King of Beasts - Chapter 42: Maxing Out Defense Due to Fear of Death

The royal bastard of House Vasquer, Argrave, changed after his stay studying magic at the Tower of the Gray Owl.

The sickly man's awkward posture and cruel behavior have been replaced with a neat dignity and acerbic wit.

Though once listless, he now strives towards his goals with a life-or-death tenacity.

Most come away thinking he seems to know too many details about too much. Few can claim to know his motives or his goals.

Yet behind that confident appearance, the primary contributor for an open-world RPG's wiki battles existential dread and things far beyond his ken as he struggles to adapt to a grim, gothic fantasy world mirroring his favorite game.

The prospect of fighting against a world-ending calamity loses all of its appeal when it transitions from entertainment to reality.

Argrave is spurred towards unwanted heroism to preserve his life as he struggles desperately to keep this sinking ship afloat.

11-year-old Jung Si-woo always had to play alone during PE class.

“I’m excluded from any ball games.”

“Are you kidding me? Why are you the only exception?”

“If I play with the rest, everyone will be excluded. Physically.”

The strength that Jung Si-woo has is not from any hard training but just a power he was born with.

When he turns 16 years old, the world faced a cataclysm, a huge castle appeared over the Earth out of nowhere. It began selecting special humans to grant them wings making them a Player and that soon changed the world.

10 years passed.

Jung Si-woo with a supernatural strength has still not been able to forsake his dream to be a Player. While he was enjoying his jobless life, he saved a falling Player and unknowingly met the requirement to be a ‘Underground Player’.

He became more special than anyone ever is! Now, Jung Si-woo brilliant dungeon strategy play begins.

“Master. Why do you never visit?”“Shh... Just take this needle and don't make a sound.”The act was getting old, Teriyaki had only spent a month in Orochimaru's Lair and he was already close to ending it all.Just a month ago he had been a normal human, flipping halfway through the naruto manga when he fell asleep on Chapter 45... The place where that darned Snake first appeared.One more Teriyaki is an NPC or worthless comment and I will find you.TW: torture simulator kinda at some points

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?