The Lunar Curse: A Second Chance With Alpha Draven - Chapter 9: The Truth Behind Claiming Meredith

July, 1946. The existence of an alternate world was confirmed.

It was supposed to be a new world for mankind.

However, the enormous cost, the annihilation of the advance troops, and fierce public opposition led to the signing of a non-aggression treaty.

Mankind turned their eyes towards space.

Half a century later.

A certain company formed a team in order to explore the alternate world’s dungeon.

Five professionals and three artificial intelligences. And one reserve member.

With modern weapons and technology, the adventure was expected to be easy.

However, the ones who had arrived in the alternate world were a defective artificial intelligence and a non-professional.

Through trial and error, they lived, ate, and fought. And, they explored the dungeon.

The most popular game worldwide is Ancient Arena Online, a high-octane PvP fantasy game where teams fight for supremacy in mythical arenas. Millions of fans watch livestreams, bet on matches, and follow their favorite players like celebrities. The game’s competitive scene is so fierce that professional teams are treated like esports royalty.At the heart of it all is Kai Ashford, one of the top players and captain of the pro team Phoenix Edge. With lightning-fast reflexes and strategic brilliance, Kai leads his team to countless victories. But success breeds jealousy. Sabotaged by a teammate he thought was loyal, Kai is not only kicked off his team, but also humiliated in front of millions of fans. With his reputation shattered and confidence at rock bottom, Kai retreats from the public eye.However, Kai's competitive spirit is not easily extinguished. He stumbles upon a group of amateur players—a ragtag bunch who show raw potential but lack the finesse needed to win at the highest levels. Their quirky personalities clash with his no-nonsense attitude, but something about their passion reminds him of why he started gaming in the first place. Deciding to put his past behind him, Kai agrees to train them into a professional team.Along the way, Kai builds unexpected connections with his new teammates, including romantic entanglements with a fiery mage, an eccentric hacker, and a mysterious assassin player, all while juggling his personal feelings and growing attraction for multiple women. As his new team rises through the ranks, they gain attention from fans and sponsors, putting them back on the radar of the professional scene.But Kai’s past doesn’t stay buried for long. His former teammates—now rivals—plot to sabotage him once again, while jealous contenders within the gaming world aim to tear him down. However, Kai's return to the spotlight will be on his terms this time. With a darker, more calculating approach, he plans to not only dominate the game but also to get sweet revenge on those who betrayed him.

She was originally a daughter of a thousand gold, but who would have thought that her father would be demoted to the south of the Five Ridges once. Start with a dilapidated house, nothing you want!

A broken house is a broken house. A family working together is better than anything else. Zhao Liya took her parents, brother, sister and righteous brother to open up wasteland and farm, and make a fortune. There are treasures everywhere in Lingnan. If you work hard to start a business, your life will become more and more prosperous.

In the process of working hard to farm and make money, she met a very compatible partner. She pointed east, and her partner would never go west. She said that she would go to the sea, but her partner would never go up the mountain. Making spices, opening a restaurant… My partner said: “Good!”

Zhao Liya is very satisfied, give her another fight with such a partner!

Partner: “Not good! Just me is enough!”

Later, when the partner’s identity was exposed, Zhao Liya clenched her fists, “It’s really enough to have you alone!”

- Description from novelbuddy

Takahiro Nao, a 25-year-old burdened by crushing debt and driven solely by his love for his struggling family, meets a tragic end—until a mysterious Goddess of Benevolence offers him a second chance: reincarnated in another world, and his efforts there will provide for his family back on Earth. Awakening in the body of Naoki von Blackmore, a disgraced “Failed Hero,” Nao is thrust into a realm of sword and magic, monsters, and war, tasked with the impossible mission of defeating the Demon King. With newfound powers, a shadowy past, and the weight of two worlds on his shoulders, he must battle not only relentless enemies but fate itself. Blending emotional depth, thrilling action, moments of humor, and a spark of romance, this gripping isekai adventure asks: how far would you go—and what would you sacrifice—for the people you love?