NBA: Rising Superstar! - Chapter 26, Taking on the Responsibility in a Crisis, Stop Him for Me!

Five years ago, humanity’s strongest Tower Climber was betrayed at the peak of his conquest.Rael Arden, known only by his codename Phantom, was the silent genius who cleared impossible floors, crushed monsters with forbidden magic, and shaped the rules of Tower exploration. No one had ever seen his real face—yet his legend was feared across the world.But at the Tower’s summit, the teammates he carried to glory stabbed him in the back. For power. For godhood. For fear of what he might become.They thought he died.They were wrong.Reincarnated in secret, Rael awakens in a modern world that’s on the edge of collapse. Dungeons bleed into cities. Monsters evolve. The Tower is no longer just a gate—it’s infecting the world. And the very ones who betrayed him now rule from the shadows, hiding behind titles, guilds, and lies.But Rael isn’t alone. His soul split across hidden clone bodies, each designed to infiltrate, gather information, and prepare for war. As each clone reawakens, his power grows—and so does his rage.With him are three women tied to his fate:Selene, the shadow rogue who never betrayed him.Lyra, a curious researcher drawn to the legend of the Phantom.Aeris, the sword saint who still mourns his death… and may not be as loyal to the enemy as she seems.Now, Rael hunts the seven betrayers who destroyed his past.One by one, they will fall.But revenge is just the beginning.Because deep within the Tower, something else is waking—an ancient force that even Rael feared. And this time, the world may not survive unless the Phantom reigns again.

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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She was the celebrated Oiran in her previous life, winning glory throughout the city, only to be betrayed and killed by her sister.When she opened her eyes again, she found herself as a little entertainer who had just been kicked out of a girl group.From then on, she embarked on a journey to lose weight and fiercely battled against the scheming bitches, relying on her wits and bravery.All in all, this is the development diary of a goddess ascending in the showbiz, accompanied by a male lead who appears aloof but harbors a tsundere heart within.

Ye Fei is a poor, down on his luck kitchen hand and could not pay his rent on time. After desperately dodging the landlady with some rash promises, he ducked into his room where he was electrocuted while turning on the lights.

Miraculously, he did not die. Instead, a strange [System] appeared in his head ordering him to do strange things like registering with a broadcasting network and performing strange feats in front of a camera!

Oh, that new laptop? That high tech camera? And those ingredients that appeared in his room?

Somehow all these were provided by [System], and and just appeared in his shabby little room! Just what is going on?

*Gurgle*

Whatever, Ye Fei is too hungry to care, let’s just do whatever and hope for the best!

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