MTL - Azeroth Shadow Trail - Chapter 17 16. The war that hasn't changed

Michael didn't want to die. He didn't deserve to die. After a lost battle with cancer that started only a year after he retired, he'd lived what many people would call a full life, but it wasn't enough. He wanted more time. Time with his wife. Time with his kids. Time with his grandkids. When he found himself drawn toward the light, he fought his way away from it. Unfortunately, that didn't take him back to the life he wanted to live. Reincarnated in another world, Michael is forced to be a Penitent, a soldier in the country he was reborn into in order to pay a debt to society he owes for taking the life of the child whose body he inhabits. It's not the life he wants, but it's the only one he has.An Isekai with light litrpg elementsMC will gain powers similar to those of a paladinBook 1 spends a lot of time in a military academy. MC does not stay a child for very long.Story will be a slower pace than my others.MC may not be to everyone's taste. He feels guilt for his actions that may seem unreasonable and is very human. He will grow, but it will take time.

She is the slow-witted idiot of the Prime Minister’s Residence. Everyone bullies her. He is the most respected and unfeeling Prince, with frightening ability and absolute envy! Together, they are conferred an imperial edict of marriage.

“The harder I try to hate you, the deeper I fall for you.”

His presence irked her to the core, but whenever he got out of her sight, she missed him?!

….

A tyrant, known to be the city’s infamous playboy.

As an executive assistant, she was forced to work under him by the most cruel twist of fate.

If losing her job overnight was a nightmare, then working under a boss like Desmond Fort was hell. He was an arrogant narcissist with an ego bigger than the whole of Imperium city, but that was not what angered her the most.

The most infuriating fact was that despite his constant assholery, her heart seemed to stupidly skip a beat every time he gazed at her with those devilishly charming eyes.

She knew she was making a mistake but that didn't stop her from sinking deeper and deeper into his charm.

All she wanted now was to leave! But leaving hell was not nearly as easy as getting in.

In a world where failure is almost guaranteed, the game I now find myself in has a staggering 99.9% chance of defeat. Every choice brings chaos, and every road leads to disaster. No one has ever beaten it—it's infamous for being impossible to clear. But somehow, against all odds, I've transmigrated into this cursed game.Worse yet, I've taken over the body of Max, a minor character whose role is insignificant in the grand scheme of things. In the original story, Max is destined to die—nothing more than a forgettable extra lost in the background, a mere footnote in the epic tale of others.Frustration hit me hard as I realized I was trapped in this dead-end character. My doom felt inevitable, and every instinct told me to give up. What hope did I have in a world where even the strongest could barely survive?But just as despair was about to swallow me whole, a System suddenly activated, turning everything on its head. Along with the System came a peculiar ability:[Charm]It wasn't some overpowered skill designed for combat or survival. No, it was something entirely different, yet equally powerful in its own right.[Charm: Increase favorability as more women are captivated by your presence.]This was my key to survival.Through this strange, almost ridiculous skill, I realized that I could change my fate. The powerful female characters, once unreachable in the original storyline, could now be influenced. If I could make them favor me, their strength, influence, and protection would be mine.But it wouldn’t be easy. Each of these women had their own complex personalities, histories, and goals. They were dangerous, capable of crushing me in an instant if I misstepped. But with charm on my side, I might just be able to win them over—and in doing so, alter my destiny.What was once a game of certain death had now become a gamble of life and affection. Every conversation, every interaction, would determine whether I live or die. My charm was my weapon, and it would be the only thing standing between me and the grim fate that awaited Max.Now, with my new plan in motion, I’ll have to navigate the intricate web of relationships and alliances while avoiding the countless threats looming over me. The odds are still stacked against me, but for the first time since I arrived, I can see a glimmer of hope.If I can make the right moves, charm the right people, and avoid the pitfalls, I might just survive this nightmare.Or better yet, thrive.This is my one chance at life in a world of inevitable ruin, and I’ll do whatever it takes to change my story.