alfred bester's best short stories

Losing his parent early on, he had to survive in a world he couldn't even see... Blind and left alone, he was seen as a parasite by the social hierarchy of the new ages filled with martial arts and soulbonds Forced to mature early his train of thought was different from his peers as he didn´t mind derogatory reviews about him. The day he awoke his soul was the day he cried in desperation while God played tricks with him as his soul-awakening was a blessing in disguise. Nobody would have ever imagined that he was neither blind nor a parasite until the final moment, he opened his golden eyes that flickered brightly, eagerly waiting to devour everyone daring to obstruct his path towards the summit. Follow Jason on his adventurous journey throughout the vast universe filled with miraculous sceneries and mysterious beings. Some readers might not like information, but I do! ------ Discord-server= https://discord.gg/EdsDgFVWwZ *This is my first novel, please bear that in mind. I appreciate all kinds of sincere advice and comments* ------

When they first met, Tang Wan sighed, “The fifth young master of the Jiang family is just as the rumors said. He’s celibate, aloof, prideful, and is a man to be revered. Unfortunately, he’s so smart that he no longer has any will to live, which made him sickly, and he’s going to die soon… Later on, the fifth young master brought her into his room. When she came out, everyone stared at her in shock. Why was she crying? …… Later on, it was said that the fifth young master returned after he recovered from his illness, and he brought a girl back. She appeared pure and harmless, but underneath that harmless appearance, she was actually a spitfire that offended quite a number of people. But the fifth young master just said, “I brought her back, so I’ll let her do whatever she wants. If… anything happens, I’ll take responsibility.” His best friend gave him a reminder. “You’re going to be responsible for someone from the Tang family?” “Since she came back with me, she’s mine. She’s just a young girl and is spoilt. I have to take responsibility.” After Tang Wan married into the Jiang family, she only had one mission. She must give birth to his children before he died! Meanwhile, the fifth young master was puzzled. “You’re a gentle and shy girl during the day, so why are you so different during the night?” Tang Wan thought. ‘I have to make every second count. He won’t be able to live long.’ After she gave birth to his son and he became one year old, Tang Wan was prepared to become a widow. However… ‘Why isn’t he dead yet?’ Much later, the fifth master of the Jiang family asked her, “I heard that you’ve been looking for my death every day. Do you want to kill me by sucking me dry?”

Two centuries after the Great War, peace between humans and werewolves was finally achieved, or so everyone believes. Werewolves reign like gods, and humans remain blissfully unaware of their true place in the new world order. To maintain this fragile balance, each year, a handful of "lucky" humans are selected from various districts to attend Lunaris Academy, a prestigious institution that promises glory, status, and a chance to mingle with the elite. Those chosen are hailed as the lucky few, destined to marry powerful alphas and rise as luna. This year, Violet Purple is among the chosen, much to everyone's surprise. For an orphaned girl adopted by a disgraced prostitute, this is a golden ticket to a better life or so she's told. But Lunaris Academy isn’t the paradise it’s painted to be. Everything Violet and her fellow humans have been taught is a lie. Humans are far from equal; they're pawns in a much larger game. The academy is nothing but a gilded cage, and the students are lambs led to slaughter, playthings for the alphas to toy with in their ruthless games. To make matters worse, Violet catches the attention of the most dangerous players in this game, the Terror Four: the Alpha of the North, Alpha of the South, Alpha of the East, and Alpha of the West. Each one is more dangerous, more twisted, and more powerful than the last. But even among themselves, the alphas are divided, each with their own deadly ambitions. Yet, they all have their eyes on her. They expect Violet to play along, to fall in line like the others who worship at their feet, to break under their games. But Violet isn’t like the others. She refuses to bow. She’ll defy them all.

Dois séculos após a Grande Guerra, a paz entre humanos e lobisomens finalmente foi alcançada, ou assim todos acreditam. Lobisomens reinam como deuses, e os humanos permanecem blissfully inconscientes de seu verdadeiro lugar na nova ordem mundial. Para manter esse frágil equilíbrio, a cada ano, um punhado de humanos "sortudos" é selecionado de vários distritos para frequentar a Lunaris Academy, uma instituição prestigiosa que promete glória, status e uma chance de se misturar com a elite. Os escolhidos são celebrados como os poucos sortudos, destinados a casar-se com poderosos alfas e ascender como luna. Este ano, Violet Purple está entre os escolhidos, para surpresa de todos. Para uma garota órfã adotada por uma prostituta desonrada, este é um bilhete dourado para uma vida melhor, ou pelo menos é o que dizem a ela. Mas a Lunaris Academy não é o paraíso que aparenta ser. Tudo o que Violet e seus companheiros humanos foram ensinados é uma mentira. Os humanos estão longe de serem iguais; são peões em um jogo muito maior. A academia é nada mais do que uma gaiola dourada, e os alunos são cordeiros levados ao abate, brinquedos para os alfas se divertirem em seus jogos impiedosos. Para piorar as coisas, Violet chama a atenção dos jogadores mais perigosos deste jogo, os Quatro do Terror: o Alfa do Norte, Alfa do Sul, Alfa do Leste e Alfa do Oeste. Cada um é mais perigoso, mais perverso e mais poderoso que o anterior. Mas mesmo entre si, os alfas estão divididos, cada um com suas próprias ambições mortais. Ainda assim, todos têm os olhos sobre ela. Eles esperam que Violet siga o fluxo, caia na linha como os outros que adoram aos seus pés, se quebre sob seus jogos. Mas Violet não é como os outros. Ela se recusa a se curvar. Ela vai desafiá-los a todos.

Deux siècles après la Grande Guerre, la paix entre les humains et les loups-garous a finalement été atteinte, du moins tout le monde le croit. Les loups-garous règnent comme des dieux, et les humains restent dans une ignorance bienheureuse de leur véritable place dans le nouvel ordre mondial. Pour maintenir cet équilibre fragile, chaque année, une poignée d'humains "chanceux" sont sélectionnés dans divers districts pour assister à l'Académie Lunaris, une institution prestigieuse qui promet gloire, statut et une chance de côtoyer l'élite. Ceux qui sont choisis sont acclamés comme les quelques chanceux, destinés à épouser de puissants alphas et à s'élever en tant que luna. Cette année, Violet Purple est parmi les élus, à la surprise de tous. Pour une fille orpheline adoptée par une prostituée déshonorée, c'est un ticket en or pour une vie meilleure ou du moins c'est ce qu'on lui dit. Mais l'Académie Lunaris n'est pas le paradis qu'on décrit. Tout ce que Violet et ses camarades humains ont appris est un mensonge. Les humains sont loin d'être égaux ; ils sont des pions dans un jeu bien plus vaste. L'académie n'est rien de plus qu'une cage dorée, et les étudiants sont des agneaux menés à l'abattoir, des jouets pour les alphas dans leurs jeux impitoyables. Pour aggraver les choses, Violet attire l'attention des joueurs les plus dangereux dans ce jeu, les Quatre Terreurs : l'Alpha du Nord, l'Alpha du Sud, l'Alpha de l'Est et l'Alpha de l'Ouest. Chacun est plus dangereux, plus tordu et plus puissant que le précédent. Mais même entre eux, les alphas sont divisés, chacun poursuivant ses propres ambitions mortelles. Pourtant, ils ont tous les yeux rivés sur elle. Ils s'attendent à ce que Violet suive le mouvement, tombe dans les rangs comme les autres qui vénèrent à leurs pieds, qu'elle casse sous leurs jeux. Mais Violet n'est pas comme les autres. Elle refuse de s'incliner. Elle va tous les défier.

Dos siglos después de la Gran Guerra, la paz entre humanos y hombres lobo finalmente se logró, o eso creen todos. Los hombres lobo reinan como dioses, y los humanos permanecen alegremente inconscientes de su verdadero lugar en el nuevo orden mundial. Para mantener este frágil equilibrio, cada año, un puñado de humanos "afortunados" son seleccionados de varios distritos para asistir a la Academia Lunaris, una institución prestigiosa que promete gloria, estatus y una oportunidad de mezclarse con la élite. Los elegidos son considerados como los pocos afortunados, destinados a casarse con poderosos alfa y ascender como luna. Este año, Violet Purple está entre las elegidas, para sorpresa de todos. Para una niña huérfana adoptada por una prostituta deshonrada, esto es un boleto dorado para una vida mejor o eso le dicen. Pero la Academia Lunaris no es el paraíso que pintan ser. Todo lo que Violet y sus compañeros humanos han aprendido es una mentira. Los humanos están lejos de ser iguales; son peones en un juego mucho más grande. La academia no es más que una jaula dorada, y los estudiantes son corderos llevados al matadero, juguetes para que los alfas jueguen en sus despiadados juegos. Para empeorar las cosas, Violet atrae la atención de los jugadores más peligrosos de este juego, los Cuatro del Terror: el Alfa del Norte, Alfa del Sur, Alfa del Este y Alfa del Oeste. Cada uno es más peligroso, más retorcido y más poderoso que el anterior. Pero incluso entre ellos, los alfas están divididos, cada uno con sus propias ambiciones mortales. Sin embargo, todos tienen los ojos puestos en ella. Esperan que Violet se sume al juego, que siga la línea como los otros que adoran a sus pies, que se rompa bajo sus juegos. Pero Violet no es como los demás. Ella se niega a inclinarse. Ella los desafiará a todos.

After waking up, Vincent finds that he has transmigrated to a parallel world where monsters roam, a world that's no longer ruled by science. In this place, body practitioners can lift 10,000 tons of oil wheels with one hand, and espers can summon wind, rain, thunder, and lightning—born to be strong. Beast tamers can tame powerful monsters that become their most loyal pets. Vincent, who is just an ordinary young man, has successfully activated the Super God of War System and awakens three S-Class Superpower at the start of everything, making him a top super genius! S-Class superpower [Rapid Training]: Body is constantly strengthening every second. Even sleeping can increase your strength by 5,000 kilograms! S-Class superpower [Hellfire]: Burn everything and destroy everything! S-Class superpower [Monster Affinity]: Can communicate with any monster and tame any monster easily! Vincent has strike gold! [Ding! One-handed strength achieved 50,000 kg, life expectancy increased by 300 years!] [Ding! Instakilled giant monster, Nine-Headed Sea Serpent, obtaining S-grade equipment, Crimson Flame Divine Sword!] [Ding! Tamed S-class monster, Storm Dragon King, obtaining a Divine Pet Evolution Pill. It can evolve the Storm Dragon King into an SSS-class Dragon God!' Vincent's heaven-defying path begins…

This is a heinous story about a heinous person. Not to mention his other achievements: just after graduating from university, he had two listed companies on the NASDAQ. No, he recently acquired another listed company, and is planning to acquire another. Behind him, a whole host of investment banks are chasing after him. When will your website go public? Investors also say that a website like this must be subject to public scrutiny. The young boss is back in his carefree youth. This year is a springtime year, coinciding with an old man writing poems by the South China Sea.

Humans of Earth were transported to the Divine Sky Realm, a world brimming with fortune and danger. In this celestial domain, humanity now dwells upon floating islands, ascending as rulers. When else will you get the chance to be a king and vie for supremacy? The system bestowed powers upon chosen individuals, granting limitless luck. Lein, an ordinary office worker, received the SSS-rank talent - Infinity Duplicate. There was nothing in this world that he couldn't duplicate, not even god-tier materials. The path to becoming the strongest lay before him. Yet, Lein knew all too well that it required a process. Even the gods needed a process to create the universe. The Divine Sky Realm offered a fantastical life that Earth's humans had always dreamed of. Soaring through the skies, shattering mountains, rising to the pinnacle in all endeavors. But humans remain humans, wherever they are, driven by their innate nature: greedy and unaware of their limits. Humans believed they were the sole inhabitants of the universe, thinking only they received the system's fortune. But reality proved otherwise. Other races in the universe were granted the same blessings, without distinction. In fact, the human physique was considered low-tier. Races like the Wood Elves, Dwarves, Goblins, Dragons, and countless others possessed bodies that defied the heavens from the outset. Could humans survive in the Divine Sky Realm? We can only hope for the best. The humans found themselves in a realm where dreams and nightmares walked hand in hand, a place where every desire and fear took form. Floating islands became their new kingdoms, a testament to their newfound power and ambition. Lein, an unremarkable man back on Earth, now wielded the power of Infinity Duplicate, a gift that could make him invincible.

Après s'être réveillé, Vincent découvre qu'il a transmigré dans un monde parallèle où rôdent des monstres, un monde qui n'est plus régi par la science. Dans cet endroit, les pratiquants du corps peuvent soulever 10 000 tonnes de roues d'huile d'une seule main, et les espers peuvent invoquer le vent, la pluie, le tonnerre et les éclairs—nés pour être forts. Les dompteurs de bêtes peuvent apprivoiser des monstres puissants qui deviennent leurs animaux de compagnie les plus loyaux. Vincent, qui n'est qu'un jeune homme ordinaire, a réussi à activer le Système du Dieu de la Guerre Suprême et éveille trois Superpouvoirs de Classe S dès le début de tout, faisant de lui un super génie de premier ordre! Superpouvoir de Classe S [Entraînement Rapide] : Le corps se renforce constamment chaque seconde. Même dormir peut augmenter votre force de 5 000 kilogrammes! Superpouvoir de Classe S [Feu de l'Enfer] : Brûler tout et détruire tout! Superpouvoir de Classe S [Affinité avec les Monstres] : Peut communiquer avec n'importe quel monstre et apprivoiser n'importe quel monstre facilement! Vincent a frappé l'or! [Ding! Force d'une seule main atteint 50 000 kg, espérance de vie augmentée de 300 ans!] [Ding! Monstre géant tué instantanément, Serpent de Mer à Neuf Têtes, obtention d'équipement de grade S, Épée Divine de Flamme Cramoisie!] [Ding! Monstre de classe S apprivoisé, Roi Dragon de Tempête, obtention d'une Pilule d'Évolution Divine pour Animaux de Compagnie. Elle peut faire évoluer le Roi Dragon de Tempête en un Dieu Dragon de classe SSS!] Le chemin défiant les cieux de Vincent commence…