The Curse of Desire - Chapter 3: Best Friend’s Brother ()

Life used to be so simple,

Full of false hope and endless beliefs in one’s ability in wooing that beautiful girl.

But in a single instant,

Everything as you knew it, plummeted faster than a spoken rejection.

What is real and false can’t be determined,

As the world slowly falls into the maws of the apocalypse.

How will our simple friend respond to the call; the summons?

No matter what he chooses,

Chaos SHALL Reign!

- Description from Novelupdates

Elias “Grim” Kingsley, a nine-year-old orphan with a hardened heart and sharp tongue, dies alone from pneumonia in an overcrowded orphanage. Known for his perpetual scowl and biting remarks, he's labeled a “problem child” by caretakers and “damaged goods” by potential adopters. Years of rejection have built thick armor around his young heart.In death, he encounters the God of Balance who offers him a second chance at life in a different world—this time as Grim Van Ambrose, son of a noble house. Balance explains that every soul deserves to know love and connection, something Elias was cruelly denied in his first life.Promised the family and belonging he never experienced, Grim begins his new life only to suffer an immediate tragedy: his mother dies moments after his birth. This cruel twist of fate reinforces his belief that loss is inevitable, leaving him with a distant father and the mysterious voice of a “Guidance Assistant” in his head.As Grim grows into his new identity, he struggles with his dual nature—the emotional scars of his past life bleeding into his present one. His difficult personality and sharp tongue remain, now paired with noble privilege and expectations. Despite his outward brashness, he carries the deep wounds of his first life and the fresh loss that welcomed him into his second.What begins as one orphan's second chance evolves into an epic journey through a world of ancient beasts, elemental magic, and deadly political intrigue. As Grim uncovers the truth about the Ambrose Clan's fall from grace and the conspiracy that framed them for treason, he faces increasingly dangerous adversaries—both human and monstrous. His quest for revenge against those who destroyed his family's legacy will challenge him to master forbidden techniques, forge unexpected alliances, and ultimately decide whether to rebuild the Ambrose Clan as it was, or transform it into something entirely new.In a realm where power determines survival and ancient secrets lurk beneath noble facades, Grim must learn that sometimes the greatest battles aren't fought with swords, but with the choices that define who we truly are.

A young man dies and is transported all the way back into Ancient Sparta. Underneath all the bravado is a now failing nation after over extension from the Peloponnesian war against Athens. Will the man save Sparta and forge it in his desired image? Or will Persia, Athens, and other city-states or empires crush them!Contains portrayals of real life leading figures and gets to the nitty gritty of the often disgusting and disturbing life's people suffered through in Ancient Greece.Expect a new chapter a few times a week. Total world count 30,000