The Runesmith - Chapter 526: Monopolizing Resources.

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.

Lenora, an orphaned omega, has always known her place: at the bottom of the pack, toiling away in the kitchen while enduring constant insults. Headstrong and unyielding, she often speaks up for what is right—earning her the ire of her packmates, especially the ruthless Lycan King, Jax, and his confidante, Claire.On her twenty-first birthday, Lenora’s life takes an unexpected turn when she discovers that Jax is her fated mate. But instead of joy, the revelation brings humiliation. Jax, embarrassed by their bond, demands secrecy and rejects her outright. When a cruel setup orchestrated by Claire forces Jax to banish Lenora and her closest friend, Noah, tragedy strikes, leaving Lenora shattered and determined to abandon her werewolf roots.Haunted by his actions, Jax tries to bring Lenora back, but she is no longer the omega he once disregarded. Found and manipulated by Jax's estranged brother, Luke—a vengeful outcast—Lenora must navigate a web of lies, uncovering truths about her mate and the dark secrets that threaten to tear the pack apart.As power struggles ignite and betrayal cuts deep, Lenora must rise above the chaos to protect what remains of her heart and her pack. But when love and revenge collide, will Lenora and Jax find their way back to each other, or will their bond be forever broken?

One day, a tower appeared in the skies of all the major cities…

The Earth of the future is united under a single government, but not all things are well. The shape of the playing field may be changed, but the powerful still rule the weak.And those who do not conform with the rest of society are exiled to another world. A world that not even the technology of the future managed to tame.It should have been humanity's New World but ended up as nothing more than a penal colony. A place where the exiled are sent to die.Motivated by revenge, Magnus sets out on a quest to bring his own justice to his enemies. For that purpose, he is willing to go further than most others.But then he learns that if he truly wishes to change things, he can only find his answers beyond the gate.Having lived most of her life as an exile, Astra is a woman of few interests aside from survival and climbing the ranks of her clan.To achieve those goals, she certainly won't be squeamish when a chance literally falls into her lap, or will she?———————————————————————————————I am trying to go with a survival/“no modern tech” setting in this one. People from a technologically advanced society are thrown into a world where they can't maintain their tech. They are forced to rely on what the world provides where they have to make do with the limited resources they have and what little of their old technology is still working. Their gene manipulation allows them to have something akin to superpowers, but that doesn't help much against the monsters of their new world. Not sure yet whether sufficiently advanced technology will be discovered later on to count as magic.It turns more political between the various clans later on.