The Grandmaster Strategist - Volume 5, Chapter 5: Breaking Off All Ties

“Unlucky” would be the nice way to describe Lucas’ luck. He wasn’t just down bad. He was practically cursed.As someone who never asked to exist, he’s had to experience medical torture, imprisonment, and eventually death. And that was just his first life.Then, just as he thought of escaping his fate, he transmigrates into the body of the Empire’s most useless Flower Vase.Great, now he should have status, wealth, and beauty, right?Wrong.Because his new body, Young Lord Luca Kyros, was a vegetable. And what’s worse was that no one else seemed to know the truth. To everyone else, he was just your typical rebellious heir.He wouldn’t have minded that. He was used to being called a harlot or similar names for being a defective Guide. But the problem was he woke up right smack in the middle of the Royal Military Academy’s Assessment test.And his double body, the one who should be attending school, perished in an ambush.So now, he’s forced to resolve his existential crisis while attending a school he never even enrolled in.He’ll have to conquer his flimsy body, his brooding roommate, and his picky-eater “dungeon”—all that on top of surviving impending doom.Someone definitely needs a miracle.

In a world where strength determines one’s future, William, an orphan with no extraordinary talents, faces a grim destiny—until a brutal attack leaves him clinging to life. Instead of death, he awakens to a mysterious and powerful entity lurking within his mind: the Shadow System, a game-like interface that promises him unimaginable power. But this power comes with dark secrets, and refusing it would mean his death. Forced into a pact with a voice that can hear his every thought, William must navigate a dangerous new reality where shadow abilities and celestial power collide. As he enters the prestigious military academy, his newfound abilities draw both allies and enemies, all while a deadly conspiracy brews in the shadows. With the odds stacked against him, William must unravel the mystery of the Shadow System and decide whether to embrace the darkness within—or be consumed by it. His journey from a bullied outcast to a potential god will challenge not just his survival, but his very humanity. Power always comes at a cost—will William be able to pay the price? “What am I?” William asked the system. The system’s voice echoed in his head, cold and indifferent. “You are nothing.”

Aric Valerian, the fourth prince of the Valerian Empire, bears many titles: The Forgotten Prince, The Whore’s Child, The King’s Bastard—names that have been spoken more than his own. Born with a crippling illness and devoid of mana or ki, Aric was a disgrace, scorned by his family and the court. But when the gods cured him and gifted him the strength to fight, Aric dared to hope. He sought glory in battle, only to be betrayed by his brother and sent to die in a hopeless war. In his final moments, as death closed in, a mysterious text appeared before him… [Would you like to change your fate?] After being given another chance, Aric embarks on a ruthless journey to claim absolute sovereignty. [Ki Circulation Mastered: Strength +10] [System Upgrade: Advanced tactical planning unlocked] [Hidden Fortress Established: Stronghold security +15%] The forgotten prince claws his way through the treacherous landscape of imperial politics, he is forced to make impossible choices, each decision pushing him further down a path soaked in blood. He learns that true power demands sacrifice, and the price of vengeance may be his soul.

It started off peculiarly; first, his domestic cat refused to let him cuddle it.Lin Qiushi soon found that a sense of disharmony and incongruity began to pervade everything around him.Then, one odd day, he pushed open a door, and he discovered that the hallway he was familiar with turned into a boundless corridor.At both ends of this corridor were twelve, identical iron gates.he pushed one of the doorsThus, the story begins.Disclaimer: The content presented here is not authored by me. I kindly request that you extend your support to the original author by visiting jjwxc.net.Original Author Name: Xī Zǐxù / 西子绪