Grind to Greatness: The Barista System - Chapter 4 - 3 – The First Brew (Failed)

He was supposed to be the next big thing.Three years ago, Riku Aoyama was Japan’s rising basketball prodigy…Until a devastating injury and a brutal betrayal shattered everything.Now? He’s just a ghost of his former self—until one empty gym, one dusty court, and one crazy idea reignite the fire.Form a team of nobodies. Start from zero. Take on the monsters ruling the court.With broken players, forgotten schools, and no sponsors backing them—Riku’s team, Kaizen High, isn’t just here to play...They’re here to change the game.No powers. No shortcuts.Just sweat, soul, and skill.In a world where basketball is war—Only the crownless will rise.

Maria is the only daughter of Jackson, the Alpha of the prestigious Blue Moon Pack in Aberdeen, Scotland. Her mother, the Luna, was revered for her grace and strength. But despite her lineage, Maria's life has been far from perfect.At seventeen, she couldn't shift into her wolf or sense her fated mate, a secret her parents kept hidden out of shame in the pack.By nineteen, still unable to shift, she was forced into an engagement with Bernard, her childhood friend and the future Alpha of their pack, who already had a mate only Maria knows about.Maria and Bernard attended the same college, where their engagement was the talk of the campus, earning Maria both admiration and envy.Yet, behind the smiles, Maria's heart belonged to James Brooklyn, the next Alpha of the Crescent Moon Pack—the sworn rivals of her people.Everything took a darker turn on the night of her engagement to Bernard when her parents were brutally murdered.Will Maria survive the deadly power struggles within her pack, uncover the identity of her true mate, and claim the life she deserves?Or will the curse of the Blue Moon destroy her and everyone she loves after finding out who killed her parents?

In a world teeming with mythical races—dragons, vampires, elves, and more—Pyris Obsidian finds himself reborn as the Champion of Lilith, the Goddess of Lust. Armed with her divine blessings and an ancient Obsidian bloodline, Pyris is thrust into a deadly world where power is the only currency, and ambition can turn men into gods—or their prey. The empires of Argos teeter on the brink of chaos, with Immortals lurking in the shadows, and gods watching from above, waiting for mortals to fall. As Pyris rises, so does his influence over the magical world, manipulating power, desire, and even reality itself. But the gods and their champions won’t stand idle while a new force of lust and dominance rises. With forbidden magic, unparalleled charm, and an insatiable hunger for conquest, Pyris must navigate treacherous alliances, deceitful enemies, and seductive allies, all while keeping the truth of his destiny hidden. For in this world, desire is power, and Pyris will stop at nothing to claim what is his—even if it means defying the gods themselves. Will Pyris bend the world to his will, or will the forces of the divine bring him to his knees? Only time will tell, as he embarks on a journey of lust, magic, and unrivaled ambition.

Zou Yue jumped to the side, dodging an extended claw of a growling zombie.

A pair of warm hands gripped his small waist from behind and pulled him over to a sturdy chest. The same pair of hands slowly groped his chest.

“Brother fan w—what are you doing?!” Zou carefully looked up at him.

Fan Xui smirked mysteriously at him and removed the huge shades stylishly. A clear pair of eyes met Zou’s challengingly. “since I saved you just now, why don’t you give me a kiss?”

“you… you can see!!! Aren’t you blind!!!” Zou Yue glanced in shock. He pushed himself for of his body.

Fan Xui laughed out loud, gently caressing Zou’s long black hair. “are you gonna leave me now?,” he continued groping his barely their chest through his girly tank top.

“Fuck yeah!! Let go you poser.” he pushed him away and started shooting the zombies outside with renewed passion. Fan suddenly caught his wrist. “You bastard, what are you doing, let go of my hand. The zombies are coming!!!”

“Hmm okay,” Fan Xui let go. He swiftly snapped a fluffy handcuff snugly on his wrist, tying them both together. “Now we are tied together for live and death,”

“FAN. XUI!! Get this off of me!” Zou growled at him, but the young man just laughed happily.

“Sigh, you are beautiful even when you are angry, dear,” Fan Xui whispered and pulled him up for a passionate kiss. He gently bit those soft lips and moaned. “Delicious,”

Letting go, he slowly waved his hand towards the upcoming zombies and they are reduced to ashes.