The Misfit of Demon King Academy (WN) - Chapter 0: Prologue

After a tragic accident that claimed the lives of his parents and little sister, Leo, just 17 years old, found himself shouldering all responsibilities alone.By some miracle, he survived the past four months on his own—attending high school, juggling multiple part-time jobs, and enduring sympathetic gazes that pained him.The only respite he found was in books, which offered him an escape and some semblance of joy.One day, while engrossed in the book 'Path of Heroes: Battle Against the End,' his life took an unexpected turn.Halfway through the story, he inexplicably found himself transmigrated into the world of Path of Heroes, inhabiting the body of Azriel Crimson—a character never mentioned in the story's first half.An extra.Someone seemingly irrelevant to the plot.Unfortunately—or perhaps fortunately—fate had other plans, and Leo soon discovered that being a mere extra was not his destiny after all.

Forty years ago, demons invaded the eastern continent. Coming from another realm, they hunted the humans, and people soon began to wage war with them. Before long, there were those among the humans who inherited the demons' abilities.Demon hunters are currently the most in-demand profession. Although the chance of dying during a raid was high, the hunters were mostly popular among the common people. If you have some demon blood in your body, then the path to the Hunter's Association is open to you.Year 2066, Seoul. The territory of the former city is divided into three parts. Green Zone, Orange Zone and Red Dangerous Zone. Although mostly ordinary people and workers lived in the green zone, there was a chance for demons to get into it. That's why demon hunters patrol the whole area, sacrificing themselves for the lives of people.The main character, Lee Ki-hyun, inherited 50% demon blood and became the world's first SSS-ranked demon hunter. He will have to go through the path of a demon and learn the truth about his parents to save humanity.

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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He returned with a vigorous presence, equipped with a Heaven-reaching Innate Ability. He could heal, tell fortunes, refine medicines, set formations, and refine talismans… “There’s nothing in this world that I can’t do!” — Shen Feng.