Rise of the Living Forge - Chapter 379: If.

-- WSA 2025 Entry --“Five… Four… Three… Two… One…”As the countdown towards the new year went on to the last second, Miles looked up to the sky, just as everybody else did.In the middle of the crowded street, Miles for once felt like he belonged. Being a teenage gamer, living with his parents, and trying to build a life as a streamer, he did not feel like leaving his room every day.But there, in the middle of that crowded street, with everyone around him paying attention to the sky, the countdown on the digital billboard, and mostly anything else but him., Miles felt like a ghost.A welcomed ghost, but a ghost, after all.With a smile on his unseen face, he looked up as the countdown reached one, and everybody sang in unison.‘HAPPY NEW YEAR!”But Miles’ eyes widened as he watched in utter horror, and curiosity, even, hovering above him, a holographic screen with a few lines of text written in it.All around him, although he did not pay much attention to it, a few other people seemed to experience the same situation.[Updating home-world 39515’s version][Version 20.25 update brings a lot of fun and games with the new and improved survival mode][Do you want to convert your previous avatar to home-world 39515’s latest version?][Yes] [No]“Survival… Mode?” Miles’ lips quivered.Before he could think of anything else, though, the people around him began to scream…

Beside the coast, a hundred-meter star gate is overflowing with light.

Outside the star gate, the army made of steel can’t see the edge at a glance.

On the sky, a fighter jet flew across the sky, interweaving the iron curtain.

In the distant ocean, aircraft carriers, destroyers, and frigates are all over the sea, ready to go.

All the muzzles were aimed at a figure walking out of the star gate.

“I order you to withdraw in the name of the Federal Command, otherwise, all-out war awaits you.”

“war?”

Ancient and Jinlai took a step forward, and his body rose against the wind. In an instant, he grew from less than two meters to a Chaos Demon God thousands of meters high. The brilliance of a white dwarf radiated from him, and his own gravity alone caused it to be caused by thousands of miles around. Lightning and thunder, tsunami tides.

He bows his head…

Looking at a toy-like war weapon.

Reaching out, a hydrogen bomb fell into his hand.

The electron degenerate star nucleus in the body releases helium, and the helium element expands. The terrifying high temperature instantly causes the isotopic elements of hydrogen to aggregate deuterium and tritium, and the energy explodes. The sudden white brilliance is like lighting a sun on the sea.

Before waiting for the sun’s energy to be released, he closed his hands together, and the blazing whiteness mixed with hundreds of millions of high temperatures was compressed and sealed in the palm of his hand, escaping less than half of it.

“I think you should choose peace.”

- Description from novelbuddy

After a tragic accident, an ordinary young man awakens in a new world teeming with floating islands, supernatural abilities, and mysterious dangers. Reincarnated in a body he doesn’t recognize and granted a cryptic “system” that refuses to explain itself, he’s thrust into Vanguard Academy—a high school where only the most powerful and determined survive.With no clue why he’s been chosen or what the system wants from him, he must navigate a cutthroat world of rivalries, alliances, and mind-bending challenges. Armed with courage, wit, and untapped potential, he embarks on a journey to uncover the truth behind his reincarnation and the forces pulling the strings in this enigmatic universe.Can he rise above the chaos, or will he fall like countless others before him?Perfect for fans of Solo Leveling and The Beginning After The End, this story blends reincarnation, epic battles, and intricate worldbuilding into a gripping tale of survival and self-discovery.

His lips hovered near her ear, his voice a dark whisper against her skin. “You may fear me, little bride, but I will teach your body to crave me… to need me, until I am all you ever want.”---Belle was never meant to be the bride. But when her parents cried to her about how her beautiful sister could not be married to such a man, she was forced to take her sister’s place. To prevent war between the two worlds of humans and vampires, the kings decided to sign a peace treaty with a marriage, but the only man they could offer for this marriage was a vampire said to be mad and completely heartless. When they said heartless, they meant really heartless, but Belle, being a naive girl her whole life, had no idea what she was stepping into by agreeing to this marriage.At first, he appeared innocent, a man completely opposite to all the rumors around him, until she slowly began to realize every single thing said about the mad vampire was true, or perhaps even worse! He was a man who walked in the path of darkness. He knew no light and showed no mercy, even to those who were not his enemies. He had no heart to love, no emotions but dark ones to feel for anything or anyone. But all of a sudden, when he set his eyes on her, he decided he wanted to keep her, and Belle's naive world began to take a different turn because the mad vampire was hellbent on tainting her innocent soul.Expect“Now, can we forget this happened and enjoy the night?” He arched an amused brow at her, making Belle's heart drop to her stomach as she recalled the so-called wedding night.She hurriedly pulled away from him, her face flaming with embarrassment. From everything she had heard about this night, she was not ready to experience it with this man. The women whispering about it in Mr. Marchant's shop had said one would hate their husband's presence after it and be disgusted by the act. It was not an act meant for pleasure for any woman but torture.Now that she realized her husband would do the same with her, she swallowed hard and nervously clutched her dress. “I...I am not feeling well, My Lord, I—”“Rohan,” he cut her off with a tone of amusement. “Use my name when you address me, sweetheart. You looked quite energetic when you tried to go after the ring for someone who isn't feeling well, but,” he sighed softly, “I've always been a generous man. I won't let you stress yourself tonight.”Belle began to sigh in relief and smile in her mind that he wouldn't push her for the wedding night ceremony. She was even about to part her lips and agree that he was indeed generous and even offer him a thank you when he continued to speak, causing the momentary relief to be replaced by dread.“I will pamper you tonight, and you won’t have to lift a hand. I will give you all the pleasure since you are feeling unwell. Take it as the first lesson in my plan to make you forget love and welcome lust.”“...!”“Lie on the bed for me, Isa.”Belle felt her throat go dry at that strict command.“I...I...” She began but could not find any words to say to make him spare her tonight. What had she got herself into? Belle thought as a pit seemed to form in her stomach, a deep, gnawing dread.“Do you need me to carry you to the bed, or would you rather walk there yourself?” Rohan questioned with dark mirth in his voice and eyes as he watched her like a hawk. He could tell she was nervous, but what to do? She had brought herself into his world.Belle began to walk slowly to the bed at a snail’s pace, as if delaying it would help prevent the dreadful act from happening tonight. She could feel him following closely behind her. When she reached the bed, she used her shaky hands to move the drapes aside and carefully sat at the edge of it, her hands folded nervously on her lap. She felt his piercing gaze on her, but she dared not look up at him.“Lie down,” he ordered softly.MATURE CONTENT, NO RAPE!!