There Will Always Be Protagonists With Delusions of Starting a Harem - Chapter 16

He is the ruler of the mercenary realm, an overlord that gives headaches to the leaders of any country! For the sake of his friends, he’s willing to sacrifice himself; for the sake of his family, he does not hesitate to spill blood! He is a dragon, one that soars above even the highest of heavens. He’s a power that advances triumphantly through unstable situations, stirring up both the winds and the waters.

- Description from Novelupdates

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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In the 30th century, Tyler Rustel is an eccentric and visionary genius, renowned as a brilliant inventor. His life, however, comes to an abrupt end when a small experimental nuclear reactor explodes in a series of unforeseen events. Yet, death is not the end for Tyler. He awakens in a body that feels both familiar and foreign—a parallel version of himself in a completely different universe.This is not a world of technological progress or orderly civilization. Here, twisted gods roam the cosmos, shaping realities according to their cruel whims. The moral laws that governed his previous world do not exist. This is a magical universe, one marked by brutal betrayals, interdimensional wars, and endless massacres. The balance between the forces that rule this cosmos is fragile, and Tyler finds himself at the center of schemes involving powerful entities and boundless ambitions.However, Tyler is no longer an ordinary man. Upon awakening in this new world, he discovers that a fragment of his technology has survived with him: an advanced artificial intelligence system capable of analyzing, adapting, and enhancing anything, provided it has the necessary data. From magical weapons and arcane spells to alchemical techniques and enchanted jewelry, everything can be optimized under his supervision.Armed with this technological advantage in a universe dominated by magic, Tyler quickly realizes the potential of his unique position. While others struggle to survive, he schemes to conquer. Driven by his sharp intellect and a questionable sense of morality, Tyler embarks on a ruthless campaign to achieve magical supremacy and subjugate all worlds around him. He seeks neither redemption nor alliances. His ambition is clear: to rule everything and everyone as a tyrant, to amass an immense harem of women, and to father one million children to establish his legacy across all realms.

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