The Shackled Void - Chapter 5: Welcome to The Undercroft

The once-bustling and noisy streets were now filled with an eerie blanket of silence.

Hoarse and frenzied whispers lingered high above the heavens, and an indescribable ancient giant lurked in the shadows of the bottomless ocean.

A mysterious plague had outbroken, and natural disasters wrought the Earth. Global pandemic and catastrophes had the panicked masses seeking illusory shelters from the devastation, day and night.

A bloody shower poured over the land as the streaks of lightning tore across the sky, illuminating the ill-intentioned gathering of ravens above. Nevermore, nevermore, quoth the ravens.

“We can see that this malformed creature has twelve pairs of ribs like humans, but also has a “transverse bone” that humans do not possess…”

In the medical school, Gu Jun continued bringing down his scalpel, illustrating the abnormal thoracic structure of the malformed cadaver on the dissection table to the surrounding students.

Ominous and treacherous times had descended! Truth and logic had crumbled, order warped into a frenzy. Humanity can only forge ahead through the power of intelligence and wisdom.

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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A necromancer and a saint blessed by the Constellations. That’s me.

On the vast sea, Aokiji stopped a ship. After a great battle, Aokiji smiled helplessly, “Hey! Brother! Don’t waste your efforts! I am a natural-type ability! You can’t beat me of!”

Before the words were finished, a sword qi flashed across, freezing thousands of miles away, the frozen Qingzhi’s head crashed immediately, I was afraid that I ate a fake frozen fruit.

In the second half of the great route, Huang Yuan hummed incoherently, “Brother! You said you are faster than me! I’m so embarrassed!”

Before the words were finished, a figure stood on the flying sword and fled thousands of miles away in the blink of an eye, leaving behind a bewildered yellow ape fluttering in the wind.

Kaido: I am a blue dragon!

Someone: Sorry, my sword is also called Dragon Slayer!

 …

This is a sword story, but also a legendary story!

Of course, it is also a miracle that happened in One Piece.

- Description from novelbuddy