MTL - Rebirth: Rising Hong Kong - Chapter 9 Pretending to be a ghost, a flicker

Betrayed by his sister. Betrayed by chosen one's humanity. Betrayed by the Gods.That was how the life of Leonard, the Defier of Fate and the world’s greatest heretic, came to an end.When demons invaded human lands, he received a revelation from the Goddess. She commanded him to act as a spy, to infiltrate the enemy ranks and expose their secrets for humanity’s sake.To fulfill this mission, he had to sacrifice a part of his soul. He accepted a demonic contract, surrendered his soul, and became a demonic human. Risking everything, he provided critical information to the humans and helped them turn the tide of battle.But then, he had a shocking discovery.The war was nothing but a gambit between various gods and before he could act, the war was stopped out of nowhere.In an unexpected turn, humans and demons put aside their hatred and signed a peace treaty.Before Leonard could make sense of it, he was betrayed. Both demons and humans joined hands to kill him.“Fuck! If there is a next life, I swear I will tear you gods apart!”With this scream, he thought his suffering was finally over.But…When he opened his eyes again, he found himself in the body of Kael Veydrin, the son of the Grand Duke of the Heizen Empire. But this new life was no different from the last.His sister wanted to get rid of him.Born with clogged vessels and no talent, he was nothing but a disappointment.A subject of fun and ridicule among the fellow nobles.Despite rebirth, nothing seems to change.The cursed fate.The distorted history smearing his name.A world that was against him.Leonard, now assuming the identity of Kael, let out a low chuckle.“Don’t worry, Kael. I will have revenge for both of us.”“They called me heretic right? I will show them how a true fucking heretic acts.”Follow Kael's journey, as he fights against the fates and injustices to drag the ones ruling above.

A million years ago, he had traversed the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths, braving countless mysterious Life Prohibition Zones, in search of a way to resurrect that foolish woman, but inadvertently learned one earth-shattering secret after another. Thereafter, he went through nine cycles of reincarnation, strategizing over the world, casting his net across the heavens, with the Myriad Realms as his board! In this life, he had returned from reincarnation, his Qi engulfing mountains and rivers, “It’s time to close the net...”

On one spring evening when I was eight years old, I, Erica, Duke of Aurelia’s daughter, realized something.

Huh, I have reincarnated into a fantasy world, haven’t I?

Moreover, it was the romance-fantasy girl game that had the reputation of being bloody, 『Liber Monstrorum ~Phantom Beasts and the Winter Princess~』

The face reflected in the mirror was that of the villainess character of that game.

After repeatedly harassing many characters, including the heroine, she would die without exception, signaling the beginning of an event called the bizarre incident. She was a villain who deserved to get the consequences!

—I absolutely don’t want a destiny like that, though?

No, for me who has remembered the memory of my previous life, there would be no such thing.

In my previous life, I was harassed immensely by an irrationally angry yandere man who proclaimed ‘She is absolutely in love with me.’

My cause of death, too, was from being stabbed by another yandere man who I only had talked with a few times……

Now that I have become the haughty villainess Erica, I shouldn’t encounter more misunderstandings like with the previous life’s yandere men anymore, right……?

In that case, it will be fine as long as I deal with the death flags that I may have raised myself.

All right! First of all, before the bizarre incident begins at the Magic Academy, I will strike down the death flags accordingly!!

—Or so I thought, but it seems that I am about to die.

Eeh, how did this happen—!?

The most popular game worldwide is Ancient Arena Online, a high-octane PvP fantasy game where teams fight for supremacy in mythical arenas. Millions of fans watch livestreams, bet on matches, and follow their favorite players like celebrities. The game’s competitive scene is so fierce that professional teams are treated like esports royalty.At the heart of it all is Kai Ashford, one of the top players and captain of the pro team Phoenix Edge. With lightning-fast reflexes and strategic brilliance, Kai leads his team to countless victories. But success breeds jealousy. Sabotaged by a teammate he thought was loyal, Kai is not only kicked off his team, but also humiliated in front of millions of fans. With his reputation shattered and confidence at rock bottom, Kai retreats from the public eye.However, Kai's competitive spirit is not easily extinguished. He stumbles upon a group of amateur players—a ragtag bunch who show raw potential but lack the finesse needed to win at the highest levels. Their quirky personalities clash with his no-nonsense attitude, but something about their passion reminds him of why he started gaming in the first place. Deciding to put his past behind him, Kai agrees to train them into a professional team.Along the way, Kai builds unexpected connections with his new teammates, including romantic entanglements with a fiery mage, an eccentric hacker, and a mysterious assassin player, all while juggling his personal feelings and growing attraction for multiple women. As his new team rises through the ranks, they gain attention from fans and sponsors, putting them back on the radar of the professional scene.But Kai’s past doesn’t stay buried for long. His former teammates—now rivals—plot to sabotage him once again, while jealous contenders within the gaming world aim to tear him down. However, Kai's return to the spotlight will be on his terms this time. With a darker, more calculating approach, he plans to not only dominate the game but also to get sweet revenge on those who betrayed him.