Death Is The Only Ending For The Villainess - Chapter 58: He rubbed his face against his ringed hand and begged.

“Come not between the Dragon and his Wrath.” — William Shakespeare The year was 2140, and Earth was nothing but a distant memory. Humanity now drifted through the galaxies aboard colossal ARKs, massive skyships that served as the last bastions of civilization. Yet, these ARKs were more than just floating cities; they were humanity’s last containers, preserving what remained of their species. A century before Earth’s final collapse, humanity discovered a gateway to a realm known as Eternia — a fantastical world straight out of myth and legend. Reaching this realm required more than just advanced technology; it demanded a complete departure from the physical body and entry into a mysterious process known as the Dream Weave. In the present day, Cloud lived aboard ARK NO. 427, where he had been training from a young age to step into the Dream Weave. He was a standout among his peers, excelling in every tasks that came his way. Everything seemed to be on track for him — until the pivotal day of the Class Selection process.

Arthur, a young man in his twenties, suddenly finds himself inside the world of the novel “The Rise of the Sovereign Sword,” a famous story he had been reading in his previous life. He doesn’t understand how he ended up in this world, but he soon discovers that he has been installed as the ruler of a poor and small barony due to a serious misunderstanding—everyone believed he was the illegitimate son of the Duke, a man notorious for his terrible reputation and corrupt deeds.Afraid of having his true identity as an impostor exposed, Arthur finds himself in a difficult predicament.As he tries to find a solution to his dilemma, he faces daily problems stemming from this world’s extreme backwardness in terms of economy, technology, and governance. However, instead of surrendering, he decides to use the knowledge from the world he came from to change this regressive situation.Arthur attempts to spread civilization and progress in his society, fighting against outdated traditions and establishing new concepts that will improve and advance people’s lives.

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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‘Did I… die?!’***Year 2026, June 1st, the revolutionary video game, Warstar made its debut.Perfectly coded with revolutionary graphics, a perfect RPG setting, and a rich world where players could choose from 5 main classes, either of a Blademaster, Mage, Mechanic, Combat Mage, and Psychics, it took the world by storm.The rise of God-level players made the game’s popularity even more explosive, turning it into full-time jobs for pro players.Noah Harrington was a God-level player, the player who received the exalted nickname as the Godfather of Warstar. But even God-level players get old.Noah was not just your avid gamer, he was one who reveled in the competitive spirit of the game, the stakes, and most importantly, the euphoria of winning an elite end-to-end game.He was a warrior, a warmonger, but he was getting slowed down by age and so he was chosen by a mysterious power to be transported inside the game.When an expert pro player of a revolutionary video game suddenly finds himself reincarnated inside the game with unprecedented SSS-Ranked unique skills, what does he do?----(Congratulations young warmonger! You have completed the requirements to become a true Warstar!)(You will be transported inside the game in 5 seconds!)(00:00:05)(00:00:04)----Noah’s life and career was suddenly turned upside down but he embraced it. ‘This is an opportunity, and I’ll take it!’‘I’ll be King again!’Watch Noah blaze a record-breaking path to the peak of Warstar with his new reincarnated avatar, Lord Doom.