Master’s Smile - Chapter 26

Derek Carter never asked for a System, an apocalypse, or the pressure of being humanity’s so-called “last hope.”He was just trying to survive the daily struggles of being an orphan in Paleview City—dodging bullies, scraping together meals, and lying his way into school. Life was already hard enough.Then, one day, a blue screen pops into his vision:[Warning: The world is doomed. Try not to die.]Yeah, great. Just what he needed—cryptic doomsday messages and no instruction manual.Now, monsters are creeping into the city, reality is unraveling, and Damien’s “legendary” starting stats are barely above zero. The System promises him power, but there's just one tiny problem—he’s never won a fight in his life.Armed with sarcasm, questionable decision-making skills, and the sheer refusal to die, Damien is about to embark on the worst (and possibly last) adventure of his life. Because if the world really is ending… he’s at least going to make it someone else’s problem first.After all, heroes are overrated—survivors get to tell the story.

The story revolves around Charles Karino, a Levaamu Empire mercenary aerial pilot who mans the twin seater reconnaissance seaplane Santa Cruz. One day, he receives a preposterous assignment: to fly solo over 12,000 kilometers of enemy waters to protect a girl named Fana del Moral. Fana happens to be the next in line to the empire’s throne and a girl possessing beauty “equal to 5,000 beams of light.”

This is a standalone book. There’s another series under the name “To Aru Hikuushi e no Koiuta” (Love Song for a Certain Pilot) set in the same world, but in a completely different place and with different characters.

– Ulrezaj @ Mazui

Adapted to anime as “The Princess and the Pilot”

Talents.Supernatural abnormalities that changed the genetic make up of most people in the world today, no one knows how it came into this world, but before we knew it, the abnormalities became normal.They were the foundation the modern society was built on, the fuel to humanity's existence. Then they came along, heroes.In Nova City, also known as the Capital of the Awakened, where massive enterprises and these talent-made heroes ruled with power and influence, regular people were just victims of the everyday battle between these so-called heroes and villains.Years ago, in the middle of this Chaotic relationship, I, Mason Harris — a regular 18 year old kid who had always looked up to these heroes, aspire to be just like them even without awakening any talent, lost my parents in a crossfire between these heroes and villains.Since then, I lost any aspirations I had, any admiration I harbored. Till one day, I came across a strange system that changed my life forever, and I awakened a talent.That Talent's Name was Nanoforge.Because of it, I was linked to the greatest technological system known to mankind, create state of the art weaponry out of thin air? Easy. Hack into the universe's most elite security system? Piece of cake.But I didn't go unnoticed, soon enough corporate organizations,hero agencies and even alien warlords from all over the universe wanted me gone at any cost, so if they wanted to wage a war against me, bring it on.I have no desire to become a hero anymore, but with this system, I am justice.The battle to stop the injustice caused by these so-called heroes, it wasn't just the city's fight anymore, it was mine. He made sure of that the day he watched my parents die.

Set on a giant, almost finished bridge between Sadogashima and Niigata. Abandoned by the government, the bridge, and the giant man-made floating island at the center, has become a city of criminals and societal drop-outs.

Set in the same world as Durarara, but 15-20 years later. There is almost no overlap between Etsusa Bridge and the other novels.