Herald of Steel - Chapter 1508: Instructions for Menes

Guys here is my pitch.....In the sprawling world of fantasy, we’ve often been treated to tales of heroes reincarnated with divine blessings, legendary powers, or cheat-like abilities, thrust into magical lands as shining saviors—or chaotic terrors. But what happens when the very concept of reincarnation becomes a curse? When the divine boon is a big fat joke, and the “cheat system” doesn’t quite… cheat?Enter John, the unluckiest reincarnate. Blessed by a god and thrust into a fantasy world, he dreams of glory, power, and adventure—only to wake up as a normal, utterly powerless bird. Not a mythical phoenix, not an ancient thunder eagle. Just… a bird.To make matters worse, this world is no ordinary realm. It's a land scarred by the devastating legacies of past isekai’d heroes and villains, whose reckless exploits piled skeletons into mountains and turned their cheats into harbingers of chaos. Fed up with these unruly intruders, the ancients of the realm banded together to create a world-shaking seal: all reincarnated souls are trapped in the bodies of harmless animals, confined to isolated sanctuaries that function more like fantasy zoos.Here’s the twist: this isn’t mercy. It’s a resource grab. The powerful beast tamers of this realm have turned these reincarnated souls into exotic pets, prized for their cheat-like potential.John finds himself at the bottom of the food chain in every sense. His cheat doesn’t work. His human form is gone. And his world is filled with predatory cultivators who see him as either a snack or a tool.But John isn’t one to give up so easily. What starts as despair quickly turns into cunning survival. With wings and wit as his only tools, John must navigate layers of misfortune, dodge fate’s sharp talons, and cheat his way through a world determined to keep him grounded.Get ready to join John on a wildly unconventional journey—one where reincarnation isn’t a ticket to greatness, but a death sentence he’s determined to rewrite. His story is one of humor, wit, and persistence, as he explores a world where he is the joke and his survival is the punchline.Main tags: reincarnation/isekai, beast taming cultivation system, comedy, action, adventure.Of course No-harem!

[Warning: r18, smut, MC does morally questionable things][Disclaimer: The Gods and Goddesses in the story's world have absolutely no relation to any Gods that are worshipped in the real world. The purpose they serve is also entirely different.]~Even if you're someone who typically doesn't enjoy works with smut, I request you to give this novel a chance (provided you're 18 or older of course). It would be awesome if you could at least read Volume 1 before deciding whether or not this is your cup of tea.~This is an action + kingdom-building story where the MC and his kingdom (Realm) are metaphorically powered by his lustful acts.The story begins with Hiro's (the MC) transmigration into a magical world. At first glance, this “World” might look quite similar to many other fantasy worlds that you've come across on your reading adventures. Status screens, levels, classes, gods, kingdoms, elves - all that good stuff.But it will soon become clear that this World has its own “Rules”. These (mostly) game-like Rules will bring out unique character interactions. They will be what differentiates the World in my story from other similar fantasy worlds.Now about the characters - specifically the main character.The MC (Hiro) will be thrust into the role of Ruler in the new World right off the bat. He starts with a bottom-tier, barebones realm and makes his way to the top.I'm going to say this right away - Hiro is a deeply flawed character at the start. Yes he might be overpowered and good at getting things he wants, but that does not make him flawless.Hiro has glaring emotional flaws at the beginning. He is intelligent but not in the emotional sense. He is lustful but not truly loving. He is apathetic towards death (both of himself and of others).The women who surround him will also have their own problems, both internal and external.As the story progresses, it won't just be the MC and his realm growing in power.Hiro and his harem will also mature emotionally. Hiro's character growth will be a slow, grueling burn. It isn't going to be a smooth straight line from point A to point B.But when it finally does happen, it will be worth it.That's all from me, your author. I hope you enjoy the ride.P.S - Power stones, golden tickets, gifts, adding this to library, reviews, comments, paragraph comments - all these things help immensely and are greatly appreciated.Thanks and Enjoy! :)

The protagonist of a war fantasy novel, Theo, competes with his rival and antagonist, Luke, for the position of Supreme Commander. Having been reincarnated into Luke’s role, he struggles to fulfill his duties as the villain. “It seems like principles as a soldier, the duties I should uphold, don’t matter to you at all.” Even if misunderstood by Theo, Luke silently remained faithful to his role as the antagonist. After completing all his duties, Luke successfully gave Theo his happy ending, cast aside his military uniform, and retired from the army. Now, Luke planned to create his own future story without interference from anyone. That was the plan, at least… “Why go this far? I’m no longer a soldier, and if you really think about it, we were never on good terms anyway.” To make matters worse, not only had he unexpectedly reunited with Theo, but now, Theo was persistently and seriously pressing him in a way he hadn’t imagined. “I want to know you better.” It was a completely incomprehensible statement, and it wasn’t even an appropriate answer to the question. The protagonist came to the antagonist and suddenly asked for help, simply because they wanted to know him better?

Fate and destiny; no one can foreshadow the terrifying challenges on the road to the Pure Land. Instead, one may unearth the evil within the road of light towards paradise.

A King’s Holy Sword, bringing light to the darkness,

An unyielding soul, igniting the fiery hope of the world,

As his soul awakens, the youth fiercely battles the gods of darkness and evil,

As the surging dark clouds gushed out like a phantom, their conflict swept the world like raging tide!

The clash of darkness and light, a massive war on the verge of exploding,

The decisive battle of gods and deities rewrite the creation of the world into one destructive epic!

- Description from Novelupdates