling Great Elroe Labyrinth was none other than the little spider gal herself, Kumoko!So, what happens when two totally broken characters end up living next door to each other? They team up, duh! Their genius plan? Hit all the poor monsters in the Labyrinth with a two-pronged attack! A good ol' fashioned sandwich maneuver!But Elliot had a little secret. “Heh, sorry folks,” he probably smirked to himself, “but your boy Elliot here? He's playing with cheats activated!”Skill Acquired! [True Man's Slash]!Skill Acquired! [Skull Splitter]!Skill Acquired! [Planetary Devastation]!

The head of the London Association of Mages, the most powerful Saint Archmage in the world, Audrey Davis, accidentally transmigrated to another world due to a magic accident. She was an 18-year-old human girl.