Demon Hunter - Book 1 Chapter 17.1

After an unexpected death, a soul finds itself reincarnated into the body of Itsuka Shido, an ordinary teenager in a world filled with powerful spirits, magic, and dangers from other dimensions. With the help of a mysterious system integrated into his body, Shido gains the ability to travel across worlds, summon legendary anime characters, and unlock a wide array of random skills and abilities.Disclaimer: The cover isn't mine, credits to the original artist.

Facing extinction, humanity seeks salvation in the Astral Verge, a dangerous dimension accessed via portals that threatened to wipe out the entire planet.Few years later, aspiring recruit Daniel Vance enters the Verge for his final assessment, hoping to Awaken a Talent and secure his future. While others gain common abilities, Daniel secretly Awakens the mythical SSS-Grade Talent: [Soul Assimilation]. This allows him to absorb essence, enhancing gear, gaining stats and EXP from slain creatures, and crucially, absorbing attributes and skills from fallen Awakened.Witnessing the swift death of the arrogant Jaxon Rex, Daniel makes a grim choice: he assimilates Jaxon, gaining his first skill, [Kinetic Pulse]. This sets his path: scavenging the aftermath of others’ battles. He enhances gear and, after achieving his first kill on an injured beast, waits patiently to assimilate two more fallen recruits, acquiring [Quick Step] and the invaluable passive [Aura Sense].Starting as average, Daniel rapidly gains power in secret, enhanced gear, multiple skills, and boosted stats , far exceeding his peers while remaining outwardly unremarkable. He navigates the lethal Verge alone, using its inherent dangers to fuel his growth, wrestling with the moral cost of his unique, overwhelming power.

Deep below the earth's surface, a mystifying subterranean seascape lurks, an archipelago bathed in inky blackness where suspense and horror hold court. Here lie strange islands and even stranger monsters, far beyond the realms of human imagination. In this domain, mankind is far from dominant; instead, madness and death rule supreme.

Pleading for mercy from the unknown creatures of the deep only leads to a slow, tortured existence. The trapped survivors gradually distort, losing what made them human, both physically and mentally, to the gloom as they remain trapped in this eternal obscurity. Their only hope? A perilous expedition into uncharted sea territories.

Fueled by determination, Charles embark on this daunting voyage aboard his steamship, aiming to reclaim humanity's past glory. Together with his crew, they sought a way out of this hidden sea world, a path back to the sunlit world above, where humans once stood tall.

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I read a few comments from Chinese readers that compared this novel with Lord of Mysteries because of similar elements: Lovecraftian, western fantasy, first industrial revolution, and steampunk. However, I have yet to finish reading Lord of Mysteries to do any actual comparison, but I do think those who have enjoyed that novel would enjoy this as well. Also, the author of LotM, Cuttlefish That Loves Diving, also did a shout-out for this novel, so I guess he approves of it too?

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She is the newly crowned Best Actress of the Entertainment Circle as well as the long-lost second young lady of the Ye Family in the Imperial City, a fact everyone knew. The eldest daughter of the Ye Family was the Chairman of the Fenghai Group; the third son of the Ye family, a big shot in Imperial City; but the found second young lady was merely a decoration in the Entertainment Circle.Her father did not love her, her mother did not cherish her. However, nobody knew, behind the guise of a mere decoration, she was in fact an exceptional agent that international powers found troubling!Unexpectedly, she made a mistake, was tricked, and accidentally bound herself with a system to complete tasks and absorb energy.Since then, she dominated in all parallel universes, rewriting the tragic lives of others. In whichever world she was in, she thrived effortlessly. What she did not anticipate, however, was crossing paths with a big shot from a mysterious power…When she finally recovers her strength to return to her peak form, she could let go of her identity as the second young lady of the Ye Family; she could reject her family's estate. But, if she didn't give a good reckoning to those who plotted against her, how would she do justice to her hard-earned title of Chief Agent?Once her identity is fully revealed, it would be her time to shine!***One a prodigious mystery youth, the other a world-renowned Chief Agent, this is a showdown between two formidable figures.***The alternate titles of this novel include “The Heroine Is Really Amazing” and “The Hero Is Really Handsome”.—【Refreshing】【Quick Transmigration】【1v1】