The Tales of Draconic Warlock - Chapter 270 Graduation Exams (12)

There was no light in the night, save for the sound of war drums and war cries.

The young man listened carefully, it was the sound of his heartbeat and the flow of his blood.

What lay hidden in the darkness ahead? Is it man, god or……a monster?

There was no such thing as the best road, because the journey beneath one’s feet is limitless!

Regret filled Valyr as he witnessed Earth before him crumble into nothingness. Although he and the others had done everything they could, their efforts were all for naught as they stood powerless to stop the inevitable, causing billions upon billions of innocent lives to perish in the cold and unwelcoming darkness of space.

Indignant at the outcome, Valyr asked the heavens above to give him a second chance, a chance wherein he would make sure the inevitable didn’t happen. Though he knew that the likelihood of it happening was slim to none, surprisingly…

The heavens answered.

Opening his eyes, he swiftly found out his wish had been granted, in more ways than one at that. Not only was he brought back to the time where everything had yet to unfold, he was also reborn as an NPC in the game where everything started and everything ended.

The True Immersion VRMMORPG, Greater Beyond.

Utilizing his newfound advantages, in conjunction with his knowledge of the game and its various versions from his previous life, Valyr was going to make sure that what happened before wouldn’t happen again. And all of that began…

With him picking up the Blacksmith class.

Leon was a robotics engineer with a bright future—until he was run over by a military truck and killed on the spot. But death wasn’t the end. Thanks to a cosmic glitch and to an idiot, Leon wakes up in a new world, reincarnated as the son of a minor noble family guarding the wild frontier of a massive Empire. With his intact mind, enhanced brain, and a world begging for progress, Leon sees opportunity everywhere—one that he will grab for sure.But not everything will go smoothly. Monsters come over in the winter, the Empire monopolizes magic and technology, and society clings to barbaric ways. Refusing to accept the status quo, Leon decides to reshape his family’s backwater territory into a land he would enjoy living in. Armed with knowledge from his old life, modern problem-solving, and an irreverent attitude, he plans to revolutionize his territory. But in a land where magic is rare and unknown to ordinary people, he knows he’ll need more than blueprints to succeed. He will need his own wizards and witches...Hey-ho! Welcome! I thought I need to add some information to those who want to know if they should just skip it or not: First, I ain't planning to introduce world-changing, thought-provoking ideas here. It is all for the plain and simple reason of having some fun. What you need to be aware of if you need more details:- Yes, this is an isekai story. No, there are no 'cheats' or systems involved with gaining skills. He is just a guy reincarnating with a gene-modified brain, so it explains why he can remember things and be smart. That is it. Think of it as him having a perfect memory. If you perceive confidence as arrogance, you may very well dislike the MC right off the bat. He is not someone who will lay low and try to blend in when his territory is the most backward and abandoned place in a vast Empire. Where the throne is so far away, messages take months to go back and forth.- The story mostly focuses on kingdom-building stuff and slice-of-life elements, not on conquest or curb stomping others. The main conflict will be centered around wars, yes, but it won't be one guy vs. the world or something like that. Magic is going to play a big role in building up the territory, as I plan to branch out into magic technology later on. I am going to rely heavily on magic because I am mostly a fantasy writer and not an engineer.- The MC's main goal is to enjoy himself. This also means girls. So there will be a harem. Those who are familiar with my works, how I do groups, and how my characters act will know I don't like doing cardboard cutouts of characters. Most of my stories have more than one character accompanying the MC. The same will be true here, with the extra caveat that they will also be involved romantically with the MC. - The story plays out in a 1st person POV. There won't be jumping around multiple POVs; I don't like that. Only when the story requires it and the MC can’t be present by himself for some story parts.- Don't take this story seriously nor look for scientifically 100% real and codex-like solutions for problems. This is a fantasy world, a totally different culture, and with history, that is NOT OUR world! There is magic here, and the MC has a supercomputer for a brain. I think that says it all. - My main goal is to enjoy writing some whacky but real-sounding scenarios. They will be based upon feasible ideas, but I am not writing a damned textbook about thermodynamics. Laws will be bent and broken when the story needs it.- Regarding smut, there are some chapters with erotic scenes, but not every other chapter. So expect it when the mood is there in the story and not because I must cram as much snu-snu in as possible... That won't happen.- No guns. Why? Every similar story has guns. This doesn't. This has mechs and power swords. Why? Because I said so.

Rita Oreira, a fun-loving radio host known for her girly gossip, met a tragic end during a home burglary while trying to save her pet parrot.Surprisingly, she transmigrated into a fantasy novel as Lirian Nightwind, a quirky villainess from an evil family, destined to marry the wicked northern duke, Gabriel Sylcrest, who planned to take over the crown.In the original story, Lirian was set to betray Gabriel, leading to her own death by his hands.Fortunately and unfortunately for her, the new Lirian was protected by her two mischievous brothers, who were supposed to die alongside the duke.Their loyalty complicated her plans to escape the dark fate that awaited them all.In this new world, she had to scheme and do unspeakable things with the lunatic duke to protect her true identity and prevent anyone from discovering that she was not the real Lirian.Not only were the tasks out of line, but they were all for pure entertainment rather than any real purpose.As she accepted her life as his wife, she learned that her parrot, which could only say modern phrases, had special powers that made others believe it could see the future.If the parrot said, “Slay, b*tch!” Gabriel would kill a person on the spot.If the parrot said, “Let it cook!” the male lead would banish or imprison the chef, thinking the food was poisoned.If the parrot said, “Sus, very sus!” Gabriel would tear his advisors apart.As Lirian tried to change her destiny and save them all, she discovered surprising truths about those around her, especially Gabriel Sylcrest.Motivated to survive, Rita had to find a way to save them all.“The crown prince—!!!”“Say one more word about another man, and I’ll let my beasts tear him apart.”“You know, my Lord, for a duke who seeks power, you certainly have a way of making a girl feel… vulnerable.”“Vulnerable? No, my dear. You’re mine, and I’ll make sure everyone knows it. If another man even dares to look at you, I’ll unleash my wrath. I’ll have him begging for mercy, and then I’ll enjoy every moment of his despair.”“You can’t just claim me like that.”“Watch me. I’ll mark you as mine in blood and shadow. You’ll be a warning to anyone who thinks they can touch what belongs to me. The moment you’re within my reach, I’ll ensure no one else can ever have you.”“Is that a threat or a promise?”“Both, Lirian. And trust me, the line between love and possession is razor-thin. Cross me, and you’ll find out just how deep my darkness runs for you.”