The Grandmaster Strategist - Volume 5, Chapter 39: Enemies Meet on a Narrow Path

When I cleared the final chapter of a game that was a national failure, I became an unnamed side character in it.

A non-standard, unmeasurable, EX rank supporting character.

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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It’s been 10 years since I found myself in the game “War of Gods: Infinite Defense.”From being the illegitimate son of the Red Dragon family, I rose to become a prominent figure, but under my half-brother’s schemes, I eventually met my demise.[Game over] [Hidden Ending: The Secret of Ray Hatzfeld]However, I was given another chance.[Discovery of the hidden ending has unlocked a new story.] [Additional content is being downloaded.] [The story of Kane Rehinar, the Grand Duke of the Water Tiger family, begins.]Not as the illegitimate son of the Red Dragon family, but as the Grand Duke of an enemy nation!“Hatzfeld, this time I will make sure you die in the most painful way possible.”

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