MTL - Mermaid Effect - Chapter 10

Long Chen, a crippled youth who cannot cultivate, is constantly targeted and bullied by his fellow noble heirs. After a particularly vicious beating, he wakes up and realizes a Pill God’s soul has somehow merged with him, giving him some additional memories. Within those memories is the mysterious Nine Star Hegemon Body Art, a cultivation technique that even he can train in, but whose secrets and origin are still a mystery to him. Relying on his improved instincts as he finally begins to cultivate, he realizes a huge conspiracy is underfoot within the Phoenix Cry Empire, one involving his father, members of the imperial family, and even the Emperor himself.

In order to solve the mysteries around him, he must rely on his new alchemy techniques and the powerful but baffling Nine Star Hegemon Body Art. Countless enemies block him as he attempts to climb to the peak of the cultivation world.

Fate destined him to be only a chess piece, but he would not bow to the will of the Heavens.

The ninth son of the Tianhan Immortal Emperor of the fairy realm, Qin Yun had the rare gift of the Chaos Immortal physique and even achieved the cultivation level of Real Immortal at ten years old. He was so skilled that his father was considering making him the successor to the throne.

But his idyllic life was shattered at the hands of a massive conspiracy, and the Immortal Emperor, his own father, not only exiled his mother to endless torture in an unfathomable abyss, but he also sealed away Qin Yun’s intelligence and memories away and banished him to the mortal world.

Stuck on Earth as a helpless child, he is taken in by a beautiful woman in a small town who adopts him as her younger brother. Things are fine for a while, but when a bully attempts to extort his newfound sister for sex, and no one is willing to stand up to him because of his powerful friends, can Qin Yun tap into his old skills to protect her?

Kai was a 17-year-old dropout. A NEET. A background character in real life with nothing to his name but bitterness, novels, and guilt. After his parents died, he gave up on the world. People were fake. Dreams were pointless. And that one novel he kept reading? He hated it especially the main character, June. Perfect, noble, always standing tall. Everything Kai wasn’t.Then, one night, a voice asked: “What if you did meet June?”He said yes, half-asleep and half-mocking.Now he’s trapped in the novel. Isikeid. But he’s not June. He’s not a hero. He’s not even in the main cast.He’s an extra in the background of a world he knows too well and he’s had enough of watching things play out the same way. This time, he’s going to change everything. Whether the world likes it or not.

“The masterminds are cooler than heroes,” I mutter as I stare at the chess pieces before me. It is easier to be the one who sits in the shadows and moves the pieces, likewise deciding the flow of the game.Heroes will foolishly sacrifice their lives for the good cause and villains will sacrifice the world for their own gain, but masterminds will use both the heroes and villains to their own benefit.Why, you ask? Well, that's because I've lost my life once while trying to be a hero so, I don't want that anymore. I'd rather be a mastermind who molds the world as per my convenience and live peacefully. Because, why not?***[Defender of Divine Glory says you are the hope of this world.]What?[Goddess of Wisdom believes that you will be the one to save the world.]Wait, what?![Propose the Grand Duke the idea of a fake marriage.]And, why would I do that?![Stop the assassination of Prince Eric.]Why would I save him?![The candidates for the throne are:... Who will you choose?]Ah! I give up...It seems like a curse that anyone who wishes for a slacker life in Isekai will have to go through the most troublesome things.In my past life, I died because of one rookie mistake but after being transmigrated in the world of fantasy I've gotten an opportunity to start afresh, but unlike the protagonists who look for their love and glory, I'd rather make money and live a life of a slacker.I have magic, I have power and I have money, what else do I need?Well, that was the plan but this damn system is getting on my nerves. I mean who in their sane mind would want to mess with the complicated royal family and political affairs? But that's not all though.I've also become the saviour of this world. Things just can't be anymore worse!Besides, the penalty of failing this quest is...[Failure: Destruction of the World.]It seems like if I screw up in selecting the right person then the destruction that is going to befall the world won't be stopped.If I speak of my reward then it's this vague thing.[Reward: Fulfillment of any wish.]“If that's the case then, I'd rather choose the person who would be the best fit for the throne.”And that's how I decided that I would become the Kingmaker.