MTL - My Stand-in is Steve - Chapter 23 Hammer from the sky?

Skilled, disciplined and merciless.

Liu Ye was a perfect killing machine for the underworld when he finally decided to step down and live a normal life. All of that for his lovely little sister who was his only family left.

Unfortunately, fate wasn’t on his side.

A forgotten debt forces Liu Ye to return to his past life but this time, in a new role. His Ex-lover, the heiress of the local triad, recruits him for something unusual— a VR Game called Avatar Online.

Elements? Abilities? Avatar?

Follow Liu Ye’s adventure as the world he knew changes upside down!

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!

This is a fan work of “Magic Forbidden Book Catalogue”, and some settings of “Puppet Circus” are added at the same time.

A traveler from a circus enters Academy City to study and live as a puppeteer; at the same time, he secretly fights against the enemies who keep coming to seize the original magic book in his hands, and protects the safety and peace of Academy City by the way.

…The Third World War? Does the mainland dare to call it “World War” without playing?

- Description from novelbuddy

[ Milestone Reached: Unlocking Chaos Dragon ][ … Unlocking Dracula][ … Unlocking Zeus ][ … Unlocking Demon King of Shadows ]----It was a normal day on Earth. Suddenly, the sky turned dark, and massive tower-like structures descended from above. A loud, robotic voice announced the beginning of a chaotic apocalypse.With less than two minutes on the clock, everyone was given a chance to select from a list of mystery newbie packages designed to assist them in the impending apocalypse—each package containing classes, abilities, special boosts, and powerful relics.In the midst of the chaos, Dorian, an avid reader of 'Ethereal Descent', an unpopular apocalypse novel, was stunned to discover that everything was unfolding exactly according to the novel’s kick-off plot.THE NOVEL HAS MERGED WITH REALITY!WHO IS THE PROTAGONIST?Like the others, Dorian was presented with a list of special rewards to choose from.[ You have been chosen to partake in the VIP Newbie Package ][ Select one ]DING![ You have awakened special ability: CHARACTER BIND ][ You can bind with gods, devils, monsters, mythical creatures, favored sons of heaven, etc. ][ You've unlocked: Reader's Viewpoint ][ You've unlocked: Copycat ][ You've unlocked: Energy Parasite ][ You've unlocked Index Of Myth ]With his special ability, Dorian vows to dominate the novel’s world and its protagonist, while also unraveling the mysteries of the apocalypse.