Radiant Rebirth: The Ugly-Duckling Turned Out A Powerful Beauty - Chapter 24: The Counterattack III

I watch him, his green eyes brimming with concern as he gently massages my scarred leg. The sensation is both soothing and a stark reminder of my own inadequacy. The once-feared Crimson General, a symbol of power and invincibility, is now nothing but a frail shadow of his former self. I’ve been abandoned, left to decay in this forsaken place, my family and comrades long forgotten. Darkness had become my only solace, and I had resigned myself to it.Then he arrived, a beacon of light in my endless night. His presence, his care—it’s more than I ever deserved. Yet, I find myself clinging to him with an intensity that borders on madness. I hate that I need him so desperately, that his every action and word have become my lifeline. It consumes me, a torment I can't escape.“You don't have to do this. Please, don’t do this. I’m nothing. You deserve better. Leave. Please,” I beg, my voice trembling with raw anguish, the very words tearing me apart.He continues his work, seemingly unaffected by my pleas.“Why are you here? Look at me! I’m nothing.”Desperation and anger swell within me, mixing into a maelstrom of anxiety. I can’t comprehend the emotions coursing through me.“You're my alpha, where else would I be?” he responds softly, his gaze unwavering, as if my pleas were mere background noise.My heart races, torn between overwhelming relief and paralyzing dread. In that moment, I realize the truth: you would have to tear him from my cold, lifeless arms. I’m never letting go.General Thorne, betrayed and broken, finds new life and love with Omega Noelle, who nurses him back to health. Their deepening bond reveals Thorne’s softer side, offering a chance at happiness. Unfortunately, Thorne’s past soon catches up with them, threatening their newfound peace.

In the Country of Fine Cuisine, chefs are the most respected vocation.

Luo Xiu, an award-winning chef from planet Earth, crossed over into this world by accident. With a Mapo bean curd in his hand, the dish created a strange vision of Flaming Mountain.

Food that caused clothes to explode? Food that glows? Food that creates visions? Food that causes illusion?

That’s right, a Xiuzhen chef on this continent can produce these special effects when they cook.

Have you seen potatoes as big as a human head?

Have you seen jade colored wheat?

What about chickens that are 0.8m tall?

In this world, these are just the most basic ingredients.

“Well, these ingredients are interesting and are a good fit for Chinese Cuisine!”

“If you move again, I will release the dish- Buddha Jumps over the wall!”

Boom!

A large golden Buddha sat on 10 Xiuzhen practitioners and squashed them to death!

- Description from Novelupdates

In the Solarian Empire, people were divided by their blood. The nobles enjoyed their life in wealth, with fine wine and amazing food. They reigned supreme over the commoners. The only reason they were able to do this was that they had knowledge of the most powerful force in the world - magic. The nobles controlled their knowledge from easily going to commoners, making it harder for them to learn magic.

Leo, a young orphan in Solaria, had an incredibly powerful affinity for magic. He didn't even know about it because he could never learn magic- he was too poor to try and learn from any magic academies. He was just trying to survive the streets of Solhaven until he found the lost tome of the Arcane Emperor.

"I can beat a 7th Circle Mage."

"Wow! You must have trained for many decades. How old are you?"

"17."

"..."

The world was going to be turned upside down.

Time travelling from the majestic era after the Recuperation of Reiki, he became Kimura Kazuki, a 16-year-old high school student in Japan, one year before the Reiki Recuperation.

Tentatively, he set out to hone himself to the bone, burning candles at both ends to stockpile resources in preparation for the imminent Recuperation of Reiki. His goal was to be many steps ahead of all humanity when the time comes.

However, it seemed like fate had decided to play a cruel trick on him.

One year later, the Recuperation of Reiki… did not happen as expected.